mount-orgueil: or divine and profitable meditations raised from the contemplation of these three leaves of natures volume, . rockes, . seas, . gardens, digested into three distinct poems. to which is prefixed, a poeticall description, of mount-orgueil castle in the isle of jersy. by vvilliam prynne, late exile, and close prisoner in the sayd castle. a poem of the soules complaint against the body; and comfortable cordialls against the discomforts of imprisonment, &c. are hereto annexed. prynne, william, - . approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page images. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; oxford (uk) : - (eebo-tcp phase ). a wing p c estc r this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons . universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase , no. a ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, - ; : ) mount-orgueil: or divine and profitable meditations raised from the contemplation of these three leaves of natures volume, . rockes, . seas, . gardens, digested into three distinct poems. to which is prefixed, a poeticall description, of mount-orgueil castle in the isle of jersy. by vvilliam prynne, late exile, and close prisoner in the sayd castle. a poem of the soules complaint against the body; and comfortable cordialls against the discomforts of imprisonment, &c. are hereto annexed. prynne, william, - . prynne, william, - . rockes improved. prynne, william, - . christian sea-card. prynne, william, - . christian paradise. prynne, william, - . comfortable cordials. [ ], , - , [ ]; [ ], , [ ] p., [ ] leaf of plates : port. printed by tho. cotes, for michael sparke senior, and are to be sold by peter inch of chester, london : . in verse. one of four possible imprint variants of this text. with marginal notes. order and number of preliminary leaves vary. ideal copies include a -line verse (printed in lines) which faces a portrait of the author. these two leaves may either precede or follow title page. there are two verse dedications, "to the christian reader", which fill both sides of a leaf, and "to the right worshipfull his ever honoured worthy friend ..." on a leaf signed [par.] , the verso of which is blank. these two dedication leaves are frequently interchanged. with a final errata leaf. "rockes improved", "christian sea-card", "christian paradise", and "soules complaint" each have separate dated title page with "printed by t. cotes for michael sparke, dwelling at the blue bible in greene arbor, ; pagination and register are continuous. "comfortable cordials" has separate title page with imprint "printed anno. "; pagination and register are separate. it may also have been issued separately (wing p ). reproduction of original in the folger shakespeare library, washington, d.c.. created by converting tcp files to tei p using tcp tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the universities of michigan and oxford and the publisher proquest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by proquest via their early english books online (eebo) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). the general aim of eebo-tcp is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic english-language title published between and available in eebo. eebo-tcp aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the text encoding initiative (http://www.tei-c.org). the eebo-tcp project was divided into two phases. the , texts created during phase of the project have been released into the public domain as of january . anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source. users should be aware of the process of creating the tcp texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data. text selection was based on the new cambridge bibliography of english literature (ncbel). if an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in ncbel, then their works are eligible for inclusion. selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. in general, first editions of a works in english were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably latin and welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so. image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in oxford and michigan. % (or pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet qa standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. after proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of instances per text. any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of tcp data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a tcp editor. the texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level of the tei in libraries guidelines. copies of the texts have been issued variously as sgml (tcp schema; ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf- unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p , characters represented either as utf- unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng jesus christ -- poetry -- early works to . christian literature -- early works to . - tcp assigned for keying and markup - aptara keyed and coded from proquest page images - john latta sampled and proofread - john latta text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion loe here 's the authors shadow , passe it by ; these lines his substance , will in part descry . gaze not upon his shade unlesse to see , and learne thereby , that all men shadowes be . all flesh is grass , the best men vanity ; this , but a shadow , here before thine eye , of him , whose wondrous changes clearly show , that god , not men , swayes all things here below movnt-orgveil : or divine and profitable meditations , raised from the contemplation of these three leaves of natures volume , . rockes , . seas , . gardens , digested into three distinct poems . to which is prefixed , a poeticall description , of mount-orgueil castle in the isle of jersy . by vvilliam prynne , late exile , and close prisoner in the sayd castle . a poem of the soules complaint against the body ; and comfortable cordialls against the discomforts of imprisonment , &c. are hereto annexed . psalme . . let the words of my mouth , and the meditation of my heart , he acceptable in thy sight , o lord my strength , and my redeemer . psalme . . i remember the dayes of old ; i meditate on all thy workes ; i muse on the worke of thy hands . london , printed by tho. cotes , for michael sparke senior , and are to be sold by peter inch of chester . . to the right worshipfull his ever honoured worthy friend , sir philip carteret knight , lieutenant governour and bayliffe of the isle of jersy . sir , your great favour and humanity to me whiles exile , prisner in jersy , wholy secluded from all friends accesse , under the angry frownes of their greatnesse who sent me thither , to deprive me quite of worldly comforts ; challenge a just right to these rude meditations , which there grew , and so in justice are your proper due . accept them than , as a small pledge of my thankes unto you , till oportunity and better dayes , enable me to finde , some other meanes to pay all that 's behinde . your eternally obliged friend and servant william prynne . to the christian reader , shut up close-prisner in mount-orgueil pile , a lofty castle , within jersie isle , remote from friends , * neere three yeares space , where i had rockes , seas , gardens dayly in mine eye , which i oft viewed with no small delight , these pleasing objects did at last invite me , to contemplate in more solemne wise , what usefull meditations might arise from each of them , my soule to warme , feast , cheare , and unto god , christ , heaven mount more neare . in which pursuite , i found such inward joyes , such cordiall comforts , as did over-poise my heaviest crosses , losses , and supply the want of all , foes did me then deny ; give me assurance of a sweete returne both from my exile , prison , and mine urne : revive my cold dead muse , and it inspire though not with brightest , yet with sacred fire : some sparkes whereof rakt up in ashes then , i layd aside , for want of inke and pen : but now enlarged by the mighty hand of that sweete god , who both by * sea and land ▪ in sundry prisons , countries , kept me so in health and comfort , that i met with no one day of sickenesse , sadnesse , discontent , in * eight yeares troubles , and imprisonment : ( which i relate , that all may blesse his name for his great mercy , and expect the same support and presence of our god in all those sharpe afflictions which may them befall , as i have found , by sweete experiment to my surpassing solace , and content : ) i have blowne up these buried sparkes a new , and here present them to thy christian view , ( kinde reader ) to the end that thou mayst be refresht with those thoughts , which refreshed me , and steele thy soule with faith , hope , confidence , against all carnall feares and diffidence , with that which made me to expect with joy , that blest enlargement i doe now enjoy . from my long durance , censures , banishment , which god hath made a fresh , sweete monument of his almighty power , that all thereby in all their troubles and adversitie , may learne with faith , hope , comfort to depend on god , who in due time release will send . thy comfort , profit is all i desire , next to gods glory ; lord , let the sweete fire of thy good spirit by these lines convoy such flames of love , zeale , comfort , grace , & joy into each readers soule , that he may see these meditations were inspir'd by thee . if any profit , fruit , thou from them gaine , o pray for him , who ever shall remaine thy unfained christian friend william prynne . a poeticall description of mount-orgueil castle in the isle of iersy , interlaced , with some briefe meditations from it's rockie , steepe , and lofty situation . mount orgueil castle is a lofty pile , within the easterne parts of jersy isle , seated upon a rocke , full large & high , close by the sea-shore , next to normandie ; neere to a sandy bay , where boats doe ride within a peere , safe both from wind and tide . three parts thereof the flowing seas surround , the fourth ( north-west-wards ) is firme rockie ground . a proud high-mount it hath , a rampeir long , foure gates , foure posternes , bulworkes , sconces strong , all built with stone , on which there mounted lye , fifteene cast peeces of artillery ; with sundry murdering chambers , planted so , as best may fence it selfe , and hurt a foe . a guard of souldiers ( strong enough till warre begins to thunder ) in it lodged are ; who watch and ward it duly night and day ; for which the king allow's them monthly pay . the governour , if present , here doth lye , if absent , his lievetenant deputy . * a man of warre the keyes doth keepe , and locke the gates each night of this high towering rock . the castle 's ample , aire healthy , and the prospect pleasant , both by sea and land. two boystrous foes , sometimes assault with losse this fortresse , which their progresse seemes to crosse . the raging waves below , which ever dash themselves in pieces , whiles with it they clash , the stormy winds above , whose blasts doe breake themselves , not it , for which they are too weake . for why this fort is built upon a rocke , and so by a christs owne verdict free from shocke of floods and winds ; which on it oft may beate , yet never shake it , but themselves defeate . thus potent tyrants , whiles they strive to quash . christs feeble members , oft b themselves quite dash to shivers , ' gainst the rocke christ , upon whom they safely founded stand what ever come . a rocke too high for floods to reach ; too strong , too firme for fiercest winds to shake , though long they beate upon it , with a roaring sound , and blustring stormes , to cast it to the ground . this castles * haughty name , and lofty seat , ( enough to puffe up minds not truly great , ) portend at first , that pride it selfe should dwell within it : or such who in pride excell ; since haughty c tytles , d places too oft find , or make at least a proud and haughty mind . but though this vice in former times ( perchance ) might here reside , and her proud throne advance ; yet now shee 's banish't hence with all her traine , and long be it ere she returne againe . now nought but meeknesse and humility in mind and habit , mixt with charity . the truest e ensignes of a noble race ; and pious heart ) adorne this stately place , let worthlesse upstarts , beggers , peasants vile be proud and haughty : this high mounted pile , possest by those of better birth , blood , place , ignoble pride shall never once imbrace , when christ g the patterne of humility would teach this virtue , to a h mountaine high he forthwith goes : and thence exhorteth all to seeke this grace ; fly pride , by which they i fall , shewing hereby , that pride more oft doth dwell in k lowest valleyes , and the meanest cell ; than in the greatest mounts , men , minds ; who l hate this vice , and humble are in highest state . whence can you better learne christs lesson now than in this mount ; where humblenesse doth grow . in great and small , with other vertues bright , which grace these walls , and to the isle give light ? o let this castle on a rocke inure . our soules to m build on christ , a rocke most sure : a castle , fortresse , bulworke , hold and towre above the reach of foes , or humane powre . and let this mount , up which we daily climbe , advance our thoughts to objects more sublime ; yea n mount our soules , hearts , minds , to things above the highest heavens , with the wings of love , faith , servent prayers , sighs , teares , psalmes of praise both day and night . thus spending all our dayes in o heav'n whiles here on earth wee breath ; that so wee may from p hence to it in triumph goe . what though the way be q narrow , craggie , steepe , up which we cannot runne with ease , but creepe with paine and toyle , encountring r sundry foes , great crosses , losses , and a world of woes ; the top once wonne , is pleasant ; where the gaine a ſ thousand-fold surmounts our losse and paine , there shall we ever dwell in t perfect joy ; free from all dangers that may us annoy ; u crowned with blisse and glory , which x transcend our largest thoughts , and never know an end . thither christ bring us , whose most y sacred blood hath purchased heaven , for our endlesse good . finis . rockes improved , comprising certaine poeticall meditations , extracted from the contemplation of the nature and quality of rockes ; a barren and harsh soyle , yet a fruitfull , and delightfull subject of meditation . by vvilliam prynne , late exile , and close prisoner in mount-orgueil castle in the isle of iersy . psal . . . . . sam. . . . . the lord is my rocke and my fortresse , and my deliverer , my god , my strength in whom i will trust , my buckler , and the horne of my salvation , and my high towre ; my saviour , thou savest mee from violence . who is a rocke save our god ? the lord liveth , and blessed be my rocke , and let the god of my salvation be exalted . psal . . , , . i waited patiently for the lord , and hee inclined unto mee , and heard my cry : he brought mee also out of an horrible pit , out of the miry clay , and set my feet upon a rocke , and established my goings , &c. london , printed by t. cotes for michael sparke , dwelling at the blue bible in greene arbor . . courteour reader , i shall request thee to correct these few presse errors , which have scaped in some coppies in my absence . errata . page . line . for the , read this . p. . l. . r. make . p. . l. . when whom . l. . them . r. him . p. . l. . to r. in . p. . l. . of , on . p. . l. . sinne , weeds . p. . . they , these . p. . l. . must , much . p. . l. . be , lie . p. . l. greatest . p. . l. . lose , close . p. . l. . others , . p. . l. . fined , fixed . p. l . and , oh. l. . satan , satin . p. . l. . them , then . l. . stations , passions . p. . l. . over , ever . p. . l. thee , they . p. . l. . to . or . p. . l. arriv'd , arm'd . l. . flattering . p. . l. . shall , should . p. . l. . the , then . p. . l. . th' one , thine . p. . l. . prints , paints . printers oft erre , but not as other men ; their errors are corrected with a pen. rockes improved . comprising certaine poeticall meditations , extracted from the contemplation of the nature and qualities of rockes ; a barren and harsh soyle , yet a fruitfull and delightfull subject of meditation . the proeme . when from the lofty * castle i espie the ragged rocks , which round about it lye ; my working thoughts begin from thence to raise some a meditations , to their makers praise , and mine own profit : which my heart may warm , yea mount to heaven , and vaine fancies charm . meditations of the first ranke , parallelling christ and rockes together . and first , the rockes doe lively represent a complete image , full of sweete content , of christ our rocke ; sith that both they and he in name and nature fitly doe agree . are they cal'd rockes ? so he in sacred writ a b rocke is stil'd , in these regards most fit . . the stony rockes no other father know but god who made them , from whose c word they flow so christ ( both god and man ) no father knowes but d god eternall ; from whose loines he flowes by such a e generation as exceedes mens shallow thoughts , and in them wonder breeds . . rockes are the f firmest ground whereon to lay , and found such buildings as shall not decay . but last and stand in spite of floods , stormes , wind , which may beate on them , yet no entrance finde , so g christ's the onely rocke , the tryed stone on which the church is built : on him alone our soules so safe , fast , firmely , founded lye , that they shall stand for all eternity unshaken , undemolisht , maugre all the h stormes , flouds , winds , that on them beat & fall through men or devils malice : happie they who on this firme rocke , all their buildings lay . . rockes yeeld the sweetest i honey , men to feede : the k sweetest honey comforts , joyes proceede from christ our rock , mens drooping souls to cheare and sweeten all sowre crosses which they beare . . all precious stones , and jewels rocks doe breed : all gemmes and pearles of grace from l christ proceed the first , our bodies decke , but for a space ; the last , our m souls , with an eternall grace . the first , in mans eyes are a lovely sight ; the last in gods eyes makes us shine most bright . o let us then , these jewels onely prise , which make us n comely in gods sacred eyes . . the richest mines of silver , gold , tin , lead , brasse , copper , in the wombes of o rockes are bred : whence not digg'd out with pains , they uselesse lie and none are better'd , or enricht thereby . thus all the mines , and treasures of gods grace are p hid in christ , as in their proper place . yet none doe happie , rich , or wealthy grow by these hidde treasures , though they overflow ; but those who take much q paines to dig them thence with prayers , teares , faith , hope , and patience . o let us then be ever drawing oare out of our rock christ , in whom there 's such store of richest golden mines , that all r who will may there their soules , and bagges for ever fill . . the purest , best , and pleasanist waters spring out of ſ rockes sides ; which sweete refreshment bring to man and beast , whose thirst they quench and stay , their bodies bathe , and wash their filth away . thus from our rocke christ , and his pierced side , such pearelesse streames of t blood and water glide , ( to save , bathe , clense , refresh all broken hearts , and quench hell flames , with sathans , fiery darts : ) as farre surpasse the purest streames that flow , from all the rockes , or fountaines here below . and now ( me thinks ) v the rock in wildernesse whence streames of waters gushed to redresse , and quench the peoples thirst , when moses rod it smote , and pierced by command from god. ( yea every rock whence cristall waters spring ) a lively x picture was , and is to bring our rocke christ to our mindes , and to present him to our eyes , and hearts with great content : from whose pierc'd hands and side with nayles and speare , whole y streames of precious blood , and waters cleare did sweetely flow , gods wrath to quench , allay , his peoples thirst , and wash their sinnes away . we neede not then a crucifixe , to bring christ to our mindes , sith every rocke and spring that flowes from thence , doth in more z lively wise present christ and his passion to our eyes ; let papists then behold their painted stickes ; each rocke to me shall be a crucifixe , as a god hath made it : and shall teach me more , than all the pictures of the roman whore ; which are meere b idoll , heathenish vanities , and c teach nought else , but errors , sinnes , and lies . . rockes yeeld a pleasant d shade against the heate , the scorching sun and storms that on men beate ; which sweete refreshment to the weary brings , and cooles them more than any limpid springs . christ our rocke is a sweete refreshing e shade against all heates that scorch , all sinnes that lade his saints ; whose weary sinne-burnt soules can gaine no f rest but in his shade , which ends their paine ; yea fills them with such g peace , ioy , chearefulnesse , that they an heaven here on earth possesse . o let us still abide in this blest shade , where-with our soules are eas'd , and happy made . . the holes and clifts in rockes to which men h flye in times of danger , for security ; paint out the holes , clifts , wounds in christs pierc'd i side feete , hands , wherein our soules may safely hide themselves against all stormes that devils , hell , world , flesh , or sinne can raise up , them to quell . o let us to these blessed holes , clifts flye for shelter , and in them both live and dye . yea let each hole and clift which we espie in rocks , present christs wounds , holes , to our eye , and so imprint them in our hearts and minde , that they may still sweete solace in them finde . . rockes seldome k weare or waste , but last and know no changes , while things , seas still ebbe , and flow about them . so our rocke christ lasts for aye without all change , both l yesterday , to day , and still the same for all eternitie , when all things else decay , waxe , old and dye . friends , parents , kindred , goods , lands , cities , states , kings , kingdomes , yea the world , have m all their fates , falls , changes , periods ; and doe passe away ; whiles christ our rocke stands firme at the n same stay . no change , age o death can on him seaze , or lite , he still continues in the selfe-same plight , o let us then make him our onely p stay , friend , treasure , portion , who thus lasts for aye , then when all friends , helpes , stayes , hopes else faile , he alone q more than all these to us will be . oh prize him most who doth all else excell , and still remaines when they bid us farewell . . rockes are to men the r strongest , safest fence , fort , refuge in all dangers : and from hence most castles , townes , forts on them setled ar , which guard whole kingdomes , both in peace and war ; to these men in all places use to flye for ayde and shelter in extremitie , and is not christ our rocke , the strongest mound , the safest s refuge of his saints ? who found their forts , strength , fafty upon him , and flye to him alone in all their miserie ? where they in safty live , and dare defie both men and devils with securitie . o let us then on him alone repose our soules , who will t protect them from all foes . . doves , eagles , conies , fish in v rockes doe breed , build , dwell and hide themselves : christs chosen seede in x him alone breed , build , dwell , live , and hide from all such perills as shall them betide . let this their wisedome teach all others grace in this rock christ , their strength , nests , homes to place . . rockes have no outward y forme nor comelinesse to make them lovely . z scripture is expresse that christ our rocke had none , whence most a despise him whiles they view him but with carnall eyes . and yet as rockes , though ragged , vile and bare in outward forme , containe within them rare and precious jewels , stones , mines , of all kinds ; so though our rocke , christ , unto carnall minds in outward shew seemes base ; yet in him lye the b richest treasures , mines , gems , hid from eye : o judge not then by c out side , since corse skinne and rags oft times have treasures , pearles d within , whiles guilded outsides ( like a e painted grave ) nought else but dust , drosse , dung , within them have . . rockes fence the land against the raging seas , which else would swallow it with speed , and ease . so f christ defends his church and feeble sheepe , gainst devills , tyrants , wolves ; who else would sweepe them cleane away , and speedily devoure , if not protected by his mighty power . o give him then the praise of this sweete grace who thus preserves us safe in every place . . rockes oft times harbours make for ships to ride in safty both from pirats , stormes , winds , tide . so christ our rocke , an g harbour is to all , who flye to him , and for helpe on him call in all their troubles ; where they may repose themselves in safty , maugre stormes , or foes . . rockes through the world neare hand dispersed lie for men to h flye too , in extremitie . christ in i all places is still neare at hand , a rocke to shield , and guard his chosen band , in all their dangers , and perplexities , thrice happy he who in him fenced lies . . god well accepted in most gratefull wise , and by some wonder grac'd the sacrifice which holy men upon bare k rockes did lay , and offer to him ; not on altars gay . thus god those praises , almes , teares , prayers , cryes , ( a christians best and onely l sacrifice ) doth most regard , and them alone approve which laid on m christ our rocke , doe from him move , and mount to heaven n sweetned with the fume of his rich odors , which their stincke consume . . altars of old were built on o rockes ; to shew that we no p altar else but christ should know ; and that all altars , offerings must proceede from him , or else they le stand us in no steede . those altars then are built but on the q sand , and sure to fall , which on christ doe not stand ; as none doe now , sith r christs death overthrew all altars but himselfe , both old and new . . no lasie , fearefull persons can ascend steepe craggie s rockes , but onely those who bend their mindes , force , might thereto , who hardly get vpon them but with earnest paine and sweat , nay falls , oft-times , and bruises : so all those who t sloathfull are , with christ can never close : a rock so narrow , craggie , steep , sublime that , none , with ease , with paines , v few can him ( climbe , meeting with x many rubbes , falls , bruises , ere they climbe upon him , and a building reare . o then let all who thinke this rocke to mount of paines , sweat , fals , rubs , crosses , make y account . and then addresse themselves with z all their might vnto this worke , which will their paines requite . . rockes are too hard , on which to sleepe secure : and they must a watch , not sleepe whom christ keepes sure . those who intend on this rocke safe to lye , must b shake off sleepe , with all security : watching and c praying alwayes night and day , lest world , flesh , devill them surprize and slay . . rockes in , or neere the seas , and waters are ; and doe their heads , most part d above them beare : so christ , our rocke , on earth did oft reside neare to the sea ; yea , on it , walke and ride : lifting his head above the proudest seas , and calming all their raging waves with ease : to shew that he was e supreme lord of all the world , f when seas and floods before him fall ; yea , prove a footestoole for his feete to tread , and g walke upon in safty , without dread . all other rockes in waters sincke , christ sailes , swimmes , walkes upon , and over them prevailes . . most , ragged rockes contemne , neglect , forsake , vntill some h dangers force them to betake themselves unto them for securitie , and then they prayse , and highly magnifie those rockes they held before in such disgrace , as the most strong , sweete , best , and safest place . so , most this rocke christ quite i neglect , despise , desert , abandon till k extremities enforce them to him , to protect and free . them from the evills which they feare and flee . and then no place so sweete , safe , delicate as this our rocke before left desolate . but yet as those who unto rockes doe flye , not out of love , but meere necessity , l forsake them quite , when as their dangers end ; so , such whom feares , or perills force , and send ( not sincere love ) to christ our rocke , l away depart from him , and will no longer stay , when as their dangers , troubles , feares are gone , and most unkindly leave him all alone . hence may all popelings learne , that multitude , christs , or his churches truth doth m ill conclude . . rockes humble are , and never upwards tend , mount , swell , but n downe their heads and motions bend . so christ our rocke , did o humble and abase himselfe , but never sought high state or place ; moving from heaven downe to earth below , to quench all pride , and make men humble grow . who then dares swell with pride , or haughtinesse when christ , himselfe did thus so low depresse ; though p king of kings , and lord of lords , most high , nay second person in the deity ? . high rocks a pleasant q prospect yeeld , whence men sea , land , nay heaven may the better ken. and with delight see farther , and farre more than they on lower ground beheld before . thus men high mounted on our rock , christ , view from thence , with most delight , such r pleasant , new and glorious sights of god , and things above as rap their soules , and make them sicke of love. thence they behold all earthly things below with other eyes , and both discerne and know them to be vile , base s drosse , meere vanity ; and very small when view'd thus from on high . . when t serpents upon rockes doe creepe or glide they leave no tract , way , steps , that can be spide . when that old serpent satan crept upon our rocke christ , with his strong temptation , he v nought prevailed , and no print , step , trace , of him or his assaults on him tooke place . . when christ our rocke for forty dayes and nights had fasted , then the devill him incites to x turne stones into bread , himselfe to feede ; which he denide , though then he bread did neede : yet of his tender mercy to mankinde , and their poore soules , which are with hunger pinde , he dayly turnes a rocke ( himselfe ) to y bread of life , wherewith their hungry soules are fed . yea , rather than his chosen , bread shall neede , the rockes and stones their soules shall fat and feede , nay feast with those sweete wafers , which their minde , by z meditations doth within them finde . let then our hearts be right we neede not feare a a want of bread , food , them to feede , feast , cheare , since every rocke and ston's a magazine to feede , store , feast them still with bread divine . . when god himselfe of his abundant grace shew'd forth his glorious presence , and blest face to moses and elias ; he them plac'd in b clifts or caves of rockes , and there them grac'd with this grand honour , him to view . when we gods sweetest c face and presence long to see , our soules to ravish ; we must stand , and hide within the clifts of our rock , christs peirc'd side ( which these rockes doe but d figure , ) the sole place wherein we may with comfort view gods face . o let our soules in these clifts dwell and stay , where god his e face and presence doth display , in such sweete manner , and such lively sort , as will our soules with love and joy transport . . rough ragged rockes and stones , cause men to f fall and stumble on them ; yea , oft times withall , themselves to bruise , maime , breake , and hurt so sore , that they expire therewith , and rise no more ; thus christ becomes to many a wicked one a g rocke offensive , and a stumbling stone who on him stumble , slip , and headlong fall , and dash themselves in pieces therewithall . o then beware how we against him hit spurne , stumble , who to () shivers will us split . . some h rockes of flint yeeld softest oyle , to swage , and supple hardest swellings , when they rage . heale wounds , and ulcers ; supplest oyles of grace , which i soften hard hearts in a little space ; k asswage our paine , our aches , wounds , sores cure , proceede from christ , a rocke most firme and sure . lord give us store of this soft oyle , that we our hearts made soft , our wounds quite heal'd may see . . the mines and treasures which in rockes hid lye , l exceede mans search and full discovery . the sacred hidden treasures which doe dwell in christ our rocke , are so m unsearchable ; vast , boundlesse , endlesse , that they farre exceede saints largest thoughts and in them wonder breede . o let us still contemplate more and more the n height , depth , length , breadth , of this searchlesse store . to fill our soules with sweetest joyes , and make them for the love of these , all else forsake . . rockes are most patient and doe not o complaine cry , stir , though tempests , seas , winds , axes , rain , nay sledges be at upon them , and them bruise , break , hew , cleave , pierce , cut , lance , & much misuse . so christ our rocke , endured p patiently , his crosse , wrongs , suffrings , death without all cry , complainte , resistance ; like a sheepe before her shearer , which doth never bleate , stir , roare . o let all christians now at last from q hence learne to beare crosses with like patience . . the r floods , windes , stormes against the rockes oft beate ; they still exposed are to cold , or heate : sometimes the seas surround & drown them quite and oft the yce and snow them hide from sight : so christ on earth s assaulted was with windes ; floodes , tempests , heate , cold , crosses of all kindes , which for a time did hide , immerge , at last , quite over-whelme him , till the storme was past . what christian then can thinke himselfe t secure from stormes , winds , floods , sith christ did them endure ? . when christ gave up the ghost , the v rockes did rent , the death of this cheefe rocke for to lament : yea , to beare witnesse of his deity , who though he dy'd , made x rockes in pieces flye . that heart is harder , worse than rock or stone , which christs death cannot rent , nor cause to moane . yea every y rockie heart must melt , rent , fall in pieces , when christ shall it shake , smite , call by his almighty hand , or voyce ; which make the hardest z rockes and hearts to melt , split , shake . lord let the thoughts of thy death quite relent our rockie hearts , and move them to repent . . rockes a seldome rot , corrupt , or putrifie : b christ rotted not , whilst he in grave did lye ; that so he might our rotten corps thence c raise free from corruption , him for aye to prayse . o feare not then , though we returne to dust , christ at the last d will scoure off all our rust ; drosse , and corruption ; and our corps restore to such a state , that it shall dye no more ; but live in endlesse glory , and excell the e shining rayes , which in starres , moone , sunne , dwell . . rockes though they drowned be , appeare againe , and fixed in their places still remaine : so christ , though dead , and layd in grave , arose againe the f third day , yea to heav'n up goes , above the reach of floodes ; where he on high hath fixt his throne for all g eternity . here shall this ever-living raised rocke for ever h reigne amidst his chosen flocke . . our rocke christ being dead entombed lay within a i rocke ; where he grim death did slay . we , dust and earth , when dead , to k them returne : but our dead rocke , a rocke had for his vrne : which him receiv'd , and habor'd even when , he slaine , and quite l rejected was by men. o rockes of flesh , and bowels , which first m rent themselves , his bloody passion to lament ! and then him in their bosomes lodge , and plac'd , when men him slew , forsook , and most disgrac'd ! o men ( more n hard than any rocke , flint , stone , who never , pitty , feele , regard , bemoane christs cruell death and passion ; nor receive him , when the rocks rent , and him house-roome give ! o let us learne from hence , how hard , unkinde , ingrate we are to him , who still shall o finde more pitty , harbor , love , from rockes than we , vntill our hearts by grace relented be . and let this thought our hearts of rocke now thaw , and floods of bitter teares out from them draw . . in fine ; when we consider that p christ lay intombed in a rocke ; yet the third day rose up from thence : it makes each hole and cave we see in rockes , no other but a grave : and points us out the q place where we must lye inter'd , ere long , and fits us still to r dye : which done , it then revives our soules againe with this sweet thought , that we s shal not remaine in grave for ever ; since our saviour rose from thence againe , to rayse us , and all those who are his members , from the dust , to t raigne in endlesse blisse , where he doth now remaine . let these sweete speculations ever cheare our drooping soules , and banish all their feare . thus barren rockes unto a pious minde may fruitfull prove , if it v christ in them finde ; when they in name and nature thus expresse unto the life , with fruite and pleasantnesse ; farre better than all pictures which the blinde , dull papists make , to bring them to their minde , as if his x word , workes , sacraments , yea , y man the truest , best idaea that we can have of him ) with each rocke , stone they espie were not enough to shew him to their eye , without those idols , which have thrust aside these better pictures , and christ from them hide . . blessed lord jesus who the z only rocke , and refuge art of thine elected flocke , teach us thus sweetely to behold , and view thee in each rocke we see ; for to renue , melt , change , delight , rejoyce our hearts , & make them out of love to thee , all else a forsake : still b living , cleaving , dying unto thee the onely rocke , where they full safe shall be . meditations of the second kinde , comparing rockes and sinnes together . againe , me thinkes , the rockes doe typifie , the nature of those sinnes which in us lye . . for first , all rockes exceeding c heavie are , to those who them upon their shoulders beare : yet light , not pondrous to their proper place : so , to all hearts renu'd with saving grace all sinnes more d heavie than rockes are , and seeme ; though stony hearts them light and easie deeme . e . rockes presse and bruise them sore on whom they lye , and for meere anguish make them roare and cry. sinnes doe so too ; when god doth once awake mens soules , their pressure makes them f roare and quake . o then beware of sinnes , which g bruise , oppresse our soules , and worke nought else but their distresse . rockes sinke , and bend still h downe wards : sins doe so , tending to i hell the place to which they goe : each day they sinke men lower than they were , till by degrees they them to hell downe-beare . oh then betimes shake off these k weights , which presse and sinke our soules to hell , without redresse . . rocks l cold , hard , dead and senselesse are ; m sins make all such , within whose hearts they lodgings take : beware then how such guests we entertaine , by which our soules are deaded , n hurt and slaine . . rockes make men oft to stumble , slip , and fall ; and break their bones , limbs , neckes , oft times withall : sinnes o doe the like . if then we would be free from slips and break-neck-falls , we must them flee . . rockes are p deformed , horrid , barren , vile ; and so are q sinnes , with all whom they defile . these make men ugly , filthy , steril , base , and all their glory , beauty quite deface ; yea , change them into r monsters , wolves , dogs , swine ; nay s fiends incarnate . o then sinnes decline ! . where t rockes once fixe their stations , they remaine ; and none but god can move them thence againe : so sins once setled in mens hearts , there v stand fast centred , till gods owne almighty hand expell them thence . o then let no sinnes lye upon our soules , but out them presently , lest they should x settle ; for if once they rest within them , they are hardly dispossest . . rockes are y exceeding hard to batter , breake , mine , pierce , demolish . so let all men speake , and they must say , that z all sinnes are so too , we ruine , breake them still with much adoe . he who doth thinke his sinnes with ease to quell , shall never tame , nor from him them expell . . rockes make their dwellers a fearelesse , and secure of foes or perils , and to thinke all sure : sinnes b doe the like to those that in them dwell ; who feare no dangers till they sinke to hell . o then beware lest sinnes make us secure . no state 's so ill , as that which seemes most sure ! . all rockes are c blushlesse , shamelesse , impudent ; sinnes are so too , nought can then daunt , relent . and by degrees mens hearts , browes they so d steele that they no sinne , blush , shame , disgrace can feele . take heede then lest sinne , first , us shamelesse make , then senselesse , gracelesse , fit for hells dread lake . . rocks , stones e good grounds oft spoyle , and quite deface : so f sinnes good men deprave , marre shame , disgrace . . rockes , stones in fertile soiles them g barren make ; and nought will spring , or grow there , till men take them thence : so rockes and stones of sinne decay , and make men h fruitlesse till remov'd away . no fruites of grace will ever grow , or sprout up in them , till these stones be digged out . . great rockes i apparent are to each mans eye , and all both farre and neare may them espie . great sinnes in all , in k great men specially , themselves to all both farre and neare descry ; whence l scripture saith , they are on rockes tops set , and doe in m others worlds of sinnes beget . let all , but great ones chiefely , all sinnes flye ; which though kept close , will yet n themselves descry . . wilde o goates in rockes seede , live , and much delight : so , wicked men , stil'd p goates both day and night in q sinnes and lusts doe wallow , live and joy ; though they their soules at last will quite destroy . o madnesse ! thus in sinnes to take delight , which against god , soule , body , alwayes r fight . . the steepe high rockes , and forts which on them stand are never s scal'd , or won but by strong hand ; much paines , long seige , or famine , which doe pine , or starve their men , and cause them to resigne . the steepe , high , craggie rockes and forts of sin within us , none can ever t scale , force , win , but by strong hand , much cost , paines , sweate , strife , care , long seige , and easts , by which they starved are , and forc'd at last for very want to yeeld , where else they would have made us leave the field . it s then no easie thing to conquer sinne : they must bestir them who its forts would winne . . rockes , v wrecke , sinke , breake ships , boates : so sins oft x split and drowne those soules which on them dash or hit ; not in sea-waters , but in lakes of fire , where they shall ever feele gods scorching ile . . instruct us then , o christ , our rocke , to shun all sinnes as rockes ; and not on them to run , for feare of ruine , and still give us grace to flye these rockes of sinne in every place , with greater care than y sea-men doe avoyde those noted rockes , which thousands have destroyd ; not once presuming to approach or hit against such rockes ; as others soules have split . and since sunke rockes of z secret sinnes that lye hid in our hearts , and a worldly jollity , mirth , pastimes , pleasures , ( where we least suspect , or feare a danger ) most soules still have wreckt ; teach us these rocks to see , and then to flye with chiefest care , and them not to come nigh . yea , sith no sea so fraught with rockes can be , as this whereon our soules sayle towards thee : o shield us from these rocks by thy great power , which else will split and sinke us every houre : that so we may at last arive secure in heaven's blest port , where joyes for aye endure . meditations of the third sort , suiting rockes , and gods elect together . besides , these rockes present before our eyes the state of gods elect , in lively wise . . rockes fixed are , b not tossed to and fro , with every winde , storme , tempest : even so gods chosen sheepe with c firme and stable hearts adhere to him in all their troubles , smarts : no stormes , windes , crosses , changes can remove them from his word , sonne , spirit , truth or love : when d troopes of others shrinke , and fall away , they cleave to him as to their onely stay. . rockes many e winds , stormes , tempests undergoe : and doe not all the f saints , whiles here , doe so ? . rockes meekely beare and suffer stormes that fall , and never fret , rage , or repine at all : gods g saints without all murmur , fret , or cry their crosses , losses beare most quietly ; submitting unto god , whose providence all bitter potions doth to them dispense . . all men on h rockes may safely build and rest : and of all trusty friends , the saints are best . on i whom we may all times with trust relye , and to them in all dangers safely flye . . rockes k bare and ragged are : the saints oft l poore , in outward state ; but seldome begge at doore . . yet though rockes outsides be but base and rude , they richest mines within their wombes include : so though saints outsides be but ragged , base , within them m hidden lye gold-mines of grace . . stones digged out of rockes and hewed square the n fairest temples , buildings make that are . so gods elect , though vile whiles that they lye in natures quarries in deformitie ; yet hew'de out thence , squar'd , polisht by gods grace , and layd in order in their proper place , become o rich temples wherein god doth dwell , and doe all other structures farre excell , in worth , and glory : lord thus square , and lay us in these sacred walls , which last for aye . . rockes for the most part lowly are and meeke : the p saints are so , and no high places seeke ; in this vaine world ; where they dejected lye till god advance them to the starrie skie . . rockes kingdomes , islands guard and fortifie gainst raging seas , floods , stormes , and enemie : q saints holy lives , and frequent prayers ar states surest guards ; forts , both in peace and war ; these shield-off judgements , foes , plagues , yea gods ire , which else would wast , and scorch them worse than fire . . rockes from their sides send forth r springs sweete and pure , mens thirst to quench , their wounds and sores to cure : and who but christ and saints can s comfort bring to sinne-sicke soules , and those who feele the sting gripes , torments , flames of hell and conscience ? or binde up broken , hearts , and chase from thence all feares and horrid terrors ? which an hell on earth oft make in those wherein they dwell ? hence all such wounded soules doe ever fly to t these for comfort in extremity : since no ungodly wretch can cheare , or ease a sinne-sicke soule , nor aking heart appease . . rockes most despised and neglected are , as worthlesse creatures : thus gods saints oft fare v contem'd , abhor'd of most , as vile and base , though of mankinde the onely pearles , starres , grace . . rockes hurt no shippes , boates , men , but such as x hit themselves against them ; and so breake or split : so gods elect doe never hurt , breake , quash any , but those who y wilfully rune , dash , bruise , breake , themselves against them ; who must check ? and blame themselves , not them , for this their wreck . . god first ingrav'd his sacred lawes upon a marble rocke z a table made of stone ; not brittle glasse , soft paper ; that they might out last all time : god , still , his lawes doth write on hardest rockes ; saints stable a hearts , whereby they time survive , and gaine eternity . the two first stony tables whereuopon god stampt his lawes , broke , lost were long agon : these harder tables of saints hearts remaine , and in them gods blest lawes for aye retaine . lord , i my heart a b rocke have made : o carve therein thy lawes , from which it may not swarve . and since it shall out-dure the firmest rocke , o , this rich treasure ever in it locke ! yea , make each saints stone-heart the treasury of thy sweete lawes , for all eternity . . rockes in most places thinly scatred are ; saints in all places are most c thinne and rare . d dispersed here and there , where hid they lye in secret corners in obscurity ; driven from country , lands , house , home , by those who for their e goodnesse onely are their foes . . rockes burnt to f lime , doe fasten , joyne , sement stones in all buildings , and them free from rent : yea ; laid on barren grounds where nought would spring , they make them fertile , and great crops to bring : so gods elect , when melted by the flame of his sweete spirit , g knit , unite the frame and stones of his church here on earth together , and keepe out errours , sects that would it sever : yea , sent to barren soiles where grew no grace , they make them b fruitfull , and in better case . . rockes cut and polisht , turne to richest gems become kings treasures , i crowne their diadems . saints squar'd and polisht from their drosse by grace , prove gods rich k jewels , in his crowne have place . lord so refine me that i may be set , a stone , pearle , jewel in thy coronet . amidst those saints which thou reput'st such gems as farre excell , out-shine all diadems . sweete jesus make me of thy chosen flocke , that i , like them , may be a blessed rocke . meditations of the fourth classe , sampling rockes , and rockie hearts , with ungodly men , together . yet more , me thinkes rockes represent to all mans rockie heart , and nature , since the fall , in some respects , wherein they well agree with stony hearts ; from which god make us free . . rockes are exceeding l shamelesse , impudent ; nought will them daunt , or cause for to relent . so men of stony hearts , have m browes of steele , faces of rocke , which no blush , shame can feele . no shamefull sinne , convictions , or disgrace will daunt , or cause them once to hide the face . it is their n glory to be voyd of shame , and vaunt of that which doth them most defame . . rockes shew no mercy , but to o peeces mall , breake , bruise , or hurt , all those on whom they fall . so men of rockie hearts are p mercilesse , and breake , bruise , teare , crush , all they doe oppresse . no cries , parts , vertues , merits can asswage their cruell projects , nor divert their rage . o let me rather fall into the pawes of q beares or lyons , than an hard hearts jawes . . rocks make those r milstones which doe grinde , bruise , teare the corne we use , to make us bread , or beere : so men of rockie hearts still serve to s grinde , presse , bruise gods chosen , till they be refinde from all their huskes of sinne , and made meete food for gods sweete pallate , to their greatest good. . some rockes burnt in the fornace harder grow ; and nought but t steele , or iron from them flow : which serves to breake , hew , polish , fit , and square rude rockes and stones , and stately piles to reare : gods fiery fornace rockie hearts makes more v hard , and obdurate than they were before ; yea all its scorching heate the which they feele , serves but to turne them into harder steele , or iron ; for to breake , hew , polish , pare the rockes and stones which god layes in the rare and choisest buildings of his church : whose walls are x built , not ras'd , with these hard iron malls . and tooles of steele , though they no y part nor share have in the temples which they helpe to reare . . the most mischievous instruments of war wounds , bloodshed , first from z rockes extracted ar ; as canons , musquets , bullets , sword , bills , speares with other weapons , where with man kills , teares , torments , maimes , stabs his brother in despite , as if he did in nought but blood delight : so from mens stony a hearts first flow and spring all mischiefes , murders , warres , sinnes , each ill thing : these were the artists which did first invent each bloody , murth'ring , warlike instrument ; the shops in which they forged were , the armes that weild them still , & work a world of harmes . o cursed hearts of rocke from whence doe flow all evills , mischiefes , woes we heare , see , know ! lord free and ever keepe us from such hearts , which are the cause of all our sinnes , ills , smarts . . rockes make those in them b carelesse , proud , secure from feare of danger : stony hearts are sure to make all c them in great mischiefes ere they be aware . rockes are d exceeding hard ; and sooner broke than squar'd or polisht with the axes stroke : mens stony hearts so hard and flinty are , that all gods axes , judgements e cannot square them to his rules , nor cause them to amend , and sooner breake than rent , or make them bend . he who in hardest f s●●●es of old imprest his sacred lawes , upon a rockie brest cannot ingrave them : lord what hearts of flint have men , whereon thy lawes can make no print ! nought but christs blood these g adamants can thaw and square them to the models of gods law. . no heate of sunne or fornace rockes will melt , but harden rather , and their heat's not felt : gods h sun-shine mercies , and his sweetest grace ; his fiery fornace , and his frowning face , mens rockie hearts will neither warme , relent , affect , melt , change , nor move them to repent . . most rocks are i barren , yeelding nought for back or belly , that mankinde or beasts doe lack : mans k stonie heart 's as barren : no good thing , no fruites of grace , faith , vertue in it spring . . thornes , thistles , l brambles , weedes of rockes oft grow ; all stony hearts with these , still m over-flow : fruitefull in nothing , but those tares of vice , and sinne , which barre them out of paradise . . rockes deafe and sencelesse are of good , and ill : hard n hearts are so , and neither can , doe , will , gods word , law , workes regard , heare , understand ; nor , feare his angry ; kisse , his soothing hand . . the fiercest stormes , o winds , waves , on rookes doe dash : gods p sorest judgements stonie hearts doe lash : and though they seldome feele gods stroke or curse ; this nothing mends , but q makes their case farre worse . . the pleasant showres , drops , dewes that on rockes light . make them not fruitfull ; nor in better plight : but glide away forthwith , not sinking downe to make them mellow , good , or sinne to drowne : so rockie r hearts , though they receive the raine , and frequent showres of gods blest word ; remaine still barren , hard , and sencelesse ; nought will stay that drops upon them , but all slides away that 's good or sacred ; onely flouds of s sinne sinke downe with speede , and freely enter in . . none craggie t rockes will till , plough , plant , or sow ; their labours lost who doe it , nought will grow . obdurate hearts few use to plough or till with godly precepts , counsells ; sith they still v neglect , deride , contemne them ; so as all the seede is lost which on the rockes doth fall . . rockes blunt , and hurt the edge of tooles that smite , or square them for good uses ; yea in spite their chips and shivers dash against the eyes , face , shins of those that hew them . loe the guise of rockie hearts , which x hurt and malice those who checke their sinnes , and hate them as their foes . yea , let their pastors in their ministry but touch their sores , into their face they flye : so zealous are they for those sinnes , which end in hell , when they will not gods cause defend . o that our zeale for god were halfe so much as for our darling crimes , when men them touch : then would we let them y strike , wound , lance , yea slay our dearest sinnes ; and thanke , not them gaine-say . . rockes cold and heavie are , and z never move out of their places ; nor mount up above unlesse perforce ; and then they ever a bend downe to the center ; whence they did ascend so b rockie hearts are cold , and lumpish still to all that good is ; prone to nought but ill : no love , heate , zeale to god within them flame ; his cause they 'le not stir in for love , nor shame : their thoughts , minds , cares are fixt on c things below , and never upwards soare to view , mind , know the things above ; unlesse some d sodaine feare of death , hell , danger up them scrue or reare against their wills : which past , to earth they hie with greater poyse , and there still groveling lie . . rockes e dumbe and silent are : so hearts of stone for good discourse have neither tongue , nor tone sitting still f mute like stones without voyce , sence , when any fall to godly conference . . rockes g bare and naked are ; whence all may spie their nakednesse , and grosse deformitie . all stony hearts , are h naked , poore , and bare ; their barenesse , vilenesse , wants exposed are to all mens view ; till christs rich robes of grace cloath or adorne them , and these wants deface . . rockes livelesse are ; and stony hearts are i dead ; no life of grace was ever in them bred : yea , all who now draw breath , must shortly k dye , ( who knowes how soone ) and dead as rockes shall lye . . rockes till by force they broken be , and slit , l hewd , polisht , for all buildings are unfit : thus rockie hearts till god them m rent , hew , square ; to build his house , church , temple , uselesse are . . rockes make men n fall and stumble , to their paine and hurt : that o rockie hearts doe thus , t is plaine ; since all our slips , falls , bruises , sinnes proceede from stony hearts , which make us take no heede . . rockes p shipwracke those , who doe too neare them sayle ; and sunken rockes to split ships most prevaile : thus rockie hearts unlesse we from them fly will q wracke us all ; but yet especially when neither felt , nor seene : for then we run with full-saile on them , and are quite undone . . rockes feele no burthens , weights that on them lie ; so rockie hearts doe never r sigh , groane , cry vnder the weights and burthens of their crimes , ( though s heavier than the sands a thousand times ) and why ? because they never feele their poyse till it them sinke to hell , and quite destroyes . . not all the men on earth , with all their art can make one rock , or stone ; much lesse an heart ; but onely t god himselfe : yet men alone are the v creators of all hearts of stone , not god : o wonder , that men should create nought but hard rockie hearts which god doth hate : such hearts can none else but men , fathers call , which sinke still downewards , till to hell they fall . . o then when ever we a rocke shall see , let these thoughts to our mindes recalled be : yea , ponder what old x rockie hearts we have by sinne and nature : then new , soft hearts crave , with fervent prayers , grones , sighes , teares ; so we our hearts of rocke , to flesh transform'd shall see . and if we finde , feele , know by signes most sure our hearts thus changed , and made soft , and pure ; let us for ever in word , deede , life , thought , extoll and ( y ) praise him who this change hath wrought ; keeping a narrow z watch both night and day , over our cheating hearts ; for feare lest they should by degrees freeze , or grow a hard againe , yea turne to rockes , and so for aye remaine . . sweete jesus b take our stony hearts away , and give us hearts of flesh , we humbly pray ; and of all other plagues , from us avert this as the greatest , an obdurate heart . and since of all our parts thou dost require , seeke , prize our c hearts most ; grant us we desire such broken , contrite tender hearts , as may delight thee most ; and never from thee stray . such hearts thou onely canst d create , not we ; make our hearts such ; then happy shall we be . miscellanie meditations of the fifth kinde . to winde up all ; rockes to our mindes present some other usefull thoughts , with great content . . when we behold some e stones with tooles and barres dig'd out of rockes , and taken from the quarres ; to build some stately church ; whiles others stay still there , unwrought ; though quite as good as they : it mindes us of that common rocke wherein mankinde corrupted lay , through adams sinne : from whence god by f election and meere grace culls out some stones ( though few ) which he doth place within his churches buildings ; where they lie fast joyn'd to christ , for all eternitie : when as all others ( though as good as they and of the selfesame rocke , quar , lumpe , and clay : ) lye still unpolisht , in the rotten masse , and state of sinne , untill to hell they passe ; without injustice , since gods grace is g free ; and none but for h some sinne shall damned be . . when i consider that all i tombestones , urnes , and tombes , where man , * meere dust , to dust returnes ; are broken pieces of some rockes ; i then behold my tombe-stone , in each rocke i ken : and say ; loe here 's the lasting monument wherein my body must ere long be pent , and shut close prisner , till the k judgement day , when all its rust and bolts shall fall away . which thought digested , makes me still amend my life ; and fits me alwayes for mine end. let all revolve it oft within their minde , and they shall treasure , honey in it finde . . when i behold some people dwell , live , lye in l caves of rockes ; i then thinke presently ; he who a cottage wants his head to hide , shall finde some rocke , or hole where to abide ; in which he may sleepe freer from feares , foes , and cares , than those whom castles , guards , inclose . what neede we care then here for house or home , if these should faile , yet rockes will give us roome to lodge and hide in : here m gods dearest saints have liv'd , and hid oft times without complaints ; and beene more happie in these caved stones than greatest monarchs in their royall thrones . repine not then though clifts of rocks should be thine house or home , sith there thou mayst be free , safe , blessed , chearefull , and to god more nigh than those who in the fairest pallace lye . . the precious jewels n treasures , stones which are lockt up and hid in coursest rockes , declare gods dearest saints and jewels common case , and state on earth : who thrust out with disgrace from house and home , enforced are to flye to o caves and rockes , where they imprisned lye : whence driven out againe by bloody foes ( like gold or jewels out of rockes ; ) they close and locke them up againe in p prisons , goales or nastie dungeons , amidst filth , dust , * coles , the common q gaskets where these gemmes , pearles lye vntill some flames them into ashes frie. yet courage noble soules , whiles thus you fare it 's a sure signe you peerelesse r jewels are , and gods choyce treasures , since you under locke , thus lye , like gold , gems in some casket , rocke : and that you shall be s surest kept of any , because kept closest , and not seene of many . the choycest things men ever closest t locke ; and wolves runne loose , whiles god doth v fold his flocke . . rockes love to x shew , not hide their nakednesse : adam and eve y blusht at their naked dresse when they beheld it , and did hide for shame , till they with coates of figge-leaves vail'd the same . those wanton females then that take delight , their z naked breasts , neckes , armes , ( like some strange sight ) to shew to others , without blush or shame , in spight of god , men , who them taxe and blame : are rather shamelesse rockes than adams race ; and for the most part voyd of sence , shame , grace ; if not of honour , and true a chastitie , sith most is common which doth open lye . . when we behold men with much danger , swet , paines , trouble , vilest wrack to gather , get , and draw from sea-rockes , for to burne , or dresse their tilled grounds , and mend their fruitfulnesse . me thinkes it should wring b teares from us , to see what paines these take for dung , whiles they and wee doe not take halfe the care , paines , travell , sw●et the richest gems of grace to digge , fetch , get from christ our rocke , which would not onely cheare and warme our soules , and make them fruite to beare ; but them c adorne , enrich , store in such wise , that they all else as vile dung would despise . for shame then henceforth let us take d more paine these richest gemmes , than they base wracke to gaine . . when i a rent or clift in rockes espie , it mindes me of the dreadfull majestie , and mighty power of our god which make the hardest e rockes for feare to split f rent shake and duely pondred would in peeces teare our rockie hearts , & make them quake for feare . when i behold men , tempests , waves , raine , winde , beate long on g rockes , and yet no entrance finde : it makes me see what h rockie hearts we have at which though christ ( who seekes our soules to save ) doth dayly i knocke by his word , grace and sp'rit , saints , preachers , motions ; and oft times them smite with sundry judgements , tempests , seas , malles , winds to make them open , yet but k seldome finds , or makes an entrance : nay though many yeares , he thus beates on them , yet no fruite appeares : o hearts more hard than any rocke , flint , steele , which all these strokes upon them never feele ! o l patient jesus ! who so long canst beare , with such hard hearts , which will not melt nor teare ! . when i behold rockes , stones , most ragged , base , rude and deformed in their native place , m hew'd out from thence , and polisht by man-kinde turn'd into goodly structures of each kinde and made rich statues , n jewels , ouches , gemmes , yea , set in gold and royall diadems . i thence conclude , that god with much more ease speede , art , can turne , when ever he shall please , the o hardest , vilest , rockie hearts that are into rich temples , jewels , gemmes most rare ; yea set them in christs very royall crowne like precious stones unto their great renowne . as he did p paul , q manasses , and all those most glorious saints which heav'n doth now inclose . let no man then though ne're so meane , vile , base , lewd , sinfull , once despaire of gods free grace , which in a moment can r change and translate him from his wretched to a glorious state . . when as i see the s waters that doe streame and gush from stony rockes , me thinkes they seeme a lively image of those t teares that flow from rockie hearts , when they once tender grow . through gods sweete grace and spirit , which can melt the hardest hearts to teares , and them relent as he did rockes of old , whence v water gusht by streames when he them either smote or crusht . blessed lord jesus , soften , breake , relent our hearts of rocke , and cause them to repent , and send forth streames , nay floods of teares to wash , our sinnes away , and all their force to quash . . x eagles in lofty rockes still breed and lye , and from their toppes their prey farre off espie : gods chosen saints whom scriptures oft compare to y eagles , upon christ high mounted are : ( the tallest rocke ) on whom they z build , lodge , stay , and thence they seeke , finde , take their sacred prey . lord make our soules with eagles wings to flye , to this sweete rocke , and there to live and dye . . when i contemplate how rockes a christall springs which serve to moisten , soften other things , make trees , herbes , grasse , plants , flowers spring and grow ; and quench the thirst of all things here below ; yet neither moysten , soften , fructifie the rockes themselves , still barren , fruitlesse , dry : me thinkes i view in them some rockie hearts , endew'd with rare , rich , profitable parts of art and nature ; which doe good to many , yet to their owners good , they doe not any . how many preachers others helpe to save yet b damne themselves ? and whiles they others gave the food of life , have starv'd themselves to death : others made fertile , themselves barren heath ? how many c wise to teach , rule , counsell all except themselves , and so through folly fall : it s hardly worth the name of good art , skill that betters others , makes the owners ill. . when i espie rockes trampled on by all , christs and true christians states , to minde i call . d trod under feete , with all contempt , spite , hate throughout the world , and valu'd at no rate . complaine not then of any dis-respect . no greater honour than ill mens neglect . . each vaste , high-towring , massie rocke we eye presents to us the strength and potencie of that almighty god , whose e potent hand did in a moment , both by sea and land raise up so many vaste high piles , and packe such massie rockes on one anothers backe ; without an engin , by his f word alone , and them so strongly soder one to one that all the art , wit , strength , in man's to weake to rase these mounts , and them in peeces breake . we wonder much at * stonedge , where there lye a few large stones , pil'd vp not very high on one anothers head , and thinke it strange , how men such pondrous stones could reare and range , in such a manner , though these great stones be but pigmies , pibbles to the rockes we see . how much more then with wonder and amaze should we upon those massie high rockes gaze which them so far in bulk , weight , height exceed , and may true admiration in us breed of gods almighty power , which could raise such grand , rare , lasting trophies to his praise . to which all structures made by men doe seeme but mole-hills , attomes , and of no esteeme . he who such heavie rockes could make , lift , reare , g weigh , tosse with ease , as if they feathers were ; with greater ease can lift and elevate his humbled saints out of their h lowest state : and in an instant into i shivers dash , all who with him or them presume to clash . . when we discerne the sea , and time to k weare the very rockes , and them to waste , eate , teare ; thinke and contemplate then , how time , age , space all things consume , waste , weaken and deface ; but chiefely men , compact of l dust , not stone who fade like m grasse , are in a moment gone . how can meere dust and ashes thinke to last , when time and age the hardest rockes doe wast ? . those who in lofty , fenced , steepe rockes dwell are n haughty , proud , secure , and farre excell most others in these vices , slighting all , as if no mischiefe could upon them fall . whence sodaine dangers , ruines them surprise ( to quell their pride ) from those they most despise ; thus carnall men advanc'd and fortifide with potent friends , wealth , honours , swell with o pride ; deride all dangers , foes , grow so secure , as if their props and stayes should still endure . whence god their pride to punish and abate casts them downe head-long by some sodaine fate . which should make all , but great men specially beware of pride , and grosse security , the sad p fore-runners of a certaine fall , which them and theirs will soone to peeces mall . . when as we see men with must cost and paine to mine the rocks , and treasures thence to gaine of sundry sorts ; where with they much increase their wealth , and make things meete for warre and peace : it forth-with mindes us how with farre more care , cost , paines , sweat , labour all who christians are , should dayly q search , and myne for richer oare in christ their rocke ; in whom there is such store of peerelesse mines , and treasures of each kinde as well content , yea r fill the vastest minde ; and store all christians with all things they need in peace and war , life , death ! let this then breed a resolution in us , still to mine , and draw these treasures from this rock divine . . whiles that we view men rockes to smite , pierce , rent with sledges , axes , or like instrument ; we then should ponder , how we all each day our blessed rocke christ jesus s smite , stab , slay a fresh with those accursed sinnes and crimes where-with we grieve , pierce , wound him at all times : which thought should turne the edge , and point of all our sinnes from him ; upon our selves to mall breake , wound our rockie hearts , because we rent , abuse christ thus ; and cause us to repent . . when we espie rockes dart out sparkes of fire when smote , or cut with tooles of steele or i're : it sweetely mindes us , how the hand of god smiting upon us with an t iron rod should from our hearts of rocke extract and draw such sacred sparkes , yea flames as should them thaw , purge all their drosse away , and them inflame with a most ardent love , unto his name . lord when thy rod shall ever on us lite , let it such sparkes , and flames in us excite . . springs , quarries , mines in rockes , ne're drawne quite drie ; present most sweetely to each minde and eye the v inexhausted , boundlesse , endlesse mines , springs , treasures , stores , and vastest magazines of grace and goodnesse , which inclosed lye , within the bosome of the deity . to feede , feast , fill , enrich , each hungry , poore , sad , pined soule , with all their matchlesse store . the very thoughts whereof our hearts should fill with sweetest solace , and delight them still . . when i perceive the smallest pibble x sinke in floods , as deepe as greatest rockes ; i thinke how smallest sinnes are deadly , and as well , as soone almost , as great , sinke men to hell. o then beware of all sinnes , since the small as well as great to y hell thus tend and fall . let papists talke of veniall sinnes , i trow no sinne is veniall , when all sinke so low . . the worthlesse rubbish in each rocke exceeds , and hides the mines and precious stones it breeds : yea , richest mines have ever greater store of drosse and off all , than refined oare . which pondred , learnes us , how each place , z church breeds more bad than good : that good mens ill , exceeds their goodnesse : that the bad , good men obscure as rubbish hides , surmounts the oare that 's pure . hence multitude , and visibility appeare ill markes a churches truth to trie . . when a rockes or stones fall on men , and them dash to peeces , or at least them bruise and quash : it mindes us how our rocke christ b grindeth all to powder , upon whom he doth once fall . o then beware how we pull on our backes this massie rocke which men to peeces crackes . . c rockes keepe from sinking those who walke or stand vpon them , whiles such , who on bogges , floods , sand doe walke , d rest , stay , sinke downe and mired are , yea oft times drowned without speciall care . hence may we learne that those who walke , rest , stay , themselves on christ ( the surest rocke ) alway stand firme , safe , stable ; never sinking downe ; whiles those who on bogges , sands sinke , stand , and drowne . o let our feete on this rocke still abide then are we certaine not to sinke , fall , slide . . rockes those who dwell upon them fence , e defend , but those who scale them , hurt , bruise and offend . so christ our rocke f protects his chosen sheepe who rest upon him , doth them safely keepe . yet hurts and breakes to g peeces all such foes , who dare presume him , and them to oppose . . the sight of rockes , their h clifts , caves , holes should minde , all of the day of judgement , yet behinde : so full of dreadfull terrour and affright that i kings themselves , and men of greatest might shall quake and shake for very feare ; and call vnto the rockes and hills on them to fall ; and into caves , holes , clifts of rockes shall flye to hide them from the wrath , sight , majestie of christ our rocke , before whose dreadfull face the rockes shall then melt , fall , quake , change their place . and all the k stout , proud , rockie hearts of those who did himselfe , word , grace , saints here oppose . shall be so daunted , stonisht , strucke with feare and horrour , that they l dare not once appeare ; till drag'd perforce before christs barre and face , where try'd , convict , condemn'd ; with all disgrace they shall be cast for all eternity into hels fiery flames , there still to fry . o let the terrour of this dismall day , ( which now drawes neere , and we should m mind alway ; ) for ever scare us from all sinne , and make our stony hearts to melt , bleed , sigh , breake , ake : and cause us now with speed to flye and hide our selves within the holes of christs pierc'd side , who shall us n judge : and then we boldly may o lift up our heads , and hearts in that great day with joyfull cheare , when others hang them downe ; and eke receive a rich , large , massie p crowne of endlesse glory , in the heavens high where we shall reigne for all eternity . q o christ ( our onely rocke ) of thy free grace advance , and bring us to this blisfull place : and let each rocke , clift , stone we henceforth see instruct us thus , and bring us home to thee . the conclusion . vvith these sweete usefull thoughts , and thousands more the barren rockes , our hearts , and minds may store when we behold them : and if natures booke , and rockes , whiles we upon them dayly looke , can teach us nothing which our lives may mend , or cause our hearts , minds , thoughts up to ascend ▪ to christ their rock , god , and the things above , them to contemplate with the greatest love ; our hearts are rockie ; we , quite voyd of grace ; and rockes than we , are yet in better case . finis . a christian sea-card . consisting of sundry poeticall meditations , raised from the contemplation of the nature and qualities of the sea. by william prynne , late exile and close prisoner in mount-orgueil castle in the isle of iersy . psalme . . . . o lord how manifold are thy workes ! in wisedome hast thou made them all ; the earth is full of thy riches . so is this great and wide sea , wherein are things creeping innumerable , both small & great beasts . there goe the shippes ; there is that leviathan thou hast made to play therein . psal . . . thy way is in the sea , and thy path in the great waters , and thy footesteps are not knowne . isaiah . . . . . . but now thus saith the lord that created thee , o jacob , and he that formed thee o israel ; feare not , for i have redeemed thee , i have called thee by thy name , thou art mine . 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 . for i am the lord thy god , the holy one of israel , thy saviour , &c. psalme . . thou hast caused men to ride over our heads ; we went through fire and through water , but thou broughtest us out into a wealthy place . london printed by t. cotes , for michael sparke dwelling at the blue bible in greene arbor . . to the worshipfull his highly honoured friend m rs elizabeth carteret , daughter to sir philip carteret , knight , lievtenant governour and bayliffe of the isle of jersy . that neare relation wherein now you stand by habitation , and a nuptiall band , to seas , and sea-men ; did at first induce me to digest this sea-card for your use , and his you most esteeme ; which in some sort may helpe conduct you unto heav'ns blest port , the onely haven which you now most eye , and strive for to arrive in when you dye . accept it therefore ( though scarce worthy view , ) as a small pledge of his respects to you , who much adores your vertues , and must deeme his muse too meane to adde to your esteeme . your engaged friend and servant , william prynne . sith god seas , rockes , in place hath joyn'd together it were unkindnesse them in verse to sever . and hence my muse , which bates to be unkinde , hath them , in these two poems , here combinde . a christian sea-card . consisting of sundry poeticall meditations raised from the contemplation of the nature and qualities of the sea. the prologue . this world 's an ample volume , where we may not onely read , but a see god day by day ; and every creature which it doth comprize , a text to preach him to our hearts and eyes : no plant , herbe , grasse so small , so vile but can teach , and demonstrate god himselfe to man , with his eternall wisedome , goodnesse , power , which he is blind , who seeth not in each flower . looke we above , beneath , or round about , all that we see doth b point , nay paint god out , amongst the world of creatures which present god to our thoughts , and eyes with sweete content me thinkes the sea , ( oft viewed with delight , ) shewes him most cleerely to our minds and sight . from whence a pious heart may raise such store of godly thoughts , that plenty makes it poore . meditations of the first kinde . . and first , the vaste sea , which with speede can * drowne the greatest island , mountaine , ship or towne , as easie as the smallest , mole-hill , boate , or cottage , in its all-devouring throate ; most sweetely represents to sinnefull man the vaste , immense , and boundlesse c ocean of gods free grace and mercy ; so profound , that worlds of greatest sinnes in it are drown'd ; no crimes so hainous , great , or numberlesse ; but if with bleeding soules we them c confesse and quite abandon , this large sea of grace shall over-whelme , wash out , and cleane deface : o sweetest solace to a broken heart , and sinne-sicke soule , desirous to convert ! what though thy horrid sins and hainous crimes , be greater than the world ten thousand times ? loe , her 's a sea more vast shall d drowne them all without exception , great , as deepe , as small . o then despaire not , but behold with joy this ocean , which shall all thy sinnes destroy . lord , let us ever saile in this sweete sea , where soules are sav'd , sinnes onely shipwrackt be . . againe , this e great sea's huge immensity length , breadth , depth ; bulke , a vaster deity and greater god who e made it , clearely prove , then feare , yea fly his wrath , embrace his love ; before all earthly monarches , since they be not by ten thousand parts so great as he ; or as the sea , that shadowes to our eyes , his f greatnesse which our thoughts cannot comprise . what creature , danger then shall once dismay those , who this great god make their onely stay ? . the sea points forth unto us every houre , gods infinite , almighty , soveraigne power ; who did g create it with a word , and still controules , h rules , calmes , its raging waves at will , when they with boisterous tempest , roare , and swell as high as heav'n , sinke downe as low as hell : bounding its proudest flouds with smallest sand ; to shew how great a force weake things withstand when backt by god , sith petty sands can stay the raging seas fierce march , and blocke its way . who but a i god of might can tame and charme such foaming bedlam seas , and them dis-arme . of all their fury , strength , and them divide yea , dry at pleasure ; to abate their pride ? and cannot he who bounds , rules , calmes and quels the boist'rous ocean , when it roares and swels with greatest force and furie , bridle , swage both men and devills when they storme and rage ? yea * dash them into shivers with more ease and speed , than seas a potsheard , if he please ? why should wee then once k dread their threats or frownes , their might or fury which our god still bounds ? they cannot touch one l haire , if he say nay , much lesse our soules harme , or our bodies slay whilest we with upright hearts for his cause stand . o sweete ! sweete comfort to gods chosen band ! thinke well of this , and then we shall m defie all tyrants rage , and neare once feare , nor flye . what ever comes , when god shall call us out to fight for him , and shew our selves most stout . . besides , the flux , and reflux of seas tyde at certaine constant houres , without a guide : it s wise disposall to each shore , port ; creeke , throughout the world , where men for traffique seeke : it s close * conveyance to all fountaines , springs , the earth to water , and all living things : the great and wondrous strange * variety of fish and creatures , which doe live , breede , lye within its wombe , men to delight and feede , as well in times of plenty as of neede . what doe they all demonstrate to our eyes and mindes , but that god is most skilfull n wise in these his wondrous workes , exceeding all mens art , farre more than earth a tennis-ball . o let us then in all we enterprize , submit our wits to him who is so wise , craving his ayde , and giving him the praise of his great wisedome , which must o guide our wayes . . yea , these shew forth to men gods providence , which doth the sea thus order , guide , dispence in p wondrous manner , and feede , rule , sustaine all fishes , creatures which it doth containe ; and is as watchfull , restlesse q night and day , as seas , which ever move , but never stay . thrice r happie they who firmely can relie upon gods care in all extremity : he who each wave doth rule , and each fish feede , will in s due season , send them all they neede . . the seas great depth , which few or none can sound , points out t gods secret judgements more profound : yea , ships , barkes , boates which plough the seas bright face , yet leave no footsteps by which them to trace ; gods hidden counsells ; wayes , and deepe decrees past finding out , present to all degrees . hence god is v sayd , in sea to have his way , his pathes in waters deepe past mans display , o then adore his judgements , counsells deepe ; and not * presume into them once to peepe with prying eyes , beyond those bounds which he in sacred writ hath fixed unto thee . . the length and x widenesse of the sea , which spreads it selfe both farre and neere , to pious heads . and hearts shewes forth the vaste immensity , and omni-presence of the deity ; which y fills both earth and heaven , sea , world , hell ; yea every part of each : o strange to tell ! oh horrid meditation ! to the rout of gracelesse sinners ; when they goe about to hide , or flye from god ; who doth fore-stall , nay z fill all corners into which they crall . how can they then escape his venging hand , which is so neare them both by sea and land ? yet matchlesse solace to gods chosen sheepe , that his sweete a presence shall them cheare , fence , keepe , by sea and land , where ere they live or goe : this makes them happie in a world of woe . what neede we then to feare a banishment from friends , or home , or close imprisonment : in any hole or dungeon ? since b no place can barre from us gods presence or his grace ? which ever make an heaven where they dwell , a royall pallace of the darkest cell . . the raging seas fierce waves and c roaring cry which daunt all hearts , spare neither low nor high , bearing downe all before them who withstand their furious progresse , with a potent hand . describe gods d dreadfull wrath , and dismall ire , against obdurate sinners ; who conspire to breake his lawes , oppose his christ , despite and grieve his spirit , sinning with delight , without remorse or checke , till they e provoke him to consume them with a fatall stroke . o let us oft consider , still feare , shunne his dreadfull wrath f from which we cannot runne , much lesse resist it , praying christ to swage and quench it g least we perish in gods rage . the angry floods can onely drowne or fright us for a moment ; but if gods wrath light upon us ; soule and body both shall be vnder its tortures for h eternitie . . the sea so usefull , good , and meete for fish and foule of all sorts that mans heart can wish : for salt , clounds , raine , springs , rivers i ( which proceede from it ) and traffique for all things we neede : proclaimes to all k gods goodnesse , bounty , grace , who all this goodnesse in the sea did place , to make men happie . let this goodnesse raise our hearts to love , and give him all l due praise . . once more ; the springs and rivers which m ascend out of the sea at first , and in it end : instruct us sweetely , how that every thing from god ( the sea of being ) n first did spring : and therefore should by way of thankefulnesse their course , aymes , ends to him alone addresse , but chiefely man , ( first made , and since that o bought to p serve god onely in deed , word , and thought ; ) should all returne to him from whom it flowes , since q all is his that on us springs or growes . o let us study from our hearts to give all unto him , r in whom we are , move , live ; it is his s due , our duty , all we have to render to him , who our soules must save : most blessed god let us thus oft behold thee in this christall glasse , the sea , our cold and frozen hearts to warme , with these sweete rayes which it reflects , to thine eternall praise . meditations of the second sort. againe the sea 's of christ a lively type and his deare blood , which doth our sinnes out-wipe . . for , as the sea all filth doth clense away from bodies , vessells , meates , hearbes , fruites , aray , that in it washed are : so christs sweete blood ( more t clensing than the purest spring or flood ) * all filth and spots of sinne , which soules defile , and in gods eyes present them foule and vile , doth quite abolish , and so purge away from all such soules , as on him fast hold lay by faith unfained , that no filth nor staine of any sinne , upon them shall remaine to make v them loathsome in his fathers sight , in which they shine as starres most cleare and bright . o let us prize this blood beyond compare , by which our soules from sinne thus clensed are . x . the sea which did the y wicked world destroy by gods command ; yet saved upright noy . with that red sea , z which the aegyptians drown'd when gods owne people past it on dry ground in safety , shadow that red sea of blood , which christ upon the a crosse shed for our good : wherein the b sinnes of all his chosen sheepe with hellish pharaoh , and his hoast , so deepe are sunke and drowned , that they never shall appeare againe , their soules once to inthrall . o let our sinnes in this red sea be dround , then are we certaine nought shall us c confound . . the sea 's the way , meanes , passe to d to transport men to those ports to which they would resort . christs blood 's the sea , e way , ship which men convoyes from earth to heaven , and eternall joyes . sweete jesus let the sea of thy blest blood conduct and leade us safely through the flood and rockes of this worlds sea , to heavens port , to which thy chosen flocke with hast resort . . the seas faire , lovely , shining azure face , it 's pleasant calmes in halcion-daies gods grace , and sweete appeased f loving countenance to us in christ , ( which raps into a trance the saddest hearts and fils them with content and matchlesse joyes ) most lively represent . o then in all our griefe and misery , on gods sweete smiling face still fixe an eye , which will support our soules in all distresse , and cheare them so , that nought shall us oppresse . sweete jesus when the sea we view or passe , present thy selfe thus to us in its glasse : then if it wrecke or drowne us , yet shall we through thy bloods sea , escape and saved be . meditations of the third ranke . besides , the sea exhibits to our sight a lively emblem of the state and plight of gods elect , with all those sore and great stormes of afflictions , which doe dayly beate upon them , whiles they passe this sea below . where g world , flesh , devill , seeke to overthrow . . for first , the sea is * restlesse night and day ; its flux and constant progresse , none can stay : just so are gods elect , who alwayes move ; h tending to heaven and the things above ; no bankes , winde , stormes , i threats , death , their course can cease till they arive at heavens port in peace . . the sea is ever k tost from place to place with winds , stormes , tides : and is not this the case of gods deare saints ? still l handed too and fro ( by sundry tempests which they undergoe ) from coast to coast , from goale to goale , to shew they pilgrims are , and strangers here below . fixt to no certaine clime , and that their home and resting place , is in the world to come . m . the sea is ever working , purging forth , and n casting out filth , weedes , trash of no worth which falls into it , and corrupt , defile its christall streames , making them foule and vile . thus gods elect still o purge out , and eject . those lusts , sinnes , vices , which their soules infect with such suggestions as foule devills cast into their hearts , them to pollute and waste . . the sea 's p exposed to all stormes and winds ; so q saints to troubles , crosses , of all kindes , to make them humble , and translate their love from things on earth , unto the things above . . none dare to crosse the sea without a card or compasse , which they still with care regard , stearing their course thereby , for feare they stray or misse their port , and so be cast away : thus gods elect , whilst they doe saile and rove in this worlds sea , by compasse ever move ; stearing their rudder , by r gods sacred writ for feare they misse their harbor , or else hit their soules against those rockes , shelves , sands which lye to crosse their voyage to eternity . . the ebbing sea discovers to the eye those dangrous rockes , shelves , sands , that hidden lye at full sea tides , which then oft drowne and sinke those who approach them , when they least feare , thinke of any danger : so the ebbing state , the crosses of gods chosen s demonstrate and point out to them many rockes , shelves , sands , to shipwracke soules , betray them to the hands of hellish pyrats , which still hidden lye , and undiscerned in prosperity . by which they shun their danger , and commend these ebbes , which from such perills them defend , before those full-sea-tides of wealth and joy , which t shipwrecke thousands , and their soules destroy . . the lowest ebbe , hath still the highest flood ; saints deepest sorrowes v end in greatest good : their floods of joy transcend their ebbes of woe beyond compare , and all their griefes out-goe . . when seas are at their lowest ebbe , they then forth-with begin to spring and flow . so men belov'd of god , when as they seeme to lye at lowest w ebbe , in deepest misery , past helpe , past hope in carnall mens account , beyond all expectation , spring and mount above their crosses , and enjoy a flood of peace , wealth , honour ; and the greast good . if old examples faile , you may now view the truth hereof in some yet fresh and new . . gods x will and pleasure onely is the cause why seas doe ebbe and flow ; not any lawes of nature , moone , or planets : so the will and y blessed pleasure of our god is still the first chiefe cause , of all the ebbes and tides which here befall his saints , nought else besides : yea , as sea stormes z proceede from god , and tosse men up towards heaven : so each storme and crosse which lite on gods elect a from him first springs and nearer heaven them lifts up , and brings . . the sea is b salt and brackish : crosses are the like , at c first , to saints who doe them beare . . the saltest seas the sweetest fishes breed : saints d sweetest comforts from the crosse proceede : yea , as the best and largest fish are found in saltest waters : so the best , most sound , large , strongest christians , which wee finde , or know , in e harshest floods of sorrowes alwayes grow . . the seas salt waters clense and purifie things that are filthy : thus adversitie doth f purge and wash away from gods elect those spots , sinnes ; vices , which their soules infect . . seas brinish waters pickle and preserve things from corruption : so g afflictions serve to season saints , who else would putrifie , and rot in those foule sinnes , which now they flye . . sea stormes drive men to h prayers , cryes , and teares , augmented and intended by their feares : yea , make them post to harbours , for releefe ; and bid the sea adieu with joy , not greefe : thus troubles cause the saints to i pray and cry to god for helpe with greater fervencie ; intend , increase their prayers ; make them k flye to god their harbour , for security ; cause them to loath and l leave this world with joy : whose waves and tempests them still sore annoy . . and as great blustring stormes doe sooner drive ships to the harbours where they would arive , then calmes and mildest gales : so m crosses mend gods darlings speed , and oft times sooner send them unto heaven , then n prosperity , which calmes their sailes , and makes them still to lye . . the tempest that befell the ship wherein the prophet o jonah fled , and slept in sinne , did never slacke nor cease , till he was cast into the sea , which done , the storme was past : so , saints afflictions p never swage nor end , till jonah be cast out , and they amend , which done , their tempests cease , and calmes succeede , unlesse some other jonah in them breede . . in stormes at sea , the q waves come on so fast , that fresh succeede before the first be past : so crosses on gods saints so thicke oft lite to humble , * try , purge , wash and make them bright : that one r treads on the others heeles , and new come on before the old bid them adieu . . yet , as sea-stormes , though long , still s end at last in pleasant calmes ; thus crosse , which so fast , so , thicke presse on gods saints for many dayes , ( yea moneths and yeares oft-times ) t conclude alwayes , in gods due time , in sweetest calmes of peace , and tides of joy : blest tempests which so cease ! o then in all thy sorrowes , troubles , still waite and depend on god by faith , who will ( in v fittest season ) send such joy and ease as shall thine heart cheare , and all stormes appease . . the seas great deluge did both x overflow the wicked old world , and it overthrow , yet righteous noe did then escape its rage ; and landed safely when the flood did swage . just thus , afflictions waves and deluge y wracke , and drowne all carnall wretches which doe lacke gods grace and faith to hold them up ; when they who with true faith , their soules on god can stay and anchor ; never sinke ; but swim and beare their z heads above all seas with joyfull cheare ; ariving safely , when the stormes are past , in heavens harbour , where they anchor cast . . all those who use the sea , doe ever minde the a port to which thy sayle ; and as the wind doth bring them nearer to it day by day their joyes increase , the more sayles on they lay , longing to end their voyage , and arive at that sweete haven unto which they drive : thus gods elect b have alwayes in their eye the port above , to which they dayly flye with all their speede and might , and as each day doth bring them nearer to this happie bay ; their inward joyes and comforts still increase , the more they long there to arive in peace : mending their speede , imbracing with delight ( that which all others doth so sore affright ) grim * pallid death , the pilot to convoy them to this haven of eternall joy. lord , teach us heavens port thus still to eye whilst here we saile , that when we come to dye , we may attaine it ; and there safely ride free from all perrils of winds , stormes , and tide . lord make us thine elect , that we may gaine this port , where all thy saints in blisse shall reigne . meditations of the fourth classe . further , the sea doth fitly charactrize most wicked mens deportment , and their guise . . for , as the sea , so they still c rage , foame , roare , when crost , sicke , pained storming more and more as their afflictions grow , and multiply ; so as , their phisicke proves their maladie ; whereas the godly are d meeke , patient , still , and silent in the greatest stormes of ill . . the sea 's e oft troubled , and then casts out nought but mire and dirt from its dis-gorging throate : ungodly men are restlesse in their minde , much troubled , vexed ; leaving nought behinde but f dirt and filth of oathes , lewd talke , sinnes , crimes , and noysome lusts ; which they cast up oft times in such aboundance , that they soone g infect all places with the filth they thus eject . . the sea a h world of ugly monsters breedes within her wombe , the which she dayly feedes whole i worlds of monstrous sinnes and lusts are bred in wicked hearts , and dayly nourished . . the sea is k floating and unconstant still , moving with wind and tide which way they will direct and steare its course ; so wicked men are l fickle and unstable , even when they seeme most firme ; changing their friendship , love , yea faith , oathes , friends ; as times , winds , tides them move . . we see , the sea is m never full , though all springs , rivers , waters , dayly runne and fall into it ; so though this worlds streames all flow and fall into ill men , they never grow the n fuller by them , but still empty are , the more they have , the more they carke and care . . the sea is o deepe , deceitefull : ill men too are p so : whence both a world of men undoe : then never make a wicked man thy friend , for feare he cheate , undoe thee in the end . . seas shew no mercy but q devoure , drowne all without remorse , who in their mouthes once fall : thus wicked men are r cruell ; mercilesse , voyd of all pitty , ready to oppresse . and ruine all sorts ; no worth , parts , sex , age , can rest exempted from their hellish rage . . the sea is full of * rockes , shelves , sands which split , wrecke , drowne ships , boates , and men that on them hit . ill men are s fraught , with rockes , shelves , sands of vice and sinne , to which they others oft entice , amidst the which they so long saile and play , till both their soules be split and cast away . . the sea is harsh , tart , brinish , and nought growes upon those sands and bankes it over-flowes : ungodly men are t churlish , crabbed , rude , vnkinde , at least to those who are renu'de : barren of goodnesse , grace , truth , piety ; and others make so by their company . no grace or goodnesse shall once v thrive , or sprout where things are swayed by this wicked rout. . the x sea is ever open night and day to all of all sorts , like a common way : thus , lewd mens hearts doe alwayes open lye to sinnes of y all kindes ; no iniquitie so great , strange , horrid , but may freely saile within their hearts , and over them prevaile . . the seas salt waters farre exceede the sweete and pleasant streames ; yea , drowne them when they meete , ungodly men in number much surmount christs chosen flocke ; so z small in mans account , that they oft times are hardly seene ; and lye like wheate in chaffe , hid in obscurity : from whence we learne that papists ill conclude their church the truest , from her multitude . . the sea is lawlesse , lordlesse , a none can tame or rule it , but that god that made the same : lewd men are such , no b mortall wight but god can breake , tame , sway them , with his iron rod. . sea waters heated , soone grow cold againe , and alwayes after cold , harsh , salt , remaine ; so wicked men heate with afflictions fire or some good fits of zeale , doe * soone retire vnto their former coldnesse , brackishnesse , which to their * dying dayes doe them possesse . . we see sea waters themselves cast and mold into each vessels shape , which doth them hold : so , ill men will themselves * shape , and apply to every place , time , fashion , company ; and water like , will suite themselves full well to any sect , religion , where they dwell . . the sea , with rage , the rockes doth oft assaile , to over-turne them , yet can nought prevaile , but still with losse selfe doth breake and split , not them , whiles its fierce waves against them hit : thus wicked men , whilst they with furie rage against our rocke christ , or his heritage , themselves ( not him , nor them ) to c powder grinde and in the close , nought but confusion finde . o dash not then against these rockes , which shall stand d firme amidst all stormes that on them fall : lord let us never be of this lewd crue , but with thy grace our hearts and lives renue that so we may escape that e lake of fire where they shall ever feele thy scalding ire . meditations of the fifth sort. once more , me thinkes the sea ( which ever floates , but never rests , ) presents unto my thoughts a lively mappe of this vaine world ; ( which , it . in some respects resembles very fit ; ) yeelding them ample sea-roome , for to hale , and chase this theame with a delightfull gale , untill my roving muse , quite tyred shall take in her sailes , and let her anchor fall . . now to begin this pleasing chase ? the seas are salt , harsh , brackish , and no pallats please : this world is f bitter , tart , and salt to all , through sickenesse , sorrowes , crosses , which befall them in some kinde or other , for to make their hearts more willing its love to forsake : but most unpleasant is it to gods saints of any others ; whose most sad g complaints of its h sharpe brine , would peirce a heart of steele , and make all salt we in it taste , or feele . how can we then this brinish world once love , or be unwilling from it to remove unto that other ? fraught with all i delights , all sweetest joyes , and soule-refreshing sights ! . sea waters drunke downe , hurt , gnaw , fret , decay the entralls , and oft times take life away : this brackish world , quaft down , k the soule annoyes , corrodes , consumes , and at the last destroyes . those who sippe of it , sickely grow , but such are past all cure , who swallow over-much . o let us never bibbe , carouse , or l love her poysnous cups , which doe so deadly prove . . salt waters still increase , not quench mens thirst , he that drinkes these , is dryer than at first : this worlds salt streames mens drought can never swage , the more they drinke , the m more their thirst doth rage ; a cup or two , still makes them long for more ; and none so dry , as those who have most store of this worlds waters , which doe onely feede not quench the dropsie ; cause , not helpe their neede . o taste not then her streames , but them defie , which swage no thirst , but make men still more drie . . the sea is ever n floating , changing place , state , and condition , never in one case : sometimes it flowes a space ; then ebbes againe forth-with ; and stormes , its calmes still entertaine . if now it smiles , anon it frownes , foames , swels , ringing the changes more than any bells : this o world is flitting , fickle , mutable ; we all like p strangers , pilgrimes in it dwell , roving from place to place till death arrest our wandring corps , and lose us in earthes brest . sometimes the flowing tydes of happinesse mount us aloft ; anon , some ebbes depresse and cast us downe ; farre lower than before , as happy made , to be more vile and poore . one space a calme or pleasant gale doth smile and breath upon us ; but within a while , tempestuous stormes and whirle-winds over-take , tosse ; teare , split , sinke us , and we shipwracke make . to day we rich are , q ere to morrow poore ; well , in the morning , r dead , or at deaths doore ere night : in honour and esteeme this houre , the next , s cast downe , base , withered like a flower . how many sayling in full streames of wealth , pomp , honour , pleasure , favour , greatnesse , health and all contentments which the world can give unto her darlings , whilst they therein live , have in one t houres space , beene stript of all , and dasht in peeces with a suddaine fall ? how many v mighty kings , states , monarchies , have in a moment felt such miseries , such fatall changes in their worldly state , as no heart could conceive no tongue relate ? unconstant world ( more full of changes then the sea or moone ) how can the sonnes of men once x love or trust thee ? goe , cheate thy sickely friendship ever will defie . . the sea is full of y rockes , which sinke and quash . those ships , barkes , boates , that doe against them dash : this world hath farre more rockes to wracke and split the soules of such as doe against them hit . z wealth , honours , lusts , pompes , pleasures , pride of life , with sundry other rockes , are here at strife which shall most soules destroy , and sinke to hell , in seas and a lakes of brimstone still to dwell . how dare we then approach these rockes , or run upon them , which whole millions have undone ? or take delight this worlds ill seas to crosse , where most are wreckt , none scape without some losse ? . the sea a smiling , shining azure face and lovely out-side hath her selfe to grace ; wherewith she hides her savage cruelty , rockes , shelves , gulfes , and those monsters that doe lye close couch'd in her , to wrecke and to devoure all those her beauty drawes within their power . this cheating flatring world , mens soules to traine into her deadly snares ( where they remaine fast hampred till they perish ) still presents her selfe to them , deckt with such ornaments , such out-side , beauty , pompe , state , gaudinesse , and seeming shewes of present happinesse , as ravish most mens eyes and hearts b with love of her , and turne them from the things above . whereas , if they once saw , or could discry those horrid monsters , rockes , gulfes , snares that lye hid under her faire surface , they would shun her love , and faster from , than to her run o let us view her intrals , not her skin ; she 's gold without , but poyson , drosse , within . . the sealyes open to all c stormes and winds , this world exposed is unto d all kinds of tempests , crosses , losses , gustes , and harmes : how can we then lye sleeping in her armes ? or hope to finde peace , rest , content , or blisse in her , where we are certaine all to misse ? . the clouds above much darken , and obscure the seas bright shining face , whiles they indure : so clouds of crosses sent from god , deface this worlds bright luster , much eclipse her grace ; making her e loathsome in these very eyes , which in her sun-shine , did her over prise . . those fogges , cloudes , stormes , which darke the light-some skies ecclipse the sun-shine , worke much harme , arise out of the f sea at first : most cloudes of woes mists , fogges of sorrowes which doe interpose twixt men and heaven , hiding gods sweete face and presence from them , with his rayes of grace , g vexing their hearts , mindes , soules , doe ever spring from this worlds seas , which nought but mischiefe bring . o let us never fixe our mindes or hearts on her , that is the cause of all our smarts ! . the lowest ebbes seas highest tydes succeede : mens greatest falls from this worlds heights proceede ; expect then when her tydes doe highest flow , some h great approaching ebbe to bring thee low . let not then her spring tides of happinesse make men secure , proud , haughty , or to blesse themselves without good cause , since none so nigh are to a fall , as those she mounts most high . . the breaches which the sea makes on the maine are i hardly made up , or repair'd againe : the ruptures which this worlds floods dayly make upon those soules they batter , enter , take , are k hardly cured and stopt up ? beware their breaches then , and them prevent with care ; their entrance is at first with ease debarr'd but once got in , them to repulse is hard . . all rivers l run into the sea , yet still it empty is , and never hath its fill , the streames of most mens cares , thoughts , labours , braines , into this worlds sea run , which yet remaines as m empty as before . o then bestow nought upon that which never full will grow . . most livelesse things , as mettalls , stones , dust , sand and pondrous bodies n sinke downe out of hand as soone as cast into the sea ; where drown'd , they are so lost , that they cannot be found . yet trees , which mount from earth up to the skie whiles they are growing ; and such foules as flye up towards heaven , safely o swim , and ride vpon the sea , not fearing , winds , stormes , tide : so men , deprived of the life of grace made all of p earth , on which they fixe and place their hearts and thoughts ; no sooner lanch or fall into this worlds sea , but they sinke downe all so deepe into it , that it q drownes them quite , and in a moment swallowes out of sight . whereas gods chosen saints , whose hearts and love are ever centred on the r things above , and soaring upwards , safely swim and beare themselves above her floods , and still appeare . . sea waters quench not , but increase the flame on which men cast them . this worlds doe the same ; her streames s augment , not quench mens raging fire , the more they have , the more they still desire . why should we then affect her floods , or store which never make us rich , but ever poore ? . the sea still t moves and runs with wind and tide , these steare this world , and doe her rudder guide : if times , winds , tide , move with us , then will she runne v with us too , and friendly seeme to be ; but let them once , begin on us to frowne , shee 'le joyn with them to wreck and cast us down . o falfe deceitfull world , who dost forsake all when they neede thee most , and never take their parts but when they neede thee not , adieu : unconstant friends are ever false , not true . . the sea the earth doth compasse and x surround , some parts whereof by it are often drown'd : just so this y world environs men about , their soules to swallow , so that ' few swim out or scape her danger . o thrice happie he that can saile through it , and not drowned be . . sea fights of any other are most fell , fierce , bloody , dangerous , hot and terrible . the battles which this z world doth dayly make against mens soules them to destroy , or take , are farre more dangerous , deadly , worse than those wherewith the flesh , or devill them oppose : her engines , traines , assaults , theirs much exceede , and none can scape them without speciall heede . . as ships built on the land with force , toyle , be still lanched and dradge out into the sea : so man whence once form'd in his mothers womb with painefull a labour is enforst to come ; and lanch'd by her into the worlds wide sea , where he from winds and stormes is seldome free . hence he with sighes , teares , cries , b laments in vaine , as soone as borne , what he must here sustaine : o let us then with c songs and shouts of joy leave this worlds sea , which doth us sore annoy : and sith we enter it with teares , cries , paine , its madnesse thus to part from it againe . what we with force , griefe , sobs , first undertake ; we should with d chearefull hearts at last forsake . like ships , which gladly runne themselves a shore ; because perforce lanch'd into seas before . and yet the most with greater e griefe ( o sinne ! ) depart this world , than they it entred in , and must by might , with grones , teares , shreekes and cry be puld out thence , and forc'd with woe to dye . blessed lord god , so steare our ships and helme through this worlds sea , which would us overwhelme , and wrecke for ever , that we may at last gaine heav'ns blest port , and there sure anchor cast . meditations of the sixth sort. in fine , the sea suggests to each good mind these meditations which are yet behind . . first , when we see the sea , it readily presents that vow and f baptisme to our eye , which make us christians , and oblige us still the g world , flesh , devill , with their pompe , lusts , will quite to renounce ; and ever to obey gods holy lawes , who washt our sinnes away in these baptismall waters ; to the h end that we by sinning should no more offend his sacred goodnesse , but spend all our dayes in just , good , holy actions , to his praise . o then when ever we the waters see let these things to our mindes recalled be , to mend our lives , renue our vowes , and make us world , flesh , devill , and their lusts forsake . . crosse-seas whose boisterous tydes by turnes oresway each other , and enforce their streames to stray quite from their proper course , and over-beare them so , that they their motions counter-steare to that course they intend ; in lively wise a newborne christians state unto our eyes present , in whom two i crosse seas , tydes contend and meete each day , contesting without end to over-beare each other : sometimes the floods of their fleshly lusts prevailers be , and over-beare the spirits counter-tydes , which at the last prevaile , put flesh besides its course and channell , and through heav'ns great might beare downe its streames , and over-comes them quite . . the floating sea when it invades the land , and drownes the coasts that next unto it stand ; paints out that k deluge in the dayes of noy which did the wicked old world quite destroy . and then instructs us with all care to flye those sinnes which l drowne us for eternitie , both soule and body in the fiery lake . this thought should move us , all sinnes to forsake . . when we behold men , goods , lead , stones , m sinke downe into the sea , which them doth quickely drowne so deepe , that they can never rise againe : it paints forth hell unto us very plaine , that sinkes , n drownes , tortures , for eternity mens soules and bodies , which there chained lye , so fast , so deepe , that they can never rise , nor swim out thence : which should us all advise , to flye all sinnes ; yea , more to feare and minde this fiery lake , whence none redemption finde . and sith all feare in seas for to be drown'd , how should they dread this lake , that 's more profound . . the sands on sea-shores , which doe farre surpasse all o number , shewes us like a christ all glasse those multitudes of sinnes that in us breed which doe the p sands in number farre exceede , to make us humble . and each flowing tide , which doth the sand both moysten , drowne and hide from time to time , instructs us every day , with floods of q teares our sinnes to wash away ; and in christs r blood them so to drowne , and hide , through faith , that they may be no more espide . if thus we thinke , learne , doe , by what we see , from day to day , thrice happie shall we be . . the springing tide which by degrees doth flow to full-sea marke , and then by steps falls low , with ships first built , then lanch'd , next rigd , then sent and put to sea , till they be wreckt or spent : paint out mans s birth , growth , age , death to our sight , with all those floodes , ebbes , changes that doe lite upon him from the wombe unto his urne , where he meere t dust , shall unto dust returne . . the v arke of old , which on the floods did floate , and saved noah , with each shippe and boate which crosse the seas , and those in safty keepe that in them saile , when others in the deepe depriv'd of these , are drowned ; sweetely shew to us gods churches state , which here below on this worlds sea , doth x safely floate and ride ( though y tost and torne with tempests , windes , and tide ) and z saves all such as in her saile and stay ; when all without , are drown'd and cast away . let this induce us in christs church to dwell , live , dye , for feare we drowne , and sinke to hell. . the vastest sea is a bounded , and obeyes the lawes and edicts , which god on its layes , as well as smallest springs , or streames : how then dare greatest monarches ; princes , kings , or men themselves deeme boundlesse , lawlesse and exceede the bankes and b lawes which god to them decreed ? let sencelesse seas now teach them to containe within due bounds , and not to over-straine . . when seas through winds or stormes doe c overflow , or breake their bankes , great mischiefes , losses grow from thence to men and beasts , ( which then are drown'd ) and all such places which they doe surround : when kings , or great ones out of avarice , pride , lust , ambition , or some other vice out-swell , or breake the bounds which god hath set , a d flood of woes and mischiefes they beget , wherein they drowne themselves and many more ; and then , too late , their dismall fates deplore . let kings and grandees then take speciall heede , how they their fined bounds breake , or exceede . . the sea below doth ever flow ebbe move , as e god himselfe doth steare it from above : so men on earth , their thoughts , words , acts should frame and guide , as f god above directs the same . . now waters ever stinke or putrifie whiles they within their g channels move , and lie : but once remov'd out of their proper place , or let lye still , they stinke , and lose their grace . thus men doe seldome rot in sinnes , lusts , vice whilst they their h honest calling , exercise and keepe within their compasse . but if they grow i idle , lazie , or begin to stray out of their fixed stations , in short space they rot and stinke , in sinnes to their disgrace . o then beware of sleepe and idlenesse which k rot and slay the soules they once possesse . . when i perceive the seas sweete flowing tyde upon the drie sands , shores to creepe , steale , glide by senselesse steps , untill it drowne them quite : it represents unto my thoughts , minde , sight , howsinnes and vices by l degrees , creepe , grow , on men , till they them drowne and overflow . o then let all , their first progresse withstand else they will them soone m drowne , as seas doe land : nay worse ; since flowing seas still ebbe againe , and leave the sands dry : sinnes still flow and gaine on men , and drowne them each day n more and more they know no ebbes , but flow and ne're give o're . . the ebbing sea which all its filth behinde leaves on the shore ; should put all men in minde how their ebbes , and afflictions should still make them all their filth of sinne quite to o forsake ; which being once cast up upon the shore , must p never be resumed by them more . . when i behold our females wash away with water , all blacke spots of inke , soote , clay , which on their faces fall by accident , i wonder much , and cannot but lament to see some spot their faces studiously with anticke patches of a sable dye ; should god himselfe their visage thus bespot they would repute it an uncomely blot a great dishonor , and use all their skill to cure , or hide such blacke spots , moles as ill : how dare they then use artificiall spots which they , if native , would repute for blots and deeme a blemish to their beauty , nay a sad ill omen ? may i not then say q these spots are not the spots of gods children which make them odious to god and good men , who love r no spots , since christ his blood out-shed to clense his chosen from all s spots and dread , wash off , renounce these satan - spots , least he them satans spots adjudge , and you to be his marked vassals , not his owne washt traine sith such blacke spots upon your face remaine . to weare white linnen t spotted , is disgrace , what is it then to weare a spotted face , and that in gods owne presence ? certainely it cannot but be sinne or infamie . a spotlesse soule abhorres a v spotted face which where all 's cleane within , can have no place by christs owne verdict , so that all may feare inward uncleannesse where such y spots appeare ; which spring no doubt from * pride , lust , wantonnesse , or following great vaine persons antique dresse , the sea which hates spots , shall in judgement rise against all who with spots their fronts disguise . . the flowing seas , which seeme to kisse , embrace the shore in lovely sort , yet in short space recoile againe , and leave it naked , dry , and faster from than to it use to flye , paint out in lively sort before our eyes those hollow hearted friends unconstant guise who in the flood of mens prosperity can hugge , embrace , protest to live and die together with them , but as soone as they begin to ebbe , and their estates decay , forthwith z retire , and in post from them flye , leaving them naked in their misery . this is the common friendship , now adayes , wherein true friends deserve both love , crownes praise , who still sticke closest in a adversity and then draw nearest when all others flye . . few put to sea , or come a shore , but when it flowes , not ebbes , which character , that men delight to b swim still in prosperity and flowing streames , shunning adversity , with ebbes of fortune ; though the c schoole of grace and vertue , which in full seas scarce finde place : for as the flowing sea still runnes amaine towards the earth , and never turnes againe till ebbes recall it : so prosperities encreasing flood , mens hearts , minds , loves , carries still towards d earth and worldly things below drowning all graces , vertues that should grow within them ; till some crosse ebbes which befall them , their hearts , thoughts affections quite e recall from earth and worldly things , to things above turning the streame of their desires , hearts love to god and grace above , the port , but , end to which our thoughts , acts , motions should still tend . o f happy ebbes , which mount our soules on high and them translate from earth above the skie : were it not for these ebbes , few would arive at heavens blest port , to which they most men drive . . when t is full sea at one place , it is then low ebbe at others , it s just so with men : somes wealth , flood , greatnesse , others make poore , low . and these their ebbes , cause them to spring , rise , flow . t is never full sea at once in all climes , nor in all mens estates , which have their times to g ebbe and flow by turnes ; we cannot all be happie here ; when some rise , some must fall . yea , those who have the highest worldly flood , have oft with it the lowest ebbes of good : their floods of h worldly wealth , pompe , state , effect strange ebbes of grace , and make them god neglect . . the sea in calmes , and where no rockes , shelves lye , to crosse its course , runnes smooth without waves , cry ; but crost by winds , stormes , rockes , sands , instantly it swells , roares , fumes , and rageth furiously beyond all measure , caring not to split and breake it selfe ' gainst rockes that hinder it : thus many men who seeme milde , meek and sweete of nature , whiles they with no windes , rubbes meete which crosse their wills , designes , swell fome , i rage , fret , storme , and all rules of reason quite forget . oft in a moment , when crost in their will aymes , endes , lusts , causes , whether good or ill ; and like some furious , bedlams , voyd of wit , will in their fits of cholor rather split and wrecke themselves for ever , than not have their wills in all things , which they seeke or crave . this bedlam fury doth too oft undoe those it possesseth , if not lookt unto in time , and quite subdude , especially great men , or those who would be climbing high . let all them flye it : 't is mens shame to be as mad , rash , raging , as the sencelesse sea ; and to permit their stations to transport them past the bounds of reason , in this sort . . when i behold men with much toyle to row , and beate the seas oft-times when crosse winds blow , or tydes against them runne till they with paine their wished haven at the last obtaine . it mindes me how all christians while below in this worlds sea , k should dayly strive and row , against all winds , tydes , stormes , which crosse or drive them from heavens port , till they therein arrive in safety : which blest harbor none can gaine without much l labour , rowing ; sweat , and paine . . it s dangerous crossing of the seas at night ; when neither sunne , moone , starres yeeld any light . hence most ships in the night are cast away for want of light , when few are wreckt by day ; this worlds seas are most dangerous , specially in darkest nights , when no light from on high of saving grace or m knowledge doth appeare within mens soules , whereby their course to steare . needes must men perish then for want of light to shunne rockes , shelves , and guide their ships aright . we should then for this light of grace more pray and long , than * seamen in a storme for day . . the deepest seas run silent without noyse when as the shallow , roare , lift up their voyce ; with horrid rage and out-cry . so we see the deepest , wisest men most silent be , making least noyse or bragges , and * patiently vnder all stormes and crosses quiet lye . when shallow pates like * empty vessels make the greatest noyse , bragges , and most on them take ; and being crost , pincht with adversity , * roare , rage , storme , vex like bedlams furiously . to bragge , vaunt , rage , foame , chafe and over-prate , is a sure symptome of a shallow pate . . whiles that the sun-beames on the sea shine bright they make her shine so , that she bleares the sight and eyes of men , with those meere borrowed rayes which she reflects , and so to them conveyes : but let the sunne set , or a cloud it hide , her shining luster 's gone , and not espide ; when as the sun-shine of prosperity breakes out on this o worlds sea , it bleares the eye of carnall men , and makes her shine so bright that nought to them seemes halfe so cleare , or light , though all her lustre be but borrowed rayes , which p passe away , and in her make no stayes : as soone as clouds or crosses hide this sunne , her glory fades , and all her splendor's gone ; o dote not then upon her hired light , which if it lasts all day , still q sets at night . . the sea is liquid , and whiles men doe thinke to walkeupon it , downe they fall and r sinke ; unfaithfull friends are like ; whiles we rest , stay on them , we fall , sinke , and are cast away . try then before you trust ; and t rest on none who are meere flesh , but upon god alone : who v never failes , when false friends from us fall and true friends dye , or cannot helpe at all . . when we behold seas constantly to flow in spite of winds & stormes which on them blow , twice every day ; it minds us how each day we x twice , at least , to god should duely pray , maugre all winds , stormes , sports , workes , company , that would us hinder from this piety . a type whereof the y double sacrifice of old each day , did paint forth to our eyes : and as sea-waters alwayes joyntly flow , twice every day together , whence they grow more strong and great : so every family wherein the z practice of true piety or gifts of grace reside , should twice each day morning and evening , to god joyntly pray , as well as privately ; that so their teares , sighes , cryes might sound more loude , sweete , in gods eares , and a more prevaile with him ; o happy they who with pure hearts to god thus dayly pray . . when we espie ships driven quite besides their course and compasse , with stormes , winds , and tydes , in darkest nights , and tempests for to crosse , saile , passe in safety , without wrecke , bruise , losse , amidst unknowne most dangerous , rocks , shelves when all b hopes of safty faile in thoughts of men , sith diverse ships have there beene cast away though stear'd by skilfull pilots , at mid-day in calmes and fairest weather : we must thence conclude , and cry , gods secret c providence ( the best and onely pilot ) did direct their helme , and them from shipwrackes thus protect . and learne that humane skill , art , nought avayles unlesse god steares the rudder , guides the sailes . no matter then what ere the pilot be , if god us guide , we shall from wreckes be free . o let us d pray to him alwayes to steare our helmes , then we no rockes , wreckes , neede to feare , and shall saile safe , whiles others who relye upon their skill , not god , wrecke , split , drowne , dye : . when i behold sweete pleasant streames to fall into salt seas at last , which drowne them all . i thereby learne , how worldly jollity , and streames of sinfull pleasures e end onely in seas of brinish teares , in floods of griefe , and plunge men into f hell past all releefe . fly then these pleasant streames which ever end in saltest seas , and men post to hell send . . when marriners or passengers long lye waiting for wind , and opportunity to crosse the seas to those ports , townes , countries to which they bound are , they will in no wise let slip , but take the first good gale ; which lost may quite undoe , or put them to great cost . their wisedome should instruct all those who lye on earth below , for passage to their high and heav'nly country , never to omit one g gale of grace which blowes well towards it , but whiles life , time , and meanes of grace endure and breath upon them , to make heaven sure , and post on to it , with full sayles each day ; for feare they * lose their passage through delay . one gale of grace or opportunity neglected , may lose us eternity . gods h spirit , which blowes when and where it will must not be slighted , but observed still : it will not ever waite , nor i strive with men and once departed , returnes not agen . . sea waters in their channels , are but light ; under them all a childe may stand upright : but taken thence , they very pondrous prove , a pipe or two , no gyant can remove ; whole seas of vastest sinnes are very k light on carnall hearts , who never feele their weight : whereas to humbled soules , the smallest crimes are l heavier than the sea ten thousand times ; wherewith their soules , are burden'd , and opprest , more than if mountaines lay upon their brest . the reasons plaine ; in one , sinnes in its place ; but m out of it , in hearts renude by grace . try then thy state hereby : if sinnes weigh light in thy soules seales , thy case is ill , not right . . the sea is o full of waters , which there lye pil'd up in heapes , as in gods treasurie , or common store-house ; who doth thence disperce them to all places of the vniverse , where they are needfull : which in lively wise paints out most sweetely to our hearts and eyes , those inexhaust , vast , boundlesse p magazines of goodnesse , grace , with all those golden mines laid up in god and christ , who day by day with open hands q disperse , and give away these precious stores , to every living thing throughout the world , and to their homes them bring . how should the thought of their vast stores , feast , cheare our hungry soules , and banish all their feare ? sith seas shall r sooner faile of streames , and dry quite up , then these stores of the diety faile , or diminish , which still open stand all needfull things to yeeld us out of hand . . when i consider how the seas did stand and swim at first s above the highest land , till god confin'd them within bankes ; whence they if but permitted , would soone scape away , and in a moment drowne the world againe : me thinkes it points out to us very plaine the patience , mercy , and t abundant grace of our sweete god , who keepes them in their place , though v dayly urged by our sinnes , and crimes , to let them loose , to drowne us , sundry times . and then instructs us , him not to offend , who can at will whole seas against us send , ( yea troopes of x devils ) which would soone devoure us , if not held off by his mighty power . . when i in y scripture read , that god did found this world on seas and floods , ●s on its ground ; i finde the cause of this worlds z ficklenesse , and all the things that we therein possesse . for how can ought be stable , firme or stayd , that on unstable , floating seas is layd ? o then make nought that this world yeelds , your a stay , or treasure , sith it floates and swimmes away . . the sea is homogeniall , and each small drop in it , hath the nature of it all , in all respects ; and will not b mixe , nor close with strange or forraigne things , but them oppose : which should instruct all christians , to agree , yea in faith , word , and deede but c one to be , and not to hugge , love , like , but d shun all those who in faith , life , workes doe not with them close . . the sea retaines in every coast and place , her native colours , and sweete azure face . a checke and shame to that phantasticke crue which e paint , and chop old fashions still for new : and to those f changlings , who to serve the time can suite themselves to every sect , place , clime ; and whiles they thus g become all things to all , in truth are nothing , and the worst of all . . when angry h crosse seas meete and clash together they foame , rage , roare , yea raise stormes in faire weather and tosse , wrecke , or indanger all that saile or passe their race , and over them prevaile . when potent neighbour princes , strive , war , fight one with another , with great force and might , nought else but i bloody battels , tumults , cryes , stormes , perils to their subjects still arise , which wrecke , consume their fortunes , goods , lands , lives . and of all worldly blessings them deprives . o let us then be thankefull for our peace : and k pray that it may last , and still increase . . the sea and skies in colour both agree , when as in most things else they different be . it s then l ill judging by the meere out-side : those who thus doe , shall oft times erre and slide . . all springs and m rivers runne with chearefull speed into the ocean whence they first proceede : and should not we , with equall n chearefulnesse and speed , our courses to the grave addresse ? since we from o dust did spring at first , and shall by gods decree to dust and ashes fall ? ( how soone p he onely knowes : ) thrice happy we if for the grave we still prepared be : the onely harbour where we rest secure , from all those tempests , we did here endure . . nor neede we feare ; since we shall not remaine still in our graves , but thence q rise up againe : for , as the ebbing sea when it sinkes low , and seemes quite lost , and never like to flow ; yet in short space returnes , and springs a fresh as high as ever ; so our corps , and flesh , though turn'd to dust and rotted in the grave , a spring , and rich returne from thence shall have with great advantage ; rising up againe free from r corruption , sinne , ach , sicknesse , paine and imperfection , in such glorious plight , that sunne , moone , stars , shall not shine halfe so bright . why should we then once s dread death , or the grave , or t lose our soules , our goods , lives , limbes to save ? since our dead corps , v lost limbes shall rise againe in such surpassing glory ; and then x reigne ( joyn'd to our soules , and never more to dye , ) in perfect blisse , for all eternity ? instruct us lord to y live to thee by grace , whiles we here saile in this seas dangerous race : then are we z certaine when we end our dayes , that thou wilt us from grave , to heaven raise where we more blisse and glory shall receive than a tongues can utter , or our hearts conceive . lord , let these b meditations of mine heart , mine owne , and others soules to thee convert , and rap them into such sweete extasies that they e nought else but thee , may love and prise . the epilogue . if all who use , crosse , view the sea , would raise such meditations from it , to the praise of its creator , spending day by day some vacant time , and pious thoughts this way ; what floods and streames of grace ? what tydes of joy and a sweetest raptures ( able to destroy those sinnes , lusts , vices , which now taint , defame their very callings , and their persons b shame , would spring up in them ? what blest calmes c of peace amidst all winds and stormes ? what great increase of faith love , knowledge , zeale , and each sweete grace might thee enjoy , whiles they the ocean trace ? how might their soules d mount up above the skie when as their ships sinke and their bodies dye ? what change of heart and life would it effect in those , who now god , and their soules neglect ? what holy , pious saints might e sea-men be , if they the sea would thus divinely see ? o! as they love their soules , let me request them , and all others , as they would be blest , hence-forth at vacant times to lay aside all sins , lusts , vices , which their soules mis-guide ; ( with wordly workes , thoughts , cares ) and then addresse their hearts and mindes in sacred earnestnesse to pious f meditations , from the sight and nature of the sea , which will g delight their drooping hearts , their wicked lives amend , and lodge their soules in h heaven ere they end . if any want instructions to direct , or helpe them in this kinde , let them reflect on this rude christian-sea-card , which may guide them , till some better card thrust it aside ; by which if they their course shall henceforth steare , they neede no rockes , shelves , gulfes , stormes , wreckes to feare . finis . a christian paradise : or a divine posie , compiled of sundry flowers of meditation , gathered from the sweet and heavenly contemplation of the nature , fruites , and qualities of gardens . by william prynne , late exile and close prisoner in the isle of iersy . isaiah . . . i will greatly rejoyce in the lord , my soule shall be joyfull in my god , for he hath cloathed me with the garments of salvation , he hath covered me with the robe of righteousnesse : as a bridegroome decketh himselfe with ornaments , and as a bride adorneth her selfe with her jewels . for as the earth bringeth forth her bud , & as the garden causeth the things that are sowne in it to spring forth ; so the lord will cause righteousnesse and praise to spring forth before all the nations . cant. . . i am come into my garden my sister , my spouse ; i have gathered my myrrhe with my spice ; i have eaten my honey-combe with my honey , i have drunke my wine with my milke . o friends , drinke and be drunken with love , o beloved . isaiah . . and the lord shall guide thee continually , and satisfie thy soule in drought ; and make fat thy bones ; and thou shalt be like a watred garden , and like a spring of water , whose waters faile not . london printed by t. cotes , for michael sparke dwelling at the blue bible in greene arbor . . to the worshipfull his ever honoured kinde friends , m rs douse , and m rs margaret carteret , daughters to sr philip carteret knight , lieutenant governor and bayliffe of the isle of jersy . sweetenesse and beauty , two chiefe qualities of gardens , shine forth in such radiant wise in you sweete m rs douse , faire margaret prime flowers of the house of carteret , that 't were ingratitude , nay injury for me in silence here to passe you by , and not inscribe this paradise to you , to whom it is in all respects most due . deigne then to owne this little testimonie of thankes , for all your love and courtesie to me an exil'd prisner , in jersy , who shall endeavour to be till i dye , your devoted friend and servant , william prynne . a chrisitan paradise . or a divine posie , composed of sundry flowers of meditation , gathered from the sweet and heavenly contemplation of the nature , fruites , and qualities of gardens . the preface . soare up my muse upon the eagles wings , above the clouds , and scrue up all thy strings unto their highest straines , with angels layes mens soules to ravish , and their hearts to raise from earth to heaven , with those sweetest notes which gardens tender to thy plodding thoughts . a theame of meditation , so divine , rich , pleasant , usefull , that no golden mine , no hony-combe may once with it compare ; lord feast our soules with its coelestiall fare , fruites , pleasures in such wise , that they may still loath this worlds cates , with all things that are ill , tasting no pleasure but in things above , the onely dainties which they ought to love . a briefe character of a garden . a garden is an earthly paradise , no mortall creatures , but gods owne devise , ( the a first who planted gardens , which began at the creation ; god then binding man , ( the b lord of all his workes ) to this sweete trade to keepe and dresse the garden he had made : this was mans first imployment ; so as he in this respect a gardner stil'd may be ; the first and best of trades ; which c adams tast of the forbidden fruite hath much debast , and with it gardens too , which thereby lost much of their pleasure , to our paine and cost . yet in this dolefull state of sinne , and vice ; they still remaine mans terrene d paradise ; yeelding not onely profit , but delight . foode , cates , salves , phisicke , pleasures to the sight , and other senses ; solacing the minde with sundry objects which it there may finde , it , and the body to refresh and cheare , when as they tired , vexed , grieved are . but this is nought to those soule-ravishing , sweete , heavenly meditations which doe spring from gardens , able to rap and inspire the coldest muse , with a coelestiall fire ; yea melt the flintiest heart , and it advance above the spheares in a delightfull trance ? these make an eden of each garden-plot , and here are fallen to my muses lot. meditations of the first kinde . . first then , a garden paints out to our eyes and hearts , its prime e inventor , god most wise ; whose peerelesse f wisedome , art , skill shine most bright in every tree , plant , herbe , flower which our sight beholds in gardens ; whose variety . in smell , taste , colour , forme , fruite , quality , and usefull vertues for all maladies , wounds , ulcers , aches , stripes , infirmities of man and beast , ( so many that mans art hath not as yet found out the thousand part from adams fall till now , ) at large descry gods matchlesse art and wisedome to each eye . view we the goodly colours , beauty , frame , embroidry , carving , fruites , leaves , rootes ( which shame and pose all artists ) with the joynts , and sweete proportion of those parts , which in them meete ; and we must needes confesse him g onely wise who these rare peeces did at first devise , without a patterne ; and doth dayly raise such worlds of goodly fabrickes to his praise . o let our hearts , words , workes , still celebrate his h boundlesse wisedome , who did these create . . that most transcendent beauty which we see with dayly admiration in each tree , plant , herbe , carnation , lilly , tulip , rose , with worlds of other flowers , which the nose affect with i pleasant smels , and beautifie the earth and gardens , more than starres the skie , shining with rarest colours of each kinde , so fresh , mixt , sorted , that they rap the minde into amazement ; sweetly manifest , in some darke measure , to each pious breast , gods most surpassing k beauty ; to whose l light the noone-day sunnes more darke than any night . why doe we then like doting fooles admire a comely face , necke , hand , bush , brave attire , or waxe proud of them ? ( as most doe , ) since grasse , trees , m lillies , flow'rs , in beauty farre surpasse the fairest kings queen's , ladies , whose hands , face and rich array , compar'd to these , are base . o! if we dote on beauty , let the rayes of n gods eternall glory , past all praise and comprehension , pierce , melt , rap , transport our soules with o love , & scorch them in such sort , that they may ever burne with its sweete flame , and deeme all beauty else not worth the name ; being imperfect , p fading every houre , not halfe so lovely , comely as a flower . . each plant , herbe , roote , grasse , flower which doth grow , in gardens , q gods almighty power forth show . since all the monarches , artists , men that live , with all their might , wit , skill , can never give life to existence to the smallest flower . much lesse an essence : o what little power is there in greatest kings ; who cannot make one grasse , herbe , plant , though nestors yeares they take to doe it ! o , what wondrous potency is there in god! whose r word did instantly create all creatures , herbes , trees , plants that grow , in gardens , orchards , woods , fields here below ? o let our minds , when we these creatures see , upon his s mighty power still fixed be : which as it t dayly makes the fairest trees , plants , herbes , and flowers , spring by sweete degrees out of the vilest dust ; can likewise raise us from the very grave , his power to praise . be then our v cases , crosses ne're so ill , take courage , god can mend them when he will ; and in due season make us spring againe , like withered plants , herbes , flowers , after raine . . gardens shew forth x gods goodnesse to mankinde , which he who seeth not in them , is quite blinde . for , doth not that great , sweete , variety of garden plants , fruites which delight the eye and other senses ; ease , helpe , and redresse all paines , wounds , sores , diseases that oppresse both man and beast ; yeelding them physick , food , salves , sauce , cates , cordialls , fumes , cloathes , all that 's good or usefull for them , plainely y manifest gods gracious bounty to each man and beast ? o what abundant service , z thankes , praise , love , are due from man unto his god above ? who hath thus stored gardens , fields , each place , with such great plenty of these gifts of grace ? o , let us blush that we serve , love , no more god , who hath blest us with this happie store . and hence conclude in our necessity , that this good god will a all our wants supply : he who our gardens doth with these things store , our bodies , soules , will feed , feast , fill much more . . a garden like a glasse , gods b providence reflects most clearely , to the dullest sense ; who for mans use and service in each clime , makes trees , plants , herbes , flowres , seedes c spring in due time , which are most usefull , fit to ease , heale , feede , and helpe those in the countries where they breed . and placed neare him great variety of herbes , salves , phisicke , for each malady , both easie , cheape and ready still at hand , if he their vertues did but understand . o what a tender d care hath god of man , thus to provide for each disease that can , or doth befall him , such cheape , ready cures ! o e praise him for this care which still endures . and sith that he our wealth doth so respect , let us f take heede , we never him neglect ; nor yet our selves , but thankefully g make use of what may to our health , or ease conduce . lord , when we walke in gardens to delight our mindes , or sences , let the sweetest sight of thee , and these thy attributes , which they present most clearely to us day by day ; rap up our soules into such extasies , that they nought else but thee ; may love or prise . meditations of the second ranke . moreover gardens lively represent christ to our eyes and mindes , with blest content . . for first , as gardens , yeeld all h rarities and pleasant objects to delight the eyes and other sences ; so all pleasant , sound soule-chearing i comforts , joyes in christ are found . our hearts to solace ; whence most sweetnesse springs when we taste nought but gall in other things : o blessed jesus such soule ravishing groves , streames of k sweetest cordialls from thee spring to cheare our drooping soules in all distresse , that did they once but l taste their lushiousnesse , and more than honey sweetnesse , they would be rapt and m inamor'd with nought else but thee . o let me feele how good , how sweete thou art . then thou alone shalt feast , fill , have mine heart . . againe , as fruitefull gardens bring sorth store of n herbes , receites , for every sickenesse , sore , wound , vlcer , ache that hapneth to mankinde . so in our o saviour christ , our soules may finde a soveraigne herbe , balme , salve for to appease helpe , heale , each sore , wound , ulcer , ach , disease that doth or can them any times annoy , grieve , paine , perplex , or threate them to destroy : are then our soules sicke , wounded , like to dye with any sinne , or deadly maladie ; o let us then p resort to christ with speede , for herbes , salves , physicke , all else that we neede ; whose q blood 's a royall balme , receipt to save all soules which from it helpe , health , phisicke crave . . gardens still yeeld a pleasant fragrant r smell , and rich perfumes ; christ doth them farre excell in his s sweete-smelling odors , which ascend into gods sacred nostrells , to amend perfume and sweeten , all those stinking , sowre , vnsavory prayers , which to god we powre , in christs sweete name ; whose horrid sent and stinke ( more loath-some than the vilest kennell , sinke , ) would else so much t offend his sacred nose that he both it , and his eares too would close against them ; yea v detest , both them and us ; where now these odors make them gracious , farre x sweeter than the richest sent that can be found out , to delight the nose of man. and as christs fragrant perfumes farre excell the sweetest incense , in his fathers smell , so doe they likewise in the sent of those whom he hath chosen ; to whose sacred nose the fragrant'st odors matcht with y christs are stinke and more unsavory than the foulest sinke : sweete jesus let thy pleasant perfumes move , and ravish all our soules , with thy sweete love. . gardens have pleasant z fountaines , where we may our bodies bathe , and wash their filth away , yea quench our thirst , our heates coole , and revive those trees , herbes , plants that fade , and make them thrive . christ hath a pleasant a fountaine , spring , or well of sweete and living waters , that excell all others , springing in him , where we may bathe , coole , refresh our soules , and wash away the filth of all our sinnes ; and eke revive our withering graces , and them cause to thrive . lord ever ba the our soules in this blest spring , which will both health , joy , safty to them bring . . most pleasant b hearbes , rootes , fruites in gardens grow , to feede and feast mens pallats : such fruites flow , and spring from christ , our soules to fat , c feast , cheare , as farre surpasse all cates that gardens beare ; no honey , marrow , manna may compare with his rare sweete-meates , and coelestiall fare . o come and d taste how sweete christs dainties be , then will we long to feast with none but he. . gardens are fraught with arbors , trees , whose e shade cooles and repels heate , stormes which would invade , and scorch us sore : christ hath a f shade most sweete against all scalding heates , all stormes we meete , yea from his fathers burning wrath and rage , which none but he can quench , coole , or asswage : o then in all such scorching flames still fly to christs sweete shade , for ease and remedy . . gardens are full of g beauty and delight and so is christ in all his chosen's sight ; none halfe so h comely , lovely , faire as he , in whom we nought but comelinesse can see . o let his beauty i kindle such a fire in all our soule , as never shall expire ; and may consume all flames of lustfull love , wedding us onely unto christ above . . gardens are ever rich and fruitefull ground ; all usefull herbes , k trees , fruites in them abound ; christ is the l best , prime peece of all man-kind , in whom alone all good things we may finde at any season , in such copious store , as will suffice mankinde for evermore . o then m resort to him for every thing we want , in whom all good things grow and spring . . the seedes , plants , rootes which we would have to grow . in gardens , we n there bury , set , or sow : so christ that he might grow and fructifie , o within a p garden did intombed lye , where q springing up from death to life againe , he fild the q world with his increased traine ; which iury onely did confine before , but now the world , which scarce conteines his store . . christ , here on earth did gardens highly grace r resorting oft unto them , in which place he was betray'd , entomb'd , rais'd up , and then first there appear'd to mary magdalen . each garden then we see , should still present christ to our sight , minds , thoughts , with sweete content ; wherein with eyes of faith , we may behold christ walking with us , as he s walkt of old with his disciples , to instruct , joy , cheare , our blind , sad hearts , and banish all their feare : here may we view false t judas , him betray , with fained kisses ; and thence lead away with bands of catch-poles , arm'd with , swords , bills , staves ; to teach us to beware such flattering knaves , who are most treacherous when they seeme most kind : and that a judas we shall ever finde amidst christs choyce apostles ; who for gaine will both betray christ , and his chosen traine , and them in their sweete gardens trap , surprise , where they no danger saw , nor could devise : here , may we eye v christ lying in his tombe to sweeten death , and all our graves perfume . here may we see him x rise up the third day to conquer death , and take his sting away , leading him captive in triumphant wise that we might learne his terrors to despise , and never dread this y vanquisht enemie , who kills us once to live eternally . here may we view our bodies , by z death slaine and turn'd to dust , by christ rais'd up againe in glorious state , to live in endlesse joy above deathes reach , and all them can annoy . here may we finde our saviour still appeare from day to day , our drooping hearts to cheare , in each roote , seede , plant , herbe , which shall arise out of the earth ; which a shewes him to our eyes ; what neede of popish pictures then to bring christ to our eyes , minds , thoughts ? sith every thing , plant , herbe that in our gardens sprouts , lives , growes , his life , death , rising , farre more clearely shewes ? b away then with these cursed idolls ; we christ no where else will ever seeke , view , see but in his c word , workes , sacraments , wherein we onely can behold him , without sinne ; and when we long him , or his acts to eye , if bibles faile , each garden will descry them to us , in more sweete and lively wise , than all the pictures papists can devise . blessed lord jesus when we ever walke within a garden , let us with thee talke , in such sweete contemplations , and delight our soules , eyes , senses with thy blessed sight , which every garden tree , plant , herbe , flower , grasse , reflects more clearely than a christall glasse : then shall each garden which we view or see , a blessed second d eden to us be . meditations of the third classe . a garden is a map of paradise , the plot , e from whence all gardens took their rise . compar'd , they suite , and make an harmony , which cheares our soules with its sweete melody . . for first , as god did f eden plant , decke , fill with choycest trees , herbes , fruits ; so men doe still their g gardens with these dayly decke , store , grace , and more enrich , than any other place . . eden was full of g pleasure and delight of goodly trees , flow'rs , fruites to please the sight , and pallate : so are h gardens , where we finde most pleasant objects both for eye , mouth , minde . . eden was very i fruitfull : gardens are the k fertil'st plots , and most fruites ever beare . . eden was seated close by l rivers sides , and watred with their christall streames and tides ; thus are most m gardens seated , that they may become more fruitfull , pleasant , greene , fresh , gay . . eden was kept and drest by n adam , who was bound by god this taske to undergoe . and who but o men , doe yet still keepe and dresse those pleasant gardens which we here possesse ? beasts , horses , oxen , helpe to till our ground , fit to dresse gardens , onely men are found . hence may we learne that god p hates idlenesse in all estates , who ought still to addresse themselves to some good honest worke , art , trade , sith adams q set to worke as soone as made ; though the sole monarch of the world , and all the creatures in it ; which before the fall were at his meere command , and did afford him all he needed , r of their owne accord . . god had no sooner adam made , but he him s plac'd in eden , happie there to be , as in the choycest , fruitefulst , pleasant'st plot this lower world could unto him alot . all take delight in t gardens to reside , the onely edens where they would abide : whence all who have but one small piece or plot , of earth , will to a v garden it alot . . man entred x into eden voyd of sinne ; o let us thinke of this , when we begin our garden doores to enter , that we may avoyd all sinne , which y mankinde first did slay ; and dayly strive to be as innocent as adam , when he into eden went. . the tree of knowledge ( which did typifie christ , or his sacred word to adams eye , ) in z midst of eden stood : thus each plant , tree which we in midst of gardens chance to see , christ and his sacred word in lively wise present , shew , point out to our mindes and eyes . . eden a a serpent had which did betray first eve , then adam , and them cast away by his temptations , their credulity . no wonder then if we sometimes espie not onely weedes , but serpents , adders , snakes , toades , & such vermin ( whose meere aspect makes most men to tremble ) in our garden-plots , to make us feare that b serpent , which besots , betrayes , and stings us still through pleasures , vice . as he did adam in old pardise : o let us then in no place rest secure ; sith he in eden did man first allure . much lesse in pleasant c gardens , where he still tempts men and women oft times unto ill : . the d first and mother sinne , from whence all vice sinnes , mischiefes spring , was hatcht in paradise : here father adam caught that breake-necke fall , which in a moment quite undid us all . o let our gardens put us still in minde of this great sinne , whose reliques we still finde remaining in us : and let every weede we see in gardens , cause us to take heede that no one sinne within us ever spring , to worke our ruine , or our soules to sting . . man had no sooner sinned , but god e cast him out of eden , and then layd it waste ; cursing the earth with thornes , weeds , barrennesse for his offence , which he before did blesse : when then our gardens , weedie , barren grow thinke of the cause from whence these evills flow , ( our sinne ; gods curse : ) and when we enter in , or issue out of gardens , let that sinne which moved god man-kind first to exclude . from edens blisse , with teares be of us rude . we cannot over-ponder or lament that sinne which man out of his eden sent . and learne from hence , that none gaine ought by vice , or f sinne , at last , but losse of paradise . . man banish't eden for his wilfull sinne , was ever after g barr'd from entring in againe , by a bright sword with fiery flame which turned every way to guard the same . the hedges , pales , walls , doores , that close and fence our gardens , to keepe men and beasts from thence , should ever mind us of this sword , that vice , which thrust and kept man out of paradise : and teach us with all care , paines , industry , to strive to enter h eden that 's on high . since we are thus excluded this below , the very place whereof none this day know ; . mans losse in edens garden , might affright us all , and dampe the joy , mirth , and delight , which gardens yeeld ; yea had not christ repaird , what man there lost , we should have quite despaird . but now take courage and no more complaine ; christ in a garden hath restor'd againe what adam therein lost ; that wee might all be there repair'd , where first we caught our fall : which that i may with sweeter fruit declare , i 'le christ with adam ; place with place compare . . adam at first in eden was i betraid , and trap't by those snares which the serpent layd . christ in a garden was betraid , and snar'd by judas , k and those troops which hee prepar'd . . adam in eden l caught that break-necke fall which in a moment did undoe us all : christ in a m garden tooke his lowest fall into the grave , which rais'd and made us all . . adam there fell in n state of innocence , and wreckt us all , by this his prime offence : christ in o a garden fell , though free from fault , to make us guiltlesse , and our state exalt . . adam p by sinne , christ q for sinnes onely fell : hee for his owne ; christ , for those in us dwell . . adam fell r flat , but could not rise againe : christ fell ſ but rose , nought could him downe detaine . . his fall himselfe , with all t his race downe threw : christs fall him rais'd , with all his chosen crue . . he in a v garden fell ; there christ arose to save man there , where hee himselfe did lose . . adam there falling , did x corruption bring vnto himselfe , and all who from him spring : christ dead and buried here , did y never see corruption , and all his did from it free . . hee fell in eden z by the tree of life of which hee ate , allured by his wife : which tree ( that in the a midst of eden grew ) instead of giving life b him and us slew . wee by our c eating of this blessed tree of life , christ jesus , are thereby made free from death and hell , who planted was , and lay d entomb'd amidst a garden , e death to slay : . adam was f thrust from eden to his losse : christ from a g garden lead was to his crosse . . he h banisht eden , could returne no more , christ all his chosen thither to restore , dragg'd i from a garden , was brought backe againe and there entomb'd , as soone as he was slaine . . in eden k death against man first prevail'd : death in a l garden was by christ first quail'd : here he arose againe from death : and then appear'd there first to mary magdalen . winning the field of deaths , sinnes , devils host , in that same place where adam first it lost : and there triumphed over all this sect , where they their trophies did at first erect . needs must our gardens then be very sweet , and pleasant , where these acts of christ all meet : which rightly pondred by us , in a trice , would change each garden to a paradise , and make us see , that we by christ gaine more in gardens now , than adam lost before . sweet jesus when a garden we espie rap thou our soules into an extasie . with these , or such like pious thoughts ; that we an eden in each garden-plot may see ; and feele a blessed heaven still to grow , within our soules , whiles we are here below . meditations of the fourth classe . againe ; mee thinks a garden gods blest word doth well resemble , and therewith accord . . for first as m gardens yeeld most fragrant smels , so gods deare word in n sweetnesse farre excels : it s rich perfumes , and odours still entice his saints to o love it , in most ardent wise . o let our p houses , words , thoughts , acts , lives , smell of it's sweete odors , which all else excell . . q gardens yeeld store of pleasant fruits , rootes , cates , herbes , sallads , cordials , fit for all estates , to feed , feast , please their pallats , and to cheare their drooping hearts , opprest with paine , griefe , feare . gods blessed word is stor'd with r promises , which feed , feast , cheare , the hearts of all degrees : and are more pleasant , cordiall , sweete , and deare to drooping soules , than all this worlds best cheare . o let us daily solace , fat , feast , fill , our soules with these blest cates , & cheare them still . . as gardens so the scriptures yeeld great store , of ſ salves , and good receits for every sore , wound , sicknesse , griefe , which mens soules can affect , no hope of health , for those who them neglect . o let us prise these balmes , which soules can cure , if they be heal'd the bodies safe and sure . . gardens are full of all t variety of flowers , herbes , fruits which delight the eye . and bring most sweete refreshment and content , to such as are to meditation bent , yea all of all sorts : so gods sacred word to all of all rankes , can and doth afford a copious store , and sweete variety of u great and pretious promises , which lye dispersed in it , to refresh , joy , ease all sad dejected soules , and them appease . o with what pleasure , joy , and blest delight , may tyred drooping soules , both day and night walke in the midst of this sweete paradise , where all refreshing comforts grow and rise ? let these be still our x study , night and day , which all our griefes , feares , sins will chase away . . all y gardens sweet refreshment still afford to tyred bodies , spirits : so gods word to z weary soules opprest with sinne , and spent with griefe , yeelds sweete refreshment and content : here may they find blest rest , repose , and ease , when nought else can them comfort or appease . o let our soules for ever dwell and rest in its refreshing shade , which makes them blest . . gardens a inclosed are , gods word is so , within his b churches pale : there must we goe to seeke and find it ; sith the church doth keepe , and shew the scriptures to christs chosen sheep ; but not confirme or give authority to them , who doe c her judge , surport , and try . . gardens are d common both to rich and poore , to all of all sorts : so the scriptures doore is shut to none , but open stands to e all degrees of men : to rich , poore , great , and small . yea f pooremen ( most part ) have a greater share in this rich garden , than the great'st that are . . gardens are fruitfull , and make all things g grow , that men in season in them plant , or sow : gods word is fertile too , and h makes men spring , grow , thrive in grace , and much fruit forth to bring . . gardens most sweetly picture to our eyes minds , thoughts , god , christ , and man in lively-wise : thus doe the i scriptures too , in farre more bright and perfect colours paint them to our sight . he who would these exactly know and see , must on the scriptures alwaies looking be . . gardens are full of objects , whence we may sweet k contemplations raise from day to day , to make us better , and translate our love from earth to heaven , and the l things above : so are the scriptures . o thrice happy they who m meditate still in them night and day , to mend their lives , hearts , soules , and elevate them from an earthly , to an heavenly state . all other n studies , o matcht with these , are base , and leave the soule but in a damned case . onely the scriptures make us truly blest , and guide our soules unto eternall rest . . lord let us daily more and more discry the sacred scriptures worth and dignity ; our soules to cheare , feast , ravish with their love , that wee our words , thoughts acts may guide and move , as they direct , and let each gardens sight present them to our thoughts with sweet delight . that while we view this leafe of natures booke , we may more clearly into gods booke looke ; p the one whereof gives to the other light : and both conjoyn'd , will yeeld more sweet delight . meditations of the fifth sort. againe , in gardens we may view and find a lively map and picture of mankind ; and day by day both in them read and see the story of our selves , and what we bee . . for first those q seeds , which we in gardens saw : and bury in their wombes that they may grow , and spring up thence : present unto our eyes that r humane seede , from which we all arise , and sprout : at first sowne , planted in the wombe , and there inter'd , as in a garden tombe , till it be quickned formed and made fit to come into the world , and breake from it . . each seed , root , plant we see in gardens spring , and peepe out of the earth , doth sweetly bring unto our mindes , and shadowes to our eyes mans birth into this world , in lively-wise : who s breakes , and creepes out from his mothers wombe , like seede out of the earth , that he may come into this wretched world , whose misery as soone as borne , still makes him weepe and cry . . the weake young tender blades , and sprouts that grow , up first from seeds , rootes , plants , doe lively , shew unto our eyes and thoughts , mans infancie who t cannot stand or goe , but crawle and lye vpon the ground , like blades , grasse , sprigs new thrust out of the earth , which leane , lie on the dust . . their further growth in strength , height , breadth , each day ; mans * daily growth in all these , well display ; untill his youth out-grows his infancie , by senselesse steps , and make him sprout up high . . their progresse till they blossome and forth bring gay , goodly , lovely , sweet flowers in the spring , and summer season , aptly typifie our fresh , sweet * flowring youth , which in each eye makes us as comely , lovely , fresh , and gay , as garden-trees , flowres in the month of may ; though still as u fading as the tendrest flowre , oft cropt and withered in lesse than one houre . . their next succeeding fruits and seeds , expresse our riper yeares , and age of fruitfulnesse ; * fit for imployment , and the practicke part of any science , calling , trade , skill , art , or publicke office in the church , or state : for which our youth 's too soone , our age too late . . their full ripe leaves , fruits seeds , which bend , and * fall vnto the earth at last ; may mind us all of mans old age , which will him x bow , then cast , or bring quite downe unto the y dust at last , from whence hee sprung , and useth to z decay his strength , teeth , senses , parts , which fall away as leaves , seeds , fruits in autumne : and him make like withered stalkes , which leaves , seedes , fruits forsake ; before his aged shriv'led body dyes , whilst it weake , bed-rid , senselesse , halfe-dead lyes . . the * falling of their withred stalks , trunkes , boughs , unto the earth at last ; most lively shewes , that our a old age , it selfe will kill us all at last , and make us dead to earth to fall , though neere so healthy , wealthy , mighty , strong : and that , if nought else kill us , b living long will doe it : a disease which none can cure : if others scape , old men to dye are sure . . the buring of these old stalkes , leaves againe , when falne downe on the earth , shewes forth most plaine , before our eyes , our funerals , when we quite dead and withered , shall c interred be , and shut close prisoners in our mother d earths darke wombe , from whence at first we had our births . . their rotting there , and turning into dust ; instructs us how the grave shall rot and rust our corps , and turne them into e dust at last , sith god such sentence hath against them past . . the seedes which drop into the earth , and there f rot for a time , but yet againe appeare , and spring afresh , more glorious than before , and by their rising much increase their store : demonstrate to us in most pregnant wise , how our dead rotten corps againe shall rise out of the dust , and graves wherein they lye , in greater vigour , glory , dignity . then ever they enjoy'd ; and gaine farre more by rising , than by death they lost before . o let this arme us against all the feare of death or grave , and still us joy and cheare . . when wee behold some g tender bud or blade , nipt with the frost , winds , stormes , to fall and fade so soone as shot forth : wee may learne thereby how men oft times even in their h infancie as soone as borne , yea sometimes in the wombe are nipt and cropt by death , and to their tombe depart from hence so soone , so suddainly , as if they were borne onely for to dye . let younglings then , as well as old prepare for death , from which i none un-exempted are . . when as we view the k bravest , fairest flowers cropt , blasted , withred , vanisht in few houres : we may therefrom contemplate , how that wee by suddaine death oft blasted , withred be , cropt off , consumed in few minutes space , even in the flowre , prime , pride , choyce , vigour , grace of all our dayes , when l death from us did seeme the farthest off , and we did not once dreame of its approach . a truth we daily see , which should teach youth , for death prepard to be . , the ripe fruits , seedes which wee in gardens view , pluckt off , and gathered ; clearly to us shew how m men of ripe yeares , are most commonly , pul'd off by death , and so should looke to dye , at least as soone as ripe , if not before , sith then they stand neere unto grim deaths doore , whom if he spare to pull or shake downe , they will of themselves in short space fall away , and drop into his mouth . let then all such stand n still prepar'd for death , who doth them touch . . each seed , fruits , leafe , flowre , blossome we see fall , fade , rot within our gardens o shew how all mankinde must fade , fall , rot , and dye like these each in his time , and perish by degrees ; and that no age , sexe , calling , state is free from death , to which they ever subject be : and so should teach all to p account each day their last , wherein they looke to passe away . . each garden in the yeares foure seasons paints forth to our eyes , and us full well acquaints with mans foure ages , which doe comprehend the whole race of his life , untill it end . in q spring time they depaint our infancie , and younger yeares : in summer they descry our youthfull flowring age . in autumne they our riper yeares , and drooping age display ; in r winter when they shriveled , naked are , and all amort , decayd : they then declare our old decrepid , withred , dying yeares , when , all within us , dead , nought fresh appeares , wee can no time then in our gardens be , but wee our selves may there read , know , view , see , by contemplation , in more compleat wise than in all pictures painters can devise . o let us view our selves in this bright glasse each day , and ſ see there how our ages passe , and slit away , untill wee wither , dye ; to t mind us still of our mortality : . besides , by meditation we may hence behold , mind , know our state of innocence before our fall : since god did u adam place in edens garden , in a state of grace , and innocence , it both to keepe and dresse , where he not long enjoy'd this happinesse . . yea , in our gardens we may read and eye our fall and state of sinne and misery , sith we in x edens garden caught that fall through adams sinne , which did undoe us all , and y plunge us into such a woefull state of sinne , and vice , as makes god us to hate ; and daily z spurres us unto all excesse of horrid sinnes , and monstrous wickednesse ; which a cast us headlong into hell , and make vs nought but fuell for that fiery lake , a dismall state indeed , whose thought should rent our stony hearts , and cause them to relent . . but not dispaire , sith in this very place christ hath restored us to a state of grace , of which it minds us , all sad hearts to cheare , and us from our collapsed state helpe reare . for as christ in a b garden was betrayd , and dead , there in a new sepulcher laid , so did he there from death rise up againe , and thereby rais'd up all his chosen traine , from their lost , lapsed , to a blessed state of grace and glory . o then celebrate , and ever blesse , praise , love , serve christ , who thus hath rais'd , redeem'd , restor'd , exalted us : and let each garden put us still in mind of these three states belonging to mankind , without whose perfect knowledge , view , and sight , we cannot know god , nor our selves aright . . each weed which wee in gardens see to grow , our sinfull state , and seedes of vice us shew , both from c mans fall in eden first did spring , and sighs , d groanes , teares , should from our hard hearts wring , . we see the fattest garden ground still breeds the largest , rankest bryers , * nettles , weedes : so greatest sinnes , crimes , vices usually , in men of greatest parts , wit , dignity , and in the richest persons , natures grow , not in the vulgar meaner sort below . the pregnant wits , best natures voyd of grace , are greatest sinnes , crimes , vices common place . o trust not then to e nature , parts or wit , which if true grace controll not , are but fit to breed those rankest weedes , which overgrow them in short space , and worke their overthrow . . that f fruitfulnesse and great variety of good and usefull fruits , plants , herbes we eye in gardens : minds us of that g fruitfulnesse , those usefull vertues , graces they expresse , which should still grow , and flourish in mankind , in whom , alas , we them most rarely find . what ? shall our gardens , fruitfull , usefull be , stor'd with all good fruits , herbes , rootes ? and yet wee be barren , fruitlesse , void of vertue , grace , and nought but lust , vice , weeds in us have place ? o shame ! o sinne ! let gardens teach us then , now to prove fertile , good and gracious men . . each gardens h glorious lustre in the spring , and summer time : sets forth mens i flourishing , gay , prosperous worldly state , which carnall eyes , and hearts , most part , doe over love and prize , without good reason , sith k within one howre it oft-times fades , and withers like a flowre . how many see wee great , rich , in good plight , at morning ; base , poore , wretched , dead , ere night ? in thrones to day , adorned with a crowne ; in chaines ere morning , slaine , or quite put downe ? all times and stories seale this truth ; be wise then now , and learn this worlds pompe to despise . . the suddaine blasts and winters which befall our gardens , and l decay or strip of all their lustre , beauty , flowers , fruits , represent unto our eyes and minds ; that discontent , diseases , crosses , losses , which oft blast decay , consume , dry up , spoyle , and lay wast mens bodies , fortunes , states , and in short space leave them weake , m naked , in most wretched case . a truth we daily see . let none then blesse himselfe , or trust in worldly happinesse , which every crosse , storme , sicknesse will decay ; and when our winter comes will fade away . . the garden flowers wee see , each yeare to dye and n last not many months : o the brevity of mans fraile , life , demonstrates to our sight in lively sort , and should each day and night , fit , and p prepare us for our dying day , and all vaine thoughts of long life chase away . hence holy men did place their q tombes of old , within their garden , where they did behold so many pictures of mortality , from day to day , and sommons still to dye ; for feare their garden pleasures and delights , should chace away death from their thoughts or sights . and should instruct us in the r midst of all our pleasures , pastimes death to mind to call . but chiefly when we in our gardens walke , where we still view him in each leafe , flowre , stalke , that fades , falls , withers . so that we are blind , yea sottish , if we there death doe not mind . . the new fresh garden flowers , ſ herbes , plants wee see spring up in place of those that withred be , from their seedes , rootes ; most sweetly to us shew , the new t successions in mankind , which grow , out of the seed and loynes of those who dye , whose vacant places they fill and supply . . when wee behold those garden flowers , herbes , trees , which seem'd quite dead in winter , by degrees when spring-time comes , u revive , sprout up on high , and flourish more than they did formerly : it sweetly shewes , minds , learnes us , when as wee with sicknesse , crosses , losses , withred be , and all amort , x that if with patience , faith , prayer , hope and stedfast confidence we waite on god , we shall revive , grow , spring , in his due time , and gaine a flourishing , farre better state , than we enjoyd before ; as job with others have done heretofore . be then our crosses , cases what they will , past hope past helpe in carnall eyes : yet y still , let us with chearfull , joyfull hearts relye , and wait on god for helpe ; who certainly will in best time , our winter season end , and us a joyfull spring and summer send : wherein we shall revive , grow , flourish more , and happier be than ever heretofore god , who our fields and gardens makes to spring , will much more cause us to z sprout , grow , shout , sing : which well digested , would us cheare and joy amidst all crosses , which could us annoy : yea banish all our a feare of death or grave , from which we shall a b resurrection have to endlesse glory , which each gardens spring , unto our minds and eyes , with joy shall bring . . the diverse sorts of herbes , flowers , plants , rootes , trees , of different natures , qualities , degrees , we see grow in our garden , without jarre , or discord , close together , or not farre asunder : to us aptly represent , what sweet c agreement , concord , love , consent there ought to be 'twixt men , although they be of different natures , callings , minds , degree , when planted in one country , city , place , church , houshold , or dis-joyn'd some little space . and checkes all d proud , malignant , turbulent , and greedy men , who are to discord bent ; and never rest content with what they have , but others e lands , goods , places , seeke and crave , enduring none to live in quietnesse neare them , that they alone might all possesse . . when as wee see weeds gardens overgrow , deface , kill herbes , flowers , fruits that in them blow , through meere neglect , and want of weeding ; wee as in a map or glasse , may thereby see , how weeds of f sinne , lust , vice men over-grow , disgrace , deturpate , kill , and overthrow , for want of timely weeding : and deface , choake all their parts , wits , vertues , gifts of grace : and so should teach us with all care to weed them out , as fast as they within us breed : which , if neglected will in short time gaine such roote , that they will in us still * remaine , vntill they over-runne , kill , quite decay our vertues , parts , and cast our soules away . . as gardens are the g richest , pleasantest prime parts of all the earth : so h mans the best , chiefe , primate , lord of all gods workes : which high advancement and surpassing dignity , should make him i thankefull , and strive to excell all else in goodnesse , graces , living well ; there being nought so k loathsome , vile or base as men devoyd of goodnesse , vertue , grace ; the vilest toades , or creatures we behold are better than such men ten thousand-fold . for shame then let our graces , lives , expresse , grace , crowne that state of honor , we possesse . . the care men have to l fence , weed , dung , prune , dresse , those gardens , orchards which they here possesse to make them fruitfull , pleasant : should excite us all with greater care , paines and delight , our soules to fence m weed , water , dung , prune , dresse , that they in fruits of grace , and pleasantnesse , may more abound ; it being to no end those , not our selves , to fence , soyle , dresse , & mend . . when we behold small gardens fraught with store of rarest flowres , herbes , fruits , and yeelding more of these than greatest gardens , commonly made more for pleasure , than commodity : we may contemplate , how some men of small and little stature , oft excell the tall , great , vastest , men of bulke , in gifts , wit , parts , true valour , learning , wisedome , skill in arts : and how n mean men for birth , state , fortune , place oft times transcend in wisedome , parts , arts , grace in rarest gifts , and vertues of each kind the greatest nobles , peeres , in whom we find too oft more shew than substance , lesse within than in a russet coat , or courser skinne : it is not greatnesse , honour , wealth , place then that make us fruitfull , good , or better men than others : but our goodnesse , vertue , grace , and fruitfull lives , without which all are o base what ever he their births , states , dignities by them , not these , god will them p judge and prise , the poorest men adorn'd with them q excell the greatest kings in whom they do not dwell . . lord , make each garden , i shall henceforth see , a christall looking-glasse , and booke to mee , wherein i may mine owne mortality and humane state so clearly view , descry , read , and contemplate , as each day to mend my sinfull life , and fit mee for my end ; still walking worthy of that humane state wherein thou mad'st mee , till thou shalt translate mee to a better in the heavens high , where i with thee shall live eternally . meditations of the sixth ranke . once more , a garden paints forth to our view , the state of gods church , and his chosen crue . . for first , as gardens are r choyce plots cull'd out from other common grounds that lye about , and sequestred from them for speciall use : so god his church and saints doth call , and chuse , then set apart from others , ſ of meere grace , for speciall use , and his owne dwelling place . . gardens t enclosed are with walls , pales , bounds , hedges , dikes , and more fenc'd than other grounds : so god his church and chosen doth u enclose , and fence with walls , pales , dikes against all foes , boares , beasts that would annoy , or roote them out , and none so safe as they are fenc'd about . . gardens are often x digg'd to kill their weedes ; and them to plant , sow with good fruits , rootes , seedes of all sorts , which else would not there spring , grow : so gods elect , and church , whiles here below are oft times digg'd and y plough'd up sundry waies by foes , and crosses which god on them layes , their weedes of sinne , vice , error for to kill , and them with all good plants , rootes , fruits to fill ; plant , sow , of which they were z uncapable , vntill digg'd up , and made gods arable . o let us never murmur , nor complaine when god thus digs or ploughs us for our a gain , our sins to root up , and in us to plant instead of them , all graces which wee want . . b gardens are dung'd , drest , kept with speciall care to make them fertile , and more fruits to beare : gods church and chosen are still dung'd , soyld , fed , with his sweet c word , and sacramentall bread , and daily d drest , kept with great cost , care , toyle , to make them usefull , fruitfull , fat , rich soyle , by sacred gardners ; else no e one good thing , no fruits of grace would in them grow or spring . o let us answer gods great cost , paines , care ! if after these we barren , fruitlesse are , it will be fatall ; f god in wrath will haste to roote us up , and lay us ever waste : . no choyce seedes , roots , plants , herbes in gardens grow , vnlesse men them there first g plant , set , or sow , when h weeds , grasse , herbes , plants , that are common , there spring up and grow without our cost , paines , care : no choice rare plants , rootes fruits of saving grace will spring or grow , in any church , saint , place , vnlesse god first them i plant , sow cherish there , when all by nature weeds , and ill fruits beare , and common morrall vertues ; which are found in very pagans , heathens , common ground . lord plant and store our soules with grace , that we may sweet and fruitfull gardens be to thee . . gardens are fruitfull k making that to grow with great increase , which men within them sow : gods church and chosen l fertile are , the seed sowne in their hearts , a large increase doth breede , though more in some than others : happy wee if such a large increase god in us see . . no garden soyle so good , but that it m breeds , and of its owne accord , brings forth some weeds , which not pluckt up with care would overflow , and quickly kill the fruits that in it grow : the best , the purest n churches , saints that be from weeds of sinne , vice , errors are not free , which do and will still in them daily grow vp of themselves , whiles they are here below . and not o pul'd up , kept downe with daily care , much paines , would soone hide , kill , choake all their rare resplendent vertues , graces : o then still be rooting up these weedes that be so ill . . p weeds in a garden are a loathsome thing ; and though we cannot hinder them to spring up there , yet still wee roote them up with speed , and not permit them there to grow roote , seed : weeds of corruption , error , sinne that rise vp in the church , or saints , to gods pure eyes , ( and their owne too ) are a vile q horrid sight , which though they cannot shunne , yet still they r fight against them , never suffering them to dwell , roote , breed within them , but with care expell , and kepe them under , that they never raigne within them , though their reliques there remaine : that church , man then is but in evill plight , which doth not thus against sinne dayly fight ; which should by farre more loathsome to us be , than all the weedes we in our gardens see . . as gardens , so gods church , saints ſ stored are with all the fruits , herbes , plants , of grace most rare , rich , usefull : here alone we may view , find all graces , vertues , of what ever kind ; whose shining luster and variety , make them most lovely in each sacred eye . . gardens are very t pleasant , sweet in smell , alluring men in them to walke , live , dwell , gods church and chosen saints are like : no place or company to all indu'd with grace is halfe u so pleasant , lovely sweet as they : wherein , wherewith they long to be , dwell , stay for ever , and x would rather porters bee within gods house , than men of best degree , or kings without it : finding more content and sweetnesse in one day or houre well spent within it , than in thousand yeares , weekes , dayes , past else where in the pleasant'st feasts , maskes , playes . those who in gods church , saints , no such delight , or sweetnesse find , may judge , their states not right . . and as men thus y delight to walke , live , dwell , in pleasant gardens , which they like full well : so z christ within his church , saints , walkes , resides , lives , dwels , and in no place on earth abides , delights or joyes , so much as in them : where hee feeds , feasts , rests , and doth his pallace reare . sweet jesus let my soule thy garden bee , that thou maist still delight , walke , dwell in mee . . no a gardens spring , grow greene , or fructifie , vnlesse the sun shine on them from on high , and clouds drop raine , dew on them to revive their withred fruits , and make them sprout , grow , thrive : no church or saint can b spring , grow , thrive in grace , vnlesse the rayes of gods most blessed face , and christs ( the sonne of righteousnesse ) bright beames , shine on them : and their sweetest showres , dewes streams , and influence from heaven on them drop , to make them beare a rich and ample crop . lord let thy church and chosen ever bee blest with these rayes , showers , streames which flow from thee : then shall they c still be green , fresh , flourishing , and store of fruits of grace to thee forth bring . . gardens have in them all sorts of herbes , trees , flowers , rootes , plants : so the d church hath all degrees , and rankes of men within her , high , and low , rich , poore , old , young , good , bad , here in her grow . this e peters sheet , christs net did typifie , and is a truth apparant to each eye . from hence the church hath gain'd the stile and name of f catholicke , sith all sorts in the same comprised are . let no men then seclude themselves from her , who doth all sorts include . . as g gardens , so gods church , saints planted are by h rivers sides , and christall streames , their rare , rich , precious fruits , to water day by day , which else would fade , and wither quite away : the living waters , springs , streams of christs blood , word , spirit , grace , prepared for their good ; still by or in them glide , run , flow , and spring , to make them sweete , greene , pleasant fruits to bring in more abundance . o i thrice wretched wee , if under these we withered , barren be . . when k wild bores , beasts breake into gardens , they them roote up , wast , deface , and much decay : when l cruell , potent tyrants , wolves , boares , swine , breake in upon gods church , or saints , they mine , roote up , spoyle , wast them , unlesse god asswage , restraine , divert , or quell their spitefull rage . lord alwayes m fence thy church , saints round about , against all foes , who seeke to roote them out ; and when thou shalt permit them to breake in , oh then , let them root nought out but their sinne . . as ripe seeds shooke downe , with winds , stormes or raine , in gardens to the earth , there n spring againe with great increase ; where every little seede a new great plant , and more stalkes , seedes doth breede : so in christs church and garden , every o drop of martyrs blood there shed , brings forth a crop , and large p increase of christian plants , who fill the places where their foes their blood did spill , to their great griefe and shame : who thought thereby quite to prevent and kill their progeny ; which they meane while did onely plant and sow , and by that blood they shed made these to grow . yea , as some garden plants , herbes often cropt spring up more thicke : so gods church , saints oft lopt , cut downe , cropt , ( nay destroy'd in carnall eyes conceit ) by cruell tyrants ; sprout , arise , and grow more thicke , great ; numerous thereby , the q more cut downe , the more they multiply : witnesse the r churches story in each age , which gain'd , increas'd , not lost by tyrants rage . o let us then be willing thus to sow our blood , that thence new troops of saints may grow , to store christ church , mantaine his cause when we are turn'd to dust , consum'd and cease to bee . . the garden herbes , flowers , plants which seeme ſ to die , in winter , when hid under earth they lye within their rootes or seeds , yet spring againe , when winter ends , through summers heat and raine , and shew that they were neither dead , kill'd , lost , but onely nipt and hid by winters frost ; because they thus in summer spring , revive , and shew themselves to every eye alive : most sweetly , clearly to us demonstrate , gods chosen saints and churches winter-state , whose faith and saving graces t seeme to die in their temptations , and so buried lye within their seeds , roots , that they want the sence , fruits , comforts of them : and conclude from thence , that they no doubt are quite dead , kill'd , spoyl'd , lost and they undone , by their sharpe winters frost . but yet when these their boystrous storms are past , and summer comes , they u re-appeare at last , to their great comfort , and so sprout , grow , thrive a fresh , that all see , they were still alive ; and onely hid , benummed for that space . o then let all indu'd with saving grace learne hence their drooping soules to comfort , cheare , in all temptations , cases , where they feare a losse of graces : loe , they x still remaine in safety in them , and shall spring againe . what though they cannot now them feele or eye ; wait but a while , and they shall them discry . it will not still be winter , y spring is neere ; if not before , yet then they will appeare , in greater lustre , vigor than before . lay up this blessed cordiall then in store , against all evill dayes which will us cheare , when as our graces hide , and disappeare . . hence may we likewise popish sots refell , who hold z gods church on earth still visible , in glorious sort , as if she alwayes grew in summer ilands , and no winter knew : when as each true church , saint , whiles here below oft feele , and find such winters , stormes , frost , snow . as quite ecclipse , z vaile , hide them , and their grace , yea make them seeme dead , livelesse for a space , both in their owne and others sence ; as i by sundry stories might exemplyfie , did not each gardens winter quarter teach this truth , and it unto our senses preach . . hence may each church , s t further learn to cheere ; steele , arme themselves against all future feare of winter stormes , blasts , tryalls which may shake their leaves , fruits , stalks down to the earth , & make them in appearance livelesse , voyd of grace , and in a wretched , helpelesse , hopelesse case , like gardens in cold winters : but yet shall this daunt their faith , or make their hope quite fal ? o no! this winter lasts but for a space , and then succeeds a blessed spring of grace ; which shall revive , refresh , repaire , restore ; yea much increase , what seem'd dead , lost before , as it did unto a job , whose latter end his first estate in blisse did farre transcend : o then , what ever be thy case , b relye , wait , rest on god with faith , hope , constancie , who farre beyond thy thoughts will thee translate , in his due season , to a blessed state : he who makes each grasse , plant , herbe , grow and spring , will make his church , saints much more sprout , laugh , sing . . hence may all raging persecutors see , that their attempts against christs church , saints , be vaine , bootlesse , senselesse , c crossing in event the very end and scope of their intent , making them more to thrive , increase , and grow , instead of working their wish't overthrow . o what a wise , sweete , gracious god have wee who workes our d blisse out of our misery ? and makes the malice of our enemies , the spring from whence our greatest comforts rise ? o what besotted , sencelesse fooles are those who gods true church , & chosen saints oppose ! they thinke to crush , but raise them : they intend to worke their ruine , yet their states amend . this e josephs brethren , f hammons enmity , king g pharaohs bloodshed , bondage testifie ; with others , whose attempts still overthrew themselves at last , but made gods chosen crue . . in winter season we can hardly know , dead garden plants from living ; sith in shew they both seeme dead and withered to the eye ; but when as summer comes , we presently discerne the dead from those that are alive , because the one h sprouts not , the other thrive : i grow green , heare fruits ; so when cold winters blast , benummes gods childrens graces , or them cast into a swooning fit , or lethargie , themselves or others hardly can descry them from dead christians : but when meanes of grace , and summer once begin to come in place , both are with ease discerned , k saints then spring , revive , and goodly fruits of grace forth bring : and so their hidden life by l workes declare , the other spring not , or else fruitlesse are ; and so proclaime themselves m dead . let all try their inward state of life , and grace hereby . . when n gardens fruitlesse be or overgrowne with weedes or thornes , they are then open throwne , pull'd up , laid wast : so when a church with weeds is over-run , and nought but errors breeds , or grosse corruptions , sins ; o god then doth cast her walls , pales downe , and forthwith layes her wast . thus doth he deale with private christians too , who by their barrennesses , sinnes , lusts undoe themselves , provoking god them off to cast , pull downe their hedge , and lay them ever wast . o let each church and christian then take heed how they prove barren , or sinnes in them breed . if gods bill of devorce be once out su'd , p there is no helpe , it cannot be escheu'd . . in gardens oft the shade and neighbourhood of weedes or poysonous plants , corrupt the good ; kill , blast , or harme them more or lesse : so ill lewed men of all sorts in the church , doe still deprave q and hurt the better , their meere shade hath blasted many , and them worser made . there 's no such quench-coale , plague , or bane of grace as wicked consorts , who it most deface . he who would thrive in grace must ever r flye with chiefest care , all ill mens company . . some stinking weedes ill favour oft devoures , unsents the perfumes of the sweetest flowers that gardens yeeld : the s noysome sent and fume of saints and churches vices oft consume , out-smell the richest odours of their grace ; which in gods nose , and mens then finde no place , whiles that the stinking savour of their weedes thus drownes their vertues sent , and it exceedes . o then roote out these nasty plants , which sinke our sweeter fumes , and turne them into stinke . . sweete garden herbes , flowers , spices bruis'd , intend their fragrant odors , and their sents amend ; whilst whole they t sweete are , yet their sents but feeble when chrusht , the sweeter , and their smell growes treble , thus gods deare church and saints , when pounded , broke within afflictions morter , by the stroke of gods chastising hand , doe much v augment , and more disperse their rich and fragrant sent : their fumes , but weake , and scarce discern'd before , grow ten-fold stronger , and increas'd in store : sending their fragrant odors farre and nigh , before scarce smelt by those who stood close by . i will not then repine , nor be offended at that whereby my sent 's so much amended : yea , so dilated , that its incense flyes throughout the earth , and mounts above the skies : the deare , sweete incense of an x heart contrite perfumes the heavens , and is gods delight : when as a y heart unbroken , yeelds no sent , and ne're growes sweete till into peeces z rent . . gardens a throughout the world dispersed lye in every clime , grac'd through variety : gods church and saints are b catholicke for place , in seate disjoyn'd , c all one in heart and grace , their graces , vertues sweete variety fills up their consort , crownes their harmony . . men plant no gardens , d but where they intend to dwell in person , or some time to spend , and most part onely on their proper fee , that they to them and theirs intail'd may be . god never planted church in any nation , but where he meant to fixe his e habitation , at least for lives or yeares , most usually he plants in fee ; saints for f eternity . churches , with meanes , saints , still with g fruites of grace , those for his common , these his proper place . churches may h lose his presence ; meanes decay , saints i still enjoy him , gifts shall last for aye . lord plant me as a saint , that i may be to thee , and christ , th' one heire , eternall fee. . all gardens k beare not the same kindes or store of fruites alike ; some fewer , some yeeld more , some plants thrive best in one , some in another , what wants in one , is still supply'd by th' other , no one abounds with all things ; all combin'd , in some or other we may all fruites finde ; just so , no l private church , or saint is stor'd with all perfections : nor doe all afford the selfesame measure , or degree of grace , their gifts , fruites , omers , vary as their place . some in their i faith excell , they all k agree in truth thereof , yet differ in degree ; others abound in k love and charity ; yet all divided in this unity : some are more l humble ; some more m patient these more n devout are ; others , more o content , those have more p knowledge ; these more q joy , or peace all one in substance , diverse in th' increase . in sum , their r graces , their degrees are many ; each one his share hath ; but the whole not any ; to strangle pride , breed love , make all s but one , sith all t defective , cyphers if alone . but joyn'd in one ( christ , whence v all graces flow ) all are x compleate , all graces in all grow . let none then thinke they have no grace at all , because not all kinds equall ; or those small and weake they have ; perchance it is y new sprung infants are perfect men , though small , weake , young , compleate in all their parts , though all not view'd at first , nor like in shape , strength , magnitude . . the greatest z kings in gardens much delight and plant them neare unto their pallace site : so christ , the king of kings , hath a a garden here upon earth , his church and godly men , wherein he walkes , dwels , much delights , and feeds , and plants them with all usefull fruites , herbes , seedes . eden was once b gods garden stil'd , but now he doth no other garden claime or know but his true church , and chosen saints onely : a paradise most c pleasing to his eye . . when as i view some garden plants , herbes , trees ( exceeding others in their heates degrees ) still z greene all winter long , unnipt with frost , when colder plants leaves , greennesse , fruites are lost ; and those not hot , quite a shriveled , kild with cold ; i doe therein contemplate and behold three sorts of christians , whose sad winter fates in persecutions , differ like their states . the strongest saints , hot in the fourth degree , or third at least of faith , zeale ; stand b firme , free from winters nips , blasts , frosts , which though they beate full sore upon them , cannot chill their heate : their inward fire still keepes them warme , fresh , greene ; when others fade , their graces most are seene . martyres were hottest , greenest , fruitefulst when frosts hid , chil'd , kild , most shriveled other men . the weaker , younger true saints , hot but in the first degree , or second , oft c draw in their heate , sap , vigour from their outward parts unto the roote and center of their hearts , when winter stormes approach , so as their greene leaves of profession fade , fall , are scarce seene till winters past : meane while their graces lye hid for the most part in obscurity , like rootes in earth , good corne in chaffe , or fire in ashes ; and as heate is low , or higher within , or frost without , so more or lesse they chill , fade , shrinke , professe or not professe : yet in these sharpest frosts d there 's life within , the hearts not frozen , shrivel'd , but the skin : when springs approach cold stormes hath chas'd away , they soone peepe up in fresh , greene , bright array . the common christians , who have no degree , of heate or saving grace e quite killed be ; and froze to death with persecutions frost , their heate before was borrowed , now it s lost : it was the sunnes not theirs , all forraine fire ; and summer fruits in winter quite expire , nor will the spring or summer them revive , no wonder , they were f dead when first alive . . rootes , plants , whiles they in garden-earth fast lye , are fresh and live , but taken thence g soone dye : gods true church is a christians h element wherein he lives , growes , thrives ; if from it rent , disjoyn'd , we soone fade , wither , quite expire , we have no life , but in the true church fire . . the plucking up , and casting out of weeds from gardens , lest they should good herbes , plants seedes corrupt and over-grow ; instruct and shew , how each true church should roote up and i out-throw by sacred censures , all lew'd wicked , vile notorious sinners , lest they should defile , deprave the good , and her quite over-grow , at last , by steps , and worke her over-throw . . all garden-flowers , herbes , plants contented rest with their owne k native colours , as the best ; abhorring artificiall varnish paints : so all gods chosen l plants , true hearted saints , themselves with their owne m native beauty , haire , content ; use no arts , paints , to make them faire . a counterfeit complexion , bush , face , paint . doe ill become a n sincere-hearted saint . where false o dyes , spots , appeare upon the skin , it s ten to one all 's false , naught , foule within : pride , lust , vaine-glory , chambring , wantonnesse , or vanity at least , such soules possesse . the rootes from whence these spots , prints , first arise , enough to make all christians them despise . . the k lowest deepest gardens most abound with fruites herbes , plants , and are the richest ground : the l humblest saints in fruitefulnesse excell , and god in them delighteth most to dwell . lord alwayes decke me with humility which makes men fruitefull , lovely in thine eye . . gardens have straite , sweete , pleasant walkes for men , to l walke in , and refresh their spirits , when they tyred , greeved , sicke , perplexed are : so gods church , saints , have many pleasant , rare , straite , even walkes ( gods sacred m lawes , word , wayes ) wherein to walke , runne passe on , all their dayes ; which their n hearts , soules refresh , cheare and delight , yea , all their cares , griefes , pressures make more light and easie , if not totally expell : o let us in these walkes still walke , runne , dwell . . when i behold the goodliest b trees , flowers , grow , and spring out of vile earth , or dung below , which have no beauty , splendor , comelinesse within them ; but meere stinke and rottennesse . me thinkes i see thereby , how gods great power , makes sweete , faire , shining c graces spring in our vile earthly , rotten , stinking , sinnefull hearts and natures ( when he us to him converts ; ) wherein nought but sinnes , vices , lusts did spring before ; and no one grace , nor one good thing : o let none then despaire of having grace because his nature , heart are sinnefull , base , corrupt and loathsome ; since god makes stinking . vile earth , dung , sweete , faire , goodly flowers forth-bring . if thou be one of his d elect , no doubt all his sweete graces , shall in thee spring out in his due time ; then neither feare , nor faint ; the e worst of sinners god can make a saint . and though flowers beauty , and mens too which spring out of meere dust , are f fading , withering , yea soone decay , and turne to dust againe ; yet g saving graces flowrish , fresh remaine , and last without decay , because they spring not out of dust , but from christ our head , king. who doth preserve them alwayes from decay , and keepe saints that they ne're fall quite away from saving grace . nay , when as our bodies are turn'd to dung , h christ shall cause them to rise out of the dust , like flowers in the spring , and to the state of endlesse glory bring . o sweete , sweete solace to each pious brest ; which here may sit downe , and take up its i rest . lord let each garden which we henceforth eye or walke in , such divine thoughts instantly bring to our mindes , to raise our soules to thee , and make us better by what there we see . the epilogue . o that all christians by this posie , i have here collected would learne instantly when as they in their pleasant gardens walke , thus with their owne k hearts , god and christ to talke by pious meditations , from what they behold within their gardens day by day . how sweete then would their walkes and orchards prove ? how would their soules be fired with gods love ? each garden then would be a paradise , a second eden to the godly-wise : i st not a sinnefull , shamefull , beastly thing for christians to toyle , walk , talk , laugh , feast , sing , play , sport themselves , or meditate onely of worldly things , in gardens constantly ; and in the meane time scarce to have one sweete ; or pious thought from objects they there meete , of god , christ , heaven , mans mortalitie , presented to them in each herbe they eye ? for shame then let us all this fault amend hereafter , and our hearts , mindes , fully bend to godly meditations , whiles we passe our time in gardens , where each flower , herbe , grasse and creature we behold , will soone suggest some vsefull thoughts to every pious breast , it to amend , and with sweete extasies to elevate above the starry skies . if any want helpe in this kind , they may till better come , make use of this essay . finis . the sovles complaint against the bodies encroachments on her : and the generall neglect she findes with most . by william prynne , above foure yeares prisoner in the tower of london ; and since that , above three yeares close prisoner in carnarvan in north-wales , and in mount-orgueil castle , in the isle of iersy . matthew . . for what is a man profitted , if he shall gaine the whole world , and lose his owne soule ? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soule ? isaiah . . . wherefore doe ye spend money for that which is not bread ? and your labour for that which satisfieth not ? hearken diligently unto me , and eate ye that which is good , and let your sovle delight it selfe in fatnesse . encline your eare and come unto me , heare and your sovle shall live , and i will make an everlasting covenant with you , even the sure mercies of david . peter . . dearely beloved , i beseech you as pilgrims and strangers abstaine from fleshly lusts , which war against the soule . peter . . . whose adorning , let it not be that outward adorning of plaiting the haire , and of wearing of gold , or of putting on of apparell : but let it be the hidden man of the heart , in that which is not corruptible ; even the ornament of a meeke and quiet spirit , which is in the sight of god of great price . london printed by t. cotes , for michael sparke dwelling at the blue bible in greene arbor . . to the right worshipfull his highly honoured good friend , the lady elizabeth balfovre , wife to s r william balfoure , knight , lieutenant of the tower of london . madam , your noble favours whiles that i did in the tower of london prisner lye for sundry yeares ; may now in justice call for some expression of my thanks , though small . having no better meanes to testifie my gratitude , than this small poesie , devoted to your service , vse and name ; i crave your kinde acceptance of the same , and those thereto annexed ; fruites of my imprisonment ; who shall both live and dye . your obliged friend and servant , william prynne . the sovles complaint against the bodies encroachments on her : and the generall neglect she findes with most . i soule , vive a image of the trinity , the b breath of god ; the pearle , which c christ did dye to purchase ; d temple of the holy ghost , the charge of e angels , and the heavenly host . earths wonder , f devils envie ; mans prime part , the master-peece of god and natures art ; g worth thousand worlds ; whose pearelesse dignity no tongues of men or angels can descry , must here with brinish teares , and sobs relate my scorned , slighted , and neglected state , sith all my vassels , made me to attend , make me their slave , inforce me still to bend to their unjust commands , quite robbing me of their due homage , my regalite . is not this body wherein now i dwell , nought but my vassall , casket , h house , or shell ? compact of i dust and ashes , things most base ; that it might not usurpe my supreame place : yet loe this rebell slave dethrones me quite , no part thereof but robs me of my right ; receiving more k attendance , cost , paines , care from most , than i doe , though a gemme most rare : how many hundred trades , what worlds i pray , of men by sea and land , both night and day are set on worke to cloath the backe , and feede the all-devouring paunch , with more than neede ? have not the head , hands , feete , legges , necke , nay haire their l severall trades to decke , make , keepe them faire ? yet i poore soule , among the numberlesse vocations which these baser parts possesse , but one profession have ; in m worst request , least minded , least imployd of all the rest : seldome regarded till the n fatall houre . of death , or hell stand prest me to devoure . is but the body pained , o ill , or sicke ; a member bruised , hurt with sword , knife , pricke : doe head , teeth , stomacke , armes , legges , fingers ake , forthwith some good receipt men seeke and take to ease and cure them , making no delayes , and thinke no cost , paines , care mis-spent these wayes : yet i ( alas ! ) not dayes but yeares oft lye sicke , wounded , pained , p dead ; nay putrifie through many fostred ulcers , wounds , cares , sores , of horrid sinnes ; yet q none my state deplores , seekes out for cures , or once hasts to apply a salve to these my sores , through which i die , yea , all the time , paines , care and little cost bestow'd on mee , by most is deem'd but r lost . if but a little spot , dirt , dust , or fly light on the face , hands , cloathes , men presently wash , rubbe , or wipe it off with much disdaine , although it put them to some toyle , cost , paine : but i ( o wretch ) defil'd , stain'd , drench't throughout with filthy sinnes , which ſ compasse mee about and make mee loathsome in the sacred eyes of god , who t filth of sinnes most loathes , defies , remaine uncleans'd , u unwasht from day to day ; till hell surprise and sweep us cleane away . my varlet flesh , it 's pallate to delight , repast must have each morning , mid-day , night , wherein all x sorts of beasts , foules , fruits , herbes , fish , sweet meats , vines , waters , drinkes , all heart can wish , devoured are , y to fat that corpes which must feed wormes at last , and moulder into dust ; meane while , poore i , for want of food divine to feed , refresh mee , quite consume , starve , pine ; or if i word and sacraments injoy , for want of faith and grace they mee z annoy , not fat and nourish as they ought ; whereby i a famish , perish , die eternally , the backe , it 's b divers change of suties must have of velvits , silkes , stuffes , tissues , sattins , brave and new : old clothes , ragges , course , or meane aray it scornes , and will be well clad every day : but i meane time quite stript , and c naked am of all the robes of grace to hide my shame , clad onely with the filthy weedes of vice , and adams old rags , which lost paradise . d new garments of christs merits , and true grace , which may adorne mee , in so long a space , are not once thought on , nor till backe and i surpriz'd by death , in hell starke naked lye . what vast expences , labour , thoughts , time , care , have backe and bellie ? as if all things weare created for them , and man onely made to cloth , and feed these , which like e grasse shall fade , and perrish : yet how little time , paines , cost are spent on mee , by which all 's sav'd or lost ? how many houres , f dayes , nights , and yeares are spent in eating , drinking , feasting , complement , vaine chat , sports , visits , pleasures of each kind , the flesh to pamper ? whereas i scarce finde admist all these diversions , one dayes space , or houre to fast , pray , weepe , read , sue for grace . how many daily the whole morning passe , and vainly spend , betweene the combe and glasse , in combing , frizling , powdring of their haire , and wanton lockes , to make them seeme more faire ? no locke , or haire must out of order stand , but sit in print , and oft be view'd , curl'd , scand . nay , which is strange , more cost , time , now is spent upon false bushes of bought excrement , ( which some preferre before their native fleece , ) than upon mee , mans honour , master-peece ; when this is done , the backe , necke , feete , hands , face , and other parts must have their severall space for to adorne them , so as halfe che day is spent well nigh , the body to aray : and that but untill n●ght , when all this pride , attire is quite stript off , and laid aside , as if it never were . o fooles to waste time in these toyes , which not one daies space last ! yet i neglected soule , whom to adorne and daily decke with grace mankind was borne , untrimmed lie , no cost , time , paines are spent in decking mee , mans onely ornament . gods word ( the g glasse , which daily shold descry my spots , staines , filth , and grosse deformity , them to redresse , and helpe men to aray me with all robes of grace which make mee gay , ) is most part shut close , seldome look't into for these good ends , and if that any doe behold it now and then for custome sake , the i rule to dresse them by they 'le not it make . and though my sacred beauty , robes , aray , do never fade , waxe old , but last foc aye : yea adde more lustre to my baser part , the flesh , then either nature or mans art are able ; causing it to k shine with raies of brightest glory , which shall last alwaies : yet few or none spend halfe the time to dresse , adorne mee , which they wast with greedinesse upon their bodies , faces , heads , lockes , backe , themselves and mee , without gods grace , to wracke . this being now my rufull state ; o let me here beseech all who have soules , to set some tine apart to ponder my complaint thus tendred to them , vnder which i faint . and that you may just judges twixt us prove , heare but a word or two , as you mee love . what is the body , but a loathsome masse of l dust and ashes , brittle as a glasse . soone crackt and turne to rottennesse dung , clay , though fed with dainties , c●●d with rich aray ? what is the faces , beauty but a m floure which sundry chances blast within one houre , and so deforme , that wee abhorre the sight of that marr'd face which was our chiefe delight : at best , n it is a comely glasse our o shade , which sicknesse , crosses , age still cause to fade . what are our lockes , our curled brayds of haire , but excrements at best ? not halfe so faire , as plumes of sundry birds or peacocks tailes , though frizled , poudred , deckt with pearles , knots , vailes . and yet how many more proud , carefull are of these vaine bushes , than their soules welfare ? how many purchase heads of others haire , to mend gods worke , and make them seeme more faire ? spending more time , cost , thoughts on excrement , than upon mee mans onely ornament . what is the belly but a filthy sinke , jakes which engenders nought but dung and stink ? so noysome , that its sent offends the smell , corrupts the aire , even when the body 's well . what are the other members ( head , hands , feete ) but skin and bones ? without my helpe unmeete for any use , yea let mee once withdraw my selfe from the most faire corps , eyes ere saw , it 's beauty p fades , it 's flesh to rottennesse is turned , and all abhorre it's loathsomenesse . what hath the flesh or body worthy love , or praise , but that which from mee first doth move ? let mee desert them , all their worth is lost , and wither'd like grasse nipt with winters frost . why should you then , ( o fooles , bereft of sence ) from day to day , bestow so much expence , time , paines , thoughts , care on these things which so base , meane , fading are , neglecting mee and grace ? in which your chiefest good , yea , all your blisse comprized are . if you judge not amisse . if this prevaile not , but you still proceed mee to neglect , the flesh to decke , serve , feed ; tell mee , i pray you , when the dismall day of sicknesse , death , or judgement , take away , and cite you to account , how you have spent your golden dayes , for my use to you lent , what joy or comfort can you reape from all , or any of those dayes , houres , which you shall have thus mispent on belly , backe , head , face , haire , feasting , pastimes , pleasures voyd of grace ; or in the flesh or bodies servitude ? which then will too too late be of you ru'd . shall yee not then with sighs and teares lament , ( and that in vaine ) the time you thus mispent ; offering to give ten thousand worlds , that you had not bereft mee , of the time , care , due to mee alone , to fit mee for that place , of endlesse blisse , which i for want of grace , shall then be thrust from , and cast into hell , in q fiery flames and torments still to dwell . will not you then wish , you had never seene this flesh , this body , which to mee have beene so traitrous , so unkinde , mee to enthrall unto their lusts , and spurre mee into all that might undoe , damne , both them mee , and you , and wee shall in hels flames for ever rue ? if this be true : o then whiles life , time , space , are left you to repent and seeke for grace ; bewaile what 's past , and henceforth learne to be more loyall , kind , respectfull unto mee . save mee , save all ; lose mee , and all is lost , for ever with mee ; spend then all your cost , thoughts , paines , cares , dayes , on mee ; then shall you r shine , more bright than starres , moone , sunne , with rayes divine in christs owne kingdome , where you shall possesse such endlesse joyes , as no tongue can expresse . if this will not perswade you to amend , i 'le cease my plaint , and here in silence end . finis . imprimatur feb. . . tho. wykes . comfortable cordials , against discomfortable feares of imprisonment , and other sufferings in good causes . containing some latine verses , sentences , and texts of scripture , written by mr. william prynne on his chamber walles in the tower of london , during his imprisonment there ; since translated by him into english verse . corinthians , , , , , , , , . blessed be god , even the father of our lord iesus christ , the father of mercies , and the god of all comfort ; who comforteth us in all our tribulation , that wee may bee able to comfort them which are in any troubles by the comfort wherewith we our selves are comforted of god. for as the sufferings of christ abound in us , so our consolation also aboundeth by christ . and whether wee be afflicted , it is for your consolation , & salvation which is effectuall in enduring of the same sufferings , which we also suffered : or whether wee bee comforted it is for your consolation and salvation . and our hope of you is stedfast ; knowing that as you are partakers of the sufferings , so also you shall be of the consolation . for we would not , brethren , have you ignorant of our trouble which came to us in asia , that we were pressed out of measure above strength , in so much that wee despaired even of life . but we had the sentence of death in our selves that we should not trust in our selves but in god which raiseth the dead : who delivered us from so great a death and doth deliver , in whom we trust that he will yet deliver us : you also helping together by prayer for us that for the gift bestowed upon us , by the meanes of many persons thanks may be given by many on our behalf . printed anno. ● . to the right vvorshipfull his very noble and highly honoured good friend , sir william balfore knight , lievtenant of the tower of london . sir , it were ingratitude and injury , for me in silence here to passe you by , and not present these cordialls unto you , sith they , and all my service are your due , for all your noble favours in the tower , which have ingag'd me to my utmost power , to be your eternally devoted poore friend and servant , william prynne . comfortable cordialls , or latine verses and sentences , written by mr. william prynne on his chamber walls in the tower of london , during his imprisonment there ; since translated into english by him . . translulit in coelum christi praesentia claustrum : quid faciet coelo , quae coelum jam creat antro ? christs presence hath my prison turn'd into a blessed heaven ; what then will it doe in heav'n hereafter , when it now creates heav'n in a dungeon ? goales , to courts translates ? . stigmata christicolis , splendentia sidera ; sanguis , purpura regalis ; mutilataque membra , decorum ; vincula , gemmatus torques ; opprobria , plausus ; vulnera , martyrium ; mors ; vita ; gravamina , lucrum . optima cuncta piis , tristissima sola ministrant ; vnica crux sanctis , via , ianua , summa salutis . brands , unto christians are bright starres ; blood spent , a royall purple ; maym'd limbes , ornament ; bonds , chaines of pearle ; reproaches , praise ( no staine ) wounds , martyrdome ; death , life ; oppressions , gaine . to godly men the saddest fates only all best things bring , and their joyes multiply ; the crosse alone to saints is the high way , gate , summe of safety , meanes of endlesse joy : . christus ubique pium comitatur ; carceris antrum ingreditur : turres , densissima maenia , rupes , fossas , ferratas portas , obstacula , flammas permeat intrepidus ; socius solamen , amicus , omnia seclusis , solus ; saturatque benignus deliciis superum sitientia corda suorum , discipulis foribus clusis intravit amaenus , christicolis clausis habit at conviva perennis . o fortunatus , cui con-captivus iësus , laetificans radiis tristissima claustra supernis ; vincula non illum , tormenta , gravamina moestum efficiunt , animum retinentem utcunque serenum . christ every where accompanies good men ; he goes with them into the prisons den ; the towers , thickest walls broad ditches , gates , of iron , barracadoes , flames and grates doth boldly passe through ; proves companion , friend , solace , all things of himselfe alone ; vnto close prisoners and fills plenteously the thirsty soules of his , with heavenly delights . * hee entered in the dores fast shut to his disciples , them to comfort ; but with godly prisoners he 's a constant guesse resides ; o happie he who doth possesse christ for his fellow-prisoner , who doth gladde with heavenly sunbeames , goales that are most sad , bonds , torments , prisons , make not him sad ; he retaines a quiet mind how ere things be . . nullatenus vinctus christi virtute solutus ; permanet immunis , clusus vel carcere vinclis . liber ubique , pius , placidus , benedictus , amoenus , indomitus ; tacitum circumfert pectore coelum : tristia laetificans , moestissima cuucta serenans ; vincula discutiens , arctissima claustra recludens . he is not bound whom christ hath made free ; he though shut close prisoner , chaind , remains still free , a godly man 's at large in every place , still chearefull , well content , in blessed case , vnconquer'd ; he a secret heaven still beares about within his brest , which sad things cheares , dispells his blackest cloudes of griefe , off shakes his chaines ; and closest prisons open makes . . vincula non animam cohibent , haud carcere clusam : sidera transvolitat , terram , mare , cuncta pererrat alipes , immensi fines transcendit olympi ; limitis impatiens , arctari nescia mundi cancellis ; tantum requiescens numine vasto ; securus , placidusque piis , vel turbine , portus ; no bands the soule of man can once restraine ; no prison it inclose , nor yet containe ; it soares above the starres , and swiftly flyes o're earth , sea , all things ; mounts beyond the skies , and bounds of the vast heav'ns , impatient of limits , ignorant how to be pent within the rayles of this whole world ; onely resting within the boundlesse deity ; a secure , pleasant harbour to godly men , even in a storme of misery . . vincula quid trepidas ? quid tela minantia ? flammas , vulnera ? quid rabidi tormenta , crucesve tyranni ? aspera pro christo , * dulcissima ; qui diadema vincenti statuit , lignique cruore paravit . scenicaturba choros , spectacula , tympana , mimos , ludicra stuprosis celebret , spectetque theatris ; vincula christicolae , mutilatio , stigmata , furcae gaudia plura ferunt , cumulataque praemia condunt . histrio , scena , iocus , saltatio , mascara , cantus , risus sardonicos generant , fictosque cachinnos . cordolium verum , gemitus morsusque perennes : dulcia post tristant , peramara salute coronant . why fearst thou bonds ? why threatnings ? weapons ? fires ? wounds ? why the torments , crosses or the ires of raging tyrants ? sith the sharpest things we undergoe for christ , most sweetnes brings . who hath prepar'd and purchased for him who * overcomes , a glorious diadem by the blood of his crosse . let then the crue of stage frequenters celebrate , and view playes , dances , pastimes , players , sports in base . and filthy theaters , where growes no grace . chaines , mutilations , pilories , brandes bring , to godly christians farre more joyes , heaping most large rewards upon them . players , playes , jests , dancing , maskes , songs , generate alwayes but deadly laughters , feigned shoutes ; * true griefe , sighes , lasting gripes of conscience , past reliefe . sweet worldly pleasures still in * sadnesse cease ; when * bitterest sufferings bring crownes , safety ▪ peace . . aulicus imbellis gemmis , dominaeque capillis auriculas onerat magnoque decore venustat , stigma , cicatrices , mutilatio pulchrius aures christigenae decorant , radiisque micantibus ornant , o decus eximium referentia vulnera christum : talibus insignis superis peramatus abibis . th' unmanly courtier with his mistresse haire , and jewels , lades his eares , to make them faire . when as brands , scarres , and croppings farre more dight a christians eares , and make them shine more bright . o matchlesse glory , woundes which christ expresse ! adorn'd with these , gods love thou shalt possesse . . passio coelipetis alpha , at solamen omega : principium lachrymis decoratur ; meta , triumphis . suffering's their ▪ alpha who to heaven tend ; but joy is their omega , finall end ; their entrance is adorn'd with teares of woe , their end with triumphs , which their griefes outgo . . nil crus sentit in nervo , si anima sit in coel● . the legg feeles nothing in the stockes , if the soule , minde , affections in heav'n placed be . . non timet is carcerem , qui scit contemnere libertatem , vitam , voluptatem , famam : cui mundus ergastulum , terra exilium , deus habitaculum , mors solatium . he feares no prison who knowes to despise freedome , life , pleasure , fame , which others prise : to whom this world 's a prison ; earth , a place of exile , god , a mansion ; death , solace . . servus christi etiam in vinculis , liber . servus peccati etiam in summa libertate captivus . christs servants even in prison are still free : sinnes , in the greatest freedome , captives bee . . nil corpus patitur in ergastulo , si animus sit in coelo . the body suffers nought in prison , when the mind it selfe is lodged in heaven . . quid coelum sine deo , nisi barathrum ? quid barathum eum deo nisi coelum ? what 's heav'n without god but a very hell ? what 's hell but a heav'n , if god once there dwell ? . nullibi incarceratur , qui ubique in christo liberatur : nunquam dejicitur , qui semper à jehova sustentatur . he in no place can once imprisoned be , who in all places is * by christ set free : he never is * dejected , who alway hath great iehovah for his prop and stay . . nusquam solus qui ubique cum deo ; nunquam miser quisemper cum christo , he never is alone , who every where hath god himselfe , him company to beare , he never can be miserable , who is alwayes with christ , who doth with him goe . . vbi deus adest , ibi non est carcer , sed paradisus ; non ergastulum , sed palatium ; non barathrum , sed coelum . where god is present , there no prison is , but a sweet paradise of joy and blisse ; no bridewell , but a palace ; no darke cell , but a bright heaven , where all comforts dwell . . carcer probat ami●es , detegit iuimicos ; excludit mundum , includit deum : alit virtutes , extinguit libidines , edocet temperantiam ; cohibet luxuriam ; mortificat earnem , sanctificat hominem ; ingenerat gratiam , the saurizat gloriam . a prison tries ▪ mens friends , detects their foes , shuts out the world , god to men doth inclose ; nourisheth vertues , lusts extinguisheth ; temperance teacheth , riot restraineth , quite kills the flesh , but makes the man holy ; ingenders grace , * and ire asures up glory . turris christiaenos fideles fictè incarcerat , verè liberat , vnicum dulcissimum christi , iugum , [ cui subjugari est perfectè manumitti ] imponendo● multiplicia gravis simaque carnis peccati , mundi , diaboli vincula [ quibus ill● queari , est certissimè captivari , ] discutiendo . the tower true faithfull christians feinedly imprisons , but them sets free verily , by putting on them christs sweet yoake onely , to which to be subjected , is truely to be enfranchised ; by shaking off the manifold , and most heavy chaines of the flesh , sinne , world , di'le ; in which for to lye insnarde , is to be captiv'd certainely . . turris plurimis spectaculum , multis habitaculum : nonnullis refugium ; aliis divers●rium ; regi palatium ; regno gazophylacium , armamentarium , propugnaculum , monetarium : vinctis piis , oratorium ; papisticis , purgatorium ; clausis , monasterium ; innoxiis , hospitium ; reis , ergastulum ; literatis , musaeum ; ebriosis , oenopolium ; proditoriis , macellum . the tower is to most , a spectacle ; to many its a house , wherein they dwell ; to some a refuge ; others , a lodging ; a royall pallace , it is to the king ; vnto the kingdome it 's a treasury , armory , bulwarke , mint ' : an oratory to godly prisoners ; but a purgatory to popish ; to close ones , a monast'ry ; to guiltlesse ones , it 's an inne ; to guilty a bridewell ; to learn'd ones , it 's a study ; to idle ones a dormitory ; to drunkards , a tipling-house them to undoe ; to traytors it 's a shambles , where their head and quarters hang , when they are butchered . on his exile into iersy isle . why should this exile me grieve , discontent , sith this whole world 's a place of banishment ? and men as truely exiles are at home , as in the strangest clime to which they come ? are not god , christ , grace , heav'n to us as nigh in forraigne parts , as in our own country ? yea ; and oft times more neare : this true to be by * abraham , iacob , ioseph , all may see , i will not then flye , feare my banishment , but in it joy , and take most sweet content , sith god will me protect , * restore againe , or else translate to heav'n , with him to reigne , mine onely proper * country , wherein i shall live a free-man for eternity , in spite of my arch-foes ; whom i shall see exild , * imprison'd , * and my selfe set free . . deus turris etiam in turre : turris libertatis consolationis quietis , foelicitatis honoris splendoris securitatie salutis spei gaudii pacis protectionis gratiae vitae gloria in turre angustiae ; tristitiae ; molestiae ; miseriae ; dedecoris , obscuritatis ; perturbationis , perditionis , desperationis afflictionis , belli ; periculi , peccati ; mortis , perpessionis . god is a * tower in the tower. a tower of liberty , in the tower of restraint ; a tower of comfort , jollity in the tower of sadnesse ; a tower of sweetest quietnesse in the tower of trouble ; a tower of blessed happinesse , in the tower of misery ; a tower of honour , dignity in the tower of disgrace ; a tower of bright excellency in the tower of darknes ; a tower of strong security in the tower of danger ; a tower of health and true safety in the tower of sicknesse ; a tower of hope and good successe in the tower of despaire ; a tower of joy and cheerefulnesse in the tower of sorrow ; a tower of peace and union in the tower of fierce war : a tower of safe protection in the tower of perill ; a tower of grace and piety in the tower of vile sinne ; a tower of life , eternity in the tower of grim death ; a tower of glory and great praise , in the tower of suffring : such tower god proves to his alwayes . . deus turris . . protegendo ; a malis , in malis , contra malos , inter malos , vbique , tutissimè , fortissimè , gratiosissimè , . consolando , in malis , semper , abundunter , suavissimè ; . eripieudo , a malis citò tempestivè potentissimè mortalium proculdubiò beatissimus , qui mundi exul , christique captivus , turri isti tutissima , jucundissima , optimae , maximae perpetuò ( dum vixerit ) adjudicatur salvò certè custoditur , quinon solùm à deo , sed in deo conservatur : arctari non potest , qui ipsa dei infinitate ( incarceratus ) spatiatur . ita ominatur gulielmus prynne : martij . . god is a tower by protecting all his saints from ills , in ills which them befall ; against , amidst ill men in every place , most safely , strongly out of his meere grace ; by comforting them in adversity alwayes , most sweetly , most abundantly : by freeing them from evills speedily , in the best time , and that most potently : no doubt he is the happiest man alive , who this worlds exile , and christs deare captive , is during life adjudg'd perpetually in this most safe , sweet , best great'st tower to lye . he is truely kept safely , who both by and in god is preserv'd continually : he cannot straitned be , who walkes freely ( whiles prisoner ) in gods vast infinity . of this opinion william prynne was the third day of march , six hundred thirty three . sentences of scriptures there likewise written . psal. . . the lord heareth the poore , and despiseth not his prisoners . psal. . , . the lord looseth the prisoners ; the lord raiseth those that are bowed downe . phil. . , , . i have learned in whatsoever state i am , therewith to bee content , i know both how to be abased , and i know how to abound : every where , and in all things i am instructed , both to bee full , and to bee hungry ; both to abound , and to suffer need : i can doe all things through christ , which strengtheth mee . psal. . . . . the righteous cry , and the lord heareth , and delivereth them out of all their troubles . many are the afflictions of the righteous , but the lord delivereth him out of them all ; the lord redeemeth the soule of his servants , and none of them that trust in him , shall be desolate . psal. . , , , , , . the steps of a good man are ordered by the lord , and hee delighteth in his way : though hee fall , hee shall not be utterly cast downe , for the lord upholdeth him with his hand : marke the perfect man , and behold the upright : for the end of that man is peace . but the transgressours shall bee destroyed together , the end of the wicked shall bee cut off : but the salvation of the righteous is of the lord , hee is their strength in the time of trouble . and the lord shall help them and deliver them : hee shall deliver them from the wicked , and save them , because they trust in him . psal. . , , , , , . thy righteousnesse also o god , is very high , who hast done great things , o god who is like to thee ? thou which hast shewed me great and sore troubles , shalt quicken mee againe , and shalt bring mee up againe from the depthes of the earth . thou shalt encrease my greatnesse , and comfort me on every side . i will also praise thee , with the psaltery even thy truth : o my god unto thee will i sing with the harpe , o thou holy one of israel : my lips shall greatly rejoyce when i sing unto thee : and my soule which thou hast redeemed : my tongue also shall talke of thy righteousnesse all the day long : for they are confounded , for they are brought unto shame that seeke my hurt . micah : , , , , , . a mans enemies are the men of his owne house : therefore i will looke unto the lord ; i will waite for the god of my salvation , my god will heare mee : rejoyce not against me ô mine enemy : when i fall , i shall arise : when i sit in darknesse , the lord shall bee a light unto mee . i will beare the indignation of the lord , because i have sinned against him , untill hee plead my cause and execute judgement for mee , hee will bring me forth to the light , and i shall behold his righteousnesse . then shee that is mine enemy shall see it , and shame shall cover her which said unto mee , where is the lord thy god ? mine eyes shall behold her , now shall she be troden downe , as the mire of the streets . on his suffrings on the pillory . christ for * my sake , sinnes , and redemption from hell and endlesse torments ; suffered on the * crosse , a shamefull , cursed death , with all alacrity , joy , promptitude : and shall i not for his sake then most cheerefully both stand , and suffer on the pillory , without all blush , or feare ? since 't is no shame , but * honour , thus to suffer for christs name . verses made by w. prynne , as he returned by water to the tower after his last sufferings , upon his stigmatizing . s. l. stigmata laudis . stigmata maxillis referens , insignia laudis , exultans remeo , victima grata deo. bearing lands stamps on my cheekes , i retire triumphing , gods sweet sacrifice through fire . on his returne from exile . foes sent me hence , but god , and his saints cryes have brought me back , 't is wondrous in all eyes . no exiles , prisons , chaines , powers can detaine those whom god will recall , free , raise againe . isay . . . . c. . , . the redeemed of the lord shall returne , and come with singing unto zion , and everlasting joy shall be upon their head ; they shall obtaine gladnesse and joy ; and sorrow and mourning shall flee away . the captive exile hastneth , that hee may be loosed , and that he should not dye in the pit , nor that his bread should faile . feare not , for i am with thee , i will bring thy seed from the east , and gather thee from the west , i will say to ▪ the north , give up ; and to the south , keep not backe ; bring my sonnes from farre , and my daughters from the ends of the earth . finis . errata . in the epistle v. . it were , r. t' were p. . l. . the r. he p. . l. . he 's , r he the verses p. . of his exile into jersy , should have come in p. . after stigmata laudis . courteour reader , i shall request thee to correct these few presse errors , which have scaped in some coppies in my absence . errata . page . line . for the , read this . p. . l. . r. make . p. . l. . when whom . l. . them , r. him . p. . l. to r. in . p. . l. . of , on . p. . l. . sinne , weeds . p. . . they , these . p. . l. . must , much . p. . l. . be , lie . p. . l. greatest . p. . l. . lose , close . p. l. . others , l. p. . l. . fined , fixed . p. l . and , oh. l. satan , satin . p. . l. . them , then . l. . stations , passions . p. l . over , ever . p. . l. . thee , they . p. . l. . to . or . p. . l. arriv'd , arm'd . l. . flattering . p. . l. . shall , should . p. . l. . the , then . p. . l. . th' one , thine . p. . l. . prints ' paints . printers oft erre , but not as others men ; their errors are corrected with a pen. notes, typically marginal, from the original text notes for div a -e * i arrived in iersy , ianuary the . . and received the tydings of myenlargement thence by warrant from the parliament november . . the same day of the moneth , i there first landed . * isa . . psa . . . ps . . . . josh . . . . * i was first committed prisoner to the towre of london , feb. . . where after two removals to the fleete for a short space , i remained prisoner till july the . . & was then removed to carnarvan castle in northwales , where i arrived august the . and was there kept close prisoner till i was by special warrant shipped & sent close prisoner for jersy , octob. the . . where i arrived not till january the . following . from whence i departed by warrant from the parliament , novemb. . . and landed at dartmouth novem. . came into london novemb . . was presented to the commons house novem. where my petition was read decem. . notes for div a -e * f. h. a mat. , , . b ps . . . re. . . mat. . . * mount orgueil , signifies a proud mount ; or mount of pride . c rev. . dan. , , . act. , , . psal . . . ezek. . . d obadiah . e prov. . . c. . . phil. . . to . col. . . pet. . . prov. . . zeph. . . g mat. . . c. . . phil. . , to . h mat. . , , , . i prov. . . c. . . isa . . . c. . . . dan. . . . to . jam. . . zeph. . . k isa . . . tim. . . l prov. . . m eph . . , . mat. . , . pet. . , , . psal . . , . n col. . , . thess . . , , , . col. . , . o phil. . . eph. . . p luk. . . q mat . . luk. . . r act. . . rev. . . thess . . . ſ mat. . . cor. . . t ps . . . isa . . . u cor. . tim. . . x cor. . . y revel . . . heb. . . c. . . notes for div a -e * mount-orguil . a psal . . . psal . . . psal . . . psa . . . b cor. . . psal . . . . . ps . . . ps . . . psa . . . ps . . . . psal . . . ps . . . psal . . . ps . . . psal . . . deut. . . sam. . . . . . c psal . . . ioh. . . d ioh. . . . ioh. . . . . . . . . . e ioh. . . c. . . act. . . heb. . . c. . . f mat. . . . luk. . . . g isa . . . mat. . . p●● . . . . . . . psal . . . act. . . co. . . ephes . . . . h mat. . . . c. . . rom. . . to . . pet. . . psal . . . cor. . , , . cor. . . i psal . . . deut. . . k cor. . . , , . psal . . . cant. . . isa . . . c. . . c. . . ● . l ioh. . . rev. . . col. . . . m psal . . . . . pet. . . , . tim . . . cant. c. . to . n ezech. . . to . cant. . . . c. . . . &c. c. . . to . o deut. . . ioh. . . p col. . . . . ioh. . . ephes . . . . . q prov. . , , mat. , , . . rev. . c. . . ioh. . . mat. . . . c. . . iam. . . . rom. . . . r rev. . . c. . . is . . . . ioh. . . ſ deut. . . psal . . . psa . . . isa . . . ps . . , , , . t ioh. . . ioh. . . . c. . . rev. . . heb. . . eph . . cor. . . eph. . . . . heb. . . c. . . . pet. . . v exod. . . . num. . . deut. . . neh. . . psal . . . . ps . . . psal . . . isa . . . x cor. . . y joh. . . ioh. . . . joh. . . rev. . . c. . . ioh. . . eph. . . isay . . . z . cor. . . gal. . . a . cor. . . b psal . . . . . . c jer. . . . hab. . . zech. . . isay . . d isay . . joh. . . . job . . e isay . . . c. . . cant. . . psal . . . ps . . . ps . . psal . . . hosea . . . f mat. . . . thess . . . g isa . . . rom. . . c. . . gal. . . pet. . . h sam. . . c. . . . judg. . . . isa . . . . c. . . c. . . jer. . . rev. . . . jer. . . i joh. . . isa . . . ps . . . ps . . . cant. . . k mat. . . . job . . c. . . l heb. . . ps . . . . . mal. . . jam. . . rev. . . . . heb. . . . m psal . . . . . heb. . . . isa . . . c. . . c. . . . dan. . and . and . & . & . chron. . n heb. . . o rom. . . . rev. . . . . p psal . . . ps . . . q psal . . . eph. . . col. . . cor. . . psal . . . r num. . . judg. . . c. . . . sam. . . ps . . . sam. . . c. . . isa . . . . c. . . c. . . jer. . . c. . . c. . . c. . . c. . . obed. . . rev. . . . s psal . . . . . ps . . . psa . . . ps . . . deut. . . t pet. . . tim. . . ioh. . . . v cant. . . pro. . . numb . . . job . . . psal . . . jer. . . x joh. . . to . cant. . . isay . . . ps . . . ps . . isa . . . y isa . . . ezech. . . z isa . . . . psa . . . . . . isa . . . a isa . . . mark. . . ps . . . mar. . . act. . . joh. . . . b ephes . . col. . . . . c. . . . eph. . . ioh. . . c sam. . . d jam. . . psal . . . pet. . . rom. . . . e mat. . . . f mat. . . c. . . ioh. . . . rom. . . to . psal . . . to . psal . . . . . g jer. . . psal . . . . psal . . . psal . . . . . psal . . . . isa . . . heb. . . psal . . h judg. . . c. . . sam. . . c. . . c. . . isa . . . . . i mat. . . ps . . . psal . . . rom. . . . . act. . . psal . . . . k judg. . . . c. . . . l psal . . . heb. . . pet. . . phil. . . c. . . ps . . . rom. . . m heb. . . col. . . joh. . . . c. . . . n rev. . . c. . . o judg. . . c. . . . p heb. . rev. . . c. . . c. . . q mat. . . . luk. . . r heb. . . . . to . c. . & . & . c. . . ● . cor. . . . c. . . to . c. . . to . col. . . to . s amos. . . sam. . . . jer. . . t mat. . . rom. . . heb. . . pro. . . v mat. . . . luk. . . x joh. . . act. . . thes . . . y luk. . . to . z deut. . . luk. . . a mat. . . c. . . mar. . . luk. . . b rom. . . lnk. . . thes . . . . eph. . . c thes . . . eph. . . rom. . . act. . . luk. . . d ps . . . ps . . . e mat. . . . . c. . . . . c. . . c. . . . . c. . . mar. . . c. . . c. . . c. . . . c. . . luk. . . c. . . joh. . . . . c. . . f mat. . . mar. . . luk. . . mat. . . g ma. . . . . mar. . . . joh. . . h judg. . . c. . . sam. . . c. . . c. . . . isa . . . . . c. . . jer. . . i isa . . . psal . . . act. . . mar. . . joh. . . . k mat. . . . chron. . . hos . . . psa . . . . . isa . . . . zeph. . . tim. . . l psal . . . . . . jer. . . exod. . & . & . judg . . . . c. . . to . c. . . to . c. . . to . l psal . . . . . . jer. . . exod. . & . & . judg . . . . c. . . to . c. . . to . c. . . to . m mat. . . . . c. . . c. . . luk. . . . pet. . . rev. . . king. . . to . n exod. . . nah. . . o mat. . phil. . . . . . joh. . . . eph. . . heb. . . . zech. . . p phil. . . . . . . tim. . . rev. . . c. . . deut. . . q num. . . iob. . . . r cor. . . . . cor. . . to . act. . . cor. . . col. . . . . phil. . . . . . eph. . . . . eph. . . . . s eccles . . . . . ioh. . . . . phil. . . , . prov. . , . t pro. . . v mat. . . to . lu. . . to . ioh. . . heb. . . x mat. . . . . luk. . . . . y joh. . . to . z psal . . . ps . . . a psal . . . . psa . . . king. . . . . . . b exod. . . . . king. . . to . c mat. . . joh. . . c. . . c. . . . d cor. . . e joh. . . . cor. . . . f isa . . . luk. . . ro. . . pet. . . chron. . zech. . psal . . . g isa . . . . luk. . . rom. . . pet. . . () luk. . . mat. . . h deut. . . job . . . i ezech. . . c. . . k mat. . psal . . . mal. . . rev. . . l isa . . z. m ephes . . . . . . cor. . . col. . . . c. . . n eph. . . . psal . . . . . psal . . . o job . . . jer. . . p isa . . . mat. . . c. . . act. . . pet. . . heb. . . rev. . q pet. . . to . rev. . . rom. . . jam. . . . r mat. . . luk. . . . s pet. . . . heb. . . . . c. . . c. . . matth. , . to . c. . and . mar . & . luk. . & . act. . . to . c. . . to to . c. . . . . t joh. . . mat. . . . . . v mat. . x king. . nah. . . y ezech. . . c. . . c. . . luk. . . isa . . . ezech. . . jer. . . z king. . . josh . . . amos. . . nah. . . . a job . . . c. . . b act. . . . c. . . . . . psal . . . c cor. . . . . . . . . phi. . . d rom. . . . cor. . . . . to . e joh. . . phil. . . mat. . . dan. . . f mat. . . . mar. . . cor. . . . . . to . g heb. . . . psal . . . pet. . . h rev. . . i mar. . . . mat. . . luk. . . k gen. . . eccles . . . l isa . . . c. . . m mat. . . n jer. . . ezech. . . o joh. . . . mat. . . luk. . . job . . . p mar. . . . c. . . . . mat. . . c. . . . luk. . . c. . . . joh. . . . c. . . to . q job . . . . psal . . . . r tim. . . . . cor. . . s psal . . . act. . . c. . . cor. . thes . . . to . cor. . . rom. . . t rev. . . v cor. . . x cor. . . . . gal. . . cor. . . rom. . . . y gen. . . . c. . . c. . . cor. . . eph. . . col. . . heb. . . c. . . . . . . . phil. . . . joh. . . joh. . . . z psal . . . . . psal . . . ps . . . . cor. . . a lu. . . mar. . . . psa . . . b rom. . . . cor. . . c pro. . . zech. . . isa . . . d ps . . . . job . . . mat. . . e zech. . . dan. . . . prov. . . ● . chron. . . ps . . . eccl. . . josh . . . f psal . . . to . ps . . . ps . . . joh. . . ps . . . . . g mar. . . psal . . . sam. . . h exod. . . neh. . . jer. . . . i psal . . . psal . . . pro. . . pet. . . isa . . . k heb. . . amos . . rev. . . l exod. . . sam. . . m heb. . . ezech. . . ephes . . . . c. . . . n chro. . . isa . . . . psal . . . zech. . . o isa . . . jer. . . isa . . . jer. . . . c. . . c. . . p isa . . . q isa . . . ezech. . . to . pro. . gen. . . r ezech. . . c. . . s joh. . . . c. . . act. . . pet. . . rev. . . t exod. . . job . . c. . . v jer. . . rom. . . to . zeph. . jude . . . . x heb. . . . eph. . . . . c. . . . rom. . . to . y jer. . . mat. . . . job . . z jer. . . ephes . . . . cor. . . rom. . . to . heb. . . a obad. . . jer. . . c. . . b job . . isa . . . . deut. . . judg. . . . . ezech. . . to . c jer. . . d jer. . . c. . . c. . . ezech. . . c. . . heb. . . e king. . . . f ezech. . . . g isa . . . king. . . . mat. . . mat. . . . lu. . . . h pet. . . . jam. . . to . i ezech. . . . rev. . . . numb . . . k sam. . . . . . exech . . . . . isa . . . l ezech. . . . m king. . & . & . n sam. . . psa . . eccles . . . mar. . . o sam. . . job . . . p mat. . . . q eph. . . . . c. . . rom. . . to . joh. . . pet. . . to . r pet. . . act. . . c. ● . . s jer. . . . . ezech. ● . . t cor. . . rom. . . to . mat. . . luk. . . cor. ● . cor. . . c. . . v act. . . x tim. . . rev. . . y act. . . z psa . . . job . . . a jam. . . . isa . . . . . c. . . . . c. . . . . zeph. . . job . . . . amos. . . to . c. : . b job . . mat. . . . c rom. . . . . . . d joh. . . . . pet. . . . e mat. . . . f psal . . . act. . . psa . . . g psal . . . . sam. . . sam. . . . . c. . . to . h mat. . . . i ioh. . . prov. . . c. . . joh. . . k isa . . . ezech. . . l psa . , . jam. . . cor. . . . c. . . . cor. . . c. . . . rom. . . m jam. . . psal . . . ephes . . . phil. . . col. . . . . heb. . . . n king. . . . c. . . . c. . . . . chron. . & . king. . . ezech. . . o psal . , . . isa . . . . cor. . . . cor. . . ephes . . . p psa . . . . . col. . . . . heb. . . . . . . . . . . . . cor. . . to . q exod. . . to . jam. . . . . king. . . c. . . to . c. . . c. . . gen. . . to . act. . . king. . . . r numb . . . . . deut. . . psal . . . s isa . . . c. ● . . . cor. , . . t cor. . . . . act. . . to . v cor. . to . heb. . . . . mal. . . to . x act. . . y king. . . . act. . . . z exod. . . c. . . c. . . deut. . . c. . . c. . . . . . a jer. . . cor. . . b ezech. . . c. . . c luk. . . . isa . . . d pet. . . . heb. . . . e psal . . . f isa . . . g eph. . . to . rom. . . . c. . . . cor. . . . . . c. . to . phil. . . . jud. . . rev. . . b act. . . . rom. . . c. . . . . col. . . i zech. . . sam. . . k mal. . . l jer. . . m jer. . . c. . . c. . . ezech. . . c. . . n phil. . . o josh . . . judg. . . . zech. . . luk. . . chron. . . p king. : . . gen. . . psal . . . prov. . . je● . . . c. . . psal . . . ezech. . . q prov. . . r isa . . . s exod . . c. . isa . . . t deut. . . job . . v isa . . . . chro. . . . x exod. . . c. . y act. . . z job . . deut. . . a mat : . . gen. . . c. . . c. . . b obad. . . jer. . . . c. . . c is . . . . . . c. . . d job . . jer. . . nah. . . jer. . . e isa . . . chron. . . exod. . to . jer. . . c . . isa . . . amos . . to . rom. . . . f exo. . . c. . . . . g ezech. . . c. . . jer. . . h isa . . . . c. . . c. . . jer. . . chro. . . . jer. . . to . c. . . c. . . amos. . . to . hos . . . . rom. . . . i ezech. . amos . . k ezech. . . math. . . . . . mar. . . luke . . l judg. . . . m heb. . . rom. . . to . c. . . . n ephes . . . . tim. . . proverb . . . deut. . . . isa . . . . chron. . . . o mat. . . . p deut. . . to . . sam. . . . chron. . . ezech. . . mich : . . heb. . . q ephes . . . . rom. . . r heb. . . . c. . . . mat. . . . isa . . . . chro. . . . jer. . . . c. . . s job . . t luk. . . . amos. . . v chron. . . . jer. . . . mat. . . prov. . . . x pro. . . . mat. . . prov. . . king. . . c. . . . chron. . . . . . c. . . . mat. . . gal. . . y psal . . psal . . . . prov. . . c. . . z job . . . a rev. . . jer. . . . neh. . . exod. . . matth. . . mark. . . luk. . . b rom. . . . c. . . to . ephe. . . . pet. . . . . c phil. . . . d isa . . . . e hab. . . f isa . . . job . . . g ezech. . . h ezech. . . to . rev. . . i mat. . . joh. . . . ephes . . . . c. . . k heb. . . psal . . . l chron. . . . king. . . c. . . . . m ezech. . . joel . . hosea . . n isa . . . o rom. . . eph. . . . p act. . . q rom. . . . ephes . . . . tim. . . r ephes . . . . s psal . . . matth. . . job . . t joh. . . v psal . . . exod. . . x ezech. . . c. . . psal . . . . z act. . . . eph. . . . a heb. . . c. . . prov. . . b ezech. . . c. . . c prov. . . d psal . . . . e chro. . & . king. . . . c. . . . c. . . . . king. . . c. . . f psal . . isa . . . . c. . . rom. . . to . c. . . . c. . . . . ephes . . . . . c. . . to c. pet. . . . . . thes . . . mat. . . . c. . . mal. . . . ex. . . jer. . . tim. . . originall or actuall . g hos . . . mat. . . rom. . . c. . . c. . . . h math. . . . . mark. . . psal . . . . lam. . . i isa . . . mark. . . * gen. . . k joh. . . rev. . . . l job . . obad. . jer. . . m king. . . c. . . . . heb. . . gen. . . judg. . . sam. . . c. . . . . . exod. . . . n prov. . . job . . mat. . . psal . . . col. . . o king. . . . . c. . . . sam. . . c. . . . . heb . . p psal . . . jer. . . c. . . c. . . c. . . luk. . . act . . . c. . . * bonner imprisoned the martyrs in his cole-house in queene maries dayes . q heb. . . to . r mal. . isa . . . exo. . . ps . . s psal . . . . . cant. . . . jer. . . . act. . . . heb. . . t cant. . . psal . . . mar . . job . . prov. . . col. . . v ezech. . . joh. . . x ezec. . . c. . . . y gen. . . . . . c. . . . z ezech. . . . hosea . . . . cor. . . revel . . . . c. . . gen. . . . heb. . . isa . . . a hosea . . . ezech. . . . . . . c. . . . . . b phil. . . . c rev. . . psal . . . . d luk. . cor. . . . . pet. . . . e king. . . nah. . . . mat. . . f joel . . . . . g mat. . . . h ezech. . . c. . . i rev. . . isa . . . . joh. . . . . c. . . . rom. . . isa . . . to . . je● . . . to . c. . . k jer. . . isa . . . c. . . jer. . . amos . . to . ps . . . . deut. . c. c. . . . . josh . . . heb. . . . . chron. . . . jer. . . to . c. . . . l pet. . . rev. . . c. . . rom. . . m chron. . & . king. . and . & . n zech. . . sam. . . o ezech. . . cor. . . . cor. . . ephes . . . mal. . . p tim. . . . . q chron. . . to . r ephes . . . . . . . c. . . . s job . . . ps . . . t king. . . job . . lam. . . jer. . . . luk. . . . act. . . . mat. . . v psal . . . exod. . numb . . . . x job . . . jer. . . y psa . . . isa . . . mat. . . luk. . . z ephes . . . a job . . . psal . . . . . . . b mat. . . cor. . . c sam. . . c. . . d isa . . . . . mar. . . psal . . . cor. . . . . . . cor. . . . . . c. . . to . heb. . . . . e isa . . : to . psal . . . f psal . . . * see camdens brittania wiltshire . g isa . . . . h psa . . . . sam. . . . i psal . . . psal . . . k job . . . l gen. . . eccles . . . c. . . m ps . . . . . psa . . . . isa . . . . . job . . . jam. . . pet. . . n obad. . jer. . . c. . . o ezech. . . to . isa . . . to . rev. . . . p prov. rev. . . . q prov. . . col. . . . mat. . . r ephes . . joh. . . s amos . . heb. . . c. . . pet. . . rev. . . t psal . . . . . . isa . . . . . hos . . . chr. . . . cor. . . thes . . . . pet. . . . . . jam. . . . . c. . . psal . . . . . v ephes . . . . . . joh. . . . col. . . . . . x exod. . . neh. . . jer. . . . mat. . . rev. . . y rom . . c. . . . ec. . . math. . . . z mat. . . . c. . . to . luk. . . . rom. . . c. . . a josh . . judg . . . sam. . . zech. . . luk. . . b isa . . ▪ . luk. . . psa . . rev. . . c. . . c psal . . . psal . . . d psal . . . psal . . . . mat. . . jer. . . . e isa . . . f joh. . . . . . . pet. . . c. . . g luk. . . mat. . . ps . . . . h isa . . . . . rev. . . . . luk. . . hos . . . i king. . . nah. . . . mat. . . isa . . . . . psal . . . amos . . pet. . . . judg. . . k isa . . . to . c. . . . thes . . . . jud● . . l psal . . . . pet. . . mat. . . . . to . thes . . . . . dan. . . joh. . . . rev. . . . . . c. . . . . . . m jam. . . . . rev. . n cor. . . . rom. . . . . rom. . . psa . . . o luk. . . p cor. . . tim. . . q rev. . . . notes for div a -e a rom. . . . act. . . . . psal . . . b psal . . . . . . psal . . . . &c. psal . . . * gen. . . to . c mich. . . c ● . joh. . . rev. . . d joh. . . rev. . . mich. . . e psal . . . psal . . . . psal . . . . gen. . . e psal . . . psal . . . . psal . . . . gen. . . f psal . . . isa . . . . . . g psal . . . . h job . . psal . . . to . psal . . . to . pro. . . jer. . . cap. . . i psal . . . . mat. . . . isa . . . psal . . . psal . . . psal . . . psal . . . . * psal . . . k psal . . . . l luk. . . . mat. . . . . m neh. . . dan. . . to . psal . . . . psal . . . . . act. . . . pro. . . * psal . . . to . * psal . . . n psal . . . to . . . . . psal . . . o psal . . . psal . . . isa . . . p psal . . . . ps . . . . . . q psal . . . . . . . . . r psal . . . psal . . . s psal . . . . . psal . . . . t rom . . psal . . . job . . . . v psal . . . * deut. . . rom. . . sam. . . exod. . . . . x psal . . . josh . . . y ju. . . psa . . . . . z psal . . . . . amos . . . . . . jer. . . . a psal . . . & . . . & . . isa . . . josh . . . . . jer. . b gen. . . . . act. . . . dan . . . . . . . c. . . . . . c psal . . . . . . isa . . . lam. . . jer. . gen. . . d nah. . . to . c. . . e psal . . . . . . . deut. . . . jer. . . . f psal . . . . . jer. . . chron. . . g psal . . . h mat. . , rev. . . i eccles . . . psal . . . . k psal . . . . . . l psal . . . . . . psal . . . . . m eccles . . . psal . . . . n rom. . . gen. . . pro. . . o cor. . . pet. . . p luk. . . . rom. . . . q chron. . . to . cor. . and . . r act. . . s chron. . . to . psal . . . psal . . . psal . . . t mal. . . . * joh. . . rev. . . isa . . . . v joh. . . rev. . . heb. . . ephes . . . . cor. . . act. . . zech. . . rev. . . x dan. . . mat. . . phil. . . y gen. . & . z exod. . . to . a col. . . rev. . . b mich. . . joh. . . jer. . . c. . . c isa . . . d jonah . . . isa . . . e joh. . . ephes . . . . . . rev. . . . heb. . . . f psal . . . . & . . cant. . . act. . . g pet. . . joh. . . pet. . . * isa . . . h psal . . . phil. . . . . i rom. . . . . . . cor. . . . . . c. . . to . heb. . . . . k jam. . . jer. . . l job . . psal . . . isa . . . c. . . heb. . . . . . . . gen. . . . . . . . c. . . cor. . . to . ruth . . m gen. . . chron. . psal . . . psal . . . heb. . . . pet. . . lev. . . n isa . . . o isa . . . cant. . . cor. . . cor. . . rev. . . heb. . . tit. . . . ephes . . . to . p psal . . . to . jon. . q psal . . . psal . . . act. . . heb. . . . . . cor. . . to . ruth . . . . r psal . . . . . . . to . gal. . . pet. . . s psal . . . . ezech. . . . chron. . . . . heb. . . . . . t prov. . . jer. . . joh. . . . tim. . . . v psal . . . . . . isa . . . . c. . . . . c. . . c. . . . c. . . mat. . . . . rev . . . . . . w ephes . . . . gen. . . to . c. . . to . exod. . and . hest . . . . . & . dan. . . to . c. . . . . . . c. . . to . mat. . & . . . sam. . . . . psal . . . . x psal . . . . job . . . y job . . sam. . . & . . . . deut. . . mat. . . . . z psal . . . . . jon. . . a psal . . . . . . phi. . . psal . . . . . b numb . . . . c heb. . . psal . . . ruth . . . d cor. . . . . heb. . . . psal . . . . e psal . . . . isa . . . jam. . . f dan. . . c. . . isa . . . pet. . . zech. . . g psal . . . . . tim. . . . ●●● . . . h psal . . . . . jon. . . to . mat. . . . i psal . . . . . . . hos . . . k psal . . . . . . l phil. . . . job . . king. . . m hosea . . psal . . . . . psal . . . . n psal . . . jer. . . pro. . . o jonah . p josh . . . . jona . . . hos . . . isa . . . ezeck . . . c. . . to . q jer. . . mat. . . psal . . . . . * dan. . . r job . . . to . psal . . . . . & . . isa . . . s psal . . . . . jon. . . mat. . . . psal . . . t psal . . . & . . . . job . . . jam. . . psal . . . & . . isa . . . c. . . king. . . mic. . . . v pet. . . psal . . . isa . . . x gen. . & . y nah. . . . . jer. . . . judg. . . psal . . . z psal . . . . . . & . . rom. . . . . . . mic. . . . a psal . . . b phil. . . c. . . . rom. . . cor. . . . . . . luk. . . tim. . . . . rev. . . * luk. . . gen. . . c isa . . . c. . . . . king. . . chron. . . . d psal . . . lam. . . judg. . . sam. . . e isa . . . . f chron. . . . . cor . . g cor. . . gal. . . kin. . . c. . . c. . . h ps . . . lam. . . i rom. . . . . act. . . eph. . . k isa . . . jam. . . gen. . . l gen. . . jam. . . . pet. . . c. . . isa . . . c. . . jer. . . c. . . c. . . . . . hos . . . m eccles . . . n eccles . . . . . pro. . . o psal . . . gen. . . c. . . p psal . . . psal . . . and . . jer. . . q exod. . . gen. . . . . r prov. . . hos . . . act. . . zech. . . mat. . . * act. . . s prov. . . to . c. . . to . c. . . to . t sam. . . . rom. . . . . tim. . . . . v isa . . . . . tim. . . cor. . . isa . . . . . chro. c. . & . x psal . . . . y rom. . . . . ephes . . . tim. . . rom. . . . . z mat. . . . luc. . . . rom. . . c. . . pet. . . rev. . . isa . . . . king. . . a joh. . . psal . . . psal . . . b tim. . . . . jam. . . . psal . . . . * psal . . . . hos . . * joh. . . . * psal . . . . judg. . . . c. . . c psal . . . . . rev. . . ps . . . mat. . . isa . . . d psal . . . prov. . . isa . . . mat. . . . e rev. . . c. . . c. . . mat. . . f ruth . . . . exod. . . job . . . c. . . c. . . g job . & . . psa . . & . & . & . and . & & . lam. . & . & . & . h job . . c. . . c. . . c. . . isa . . . . lam. . . c. . . i psal . . . isa . . . c. . . rev. . . to . k jam. . . . . joh. . . . . . l cor. . . . joh. . . . m eccles . . c. . . isa . . n jam. . . isa . . o cor . . p psal . . . . . levit. . . chro. . . pet. . . heb. . . . . . . . . . psal . . . . q job . . to . prov. . . r sam. . . job . . c. . l. . jam. . . isa . . . psal . . . . . luk. . . psa . . . . s dan. . . to . c. . . . c . . esth . . t esther . . dan. . . v exod. . . . num. . . . . josh . . & . . & . judg. . . . c. . & . king . . king. . & . & . . . . . & . . . . & . chron. . . to . dan. . . to . c. . . . act. . . . . x joh. . . . . y act. . . z joh. . . . . c. . . jam. . . tim. . . . . a rev. . . c. . . mat. . . b joh. . . . jam. . . col. . . c jonah . . . psal . . . . . d joh. . . pet. . . cor. . . tim. . . . cor. . . to . e job . . joh. . . . cor. . . . . rom. . . to . f king. . . . job . . . g tim. . . . jam. . . to . eccles . . . . h esth . c. . to . dan. . . to . act. . . . . luk. . . to . i lam. . . sam. . . k heb. . . . . tim. . . mat. . . cor. . . . . gal. . . tim. . . pet. . . . . l eccles . . . m eccles . . . isa . . . n exod. . . . o gen. . . . p psal . . . joh. . . phi. . . col. . . q tim. . . . tim. . . eccl. . . . joh. . . r phil. . . col. . . . joh. . . . jam. . . cor. . . s eccles . . . isa . . . hab. . . t jona . . . v king. . . to . c. . . to . esth . c. . & . & . pro. . . lam. . . . psa . . . prov. . . c. . . . psal . . . x gen. . . lam. . . hab. . . . amos . . ezech. . . y pet. . . . c. . . gal. . . z pet. . . . . cor. . . . gal. . . eph. . . eph. . . col. . . . tim. . . tim. . . jam. . . joh. . . . joh. . . . . a gen. . . c. . . . . job . . . . . b job . . . c. . . to . c luk. . . . gen. . . job . . to . rev. . . d phil. . . . . cor. . . . rom. . . . e psal . . . . . f cor. . . pet. . . g joh. . . . . h rom. . . to . c. . . . luk. . . . gal. . . i gal . . . . rom. . . to . k gen. . & . pet. . . . pet. . . l tim. . . . rev. . . c. . . c. . . m exod. . . . n revel . . . c. . . c. . . mat. . . . o gen. . . c. . . josh . . . king. . . . p job . . . psal . . . q psal . . . jer. . . . lam. . . . r joh. . . mich. . . s job . & . t gen. . . eccles . . . c. . . v gen. . & . pet. . . . pet. . . x isa . . . tim. . . . y psal . . . isa . . . job . . z pet. . . . joh. . . . . . act. . . a jo● . . . . psa . . . jer. . . prov. . b sam. . . . . deut. . . to . chron. . . ps . . . . . c gen. . . . neh . . pet. . . jer. . . isa . . . d exod. . . to . josh . c. . to c. . judg. c. . to . e psal . . . to . c. . . . . f psal . . . gal. . . g psal . . . to . h thes . . . to . rom. . . . . i ezech. . . tim. . . . thes . . . to . pro. . . k ezech. . . . l heb. . . . jam. . . . m heb. . . tim. . . n revel . . . tim. . . o rev. . . dan. . . isa . . . p psal . . . hos . . q deut. . . r job . . s eph. . . cant. . . job . . . pet. . . . pet. . . t jude . v job . . pet. . . y pet. . . jude . * isa . . . to . joh. . . rom. . . . tim. . . . z nah. . . rev. . . ps . . . . psa . . . . psal . . . pro. . . job . . c. . . to . psal . . . prov. . . . a pro. . . c. . . b job . . . to . luk. . . jam. . . . . c psal . . . . heb. . . d jam. . . to . prov. . . phil. . . e chro. . . to . f psa . . . pet. . . . heb. . . to . rom. . . . . g psal . . . . . psal . . . . ps . . . . h tim. . . hos . . . c. . . prov. . . i king. . . dan. . . to . k luk. . . l cor. . . . . m joh. . . . hos . . . mar. . . joh. . . joh. . . * act. . . * psal . . . . . * cor. . . * isa . . . c. . . . o joh. . . . . . p cor. . . eccles . . & . q psa . . . . . jer. . . amos . . r psal . . mat. . . . t isa . . . psal . . . psa . . . . v psal . . . deut. . . josh . . . psal . . . . psal . . . x psal . . . . . ps . . & . . & . . dan. . . thes . . . ephes . . . luk. . . c. . . y exod. . . c. . . . lev. . . . chro. . . chron. . . c. . . c. . . ezra . . . z the practise of piety p. . &c. heb. . . . deut. . . . c. c. . . . . psal . . . . . . . a rom. . . . philem. . thes . . ● . . & . . heb. . . cor. . . b act. . . to . psa . . . to . c act. . . . to . psal . . . to . isa . . . jon. . . psal . . . d psal . . . psal . . . . . & . . e luk. . . job . . . . pro. . . rev. . . . amos . . to . f job . . . isa . . . to . luk. . . to . eccl. . . g heb. . . . . . . c. . . . . * mat. . . to . h luk. . psal . . . . . thes . . . i joh. . . gen. . . k king. . . . . eze. . . ephes . . . . jer. . . . l psa . . . . . . mat. . . job . . . . amos . . rom. . . . . m hos . . . . rom. . . to . o gen. . . . psal . . . . . to . hab. . . c. . . job . . isa . . . p joh . . col. . . c. . . q psal . . . . . . . . . psa . . . mat. . . r hab. . . . . psal . . . . . isa . . . jer. . . . . c . . . ps . . & . . . . . . s gen. . . . job . . . psal . . . . . . psal . . . psal . . . prov. . . jer. . . gen. . . c. . . to . c. . . to . t exod. . . psal . . . . . . psal . . . v psal . . . lam. . . . isa . . . . x mat. . . to . luk. . . to . job . & . y psa . . . z cor. . . joh. . . . a psal . . tim. . . prov. . . . b isa . . . jam. . . c joh. . . . . . rom. . . c. . . . phil. . . act. . . d psal . . . psal . . . . . psa . . . . . joh. . . . . cor. . . . e king. . . jer. . . c. . . ezech. . . isa . . . to . zeph. . . . f jam. . . . pet. . . . . . jude . . ephes . . . g cor. . . . . h act. . . i josh . cap. . to . chron. . . . c. . . . . . . jer. . . sam. . . to . sam. . . k psal . . . . . psal . . . isa . . . . l sam. . . . joh. . . mat. . . . m eccles . . . . n luk. . . . gen. . . rom. . . cor. . . to . phil. . . job . . . c. . . o gen. . . job . . c. . . psa . . . . eccles . . . c. . . p gen. . . eccles . . . job . thes . . . . q job . . dan. . . isa . . . act. . . rev. . . cor. . . to joh. . . . thes . . . to . joh. . . . . . r cor. . . . . . . . . . joh. . . dan. . . mat. . . phil. . . thes . . . s cor. . . . . . t mar. . . joh. . . mat. . . . v joh. . . x tim. . . rev. . . c. . . thes . . y ro. . . . z job . . joh. . ●●● . a cor. . . isa . . . psal . . . rev. . . to . b psal . . . e psa . . . phil. . . . . a psal . . . b jude . pro. . . c. . . c isa . . . phil. . . d phil. . . col. . . . e psal . . . to . jona . . . to . f gen. . . psal . . . psa . . . ps . . . ps . . g psal . . psal . . h phil. . . notes for div a -e a gen. . . . b gen. . . . c. . . . c gen. . . to . d eccles . . . e gen. . . . f psal . . . dan. . . pro. . . jer. . . c. . . ephes . . . col. . . g psal . . . tim. . . h psal . . job . rev. . . i cant. . . c. . . k psal . . . psal . . . l tim. . . joh. . . m mat. . . . luk. . isa . . . . . n tim. . . o psa . . . psal . . . . psal . . . . . . p isa . . . . . psal . . . . psal . . . . . q psal . . . . . . jer. . . . c. . . c. . . r gen. . & . psal . . . . . psa . . . s jer. ● . . dan. . . t psal . . . . . psal . . . mich. . . v psal . . . psa . . . psa . . . . jer. . . . eph. . . x psal . . . psal . . . gen. . . . . . y psal . . . psal . . . . . z psal . . . . . ps . . . . zech . . a phil. . . b psal . . . . . . c cant. . . c. . . . gen. . . . . . d psal . . . job . . . ezech. . . e psal . . . . . . f deut. . . c. . . g isa . . . ezech. . . king. . . h gen. . . to . eccles . . . jer. . . . cant. . . c. . . . c. . . . . i cor. . . . . . phil. . . . . heb. . . . k cor. . . . . . l psal . . m psa . . . cant. . . c. . . n ezech. . . deut. . king. . . gen. . . o isa . . . . . joh. . . c. . . rev. . . p mat. . . . c. . . . tim. . . q joh. . . rev. . . heb. . . r gen. . hos . . . cant. . . c. . . c. . . s cant. . . . . . eph. . . cant. . . . rev. . . . t isa . . . v isa . . . . . pro. . . x rev. . . . y cant. . . . . . z gen. . . isa . . . cant. . . a isa . . joh. . . . c. . . . . jer. . . zech. . . rev. . . joh. . . b gen. . . . . . gen. . . to . king. . . cant. . . c. . . &c. c mat. . . . psal . . . psal . . . isa . . . d psal . . . e psal . . . hos . . . jon. . . . f cant. . . isa . . . . c. . . c. . . psal . . . psal . . . thes . . . g gen. . . to . c. . . . . cant. . . c. . . eccle. . . h cant. . . . . i cant. . . to . c. . . . rom. . . . k gen. . . to . isa . . . c. . . ezech. . . c. . . . c. . . joel . . . l cant. . . joh. . . . . rom. . . col. . . . m isa . . . . jam. . . joh. . . n gen. . isa . . . luk. . . o joh. . . . p joh. . . to . q mat. . . mar. . . col. . . . . rom. . . rev. . . psal . . . q mat. . . mar. . . col. . . . . rom. . . rev. . . psal . . . r joh. . . . . . c. . . . c. . . to . s joh. . . . t joh. . . to . v joh. . . . x joh. . . to . cor. . . . . . y cor. . . rom. . . . . z job . . . . cor. . . to . thes . . . to . rom. . . . . a rom. . . . . b isa . . . c. . . c. . . c gal. . . cor. . . . c. . . . d ezech. . . e gen. . . . f gen. . . to . c. . . . g deut. . can. . . . . to . c. . . . g gen. . . to . isa . . . h eccles . . cant. . . . c. . . . i isa . . . joel . . . gen. . . k isa . . . l gen. . . . . . m isa . . . num. . . cant. . . n gen. . . . o joh. . . jer. . . . amos . . p ezech. . . mat. . . . tim. . . thes . . . thes . . . to . exod. . . q gen. . . c. . . r gen. . . s gen. . . to . c. . . to . isa . . . t cant. . . c. . . . c. . . v jer. . . . amos . . x gen. . . to . c. . . . y rom. . . . . z gen. . . . rev. . . a gen. . . to . cor. . . tim. . . b tim. . . cor. . . c isa . . . c. . . c. . . cant. . . c. . . d gen. . . to . e gen. . . to . f rev. . . . g gen. ● . . . . h cor. . . rev. . . i gen. . . to . k joh. . . to . . l gen. . . to . m joh. . . . rom. . . to . n gen. . rom. . . . . o joh. . . to . c. . . . rom. . . . . p rom. . . . q isa . . . to . rom. . . r gen. . . , . ſ act. . . to . t rom. . . to . cor. . . v gen. . joh. . , . c. . . to . x gen. . . rom. . , . y act. . . to . c. . . . . cor. . . , . . z gen. . . to . a gen. . . b rom. . , , . &c. c joh. . . . . , . d joh. . . . e cor. . , , . f gen. . . g joh. . . . to . h gen. . , , . i joh. . . . c. . , . k gen. . . to . rom. . . to . l joh. . . . c. . . to . m gen. . hosea . . n cant. . . cor. . . o ps . . . . . . . . . . . . p deut. . . . . . c. . . . . ps . . . q cant. . . . . king. . . r pet. . . . cor. . . . rom. . . . . ps . . . . ps . . . . ier. . . ſ psal . . . to the end . ps . . . isa . . . to . act. . . joh. . . t gen. . . to . cant. . . c. . . . u pet. . . . tim. . . heb. . . x psal . . . psal . . . deut. . , , , . c. . . josh . . . y cant. . . c. . . . z isa . . . . c. . . . . c. . . rom. . . a cant. . . isa . . . b rom. . . tim. . . isa . . . c rom. . . ephes . . . d jer. . . c. . . c. . . amos . e mat. . . . mar. . . f luk. . . c. . . mat. . . jam. . . . cor. . . g isa . . . h col. . . act. . . thes . . . to the end . i joh. . . pet. . . . . eph. . . to . c. . . . ps . . . . k psal . . . ps . . isa . , , . c. . . l col. . , , . m psal . . . . n act. . . col. . . o joh. . . jer. . , . pet. . . . psal . . psal . . . to . p rom. . . . . act. . . c. . . to . q luk. . . r gen. . . s gen. . , . . t ezech. . , . exod. . . * gen. . . . c. . . judg. . . * cor. . . u isa . . , . . pet. . . psal . . . psal . . . ps . . , . jam. , . job . . . * num. . . . c. . . tim. . , , . chr. . . to . * isa . . c. . . x eccles . . , , . y gen. . . z sam. . , , . king. . . gen. . . * zech. . . a job . . b gen. . . to . c gen. . . to . c. . . d gen. . . e gen. . . eccles . . . c. . . f cor. . , , . to . thes . . . to . job . . , , . g ps . . , . ps . . . . psal . . . h eccles . . . job . . . . . c. . . . i isa . . , , . heb. . . k psal . . , . isa . . , , . job . . , . isa . . . . jam. . . pet. . . l isa . . . . m job . . . n job . . . gen. . . o isa . . . c. . . c. . , , . c. . . job . . , . heb. . . p psal . . . . ps . . . . . q psal . . , . ps . . . r isa . . . ezech. . , . psal . . . . ſ psal . . , . t deut . . u cen. . . to . x gen. . rom. . , . &c. y rom. . . to . c. . . z rom. . . to . c. , , to . jam. . , , . a psal . . . mat. . . . b joh. . . to . c. . , . c. . . to . rom. , . cor. . throughout . cor. . . eph. . . c gen . , , . d gen. . , . king. . , to . chron. . , to . tim. . . c. . . to . pet. . , . col. . . act. . , . * prov. . . isa . . . zeph. . . hos . . e eph. . , , . c. . , , . rom. . . to . job . . . rom. . . to . f isa . . . c. . . ezec. . . joel . . . deu. . . g col. . . . rom. . . phil. . . c. . . jam. . . pet. . . to . h cant . , . hosea . , . ps . , ps . . . i dan. . . k dan. . , , , . c. . , . c. . . to . psal . . , . ps . . , , . job . . , , . c. . , , . psal . . . chron. . . c. . . to . josh . c. . & . & . judg. . , , . job . . . to . lam. . . l ps . . , . isa . ● . . . . m job . . & . & . see k. before . n isa . . . . . ps . . . . o job . . . . c. . . psal . . . p job . . . isa . . . . tim. . . . . mat. . . c. . . luk. . . q joh. . . mat. . . king. . . r eccles . . . . c. . . &c. ſ job . . , , . . hosea . , , . cant. . , . psal . . . t judg. . . psal . . . eccles . . . u cant. . , . job . . , , . . hosea . , . . x joh. . . to . hosea . , , . micah . , , . psal . . . . ps . . , , , , . ps . . , , . psal . . . ps . . . psal . . , , . psal . . , . ezech. . . to . y ps . . , to the end . ps . . , , . psal . ● . , , . . psal . . , , . . psal . . . psal . . . . ps . . , , . ezech. . . to . z hosea . , , . a cor. . , . b isay . . job . . , , . cor. . thes . . . to . joh. . . c rom. . . , , . c. , , , . c. , , . . gen. . , . eph. ● . , , , , . heb. . , . d prov. . . c. . . c. . . . cor. . , , . rom. . , . e isay . . mich. . , . f chron. . . to . prov. . . c. . . c. . . psal . . . ps . . . pet. . . to . * joh. . . chro. . . . . jer. . . g gen. . . to . cant. . . h gen. . . to . c. . . to . c. . . to . psal . . . to . i ps . . . . psal . . . . . . k prov . . mat. . . pet. . . . isa . . . c. . . . c. . . zach. . . l isa . . . cant. . . mat. . . m jer. . . isa . . , , . joh. . . . n psal . . . . . eccles . . . . c. . . . cor. . . . . jam. . . to . cor. . . to . cor. . . to . job . . jer . . . o dan. . . psal . . isa . . . . p mal. . . . mat. . . . act. . . col. . . pet. . . q prov. . ps . . . r isa . . , , . gen. . , to . king. . . cant. . . mat. . . ſ isa . , . c. . , . eph. . . thess . . pet. . . rev. . . t cant. . . matth. . . isa . . u psal . . . isay . . . c. . , . c. . , . psal . . . ps . . . to the end . x mat. . . isay . . . luc. . . y psal . . . jer. . . jer. . . hos . . . c. . . chr. . , , . psal . . . isay . . z jer. . . chron. . , ● . a heb. . , . ps . . . isa . . . dan. . . mal. . . b isa . . , , . mat. . . c pet. . . isa . . . joh. . . to . d cor. . to . e rom. . . joh. . ● . act. . . c. . . f isa . . . to . ps . . . . chron. . . , , . g gen. . . isa . . , . jer. . . . amos . . c. . . h gen. . . , . heb. . . prov. . . zeph. . . hosea . . isa . . . i isa . . . c. . . cor. . . to . eph. . . to . k isa . . . l mat. . . . joh. . . . col. . . m gen . . isay . . . prov. . . zeph. . . hos . . . n mat. . . to . rev. . . joh. . . . . jam. . . rom. . . to . . prov. . . o heb. . . , . mat. . . . heb. . . . c. . . cor. . , . p prov. . , . q hab. . . prov. . . cor. . , , , , , , . r rom. . . to . c. . . to . gal. . . to . heb. . . cor. . , . ſ joh. . . col. . . eph. . . c. . , , , . pet. . . to . cor. . . t cant. . , . c. . . . c. . . gen. . . hos . . . u psal . . . acts . , , . heb. . , . joh. . . c. . . ps . . . x psal . . . to . psal . . , . ps . . . y cant. . . c. . . . c. . . z cant. . . c. . . cor. . . . . lev. . . eph. . . rev. . . c. . . c. . . gal. . . joh. . . c. . . a gen. . , . . . job . . . c. . . isa . . . jer. . . to . isa . . . ps . . . . hosea . , , . b isa . . , . mal. . . psal . . . . luc. . , . cor. . . . ps . . . joh. . . heb. . , . ephe. . . c. . . thess . . . pet. . . pet. . . cor. . . to . c ps . . . jer. . . ps . , , . d eph. . . , . . to . c. . . . gal. . , . jam. . . to . mat. . , . e acts . . to . mat. , , , . f psal . . . rom. . . matth. . . mar. . , . g gen. . . num. . . isa . . . h ps . . . jer. . . heb. . . cant. . . isa . . , . joh. . , , . c. . . c. . . joh. . . . re. . . c. . . cor. . . to . i heb. . . mat. . . c. . . luc. . , , . k psal . . . cant. . . l psal . . , , , . chron. . . to . acts . , , . c. . , . c. . . to . m ps . . , . n luc. . . . cor. . , , . mat. . . o sanguis martyrum semen ecclesiae . cyprian . p acts . . to . c. . . to . exod. . , , , , . q exod. . . philemon . . philip. . . , , . acts . . to . r euseb . theoderet . nicephorus , socrates , evagrius , the centuries , the english , & french books of martyrs . ſ job . , , . cant. . , , . hosea . . , . ps . . , . . isa . . . mat. . . t psal . . , , , . psal . . , . ps . . to . revel . . . u hosea . , . mich. . , . isa . . , , . job . . ps . . , , , . luc. . rev. . . x joh. . . ps . . . ps . . , . rom. . . to the end . jer. . , , , . esa . . . ps . . . y cant. . , , . hos . . , . isa . . . eph. . . z stapleron , bellarmin ▪ bozius , augustinus triumphans , and others . z kings . , . . ro. . . to . mat. . . acts . . heb. . , , . a job . , to . b mic. . , , . ps . . . ps . . , , , . . . ps . . , , . psal . . , , . c exod. . , , , &c. act . , to . d exod. , & . gen . to . c. . , . ester . c. . to . dan. . . to the end . &c. . throughout . e gen. . to . f esth . to . g exod. . & . h jude . i cant. . , , . mat. . . hosea . , , . job . , , , . k isa . . . mal. . . joh. . . . . l jam. . , . mat. . . rev. . . m jude . n isa . . . to . o psal . . , . isa . . . to . chron. . . to . rev. . . heb. . , , , , . c. . . c. . . to . matth. . . c. . . p chr. . . psal . . , . heb. . , . chr. . . heb. . , . dan. . . to . heb. . . q pro. . . . cor. . to . heb. . . pet. . . . cor. . . . . . . r psal . . . . psal . . . ps . . . to the end . psal . . . psal . . . pro. . . to . isa . . . rev. . . psa . . . s isa . . . to . heb. . . . . . pet. . . to the end . rev. . . . . . . . . c. . . . . mat. . . . . t cant. . . exod. . . . isa . . . jer. . . v phil. . . . . jam. . . . act. . . to . pet. . . . thes . . . . . . rom. . . x psal . . . isa . . . y rom. . . z joel . . . a host . . . . jer. . . eccles . . . luk. . . b col. . . mar. . . pet. . . c ephe. . . . . to the end c. . . . . . . . rom. . . . d jer. . . . amos. . . esth . . . c. . . . e psal . . . psal . . . levit. . . . cor. . . rev. . . f joh. . . rom. . . joh. . . . isa . . . g phil. . . . col. . . . gal. . . . . h rev. . . mat. . . i joh. . . . rom. . . c. . . to the end . k cant. . . . . king. . . l cor. . . to . ephes . . . . i rom. . . eph. . . col. . . thes . . . k eph. . . col. . . k col. . . thes . . . l num. . . zeph. . . m jam. . . n dan. . . o phil. . . p cor. . . phil. . . q pet. . . rom . . cor. . . rom. . . cor. . . r cor. . to . s eph. . . . . c. . . . . . t cor. . . to . v joh. . . x col. . . . ephes . . . y heb. . . . . cor. . . pet. , . z jer. . . c. . . eccl. . king. . . king. . . esth . . . c. . . . a cant. . . . . c. . . c. . . . c. . . b gen. . . . . c. . . isa . . ezec. . . c. . . . joel . . . c psal . . . lev. . . . isa . . . z psal . . . jer. . . ezec. . . . . a isa . . . c. . . b psa . . . psa . . . pro. . . ezech. . . rom. . . to the end . cant. . . . . c tim. . . mat. . . d joh. . . e mat. . . luk. . . jude . f eph. . . tim. . . rev. . . g jude . h john . . eph. . . to . heb. . . . . i cor. . throughout . tim. . . mat. . . k mat. . . . . l isa . . . m mat. . . tim. . . . pet. . . . . thes . . . . n phil. . . o isa . . . to . king. . . jer. . . ezech. . . rom. . . ezech. . . . pet. . . . . . k gen. . . num. . . l isa . . . c. . . jam. . . pet. . . . l esth . . m psal . . . . . gal. . . psal . . . . n psal . . . to . jer. . . psal . . b cant. . gen. . . c. . . job . . c eph. . . to . cor. . . . . joh. . . col. . . . . thes . . . to . d rom. . . . . eph. . . to the end . e tim. . . . . chron . . . f psal . . . . isa . . . . mat. . . g joh. . . rom. . . tim. . . jer. . . . rom. . . to the end . psal . . . . . psal . . . , isa . . . . . joh. . . . h cor. . thes . . . . job . . . . i psal . . . psal . . . k psal . . . notes for div a -e a gen. . . c. . . c. . . ephes . . . col. . b gen. . . c psal . . . psal . . psa . . . psal . . . d cor. . . . e luk. . . f pet. . . job . . g psal . . . mat. . . mar. . . h job . . . cor. . . . i gen. . . c. . . c. . . eccles . . . c. . . job . . k isa . . . to . rom. . . . tim. . . pet. . . . . l isa . . . . . . ezec. . . to . isa . . . . m cor. . . to . cor. . . . . . chron. . . . mat. . . . act. . . n jam. . . king. . . . to c. . . . o king. . . c. . . c. . . to . mat. . c. . . c. . c. . . c. . . act. . . joh. . . to . p ephes . . . . ezech. . . psal . . . to . isa . . . q isa . . . rom. . , , . joh. . , . r mal. . . ſ psal . . ● psal . . . ps . . . heb. . . isa . . . t hab. . . u isa . . . . jer. . . x luk. . . gen. . . sam. . . . esther . . to . isa . . . amos . , , . y gen. . . eccles . . . c. . . z cor. . . . cor. . . . heb. . . a isa . . , , . b isa . . , , . luk. . . gen. . . pet. . , . sam. . . zeph. . . mat. . . c rev. . . . d rom. . . rev. . . psal . . , . e ps . , . ps . . , . isa . . , , . f esther . . , to . chron. . . amos . , , . job . , , . jam. . . g jam. . . , . i pet. . , , . tim. . , . k dan . . matth. . . l gen. . . c. . . c. . . job . . c. . , , . ps . . . psal . . . eccles . . . c . . m psal . . . isa . . . . c. . , . jam. . . pet. . . n isa . . . . o ps . . . ps . . . ps . . . job . . c. . . c. . . p psal . . . psal . . . q mat. . . mar. . , , , . rev. ● . . c. . . r dan. . . matth. . . notes for div a -e oan . . . * john : . * rev. . . . . . c. . . . . c. . . tim. . . . * rev. . . . . . c. . . . . c. . . tim. . . * . m . . c. . . * pro. . . * cor. . . . tim. . . * joh. . . gal. . . * psal . . . * cor. . . tim. . . levit. . . * psal . . . psal . . chron : . heb. . pet . . . * gen. . . to . act. . . to . heb. . . * isay . . . * heb. . . . * prov. . . c. . . c. . . * psal . . . psal . . . psal . . . * isay . . . . . . rom . . cor. . pet. . . * heb. . . c. . . . gal. . . phil. . . * phil. . tim. . . rev. . . to . the stone which the builders have rejected, the same is now become the head of the corner: or, christ exalted into his throne and the scripture owned in its place. parnell, james, ?- . this text is an enriched version of the tcp digital transcription a of text r in the english short title catalog (wing p ). textual changes and metadata enrichments aim at making the text more computationally tractable, easier to read, and suitable for network-based collaborative curation by amateur and professional end users from many walks of life. the text has been tokenized and linguistically annotated with morphadorner. the annotation includes standard spellings that support the display of a text in a standardized format that preserves archaic forms ('loveth', 'seekest'). textual changes aim at restoring the text the author or stationer meant to publish. this text has not been fully proofread approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page images. earlyprint project evanston,il, notre dame, in, st. louis, mo a wing p estc r this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online 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(eebo-tcp ; phase , no. a ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, - ; : ) the stone which the builders have rejected, the same is now become the head of the corner: or, christ exalted into his throne and the scripture owned in its place. parnell, james, ?- . p. s.n., [london : ] signed at end: james parnel. caption title. imprint from wing. reproduction of the original at the bodleian library. eng christian literature -- early works to . a r (wing p ). civilwar no the stone which the builders have rejected, the same is now become the head of the corner: or, christ exalted into his throne: and the scrip parnell, james b the rate of defects per , words puts this text in the b category of texts with fewer than defects per , words. - tcp assigned for keying and markup - aptara keyed and coded from proquest page images - emma (leeson) huber sampled and proofread - emma (leeson) huber text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion the stone which the builders have rejected , the same is now become the head of the corner : or , christ exalted into his throne : and the scripture owned in its place this then is the message that we have received of the father . that god is light , and in him is no darkness at all ; if we walke in darkness , and say , vve have fellowship with him , we lye , and do not the truth , but if wee walk in the light , as hee is in the light , then have we fellowship one with another , and the blood of jesus christ his son , clenseth us from all sinne , john . , , . and this is the word which was in the beginning , by which all things was made , and in him was life , and his life was the light of men , joh. . . , , . by which light all the holy men of god in the dayes of old were inspired ; by which light moses saw the things that were done in the beginning , and wrote of them ; which vvord was a lamp unto davids feet , and a light unto his paths , psal. ii . . vvhich light dwelt in the prophets and holy men , by which they saw the day of christ , and wrote of him , isai. . . and . . and spoke as they were moved by it , and by it saw the deceit , iniquities , and transgressions of israel , and declared against it both in priest , people and rulers , speaking the word of the lord faithfully , whether they would hear or forbeare ; ezek. . mic. . isa. . and this word came unto the prophets , which was as a fire and hammer in their bones , ier. . . and . . which word in due time ▪ became flesh , and dwelt among the apostles , and they saw the glory thereof , as of the onely begotten son of the father , full of grace and truth , iohn . . whom iohn bears witness of to be the light of the world , who doth enlighten every one that comes into the world , iohn . to which light paul was sent to turn the mindes of the heathen : acts . , . which light is the condemnation of the world , who love darkness rather then light , because their deeds are evill : and he that hates it hath it , though he will not bring his deeds to it , by it to be proved , therefore his condemnation it is , iohn . , , . and there is a time , light shines in darkness , and darkness comprehends it not , iohn . . and this is the cause why many stumble at it , and are offended in it . and there is a time light shines out of darkness , and darkness flees away , and then is witnessed the perfect day wherein the children of the day do walk , isa. . . matt. . . ephes. ▪ . which light is the true tryer of spirits , and gives the discerning of spirits , and discovers the works of darkness , and manifests the deeds of darknesse ; and by it the secrets of the heart are seen , and hidden things searched out , and by it all things are made manifest , and whatsoever makes manifese is light , heb. . . ephes. . . all which the naturall man knows not , and therefore cannot receive the things of god , but by this light is seen and judged ; for by this light the spiritual man is able to discern and judge the natural man , but he himself is judged of no man , cor. . , . for this is the judge of the world , and by this the prince of the air is judged wheresoever he rules , john . . and therefore as it rages , and stirres up his servants to persecute it , where it is made manifest , and so it is a stumbling stone , and a rock of offence to the children of the world , in whom the prince of this world lodgeth , rom. . . and of this word the apostle paul bears witness to be quick and powerfull , and sharper then a two edged sword to the diving asunder betwixt the marrow and the bones , heb. . . to which word the apostle directed the mindes of people within them , from looking without for to finde it without , rom. . and from this same word the apostles spoke forth the scripture , which word was their guide , and rule , and teacher all along from the beginning , by which both the apostles , and prophets , and the holy men was acted , moved , and carried forth in the power of it , to declare that which by it they were taught , john . pet. . . and this is the free grace of god which bringeth salvation , and hath appeared to all men , tit. . , . vvhich is their condemnation who do despite unto it : heb. . . but this was the saints teacher , by which they were taught to deny all ungodliness and worldly lusts , and to live godlily , righteously , and soberly in this present evil world , and this is the anointing , which teacheth all things freely , which is truth , and no lye , and leads into all truth : and he that knows this need no man to teach him , but is come the end of mans teaching , john . . unto which the prophet was come , and therefore called freely , come buy wine and milk without money or price : why spend you your money for that which is not bread , or your labour for that which profiteth not ? isa. . , , . and from this the apostles spoke freely , not coveting any mans silver or gold , but as they freely had received , freely they gave , acts . . and whosoever speaks from this , speaks freely , and its ministry leads to the end of teaching : and here let all flesh keep silence before the lord : zech. . . and let all hirelings , and greedy shepherds stop their mouths , who cry peace , peace , to them that put into their mouthes , but if not , they even prepare warre against them ; and such like the prophet in the light saw , and by it testified against them , mich. . . and all this the scripture bears testimony of , which was spoken from the light , but is not the light , nor the word , nor the life , nor the judge , nor the rule , nor the guide , nor the tryer of spirits , for all this belongs to christ , who is the discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart , heb. . , . who is the light , john . . who is the word , john . . who is the life , john . . who blamed the pharisees , that thought in the scriptures to finde eternall life , but would not come unto him that they might have life , john . , . who is the anointing , who is the guide and teacher , and the rule , john . . who when we are going to the right hand or to the left , cryes , this is the way , walk in it , isa. . . of which the scripture is a true declaration , spoken from this vvord of truth , of which light every one hath a measure , which unto them is the free gift of god , to profit withall ; which light in the conscience reproves for sin and iniquity , and manifests the deceit of the heart , and checks the creature when it swears , or lyes , or doth amiss , telling it that it should not do so , and calls for repentance and amendment of life , and leads unto the same as it is owned and followed , and as many as receives it , receives power to become the sons of god : john . . and . . rom. . . but he that doth evill hates the light , and will not bring his deeds to it , by it to be proved , and to him it is condemnation , but he that loves the light , brings his deeds to the light , that it may manifest them whether they be wrought in god , john . , . but of this light you people and teachers of the vvorld are ignorant , and so are doting upon the scripture without , with your dark mindes there , with the blinde pharisees seeking for life where it is not to be found , but will not come to christ , the light , that you might have life , but would cast him out of his throne , and exalteth scripture above him , calling them the judge , and the light , and the word , and the life , and the rule , and the guide , and thus with your dark mindes , you would take the authority from christ , and would give it unto the dead letter , which is but a declaration of these things . and thus your leaders cause you to erre , isa. . . for their own ends , because of the scripture they make an idoll to get money by adding their own meanings , interpretations , and constructions upon them , which is all the conceivings and imaginations of their own hearts , by which they lead you in blindness , ever learning , and never able to come to the knowledg of the truth in your hearts , but are looking without , doting without in the letter , acting and imitating out of the light for life , and so in darkness doing your own works , which are not required at your hands , but are for condemnation by the light , and so in vain are you worshipping a god whom you know not , crying up his ordinances , and crying up his commands , and crying up the scripture , exalting it in the place of christ , and thus coming neer him with your lips , and your hearts far from him , still living in the corrupt sinful nature , ignorant of the free-grace of god which should lead you to repentance and amendment of life , ephes. . . . and because we doe witness this mystery , which hath been hid from ages and generations , now made manifest in us , which is christ within the hope of glory , col. . , . who is the light of the world , who doth inlighten every one that cometh into the world , who is the true shepherd , iohn . and the true teacher no more to be removed into a corner , isai. . . who is the annoynting , who teacheth all things , and is the end of mans teaching ; therefore your ministery of the letter , who make a trade and a gain of the letter by idolizing it , and setting it up in the room of christ , by taking the authority from christ , and applying it to the letter , that your mindes who are taught by them , may the more be drawn without to look at it , and idolize it , expecting life and salvation by it , and no hope without it , that they may the longer make merchandize of you , and stil uphold their trade , and gain by it , do now see that this our doctrine of christ to bee all in all , and that without him we can do nothing , ioh. . . but that by him we can do all things without the help of scripture , or any thing else without , phil. . . and that there is no other name under heaven by which we can be saved , but that he is able to save to the utmost all that shal come unto god by him , heb. . . and that he is the word , and the scripture is not , and that he is the light , and the scripture is not , and that he is the rule and guide , and teacher and judg , & the scripture is not , but a declaration of him to be so , and that the scripture all along witnesseth with our doctrine to be one with it , and theirs to be another doctrine , which the scripture will not maintain , but the scripture is against , and is onely brought in for lucres sake to satisfie their own carnal ends , that they may bear rule by their means , as the false prophets did before them , ier. . , . and this light all along makes them manifest in all their colours , & false covers , so that they cannot hide themselves from being deceivers ; and also this they do know , that if every one come to know and finde a teacher within them , which doth reach them the will of god , and doth enable them for to obey it , so that they need no man to teach them , then indeed they will no longer spend their monies upon them for that which is not bread , nor their labour for that which profiteth not , and will be a prey unto them no longer ; so not onely their craft and trade , and idol will fail them , but also their great gain and riches will be taken from them , and all their honour , and fame , and dignity will come to nought ; therefore they in their hot rage and fierceness , and enmity of their spirits , do set themselves to oppose this light , wheresoever it is made manifest , and persecuting the publishers of this doctrine , railing against them as deceivers , and seducers , and bringers in of false lights , and such as deny the scripture , and would rob it of its authority , and give it to a light within them ( which the prrests call a naturall light , and insufficient to lead to salvation without the help of scripture and other outward helps , and so would set the scripture above the light of christ , saying among themselves , if we let go the authority of scripture then all is gone ; ( that is to say ) take away our idoll , then take away our maintenance , then down with our ministry : so here is clear the foundation they stand upon : and this is the cause why they call the scripture their foundation ; and so all this authority which they put upon the scripture , they take from christ , who alone is the foundation of the faithfull , of whom the scripture is a declaration , and so we do own it by the same which gave it forth , which unto us doth open it and reveal it , and manifests them to be out of the life of it , and so by the life thereof are judged and condemned , as before is proved . and though they call it the word , yet in the same it doth witness against them , and witness christ to be the word before the scripture was written , john . and though they call the scripture the light , yet in the same it doth witness against them , and witnesseth christ to be the light before the scripture was written , and is able to save to the uttermost all that shall come unto god by him , and they that climb up any other way , the same are thieves and robbers , john . . and therefore is not a natural insufficient light , as they that know him not do report of him , and therefore shew themselves to be as ignorant as the pharisees , who only supposed him to be the son of ioseph , yet wondred at his power , and the works that were done by him , as these do now wonder at the prosperity of this ministration of light , and to see how it prevails upon the hearts of the people , so that they know not what to think of it , they are not able to encounter with it , but that they see it strikes so much at their diana , and lyes so hard at their foundation , so that it makes their building totter , therefore the rulers , priests and pharisees takes counsel together , saying one to another , if we let this people alone , all men will go after them , and they will draw away whole nations : therefore they take the same course as ever the false prophets did , joyning together with the earthly powers to make war with the lamb , persecuting , stocking , whipping , imprison - and shamefully intreating his messengers , whom the lamb sends forth to bear testimony of this light in peoples consciences ( where we have a witness both in them that believe , and in them that perish ) and also striving all the wayes they can , by their evill incensing , lying , raylings , and false accusings and reporting to defame this light , and leaven your mindes against it ( that if it were possible ) to put it out , that stil they might uphold their fathers kingdom of darkness , and bear rule by their means over the blinde , carrying captive the mindes of people , but who is able to make war with the lamb , or who shall withstand the day of his coming ? saul , saul , it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks : and though they call the scripture their rule and guide , yet in this it witnesseth against them to be in cains way , and balaams way , and in the gain-saying , of core , and so have not god , iude . iohn . but are found to be of the generation , who are born after the flesh , persecuting them that are born after the spirit , gal. . . and though they call the scripture their rule and guide , yet they receive not power from it , to inable them to walk according to it , but are altogether erring from it , in any thing that crosseth self , but as many as receive the light , receives power to follow it , and come out of the corrupt sinfull nature , which they live in who know not the light , iohn . . and here the light is above the scripture : and though they say the scripture is the judge and tryer of spirits , yet in the same it witnesseth against them to be lyars , and bears witness of christ to be iudge , and tryer , and searcher of the heart , and discerner of the thoughts , hebr. . . rom. . . pet. . . and that whatsoever makes manifestation , is light , eph : : : therefore that which makes manifest false spirits , is the light and not the letter ; which light manifested and discovered false spirits , before the scripture was written : and also though they say the scripture is the judge and tryer of spirits , yet by the scripture they cannot discern or judge of spirits , else what makes all this difference in judgment amongst them who profess to try spirits by the scripture , and profess it to be their rule , and ground their judgement upon it , yet are so confused in the same , and never a one knows which is the truth , when as the way is but one ; so that it follows that they have nothing but the scripture without , are still without in darkness and confusion , as all those appears to be who call the scripture their rule , and guide , and judge , and tryer of spirits , and yet knows not the truth , but are jangling , and wrangling , and arguing , and disputing , and contending about the scripture , every one with a severall judgment upon it , surely this distraction is not in the scripture , for it was spoken from one , and all agrees in one : therefore you that so profess the scripture , see if you can finde it out by the scripture , and see where you are , but they that are in the light have fellowship one with another , john : : and are of one heart and one soul , acts . : and all agree in one , and are epistles wrote one in anothers heart , cor : : : and by the light they cry and discern false spirits , and in it are able to judge them , and open the scriptures without wresting , adding , or diminishing , and by it do know they are of god , because they love one another with the same love with which christ loved them , ioh. . it is not such love which is to day , and to morrow cross the will and it is turned into wrath and anger ; nay that love stands in the corrupt will ; but this love stands in the bond of peace , which doth indure ; and here again the light is above the scripture , and though they say the light must be received from the scripture , yet in this the scripture doth witness against them , and bears witness of christ to be the light of the world , and doth enlighten every one that cometh into the world ; and they that could never read letter of the book have this light , which is sufficient to teach them and lead them into all truth , after they come to the knowledge of it , and from this light the scripture was spoken , pet. . . and without this light none can read the scripture with understanding , and here the light is before the scripture , and out of it all the children of darkness are shut with their busie mindes and vain contending spirits ; and though they say they must receive life and salvation from the scripture , yet in this the scripture witnesseth against them , and testifies of christ to be the alone fountain of life and salvation , and that there is no other name under heaven by which wee can be saved , psal. . . & . . and that the pharisees had the scripture , yet had not the light , neither could see that he was the christ , though the scripture bare testimony of him , or either would come unto him for life and salvation , but trusted in the scripture , thinking there to find eternall life , and therein found it not , ioh. . . . as all you are now , who are seeking the living among the dead ; and here again the light is above the scripture , which light is within us the hope of glory , coll. . , . and those that cannot witness this , are in the reprobation , though they have the scripture without , cor. . . and from it we receive life and salvation , and from no other ; and this alone is our guide , teacher , judge , and law-giver , if we never see letter , luke . . iohn . . isa. . and this alone is the ground and foundation of our faith and hope , by which we are made able to cry , abba father , cor. . , rom : : : and here it is not self that judgeth or condemns , but christ that liveth in us , gal : : : and it is not self that justifies us , but christ that liveth in us ; and here christ is exalted into his throne , and the scripture owned in its place , without contempt or undervaluing : and they found the ministers of antichrist , who would cast christ out of his throne , and take the scripture out of its place to exalt above him , applying to it that authority which alone belongs unto him for their own by , secret , self-ends , so that in that they apply such authority to the scripture , they in the same rob christ of it , and undervalues him , as the pharisees did , who thought in the scriptures to finde eternal life , but would not come to christ that they might have life , in whose steps ye and your teachers are found professing christ in words , but in life denying him , and therefore must be judged and condemned by him , as they was . and if you priests do alledg , there is a false light as well as a true light , i answer , that is it in you which blinds your mindes so that you cannot conceive this gospell , but from you it is hid , cor. . . . and therefore you bring another gospell , calling the four books matthew , mark , luke and iohn , the gospel ; in which these four books will witness against you , and bear witness of christ to be the gospel , which is the power of god unto salvation ; who is the lamb of god slain from the foundation of the world , who came to take away the sins of the world ; and blessed are they that are not offended in him ; iohn . . and verse . luke . . and also that is a false light in you which leads you into the form , or resemblance , or outward shew of holiness , but denies the life and power , tim. . . and to profess the scripture to be your rule , but in life and practice deny it , and to be short , leads into a profession without possession , but that which leads into the life and power , is no false light , for it leads into the possession before the profession , and so the profession is from the possession , but your profession is from onothers possession , and so boasts in anothers line , by which you beguile both your selves and others , and therefore in that you go about to arm your selves with the scripture , to oppose the light by exalting it above the light , thinking thereby to debase the light , and so to keep peoples mindes from the light , that they may stil remain in darkness and blindness under you . you do but in the same bring a weapon to cut off your own heads , and raise a war to destroy your selves , and increase more light to the people , and manifest your selves odious , & to be the blind guides of the nation ; who are to be denyed and turned away from us ; deceivers to be held as accursed , who bring another doctrine in opposition to the true doctrine which is held forth in the scripture ; for the scripture and the light agrees in one , from both which you are shut with jangling contentious spirits , by which you would wrest the scripture out of its place , to clash against its originall ; thereby to uphold your father antichrists kingdom , & therein do the more manifest your selves to be the ministers of antichrist , who under profession of the true christ , do oppose him and make war with him , . cor. . , , . but your weapons are weak , as is daily made manifest . james parnel . finis . notes, typically marginal, from the original text notes for div a e- tim. . , . isai. . . mat. . . ioh. . . joh. . mat. ● . . , , . ioh. . the temple of vvisdom for the little world in two parts. the first philosophically divine, treating of the being of all beeings, and whence everything hath its origins as heaven, hell, angels, men and devils, earth, stars and elements. and particularly of all mysteries concerning the soul, and of adam before and after the fall. also, a treatise of the four complexions, and the causes of spiritual sadness, &c. to which is added, a postscript to all students in arts and sciences. second part, morally divine, containing abuses stript and whipt, by geo. wither, with his description of fair virtue. secondly. a collection of divine poems from ... essayes and religious meditations of sir francis bacon, knight. collected, published and intended for a general good. by d.l. leeds, daniel, - . approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page images. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; 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(eebo-tcp ; phase , no. a ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, - ; : ) the temple of vvisdom for the little world in two parts. the first philosophically divine, treating of the being of all beeings, and whence everything hath its origins as heaven, hell, angels, men and devils, earth, stars and elements. and particularly of all mysteries concerning the soul, and of adam before and after the fall. also, a treatise of the four complexions, and the causes of spiritual sadness, &c. to which is added, a postscript to all students in arts and sciences. second part, morally divine, containing abuses stript and whipt, by geo. wither, with his description of fair virtue. secondly. a collection of divine poems from ... essayes and religious meditations of sir francis bacon, knight. collected, published and intended for a general good. by d.l. leeds, daniel, - . wither, george, - . abuses stript, and whipt. bacon, francis, - . [ ], , [ ], p. printed and sold by willia [sic] bradford in philadelphia, [philadelphia] : anno . d.l. = daniel leeds. "abuses stript and whipt, by george vvither" has a separate dated title page, separate pagination and register. "essaies and religious meditations of sir francis bacon" has a separate dated title page, lacking printer's name in the imprint. pagination and register are continuous from "abuses stript and whipt, by george vvither". reproduction of the original in the harvard university library. created by converting tcp files to tei p using tcp tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the universities of michigan and oxford and the publisher proquest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by proquest via their early english books online (eebo) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). the general aim of eebo-tcp is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic english-language title published between and available in eebo. eebo-tcp aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the text encoding initiative (http://www.tei-c.org). the eebo-tcp project was divided into two phases. the , texts created during phase of the project have been released into the public domain as of january . anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source. users should be aware of the process of creating the tcp texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data. text selection was based on the new cambridge bibliography of english literature (ncbel). if an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in ncbel, then their works are eligible for inclusion. selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. in general, first editions of a works in english were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably latin and welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so. image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in oxford and michigan. % (or pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet qa standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. after proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of instances per text. any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of tcp data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a tcp editor. the texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level of the tei in libraries guidelines. copies of the texts have been issued variously as sgml (tcp schema; ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf- unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p , characters represented either as utf- unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng christian literature -- early works to . - tcp assigned for keying and markup - apex covantage keyed and coded from proquest page images - tcp staff (oxford) sampled and proofread - apex covantage rekeyed and resubmitted - judith siefring sampled and proofread - judith siefring text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion ●…he temple of vvisd●…m for the little world , in two parts . ●…he first philosophically divine , treating of the being of all bee●…gs , and whence every thing hat●…●…ts origi●… as ●…eaven , hell , angels , men and devils , earth , stars and eleme●…●…articularly of all mysteries concerning the soul , ●…d of adam before and after the fall. also , a treatise of the four complexions , wit●…h 〈◊〉 causes of spiritual sadness , &c. to which is added , a postscript to all students in arts and sciences . second part , morally divine , contai●… abuses stript and whipt by geo. wither , with his discription of fair virtue . ●…econdly . a collection of divine poems ●…om 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , essayes and religious meditations of sir francis bacon , knight . collected , published and intended for a general 〈◊〉 by d. l. printed and sold by willia●… bradford in philadelphia , anno . a few words to the reader , by way of preface my intent is to say little , either of the book it self , or by what impulse i took the pains to ●…mpile and publish it , but rather let nimble time , ●…hat over-runs all things , manifest the effects of both 〈◊〉 so also let it manifest my opponents , which 〈◊〉 been the fate of publick writers heretofore . and lest that in this promiscuous generation of 〈◊〉 this little book might appear as a promiscuous co●…osition of authors , it is there●…ore distinguished ●…n t●… parts . ●…w then as to the first part i say , that most of what ●…he diligent searcher and enquirer shall find dispe●…d in the whole works or writing's of jacob behn he will here find collected , contracted and compr●…d in a little room , it being chiefly the substanti●… or affirmative part that is here delivered and 〈◊〉 the circumstantial ; for otherwise it could not 〈◊〉 contained in so few sheets . for jacob t●…●…hout his writings hath much used tautology 〈◊〉 confesseth , by reason ( as he saith ) of his 〈◊〉 and dull apprehension . 〈◊〉 yet what is here immitted to thy view is his 〈◊〉 and sentences , in his own phrase and 〈◊〉 as i found them dispersed as aforesaid ; for ●…o otherwise durst i deal by him ; god forbid should : only this know , that i have in about half dozen places added a parenthesis instead of ma●…gent , which yet is his own expressions of the sam●… thing else-where , thereby the more unfolding 〈◊〉 matter to the understanding . all which [ considering my many years acquaintance with his writings ] may very well be , notwithstanding the wonderful revelation and deep sight and knowledge 〈◊〉 man had in heavenly mysteries , for in his time t●… eternal day was but , as it were , dawning , and 〈◊〉 day-star beginning to appear ; but now the glori●… sun is arisen and arising , and shines forth ints splendor , and gives a clearer discerni●…g of thigs that differ . not that i boast my self so greatly illumined thereby , or so highly graduated in discerning ●…re than others : o no , i am as subject to be obs●…ed by the clouds of sin and error as other men , an●…am so frail and subject to fall , that no man nee●… the hand of divine protection more than i ; an●…●…ver had more need than now to call to mind and ●…ain a lively sence of the day of my first inward vis●…●…ion , which i once knew , which was a day anguish and sorrow , and that from no extern●… cause , when i sought secret places to bewale my wo●…●…state , because of inward sin ( for no man coul●… outwardly accuse me of evil ) and yet that day , eve●…●…at day of mourning was a day of love and re●…●…oycing , in which i can in truth say , as showers of rain do cause the earths increase , so streams of tears did bring my soul true peace . and in that day of my first love and zeal for holiness , the reading all books was a burthen to ●…me , yea , even the holy scriptures also , and instead of receiving comfort therefrom , i was only wound●…ed in spirit by them , witnessing that saying , the letter kills , but it is the spirit that quickens . but now i shall come to the matters themselves . jacob behme to the doctors and schollars , and readers of his writings . come on ye doctors , if yé are in the right , then give answer to the spirit ; what do you think stood in the place of this world before the time of the world ? ly , out of what do you think the earth and stars came to be ? dly , what is that in man that displeaseth god so much , that he tormenteth and afflicteth man so , being he hath created him ? and thly , that he imputeth sin to man , and condemneth him to eternal punishment ? thly , why hath he created that wherein or wherewith man committeth sin ? thly , what is the cause or the beginning , or the birth and geniture of gods fierce wrath , out of or from which hell and the devil are come to be ? thly , or how comes it that all creatures in this world do bite , scratch , strike beat and worry one another , and yet sin is imputed only to man ? thly , out of what are the venomous and poysonous beasts , and worms and all manner of vermine come to be ? thly , out of what are the holy angels come to be ? thly , what is the soul of man ? and lastly , what is the great god himself , and how is he in love and wrath ? if you can demonstrate that god is not in the stars , elements , earth , men , beasts , worms , leaves and grass , also in heaven and earth ; also , that all this is not god himself , & that my spirit is false and wicked , then i will be the first that will burn my book in the fire , and recall and recant all whatsoever i have written , and will accurse it , and in all obedience willingly submit my self to be instructed by you . i do not say , that i cannot err at all ; for there are some things which are not sufficiently declared , and are described , as it were , from a glimpse of the great god , when the wheel of nature whirled about too swiftly , so that man with his half dead and dull capacity or apprehension cannot sufficiently comprehend it . now it concerns every one that will speak or teach of divine mysteries , that he have the spirit of god , and know in the light of god those matters which he will give forth for true , and not suck or draw them from his own reason , and so without divine knowledge run upon the bare letter in his opinion , and drag the scriptures ( as it were ) by the hair of the head , to prove it , as is usually done by reason . from this , so exceeding many errors are arisen , in that the divine knowledge hath been sought in mens own wit and art , and so men are drawn from the truth of god in their own reason . and though i search sublimely and deep , and shall set it down very clearly , yet this must be said to the reader , that without the spirit of god it will be a mystery to him and hidden from him : therefore let every one take heed how he judgeth , that he fall not into the judgment of god. every one will not understand my writings according to my meaning and sense , but every one according to his gift for his benefit , one more than another , according as the spirit hath its property in him . for the spirit of god is often subject to the spirits of men , if they will that which is good or well , and seeth or looketh af●…er what man willeth , that his good work be not hindred , but that every where above all , gods will or willing , or desiring be done . of the two qualities in one . tvvo qualities , a good one , and an evil one , are in one another , as one thing in this world , in all powers in the stars and the elements , as also in all the creatures ; and no creature in the ●…esh in the natural life can subsist , unless it hath the two qualities * . for from the two fold source every thing hath its great mobility running , springing , driving and growing ; for meekness in nature is a still rest , but the fierceness in every power maketh all things moveable , running and generative ; for the driving qualities cause a lust in all creatures to evil and good . . in every creature in this world is a good and evil will and source , which is caused by [ or proceedeth from the stars ; for as the creatures in the earth are in the●…r qualities , so are the stars ; there is nothing in nature wherein there is not good and evil in men , beasts , fowls , fishes , worms , and in all that which is upon the earth , or in the earth , or gold , silver , copper , tinn , lead , iron , vvood , herbs and grass in the earth , in stones , in t●…e vvater , and all whatsoever can be thought upon : eve●… thing moveth and liveth in this double impulse working or operation , be it what it will. . but the holy angels , and fierce wrathful devils are here to be excepted ; the holy angels live and qualifie in the light and meekness in the good quality , but the devils live and reign in the fierce wrathful quality in fierceness , destruction and perdition . . and though moses writes , i am an angry zealous god ; yet the meaning of it is not that god is angry in himself , and that there ariseth a ●…ire of anger in the holy trinity : no , that cannot be , for it is written against those that hate me : in that same creature the fire of anger riseth up . for if god should be angry in himself , then the whole nature would be on fire , which will come once to pass in the last day in nature , and not in god. but in god the triumphing joy will burn ; it was never otherwise from eternity , nor will it ever be otherwise . . now the elevating , springing , triumphing joy in god , maketh heaven triumphing and moveable , and heaven maketh the stars and elements moveable , and the stars and the elements make the creatures moveable ; out of the powers of god are the heavens proceeded , out of the heavens are the stars , out of the stars are the elements , out of the elements are the earth , and the creatures come to be . thus all had its beginning , even to the angels and devils , which before the creation of heaven , stars and the earth , were proceeded out of the same power , out of which the heaven , the stars & the earth were proceeded . now hell and the dark world , or the anger of god , is a gulf of desperation , devoid of the hope of god , and all good , it is the first ground to the eternal nature , the place is between the kingdom of god and this world , and maketh a peculiar principal dwelling in it self , and hath neither place nor local abode , and is every where inhabiting it self only , and yet it giveth essence to the light and outward 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is , it is the cause of the source , viz. the fire 〈◊〉 the whole beeing of all god's beeings . . in the darkness he is an ang●…●…ealous god , in the fire spirit a consuming ●…ire , and 〈◊〉 the light ●…he is a merciful loving ●…od , and in the power of the light he is , especially above all other pro●…rties called god , and yet 't is all but god manifested●… who manifesteth himself through the eternal na●…ure in ingredient properties . . the essence of this vvorld 〈◊〉 in evil and good , and the one cannot be with●…t the other . but this is the great iniquity of this ●…vorld , that the evil over powereth the good , that 〈◊〉 anger is stronger then the love , and this by re●…n of the sin of the devils and men , who have dist●…bed nature by the false desire , that it mightily and effectually worketh in the wrath as a poyson in the body . vve see very clearly , that there is nothing in this vvorld so evil , but it hath a good in it ; the good hath its rise originally out of the heavenly property , or light vvorld , and the evil hath its property , out of the dark vvorld , for both vvorlds are in each other as one . of the seven forms or properties of the eternal nature which make three principles or vvorlds . i. form astringent , desire . it is the beginning of the eternal nature ; the cause of essences , as also of harshness , sharpness , hardness , cold and substance ●…a mother of all salts . ii. form bitter , compunctive . the motion of the desire , it cutteth asunder the hardness and attracted desire , the true root of life , a cause of the stirring , so also of the senses , and the ground of the bitter pain . iii. form anguish , perceivance . it is a cause of the mind , wherein the senses are moved and acted , the ground of the natural vvill , wherein the eternal vvill desireth to be manifested , that is , it will be a fire or light ; in these three first properties consisteth the foundation of anger , and of hell , and of all that is wrathful . iv. fire , spirit , reason , desire . in the fire the unity appeareth , and is seen in the light , that is in a burning love ; and the wrath in the essence of fire . in fire and light consisteth the life of all things [ viz. in the will thereof ] let them be ●…nsensible , vegetable or rational things , every thing as the fire hath its ground , either from the eternal , as the soul , or from the temporary , as astral elementary things ; for the eternal is one fire , and the temporary is another . v. form , light , love. this property is the ●…ire of love , or world of power and light , which in the darkness dwelleth in it self , and the darkness comprehendeth it not ; in the light the eternal unity is substantial , that is , an holy spiritual fire , an holy light , an holy air , which is nothng else but spirit , also an holy water , which is the over-flowing love of the unity of god , and an holy earth , which is all powerful virtue and working : it is the true spiritual , angelical world of the divine joy , which is hidden in this visible world . vi. form , sound , voice , word . proceeding from the divine powers , which is formed in the love ; the sound is the understanding , wherei●… all the properties understand one another . vii . form , essence , beeing , mansion . this seventh property is rightly and truly called the ground or place of nature , wherein the other properties stand in one only ground , the contents of the other six , in which they work as the life doth in the flesh , also it is a food of the fire , where the fire draweth essence for its sustenance , wherein it burneth , and the seventh is the kingdom of the divine glory . not that the seventh property is the tincture , but it is the body of it ; the power and virtue of the fire and light is the tincture in the substantial body . it is especially to be noted , that alwayes the first and seventh properties are accounted for one , and the second and sixth , also the third and fifth , and the fourth is only the dividing , mark or bound . and yet all seven are but one ; the last is the body of the first ; they are altogether only the manifestation of god , according to love and anger , eternity and time. in the desire is the original of darkness , and in the fire the eternal unity is made manifest with the light in the fiery nature . out of the fiery property , and the property of the light , the angels and souls have their original . the darkness becometh substantial in it self , and the light becometh also substantial in the fiery desires ; these two make two principles , viz. god's anger in the darkness , and god's love in the light , each of them worketh in it self , and there is only such a difference between them , as between day and night , and yet both of them have but one only ground , and the one is alwayes a cause of the other . the visible world is the third principle , that is , th●… third ground and beginning , this is out-breathed out of the inward ground , viz. out of both the first principles , and brought into the nature and ●…orm of a creature . but according to the manifestation of the trinity of god , there are but three properties of nature , the first is the desire , which belong●…th to god the ●…ather , yet it is only a spirit ; but in the seventh property the desire is substantial . the second is the divine power and virtue , and belongeth to god the son ; in the second property it is only a spirit , but in the sixth it is the substantial power and virtue . the third belongeth to the holy ghost , and in the beginning of the third property , it is only a fiery spirit , but in the fifth property the g eat love is manifested therein . now these are the seven properties in one only ground , and all seven are equally eternal , without beginning ; none of them can be accounted the first , second third or last , but are equally eternal . we must represent this in a typical way , that it may be understood , how the one is born of the other . the ☿ seven forms of spirits , mentioned revelations chap. . . dark world , a similitude of it is a candle . ♄ ☽ i. harsh , desiring will. ☿ ♃ ii. bitter or stinging . ♂ ♀ iii anguish till the flash of fire . . fire world , a similitude of it is the fire of a candle . ☉ iv. fire dark fire . light fire . . light world , a similitude of it is the light of a candle . ♀ ♂ v. light or love , whence the vvater of eternal life floweth . ♃ ☿ vi. noise , sound mercury . ☽ ♄ vii . substance or nature . the first principle . the dark world , or fire of wrath , hence god the father is called an angry zealous ●…eal . us god , and a con●…ming fire . the second princple . the light world , or fire of love , hence god the son , the word ; the heart of god is called a loving and merciful god. the third principle . this world of four elements , which is produced out of the two inward vvorlds [ above said ] and is a glass of them , wherein light and darkness , good and evil are mixt , it is not eternal , but hath a beginning and an end . of god the father , son , and holy ghost . when we consider the whole nature , and its property , then we see the father . when we behold 〈◊〉 and the stars , then we behold his eternal power and wisdom . so many stars as stand in the whole heaven , which are incomprehensible to reason ; so manisold and various is the power and ●…visdom of god the father . if a man would liken the father to any thing , he should liken him to the round globe of heaven . thou must not conceive here that the very power , which is in the father standeth in a peculiar severed part or place in the father , as 〈◊〉 stars do in heaven . no , but the spirit sheweth that all t●…e powers in the father are one in another as one power . vvhen i think with my self what is many hundred thousand miles above the siary firmament , i find the eternal , unchangeable unity is there , the only eternal god , or that only good , which a man cannot express — his immensenses●…●…ighth and depth no creature , no , not any angel in heave●… can search into it . but the angels live in the power of the father very meekly , and full of joy , and they alwayes sing in the power of the father . in the fire god is called an angry god ; but in the ligh●… or love-fire , he is called the holy god ; and in the dark nature he is not called god. vve must make distinction , each world hath its principle and dominion : and indeed all is from one eternal original ; but it severizeth it self in a twofoid source ; a similitude whereof we have in the fire and light , where the ●…ire is painful and consuming , and the light , meek and giving : and yet one were as nothing without the other . of god the son. you must not think that the son is another god then the father , or that he is without or besides the father . no , the father and son are not of such a substance ; he is eternally in the father , he is the heart in the father , and the father generateth him continually from eternity to eternity , and the father and son is one god , of an equal beeing in power and omnipotence . now the heaven and stars , and the whole deep between the stars signifie the father — and the seven planets signifie the seven spirits of god , or the princes of the angels , among which lord lucifer was one before his fali ; which all were made out of the father in the beginning of the creation of angels , before the time of this vvorld . now as the sun standeth in the midst betwixt the stars , ●…nd the earth , enlightning all powers , and is the light and heart of all powers , and is all the joy in this vvorld — even so the son of god in the father , is the heart in the father , and shineth in all the powers of the father , his power is the moving springing joy in all the powers of the father , and shineth in the whole father as the sun doth in the whole vvorld . of god the holy ghost . the holy ghost proceedeth from the father and the son , and is the third self-subsisting person in the deity : as ●…he elements in this world go forth from the sun and stars , and are the moving spirit , which is in every thing in thi●… world : so the holy ghost is the moving spirit in the whole father , and goeth forth from eternity to eternity continually from the father and son , and replenisheth the whole father ; he is nothing less or greater then the father and son. here we cannot say with any ground , that god is three persons ; but he is three fold in his eternal generation , b●… begetteth himself in trinity , having three manner of workings , and yet but one only essence , as may be seen i●… the over-flown power and virtue in all things , but it is especially represented to us in fire , light and air , which are three several sorts of working●… , and yet but in one ground and substance . and as we see that fire , light and air arise from a candle [ though the candle be none of the three , but a cause of them ] so likewise the eternal unity is the cause and ground of the eternal trinity , which manifesteth it self from the unity , and bringeth forth it self in ( first ) desire or will , which is the father ; secondly , pleasure or delight , which is the son ; and thirdly , proceeding or out-going , which is the holy ghost . of the creation of the holy angels : and how an angel and a man is the image of god. the powers in god do operate or qualifie in that manner as in nature , in the stars and elements , or in the creatures — no , you must not conceive it so , for lord lucifer in his elevation made the powers of impure nature thus burning , bitter , cold , astringent , sower , dark and unclean . but in the father all powers are mild , soft , like heaven , very full of joy ; for all the powers triumph in one another . the quality of the vvater is not of such a condition or man●…er in god as it is in this world . the bitter quality qualifieth in the sweet astringent , or ●…arsh and sower quality , and the love riseth up from eternity to eternity . as all the powers of god the father rise up from eternity to eternity ; so all the powers rise up also in an angel and a man into the head ; ●…or higher they cannot rise , for they are but creatures , which have a beginning ●…nd an●… end — and in the head is the divine council-s●…t or throne , and it signifieth god the father . and the five senses are the counsellors which have their influences out of the whole body out of all powers . now the five senses always sit in council in the power of the whole body , and when the council's decree is concluded , then the compacted or concruted judge speaketh it out into its centre or midst of the body , as a word into the heart ; for that is the fountain of all powers , from which also it taketh its rise . now it standeth there in the heart , as a self-subsisting person , composed out of the powers , and is a vvord and signifieth god the son ; and now it goeth ou●… from the heart into the mouth , on to the tongue , which is the sharpness , and that so sharpneth it , that it sendeth sorth , and is distinguished according to the five senses . from what quality soever the vvord taketh its original in , that quality it is thrust forth upon the tongue , and the power of the destruction or di●…erence goeth sorth from the tongue , and that 〈◊〉 the holy ghost . the mouth signifieth that thou art an unalmighty son of thy father , whether thou art an angel or a man ; for through the mouth thou must draw into thee the power of thy father if thou wilt live . an angel must do so as well as a man , though indeed he needs not to use the element of air in that manner as a ●…an doth ; 〈◊〉 he must a 〈◊〉 into himself , through the 〈◊〉 , the spirit , from which the air of this world 〈◊〉 . for in heaven there is no such air , but the qualities are very meek and joyful , like a pleasant cheering breath of wind. and this the angel also must make use of , or else he cannot be a moveable creature ; for 〈◊〉 must also eat of the heavenly fruit through the mouth . thou must not understand this in an earthly manner , for an angel hath no guts , neither flesh nor bones , but is constituted and composed by the divine power , in the shape , form and manner of a man , and hath all members like man , except the members of generation and the fundament , or go●…ng out of the dross ; neither hath an angel need of these . for man got his members of generation first in his doleful and lamentable fall . an angel sendeth forth nothing but the divine power , which he taketh in at the mouth , wherewith he kindleth his heart , and the heart kindleth all the members , and that he sendeth forth from himself again at the mouth when he speaketh and praiseth god. but the heavenly fruits which he eateth are not earthly ; and though they are of such a form and shape as the earthly are , yet they are meer divine power . indeed it is most certain and true , that there are all manner of fruits , plants and flowers in heaven , as in this world , and not meerly types and shadows : as the angels are , so are the vigitation and fruits , all from the divine power . these heavenly sprouts and springings thou must not wholly liken to this world ; for there are two qualities in this world , a good and an evil , and many things grow through the power of the evil quality , which doth not so in heaven . for heaven hath but one form or manner , nothing groweth there which is not good ; only lord lucifer hath deformed and dressed this world in that manner . of the place and government of angels . when god almighty had decreed in his counse●… that he would make angels and creatures ou●… of himself , then he made at first three kingly governments or dominions answerable to the number of the holy trinity , and each kingdom had the order or ordinance power and quality of the divine beeing . first , prince michael , signifieth the great strength and power of god , and is created according to god the father , that circumference , or space region , or province , wherein he and his angels are created , is his kingdom which is above the created heaven . secondly , prince lucifer this high and mighty glorious beautious king lost his right name in the fall . he was created according to the quality , beauty and condition of god the son , and was bound to and united with him in love , and his heart also stood in the centre of light , as if he had been god himself , and his beauty and brightness well transcended all . for his circumference conception or chiefest mother was the son of god — his court , province , place or region wherein he dwelt with his whole army or company , and wherein he is become a creature , and which was his kingdom , is the created heaven , and this world wherein we dwell with our king jesus christ. for our king sitteth in divine omnipotence , where king lucifer did sit , and on the kingly throne of expulsed lucifer , and the kingdom of king lucifer is now become his . o prince lucifer ! how dost thou relish that ? lucifer had still been an angel , if his own will had not introduced him into the pires might , desiring to domineer in the strong fiery might . thirdly , uriel is a gracious aimable blessed prince and king , he hath his name from the flash , or going forth of the light , which signifieth rightly god the holy ghost . for as the holy ghost goeth forth from the light. and formeth , figureth , and imageth all , and reigneth in all ; such also is the power and gracious aimable blessedness of a cherubim , who is the king and heart of all his angels , that is , when his angels do but behold him , they are all then affected and touched with the will of their king. these three kingdoms together contain such a deep . as is not of any human number , nor can be measured by any thing ; yet you must know , that these three kingdoms have a beginning and end ; but that god that hath made these three kingdoms out of himself , is infinite and hath no end . and the three kingdoms are circular , round about the son of god , neither of them is further or nearer to the son of god , for the one is equally as near about the son of god as the other . from this fountain , and from all the powers of the father goeth forth the holy ghost , together with the light and power of the son of god , in and through all angelical kingdoms or dominions , and without , beyond , and besides all the angelical kingdoms , which no angel or man is able to search or dive into . neither have i any purpose to consider of it furthermuch less to write ; but my revelation reacheth even into the three kingdoms , like an angelical knowledge . here you must know , that the angels are not all of one quality , neither are they equal or alike one to another in power and might : indeed every angel hath the power of all the seven qualifying or fountain spirits . but in every one there is somewhat of one quality more predominant and strong then another , and according to that quality he is glorified also . as the flowers in the meadows do every one receive their colour from their qualities , and are named also according to their qualities ; so are the holy angels also but the king is the heart of all the qualities , and hath his court or residence in the midst or centre , like a ●…ountain ; and as the sun standeth in the midst among the planets , and is king of the stars , and the heart of nature in this world , so great also is a cherubim or king of angels . vve are not to understand , that the holy angels dwell only above the stars without the place of this vvorld : indeed they dwell without the dominion and source of this world . but in the place of this world ; a●…eit there is no place in eternity , the place of this world , and also the place without this world is all one to them . vve men see not angels and devils with our eyes , and yet they are about us , and among us , the reason is because they dwell not in the source and dominion of our world . vve understand that evil and good angels dwell near to one another . and yet there is the greatest immense distance [ between them ] for the heaven is in hell and the hell is in heaven , and yet the one is not manifest to the other ; and although the devil should go many millions of miles , desir●…ng to enter into heaven , and to see it , yet he would be still in hell , and not see it ; also the angels see not the darkness , for their sight is meer light of divine power ; and the devils sight is meer darkness of god's anger : the like also is to be understood of the saints , and again of the vvicked . their agillity or nimbleness is as swift as the thoughts of a man : yea as the divine power it self is , yet one angel is mo●…e swift then another , and that answerable according to their quality — now upon the seventh spirit of god their foot doth stay , which is solid like a cloud , and clear and bright as a christaline sea , where they walk upward and downward which way soever they please . in that seventh spirit also riseth up the heavenly 〈◊〉 and colours , and whatsoever is apprehensible . antiquity hath represented the angels in picture . lik●… men with wings ; but they have no need of any wings , yet they have hands and ●…eet as men have but after a heavenly manner and kind — at the day of the resurrection from the dead , there will be no difference between angels and men , they will be of one and the same kind of form , and our king christ clearly testifieth the same ; to whom shall i liken the angels , they are like to little children that walk in the fields among the howers , and pluck them , and make curious garland of them ; they take one another by the hand , and walk together , and rejoyce together . here is nothing but a cordial , meek and gentle love. a friendly courteous discourse , a gracious , aimable and blessed society , where the one always delighteth to see the other , and to honour one another . they know of no malice , cunning subtilty or deceit , but the divine fruits and pleasant loveliness is common among them . and know , that we speak from a true ground , and not from conjecture , that god created angels and men to his own joy. of the mystery of the creation , and of the outward world. seeing the prince of the hierarchies [ when he sate in the heavenly essence in the rest ] did fall , and aspired for the centre of the eternal nature , he was cast into the darkness , and god by his motion created him another prince out of this place [ but without divine understanding ] for a ruler in the essence , and that is the sun. from this place proceeded in the divine motion the seven properties of nature [ understand the planets ] which govern the essential beeing in good and evil [ in which [ essence ] lucifer sat , and whence he was cast ] and lost his dominion in the essence . now observe . the sun hath its own royal place to it self , and doth not go away from that place where it came to be at first ; as some suppose , that it runneth round about the globe of the earth in a day and a night , and some of the astrologers also write so : here i shall have adversaries enough that will be ready to censure me , and say , astrologers understand it better , wh●…●…ave writ of such matters ; andthey will look upon this great opening as a cow looks upon a new barn-door . but that i write otherwise then astrologers in some things , i do it not out of supposition , doubting whether it be so or no : i dare make no doubt herein , neither can any man instruct me herein : i have not my knowledge by study . now this opinion or supposition is not right , but the earth roveth [ or turneth ] it self about , and runeth with the other planets as in a wheel round about the sun : th●… earth doth not remain staying in one place , but runeth round in a year once about the sun , as the other planets [ viz. venus and mercury ] that are next the sun ; but saturn and jupiter , as also mars , by reason of their great orb cir●…umference , cannot do it , because they stand so high above , and far distant from the sun. the other planets are peculiar bodies of their own , which have a corporeal propriety of themselves , and are not bound to any fixed place , but only to their circles , orb or sphere , wherein they run their course ; but the sun is not such a body , but is only a place or locality kindled by the light of god. understand : the place where the sun is , is such a place as you may chuse or suppose any where above the earth , and if god should kindle the light by the heat , then the whole world would be such a meer sun , for the same power where the sun standeth is every where all over , and before the time of wrath it was every where all over the place of this world , as light as the sun is now , bu●… not so intolerable . for that heat was not so great as in the sun , and therefore the light also was very meek — so that man should not dare to say , that the sun is an open gate of the l●…ght of god , but is as the light in a man's eye , whereas also the place of the eye belongs to the body , but the light is distinct from the body . the stars are 〈◊〉 powers of the seven spirits of god , for when the 〈◊〉 of god was kindled by the devil in this world , then the ●…ole house of this world , in nature , or the outermost birth or geniture , was as it were benumed or chilled in death , from whence the earth and stones came to be . the stars are arisen or proceeded out of the kindled house of god's wrath , for the whole house is ●…enumed in death as the earth is , whence the stars also subsist in wrath and love. before the times of the created heavens , ●…he stars and elements , and 〈◊〉 the creation of angels , there was no such wra●…h of god , no death , no devil , no earth nor stones , neither any stars , but the dei●…y generated it self very meekly and lovingly , and formed , ●…gured and framed it self in ideas , shapes and images , which were incorporated 〈◊〉 to the qualifying or fountain spirits in the generating . of the earth , &c. the earth is come from the corrupt saliter of the outermost birth or geniture — for on the first day god drove together [ or compacted ] the corrupt saliter which came to be so in the kindling of ●…he wrath. in this driving 〈◊〉 , or compaction of the corrupt wrath s●…liter , was king luc●…r also as an impotent prin●…e , together with ●…is a●…ls driven into the hole of the wrathsaliter , into that place where the outward half dead comprehensibility is generated which is the place or space , in , upon , & above the earth up to the nature goddess the moon — so far reacheth their extent now ●…ill the last day , and then they will get a house in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 where the earth now is and 〈◊〉 [ that is in the 〈◊〉 birth in the darkness ] and this will be called the ●…urning h●…ll . for nature w●… very 〈◊〉 and thin , or transparent , and all stood meerly in power , and was in a very pleasant ho●… temper ; but as soon as 〈◊〉 fight began in nature with 〈◊〉 proud devil , nature got a two-fold source , and the outer most birth or geniture in nature was kindled in the wra●… fire , which is called the wrath of god , or the burning hel●… but now when this was done , the deep became clear , an●… with the hidd●…n or concealed heaven , th●… light was seperate from the darkness , and the globe of the earth in the grea●… wheel of nature , was roled or turned once about , and th●… p●…ssed the time of one revolution , or of one day . in the duration of the second day began the sharp 〈◊〉 tion , and the incomprehensible 〈◊〉 between the wra●…h an●… the love or light was made : and so king lucifer sirmly strongly , or fast bolted up into the house of darkness , and wa●… reserved to the final judgment . and so also the water of life was separated from the water of death , yet in that manner as that they hang to gether in this time of the world as body and soul , and 〈◊〉 neither of them comprehend the other ; the firmament is th●…●…liff or gulf between time and eternity . but that god calleth it heaven , and maketh a division of the waters gives us to understand , that heaven is in the world and the world is not in heaven , the vvater above the firmament is in heaven , and the vvater under the firmament is the external material water ; the palpable water is death , and the impalpable is the life . moses saith , god created heaven and earth , and all creatures in six days , and rested on the seventh ; yet god needed no rest for he hath wrought from eternit●… , and he is a meer working power and virtue ; the understanding li●…th ●…idden in those words ; could not 〈◊〉 ●…ve made all his works in one day ? neither can we properly say , there was any day before the sun was ; for in the deep there is but one day [ in all . ] therefore the meaning lieth hidden ; 〈◊〉 understandeth by each days workings , the manifestation of the seven properites : for 〈◊〉 saith , in the beginning god created h●… and ●…arth this visible world is sprung from the spiritual world , and is only an effluence of the seven properties , for it , proceedeth out of the six working properties , but in the seventh [ that is in paradise ] it is in rest , and that ●…s the eternal sabboth of rest , wherein the divine ●…ower and virtue resteth ; for the seventh day was the ●…rue paradise [ understand it spiritually . ] that is the tincture of the divine power and virtue , ●…hich is a temperament ; this pi●…rced through properties , and wrought in the seventh , that is in the substance of all the other . now it may be asked , why did not god bolt up the devil instantly , and then he had not done so much mischief ? answer ; this was gods purpose , and that must stand , which is , he would re-edifie out the corrupted nature of the earth , or build again to himself an ange●…ical host or army , viz. a true body , which should subsist eternally in god — it was not god's intention at all to let the devil have the whole ●…arth for an eternal dwelling-house ; but only the death and fierceness of the earth , which the devil had brought into it . now if he should have instantly left it to the devil for an eternal dwelling house , then out of that place a new body could not have been built : now what sin had that space , place or room , committed against god , that it should stand in eternal shame ? sure none : and therefore that was unequal to be so . also the purpose of god was to make a curious excellent host or army out of the earth , and all manner of images , ideas and ●…orms : for in and upon that all should spring , and generate themselves a new , as we see in minerals , oars , stones , trees herbs and grass , and all manner of beasts after a heavenly ●…orm — and though these imagings were transitory , being they were not pure before god , yet god would in the end of this time extract and draw forth the heart and the kernal out of the new birth or geniture , and seperate it from wrath and d●…ath . but the death of the earth , and the vvrath there in should be lord lucifer's eternal house , after the accomplishment of the new birth or geniture , 〈◊〉 the mean while lord lucifer should lie captive in the darkness in the deep above the earth ; and there he is now , and may very shortly expect his portion . of the divine manifestation . god is the eternal immense incomprehensible unit●… , which manifesteth it self , in it self , from eternity to eternity , by the trinity , and is ●…ather , son and holy ghost in a three-fold working . the first effluence and manifestation of this trinity is the eternal vvord or out-speaking of the divi●…e power and virtue — the first out-spoken substance from the power is the divine vvisdom , which is a substance wherein the power worketh . the angels and the soul proceed from god's essences from the whole tr●…e , the angels from two principles ; and the soul with the body of the outward life from three principles ; and therefore man is higher then the angels , if he continue in god. the inward eternal working is hidden in the visible world , and it is in every thing , and through every thing , yet not to be comprehended by any thing in the things own power ; the outward powers and virtues are but the passive , and the house in w●…ich the inward do work . all the other worldly creatures are but the substance of the outward world , but man , who is created both out of time and eternity , out of the beeing of all beeings , and made an image of the divine manifestation . the eternal manifestation of the divine light is called the kingdom of heaven , and the habitation of the holy angels and souls . the fiery darkness is called 〈◊〉 , or god's anger , wherein the devils dwell together with the damned souls . in the place of this world heaven and hell are present every where , but according to the inward ground . inwardly the divine working is manifest in god's children ; but in the vvicked , the working of the painful darkness . the place of the eternal paradise is hidden in this world , in the inward ground , but manifest in the inward man , in which god's power and virtue worketh . there shall perish of this world only the four elements , together with the stary heaven , and the earthly creatures , 〈◊〉 . the outward gross life of all things . the inward power and virtue of every substance remain●… eternally . of man , who is made after the image and similitude of god. the whole body , with all its parts , signifie heaven and earth . the inward hallowness in the body of man , with the wind-pipe and artaries , wherein the air qualifieth or operateth , signifieth the deep betwixt the stars and the earth , wherein fire , air and water qualifie in an elementary manner , and so the war●…th of the air and water qualifie also in the wine-pipe and arteries , as they do in the deep above the earth . the flesh signifieth the earth , and is also from the earth — the blood signifieth the water , and is from the water — the breath signifieth the air , and is also air. the veins signifie the powerful flowings out from the stars , and are also the powerful out-goings of the stars ; for the stars , with their power , reign in the veins , and drive forth the form , shape and condition of men . the entrals or guts signifie the operation of the stars , or their consuming of all that which is proceed ed from their power ; for whatsoever themselves hav●… made , that they consume again , and remain st●…ll 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ●…eir virtue and power ; and so the guts also are the ●…onsuming of all that which man thrusteth and stuffeth into his guts , even all whatsoever groweth from the power of the stars . the heart in man signifieth the heat , or the element of fire , and it is also the heat ; for the heat in the whole body hath its original in the heart . the feet signifie near , and afar off : for near and ●…far off are all one in god ; and so man by means of his feet can come and go near , and afar off ; let him be where he will , he is in nature neither near nor afar off , for in god these are one thing . the hands signifie god s omnipotence : for as god in nature can change all things , and make of them what he pleaseth , so man also can with his hands change all that which is grown in nature , and can make with his hands out of them what he pleaseth : he ruleth with his hands the work , and being of the whole nature , and so they very well signifie the omnipotence of god. the whole body to the neck signifieth the round circle or sphere of the stars , as also the deep within or between the stars , wherein the planets and elements reign . the head signifieth heaven , it containeth the five senses , viz. seeing , hearing . smelling , tasting , and feeling , wherein the stars and elements qualifie , and therein existeth the syderial , or heavenly stary or astral and natural spirit in men and beasts ; in this , floweth forth good and evil , for it is the house of the stars . such power the stars borrow from heaven , that they 〈◊〉 make in the flesh a living and moving spirit in man ●…nd beast . the moving of the heaven maketh the 〈◊〉 moveable , and so the head also maketh the body ●…oveable . note , the syderial body is the highest , excepting the divine in man ; the elemental body is only its servant or dwelling-house , as the four elements are onl●… a body or habitation of the dominion of the stars . the elemental spirit and body is inanimate , and void of understanding , it hath only lust and desire in it●… vegetation is its right life : the inward light , and power of the light , giveth in man the right divine understanding : but there is no right divine apprehension in the syderial spirit : the syderial body dwelleth in the elemental , as the light world in the darkness , it is the true rational life of all creatures . of the first man adam , before , and after the fall. all things of this world have a two-fold body , viz. an elemental , from the fire , air , water and earth , and a spiritual body from the asirum ; and likewise a two-fold spirit , the one astral , the other elemental . man only among all the earthly creatures hath a three-fold body and spirit ; for he hath also the internal spiritual world in him , which is likewise two-fold , viz●… light and darkness , and also corporeally and spiritually this spirit is the soul , but this ●…ody is from the vvater of the holy element , which dyed in adam , that is , disappeared as to his life . now when god created the earth , he founded its time when he would keep the judgment , and sever the evil from the good , and give the evil for an habitation to the apostate prince ; but being the good in the occluse earth was without heavenly creatures [ seeing its prince was cast out ] god created adam another hirarch out of this good ens , to be a ruler of this place , and hence came the devil's envy against man , and all good creatures of this world . the first free-will which was breathed into adam , was good ; indeed it was both from god's love and anger , viz. from the centre of the eternal pregnatress of the eternal spiritual nature ; but it had the unde●…standing in it to rule and govern it self , so as it might stand and sub●…st eternally . but the crafty distemper or infection , introduced by the devil , was in the ●…ns of the earth , whence [ or whereof ] adam●… outward body was framed : into this earthly ●…ns the d●…vil brought his desire by the serpents cr●…fty e●…s . so that the lubet arose in the ens of the body . whereinto the first free-will of the inspired soul e●…tred , and assumed the lubet of the body , and introduced this lubet into a desire or substance . and out of this substance another self-ful vvill did now arise viz. a b●…stard , a false serpent-child ; and this b●…stard a●…am did originally propagate to his eve , and eve to her so●… cain , and so one man to another ; thu●… we have now in this earthly ●…lesh this same false will , proce●…ded from the serpent's substance , whereunto the devil intro●…th his d●…sire , and tempteth us , and co●…tinually mak●…th us lust and long after the devilish property , viz. pride , 〈◊〉 , e●…vy and anger . thus the devil rideth in and upon body and soul [ of man ] but now the ●…irst in●…roduced free-will which , god ●…reathed into adam , lieth yet in all m●…n . for it is the true real soul , the centre of the fire and light , a spark of the divine power and om●…ipotence , but wholly hem●…d in , and cap●…ivated in this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . for prince luc fer by his false imagination had tainted the limus of the earth before the comp●…ction [ or crea●…n ] it was the place of his hirarchies ; now the ou●…ward body of m●…n was ●…ken out of the limus of the earth , in the verbum fiat , and formed ac●…rding to the property of the hum●…n life , which was in the word . thus adam'●… fl●…sh was half earthly , and half heavenly , wh●…nce he lusted 〈◊〉 the comm●… and vvill of god : this is , as paul saith . the flesh lusteth against the spirit , and the spirit against the ●…lesh — adam's spirit also ●…y the imagination hath brought a power into the earth , and so the matrix of nature gave him what he would have . he must be tempted to try whether he would stand an angel instead of lucifer ; and therefore god created him not barely an angel , so that if he should fall , and not stand , ●…e might help him : so that he might not perish in the fierce wrath , as lucifer did , there●…ore he was created out of matter , and his spirit introduced into the matter , viz. into a sulpher of water and fire , that god might again exgene●…ate a new life unto him , as a fair pleasant smelling blossom springing out of the earth . for god saw very well , according to the property of hi●… wrath , that man would fall , but he would bring him again through , and in the name jesus , through the corruptibl●… death into the royal kingdom , whence lueifer was fallen , in whose stead the man christ , god and man in one person , should sit as hirarch , high-priest , or the great prince of men . ●…oor man did not fall out of a resolved purposed will but through the poysonous venomous infection of the devil else there ●…ad been no remedy for him . neither hath ma●… brought the maligni●…y and venom into the birds , ●…easts . worms , stones , vegetables , and all creatures , bu●… lucifer hath made the house of love to be a house of eternal enmity , the house of light to be a house of darkness , &c. otherwise , if man had brought malignity and wrath into all creatures , then he could never have looked for mercy at god's hands , no more then the devil . adam did not desire to prove the first principle , as lucifer had done , but his lust was only bent to taste , to prove evi●… and good , viz. the vanity of the earth , the ou●…ward soul was awakened , so that the hunger entred into its mother , where from it was drawn , and introduced into another source . and when this hunger entred to eat of evil and good , then the desire in the ●…ait drew forth the tree of temptation , and set it before adam , then came the severe command from god — thou shalt not eat of the tree of the knowledges of good and evil , in that day thou eatest there of thou shalt dye the death . but that moses saith , the tree of life stood in the midst of the garden ; and presently next after setteth down and the tree of knowledge of good and evil : here lieth the vail before moses his eyes , and the earthly sinful man cannot behold him . the precious pearl lieth in the [ knowledge of ] the difference of these two trees , and yet it is but only one , but manifest in two kingdoms — he saith the tree of life , thereby he understandeth the property of the eternal life in the tree , viz. the second principle ; and by the words , of the tree of knowledge of good and evil , he understandeth the wrath of the anger of god , which was manifest by the essence of the outward world in earthliness , in the tree of which adam should not eat ; for he should have eaten with the inward mouth , and not with the earthly desire , but with the heavenly , for he had such fruit growing for him , which the inward mouth could enjoy ; indeed the outward mouth did also eat thereof , but not into the worms carkess , for as the light swalloweth up the darkness , so the coelestial swallowed up the terrestrial , and changeth it again into that whence it proceeded . adam was a man , and also a woman , and yet none of them [ distinct ] but a virgin full of chastity , modesty and purity , viz. the image of god he had , both the tinctures of the fire and light in him , in the conjunction of which the one love , viz. the virginal centre stood , being , the fair paradisical rose-garden of delight , wherein he loved himself ; as we also in the resurrection of the dead shall be such as christ telleth us , that we shall be like the angels of god yet not only pure spirit , as the angels , but in heavenly bodies , in which the spiritual angelical body inhabiteth , even such a man as adam was before his eve , shall arise again , and eternally possess paradise , not a man or woman , but as the scripture saith , they are virgins . adam before his eve , had no●… such a beastial body as 〈◊〉 now have . for if god had created him unto the earthly corruptible naked sick toilsom lise , then he had not brought him ●…to paradise ; if he had desired or willed the beastial cou●…ulation and propagation , then he would in the beginning ●…ve created man and woman , and both sexes had come ●…orth in the verbum fiat , into the division of both tin●…ures , as it was in other 〈◊〉 creatures . every creature in its arival to this world , bringeth its cloa●…ing from its dam , but man cometh miserable , naked , shiftless ●…n deepest poverty and unability , and cannot help himself which ●…oth sufficiently show unto us , that he was not created of god ●…nto this misery , but in his perfection , as all other crea●…ures were , which perfection the first man fooled away [ or 〈◊〉 ] by false lust. now adam [ if he had stood ] should have generated or ●…rought fort●… after a magical manner , which had been thus [ effected ] not by a sundry peculiar issue from adam's body as now . but as the sun thorow-shineth the water , and ●…ends it not , even so to the spiritual body , viz. the birth had been brought forth , and in its coming forth had been substantial without pains , care and dis●…ress in a great joyfulness and delight . which after when venus's matrix was taken from adam , and formed into a woman , must be done through sorrow , pangs and distress , as g●…d said to eve , thou shalt now bring forth children in sorrow , and thy will shall be subject to thy husband . wherefore ? because it was sprung forth from the mans will. eve was half the adam , viz. the part wherein adam should have loved and impregnated himself , the same , when as he stood not , was taken from him in his sleep , and formed into a woman . but that the fall might not proceed [ or come ] from the divine appointment , god made man perfect , and created and ordained him unto paradise , and forbad him the false lust , which the devil stirred up through the limus of the earth i●… adam's outward body , with his false imgination and hungry desire . and adam was forty days in paradise [ before his ev●… was made ] in the temptation , if he had stood stedfast , th●… god had so confirmed him to eternity . but the breaking [ or dividing ] of adam , when the woman was taken out of him , is the breaking or bruising of christ's body on the cross , from the sixth hour unto the ninth , for so long was the fiat in adam sleep , in the seperating of the man and vvoman , for in such a space of time the vvoman was compleatly finished [ or brought forth ] out of adam into a female person [ or image ] she is not taken only and wholly out of adam's hesh , but out of his essence , out 〈◊〉 the female part , she is ad●…m's matrix . now when the pregnant matrix was taken fro●… adam , the woman was every way formed with such members for propagation as she-is at this day , and so adam also ; for before , when adam was male and ●…emale , he needed no such members , for his birth wa●… magical , his conception moving in the matrix [ was to be ] done through imagination . and the beastial worms carkess of the bowels , with the formation of other inward principal members , pertaining to the earthly life , was hung upon adam instead of the female matrix , and the like worms carkess was also hung upon the vvoman , instead of the heavenly limbus ; of which the poor soul is to this day ashamed , that it must bear a beastial ●…orm on the body , and propagate as the beasts do . now then adam and eve standing thus , as man and wife in paradise , and having yet the heavenly source and joy , though mixed , the devil could not endure that , for his envy was too great : and seeing he had brought down adam's angelical form , he looked now upon eve , viz. the vvoman out of a●…am , and perswaded her to the evil fruit , and she did eat and gave to a●…am . this is the bit upon which heaven and paradise departed , where the cherubim , viz. the cutter off with the naked sword came , and stood before the door — his sword was that of the destroying angel , which now cutteth man with heat , cold , sickness , necessity and death , and at last cutteth off the earthly life from the soul. but though the outward figure was just so , yet it hath far another a , b , c , internally ; the natural man without god's light , understands nothing thereof . this sword is in man , when man conv●…teth and entreth into sorrow for his committed sins , and casteth away vanity , and stepeth into the infants shirt — in this anxious sorrowful gate of t●…ue repentance the angel standeth with the ●…ire-flaming sword , and the virgin-bud for●…th quite through this sword into paradise , viz. into the life of christ , and groweth forth through this swo●…d . and now the vi●…gin-child standeth with its fair rose in the new plant in paradise , and the poor soul which begetteth this child , standeth the whole time of this life under the reach and swing of this ●…ire-sword , and is fast bound with a b●…nd to the gross beast in the outward world [ viz. this worms carkess ] where the virgin-child is sufficiently thrust at , and wounded with this fire sword : ●…or the fire-soul , which in the fire-sword of god's anger , is bound to the serpent-monster , doth daily amuse it self upon the serpent-monster , and sinneth , and even then this fire-sword doth cut away the sins , and devours them into god's anger , where they are examined and judged . now god hath cursed the earth for man's sake , so that paradise springeth no more thro●…gh the earth , for it is become a mystery , and yet it is continually there ; and into that m●…stery the souls of the saints depart . when the earthly body seperateth ●…tself from the soul. it is in this world and vet is out of this world ; for this world's quality or source toucheth it not : the whole world would have continued to be paradise , if adam had ●…ontinued in innocency ; but when god pronounced ●…he curse , then paradise departed . for god's cursing is fl●…ing , not departing away [ but a fleeing , or ] a going into another principle , viz. into himself . adam said , i am naked and afraid ; of what was he afraid ? he felt in himself the world of god's anger , and feared that it would wholly enkindle it self , and devour him , as happened to lucifer : therefore he trembled at the call of the holy voice , as the anger trembleth at the love. indeed he was naked , but knew it not , till they did eat the earthy ●…ruit , and then their eyes were opened , for the heavenly virgin of god's wisdom departed from them , and then they first felt the kingdom of the stars and elements . man had no such beastial ●…esh before the fall , but heavenly 〈◊〉 ; no heat , nor frost no sickness , nor mishape , or mischief , also no fear could touch or terrifie him , his body could go through ●…arth and stone uninterrupted by any thing ; for that could be no eternal man which 〈◊〉 could limit . the devil was indeed an angel , and a●…am an image of god , they had both the fire and the light , as also divine wit , ●…ngenuity or understanding in them : why did the devil imagin according to the fire , and adam according to the earth ? they were free : the light and power drew not the devil into the fire , but the fierce wrath of nature . why did the spirit assent to be willing whatsoever the magia maketh it self that he hath ? the devil made himself hell , and that he ●…ath ; and adam made himself earth , and that he is . ●…ut can a man make of himself what he will ? he hath both before him the fire and the light ; will he be an angel in the light ? then god's spirit in christ helpeth him to the society of the angelical quire. but will he be a devil in fire ? then god's anger helpeth him into the abiss to the devil . now observe further . god said to the serpent , the old devil , seeing tho●… hast done this , cursed art thou . and to the creaturely serpent , which must now become a creature ; for the devil had turned himself into the form of a serpent , therefore must the serpent also continue , to it he said , thou shalt go upon thy belly , and 〈◊〉 earth . seeing it had seduced man , so that he was become ●…arthly , therefore should also the devil's image be earthly , and devour the fierce wrathful source or quality , viz. poyson that should now be its source or quality . and here we are to know , that the devil figured or framed to himself the serpent's image from the constellations and elements through his imagination ; so . he had great power till the lord wholly cursed him , and set the dear name jesus for a mark , or limit o●… seperation , and there his great power was laid . adam was the only man that god created , eve his wife god would not create ; generation was to be out of one only — but seeing he fell , so that god must make him a wife , then came the covenant and promise again upon one only , that all should be regenerate and new born again out of one only , viz. out of the second adam , not out of the virgin mary , but out of christ the heavenly adam . god set his purpose in adam's child , and brought his imagination into the persished image , and impregnated the same with his divine power and substantiality , and converted the soul's will out of the earthliness into god , so that thus mary became impregnated with such a child as adam should have been impregnated with — which self ability could not effect but sunk down int●… sleep , viz. into the magia , where then the vvoman wa●… made out of him , which should not have been made , 〈◊〉 adam himself should have impregnated in venus's matrix . and have generated magically . but seeing that might not be , therefore was alam divided , and his own will of great might and power was broken in him , and shut up in death . but now [ alam being divided ] the man longeth after the matrix of the wife , and the vvife after the limbus of the man — the woman hath a watry tincture , and the man a fiery , the man soweth soul , and the woman spirit , and both sow fiesh , viz. sulpher , therefore is man and vvife but one body , and make together a child . and therefore ought to continue together , if they once mix — vvhosoever mixeth w●…ith another , or seperateth from one another , they break the ordinance of nature , and such a one is like the bruite beasts , and considereth not that in the seed the eternal tincture lieth , wherein the divine substantiality lieth hid . also that is a work which will follow after man in the shadow , and its source or quality will one day be made stirring in the conscience . of the soul's original , with its essences , substance and property . the soul is a life awakened out of the eye of god , its original is the fire , and the fire is its life — thi●… is the greatest wonder that the eternity hath wrought . that it 〈◊〉 ma●…e the eternal a corporeal spirit , which thing no sense can find out , and it is unfathomable to us . for no spirit can sound it self , it seeth well the deep , even into the abiss , but it comprehendeth not its maker ; it 〈◊〉 and diveth into him indeed , but it knoweth not its own making ; this is only hidden to it , and nothing else , therefore 〈◊〉 we are cómmanded to be silent , and dive no further . the essences of the soul came out of the centre of nature , out of the fire , with all for●…s of nature , all the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 lie in the soul. all that god hath and ca●… do , and th●…t god is in his t●…rnary , all this is in the essence of the soul , as the virtue of a tree i●… in the t●… that groweth out of it . the substance of the soul is heavenly created , creat●… out of the divine essentiality , yet the will of it is free eith●… to demerse it self , and esteem it self nothing , and so eat of the love of god , as a twig feedeth upon a tree , or to ris●… up in its fire , and be a tree of it self , and eat of that , and so get essentiality , viz. a creaturely body . the property of the first soul was created according to both mothers , but all properties lie in it , it may awaken , and let in what it will and whatsoever it awakneth and le●…h i●… , is pleasing to god , if its will b●… in the love of god , in humili●…y and obedience . of the breathing in of the soul , and of its peculiar fashion and ●…orm . every spirit without a body is empty , and knoweth not it self , and therefore every spirit desireth a body for its food , and for its habitation — hence the outward image , according to the spirit of this world , with the outward fiat , was conceived , and a body was created out of the matrix of the earth ; a mass or red earth , consisting of fire and water . the inward man was in heaven , and his essences wer●… p●…radisical , his glance in the inward eye was majesty , an incorruptible body , which could speak the language of god , and of angels , and the language of nature ; as we see in adam , that he could give names to all creatures , to every one according to its essence and property , 〈◊〉 was also in the outward image , and yet knew not the outward image , 〈◊〉 inde●…d the body hath no knowledge . and in this two ●…old body [ which was created in the sixt●… day , in the sixth hour of the day , in the same hour whic●… christ was hanged on the cross ] after the body was finished the royal soul was breathed in from within by the holy ghost into the heart , in the holy man , into its principle , like an awakening of the d●…y . a●…d the outward spirit [ viz. the air ] and the whole outward principle , with the stars and elements , did cleav●… to the inward , and the outward spirit breathed its life in the same manner with the soul , through the nostrils into the heart , into the outward heart , into the earthly flesh , which was not then so earthly . the source of the wrath insinuated it self with the breathing in , viz. with the original of the soul , so that the soul could not remain god's image , unless it remained in humility and obedience , and yielding its will into god's will , or else it were very difficult for a creature to rule such two principles , as the wrathful and the outward are , the outward being also born out of the wrathful . therefore sure its temptation was not only the biting of an aple , nor di●… it continue only for some few hours but forty d●…ys , just so long as christ was tempted in the wilderness [ and that also by all the three principles . ] when a twig groweth out of a tree , the form of it is like the tree ; indeed it is not the s●…k and the root ; but yet it is like the tree : so also when a mother bringeth forth a child , it is an image of ●…er . so we mu●…t understand that the soul is in the form of a r●…nd globe according to the eye of god through which the cross goeth , and which divideth it self in two p●…rts , viz. 〈◊〉 t●…o ey●…s . standing b●…ck to back . viz. a holy divin●… eye , and a wrathful hellish eye in the fire ; t●…is it s●…ld shu●… an●… secretly reign therewith through the anguish [ viz. through death ] in the second principle in love. we mean the 〈◊〉 in the fist principle , according to the original , hath the form of an eye , and yet two-fold like a heart , wherein there is a c●…ss — and in the second principle it is a spirit , and a whole image , as the outward m●…●…s — and in the third p●…inciple it is a glass of the whole vvorld . all whatsoever is contained in heaven and earth : every prop●…ty of every creature lieth therein ; for that glass is like the firmament and stars . of the power and ability of the soul. we know that what soever cometh out of the 〈◊〉 and is the ground of it s●…lf , can 〈◊〉 it self 〈◊〉 things — but though the soul be a twig out of the tree , 〈◊〉 now it is become a creature , and is its own , it is an ima●… of the whole ; for when a child is born , then the mothe●… and the child are two — vve mean thus , god's spirit , an●… the spirit of the soul are two persons , each is free from 〈◊〉 other , and yet both stand in the first beginning , each hath 〈◊〉 own will. the soul originally is greatly powerful , it can do much , but its power is only in that principle wherein it is , for the devil cannot reign over god. the first power of the vvill of the soul is , it frameth its own form in the spirit ; also it can frame another image in the spirit out of the centre of nature ; it can give another form to the body , according to the outward spirit ; for the inward is lord of the outward ; it can change the outwar●… into another image , but not durable . for adam's soul having let in the turba of this vvo●…ld , that if the turba see a strange child , it riseth up against it instantly , and desiroyeth it ; it continueth to endure only so long as the inward spirit can subdue and over-power the outward . and this form is called negromancy , a transmutation , where the inward over-powereth the outward , for it is natural , and we understand that when we shall be changed , that change will be made thus by the same turba , which hath the first fiat in it . secondly , if the spirit were an angel , the similitude of god , yet the vvill can make it a proud devil ; and also make a devil an angel , if it sink it self into death , into humility under the cross , and cas●… it self into the spirit of god , and so submit to his government , then it sinketh into eternity , out of the source into the still nothing , which is yet all : thirdly ; the spirit of the soul hath power to ent●… ●…other man , into his marrow and bones , viz. the sulpher , and to bring the turba into him , if he ●…se ; so far as every one is not armed with the 〈◊〉 of god , but is found naked in the spirit of this ●…rld , as may be seen by witches . fourthly ; it hath such power , if it be the child of 〈◊〉 , that it can lead the turba captive , and can pour out upon the house of the wicked , as elias did 〈◊〉 fire , and moses before pharaoh ; for it can throw own mountains and break rocks . this you must understand to be so far as that thing capable of the turba , by awakening the wrath , then 〈◊〉 is possible , but if not , and that the spirit of god be 〈◊〉 a thing , then it cannot be , for it would pour water ●…pon the turba of the fire , which would then be as it were dead , and its power would lie in derision : and therefore heaven is a middle between god and hell , viz. between love and anger , and was created out of the midst of the waters , so that the devil cannot rule with his turba , the vvater turneth his purpose into derision , as the false magick , and blinded inchantment are drowned in the vvater . the fifth power of the vvill , or spirit of the soul , is , that it may or can seek all vvonders that are in nature , viz. all arts , languages ; buildings , plantings , distraction , knowledge ; it can command the starry heaven , as joshua did , when he commanded the sun to stand still , and moses the sea , that it stood up ; also he commanded the darkness , and it came ; it can make an earthly life , as moses made the lice and frogs , also serpents , and other wonders . it hath death in its power , so that it can over●…ower that , if it ride in the charriot of the bride [ viz. the vvill of the holy ghost ] it can bridse and overcome the devil if its [ vvill ] be in god , there is noth●…ng can be named that it cannot subdue . the souls power was so potent before the vanity , that it was not subject to any thing ; and so it is powerful , if the understanding were not taken awa●… from it ; it can by magick alter all things whatsoever are in the world's essence , and introduce them into another essence ; but the vanity in the outward airs dominion hath brought a 〈◊〉 thereinto , so that it doth not know it self ; it must in this life time be it●… own enemy , that it may learn to be humble , and continue in the divine harmony , and not become a devi●… . and so the dev●…l can do nothing to it , for he is proud spirit , and would be above the vvonders 〈◊〉 god , but an humility can bind him ; after this ma●… ner every man may escape the false magician , an●… also the 〈◊〉 ; for no po●…er can touch him i●… whom god 〈◊〉 . whether the soul be corporeal , or not corporeal ? the tincture is the tr●…e body of the soul , for the soul is ●…ire , and the tincture ariseth from the fire , and draweth it again into it self , and allayeth it self therewith , so that the wrathful source is quenched and then the tinct●…re subsisteth in me●…kness . for the soul hath no essence nor power in it self , but the fire ; and thus vvater proceedeth from the me●…kness of the tincture ; the fire is desirous , and where there is a desiring of the original , there is a finding of the original : thus the ●…ire findeth vvater in the tincture , and turneth it into sulpher , according to the power of all the seven spirits of nature , and this is a vvater of life : and so we see that the blood is the house of the soul , but the tincture is its body . the soul only , beside the spirit , is a globe of fire , with an eye of fire , and an eye of light , which turn themselves backward into one another , as the vvheel in ezekiel , that could go on every side , though babel hath contrived another meaning about it , but a blind one without a spirit . 〈◊〉 the meer soul is not co●…oreal , but in its tin●…ure , a body groweth , whether it be a heavenly or a ●…ellish body , and yet is not a body which can be com●…rehended outwardly , but a virtual body , the divine ●…ody , christ's heavenly body , the heavenly ●…lesh , which he giveth us to eat in his ●…estament . but the outward spirit [ it the soul do not hinder it , but let it in ] bringeth its imagi●…tion into , and spoil●… it , o that another strange ●…mage cometh to be in 〈◊〉 spirit , in the ●…incture , acco●…ding to the contents 〈◊〉 l●…st , as the covetous come to be a wolf , the ●…ous a dog , the proud a ho●…se , peacock , or other 〈◊〉 , also toads , adders , serpents , a●…d other worms and creeping things . now ●…ods sp●…rit receiveth not their images so long as they continu●… such . of the propagation of soul [ viz. ] how it cometh into a child in the mother 's womb. the vvoman hath gotten the matrix , viz. the tincture of venus [ or tincture of light ] and the man hath the tincture of fire , which you may perceiv●… by the eager imagination of both towards one another : for the s●…d in the essence eagerly seeketh ●…he life , the man 's in the vvoman●… in ve●…us , and the vvoman's in the fire , in the original of life . for they must now propagate as beasts do , in two seeds , the man soweth soul , and the woman spirit , and being sown in an earthly field , it is also brought forth after the manner of all beasts . nevertheless , all the three principles are in the seed , but the inward cannot be by known the outward , for in the seed the soul is not living , but when the two tinctures come together , then it is a whole essence ; for the soul is essential in the seed , and in the conception it becometh substantial . thus the s●…ul cometh not at all into the body , or is breathed into it from without , but the three principles have each of them its own artificer , one working fire in the centre , and the other maketh vvater 〈◊〉 the tincture , and the third maketh the earthly misterymagnum , and yet it is no new thing , but the very seed of man and vvoman , and is only conceived in the mixture , and so only a twig g●…eth out of the tree . the soul is not every time new created and breathed in ; but is propagated after a human manner , as a branch groweth out of a tree , as i may better render it , as a man 〈◊〉 or sow●…th seed , and so a spirit and body groweth out of it . and this is only the difference that the three principles are alwayes in str●…fe about man , each would fain have him : so that many times a wonderful turba is brought in , while yet he remains in the seed . but if the parents both ●…ather and mother have their souls cloathed with christ's ●…lesh and divine ●…ssentiallity then it cannot be ; for christ saith . a good tree cannot bring for●…h evil fruit ; yet the turba in time ca●… enter in with the reason . so also an evil tree cannot bring sorth good 〈◊〉 , that is , if both the parents be evil , and held captiv●… by the devil , then an evil soul is sown , but the principles cannot yet judge it . nor the turba neither ; it i●… indeed an evil chi●…d , ●…t if it turn . it may with th●… imagination e●…ter into the vvord of the lord. consider this , ve evil parents , ye gather money for your children ; get them good souls , that is more necessary for them , how and where the soul is seated in man ; also of its illumination . the soul is in god conceived in the heart , and the vvord which conceived it was in the heart , viz. in the centre , and so it continueth in the figure , and in the seat as it was comprehended by the fiat , an●… so it is still at this day . it dwelleth in three principles , but the heart is its original , it is the inward ●…ire in the heart , in the inward blood in the heart , and the spirit of it which hath a glance from the fire is in the tincture , for it is cloathed with the tincture , and burneth in the heart . the soul is indeed seated in the inward principle but it ruleth even in the outward , viz. in the stars and elements ; and if it be not an ape , and suffer it self to be captivated , it hath power enough to rule them ; and if the soul demerse it self into god , the outward must be obedient to it . the outward essence reacheth not the inward into the soul , but only by the imagination ; there is nothing else in this world , no 〈◊〉 ●…or sword that can touch the soul , or put it to death , but only the imagination , that is its poyson , for it originally proceedeth from the imagination , and 〈◊〉 in it eternally . the soul is thus enlightned , it is in this world , and ●…lso in god : here in this life it is a servant of god's wonders , which it should open with one eye , and with the other bring them into the beginning before god , and set and cast all its doings into god's will , and by no means say of any thing in this . this is mine , i am lord of this ; for it lyeth if it say so : all is god's , thou art a servant , and shouldst walk in love and humility towards god , and thy brother for thy brother's soul is a fellow-member with thy soul thy brother's joy in heaven with god is also thy joy , his wonders are also thy wonders . for in heaven god is all in all , he ●…deth all , the holy ghost is the life of all , there is meer jo●… there is no sorrow , there all is go●…'s ; one rejoyceth at the power , brightness and beauty of another ; there is no malice nor envy , for all that remaineth in death & hell. o how cheerful is the soul when its a●…ish , sourcè of fire tasteth god's light ! how exceeding courteous it is ! o how it boweth it self before god. whether is the soul of a new-born child without sin ? how can a soul be born pure , it cannot be , it bringeth the turba with it into the world , an●…●…s ●…ful in the mother's ●…omb . yet the soul is not wholly forsaken of god , so far as ●…he father and mother are ho est , and in god , for it cometh from the soul of the 〈◊〉 and mother : and although a child dye in the mothers womb without baptism , yet it is baptized with the spirit of the ●…ather and of the mother , viz. with the holy ghost , which dwelleth in them , and the turba is destroyed in death ; for the faith's part passeth through to god. but the matter is far otherwise with wicked parents , if the child dye in the mother's womb , the soul of it falleth into the turba , and reacheth not od to eternity , it also knoweth nothing of him but it is a life , according to the essence and property of the parents . and yet it doth not by this reach to the inflamation , for that soul it self hath not yet committed sin , but it is a spirit in the source , quite void of self-desire ; it is like burning brimstone , like the ignus ●…arui , and cannot reach god , but remain between heaven and hell in the mystry , until the judgment of god , which will at last put every thing a part in its own place . thus no soul is born into the world without sin , be it begotten by holy or unholy parents ; for it is conceived in the earthly seed , and bringeth the turba of the body with it , which also hath begrit the soul. and as 〈◊〉 abiss . and the anger of god , and also the ea●…ly li●… depend wholly on god the ●…ather , and ye●… : cannot comprehend and touch his heart and spirit ; so it is also with the child in the mother's womb , if it be begotten by godly parents , then each principle standeth in its own part . when the turba taketh the earthly body , then the heaven taketh the spir●…t , and the majesty filleth the spirit , and then the soul is in god , it is free from pain . but while the soul remaineth in the earthly life , it is not free , because the earthly spirit doth with its imagination always bring its abominations into it , and the spirit must be continually in strife against the earthly life . how the outward spirit is profitable to the soul. although the outward spirit be beastial , yet the inward understanding [ spirit ] is able to keep in , and tame the outward , for it is lord over it ; but he that suffereth the beastial spirit to be lord , he is a beast , and hath also a beastial image in the inward figure in the tincture . and he that letteth the fire-spirit , viz. the turba be lord , he is an essential devil in the inward image : therefore he e it is necessary that the outward spirit pour water [ viz. humility ] into the fire , that it may hold that strong spirit captive , and that seeing it will not be god's image , it may remain a beast in the inward image . now the outward spirit is very profitable to us , for many souls would perish , if the beastial spirit were not , which holdeth the ●…ire captive , and setteth before the fire spirit earthly beastial labour and joy , wherein it may busie it self , till it be able b●… the wonders in the imagination to discover somewhat of its noble image , that it may seek it self again . ●…y ●…eloved children , who are born in ●…od . it ll it you , it was not for nothing , that ●…od breathed the outward spirit [ viz. the outward life ] into adam's nostrils , for great da●…ger did attend this image ; god knew how it went with lucifer , and also what the great eternal magick could do ; yea . adam m●…ght have been a devil , but the outward glass hindred that , for where water is , it quencheth the fire . also , many a soul by its vvickedness would become devil in a moment , if the outward life did not hin●…er it , so that the soul cannot wholly inflame it self . how the soul departs from the body at the death of a m●…n . the soul departeth not out of the mouth , for it did not come in at the mouth , but ●…t only leaveth the earthly life , the turba snatcheth away the earthly life , and then the soul remaineth in it own principle . ●…or the beginning [ viz. the soul ] continueth i●… the limit , and letteth the body perish , there is no complaining about it , neither doth the soul desire it any more ; it m●…st go into its limit , viz. into the wonders of that wh●…ch it hath been ; for sickness unto death is nothing else , but that the turba hath enflamed it self , and would destroy the essence ; and this is also the cause that the body dyeth ; the turba thrusteth it self into the fire , and so the outward life is extinguished . and if the fire of the soul hath not the divine body in the spirit , nor in the will in the desire , then it is a dark fire , which burneth in anguish and great horror ; for it hath nothing but the first four forms of nature in anguish . for the turba is the exceeding strong harshness and bitterness ; and the bitterness continually seeketh the fire , and would evaporate it , but the astrengency holds it captive ; so that it is only an horrible anguish , and continually turneth it self li●…e a wheel , and imagineth , but findeth nothing but it self , it eateth it self , and is its own substance . it hath no other substance but that which the spirit of the soul continually made in the outward life , viz. covetousness , pride , cursing , swearing , reviling , back-biting , murder , hatred , wrath , falshood ; this is its food , for the turba in the will taketh the substance with it ; its works follow it : and although it hath done some good , yet that is done only in a glistering shew and appearance , from an ambitious mind . yot if it had comprehended any purity of love in its will ( as many a one that is converted at last in his end ) then it thus sinketh into its self thorow the ang●…sh . for the humble spark falleth down through death into life , and then the source of the soul endeth : yet it is a small twig budding forth into the kingdom of god. 〈◊〉 cannot sufficiently be described what refining the soul hath , and how it is hindred and plagued by the devil , ere it can get this spark into it self ; but this wise world will not believe this . o that none might feel this by experience , and then we would gladly hold our peace . the four forms of the original of nature , are the common plague , which every one feeleth , according to his own turba , but one far otherwise then another ; the covetous hath cold , the angry , fire , the envions , bitterness , the proud , an high aspiring , and yet an eternal sinking and falling into the abiss , the scorner swalloweth down the turba of those abominations , which he here belched forth ; the false slandering heart hath the forth form . viz. the great anguish . thus the condition of hell is far otherwise then ●…abel teacheth ; the devil is not at odds with his own children , they must all do his will the anguish and horror of hell plagueth every one of them sufficiently in their own abominations ; every one hath his own hell , there is nothing but his own poyson that appr●…th him . whither the soul goeth when it departeth from the body , be it saved , or not saved . wheresoever the soul is , it is in the abiss●… world , where there is no end nor i mit , though it should go a thousand miles off , yet it were then in the same place , fro●… whence it went ; for in god there is no lim●…t near and afar off is all one ; it is as swift as a thought it is magical , it 〈◊〉 in its wonders , they ●…re its house . the body retaineth it not , no wood , no stone can retain it , it is thinner then the air , and if it have the divine body , then it goeth streight as a conqueror through the turba . v●…z . through the anger of god , and quite through death into god's essence ; it remaineth in its wonders and essences , which it wro●…ght here ; it beholdeth the majesty of god , and the angels face to face . the heavenly body of the soul is from the pure element [ whence th●… four ele●…ts are brought forth ] and that giveth ●…lesh , and the tincture giveth blood : but all in this world have not christ's flesh in them hidden in the old adam ; yea , among very many , not one , but the regenerate who are departed from their own w●…ll into god's will , in whom the noble gram of mustard-seed is sown , out of which a ●…ree is gro●…n . most souls depart from the body ●…ithout christ's body , yet they hang as by a thred , and are at last in their ●…aith gotten into the will , these souls indeed are in the image , in the spirit , but not in the flesh ; such as these wait for the last day , when the image , viz. the body shall come forth out of the grave , out of the first image ; for god will raise it up by the voice of christ. even that image which adam had in his innocency . but the earthly body shall not touch it that must come before the judgment in the turba . but after the 〈◊〉 of the judgment , the turba shall swallow it up , and the wonder [ of it ] shall only remain . understand , these souls that must wait till the last day for their bodies , they remain with their bod es in the still rest till the last day , without f●…ling any pain . but in another principle ; they have neither darkn●… nor majesty in the earth but are at rest without pain . in the eternal still liberty without touching the body . yet they see their wonders , but they effect nothing in them , for they exp●…ct ●…od . and are 〈◊〉 humility ; ●…or they are sunk down through death , and are in another vvorld , yet there is a great space between them and the holy souls that are in christs flesh and blood , but not a principle , they are in one and the same principle . but a spirit without a body hath not that might , which the spirit i●… the body hath , there●…ore they rest and are under the al●… of god , when the last day shall come forth , and eat of the bread of god , and put on the divine body , as is mentioned in the revelations of john. but the souls of the wicked have another place , viz. in the most innermost . which is ●…lso the most uttermost of all darkness , they dare not go up and down , they remain meerly with the body in their substance , yet not in this world , neither do they touch the earth . it hath indeed power enough over the earth , it can open it without substance and preceptibility : but it hath not the outward principle , it hath not power enough over the outward spirit , yet it can for a time make apparitions in the syderial spirit as many appear again in the austral spirit and seek abstinence , & make many afraid with keeping a racket in houses , all which they do b●… the austral spirit till that it be consumed , and then their tricks lie in the darkness , and they expect the last judgment . thus there is a difference of places , where souls are , according to that wherein the soul is entred ; if it be holy and degenerate , then it hath a body which expecteth only the wonders of the body at the last day ; for at the day of judgment all souls good and bad shall every one receive their sentence and reward . and you must know , that the souls of the wicked have no ease [ before the day of judgment ] their best ease and joy is , when they climb up in the will in their works , which they did here , and continually desire to do them more still ; it grieveth them that they did not afflict the honest more then they did ; their will is just so as it was here , they are spirits of pride like the devil , a covetous devouring spirit : when but the least thought of the last day entreth them , then fear and horror stirreth in them , they rather 〈◊〉 that thought alone , and recreate , themselves in haughtiness . this is a great wonder , that an angel should become such a furious devil : and so the power of god's anger cometh to be manifest in god ; for god hath manifested himself according to both eyes , in love and anger , and it is left free to man , he may go into which of them he will , god throweth none into wrath , the soul casteth it self into it . but you must know that the wrath hath set its throat ●…ide open , and draweth mightily and desireth to devour all for it , the cov●…sness and the pride insulting over humili●…y . a●…d so also love and humility have opened 〈◊〉 mou●… , and draw with all their powers , and would draw man into love. into heaven : now into which of these the soul entreth , in that it remaineth , whether in love or in anger ; in that tree it standeth , and there is no deliv●…nce in eter●…y from thence . vvhether men●… vvishes do profit them any thing or no ? the prayer and wish of the righteous pierceth into he●…ven and not into hell. no good wish entreth into hell ; but if the wicked leave behind him much falshood and deceit , so that the hellish torment is wished to him in 〈◊〉 grave , such wishes come to the wicked soul ; those wishes come to pass with them for that soul must swallow down 〈◊〉 abomin●…ions , which it committed here , and that is its food which the living send after it . but it is altogether unfit , and doth not beco●…e the children of god at all , for thereby they sow into hell , into the anger of god , they had need beware lest they also reap that which they sow , if they do not recall themselves , and repent , it will fall out no otherwise . furthermore , we give you to understand , according to our gift , that those souls [ which as it were 〈◊〉 by a 〈◊〉 . and but at last enter into repentance , and so compre●… the kingdom of heaven as it were by a thred , so that 〈◊〉 and faith are mixt ] are in such a condition , that a hearty prayer and wish redoundeth to their profit , and 〈◊〉 into the poor captive soul , into its source , if it be 〈◊〉 with all earnestness . for it is neither in hell nor in heaven , but in the gate in the middle source of the principle , where fire and light sever themselves , and is held by its turba , that alw●… seeketh the fire : but then this small twig which it hath conceived , viz. the weak faith deeply demerseth it self , an●…●…rnestly reacheth after the mercy of god , and yieldeth 〈◊〉 self patiently into the death of that , sinking down , and 〈◊〉 getteth out from the anguish , and sinketh down from the pa●… into the meekness of heaven . and although many a soul ●…is held a sufficient while , 〈◊〉 the anger cannot devour that small faith , but must at 〈◊〉 let it go : but i leave it to him to try what this is , who 〈◊〉 fully per ●…ereth in sin till his end , and then first desireth 〈◊〉 be saved , and then the pope forsooth , must save him , 〈◊〉 shall find it by ●…oful experience . in popery much iugling ●…ath been invented about this , in saying mass for a soul , and that for money only , but 〈◊〉 hath been a great cheat of the pope , of babel , for ther●… is earnestness required to wresile with the anger of god , and overcome it . yet we confess , and acknowledge readily , that the churc●… of christ hath great power to ransom such a soul , if 〈◊〉 fervency and earnestness it do it as it was done in the primitive church , when they had holy people , and holy priests , who performed their ministry in real earnestness . they indeed effected somewhat , but not in such a way as the pope boasteth of , saying , that he hath the key and that he can let out a soul with 〈◊〉 blessing when he will , if a man will give him money ; this is a lye. vvhether separated souls take care of human matters . first , those souls which yet have not attained heaven , and so stick in the source , in the principle in the birth , those have yet the human essence , wi●…h the works in them , they diligently search out 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . and therefore many of them come again with the 〈◊〉 ●…irit , and wander up and down in their ●…ouses , and places 〈◊〉 abode , and ●…ar in a human shape & desire this and that , ●…nd often times take care about their wills or tesiaments , ●…nd also think to procure the blessing of the saints , that they 〈◊〉 rest ; and if their earthly a●…airs do still stick in them , 〈◊〉 take care many times also about thei●… children & friends . this condition of theirs con●…ueth so long , till they fall into their rest , and till their 〈◊〉 spirits be consumed , then all such doings cares and 〈◊〉 are at an end , and they also have no more knowledge thereof , but that they see them in the wonders in the magick . after this sort are once received into grace , they take no care purposely about human earthly m●…rs but 〈◊〉 the ●…eavenly matters which are brought to it by the spirit of 〈◊〉 , and rejoyceth in them . but there is somewhat still behind , which is this : a living man hath such power , that his is able with his spirit to go in●…o heaven to the seperated souls , and stir them up about some question by a 〈◊〉 desire ; but it must be earnest , it must be faith that must break open a principle . and this we see in samuel the pr●… , whom the king of ●…ael raised up , that he might make his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to him , though it seem otherwise to some , of whom we may well say , 〈◊〉 they are blind , and void of knowledge 〈◊〉 they speak but their own scholastick fables , and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 about that they have no knowledge of in the spirit . and these are babel . now secondly , the other sort which sink into death , without a body , they are wholly in one and the same place of the principle , in which the first sort are , which afterwards did sink down in themselves ; all these take no evil . affairs upon them , wherein the turba sticketh . but when the honest souls which are alive , send them their works with their spirit and will , they rejoyce in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are so a●…able , that they appear to men a●…lly in 〈◊〉 , and shew them good wayes , and many times reveal 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 lie in secret , viz. in the ab●… of the soul. thus know , that no soul separated from the body , 〈◊〉 into any wicked matter , except it be a damned soul , which indeed entreth in magically , and hath its joy therein , 〈◊〉 teacheth most notorious vile pranks in dreams ; for it is 〈◊〉 servant of the devil ; and whatsover a wicked man desireth that the devil readily helpeth him to ; for he can do it better by the soul of a man , then of himself , for he is too crude and terrifieth the magia , so that the elementary spirit 〈◊〉 astonished , and awakneth the body . also , this you must know , that all is done magically in th●… will , without awakning of the source . no soul 〈◊〉 with its ess●…nces of its own accord to please man , unless man raise and disturb it himself . there are many villanies in negromancy , which ca●… many times vex and torment the spirits of men , but it 〈◊〉 do so to no soul that is cloathed with christ's essentiality , for that soul is free . the third sort of seperated souls , which are in abraham's bosom in christ , having the heavenly essentiality , none 〈◊〉 stir except they will themselves , as when they have a favour to a soul that is like themselves ; also they take no earthly thing upon them , except it make for the glory of god , and then they are restless to reveal something in a magical way . but then they let no turba into them , neither do they intercede with god for us , but whatsoever cometh to them they rejoyce in it with the angels ; for the angels rejoyce at a sinner that repenteth , then much more the souls . why should they pray to god for us ? it lieth not in their prayer , but in 〈◊〉 entring into god , when he strongly turneth his will to god , then god's spirit h●…lpeth him without prayers . of the resurrection , and also of the end of time. when the last day shall begin to dawn , then the deity manifesteth it self once more [ and that is the third time ] in all forms , in love and anger ; and then all things together at once shall be plainly laid open in the sight of all creatures . now here is the end of time , for then the beginning 〈◊〉 found the end ; and the end is then the beginning , and 〈◊〉 again into that which it was from eternity . if we knew certainly the 〈◊〉 of the sixth day , wherein 〈◊〉 creation was finished , we could then set you down the ●…ear and day [ we mean the last day ] for it goeth not a minuit further , it hath its limit hid in the inward circle . therefore know for certain , that the time is near , for 〈◊〉 the sixth day afternoon the rest of the eternal day began , ●…nd therefore god instituted the sabboth of the seventh day for a rest , and an everlasting remembrance . and as the rest began on the 〈◊〉 day , towards the evening , and the entrance to the manifestation of the works of the creation [ the end then taketh in the beginning again , and the six days stood thus in the circle as a wonder ] so know that ye were created in paradise and yet are gone out from it into the spirit of wrathfulness , into death which hath now wrought its wonders in you these years , and upwards . and now the end hath found the beginning again , and yo shall see , also feel and find what paradis●… hath been , even every one of them that shall be born in god. but the middle , with the wonders , which were manifested in the time , continueth forever more , in the beginning and in the end , as an eternal middle , with its wonders , viz. with the angels and men , and their essences ; as also the figures of all creatures , & all that hath been essential at any time ; the earth with its metals , also stones , and all material substances , 〈◊〉 trees and herbs : all these stand in the figure in the middle , but quite void of such essences and life . for no beast cometh again , but its figure continueth in the magia , for it arose out of the eternal glass , [ so that now when the 〈◊〉 glass breakesh ] it must remain in the eternal , as a wonder to god's honour and glory forever more . here the spirit of god will manifest himself forthwith in all the three principles , and stir up the center of nature , so that it shall burn in the ●…ire of anger ; for ●…ll , both . heaven , earth , and the ●…irmament shall be set on fire together , and the turba will 〈◊〉 up the earthly world in the ●…ire , and restore it to that which it was before the creation ; only the wond●… remain st ll in two princip es , the third principle doth vanish quite away all but the wonders . and then the earthly life , and the earthly body will fall away , and the ●…ire will con●…me them , and the glorious bright paradisical body of the righteous shall pa●… through the fire with its wonders , which shall follow it and whatsoever is false shall remain in the ●…ire . the wicked also must go into the ●…ire , and their earthly life will also fall away , and their monstro●… image will appear in the spirit , according to the shape of all hideous abominable beasts like the devil . and in that hour also the wrathful 〈◊〉 of the darkness shall bring forth the devils , who shall then receive their wages and lodging , at the hearing of which they tremble . all the d●…ad , both good and evil , shall arise every one in his two-fold body , and shall have the soul , wit●… the spirit in the body ; one shall have the outward earthly ●…fe [ or body ] and therein a beastial image in the spirit of the soul , and in the inward image he shall have the essentiality of the wrathful anger ; another shall have the outward body , & ch●… image there in , and the divine spirit of lov●… shall shine in the spirit of his soul , which body , the word fiat cloatheth again with the true and pure 〈◊〉 image . for the first body which god created , and christ 〈◊〉 with his blood , that will bring the wonders with it and enter again into paradise . and be cloathed with the majesty of god , and then the 〈◊〉 of god is with men . for the noble image was destroyed in adam , when 〈◊〉 woman was taken out of him , so that he retained ●…ly the ●…ture of the fire , and the woman had the ●…ture of the spirit , but now they return to them ●…holly again . ●…or the woman shall receive the tincture of the fire , 〈◊〉 that ●…he shall be as 〈◊〉 ●…as , neither man nor woman , but a virgin full of chastity , without the mem●…ers of man or woman . and then they shall no more say , thou art my hus●…nd , or thou art my wi●…e , but they are 〈◊〉 : indeed there shall some remaining tokens of the difference be in the divine magical wonders , but none will regard that , for they are all of them me●…ly the children of 〈◊〉 , liv●…ng the life of children in the delighting sport of love. all the words which the mouth hath spoken , which the air hath received , these the air shall bring again forth ; for it is the glass of the eternal spirit , the spirit seeth them in the glass : and so man shall be judged according to his heart , mind and thoughts , for the turba is in all malice 〈◊〉 wickedness , which is contrary to love ; here will be no making of excuse , for every one will accuse himself , his own turba will accuse him . we direct you to the scripture , for it shall come to pass just according to the holy scripture . note , this world will be no more regarded , for all earthly knowledge and cogitations shall remain in the turba of the earthly life in the 〈◊〉 ; we shall have no knowledge more of our parents , children or ●…riends who are in hell. we shall have some knowledge of hell , but see nothing of it , save only in the magia in the mystery , for the devils must dwell in darkness , the wrathful fire which is in them is the r light ; they have eyes of fire to see withal , all 〈◊〉 besides is gone , for the majesty hath swallowed it up , that it may burn in love . we shall all know one another among our selves by name ; though the earthly name shall remain in the turba , we ●…hall have a name according to our first name in the language of angels , which here in this life we do 〈◊〉 understand ; in the language of nature we understand ●…thing of it , b●…t here we have no ●…gue to spea●… it with . here 〈◊〉 ; the inward ens of christ [ which the so●…●…th on it for an heavenly body out of christs spir●… and out of his 〈◊〉 and blood ] is spiritual , it is a spiritual body which dyeth not at the death of the outward man ; yea , it is not buried , neither doth it rise again ; but it is dead and buried , and risen again in christ for all , and in all , and liveth eternally , for he is passed from death to life . what kind of matter our bodies shall have in the life to come . thus we tell you , we shall have a body consisting of flesh and blood , such a body as christ had , for ch●…ist by his in●…tion is become man in us : when we are born a new 〈◊〉 the water , and of the spirit , then 〈◊〉 christ's spirit we are born a new of christ's ●…esh and blood ; we put on christ. christ becometh born in the converted sinner , and ●…he in christ becometh the child of god ; this is the body we shall have in heaven . no gross beastial flesh as we have in old adam , but 〈◊〉 ●…esh and blood , such flesh as can pass through wood and stone , they remaining whole still ; as christ c●…me in to his disciples , the door being shut : it is such a body as hath no turba or fragility , hell cannot retain it , it is like eternity , and yet it is real ●…esh and blood , which our heavenly hands shall touch and feel , and take hold of , also a visible body , as that is which 〈◊〉 h●…ve here in this world . of paradise ; and where henoch is [ as also moses and elias . ] we are able to say with good ground that paradise is still upon earth , 〈◊〉 is in it , [ as also moses and elias ] and yet he hath the body of 〈◊〉 turba in the mistery ; and in the heavenly mistery he hath the 〈◊〉 body , which 〈◊〉 capable of paradise . 〈◊〉 is not gone o●…t of this world , he is entred ●…to the mistery in the vvonders , he is god's preacher , and after the turba hath overcome the vvorld , he must be silent till the six seals have ended their wonders , and till the angels of the turba have poured out the r vials , then the wonders of the anger are finished 〈◊〉 then henoch cometh out of the mystery again , and entreth into the ministry , and relateth what hath been done . but noab goeth into the other world through the vvater , and callet●… moses with his vvonders , and he cometh , for he hath the won●…rs of god. for he passed through death , and brought 〈◊〉 body through death , when the turba desired to consume it , and the devil contended for it , and would have the turba which was in moses , because he had ben an angry man , and carried the turba in him . but it was told the devil , that the turba in the 〈◊〉 did not belong to him , for it belonged to the majesty of god , and contained the wonders , and the turba in the darkness in the wrath only belonged to him , who is without the city , he must not dwell in the city , in 〈◊〉 principle , but without it . also moses his body is passe●… through death , ●…is un●…able body which had the vvonders , hath swallowed up that which was earthly in the turba , and yet not consumed it to 〈◊〉 , but it also is in the 〈◊〉 and his turba which killed the first-born in 〈◊〉 , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the water , slew them that 〈◊〉 the calf , and swallowed up corah , datha●… and 〈◊〉 into the earth , continued in death ; for when he dy●… his spirit and soul departed from the turba , and he 〈◊〉 mained in the vvonders in the mistery ; and now he 〈◊〉 become a lamb. but though the body of moses be d livered from 〈◊〉 turba , it must be tryed in the fire at the end of day●… at the last day we shall not ascend above the pla●… of this world , but make our abode here in our 〈◊〉 native country , and go into our home in another worl●… in another principle , of another property . vvhen this outward dominion shall pass away , 〈◊〉 the very place where the world now stands , there 〈◊〉 be meer paradise , for the earth will be of an heavenl●… essentiality , so that we shall be able to dwell any where●… and be able to pass through and through it . there will be no cold or heat any more , also 〈◊〉 night ; there is no death any ●…ore , also no ●…ear , 〈◊〉 sorrow , no sickness , the earth will be like a christaline sea , and all the vvonders of the vvorld will be 〈◊〉 wholly perspicously , and the brightness of god shall 〈◊〉 the light thereof , and the holy jerusalem , the great city of god , shall be therein . the whole world would have been a meer paradise , if lucifer had not corrupted it , who was in the beginning of his creation an hierarch in the place of this world . but seeing god knew well that a●…am would fall , therefore paradise sprung forth and budded only in one certain place , to introduce and confirm man therein , whom [ albeit ●…od saw that he would again depart thence ] he would again introduce him thereinto by christ , and establish him a new in christ to eternity in par●… . for lucifer poysoned the first paradise with his false and wicked desire ; therefore god promised to regenerate it anew in christ : for the seventh day which god appointed for rest , is nothing else but 〈◊〉 regenérate anew in the spirit of christ , in the human property , wherein the poor soul shall rest eternally from the source of the six dayes works , viz. of the six properties of the life . a short summary appendix of the soul , and of the turba , which is the destroyer of the image ; and of virgin sophia . the soul is an eye in the eternal abiss , a similitude of eternity , a perfect figure and image of the first principle , and resembleth god the ●…ather 〈◊〉 his person , as to the eternal nature . the essence and substance of it [ meerly and purely as it is in it self ] is first the wheel of nature , as to the first four ●…orms , viz. . astringent ; . bitter ; . fire ; . anguish — ●…ire is a similitude of the soul. the soul is an essential ●…ire , and the flash of fire i●… the life of it ; it resembleth a globe , or an eye , of fire●… the burning ●…ire in the source signifieth the first principle and the life ; yet the fire is not the life , but the spirit of the source which ariseth from the ●…ire , and goeth forth from the ●…ire like air. that is the true spirit of the source of the life of the fire , which continually bloweth the fire up again , and maketh it burn . now the fire shineth and giveth light out of the source where it shineth , and the source comprehendeth not the light ; and this signifieth the second principle wherein god dwelleth . 〈◊〉 we know that the power is in the light , and not 〈◊〉 the ●…ire , the fire only giveth 〈◊〉 to the light , and the life or the light produceth meekness and substantiality , viz. water . now we understand , that there is a meek life in the light , without source , and yet it self is an insensible source , it is nothing but a longing or desire of love. vvhich source we account a tincture , in which the ●…dding and blossomings hath its original , yet the fire 〈◊〉 the cause of it , and the meekness is a cause of the substantiality ; for the desire of love in the light , ●…eth it , and keepeth it , so that it becometh a substance , but the desire of fire consumeth the substantiality . indeed the image dwelleth in the fire of the soul , as light ●…elleth in the fire , but it hath another principle as the light is such a source , as is different from the fire . and so the true image of god dwelleth in the light of the fire of the soul ; which light , the fiery soul must create in the ●…tain of the love of god , in the majesty , by pu●…ting and yielding its imagination into it . but if the soul do not so , but putteth its imaginatio : into it self , into its wrathful form of the source of th●… fire , and not into the fountain of love , into the ligh●… of god , then its own source of forceness , astringenc●… and bitterness riseth up , and the image of god becometh a turba , and swalloweth up the similitude of go●… in the wrath . and then the astringent fiat in the fiery essence 〈◊〉 the soul figureth for the soul an image of the imagination , that is , in its will : vvhatsoever the essenti●… fire of the soul desireth , that will be the figure in th●… soul. viz. earthlv figures , that which the will of th●… heart casteth it self into , that image the fiat of th●… soul will make , that is as far as the third principl●… , an●… the spirit of the stars and elements hath power . so that if the w●…ll of the soul do cast it self into the kingdom of this world , then the outward kingdom ha●… power to bring its imagination into the inward principle and if the inward fiat perceive that in the fire of 〈◊〉 soul , then it becometh pregnant with it , and keepeth it . and then the soul hath the image of a beast in 〈◊〉 third principle , and that cannot be destroyed forever●… except the will of the soul return again out of the 〈◊〉 lust , and pierce into the love of god agai●… , and th●… it getteth the image of god again , which may be do●… onl●… in this life , while the soul is essentially in its 〈◊〉 in the growing of its tree , but after this life it ca●… not be done . thus you may understand what the soul , spirit , image ●…nd turba are ; the soul dwelleth in it self , and is an essential fire , and its image standeth in it self in the ●…magination , in the light of the soul , if it cleave to god , if not , then it is an anxiety in the wrath of darkness , and is an abominable image , or an image of the devil . the turbae of the soul which destroyeth the divine image , is the essential wrathfulness , and s caused by the imagination , or false love and representation , and therefore all lieth in the imagination , the image consisteth in that which we suffer to come into our desire . if the will of the soul , change it self , then its form will 〈◊〉 also ●…hanged : for if the source of the soul be fiery , then it hath also a fiery image , if the soul turn its imagination into the centre , into the strong astringency and bitterness , then its fair ●…mage is also captivated in ●…he dark astringency , and infected with astringent wrath . and then this wrath is a turbae , which possesseth the image , and destroyeth the similitude of god ; for 〈◊〉 god there is love , light and meekness ; but in this image there is darkness , astringency and bitterness . again , the soul in its real life and understanding , 〈◊〉 in three kingdoms : the st is , the eternal nature , viz. the potent might of eternity , the dark & fire-world , according to which god calleth himself a strong zealous ●…gry god , and a consuming fire , in which the devil hath wholly plunged and diabolized himself . the second is the holy light world , where the eternal understanding hath displayed it self through the fires sharpness , in the light of the great fiery love-desire , ●…nd turned the wrathful darkness and fiery property , to a kingdom of joy , which is the true manifestation of the deity , and is called the holy heaven of the angelical delight and bliss . the third kingdom is the outward astral & elemental kingdom , viz●… the air , with its dominering constellations , wherein all the five outward constellations rule , viz. superior and inferior of the four elements , out of which [ constellation the five senses take their original , wherein the vegetable and reasonable life consisteth ; this is the animal [ or beastial ] soul , which ruleth over all the creatures of this world . the ●…ire-soul must subsist in the fire of god , and be so pure as the clear refined gold , for it is the husban●… of the noble virgin sophia , viz. [ christ●…s humanity , which is ] from the woman's seed , it is the ●…ire's tin●…ure , and sophia the light 's tincture , if the tincture of the ●…ire be wholly and throughly pure , then its sophi●… will be given it , and so alam receiveth again into 〈◊〉 arms , his most precious and endeared bride , which was taken from him in his sleep , and is not any longer man or woman , but a branch on christ's pearl-tree , which standeth in the paradise of god. to the description whereof we need an angels tong●… and yet we are understood well enough by our school●… fellows : we have not written this for swine . of the eternal predistination , and election of god. when the scripture speaks of god's eternal purpose , or predistination , it speaketh not of a purpose or predistination that hath been long before , for in god there is no beginning , but there is an eternal be●…inning , where the beginning and the end is all one , the first is continually the last , and the last first : whatsoever ●…od hath begun from eternity to foresee that he beginneth now also at this day always every moment to foresee . i can say with good ground thus , that if i were in my mother's body or womb comprehended in his anger●… then god hath from etern●…ty seen me , & apprehended me in his anger , & i were from eternity elected in his ang●… but if i convert in repentance , so that god's love 〈◊〉 me , then i am from ●…ternity foreseen out of the a●…ger into the love ; for in god all is eterna●… ●…hatsoever at this day beginneth to alter in the eter●… , that is from et●…nity 〈◊〉 ●…rnity , equally in the 〈◊〉 , the matter ●…sists only in the conversation of the will. and though it standeth written , that it standeth not in 〈◊〉 willing , that is only concerning those that desire 〈◊〉 , and 〈◊〉 will not go fo●…th out of their ●…ful will , 〈◊〉 keep their sin , and yet will be saved ; therefore it 〈◊〉 not in his willing , but in this , that man go 〈◊〉 ●…om sin into god's grace , and then it lieth in the mer●…y , and that god doth readily , for 〈◊〉 hath promised it . therefore men should better consider the scripture , 〈◊〉 to such terms or expressions ; for it often speaketh ●…ut of the eternal mouth , which beginneth every ●…oment . for when the scripture saith , he hardneth their hearts 〈◊〉 they believe not , and so come not to be saved , then it ●…eaketh of those who would be saved by their own ability , and their evil will and life , those he suffereth ●…o go on in their purpose or predistination , for they will do it . as also adam did , he would not be resigned into god , 〈◊〉 a child , but be his own , and apprehend and know good and evil , and live in all the three principles ; for 〈◊〉 went out from god's will into his own off-set purpose , and god left him , and then he fell down and slept . and when he had eat the forbidden fruit , then god's ●…nger elected him to the damnation of death , and god's ●…ove spoke against it , saying , the seed of the woman shall 〈◊〉 or crush the serpent's head ; and that was also the ●…ternal election , and yet it was also a beginning tempo●… election ; for how ●…an an election pass upon a thing when as yet it hath no root ? god's anger hath from eternity continually , and still 〈◊〉 this very day , electeth it self to be a darkness , that god's love and light might in the anger become manifest or revealed . of free-will . now that which is out of the eternal , as the soul of 〈◊〉 , that hath also free-will to manifest it self in 〈◊〉 light or in the darkness ; not that it hath the light or dar●…ness in its power , but it hath ability to work in good or evil that is in the power of the light or of the da●…ness , and 〈◊〉 which soever it wor●…th , that manifesteth it self in it . the might or power is god's , and the soul is his 〈◊〉 a branch in the tree , proceeded out of god's mouth , out 〈◊〉 love and anger ; all that lieth in it , and is its own property who will then take away the free-will from it , being it is branch of the eternal tree & hath love and anger in it self ? for the fire-soul is a root proceeded from the divine o●…nipotence , and therefore it hath free-will , and nothing 〈◊〉 deprive it , and therefore it may conceive either in the fire 〈◊〉 light. the souls free-will is as thin as a nothing , and though it ●… in its body indeed , encompassed with the something , yet in 〈◊〉 or conceived something is in a false distinguis●… essence by reason of the original of sin. now if the free-will would approach to god with the desire , then it ●…ust depart out of its false something ; and 〈◊〉 it now doth so depart , th●…n it is bare and impotent , for 〈◊〉 is again in the first nothing : ●…or if it would come to go●… then it must dye to its f●…lse self-hood , and forsake it , and 〈◊〉 it forsakes the same , then it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and meerly as nothing and so it cannot go work or move : if it will shew its might●… then it must be in something wherein it doth imaginate 〈◊〉 form it self . but when man will say , man cannot turn 〈◊〉 will towards that which is good , viz. towards grace , 〈◊〉 is 〈◊〉 ; grace indeed standeth in the abiss of 〈◊〉 creature in all wicked men , and the will need only stand still from ●…icked working , and then it beginneth , as to its self-will 〈◊〉 dive down into the abiss . for that which standeth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ●…ill together with the ●…ernal one , and becometh 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 there●… . can the will be obedient to a worldly lord and master , and for that end stand still for which he would have him ? ●…erefore not also to god , especially when the ability is as ●…given , as a man doth but incline his will to stand still ? it is better to know nothing , then to will according to self , for that which knoweth nothing , the will of that passeth away , with the creaturely life , and its stri●…e hath an end , and ●…ath no more source of torment , as we may understand in ●…rrational creatures . for it is the source and torment of all the damned that ●…re wishing and woulding , viz. they would that which is ●…lf , and in their woulding they generate ideas , species and formations , viz. contrary wills and desires , the will being 〈◊〉 strife , so that one thing is manifested in multiplicity where●…n it is at enmity with it self ; but when it is one with the ●…ternal one , then can no enmity be therein . therefore it is man's last proof or tryal when he standeth ●…ill to god in all things , then in him light proceeds out of darkness , life out of death , and joy out of sorrow , for god is in , and with him in all things . of the becoming man , or incarnation of jesus christ , the son of god. when god created man as an image , according to 〈◊〉 substance , a similitude of , or according to god , then 〈◊〉 created him out of the mother of all things , or substances , ●…nd all the three worlds ; his body he created out of the outward , and also the inward substantiality , viz. out of the ●…arthly and heavenly , and inbreathed into him through his ●…pirit a living breath , that is himself , according to the divine world , and also according to the outward world. for the spirit of god is the spirit of all , and every life . 〈◊〉 distinguished into three principles , or three worlds — 〈◊〉 first according to the dark world , according to the first principle , according to which god calleth himself an angry ●…ealous or jealous god , and a consuming fire , which is the ●…ernal nature . secondly , according to the light-world , viz. according to god's love and meekness , according to which he is ca●… the holy spirit . and thirdly , according to the outward world , the a●… spirit , with the quality or souree of the stars and elements — thus hath man received a three-fold life , the spirit of all the three worlds . therefore we should rightly consider man what he is , & 〈◊〉 make an earthly beast of him ; and also make no angel of 〈◊〉 earthly part ; he hath the inward spirit out of the first principle , but he should not rule therewith , also not with the o●…ward , but give up himself to the holy spirit in the sec●… principle , and in the outward life be as a child in the a●…ther's bosom or lapp . the soul standeth in three principles , viz. in the eter●… fire's nature , and in the eternal light 's nature , viz. i●… the love fire , which extinguished in adam , for which 〈◊〉 at ●…resent the strife is , and thirdly , it standeth in the kingdom of this world , viz. in mortality and restoration . when the inward sou●… ground , viz. the eternal soul 〈◊〉 the father's property of the word of god , turneth back ag●… and looks about after i●…s●… pearl , viz. after the 〈◊〉 princip●… then it perceiveth that it was lost in adam . s●… whence ariseth its misery , and return again , and as so●… it returneth again , god giveth his grace into it again , 〈◊〉 unknown and not understood by it . this great unqu●…eness ariseth in the soul , that it 〈◊〉 goeth into repentance , when i●… seeth that it hath l●…t i●…s 〈◊〉 , neither may nor shall , nor can it any other way 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 first pearl which i●… had , and come ●…o divine s●… 〈◊〉 , unless it turn with its fires might wholly again into 〈◊〉 ground of the incorporated grace , and give it self up there●… we necessarily find it clear , that there is yet another su●…stance i●… ow flesh , which 〈◊〉 , 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that which yet now is 〈◊〉 ; being then it●… 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 after that which 〈◊〉 is 〈◊〉 therefore 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 have been so in the beginning of its beeing and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 there would be no sighing , or longing after another thing . for we know that every substance sigheth after that out of which it had its first original ; and so our will sigheth after such a flesh as god created . so we clearly understand that we are gone forth out of the eternal into the corruptible : for adam's imagination hath drawn the earthly quality of the stars and four elements into the limus , and the stars and elements have drawn in the longing malady of the earth . and thus the heavenly matter of the heavenly flesh became earthly . the true ens of the soul , which the word assumed in the name jesus , was of us men from the female tincture , viz. from the true adamical soul , yet from the property of the light , which was severed from adam and put into the woman , that this property of the light might transmute or change the fiery masculine property again into the love and divine humility , and that the masculine and feminine property might be quite changed into one image again , as adam was before his eve , when h●… was neither man nor woman , but a masculine virgin. therefore christ took his soul from a woman , viz. from a virgin , and yet was a man ; so that he rightly stood in the adamical image , and brought the averted severed properties of life , in which our will had broken it self off from god again into the temperature and union . viz. into that one . for adam turned his will from the only will of god , and jesus christ took our soul again into the only will of god , and turned the will of our soul in our humanity , which he assumed into the only will of god again . we poor children of eve should not in eternity , as to the body , have returned again , but our soul would have eternally continued in god's anger , source or quality with all devils . but the becoming man , or incarnation of jesus christ is become a powerful substance or matter to us ; for , for our sakes is god become man , that he might bring our humanity out of death into himself , and redeem or release our soul out of the fire of god's anger . and we now with good ground of truth say , that the possibility of the new-birth is in all men , else god were divided and not in one place as he is in another . and herein we exactly know , that man is drawn by the fire and the light●… to which he inclineth into , that he falleth ; and yet he may in this life-time rise aloft again . also we say , that the true temple wherein the holy ghost preacheth , is in the new birth . the spiri●… also testifieth clearly , that angels and men have one and the same image , for god hath made another angel instead of expulsed lucifer , and his legions , out of the same place where lucifer sate , and out of which he was made , which angel was adam : but seeing he stood no●… , therefore god generated to himself a second adam out of the first , the same is called jesus christ. also it is plain and clear enough , that [ as jesus ascended to heaven , so ] he will come again in the same form at the last day with a divine and glorified body , as a prince of the holy angels , which shall be the men angels . also , we know the becoming man , or incarnation of christ to be natural , as of all the children of men , the lord gave himself to be under the servant , that the servant might become living , and is in like manner in nine months become a perfect man , and also continueth a true god — become born into the world through that way and passage as all men are . had he not had a natural soul then he had not in the person had all the three principles : what should he then have committed into the hands of his father at that present when he dyed on the cross ? or what had suffered on the cross , if he had not been natural ? the earthly part which he took to himself out of his mother mary , that is , to or upon the divine substance , dyed away on the cross. thus was the soul in the substantiality of god , and as 〈◊〉 victorious conquering prince , went into the hell of devils that is into god's anger , and quenched it with god's love and meeknes●… of the divine substantiality . for the love-fire came into the anger-fire , and drown●… the anger , wherein the devil would be god ; thus was the devil taken cap●…ive with the darkness , and lost his dominion : the spirit of christ took the devil captive , and drove him out of the fire of the soul , and cast him into darkness , and shut him up under darkness out from the fire of the soul , and out from god's fire into the wrathful harshness and bitterness in cold. consider the first four forms of nature , and you will understand what the devil's mansion is ; for before christ came , he kept the soul captive in the turba with the fire , and though he had not the spirit of the soul , yet he had the root of it in the turba , but then he was commanded to cease . while the earthly man liveth , the soul is continually in hazard or danger , for the devil hath enmity with , who continually casteth forth his streams , with false and wicked imaginations into the stary and elementary spirit , and reacheth or graspeth therewith after the soul's fire , and willeth continually to infect the same with earthly devils longing and malady . there must the noble image defend it self against the souls fire , and there it costeth striving and fighting sor the angels garland : there riseth up often in the old adam anguish , doubting and unbelief , when the devil sets upon the soul. o thou cross of christ ! how heavy art thou often - times ! how doth the hèaven hide it self , but so the noble grain is sown , when that is sprung up , then it brings forth much fair fruit in patience . thus every little sprout groweth in the soul out of the divine wisdom : it must all press forth out of the anguish-chamber , as a sprout out of the root of a tree , it is all generated in the anguish . if a man will have divine knowledge , he must very many times go into the a●…gitish-chamber , into the centre , for every sparkle of the divine wi●… , skill or understanding out of god's wisdom , must become generated out of the centre of nature , else it is not perminent or eternal ; thus we must aell dye in christ's death , if we will possess his glory . god and man is become one person , one christ , one god , one holy trinity in the humanity , and also in like mann●… every where , so that when we see christ , we see the holy trinity in one only image . he is not strange or tyrable to us , but is our love. tincture , he is with his power the quickning of our soul●… our life , and our souls delightful habitation . when we find him , we find our help or salvation , as in like manner a●…am should have found him , but he suffer●… himself to be seduced , and found at length a woman — then said he , she 〈◊〉 flesh of my flesh , and bone of my bo●… , and took her unto him for a companion . so when our soul findeth him , it saith , that is my virgin which i had lost in adam , when an earthly woman came to be out of it : i have now again found my love-virgin out of my love , i will never more let it go from me again . o! it is a friendly qualifying or co-working beauty , brightness , fruit , power , v●…rtue . for in thè wisdom the fall was known e'er man became a creature , and that according to the ●…ire's property , not according to the light 's property , but according to the first principle . and we say of mary , that before the time of the opening and message of the angel , she was such a virgin 〈◊〉 eve was when she went out of paradise , e'er adam knew her . of metals , and of the metaline tincture , and philos●… stone . the metals have the same ●…bstance , condition 〈◊〉 birth , or geniture as the vegetab●… upon 〈◊〉 earth have : in earth , in stones and metals , there is ●…-fold essence , viz. one from the original of the fire dark world , and 〈◊〉 of the original of the holy lig●… world. all this was given [ man ] for his play , he had 〈◊〉 knowledge of all tinctures : all was subject to him , he ruled in heaven and earth , and over all the elements , so also over all the constellations . but metals are in themselves nothing else but a water and oyl , which are held by the wrathful properties , viz. by the astring●…nt austeer desire , that is , by a saturnine martial fiery property in the compaction of sulpher and mercury to be one body [ or congealed bulk ] but if i whoily destroy this body , and severize each into its own property , then i clearly find therein the first creation . gold , silver and precious mettals , are indeed out of the heavenly magia thus inclosed and shut up , by or with the kindling : they are another thing then earth , man loveth that well , and 〈◊〉 it for his maintenance , but he knoweth not its ground and original ; it is not in vain loved by the mind , it hath a high original , if we would consider of it . but we are justly silent of it here , seeing man without that , loveth it too much , and thereby withdraweth himself from the spirit of god : one should not love the body mor●… then the spirit , for the spirit is its life ; this we give you to understand in a similitude , and are silent of the matter , with the ground and original thereof . but know this , that it was given to man for his sport and ornament , he had it by the right of nature , it was his understanding the outward bodies ; for the outward body with its tincture , and the metalline tincture are near a kind . when the tincture of the outward body was destroyed by the devils evil longing , then the metalline tincture hid it self from the human , & became an enemy to it ; for it is p●…rer then the perished in the outward man. let this be manifest to ●…ou , ye seekers of the metalline tincture ; if you would find the philosophers stone , then apply your selves to the new birth in christ , else it will be hard for you to apprehend it , for it hath a great agreement with the ●…nly substantiality , which if it were released from the fierce wrath , would be very well seen . it s lustre signifieth somewhat , so that if we had 〈◊〉 eyes we ●…hould well app●…ehend it . a collected appendix ●…or the clearer opening the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . the beeing of all beeings , is but one only beeing●… but in its g●…eration it severs it self into two 〈◊〉 , viz. 〈◊〉 light and darkness , into joy and ●…orrow , into ●…vil a●…d good , into love and anger , into 〈◊〉 and light ; and out of these two eternal begi●…nings [ or principles . ] into a third begi●…ning , viz. into the creation to 〈◊〉 own love play and ●…lody , according 〈◊〉 the property of both eternal 〈◊〉 . death is the bound mark of all , whatsoever is temporal , whereby the evil may be destroyed . if gods anger be omnipotent to destroy , then is his love also omnipotent to preserve , if this contrariety were not , there would be no life ; and there would be no good , also no evil ; for if there were no fierce wrath , there would be no moving : thus the substance of all substances is a continual working , desiring and fulfilling ; the ●…ire desireth the light , that it may get meekness and substance for its burning or life ; and the light desireth the fire , else there would be no light , and it would have neither power nor life ; and they both de●…ire the dark anguish , else the fire and light would have no root , and all would be a nothing . therefore i say , god's love is as great as his anger , his fire as great as his light , and his darkness as great as either of the other ; it is all alike eternal , without be●…inning ; and it beginneth it self from eternity with or 〈◊〉 the darkness , and bringeth it self from eternity to 〈◊〉 darkness into the source or quality , even into the 〈◊〉 , and in the rising up of the ●…ire is the eternal death , ●…here the darkness and light seperate themselves each ●…to a principle in it self , and the light also it self po●…sseth it self , one dwelleth in the other unapprehended 〈◊〉 the other ; there is in ●…ternity no parting asunder : ●…hose that dwell in the darkness , see not the light , and ●…hose that dwell in the light see no darkness : god ●…uld not be manifested or revealed , and there would 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 nature nor creature without the darkness . observe now , god's anger maketh the dark mind ●…ull of god's love , maketh the light mind full . ●…or ●…hosoever hath , to them it will be given . but now all ●…andeth in strife , the light against the ●…arkness , an●… the life against the death , and the ●…eath against the life : but man is out of the great 〈◊〉 of all substances , and in him is the strife . dost thou say , god can make of me what he will , he is ●…mnipotent : he maketh of thee what thou wilt , his ●…ove is omnipotent , and also his anger ; that which getteth thee , holdeth thee . the wicked is to god a good favour to de●…th ; and the saint or holy is so to ●…he eternal holy life as thou growest ; so thou art such sap as thou drawest into thy self , such ●…ruit thou bear●…st : it is not 〈◊〉 , ●…od will not be mine , but thou wilt ●…ot be his , and so you are parted . but he cannot make himself a child , he goeth onl●… with the will into the matrix , and then the divine fiat apprehendeth him , and maketh him one ; indeed he cannot make himself a devil , the hellish fiat , according to the dark world's property maketh him one , wh●… 〈◊〉 doth but give his will up thereto . therefore ●…ghtly saith the apostle , to whom you give ●…ur selves ser●… in obedi●… 〈◊〉 servants you are 〈◊〉 of god's love 〈◊〉 anger . here the apostle speaks of man's ●…ction , that man can give up himself , and be given up ; and though indeed of himself he cannot take or receive , yet god giveth him the taking or receiving , for he hath promised it him . we believe a resurrection of our bodies which we had here ; it is not the earthly body that is the image , which shall live eternally , but the heavenly , which the earthly body here holdeth captive in death ; but if christ become born therein , then it is no more in death , but liveth in christ , and is only covered with the earthly body . it is not the husk , viz. the beastial flesh that shall arise , but the life in the outward mystery with the wonders , that shall be comprised in the holy element , and be united with the body of christ [ even ] of the new man , and in eternity stand with its wonders in it . seek not christ's flesh in the four e●…ements in the spirit of the outward world , but in the root of them , viz. in the holy element , a principle deeper then this world is ; not absent from the outward body . let no man think it will come to pass , that men will come , who will teach or compel thé holy spirit with authority or power into men : no , it is said , today when you hear the voice of the lord , harden not your ●…earts and ears : expect not another time , for this is the time of your visitation ; incline your ●…ars and hearts into the temple of christ in you . let none wait for a golden time , wherein the holy spirit out of , or from the outward mouth , will cry into the har●…d into his beastial vvill , who will live only in the lust of the elesh : o! no , that is not to be done ; the time is already come that henoch teacheth , and noah declareth the deludge of sin. let none wait for the outward prophet he appeareth or shineth inwardly in the spirit , the outward man will not know him ; the right way into the eternal life is in man : vvhoso●…ver will enter in with sion , and praise god in jerusalem , hath now the acceptable time , the sound of the seventh trumpet is already sounding , the fountain of israel is open ; let none think that the sound of the trumpet will come from this or the other place : ●…or as the lightning breaketh up in the east , and shineth to the west ; so from the beginning to the end is the coming of the son of man. ●…hat now are the christians , so called , better than tu●…ks and ●…eathens , if they live turkis●…ly , and 〈◊〉 then turkishly and heathenishly ? where is the christian and evangelical fruit ? my dear ●…rethren , s●…ek but the pearl , all you that intend to avoid the ánger of god , look not one upon the life of another , but upon his own ; for it is no more disputing , but either conv●…rt or perish ; the time of disputation and babling , is out , you will get no further w th disputation , but with the regeneration in the spirit of christ , you will reach and obtain the pearl , so that you need never to dispute more . christ , viz. the anointed of god , penetrateth only , or press●…th upon the humanity , not upon all creatures ; he uniteth himself to no creature but man ; he hath also with his incarnation , su●…ering , dying and r●…surrection delivered no creature but man. with the name christ he is become manifest only in the humanity , not in the carthly or heavenly creatures ; th●… earthly and heavenly creatures need no christ , and the h●…llish have none . the man christ is the first that arose from the dead , in the anointing , and is also the first , who in the anointing dyed to the human i●…hood : he is only and alone the lamb of god , in whom god brake his wrath in pieces ; abel and all martyrs are his members , upon whom the breaking death in pi●…ces pr●…ssed or penetrated out of this lamb christ : when christ arose from the d●…ad , then abel also arose in christ's anointing , in christ's humanity , out of christ's death , and lived in the anointing of christ. the christ in the woman's seed was manifest in no saint before christ's birth , but only in the spirit of the deity , in a prophetick manner , and not in a human ma●…ner : by the woman's seed is always understood the paradise which faded or disappeared in adam , viz. the heavenly corporiety from the pure element , and not the four elements ; this was manifest neither in adam nor abel , ●…ill the saviour christ became manifest in the seed . in all men lieth the heavenly image , which disappeared in adam , but it liveth in one , and in another it is unlively . when the wicked turneth himself to god , an●… turneth the will of the soul to god , then is christ out of the disappeared seed born a man and is set before the d●…vil in the outward ●…lesh for a crusher or bruiser of the serpent , which hindreth and breaketh the will of the evil ●…lesh , so that sin is not committed . and then there is a constant enmity christ governeth in his heav●…ly ●…lesh through the outward , and striketh the out●…ard lust to the ground ; then cometh the anger of god into the center of the soul , and will also have its fierce wr●…thful government , and the d●…vil with the false or wicked lust crouds himself thereinto . the thr●… horribl●… chains wherewith our soul is fast bound , during the time of this earthly life , is first t●…e severe anger of god , the abiss and dark world which is the centr●… an●… creaturely life of the soul ; the second is the desire of the devil against the soul , whereby he cont●…ly ●…th a●…d temptet●… the soul , striving to throw it from the truth of god into vanity , viz. into prid●… , coveto●…sness , envy and anger , and with his ●…esire bloweth up an●… kin●…th those ev●…l propertie●… i●… the soul , whereby the will of the soul turne●…h away from , and ●…th into self . the third and ●…ost hurt ful chain is the corrupt and altog●…r vai●… , earthl●… and mortal ●…lesh and blood , full of evil desires an●… incli●…ations . it is then necessary that we convert with our will●… and enter again into the new-birth , and christ giveth us his body to eat , and his blood to drink but not to the man of sin , but to the man in chri●…t new born to life , viz. that from the divine world's ●…ubstance to the paradi●…ical man , which hath a heaven●…y mouth to pertake with . ●…or christ dwelleth in heaven , & ●…eedeth ●…s with his body and blood in the heaven , this heave●… is in man , a●…m ●…th of the four elements , and is ●…ed with evil and good ; a●…am the outward ●…lesh man ●…nneth , the inward man willeth not the sin , therefore saith paul , now if i 〈◊〉 , it is not i that do it , but it is the ●…nful desire which dwelle●…h in the flesh : now therefore with my mind i serve god , and with my flesh the law of sin ; for i do that which i would not , but if i now do it , it is not i that do it , but sin in the flesh. therefore let the christian reader that loveth truth , be warned according to my bounden duty and love will , not to esteem himself perfect , and to set himself in the omnipotent power or virtue of god in the omniscience , and to say he is without sin , and cannot sin . our whole life should be a continual repentance , for it is even a continual sinning ; and though indeed the noble lilly-branch new generated or born in christ's spirit sinneth not ; yet the earthly man in soul and body sinneth , and willeth continually to break or destroy the noble rose-bud again , and altogether obscure it . here is the field where the fruit groweth , let none be perswaded to such slugishness , and to lie on such a soft bed , as to think he is fairly grown , and quite or full blossomed : o no! no , by no means , but continually without ceasing draw divine essence to th●… self , in the greatest humility , from and out of gods love , as a bee doth honey out of the fair blossom of ●…lowers ; for as soon as man is secure or careless , and thinketh he is holy honey , then the devil bringeth to him poyson in the vanity which the own self will in own self lust or longing 〈◊〉 into ●…t self . as soon as the soul eateth of it self , and of the light of reason , it goeth on in its own opinion , and then its doings which it sets for divine , are but from the outward 〈◊〉 , which presently then layeth hold on the soul , and maketh it dry , and then the soul goeth on in ●…rrors , till it yield it self up again into resignation , an●… acknowledging it self anew to be a defiled ch●…ld , resiste●…h reason , and so getteth the love of god aga●…n , which i●… harder to do now , then it was at first , for the devil bringeth in strong doubts , he will not easily leave his ●…ort of prey . this may be seen clearly in the saints of god from the beginning of the world , that many who have been driven by the spirit of god , have yet often-times departed from 〈◊〉 into self , viz. into their own reason and will , in which satan hath cast then into sins , and into the anger of god. the will of the soul must therefore continue close to resigned humility , and sink into nothing , viz. into the deepest humility i●… the sight of god. also a man in this world should not desire to kno●… his hol●…ness , but continually draw sap out of his tree christ , and commit and leave it to the tree what kin●… of branch or twig that will generate out of him . why do we so long contend about knowledge ? indeed knowledge is not alone the way to blessedness 〈◊〉 salvation : the devil knoweth more then we , but wh●… doth that a vail him ? for that i know much , affordeth 〈◊〉 no joy ; but that i love my saviour jesus , and co●…tinually desire him , that affordeth me joy ; for the desiring is a receiving . let not the dear and worthy christendom think , 〈◊〉 now it doth seem as if she should go to wrack and 〈◊〉 that it is utterly undone ; no , the spirit of the lord hosts hath out of his love planted a new branch in 〈◊〉 human property which shall root out the tho●…ns of the dev l , and make known his child jesus to all nations , tongues and speeches , and that in the morning of the eternal day . a christian is of no sect , he can dwell in the midst of sects , and also appe●…r in their services , and yet adhear and be addicted to no sect ; he hath but one knowledge only , that is , christ in him , and he putteth all his knowing and willing into the l●…fe of christ. john , as the teacher of christ , in christ's stead , must provide for the outward mother , according to the outward man , and seed and teach the lambs of christ with christ's spirit : and it doth exactly shew us how the outward man is not god's mother ; for christ doth seperate himself from his outward mother , and gives her unto john , and therefore they do very ill that honour and worship the outward mother of christ for god's mother . the whole true christendom is christ's mother , which beareth christ in her , and john viz the servants [ and ministers ] of christ are his nurses , which take care for the mother of christ , as john did . all whatsoever the jews did to christ outwardly , the same was a type of the inward , viz. how it went between god and the humanity , viz. between the eternity and time ; the jews gave him gall and vinegar in his thirst , both these properties are a mercury in the sulpher of saturn , viz. in the impression ; this is even the type and full resemblance of the souls property , as it is in it self alone devoid of the other loveproperties . god gave this property of the soul again into his love , the death into the lise , wh●…reupon the soul-like fire and dark world became an excee●…ing ●…riumphant joyful paradisical life and here the champion upbraided death and hell , viz. the dark world in the soul and said . death where is thy sting now in man ? hell , where is now thy victory in the wrath of thy poyson-source ? in the expressed word or mercury all is now dead : o death am to thee a death ; hell i am to thee a conquero●… thou must serve me for the kingdom of joy : tho●… shalt be my servant and minister to the kingdom 〈◊〉 joy : thou shalt enkindle the flames of love with th●… wrath , and be a cause of the spring ●…n paradise . the dear love - 〈◊〉 and meekness did suffer it self be scorned mocked , 〈◊〉 upon , and judged by the anger , 〈◊〉 is , the jews must execute the iustice of god , for by 〈◊〉 self-action sin was committed , an●… by man's self-action 〈◊〉 and sin must be blotted out . adam had introduced his 〈◊〉 into the poyson of the outward mercury ; even so must 〈◊〉 viz. the love , freely give up its will also into the 〈◊〉 poysonful mercury : adam did eat of the evil tree , 〈◊〉 must eat of god's anger ; and as it went inwardly in 〈◊〉 spirit , so likewise outwardly in the flesh. upon the mount of olives the heavenly world in the 〈◊〉 did wrestle with the anger in the human world , viz. 〈◊〉 the self-hood , so that the person of christ did sweat 〈◊〉 sweat ; even there the one was dismayed at the other , 〈◊〉 love at the horrible death whereinto it should and 〈◊〉 wholly yield and give in it self with the divine essentiality and be swallowed up by the anger , and the anger [ 〈◊〉 dismayed ] at its death , in that it must lose its might 〈◊〉 the love. hence the whole person of christ said , father if it 〈◊〉 possible , let this cup pass from me ; yet not as i 〈◊〉 but thy will be done . the love-world in christ said , 〈◊〉 it not be but that i must drink down the cup of thy anger then thy will be done . and the anger said , if it be possible let this cup of love pass from me , that i may revenge 〈◊〉 self , and rage in the wrath of man for his disobedience 〈◊〉 as god said to moses , who stood in the spirit of christ 〈◊〉 a type of christ before god , let me alone , that i may devour this disobedient people : but the name 〈◊〉 which had incorporated it self in paradise , with the promise of the woman's seed in the aim of the human 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 covenant would not suffer him ; for the humility of 〈◊〉 name jesus hath always interposed against the wrath of 〈◊〉 father , against his fires property , that his fire might 〈◊〉 enkindle the half poysonful mercury in man , save only 〈◊〉 some times , when israel walked wholly in the wrath and ●…isobedience , as is to be seen by corah , dathan and abi●…am , and by elias . now from the tryal of the combat of the love and anger ●…gainst each other proceeded also the temptation of christ ; 〈◊〉 was tryed in the temptation , of which property man would 〈◊〉 , whether of the father 's in the fire , or of the son's 〈◊〉 the light of love ; here the whole property of christ's ●…erson was tempted , the devil said , as he had also said unto ●…dam , eat of the evil and good : hast thou not bread ? ●…hen make bread of stones : why dost thou hunger so 〈◊〉 in thy own property ? then said the divine desire , 〈◊〉 liveth not of bread alone , but of every vvord of god. when the devil saw that in this he had no success , that ●…he humanity would not give way to depart out of the 〈◊〉 out of god's will he carried the humanity upon an ●…igh mountain , and shewed it all the riches of the world . 〈◊〉 whatsoever doth live and move in the express word , all ●…he dominions and might in the outward nature , over which he calleth himself a pri●…ce , but hath only the one part ●…n the wrath of death in poss●…ssion , and said unto it [ un●…erstand , to the human pr●…per●…y ] if thou fallest down and worship me , i will give thee all this . here it was tryed , therefore said the devil . viz. the ar●…anist in god's anger unto christ , that he should fall down ●…nd worship him and then he would give him all dominions , power and glory , he should and might do what he please : he 〈◊〉 live and delight in his own self-will , and fore-go re●…gnation ; and if this had come to pass then had the fair ●…nstrument been once again broken , and the human melody in god's love and deeds of wonder had ended , but christ said . get thee hence satan , it is written , thou shalt worship the lord thy god , and serve him only . then the de●… left him , and the angels came and ministred unto him . christ called the devil a prince of this world , but 〈◊〉 devil hath neither the kingdom of god , nor the kingdom 〈◊〉 this world in possession , this world is not his own , but he is 〈◊〉 poorest creature in this world●… and hath only the wraths 〈◊〉 in possession , the other profiteth him nothing ; thus he is the world , and also not in the world ; he thought to be pri●… and is so in the same property in the wicked , and also in 〈◊〉 government in the world in the wrath : he must lo●…k wh●… turba magna is enkindled in the wrath , and there 〈◊〉 busie so far as turba magna goeth in the wrath , fur●… his courage is cooled . of outward government and dominion . when god blessed noah through the o●…-spring , 〈◊〉 ceeding from the covenant , and bad them be fr●…sui ; he gave them again the whole world , with all its 〈◊〉 in possession , and gave them all 〈◊〉 , 〈◊〉 and fowls common , with no distinction , restriction or 〈◊〉 , 〈◊〉 only that they should not eat th●…ir lif●… in the blood , le●…t 〈◊〉 should become monstro●…s in their li●…e , with eating the 〈◊〉 of the beast . god commanded them to rule over all the beasts and cr●…tures , but in this place ●…e 〈◊〉 them no p●…culiar 〈◊〉 er ruling power over one ano●… ; for all domina●…ion 〈◊〉 rule and authority , wher●… one man rul●…th over anot●… doth a●…ise from or through the order of nature , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 its properties according to the 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 dominion of the 〈◊〉 under the constellations or astru●… the true image of god hath no other dominion 〈◊〉 members , then the b●…dy 〈◊〉 in i●…s members . or the 〈◊〉 in its branches ; but the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from the s●…rs ●…our elements mak●…th 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a dominion and gover●… according to its mother , whence it taketh it rise , and 〈◊〉 in it liveth . here ●…ote , all war and cont●…ntion ariseth from ●…ominion of god's anger ; the warrior is a servant of god's anger ; he is the ax wherewith the angry husband-man cuts up the thorns and bryars from off his ground : god's anger according to his fire's property , will have it so , and not his love ; and he that suffers himself to be made use of thereto , he serveth the anger of god , according to the dark and fireworld's desire and property which in the heavy fall of adam , hath manifested it self in the human property , and brought man , viz. the angelical image into an half devilish vizard and likeness . of human propagation . although honest marryed people beget children , and joyn themselves together with love-desire ; yet it hath no●… this meaning or understanding , that the imagination or desire of man and wife is holy , and that christ's spirit driveth on the imagination . the imagination ariseth out of the tinctures , which ●…indle the mercury with their lust , and the mercury kindleth the spirit of the life , and now existeth the lust and will in the heart , viz. a vekement des●…re ; the tenderer the complexion is , the nobler also is the tincture in its swee●… desire . but if also it be shot with a fiery dart in venus's desire , then 〈◊〉 the life kindled . so that it is as it were more then half 〈◊〉 with love-thoughts ; and yet knoweth not what hath ●…appened to it . must all this be holy ? then would the secret whoredoms also be holy ; whereas indeed the dart often goeth forth in false or wicked lust. and though it be at best , yet it is a thing that is in all ●…easts , it is natural ; and when men will give it the best ●…nd rightest name , then it is called an abomination before god's ●…oliness , being a thing existed out of sin , through adam's fall ; which indeed is born withal under divine pa●…iente , seeing it cannot be otherwise , of which we could take ●…any examples in the holy scriptures . look upon the people of israel , when god would give them ●…he law on mount sinai , and manifest or reveal himself with his voice , then he commanded the young people whic●… were loaden with such burning lusts , to abstain from the●… wives ; and that pointed not only at the marriage-work , bu●… also at the imagination . christ therefore be●…ame a man without the helping or co-working or concurrence of any man or husband , that he might bring us forth out of this ab●…mination before god , through 〈◊〉 holy incarnation or becoming man : he became such a v●…rgin like child , with both the tinctures one in another , with ou●… self-love , that he might bring our rent in himself in●…o one . and this is the abomination , in the marriage-work , th●… the s●…ed is unclean in the conjunction of both t●…e tincture●… when they are brought together into one ; [ indeed ] it is th●… property of the eternal joyfulness , when the seed goeth fort●… viz. of the highest desiring and fulfilling ; if that might 〈◊〉 done without abomination , then it were ●…oly ; but the sulpher in the seed is an abomination before the holiness . it is not in the power of the imagination of the flesh , bu●… in the pure love-desire of c●…astity and faithfulness whe●… two joyn their minds together in the marriage band , an●… give up their love and faithfulness one to another to be the●… own , and desire to be one heart and will ; there the spir●… of christ is the love band ; and here now is rightly the thing , increase or multiply , and be fruitful . the marriage-work , according to the outward man , 〈◊〉 not holy , but according to the inward , it is holy , in th●… children of the saints , but not in beastial vessels ; 〈◊〉 marriage-work in it self , if it be done ordinately , is not 〈◊〉 ful , for it is driven on by god's officer , nature , and bo●… withal under divine patience . of the serpent that deceived adam , and of all created things . when god said , let all sorts of beasts come fort●… each according to h●…s property [ or kind ] th●… came forth beasts out of every property of nature , as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 manifest in the severation [ of the 〈◊〉 kingdoms , viz. ti●… 〈◊〉 eternity ] when god moved himself to the creation ; for ●…he . devil would domineer over the love and meekness of god , and put his desire also into the anger , that is into the austeer might , where the poyson-life ariseth , viz. into the fiat of the wrathful property , out of which form are proceeded vipers , serpents , toads , and other venomous worms ; not that the devil hath made them , that he cannot ; only as the desire was in the impression of the ●…iat , such also was the creature in the evil and good . for in those poysonful beasts the highest tincture is to be found , if they be reduced into an oily substance , and the wrath of mercury seperated ; for all life both external and internal consists in poyson and light , as we understand that the wrath and anger-fire of god is a cause of the divine joyfulness : the like also me are to know externally ; for all life devoid of the poysonful mercury . is amort and abominate , and accounted as dead : now mercury is the kindler of the fire , and every moving life consists in the fire ; and albeit some creatures live in the water , yet fire is their life . in the highest mercury is the highest sharpest proof of all things ; the more poyonful a thing is , the more sharply is proveth a thing ; for the sharpest taste and smell consists in the greatest poyson . viz. in a dying source . now we are to consider of the serpent which deceived adam with his craft ; the kingdom of wrath , and also the outward kingdom was manifest in the serpent , for it was more subtil then any beast of the field , and this subtilty eve desired . the devil was a fair angel , and the serpent the subtile beast , and man the likeness of the deity : now all three were corrupted by imagination and pride , and got the curse of god for their false lust [ or ●…unning . ] all whatsoever is eternal , proceedeth originally from one ground , as angels and souls ; but the serpent is not out of the eternal ground , but out of the beginning of time ; all things were good in the beginning , also the devil was 〈◊〉 while he was an angel ; so also the serpent [ was good in i●… creation before the curse . ] but being the devil went into the highest fire 's desire , god parted from him as a light that is put out , or extinguished in a candle , and afterwards he lived according to his own desire . but seeing he knew that there was such a tincture in the serpent , and the serpent being created out of the beginning of time ; therefore he insinuated with his desire into the serpent , and took possession of the serpent's tincture , and wrought forth his desire through the serpent against man , to introduce him to long after the serpent's property ; for the serpent's tincture was from both originals , viz. out of the deadly mercury , from the dying in the fire , viz. from the coldness in the impression , and then also from the wrathful [ fiery property in the impression ] the cold impression is earthly , which ariseth from the wrath , viz. from the dying in the wrath in the impression ; and the fiery [ impression ] ariseth from the quick poyson of mercury , in which ●…roperty the spirit 's life consisteth . thus adam and eve was infected with the devil's desire through the serpent , viz. through the earthly deadly property , and also [ through ] the wrathful living property of god's wrath , according to the devil 's own property , and was inflamed in his divine oyl , that is , in the heavenly essentiality ; even then the divine light which shone out of the divine body of the heavenly essentiality was extinct in him , for the curse ●…oized upon the soul. now god's cursing is a withdrawing , viz. the divine power which was in the body departed into its own principle , and his holy oyl [ wherein the power of god dwelt , and had made a kingdom of joy , viz. the paradise ] became a poyson . thus adam dyed unto god , and lived to death ; nere it was necessary that god should regenerate him , and ●…herefore the serpent was cursed , because it had served and willingly obeyed the devil . we declare with good ground , that there is nothing so bad , but there lieth a good therein , but the badness is not capable of the good : also , there lieth in the most poysonful mercury the greatest pearl and jewel , if his poyson-will may be introduced into the same , then he himself manifests the pearl , for he changeth himself . the power of the most-high hath given to all things , even to every one according to its property , a fixt perfection ; for all was very good , as mos●…s saith , but with the curse the turba is introduced , so that the properties do stand in the strife of mercury , yet in each property in every herb , or whatsoever is [ i say ] in whatsoever doth grow , or arise out of the walm of the four elements , there is a fixity hidden ; for all things which are in the four elements , are originally sprung forth out of the eternal element , in which there is no strife , neither heat nor cold , but all things were in equal weight , of all the properties in a love-play , as it is even so now in paradise ; and the same paradise sprung forth in the beginning of this world [ before the curse ] through the earth : thus it is also yet hidden in all things , and may be opened by understanding and art , so that the first virtue may overcome the inflamed malignity . albeit we men have not full power to do it in self-might , yet it may be done in god's permission , who hath again turned his mercy towards us , and again opened paradise , and its comprehension in man : hath god given us power to become his children , and to rule over the world ? wherefore then not over the cur●…e of the earth ? let none hold it for impossible , there is required only a divine understanding and knowledge thereunto , which shall blossom in the time of the lilly , and not in babel , for whom we also have not written . whatsoever groweth , liveth and moveth in th●… wo●…ld consisteth in sulpher , and mercury is the life 〈◊〉 sulpher and the salt is the corporeal beeing of merc●… his hunger . sulpher is the mother of all spirituality and corporality , mercury manageth the dominion therein , and sol is the house of its habitation , which mercury it se●… maketh i●… sulp●…r . reason ariseth in the oyl of the sulpher , wherein t●…e constellation giveth its desire . viz. the essence of ●…ts property , whence forth-with the sences and thoughts do ari●…e . there are especially seven forms or properties in nature [ which are before described ] both in the eternal and external natu●…e ; for the external proceeds from the eterna●… : the 〈◊〉 ent philosophers have given names unto the seven planets , according to the seven forms o●… nature , but they have understood thereby for another thing , not only the seven stars but the seven-fold properties in the ●…eneration of all essences : there is not any thing in the beeing of all beeings , but it hath the seven properties in it , for they are the wheel of the centre , the cause of the sulpher , in which mercury maketh the boyling in the anguish-source . these seven ●…orms or properties make in themselves a three-fold spirit . viz. a vegita●…ive , sensitive and rasional ; the vegitative consists in the four elements , the ●…ensitive in the seven ●…orms of nature , and the rationative in the constellation , but the understanding proceeds only from god , for it ariseth out of the eternal nature ; all life whatsoever which hath its limit in the expressed word , doth consist in sol , sulpher and mercury , for therein consists the seven properties of every life of this world ; and also the spirit of vegitation , sensation and reason . when i speak of sulpher , mercury and salt , i speak of one only thing , be it either spiritual or corporeal , all created things are that one thing , but each thing in its difference of the first beginning , according as the property in the verbum fiat hath imprinted it self in each thing ; so is that kind in its propagation , and all things stand in the seed and procreation ; and there is not any thing but it hath a fixity in it , be it either hidden or manifest , for all shall stand to the glory of god. what soever is arisen from the eternal ●…ixity , as angels , and the souls of men , doth remain undestroyable in its fixt beeing ; but whatsoever is arisen in the unfixt beeing , viz. with the motion of time , that doth again enter into the first motion , whe●…ce it hath taken its original , and is a map of its form , which it had here like a picture , or as in an image in a glass without life ; for so it was from eternity before the times of this world , which the most-high hath introduced into an image into the comprehensible natural life in time , to behold the great wonders of his vvisdom in a creatural beeing , as we plainly see . for we cannot say , that this world was made out of something , it was only and barely a desire out of the free lube●… , that the abiss , viz. the highest good or beeing viz. the eternal vvill would behold it self in the lubet as in a glass , therefore the eternal vvill hath conceived the lubet , and brought it into a desire , which hath impressed it self , and figurized and corporized it self both to a body and spirit , according to the same impress on 's propery . this impression is the only manifestation of the mystery , and is called nature and essence , for it manifests what hath been from eternity in the eternal vvill. a few words shewing how lovely and graciously the 〈◊〉 virgin sophia in the inward ground of man , [ viz. th●… spirit of christ in the new birth out of his humanity i●… us ] presen●…h her self to her bridegroom , the soul , 〈◊〉 it entreth into repentance ; and how the soul behav●… it self towards her , when virgin sophia appeareth to i●… . the gates of the paradisical garden of roses . when christ the corner-stone stirreth himself in the extinguished image of man in his hearty conversion & repentance , then virgin sophia appeareth in the stirring of the spirit of christ in the extinguished image in her virgins attire before the soul , at which the soul is so amazed and astonished at its uncleanness , that all its sins immediately awake in it , and tremble a●…d shake before her : for then the judgment passeth upon the sins of the soul , so that it even goeth back in its unworthiness , and is ashamed in the presence of its fair love and entreth into ●…t self , denying it self as utterly unworthy to receive such a jewel . this i●… understood by them who are of the tribe , and have casted this jewel , and to none else . the soul saith to its noble sophia , its love , that is born again in the soul ; o my noble pearl and opened flame of my light in my anxious fiery life ! o how thou changest me into th●… joy ! o beautiful love ! i have broken my faith with thee to my father adam and with my fiery strength have turned my self to the pleasure and vanity of the ou●…ward world , and ●…ave fallen in love wit●… a stranger , and had been constrain●…d to walk in the valley of darkness in this strange love , if thou had●… not come to me into the house of my misery in thy great faithful●…ess , by thy pierceing thorough and destroying god's anger , hell and dark death , and restored thy meekness and love to my siery life . o sweet love ! thou hast brought the water of eternal life out of the fountain of god with thee to me , and refreshed me in my great thirst : i behold in thee t●…e mercy of god , which was hidden from m●… be●…ore by the strange love ; in thee i can rejoyce , thou changest my anguish of fire to be great joy to me . o aimable love : give me t●…y pearl , that i may continue in this joy forever . upon this the noble sophia answereth the soul , & saith ; my noble bridegroom , my strength and power ! why hast thou forgotten me so long , that i have been constrained in great grief to stand ●…ithout the door & knock ? my dear love and faithful treasure , thou highly rejoycest me in thy beginning ! i have indeed broken into thee through the deep ●…ates of god , through god's anger , through hell and death , into the house of thy misery , and have graciously bestowed my love upon thee , and delivered thee from the chains and bands wherein thou wast fast boun●… ; i have kept my ●…aith with thee : but thou desir●…st now an exceeding great thing of me which i will not willingly ve●…ture with ●…eethou wouldst have my pearl as th●… proper own : remember , i pray , o my belove●… bridegroom ! that thou didst carelesly lose it before in adam , and besides , thou standest yet in great danger , and walkest in two dangerous kingdoms , viz. in the original ●…ire , thou walkest in that country , wherein god calleth himself a strong ●…ealous ●…od , and a consuming fire . the other kingdom thou walkest in , is in the outward world , the air. wherein thou dwellest in the vain corrupt flesh and blood , where the pleasure of the world , & the assaults of the devil pass over thee every hour , thou mayst perhaps ●…n thy great jo●… bring earthliness again into my beauty , and darken my pearl : thou mayst also perhaps , grow proud as lucifer did , when he had the pearl in his possess on , and so mayst turn thy self away from the ha●…mony of god , and then i must afterwards be deprivo●… of my love forever . i will keep my pearl in my self , and dwell in the heaven in thee , in thy extinguished , but now in me revived humanity , and reserve my pearl for paradise , until tho●… puttest away this earthliness from thee , and then●… will give it thee to possess . but i will readily affo●… and present my countenance to thee , and the swee●… rayes of the pearl , during the time of this earthly life . i will dwell with the pearl in the inner quire , and b●… thy faithful loving bride : i will not espouse my se●… with thy earthly flesh , for i am a heavenly queen , m●… kingdom is not of this world , yet i will not cast th●… outward life away , but visit it often with my rayes o●… love , for thy outward humanity shall return again ; but i will not have the beast of vanity , neither did go●… create it in adam , with a purpose to have it so gro●… and earthly , but in adam thy desire through lust form ed this beastial groseness from , and with all the essence of the awakened vanity of the earthly property , wherein heat and cold , pain , enmity and desolution consisteth . now my dear love and bridegroom , yield but th●… self up into my will , i will not forsake thee in this eart●… ly life in thy danger , though the anger of god shou●… pass upon thee , so that thou shouldst grow afright●… and disheartned , or shouldest think that i had forsake thee . yet i will be w●…th thee and preserve thee , for tho●… thy self knowest not what thine office is ; thou must 〈◊〉 this time work , and bear fruit ; thou art the root this tree , branches must be produced out of thee , whi●… must all be brought forth in anguish : but i came for together with thy branches in their sap , and bring for●… fruit upon thy boughs , and thou knowest it not ; for t●… most-high hath so ordered that i should dwell with a●… in thee . involve thy self therefore in patience , and take he●… of the pleasure of the flesh , break the will and desire thereof , bridle it as an unruly horse , and then i will often visit the●… in thy fiery essence . o noble bridegroom ! stand still with thy countenance towards me , and give me thy rayes of fire , bring thy desire into me , and kindle me , and then i will bring the rayes of my love from my meekness into thy fiery essence , and kiss thee forever . i will bring a garland for thee out of paradise , with me , for a token of my love , and put it upon thee , in which thou shalt rejoyce : but i give thee not my pearl for a possession during this time : thou must continue in resignation , and hearken what the lord playeth in thy harmony in thee : moreover thou must give sound and essence to thy tune out of my strength and virtue , for thou art now a messenger of his mouth , and must set forth his praise and glory . o kiss me with thy desire in thy strength and power , and then i will shew thee all my beauty , and will rejoyce and delight my self with thy sweet love and shining brightness in thy fiery life ; but the crown of pearl wherewith i crowned thee , i have laid that aside for thee , thou must wear it no more till thou art become pure in my sight . the soul saith further to the noble sophia ; o thou fair and sweet consort ! what shall i say before thee ? let me only be commended unto thee , i cannot preserve my self ; if thou wilt not now give me thy pearl , i leave it to thy will ; give me but thy rayes of love , and carry me through this pilgrimage . i am satisfied now that i know thou art with me in all my troubles , and will not forsake me . o gracious love ! i turn my fiery countenance to thee : o fair crown ! fetch me quickly into thee , and bring me sorth from unquietness : i will be thine forever , and never ●…part from thee . conclusion . man is the greatest arcanum , or secret mistery that god ever wrought , he hath the figure and is the similitude , shewing how the deity hath exgenerated it self from eterni●…y out of the si●…rce wrath out of the fire , by the sin●…ing through death into another principle , of another source o●… q●…ity . 〈◊〉 is he also exgenerated out of death again , and grow●… ou●… o●… d●…ath again into another principle , of another source and q●…lity and virtue , or power , wherein 〈◊〉 is quite free from ear●…hliness . and it is very good that we are with the earthly part falle●… home to the earth , inasmuch as we also retain the divine part ; for so we are wholly pure , and come wholly perfect without any lust. sugg●…ion or infection of the devil into the kingdom of god again ; and are a much greater arcanum , or secret mistery then the angels . we shall also , as to the heavenly substantiality , excel them , for they are flames of fire throughly illustrated with the light , but we attain the great source or quality of the meekness and love , which floweth forth in god's holy substantiali y. therefore they do very wrongfully and fasl●… , who say , god wille●…h not to have all men in ●…eaven ; he willeth that all should be saved or helped , the fault is in man himself , that 〈◊〉 will not su●…er himself to be saved or helped . and although many be of an evil inclination . that proceedeth not from god , but from the mo●…er o●… nature ; if they lay the blame on god , they lye , god's spirit with-draweth it self from no man. the noble 〈◊〉 them standeth hidden in the noble centre ●…n the divine principle ; and they can very well with their ●…illing , go forth out of the earth●…y substance and malicc , o●… wick●… , into the willing of god. but they wilfully and obstinately let the fierce wrath held them ; for the proud stately self-honouring life pleaseth them too well , and that holdeth them also . after this time there is no 〈◊〉 more ; but in this time , while the soul swimeth and burneth in the blood , it may welt be , for the spirit of god goeth upon the wings of the wind. god is become man. the spirit of go●… goeth with the willing into the soul , it de●…reth the soul , it setteth its magia towards the soul , the soul needs only to open the door , and so it goeth voluntarily in , and openeth the noble grain to the tree of the christian-faith . cast away your evil or wickedness , and enter into meekness , press into the truth and love , and yield thy self up to god , and so thou wilt be saved or helped . thou wilt s●…y , i am kept back that i cannot . yes indeed , that is right , thou willest to have it so ; the devil also would have it so . art thou a champion ? why dost thou not strive or fight against the evil ? but if thou sirivest or sightest against the good , thou art an enemy to god. art thou an enemy ? then thou art no friend ; if thou be a friend , then forsake thy enmi●…y and hatred , and go to the father , and so thou art a son. if thou sayest , i am of an evil source or quality , and cannot , i am kept back . very well , let the evil source or quality be as it is , but go thou with thy will-spirit into god's love-spirit , and give up thy self into his mercy . thou wilt once well be ●…reed from the evil source or quality . concerni●…g the evil body , which sticketh full of evil affections , there is not much to be done ; if it be inclined to evil , do it the less good , give it no occasion to wantonness . to keep it in subjection , is a good remedy ; to be sober , and to lead a temperate life , is a good purgation for the evil ass ; not to give it that it lusteth after , to let it fast often , so that it may not hinder prayer , that is good for it : it is not willing , but the understanding must be lord. for it be●…reth god's image — this latine doth not relish well 〈◊〉 the ●…ional world in the lusts of the flesh. reader , who lovest god , know that a man is the tru●… similitude of god , which god highly loveth and manifeste●… himself in this similitude , as in his own ; god is in man the middlemost . but he dwelleth only in himself ; and if it be so , that the spirit of man become one spirit with him , then he manifesteth himself in the humanity , viz. in the mind , thoughts ●…nd de●…rings , so that the mind feeleth him . else in this world he is very much too subtil to be beheld by us , only the thoughts behold him in the spirit , understand , in the willing spirit ; for the will sendeth the though●… into god , and god giveth himself into the thoughts . and then the thoughts bring the power of god to the will , and the will receiveth them with joy , but with trembling [ or quaking ] for it acknowledgeth it self unworthy , seeing it proceedeth out of a rough lodging , viz. out of a wavering ●…ind ; and therefore it receiveth ●…he power in the sinking down before god. thus out of its triumph , cometh a soft gentle meekness to be , that 〈◊〉 , god's true substance , and it apprehendeth that ●…ery substance : and that conceived or apprehended substan●… is in the willing , the heavenly body , and is called the true 〈◊〉 right faith , which the will hath received in the pow●… of god , the same sinketh or demerseth it self into the mind , and 〈◊〉 in the fire of the soul. thus the image of god is entire or total , and god seeth or 〈◊〉 himself in such a similitude . and so now faith is not an historical knowledge , for men 〈◊〉 make articles of it , and to depend only on them , and to 〈◊〉 his mind into the works of his reason : true faith 〈◊〉 the might of god , one spirit with god ; for the holy spirit moveth in the spirit of faith. we would have the reader , that loveth god , faithfully warned from our gifts and deep knowledge : and we have very earnestly and faithfully presented you the ●…ay of the truth , and of the light , and we admonish you all christianly to consider of it , and to read it diligently , it hath its fruit in it self . hallalujah , amen . thus [ christian reader ] have i in part , according to my gift , answered the wish and desire of one of the laborious and worthy translators of jacob 〈◊〉 writings , who speaking thereof , saith , — it were well that all were brought into one , and the rest laid aside , for the multiplicity causeth strife and wrong confused apprehensions , by reason of the catching conceits and conjectures of reason , which is not able to dis●…ern or look into the centre and depth of the mystery , so that reason suppos●…h many times it is contradictory , whereas it is not all contradictory , but fully agrees in one in the depth . yet know , there is but a glimpse of the mysteries in these writings , for a man cannot write them : he that is found worthy of god to have the light enkindled in his soul , he sha●… see , taste , smell , hear and feel unspeakable ●…hings concerning this knowledge . he that this author's works doth read , a divine light in 's heart doth need . or else his reason will but stray , and grope for light in the mid-day . but none will him censure or scorn , that is truly of sophia born . wise solomon saith , happy is the man that sindeth wisdom , and the man that getteth understanding ; for the merchandize of it , is better then the merchandize of silver , 〈◊〉 the gain thereof than fine gold , &c. a treatise of the four complections ; and of the causes of fear and sadness ; 〈◊〉 the astonishment and anguish 〈◊〉 [ about spiritual things . ] also of the two king●… or qualities . written by jacob beheme , . all sadness and fear wherewith a man terrifies and amazeth himself , is in his inward man , from the soul ; for the outward spirit , which hath its original from the stars and elements , is not in this sort troubled , because he lives in his mother which bore him : but the poor soul is with adam entred into a forreign harbour , viz. into the spirit of this world , wherewith the beautiful creature is vail●… and captivated , as in a darksom prison . now the spirit of this world hath four sorts of lodgings , wherein the 〈◊〉 jewel is shut up ; 〈◊〉 these four there is but one 〈◊〉 manifest to one man , as 't is with the four 〈◊〉 , which every man hath in himself , and is him●…lf the same beeing . except his soul , which is not of that essence , though it lie as a prisoner in it : and of th●… four lodgings or images one only hath the 〈◊〉 in his life , the 〈◊〉 of them are ; . cholorick ; . 〈◊〉 ; . phlegmatick ; . melancholy . the first , viz. chol●… , is of the ●…ire's property , causes a stout courage , 〈◊〉 anger , swelling pride , self-willedness , 〈◊〉 of others . this image shines after the outward world in a 〈◊〉 light , labours after the 〈◊〉 , and will always be a lord. is the soul's lif●… 〈◊〉 [ 〈◊〉 ] with the cholerick complexi●… then is it fiery , furious , 〈◊〉 and fretting , 〈◊〉 to fury and 〈◊〉 ; and if the soul imagin therein , then doth it yet more vehemenly kindle and enflame the complexion , the soul it ●…lf being of a fiery nature . then become these follo●… dispositions operative in such a man , viz. anger . pride , an ambit●…ous desire to bring all men in subjection under him ; he is an insulter over [ despiser of ] those that be in misery , and a tyrant over those that are in subjection to him ; he cares not though he dye in anger , except it come to pass that the stars hinder , which oft joyning themselves with the complexion lay a barr in the way , and hinder many things . there is great danger in this complexion , if the soul live according to the outward imagination , and the band is the harder [ stronger ] there being one fiery essence linked to another . the fierce devil hath a powerful approach to this complexion , for the ●…ire's property is his servant ; the devil is also proud and envious , so is this complexion . o! how hardly is the soul freed , if it be once throughly kindled and enflamed in this property the devil need●… not assaut it with temptation , it danceth willingly after his pipe ; it is not easily sad , because it hath a fiery light in 〈◊〉 complexion , and thinks alwayes that 't is the divine light , and its ways are holy and good ; but as long as the soul goes no higher then the complexion ; 't is a proud envious wrathful violent oppressing will or spirit . the soul desires in its pomp to make a glorious show out of its fiery complexion , and in the height of its pride and arrogance will be reputed holy . o thou devil in an angel's shape ! how dark art thou when the fiery glance of thy complexion comes to be put out by death . now here observe ; the soul eats spiritual meat , namely of the spirit , of the image of the complexions , not altogether their essence , but magically ; it is the kindling of their fire . the complexions in the soul's fire became soulish [ or of a soular property ] they are as ●…ood and fire to each other , understand by wood , the complexion , by fire the soul. now the fire must have fewel , viz. either the outward complexion , or a divine essentiality of god's nature , of one of these must it eat or dye , but 't is not possible for it to perish , seeing it is a desire , and where there is a desiring there is also a beeing , the desire makes a beeing to it self . by this we understand , whence ariseth such a differrence in the wills and actions of men : for what the soul eats , and wherein its fire-life is kindled thereafter , doth the life of the soul exercise its regiment . if the soul goes out of its complexion , into god's love-fire into the heavenly essentiality [ which is christ's corporiety , according to the angelical light-world ] then it eats of christ's heavenly flesh , of his eternal essentiality , of the mildness of the majestick light , in which the fire of god the father in the glance [ resplendance of the light ] makes a tincture in the same essentiality in the water-fountain of everlasting life , whereof christ speaks , saying , that he would give us such water to drink . when the soul eats of god's word , the complexion , according to the outward life , becomes powerful , and as it were captive , though it live in it self . but the soul is so stedfast and faithful before god's love , which alone comes to help it [ in the combat ] that oft when it eats of god's love and essence , then it induceth a triumph , and a divine taste into the complexion it self , that the whole body begins to be rouzed up into a trembling , and height of joy , as if paradise were now approaching ; but his condition proves not durable , for the soul is shortly after over-shadowed with something of another nature , which is insinuated into the complexion by the outward imagination , by the spirit of the great world , whereof the soul makes a looking-glass . and begins to contemplate in it with its outward imagination . thus goes the soul out from the spirit of god , and is oft bemired in the dirt , were it not that the virgin vvisdom of god should call her again . to conversion , which is here set down for a looking-glass for souls . but to return : dly ; the sanguine complexion is mild , lucid and cheerful after the airs property , easie , gentle and lovely , and resembles much the [ inward ] life [ whence these properties flow into the outward man. ] if the soul be cloathed with this complexion , and will fix its imagination and life in it , then doth it demean it self friendly , is also subtil , desirous to try many things . it likewise comes to pass , whatsoever the constellations models forth , it experiments it in its complexion ; it is naturally cheerful , yet soon amazed at the terrors of the fire's power , but in it self it is great in its own conceit without advice ; the complexion gives it a sharp understanding , according to the outward spirit : it doth not ordinarily transgress through anger : it is soon lifted up into a heighth of spirit , and as soon cast down , as the air , easily moveable : it must look well to it self , the devil is much enraged against it , being not able to get much advantage on it [ but ] he endeavours to perplex it with variety of imaginations , that it may not fix its thoughts upon god's kingdom ; ●…e represents strange things to its ●…ancy , for it to spend its time in : and it self delights in various studies . the stars inject their imaginations into the air , and from hence her fancy is filled with many strange wide wandering thoughts : it receives naturally the starry property and knowledge into its ●…ssence . the man converseth humbly , friendly , candidly and peaceably with all men ; yet doth the devil set on his enemies against him , whence he must suffer much , but glides easily like the soft air through all , and seldom is he troubled with much sadness . for he having no fiery complexion burning within his heart , the fiery terrors cannot much corrode his vitals , only let him be careful to preserve himself from unchastity and idolatry , for else by their means the devil will find an ingress into h●…s complexion . dly ; when the soul is cloathed with the phelgmatick complexion , and swells up the principle of its life with it . it is of a dull , heavy swinish and rude temper of life and conversation , most perverse and careless ; knowledge must be infused into it by teaching , for it finds it not in its own root . it takes all in good part , troubles not it self with grief , hath a glance of light ; is neither extreamly sad or merry . a man may make any thing out of this complexion , the watry spirit takes any tincture to it self , be it good or bad ; this complexion makes likewise a hypocritical pretence to holyness , and arrogates to it self the repute of an honest righteous life , but 't is not without mixture , and in this it resembles the glittering property of the water . the soul in this complexion is not prone to take much notice of god's wrath and the dark world that lies hid in its centre , but rather bites greedily on the worldly abominations , and hides it elf under the water-glance , supposing it to be the resplendence of the divine light. the devil can introduce all the villanies he exercises in hell it self into this complexion ; and if the stars hinder not , and the soul will give away to it , he gets as much advantage here , as he doth in the ●…ire of the cho●…erick complexion ; for sin here is little regarded , as the water-streams that pass away . he hath power likewise to assault this soul with sadness , whensoever it goes about to oppose him ; for he darkens the water-glance with the sins foulness , which the soul had brought in , and shuts in the soul in this dark prison , that it cannot behold god : but when the soul with a strong resolution storms the prison-gates , it delivers it self , the devil can subsist here no longer , the complexion is too weak a hold , the fire is his stronger ●…ortress . thly ; of the melancholy complexion , and the nature of the sad mind . the melancholy complexion resembles the sad earth , whi●…h stands in perpetual fear before the wrath of god , which came into her in the creation ; rema●…ns constantly in the house of mourning . and even when the sun shines in it , yet it is in it self sorrowful , it receives indeed some refreshment from the sun's glance , but in the dark ; the melancholy nature is alwayes in fear and horror of god's judgments . it gives a moderate understanding , yet of deep cogitations : the complexion-chamber stands open , and is capable of much knowledge , if the way be not blocked up by too much sadness . is the soul cloathed with this complexion , and takes nourishment from it ? then doth its fire burn extream dark ; then it is likewise exceeding sad , esteems not much of any worldly pomp , and is by reason of the complexion always in heaviness ; the devil mightily assaults it , being desirous to throw it head-long into the full possession of his kingdom of darkness . for he enters there gladly where darkness has the predominance ; he makes strange representations to the soul and frights it with the thoughts of its own wickedness , that it may dispair of god's grace . if the soul once turn aside from god , and give it self over to the obedience of the complexion , then all whatsoever the stars work in the complexion , is put in execution , and the devil mixeth his imagination therewith . but while it remains in the combat against the sadness of the complexion , there is none among all the four complexions , whereinto less wickedness is introduced ; for it is always in combat against the devil , knowing him to be very near neighbour ; for the darkness is his habitation . therefore doth he so willingly assault the melancholy soul , striving always to keep it either in darkness , or else to throw her down headlong from the hope in god , that it may dispair , and make away it self . for he knows well what the soul can do , if it once kindle god's light in it self , for then it fires his garison over his head , whereupon he remains in great ignominy , and his deceit is made manifest . there is no complexion wherein the devil's will , with all his sly suggestions , lie more open to the clearest discovery [ if the soul be once kindled in god's light ] then in the melancholy , as they that in the storming his fort have felt his onsets , well know . for they then in their enlightned complexion see quickly what a shameless impure harpy he is . after that he desires not to come near the soul , except he finds it secure , and returning to feast it self [ again ] in the house of sin. then he comes as a fawning spaniel . so as the soul knows him not ; strows sugar upon its viands , holds forth to it nothing but shews of friendliness and ●…iety , till he can bring it back again out of god's light into the complexion , that it feed upon its unwholsom sad-making nourishment . o how cunningly doth he lay his nets for the unwary soul , as a fowler for the birds ! oft he frights it in his prayer , [ especially in the night-time , when 't is dark ] injects his imaginations into its , that it thinks now god's wrath ●…eizes upon it , and will throw it into hell : then be makes semblance ●…o have power over the soul , as if it were his , ●…hough indeed he hath not power to touch one hair of the head , except it disappearingly yield it self over into its hands ; he dares neither spiritually take possession of it , nor touch it , only darts his temptations into its imagination , through the complexion . for this is the reason why he so assaults this soul , viz. because the complexion-chamber is dark , for into the light , he cannot intrude his imaginations ; 't is man's sin must give him entrance : but into this complexion he finds an easie and most natural entrance , it being of a nature so near that of his own most desired home , because its dark desire produces darkness , in which fear is an inhabitant by reason of the ●…ild earth , except in this respect , he hath not one spark more of right to , or dominion in this , than the other complexions . he can accomplish in the imagination than only to'a●…right the man , and make ●…aint-hearted , if the soul through dispair do not give over it self to him , then he induceth the man at last to make away himself ; for except the man first cast away himself , he dare not lay hands on him . the soul hath its free choice or will , and if it with-stand the devil , and refuse consent , however des●…rous he be , yet hath he not so much power as to touch the outward sinful body ; 〈◊〉 boasts himself indeed . as if he had this power , but he is 〈◊〉 lyar ; for had he such power , he would soon shew it ; but ●…tis not so , christ by his entrance into death , and hell's ●…kest dungeons , set upon the gate of heaven for all souls , each one hath now a free entrance ; the devil 's ●…rong cords where with he fast bound the soul in adam , is ●…roken assunder by the cross. o how unwillingly does he hear ●…he cross mentioned , which seriously applyed [ in the work ●…f mortification ] is his most deadly pes●…ilence . the devil is ever objecting to the melancholy man , th●…●…niousness of his sins ; and thereupon seeks to perswade ●…im there 's no possibility of attaining god's grace & favour : therefore that it only remains , he disappearing , stab , drown 〈◊〉 hang himself , or murther another , so that he may gain ●…n approach to the soul , otherwise he neither dare , nor can ●…ouch it . he dare not force thee , nor indeed hath he any power to ●…ouch the soul during this life . for christ hath unlock●… the door of grace ; it now stands open , wide to the poor sinner . ●…hile he lives upon the earth , this door of grace stands open ●…n the soul. christ hath in his soul broke open the iron-gate that was ist shut up in god's wrath . now all souls have a communion and correspondance with this soul , they all come from 〈◊〉 , and are altogether one tree , with many branches ; his ●…reaking open of that prison is from him gone forth upon all ●…ouls from adam till the last men ; the door of grace stands open to them all , god hath shut it up to none , but those th●… will needs exclude themselves . the sign or work of his ingress into the man-hood , is manifest to all souls ; the sam●… will be a witness over all ungodly men , in the judgment day which they have despised . though our sins ( saith esaias ) were as red as blood yet stands the door of mercy still open , for in the sinne●… conversion they shall be made as white as the snowy wool. therefore let no soul think the measure of mine iniquities is full , god hath forgotten me , i cannot be saved : no , i●… cannot be so , he hath engraven it in his nail-pierced-hand●… it is a sprig of the great tree of all souls , and 〈◊〉 an invisible commerce and communion with all , as the branch with the tree , while it lives in this world , so long as it is cloa●…ed with flesh and blood , it remains yet in the tree . of the temptation arising from the complexion and influence of the stars . if the inward anguish or terror of soul be not accompany●… with a kind of ( outward ) terrifying astonishment , th●… is the devil not there present , but 't is the souls amazement which is affrighted at the inward risings of the dark abiss , 〈◊〉 principle of god's wrath in it . it thinks of●… , when the melanchol●… complexion is kind●…ed by some angry sower influe●… of the stars , that the devil is there , when indeed there i●… no such matter . when he comes 't is either with vehem●… astonishing terrors , or in an angels behaviour , or rather i●… a flattering posture like a fawning hound . all temptation comes not from the devil , especially wi●… melancholy men ; but the most part of that afflicting sa●…ness comes from the imagination of the soul , which bei●… necessitated to dwell in dark melancholy habitations 〈◊〉 wonder if it be easily surprised with heav●…ess , so as to 〈◊〉 god hath forgotten it , and will have none of it . for the melancholy complexion is dark , and hath no 〈◊〉 of its own , as the other complexions have ; yet is not this du●… ness essential to the soul , but is only its ●…onesom tabern●… ●…uring its pilgrimage here on earth ; nor doth the soul's holiness and righteousness consist at all in the complexion , ●…ut in the inward heavenly principle where god ●…wells : ●…or as st. paul saith , our conversation is in heaven . now this heaven wherein god dwells is not manifest in the outward complexion , but only in it self , viz. in the second principle . it oft happens that the holiest souls are in this manner overwhelmed with sadness , and this not without gods special permission , to the end they may be proved , and strive the more earnestly after that heavenly crown of victory which is given them in this life as a pledge of their everlasting felicity . for when the soul takes heaven as it were by storm , and wins her crown [ the gift of the holy ghost ] after a constant persevering stedfastness in the fiery conflict , her crown of triumph is much more noble and pretious then that which is not obtained till after the bodily death ; for the revelation of jesus christ saith . to him that overcomes will i give to sit with me upon my throne , as i have overcome , and am seated on my father's throne . therefore let no man thus tormented with anguish , imagin with himself in the assaults of the complexion , that it ●…mes from god's wrath , and want of mercy in him , which is a meer sancy of his own complexion in the stars . for we ●…ell see , that the vilest ●…atted swine of the devil's herd , that wallow and bath themselves day and night in the filth of sin , are not so full of sadness , not so assaulted with this kind of temptations , the reason is because they have an outward light in the complexion , wherein they dance before the devil in an angels likeness . so , as long as there is but one little spark of light glimmering in a man's heart , which ●…s god's grace , and would gladly pertake of salvation , the door of gods grace stands yet open . for he who is given over by god , whose sin is come to the full measure , he is not at all soli●…ous after god , man or devil , but is stone-blind runs on carelesly in a course of lightness without fear , ●…s himself upon a customary practice of some outward service of god , goes a beast into the sanctury , and com●… again a beast out ; there is in him no true divine knowledge , but all his religion is a meer outward custom and chimarea of man's brain , which he sets up to himself as an idol , and imbraces it as his holiness . the sorrowful soul troubles and torments it self , because it cannot presently in the point of its des●…re , dig up in it self the fountain o●… the greatest joy , it sighs and bewails its sa●… condition , thinks god will have none of it , when it cannot palpably feel his presence , it sees other men that walk along with it in god's fear , that yet are cheer●…ul enough , and supposing this cheerfulness of theirs proceeds only from a divin●… fountain of love and light in their souls is concei●…ed that 〈◊〉 is not accepted with god , but rather rejec●…d by him , because 〈◊〉 doth no●… presently upon its conversion , which it expected , feel in its heart the like comfortable effects of the refreshing presence of god. before the time of m●… enlightning it went even thus with me , i stood out a hard conflict before i obtained my precious crown of victory , and then did i first learn out this experimental knowledge , th●…t god dwells not in the outward fl●…shly heart , but in the soul's centre in himself ; then was i also first aware of it , that ' 〈◊〉 god which had laid hold on me , and drawn me to him in my first desire , which before i was ignorant of , thinking the good desire had been my own property , and th●… god was indeed far from me : but afterw●…rds i saw him , and rejoyced at the unspeakable grace and love of god , and now write the same for a caveat , that they by no means fain●… or di●…ir when the comfor●… del●…ys his coming but rather think of that of davi●… ; heaviness may endure for a night , but joy cometh in the morning . have a cer●…ain assured con●…idence upon gods promise , and however thy mis-giving heart say , no , yet let not this asfright thee . for to believe is not to be filled with joy in the fles●…ly heart and outwar●… complexion , that the fleshly mind and spirit be so jocond that the very heart and r●…ins leap fo●… joy ; this is not faith , but these are only some love-em●…nations from the holy ghost within , a divine lightning which hath no s●…ability , but after a short resplendance disappears . for god dwells no●… in the outward heart or complexion , but in himself , in the second centre , in the jewel of the noble image of god's likeness , which is hidden in this outward world . dear soul , think no other , when the anxious property of thy complexion , thus kindled by the stars begins to move , but that thou then stands as a labourer in god's vineyard ; thou must not stan●… idle , but be working ; thou dost god ●…herein a great and very considerable piece of service , and t●…y labour is this , th●…t thou overcome the temptation by an unmoveable faith , however no comfort appear in the outward heart to support it ; be not deceived , 't is not faith to give a●…nt to what i see and feel ; but this is faith , to trust the hi●…den spirit , and believe the truth of its words , maugre all the contradictions of blind nature . the soul that 〈◊〉 lockt up in the dark chamber of the melancholy complexion , should not dwell long or scarce at all in speculations about the wrath of god , nor give it self much to solitude , but rather spend its time in godly conferences . for so the matter of those friendly and profitable yielding sufficient entertainment to the working phansie ; 't is by this means handsomly diverted from its torturing cogitations . for no deep speculation is in this state prositable for it , which seeing it cannot turn it to its health and comfort , 't is better let it alone . also , the melancholy mind should with great care avoid drunkenness : for when the body thus loads it self with drink , then the earthly power of the drink taketh the complexion chamber totally in ; then do●… the soul , with the imagination , to its great hurt , feed upon the earthly prop●…rty , kindles its fire therewith , and rejoyceth for 〈◊〉 short time in it . but when that man becometh sober again after his drink , then stands the poor soul as most desolate , and more then ever forsaken of god , for it loses in the overflowing of th●… earthly property the divine imagination and desire ; for th●… spirit of god will not have his dwelling in the earthly imagination : i speak it as a most certain ●…ruth which i have 〈◊〉 well grounded knowledge of in the centre of nature , and deepest principle of life . the soul must be content to remain in sorrow for a little time : for while it sits contentedly in the house of mourning , it is not in the house of sin. but alas ! what is it ? how soon will it be at liberty from its sorrowful prison , and have the victorious crown of everlasting joy set upon in head ? o eternity ! thy duration is of vast extent ! what is it for a soul to be a small moment in sadness , and after that to rejoyce everlastingly ? for god will wipe away all tears from their eyes . lastly let a man behave himself as becomes a man , giving the dominion of his life to the m●…nly reason and light of god shining therein , and not suffer himself to be hurried on by the brui●…ish instincts of the complexion : for there is no complexion so noble and pure in nature , but 〈◊〉 a man live according to the stars , the devil hath his pleasure and pas●…ime therein . therefore it is rightly said by st. peter , be sober and watchful for the devil your adversary goeth about as a roaring lyon , seeking whom he may devour . a short , yet plain touch of the two kingdoms , viz. heaven and hell ●…ight and darkness , good and evil , love and anger , &c. also the [ words ] tincture and turba explained . fvery creature must know , that it should continue in that [ condition ] wherein it was created , or el●…e it ●…oth run on in a contrary will , and into enmity to the will of god , and bringeth it self into pain . for a creature which is created of darkness , hath no pain in the darkness , as a venomous worm hath no pain in its venom ; the venom is its life , and if it should lose its venom , and have some good thing instead thereof brought into it , and be made manifest in its essence , this would be pain and death to it ; and so also the evil is pain and death to the good . man was created of , for , and in paradise , of , for , and in the love of god ; but if he bring himself into anger , which is as a poysonous pain and death , then that contrary life is a pain and torment to him . if the devil had been created of the wrathful matrix ●…or and in hell , and had not had the divine ens , he could have no pain in hell ; but he being created for and in heaven , and yet did stir up the source and property of darkness in himself , and did bring himself totally into darkness , therefore the light is now a pain to him , viz an everlasting dispairing of god's gráce , and a continual enmity , being god cannot endure him in him clf , but hath spewed him out ; and therefore the devil is angry and wrathful against his own mother , of whose ●…ssence and beeing he ha●…h his original . viz. the eternal nature , which keepeth him prisoner in his own place , a a revolter or fallen spi●…it , and supporteth it self in h●…m with its property of anger and wrath. and seeing he would not help forward the delight of the divine joy , therefore he must now do the contrary , and be an enemy against all ●…oodness . ●…or of god , and in him are all things , darkness and light , love and anger , ●…ire and light but he calleth himself god only , as to the light of his love. there is an eternal contrariety between darkness and light , neither of them comprehendeth the other , and neither of them is the other , yet there is but one only essence . beeing or substance wherein they subsist ; but there is a difference in quality and will and ●…et the ●…ssence is not divided , but a principle maketh the division , so that the one is a nothing in the other and ●…et it is there - 〈◊〉 . for the devil continueth in his own dominion or principality . but not in that wherein god created him , but in the property of wrath , in the property which be , getteth darkness , anguish and pain : indeed he is 〈◊〉 prince of this world , yet in the first principle in the kingdom of darkne●…s in the pit. b●… not in the kingdom of the sun , stars and elements , he is no lord or prince therein , but in the wrathful part [ thereof ] viz. in the root of the evil of every thing , and yet he hath no power to do what he pleaseth with it : for there is some good in all things , which holdeth the evil captive , and shut up in the thing , there he can walk and rule only in the evil , when it stirreth up an evil desire in it self , and bringeth it ; desire into wickedness , which the inanimate creatures cannot do , but man can do it through the inanimate creature , if he bring the centre of his will with the desire , out of the eternal centre into it , which is an enchantment and false magick . the will of the devil can also enter into that whereinto man bringeth the desire of his soul [ which is also from the eternal ] in wickedness . for the original of the soul , and of angels , out o●… the eternal is the same . but the devil hath no power more over the time [ or temporary condition ] of this world , but in the great turba ; wheresoever that kindleth it self in the eternal and natural wrath , there he is busie , as in wars , fighting and strife , as also in great tempests without water : in the fire he proceedeth as far as the turba goeth in great showers , and tempests of thunder , lightning , and hail , but he cannot direct them , for he is not lord or master in them , but servant . thus the creature stirreth up , with the desire , good and evil , life and death . the human angelical desire standeth in the centre of the eternal nature [ which is without beginning ] and wherein it kindleth it self , whe●…her in good or evil , it accomplisheth its work in that . now god created every thing for , and in that , wherein it should b●… the angels for and in heaven , and man for and in paradise . if therefore the desire of the creature go forth from its own mother , then it entreth into the contrary will , and into enmity , and it is tormented with the contrariety therein , and so a false will ariseth in a good , and thence the good will entreth into its nothing again , viz. into the end of nature and creature , and so leaveth the creature in its own [ evil or ] wickedness , as appeared by lucifer , and also by adam ; and had not the will of the love of god met with him , and of meer mercy entred into the humanity again , there could be no good will in man. therefore all speculation and searching about god's will is a vain thing , without the mind be converted : ●…or when the mind standeth captivated in the self-desire of the earthly life , it cannot comprehend [ what ] the will of god [ is ] it runneth on but in self , from one way to another , and yet findeth no rest ; for self-desire evermore bringeth disquietness . the light shineth in darkness , and the darkness comprehendeth not the light , and yet they both dwell in one another . the four elements is also an example of this , which in their original are but one element , which is neither hot , cold , dry nor moist , and yet by its stirring severeth it self into four properties , viz. into fire , air , water and earth . who would believe that fire produceth vvater ? and that the original of fire could be in vvater , if we did not see it with our eyes in tempests of thundring : lightning and rain : and did not find also that in living creatures , the essential fire in the body dwelleth in the blood , and that the blood is the mother of the fire , and the fire the ●…ather of the blood. and as god dwelleth in the world , and filleth all things , and yet possesseth nothing : and as the fi●…e dwelleth in the water , and yet poss●…sseth it not : also , as the light dwelleth in darkness , and yet possesseth not the darkness : as the day is in the night , and the night in the day , time in eternity , and ●…ternity in time ; so is man created according to the outward humanity , he is the time , and in the time , and the time is the outward world , and it is also the outward man. the inward man is eternity , and the spiri●…ual time and vvorld ; which also consisteth of light and darkness , viz. of the love of god. as to the eternal light , and of the anger of god , as to the eternal darkness , which soever of these are man●…fest in him , his spirit dwelleth in that , be it light or darkness ; for light and darkness are both in him . now if the light be made manifest in the darkness , then the darkness loseth its darkness , and is not known or discern●…d . also , on the contrary if the darkness arise in the light , and get the upper-hand , then the light , and the power thereof is extinguished ; this is to ●…e consi●…ered also in man. the eternal darkness of the soul is hell , viz. an aking source of anguish , which is called the anger of god : but the eternal light in the soul is the kingdom of heaven , where the fiery anguish of darkness is turned into joy ; thus the soul hath heaven and hell in it self . of tincture . by the word tincture is meant the power and virtue of fire and light ; and the stirring [ up or putting forth like a bud ] of this virtue is called the holy and pure element [ the virtue of the sun is the tincture of all things that grow in the visibility of the world ; so also the colour is the tincture of the ground , christ is the tincture of the soul ] in brief , the tincture is the life , and the perflu●…nt and informing vi●…tue , by which any thing doth sub●…ist ; for without the tincture that proceedeth from the sun , gold were no gold : and so also the image of god in the s●…l , without the true tincture [ the eternal son of righteousness ] were not the image of god. of the great turba : the great turba [ or turba magna ] is the stirred and awakned wrath of the inward ground , when the foundation of hell is made manifest in the spirit of this world , from whence great plagues & diseases arise ; and it is also the awakned wrath of the outward nature , as may be seen in great tempests of thunder and lightning , when the fire is manifested [ or generated ] in water : in brief , it is the effusion of the anger of god , by which nature is disturbed . often times the children of god have been forced to carry the sword of the turba in them ; a great example whereof we see in sampson , and also in joshua with his wars , and likewise in abraham [ and many other prophets ] how the zeal of god did enkindle it self in them , that they in the spirit of zeal have often-times awakned the turba magna in the anger of god , and raised great rebukes , judgments and plagues upon whole countries , as moses in egypt did with his plagues upon the egyptians . but we must here distinguish ; if the zeal of god should awaken it self in an holy man , without his purposed will , and give him the sword of god's anger , such a one desires much from those who in their own thoughts contrive and plot in the wrath , and introduce the conceived or purposed will into the serpent's ens , and make it to substance , for that is sin ; yea , though the most holy man [ prophet or apostle ] should do it . therefore christ so empathetically , and punctually teacheth us in the new-birth , love , humility and meekness , and would that a christian should not at all revenge , also not be angry ; for he saith , whosoever is angry with his brother , is guilty of the judgment . ●…or anger is a conception in the serpent's ens , which must be cut off by the judgment of god from the good beeing . all war , howsoever blanched over , and under what pretence soever , taketh its original out of god's anger . it doth not belong to any true christian , born of christ , to raise the sword of the turba , unless the zealous spirit of god do ●…tir it up in him , who often will rebuke sin : whatsoever exalts its self in the wrath about it●… own honour and pride , and brings it self to revenge [ or blood-shed ] is from the devil — earthly dominion and government hath its original from the fall in the serpent's craft . all war and contention doth arise out of the nature and property of the dark world . viz. from the four elements of the anger of god , which produceth in the creature pride , cov●…tousness , envy and anger ; these are the four elements of the dark world , wherein the devil , and all evil creatures live , and from these four elements aris●…th ●…ar . for although god bad the people of israel drive out the 〈◊〉 , and wage vvar ; yet the command was wholly from the angry 〈◊〉 od , viz. from the ●…ire's property ; for the 〈◊〉 had stirred up the vvrath and indignation , which would devour them . but god , so far as he is called 〈◊〉 , wills not any vvar , but the kingdom of nature in gods anger willeth it . sound sion , sound the praises of thy king , let 〈◊〉 well 〈◊〉 instrument honour bring to him ; for sion thou right-well dost know the gentiles and their i●…ol-gods must bow , and bend unto thy king , or br●… must be , for none's like sion's god in majestie . then sion's sons your instruments prepare , with strained strings most ex●… rare . and sweetly 〈◊〉 with mus●… 〈◊〉 most sharp , our god's renown and praise 〈◊〉 to harp , since from his hand abundantly your souls have drunk salvation up like wine in bowls , and made you eat of mercies numberless , and clo●…'d you with compassions in distress , and let his glory be your meditations , and his high honour all your contemplations ; for such effects will sure produc●… increase of joy and gladness joyn'd to endless peace . for how can stones but speak , with iron , steel and brass , and adamants but break at what is come to pass , and sound in one set ●…ur forth shouts of his renown , whose glory and mighty power eternity doth crown ? for hath not he made owls , with moles and bats to sing like as the chanting fowls harmonious tunes in spring , and eagles he and she made both to loath their pey two turtle doves to be in shiloa's shining day ? and hath not he the bear , the panther , and the lyon , in substance made appear like lambs in holy sion ? and by his mercy rich transformed the serpent's ●…ing into a virtue , which from death to life doth bring , and made of rocks a fountain , and stones refreshing streams , and of a grain a mountain , and darkness orions beams , and made of puddle-mire a limpid pond of pleasure , where fishes joys as fire ascend exceeding measure . he turn'd the hideous night into a glorious day , and cut through clouds a light , and hills a level way ; and made a seed a she●…f , the sick sound , and strong weak , the blind to see , and deaf to hear , and dumb to speak , and wine did purely sever from mud , which man did mingle , which is enough forever to make all ears to tingle . his virtuous breath like brooks doth overflow his own plantation in the valleys low . post script . to all students in arts and sciences ; and to astrologe●… in particular . my first design 〈◊〉 , was to be only particular 〈◊〉 astrology : but in respect to a more general service , i shall in the first place set down the incertaint●… and vanity of worldly arts and sciences in general from that learned and illu●…ious pen-man , henry cor●…lious agrippa , counsellor to charles the fifth , emperor 〈◊〉 germany , of whom it is written ; his head was europe's universitie , a second solomon , that mighty 〈◊〉 , that tryed all arts , and found them vanitie . it is an old opinion , and the concurring and una●… mous judgment of almost all philosophers , whereby the uphold , that every science addeth so much of a sublim nature to man himself , according to the capacity and worth of every person , as many times enables them to translate themselves beyond the limits of humanity , even to the caelestial seats of the blessed . from hence have proceeded those various and innumerable encomiu●…s of the sciences , whereby every one hath endeavoured in accurate , as well as long orations to prefer , and as it were to extol beyond the heavens themselves , those arts and mysteries wherein , with continual labour , he hath exercisd the strength and vigor of his ingenuity or invention . but i , perswaded by reasons of another nature , do verily believe , that there is nothing more pernitious , nothing more destructive to the well-being of men , or to the salvation of our souls , than the arts & sciences themselves — all sciences are as well evil as good , & they bring no other advantage to excel as deities , more than what the serpent promised of old , when he said , ye shall be as gods , knowing good and evil. let him therefore glory in this serpent , who boasts himself in knowledge , which we read the heresie of the ophites , not a little unbeseemingly to have done , who worshipped a serpent among the rest of their superstitions , as being the creature that first introduced the knowledge of virtue into paradise — but suppose there were no other inventors of arts than men themselves , yet were they the sons of the worst generation , even the sons of cain , of whom it is truly said , the sons of this world are wiser than the sons of light in this generation — but if god and just men be the professors of knowledge , than arts and sciences may probably become useful to the publick-weal , though they render their professors nothing more happy . nor doth it follow that the sciences themselves have any thing of virtue , any thing of truth in them , but what they reap and borrow from the inventors and professors thereof ; for if they light upon an evil person , they are hurtful , as a perverse gramarian , an ostentatious poet , a lying historian , a flatter●…ng rhetoritian , a litigious log●…cian , a turbulent sophister , a lotterist arithmatician a lacivious mu●…tian , a boasting geometrician , a wandring cosmographer , a pernitious architect , a pirat navigator a fallacious astrologer , a wicked magician , a perfidious cabalist , a dreaming naturalist , a wonde●… - 〈◊〉 metaphasitian , a treacherous politician , a tyrannical prince , an oppressing magistrate , a schismatical priest , a bargain-breaking merchant , a pilling customer , a ●…loathful husband-man , a careless shepherd , an envious fisher-man , a murtherous 〈◊〉 , a poysoning 〈◊〉 a glutto●…ous cook , a dece●…tful chimist , a jugling lawyer , a persidious notary , a bribe-taking judge , & a heritical & seducing divine . so that there is nothing more omnious than art and knowledge , guarded with impiety , seeing that every man becomes a ready inventor and learned author of evil things — true beautitude consists not in the knowledge of good things , but in good life , not in understanding , but in living understandingly . neither is it great learning , but good-will that joyns men to god — it shall not then be needful so violently to labour to season our minds with the so long , so tedious , so difficult , so unattainable learning of all sorts of sciences , but only to give our self to what is more easie and common to all , the contemplation of the most noble object of all things , god ; which common act of contemplation , so easie to all men , is not obtained by syllogism and contemplation , but by belief and adoration . where then is the great felicity of enjoying the sciences ? where is the praise and beautitude of the wise philosophers , that make so much noise in the schools , sounding with the encomiums of those men , whose souls perhaps in the mean time are at that instant suffering the torments of hell ? this st. agustin saw , and feared , while he exclaims with st. paul — the unlearned rise and take heaven by force while we with all our knowledge are cast down into hell ●…o that if we may be bold to confess the truth , the tradition of all sciences are so dangerous and inconstant , that it is far safer to be ignorant then to know : adam had never been ejected out of paradise , had not the serpent been his master , to teach him good and eviland st. paul would have them thrown out of the church that would know more than they ought — the knowledge of all sciences is so difficult , if i may not say , impossible , that the age of man will not suffice to learn the perfection of one art , as it ought to be : which 〈◊〉 seems to intimate , when he saith , then i be●…eld the whole work of god , that man cannot find out , the work that is wrought under the sun , for the which man laboureth to seek it , and cannot find it ; yea , and though the wise man think to know it , he cannot find it . nothing can happen more pestilential to man than knowledge : this is that true plague that invades all mankind with so much confusion , that subverts all innocence , subjecting us to so many clouds of sin and error , and at length death . this is that that hath extinguished the light of faith , casting our souls into profound darkness , which condemning the truth , has mounted error to a throne — to a common-wealth there can be nothing more pernitious than learning and science , wherein if some happen to excell the rest , all things are carried by their determination , as taking upon them to be most knowing , who thereupon ●…aving hold upon the simplicity and unskilfulness of the multitude , usurp all authority to themselves , which is oft the occasion of the changing popular states into oligarchy , which dividing into factions , is at length easily oppressed by single tyrann●… . ●…urthermore , all sciences are but the opinions and the decrees of private men , as well those that are of use , as those that are prejudicial ; as well those that are wholsom , as those that are pestiferious ; as well the bad as the good , be●…ng never persect , but both doubtful , full of error and contention . of astrology . now as it may appear by perticular instinct , so it doth appear by the writings of this divine philosopher jacob beheme , that by adam's fall , all his posterity are thereby fallen under the power and influence of the stars and constellations , and that this beastial body . with the animal spirits , are proceeded from the stars and elements , to which again they must return ; and into the starry and elementary spirit the devil casteth forth his ●…icked imaginations , to infect the soul , and keep it from rising with its will above the stars again out of his dominion , and hence is the original of the evil influence of the stars . but in brief , this syderial or starry influence is called astrology , of which many desire to be satisfied of the effects , but he is wise that knows them : for so manifold are the configurations , so perpetual the mixtures , so various the motions and 〈◊〉 of the st●…rs , that as they are placed at this or any other moment of time , so they never were , not never will be again , whence their operation upon mankind i●… the 〈◊〉 : so that 't is impossible for an astrolog●…r , by the rules of act [ though foun●…ed upon the tru●…t gr●…ound ] to give any certain judgment of their effects , but only in a general way . but of astrology in a more perticular manner , i may well say something . 〈◊〉 especially of th●… 〈◊〉 part thereof ] inasmuch as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the fore-knowledge of my own ●…ate or dis●…iny b●…th 〈◊〉 me to be well 〈◊〉 there with : for having by the best approved rules of 〈◊〉 calculated and rectified my own . nativity [ with the nativities of many others too ] directed the several significators to their respective 〈◊〉 , made use of revolutions , transites , profections , and what 〈◊〉 : being thereby able [ by rules of art ] to sore-know and predict both good and evil a●…cidents and whatsoever is 〈◊〉 to the life of man. now here is to be noted , that when i had , according to art , 〈◊〉 out the time of any 〈◊〉 accident , with the nature and manner how it should operate , it was very rare that it fell according to prediction : as thus , when an evil direction , not obstructed by any other cause , the accident ( 't is true ) many times fell out to be evil , but in such a way , or in such things as was least expected , and sometimes greater or less powerful , as also sooner or later then was predicted ; the like i have observed in good directions , and therefore could give no certain cautions to the native , how he might endeavour to augment the good , or withstand or hinder the evil , that by the stars in his nativity was promised or threatened : nay , i have somtimes known ●…minent direction pass without any effect , when there could be no cause found to intervene ; and on the contrary , very great and notable accidents have happened , when no cause thereof could be found in the nativity . but that which might non-plus the most accute inquisitor in reference hereto , was , that after the true moment of birth gained , i found the rules and aphorisms of the art to fail much in the general judgment of the twelve houses ; as instance ; when judgment hath been given by me and others of the ascendent ( or other of the houses ) of one and the 〈◊〉 scheam of shape , form , complextion , and the like , 〈◊〉 hath often manifested the judgment for the most pare false . considering all this , caused me to 〈◊〉 the truth of the art , and had very little esteem or 〈◊〉 for it : but my 〈◊〉 being prone thereto , i ●…eil to examining the ground and foundation on which the rules and axioms of the art were laid , and coming to the four elements , which answers to the four triplicities of the signs . i perceived a vast difference i●… judgment among philosophers , about the nature of the element of air ; for although the antients , and from 〈◊〉 our modern astrologers , determin the air to be hot and 〈◊〉 , and so 〈◊〉 , ♎ and ♒ being signs of the airy triplicity , are so too ; yet that accuse philosopher van helmo●…t , ●…otably proves the air to be cold . here reader thou mayst reconcile this opposite judgment of these wise men , if thou ●…ost , for from hence 〈◊〉 , ♎ , ♒ must be cold , which ●…ertheless pass in the practise of astrology for hot . next , i considered the twelve constellations or signs of the zodiack , and finding each sign to be made up by a certain number of stars , which stars , though fixed , in respect to the distance from each other , yet they in general have such a motion as moves them a degree in about years ( as i remember ) by means of which motion the signs consequently are much altered from what they were in the time of the antients , and yet astrologers in this age retain the same limits , for the beginning and end of each sign , as the antients did , for they now begin the sign ♈ at the vernal equinox , though 't is apparent to all astronomers , that the sign ♈ viz. the ram , is removed near the length of a whole sign from the said equinox , and the sign pisses , viz. the constellation of the fishes is got into the place of the ram ( or limits of ♈ afore said . ) now ♈ viz. the ram is termed hot and dry , cholerick masculine , and pistes the fishes cold and moist , plegmatick feminine ( two opposite qualities ) hence that place in the heavens limitted for the sign ♈ , must be cold and moist , because the fishes , from whence the said limit assumes its nature , is got into the limits of the sign ♈ , and yet astrologers following tradition , or something else as bad , call it hot and dry ; the like is to be understood of others of the signs : here i began to perceive the cause of the manifold errors of astrologers . but while i was searching learned authors , to find whence this art did arise , i found cornelius agrippa ( in his vanity of sciences , before mentioned ) to assert that the twelve signs , with the northern and southern constellations , got all into the heavens by the help of fables and fictions , invented by the poets ; which assertion of agripp●… , because i cannot disprove . i will now leave , and come next to the table of essential dignities of the planets , invented ( 't is said ) by ptolomy , king of egypt , and acknowledged for rational by our english astrologers ; he there places the planet ♂ in ●…he watry triplicity , and therein he is allowed three essential dignities more then he hath in any other triplicity , and yet i know no reason for it ; for reason tells me , that ♂ is more essentially strong in fiery signs as being agreeable to his own nature . other particulars i could instance of this table , as being groundless , but let these motions stir up the more judicious to a fur●…her search and consideration . now 't is very probable that hence might arise those srivolous inventions of consulting the figure of conception with revolutions , prosections , & c. which have no rational foundation ; for finding their judgment fail , they fell to inventi●…g those diversities of doctrines and methods , which instead of clearing and confirming the rules of art , did more cloud and obscure the same . for as to that highly esteemed doctrine of revolu●…ions , if considered in its right ground , will be found of no validity or certainty , as i could experimentally prove ; and as for perfections there is so little shew of reason for it , that 't is not worth mentioning . then again , there are some things that does even confound astrology , and overthrow the rules thereof , o●…e of which is , in wars or other accidents , there sometimes perishes thousands of people in one day . now from these peoples nativities , we might find by rules o●… art some to dye natual death , some violent , some after one manner , some after another , some by one distemper or disease , and some by another , some to be long lived , and some short , some to dye in one year , and some in another , y●…t nevertheless they all come to an end in one day : another is , by the burning of a city , or the like , many persons are ruined , as to outward estates in a moment , when if we examin their navities , we should fi●…d some of them to be promised increase of wealth that year by one means , and some by other means , some to suffer loss one way , and some another , and some it may be neither to loss nor gain , and yet all in one instant partake of one and ●…he ●…ame fortune much i could instance of this nature in astrology , but my intent at first was only to hi●…t in short , that others more deeply aflected may make a more diligent inquisition , if they please . yet notwithstanding all this ( through the affection i have had for this art of astrology ) i am not willing to be numbred among the revilers thereof , ●…or do i think it to be more unlawfull or false in it self then other arts , but do believe it is as yet unknown , and that there is none that practise it , who rightly understand it , the rules being partly founded upon a false and uncertain ground , as is before demonstrated . but now si●…ce it is so difficult a road to travel in , and no end of the journey to be yet found , so hard a work to labour in , and no profit doth thereby acrew , and that the best use we can make of it , brings no advantage to us , neither in divine nor human things , therefore i 'll take leave to wave it ; and let them whose brains are sick of that disease , be slaves unto an ephemerides ; search constellations , and themselves apply to find the fate of their nativity . i 'll seek within me , and if there i find those stars that should give light unto my mind , rise fair and timely in me , and affect each other with a natural aspect , if in conjunction there perceive i may , true vertue and religion every day ; i fear no fortunes whatsoever they be , nor care i what my stars do threaten me . lastly . to this pure heavenly certain and exceeding advantagious astrology , i shall rather , yea , much rather recommend my self , and all those that desire to be made inhabitants successively of the twelve heavenly houses thereof , which are these , the first is the house of judgment and fearfulness . the second , humility and lowliness . the third , meekness and mercifulness . the fourth , temperance and savouriness . the fifth , patience and settledness . the sixth , hope and resolvedness . the seventh , faith and perseverance . the eight , peace and quietness . the ninth , thanksgiving and remembrance . the tenth , prayer and watchfulness . the eleventh . glorification and praises . the twelfth , content and fulness . of which twelve houses of the heavens , that we ●…ay be all learned experiencers , and true witnessers , ●…t above all , that we may look well into that house , 〈◊〉 which we are made inhabitants , which by vertue of 〈◊〉 is ours , as a proper possession , that we may ●…e the glory of the sign therof , which shews us the ●…gas of the times ; even that is the desire of d. l. amen . the great jehovah ' s standing precepts ten , which shows thy duty both to god and men. . own thou no other gods but only me . for i the lord from bondage set thee free . . unto no image bow , or image make , i on that sinners house will vengeance take . . false and vain oaths forbear ; my sacred name dishonour not , that thon incur no blame . . keep well the sabboth-day both thou and thine , all servile works and wickedness decline . . unto thy parents all due honour give , that god may bless thee long on earth to live . . wrath and rash anger shun ; shed no man's blood , but love thy neighbour and promote his good . . fly filthy lust , the cause of cruel strife , be not obscence , touch not thy neighbours wife . . thy neighbour of his goods do not berave , rob , spoil , purloin , or any way deceive . . no evidence against thy neighbour bear , nor as a witness shalt thou falsly swear . . thy neighbours goods desire not : learn to be thankful to god for what he hath given thee . o lord ! these laws to keep do thou incline , and still assist me with thy power divine . the end of the first part. abuses stript and whipt , by george vvither . treating in a saterical vein of man , with his passions , namely , of man , of ●…ond love , of lust , of hate , of envy , of revenge , of choller , of jealousie , of covetousness , of ambition , of fear , of dispair , of hope , of compassion , of cruelty , of joy , of sorrow , conclusion . as also . of vanity , . of inconstancy , . of weakness . . of presumption , &c. to which is added , fair virtue the shepherd's mistriss . with other pathetick poems composed by g. w. in his youthful days . also , divine poems selected from the works of francis quarle . the whole concluded with some excellent essayes , and religious meditations of sir francis bacon , knight . philadelphia , printed and sold by william bradford , anno . to the unprejudiced reader . reader ; two things especially i intreat thee to consider in these following poems — first , thou art to know that the works o●… the author g. w. are h●…e very much abreviated [ and although his own words expressed ●…or the most part upon generals ] nevertheless if thou art one that hath been ac●…uainted with his works at large , yet thou wilt●… find this small abstract so pit●…ily to express and contain the whole matter [ some particulars excepted ] that thou mays●… hereby receive as much satisfaction , as by reading the book at large . secondly , to let the p●…blisher hereo●… have christian censures from th●…e ; and that too in respect to the latter part , the which although it may seem somewhat too light in the ballance of the more serious modern christian , yet he intends it not to be a means to draw the mind from better , but rathe●… from worse things : and he doubts not but that will be the effects of it , considering the constitution of youth , on whom it may have most influence ; all which he hopes thou wilt find ground enough to believe in the perusal hereof : and the rather because as he hath endeavoured throughout to pass by particular circumstances , the more immediately t●… com●… to the matter . so also hath he every where ●…tted w●…t seems more airy , and less consisting wit●… the present time of day . of man mounted aloft on contemplations wings , and noting with my self the state of things , i plainly did perceive , as on a stage . the consus'd actions of this present age. 〈◊〉 the world , and viewing sa●… my fill , because that all i saw therein was ill ; and noting every creature , there i found that only ●…an was the chief spring and ground of all this uproare ; yea , i soon did see he there was all in all , and no●…e but he . the mind is nothing but a mint o●… jarrs , or little vvorld of ●…ad domistick vvars : virtue 's depos'd thence , and vice rule obtains ; yea , vice from vice there by succession ●…s , expelling those whom virtues presence graceth , and in their stead these hurtful monsters placeth ; fond love and lust , ambition , enmity , foolish compassion , joy and jealousy , ●…ear hope , dispair and sadness , w th the vice , call'd , h●…te , revenge , and greedy avarice , choller and cruelty , which i perceiv'd , to be the only causes man's bereav'd of quietness and rest ; yea●… these i found to be the principal , and only ground of all pernitious ●…ischiefs that now rage , or have disturbed him in any age. these losing reason , their true prince began to breed disturbance in the heart of man , each laid a several claim [ f●…rsooth ] and he vvould be the monarch of this empirie . ruin had got the upper-hand , and they vvould be commanders that were made t' obey . and here because i will not order break , i will asunder of each passion speak . of the passion of love . first , love , the same i here the first do call , because that passion is most naturall , and of it self could not be discommended , vvert not with many a foul abuse attended : god taught it sweetly how to move the mind . both for increasing , and preserving k●…nd . but now the bound it had , contenteth not , a vein of domineering it hath got , makes them set light by reason's sound direction , and bears them head-long by untamed affection ; counsel's in vain , cause when this fit doth take them , reason and understand ng doth forsake them : it makes them sometimes merry , sometimes sad , untam'd men mild , and many a m●…ld man mad . to ●…ools it vvisdom gives , and make●… the witty to shew themselves most fools , the more 's the pitty . such a pishness it now hath entertain'd , that all the cre●…it that it had , is stain'd ; yea , 't is as far from what it was , as we ●…rom our more honoured antient english be ; and so unlike unto it self doth prove , vve scarce dare give it now the name of love. true worth moves few : but sure i am , not many have for bare virtues sake affected any . vvealth wins the most , yet they by tryal prove , though it breeds liking , vet it gains not love. he that brings vvealth , sure if he does not speed . the vvomans worth the suing for indeed . but now although this passion i have tide , to love of vvomen , it concludes ●…eside , all whats●…ever kind of love●… there be , unless they keep the mind from troubles free , and yield to reason : but of such like lover●… my muse hereafter other i eats discovers . of desire , or lust . lust is presented in the second place , because it shrouds a foul deformed ●…ace beneath loves vizard , and assumes that name , h●…ding its own fault with the others blame . thus this is that which oft caus'd publick strife . and private d●…scord between man and vvife : th●…s spoil●… the body , this doth make the ●…ace look wa●…e , pale , yellow , and doth much disgrace the beauty of it ; this bereaveth quite the bones of marrow , and the eyes of sight . and this way comes that foul disease to us , vve call the french , so vile and odious : 't is ●…ighly made of ; yea , 't is lust doth weare the richest ●…arments , and hath curiest fare . the softest beds it hath to take repose , vvith sweet perfumes , but sure there 's need of those . of hate . bvt i have rouz'd another here as bad , they call it ●…ate , a worse i never had before in chase ; i scarce can keep [ in sooth ] my self in danger of ●…is venomed tooth : this is the pas●…on that doth use to move the mind a clean contrary way to love. it is an inspiration of the devil , that makes men long for one anothers evil ; but where it rules , they cannot well conceal it . but either words , or deeds , or both reveal it . the wick●…d they do hate beyond all m●…asure the righteous man , that contradicts their pleasure . yet t●…ey are more coorrupt than all the rest , who hate their friends , they should account of bost . but let men strive , and study to remove this passion from their hearts , and graft on love. of env●… . now some are in the mind that hate , and this still go together , and one passion is . indeed , they fou injurious humors be , so like they seem to have affinitie ; and yet they di●…fer , as oft kindred do , enough at least , i 'm sure , to make them two hate many times from wrongs receiv'd , hath grown envy is seen , where injuries are n●…ne : yet envious men do least spice , such as ●…e of ill report , or of a low degree , but rather they do take their aim at such who either well - 〈◊〉 are , or rich . some do not care how grosly they dispraise , or how unlikly a report they raise , because they know if it be so false and ill , that one believes it not , another will : and so their envy very seldom fa●…ls , but one way or another still prevails . it makes some grieve , if any man be friended , or in their hearing praised , or commended : contrariwise again , such is their spi●…e , in other mens mis-fortunes they delight . foul hag of envy , let thy snakie elves keep hell with thee , and there torm●…nt themselves , o , that a man should so from reason range , to entertain a humor that 's so strange and so unprofitable ! tell me why should we the honours , or the wealth envy of other men , that we should grudge or fre●… at every good thing that our neighbours get . but sure , mischief alwayes doth betide to th' envious , than to him that is envied ; but know , envy is an apparent foe to chari●…y , and friends●…ip's overthrow . of revenge . rome for revenge ; he 's no comedian that acts for pleasure , but a grim tragedian , a foul stern monster , which if we displease him , death , wounds and blood , or nothing can appease him . that cruel ruffin , that in vain doth strive his off-spring from true valour to derive this most inhuman passion now and than , with violence and fury hurries man so far from that sweet mildness , wherewith he , being himself , should ever tempred be , that man nor devil can we term him well , for part he hath of earth , and part of hell. poor world ! if these thy best comentments be , seek blood and vengeance you that list for me . of choler . but now the cause of mans revengeful thirst , proceeds from rash unbridled choler first ; yea , those that are infected with this crime , are in a manner mad men for the time . 't is a short fury wherewith man possest , resembles most a wild unt●…med beast ; yea , those in whom i find this passion reign , i have oft seen to storm at things , but vain , and cha●…ing fret at poor half-penny losses , as if for some intolerable crosses . they are not only ready to believe the leas●… report that may occasion give of discontent : but so doth anger blind them , th●… is no causes be , they●…l se●…k to find them . this a●…ger is a wonderous head-strong passion , and hath a beastly frantick operation , from which how can we any man release , when we must neither sp●…k , nor hold our peace . of jealousie . but though these angry ones soon breed a braul . and are pernitions to converse withal . not one jot better is the jealous hea●… , that ever fears his wife h●…h wrong'd his bed. love is the highest , and the noblest bliss that for manki●…d on earth ordained is : but when tru●… measure it exceeds , an●… gets beyond the des●…nt bounds that reason s●…ts : god turns it to a plague , whereby he will shew them their folly , and correct the ill : he adds a fear of losing all their joy , in that they love which doth their peace destroy . y●…t none 's so jealous , i dare pawn my life , as he that hath desiled anothers wife . of covetousness . but how mist i of avarice to tell , whose longing is as infinite as hell : 〈◊〉 muse it scap't so long , for i 'le be plain , 〈◊〉 no where look , but there i see it reign . 〈◊〉 neither will excuse sex nor degree , young folks , nor such as middle-aged be ; nay , i perceive them given most to crave , when they had need to dig themselves a grave , like earth-bred moles still scrambling in the dust , not for the treasure that shall never rust : no , all that they have with their labour bought , if well consider●…d , is not worth a thought . but ●…oft wonder , and do yet admire , men hunt for riches , with such strange desire ; ●…or being once possest thereof , it fills the owners of it with a thousand ills , more than they can conceive ; for first , we find it choaks and mars the virtue of the mind : then by much business , it brings annoys unto the mind , and hinders true joys , that oft the rich are more in sorrow tost , then those that have no riches to be lost . it maketh to grow arrogant , unjust , draws unto pleasure , and provokes to lust. o gold , what mortal godd is so divine ? what beauty so adored is as thine ? the fairest creature never so much mov'd , as that it was of every one belov'd . iools that know nothing know the use of thee , and for thy sake will oft perswaded be . the wise man of the world , that disapprove young mens affections , and make scoffs at love , can play th●… ideot twice as much himself , by doting on a heap of dirty pelf . what he on earth so great and mighty is , or who so proud that ●…ill not bow to this ? where 's he , though noble , that will now disdain to be a sutor for his private gain ? and thos●… that love wealth , men their vices deem ior to b●… virtues , and so make them seem . b●…t as herein men often do amiss , so are they in the opposite to this . the prodigal runs out as far astray ●…rom this absurdity another way : as greedy men hoard riches [ god amend them ] ●…o he doth strive and hie , as fast to spend them . their humors divers : some vain glorious asses consume't in gaudy cloathes and looking-glasses ; others there are [ but few ] who having store , neglect their wealth , and rather would be poor , ●…or why , it stops the way to heaven , they say , sure being , mis-imployed , so it may . and therefore rather then they should abuse it . 't were good they had it , that know how to use it . of ambition . ambition's a proud humor , that doth search the stout high-minded , and attempts to pearch in men of spirit : it doth far surmount the force of love , and makes but small account of nature or religion ; 't is not law nor conscience that can keep this ●…end in aw , it is supposed that it hath no bound ; ●…or never was there limit in it found . he that first was ruined by this evil , was he that first was guilty oft , the devil , who did aspire so high , that higher powers wrought h●…s just fall , and now he seeketh ours . of fear . see you this passion here , that follows next . that shakes , and looks as with a ●…eaver vext : such is the nature of it , that i 've seen i ear cause those evils that else had not been . to some it sickness brings , and some beside even with the very fear of death have died . the fear of evil more tormenteth some , then doth the thing they feared , when 't is come . men fear what is , what will be , and [ alas ] many a thing that shall ne'er come to pass . sure , 't is a plague the devil did invent to work in man a lasting discontent , and taught it adam , whereupon he said , i saw my nakedness , and was afraid . come , let us joy , and be as cheerful still , with hope of good , as sad with fear of ill . there is an honest fear , that hinders sin , which hath of all good men allowed bin . those therefore that are wise enough to tell , when they do any thing amiss or well , still in this passion do observe a mean , and not to fear , or to presumption lean . of dispair . now here 's dispair , with gashly look he stands , and prisons , ropes , and poinyards fills his hands , still ready to do hurt , one step , no more , reaches from hence unto damnations door . this is that passion giveth man instruction , to wrest the scriptures to his own destruction ; and makes him think while he on earth doth dwell , he feels the tortures and the plagues of hell , more monster-like , than man , only damnation is in their mouthes , no mercy , no salvation , can they have hope of , but possess a fear , vvhence monstrous shapes and visions do appear to their imaginations , and the pain that they in soul and body do sustain : all earthly tortures do so much exceed , as if they had within them hell indeed . god also makes this passion now and than his scourge to lash the proud presumptuous man , and tame the reprobate , who by his rod is made sometimes to feel there is a god. by this , strange vvonders brought to pass , i 've seen , those humbled that have once the proudest been . o what repentant lives some vow to live , if god would but once more vouchsafe to give them health and hope again , then they would spen●… their lives and goods unto no other end , ●…ave wholly to his glory ; yet there 's now some living that have quite forgot that vow , if such in time look not into their error , o they will one day feel a double terror . so●…e again dispair of earthly things , vvhich nothing so much disadvantage brings , yet like enough in little time to g●…ow vertues main let , or overthrow . of hope . thrice well-come hope , the divel keep the t'other , dispair and fear are fitting for no other . this is the passion that of all the rest vve have most reason to esteem of best : hope is a blessing , but we so abuse it as to our hurt , more then our good , we use it ; yea , this that was of all the passions best , vve have as much corrupted as the rest . but we must not●… well , that this passion 's double , one hope is certain , th' other full of trouble . the hope that 's certain we through faith do gain , and 't is sufficient to make any ●…ain seem short and easie : 't is the life of man , and such a comfo●…t as no mortal can live , if he want it , and yet sometime this each , nay , as i●…lle as the other is : for often times we see the same is found to be erected on on other ground but ignorance , and meer security , vvhich ruin all that do on them rely . some praise their own deserts , and on that sand they fain would have the divine hope to ●…tand . the other hope which is of earthly things , that lasts not long , nor yet much pleasure brings , and nothing worth to ground our hope upon , for in the turning of a hand all 's gon . and therefore now i wish that every man vvould take upon him the best hope he can in all his outward actions ; yet should he take care on honest grounds it builded be , and therewith be so well prepared still , that if his doubtful hope do fall out ill , he ne'er repine , but tak 't as if the same had been expected long b●…fore it came . of compassion . compassion , if discretion guide , may be of near aliance unto charitie , hee 'l say that hath sound judgment of his own tender compassion may a●…iss be shown : come to our courts of justice else , and see if there compassion not abused be , vvhere , though that god himself says kill ; roply , vvith , no , alas ! its pity he should dye ; vvho for their weakness merit equal check vvith him that spar'd the king of amaleck . some parents i have s●…en discreet and witty do marr their children by their cockring pity , he that will walk uprightly , ought to see how far this passion may admitted be . here i could much of this same passion say , if other passions call'd me not away . of crvelty . but now whilst we are se●…king to beware of foolish pity , we must have a care , left this or'●… run us : ●…or though men confess 't is an inhuman hellish vvickedness , though cru●…lty so odious doth appear , unless men look to their affections near , it will become delightful , yea , and make so deep impression in the heart , and take so sure a root , 't will hardly ●…e displaced vvhilst that the body by the soul is graced . trust me , be 't on a beast , nature denyes and god forbids , that we should tyranize . but now in short , i 'll here conclude with this , as he is blessed that meek-hearted is , so on the cruel , lightly doth attend a heavy curse , a●…d a most fearful end . of joy . of all the passions handled hitherto , with this that follows i had least to do ; by some small tryals , though that i have had , i sind 't is better far , then being sad : ●…nd that no greater good on earth might be , if it would last , and were from cumbranc●… free . but that can never be ours , st●…te is such , and distiny moreover seems to grutch ought should be perfect in mortality , lest we should leave to seek eternity . never could any yet that joy obtain , on which there followed neither shame nor pain . but sure , the reasen why mans joy so soon is changed to sorrow , is because there●…s none , or very few , that do their gladness found upon a solid , sirm , substantial ground . some in their honour all their joy do place , which endeth by a frown , or some disgrace . take but away his substance , you destroy the miserable rich-man's only joy , and soon by sickness that delight 's defac't , whic●… men in beauty or in strength hath plac't ; yea , the best joy in transitory things , they being los●… , at last a sorrow brings : all men should therefore make a careful choice of that wherein their meaning 's to rejoyce . and i am of the mind , if every man would curb rebellious passions what he can , not suffer any mischief to annoy his mind , thorow either too much care or joy ; but so the one should of the other borrow , he might be sad with mirth and glad wi●…h sorrow . but when with joy i am acqu●…inted better , i 'le tell you more , or else remain your debtor . of sorrow . of this sad passion i may knowledge take , and well say something for acquaintance sake ; and yet i wonder sorrow so should touch the hearts of men , to make them grieve so much ; as many do for present miseries , have they no feeling of felicities that are to ●…ome , if that they be in pain , let hope 〈◊〉 case , it will not always reign . but 't is still bad , thou s●…yest ; 〈◊〉 patiently , an age is nothing to eter●…y : thy time 's not here , en●…y not ; though that some seem to be happy , their ba●… day 's to come . we ought not ●…r to mu●…mur or to pi●…e at any thing shall ple●… the power 〈◊〉 to lay up●…n us : for my mind is 〈◊〉 , ●…ch sorrow is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 into ●…liss . but to be pl●… 〈◊〉 ●…ur ●…'s 〈◊〉 ●…y . that hath 〈◊〉 in i●… 〈◊〉 our gri●… or i●…y . then whatsoever , our 〈◊〉 grief hath 〈◊〉 , let us ne'er sorrow more , ●…ut for our si●… . conclusion now some men have in this opinion stood , that every passion 's natural and good ; but we must make a difference of it then , and grant that two-fold passions are in men , one sort unto the noblest things aspiring , and such as what are meerly good desiring . but this is rather by gods inspiration , then bred within ●…s at our generation . the other as the effects thereof doth show , doth by our own corrupted nature grow ; for it is head-strong , rash , 〈◊〉 , wonderous disordered and immoder●…te . then lastly , these are the occasions still of all misfortunes , and of every ill . precatio . thou that createdst all things in a week , great god ! whose favour i do only seek , o that my noting of mans humorous passion , may work within me some good alteration ; and make me so , for my own follies , sorry that i may lead a life unto thy ●…lory . let not ambition , nor a foul desire , nor hate , nor envy , set my heart on fire , revenge , nor choler , no , nor jealousie , and keep me from dispair and cruelty ; fond hope expel , and i beseech thee bless my soul from fear , and too much heaviness ; but give me special grace to shun the vice , that is , so common beastly avarice ; and grant me power i not only know , but fly those evils that from passion flow ; and let my muse also in things to come s●…ng to thy glory , lord , or else be dumb . further talk doth still to me remain , ●…ome more of mens ill customs to explai●… . first , wanton and light headed vanity ; next that , comelian like , inconstancy , then miserable vveakness ; lastly , this damn'd presumption , that so daring is . 〈◊〉 think not , though i some where bitter be , count my self from all those vices free ; ●…ther imagin t is to me well known , ●…hat here with others faults i tell my own . then blame me not , t is out of much good will i bear to you , and hatred unto ill. of vanity . now i must needs declare their vanity , vvho build their treasure and felecity on things meer frivolous , as honour , strength , pleasure , and wealth , and beauty , which at length , yea , in short time must fade ; high titles plac't vvithout desert , are often soon disgrac't . vvhat 's honour but e'en smoak of idle fame , a thing consisting only in an name ? and why boast men of strength , that lasts no longer , and seeing the brute creatures are far stronger ? a vvoman may bind sampson with her charms , and little david slay a man at arms. ●…or god doth make , as holy scriptures speak , strong things to be confounded by the weak . but why in beauty should men glory so , as well we may perceive there 's many do , since there 's scarce any , that enjoy the same , can keep unto themselves an honest name ? for worthless matters some are wonderous sad vvhom if i call not vain , i must term mad . vve see moreover men vain-glorious grow , in building and apparel , all 's for show ; and yet the prince that gorgioust in array , must lie as naked as his groom in clay . and though that men to build so curious be , how worthy of contempt it is we see , in that the arch-king of heaven , earth , and all vvas very well contented w●…th a stall ; yea , truly i am driven to confess , mans vanities are great , numberless , consisting not alone in vvords and vvorks , but hath ta●…e root within , and also lurks about the heart ; and if it there be sought , i know it also may be found in thought . of inconstancy . now this unconstant creature , called man , note him well , and tell me if he can , vvhat his condition is ; observe his deeds , his speech and rayment , yea , and how he feeds : try him a moneth , a year , an age , and when you have so try'd him , say what is he then ; is his heart proud or humble , know you where , or when he hates , or loves , or stands in fear ? or who can say [ in conscience i think none ] that this man's words , and deeds , and thoughts are o●… nay , he of whom you have most trval , when you see him dying , will you trust him then ? perhaps you may , yet questionless he leaves you a mind mis-doubting still , that he deceives you . vvho is so sottish , as to ●…uild salvation on man , that feeble tottering ●…oundation ? or that heeds his soul's safety , that will lay his confidence on that false piece of clay . alas ! how often had i got intendments . and with whole heart said & vow'd amendments , and yet for all my purpose and my vow , i am oft altered e're my self knows how . let 's all confess our frailty , and implore our ne'er repenting god , that evermore remains the same , we may be as we ought , more certain , both in word , and deed , and thought . i might speak of the changes , which i see ●…n mens external fortunes also be : ●…or this day he hath friends , to morrow none ; now he hath wealth , and in an hour 't is gone . ●…ome in their youth there be , have all things store , and yet do often live till they are poore . again , there 's some in youth at beggars states , ●…ecome in age to be great potentates . of weakness . what creature is there born so weak as man ? or so unable ; tell me , he that can . ●…ampson there was , 't is true , could fright whole hosts , he rent down azath's barred gates and posts , whose mighty arms , unarmed , could bring to pass , ●…'em with the rotten jaw-bone of an ass a thousands ruin ; and yet 't will be long ●…'er he shall thereby prove that man is strong , because the strength he seem'd to have , was known to be the spirit of god , and not his own . what creature is there that can worse sustain , hungèr , or thirst , or cold , or heat , or pain ? sure none : and yet in histories we find , till luxury had weakened thus mankind , they were much stronger , could endure the heat , travel a long time without drink or meat ; and their best dainties was no costlier thing then a wild root , or water from the spring , vvith which small commons , nature was content ; yea , in our climate people naked went , and yet , no question , felt as little cold , as we , wrapt up in half a dozen fold . they had no vvaftecoats , night-caps for their head nor downy pillows , nor soft ●…eather beds : they scorned as much to have such thing about the as we in this age scorn to be without them . gluttonous fare that so the palate pleases , ne'er fill'd their bodies full of foul diseases ; nor strong and pleasing liquors with excess , made them grow weak thorow beastly drunkenness . no lust provoking meats made them unchaste , nor unto ca rnal copulation haste . and this the reason is , which made them be more healthy , strong , and braver men then we . 't was not this strength , of which i meant to spea●… for we are yet another way too weak . our minds have lost their magnanimity , and are grown weak through some infirmity . some know the truth , but dare not to defend it , [ so weak they are ] cause others discommend i●… . is there a man so strong , that he forbears choler or envy , when by chance he hears himself reproach't , revil'd and disgrac't ? if there be such a one , he shall be plac't amongst the vvorthies with the foremost three ; for in my judgment , none more worthy be to have renown for strength , then those that can on their rebellious passions play the man. is 't not a weakness , when some petty losses , some hinderance in preferment , or such crosses ? shall make men grieve ? is 't not a weakness when adversity shall so disquiet men ? he 's weak too , that 's not able to withstand any unlawful or unjust command . moreover some , but foolishly precise , and in my iudgment far more weak then wise , mis-judge of poetry , as if the same did wortl●…ily deserve reproach and blame . for poetry , although some , fool'd , debase it , i 'm in the mind that angels do imbrace it : and though god gave t but in part to some , all shall hav 't perfect in the world to come . 'gainst posie , how e're the scruple rose , rhime hath exprest as sacred things as prose : when both in this age , and in former time , prose hath been made far more prophane then rhime . yea , and moreover this full well know i , he th●…t's at any time afraid to dye , is in weaker case , and whatsoever he saith , hath but a wavering and a feeble faith. of presumption . men in their own conceits are grown so tall , that for presumption they do out-pass all . o what are they that dare for to aspire into gods seat , and if it might be , higher , that forgive sins as fast as men can do them , and make jehovah be beholden to them ! i 've heard of such , what ●…re they would , i wist they can make saints , they say , of whom they list , and being made , above the stars can set them ; yea , with their own hands make their godds , & eat them . man i do know , 'cause i have heard him vaunt , he is an elf so proud and arrogant , that i want words of a sufficient worth , to paint his most abhorred vileness forth . some will be prying , though they are forbidden , in to those secrets god meant should be hidden . so do some students in astrology , though they can make a fair apology . and so do those that very vainly try to find out fortunes by the●…r palmestry ; these do presume , but much more such as say at th●…s , or that time , comes the judgment day . in praying , men presume , unless they be with every one in love and charitie , ` or if in their pet●…tions they desire such things as are unlawful to require , then those great masters i presumptuous deem , who of their knowledge do so well esteem : they will force others , as the papists do , for to allow of their opinion too . others there are , who for because they 've faith , for to believe 't is true the scripture saith , and do observe the outward worship duly , do think that therein they have pleas d god truly . now these are just , as far as th●… other wide , for they gods worship do by halfs divide ; and for his due , which is ●…en all the heart , do dare presume to offer him a part . also in this abominable time it is amongst us now a common crime to flout and scoff at those which we espy , willing to shake off humane vanity . who so reviled , scorned or mis nam'd , as some people which are quakers term'd , that fear god most ; but 't is no marvel men presume so much to wrong his children , when as if they feared not his revengeful rod , they can blaspheme , and dare to anger god. now by these words to some men it may seem that i the quakers have ●…n high esteem : indeed , if by that name you understand , those whom the vulgar atheists of this land do daily term , so that is such as are fore-named here , and have the greatest care to know and please their maker , then 't is true i love them well , for love to them is due . then it is also a presumptuous act with knowledge to commit a sinful fact , though ne●…er so small , for sins a subtil elf , into our souls insinuates it self . and it is certain , that one sin , though small , vvill make an entrance great enough for all . in short . presumption 's such a hardning sin , that if it seize the heart , and once get in , my mind is this , 't will ne er be purged thence well , no , not with all the fears and pangs of hell : so infinit is this f●…r to unfold , that should i write and speak till i were old , i know that i should leave unspoken then , most of those humors i have seen in man , and still confess in him there h●…dden be thousands of humors more then i can see . o man ! i mus'd a while , thou wert so prone to sining but 't was thy f●…ult i s●…e from the beginning : and as the lord himself once said , so still the imagin●…tions of thy ●…eart is ill , that 's one main cause then to presume an evil. thou hast the proneness to the flesh and devil . then sith thou art so subject unto ●…in , shun all occasions that may draw thee in , thy flesh with labour , and with fasting came , and 't will not be so ●…ubject unto blame , prevent the devils b●…its and his temptations , with earnest p●… 〈◊〉 good meditations . so when t●…y god s●…ll see thou hast a will , and truly dost desire to 〈◊〉 what 's ill , he will except it f●…r his sons dear sake , and the●… more willing and more able m●…ke . he 'l make ●…y soul. ●…re i●… thrice more defil'd : as innocent as the new born child . but if thou without c●…re or 〈◊〉 , dost lean . unto those lust of flesh that are unclean . if thou take pleasure , and delight to do them , q●…ite giving over t●…y 〈◊〉 unto t●…m , they both in soul and body too will make the●… so soul a leper that god will ●…orsake thee , hi●… holy a●…gels and ●…is saints a●… thee , and only devils make in●…reaty s●…r t●…e , fair virtue the shepherd's mistriss . the shepherd to his mistress . hale thou fairest of all creatures , upon whom the sun doth shine , model of all rairest features , and perfections most divine ; thrice all-hale and bl●…d be those that love and honour thee . by thy beauty i have gained to behold the best perfections , by thy love i have obtained to enjoy the best aff●…ions , and my tongue to sing thy prai●… , love and beauty thus doth raise . vvhat , although in rustick shadows i a shepherds breeding had , and confined to these meadows , so in home-spun russet clad , such as i have now and then , da●…d as much as greater men , on this glass of thy perfection , if that any vvomen pry , let them thereby take direction to 〈◊〉 themselves thereby . and if ought amiss they view , let them dress themselves a new . young men may by this acquainted , vvith the 〈◊〉 beauties grow , so the counterfeit and paint●… they may shun , when them they know . but the way all will not find , ●…or some eyes have , yet are blind those that mistresses are named , and for that suspected be , shall not need to be ashamed , if they patern take by thee ; neither shall their servant fear favours openly to wear . thou to no man favour dainest , but what 's fitting to bestow , neither servants entertainest , that can ever wanton grow ; for the more they look on thee , their desires still bettered be . i am no italian lover , that will mew thee in a goal , but thy beauty i discover , english-like , without a vail : if thou may'st be won away , win and wear thee he that may . yet in this thou may'st believe me , so indifferent though i seem , death with tortures would not grieve 〈◊〉 more , then loss of thy esteem . for if virtue me forsake , all a scorn of me will make . the mistriss of the shepherd . now while other men complaining , tell their mistresses disdaining , free from care i write a story , only of her worth and glory . and wh●…le most are most untoward , peevish , vain , unconstant , froward , while their best contentments bring nought , but after sorrowing : she those childish humours slighting , hath conditions so delighting , and doth so my bliss indeavour . as my joy increaseth ever . love she can , and doth , but so as she will not overthrow love's content by any folly , or by deeds that are unholy . dotingly , she ne'er affects , neither willingly neglects honest love , but means doth find , with discretion , to be kind . goodness more delights her , than all the mask of ●…olly can . fond she hateth to appear , though she hold her friend as dear , as her part of life unspent , or the best of her content . if the heat of youthful fires warm her blood with those desires , which are by the course of nature stir'd in every perfect creature : as those passions kindle so , doth heavens grace and reason grow , abler to suppress in her those rebellions , and they stir never more affection , then one good thought allays agen . i could say , so chaste is she , as the new blown roses be , or the drifts of snow , that non ever touch't or look't upon . malice never lets she in , neither hates she ought but sin. envy , if she could admit , there 's no means to nourish it ; ●…or her gentle heart is pleased , when she knows another's eased . and there 's none who ever got that pe●…ction she hath not ; so that no cause is there , why she should any one envy . mildly angry she 'll appear , that the baser rout may fear through presumption to misdo , yet she often feigns that too : but le●… wrong be whatsoever , she gives way to choler never . if she ever 〈◊〉 of ●…ate , to obtain a higher state , [ or ambitiously were given ] sure 't was but to climb to 〈◊〉 . pride is from her heart , as far as the poles in distance are , for her worth ; nor all this praise can her humble spirit raise , less to prise me than before , or her self to value more . vvere she vain , she might alledge 't were her sexes priviledge . but she 's such , as [ doubtless ] no man knows less folly in a vvoman . to prevent a being idle , sometimes with her curious needle , [ though it be her meanest glory ] she then lines some antique story . other while again , she rather labours with delight to gather knowledge from such learned vvrits , as are left by famous vvits , vvhere she chiefly seeks to know god , her self , and what we owe to our neighbour , since with these come all needful knowledges . she with adam , never will long to learn both good and ill : but her state well understood , rests her self content with good . avarice so hateth she , as the loathsom'st that be ; since she knows it is an ill , that doth ripest virtue kill ; and where e'er it comes to rest , though in some strict matrons breast , such are hired to any thing , if that you but gold can bring . if you think she jealouse be , you are wide , for credit me , her strongest jealousies nought are , other then an honest care of her friends ; and most can tell , vvho so wants that , loves not well . cruelty her soul detests , for within her bosom rests noble pity , usher'd by an unequal courtesie , and is griev'd at good men's moan , as the grief were all her own . just she is , so just , that i know she will not wrong a fly , or oppress the meanest thing , to be mistress to a king. if our painter could include temperance and fortitude in one picture she would fit for the nonce to pattern it . patient as the lamb is she , harmless as the turtles be ; yea , so largely stor'd with all vvhich we mortals , goodness call : that if ever virtue were , or may be incarnate here . this is she , whose praises i offer to ●…ternity . though discreetly speak she can , she 'll be silent , rather than talk , while others may be heard , as if she did hate , or fear'd their condition , who will force all to wait on their discourse . if she smile , or merry be , all about her are as she : for each looker on , takes part of the joy that 's in her heart . if she grieve , or you but spie sadness weeping thorow her eye , such a grace it seems to borrow , that you 'l fall in love with sorrow . and if you should mark agen , her discr●…et behaviour , when she finds reason to repent some wrong , pleaded argument , she so temperately lets all her mis-held opinions fall , and can with such mildness bow , as 't will more enamour you , then her knowledge : for there are pleasing sweets , without compare , in such yieldings , which do prove vvit , humility and love ; yea , by tho●…e mistakings , you her conditions so shall know , as `twill make her mo●…e endeared , then if she had never erred . these are beauties that shall last , vvhen the crimson blood shall waste , ●…r the shining hair wax gray , or with age be worn away . if you truly note her ●…ace , you shall find it hath a grace , neither wanton , nor o'er serious , nor too yielding , nor imperious ; but with such a ●…eature blest , it is that which pleaseth best . her perfection in each part , ●…alone except her heart ; for among all women kind , such as her's is hard to find . ' ●…is not , 't is not those rare graces that do lurk in vvomens faces : 't is not a display'd perfection , youthful eyes , nor clear complexion , nor a skin smooth , satten - like , nor a dainty rosie cheeke that to wantonness can move such as victoriously do love : beauty rather gently draws vvild desires to reasons laws . beauty never tempteth men to lasciviousness , but when careless idleness hath ●…rought vvicked longings into thought . nor doth youth , or heat of blood , make men prove what is not good , nor the strength , of which they vaunt , 't is the strength and power they want : and the baseness of the mind makes their brint desires inclin'd , to persue those vain delights , which affect their appetites . i have beaut●…es to unfold , that deserve a pen of gold , sweets that never dream'd of were , things unknown , and such as ●…ar never heard a measure sound , since the sun first run his round . speak i can , yet think i more , words compar'd with thoughts are poore ; and i find , had i b●…gun such a strein , it would be done vvhen we number all the sands vvash't o e perjur'd goodwins lands , ●…or of things i should indi●…e , which i know are infinite . and besides , it seems to me that your fars nigh tire●… be : i perceive , the ●…ire that charmet●… and inspireth me , scarce warmeth your chil hearts : nay , sure were i melted into posie , i should not a measure hit , [ though apollo prompted it ] vvhich should able be to leave that in you , which i conceive . now my vvords i therefore cease , go my mounting thoughts in peace . the shepherd . to woe my noble mis●…ress , i 〈◊〉 neither rings , bracelets , jewels , nor a scarfe , 〈◊〉 feather . no place of office o●… command i keep , but this my little ●…lock of homely sheep : and in word , the sum of all my pel●… , is this , i am the m●…ster of my self . when 〈◊〉 birds , with musick strains the spring bad w●…ll-com'd in , and flowers in the woods and plains to deck them , did begin my love and i , on whom suspi●…ious eyes had set a m●…ny spies . to 〈◊〉 all , we strove , and seen of none , we got alone into a shady grove . with hand in hand , alone , we walk't , and of each other eyed ; of love and 〈◊〉 , past , we talk't , which our poor hearts had tryed . our souls infus'd into each other were , and what may be her care , did my more sorrow breed : one mind we ●…ad : one faith we said , and both in one agreed . ●…er dainty palm i gently prest , and 〈◊〉 her lips i plaid , my cheek upon her panting breast , and on her neck i laid ; and yet we had no sence of wanton lust , nor did we then mistrust the poyson in the sweet . our bodies wrought : so close we thought , b●…use our souls should meet . but kissing and imbracing , we so long together staid , her touches all enflamed me , that i had almost straid . my hands presum'd so far , they were too bold , my tongue , unwisely told , how much my heart was chang'd , and virtue quite : was put to flight , or for the time estrang'd . oh what are 〈◊〉 ! if in our strength , we over boldly trust ; the strongest sorts will yield at length , and so our vir●…s must . in me no force of reason had prevail'd , if she had also sail'd : but ere i further stray'd , she sighing , kist : my naked wrist , and thus in tears she said . sweet heart [ quoth she ] if in thy breast those virtues real be , which hitherto thou hast profest , and i believ'd in thee . thy self and me , oh , seek not to abuse , whilst thee i thus refuse , in ●…tter flames i frye ; yet let us not : our true love spot , oh rather let me dye . ●…or if thy heart should fall from good , what would become of mine ? as strong a passion stirs my blood , as can distemper thine . yet in my breast this rage i smother would , though it consume me should , and my desires ●…tain . for where we see : such breaches be , they sedom stop again . are we two , that have so long each others love imbrac't , and never did affection wrong , nor think a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ? and shall , oh shall we now our matchless joy , for one poor touch , destroy , and all content forego ; oh no , my dear : sweet-heart forbear , i will not lose thee so . for should we do a deed so base , [ as it can n●…ver be ] i could no more have seen thy face , nor wouldst thou look on me . i should of all our passions grow ashamed , and blush when thou art named ; yea , [ though 〈◊〉 constant wert ] i being 〈◊〉 : a jealous thought would still torment my heart . what goodly thing do we obtain , if i consent to thee ; bare joys we lose , and what we gain , but common pleasures be ; yea , those [ some say ] 〈◊〉 are 〈◊〉 lust inclin'd drive love 〈◊〉 of the mind , and so much reason miss , that they admire : what kind of fire a chaste affection is . no vulgar bliss i aimed 〈◊〉 when first i heard thee woe ; i 'll never prise a ma●… for that , which every groom can doe . if that be love , the basest men that be do love as well as we , who if we bear us well do pass them : as angels men in glory do excell . whil●… thus she spoke , a cruel band of passions ceas'd my soul , and what one seemed to command , another did controul . twixt 〈◊〉 and ill , i did divided lie , but as i 〈◊〉 mine eye , in her me thought i saw those virtues 〈◊〉 : whose rays div●… first gave 〈◊〉 a law. with that i felt the blush of shame into my cheek return . and love did with a chaster flame within my bosom burn ; my soul her light of reason had renew'd , and by those beams i view'd , how slily lust ensnares , and all the fires : of ill desires i quenched with my tears . go wantons now , and flout at this my coldness , if you list ; vain fools , you never knew the bliss that doth in love consist : you sigh , and weep , and labour to enjoy a shade , a dream , a toy . poor folly you persue , and are unblest : since every 〈◊〉 in pleasure equals you . you never took so rich conte●… in all your wanton play as this to me hath pleasure lent , that ●…haste she went away . for as some sins , which we committed 〈◊〉 , sharp stings behind them leave , whereby we vexed are , so ill supprest : begetteth rest , and peace without compare . the childs apology , in case of espousals . children owe much , i must confess 't is true , and a great debt is to the parents due ; but yet my parents should not be so cruel , as to take from me that high priz'd jewel , of liberty ●…n choice , whereon depends the main contentment that heaven here lends for if my parents , him i loath should chuse , 't is lawful , yea , my duty to refuse , else how shall i lead so upright a life , as is enjoyned to the man and wife . for i do think , it is not only meant , children should ask , but parents should consent , and that they err , their duty as much breaking , in not consent●…ng , as they for not sp●…aking . would parents [ in this age ] have us begin to take , by their eyes , our affections in , who quite forgetting they were ever young , would have us , children , dote with them on dung. it is imposible it should be thus , for we are rul●…d by love , not love by us , now with what follows , thus conclude we do , and we have reason for 't , and conscience too . no parent may his child 's just sute deny , on his bare will , without good reason why , nor he , so us'd , be disobedient thought , if unapproved , he take the match he sought . the pretious time is short , and will away , let us enjoy each other while we may . care thrives , age creepeth on men are but shades , joys lessen , youth decays , and beauty ●…ades , new turns come 〈◊〉 the old returneth never , if we let our's go past , 't is past forever . a song . now young man thy days and thy glorics appear . like sun-shine and blosoms in spring of the year ; thy vigor of body , thy spirits , thy vvit , are perfect and sound , and imtroubled yet . now then , o now then ! if safety thou love , mind thou , o mind thou thy maker above ! mispend not a morning so excellent clear , never [ for ever ] was happine●…s here . thy noon-tide of life hath but 〈◊〉 delight , and sorrows on sorrow will follow at night . now then , o now then ! if safety thou love , mind tho●… , o mind thou thy maker above ! that strength and those beauties that grace thee to day , to morrow may perish and vanish away . thy vvealth , or thy pleasure s or friends that now be ; may waste , or deceive , or be traitors to thee . no then , o now then , &c. mind thou , o mind thou , &c. thy joynts are yet nimble , thy sinnews unslack . and marrow unwasted doth stregthen thy back : thy youth from diseases preserveth the brain , and blood with free passages plumps every vein , now then , o now then , &c. but [ trust me ] it will not forever be so , those arms that are mighty shall feebler grow ; those 〈◊〉 that so proudly 〈◊〉 thee now . vvith age or diseases will ●…agger and bow . now then , o now then , &c. then all those rare features now graceful in thee , shall [ plowed with times furrows ] quite ruin'd be : ●…ose fancies that 〈◊〉 with dreams of delight , ●…ill trouble thy quiet the comfortless night . now then , o now then , &c. those 〈◊〉 of hair which thy youth doth adorn , vvill look like the meads in a winterly morn ; and where red and white intermixed did grow , dall paleness , a deadly complexion , will show . now the●… , o now then , &c. thy fore-head imperions , wher●…on we now view , a smoothn●… , and 〈◊〉 , 〈◊〉 with blew , vvill loose that perfection which youth now maintains . and change it for hollown●… , for wrinkles and stains . now then , o now then , &c. those eyes , which so many so much did admire , and with strange affections set many on fire shut up in that darkness , which age will constrain , shall never see mortal , no , never aga●…n . now then , o now then , &c , those lips , whereon beauty so fully discloses the colour and sweetness of rubies and roses ; instea●… of that here , will a gashliness weare , and none shall believe what perfection was there . now then , o now then , &c. thy teeth that stood firmly like pearls in a row , shall rotten and scatter'd disorderly grow . that gate , and those gestures , that win thee such grace , vvill turn to a feeble and staggering pace . now then , o now then , &c. by these imperfections , old age will prevail . thy marrow , thy sinnews , and spirits will fail , and nothing is left thee , when those are once spent , to give , or thy self , or another content . now then , o now then , &c. that lust which thy youth can so hardly fore-go . vvill leave thee and leave thee repe●…tance and wo ; and then in thy ●…olly no joy canst thou have , nor hope other rest , then a comfortless grave . now then , o now then , &c. for next , shall thy breath be quite taken away , thy ●…esh turn'd to dust , and that dust turn'd to clay and those that thou hast loved , and share of thy store shall leave thee , forget thee , and mind thee no more . now then , o now then , &c. and yet if in time thou remember not this , the slenderest part of thy sorrow it is . thy soul to a torture more fearful shall wend , hath ever and ever , and never an end . now then , o now then , if safety thou love , mind thou , o mind thou thy maker above . a passage taken out of witber's motto . what if america's large tract of ground , and all those isles adjoyning , lately found . [ vvhich we more truly may a desert call , then any of the world 's more civil pale ] vvhat then if there the vvilderness do lie , to which the vvoman and her son must flie . to 'scape the dragon's fury , and there ' bide , till europe's thankless nations [ full of pride , and all a●…ominations ] scourged are vvith barbarisin , as their neighbours were . the verses before , are these the eastern kingdoms had their times to flourish , the greeci●…n empire rising , saw them perish ; that fell , and then the roman pride began , now scourged by the race of ottoman . vvho live in sin , are all but thieves to heaven , and earth they steal from god , and take unsiven . good men they rob , and such as live upright , and [ being bastards ] share the free man's right ; they 're all as owners , in the owner's stead , and [ like to dogs ] devour the childrens bread. lord ! what i have , let me enjoy in thee , and thee in it , or else take it from me . divine poems , selected from the works of francis quarls . i care not so my kernel relish well , how slender be the substance of my shell ; my heart being virtuous , let my face be wane , i am to god , i only seem to man. meditation . how great 's the love of god unto his creature , or is his wisdom , or his mercy greater ? i know not whether . o! th'exceeding love of highest god , that from his throne above vvill send the brightness of his grace to those , that grope in darkness , and his grace oppose . vvhat thing is man , that god's regard is such ? or why should heaven love rechless man so much ? vvhy ? what are men but quickned lumps of earth . a feast for vvorms , a buble full of mirth . a looking glass for grief , a ●…ash , a minit , a p●…inted tomb with putrifaction in it , a map of death , a burthen of a song , a vvinters dust , a vvorm of five foot long , begot in sin , in darkness nourisht , born in sorrow , naked , shiftless and forlorn ; his first voice [ heard ] is crying for relief , alas ! he comes into a world of grief ; his age is sinful , and his youth is vain , his life 's a punishment , his death 's a pain . death respects kings and ●…eggars both alike , uncertain when , but certain she will strike . death is a minute full of suddain sorrow ; then live to day , as thou mayst dye to morrow . the vvorld's a body , each man a member is , to add some measure to the publick bliss , vvisdom is sold for sweet pleasures , for pain ; vvho lives but to himself , he lives in vain . man in himself 's a little vvorld alone , his soul 's the court , or high imperial throne , vvherein , as empress , sits the understanding , gently directing , yet with awe , commanding her hand-maids will affections , maids of honour , all following close , and duly waiting on her . but sin , that alwayes envied man's condition , vvithin this kingdom raised up division . vouchsafe [ lord ] in this little vvorld of mine , to reign , that i may reign with thee in thine . heathen godds . the egyptians , god did implore ; godd assus the chal●…eans did adore ; ●…ibel to the devouring dragon seeks , the arabians , a●…aroth ; juno the greeks ; the name of b●…llus the assyrians hallow ; the tr●…yjons , vesta , corinth , wi●…e apollo ; the arginians sacrifice unto the sun ; ●…o light-foot mercury bows macedon ; to godd volumus , lovers bend their knee ; to pavor , those that faint and fearful be ; vvho pray for health and strength , to murcia those and to victoria , they that fear to lose ; to muta , they that fear a woman's tongue ; to great lucina , women great with young ; to esculapis , they that live opprest ; and such to quies , that desire rest . implore those godds , that list to howl and bark : they bow to dagon , dagon to the ark : but he to whom the seal of mercy 's given , adores jehovah the great god of heaven . mortality . can he be fair , that withers at a blast ? or he be strong , that airy breath can cast ? can he be vvise , that knows not how to live ? or he be rich , that nothing hath to give ? can he be young , that 's feeble , weak and wane ? so fair , strong wise , so rich , so young is man. vvhy brag'st thou then , thou worm of five foot long th' art neither fair , strong , wise , nor rich , nor youn●… like to the damask rose you see , or like the blossom on a tree , or like the dainty flower in may , or like the morning to the day , or like the sun , or like the shade , or like the gourd which jonas had , even such is man , whose thred is spun drawn out , and cut , and so is done . the rose withers , the blossom blasteth , the flower fades , the morning hasteth , the sun sets , the shadow flyes , the gourd consumes , and man he dyes . like to the blaze of fond delight , or like a morning , clear and bright , or like a frost , or like a shower , or like the pride of babel's tower , or like the hour that guides the time , or like the beauty in her prime : even such is man , whose glory lends his life a blaze , or two , and ends . delights vanish , the morn o'er-casteth , the ! rosts breaks , the shower hasteth , the tower falls , the hour spends , the beauty fades , and man's life ends . of charity . in loving god , if i neglect my neighbour , my love hath lost his proof , and i my labour . my zeal , my faith , my hope , that never fails me , [ if charity be wanting ] nought avails me . lord ! in my soul a spirit of love create me , and i will love my brother , if he hate me . in temptation . art thou oppos'd to thine unequal foe ? march bravely on , thy general bids thee go : th' art heaven 's champion to maintain his right , who calls thee forth , will give thee strength to fight . god seeks by conquest thy renown , for he will win enough , fight thou , or faint , or flee . in slander . if winter fortunes nip thy summer friends , and tip their tongues with censure that offends ; thy tender name dispaire not , but be wise , know , heaven selecteth whom the world denyes . of death . me thinks i see that nimble aged si●…e , pass swiftly by , with ●…eet unapt to tire . upon his head an hour glass he wears , and in his wrinkled hand a sythe he bears , both instruments to take the lives from men , th' one shews with what , the other sheweth when ; me-thinks i see my dearest friends lament , with sighs , and tears , and woful drysiment . my tender vvife and children standing by , dewing the bed whereupon i l●…e . me-thinks i hear a voice in secret say , the glass is run , and thou must dye to day . deceitful world. what is the world a great exchange of ware , vvherein all sorts and sexes cheapening are ? the flesh , the devil , sit and cry , what lack ye ? vvhen most they fawn , they most intend to rack ye . the vvares , are cups of joys , and beds of pleasure , plenty of choice down weight , and flowing measure ; a soul 's the price , but they give time to pay upon the death-bed , on the dying day : hard is the bargain , and unjust the measure , vvhen as the price so much out-lasts the pleasure . the joys that are on earth's are counterfeits , if ought be true , 't is this , they 're true deceits ; they daily dip within thy dish , and cry , who hath betray'd thee ? master , it is i. hell torments all words come short t' express the pains of those that rage in hell , enwrapt in endless woes , vvhere time no end , and plagues find no exemption ; vvhere cryes admit no help , nor place redemption , vvhere wretched souls to tortures bound shall be , serving a world of years , and not be free . there 's nothing heard , but yells and suddain cryes , vvhere fire never slacks , nor worm e●…er dyes . but where this hell is plac't [ my muse stop there ] lord ! shew me what it is , but never where . in hell no life , in heaven no death there is ; in earth both life and death , both bal and bliss ; in heaven 's all life , no end , nor new supplying ; in hell 's all death , and yet there is no dying . farth like a partial ambodexter , doth prepare for death , or life prepares for both . christ's death . and am i here , and my redeemer gone ? can he be dead , and is not my life done ? vvas he tormented in excess of measure ? and do i live yet , and yet live in pleasure ? alas ! could sinners find out ne'er a one more fit then thee for them to spit upon ? did thy cheeks en●…ertain a traytors lips ? vvas thy dear body scourg'd , and torn with vvhips , till that the guiltless blood came trickling after ? and did thy fainting brows shoot blood and vvater ? vvert thou [ lord ] hang'd upon the cursed tree ? o world of grief ! and was all this for me ? burst forth my t●…ars into a world of sorrow , and let my nights of gr●…f find ne'er a morrow . heaven's glory . when i behold , and well advise upon the wise man's speech ; there 's nought beneath ( the sun but vanity ; my soul rebels within , and loathes the danghil prison she is in . but when i look to new jerusalem , vvherein's reserved my crown , my diadem . o! what a heaven of bliss my soul enjoyes on suddain , wrapt into that heaven of joyes , vvhere ravisht [ in the depth of meditation ] she well discerns with eye of contemplation , the glory of god in his imperial seat , full , strong in might , in majesty compleat , vvhere troops of powers , virtues , cherubims , angels , arch-angels , saints and sera phims , are chaunting praises to their heavenly king , vvhere hallelujah they forever sing . whoever smelt the breath of morning flowers , new sweetned with the dash of twi-light showers , or pounded amber , or the flowering thyme , or purple violets in the proudest prime , or swelling clusters from the cypress tree ; so sweet's my love ; aye ! far more sweet is he . dismount you quire of angels , come , with men your joyes divide ; heaven ne'er shew'd so sweet a groom , nor earth so fair a bride . hark , hark , i hear that thrice coelestial voice , vvherein my spirits wrapt with joys , rejoyce . a voice that tells me my beloved's mie ; i know the musick by the majestie : ●…ehold he comes , 't is not my blemisht face can slack the swiftness of his winged pace : behold he comes , his trumpet doth proclaim , he comes with speed , a truer love ne'er came . the imperfections of my present state . come forth my joy , what bold affron●… of fear , can fright thy soul , and i thy champion here ? 't is i that calls , 't is i thy bride-groom calls thee ; betide it me , whatever it befalls thee ; the winter of thy sharp afdiction's go●… , vvhy fear●…st thou cold , and art so near the son. heaven only knows the bliss my soul enjoyes , t'and earths too dull to apprend such joyes , then let thy breath like ●…aggons of strong wine . relieve and comfort this poor heart of mine ; for i am sick , till time [ that dotli delay our marriage ] being our joyful marriage day . conclusion . gasp not for honour , wish no blasing glory . for these will perish in an ages story , nor yet for power ; power may be 〈◊〉 to fools , as well as thee that hast deserv'd . thirst not for l●…ds , nor money wish for non ; for wealth is neither l●…sting , nor our own . riches are fair inti●…ements 〈◊〉 to deceive us ; they fl●…ter while we live , and dying leave us , nor house , nor land , nor measur'd heaps of wealth can render to a dying man his heal●…h . and what is life a bubble ●…ull of care , which prik't by death , straight e●…ters into air. the author's dream . mr sins are like the hairs upon my head , and raise their audit to as high a score ; in this they disfer , these do daily shed ; but ah ! my sins grow daily more and more . if by my hairs thou number out my sins . heaven , make me bold , before the day begins . my sins are like the sands upon the shore , which every ebb lies open to the eye ; in this they differ , those are cover'd o'er with every tide ; my sins still open lie . if thou wilt make my head a sea of tears ; o! they will hide the sins of all my years . my sins are like the stars within the skies , in view , in number even as bright as great ; in this they differ , these do set and rise ; but ah ! my sins do rise and never set . shine son of glory , and my sins are gone , like twinkling stars before the ri●…ing sun , essaies and religious meditations of sir francis bacon , knight , attorney general to king james the first . glory and honour are the spurs to virtue . as generally mettel is more precious than stone , and yet a diamond is more precious than gold , so generally in warmer climates [ it hath beene noted ] the people are more wise ; but in th●… northren climate , the wits of chief are greater . printed in the year . i. of death . m●…n fear death , as children fear to go in the dark ; and as that natural fear in children is inc●…eased ●…ith tales , so is the other . certainly , the fear of death , is contemplation of the cause of it , yet the fear of it for it self , is weak . you shall read in some of the fryers books , of mortification . that a man should think with himself , what the the pain i●… , if he have but his ●…ingers end pressed or tortured , an●… thereby imagin what the pains of death are , when the whole body is corrupted and dissolved ; when man●… times death passeth wi●…h less pain , then the torture of a limb. ●…or the most vital parts , are not the quickest of sence . grones and convulsions , and a dis●…oloured face , and friends weeping , and blacks , and obsequie●… and the like , shew death terrible . it is worthy the observing , that there is no passion in the mind of man so weak , but masters the fear of death ; and therefore death is no such enemy , when a man hath so many ●…ollowers about him , that can win the combat of him . revenge triumphs over death ; love esteems it not ; honour aspireth to it ; delivery from ignominy , chuseth it ; grief flyeth to it ; fear pre-occupateth it . it is no less worthy to observe , how little alteration in good spirits the approaches of death make : but they are the same till the ●…ast . it is as natural to dye , as to be born , and to a little infant , perhaps the one is as painful as the other . ii. of cunning . we take cunning for a sinister or crooked wisdom ; and certainly , there is a great difference between a cunning man , and a wi●…e man , not only in point of ●…onesty , but in point of ability . there are some that are good canvasses , and factious , that are otherwise weak men . again , it is one thing to understand persons , and another thing to understand matters : ●…or many are perfect in mens humours , that are not greatly capable of the real part of business , which is the constitution of one that hath studied men more then books . such men are fitter for practice , then for counsel , and they are good but in their own alley ; turn them to new men , and they have lost their aim . many are the differences between cunning and wisdom , and it were a good deed to set them down ; for that nothing doth more hurt in state , then that cunning men pass for wise . iii. of marriage , and single life . he that ha●… vvife and children , hath given hostages to ●…ortune , for they are impediments to great enterprises , either of virtue or mischief . certainly the best works , and of greatest merit , for the publick , have proceeded from the unmarried , or childless men ; which have sought eternity in memory , and not in posterity ; and which both , in affection and means , have married , and endowed the publ ck : y●…t some there are , that lead a single life , whose thoughts do end with themselves , and do account future times impertinencies . nay , there are some others , that esteem vvife and children but as b lls of charges . but the most ordinary cause of a single life , is liberty , especially in certain self-pleasing and humorous minds , which are so sensible of every restriction , as they will go near to think their girdles and garters to be bands and shackles . unmarried men are best ●…riends , best masters ; not alwayes best subj●…cts , for they are like to run away : and almost all fugitives are of that condition . certainly , vvife and children are a kind of discipl●…ne of humanity ; and single men are more cruel and hard-hearted ; good to make severe inquisitors . grave natures led by custom , and therefore constant , are commonly loving husbands . chaste women are often proud , and froward , as presuming upon the merit of their chastity . it is one of the best bands both of chastity and obedience in the wife , if she think her husband wise , which she will never do , if she find him jealous . vvives are young mens mistresses , companions to middle age , and old mens nurses . so as a man may have a quarrel to marry when he will : but yet , he was reputed one of the wise men , that made answer to the question , when a man should marry : a young man not yet , an elder man not at all — but hear quarles , a woman's rule should be of such a fashion , only to guide her houshold , and her passion , and her obedience never's out of season , so long as either husband lasts , or reason . ill thrives that hopeless family that shows a cock that 's silent , and a hen that crows . i know not which live most unnatural lives , obeying husbands , or commanding wives . iv. of parents and children . the joys of parents are secret , and so are their griefs and fears : they cannot utter the one , nor will they utter the other . children sweeten labours , but they make misfortunes more b●…tter : they increase the cares of life , but they mittigate the remembrance of death . the perpetuity by generation is common to beacts , but memory , me●…it and noble vvorks ar●… proper to men . they that are the first raisers of their house , are most indulgent towards their children , beholding them as the continuance . not only of theirkind . but of their vvork ; and so both children and creatures . the dif●… of affection in parents , towards their several children , is many times unequal , and sometimes unworthy ; espec●…ally in the mother , as solomon saith , a wise son rejoyceth the father , but an ungracious son shames the mother a man shall see , where there is a house full of children , one or two of the eld●…st respected , and the youngest made vvantons , but in the middle , some that are as it were forgotten , who nevertheless prove the best . the illiberality of parents in allowance towards their children , is an harmful error , makes them base , acquaints them with shifts , makes them sort with mean company ; and makes them surfeit more when they come to plenty . and therefore the proof is best , ●…n men keep their authority towards their children , but not their purse . v. of nobility . now nobility is but the act of pow●…r , but ancient nobility is the act of time. the first kaisers of ●…ortunes are commonly more v●…rtuous , but less innocent then their d●…endants . for there is rarely rising but b●… commixture of good and evil arts. but it is reason the memory of their virtues remain to their post●… , and their ●…aults dve with themselves . nobility of birth commonly abateth industry ; and he that is not industrous envieth him that is ; besides , noble perso●…s cannot go much h●…gher ; and he that 〈◊〉 at a 〈◊〉 , when others rise , can hardly forb●…ar ●…tions of env●… . on the other side . nobility 〈◊〉 the passive envy of others towards them , because the●… are in possession of honour . and envy is as the sun beams , that beat more upon a rising g●…ound ; then upon a level . a great nobillity addeth majesty to a 〈◊〉 , but deminisheth power , and putteth life and ●…rit i●…to people , but presseth their ●…ortunes . cert●… k●…gs that have able men of their no●…ity , 〈◊〉 find case in employing them . and a better slide into their business : for people naturally bend to them , as born in some sort to command . vi. of great place . men in great place , are thrice servants ; servants of the soveraign of state , servants of business , and servants of fame ; so as they have no freedom , neither in their persons , nor in their times , nor in their actions . it is a strange desire to seek power , and to lose liberty , or to seek power over ●…ers , and to lose power over a man's self : the ri●…ing unto place , is laborious , and by p●…s men came to greater pains , and it is sometimes base : and by ●…ties men came to dignities : the ●…ding is slipp●…ry and the reg●…ess is either a down-fall , or an eclipse . which is a melancholly thing . nay , retire men ●…nnot . when they would , neither will they , when it were reason , but are impatient of privateness , even in age and sickness , which require the shadow . certainly , great persons had nee●… to borrow other mens opinions to think themselves happy : for if they 〈◊〉 by their own feeling , they cannot find it ; but if they think with themselves what other men think of them , and that other men would 〈◊〉 be as they are , then they are hap●…y . as it were , by report , when perhaps they find the contrary within ; for they are the first that find their own griefs , though they be the last that find their own ●…aults . certainly , men in great ●…ortunes are strangers to themselves . and while they are in the puzzle of business , they have no time to tend their health , either of body or mind . power to do 〈◊〉 . is the true and lawful end of aspiring . merit is the 〈◊〉 of m●…'s motion ; and conscience of merit is the a 〈◊〉 of man's rest. ●…or if a man can in any measure 〈◊〉 ●…taker of 〈◊〉 theater , he shall likewise be 〈◊〉 of gods rest. in the discharge of thy place , set before thee the best examples , for imitation is a globe of pre●…pts . and after a time , set before thee thine own ●…ample , and examine thy self strictly , whether thou didst not best at first seek to make thy course regular that men may know before-hand what they may expect : but be not too positive , and express thy self well , when thou digr●…st from thy rule . imbrace and invite helps and intelligence , touching the execution of thy pla●… , and do not drive away such as bring thee information , as 〈◊〉 , but accept them in good part . the vi●…s of authority are chiefly four ; delays , corrupti●… , rou●… and 〈◊〉 ; ●…or d●…lays give 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , 〈◊〉 times appointed , go through with that which is in hand , and interlace not business but upon ●…ssity . for corruption , do not only bind thin●… own hands , or thy ●…vants hand , that may take , but bind the ha●…ds of them that should offer ; for integrity 〈◊〉 , doth the ●…ne , and ●…ntegrity prof●…d , with a manifest d●…ation of bribrey doth the other . and avoid not only the ●…ault , but the suspition : for roughness , it is a needless cause of di●…content . severity breedeth fear , but roughness breedeth hate . even reproofs from authority , ought to be grave , and not taunting . as for ●…acility , it is worse then bribery ; for bribes come but now and then , bu●… if importunity , or idle respects lead a man , he shall never be without . as solomon saith , to respect perso●… is not good , for such a man will transgress for a piece of bread. it is most true that was antiently spoken : a place she●…th the man , and it sheweth some for the bette●… . and some for the worse . it is assured sign of worthy an●… generous spirit , whom honour mends . for honour is or should be the place of virtue ; and as in nature . things move violently to their place , and calmly in their place ; so virtue in ambition is violent , in autho●… settled and ●…lm . vii . of counsel . the greatest trust between man , is the trust of giving counsel . for in other confidences , men commit the parts of their life , their lands , their goods , their child , their credit , some particular affair . but to such as they make their counsellors , they commit the whole ; by how much the more they are oblig●…d to all faith and integrity . the wisest princes need not think it any deminution to their greatness , or derogation to their sufficiency to relie on counsel . god himself is not without , but hath made it one of the great names of his blessed son. the counsellor solomon hath pronounced , that in counsel there is safety . things will have their first or second cogitations : if they be not tossed upon the arguments of counsel , they will be tossed upon the waves of fortune , and be full of inconstancy , doing and undoing , like the reeling of a drunken man. solomon's son found the force of counsel , as his father found the necessity of it . for the beloved kingdom of god was first rent and broken by ill counsel : 〈◊〉 which counsel there are set for our instruction , the two marks , whereby bad counsel is forever best discerned , that is , young counsel for the persons , and violent counsel for the matter . there is , that are in their natures faithful , and sincere , and plain , and direct , not crafty and inva●…ued : let princes above all , draw to themselves such natures . the true composition of a counsellor is to be rather skilful in his masters business , then in his nature ; for then he is like to advise him , and not to feed his humour . it is of singular use to princes , if they take the opinion of their council , both seperately , and together ; for private opinion is more free , but opinion before others , is more reverent . in private , men are more bold in their own humours ; and in consort , men are more obnoxious to others humours . therefore it is good to take both ; and of the inferior sort rather in private , to preser●… freedom : of the greater , rather in consort , to 〈◊〉 respect . it is in vain for princes to take counsel concerning matters , if they take no counsel likewise concerning persons ; for all matters are as dead images , and the life of the execution of affairs resteth in the good choice of persons . books will speak plain , when counsellors blanch . therefore it is good to be conversant in them , especially the books of such as themselves have been actors upon the stage . viii . of dispatch . affected dispatch is one of the most dangerous things to business that can be . therefore measure not dispatch by the times of sitting , but by the advancement of business . i knew a wise man had it for a by-word , when he saw men hasten to a conclusion : stay a while , that we may make an end the sooner . on the other side , true dispatch is a rich thing ; for time is the measure of business , as money is of wares ; and business is bought at a dear rate , where there is small dispatch . give good hearing to those that give the first information in business , and rather direct them in the beginning , then interrupt them in the continuance of their speeches : for he that is put out of his order , will go forward and backward , and be more tedious by parcels , then be could have been at once . but sometimes it is seen , that the moderator is more troublesome then the actor . iterations are commonly loss of time , but there is no such gain of time as to iterate often the state of the question ; for it chaseth away many a srivolous speech , as it is coming forth : long and curious speeches are as sit for dispatch as a robe or mantle , with a long trane , is for a race . there be three parts of business , the preparation , the debate or examination , and the perfection . whereof if you lock for dispatch , let the middle only be the work of many , and the first and last the work of few . ix . of love. love is the argument alwayes of comedies , and sometimes of tragedies , which shews well that it is a passion generally light , and sometimes extream . extream it may well bes●… since the speaking in a perpetual hiperbole i●… comely in nothing but love : neither is it meerly in the phrase . for whereas it hath been well said , that the arch-flatterer , with whom all the petty flatterers have intelligence , is a man's self ; certainly the lover much more . for there was never proud man thought so absurdly well of himself , as the lover doth of the person loved ; and therefore it was well said , that it is impossible to love , and to be wise . neither doth this weakness appear to others only , and not to the person loved , but to the loved most of all , except the love be reciproque . for it is a true rule , that love is either rewarded with love again , or with an inward and secret contempt . by how much the more men ought to beware of this passion , that loseth not only other thin●…s , but it self . this passion hath its floods in the very time of weakness , which are great prosperity , and great adversity ( though this later hath been less observed ) both which times kindle love , and make it more fervent , and therefore shew it to be the child of folly. they do best that make this affection keep quarter , and sever it wholly from their serious affairs and actions of their life ; for if it check once with business , it troubleth mens fortunes , and maketh men that they can be no way true to their own ends . x. of friendship . there is no greater desert or wilderness , then to be without true friends . for without friendship society is but meeting . and as it is certain , that in bodies inaminate . union strengthneth any natural motion , and weakneth any violent motion : so amongst men , friendship multiplyeth joys , and divideth griess . live not in continual s●…oother , but take some friend●… with whom to communicate ; it will unfold thy understanding , it will evaporate thy affections , it will prepare thy business . a man may keep a corner of his mind from his friend , and it be but to witness to himself that it is not upon facility , but upon the true use of friendship that he imparteth himself . vvant of true friends , as it is the reward of perfidious natures , so it is an imposition upon great fortunes ; the one deserves it , the other cannot scape it . and therefore it is good to retain sincerity , and to put it into the reckoning of ambition , that the higher one goeth , the fewer true friends he shall have . perfect on of friendship , is but a speculation . it is friendship , when a man can say to himself , i love this man , without respect of utility : i am open hearted to him ; i single him from the generallity of those with whom i live ; i make him a portion of my own wishes . there is little friendship in the world , and least of all between equals , which was wont to be magnified . that that is between superior and inferior , whose fortunes may comprehend one the other . xi . of self . an ant is a wise creature for it self ; but it is a shrewd thing in an orchard or garden . and certainly , men that are great lovers of themselves , waste the publick . divide with reason between self-love and society , and be so true to thy self , as thou be not false to others . it is a poor centre of a mans actions , himself : it is right earth . and certainly , it is the nature of extream self-lovers , as they will set an house on fire , and it were but to roast their own eggs. . xii . of regiment of health . there is a vvisdom in this beyond the rules of physick , a man 's own observation what he finds good of , and what he finds hurt of , is the best physick to preserve health . but it is a safer conclusion to say this agreeth not well with me , therefore i will not 〈◊〉 it ; then this , i find no offence in this , therefore i ●…ay use it : for strength of nature in youth passeth over many excesses , ●…hich are owing a man till his age. dis●…ern of the coming on of years , and think not to do the same thing still . certainly , most lusty old men catch their deaths by that adventure ; for age will not be edified : beware of sudden change in any point of dyet , and if necessity enforce it , fit the rest to it . for it is a secret both in nature and state , that it is safer to change many things , then one . to be free minded , and cheerfully disposed at hours of meat , and of sleep , and of exercise , is the best precept of long lasting . despise no new accident in your body , but ask opinion of it . in sickness respect health principally , and in health action . for those that put their bodies to endu●…e in health , may in most sicknesses , which are not very sharp , be cured only with dyet and tending . xiii . of discourse . some in their discourse , desire rather commendation of vvit , in being able to hold an argument in discerning what is true ; as if it were a praise to know what might be said , and not what should be thought . the honourablest kind of talk is to give the occasion , & again , to moderate and pass to somewhat else . it is good to vary and mix speeches to the present occasion with arguments ; tales with reasons , asking of questions , with telling of opinions . and jest with earnest . but some things are priviledged from jest , namely religion , matters of state , great persons , any man's present business of importance , and any case that deserveth pity ; and generally men ought to find the difference betwee●… saltness and bitterness . certainly , he that hath a sat●…rical vein , as he maketh others afraid of his vvit , so be had need be afraid of others memory . he that questioneth much , shall learn much , and content much : so especially if he apply hi●… , questions to the skill of the person of whom he asketh : ●…or he shall give them occasion to pl●…ase themselves in speaking , and himself shall continually gather k●…dge . if you dissemble sometimes your knowl●…dge of that you are thought to know , you shall be thought another time to know that you know not . speech of a man's self is not good often , and there is but one case wherein a man may praise himself ●…th good grace , a●…d that is in commending virtue in another , esp●…ially if it be such a virtue as whereunto himself pr●…ndeth : speech of touch towards ot●…ers , should be sparingly used ; for discourse ought to be as a ●…ield , without coming home to any man. discretion of speech is more then ●…loquence , and to speak agreeably to him , with whom we deal , is more then to speak in good words or in good orde●… . ●…astly , in a set speech in an assembly , it is expected a man should use all his reasons in the case he handleth ; but in private perswasions it is always a great error . xiv . ●…f riches . i cannot call riches better then the baggage of virtue ; for as the baggage is to an army , so is riches to virtue ; it cannot be spared , nor well left behind , but it hindreth the march ; yea , and the care of it sometimes loseth or distributeth the victory . of great riches there is no real use , except it be in the distribution , the rest is conceit . o , saith solomon , where much is , there are many to consume it ; and what hath the owner , but the sight of it with his eyes ? the personal fruition of any man cannot reach to feel great riches ; there is a custody of them , or a power of dole or donative of them , or a fame of them , but no solid use to the owner . do you not see what feigned prices are set upon little stones and rarities , and what works of osten●…ation are undertaken , because there might seem to be some use of great riches ? but then they may be of use to buy men out of dangers or troubles . as solomon saith , riches are as a strong-hold in the imigination of the rich man. but this is excellently expressed , that it is in the imagination , and not always in fact. ●…or certainly , great riches have sold more men , then they have bought out . seek not proud riches , but such as thou mayst get justly , use soberly , distribute cheerfully , and leave contentedly ; yet have no abstract or ●…ryerly contempt of them . neither trust thou much others , that seem to despise riches ; for they despise them that dispair of them , and none worse when they come to them . be not penny wise ; riches have wings and sometimes they fly away of themselves : sometimes they must be set flying , to bring in more . men leave their riches either to their kindred or to the publick , and moderate portions prosper best in both . measure not thy advancements by quantity , but frame them by measure ; and defer not charities till death ; for certainly if a man weigh it rightly , he that doth so , is rather liberal of another man's , than of his own . xv. of young men , and age. a man that is young in years , may be old in hours ; if he have lost no time : but that happens rarely . generally , youth is like the first cogitations , not so wise as the second : for there is a youth in thoughts , as well as in ages . natures that have much heat , and great violent desires and perturbations , are not ripe for action till they have past the meridian of their years : but reposed natures may do well in youth : as on the other side , heat and vivacity in age is an excellent composition for business . young men are fitter to invent , than to judge ; fitter for execution then for counsel , and fitter for new projects then for settled business . ●…or the experience of ag●… , in things that fall within the compass of it , directeth them ; but in things meerly new , abuseth them . the errors of young men are the ruin of business : but the errors of aged men amount to this , that more might have been done , or sooner . certainly , it is good to compound imployments of both for that will be good for the present , because the virtue●… of either age may correct the defects of both , and good for succession , that young men may be learners , while men in age are actors : and lastly , in respect of extream accidents , because authority followeth old men , and favour and popularity youth . a certain rabby upon the text , your young men shall see visions , and your ol●… men dream dreams : inferreth , that young men are admitted nearer to god , then old , because vision is a clearer revelation then a dream . and certainly , the more a man drinketh in of the world , the more it intoxicateth : and age doth profit rather in the power●… of understa●…ing , then in the virtues of the will an●… affections . xvi . of beauty and virtue . virtue is like a rich stone best plain set ; and surely virtue is best set in a body that is comely , thoug●…●…ot of delicate features , and that hath rather dignity of presence , then beauty of respect . neither is it always seen , that very beautiful persons are otherwise of great virtue , as if nature were rather busie not to err then in labour to produce excellency . and therefore they prove accomplished , but not of great spirit ; and study rather behaviour , then virtue . in beauty , tha●… of favour is more then that of colour ; and that of decent and gracious motion , more then that of favour . that is the best part of beauty , which a picture cannot express ; no , not the first sight of the life : and there is no excellent beaut●… that hath not some strange●…ess in the proportion . if it be true , that the principal part of beauty is in desent motion , certainly , it is no marvel though persons in years seem many times more aimable . ●…or no youth can be comely but by pardon , and considering the youth as to make up the comliness . beauty is as summer fruits , easie to corrupt , and cannot last ; and for the most part it makes a dissolute youth , and age a little out of countenance . but yet certainly again , if it light well , it makes vertues shine , and vices blush . the poet saith , virtue 's a chaste queen , and yet doth not scorn to be imbrac●…d by him that 's meanest born ; she is the prop that 〈◊〉 support , yet one whom slaves , as well as kings may court . she loveth all that bear 〈◊〉 to 〈◊〉 , and yields to any that hath heart to woe her . so vice , how high so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 be in place , is that which grooms m●…y 〈◊〉 at in disgrace ; she is a strumpet , and m●…y be 〈◊〉 , yea , spurn'd at in the 〈◊〉 of a lord. the epicures say to the sto●…ks , ●…licity placed 〈◊〉 virtue , that it is like the 〈◊〉 of a plaver , who if he were left of his auditors , and their applause , 〈◊〉 would straight be out of heart and countenance , and therefore they call virtue , 〈◊〉 thea●…rale . xvii . of deformity . deformed persons are commonly even with nature ; for as nature hath done ill by them , 〈◊〉 do they by nature , being for the most part [ as the scripture saith ] void of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ; and so the●… have their revenge of nature . certainly , there is a consent between the body and the mind ; and when nature erreth in the one ●…he 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the other . 〈◊〉 because there is in man an 〈◊〉 on touch●…ng the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his mind , and a necessity in the ●…ame of his body , th●… stars of natural inclination are sometimes obscured by the sun of discipline and virtue . therefore it is good to consider of deformity , not as a sign , which is more deceiveable , but as a cause , which seldom ●…ailteh of the effect . deformed persons are extream bold ; first , as in their own defence , as being exposed to scorn ; but in process of time by a general habit. also it stirreth in them industry , and specially of this kind , to watch and observe the weaness of others , that they may have somewhat to repay . they will , if they be of spirit , seek to free themselves from scorn , which must be either by virtue or malice ; and therefore they prove either the best of people , or the worst , or strangly mixed . xviii . of custom , and nature in men. men's thoughts are much according to their inclination , their discourse and speech according to their learning , and in●…used opinions ; but their deeds are after as they have been accustomed . the ingagement of words are not so forceable as custom : a man would wonder to hear men profess , protest , engage , give great words , and then do just as they have done before , as if they were dead images and engines , moved only by the wheels of custom . ' therefore since custom is the principal magistrate of man's life , let men by all means seek to obtain good customs . certainly , custom is more perfect when it begins in young years , this we call education , which is nothing but an early custom . for it is true , that late learners cannot so well take the ply , except it be in some minds that have not ●…uffered themselves to ●…ix , but have kept themselvs open and prepared to receive continual amendment , which is exceeding rare . nature is often hidden , sometimes overcome , seldom extinguished ; force maketh nature more violent in the return : doctrine and discourse make nature less importune , but custom only doth alter and subdue nature . certainly , the great multiplication of virtues upon humane nature , resteth upon societies , well ordained and disciplined . xix . of fortune . i●… cannot be denyed , but outward accidents conduce much to a man's fortune , ●…avour oppertune death of others occasion , fitting virtue ; but chiefly the mould of a man's ●…ortune is in himself . and the most frequent of external causes , is that the folly of one man is the fortune of another ; for no man prospers so suddainly as by others errors . if a man look sharply and accentively , he shall see fortune ; for though she be blind , yet she is not invisible . certainly , there be not two more fortunate porperties , then to have a little of the fool , and not too much of the honest. therefore extream lovers of their country or masters , were never fortunate , neither can they be . for when a man placeth his thoughts without himself , he goeth not his own way . all wise men , to decline the envy of their own virtues , use to ascribe them to providence and fortune , for so they may the better assume them . and besides , it is greatness in a man , to be the care of the higher powers — the poet speaks of ●…ortune thus , fortune [ that blind supposed goddess ] is still rated at , if ought succeed amiss . when this man's barn sinds not her wonted store , fortune's condemned , because she sent no more . if this man dye , or that man live too long , fortune 's accus'd , and she hath done the wrong . ah! foolish dolis , and [ like your goddess ] blind , you make the fault , and call your saint ●…nkind . ●…or when the cause of evil begins in man , the effects ensue from whence the cause began . xx. of studies . studies serve for delight , for ornament , and for ability ; their chief use for delight , is in privateness and retiring : for ornament , is in discourse : and for ability , is in judgment . for expert men can execute men , but learned men are fittest to judge and censure . to spend too much time in them , is 〈◊〉 ; to use them too much for ornament , is affectation . to make judgment wholly by their rules , is the humour of a schollar : they perfect nature , and are perfected by experience . crafty men contemn them , simple men admire them , and wise men use them . ●…or they teach not their own use , but that it is a wisdom without them , and above them , won by observation . read not to contradict , nor to believe , but to weigh and consider . some books are to be tasted , and others to be swallowed . reading makes a full man , conferrence a ready man , and writing an exact man : and therefore if a man write little , he had need have a great memory ; if he confer little , he had need have a present wit ; & if he read little , he had need have much cunning , to know that he doth not . histories make men wise , poets witty , the mathematicks súbtil , natural philosophy deep , morral grave , logick and rhetoricks able to contend . there is no stand or impediment in the wit , but may be brought out by fit stud es , like as diseases of the body may be apropriate exercises . shouting is good for the lungs and breast , gentle walking for the stomach , riding for the head and the like . so if a man's wit be wandring , let him study the mathematick ; if his wit be not apt to distinguish , or find differences , let him study the school-men ; if it be not apt to bear over matters & to find out resemblances ●…et him study lawyers cases . so every defect of the mind have special receipt . xxi . of ceremonies and respects . he that is only real , had need have exceeding great parts of virtue . to attain good forms , it sufficeth not to despise them , for so shall a man observe them in others ; and let him trust himself with the rest . for if he care to express them , he shall lose their grace ; which is to be natural and unaffected . not to use ceremonies at all , is to teach others not to use them again , and so diminisheth respect ; especially they be not to be omitted to strangers , and formal natures . amongst a man's peers , a man shall be sure of familiarity ; and therefore it is good a little to keep state . amongst a man's inferiors one shall be sure of reverence , and therefore it is good a little to be familiar . he that is too much in any thing , so that he giveth another occasion of society , maketh himself cheap . it is a good precept generally in seconding another ; yet to add somewhat of one's own ; as , if you will grant his opinion , let it be with some distinction ; if you will follow his motion , let it be with condition ; if you allow his counsel let it be with alledging further reason . men had need beware how they be too perfect in complements . it is loss in business to be too full of respects , or to be too curious in observing times and seasons . solomon saith he that con●…idereth the wind shall not sow , and he that looketh on the clouds shall not reap . a wise man will make more oppertunities then he finds . xxii . of suits . surely , there is in a sort a right in every suit , either a right of equity , if it be a suit of controversie , or a right of desart , if it be a suit of pet tion . if affection lead a man to favour the wrong side in justice , let him rather use his countenance to compound the matter , then to carry it . if affection lead a man to favour the less worthy in desart , let him do it without depraving or disabling the better deserver . to be ignorant of the value of a suit , is simplicity , as well as to be ignorant of the right thereof , is want of conscience . nothing is thought so easie a request to a great person , as his letter , and yet if it be not in a good cause , it is so much out of his reputation . xxiii . of negotiating . it is generally better to deal by speech , then by letter , and by the mediation of a third , then by a man's self ; letters are good when a man would draw an answer by letters back again , or when it may serve for a man's justification , afterwards to produce his own letter , or where it may be danger to be interrupted , on heard by pieces . to deal in person is good , when a mans face breeds regard ; as commonly with inferiors , or in tender cases , where a mans eye , upon the countenance of him with whom one speaketh , may give him a direction how far to go ; and generally , where a man will reserve to himself liberty , either to disavow or to expound . it is better to sound a person with whom one deal afar off , then to fall upon the point at first , except you mean to surprise him by some short question . it is better dealing with men in appetite , then with those which are where they would be . in choice of instruments [ for dealing ] it is better to chuse men of plainer sort that are like to do that that is committed to them , and to report back again faithfully the success , then those that are cunning , to contrive out of other mens business somewhat to grace themselves , and will help the matter in report for satisfaction sake . all practice is to discover , or to work . men discover themselves in trust , in passion , at unawares and of necessity when they would have somewhat done , and cannot find an apt pretext . if you would work any man , you must either know his manner and fashions , and so lead him or his ends , and so perswade him or his weakness , or disadvantage , and so awe him , and so govern them . in dealing with cunning persons , we must ever consider their ends , to interpret their speeches ; and it is goo●… to say little to them , and that which they least look for . xxiv . of judicature . judges ought to remember that their office is to interpret law , and not to make law , or give law , else will it be like the presumption of the church of rome , which under pretext of exposition of scripture , usurpeth and practiseth an authority to add and alter , and to pronounce that which they do not find , and by colour of antiquity to introduce novelty . judges ought to be more learned , then witty , more reverend then plausible , and more advised then confident . above all things , integrity is their portion and proper virtue . cursed [ saith the law ] is he that removeth the land-marks . the mislayer of a meerstone is to blame ; but it is the unjust judge that is the capital remover of land-marks , when he defineth a miss of lands and property . one foul sentenced doth more hurt then many foul examples , for they do but corrupt the stream ; the other corrupteth the fountains . there be [ saith the scripture ] that turn judgment into wormwood ; and surely there be also , that turn it into vinegar : for injustice maketh it bitter , and delayes maketh it sower . the principal duty of a judge is to suppress force and fraud , whereof ●…orce is the more pernitious , the more open and fraud the more close and disguised . add thereto contentious . suits , which ought to be spued out as the surfeit of courts . a judge ought to prepare his way to a just sentence , as god useth to prepare his way by raising valleys , and taking down hills : so when there appeareth on either side an high hand , violent prosecution , ●…unning advantages taken , combination power , great counsel , then is the virtue of a judge seen to make inequality equal , that he may plant h●…s judgment upon an even ground . judges must beware of hard constructions and stained inferrences ; for there is no worse to turn then the torture of laws , specially in cases of laws penal ; they ought to have a care , that that which was meant for terror be not turned into rigor ; and tha●… they bring not upon the people that shower , whereof the scripture speaketh : piuet super eos laqueo ; ●…or penal laws pressed are as a shower of snares upon the people . in cases of life and death , judges ought [ as far as the law permitteth ] in justice to remember mercyand to cast a severe eye upon the example , but a merciful eye upon the person . patience and gravity of hearing , is an essential part of justice ; and an over-speaking judge is no well tuned cimbal . it is no grace to a judge to find that which he might have heard in due time ●…rom the bar , or to sher●… quickness of conceit in cutting off counsel or evidences too short , or to prevent information b●… questions , though pertinent . the parts of a judge are four ; to direct the evidence , to moderate length of repetition , or impertinency of speech●… to recapitulate and collate the material points of that which ●…ath been said , and to give the rule and sentence : what●…ever is above these , is too much , and proceedeth either of glory , and willingness to speak , or of impatience to hear , or of shortness of memory , or of want of a 〈◊〉 and equal attention . it is a strange thing to see that the boldness of 〈◊〉 should prevail with judges , whereas they should imitate god , in whose seat they sit ; who represseth the presumptious and giveth grace to the modest. but is more strange , that 〈◊〉 custome of the time doth warrant judges to have noted favourites , which cannot but cause 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 , ●…nd suspition of by-wayes . there is due from the judge , to ●…he advocate , some commendation and gracing , where causes are well handled and fair pleaded , especially towards the side which obtaineth not ; for that upholds in the client , the reputation of his counsel , and beats down in him the conceit of his cause . there is likewise due to the publick a civil reprehension of advocates , where there appeareth cunning counsel , gross neglect , slite information , indiscreet pressing , or an over-bold defence . the place of justice is an hallowed place , and therefore not only the bench , but the foot-place , and precincts and purprize thereof , ought to be preserved without scandal and corruption . for certainly : grapes [ as the scripture saith ] will not be gathered of thorns or thistles ; neither can justice yield her fruit with swe●…ss among the bryars and brambles of catching and pulling clerks and ministers . on the other side , an antient clerk , ●…ilful in presidents , wary in proceeding and understanding in the business of the court , is an excellent finger of a court , and doth many times point out the way of the judge himself . lastly , judges ought above all remember the conclusion of the roman twelve tables ; salus populi supreama lex ; and to know that laws , exc●… they be in order to that end , are but things captious , and oracles not well inspired . a●…d let no man weakly conceive , that just laws and true pollicy have any antipathy . i 〈◊〉 they are like the spirits and sinnews that one moves within the other . neither ought judges to be so ignorant of their own right , as to think there is not left to them as a princip●…l 〈◊〉 o●… their o●…ice a wis use and application of laws ; for 〈◊〉 m●…y remember what the apostle saith of a greater l●… then theirs : nos scimus quia lex bona est jude-quia ●…a utatur legitime . xxv . of honour and reputation . the winning of honour is but the revealing of a man's virtue and word without disadvantage ; for some in their actions do a●…ct honour and 〈◊〉 , which sort of men are commonly much talk●… of , but inwardly little admired ; and some darken their virtue in the shew of it , so as they be undervalued in opinion . if a man perform that which hath not been attempted before , or attempted and given over , or hath been atchieved , but not with so good circumstance , he shall purchase more honour than by affecting a matter of greater difficulty or virtue , wherein he is but a follower . a man is an ill husband of his honour that entreth into any action , the failing wherein will disgrace him more then the carrying of it through can honor him . honour hath three things in it ; the vantage ground to do good , the approach to kings and principal persons , and the raising of a man 's own fortunes . he that hath the best of these intentions when he aspireth , is an honest man ; and that prince that can descern of intentions , in one that aspireth , is a wise prince . meditationes sacra . xxvi . of the works of god and man. god beheld all things which his hands had made , and lo , they were all passing good . but when man turned him about , and took a view of the works which his hands had made , he found all to be vanity and vexation of spirit : wherefore if thou shalt work in the works of god , thy sweat shall be as an oyntment of oders , and thy rest as the sabboth of god. thou shalt travel in the sweat of a good conscience , and shalt keep holy-day in the quietness and liberty of the sweetest contemplations . but if thou shalt aspire after the glorious acts of men , thy works shall be accompanied with compunction and strife , and thy remembrance followed with distaste , and upbraidings ; and justly doth it come to thee [ o man ] that since thou which art god's work , dost him no reason in yielding him well-pleasing service , even thine own works should also reward thee with the like fruit of bitterness . xxvii . of the miracles of our saviour . he hath done all things well a true confession and applause : god , the word , in the mircacles which he wrought [ now every miracle is a new creation , and not according to the first creation ] would do nothing which breathed not towards men favour and bounty . moses wrought miracles , and scourged the egyptians with many plague●… . elias wrought miracles , and shut up heaven that no rain should fall upon th●… earth ; and again , brought down ●…rom heaven the ●…ire of god upon the captains and their bands . elisha wrought also and 〈◊〉 bears out of the desert to devour young children . peter struck ananias the sacrilidgious hypocrite with present death . and paul elimas the sorcerer with blindness : but no such thing did jesus ; the spirit of god descended down upon him in the form of a dove , of whom he said , you know not what spirit you are of : the spirit of jesus is the spirit of a dove , those servants of god were as the oxen of god , treading out the corn , and trampling the straw down under their ●…eet , but jesus is the lam●… of god , without wrath or judgment . all his miracles were consumate about man's body , as his doctrine respected the soul of man : the body of man needed these things , sustenance . defence from outward wrongs , and medicine ; it was he that drew a multitude of fishes into the n●…ts , that he might give unto man mo●…e liberal provision . he turned water , a less 〈◊〉 ●…ishment of man●… body , into wine , a more worthy , that glads the h●…art of man. he sentenced the ●…igg-tree to wither for not doing its duty , whereunto it was ordained , which is to bear fruit for mens food ; he multiplyed the scarcity of a few loaves and fishes to a sufficiency to victual an host of people . he rebuked the winds that threatned destruction to the sea-faring men : ●…he restored motion to the lame , light to the 〈◊〉 , speech to the dumb , health to the sick , cleannes●… to the leprous , a right mind to those that are possessed , and life to the dead . no miracle of his is to be found to have been of judgment or revenge , but all of goodness and mercy , and respecting man's body ; for as touching riches , he did not vouchsafe to do any miracle , save only one , that tribute might be given to c●…r . xxviii . of the innocency of the dove , and the wisdom of the serpent the fool re●…iveth not the word of wisdom , except thou discover to him what he hath in his heart . therefore it behoveth him which aspireth to a goodness , [ not retired , or particular to himself , b●… a fructifying and begetting goodness , which sho●… draw on others ] to know those points which be cal●… the deeps of satan , that he may speak with autho●… and true insinuation . hence is the precept , try●… things , and hold fast that which is good ; which endur●… a discerning election out of an examination , whence 〈◊〉 thing at all is excluded ; out of the same fountain ariseth that direction , be you wise as serpents , and 〈◊〉 as doves . there are neither teeth , nor stings , nor venom , nor wreathes and folds of serpents , which ought not to be all known , and as far as examination doth lead , tryed ; neither let any man here fear infection or polution ; for the sun entreth into sinks , and is not defiled . neither let any man think , that herein he tempteth god ; for his diligence and generality of examination is commanded , and god is sufficient to preserve you immaculate and pure . xxix . of the exaltation of charity . i have rejoyced at the overthrow of him that hated me , or took pleasure when adversity did befall him . the detestation or renouncing of job ; for a man to love again where he is loved , it is the charity of publicans , contracted by mutual profit and good offices , but to love a man's enemies is one of the cunningest points of the law of christ , and an imitation of the divine nature . but yet again , of this charity there be divers degrees , whereof the first is to pardon our enemies when they repent , of which charity there is a shadow and image , even in noble beasts : for of lyons it is a received opinion , that their fury and fiercene●…s ceaseth towards any thing that yieldeth and prostrateth it self . the second degree , is to pardon our enemies , though they persist without satisfaction ●…d submissions . the third degree , is not only to 〈◊〉 and forgive , and forbear our enemies , but to 〈◊〉 well of them , and to do them good . but all these 〈◊〉 degrees either have , or may have in them a 〈◊〉 bravery and greatness of the mind , rather then 〈◊〉 charity : for when a man perceiveth virtue to 〈◊〉 from h●…self , it is possible that he is puffed up 〈◊〉 takes contentment rather in the fruit of his own virtue , then in the good of his neighbours : but if any evil overtake the enemy from any other coast , then from thy self , and thou in the inwardest motions of thy heart , art grieved and compassionate and dost no wayes insult , as though thy dayes of right and re●…enge were at last come ; this i interpret to be the height and exaltation of charity . xxx . of goodness , and goodness of nature . goodness i call the habit ; and goodness of nature the inclination . this of all virtues is the ●…reatest , being the character of the divine deity , and without it , man is busie , mischievous , wretched thing no better then a kind of vermine : goodness answers to the theological virture , charity , and admits no excess but error . there was never law , or sect , or opinion , did so much magnifie goodness as the christian religion doth . therefore to avoid the scandal and the danger both , it is good to take knowledge of the errors of an habit so excellent . seek the good of other men , but be not in bondage to their faces of fancies , for that is but facility and softness , which taketh an honest mind prisoner . neither give thou esop's cock a gem , who would be better content if he had a barley corn. the example of god teacheth the lesson truly ; he sendeth his rain , and maketh his son to s●…ine upon the just and unjust ; but he doth not rain vvealth and shine honour and virtues upon men equal . common benefits are to be communicate with all , but peculiar benefits with choice . and beware how in making the portraiture thou breakest the pattern : for divinity maketh the love of our selves the patterns , the love of our neighbour but the portraiture . sell all thou hast , and give it to the poor , and follow me ; but sell not all thou hast , except thou come and follow me , that is , except thou have a vocation , wherein thou mayst do as much good with little means , as with great ; for otherwise , in feeding the stream , thou dryest the fountain . neither is there only a habit of goodness directed by right reason : but there is in some men , even in nature , a disposition towards it ; as on the other side , there is a natural malignity . for there be that do not affect the good of others . xxxi . of religion . the quarrels and divisions for religion were evils unknown to the heathen . but yet the bounds of religious unity are so to be strengthened , as the bonds of human socie●…y be not dissolved . it is better that religion should deface men's understandings then their piety and charity , retaining reason , only as an engine or charriot driver of cruelty and malice . one of the doctors of i●…ly had the confidence to put in writing almost in plain terms , that the christian-religion had given up good men in prey to th●…se that are tyrannical and unjust . it was a great blasphemy when the devil said , i will ascend , and be like the ●…ighest ; but it is a greater blasphemy if they make god to say , i will descend and be like the prince of darkness : and it is no better , when they make the cause of religion descend to the execrable actions of murthering of princes , butchering of people , and firing of states . neither is there such a scandal to their church , as out of the bark of st. peter to set forth the ●…lagg of a bark of pirats and assassines . therefore since these things are the common enemies of human society , princes by their power , churches by their decrees , and all learning christian moral , of whatsoever sect or opinion , ought to joyn in the damning to hell forever these facts and their supports , and in all councils concerning religion , the counsel of the apostle should be perfixed , ira hominis non implet justitium dei. xxxii . of the moderation of cares . sufficient for the day is the evil thereof . there ought to be a mean , sure , in worldly cares , otherwise they are but unprofitable , as those which oppress the mind , and astonish the judgment , and prophane , as those which savour of a mind which promiseth to it self a certain perp●…ity in things of this world ; for we ought to be days men , and not to morrows men , considering the shortness of our time ; and as he saith , laying hold on the present day ; for the future things shall in their turns become present , therefore the care of the present sufficeth , and yet moder●… cares [ whether they concern our particular , or the common-wealth , or our friends ] are not blamed . but there is a two-fold excess , the one when the chain or thred of our cares is extended and spun out to an over-great length , and unto times too far o●… , as if we could bind the divine providence of our provisions , which even with the heathen was always found to be a thing insolent and unlucky . the second excess is , when we dwell longer in our cares then is requisite , for due deliberating , or firm resolving ; for who is there amongst us that careth 〈◊〉 more then sufficeth , ei●…er to resolve of a course , or to conclude upon an implicity , and doth not still chew over the same things , and tread amaze in the same thoughts , and vanisheth in them without issue or conclusion ; which kind of cares are most contrary to all divine and ●…uman respects . xxxiii . of earthly hope . better is the sight of the eye , then the apprehension of the mind . hope seemeth a thing altogether unprofitable ; ●…r to what end serveth this conceit of good ? con●…r and note a little , if the good fall out less then t●…u 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 though it be , yet less , because it is ; it seeemeth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 benefit through thy excess of hope ; if the good 〈◊〉 e●…al and proportionable in event to t●…y hope ; yet the 〈◊〉 whereof by the hope is gathered , so as when it comes , the 〈◊〉 of it is gone , and it seems use , and therefore soo●… 〈◊〉 on society ; admit thy success prove better then thy 〈◊〉 , it is true gain seems to be made : but had it not been 〈◊〉 to have gained the principal by hoping for nothing . 〈◊〉 the increase by hoping for less ? and t●…s is the operation of 〈◊〉 in good fortunes , but in mis-fortunes it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 force , constancy and vigour of the mind . notwi●…ing we see that the greatest number of men give 〈◊〉 ●…ver to their imaginations of hope , and appre●… of the mind in such sort , that ungrateful towards things past , and in a manner unmindful of things present , as if they were ●…ver children and beginners , they are still longing for things to come . wherefore all our hope is to be bestowed upon the heavenly life to come . but here on earth the purer our sence is from the inflection and tincture of imagination , the better and wiser soul. the sum of life to little doth amount , and therefore doth forbid a longer count . xxxiv . of hypocrites . i demand mercy , and not sacrifice . all the boasting of the hypocrite is of theworks of the first table of the law , which is of adoration & duty towards god ; whereof the reason is double , both because such works have a greater pomp and demonstration of holiness , and also because they do less cross their affections , & desires , therefore the way to cenvict hypo●…rites , is to send them from 〈◊〉 works of sacrifice to the works of mercy , whence come●… that saying , this is the pure and immaculate relig●…o with god the father , to visit orphans and vviddows in their tribulations ; and that saying , he that 〈◊〉 not his brother , whom he hath seen , how can he love god , whom he hath not seen . now there is another kind of deeper and more extravagant hypocrisie ; for some deceiving themselves , and thinking themselves worthy of a more near access and conversation with god , do neglect the duties of charity towards their neighbour , as inferiour matters , which did not indeed cause originally the beginning of a monastical life [ for the beginnings were good ] but brought in that excess and abuse which are followed after : for it is truly said , that the office of praying is a great office in the church . and it is 〈◊〉 the good of the church that there be consorts of men freed from the cares of this : world , who may with daily and devout supplications and observances , solicite the 〈◊〉 majesty for the causes of the church . but unto this ●…dinance , that other hypocrisie is a nigh neighbour , neither is the general institution to be blamed , but those spirits which exalt themselves too high to be refrained . as to those others , who are so officious towards god ; to them belongeth that question : is thou dost justly , what is that to god ? or what profit doth he take by thy hands ? wherefore the works of mercy are the works of distinction , wherefore to find out hypocrites . but with hereticks it is contrary , for as hypocrites with their dissemling holiness towards god do paliate and cover their injuries towards men ; so hereticks by their morallity and honest carriage towards men , insinuate and make away with their blasphemies against god. xxxv . of impostors . whether we be transported in mind , it is to god-ward , or whether we be sober , it is to you-ward . this is the true image , and true temper of a man and of him that is god's faithful work man , his carriage and conversation towards god is full of passion , of zeal and of transmises , thence proceed groans unspeakable , and exultings , likewise in comfort , ravishmen●… of spirit , and agonies . but contrariwise , his 〈◊〉 and conversation towards men is full of mild - 〈◊〉 , sobriety , an applyable demeanour ; hence is tha●…●…aying , i am become all things to all men , and such like contrary it is with hypocrites and impoftors , for they in the church and before the people , set themselve●… 〈◊〉 , and are carried as it were out of themselve●… 〈◊〉 becoming as men inspired with holy furies the 〈◊〉 heaven and earth together : but if a man did 〈◊〉 their solitary and seperate meditations and conversations , whereunto god is only privy , he might towar●… god , find them not only cold , and without 〈◊〉 ●…ut also full of ill nature , and leaven sober enough god , and transported only towards men . xxxvi . of the several kinds of impostors . avoiding prophane strangeness or words and oppositions 〈◊〉 knowledge , falsly so called , avoid sond and 〈◊〉 fables . let no man deceive you by high speechss . there are three forms of speaking , which are as 〈◊〉 were the stile and phrase of impostors ; the 〈◊〉 kind is of them , who , as soon as the●… have gotten any su●…ject or matter , do strait cast it into an art , invent 〈◊〉 new terms of art , reducing all into divisions and distractions , thence draweth assertions or oppositi●…ns , and so framing oppositions by questions and 〈◊〉 hence issucth the cop-webs and clatterings of ●…he school men . the second kind is of them , who out of th of their wit [ as church-poets ] do make a●… all varieties of tales . stories and examp●… they may lead mens minds to a belief ; 〈◊〉 grow the legends , and infinit fabulous 〈◊〉 dreams of the antient hereticks . the third kind is of them , who fill mens mystries , high parables , allegories and illus●… mistical and profound forms , many of the 〈◊〉 also made use of . by the first kind of these 〈◊〉 city and wit of man is fettered and entangled : second , it is trained on and inveigled : by the 〈◊〉 is astonished and enchanted , but by every of 〈◊〉 whole it is seduced and abused . xxxvii . of atheism . i had rather believe all the fa●…les in the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 alca●…on , then that this universal frame is without 〈◊〉 mind : and therefore ●…od never wrought mirac●…e 〈◊〉 convince atheists because his ordinary works 〈◊〉 notes, typically marginal, from the original text notes for div a -e * the understanding of the thing here called quality , is the foundation of the whole revelation of jacob behme's , and al●… mystries of which his writings are only a description ; for all along the seven qualities are called sometimes sources , sp●…cies , powers , operations or faculties of a thing ; also the qualifying or fountain spirits , which give model , image or frame , the power , virtue , figure , constitution , substance , essence and distinct beeing of all things that ever were or can be , infrom , and to all eternity in god , and all creatures in heaven , hell , or in this world. also the forms or properties of nature , which is the solliter or power of god. and so they are the seven spirits of god , as in the revelations of john 〈◊〉 . . notes for div a -e hence what may be thought of ireland , where no venomous beast can live ? sun-beams of gospel-light shining clearly from severall texts of scripture, opened and applyed. . a heavemly [sic] treatise of the devine love of christ. . the christians freedome. . the deformed forme of a formall profession. . christs fulnesse, and mans emptinesse. by john preston, doctor in divinity, chaplaine in ordinary to king james, mr. of emmanuel colledge in cambridge, and sometimes preacher at lincolnes inne. preston, john, - . approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page images. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; oxford (uk) : - (eebo-tcp phase ). a wing p a estc r this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons . universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase , no. a ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, - ; : ) sun-beams of gospel-light shining clearly from severall texts of scripture, opened and applyed. . a heavemly [sic] treatise of the devine love of christ. . the christians freedome. . the deformed forme of a formall profession. . christs fulnesse, and mans emptinesse. by john preston, doctor in divinity, chaplaine in ordinary to king james, mr. of emmanuel colledge in cambridge, and sometimes preacher at lincolnes inne. preston, john, - . preston, john, - . two treatises, viz. the christian freedome, and the deformed forme of a formall profession. preston, john, - . plenitudo fontis, or, christ's fulnesse and man's emptinesse. [ ], , - , [ ], , [ ], , [ ], p. printed for john stafford, and are to be sold in blacke horse alley, london : . each text has a separate dated title page, register and pagination; "two treatises, viz. the christian freedome, and the deformed forme of a formall profession" and "plenitudo fontis: or, christ's fulness, and man's emptinesse" were also published separately - cf. wing ( nd. ed.) p a and p . text is continuous despite pagination. signatures: a-n⁴ o² ² [a]-g⁴ ² h ³a-b⁴ ³c⁴ [-² a , ³c ]. reproduction of the original in the dr. williams' library, london. created by converting tcp files to tei p using tcp tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the universities of michigan and oxford and the publisher 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markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng christian literature -- early works to . - tcp assigned for keying and markup - apex covantage keyed and coded from proquest page images - judith siefring sampled and proofread - judith siefring text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion svn-beams of gospel-light , shining clearly from severall texts of scripture , opened and applyed . . a heavemly treatise of the devine love of christ. . the christians freedome . . the deformed forme of a formall profession . . christs fulnesse , and mans emptinesse . by iohn preston , doctor in divinity , chaplaine in ordinary to king iames , mr. of emanuel colledge in cambridge , and sometimes preacher at lincolnes inne . london , printed for iohn stafford , and are to be sold in bracke horse alley , . a heavenly treatise of the divine love of christ . shewing , . the motives . the meanes . the markes . the kindes thereof . delivered in five sermons , by iohn preston , doctor in divinity , chaplane in ordinary to his majestie ; master of emanuel colledge in cambridge , and sometimes preacher at lincolnes inne . matth . . , . this is the first , and great commandement : thou shalt love the lord thy god with all thy heart . london , printed by thomas paine , for iohn stafford , in chancery lane , over against the roules . anno dom. . the names of doctor iohn preston his severall treatises . . a treatise of the attributes of god containing . sermons upon divers texts . . foure treatises viz. . a remedy against covetousnesse upon coloss. . . . an elegant and lively description of spirituall life and death upon iohn . . . the doctrine of selfe dentall , upon luke . . . a treatise of the sacrament , upon 〈◊〉 ioh. . . . the saints daily exercise , or a treatise of prayer upon thess. . . . the new covenant in . sermons , upon gen. . , . unto which is added . sermons upon eccles. . , . . . . the saints qualification , containing , viz. . a treatise of humiliation in . sermons , the first upon romans . . the tenth preached before the common house of parliament upon numb . . , . . of sanctification or the new creature in . sermons upon cor. . . . of communion with christ in the sacrament in . sermons upon cor. . . . the doctrine of the saints infirmities upon chron. . , , . . the brestplate of faith and love , containing . sermons upon three severall texts , viz. revel . . . thes. . . gal. . . . five sermons preached before his majestie , viz. . the new life , upon iohn . . . a sensible demonstration of the diety , upon esay . . . of exact walking , upon ephe. . . . the pillar and ground of truth , upon tim. . . . sam. support of sorrowfull sinners upon sam. . . , . . two treatises of mortification , and humiliation , upon col. . . ephes. . , , . together with the livelesse life , a treatise of vivisication . . his remaines , containing . excellent treatises , viz. . iudas's repentance . . the saints spirituall strength . pauls conversion . . the golden scepter , with the churches marriage , being three treatises in one volume . . the fulnesse of christ , upon iohn . . . a heavenly treatise of the divine love of christ , in five sermons , upon cor. . . a briefe collection of the principall heads of these five insuing sermons . sermon the first . the explanation of the two words , anathema , and maranatha fol. . doctrine . that to love the lord iesus , is so necessarily required of us , that he is worthy to be accursed that doth it not . fol. . what loue is in g 〈…〉 ill . ibid. how this love dot 〈…〉 w it selfe . ibid. five kindes of love. . three qualities of love . . what this love of the lord iesus is , it is a holy disposition , arising from faith , whereby me cleave unto the lord iesus christ ; with full purpose of heart to serve and please him in all things . five reasons why they are worthy to be cursed that love not the lord iesus . vse . it is a great sinne not to love the lord iesus christ. an objection answered . five true signes of this love of the lord iesus . sermon the second . vse . try whether , what you doe is out of love. five notes of tryall of this love of the lord iesus . sixe objections answered . , , . sermon the third . five notes more of the triall of the love of the lord iesus christ. divers objections therein answered . vse . to humble our selves for want of that love. eight reasons why wee ought to love the lord iesus . divers objections thereunto answered . , , , , . the fourth sermon . vse . the . vse is , to exhort us to love the lord iesus . five advantages which doe arise from the lord iesus . foure meanes to be used , to strengthen our love in the lord iesus . diverse objections therein answered . , to . sermon the fift . the kindes of love that the lord accepts . divers objections thereto answered . . wherein grounded love doth stand . the object on whom our love is to be set . of the curse of those that love not the lord iesus . three objections answered . . . . . a soliloquy of the devout soule to christ , panting after the love of the lord iesus . . to the reader of these pious and plaine sermons , grace and peace . christian reader , it was an old complaint of an heathen , that the noise of the old philosophers opinions did hinder their dung-hill gods from hearing their prayers : and it is no very new complaint of a christian , that the many idle subtleties of the schoole have so drawn up divinity to the highest pegge of a curious mind , that it hinders the heart from moulding it into prayers and practice . this grave and serious divine , whose living sermons are here commended to thee when hee is dead , saw it with both eyes . therefore though he was no small master in subtleties , yet all his thoughts were bent to draw them downe from the floating braine , to the feeling heart ; that his hearers might be better brought to know and doe . as this hath been his course in all his writings before extant ; so is it in this , that now comes to thy hands . how might he have hid himselfe in the thornes of speculation ? how high might hee have flowne in the curious extracts of every word of this text ? but he , that delighted to speake ten words to edification , rather then ten thousand that could not pierce every ordinary braine , contented himselfe to fill up deepe foards to make them passable , and to wade the sweete and shallow streames of the love of the lord iesus . he might , from hence , have set himselfe upon the mount of cursings , and showred downe worse then fire and brimstone upon delinquents : but the meeknesse of his spirit carries him up to the mount of blessings , to learne good soules through death to finde life , through threatnings to meete with comforts . hee , being lifted up by the divine love of christ , doth describe love , and our love to christ : he soares to the equity , and necessity of it : he rests not before he have given you the meanes , motives , markes , gaines qualifications , and obiects of this love . how faine would he have thee love the lord iesus , that thou maiest avoid the curse , and enioy the blessing ! hee knew nothing more necessary for a good christian then this love . first , he must be a christian by faith ; next , hee must live a christian by faith and love too : hee can doe neither without the love of christ to him ; and this hee can not have but in his time : hee shall have faith in christ , and love to the lord iesus . there is neither thing , nor love in all the world more comfortable to a good man then this : sinne presseth hard downe , and pulls him back from heaven ; satan baites both the hands , and hookes of the world , prosperity , and adversity , to entangle him ; death brings him downe to the bed of darkenesse , the land of oblivion , and laies him up as a despised lumpe : but if hee have this love , when all vanishing bubbles flie away ; this mounts him up into the bosome of god. as water , be it conveyed in pipes never so low , yet in the same pipes it will rise up as high as the spring head : so this love springing from the bosome of god , though it bee shed abroad , and runne through the channels of our hearts on earth , yet with a willing motion it mounts up to christ againe , and carrieth us along with it in despite of stormes . where we love , we live : where wee love , we desire to be ; and god hath so ordered , that this appetite shall not be in vaine . and as for other loves , see whether the love of the lord iesus doe not surpasse them all love other things , and yet often they slide away from thee , so that in them thou hast but a momentany joy : but love thy lord , and , doing so he he abides with thee for ever , and is to thee a spring of everlasting joy . love other things , and they cannot know the sincerity of thy heart , how much , and in what manner and measure thou lovest them : but love thy lord , and hee knowes better the love of thy heart then thy selfe : thou maist say unto him , as did peter , thou knowest all things , thou knowest that i love thee ; and shalt find entertainment answerable . love other things , and thou hast vexing care over them , both about their gaining , keeping , and losing : but love thy lord , and thy care is sweete for him ; yea , he careth for thee in all thy wayes . thou canst lose nothing by it , no not thy heart , which though it goe out to him , and he keepes it , yet hee gives it to thee againe , and that better then it was , to comfort thee in thy whole course . love other things , and thou findest not them at all times , nor so often as thou wouldest : when thou hast need thou canst not speake to them so often as thou wouldst , neither doe they harken to thy words as thou couldst wish : but love thy lord , and hee is with thee alwaies to the end of the world : thou maiest speake to him at any time , by night , or by day ; he heareth thee at all times , and gives thee thy hearts desires . love other things , and thou canst not know their secrets ; there may bee something in them which may bee vexations unto thee in the issue ; there may lye a snake under the greene grasse , a filthy loade under a sweet flower , and a worme in the heart of a defired apple . but love thy lord , and he will reveale the mystery of godlinesse , and his hidden secrets of truth unto thee according to his word ; yea , thou shalt see that nothing but that which is glorious in it self , and good for thee , is either in him , or about him . love other things , and they put thee to many a trouble ; they hinder thee in thy prayers , and all thy service to god , because thou dost alwaies think , and dote upon them : but love thy lord , and hee bringeth into thy heart and conseience , peace which passeth all understanding . the more thou lovest him when thou prayest , the more hee gives thee to thy selfe ; yea , the more he gives thee to himselfe , and fills thee with holy comfort . love othe● things , and they are without thee still ; thou canst never bring them to any more intimate communion , save that which is common to thee with epicures : but love thy lord , and he dwelleth in thee , and thou in him , for he is love. love other things , and they seeke at thy hands a profit and gaine to themselves , or else they perish in thy love . they will take advantage upon thy love to worke upon thee for their owne perfections : but love thy lord , and hee seekes thy profit and perfection : he alwaies endures to glorifie himselfe in doing thee good . love other things , and most times they will deceive thee , they are often lyars , variable , and inconstant : but love thy lord , and thou shalt be assured : hee is most true , and unchangeable , and thou maist build upon him , that hee will not faile thee nor forsake thee . love other things , and ofttimes they cause griefe and heavinesse , and so doe highly displease thee : but love thy lord , and it banisheth feare and sad confusion of face , because thou canst see nothing in him that can displease thee . lastly , love other things , and thou knowest not assuredly whether thou art loved of them again : but love thy lord , and thou maist bee assured that he answereth thee with the same ; yea , with better ; for hee cannot but love a blessed child of the begetting of his owne will. by how much more excellent this love is then the love of all things else , by so much the more must thou presse to enjoy and practice it . every thing naturally desires that which is best for it . if it have it not , it is from the errour about the object , or the miscariage of the appetite . that therefore thou maiest faile in neither , but mayest have the best object , and the best appetite cleared from clouds of ignorance and sin unto thee , these five sermons of an experienced master in israel are tendred unto thee . if thou reapest benefit by them , give glory to god , who would not have this lampe of love kept under a bushel , and buried in oblivion . if thou receivest the least encouragement , from these foregoing lines , to make use of this light , know that they proceede from the love of thee in christ , in him , who desires thy prayers , that hee may love the lord iesus both in life and death . farewell . a heavenly treatise of divine love . sermon i. cor. . . if any man love not the lord iesus christ , let him bee anathema , maranatha , let him bee had in execration , or let him be excommunicated unto the death . these words have little dependance on the words before going ; which are these , the salutation of me paul with my owne hands . it was the custome of the apostle , that the church might not deceived with counterfeit epistles to set his name to those hee wrote : and that he would not doe alone , but did alwayes adde some gracious sentence , as commonly this , the grace of our lord iesus christ be with you all . and there he addes that sentence , which so suits with the spirit and mind of s. paul , that it might easily shew it to be s. pauls epistle ; a man so abounding in the love of the lord , as hee is zealous against such as love him not . we shall finde , in al s. pauls preaching , that faith and love , were that which he drave at ; those two roots , those two pillars on which the church is built , from whence all the rest flow : hereby teaching ministers what they should beat at , what should bee their aime : a●d so people are taught hence what to doe : they must water these two roots well , and then the branches will flourish . our wisedome should bee to looke to these ; for these being strong , all will be strong : if these bee weake , all will be weake if any man love not the lord iesus , let him bee had in execration ; yea , accursed unto the death . his scope is to commend love to the corinthians . if i should cast about me to commend some speciall thing unto you now at the closing up of my epistle , i know nothing better then this love of the lord iesus . and there are two reasons why you should love him , first ye were in a miserable and accursed condition if you doe it not . and the second is from the object you are to love , he is the lord and so may well challenge your love ; iesus your saviour , and so hath well deserved it : so that we have here an exhortation , and two reasons of it . the words have little difficulty . somewhat i will say of the two words in the originall anathema & maranatha . the word anathema signifies the separatiō of a thing unto destruction . maranatha is a syrian word , signifying cursing ; takē from the hebrew root , and signifies more then anathema . the apostle doubles this curse to shew the greatnes of the punishment it is a great punishment which he would expresse in two languages . the generall doctrine we will observe from these words , is this , that to love the lord iesus is so necessarily required of us , that hee is worthy to be cursed that doth it not . sometimes in scripture the promise is made to faith , sometimes to repentance , sometimes to love . love is so required , that without it , a man is worthy to be accursed ; yea , and shall be cursed . i will but open and apply this ; not standing to prove it . and first , i will shew what love is in generall : secondly , what this love of the lord iesus is ; to shew which there will bee showne how it is wrought : and thirdly , how they come to bee worthy to be accursed , that love him not . and first for the first . love is among the affections , which are planted in the will ; and it may be described thus , it is a disposition of the will and heart of man , whereby it turnes and inclines to some good , which it apprehends to bee agreeable to its owne nature . the will is carried to nothing , but that which is apprehended to bee good . now this love is a principall act of the will : and it must bee an agreeable good to him , whose will inclines unto it ; for an envyous man may confesse the excellencies of another man , but hee hates them ; he suffers by them ; they seeme not to be an agreeable good to him . and this may bee illustrated by the contrary . hate is that whereby a man turnes from a thing which he apprehends contrary to himselfe . this love shews it selfe in two effects : first , it desires the preservation of what it loves , that it may be kept safe : secondly , it desires vnion with it , that they may draw neerer one to another . that you love , which you desire may bee yours , with which you desire conjunction : now sometimes a thing may bee neerer , sometimes too far off ; therefore it desires such a neerenesse as may stand with its convenience . and this is common to all love ; if you love a glasse , you will take care that it bee kept cleane , and whole , and for your use : so , if you love a horse , you will take care that he bee well , and in good case , and that he be yours . the same we see in the love of a father to his sonne , of one friend to another . this is the nature of love. now hate contrariwise , desires the destruction of that which is hated , that it may bee taken out of the world ; and if that cannot bee , it desires separation from it , as far as may bee . and thus you have seene the nature of love in generall . now there are divers kindes of love : there is a love of pitty , whē you desire the preservation of a mans person , and the removing of some ill quality ; as , our saviour mourned in spirit , for the hardnesse of their hearts ; hee did pitty them , and yet was angry with their sinne . there is a love of desire , when a thing is dered to bee kept safe for our use : and this is for the inferiour faculties , as the sigh loves a pleasant object should be continued . there is a love of complacence , when wee looke on a thing , in which all the faculties are pleased ; not onely the inferiour , but the superiour , as the minde and the will. there is a love of friendship , when a man loves where he is loved again , when love is reciprocall ; there is an intercourse of love. there is a love of dependance , when wee love him on whom we depend ; and thus we love god , when wee looke upon him , as on whom all our good depends : so that we love him more than our selvs , because our good depends upon him , more than on our selves . wee will adde the qualities of love ; there is a naturall love , planted in us by nature : as the of parents to their children , of one man to another : this love is indifferent , not good in it selfe ; good no otherwise , than directed on a good object . there is a sinfull love , arising from sinfull habits , which seeke things convenient to it . as nothing is better than love on a right object , so nothing worse than love on a wrong object . as naturall love puts us in the condition men : so this sinfull love makes men worse than beasts , and equals them with the divell . there is a spirituall love , arising out of holy qualities , which seekes an object agreeable to it . and this makes a man above a man , and in some sort equall with the angels . men are as they love . god judges us by our affections , wee are judged by what we love . he that loves wickednesse , is truly a wicked man ; he that loves holinesse , is truely holy . this foundation that wee have laid , though it may seeme somewhat remote , yet ye shall find it of use to hold up this building , before wee have done with the point . the s●cond thing that wee have to declare , is , what this love of the lord iesus is . now the best way to shew what this is , is to shew how it is wrought : now for the working of it , there must be two antecedent things which must make way for it ; and they are humiliation and faith : for every one beleeves not this to bee needfull ; and if they doe beleeve it , yet they may bee opposite to it , because it is not agreeable to their nature , that a man must be broken so , and moulded again , before hee can have this love which is wrought by humiliation and faith. and they are wrought on this manner , when we preach the gospell , and offer iesus christ unto you : for the duty of a minister , is nothing but this , to offer iesus christ himselfe unto the world . to us a child is borne ; to us a sonne is given : for , unto you is borne a saviour , that is , christ the lord. this is the summe of the gospell ; this is the newes which we bring : god hath given us his sonne ; wee offer you not forgivenesse of sinne , but the lord iesus . and when he hath given us him , will hee not with him give us all things also ? christ must first bee given , and when you have him , you shall have all : in him are the promises , yea and amen . first have christ , and then the promises belong unto you , not before . the gospell is no●hing but this ; we are to manifest , that god the father is willing to give you his sonne . we are his spokesmen , to beseech you to take him , that you would take him as your husband , to be ruled by him : none , before you are humbled , can marry you to christ. you must bee divorced from all other things , and beleeve that christ will take you ; and this is faith , the other humiliation . and then when you can receive him , you will love him . now when we preach thus unto the world , what answere doe wee finde ? why , there are some that will not beleeve that there is such a lord : and then our worke is to perswade , that christ is such a lord ; and this was the apostles worke , and theirs at the beginning . but when wee intreat you to take christ for your lord , your answer is , as theirs who were invited to the feast . this , and this excuse they have to hinder them , to beleeve , that a christ is propounded , and men regard him not , they will not looke after him . now , that christ may be received , there is required humiliation and faith : humiliation opens their eyes , by the law , and spirit of bondage , that they see themselves miserable men , men condemned to dye . now when god hath discovered our misery unto us , and wee rightly apprehend what our estates are , then we beginne to looke on christ as a condemned malefactour on his pardon ; as a captaine on him that comes to redeeme him ; as a widdow that thought she should live well enough alone , but now when all her goods as seized upon , and they are now to carry her to prison , would bee content if any one would marry her . when a man shall see what hee is without christ , one that is condemned , that must perish if hee have him not ; then he lookes on christ , as upon one most desirable , to prize him , to thirst for him ; and if hee know that christ will then receive him , oh then he cannot but love him ; for love ( as hath beene said ) is to a good apprehended ; fit for us . now without this , wee will thinke of christ , as if wee might bee well enough without him : but when the heart is thus prepared by humiliatiō , oh that all the world would vanish for christ ! then comes the gospel , and tels us that christ is willing to take us , to redeeme us , to be ours . and then when we take him , the match is made up : and thence arises this conjugall love. the apostle praies for the ephesians , that christ may dwell in their hearts by faith , ephes. . to unite them to christ , to marry him ; then presently it follovvs , that ye may bee rooted and grounded in love : so that love followes this , and not a flash , but it rootes us in love. the act of justifying faith , is the taking of christ for rest . now when yee have taken him thus , then you will love him , and then all that followes will be effects of this love : so that this love of the lord iesus , is this ; to wit , a holy disposition , arising from faith , whereby wee cleave unto the lord iesus christ , with full purpose of heart , to serve and please him in all things . whereby wee cleave to him . love inclines , and knits our hearts to him , as it did davids to ionathans . and so barnabas exhorted them to cleave unto the lord with full purpose of heart , act. . neither is this idle ; but makes a man desirous to please the lord in all things . a man is saide to love the lord , when out of a perswasion that christ is most desirable , and willing to receive him , hee cleaves to the lord with a desire to serve and please him in all thinges . faith that begets love , is not onely a perswasion that the lord will be mercifull , and forgive us : ( for a prisoner may see the iudge willing to pardon him , and perswade himselfe that hee shall be pardoned , and yet love not the iudge , because hee lookes not on the iudge , as on an amiable person , ) but a receiving and resting upon his amiablenesse . there is another affection ; when the heart is so framed , it apprehends christ for its onely good , its happinesse . faith is not onely an act of the minde , to beleeve that god will pardon us ; but of the will and heart also , to take christ for our husband ; so that all the parts of the heart are inclined and bent after hem . if you beleeve with all your heart , saith philip to the eunuch , act. . if a spouse should see one willing to have her , that is not enough to make up the match ; she may not thinke him fit , shee may bee unwilling . but suppose there bee one that shee loves above all , whom she thinkes to bee most fit for her , yea she thinkes she shall bee undone if she have him not : but yet she is not sure that hee will have her , but thinkes it is very probable that hee may be induced unto it . so this is faith , when a man sees christ onely worth his love , he would gladly bee divorced from all , so that he might have christ oh he cannot bee without him , yet there is somewhat betwixt them , he cannot firmly beleeve that christ loves him , but yet doth not thinke that hee is wholly averse from him . though thy perswasion bee not full , yet if you have this thirst and desire , this hungering after christ , you may bee comforted . this shuts out such as have a perswasion of the pardon of their sinnes , and yet have not this love , this prizing , this desiring after christ ; and takes in such as doe thus love and prize him , yet finde not that full perswasion of his love ; so that this love is that which follows humiliation and faith , the breaking of the heart , and the moulding of it up againe : when wee see our need of him , and his willingnesse to receive us , then wee will take him , which cannot bee without this love to him . now wee come to the third thing , the reasons why they are worthy to bee accursed unto the death that love not the lord iesus . this may seeme strange and harsh . what then becomes of all unregenerated men ? the apostle meanes , sure , such as continue in their not loving the lord , or such as have sinned against the holy ghost . but the former sence i take to bee the best , neither is this any strange thing : for it is one part of the gospel . there are two parts of the gospel , if you beleeve , you shal be saved ; if you beleeve not , you shal be damned . sometimes it is if you repent you shal be saved ; or if you doe not you shall perish , so if you love you shal be saved ; if you love not , you shal be accursed : now why should hee pitch on such a frame of words to expresse their condition ? because when christ shall come and bee a suter to us , when he shall woe us , and offer himselfe to us , and wee will have none of him , then the sonne waxes angry . when he shall offer himselfe unto us , and none will kisse him , then hee waxes angry unto the death , and they perish in the way . the greatest love not answered , turnes to the greatest hatred : so when the father sent to call them to the feast that were invited , and they refused it , this made him wrath ; when wee shall come to preach christ to men , when this light hid from the beginning of the world shall shine , and you shall despise it and contemne it , know that now is the axe laid to the roote of the tree . god will beare it at your hands no longer . now if a man will not love the lord iesus , let him be had in execration , yea let him bee accursed unto the death . if a man did not keepe the law , he was to be cursed , now there was a double keeping of the law : a legall , which answeres the exact rigour of the law ; an evangelicall , which is an earnest endeavouring to keepe the law , and to make a mans heart as perfect as may be . now there being more mercy in this , there is a greater curse on the breach of it . now love is the fulfilling of the law ; and not to love the lord , is , not to keepe the law , and therefore the curse follows it . if a man love not the lord iesus , it is because he loves something better than him . it may be you love your wealth more than christ : and are you not worthy to be cursed for it ? it may be you are lovers of pleasure more than of god , and doth not this deserve a curse ? it may bee you love the praise of men , before that of god ; and is not this to bee accursed ? adultery was punished with death ; and what punishment then is enough for the going a whoring from such a god , after such vanties ? againe , cursing belongs to hypocrites ; woe be unto you seribes and pharisees , hypocrites , matthew . now , what a man doth not out of love , is done out of hypocrisie ; which is , to doe the outward action without the inward affection : as counterfeit gold hath the same stamp and colour with true gold . but as wee cast away counterfeit silver and gold , set it apart to destruction , nayling them up , that they may bee knowne , so will god deale with such as serve him outwardly , without this love to him . love is that which commands all in a man. it is as the rudder to a shippe ; all followes love . when a man love not the lord , all go's from him . now when the whole man shall go from the lord , is not such a one worthy to bee cursed , yea to bee had in execration to the death ? if this love of the lord be so necessary , then see what a sinne it is , what an execrable thing it is , not to love the lord ; and what you are to thinke of your selves , if you love not the lord. when iesus christ shall bee propounded unto men , and this light is great , but men do● resist it , and not embrace the lord : when we see this , we should have such a spirit as paul , ( for this was out of the abundance of his zeale ) wee should , i say , bee stirred against such with an holy indignation , act. . doe not i hate those that hate thee ? psal. . yea i hate them with a perfect hate . this thou hast , that thou hatest the workes of the nicholaitans , which thing also i hate , revelations . and this was a signe of lots sincerity , that his righteous soule was grieved , and vexed with the uncleane conversation of the sodomites , peter . if you can see christ scorned and re jected , and his word slighted , and his bloud trampled on , and you your selves are not moved with it , you are not of pauls spirit , who speaking of some , whose god was their belly , whose glory was their shame ; of whom ( saith hee ) i have told you often , and now tell you weeping , that they are the enemies of the crosse of christ , philip , . whence came this , but out of the abundance of his love to christ , and mankinde ? i wish yee would all looke to your selves , whether you are in this number or not , of those that love not the lord. this is such a sinne , as the curse is doubled upon it : and the punishment is but to shew the measure of the sinne . hee thunders not out his curse against him that opposeth the lord , or resisteth him , but against him that loveth not the lord. the apostle , as moses , gets him up to the mount ebal ; and whom doth he curse ? even all such as love not the lord iesus . this doctrine throughly considered , may let in a crevice of light to thee , that now thou maist looke on thy selfe , as on an execrable thing which god hates ; and thou maist see god , even stretching out his power to confound thee , yea thou maist see the gospel cursing thee . but what terrour is there in the preaching of the gospel , you will say ? o much more ( my brethren ) than may bee expressed ; for the curse of the law was not so peremptory ; though we have plaine words for it , yet it was not without all condition . but god sweares to this curse , as if wee were thus cursed if wee would continue not to love him . the law is the proper instrument of humbling , yet the gospel humbles more ; for sinne is the matter of humiliation . and there bee sinnes against the gospel , yea greater sinnes than against the law : when thou hearest the curse of the law , cursed be he that continueth not in every thing that is written in the booke of the law ; to doe them , galathians . you will say , you wil go to christ , & he shall do it for you : but when the gospel curses such as love not christ , to whom will you goe to love god ? another man cannot love for you . and if you thinke this be too harsh , let this verse sound oft in your eares . if any man love not the lord iesus christ , let him be accursed unto the death . this cannot bee altered , it is the word of god ; aske then thy selfe this question , whether thou lovest the lord , or no ? and put not your selfe off with your hope , but try your love ; for love will have sensible strings in the heart ; it will drive you close to the lord , to keepe in with him , to have communion with him . dost thou then feele , that thou art never well , but when thou art with him , and yet dost thou not love him ? dost thou walke with god , as enoch did ? will any of you say , that a wife loves her husband , which with her good will , will never be with him ? love is also very dilligent and laborious , you will never leave , till you get neere him whom you love ; no labour will be tedious , to get his favour ; many yeeres seeme a few daies to iacob , to serve for rachel , because he loved her . againe , love is not of a deferring nature , but is impatient of all delayes . againe , love is content with it selfe ; it doth not need to be hired to love , amor est sibi ipsi dulce pabulum : it carries its meate in its owne mouth . if you love the lord iesus , you would not aske what wages you should have to love him . againe , love is a strong impulsive quality , it carries you on impetuously unto the lord , it is a fire that breakes through thicke and thinne : so that he that loves , cannot sinne wilfully , if hee would ; hee cannot but obey , hee cannot doe any thing against the gospel , he must doe all things for it . the love of christ constraines me , saith s. paul , corinthians . looke how a man is carried with a strong streame , or by a strong man whom hee cannot resist ; so his love compelled him ; i preach , and preach , and men thinke mee mad , but i cannot but doe it : the love of christ constraines me , and as it constraines me , so there is nothing more different than constraint , and not to doe it . the effects of this love are so violent , as if they were compelled ; but for the manner of working , nothing is so contrary to it as compulsion ; for you love him , and are carried to it , as a stone to the center , you would doe no otherwise . so endeth the first sermon . a heavenly treatise of the divine love of christ . sermon ii. by iohn preston , dd. matt. . , . this is the first , and great commandement : thou shalt love the lord thy god with all thy heart . psal. . . love the lord o all ye his saints . london , printed by thomas paine , for iohn stafford . a heavenly treatise of the divine love of christ . sermon ii. cor. . . if any man love not the lord iesus christ , let him be had in execration , yea let him be accursed unto the death . that love to the lord iesus is so necessarily required , that he is worthy to be accursed that hath it not . then hence you are to consider your condition , and to examine your selfe ; it may be this is thy condition , and it may be a thing you never considered of , or at least you never knew the danger of it . therefore now see what your case is . the best service wee can doe to you , is to shew you your estates , if ye bee right , to comfort you ; and if ye be not right , is it not best for ye to know , while it may be amended ? thou that livest in the church , and hast gone farre , examine thy selfe in his , hast thou done all out of love ? thou hast kept thy selfe in good course : thou keepest the lords day , and livest like a christian , thou doest many things indeed . bu● let mee aske thee this question , doe you all out of love ? for without love all is naught . if a man should bee a martyr , ( which is the highest action ; ) yet without this love , it were to no purpose , corinthians . put the case a man should doe many things for thee , yet if hee doe it not out of love to thee , you cannot regard it ; neither circumcision , nor uncircumcision availes any thing , but faith which workes by love , galathians . it is all one , whether you pray or not ; heare or not ; live well or not , if it bee not out of love . what was said of circumcision or uncircumcision , may bee said of any duty ; all that you have done , is as nothing , if it bee not out of love : try your selves by this , for i know not in all the frames of theology , such a touchstone of hypocrisie , as this . this most unmaskes a man of any thing . as it was with the apostle , the law revived , and he died , romans . so , it may be , you have thought your selfe a living man ; see then if you love , deceive not your selfe any longer . this is a doctrine of much moment ; if god would conveigh it with majestie , by the pow●r of his spirit , it would amaze and startle the stoutest stomacke to heare , cursed is he , that loves not the lord. if you love the lord , hee will beare much with you : see what a testimony hee gives of david , for all his failing . but doe what you will for him , without love , and hee will regard it but as a complement . as men count that a complement not to be regarded , with which the heart go's not , o doth god : looke therefore , that you love the lord iesus , for it is a thing of great consequence , the curse follows you , if you doe it not . you are now therefore to examine your selfe , whether you love or no ? and to helpe you in it , i will lay downe some markes of this love ; bu● first set downe with your selfe this conclusion , if i love not the lord iesus , i am an accursed man. doe you feele this love in you ? have you a sense of it ? ammon was sicke of love , so that his friends could see him weare away : so the spouse , i am sicke of love , canticles . and dost thou love the lord , and canst not feele it ? dost thou feele thy heart working towards god ? this love is a thing that one would thinke needs no markes , you cannot but see it . it is noted in love , so , that if you did love the lord , you would have a longing desire after him : there will be joy in the fruition of him , anger against all impediments to it , griefe when he withdrawes himselfe , hope when there it any probability of enjoying him , feare to lose him . now doe not deceive thy selfe ; thou lovest the lord , thou wil say , but is this love to his person , or to his kingdome , his goods ? when thou presentest iesus christ alone to thy selfe , canst thou then love him ? the virgins love him , the harlots love him . and there is a great deale of harlotry love in the world , to the lord iesus . it was one thing to love alexander , another to love the king. it is true , christ is a great king , that can doe much good or evill in the world , and so many may love him . but canst thou answere this question , lovest thou me ? with peter , lord thou knowest that i love thee , iohn . thou that knowest my heart , and the secret turnings of it , canst beare me witnesse that i love thee . doest thou love his company ? love is seene in nothing more than this . doest thou love his presence , to walke with god ? doest thou observe all his dealings to thee from morning to night , refer all still unto him ? art thou still in dealings with him ? still thou hast something to doe with him ; there is not an houre that passes thee , wherein thou hast not recourse unto him : when christ takes a man unto himselfe , hee comes and sups with him , apocalypse . hast thou then this communion with christ ? doth hee sup with thee , dwell with thee ? now , communion stands in speaking to another , and in hearing him speake to us . when you pray , then pray you formally , as one that is glad when the duty is over ? oh if you loved the lord , you would never be better , than when you are at prayer . and you would goe to prayer , as you would goe to speake with your dearest friend . so do you hunger after the word , which is the character of christ his will , his love-letter ? put the case a woman should have her husband at the east-indies , how welcome would a letter bee to her from him ? therefore moses that loved god , desired to see his glory , exodus . to know him better , to grow more acquainted with him . now , that the word doth to thee , it shewes to thee that glory which moses saw . if you love the lord , holy-daies and sacrament-daies would bee as feast-daies , and wedding-daies ; for then you meete with god more neerely . doe you then put off your comming to the sacrament , and would you not come neere it for the speech of some , and yet will you say that you love the lord ? where love is , there is delight . a man delights in his fellowship , whom hee loves , whom ye have not seene , yet ye love him ; yea , whom , though ye see him not , yet yee beleeve and joy with joy unspeakable and glorious . doe you then delight in his presence ? for delight will be in the injoying of that wee love ; joy followes love . to delight in a mans company , is that marke of love which cannot be dissembled . dost thou then love the appearing of the lord iesus ? thessalonians . if one should bring you newes that you must goe to the lord , or he would come to you to morrow , would this be acceptable newes to you ? doth he bring good tidings ? if a spouse should have her betrothed husband beyond the seas , and should heare of his returne ; if she should say , that it were the worst newes that could come to her , would you thinke that she lov'd him ? no , there could not come a more welcome messenger to thee than such a one , if thou didst love the lord. blessed are the dead that dye in the lord ( for so saith the spirit ) from henceforth they rest from their labours . so saith the spirit , not so saith the flesh. so much the more spirit a man hath , so much the more he will say , it is blessed , and the more hee will pray submittingly for it , quickly . indeed a godly man , when the flesh is predominant , and the spirit under hatches , then he may be desirous to be spared a while ; oh spare me a little , as the spouse may sometimes wish her husband , deferring his comming , when she is not fit to receive him ; the house is not ready , not cleane enough . a crowne of righteousnesse , saith the apostle , is laid up for all them that love the appearing of the lord iesus . timothy . and the second time shall christ appeare to salvation , to all them that look for him , hebrews . art thou then one that lookes for christ , that desires nothing but union with him , hee will come to thee to thy salvation . if men looke not for him , will hee come to them to salvation ? it may be in some disease , wh●n thou canst take no pleasure in the world , you wish that you were with christ. nature may have a great hand in this . but in thy youth , in the midst of all worldly contents , when thou art in thy pleasant orchard , with thy wife and children about thee , having what thy heart can wish , canst thou say then , now would i most willingly leave all these to goe to christ ? when you prefer his company above all things , count that delight the best , that comes from communion with him ; then thou lovest the lord iesus . love is exceeding bountifull , apt to doe much for the lord , and to suffer any thing gladly . the apostle , in the first epistle to the corinthians , chapter . sets downe many excellent properties of love ; she that loved christ , had a box of oyntment ; it may bee it was the best thing shee had , it may bee it was all she had , yet she bestows it on christ. so abraham , when god would have his sonne , hee go's willingly about it ; not formally , not out of necessity , but he rose up early to doe it . it may bee there will come a time when god shall need thy wealth ; it may be , thy credit . now , you can deny him nothing , if you love him . so , dalilah would not bee perswaded that sampson loved her , so long as hee kept backe any thing from her . if there bee any thing so neere unto thee as thy life , and it bee told thee that the lord hath need of it , he shall have it . thou wilt say , it was a wise action of david , to poure out that water as an offering to the lord , which he so longed for , and obtained with the hazard of the lives of three of his worthies . as when a man hath a good bit , he will send it to his friend : so in another place , he would not offer to the lord of that which should cost him nothing , samuel . but what can i bestow upon the lord , thou wil● say ? if thou art a preicher , preach the gospel fo● christ ; so , every man in his calling , let him do somewhat for the lord , and if he shall call for by life , let it not be deare unto thee . and as love is thus bountifull , so it seekes not its owne , corinthians . and now , how f 〈…〉 will bae found hat love christ ? wee may well complain with paul , all men seeke their owne , and ●one the things of iesus christ , philemon . paul that loved the lord , how was hee affected ? hee regarded : o● himselfe , tooke not care what should become of himselfe , hee tooke the care of all the churches upon him : who is offended , and so by taking offence , fals away , and i burne not ? art thou a minister , and lovest the lord iesus , thou wilt not be so carefull for a living , and that it be a convenient one , but thou wouldest preach as paul , though for nothing ; for every man might doe much for the lord , if he sought the things of the lord ; if hee did plod with himselfe , how to bring advantage to christ. and then if this should come in , if i doe this , i shall hinder my estate , lose my friends , it would be nothing : the love of the lord would be farre better to thee than any thing , love doth much for the lord ; faith workes by love , he loves much , that doth much . paul , as he was abundant in love , so in labour . if you love me , saith our saviour , keepe my commandements . are you willing then to take much paines for the lord ? doest thou feed the lambes of christ ? if thou art a minister , or if thou art in the way to that calling , art thou diligent to fit they selfe for it ? and love not onely workes , but it makes that the commandements are not grievous . the wife may serve her husband , and the servant him , but with a different affection . the covetous man when he is before some great man that can imprison him , or put him to death may part with his wealth , or if with one that can greatly preferre him , in hope of that , he may be brought to part with his money ; but willingly he will not . but you must finde delight in that you doe : when you doe a kindnesse to one that you love , you doe but doe your selfe a kindnesse on that party . and in this sense what thanks deserve you ? you doe but satisfie your love . as a mother loves her child , and doth the offices of kindnesse to it with delight , though shee shall never have any thing for it . if you had this love , you would come to say , it is meate and drinke to doe your fathers will. now , you neede not bee hired to eate and drinke . lastly , love suffers all things . are you willing to suffer any thing for the lord ? when david did a religious act , michol lookes upon him with another eye , as men looke now on religious actions . it is no matter , saith david , i will beare it , for i did it to the lord , who chose mee before thy fathers house . and if this bee to be vi●e . i will bee yet more vile . can you endure to be pointed at , scoffed and mocked , for the lord ? it was a sore triall to have his wife so against him , yet wee see how hee did beare it . bonds and afflictions , saith paul abide mee in every citie ; but none of these things move mee , neither count i my life deare unto my selfe , so i may finish my course with joy . are you able to doe thus ? but i canno like , you will say , to bee put to it you doe not know , it may bee you may lose your wealth , your credit , and respect , among those whom you loved , and this is somewhat : yet love makes it as nothing . we see when a man loves a maide , neither father nor friend , nor the speech of people will move him to give over . true , this is a sinfull love , but yet shewes what the nature of love is . nay i will goe furth●r , you will suffer all with joy , strengthened with all might according to his glorious power unto all patience and long suffering with joyfulnesse . so when the apostles were whipt where the shame was more then the paine , yet they rejoyced that they were thought worthy to suffer for christ. put all these together , are ye bountifull , that if the lord should put you to any cost , cost of purse , labours of life , hee should willingly have it ? doe yee take care for the things of christ , plod how ye may glorifie him ? doe ye do much , and suffer much for the lord ? take these notes no further then yee see reason for them : and know that this is that word of the lord , if you love not the lord iesus , you are cursed . the next property of love is , it desires nothing so much as love againe . if a man bee ser viceable to another , and not out of love , so he bee officious to him , hee is content . but love will be paid in it's owne coyne , it will not have mercy without grace . a kingdome without grace , will not content it . it is very observant in this kinde , quis fallere possit amantem ? they will be very curious this way . they must see love in every thing , or else they can take no delight in it . it is not a kingdome that can quiet them without the love of god. how ever it goe with corne , wine and ovle , th i● prayer is , lord lift thou up the light of thy countenance on us . if a mans turne were served , so he might be freed from hell , and made happy , and then love him , this man loves not the lord. that which absalom did in hypocrisie , wee are to doe in truth , sam. . what avails it mee that i enjoy ( saith he ) my lands , and that i live in ierusalem , so long as i may not see the kings face ? so if god should give you abundance of all your hearts can wish , free you from the fire of hell , yet this will not content you without you see his face , if you have this love . and thus if gods people humble themselves and seeke his face , hee will heare in heaven , and have mercy on them : when a people are oppressed and in captivitie , they may come to the lord and humble themselves , but for their owne liberty , they may seeke their owne good in it , as they , howled on their beds for corne , wine , and oyle : but gods people seeke his face , his favour ; examine thy selfe then , if when his countenance is clouded , and he hides his face , thou art impatient , thou canst not beare it , then thou mayest assure thy selfe that thou lovest the lord. thus did david psal. . when hee wanted the sense of gods favour , how did hee complaine hee would have no deniall , and therefore never gives over intreating till he is answered . doest thou love the lord ? then thou lovest the saints . this is a true and common note , every one hath it in his mouth , iohn . if you love the lord , you will love the brethren . dost thou then love the lord , and hate evill in other men ? if you love not your brother whom you see daily , how can yee love the lord whom yee never see ? god is remote from our eyes that wee cannot behold him . now his image is stamped upon the saints , and so is visible to us . wee see them daily , they converse with us . now , if we love not them , we cannot love god. for , the love of christ is that holy disposition which you conceive in your minde of him : now , the like for kinde is in the saints . as those that doe the lusts of the devill , are of his disposition , that is , are as it were little devils : so in the saints , there is the same disposi●ion , the same minde that was in christ iesus for kinde . but you will say , i would love them , if i thought they were not hypocrites . take heed , thou mayest persecute christ under the person of an hypocrite : what if thou strike at an hypocrite in seeming ? yet a true member of christ is found wounded by thee . and when thy heart shall rise against thee , out of the side of the likenesse of religion , and true piety , what would you doe if the substance were there , i● hee had grace in a higher measure ? christ pitches on this note above all others . it is farre easier to love a holy man then to love god. for hee lives amongst us , wee have him continually before our eyes . doe not say then you love such as are a farre off , you care not for these . but you will say i love them well enough , doe you so ? doe you delight then in their company ? are you in your naturall element when you are among them ? this you will doe by a naturall instinct if you love the lord iesus . againe , doe you hate sinne in all ? the same ground will cause you to hate sinne , which moves you to love grace . doe you then hate sinne as in dislike , and distate in regenerate men and their societie , bee it never so pleasant , so profitable ? but what would you have mee to hate men then ? no , but hate their sinnes , and love them with the love of pittie . let thy heart melt to consider their case , and desire their good , love them , but so as it may stand with the love of the lord iesus . looke then to your selves , and examine your selves by these markes , see that you have this love ; if yee have it not , you are among the number of these men which are to bee accursed unto death . but i hope i deserve not so bad , my nature i hope is not so vile , as not to love the lord iesus . nay , thou hatest him , doe you not wish that there were no such lord to come to judgement , that thou mightest live as thou pleasest ? couldest thou not wish that thou mightest ever here enjoy these pleasures , and never come at him ? now to wish that one were not , what is it but to hate him ? quem metuunt oderunt : wee say men hate him whom they stand in feare of . doe you then feare and quake at his comming ? surely then you are haters of god. but i hope we are not haters of god. why , this is not so ●●ra●ge . the apostle tels us that there were such as loved their pleasures more then god. tim. . yea , and that there were haters of god also . rom. . . and in the second commandement god ●hreatens such as hate him , exo. . and thou maiest bee one of them . for if you cannot endure his company , if your heart rise against his image , it is plaine you are a hater of god. what ? you would make me out of love with my selfe . what doe you preach damnation to me ? it may be all these signes are not in me ; am i then so accursed ? yes : we doe preach damnation to all that are in such a case , and wee are to threaten the curse . and thus the lord esteemes of thee , and it were good that you thought so of your selves in time . it is the ministers dutie to seperate the precious from the vile , to distinguish betweene men ; to shew you truely what your conditions are . therefore apply this text unto your selves , every one . if i love not the lord iesus , i am an accursed man , yea to bee had in execration to the death , which might make you loath your selves , in dust and ashes . it might make sinne alive in you , and bring you to love this iesus . so endeth the second sermon . a heavenly treatise of the divine love of christ . sermon ii. by iohn preston , dd. matt. . , . this is the first , and great commandement : thou shalt love the lord thy god with all thy heart . psal. . . love the lord o allye his saints . london , printed by thomas paine , for iohn stafford . a heavenly treatise of the divine love of christ . sermon iii. cor. . . if any man love not the lord iesus christ , let him be had in execration , yea let him be accursed unto the death . now because this love is so needfull , we will adde more signes for the triall of your selves . for we cannot be better occupied . a sixt sig●e therefore is this , hee that loves , will bee apt to praise and speake well of that he loves , and he will exceed in it : yea , he is very glad when he heares others speake well of it . so if we did love the lord , we should be apt to speake will of him , we would be much in the speech of him . when the heart is full of this love of god in christ , out of that aboundance in thy heart , thy mouth will speak . but thou speakest but little of god , and that little is brought in by company , thou art cold in thy praising of him : why thou doest not love him , see in david , a man that loved the lord. how much was hee in the praising of him ? nay , he could not bee content to doe this alone , but hee must have all creatures to praise him and to speake good of his name : even as a servant that commends his master , invites others to serve him . this love enlarges the heart and opens the mouth . o corinthians , our hearts are enlarged towards you , and our mouthes are opened , corinthians . . this is an argument that our hearts are enlarged , that we abound in love , when our mouthes are opened . so that thy heart is straightened towards god , if thy mouth bee not open to his praises . but i cannot speake as other men , i am no scholler , if i had elocution gifts , learning , i could thus speake . this is no excush , it is the nature of love to make men eloquent , the passions make eloquent . as we say , pectus facit eloquentes , & magna pars eloquentiae constra animo . are you hen apt to speake well of god ? but this , you will say , is but a small matter , who doth not ? oh yes , wee are wanting in that manner of speaking of him which love requires . we doe not speake of him with that affection , that sensiblenesse , that may enflame others to love him . see the spouse in the canticles : oh saith she , my love is fairer then ten thousands . and thus will the soule that loves god doe . it will tell of his mercies abroad . it will speake good of his name . and that not as a duty onely , but as a thing in which it takes especiall delight : love followes the judgement , you cannot love the lord , but you will thinke well of him . see then what thy speeches are concerning him : see if thy heart doe nimbly indite , and thy tongue bee as the penne of a readie scribe psalme . consider whether you endeavour to doe any thing for christ without expostulating , and indenting with him . whether you are ready to doe all things freely to him , without consulting with another about it . amicitia non est revocanda ad calculos . a friend must not bee strict in taking his account , for then hee plaies but the huckster , he doth but buy and sell. when thou art trying and expostulating then whether such a duty be necessary or no , whether another will not serve the turne ; this is a signe thou dost want love . a minister that hath this love , when he is to take a living , will not so much enquire what reward he shall have , as what service he may doe to god in it . if you did love the lord you would not stand , saying , is it necessary to keepe the lords day so strictly ? you would bee ready to doe what ever hath but a shadow of pleasing him . oh how you would be glad of such a day , so free from other businesse , wherein you might sequester your selves from the world , to attend upon god , and to injoy him ? so for a family prayer , thou wouldest not aske , can it not be omitted without sinne ? this questioning will not stand with this love : for the person thou servest is the lord , and thou must not be as a mercenary servant . a wife will bee devising things to please her husband . so , what shall i render to the lord ( saith david . ) so paul was abundant in labours and sufferings . if paul would have done nothing but out of necessity , he had never done halfe so much , say then , i will even goe doe my duty , performe my taske , if i must pray in my family , then i will : if i must keepe the lords day , i will make a shift to weare out the day ; this i say argues a heart void of this love . we must know that christ hath died to purchase to himselfe a people zealous of good workes : such as doe good workes with desire or deare delight ; that would faine doe a great deale more then they doe . would you then doe no more then just will bring you to heaven as you thinke ? do you set limits to your performances ? you have not this love . why ? you pray that you may serve christ on earth as the angels doe in heaven , and yet will you say such a man goes faster , it is no matter , this pace will bring mee to heaven , and so never mend it ? this is a sign of no love to the lord iesus . if you did love the lord , ye should find an holy affection of anger and zealerising against such as offend him . anger waits on love . love is an affection that makes forwards to the thing beloved : and if any thing stand in the way , anger removes it hastily . if thy heart then bee not stirred when god is dishonoured , his church spoiled , and religion goes downward , thou lovest him not , can you endure to heare your selfe scandalized ? no , and why ? because you love your selfe . to see then the bloud of the lord iesus trampled on , neglected so , as no man should regard it , to see the saints in adversity , and not to bee affected , argues that your heart is void of this love of the lord iesus . eli when he heard the newes of israels flight , his sonnes death , it must needs grieve him , but all this while , his heart was composed : but the worst newes ( as usually it doth ) comes last . the arke of god was taken : then his heart was amazed , hee could no longer subsist , but hee falls downe backward and breakes his necke . but it may be ye doe not hope to attaine to the grace of el● ; why , looke then on his daughter in law , one of the weaker sex ; all that ill newes moved her not so much . oh the arke of god was taken , that was it which shee pitched upon , her sonne that was borne could not alay this griefe . but the arke is not taken ( you will say ) there is not the like cause now with us . no ? are not many churches desolate ? when you see so many churches ransacked beyond the seas , doe you not see the arke of god taken in a great measure ? when you see popery increasing , and the saints wallowing in their bloud ? if you take not this to heart , it is because the love of christ is not in you . if christ lose a man , if any be offended , and fall away , i burne , saith the apostle . when the king , ier. . tooke that booke and burnt it , it is noted of those that stood by , that they did rend their cloathes . god takes it as a great signe of a prophane heart , when one shall not take such dishonours of his to heart , when hee rends not his cloathes at the sight of such a thing . paul when he saw the idolatry that abounded in athens , was enflamed in his spirit . see what a commendation god gave to phineas for his zeale against zimri and cosbi , he would have it remembred as a speciall note of his love to him , which he would not let goe unrewarded . if thou dost not then pray for the churches welfare , if thou art not affected with the losse and disadvantages of the church , as with thy owne , thou wantest this love . a ninth signe is not to dare to doe any thing that displeaseth him . if you doe a thing amisse that would be displeasing , you had rather that all the world should see you , then him whom you love . now you know god alwaies behold you : you should therefore bee alwaies alike carefull . they shall feare the lord and his goodnesse , hosea : the lord for his goodnesse ; they shall feare to lose him . above all consider when you have offended him , how you take that to heart . when you know there is a breach betweene you and the lord , and you can be content , and rest in it , this is a shrewd signe of no love . when man and wife shall fall out , and grieve not for it , but let it passe , not seeking to be reconciled , it is signe of cold love betweene them . thinke with your selfe there is no man whom you professe to love , but you would not willingly provoke . and dare you say that you love the lord , and yet yee will grieve and vexe him ? if you love the lord , there would bee an hungring in you after him : there would bee still an hanging that way . all impediments would be broken through , the heart would still bee moving thitherward . it would be bending thither . it would admit no repulse . as the woman of canaan , matth. . it would not bee put off . as the stone rests not till it comes to the center , so nothing can keepe you off from the lord , no pleasures ; away with them : nor any difficulties , no you cannot rest without him . say not then with your selfe , though you love him not now , yet i may love him hereafter , and i may love him hereafter , though not so much . no , love desires present union , it hates all delaies . consider this : if you did repent out of love , your repentance would bee present , and what repentance is it which is not out of love ? then hence thou art to humble thy selfe , if thou art failing in this labour of love . see how great a fault it is , not to love the lord : and learne to blame thy selfe exceedingly for it . and that you may doe this , i will shew you what great reason you have to love the lord. consider that hee is worthy to bee beloved . as david said , he is worthy to bee praised , so may wee well say , he is worthy to be beloved . and why ? because he hath all that is amiable in him . if you see any thing lovely in the creature , it is eminently in him . shall not he that made the eye see ? hee that made the eare heare ? shall not hee that gave these perfections to the creatures have them in himselfe more eminently ? this perfection of his beauty , is that which causeth the angels so much to admire and adore him , to bee taken up in the admiration of his excellencies . observe that in any man whom you love ; there is something not to bee beloved : but christ is wholly delectable , there is nothing in him not fully to bee beloved . see how the spouse describes him in the canticles , how shee sets him forth in every part of him most to be desired . if you could but see the lord. if it did but please him to shew himselfe unto you , as hee promised to shew himselfe unto him that loves him , iohn , . if the lord , i say , would give you a glympse of himselfe ; if by the light of the spirit you could see him , you would acknowledge him worthy of your love . and this is the reason that some love him , and others doe not , because hee discovers himselfe to some and not to others . as he did to moses , where let us see a little his expression of himselfe . the lord , the lord , exodus . this is but the casket , the iewell is within . if gods spirit should open these words unto you , you would see him the fairest of ten thousand , iehovah , iehovah . of every creature ( you may say ) somewhat it was that it is not , and samewhat it is that it will not be . but god is unchangeable iehovah , in him is no alteration , he is not a freind to day , and none to morrow , and such a friend you would desire to chuse : as this name signifies , his immutable being , so his omnipotency , he is almightie . now what a loadstone of love is this ? all the power in men , enableth them but to doe some things : as patience enables them to beare injurious acts ; but the lord hath all abilities , all ornaments , all excellencies , all is comprehended in this almightie : so that well may such a friend bee desired . true , will the poore soule say , he is well worth the having . but hee will not match with such a match as i am . oh yes , he is wonderfully pittifull and mercifull : as great a prince of pitty , as of any thing else . mercifull : but i have no beauty , no grace in me , no worth , no repentance . but god is exceeding gracious . kings are said to be gracious , because ther is supposed such a difference betweene them and their subjects , that they can deserve nothing of them : so god is gracious , hee doth not looke for any deservings in thee . but i have provoked him by sinning , and sinning often : this will make him put mee off . no , he is of great forbearance . but if he doe receive me , i must carry my selfe well , pray , and doe , that which i shall never bee able to doe . why no , hee is very kinde . looke what a kinde father , a kinde husband , would doe to a child , or a wife , they are carefull to give content : the like may you expect of the lord. hee will winke at many infirmities , if your desires be found . though he say so , how shall i know that he will doe it ? to confirme this , he is true : he keepes covenant , and hath given ensamples of his mercy on thousands of them that feare him . oh , but still my sinnes are many and great . be it so : yet he forgives iniquities , transgressions , and sinnes , originall sinnes , sinnes of weaknesse , and sinnes of wilfulnesse . this glory god shewed to moses . this is the description of himselfe , such a one is iesus christ , o ye daughters of ierusalem , and is hee not worthy to be beloved ? when thou hast considered the worth that is in himselfe , consider that hee sues to thee for thy love . suppose a prince should come and aske this at thy hands , wouldest thou deny him ? the weake should sue to the stronger , but here the lord god comes to thee for thy love . this is that , o israel , which hee requires of thee , that thou love the lord thy god , deuter. , . when such a god shall aske thy love , sue for it , shall he be denied ? we ( the ministers ) are but christs spokes-men to wooe for christ. see who it is that requires this ? it is thy soveraigne lord that might have required thee to sacrifice thy children , thy life , thy goods , for his honour , and can he not have thy love ? now , israel , what doth the lord thy god require of thee , but to feare him , to love him ? as if he should say , the lord hath done great things for you , and might require great things of you againe . this may melt thee then , that hee requires nothing but thy love . againe consider , he hath planted this love in thy heart : shall hee not have his owne then when hee requires ? shall not hee which planted the tree , eate of the fruit ? shall not hee which gave this fountaine of love taste of the waters of it ? againe , on whom would you bestow it , if you will not give it to the lord ? it must be bestowed on somewhat , and it is the best thing you have to bestow . it swaies & commands al in you . doth thy wealth deserve it ? do men deserve it ? why , they are not to bee compared to the lord. can any man doe for thee that which he doth ? besides , he forgives thee thy sinnes day by day . thinke of his excellencies . againe , you are engaged to love him . you are married to him ; you have given up your names to him in your baptisme : so that now well may i call you an adulterous generation , if you love him not , yee are witnesses against your selves this day ( saith ioshua ) ioshua . if ye serve not the lord. hee takes great advantage of their promise that they had made to serve the lord : ye are now witnesses against your selves if you doe it not . so all that heare me this day are witnesses against themselves . for in their baptisme they tooke the lord for their god. is hee not your master ? where then is your feare ? is he not your father ? where then is your reverence ? is he not your friend , where then is your love ? againe , he hath bought us , yea , he hath over-bought us . if you should see a flocke of sheepe , and heare that such a man hath paid such a price for them , farre beyond their worth , you will bee ready to say , let him have them , he is well worthy of them . and shall christ be denied that which he hath so dearely bought ? he hath bought you from the world , from the power of the devill , yea , and from your selves , so that they are not to set us on worke , wee are not our owne , corinthians . wee are therefore to doe a mothers businesse , and that is christs , who requireth love . besides all these generals , thinke of the particulars , which worke most upon us . see all his passages to you , how kinde he hath beene toward you . see how he hath dealt with you from your youth hitherto . consider all his kindnesses bestowed upon thee : see also what hee hath done in forgiving thee . thou hast sinned often , and greatly , and yet still he hath forgiven thee , and this is a great matter . shee loved much , because much was forgiven her , luke . hee feeds thee , cloathes thee thou hast not a nights rest but hee gives it thee , he it is that keeps thee from all dangers : that careth for thee when thou canst not take care for thy selfe . the creature cannot helpe thee , withou 〈…〉 ee command it to helpe thee , hee hath stood close to thee in all exigents . and this most of all affects us : in some great danger when all forsake us , wee cannot but love him most dearely that then sticks close unto us . thus hath the lord done unto thee , with this nathan urges david , and aggravates his sinne ? the lord hath done thus and thus unto thee , and if that had not been enough , would have done more . sam. . . take up the same practise with your soule ; the lord hath done thus and thus for mee , and shall i not love him ? would wee not hate that man that should not love and respect him from whom hee hath his whole maintenance ? lastly , consider that hee loves thee . now as fire begets fire , so let love beget love . the son of god hath loved thee and given himselfe for thee , galatians . consider christ hath loved thee , and hath given a good experiment of his love , to wit , himselfe for thee . and if he had given thee himselfe whole , it had beene a gift inestimable : but he hath given thee himselfe broken , crucified to thee , who hast beene a rebell against him . see his love he lookes on thee when thou thinkest not o● him , he took care for thee when thou tookest none for thy selfe ; nay , then thought it hee not too much to dye for thy good . oh the height , the length , the breadth , the depth of the love of christ which passes knowledge ! you can never know this love of the lord , it astonished paul. all this may stirre you up to feare the lord. this shewes you what reason you have to doe it : and it may be an intentive to you , or at the least may cause thee greatly to condemne thy self for not loving him . let these at least make you thinke well of the lord , and ill of thy selfe , that you cannot love . it will goe heard if hee be refused : his wrath will be kindled , psal. . after that hee hath sued to thee , and thou rejectest him , hee will not put it up , but will make his wrath knowne on thee , which god forbid . so endeth the third sermon . a heavenly treatise of the divine love of christ . sermon iiii. by iohn preston , d d. matt. . , . this is the first , and great commandement : thou shalt love the lord thy god with all thy heart . psal. . . love the lord o all ye his saints . london , printed by thomas paine , for iohn stafford : . a heavenly treatise of the divine love of christ . sermon iiii. cor. . . if any man love not the lord iesus christ , let him be had in execration , yea let him be accursed unto the death . if it be of so much moment to love the lord , that they are accursed that love him not , let mee exhort you then to doe it . the motive in the text puts a necessity upon the duty , but to draw you on by the cords of love . see what you shall get by it . it might be a strong argument , you shall perish if you doe it not : but let us see the advantages that will come to us by it . i will make you to keepe gods commandements with ease and delight : and this is no small benefit . this love makes you goe about the worke , as the ship with wind and saile . the journey must bee gone : now they that have not love , must rowe and take a great deale more paines . this is the love of god , that you keep his commandements . and his commandements are not grievous , iohn . this makes us keepe the commandements , so ye may feare , you will say . oh , but love makes them easie . it will be very hard to do them without love . how hard a taske had it beene for paul to have done so much as hee did , without this love● see what love makes mothers doe to children . this love of christ constrained paul : it carried him on like wings ; it compelled him to doe thus and thus . and is this then nothing ? yea , it shall make you abundant in the worke of the lord. for this commands all the faculties , and it windes them up to their highest pegs : and this it will make you to doe out of an inward principle . there is a great difference betwixt a horse that runs freely , and one that is forced by the spurre : shall not this then cause you to set a high price upon this love ? there are scarse any so desperate , but they would say , they would faine keepe gods commandements , were they not so hard . now this love will make them thy delight , it will make them easie and pleasant unto thee . this is the surest testimony to your owne soule of all others , that you are translated from death to life . an hypocrite cannot love the lord , hee may doe the outward workes , hee may heare the word , and be diligent in his calling . but here is the difference , he doth not this out of love . this is that distingnishing character which distinguishes a christian ; as reason doth a man. if you can finde this love of christ , this hungring after him , that tendring of the heart towards him , that your heart is to christ , as the iron to the load-stone , you must rest with him . if you can say , i have no great markes of a childe of god , i have many infirmities , but yet this i can say , i love the lord ; my life for thine , thy case is happie ; heaven and earth may passe away , but thou canst not misse of thy happinesse . what ever you have without this , can bee no sound testimony unto you of your blessednesse ; and this alone may secure you of it . this love doth make you lose nothing : whereas in the loving of other things , the more you bestow , the lesse you have . when thou givest thy heart to god , he gives thee thy heart againe , and sets it on worke for thy owne good ; hee teacheth us to profit , and leadeth us by the way which we should goe , esay . . as christ said of the sabboath , the sabboath was made for man : so may i say of all the commandements , when you give your hearts to the lord , he sets them to keepe the commandements , but to this end , that it may be well with thee . oh that there were such a heart in this people , to feare me , and to keepe all my commandements that it might goe well with them , and their children for ever . deutrenomy . . thou hast thy heart againe , when thou givest it to god. but here is the difference ; before , thou wert but an unjust professor of it , now the lord hath made thee steward of it : for he hath given you leave to love your wives , children , and your lawfull recreations , onely now you love them at his appointment , as he will , whereas before you did it as you listed . nay , the lord doth not onely give you your heart againe , but returnes it better than it was , new pointed . as the earth receives in the puddle water , which it sends forth cleare and pure . all the streames of thy love runne as fresh for thy good as ever they did , and more . that onely which was amiss● in them , is taken away . let not this feede thy understanding onely , but finde it good in thy practise . by this you shall have much comfort and joy , and this is that which all men desire . what is that which keepes you from loving the lord ? oh , you have a conceit , that then you must iose your pleasures , and your delights . no , it is the most comfortable action in the world , to love the lord : delights follows action , as the flame the fire . now the best action hath the greatest delight . the philosopher could say , happinesse was to love the most amiable object ; est amare optimum amabile , to love the best amiable knowne , is the best act . whom not seeing , yet you love , joying with joy unspeakeable and glorious , peter . it is a pleasant thing to love a creature like thy selfe , thy children , thy friend . but the creature is not perfect , and it may be it loves not thee againe . but christ is perfect , and loves thee , thou canst not lose any love by loving of him . oh what a pleasant thing it is to love the lord , to live with him , to sup and dine with him , to be able to say , i am my welbeloveds , and my welbeloved is mine ! when you shall consider the world hates you , what a comfort will it be , to know that the lord loves you ! that when the world uses you ill , you may flye unto christ his bosome , and lay open all your grievances to him . to love , and to be beloved , are the most pleasant actions . now to love the lord jesus , is so much the more pleasant , than the loving of other things , as he is a more excellent object than other things . besides , is not every thing best in its owne place , conformed to its owne rule , carried to its owne end ? take it in thy body , when all the parts of it are strait , all the faculties and humours in a right temper , serving to their proper ends , then there is delight and comfort : so , love , when it is setled upon its owne object , sets all things straight , whence wonderfull joy cannot but follow ; amor rectus omnia recta habet , as the schoolman well observes . consider this , the love of the lord makes you a better man , gives you a greater excellency , which is a thing which all men desire . looke on the excellencie of the creatures , it proceedes from their formes ; as the excellencie of a pearle above other stones comes from its forme : for we know that the matter of all these things is common . now the object to the faculty , hath the property of the forme ; for it gives name and distinction . now this love makes god and spirituall things , as it were the forme of the will. and according to this forme is the excellencie of the man. every man is better or worse , as his love is pitched on a better object . he that loves a base thing , is base ; and hee that loves a thing somewhat better , excels that man ; but hee that loves spirituall things , is the most noble . looke on the lower faculties , when the sensitive appetite enjoyes its proper object , then a man hath his perfection in that kinde . thus , when the will is fixed on iesus christ , its best object , then a man hath his full perfection . if water be united to wine , it s made better ; when the body is united to the soule , how glorious a creature is it ! how glorious a creature then will thy soule be , when by love it is united to the lord ! this love puts a greater excellencie on the soule , than the soule doth on the body . love brings the soule to god , and makes him all in all to us ; so that what wee cannot desire , we may have in him : have ye not then cause to wish that yee loved the lord ? true , you have said enough to enflame us . but how shall we doe it my brethren ? if you are brought unfainedly to desire it , halfe the worke is done ; when the disciples prayed , lord increase our faith , matth. . christ answers , if you have faith ; but as a graine of mustard seed , you may say unto this mountaine , be thou moved , and it shall be moved . but this is not the meanes to get faith . no , but this commends faith . and if out of this commendation they could come to prize and admire it , and so pray earnestly for it , god would give it them . let this therefore be the first meanes to helpe thee to the getting of this , to the lord iesus . first , pray heartily for it , lord i desire to love thee , i see thee most amiable , and would faine love thee . this petition is according to thy will , lord grant it me . how would this prevaile , how could god put off such a request ? but i have prayed , and i have not obtained it . but hast thou prayed importunately , as the woman to the unjust iudge without giving over ? this is a precious grace , and therefore god will have us bestow some paines in the getting of it . we shall not obtaine it easily , that so we may prise it the more , and keep it the more charily . the grace of christ , saith paul , was abundant with mee in faith and love , tim. . . this is that which the apostle magnified so much , that god had given him love . the grace of christ was abundant towards him in giving him love . but how doth prayer doe this ? that little love which moved thee to pray , by exercise , is increased and is become greater . prayer brings thee in acquaintance with god. before acquaintance there may be a wishing well to another , but there cannot be that love to another which is required in friendship . and it may be christ will shew himselfe unto thee , as wee see when hee himselfe , matth. . prayed , his garments were changed , and hee was transfigured . but especially prayer doth this by prevailing with god , as we see the prayers of the blinde man prevailed with christ. and doe you thinke that christ now in heaven hath put off these kinde affections which he had on the earth ? will hee not also heare , if you should pray to him ? but this you will say is a common meanes to obtaine all grace . yes : but of this love in a speciall manner : because love is the most peculiar gift of the holy ghost . now the holy ghost is obtained by prayer . our hearts are so carnall , so fleshly , that we cannot love the lord ; and he is so holy , so good , that we can no more love him , unlesse hee himselfe kindle this flame of love in our hearts , than cold water can heat , unlesse it had another principle . contend therefore and strive with the lord for his spirit which workes this love , who hath declared also unto us your love in the spirit . secondly , desire the lord to shew you himselfe , that iesus christ would manifest himselfe unto you . and this is the greatest meanes of all , to worke love . he that hath my commandements , and keepeth them , is he that loveth me , and hee shall be loved of the father , and i will love him , and shew my selfe unto him , when christ shall shew himselfe to you , when he shall open the clouds , and let you see his beauty , his glory , oh then you cannot but love him . there is a great difference betwixt the ministers shewing of you christ , and his excellencies , and the holy ghosts . though wee could speake with the tongue of angels , yet it would be but as the dead letter to christs shewing of himselfe . when he shall shew you your ●ilenesse , his excellency , your sinfulnesse , his holinesse , your misesery , his mercies , you must needs love him . paul when he had revealed christ , what hee could , to the ephesians , he prayes for them , that god would give them the spirit of wisdome and revelation , ephesians . . as who should say , the labour is all lost , if you should see no more than i preach . you love not a man till you know him your selfe ; the lord shewed himselfe to moses , david , paul , which made them love him so much . goe therefore to the lord , and pray as moses lord shew mee thy glory ; and beg it earnestly at his hands : and that which was done extraordinarily , shall be done to thy soule . that was but a shewing of the lord by a right light , which is done more or lesse to every one . but this is an act of the lord , what shall i doe to it ? consider what the scripture sayes of him , what the saints say of him , but most of all what he hath beene to thee . see with what patience , love , and mercy , hee hath carryed himselfe towards thee , as when we converse with a man , out of his severall actions we gather his disposition , and so frame an idea of him in our minde . we must humble our selves , labour to see our miserable conditions , for that will bring love . so paul when he considered that hee was the worst of all , it made him love more then them all . so mary when she conceived how unfit she was to conceive by the holy ghost , she sung that song . when we looke on our selves , and see our owne sinnes and miseries , our love to christ will bee increased . when a man shall have a true apprehension of himself and his misery , and can expect nothing but death and damnation , and then christ should come and say , no ; but hee shall live : this wounds a mans heart with love . looke on your secret sinnes , your relapses , your misery by sinne , and then on christs comming with his mercies and favours , and you cannot but love him . i say looke on thy sinnes , weigh them with their circumstances . thinke that after so many adulteries committed against christ , yet that he should say , if you will come in , yet will i receive you , this might shake thee and melt thy heart . he that loveth not th 〈…〉 lord , sees not his misery , nor that good hee hath by him . strengthen thy faith : for the stronger thy faith is , the greater will thy love be . a strong hand rids more worke then a weake . take a man excellent in all gifts whom thou much admirest , yet if hee loved not thee , thou wouldest not much care for such an one : so though thou feest much excellency in christ , yet thou canst not love him , unlesse thou hast a perswasion that he loves thee . but how shall i know that he will love me ? hee hath made it knowne that he is thine , and that he is willing , to become thy familiar friend ; god hath given him in marriage to thee . to us a child is borne , to us a sonne is given . and christ himselfe hath shewne sufficiently his love unto thee . he hath spent his bloud for thee , yea , he continually speakes to his father in thy behalfe , yea , hee sues to thee for love , he loves thee first , and sues to thee , as the man doth to the woman ; thou maist be perswaded therefore that he loves thee . but i am not fit to be a spouse to christ. it is true , and he knew that well enough . hee will take thee a blackamoore , and afterwards will put beauty on thee , ezekiel . . stand not thou on thy unfitnesse when he is thy su●or . but it may be he stands thus and thus affected to such and such persons , and how shall i know that the lord loves mee and is willing to take mee ? i can say nothing to thee but this , and that is sufficient , thou hast his generall promise made to all , mark. . goe preach the gospel to every creature . there is a generall mandate given to ministers to preach the promise to all , and why wilt thou make exceptions where god hath made none , and enterline his promises ? wee are commanded to offer christ to all , every one that will come may come and drinke of this water of life freely . the offer is generall , though but some imbrace it . but i want godly sorrow for my sinnes . and this is required before we can receive christ. yet deceive not thy selfe , the matter is not whether thy humiliation be more or lesse , only come . the promise is made to all that come , they shall be refreshed . indeede thou wilt not come till thou art somewhat humbled , thou wilt not flye to the city of refuge till thou art pursued by the avenger of blood . but if thou come at all , god will fulfill his promise . sticke not so much on the degree of thy humiliation . take a man that hath committed high treason , for which he is condemned and brought to the place of execution , ready to suffer , but then there is a pardon offered him : and take another guilty of the same fact , but as yet not condemned , and bring him a pardon , he is even as joy full as the other , for he saw his case was even as bad , onely it was not so farre gone , and he hath not lived so long in sorrow . so some mens sinnes are grosser , and their sorrow more violent , other sinnes are lesse , but yet such as they see them like to damne them ; they therefore are humbled as truly , though not so violently . therefore though thou hast not had so much sorrow as others , nor felt those terrours of the almighty , yet if thou hast so much as will bring thee to christ , and make thee sticke close unto him , so as thou wouldest not leave him for any thing in the world ; it is enough , thou shalt have him . why then stick you ? what hinders your faith ? the impediments must be on gods part , or on your part : but it is not on gods part , for his promise is full , and large , most free ; neither is there any on thy part , for there is nothing required in thee , for which hee shall set his love upon thee . there are no merits desired on thy part , onely accept him , receive him , hee will afterwards put some lines upon thee . art thou willing to take christ for thy husband , for better and worse , with a crowne of thornes , as well as glory ? then the match is concluded , thou maist be sure that christ will be thine . but i have renewed my sinnes , and have fallen into divers relapses . i still provoke him and fall backe , and god will not endure such a wretch . yet he forgives sinnes of all sorts , he is abundant in mercy , he is still forgiving , and never gives over . there is a fountaine opened to iudah and ierusalem for sinne and for uncleannesse , zach. . vers . . there is afountaine , not a cisterne , to wash in , which may be drawne dry . onely this caveat must be put in , that we allow not our selves in any knowne sinne , but that wee maintaine warre continually against sinne , and by no meanes admit any peace with amaleck . another meanes is , to remove the impediments of love , which are two especially , strangenesse , and worldly-mindednesse , strangenesse dissolves all friendship . by this meanes the interest of friendship may be broken off . this strangenesse breeds fearefulnesse when we goe to god , and fearefulnesse weakenesse of love : whereas boldnesse is the nurse of it . herein is our love made perfect , that we have boldnesse in the day of the lord iesus . as by neglecting fellowship with the saints , we come to lose our acquaintance wee had towards them : so the neglecting of maintaining our acquaintance with god , brings us quite at last to leave him . draw neere therefore to god continually , and this will increase your love to him . be therefore oft speaking to him and hearing him speake to you . be much in prayer , and often in reading and hearing . and doe not these things customarily , and untowardly , but with life and affection : goe to prayer as you would goe to speake with your most deare friend , whom you most of all delight to talke with . let it be pleasant to thee to converse with him in all things ; when thou hast any injury befallen thee , goe and make thy cause knowne to him ; and when any sinne hath escaped thee , whereby he may be offended , give not over till reconciliation be made , and thy friendship rewarded . looke especially to thy wayes , for sinne alienates and restraines a man from god : therefore see that that bee removed as much as may be . worldly mindednesse also hinders the love of god. this is the uncircumcision of the heart . hence is that , the lord thy god will circumcise thy heart , and the heart of thy seed , to love the lord thy god , with all thy heart , that thou mayest live . and untill the heart be circumcised , it is filled with the love of the world , so that hee cannot love the lord , at least , with all his heart , as hee ought . there is no such quench-coale to the love of god , as the love of the world. pleasures and the love of carnall things are very apt to steale away our hearts from god before we are aware . if we looke not more narrowly to it , they may doe it . examine your owne hearts , and see if by how much the more you love the world , by so much the lesse you are affected to the lord. these things , as absalom , steale away our hearts from god , as he did the people from his father . if thou findest not that love to god , which formerly hath beene , see what hath come betweene god and thy heart . looke if some pleasure or lust have not crept in betweene : for these will separate betweene god and thee . see if there be not in thy understanding conceits of things to be better then indeed they are : for these will turne the heart from the lord ; but above all , looke to thy will and affections . finis . a heavenly treatise of the divine love of christ . sermon v. by iohn preston , dd. matt. . , . this is the first , and great commandement : thou shalt love the lord thy god with all thy heart . psal. . . love the lord o all ye his saints . london , printed by thomas paine , for iohn stafford . . a heavenly treatise of the divine love of christ . sermon v. cor. . . if any man love not the lord iesus christ , let him be had in execration , yea let him be accursed unto the death . now the next thing wee have to doe , is to shew what kinde of love the lord accepts ; for hee will not take any kinde of love that is offered him , but onely such a love as he calls for , as hee requires . thou must love him with all thy might , and with all thy strength . a publike person may doe more then a private . his example may doe much , or he may command others , if not to doe good , yet to refraine from evill . god desires that thou love him with all thy strength ; if thou knowest much , thou must doe much . besides some things thou canst doe , namely , which others cannot doe without great difficulty . as some men are temperate , some patient by nature . if thou art such an one , god requires more of thee then of another , for he accounts that which thou canst doe , without setting thy might to it , as nothing . it is not enough for thee to love the lord , but thou must love him with thy might . the might of a rich man , of a magistrate , of a scholler , or whatsoever thou art , when thou shalt come to the lord with a small pi●tance , when thou hast opportunity to doe a great deale more , the lord will not take it at thy hands . as a landlord will not receive a small parcell , when the tenant may pay a greater summe . neither is this a thing indifferent , for you to doe , or not to doe : for god requires much of him , to whom he hath given much . hee gives us all talents which he puts as prizes in our hands , which he expects we should lay out according as we have received . paul did no worke of supererogation , though he was abundant in the workes of the lord , continually setting himselfe about the worke with his whole strength . thou must love him above all things else ; above all creatures , above that which is most deare unto thee , yea , above thy selfe . and if thou dost not so , thou lovest him but as a creature which will not serve his turne . hee hath done more for thee then any creatue hath or can doe . he hath dyed for thee , hath given himselfe crucified for thee , he deserves therefore more love then thy pleasures , profits , or then any friend thou hast . you are therefore to love him above all , to imbrace & cleave to him chiefly , to make him wholly thine . but how can he ( you will say ) be wholly mine , seeing so many have their parts in him ? yes , hee is wholly thine , and thou must bee wholly his . he is infinite , and so hath no parts , but is entire to every one , as every line drawne to the center , may challenge the whole center for it's owne , though there be a thousand lines beside . but what ? must i so love the lord , that i may , not love earthly things ? yes : thou mayest love them , so that it be not with an adulterous love . thou mayest love them for god , as by them you may be enabled to serve god the better . but how shall i know this adulterous love ? when you love any thing , so as it lessens your love to your husband , that is an adulterous love . as when thou lovest some pleasure and delight so , as it takes up the minde and hinders thee in hearing , and will not suffer thee to pray without distraction , but thy thoughts must be upon it , this love is adulterate love . thou mayest rejoyce , yet so as if thou rejoycest not . as this joy hinders not thy walking with god , so thou mayest labour in thy calling with a love to it , yet so as it doth not draw away thy heart from god. but this is very difficult ( will some say . ) no , it is easie . when god hath put this love into thy heart , the necessity of it may make it easie . thou mayest doe it , or thou canst not bee saved . indeede it is impossible for a man that hath set his heart on riches , to remove it off againe of himselfe . and in this sense christ speakes , when he sayes , it is so hard for a rich man to enter into the kingdome of heaven . but when god hath wrought this love in thee , and hath revealed to thee the emptinesse and vanity of other things , it will be easie . but i am not able to love the lord above my selfe and all other things . yes , thou mayest , if once thou art throughly perswaded that hee is thy chiefest good , and how miserable thou art without him : thou wilt then bee content to forsake all , and to cleave to him alone . a man that sowes corne is content it should die , so as it may bee quickned againe and bring forth encrease . and therefore paul , though hee saw the outward building of his body goe to decay , he cared not , so long as he was renewed in the inner . so when thou seest thy good conteined in him more then in thy selfe , when thou seest thy happinesse laid up in him , thou wilt easily bee perswaded to leave thy selfe to injoy him : for thou losest nothing by losing thy selfe , thy whole happinesse is in god. againe , thou must be rooted and grounded in love. this is that which the apostle so prayes for , for the ephesians , ephesians . . there is a certaine love by fits which god accepts not . when men come and offer to god great promises like the waves of the sea , as bigge as mountaines , oh they thinke they will doe much for god , but their mindes change , and they become as those high waves , which at last fall levell with the other waters . if a man should proffer thee great kindnesses , and thou shouldest afterwards come to him to make use of him , and hee should looke strangely upon thee , as if hee were never acquainted with thee , how wouldest thou esteeme of such love ! if wee are now on , now off in our love , god will not esteeme of such love , and if you be not rooted in your love , you will be unstable . let then your love bee well rooted , let the foundation be good on which it stands : now that ●s on two things . this love must be founded in faith . therefore ephesians . when the apostle had prayed that they might be strengthened in faith , he addes this also , that they might bee grounded in love . when thou art once rooted in faith , thou shalt bee grounded in love . when therefore you come to beleeve , and consider whether iesus christ belong to you , or no , doe it not overly and slightly , but doe it thorowly , sift every thing to the b●an , give not over till thou art fully satisfied , till thou canst answer all objections , and rest in this perswasion , that all is most true which hath been revealed to thee of the lord iesus christ , and it is good for thee to rest upon it . your love must bee built upon his person . if you love his , and not him , you will be unstable in your love . if thou lovest him in his person , thou changest not , for thy love will bee constant . but if thou love him for that hee hath done for thee , because hee hath done thee much good , and given thee many favours , and tokens of his love , and kept thee from many troubles , when hee changes his dealing towards thee , thou wilt change thy love to him . thou wilt then doe as iob , receive good from the hand of the lord , and also evill . put case god should take from thee , and send one affliction in the necke of another , this will try thy love , whether in this case thou wilt sticke close unto him . sometimes god hides his face from his children , and writes bitter things against them : if then thou canst love him , thy love is on his person , a constant love . another condition of our love is , that it must be diligent . the apostle commends the thessalonians effectuall faith and diligent love , thessalonians . . if you say you love the lord , and yet will doe nothing for him , you have not that love which god accepts . this love is operative , diligent , and not idle , and dead . wee regard not a dead drugge , a dead plant , wee cut it up and cast it away : even so doth the lord esteeme of a dead love , and love that shewes not it's life , it 's diligence to obey god. this love will cause thee to put on new aparrell , to adorn thy life so , as thy love may take delight in thee . this will make thee carefull to beautifie thy selfe with the graces of the spirit . see therefore whether thy love prepare thee for christ. this love doth that which iohn baptist did . it prepares men for the receiving of the lord. if thou wilt come then before him in thy old garments ; it is a signe thou lovest him not . againe , the operativenesse of it , is seene in opening thy heart to him , when he offers himselfe unto thee . this will give thee a capable heart to entertaine him , that hee may dwell plentifully in thee . this doth make thee comprehend with 〈◊〉 saints , what is the height , and bredth , and length , and depth of the love of christ. this love is diligent in cleansing the heart , that it will suffer nothing to remaine there that may be offensive to the lord god that dwels with his people . this love therefore will suffer no sluttish corner to remaine in the heart , but keepes all cleane . it clenses a man from all filthinesse of flesh and spirit , corinthians . lastly , the diligence of love is seene in keeping of his commandements . if thou doest nothing for the lord , thou lovest him not . so much love as thou hast , so much care will there be in thee to doe his will ; so much fire , so much heat to stir for his glory : so much love , so much desire to walke in perfect obedience before him . and now wee come to the object upon whom our love must be placed , the lord iesus . consider whom it is , whom , if you love not , i pronounce you thus accursed . it is the lord jesus , he is your lord , your prince , your saviour , your messias , your prophet , so that hee which loves him not , is worthy to be accursed . first , he is our lord. now , to run from an ordinary master is punishable , to rebell against an ordinary king deserves death , but he is more , our lord and king in a more speciall bond . besides , that he hath made us , and preserves us , we are his by purchase , and he hath bought us deere , hee hath shed his blood for us : so that hee that will not love this lord ; let him be accursed . secondly , againe he is our saviour , and in this respecct love is now more due to god , then in time of innocency . when adam broke the covenant and made shipwrack , christ offers himselfe a saviour . now if wee will not receive him , there is no more hope . he is the secunda tabula , left to us after shipwrack , which if wee let goe , wee cannot escape eternall destruction . lastly , he is our prophet , that messias , iohn . . which tels us all things ; that great prophet whom moses foretold , whom if we beleeve not , we must be for ever accursed . the time of our ignorance god regarded not , but now hee will have an eye to us , after that the light hath shone unto us , and he hath revealed himselfe , when this our prophet hath come unto us and shewne himselfe unto us . now god olaimes our love : and if now we refuse to love him , and to come in unto him , we are rebels . yea , he is our priest , and would reconcile god unto us . yea , he is made unto us a king , to subdue our lusts and rebellious affections , to draw us to himselfe , as it were by force : so that now if we love him not , wee deserve the curse . now marke , the lord hath joyned these two together , the lord iesus . we must take heede that we separate them not . and we must see that wee take him not onely as a saviour , but also as a lord. he is not onely the authour of the remission of our sinnes , but he is our lord to rule us . the preaching of the gospel is nothing but the offering of christ , his whole person , and so you must take him , as a subject , to bee your lord , as a spouse to be ruled and guided by him , and then wee shall have the benefit which arises thence . we are willing to part with the sweete , but we will have none of the sowre : as that young man would have had christ , but he would not part with his wealth for him . but christ tels him that he must either part with him or them . canst thou be content to fare as i doe ? to be rejected & scorned in the world as i am ? then well & good , thou mayest follow me , but otherwise thou canst not . and if thou art content to doe thus , to suffer persecution , and to forgoe all for him , thou shalt have him , and all the benefits that come by him ; if not , thou art not worthy of him : hee that beleeves not the lord iesus , is condemned already . i. e. hee that takes him not when hee is offered , is in the state of of condemnation . we must see therefore that we take his whole person , as hee is a lord , as well as he is a saviour , and not the latter without the former . if any man love not the lord iesus , let him be had in execration , yea let him be accursed to the death . the apostle curses sueh as love him not , with a double curse . he expresses it in two languages . they are men set apart to evill , appointed to destruction ; as some men are set apart to good , so are these to evill . they are shut up in prison , such as god hath set himselfe against . his eyes are continually upon them for evill . thus shall he be accursed that loves not the lord iesus . there shall be a curse on his soule , for matter of grace , that as christ cursed the figtree , when hee came and found no fruit upon it , never fruit grow more on thee , and it withered away : so when christ is offered , and this gospell preached , and thou refusest this grace , thou mayest find christ so curse thee , that thou be ever barren in the matter of grace . and if perhaps thou thinkest this no great matter , the curse goes further . thou shalt bee cursed from the presence of the lord. thou shalt have no part nor portion in the light , sweetnesse and comfort of his favour . and this caine tooke to heart , though he were a wicked man , and had before but gods common favour : and so saul was exceedingly cast downe , when as god would not answer him by any of those usuall meanes : but is this such a matter to bee excluded from his presence ? yea , and at the time of death you shall find it somwhat , yea in troubles you shall see it a dreadfull thing ( as they did ) to want him to stand your friend . as saul did , though in his prosperity he little regarded it , yet when the philistines came upon him , he was driven to his wits end , because the lord would not answer him . but these are but spirituall things , i feele them not , you will say . but yet the curse goes further , you shall be cursed also from the earth , that is , from earthly comforts , which it yeelds to others . now thou shalt bestow all thy travell and paine upon it , and be never the better for it . but many a man receives him not , and yet is not thus accursed . indeed we see it not many times , and it may be , the time of execution is not yet come . thou mayest have cains priviledge , though thou art accursed , that none shall kill thee presently : thou mayest enjoy thy health and wealth , and no man lay hold on thee here to hurt thee . but thou art reserved to a more solemne day of punishment . and yet the curse goes a step further , thou shalt be cursed eternally . but that thou wilt say , is a great way off ; and you need not feare it yet . but consider what eternity is , what those dayes of darknesse will be , when the sun of comfort shall set , and never rise againe upon thee . when it shall be alwayes perfect night , and never day . when god shall open all the treasures of his wrath , and powre them with full fury upon thee , when the storme of vengeance shall never bee blowne over , but thou shalt bee overwhelmed in the midst of all miserie , asthe old world was in the deluge . if this be the case of men that refuse , yea , that love not the lord , then take heed to your selves . wee the ministers offer you christ when wee preach , and you sit negligently before us , minding other things , not caring to take the lord. take heed : this is your portion to be thus accursed . the gospell hath two parts : if you take christ , you shall be happy , you shall be saved . but if you will not love him and imbrace him , you shall be damned . therefore thinke not that there is nothing but hony in it : yea there is a sting that followes it , if it be neglected : ministers are not to goe a begging in offering the gospell , but are as ambassadors of the lord of heaven . if men will receive our message , so it is , otherwise the dust which we shake off from our feet , shall be a witnesse against you , that so god will shake you off . god will not have his gospel refused , his son despised ; and therefore he counsels us , to kiss the son , lest he be angry , and wee perish all in his wrath , psalm . though hee be a lamb , and have behaved himselfe meekly amongst us , yet if wee provoke him , wee shall know that he can shew himselfe a lyon. if hee be not entertained in the still voice , he will come in fire , in a wind that shall rend the rockes in sunder . thus he describes himselfe , one that hath feet like burning brasse , out of whose mouth proceeds a firie sword , revelation . moses went first to mount gerizim , to blesse the people ; and if that would not move them , he go's up to mount ebal , and thence curses them : so the apostle before exhorts & perswades them to the love of christ , but if they will not imbrace him on fair termes , he tels them what shall follow , they must be accursed . but what if i take not the lord at this instant ? i hope this curse will not befall me . it is true , we cannot say so ; for while this time lasts , wee are still commanded to offer christ ; yet there will come a time , when there will come forth a decree which shall never be revoked . take heed therfore , for this is very dangerous . the lord will not suffer his gospel to be abused , or neglected : when once the husbandmen refused the son , they were presently cast out of the vineyard , mat. . this offends god more than any sinne that wee can commit . to refuse christ offered , is worse than drunkennesse , theft , adultery , or the like , which men count the grossest sins . my people would none of me , therefore i gave them up to their owne hearts lusts . this refusing him , made him swear that they should never enter into his rest . as the gospel offers greater favour than the law ; so , swifter damnation attends the neglect of it . my brethren , take heed that you receive not the grace of god in vain . while it is called to day , harden not your hearts ; yea , take heed of refusing it now . for , you know not whether this offer may ever bee made you againe ; and if it be , thou knowest not whether thou shalt have the grace to receive it , or no. know , that the same gospel is a savour of life unto life , to such as receive it ; but unto the others , of death unto everlasting death . but the gospel is continued still . it is true : but how many are there that live in the congregation , and are never a whit the better , though they hear the word daily , because by the contempt of it , it becomes the savour of death to them , and their hearts are hardned , so that they shall never receive good by it ? finis . good reader , if thou wilt see the reaches of a devout soule after this love of christ , expressed in these pious sermons , reade this soliloquy following . a soliloqvy of a devovt sovle to christ , panting after the love of the lord iesus . o thou love of all loves , thou chiefest of ten thousand ; thou lovedst me before i was , thou dost love me when i am , thou doest love me ( if i bee thine ) when i am here no more . thy loves are better then wine , but mine are worse thē gall and wormewood . thou lovest mee who deserve lesse then nothing , i love not thee who deservest more then all things . i have hid my selfe from thee as adam , yet thou hast pierced through the darke cloud , and loved me . thou hast opened thy selfe in the face of my soule , yet in the sight of this sun i have not loved thee . no basenesse of mine hath closed thy eyes , and kept thy heart from me : yet every base pleasure , and pleasing lust hath kept my heart and eye from thee . without my love to thee i cannot have my happinesse applyed , and enjoyed . it is faith that marries thee to me : but this faith must worke by love , or my marriage will end in a fruitlesse barrennesse , and faithlesse separation . hitherto therefore i have loved thee , but for lust , not for love . i would have thee save me , but i would not honour , and please thee . i can thus think of my disloyalty towards thee ; but thou knewest it before i thought it , and more then i can speake or thinke . thou doest thinke thoughts of love and peace to me , but i minde the abuse of thy love , and the too late repentance of thee upon my owne termes . how can i be acceptable to thee , ( my love , my dove , my undefiled , ) thou spreadest out thy hands , and art ready for blessing me : but if i open my head , heart , hand , i am apt to receive nothing but anathema , maranatha from thee . can love come to enmity , heaven to hell ? i am hell ( my lord ) thou art heaven : i am hatred , thou art love. thou shewest hatred , yet in my wisdome am i very enmity . can i then expect either to have the blessing of love , or to avoide the curse of not loving ? oh shew me thy face , for it is comly . thou hast often shewed me thy riches , and i have loved them : but oh shew me thy selfe , that i may love thee . i have seen by goodnes , mer cy , compassion , merit , salvation , and have cried out , ( my blessed iesus ) make these mine . now let me see thy selfe , that thou my beloved mayst be mine , and all those riches in thee . from the sight of thy riches i have desired to preserve my selfe : from seeing thy selfe i shall desire to draw neere to thee , and to cleave to thee for ever . o thou whom my soule desires to love , shew me then where thou liest at noone , that i may see thee ! i know where i shall finde thee at the night of my life . i shall finde thee sitting on yonder throne , ready to say , either , come ye blessed , or , goe yee cursed . i doe not know whether so short a view shall bring me to heare either the one , or the othre . shew me then where thou liest at this my noone . now thy sun doth shine upon this my tabernacle , and i have some time to behold thy beauty , that i may be in love with thy person : where then shall i finde thee ? if i looke to mount tabor , i see thee in glory , and i cannot but love thee for that . if i looke to the garden , i see thee lying on the cold ground , sweating drops of bloud for mee , and i cannot but love thee for that . if i looke to golgotha , i see thee nayled to the crosse , and thy heart broached , that i may drinke thy blood and live , and i cannot but love thee for that . if i looke to mount olivet , i see thee ascending farre above all heavens , and i cannot but love thee for that also . indeed in tabor thou hadst visible glory , but it soone vanished : in the garden and golgotha , thou hadst little visible beauty why i should desire thee : and in olivet , thou wast quite carried out of my sight . if then thou liest for mee no where else , what hope have i to love thee , o thou to be beloved of all . art thou not in the tents of the sheperds ? dost thou not walke in the midst of the golden candlestickes ? doest thou not dwell in the hearts of men by faith ? o let mee see thee here below , in the church , in my selfe . let thy glory goe before me , that i may love thee for ever , and ever , and be blessed in thee . thou hast a long time been manifested to me in thy natures , offices , and markes for me , and these draw mee to love thee . thou hast beene crucified before my eyes , and the vertues of it have beene cleared by the ministery of the word , and sacraments . i have heard and seene the promises , signes , and seales of thy dearest love , and these might allure me to love thee . but ( o thou chiefest of ten thousand ) why hast thou kept thy selfe at such a distance ? why hast thou not been formed in me ? why hast thou not dwelt in me , that i might see in thee the glories , and vertues , of thy life , death , resurrection , ascension , and to be sicke of love ? thou hast stood and knockt at the doore of my unworthy heart for this end . thou wouldest have come in and supped with me after the noon-shine of the gospel , with thine owne banquet . but , alas , there was no roome for thee , because i desired first to feast it out with the base guests of sinfull lusts , before i would give thee entertainement . the cause hath been in my selfe , that i have not beene better acquainted with thee , and so , that i have not loved thee . o wretched soule that i am , who shall deliver me from being an enemy to my self ! i have bowed my knees to the father of thee , the lord iesus , that he would grant to me , according to the riches of his glory , that i may have his assistance to empty my selfe of all my wickedguests , that thou mayest come into me , and i may have the better list and leasure to contemplate thy glory , and be grounded in thy love , o my blessed lord iesus . could i but get this , my gaines would be unspeakeable . whatsoever thou commandest would be sweet , because i love thee . if i could give thee my heart , thou wouldst give it better to me againe : for no uncleane thing can come out of thy hands . but ( o my desired love ) i have denied thee ; therefore , i deny my selfe . i have rejected thee ; therefore , i reject my selfe . doe with me as thou wilt , onely first love me , and let me answer thee with love againe . and why should not i be confident to be heard in this , seeing thou ( my love ) sittest at the right hand of god making request for me . speak thou the word , and thy poore servant shall love thee . say to my soule , my father hath heard thy prayer , and then , i will love thee dearely . my lord iesus , if i love thee , i live : if i love thee not , i perish under a fearefull curse for evermore . and shall it be thus with me , o thou that wilt not the death of poore sinners , who pant after thee ? no , no , thy merits and intercession have prevailed with my god. i finde the filth of domineering sinne , in some measure , washed from the windowes of my soule , that the beames of thy glory may pierce it , and draw my love after thee . now doe i begin to be sicke of love , and earnestly desire thy company here , by grace , and hereafter by glory . i love to heare thee speak ( let me heare thy voice for it is sweet ) and to speake to others of thee , and thy beauties . thou hast made mee something willing to doe , and to suffer any thing for thee , lord perfect this good worke . if i see the meanest persons like thee in thy goodnesse , my delight is in them ; i love them the better for thy sake . i dare not wilfully anger thee , and my soule is vexed with them that doe it . thus the pulses of my soule ( by thy blessing ) doe begin to beat after thee . but ( alas ) when i consider how weake i am in thy love to thee my saviour : when i find a thousand things creep in betwixt thee & home , and steale my heart away from thee : when i feele how easily i am diverted from thee and thy service , what comfort can my poore soule have now ? o my lord iesus , thou wilt not leave thy own worke , & suffer thy tender plant to wither away ! when thou hast sowed thy seed , hast thou not prepared the former and latter raine ? shall i not be able to doe this through him that loveth thee and me ? i may not run from thy love , thou art my lord. i dare not , thou art my iesus . if thou live , let me know thy love to me . if i live , let me feele my love to thee . oh shed it more in my heart , that as in beleeving in thee my person is justified , so in loving thee my faith may be justified , and in having faith working by love , i may so constantly walke in thy presence , that with comfort i may sing with the bride , come lord iesus , come quickly , even so , amen . finis . two treatises , viz. the christian freedome , and the deformed forme of a formall profession . by that late faithfull and worthy minister of iesus christ , john preston , doctor in divinity , chaplaine in ordinary to his majestie , master of emanuell colledge in cambridge , and sometimes preacher of lincolnes inne . london , printed by i. n. for iohn stafford , and are to be sold at his shop in chancery-lane , over against the roules . . the christian freedome : or , the charter of the gospel , shewing the priviledge and prerogative of the saints by vertue of the covenant . wherein these foure points of doctrine are properly observed ; plainely proved both by scripture , and reason , and pithily applied , viz. . that he that is in the state of grace lyeth in no knowne sinne , no sinne hath dominion over him . . that sinne though it doth not raigne in the saints , yet it doth remaine and dwell in them . . that the way to overcome sinne , is to get assurance of the love , and grace , and favour of god , whereby it is forgiven them . . that whosoever is under the law , sinne hath dominion over him . by that late faithfull and worthy minister of iesus christ , john preston , doctor in divinity , chaplaine in ordinary to his majestie , master of emanuell colledge in cambridge , and sometimes preacher of lincolnes inne . rom . . . let not sinne therefore raigne in your mortall bodies , that you should obey it in the lusts thereof . printed . the names of doctor iohn preston his severall treatises . . a treatise of the attributes of god containing sermons upon divers texts . . foure treatises viz. . a remedy against covetousnes , upon coloss. . . . an elegant and lively description of spiritual life & death , upon iohn . . . the doctrine of selfe deniall , upon luke . . . a treatise of the sacrament , upon ioh. . . . the saints daily exercise , or a a treatise of prayer upon thess. . . . the new covenant in sermons , upon gen. . . . vnto which is added sermons upon eccles. . . . . . . the saints qualification , containing , viz. . a treatise of humiliation in sermons , the first upon rom. . . the tenth preached before the common house of parliament , upon numb . . . . . of sanctification or the new creature in sermons upon cor. . . . of communion with christ in the sacrament in sermons upon corinth . . . . the doctrine of the saints infirmities upon chron. . . , . . the brestplate of faith and love , containing sermons upon three severall texts , viz. revel . . . thes. . . gal. . . . five sermons preached before his majestie , viz. . the new life , upon . ioh. . . a sensible demonstration of the diety , upon esay . . . of exact walking upō eph. . . . the pillar and ground of truth , upon tim. . . . sam. support of sorrowfull sinners upon sam. . . . . . two treatises of mortification , and humiliation , upon col. . . ephes. . , , . together with the livelesse life , a treatise of vivification . . his remaines , containing . excellent treatises , viz. . iudas's repentance . . the saints spirituall strength . . pauls conversion . . the golden scepter , with the churches mariage , being three treatises in one volume . . the fulnesse of christ , upon iohn . . . a heavenly treatise of the divine love of christ , in five sermons , upon cor. . . the charistian freedome , or the charter of the gospel , shewing the priviledge and prraeogative of the saints , by vertue of the covenant . rom . . . for sinne shall not have dominion over you ; for ye are not under the law , but under grace . these words are brought in thus ; the apostle exhorts them not to sinne , but to give their members as instruments unto righteousnesse : and to move them to this , hee tells them that sinne was not their lord now as it was heretofore , and that it shall have no more dominion over them , and therefore he bids them strive against it : and then he adds a reason of this , because they were not under the law , but under grace , now christ hath changed their hearts : for while a man is under the law , sinne hath dominion over him ; it tells him what to doe , but gives him no power to doe it : but you have the grace of sanctification to change your hearts , and enable you to every good word and work , so that you delight in the law after the inner man , albeit you see another law in your members warring against the law of your minde , and bringing you into captivity to the law of sinne which is in your members , as it is said , chap. . ver . . whence wee may learne , that hee that is in the state of grace , lyeth in no knowne sinne ; no sinne hath dominion over him . now , sinne is said to have no dominion over a man , three manner of wayes , viz. in regard . it hath no right to rule over him ; it is no more our lord , but is as a servant that hath no dominion , but is said to offer violence to us : as if the king of spaine should rule over us , hee hath no dominion over us . . in regard it is not obeyed , for there it hath dominion : as a prince may have right to a kingdome , yet if hee be not obeyed , hee hath no dominion . . in regard though it strive against us , yet it never gets the victory : for though it assault us , yet if it get not the victory , it hath no dominion over us : this is proved by three similitudes which must be explaned , viz. first , it was our master , and we its servants ; but now wee have changed our master , and are become the servants of righteousnesse , ver . . secondly , it is said that we were married to sin , and it had dominion and command over us , as the husband over the wife ; but now it is dead , and there is a divorce betweene us , and now wee are married to christ , and hee commands us , and wee obey . thirdly , it is said we are dead to sinne , and alive to god , ver . . and therefore we cannot live in sinne : for , command a dead body to goe about a businesse , and he cannot , because he is dead . now the reasons of the point be these . the first is taken from christ ; wee are ingrafted into christ , and into his death , and into the similitude of his resurrection , verse . we are grafted as a graft into christ , and all the old sap is taken away , and wee have new sap , and bring forth new fruit , and have no other , because we grow in another tree , and we live to god : yet we may commit sinne , though wee allow not our selves in it ; for they that are christs , have crucified the flesh with the affections and lasts thereof : if therefore there be any lust reigning in us , we are not in christ. againe , if any man be in christ , hee is a new creature , and therfore he doth not wallow in his old sins : so saith god , i will give you a new heart ; and , all things are become new ; and , old things are done away : therefore wee cannot lve in any knowne sinne . againe , whosoever is in christ , hath received of his fulnesse , and grace for grace ; in him we are able to doe all things : and therefore if we cannot strive against old sinnes , wee are not in christ. secondly , because wee have the spirit of god ruling in us , and therefore we walk after the spirit , and not after the flesh : now if we lye in any known sinne , we have not the spirit , and therefore are not in the state of grace : if any man have not the spirit of grace , he is not the sonne of god : now if he walk after the flesh , hee hath not the spirit , for the spirit gives him ability to strive against all sinnes . thirdly , he is borne of god : now , he that is born of god , sinneth not , that is , sinne ruleth not over him : for a man is said to sinne that favours wickednesse , and setteth his heart to sinne : hee sinneth not , because he is like god , as a sonne is like his father ; and therefore a wicked man is like the devill , because he is his father , and his wickednesse is in him , and therefore the devill is called the father of the wicked : and so every regenerate man hath all the righteousnesse of christ , though not in the same degree ; he hath perfect holinesse of parts , though not of degrees : now then he hath no member of satan in him , that is , no knowne sinne which hee loveth . fourthly , because hee hath the whole law written in his heart , and his heart is set to obey the whole law , and therefore hee cannot lye in any knowne sinne . fifthly , because he is wholly changed and translated to another man : which is exprest two wayes . . the whole drift of his minde is changed . as suppose the earth were made free , the whole bent of it were to goe upward ; so a man is wholly bent towards heaven , or else his heart is not changed : and if so , he can lye in no knowne sinne . . he is changed in his taste . s. paul saith , they that are in christ , savour not the things of the flesh , but of the spirit : every sinne is bitter to the regenerate man ; if it be not , then he savoureth the things of the flesh . to this is that agreeable , keepe this feast with unleavened bread , and not with old leaven of maliciousnesse : we must be unleavened bread to christ , we must give no allowance to sinne . sixthly , because they know god. the lord saith by his prophet , i will write my law in their hearts , and they shall know me : so that with this writing the law in their hearts , they cannot but know sinne ; for they are changed in their mindes before they can know god : hence i inferre that he that knowes god , will not change from the immutable god to the mutable creature ; and they that doe it , doe it because they know not god. seventhly , because hee hath faith , which will make him not lie in any knowne sinne : for all sins are either of the temptation of the devill , the flesh , or the world : now , faith overcomes all these . . it overcommeth the world ; this is the victory that overcommeth the world , even your faith : but if the world could overcome the regenerate in any temptation , then this were not true that faith overcommeth the world ; but he shall not be overcome by the glory and riches of the world . secondly the flesh ; the just walketh in his integrity . to this may be added , that blessings are every-where annexed to the keeping of the commandements ; blessed are they that have respect unto thy commandements : if you leane to the right band , or to the left , &c , againe , if you keepe the whole law , and offend in anyone , you are guilty of the whole law . but , besides these scriptures , there be other reasons to prove that the regenerate man cannot lye in any knowne sinne . first , because hee that lyes in any knowne sinne , hath another for his lord and god , and so is an idolater , and so cannot be regenerate , for hee yeeldeth to the same still ; if it commands , hee obeyeth ; god commanding him , hee neglecteth it , and therefore maketh it his god. secondly , because he that lyeth in any knowne sinne , will be unconstant in the serving of god : now god rejecteth such an one ; for though the temptation to that sinne being removed , hee serve god ; yet that sinne setting upon him , hee forsakes gods service , and obeyeth it , and when soever occasion is offered , hee turneth to obey it : now such unconstancie god hateth . as among men a flower though it be more beautifull than a pearle , yet it is not regarded so much , because it is fading ; and a ship may saile safe a great while , but yet falling upon a rock maketh shipwrack : so a man may make shipwrack of faith and a good conscience ; and such a one cannot be in the state of grace . thirdly , because hee that lyeth in any knowne sinne , will , if he had like strong temptations , commit all the sinnes in the world ; as be a man enclined to covetousnesse or uncleannesse , hee would commit any other if hee were as much enclined to any other : now , such an one cannot be in the state of grace . fourthly , because if a man have a good heart , no sinne can grow there , because it is out of its proper place , and therefore cannot prosper : as plants that grow in india , if they be set here , wither ; so every sinne in a good heart is out of its proper place , and wil not grow , but wither every day more & more : but he that findeth finne growing in his heart , his heart is not regenerate . fifthly , because he must hate the word of god and godly men : for when a man is ready to commit sinne , the word is at him to disswade him , godly men disswade him ; and therefore now if he doe it , and they still rebuke him , hee commeth to account the word a reproach , and he hates it and good men likewise . thus herod is iohns friend a great while , till he tels him of his beloued sinne , and then off goes his head : so hee hates god , and wishes there were none , because he resolveth to sinne , and god reproves him , and so hee cannot be in a good estate . sixthly and lastly , because all his actions will have an evill tincture from that his sinne ; it so swayeth all he doth , that nothing is currant in gods sight . as if a man were set to get honour , though he did not directly fall into that sinne , yet hee squareth all his actions that way , hee affecteth such persons as may further that his intent , so that sinne leaveneth every action of his ; and whensoever any act of religion opposeth him , he then forsaketh all : as if a man have a project to get a harvest that is not yet come , all that hee doth , is for that end , hee ploweth , soweth , and the like ; so it is with a man that hath a sinne , and resolves to follow it , hee byasseth all his actions by that , therefore god abhorres him and all that he doth . first , this is to try us : hereby every man may know whether he be in the state of grace or no. if he lies in the least knowne sinne that is , hee is but counterfeit ; if though he be admonished , and told that god will not have him to doe such a thing , yet he doth it , it is a signe he is not in a good estate : as if a man knew and were perswaded he ought not to abound in idle speeches , and yet will , it is a signe he is not in the state of grace . so when he is commanded to pray , and yet doth it not , or doth it only for shew , it 's a signe he is in a bad estate : or if hee knew it a sinne to be idle , and is perswaded of it , and yet will , it 's a signe his estate is not good : so for immoderate gaming , if one be told hee should not , yet will use it , certainly he is bad : so for the lust of the flesh , the lust of the eyes , and the pride of life , when a man shall spend all his time , and finde all thoughts bent that way for any one of them , certaine it is his heart is not gracious ; for then these thoughts would not abound in him , but thoughts of growing in grace ; but if his morning thoughts be for satisfying of the flesh and the lusts thereof , or his secret plots , he may justly feare it 's a reigning sinne : for when all his projects and thoughts are upon one thing , as to be in fine apparell , it 's certaine sinne reigneth in him , and so he is in the state of damnation ; as a scholer that wholly aymes at vaine glory , and how to get honour and credit , that sinne reigneth in him . but there were many which seemed religious men , which had these infirmities in them in the scriptures . true , and many therefore not truly regenerated , but seeming only so : now many make a faire show under the meanes , when falling into temptations , they fall away : but if they be not commanded , or think not of it , great faults may stand with true grace ; but if they be admonished by their conscience , or others , and told they must not doe it , then their estate is not good ; for true grace cannot stand with these failings . now , the signes whereby we may know , whether we live in knowne sinnes or not , are these . . living in a knowne sinne is of two sorts ; . knowne , when men sell themselves to commit wickednesse before the lord , as ahab did ; when he powreth out himselfe to vanity , as when a man shall give up himselfe to drink or to company , or to commit any sinne of uncleannesse , or giveth himselfe to spend all of his time in recreations , this is evident to the world and to his owne conscience . againe , when he plainely forsaketh god and good courses which he tooke before , as demas did , this is plaine , he lyeth in a knowne sinne . secondly , the secret lying in sinne , the signes whereof are these . . when a man committeth it ordinarily : this is that paul saith , that the saints fall upon occasions : as if a man be sailing into france , a tempest driveth him into spaine ; so the saints face is towards heaven , but a suddaine passion may drive them another way . to commit sinne ordinarily , is to commit it when temptation assaileth , and occasion is offered , and impediments removed , then hee commits the sinne ordinarily ; for if there were such temptations alwayes , hee would commit the sinne alwayes : as pharaoh was good by fits , he was often restored , and desired moses to pray for him ; yet when temptation came , hee would not let the people goe , though before he had intended to do it . so saul , when opportunity was offered , would have killed david , though he swore not to doe it ; and so hazael : this is committing of sinnes ordinarily . secondly , when a man rejecteth admonitions , and the reprover . a poore childe is better than a foolish ( that is a rich ) king that will no longer be admonished , for then his heart is evill : for if a man be willing to have his lust mortified , hee is well pleased with him that brings him a knife to cut it off , because he doth as he would have him to doe : but when men are purposed to lye in sinne , they doe as a man doth with physick that he loatheth , he hateth even the very pot it selfe wherein it was ; so they hate them that admonish them , even as dogs : but if they can endure the company of good men , it is a signe their hearts are good . thirdly , abstinence from occasions : for many say their infirmities make them runne into such and such sinnes ; but if they were minded to leave their sinnes , they would leave their evill company and all occasions . to this adde the use of the meanes : for hee that purposeth to forsake his sinnes , will use the meanes : as if a man that is a drunkard , will keepe drunkards company , hee hath not purposed to forsake his sinnes , for then he would forsake and leave his evill company : but if hee use the meanes for mortifying the sinnes hee loveth , then it is a signe he is willing to leave sinne . now the meanes for mortifying sinfull lusts in us , are these . first , to make a vow not to commit that sinne , nor touch the occasions ; for then it is a signe our heart is sincere : this is a comfort to those that have made vowes ; which should be more used , not to make perpetuall vowes , but for some short time . secondly , to fast and pray ; for some lusts are not cast out but by these three . thirdly , to use godly mens company , for their practise and example helps them to forsake their sinnes , to fast and pray . another signe of not lying in any knowne sin , is whē a man prayes for admonitions , that god would stirre up some to admonish him , and can be content to search reasons out of the scripture against it , and is glad when he heares it reproved in the publique ministery . fourthly , when we can be content to be deprived of many things which might further our lusts , and to loath what sweetnesse might encrease them ; that is a sure signe that sinne rules not in us . fifthly , when a man confesseth his sinnes particularly , and plainely : for this is a signe hee would forsake them : this reason the scripture doth show , because then the conscience maketh such a noyse that he cannot denie it ; for when a man is purposed to continue in sinne , hee will not confesse his sinnes , no not to god : it is said when they came to iohn baptist , they confessed their sinnes , matth. . . so david saith , i said , i will confesse my transgressions unto the lord , and thou forgavest the iniquity of my sinne . psal. . . sixthly , when he is easily convicted : but when men will not be convicted , but seeke out distinctions to maintaine their sinne , it is a signe it is prevalent in them . againe , when they will not examine both sides , but runne to commit it , and stop their eares like a deafe adder , which refuseth to heare the voyce of the charmer , charme he never so wisely , and will not heare the reasons against that sinne , least they should be restrained . therefore the righteous are said to ponder their wayes , and consider their paths , and to try everything , and to take that which is good . now , hee that will but heare reasons against the sinne he doth , he is none of these : but when he will not be convinced , which is the first work of the spirit , it is a signe he is under the dominion of sinne . seventhly , when a man abstaineth from sinne not onely out of a naturall conscience , but out of a spirituall ; for a naturall conscience may deceive him : for there be three degrees of conscience : first , a prophane man hath some conscience ; secondly , a civill man hath more conscience ; yet both naturall : thirdly , a godly man hath most conscience . paul speaketh of the heathen , that they had a conscience that did accuse and excuse them : but when a man doth not commit sinne , being enlightned by a spirituall conscience , which is when a man hath a love to the contrary grace , and is carried with a certaine desire to doe it ( as men eat ) though there were no reward , and hate the sinne , and will not commit it , this is a good signe that sinne hath not dominion over him : but a man may have a restraint from a naturall conscience , yet it may have dominion over him , because it is as a barking dogge , that keepes the theefe from robbing . eighthly , when a man . doth not purpose to commit the sinne ; . hath reluctancie in the committing of it . . grieveth afterwards , and riseth with a better resolution not to doe it . but if this proceed from a naturall conscience , it is nothing : but if it proceed from a spirituall conscience and hatred of sinne , this is a good signe . ninthly , when after striving we have the victory : for we shall have the victory if we strive aright . this takes away their excuse that say it 's their infirmitie : but if they lye not in sinne , they will have the victory over it ; else thou art not a king , for a king is victorious ; yet a king may have rebels , yea , he may be wounded , yet hee keepes his power . so the saints may have many infirmities , yea they may have sound falls , yet in the end they have the victory ; god shall tread satan under their feet : wherefore the godly mans heart , though hee faileth sometimes , is like a troubled fountaine , which though it be muddie , yet because there is a spring of grace in his heart , it worketh it selfe pure againe , and works out all the mud . therefore content not your selves with dislike of sinne , but leave not till you have got the victory . tenthly , observe whether thou delightest in those that commit the same sinnes : if you doe , you lye in sinne , whatsoever you pretend . they doe not onely those things , but have pleasure in those that doe them . rom. . ult . this is a signe of a desperate heart . for a man may be drawne to sinne by passion , yet his heart may be upright : but when hee alloweth and loveth it in another , then there is no passion to lead him , but it 's a signe his heart is bent to it : for it 's a signe of grace when you love those that excell in grace ; so on the contrary it 's a signe of a corrupt and rotten heart , when wee rejoyce in iniquity . as for example , suppose a man have a lust of uncleannesse , yet disliketh it in another , and liketh those that excell in the contrary vertue , it 's a signe hee is in a good estate ; and this is true , because in another a man hath no passion to lead him away . eleventhly , when a man shall commit a sinne cleane to the contrary after perswasion , and long deliberation , as in ieroboam , saul , and ahab ; these committed their sinnes but once or twice : saul had a commandement from samuel not to doe it , he had many dayes deliberation upon it , yet hee did ; which lost him his soule . david committed greater sinnes , yet god counted them nothing , because he did not cast god away : but saul had cast him off ; so ieroboam set up the calfe on deliberation , and contrary to the perswasion of the prophet , therefore god cast him off . this was balams sinne , who deliberated what he should doe , yet having a secret desire of reward , did curse israel ; which made god cast him off : this was the sin of francis spira , who was smitten for committing of a sinne of deliberation . twelfthly and lastly , when a man shall make no conscience of small particular sinnes , wherein his judgement is convicted that they are sinnes , it 's a signe sinne hath dominion over him : this is plaine by scripture ; he that is not faithfull in the greatest , he may doe it , yet not be faithfull . againe by reason , if a small sinne be a sinne against god , then why make you no conscience of the least ? for god is offended with these as well as with the greatest : so if ye make conscience of the greatest of the duties of gods worship , why doe you not also of the least duties ? for god is pleased with these , as well as with the other . some say they will be religious , but they need not be so precise as some scrupulous men are : but let them examine themselves : if the least sinnes be sinnes , they must also make conscience of them : so if we must keepe an houre of the sabboth , there is the same reason of the rest of the houres ; so for idle speeches , and fashioning of our selves to the world ; so if we seeke for preferment or riches , it is contrary to the commandement of god : seeke not to be rich ; for they that will be rich , drowne themselves in perdition and destruction : so wee must not keepe company with evill and unsanctified men : examine how wee practise this in all duties commanded , let us try our selves by abstaining from occasions , whether wee refraine our selves from the temptations of objects ; for our speech must be gracious , not by fits , but alwayes ; so we must be diligent in our callings : if out of conscience we doe this , we are faithfull ; otherwise wee are not : for the same god which commanded us not to kill , commanded us not to commit adultery : if then thou committest adultery , thou offendest god : so moses would not leave an hoofe behind him in egypt , because god commanded him so to doe . know you not that no unrighteous man shall inherit the kingdome of god ? cor. . . so if wee abstaine from foule sinnes , yet if we commit the least , wee shall never goe to heaven . it serves for encouragement for fearefull christians : for if sinne shall not have dominion over you , then this may encourage you against the sinne that prevaileth against you sometimes ; at last you shall have the victory : it is true that many sinnes make warre against many christians , and will not be overcome for a long time , it may be for one , two , or three yeares ; yet let us not be discouraged , but renew our strength againe , and in the end wee shall have the victory . thirdly , we have here the priviledge of christians ; for though they be servants while others be princes , yet they are free in regard of their lusts . to see a man led to his execution , wee would not think it were for his honour ; so when ungodly men thrive in their worldy lusts , their soules are led to destruction , when sinne shall have no dominion over the godly ; but the ambitious and voluptuous men doe whatsoever their lusts command them , with a miserable bondage . it is not enough for men to see their sinnes , or to blame them in themselves , or to purpose to amend or forsake them , but they must strive to overcome them , or else they shall have no promise of the gospel apply'd unto them . pharaoh was a wicked man , yet with heart he purposed to let the children of israel goe ; but when some temptation assaulted him , then he would not let them goe : so saul purposed in his heart not to kill david , insomuch that he sware to ionathan he would not doe it ; yet afterward he attempted it upon another temptation : but wee must come to feele that sinne hath no dominion over us , otherwise we shall heare that sentence , depart from mee ye wicked into everlasting fire ; and , out of thy owne mouth i will adjudge thee , o thou wicked servant . and so much may be sufficient for the unfolding the first point of doctrine ; proceed wee to a second which flowes from hence also , and that is this , viz. that sinne although it doe not raigne in the saints , yet doth remaine and dwell in them : for proofe whereof see this place of scripture , if any man thinketh ( saith saint iohn ) that he hath no sinne , hee is a lyer , and there is no truth in him . the truth whereof will be seene in these things clearely . . because our knowledge is imperfect , and therefore every grace is imperfect , as our faith , and so our love ; and therefore much sinne must be in a man , in as much as his grace is not perfect . . the flesh lusteth against the spirit ; therefore it is plaine there is sinne in us , yea so much that often times it even captivateth us . . wee have in this life but the first-fruits of the spirit : now when wee shall have it in fulnesse , we shall have no more than enough ; therefore having now but the first-fruits of the spirit , mortification , and sanctification , sinne is not wholly abolished in the saints in this life , but doth dwell in them . the reasons hereof are , . to humble us , and to make us see what is in our hearts , and to make us know that the lord bringeth us to the holy land ; therfore god sometimes left the israelites to try them ; and so hee troubled hezechiah to know what was in his heart ; and so he sent a messenger of satan to buffet s. paul , lest hee should be exalted above measure through aboundance of revelations ; and so the lord doth deale with every saint . . that christ may be acknowledged ; for if wee had no sinne in us , we should not acknowledge the benefits of his mediation so much as now wee doe : all are shut up under sinne , that he might have mercie upon all , rom. . . & . . that is , that it might be manifested and declared , that they are saved meerely by the mercie of god in christ , as is said , rom. . . otherwise wee should not rightly value our justification and sanctification ; but seeing him subduing , pardoning our sinnes , wee see what need we have of him , how that we are lost without him . . that wee might exercise our faith . ioh. . . wee are the sonnes of god , but it doth not yet appeare what wee shall be , &c. so god hath hid his children under basenesse , that their faith might be exercised : for things we see , we may easily beleeve ; but faith is of things not seene : therefore god doth as men doe , hide jewels under base places , where men would looke least for them : wherefore wicked men stumble , and are offended at this , because they doe not beleeve it ; and therefore it is made an article of our faith , that we need and beleeve the remission and forgivenesse of sinnes . but let us apply it . . this should teach us not to be discouraged for those infirmities that are in us , for there are such in every saint . sinne is a guest to evill men , but a theefe to the godly , which they would not have come in their hearts : so it is one thing to weare a chaine as an ornament , and another as a fetter to restraine them : therefore the godly ought not to be discouraged , but to assure themselves they are under grace . . wee must not censure men for the slips and falls wee see in them : for wee must remember that sinne dwelleth in them , we must not presently judge them to be hypocrites : be not many masters , saith s. iames , that is , censure him not , for he standeth or falleth to his owne master . rom , . . . this should teach us to be watchfull , and not to think our labour is at an end when we are in the state of grace ; for sinne still dwelleth in us , and though we have the victory over sinne one day , it will fight against us the next day : as in a garden the weeds will grow , because the roots are not quite plucked up , and taken away ; so sinne is in us , and therefore we must think it will fight against us and vex us ; and therefore i say , let us renue our strength . now for this , we must doe these two things . first , weaken sinne . secondly , pray to god to make us watchfull . and so i have also done with the second doctrine . againe , from the latter part of these words , or reason of the promise made unto them in the former part of this verse , that sinne shall not have dominion over them , because they are not under the law , but under grace : i gather this conclusion , viz. that the way to overcome sinne , is to get assurance of the love and grace of god , and that it is forgiven them : the reason why the apostle promises them sinne shall not have dominion over them , is , because they are not under the law , but under grace , that is , they had assurance of gods love , and that their sinne is forgiven them : this is proved from that , faith purifieth the heart ; and , you repent and beleeve the gospel . now the reasons hereof are these foure especially . . because it is the meanes to get the spirit , without which no sinne is forgiven , which commeth by faith ; for it is not recieved by the law , for so saith the apostle , received you the spirit by the works of the law , or by the hearing of faith ? gal. . . secondly , it is the way to make us beleeve the promises , to make us beleeve that wee are transformed into a heavenly nature : for when wee beleeve the promises are true , that works love in us , and love transformeth us into the divine nature , without which no sinne is overcome . thirdly , because hereby wee are able to resist the tentations , which are either for the enjoying of good , or fleeing of evill ; so that these promises propound more good than sinne can harme : sinne threatned the losse of outward things , but the promises propound eternall life , which is better than all things else in the world . fourthly , because we doe delight in god : for when wee doe beleeve in god that our sinnes are forgiven us in christ , then we looke at god as on a mercifull father , and then wee cease to delight in the world , and we begin to delight our selves in the lord. the use hereof is , first , for direction , to teach us the way how to heale a sinne , and that is to get assurance that it is pardoned and forgiven ; for legall terrours doe not heale a sinne , but it is faith that purifies the heart , and purifying pacifies it : as a traytor will not come in , when hee heares a proclamation out for his death ; but when he heares he shall live , and be pardoned , this makes him to come in : so we , when wee onely fix our eyes upon the legall terrours , shall not heale our sinnes ; but when wee beleeve they are pardoned , this heales them . but sorrow and a broken heart are required for sinners to be assured of their forgivenesse . this sorrow is not so much commanded , but it is that whereby god prepareth his servants hearts , to make them see what need they have of pardon , and so they may ask pardon : but the sorrow commanded is that which followes beliefe ; for the more i beleeve the promises , the more i shal grieve for displeasing him . but what is the way to get assurance of the forgivenesse of our sinnes may some say . i answer , that that be done which is to be done on our part , beleeved which god hath promised . first , the things to be done on our part , are these : . confession plainely and truly : we must confesse them to god , and to man , when we our selves cannot overcome them . . contrition ; which is when a man is not stubborne , and resisteth gods will , and will please himselfe ; to get his heart broken , and to say as s. paul saith , lord , what wilt thou have mee to doe ? and then we are subject to his will. to him will i looke that is of a contrite heart . . desertion , or forsaking of sinne : for , he that forsaketh not his sinnes , shall not prosper ; which is when we having the like occasions , yet will not give way to him , but follow our owne lusts . secondly , that that be beleeved which god hath promised ; and that is , that as hee hath said , he will forgive our sinnes , upon such and such conditions , so we beleeve it . and to make us to doe this , these motions may perswade us . . because he is mercifull ; in whose mercy there are three things , all very materiall and moving . . it is naturall to him , hee is not weary of shewing mercy : as the eye is not weary of seeing , nor the eare of hearing , no more is god in shewing mercie : but in us it is not naturall , but an infused quality , and therefore wee are weary when men provoke us often . . his mercy is infinite ; but in men it is not so : therefore come within compasse of this quality , and hee will exercise it ; for no sinne is beyond gods mercy : this keepeth us from despaire : for though they be great , yet god is able to forgive them . as the raine watereth as well the great field as the little garden , and as the sunne shines as well on mountaines as on molehills , and as it disperseth the thick mist as well as the least thinne cloud , so doth gods mercy passe by great sinnes as well as little . but if our sinnes be exceeding great , aggravated with circumstances , and often committed , then we cannot imagine that god will forgive us . this is answered by the prophet isaiah ; god is more mercifull than man can be sinfull , he is more mercifull than we can imagine : my thoughts are as much above your thoughts as the heaven is above the earth . . we see much mercy in men , and in the mother of a childe : now , it is but as a drop out of the ocean of gods mercy , but as a spark to the whole element of fire . if you being evill , can give good things to your children , how much more shall your heavenly father , &c. see what the scripture saith , i am mercifull , forgiving iniquity , transgression and sinne : the first word signifies originall sinne , the second actuall , the third rebellion ; all which god can forgive . secondly , because it is the end of christs comming into the world : now , no man will doe any thing , especially so great a matter as to kill himselfe , for no end : christ then dyed for the forgivenesse of sinnes . this s. paul urgeth : the end of christs comming was to save sinners ; otherwise the crosse of christ had beene of none effect , and his mediation of no use , if men did not commit sinnes , or if god should not forgive them : therefore god must needs be ready to forgive . thirdly , because god beseecheth us to be reconciled unto him through christ : now , if god doth this , if wee seeke earnestly , hee will heare us . the prodigall being willing to come home to his father , he met him , and received him joyfully : so doth god , hee chargeth his ministers to compell men to come in , that is , to preach gods mercy , that he will forgive their sinnes ; and therefore the most acceptable action to god is to bring a sinner to him . fourthly , the charge laid on us to beleeve : wee are charged on the paine of death to beleeve ; and therefore it is most profitable for us , and most pleasing to him : hee takes it wel at our hands that wee should beleeve , and by the hand of faith lay hold on him ; which hee would not doe if he were not ready to forgive . fifthly , from the examples of others ; let us see what god hath done for them , and it will make us beleeve : he forgave manasses as well as ioshua , he pardoned mary magdalen as well as elizabeth , and paul as well as peter : he hath forgiven the greatest sinnes as well as the least , and he will also deale so with us . sixthly , from the effects of it which are these . . it glorifieth god much : abraham beleeved , and glorified god much : for the greater the sinner is , the more honour is given to god : as the physitian hath the greatest glory by curing the greatest wound : so god hath the greatest glory by forgiving the greatest sins , which wound the soule even to death . . it moveth us to love god the more . mary loved much , because much was forgiven her . . it mollifies the most ; it causeth them to relent , and weepe much more . this is plaine by that place , where it is said , that when god forgave the greatest sinnes , then they mourned and lamented , as in those converts , act. . . . it purifies the heart : for no man lookes to keepe his heart pure , untill hee be assured of the forgivenesse of his sinnes ; for till then hee cannot looke on god as on a father : but on the contrary , when the sinne is not forgiven , god loseth the glory of being a father , and the glory of his truth , and of his mercy ; and that hardens the heart from relenting . seventhly , from the price which was payed , and which no sinne can goe beyond : indeed , if christ had payed but a finite price , wee might feare that our sinnes should not be forgiven . if a man were in debt two thousand pound , and there were but one pay'd , hee might be discouraged : but when there is infinitely more pay'd than the debt is , this should make us beleeve our sinnes are forgiven us whatsoever they be , seeing they be all but finite . eighthly , from the tenour of the promises , which proclaime that they that beleeve and repent , and forsake their sinnes , shall finde pardon for them : as a king that proclaimes that all traytors and rebels shall be pardoned if they would lay downe their weapons . now , non est excipiendum ubi ●ex non excipit , there is no exception to be made where the law makes none . god faith , yea therefore hath said and sworne it , that he will forgive our sinnes , that we may beleeve it . but i have committed the sinne oft . yet god will forgive thee . though thou hast oft committed whoredome , yet i will forgive thee , if thou turne unto me , saith the lord , by the prophet , of the house of israel , ier. . . hence then ( to make some use of it ) wee may learne not to deceive our selves , to think we are in the state of grace , when we are not : for if wee did truly beleeve our sinnes are forgiven us , wee would be healed : but if we have the same lusts , and keepe the same company , which we did when wee were not changed , it is a meere delusion , whatsoever we say or think . and thus much for the third point too : there yet remaines one more , wherewith wee will conclude the whole text ; and that we may draw from the contrary to what the apostle here saith ; and indeed it is implyed , though not exprest : for if sin have no dominion over them that are not under the law , but under grace : then on the other side must it needs be as true , that whosoever is under the law , sinne hath dominion over him , that is , hee that refraineth sinne onely for feare of the law , and of judgements , sinne hath dominion over him : this is the case of them that refraine sinning onely for feare , and for the salvation of their soules , or for educations sake , which have beene brought up in good families , or such as repent upon some amazement , like the bulrushes which hang downe their heads onely while the shower lasts . and that , first , because all such as are not under grace , but under the law , have not received the spirit , which commeth by hearing the gospell : and no creature can change one creature into another , as lead into gold , or a wolfe into a lamb , unlesse it be by gods spirit . secondly , to such gods service is burthensome ; and violent motious last not long : they are weary in clambering up an hill : all naturall motions are swifter at the last than at the first ; but these are like the israe it es , who after a time would have returned into aegypt againe . now then , to end all with the time , let us . be exhorted not to abstaine from any sinne for feare of punishment , but consider whether thou wouldest serve god for gods sake , although there were neither heaven nor hell : it must be our meat and drink , which men would doe though there were no punishment for the omission of it . blessed is hee that hungreth and thir steth after righteousnesse . . hence we may learne not to deferre repentance , till death , sicknesse , crosses , or age comes : then it may be you would not sinne , though with balaam you had your house full of gold and silver : for it 's not the abstinence from sinne that god loveth , but the change of the heart . amaziahs heart was not right though he walked in all the wayes of david . there are men that have made a covenant with hell and death ; but god will disanull that covenant , or it will be but equivocall ; many have sworne in their sicknesse never to commit sinne again , which afterward they have committed again with greedinesse ; many have dyed in the same without repentance . . labour to see your selves doing duties with as much love as you can , and with as little feare , because perfect love casteth out feare . and so ( beloved ) i have given you a briefe survay of the severall points contained in this portion of holy scripture : wherefore , if you know these things , happy are yee if yee doe them . finis . the deformed forme of a formall profession : or , the description of a true and false christian , either excusing , or accusing him , for his pious , or pretended conversation : shewing that there is a powerfull godlinesse necessary to salvation , and that many have the forme , but not the power thereof . in handling whereof , these three things are plainly and powerfully explained and applyed . . what godlinesse is . . what the power of it is . . what be the reasons why some have but the forme thereof : together , with the meanes and marks , both how to attaine , and to try our selves whether we have the power thereof or not . by that late faithfull and worthy minister of iesus christ , john preston , doctor in divinity , chaplaine in ordinary to his majestie , master of emanuell colledge in cambridge , and sometimes preacher of lincolnes inne . not every one that saith unto me , lord , lord , shall enter into the kingdome of heaven , but hee that doth the will of my father which is in heaven , math. . . pure religion , and undefiled before god and the father , is this , to visit the fatherlesse and widowes in their afflictions , and to keepe himselfe unspotted of the world , james . . printed . the deformed forme of a formall profession . timothie . . . having a forme of godlinesse , but denying the power thereof . our apostle s. paul doth in these words give us a part of a description of wicked men in the latter times : & he bringeth them in by way of prevention or objection , or answer to an objection , as if some should wonder that there should be such kinde of persons in the church , as hee in the former verses had described ; covetous , boasters , proud , blasphemers , disobedient to parents , unthankfull , unholy , &c. doe these live as the church do's ? doe these retaine the sacraments , and the like ? yes , saith the apostle , they doe , wee cannot denie it ; only this , they have a forme of godlinesse , but &c. so that the point of doctrine arising from hence , doth plainly appeare even at the first sight to be this , viz. that there is a powerfull godlinesse necessary to salvation , and that many have but the forme , not the power thereof . now , there be three things to be explained in opening of this doctrine , to shew . what godlinesse is . . what the power thereof is . . the reasons why many have no more but the form therof . for the first , that you may the better conceive what godlinesse is , i will first shew you what it is not . first then , it is not bare nature ; but that godlinesse which god requireth of all men , is more then so . god indeed hath commanded nature , yea even corrupt nature , to bring forth many fruits of godlinesse ; as much abstinence from pleasure , much patience , much temperance , and such like , which are all very beautifull in their owne spheres ; but because they come not from god , nor his spirit of sanctification , or because they have no respect of god , therefore they are not godlinesse , neither doth god regard them . secondly , it is not the act of religion proceeding from selfe-love , though offered to god , in regard that men see that god is the governour of the world , that he hath the keyes of heaven and earth , and men may doe much to god for such respects , using him as a bridge to get to heaven by , making themselves their utmost ends : and therefore this is not godlinesse : but what is it then , you will say ? thirdly , it is a divine grace infused into the soule by god , whereby a man followes god , loves him , magnifies him , sets him up in his heart above all , and manifesteth this in his life , and the whole course of it , doing all for him and to him : and it is thus wrought ; when the creature comes to see no beauty in himselfe , and no help in himselfe : and sith god is full of all beauty , and all excellencie , and all power , able to answer our desires in every thing ; when he comes to see and consider this , then he begins to set up god in his heart ; as the jvy having no root , cleaves faster to the tree , so likewise doth he only to god , seeing that hee cannot subsist of himselfe ; and when hee comes to see that hee depends on him for all things , he will doe all things for him , because all are from him : whereas before , seeing something in himselfe , hee magnified himselfe , and so withdrew himselfe and his heart from god. and so i come to the next particular , viz. what is meant by the power of godlinesse : and for that , you shall know there is a godlinesse , which is not only in words and complements , but in deed and truth ; for it not only puts upon a man a washie colour of perfection , but dyes his heart in graine in holinesse ; and it differs from the other in five things . first , it is done in the power , when it is not the bare picture , where there are not only the outward lineaments of nature , but when there is life in it ; and that you shall know when a man needs not to be called on to good duties , but there is a naturall principle of life in him , wherby he doth them with facility and constancie , as naturall actions of life : when likewise he doth grow in them ; for where there is life , there is also growth ; and when hee doth likewise desire that which may feed it , as the meanes which may strengthen him in the doing of it ; as if a man have life , he desireth meat and sleep ; and when as there is life , then the works that come from a man , are not dead works , and then you have the power of godlinesse , it is not a fashion only . secondly , it is not true , but counterfeit , when it is like the true , but not the same , but wants some particular property that is to be found in the true ; as that which is counterfeit balsame , which is like the true , but wants the power of healing ; and so likewise a counterfeit drug , and a counterfeit jewel , which wants that property which the true hath : and the want of this you shall finde in the use , and in the wearing : as a rotten bow is found to be rotten when the arrow is drawne to the head ; so if a mans godliness be counterfeit , and hee unsound , it will be discovered in the wearing , or in some particular case , when he is put to it , or tried . a jeweller will finde out the property of a jewell , but an ordinary man cannot doe it , but by use & the wearing . to instance in some particular parts of godliness ; the love of god , if it be true , hath these properties , that a man loves the brethren ; for how canst thou love an immateriall holinesse in god , if thou lovest not that holinesse which is stampt upon the creature like thy selfe ? so likewise rectitude and uprightnesse of heart ; try it by this property , which our saviour christ makes of it , gracious speeches ; christ saith , that that which is predominant in the heart , the mouth will be full of : so for keeping of the commandements , if in truth they have this property , that they be not grievous , they will doe them with a naturall delight , and inward willingnesse : so for taking of christ by faith , every man beleeveth he doth so , but our saviour christ trieth it by this , goe sell all that thou hast , and thou shalt have treasure in heaven : & so mayest thou try thy self when thou art put to it by losse of goods , or credit , or otherwise . thirdly , it is in the power , when it is strong and not weake , when a man hath power and strength in doing good duties : and hereby many are discovered , who have good purposes only , which though they be hearty in them for a time , yet they want power and strength ; and this is the case of many which be in the church , who though they have the knowledge of the word of god , and approve the truth in their consciences , desiring to be saved by the practise of it , and so take up many good purposes , which yet come to nothing , because they want power and strength . consider therefore if thou hast power and strength to performe thy purposes , and then thou hast the power of godlinesse ; but not else . many will say , i am but flesh and blood , and what will you have me to doe ? now here wants the power , as you may see in the fifth chapter of deuteronomy , from the . verse to the , the people there said to moses , that what the lord should speake to him , they would doe it ; they said then what they thought , and what they meant and minded , and the lord saith of them , o that there were such an heart in them , that they would feare me , and keepe my commandements , &c. they wanted the power , though they had good purposes . fourthly , if thou wouldest know whether thy godlinesse be in the power or no , see whether thou hast not only the shaddow of it , but the substance ; for there is a shaddow with the substance : as if thou pray , there is a formall doing of it , which is as the shaddow ; but to pray in the holy ghost , not in the voyce of thy owne spirit , but out of gods owne spirit ; not out of memory or wit , but out of thy heart , and that an heart sanctified by the spirit of adoption ; this is the substance . and so to heare for knowledge onely , that is the shaddow ; but to heare for practise , that is the substance : and so againe , for us to preach the gospel , to doe it because necessity it laid upon us , and there 's a woe denounced against us if we doe it not , as saith our apostle of himselfe , there is the shaddow ; but to preach with power , and authority , and not as the scribes and pharises , with the enticing words of mans wisedome , this is the substance . fifthly and finally , it is in the power when a man goeth thorough the work : a thing is said to be in the power when it is effectuall , when a man bringeth it to an end , and doth it not by halves : so some begin indeed , but then they leave the work in the rudiments : but if a man have the power , hee will break through all difficulties , hee will leape over all till he hath wrought out his salvation with feare and trembling . and thus having dispatcht the two former particulars , i hasten to the third and last of the premises , viz. the reasons why some have but the forme , and not the power : and they are especially these . first , because the forme is most easie , but the power is a matter of more difficulty : for the former it doth not call upon a man to cut off his right hand , to pluck out his right eye , and to denie himselfe in things nearest and dearest unto him , as the power doth ; for it requires a man should take paines in good duties , and goe through them , not to omit or slight the least of them in the least measure that may be , or to lie in knowne sinnes ; and farther , it requires a man should doe this from day to day , and that when it crosses the flesh most : this is an hard saying , and caused many that they would no longer abide with christ ; they were willing to obey the forme , but not the power . secondly , because this power breeds hatred and opposition in the world , and the world will crosse it againe : now then , when a man may retaine the forme , and hold in with the world , a man may be of the world still , and the world will love his own : whereas the power makes men antipodes to all the world ; this makes many care for no more but the forme . fit for this purpose is that place , wisd. . . where the ungodly say of the righteous on this wise . these mens lives are contrary to ours , and their doings reprove our thoughts , therefore let us oppresse them : and christ tells us we must look for no other , saying , we shall be hated of all men for his names sake ; and it is no easie matter to have all men in contention with us : this then is another reason hereof . thirdly , because it is enough to serve a mans turne for his unregenerate ends : for men having a naturall conscience , whereof they must stop the mouth , and it being injudicious , and not able to judge of the power of godliness , they are satisfied with the forme : as when children are wayward and wrangling , because wee know they are not judicious , we give them nutts , not gold or silver to still them , and it serves their turnes as well ; so is it here in the naturall conscience , it doth judge the forme to be enough to carry a man to heaven ; and who would doe more than he needs must ? fourthly , because if men have but the forme of godliness , satan troubles them not , nor the flesh : but when men labour for the power of godlinesse , and goe on any further than the forme , then satan ( knowing this will bring them to heaven ) hath the power of hell against them , and hee keepes a great busseling with them to hinder them what hee can : and so doth the flesh too ; but it will not resist the forme , for that will stand with a mans lusts ; but if hee be divided against himselfe , hee cannot endure it ; as to denie a friend or a stranger , if he be importunate , is a hard matter ; but to denie a mans wife that lyes in his bosome , if shee be earnest , is more difficult ; but to denie a mans selfe when he is importunate with himselfe , is most difficult ; and yet this you must doe , if you have the power of it . now to denie the power of it , is when it is laid open to men and offered , and they with stubbornnesse of will resist and denie it . and so much for the opening of the words : now for the folding of them up againe , and first from the first , what godliness is , let us learne not to deceive our selves , for it is not ( as i told you ) naturall or morall vertues only , no nor the doing of the actions of religion , a man making himselfe his utmost ends thereof : content not your selves therefore with any thing that is not godlinesse : let mee speake unto you as peter to the dispersed brethren , where after that he had reckoned up many vertues , patience , knowledge , temperance , &c. he bids them add to all these godliness ; as if hee had said , all the rest are not availeable unlesse you have godliness also : see therefore that all these be godliness , that is , that they all come from god , and looke to him ; for this is the nature of godliness , to come to the wells head , and to search higher than nature , to have another alpha and omega of all that is within us , or that comes from us , than what is within us of our selves . and then againe , if we be to preach to others , wee should learne to preach christ and god , that is , to enforce all as from them and to them ; not only to exhort to morall vertues , with such instructions as may be taken out of seneca or plutarch ( though these have their use and place ) but as out of the scriptures , let christ and god come in , and shew you how all doe come from god , and looke to god : and so all you that are hearers , be sure all you doe be godliness , that is , comming from god , and tending to him : for motions have their denominations from their terminus à quo , and from their ends ; as that is called calefaction that tends to heat : so is that truly godlinesse that tends to god , and hath respect unto him . art thou a student ? when thou studiest and takest paines in thy books , see whether thou do'st it for thy selfe or for thy credit , or doest thou make god thy utmost end ? examine thy heart , and examine it narrowly : and so likewise you that are exercised in other callings , doe you doe them that you may doe good to mankinde in them , as a servant that uses his talent to his masters service ? then is this godliness : so if you eat or drink , or recreate your selves , doe you doe it that you may doe good better , as men whet their sythes that they may mowe the better ? then this is also godliness , for it tends to god and godlinesse . but you will say , doe you altogether condemne naturall and morall vertues ? must they doe nothing ? yes , you shall have this use of them , that they will help as winde to drive the ship ; only it is godliness is the rudder that guides it , and aymes at the right haven : as for example , you are commanded to love your children , and your wives ; you are bound to doe this , if you had no naturall affections in you ; only having these affections in you , you doe it with more ease ; else you must drive the ship with oares , whereas now the winde fills the sailes , and you doe it with more facility and ease : and so likewise you are bound to be patient and meeke , and you must be so , though your natures be not so ; but if your natures be so , you may the more easily be so , yet so as godliness must set the compasse , and steere the ship . morall vertues are like good horses , that draw the chariot , but godliness is the auriga , the coachman ; without which , take the most excellent things that nature is capable of , if it be not guided by it , the lord regards them not ; for god regards nothing but that which drawes the creatures unto him ; but now moraell vertues makes us rest upon our owne bottomes , and so likewise all things whatsoever they be that beautifie the flesh ; for god will have no flesh to glory in it selfe ; but let him that glories , glory in the lord. nay , i add more , take the graces of the spirit , wherewith god adornes his saints , as an husband doth his wife with jewels , if you magnifie them , you doe so much withdraw your hearts from god : therefore in heaven it is said there is neither sunne , nor moone ; now what is that ? there is no excellencie in any creature that is magnified there , but god is all in all , hee is sunne and moone : and therefore in the revelation of saint iohn it is said , and said to their honour , it is made their worth that they give all to god ; glory and power be to our god for ever ; they fall on their faces , throw down their crownes , though created glorious creatures . when the evill angels began to reflect upon themselves , it was their ruine , they fell from god : for the creature of it selfe is like a glasse without a bottom ; if it commeth to stand upon its owne bottome , it falls , and breakes ; and so the angels when they would stand of themselves , they fell downe to the lowest pit : and therefore of all graces , labour for emptying graces , as faith and love ; for these give all unto god , nothing to mans selfe ; and therefore they are the great graces in religion , which you must chiefly labour for . secondly , from that there is a power in godlinesse , if it be such a powerfull thing ( as you have heard it is ) then this may serve to comfort us in the wayes of it . wheresoever it is in truth , there it is in power : say that thou hast such a light that thou canst not beleeve , that there be such roades as that thou canst not walk by them , yet if thou hast godlinesse , thou shalt be able to overcome ; for the kingdome of god consists in power . when god commeth to dwell in any mans heart , hee sendeth godlinesse into it , which rules in it as a king in his kingdome ; think therefore of it as of monarchs as alexander was , or those which daniel speaketh of , it carries all before it , it bringeth every thought into subjection : and therefore also the spirit is called a spirit of power ; and if you have godlinesse , it commeth from the spirit , and therefore is accompanied with power ; and therfore christ is said to be full of the holy ghost , and of power ; and so stephen , and iohn the baptist ; and grace is said to be a powerfull thing : be strong in the grace of god , and in the power of his might . now , the reason why godlines hath power , is , because god hath put vertue into it : as when you see such and such an hearb have such a vertue in it to doe such and such a thing , it is because god hath endued it with such a power ; and so hath he done with godlinesse . if therefore thou hast any thing to doe in religion , set on it ; hast thou any lust to overcome ? set on it , and let mee speake to thee as hee spake to gideon , goe on thou valiant man in the might of the lord. the people of israel travelling to the land of canaan , saw the cities walled to heaven , and that the gyants were there , the sonnes of anak ; yet ioshua biddeth them be of good comfort , and feare not , for the lord would fight for them , and deliver their adversaries into their hands : so , though you see difficulties in the way to heaven : yet godlinesse is a powerfull thing that will carrie you through all : therefore likewise the apostle having prayed for the ephesians , that they might not faint at his tribulations for them , which was their glory , but that they might be strengthened with might by his spirit in the inner man , to comprehend with all saints , the breadth , and length , and depth , and height , and to know the love of christ wh●ch passeth knowledge ; which because they might think they should never be able to do , he addeth , to him that is able to do above all that we can aske or think , according to the power that worketh in us , be all glory : as if hee should have said , god is able to doe it , and that by the power which worketh in him ; so suppose to subdue some lust of the flesh , be a thing so hard as you think it wil never be done ; nay , you conceive it to be a thing so improbable as that you are asham'd to ask it : yet , according to that power which worketh in us , he is able to doe above all we ask or think : and therfore he prayeth that their eyes may be opened , that they may see the greatnesse of the power that wrought in them ; and it was not that they might see and look at it idly , but for the use to serve their turnes , that they laying hold of it , and using of it , might be able to doe these things which they desire should be done , even such things to which a mans nature is as untoward as water is to heat when there is none in it : only , as christ said to mary , beleeve and you shall see the power of god ; thou must goe to god for it by faith , and god will shew it forth unto you , and you shall have fruits of it . the end of faith is not only to apply the holy promises of justification , but of sanctification also : as for example , he hath promised to baptize you with the holy ghost and with fire , that is , with zeale & other graces of the spirit , which must give them power and strength ; and all , that sinne might not raigne in their mortall bodies . goe to god then and urge him with his promise , and hee cannot denie you . when men therefore think to excuse themselves by saying , i am not able to doe such a thing , what will you have me to do ? it is no excuse : for if they were but willing , it is all he requireth of them ; the power , that belongeth to god ; which if men would but beleeve , and go to him , he would undoubtedly give it them . i therefore now ask thee , wouldst thou turne to god ? wouldst thou overcome such and such a lust of uncleannesse , drunkennesse ? &c. be it what it will be : if thou answer , no ; then thou art justly condemned , thy blood be upon thy owne head : but if thou sayest , yes , thou wouldst ; then come but to god , be resolute to be religious in good earnest , and i will assure thee , hee will vouchsafe thee power to doe it . the apostle saith , that god would confirme them unto the end , that they might be blamelesse in the day of the lord iesus ; for , saith he , god is faithfull , he hath said , he hath promised it , hee shall break his word if he do not : let me reason it a little with you ; is it not an acceptable request to goe to god with all thy heart , and to say , lord , i desire but the power and strength to goe through with thy owne work ? do'st thou think hee will not heare thee ? remember christ , the only physician , how ready he was to heale men of their bodily diseases when they came unto him ; and hee hath not put off his nature now : do'st thou think the power of his death & resurrection were but fancies , or a notion ? if not , goe on and feare not ; for as god said to ioshua , so shalt thou finde him to deale with thee , i will never leave thee , nor forsake thee . and so leaving what i have said , to your further consideration , i come to a third use , that seeing godlinesse is such a powerfull thing as you have seene , therefore you would take heed how you deceive your selves with fond desires and purposes , that have no power , no force in them , so as to think that they will serve the turne ; no nor yet a few feeble faint endeavours . i say to men that set on religious courses without having their hearts changed , as christ said unto his disciples , tarrie yee in the citie , till yee be endued with power from on high : as if our saviour christ should have said , if yee goe presently into the world , yee will not be able to goe through with your works ; stay therefore with fasting and prayer till you have received power from on high to carrie you through : for new purposes in a man that returnes to his old nature , are like new wine in old vessells , they will break the vessells and be too bigge for your hearts : it is therefore enough to take up now a purpose , and begin to be diligent in your calling or sanctifying the sabbath ; for , it is impossible these purposes should live in an hart that is carnall : for , as the soyle must be sutable to every creature , or else it will not live ; so likewise you will never be able to performe these purposes . in the first place therefore labour to get new hearts , as the bottome of these purposes , which may be as the root to give sap to them ; for then they will live and grow in you , when there is a soyle to sute with them . secondly , get power in beleeving . christ our saviour , when he came unto his country , it is said , he would not put forth his power to work many miracles there : why so ? one would have thought hee should rather have wrought them there than any where else , both for his owne honour , and the good of his country-men ; no place then was fitter for that than it : yet there he works few or none , and the reason was , because of their unbeliefe , they beleeved not : so that it is the want of faith that holds gods hands from strengthening you ; you will not ( i say ) beleeve god , who hath sworn ( and it is not an idle oath ) that hee would grant that wee should serve him in godlinesse and holinesse all the dayes of our life . when the widow came to christ to be healed of the issue which she had many years , it is said that vertue went out of him to heale her , because she beleeved : and though it have bin a disease of never so many yeares , yet if he say , be ye whole , it is no matter what the disease is , so god be the physician ; and therefore beleeve . thirdly , pray , and furnish your selves with all the graces of the spirit : not only goe about things , but maintaine a stock , fill the cisterne every day within , whet and point the graces of god in you ; for the inward man every day is subject to decay , as well as the outward man : and doe not take ayme at your selves , or at your strength , when you are in a good mood , or by the present temper ; for it vanishes if there be not a supply from day to day from grace within , if you doe not whet your soules every day . fourthly and lastly , if this be true , that many are partakers of the forme that have not the power of godlinesse ; that when we come to looke on the faces of our churches , we finde the forme in many : but if we come unto their dealings and carriages in private , ye shall scarce finde the power ( it 's as rare , as the other is frequent ; ) in their profession indeed there is a forme , but yet ye shall finde religious servants as idle as others , and wives as stubborne as others , husbands and masters as like lyons in their families , and as false in their dealings as others : if this be true ( i say ) as it is too true , then be not deceived , god is not mocked , but try and examine your selves herein ; for the kingdome of god consists not in word but in power : the lord will not judge you according to your intentions and purposes , but according to your works ; and it 's not he that saith , lord , lord , shall inherit the kingdome of heaven , but hee that doth the will of my father , &c. be not then children in understanding for to take counters for gold , lay not out your money for counterfeit things , be not fooles to take paines , and yet not have your turnes served . let me speake unto you as iames doth , if you say yee have faith , and not works , can your faith save you ? i say , if you have the forme of godlines , and not the power , will that save you ? if you would not be deceived then , examine your selves . first of all , if thou dost more than nature : see that thou beest not the same man thou wast , that thou standest not up in the same troupe thou didst ; if thou dost , thou hast no more but the forme of godlinesse in thee ; for if thou hadst , it would turne thy nature , and add wings unto thee , making thee soare higher than nature : i am able through christ that strengthens me , and that , not to doe some things , but all things . he sayes not , i doe purpose or desire , but , i am able to doe all things ; &c. those therefore that are able to stand against some lusts that are against their dispositions , but not against all , are weake , and have not this power in them . it may be thou art able to serve god when thou art poore , but what art thou when the world comes in upon thee ? thou art able to abstaine from sinnes by nature , but godlinesse ( as wee say of physick ) helps when nature failes : and as a naturall man with his sight sees farre , but with an optick glasse sees further ; so when nature falls short , art helps : as though by nature a man may measure or count , yet if he comes to a large piece of ground , or a great summe , art is required : so though thou mayest doe many things by nature , yet when godlinesse comes , it helps out in things wherein nature failes : as sampson could doe many ordinary things by his owne strength ; but when hee came to take downe or carrie away the gates of a citie , and to pull downe an house , it is still said , the spirit of the lord came upon him , the lord went with him ; and even so it is here . secondly , examine whether ye be godly in truth or no ; for in christ there are said to be dead branches as well as living , that is , those that have the forme as well as those that have the power : but how are they distinguished ? the dead beare no fruit ; and therefore as iohn said , every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit , god puts the axe to it : and so the three grounds did not bring forthfruit . examine therefore your selves whether ye be full of fruit or no , whether ye abound in good duties or no , and doe them with an honest heart , for thereby the fourth ground is distinguished from all the rest . thirdly , examine whether ye hold out in time of triall or not , whether you are able to approve your selves with joy , as the apostle sayes of himselfe , that he did when he was in trouble on every side , on the right hand and on the left , in prosperity and in adversity . the third ground held not out in temptation ; and the reason was , because they had not depth of earth , that is , they wanted power , and an inward stock of grace , for that is depth of earth : as a man that keeps a great house , if he have not a stock able to supply him , he will soone prove bankrupt , and for a trades-man ( as yee say ) if he be not diligent in his trade , and follow it well , and make his returnes , he will soon breake ; so also when a man wants inward power , and an inward stock of graces to beare his daily expences out , he will soone become bankrupt . fourthly , every grace hath some property annexed to it , which doth distinguish and difference it from counterfeit , as in faith unfained , laborious love , patient hope , and the like . thirdly , take heed lest some lust overcome all , and so lust overtop all , and be predominant , as the praise of men , or a respect of pleasure ; as an hawk ( you see ) though shee may soare and flie high , yet she will have an eye to the prey below ; and so have hypocrites . see therefore that ye serve god in singlenesse of heart , and not with eye-service , that you doe not harbour any lust within , for that will spoile all at last : as weeds in a garden , if they be let alone , and not plucked up , will over-runne the hearbs ; so is it with sinne ; if it be suffered , though it be but a little one at first , yet it will like a leprosie overspread the whole man : and therefore looke to that , that some lust doe not overcome all in the end . and so i end for this text and time . finis . plenitudo fontis : or , christ's fulnesse , and man's emptinesse . a sermon preached by iohn preston , &c. cor. . . what hast thou , that thou hast not received ? if thou hast received it , why dost thou boast , as though thou hadst not received it ? london , printed for iohn stafford , and are to be sold in blacke horse alley , . ❧ to the anti-arminian : or , to every good christian reader . good reader , pliny the great naturalist , taxeth some of the greeke , and latin writers in his time , of folly at the least , for sending abroad their empty and worthlesse pamphlets with an over-praise in the title , promising much at the first sight , but utterly deceiving the reader in his further search : but he that shal with judgment reade this sermon , will finde somewhat more then a naked title to commend it . sometimes the work-man graceth the worke : sometimes the worke the worke-man ; but behold in this treatise they kisse each other , and are joyned together as a white rose & a red rose in one sweete posie . but , that both have beene abused in the first impression hereof , it appeareth as clearely ( by the manuscript ) as the splendant sun within earths spangled canopy : for a● those passages , which will make the arminians to stumble and ( without doubt ) to fall in some measure , are ( by the imprimatur-ist ) deleted ; as if arminianisme were englands true doctrine . but now for thy comfort ( dear christian ) thou hast the author's sermon as it was preached before king iames , without the least diminution ; and i sent it out with that prayer , or benediction that iacob sent with his sonnes into aegypt ; god almighty give thee mercy in the sight of the man : in the sight of the great man , that thou maist make him humble : of the poore man , that thou maist make him content : of the stubborne man , that thou maist hammer , and supple him : of the penitent man , that thou maist bind up his wounds & sores . of every ma● that thou maist touch his conscience , and wound his soule . amen . thine in the lord iesus , p. b. christ's fulnesse , and man's emptinesse , &c. john . . of his fullnesse we have all received grace for grace . saint augustine in his booke de civitate dei , seemes to stand amazed at the majesty which appeares in this first of iohn , above all other passages of holy writ . and calvine saith , he doth in this chap : de●onare ab alto , giving it the chiefest instance wherein a divine stupendious authority appeares beyond all the writing of men , innins saith , that he was never strucken with an apprehension of the diety , till he read this first chapter , affirming it to be the first and chiefest cause of his conversion from atheisme to a sincere imbracing of christianity , you may see it in his life written by himselfe . and in all this chapter , i finde not a richer and fuller sentence then this which describes to us the fullnesse of christ. the parts of it are three . first , here is a fulnesse attributed to christ. secondly , this is not a respective but a diffusive fulnesse , that is , fulnesse not shut up in its owne bankes , but running over for our benefit and use . of his fulnesse we have all received , that is , all that ever had any grace took it from this heap , drew it from this fountaine . thirdly , these receits are amplified by the variety of them , grace for grace . that is , christ hath given to us for all the graces which he received of his father for us ; graces answerable , as the seal is said to give to the waxe print for print , character for character , or as a father is said to give to the sonne lymbe for lymbe , member for member , though not of the same bignesse and measure . in the same sence christ is said to give to us grace for grace . so that now you see here a full shop , many buyers or receivers , chose of wares , or rather to use the scriptures similitude : a full table , many guests , variety of dishes : of his fulnesse we have all received grace for grace . [ we begin with the first . this fulnesse is attributed to christ in . respects . [ . in regard of his person : so hee was full . . with an increate fulnesse : for as the glory of god filled the temple that moses could not enter in : so the humanity of christ which answered to that type , was filled not only with the effects of the diety as then , but with the diety it selfe , which is therefore said to dwell in him corporally or essentially . [ . hee was moreover filled with a created fulnesse , and so hee was said to be full of all divine good things , which iohn reduces to two heads , grace and truth . truth which comprehendeth all the vertues of understanding ; and grace which comprizeth all beautiesand perfections of the will. secondly , this fulnesse is attributed to christ in regard of his offices [ . as a prophet . he was full of all the treasures of wisedom and knowledge ? so that all the light which the world ever had came from him as a prophet . all the revelations which adam , abraham , and noah ever had ; all the visions which esaias , ieremy , and the rest of the prophets ever saw ; all the mysteries which ever were declared to paul and iohn , came from him , they all received their light from this sun , which from the first morning of time shone to the darke world , without setting more or lesse , though the darkenesse comprehended it not . secondly , hee was ful as a priest , full of fauour with god , whence he hath audience , alwais full of compassion to man , whence he is ready to entertaine any suits or suitors ; full of merit , whence sure to prevaile in all his requests and intercessions [ . he was full as a king , full of authority , all power was given him , in heaven & in earth , full of strength and might to defend his servants , and to resist his enemies till he hath made them his foot-stoole . lastly , full of royall munificence , whence ready to supply the wants of his servants , and to give them in the end a large recompence of reward . thirdly , this fulnesse is attributed unto christ in regard of righteousnesse , hee was full of all righteousnesse originall & actuall , active and passive generall and particular , whence we have these b●● si●s , following , [ . that hee who was so full himselfe is able to make us full , if we want faith or love , or any other grace . [ . by this we know what a mediator we have to deale withal● even with one fall of love , fall of patience , full of tender compassion which may invite us to come to him . [ lastly , we have this comfort , that though our righteousnesse be very weake and small , yet in him we are compleate , coloss. . fourthly , this fullnes is attributed to him in regard of his effects . scarce was there ever any action that christ did , but you shall see a fulnes in it . at the first miracle that ever he wrought , he filled water-pots with wine , afterwards he filled guests with loaves and fishes , so that twelve baskets full of broken meates were taken up ; so he filled the netts with fishes till they were ready to breake againe , and which was the best fulnes of all , he filled the disciples with the holy ghost in the day of pentecost , and often afterwards , whence they are said to be full of joy , and the holy ghost . if we would know the reasons ; it is partly in regard of christ himselfe , hee was the corner stone , therefore there is reason hee should be the fairest in all the building . he was the prince of our salvation , therefore it was meet he should be like saul higher than all the people by head and shoulders , farre exalted above all principalities and powers . but chiefely it was in regard of us and our emptinesse , that with his fulnes hee might replenish our vacuity , otherwise wee could neither have seen him nor received of him . not have seene him , for the glorious beauty of his godhead was too bright for our eyes to behold . it was therefore reason that it should be put into the lanthorne , or vaile of christs humanity , that in that we might behold it . nor could we have received of it , for the diety is an inacces . sible fountaine ; it was reason therefore that christs humanity should be the cesterne or conduit-head to receive it for our modell and use . but here one question must bee answered . steven and other saints are said in scripture to be full of the holy ghost , and how differs this from the fulnesse of christ ? i answer , first they were said to be full according to their measure , christ out of measure , as a little dish may be said to be full as well as the ocean . so they were said to be full , because filled according to the narrownes of their present capacity . but christ was full according to all dimensions , length , breadth , and depth of fulnesse . secondly , in them there was plenitudo vasis ; in christ , plenitudo fontis , that is , there was in them a derived participated fulnesse , but in christ there was a fulnes like the fulnes of a fountaine springing from himself , which is well expressed by the schoolmen , when they say , that the fulnes of the saints and of christ differ , as ignis and ignita , the one like torches kindled , the other like fire it selfe , for the fulnes of the ocean is too little to expresse this ; for if you take a drop or two from it , it is so much lessened , rather the fulnes of the fire , which lights a thousand torches , yet is not it selfe diminished . thirdly , in them there was a comparative fulnes . steven was said to bee full in regard of other lesser saints ; but in him there was an absolute fulnes without all limits , without all comparison . what shall we now deduce hence for application to our selves ? first , that which is also the scope of the evangelist in this place ; this should invite us to come to christ , and to take of this full heape . this incentive paul often uses to inflame the desires of the gentiles to come to christ , even the riches of that fulnes which is in him , which in the fulnesse of time began to be exposed to all commers , as he saith , hidden before , but now fully revealed ; seen before but in types and shadowes , now with open face ; before preached but to a few , now to every creature under heaven ; before the spirit was given but by drops , but now he that hath ascended on high , and led captivity captive , hath so given gifts to men , that he hath filled all things . let us therefore be exhorted when we heare of such a fulnesse , not to take the grace of god in vaine , but labour we to have our part in it , that as those corinthians , we may be made rich in christ filled with all knowledge and every grace . content not your selves therefore to know this onely , for that is our common fault to content our selves with the notions of such things without practise . but go to christ as bees to a meadow that is ful of flowers , as merchants to the indies that have full mines , that you may experimentally find your selves returning from him full fraught with the treasures of truth and grace . in other things fullnes invites us much ; ioseph's full barnes in aegypt , drew iacob and his sons thither : canaan was a land ful● flowing with milke and honey , and that invited the israelites to secke it : solomons abundance and fulnesse of wisedome , caused the queene of sheba to come out of the south to his court. in every thing fulnes doth much allure and affect us . the covetous man though he spend but little , yet he desires to take it from a full heape , as he saies de pleno tollere acervo . how much more then should this fulnes of christ worke on us , especially since there is in him not onely a repletive but a diffusive fulnes ; not onely plenty , but also bounty ? but alas , if we looke upon the waies and actions of men , we shall find that men seeke a fullnesse in every thing else , almost , a fulnesse in pleasure and delights , a fulnesse in honour and preferments ; but this full honey combe is almost every where despised , but happy hee , the bent of whose heart god hath turned the right way to seeke a fullnes of faith and wisedome , and a fulnesse of the holy ghost , who cares not though he be empty of any thing else , so hee bee full of these ? though a looser in other things , so a gainer in these . such a one hath chosen the better part which shall never be taken from him . secondly , if there be a fulnes in christ , we should answer it with fulnes of affection on our parts , fully beleeve and trust in him , fully love and adore him , fully delight in him , for it is reason the affection should be answerable to the object . a little excellency desires little love and esteeme ; more excellency more love , but wher there is a fulnesse of al excellencies , that we shold procecute with fulnes of all our affections . all the excellency in the creature in comparison of this , is but as a drop to the ocean , and a sparke to the whole element of fire . therefore if we proportion our affections to the object , which ought to be the rule and square of them , we should bestow on the creature but a drop of love and delight , but the full streame of our affections should be carried to him , in whom is the fullnesse of all perfection . it is true indeed , that as men hide treasure from theeves under straw or baser covering , so god hides this ful excellencie from the world under a base outside , that his secret ones only might find it out , and others seeing , might not see , but stumble at it . thus he hid christ himselfe under a carpenters sonne , so hee hides divine misteries under the meane elements of bread and wine , so the wisedom of god is hidden under the foolishnesse of preaching : and under sheep-skins and goat-skins , as the apostle speakes , were hidden ; and such as the world is not worthy of , yet there is such a fulnes of excellency notwithstanding : for if ever wee saw beauty in sun , moone , stars , men , women , &c. or if ever wee found delight in musicke , meates , drinks , friends , &c. all must needs be more abundantly in god , who is the author , maker , & giver of all these ; as solomon reasons ; he that made the eye , shal not he see , so he that made all these things , shall he not have them eminently in himselfe , for as the worth of many peeces of silver is comprized in one piece of gold , so all the petty excellencies which are scattered abroad in the creatures , are all united in god , yea the whole volume of perfections , which is spread through heaven and earth , is epitomized in him ; why do we not then with paul , trample upon the pompe and glory of the world , for the excellent knowledg of christ ? why do we not with david , turn away our eyes , hearts , and affections from beholding vanity , and pitch them all on him ? why do we not re-collect our selves , and gather up our affections and thoughts , which are scattered and busied about a thousand trifles , and bestow them all on him , in whom is the fulnesse of all excellency , beauty , and perfection ? thirdly , if there be a fulnesse in christ , then let us be content with him , having our hearts filled and satisfied with him . first , in regard of spiritual things . goe we not to the brookes of teman , the broken cesterues , and pe●●ers packs of rome , as saints , merrits , churches treasury , &c. for if there be a fulnes in christ , hat needs not , for in him we are all compleat . secondly , for temporal things let us be content with him alone , for he is our fullnesse even in them also , for the better conceiving of this , we must know that the first adam brought a generall emptinesse through all the world , for though the world be full of pomps and pleasures , as iohn calls them , lust of the flesh , lust of the eye , &c. yet it is properly empty , because not full of that it should bee : even as we say a well is empty , though it be full of ayre , because it is not full of water which should be in it : for emptinesse is not so much , absentia entitatis as absentia entitatis debitae . hence therfore not onely the hearts of men , but the creatures are said to bee empty , hence solomon saith ecclesiastes the . chapter , vanity of vanities , all is but vanity , that is emtine●●e : and rom. . the creature is subject to vanity : that is emptinesse : through him that subjecteth it . hence the hea●ts of men are not satisfied with the world , but as the prophet speaks : they eat and are not filled , they drink , and behold their soule is empty , because the creature is now but as the huske without the graine , the shell without the kernell , full of nothing but emptinesse , and being empty in it selfe , cannot give us satisfaction ; but christ the second adam hath filled all things againe , epes . . last verse . he ●●ls all in all things , that is , not only the hearts of men , but the things also . it is the newter gender . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . hence we may observe , that many finde a want in the midst of plenty , their hearts finde no rest or satisfaction in al they enjoy , but with the holy regenerate man it is much otherwise , though he have but a little wealth , a little food and rayment , yet there is a secret fulnesse put into that little which makes it fit to give him satisfaction , which is the meaning of that of the psalmist , psal. , . a little thing to the righteous , is better then great riches to the wicked , because in that little it being filled with the blessing of the second adam , they finde a fulnesse , whereas the wicked finde an emptinesse in the midst of their greatest a●oundance . if there be a fulnesse in christ , then what though there be a fulnes of sin and guilt in us , yet there is a fulnes of grace in him able to remove it , and take it away . a fulnes of mercy to receive our supplications , a fulnes of merit to make an attonement for our foulest sins , a fulnes of favour to prevaile with his father in any requests . if therefore there be a fulnes of grace in christ , as there is , be not discouraged , though thy sins abound , yet his grace abounds much more , they cannot be so out of measure sinful , as he is out of measure merciful . remember but the two metaphors used in scripture , i wil scatter your sins as a mist , and they shal be drowned in the bottom of the sea. now the sun by reason of its great force can scatter the thickest mist , aswel as the least vapour : the sea by reason of its great vastnes can drowne mountaines , aswel as molehils ; so christ by reason of that vast fulnes of grace which is in him , is as able , yea as forward and willing to forgive the greatest sins aswel as the least , i say as forward and willing for mercy , though it be a quality in us , yet it is a nature in god : now what is natural , there is no unwillingnesse or wearinesse in doing that , as the eye is not weary with seeing , nor the eare weary with hearing ; therefore though our sins be never so great and many , yet if this condition be observed , that wee lie in no knowne sin , that we have a ful and resolute purpose , god bearing witnesse to our consciences , not to doe the least evil , nor omit the least good , in a word that wee make our hearts perfect to god in al things , for without this conditon there is no remission of sins . but if this condition be observed , i say that although our sinnes be never so great any many , yet they are not gone beyond the price which hath beene paid for them , nor beyond the grace of him with whom we have to doe , for there is a fulnes in him . now i beseech you take not this exhortation in vaine , for there is nothing more effectual to heale a rebellious disposition , to instil saving grace , to cause a finner to change his course , then to be fully perswaded that he shal be received to mercy , and that his sins shal be forgiven in christ : even as the theese , while the 〈…〉 e and cry is after him , never returnes willingly : rebels and pyrates whiles the proclamation of rebellion is out against them , never come in : but if there be a proclamation of pardon , yea and of some great advancement , if that be beleived once , that , and noting else causeth them to come in , and to become faithfull and loyall subjects . therefore let this fulnesse of mercy in christ be an effectuall motive to us all , to come in to lay down the armes of rebellion , to choose god for our good , and to give up our selves wholly to him , to serve him with perfect hearts & willing minds , all our dayes . so much for the first part . the second part i wil as briefely dispatch , and not meddle with the third , left i be tedious . of his fulnes weo have al received whence the second point is [ that al grace is received ] for as al stars shine in the light of the sun ; so doe al the saints through grace received . what else distinguished iohn from iudas simon peter , from simon magus ? but onely christ , who shone upon one , and not upon another , when they sate both alike in darknesse , and in the shadow of death . the scripture is evident for this , phil. . . the deed is wrought in us by god , and not the deed onely , but the wil also which produces that deed , nor that onely , but the thought also which begat that wel . for we are not able so much as to thinks a good thought of our selves . cor. . . so that al grace , yea al preparation to grace , and ability to accept grace are al from god : contrary to what arminius affirmeth : and not of our selves , and that for theise reasons . because nothing can worke beyond the spheare of us owne reach , the eff●ct exceedeth not the cause , therefore it is impossible for corrupt nature either to beget supernatural grace , or to doe any action preparing , or bending , or inclining the wil to it : for as the water cannot heate ( which is an action above the nature of it ) until an higher principle of heat be first infused into it ; no more can meere nature doe any thing tending to saving grace , having no principle in it selfe whence it can raise it . and if it be objected ( as it is by the arminians ) that though grace doe al , yet to accept or reject it , to wil or nil it , is natural to man as a free agent . i answer ; that to wil , is natural , but to wil wel , is supernatural , and must rise from a higher wel-head than nature is . for as an hatchet wil cut when handled but with a common hand , but not make a chaire , or stoole , or any artificial thing except it have influentiam artificis quatenus artifex , the influence of an artificer as he is an artificer ; so though to wil be natural , yet , to wil wel , to doe a supernatural worke in a supernatural and holy manner , it cannot except it have the influence of a supernatural agent to direct and guide it . if a man might accept grace or refuse it , as he would . god were not god , because he might be crossed by his creature , and his own wil should not absolutely beare rule , especially in that great matter of beleiving , and not beleeving , and in putting difference betwixt man and man in the matter of salvation and damnation : for according to arminius , though god did heartily desire the conversion of such a man , and offered him al the meanes of grace that could be , yet it is stil in the free choise of his wil to convert , or not to convert ; their onely answer here is , that seeing god hath made a decree , that man shal be a free agent , though he doe most earnestly desire the conversion of such and such men , yet because he cannot disa●ul his decree , he doth , and must leave it to the liberty of the creature to doe contrary to even that himselfe desires . but what is this else but to put god into such streights as darius was in , who would faine have saved daniel , but because of his decree he could not ? and if griefe in spirits and angels be but renisus volunt at is , a reluctancy of the wil , as the schoolemen affirme , what is this else but to attribute griefe unto god , and so to detract from his blessednesse . thirdly , if all grace be not received , but a man may accept it or reject it as he will , how can it be solved , but that a man must rejoyce and boast partly in himselfe , contrary to paul's rule , and not wholly in the lord , for aske the question of all that are saved , what is the reason that you are saved rather then another , their answer must needs be ; i out of the liberty of my owne will , did receive and use well the grace offered , when another did not . so that according to arminius , the saints in heaven are not a jot more beholding to god then the damned in hel , for the offering of grace on gods part , was a like common to both , only he that is in heaven , may thank his own wil that he chose it , when onother refused it . they have nothing here to answer , but onely that the meanes of grace are dispenced by god with some disparity ; but what is that when they maintaine such freedome of wil , that he who hath the greatest meanes may reject grace , and he who hath the least , may accept it ? other reasons there are , but that i hasten : as that grace is not grace without being received , no more then a man can be a man without reason , or a gift can be a gift without being given , for no lesse doth it imply contradiction to suppose it to be a grace , & yet not to be freely bestowed by god , and received by us . secondly , bowing of the will is an effect of grace , and grace is an effect of the spirit . now the spirit breaths , when , where , & in what measure it listeth . againe , if grace should spring out of our so●le , it should be but a flower of grasse , for all flesh is grasse , but the grace of the mediator is of a more durable nature , a flower that fades not , and a spring which is not dryed up . hence . corrolaries . one to rectifie our judgment . the other to direct our praectise . the first shewes us the errors of arminius , who hath but refynedl the old pelagianisme , a dangerous errour : for arrianisme was like a land flood that overflowed the whole world , but was soone dryed up againe , because it had not a spring to maintaine it , but the best ages of the church had in them as he called . multas fibras virulentiae pelagianae , because it is an errour agreeable to nature & reason , so that we have a spring within our own breast to nourish and maintaine it . but now to keep close to the point in hand , this point sheweth the error of arminius and pelagius , who ascribe the beginning , preparations , and ability of accepting grace to our own free will , although the complement to god. whereas you see by what hath been said , that not only the fuller streames , but every drop of grace , is received from his fulnes . this errour proceedes from their not distinguishing aright betwixt acquisite habits and infused , indeed in the acquisite , the acts goe before the habits , and prepare for them , but with infused habits it is clean contrary ; it is with them as it is with the naturall powers of the soule , wee have first the faculty of seeing before we doe see , and the faculty of hearing before wee doe heare , so it is in infused habits , we have first the habits before we exercise the operations of them , for even as the wheele doth not run that it may be made round , but it is first made round that it may run , so the heart doth not first do the actions , whereby it is put into a right frame , but it is first fashioned and made a new creature by grace , and then it doth actions , and brings forth fruits worthy amendment of life , for what is said of the soule , is as truly said of grace , it doth , fabricari sibi domicilium , prepareth a room for it selfe , useth no harbenger , for nothing can prepare for grace , but grace . and if it be objected , as arminius doth in his book upon the . to the romans , that such as senecae and socrates , were much enlightned , did approve the law of god according to the inward man , and had a kind of universall common grace . i answer , that this priviledg cannot be denyed to many among the heathen , that as alchimists , though they misse the end , yet they finde many excellent things by the way . so though they failed of the right end , the glory of god , yet they were not destitute of many excellent common gifts , wherein though one did go farre beyond another , as seneca beyond nero , and so others , yet as they say of sins , they do all alike passe the rule of rectitute , though some goe further beyond than others , so were they al alike destitute of original righteousnesse , although some more elongated from it than others , al are alike dead in sins , though some ( as dead bodies ) more corrupted and putrified than others . and if it be objected , as it is by arminius , to what end then are exhortations and threatnings , the propounding of punishments , and rewards , if it be not in our power to accept grace , & refuse it as we wil. i answer , that as the raine although it fal aswel upon rockes and heathes , as upon vallies and fruitfull places , yet no man asketh to what end is the first and latter raine ; so exhortations & admonitions though they fal aswel upon the reprobates , and those that are desperately wicked , as upon those that are docible and capable of better things , it is to no lesse folly to aske to what end they are , seeing as the raine , so they are to many beneficial and useful . so much for the first corollary , which serves to rectifie judgements . the next is for practise . if al grace be received , then deferre not repentance , for no repentance is accepted , but what proceeds from a sanctifying grace , and that as you see is received , that is given by god as he wil. it is not in him that willeth , nor in him that runneth , but he hath compassion on whom he wil have compassion , and whom he wil , he hardeneth , rom. . . as i said before , the spirit breatheth where , and when it listeth . therefore we should as millers , and mariners are wont to doe , who take the gale when it commeth , because they know the winds are not at their command : suppose a man were to passe the seas within dais upon pain of death , if the wind should blow the second day , third day , or fourth day , no wise man would omit the opportunity , because he knowes the winds are not in his power ; so , if the spirit shal breath into our hearts good motions of turning to god unfainedly in our youth , ▪ at . . or when ever , it is the greatest wisedome in the world to take the opportunity , and not to put it off , who knoweth whether they wil be had againe or no : how many thousand are now in hel who thought to have repented , and did not because they neglected those breathings of the spirit where they were offered ? for there are certaine acceptable times , after which god offers grace no more : happy he that knowes that day of his visitation , and as our saviour speaketh , the things which belong to his peace , in that his day , which ierusalem did not , which made christ to weep over it , and which saul did not : and the jewes in ieremiah's time did not , when god forbad ieremy to pray for them . for as there were certaine times when the angell moved the waters in the poole of bethesda , and he that then stepped in , was healed ; so there are certaine acceptable times , wherein god troubles the hearts of men by his spirit . happy is he who then steps into a good course , that he may be healed to salvation . i say there are certaine times , wherein god doth ( as it were ) thaw and soften the frozen hearts of men . and it is wisedome then with the husband-man to put in the plough , while the ground is soft : for the heart in such a case is like iron in the furnace , easily fashioned , but stay till it be cold , and it will not be wrought upon . i beseech you therefore let us be exhorted to take the opportunity , and not be like to those whom isayah complaines of , who like bulr●shes bow down their heads for a day , while some sto●me of inward or outward trouble is upon them , but when a faire sun-shine day comes to dry it up againe , lift up their heads as upright as ever before . if a man would sit downe and call his thoughts together but for one half hour , and consider this seriously , i have but a little time to live here , it is another place where i must live for all eternity , and it shall be with me for all this eternity , as i spend this short time . i say if this were thoroughly considered , i wonder that any thing else should take up the intentions and thoughts of a mans heart , but only how to make sure his salvation . but alas we are robbed of our selves through worldly delights , and doe magno conaru , magnas nugas agere , and so we spend our lives . but if we would not have with the merchant , fortunam rudentibus ap●am , that is , an estate hanging upon ropes , and depending upon uncertaineties , especially seeing grace whence repentance proceedeth , is as you see received , and not in our power . but wee mistake repentance , and that is the cavse we defer it , it is not as it is commonly thought , a sorrow for our sinnes onely , nor a n●●ere leaving of sinnes out of feare of hell , and desire to be sayed , which a man may doe out of the strength of naturall wisedome , providing for his owne safety , but it is a much different thing , viz. putting life into a dead man : ephesians . . making a man a new creature , corinthians . . a change of the whole frame of the heart . as if another soule dwelt in the same body , as he saith ; ego non ego . in a word , when a man is cleane another man , then he was serving of god out of an inward propensnesse and having the whole bent of his disposition turn'd to delight in the law of god without these by-respects . and that this may yet be made clearer , and put out of all doubt , i would aske but this question ; that repentance which men take up in age , or in times of extreamity , whence proceedeth it , if from selfe love , as it usually doth in such cases , because the soule is then strongly possessed with an apprehension of death and hell , and another life , then there is no more then nature in it , for the streame riseth not higher then the fountaine . a beast would doe as much , which sinking into danger , would struggle to save it selfe . but if it proceed from love to god , why was it not done sooner , why not in the flowre of our youth , yea when it is done soonest , would we not be heartily sorry that it was not done sooner , if it proceeded out of love to him . and if it thus proceed out of an holy love to god , it cannot arise but from his holy spirit : the breathings of which spirit as they are most free , so are they most pretious . therefore when such a sparke is kindled in our hearts , let us bee carefull to put fuell to it , and not suffer it to goe out againe . al the creatures in heaven and earth cannot helpe us againe to them , yea the best ordinances are but as pens without inke , or empty conduit-pipes which give not a drop of true grace . except christ who is the fountaine please to conveigh it by them . you know the famous story of francis spira , what bitter cryes hee used upon his death-bed : o that i had but one drop of faith ! one of the motions which i have beene wont to have , but yet could not have them ! but died with those desperate words in his mouth , i am damned . therefore let us take heed how we let such motions rise up like bubbles in us , and breake againe ; or goe our like sparkes upon wet tinder , lest often checking , and snibbing , and quenching the spirit , in the end we be guilty of resisting the holy ghost , and god shal sweare in his wrath that we shal not enter into his rest . [ where by the way observe , that this doctrine teacheth us not to be idle , and leave al to god , as they slander it ] but as paul maketh the consequence , because god worketh in you both the wil and the deed , therefore worke out your salvation with feare and trembling . arminius contrarily , ourselves worke in our selves the wil , and the deed ; therefore we need not worke out our salvation with any such feare and solicitude , since we may d●e it at our owne pleasure and leisure . but it wil be said this is a hard case , although a man would repent , yet he cannot : though he desire to serve god , yet it is impossible . therefore to take away this scruple , we must know that god is exceeding free and open-handed in giving grace ( if it may be taken in time ) and if we wil not believe it , iohn commeth here and telleth you , i have received of his fulnesse , and not onely i , but al we have received , that is , al other saints that either are , or have beene : and since iohn's time , many thousand thousands : and shal not such a cloud of witnesses perswade us ? if a beggar doe but heare of an open house kept ; or a great dole , it affects him , and invites him to goe : but when he sees many come from it with armes-ful , and lapsful , and baskets-ful , then he is confident : that addeth wings to him ; so if a sick man doe but heare of a famous physitian , or a healing wel , it stirs him up to goe and try : but when he meets with and comming from the wel , and telling him , i have beene there and am healed , i have beene there , and am made whole , then he maketh no question ; so doth iohn here , al we have received of his fulnesse : like a bird that hath found out a ful heape and calls his fellowes to it . say not therefore , oh my sinnes are so great , and my wants are so many : but rather thinke thus with your selves , if there was grace inough for so many , there is surely inough for me : onely you must receive when it is offered in the acceptable time , lest often grieving the spirit , god suffers his spirit to strive no longer . gen. , . but ( as i said before ) sweare in his wrath that you shal not enter into his rest . if al grace be received , then let us be affected as receivers [ in thank fulnes towards god ] the most gracious a●e the most grateful . [ in humility towards men ] for what have wee that wee have not received ? and shal our purse or vessel boast it selfe against another , because the owner hath put more gold , or more precious liquor into it , than into another , it may be of the same , or a better worth ? or shal the wal which glistereth with the sun beames exalt it selfe against another which stands in the shadow , as if it had lustre from it selfe , and not borrowed from the sun. . let us be affected as receivers , in begging grace at gods hands by prayer . therefore it is said to be the bucket of grace , and it is a true observation , that a man of much prayer , is a man of much grace . now prayer is either private , or publique : [ private , is that wherein we expresse our private and particular occasions to god every day , wherein we renew repentance & covenants with god , of abstayning from the sinnes we are most prone to , and of doing the duties to which we are most unapt , in a word , that wherein we doe every day set our hearts streight before god in al things . this is the very life of religion , and in this we must be very frequent and fervent , binding our selves with an inviolable resolution to keep a constant course in it , but of this there is no doubt . [ the next is publique prayer , of which because it is more questioned and not received by all with that reverence it should , i wil adde a word or two of it , and conclude . that a set forme of prayer is lawful , much need not to be said , the very newnesse of the contrary opinion is enough to shew the vanity and f●l●enesse of it : it being contrary to the judgment of approved councells , learned fathers , and the continual practise of the church . tertullian , who lived not much above an hundred yeares after the apostles death , saith in his booke de oratione , premissa legitima & ordinaria oratione , ius est superstruendi petitiones , &c , which sheweth that they had some ordinary set allowed prayers , to which , afterwards some were added at more liberty . in origen's time , who lived very neere ter●ullian's time : it is evident that there were set fo●mes of prayer ●sed in the church : for in his th homily upon ieremy , he ●epeath and expoundeth some passages of them , upon which ●ccasion ill●ricus saith . tunc temporis certas quasd●m formulas orationum sine dubio habuerunt . basil in his . epistle saith , that in his time there were letanies used in the neocesarean churches , and ambrose in his time affirmeth : vsum lae. taniarum ubique esse frequentem . constantine the great prescribed a set forme of prayer to his souldiers , set downe by eusebius in his fourth booke . and calvin in his . epistle to the protector of england saith , that he doth greatly allow a set forme of ecclesiasticall prayers , which the ministers should be bound to observe . but as i said before of the lawfulnesse , there is little question . that which is chiefely to be reprehended , is of a secret disesteem of publique prayers ? by reason of which , many neglect to come to them , and they which doe , doe it in a perfunctory and overly manner , which is an extreame fault . better were it , that men would come to this disjunction ; either it is lawfull to use them or not ; if not , why doe they not wholly abstaine , and if they be lawfull , why doe they not use them constantly , and in a reverent and holy manner . one thing there is , which if it were well considered , would breed in the hearts of men another esteem of our publique prayers then there is . and that is , that besides the end of obteyning the things we want ( wherein yet publique prayer hath the promise ) there is another end in praying , and 〈…〉 t is to worship god , and to performe a service to him , for proving of which , there are two places of scri●tu●e un-answerable , luke . . hannah worshipped god by fasting and prayers , the word used is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , w●i●h is the p●o●er word for worship , acts . . they ministred to the lord and fasted , the word used is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , whence the word litu●gy is derived . this me thinkes should breed in the hearts of men a reverend esteeme of this duty . besides , how straight is that which is objected against the lawfulnesse of it , as that the spirit is s●inted , when wee are fe●tered with words appointed . answ. the freedome of the spirit stands n●● so ●uch in the extent of the words , as the intensnesse 〈…〉 they are uttered . besides if this argu 〈…〉 swell against conceived prayer , for if he 〈…〉 ger spirit then he that prayeth , there is to 〈…〉 restraint . againe it is objected , that we cannot pray for occasionall necessities . therefore we bind not only to a set forme : but men may , and ought to use besides , private prayer , wherein we may expresse our private , accidentall , and particular occasions . and if they be more publique , there are prayers before and after sermon , whe●e in the minister is left at more liberty ? and if it be yet more generall belonging to the state or church , we adde it to the p●blike prayers , as it is in the gun-powder-treason , times of war , dearth , &c. but there needs not much be said to convince the judgement : that which is chiefely to be desired , is , that they may be better observed , and more esteemed , especially seeing our publique prayers be holy and good , ( and which should be a greater inducement ) the church hath commanded them : and if the church be to be obeyed in indifferent things , as it is , much more in appointing of gods owne ordinances . and if a set forme of prayer bee lawfull , then the lords prayer must needes excell , being dedicated by christ himselfe , and is therefore to bee more frequently used , and withall reverence both in minde and gesture . nor doth this want the practise and approbation of the auncient , it is cyprians speech . quanto efficacius impertramus quod petimus christi nominae si ipsius oratione petamus . and saint augustine . disce et retinete orationem dominicam , et inter omnes sanctos consono ore proferatis . thus if we shal shew our selves affected as receivers , in using both publicke and private praier , we shall find that successe which iohn and the rest found , who of his fulnesse received grace for grace . finis . notes, typically marginal, from the original text notes for div a -e doctrine . what love is in generall . how love shews it selfe . the kindes of love. the qualities of love. what this love of the lord iesus is . esa. . luke 〈◊〉 . iohn . . rom. . cor. . . cor. . why they are worthy to be cursed that love not the lord iesus . marke ● . reason . psal. . mat. . vse . it is a great sin , not to love the lord iesus . ob. sol. signes of love notes for div a -e point . vse . try whether , what you do is out of love . notes of triall of this love of the lord christ. rev. . iohn . cor. . acts , . col . . acts . psal. . chron. . . hos. . . ob. sol. ob. sol. ob. sol. ob , sol. ob. sol. ob. sol. notes for div a -e ob. sol. ob. sol. acts . . vse . to humble our selves for want of this love . . the reasons wee have to love the lord. ob. answ. ob. answ. ob. answ. ob. answ. ob. answ. ob. answ. ephes. . notes for div a -e . vse . to exhort us to love the lord. the advantages which arise from the love of the lord iesus . meanes to love the lord. mat. . ob. sol. quest. answ. . ob. answ. coloss. . . john . . ob. sol. jerem. . esay . ob. answ. ob. answ. ob. answ. ob. answ. . notes for div a -e . ob. answ. ob. answ. ob. answ. ob. answ. ob. answ. wherein grounded love doth stand . ephes. . the object on whom our love must be set . of the curse of those that love not the lord iesus . ob. answ. vse . ob. answ. ob. answ. notes for div a -e doct. . reas. . vse . object . answ. vse . vse . vse . doct. . ioh. . . reas. . reas. . reas. . vse . vse . vse . doct. . reas. . reas. . reas. . vse . object . answ. quest. answ. motive . object . solut. i say . motive . tim. . . motive . motive . motive . motive . motive . motive . object . answ. vse doct. . reas. . vse , vse . notes for div a -e what godlinesse is not . what godlinesse is . what is meant by the power of godlinesse . five differences betweene the forme and power of godlinesse . reasons why many men have but the forme . vse . cor. . . rev. . . vse . eph. . , & 〈◊〉 . ver. . eph. . . vse . luk. . . how to get the power of godlinesse . vse . five marks whereby to know whether wee have the power of godlinesse or no. john . notes for div a -e plin. praefat . hist. natural . d. w. leaves in some places . gen. . . notes for div a -e the fi●st par● . . in regard of his person . 〈◊〉 regard of his offices . . i● 〈…〉 d of his r●gh●●ous●esse . . in regard of his effect . . reasons from christ. . from our selves quest. answ. vse . simile . objecti . object . a●sw . object . answ. corol. . the true light shining in darkness and dispelling the mists of errour arising from the darkness of man's heart, &c. promoted by the prince of darkness against the truth of god; in the matter of our justification: shewing, that by the deeds of the law, or mans own righteousness, no flesh can or shall be justified in the sight of god. the first part. by tho. taylor, the meanest and unworthiest of the servants and ministers of jesus christ; and now pastor to a small congregational church in cambridge. taylor, thomas, - . approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page images. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; oxford (uk) : - (eebo-tcp phase ). a wing t estc r this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons . universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase , no. a ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, - ; : ) the true light shining in darkness and dispelling the mists of errour arising from the darkness of man's heart, &c. promoted by the prince of darkness against the truth of god; in the matter of our justification: shewing, that by the deeds of the law, or mans own righteousness, no flesh can or shall be justified in the sight of god. the first part. by tho. taylor, the meanest and unworthiest of the servants and ministers of jesus christ; and now pastor to a small congregational church in cambridge. taylor, thomas, - . [ ], , [ ] p. printed for nath. crouch at the bell in the poultrey near cheapside, london : . caption title on p. : the true light in the matter of our justification before god. "the second part of the true light shining in darkness:" has a separate dated title page; pagination and register are continuous. "chrono-kai kairologia theō dikaiontos tōs eklektōs autō. or, a discourse of, or concerning, the time and season, wherein god doth justifie his elect," has a separate dated title page; pagination and register are continuous; the first words are in greek. reproduction of the original in the bodleian library. created by converting tcp files to tei p using tcp tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the universities of michigan and oxford and the publisher proquest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by proquest via their early english books online (eebo) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). the general aim of eebo-tcp is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic english-language title published between and available in eebo. eebo-tcp aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the text encoding initiative (http://www.tei-c.org). the eebo-tcp project was divided into two phases. the , texts created during phase of the project have been released into the public domain as of january . anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source. users should be aware of the process of creating the tcp texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data. text selection was based on the new cambridge bibliography of english literature (ncbel). if an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in ncbel, then their works are eligible for inclusion. selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. in general, first editions of a works in english were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably latin and welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so. image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in oxford and michigan. % (or pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet qa standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. after proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of instances per text. any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of tcp data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a tcp editor. the texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level of the tei in libraries guidelines. copies of the texts have been issued variously as sgml (tcp schema; ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf- unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p , characters represented either as utf- unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng justification -- early works to . christian literature -- early works to . - tcp assigned for keying and markup - spi global keyed and coded from proquest page images - jonathan blaney sampled and proofread - jonathan blaney text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion the true light shining in darkness , and dispelling the mists of errour arising from the darkness of man's heart , &c. promoted by the prince of darkness against the truth of god ; in the matter of our justification : shewing , that by the deeds of the law , or man 's own righteous●ess , no flesh can , or shall be justified in the sight of god. the first part. by tho. taylor , the meanest and unworthiest of the servants and ministers of jesus christ ; and now pastor to a small congregational church in cambridge . rom. . , . because that when they knew god , they glorified him not as god , neither were thankful , but became vain in their imaginations , and their foolish heart was darkned ; professing themselves to be wise , they became fools . london , printed for nath. crouch at the bell in the poultrey near cheapside . . to the reader whoever thou art , that readest this small treatise upon so great a subject as the matter of mans justification , before god know that thou art concerned to consider seriously and weigh well in thy mind what is here written , without prejudice ; forasmuch as thou art the man , to whom this word is sent , either for the informing and undeceiving thee in this matter , if thou be'st deceived . or for the confirming thee in the truth and strengthning thy faith in christ. if thou be'st already by the teachings of gods holy spirit , one that knowest him that is true , and ar● in him that is true even in his son jesus christ , joh. . . and we know the son of god is come , and hath given us an understanding that we may know him that is true : and we are in him that is true , even in his son jesus christ. this is the true god , and eternal life . and it is immediately added : little children , keep your selves from idols . and though there be many idols in mans heart ; yet this is one of the greatest , and most dangerous , and hardest to be departed from ; a mans own righteousness , if it be , but as it were , by the works of the law : and as we know that an idol is nothing but the image and likeness of that which it is not : so verily ; this , ( mans own righteousness ) is nothing ; a meer imagination of mans own heart exalted against god : which is not , nor cannot be in gods sight , and so it should be in thine : abominable to thee , and abhorred by thee , as it is to him , job . , , . what is man , that he should be clean ? and he which is born of a woman , that he should be righteous ? behold , he putteh no trust in his saints ; yea , the heavens are not clean in his sight . how much more abominable and filthy is man , which drinketh iniquity like water ? and . , . if i wash my self with snow-water , and make my hands never so clean ; yet shalt thou plunge me in the ditch , and mine own cloaths shall abhor me . and luke . . and he said unto them , ye are they which justifie your selves before men ; but god knoweth your hearts for that which is highly esteemed amongs● men , is abomination in the sight of god read therefore this small treatise , pray t● god that thou mayest read it without preju●dice . to help thee so to do , as much as in me lieth , i declare unto thee three things , namely , . that i am not ingaged in spirit , worldly interest or design with any party now engaged , disputing and contending one against other about these matters ; further than for the truths sake , and so far as the truth of the gospel obligeth me to defend and bear witness to the same , as it may be found to lodge and dwell on the one side or on the other , in any part of it : and perhaps it will sufficiently appear that i am not of that party , that may boast much of this doctrine which is most true in it self : and yet did not give proof and assurance of hope , that themselves are sincere and sound in the faith of christ. the doctrine may be true in its self , and yet their faith in the receiving of it be but a dead and a vain faith ; which will never save them , as james . , , , . even so faith , if it hath not works , is dead being alone , yea , a man may say , thou hast faith , and i have works ; shew me thy faith without thy works , and i will shew thee my faith by my works . thou believest that there is one god ; thou dost well : the devils also believe , and tremble . but wilt thou know , o vain man that faith without works is dead ? and ungodly men still ; though boasting of the grace of god in works , yet denying indeed the only lord god and our saviour jesus christ ; by turning the grace of god into lasciviousness , jud. . for there are certain men crept in unawares , who were before of old ordained to this condemnation , ungodly men , turning the grace of our god into lasciviousness , and denying the only lord god , and our lord jesus christ. and too many such professors we have now , ( who in spirit and practice , course of life and conversation practically deny , what they verbally profess ) as they had there , tit. . , . unto the pure all things are pure : but unto them that are defiled , and unbelieving , is nothing pure ; but even their mind and consci●nce is defiled . they profess that they know god ; but in works they deny him , being abominable , and disobedient , and unto every good work reprobate . but let not this offend thee , for truth is truth still , and will be for ever , hebrews . , . remember them which have the rule over you , who have spoken unto you the word of god : whose faith follow , considering the end of their conversation . jesus christ the same yesterday , and to day , and for ever , phil. . , , , , . brethren be followers together of me , and mark them which walk so , as ye have us for an ensample . ( for many walk , of whom i have told you often , and now tell you even weeping , that they are the enemies of the cross of christ ; whose end is destruction , whose god is their belly : and whose glory is their shame , who mind earthly things ) for our conversation is in heaven , from whence also we look for the saviour , the lord jesus christ : who shall change our vile body , that it may be fashon'd like unto his glorious body , according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself . . here thou wilt find no carnal weapons , as oratory , enticing words of mans wisdom , excellency of speech ; fierie , if not perverse , disputings of men of corrupt minds , and destitute of the truth . no reasonings after the flesh and the wisdom of the world , which cometh to naught : but evidence and demonstration of the spirit , with power , cor. . , , . for though we walk in the flesh , ( ( i. e. in the body ; ) we do not war after the flesh : i. e. after the carnal mind , which is corrupt and weak . ) for the weapons of our warfare are not carnal , but mighty through god to the pulling down of strong holds ) casting down imaginations , and every high thing that exalteth it self against the knowledge of god , and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of christ. cor. . , , , , , . and i , brethren , when i came to you , came not with excellency of speech , or of wisdom , declaring unto you the testimony of god. for i determined not to know any thing among you , save jesus christ , and him crucified . and i was with you in weakness , and in fear , and in much trembling . and my speech , and my preaching was not with enticing words of mens wisdom , but in demonstration of the spirit and of power : that your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men but in the power of god. howbeit we speak wisdom among them that are perfect : yet not the wisdom of this world , or of the princes of this world that come to nought . . that the great truth herein declared , opened , demonstrated and applyed ; is not mine , nor of mine own ; but is the truth of god in christ jesus , ministred by the spirit to the holy prophets of old , and witnessed by them , who spake not of themselves , but as they were moved by the holy ghost , pet. . . for the prophecy came not in the old time by the will of man : but holy men of god spake as they were moved by the holy ghost . and declared in the fulness of time by the son of god , who came from the bosom of the father , john . . no man hath seen god at any time ; the only begotten son , which is in the bosom of the father , he hath declared him . and john . , , , . he that cometh from above , is above all : he that is of the earth , is earthly , and speaketh of the earth : he that cometh from heaven is above all . and what he hath seen and heard , that he testifieth ; and no man receiveth his testimony . he that hath received his testimony , hath set to his seal , that god is true . for he whom god hath sent speaketh the words of god : for god giveth not the spirit by measure unto him . and also witnessed by the holy apostles chosen of god to that end . upon which testimony of the holy prophets and apostles as the foundation , christ himself being the chief or head-corner stone , the whole church of god is built , ephes. . . and are built upon the foudation of the apostles and prophets , jesus christ himself be-the chief corner-stone ; so that he that refuseth , despiseth and rejecteth this truth in the ministry of us poor , weak , earthen vessels , despiseth not man but god , as luke . . he that heareth you , heareth me : and he that despiseth you , despiseth me : and he that despiseth me , despiseth him that sent me . and thes. . . he therefore that despiseth , despiseth not man , but god who hath also given unto us his holy spirit . therefore thou art obliged to pay all honour , reverence , obedience and subjection to truth , because it is gods truth and not mans ; and to receive the word , because it is gods word and not ours ; and to receive the word as it is indeed the word of god and not as the word of man , is the mystery of effectual or saving faith : whereby the faith of gods elect is distinguished from the common and temporary faith of hypocrites and temporary professors , thes. . . for this cause also thank we god without ceasing , because when ye received the word of god which ye heard of us , ye received it not as the word of men , but ( as it is in truth ) the word of god , which effectually worketh also in you that believe . therefore whatever infirmities thou seest or may see in us , and whatever temptations in our fles● , weaknesses , wants , necessities , emptine●s , nothingness ; let not the the word of god be refused or despised : but receive it as if christ himself was present on earth in human shape to speak to thee , with his own mouth , gal. . , , , . ye know how through infirmity of the flesh i preached the gospel unto you at the first . and my temptation which was in my flesh ye despised not , nor rejected ; but received me as an angel of god , even as christ jesus . where is then the blessedness you speak of ? for i bear you record , that if it had been possible , ye would have plucked out your own eyes , and have given them to me . am i therefore become your enemy , because i tell you the truth ? therefore ask thy heart this question ? is this the truth of god or no ? if thy heart answereth , no : i do not like it , nor the persons that preach it : then to the law and to the testimony ; to the holy prophets and apostles and to christ himself ; whose testimonies are all distinctly recorded : and then ask thy heart this question again : darest thou with a stiff neck and uncircumcised heart always resist the holy ghost ; as thy fathers did , so dost thou dare to do ; acts . , ye stiff necked , and uncircumcised in heart and ears , ye do always resist the holy ghost : as your fathers did , so do ye . if thou shouldest dare to refuse all the prophets and apostles who spake on earth , yet there is one more , who speaketh from heaven , even the son of god himself , and darest thou refuse him also ? heb. . . see that ye refuse not him that speaketh : for if they escaped not who refused him that spake on earth , much more shall not we escape , if we turn away from him that speaketh from heaven : consider therefore in thy heart ; that whatever we are or may be esteemed to be , who are the poor ministers of christ ; yet though we be nothing , let the holy prophets and apostles be esteemed as something : for they shall sit upon twelve thrones judging the twelve tribes of israel , mat. . . and jesus said unto them , verily i say unto you , that ye which have followed me in the regeneration , when the son of man shall sit in the throne of his glory , ye also shall sit upon twelve thrones , judging the twelve tribes of israel . and the true church of the living ged which is cloathed with the sun , and the moon under her feet , doth wear them , as a crown of twelve stars upon her head : and wilt thou trample them under thy feet ? rev. . . and there appeared a great wonder in heaven , a woman cloathed with the sun , and the moon under her feet , and upon her head a crown of twelve stars : but however though we be nothing , yet let the son of god , jesus christ himself be something ! for verily god the father thinks him to be something : when he hath given him a name that is above every name , that is in heaven , and that is on the earth : that every knee shall bowe and every tongue confess to him ; as phil. . , , , . wherefore god also hath highly exalted him , and given him a name which is above every name : that at the name of jesus every knee shall bowe , of things in heaven , or things in earth , and things under the earth ; and that every tongue shall confess , that jesus christ is lord , to the glory of god the father . wherefore my beloved , as ye have always obeyed , not as in my presence only , but much more in my absence ; work out your own salvation with fear and trembling . and verily he shall appear to be something at the great day when he shall come to judge the world , and before him shall be gathered all nations , as matth. . , , , . when the son of man shall come in his glory , and all the holy angels with him , then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory . and before him shall be gathered all nations ; and he shall separate them one from another , as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats : and he shall set the sheep on his right hand , but the goats on his left . then shall the king say to them on his right hand , come ye blessed of my father , inherit the kingdom prepared for you before the foundation of the world. and thou thy self also must appear before his judgment seat , cor. . , . for we must all appear before the judgment seat of christ , that every one may receive the things done in his body , according to that he hath done , whither it be good or bad . knowing therefore the terror of the lord , we persuade men ; but we are made manifest unto god , and i trust also , are made manifest in your consciences . and rev. . , , . and the kings of the earth , and the great men , and the rich men , and the chief captains , and the mighty men , and every bond-man , and every free-man hid themselves in the dens , and in the rocks of the mountains ; and said to the mountains and rocks , fall on us , and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the throne , and from the wrath of the lamb : for the great day of his wrath is come ; and who shall be able to stand ? and rev. . , , , . and i saw the dead , small and great , stand before god ; and the books were opened : and another book was opened , which is the book of life : and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books , according to their works . and the sea gave up the dead which were in it ; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them : and they were judged every man according to their works . and death and hell were cast into the lake of fire : this is the second death . and whosoever was not found written in the book of life , was cast into the lake of fire . and this day will come as a thief in the night , pet. . . but the day of the lord will come as a thief in the night ; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise , and the elements shall melt with fervent heat , the earth also with the works that are therein shall be burnt up . and rev. . , . he that is unjust , let him be unjust still : and he which is filthy , let him be filthy still : and he that is righteous , let him be righteous still : and he that is holy , let him be be holy still . and behold , i come quickly ; and my reward is with me , to give every man according as his work shall be . well then reader , whoever thou art ; know that the word kingdom is good seed , and the sower is the son of man , matth. . . he answered and said unto them , he that soweth the good seed , is the son of man , we are but his under servants , to minister from him this good seed , and our great lord is able to bless the seed sown though we be nothing , as cor. . , , , . who then is paul , and who is apollos , but ministers by whom ye believed , even as the lord gave to every man ? i have planted , apollos watered : but god gave the increase . so then , neither is he that planteth any thing , neither he that watereth : but god that giveth the increase . now he that planteth , and he that watereth , are on● : and every man shall receive his own reward , according to his own labour . with cor. . . now he that ministreth seed to the sower , doth minister bread for your food , and multiply the seed sown , and increase the fruits of your righteousness . and the ground into which we must sow this seed is the heart , tho' thro' the ear , matth. . . who hath ears to hear , let him hear . the good ground is the good and honest heart : the lord make thine such ; and then there will be good fruit brought forth with patience and to perfections , though in different measures and degrees , as , matth. . . but he that received seed into the good ground , is he that heareth the word , and understandeth it , which also beareth fruit , and bringeth forth some an hundred-fold , some fifty , some thirty . luke . . but that on the good ground , are they which in an honest and good heart having heard the word , keep it , and bring forth fruit with patience . to thy salvation and god's glory which the lord grant unto thee : and pray for us his poor ministers and servants , and particularly for the meanest and most unworthy of them all , thy servant for christs sake in the work of the gospel , tho. taylor . to my many worthy and beloved friends of divers congregations in and about the city of london ; the town of hackney , and other towns , within and without the lines of communication , where i have occasionally preached this gospel : grace and peace . most dear and pretious friends ; pretious i say , for the late pretious faith obtained by you , with us , pet. . . simon peter , a servant and an apostle of jesus christ , to them that have obtained like pretious faith with us , through the righteousness of god , and our saviour jesus christ : by which faith , the very faith of gods elect , christ is pretious indeed to you , pet . . unto you therefore which believe he is pretious : but unto them which be disobedient , the stone which the builders disallowed the same is made the head of the corner : when to others a stumbling stone ; even to them that stumble at the word being disobedient : your names are too many to be prefixed to this short epistle , and besides in the matter of truth i like not to go to the poll , as if truth needed a muster-roll of names to carry the voice against such as are the opposers of it . it is enough that christ hath a few names in sardis , who have not defiled their garments , and which shall walk with him in white , for they are worthy : it matters not how many the names of others in sardis were , rev. . . thou hast a few names even in sardis , that have not defiled their garments : and they shall walk with me in white : for they are worthy . it is enough that wisdom is justified of her children : when true wisdom neither in john baptist the forerunner , who was greater than all the prophets ; nor in christ the head and lord of them all , could have a testimony from an evil and adulterous generation : or if they had any thing like it for a time , they quickly recanted and recalled it , mat. . — . but whereunto shall i liken this generation ? it is like unto children sitting in the markets , and calling unto their fellows . the son of man came eating and drinking , and they say , behold , a man gluttonous and a wine bibber , a friend of publicans and sinners : but wisdom is justified of her children . and john. . . he was a burning and a shining light : and ye were willing for a season to rejoyce in his light . i have been greatly refreshed and comforted in you all , by the grace of god , bringing salvation to you , and which ye have not received in vain : but as ye have heard him and been taught of him , as the truth is in jesus christ ; this grace hath taught you effectually to deny ungodliness and worldly lusts , and live soberly , righteously and godly in this present world , looking for that blessed hope and the glorious appearing of the great god and our saviour jesus christ ; who gave himself for us , that he might redeem us from all iniquity and purifie unto himself a peculiar people zealous of good works : and am still comforted in the remembrance thereof . and that these poor labours of mine in the ministry of this gospel hath had any effect upon your souls , either in drawing you to christ , or confirming or comforting you in christ at any time , is and will be my rejoycing above all the esteem i have in your hearts , and all the help i have received from your hands by your free , kind , liberal ministring to my necessities from time to time ; and that my temptation which was in the flesh through these necessities and wants and reproaches for christs sake ye despised not , but received me and embraced me , ( i will not say ) as an angel of god , or even as christ jesus ; but one far greater than i can own my self to be : i can truly say i have rejoyced much more because of the grace of god given to you , than in all the gifts to me ; though i had need of them all , and do acknowledge them to be more and greater , than i am worthy of : but christ is worthy , for whose sake only ye have counted me so , mar. . . and whosoever will offend one of those little ones that believe in me , it is better for him , that a milstone were hanged about his neck , and he were cast into the sea. and though i put not your names to this my book , for reasons above mentioned , yet i hope they are all of them in the book of life . and this small treatise , which is but a taste of some more that may follow in due time , if the lord please ; i do more especially devote and dedicate to the use and service of you all and yours ; not doubting that whither i live or die , you will find out it , or it will find out you by some providence or other : i say i dedicate it to you ; not for patronage or protection ; but for debt : for it is much due to you who have been my fellow helpers in the gospel , some of you for m●ny years . and two things i have to say to you all and leave here upon record as the greatest testimony of my thankfulness , love and care to and for you in the lord. namely , first , that you beware and take heed of of a loose conversation , and that ye use not your liberty at any time , or in any thing for an occasion to the flesh , or to the world ; for we are not debtors to the flesh , to live after the flesh ; for if ye live after the flesh ye shall die , but if ye by the spirit do mortifie the deeds of the body , ye shall live , rom. . , . and jam. . . ye adulterours and adulteresses , know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity against god ? whosoever therefore will be the friend of the world is the enemy of god , john . . love not the world , neither the things that are in the world. if any man love the world , the love of the father is not in him . . for all that is in the world , the lust of the flesh , and the lust of the eyes , and the pride of life , is not of the father , but is of the world. . and the world passeth away and the lusts thereof : but he that doth the will of god , abideth tfor ever . the power of christ's death is within you , therefore let your old man be crucified with christ : that henceforth ye may not serve sin ; and let the world be crucified to you and you unto it , otherwise you cannot glory truly in the cross of christ , gal. . , . but god forbid that i should glory , save in the cross of our lord jesus christ , by whom the world is crucified unto me , and i unto the world. for in christ jesus neither circumcision availeth any thing ▪ nor uncircumcision , but a new creature . you cannot be alive with christ through union with him ; but you must be dead , and die continually both to sin and to the world , rom. . . what shall we say then ? shall we continue in sin , that grace may abound ? secondly , that you shine as lights in the world , and be as the sons and daughters of god ; without rebuke in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation holding forth the word of life , that i may rejoyce in the day of christ , that i have not run in vain , neither laboured in vain , phil. . , , . do all things without murmurings , and disputings : that ye may be blameless and harmless , the sons of god , without rebuke , in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation , among whom ye shine , ( or shine ye ) as lights in the world : holding forth the word of life ; that i may rejoyce in the day of christ , that i have not run in vain , neither laboured in vain . and our lord hath said , matth. . . let your light so shine before men , that they may see your good works and glorifie your father which is in heaven . if the time will come when ye shall shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of your father , math . . then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun , in the kingdom of their father . who hath ears to hear let him hear . surely ye should shine as lights more in this state of imperfection , and whilst you are in this world ; and thereby show you are not of it , rev. . . blessed are they , that do his commandments , that they may have right to the tree of life ; and to enter in through the gates of the the city . . for without ar dogs , and sorcerers , and whoremongers , and murderers , idolaters and whosoever loveth and maketh a lie . to the church or congregation which is at cambridge ; unto which i stand as a pastor or overseer in the faith , fellowship and order of the gospel of our lord jesus christ : and to many others my constant or occasional hearers , of whom i am perswaded such things as do accompany salvation . blessed be god. dearly beloved , i do greatly rejoyce in you all , as my crown and my joy in the day of jesus christ : and though i cannot say of you all , that i have begotten you by the gospel ; no , blessed be god that you were in christ before my coming amongst you , and that others labours were blest for that end to you ; yet this also i can say of some of you , now in the church , and of others not yet joyned to it ; that i have begotten you through the gospel unto jesus christ , and that you are the seal of my ministry , and the proof of christ speaking in me , and by my ministry unto your hearts effectually ; yet in you all and concerning every one of you ; i do rejoyce in three things , namely , . your election of god known of us , and manifestly appearing in you by the sanctification of the spirit unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of jesus christ , as pet. . . elect according to the foreknowledg of god the father , through sanctification of the spirit unto obedience , and sprinkling of the blood of jesus christ , and thes. . , . but we are bound to give thanks alway to god for you , brethren , beloved of the lord , because god hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation , through sanctification of the spirit , and belief of the truth : whereunto he called you by our gospel , to the obtaining of the glory of our lord jesus christ. . your abiding in the truth , and the truth abiding in you , and that you stand fast both in the faith and love of the truth that you may be saved : when so many have departed from the faith , giving heed to seducing spirits , and are , ( as is to be feared , ) given up to strong delusion to believe a lie , that they all might be damned who believed not the truth , but had pleasure in unrighteousness : as , tim. . . thes. . , . which sheweth the unction of the holy one to be in you , as john . . . but ye have an unction from the holy one , and ye know all things : i have not written unto you , because ye know not the truth : but because ye know it , and that no lie is of the truth ; and again , v. , . these things have i written unto you , concerning them that seduce you : but the anointing which ye have received of him , abideth in you : and ye need not that any man teach you : but , as the same anointing teacheth you of all things , and is truth , and is no lie : and even as it hath taught you , ye shall abide in him , . and now , little children , abide in him ; that when he shall appear , we may have confidence , and not be ashamed before him at his coming . and in this i do rejoyce , and will rejoyce in and over you all , your stedfast , abiding and walking in the truth , when there are so many deserters , as john . whom i love in the truth : and not i only , but also all they that have known the truth , for the truth sake which dwelleth in us , and shall be with us for ever . and john . i have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth ; and again , john . , . then said jesus to those jews which believed on him , if ye continue in my word , then are ye my disciples indeed : and ye shall know the truth , and the truth shall make you free . . your order in the faith and fellowship of the gospel as a church , which appeareth in your professed and declared subjection to the government which christ hath set in his church , and that because it is christs appointment , that so it should be , and his spirit works in you , that willing and ready subjection and obedience , as a fruit of your faith , upon which dependeth and followeth , that blessed peace that ye now have , both in your own consciences , and among your selves ; it 's prophesied of christ , isa. . . of the encrease of his government and of his peace there shall be no end ; upon the throne of david and upon his kingdom , to order it , and to establish it with judgment and with justice , from henceforth even for ever : this belongs to the kingly office of christ , to whom only it appertaineth to give and appoint laws for his church , and they must not appoint laws for themselves ; nor can man , or any sort of men in the world , appoint or give laws to the church of christ , 't is christ prerogative royal , and he alone sits and rains as king in zion , as ps. . . yet have i set my king upon my holy hill of zion . now this government which christ hath set in his church , is by a faithful and approved ministry , as pastors and teachers , freely chosen by the whole church according to christs mind , and rightly set over them in the lord as he hath appointed them to be , ephes. . , , . and being so set , as acts . . the church and all the members are to obey such , and to have them in high esteem for their works sake , and to be subject unto them ; in the true light and conduct of the word , shining in their ministry ; and therefore they are called stars and angels , or messengers , from the ministerial light and conduct they give to the church from christ himself , the sun of righteousness , and the angel of the covenant ; as rev. . . the mystery of the seven stars which thou sawest in my right hand , and the seven golden candlesticks . the seven stars are the angels of the seven churches : and the seven candlesticks which thou sawest , are the even churches . the churches therefore i say , are to be subject to them , and to obey them in the light of truth shining in their ministry from christ the head , as the stars do shine in the firmament with their lesser lights all borrowed from the sun ; and for the proof of this let these scriptures be considered and well weighed , heb. . , . remember them which have the rule over you , who have spoken unto you the word of god : whose faith follow , considering the end of their conversation . jesus christ the same yesterday , and to day , and for ever . and again , v. . obey them that have the rule over you , and submit your selves : for they watch for your souls , as they that must give an account : that they may do it with joy , and not with grief : for that is unprofitable for you . and tim. . , , . let the elders that rule well , be counted worthy of double honour , especially they who labour in the word and doctrine . for the scripture saith , thou shalt not muzzle the ox that treadeth out the corn : and , the labourer is worthy of his reward . against an elder receive not an accusation , but before ( or under ) two or three witnesses . where the rule of the ministry is secured of the double honour of maintenance and reverence , and thes. . , . and we beseech you , brethren , to know them which labour among you , and are over you in the lord , and admonish you ; and to esteem them very highly for their works sake . and be at peace among your selves ▪ this is the order and government which christ hath set in his church ; upon which their peace doth depend : and where thi● government of christ is not submitted unto , and kept , but is rejected and broken , there is an end of peace ; there followeth nothing but confusion , and every evil work , as james . . to prevent which christ hath set order and government in the church , yea in all the churches of christ ; as cor. . . as it is in a mans heart , if the government of christ be not there , if christ , ruleth not there by his word and spirit , there is no peace to that man ; there is no peace saith my god to the wicked : even so it is in a church ; if christs goverment be not there , there is no peace , but strife and bitter envying , confusion and every evil work . and i will therefore rejoyce , and do rejoyce in this , concerning you all beholding and seeing your order , and the stedfastness of your faith in christ , as col. . , . for though i be absent in the flesh , yet am i with you in spirit , joying and beholding your order , and the stedfastness of your faith in christ. for this order floweth from the stedfastness of your faith in christ ( as the breach of it in others doth emerge from the unstedfastness of their faith. ) as ye have therefore received christ jesus the lord , so walk ye in him , v. . rooted and built up in him and stablished in the faith as ye have been taught , abounding therein with thanksgiving . beware lest any man spoil you : keep therefore and hold fast this faith and order , and this will be your wisdom and understanding in the sight of all men , as deut. . . ephes. . , , , . and this is the salt or true wisdom commended to us by christ himself , which will preserve you in purity and peace , and keep you from corrupting ; as mark . . salt is good : but if the salt have lost his saltness , wherewith will you season it ? have salt in your selves , and have peace one with another . and this , as it is , and will be your glory , so it will be our rejoycing in the day of christ , heb. . , and john . . that we ( i. e. we your elders and ministers , ) may rejoyce in the day of christ. as ye have therefore obeyed , and in a great conflict and tryal of your faith and patience , have testified yout obedience to the truth through the spirit ; so i beseech you work out your own salvation , with fear and trembling : for it is god that worketh in you both to will , and to do , of his good pleasure : and be in nothing terrified by your adversaries : which is to them an evident token of perdition ; but unto you of salvation , and that of god. for to you it is given in the behalf of christ , not only to believe on him , but als● to suffer for his sake ; having the sam● conflict which ye saw to be in me , phil ▪ . , . now whether i live or die whether i be present in the body and so absent from the lord , or whether i be absent from the body , that i may be present with the lord ; st●and fast in one spirit , with one mind , striving together for the faith of the gospel ; and so fulfil ye my joy , that ye be like minded , having the same love , of one accord , and of one mind . and the god of peace shall be with you , and shall bruise satan under your feet shortly ; and shall make those , that say they are jews and are not ; but are the synagogue of satan , to come and worship before you feet , and to know that he hath loved you , as rev. . , . amen . the true light in the matter of our justification before god. rom. . . therefore by the deeds of the law , there shall no flesh be justified in his sight : for by the law is the knowledg of sin . this text is an epiphonema or closing speech , wherein the holy apostle paul gives us the just and right conclusion or result of the whole matter , with respect to mans justification before god , and doth peremptorily determine in the negative , that by the deeds or works of the law , no flesh can or shall be justified in his sight , and brings it in with the illative note therefore , as the undeniable consequence and true result of his whole argument in the two foregoing chapters , wherein he hath fully proved , as he saith , v. . of this chap. that jews and gentiles are all under sin. . the gentiles he clearly proves in the first chapter to be under sin , in that when they knew god , or might have known him by the light of nature in his works of creation and providence , as rom. . , ▪ they did not glorifie him as god , but contrary to the light of nature , debased and changed the glory of the incorruptible god , into the image of corruptible man , v. , , . had they but used their poor dim light of nature aright , to have paid some suitable veneration to the glory of the godhead , in worshiping of him , they might have escaped many vile affections and actions amongst themselves : for which they could not so much as pretend light or nature , and of the wickedness or danger whereof they could not so much as pretend ignorance but as a punishment of their impiety towards god , god gave them up to vile affections and unseemly actions amongst themselves , as v. , , , , , , and these sins they not only committed against the light of nature but delighted in , though convicted in their own conscience that the issue thereof could be no less than eternal death and damnation , as v. . who knowing the judgment of god , &c. so severely , but justly doth god punish wilful idolatry and false worship , a sin against the first table , by giving such a person or people up to all manner of sins , and most horrible lusts , and abominable practices , even against human nature to their own destruction : nothing being more righteous and just , than that they who will not give unto god the glory of his own worship , should be given up of god to work their own damnation and destruction , see thes. . , , . . the jews he as clearly proves to be under sin in the second chapter ; for whereas they rested in the law and made their boast of god , as rom. . v. , , , . yet they transgressed that law , which they so much boasted of , and through transgressing thereof , dishonoured god and caused his name to be blasphemed amongst the gentiles , as v. , , . and therefore the jews as well as the gentiles are left without excuse , and the mouth of them both equally stopped , being become guilty before god. the gentiles by sinning without law , yet against the light and law of nature , as rom. . . . &c. the jews by sinning under the law , and whilst they judged the poor gentiles , became more obnoxious and inexcusable themselves , in that they did the same or worse things , as rom. . v. , . and therefore both jews and gentiles are all under sin and condemnation , and that by the law : the gentiles by the light and law of nature , and the work of it written in their hearts , rom. . , , . and the jews by the law written in tables of stone by gods own hand , and given unto them by moses at mount sinai , which law was added by reason of sin , and sin in the jews taking occasion by the commandment , became exceedingly more sinful in them who were jews by nature , than in the gentiles , as being against more clear light and greater obligations , than the poor gentiles were indulged with . and thus is fulfilled the design of god by moses in giving the law , which was not that any man should be justified and obtain righteousness and life thereby ; but that the offence against it might so much the more abound and be made to appear . and man be instructed from the desperateness of his case and the utter impossibility ever to get righteousness and life by works and the law , to seek it only by grace and faith in jesus christ , as rom. . , . this position being already proved , that jews and gentiles are all under sin , rom. . . the apostle doth further confirm by a text out of the old testament , rom. . — . where he concludes that quotation . now we know that whatsoever the law saith , it saith to them that are under the law , intimating that the jews must needs be concerned in this charge as well as the gentiles : and that the prophets of the old testament , did plainly declare and confirm this truth , that by the works of the law , no flesh should be justified : for both david and esaias , whose words these are , ( if they would have understood them ) in saying , there is none righteous , no not one , there is none that understandeth ; there is none that seeketh after god ; they are all gone out of the way , they are together become unprofitable ; there is none that doth good , no , not one , &c. do both testifie from god by whose spirit they speak ; that in the sight of god all men are sinners and transgressors , by the law , both jews and gentiles , and that there is not one righteous man by the works of the law , in the whole world. ( for jew and gentile comprehended the whole world . ) and if so , and this be true , that jews and gentiles are all under sin , and that there is not one righteous man by the works of the law in gods sight , then it follows as a necessary consequence , that by the works of the law there shall no flesh be justified . therefore we conclude , &c. and thus i have done with the context . in the text it self we have a great foundation truth or point of doctrin ready prepared to our hand , in words which the holy ghost teacheth , together with the reason of it ; and therefore we shall take the point , as it lieth in the text , &c. that by the works of the law , there shall no flesh be justified in the sight of god. the truth of this doctrin is expresly testified also , psal. . . for in thy sight shall no man living be justified , i. e. by his own works and righteousness , for otherwise there were then , and are now many men justified in gods sight by the free grace of god through faith in jesus christ. and again , gal. . . knowing &c. for the opening this position or point of doctrin we shall take it into parts , and enquire who or what is meant by ( flesh. ) what is meant by ( justified . ) what is mean by ( the works of the law . ) what is meant ; or , what we are to understand by ( flesh ) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . not any flesh , or as it is translated , ( no flesh. ) in answer whereunto , ( flesh , ) is sometimes taken in scripture , for the human nature separate from the sinfulness thereof , so john . . and the word was made flesh , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . flesh is here put for the human nature seperate from sin as adam had it in the state of innocency . and christ the second adam took it in the womb of the virgin mary , and heb. . . through the vail , i. e. his flesh , put for the whole human nature , which was a vail to his godhead , and which he offered upon the cross , for our sins and so consecrated a new and living way for us into the holiest , i. e. heaven it self . and though in propriety of speech , the flesh or body is but a part of the human nature ; the spirit or soul being the other and more noble part , yet is by a figure synechdoche , put for the whole , as peter . . where christ is said , to have born our sins in his own ( body ) on the tree : body is there put for the whole human nature , and so the soul or spirit is also sometimes put , as isa. . . when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin ; yet 't is manifest both soul and body were offered for sin , and the soul of christ is there put for both ; but in this sense of the human nature separate from sin , the word flesh is not to be understood in this text ▪ and therefore , . flesh is also , and indeed most frequently , put for the human nature as it is corrupt and depraved by sin since the fall of the first adam , and so rom. . . where the law is said to become weak through the ( flesh , ) i. e. mans nature now corrupted by sin ; and so not able to rise up unto that true and perfect holiness , which the law doth require . and in this sense the word flesh is to be taken and understood in the text ▪ shall not any flesh , or shall no flesh be justified , i. e. no man that is a sinner and corrupted by sin , as all men now are by nature : and there is a kind of vehemency in the expression : the holy ghost thereby casting a holy contempt upon man that is called flesh , i. e. an unclean and a corrupt thing , so eliphas in job . , , . what is man tha● that he should be clean , &c. and thus shall n● flesh be justified , i. e. no man , no person of mankind , man , woman nor child . ly . what it s meant ? and what i● to be understood by the word justified 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ? shall no flesh , ( be justified ? ) in answer hereto , . to be justified in the proper significancy and notion thereof is to be made righteous , to become righteous or to stand righteous before god , justificari is justum fieri , to be justified , is to be made or to become righteous ; and so to stand a righteous person in gods sight : it is a foreinsick term , and here is an allusion to courts of judicature amongst men , wherein the person arraigned , is in the issue of the plea , either condemned , i. e. found guilty , and then we say such a man is cast , that is , in his plea ; or else is acquited and discharged , and so justified in the sight of the court as an innocent and righteous person , and so he is said to stand , as psam . . and therefore it is added , in his sight , to shew , that whatsoever man may be in his own sight , or in the sight of other men like himself , yet in gods sight no flesh shall or can be justified by the works of the law . and as in condemnation there are two things , first , a fixing of the guilt , and therefore we say , when a person is found guilty , he is condemned , so rom. . . that every mouth may be stopped , and all the world become guilty before god. ly . a binding or obligation unto the punishment , which is death , and therefore we say of a criminal when he is brought in guilty , that he is a dead man , because the obligation unto punishment , is now fixed upon him , and he must inevitably suffer death , which is the punishment due to his offence . so on the other hand , there are two things implyed in justification ; first a just discharge and acquitment from the guilt of sin ; he that is justified is not guilty in gods sight , his sin is not imputed to him , and ps. , , . where david describeth the blessedness of a justified person ; saying , blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven , whose sin is covered , unto whom the lord imputeth not iniquity . ly . there is also a dissolving and making void , and null the obligation unto punishment ; so that a justified person is no more in danger of that death which is the wages of sin , nor of the curse of the law and the infinite and eternal wrath of god , which is the punishment due to sin , to every sin , the least sin as well as the greatest ; therefore as condemnation is called death , because of the obligation unto punishment , so justification is called life , because of the dissolving and making void that obligation : so john . where the believer is said to be passed from death to life , i. e. from a state of condemnation which is death , to a state of justification which is life ; and rom. . . it is called justification of life . and upon that account 't is written , the just shall live by faith , i. e. be justified by faith , for justification is his life . ly . but there is yet somewhat more implyed in this word justified , and that is a positive righteousness answering to the perfection of the holy law of god in the utmost extent and demand of it ; for though non imputation and pardon of sin makes a man no more a sinner nor guilty before god , yet to make him a righteous person in gods sight , there must of necessity be a positive righteousness ; for as it cannot consist with the perfect justice of god , to justifie a man without righteousness , so it cannot consist with his veracity and justice to justifie any man without a perfect righteousness , such as is commensurate and adequate to the perfection of his law , for otherwise the law should be made void even by faith itself contrary to rom. . . and to speak with holy reverence , as it is impossible for god to lie , so it is as impossible for him to be unjust , which he should be , should he justifie any man by an imperfect righteousness ; it is therefore a foolish , vain and wicked imagination in any person to think or affirm that a man may be justified in gods sight without a perfect righteousness ; and this i may be bold to say from the clear light of gods holy word , that he which hath not a better righteousness than his own , neither is , nor ever shall be justified in the sight of god ; and whoever he be who affims the contrary , let him answer it ; for sure i am , the judgment of god is according to truth , as it i● written rom. . . and again , rom. . ▪ let god be true and every man a liar tha● thou mightest be justified in thy sayings , an● mightest overcome when thou art judged ▪ . what is here meant and what are we to understand by the deeds or works of the law ▪ ans. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by the needs of the law ▪ of , or by , or upon the account of the deed ▪ of the law . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 works , operations or deed● do imply all sorts of works , deeds or operati●ons , internal and external . there are internal deeds and operati●ons , deeds of the mind and of the spirit with●in , works of the inward man ; wherein th● inward faculties of the soul , the mind , th● conscience , the understanding , the will and affections are operative and working in th● sight of god ; before whom our spirits ar● naked and bare , heb. . . and there ar● internal vertues and habits , and these are op●●rative within , and the holy law of god is spi●ritual and reacheth the inward man , yea , th● very thoughts and imaginations of the hear● and than inward disposition , enclination and habits , rom. . . i had not known lust , if the law had not said , thou shalt not covet . . there are external deeds , the outward actions and deeds and operations of the light and conversation which should all be regulated and are judged by the law , which is the rule of righteousness , to the inward and to the outward man ; to the inward frame of heart , with all the imaginations , thoughts , principles , habits , affections , intentions and designs thereof ; and to the outward man in all a mans external actions , words and deeds , together with the nature and tendency of them , whether they be good or evil , true or false , sincere or feigned , so acts . , , . and acts . , . chron. . . ezek. . , . so that by the deeds of the law , we are to understand all the inward qualifications and inherent virtues and goodness of a mans heart , together with all the external actions of his life done in the utmost conformity and obedience to the law , that man can reach unto ; by these deeds of the law whether internal or external , there shall no flesh be justified in his sight . quest. but the greater question is , what law is here meant ? whether the ceremonial law only , or the moral law also ? those that are unsound in the doctrin of justification , do contend that by the law here , is only meant the ceremonial law . and that the apostle paul here and in other places contending with the jews in this point of justification , speaketh only of the ceremonial law , and so far they yield that by the works of the ceremonial law indeed no flesh shall be justified , but the works of the moral law are not here excluded from the matter of mans justification ; insinuating thereby , that a man may be justified in gods sight by good works done in confirmity and obedience to the moral law . ans. in answer whereunto we do affirm and shall plainly prove , that not the ceremo●nial law only , but the moral law also , ye● mainly and principally is meant by the apostle . and that law unto the works or deed whereof justification in the sight of god i● denied to every man , is the moral law and not the ceremonial law only , though it i● true also of the ceremonial law . and this w● prove by two argumenrs , argument ; it is most plain from the contex● v. . that it is the same law by whic● every mouth is stopped , and all the world i● become guilty before god. now the gentile● could not have their mouth stopped and be●come guilty before god by the ceremonia● law : for the gentiles had no knowledg o● the ceremonial law , neither could they ; there being nothing in the light or law of nature , directing them to any such law ; nor were the gentiles under any obligation unto that law ; otherwise than as any of them were proseylites to the jewish church , neither could their consciences either accuse or excuse them in observing or not observing the ceremonial law , they could have no conscience of sin in that respect , for where no law is there is no transgression : but the moral law , they having the work of it written in their hearts , as rom. . , . did bind the consciences of the very gentiles , and did leave them without excuse before god , as hath been already proved , rom. . , , . to the end of the chap. so that it is the moral law only by which every mouth is stopped and all the world , i. e. both jew and gentile are become guilty before god. and therefore it is not the ceremonial law only , but the moral law principally of which the apostle speaks when he saith as in the text ; by the works of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight . argu. it is also as plain from the latter part of this text , that it is the same law by which is the knowledg of sin : for so the apostle brings it in immediately and in one and the same breath ; for by the law is the knowledg of sin ; therefore whilst the aposte saith , by the deeds of the law shall no flesh be justified in his sight , and then addeth , that by the law is the knowledg of sin , it is plain , what law he meaneth : namely , the same law by which is the knowledg of sin. now the knowledg of sin is not by the ceremonial law ; for though in the ceremonial law , there is an acknowledgment of sin ; in that all the sacrifices , washings and typical services , did take it for granted , and every man attending the services of that law did ( ipso facto ) , acknowledg himself a sinner , or else to what end was his sacrifice if he had no sin to be purged ? yet the ceremonial law neither did nor could convince the conscience , and show a man wherein he had sinned ; for this is the peculiar work of the moral law , and the light thereof shining in the conscience , and so the apostle , rom. . . nay , i had not known sin but by the law : for i had not known lust except the law had said , thou shalt not covet : now the law which saith thou shalt not covet , is not the ceremonial law , but the moral law , as exod ▪ . . and therefore the text must be interpreted and understood , not of the ceremonial law only but also and more especially of the moral law , for as much as by this law , is the knowledg of sin , and by this law every mouth is stopped , and all the world become guilty before god. so that justification in the sight of god is denied to man not only by the deeds of the ceremonial law , but also by the deeds of the moral law : and a man can no more be justified now by good works , either internal , or external , or both , done in obedience and conformity to the moral law , than the jews then were by their observances of the ceremonial ▪ and as it became sin in the jews , to seek justification and righteousness by the works of the ceremonial law , and moral law both , and the stumbling stone to their perdition and damnation , as rom. . , . so it doth as much now become sin to any man under heaven , to seek righteousness and justification by the works of the moral law , as they are or can be performed by him , and if persisted in will prove the stumbling stone to his perdition , gala. . , , , . having thus done with the opening of the doctrine , we proceed to the reasons of it , namely , to shew why by the deeds of the law no flesh can be justified in god's sight ; and they are these two . first reason ; because by the law is the the knowledg of sin , and this is one reason subjoyned in the text , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 : for by the law is the knowledg of sin : 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which here is rendered knowledg , is a thorough and convincing knowledg which leaves a man under such a conviction as he must needs acknowledg himself a sinner and to have transgressed the law of god : for sin is the transgression of the law , and the knowledg of sin is the knowledg in the conscience of a man that he hath transgressed the law , and no man can have this conviction and knowledg but by the law : and the conscience of sin is nothing else but his knowing by the light of gods holy law that he hath transgressed , and that he is a transgressor of the law , as rom. . . i had not known sin but by the law ; and again , rom. . , . for without the law , sin was dead , that is , it stirred not , it troubled not my conscience . but when the commandment came , si● revived and i died , i. e. i was in a whole and safe condition once without the law , and nothing troubled my conscience , but all was quiet and secure , as if i had no sin , and wa● in no danger ; but when the commandmen● came , i. e. god brought the law home to my conscience , so that i saw the convincing light , and felt the terrifying power of the holy law of god in my conscience , then sin revived , i. e. lift up it self , and made me find and feel my guilt and the condemning power and strength that sin had over me by the law : for the strength of sin is the law , cor. . . and i died , i. e. as to all my hopes and confidence of being justified by the law and the works thereof , so that i became as a dead man without any life or hope of being justified by it : and the argument lieth plain , that law , by which every man is convinced that he is a sinner and condemned as a guilty person before god ; by that law and the deeds of it can no man be justified in the sight of god ; for condemnation and justification , are as directly contrary and inconsistent each with other as life and death are ; therefore by the deeds of the law , can no flesh be justified , because by the law all flesh is condemned and found guilty before god ; upon this account the ministration of the law is called the ministration of death and of condemnation , cor. . . and . v. and therefore cannot be the ministration of life and justification : now if there were any man found since the fall of adam , that were not a sinner and guilty by the law , and unto whom by the law there could be no knowledg , or conviction of sin , then such a man might be justified by the deeds of the law , but forasmuch as there is no such man in the world since the fall of adam , there can no man be justified by the deeds of the law in gods sight . second reason . because by the deeds or works of the law , there is no man righteous in gods sight , it hath already bin shewed that it cannot consist with the perfect justice and veracity of god to justifie any man without righteousness and without a perfect righteousness , commensurate to the perfection , purity and holiness of his law ; but no man under heaven since the fall of adam ever had or can have such a righteousness by the deeds of the law , as they are or can be done and performed by man ; therefore by the deeds of the law , can no flesh be justified in his sight , as gala. . . is the law therefore against the promises of god ? god forbid , for if there had bin a law given which could have given life , verily , righteousness should have bin by the law . the argument is plain , namely , that the law is not against the promises of god , i. e. the free promise of justification by grace through faith in jesus christ , therefore the law cannot justifie , because if it could justifie any man it would be against , i. e. frustrate and make void the free promise of justification by faith ; for if a man could be justified by the works of the law , there could be no need of the free promise of righteousness and justification by faith ; so that the promise is made void if righteousness be , or could be , by the law : and then it is added , if there had been a law given that could have given life , verily righteousness should have been by the law : if the law could have given life i. e. justification , verily , righteousness should have been by the law ; supposing and taking it for granted that if there had been a law that could have given life and justification , the same law should have given righteousness also , for without righteousness , there can be no justification and life to any man in gods sight . but there is no man righteous or can be righteous in gods sight by the deeds of the law , therefore no man can be justified or have life thereby . now that there is no man righteous or can be by the works of the law , is plain from the context , rom. . — . where the words of the prophet david and isaias , are quoted out of the old testament , that there is none righteous , no , not one ; there is none that doeth good , no , not one : now , as at the . v. whatsoever the law saith , it saith to them that are under the law , i. e. to the jews as well as to the gentiles , that there is not in the whole world , both jews and gentiles , one righteous man by the deeds of the law , no , not one , no , not one that doth good , no , not one , i. e. according to that which the law doth require . and this will more clearly appear by a just consideration of the obedience which the law doth require , in these four particulars . . the law doth require personal obedience to the holy and just commands thereof : and every man is under obligation to fulfil the law in his own person , and therefore it is said , rom. . . the man which doth them shall live by them , and here is one essential difference betwixt the law of faith , and the law of works ; that the law of faith accepteth the obedience of another , but the law of works requireth thee to obey and fulfil in thine own person , and if thou failest of personal performing and fulfilling , the law doth curse thee personally , as it is written gal. . . cursed is every one that continueth not , &c. ly . the law doth require perfect obedience in all things : so that if a man keep the whole law and fail but in one point , he is guilty of all , as james . . and the least sinful thought , or idle word , cuts off and forfeits all a mans hope of righteousness by the law. now , forasmuch as there is no man that ever did , or ( since the fall of adam , ) ever can come up unto perfect obedience in all things , which the law doth require , so as not to fail in any one point : ( for if such a man were found , there should be found a just man upon earth , that doth good and sinneth not . yea , there would a man be found that might say , i have not sinned ; which would be to make god a liar , as kings . . eccles. . . john . v. . ) it is plain that there is none righteous , by the works of the law , no , not one ; there is none that doth good , no , not one ; i. e. as the law doth require . ly . the law doth require perpetual obedience , i. e. the perseverance , persisting and continuance in all things that are written in the law , as gal. . . cursed is every one that continueth not in all things that are written in the book of the law to do them : so that if a man could perfectly keep and fulfil the whole law , so as not to fail in one point to his very dying day ; and yet at last though in the moment of death , should commit one sin , or once fail in his obedience , he hath lost all his righteousness ; and is become a sinner and transgressor of the law in gods sight . ly . the law doth require a sinless person ; the law doth suppose and require every man to be such as adam was , in the estate of innocency ; to have the same rectitude , and perfect integrity of nature , that adam had , which we call original righteousness , and is directly contrary to original sin : and the want of original righteousness , as well as least the tincture of original sin , is a sinful defect of conformity to the law , and renders a man uncapable of fulfilling the righteousness which the law doth require ; so that by the law it is impossible for him that is once a sinner , ever to become righteous by all that he can do or suffer afterward . now , that the want of original righteousness , as well as original sin , is a sinful defect of conformity to the law is plain , rom. . to be carnally minded is death , and the reason is added , v. . for the carnal mind is enmity against god , and is not subject to the law of god neither indeed can be : that which we render the carnal mind is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the minde of the flesh , i. e. of mans nature now corrupted by sin , and destitute of original righteousness ; this mind of the flesh is enmity egainst god , and is not subject to the law of god , neither indeed can be , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so that it is impossible to a man in the carnal mind or mind of the flesh to be obedient or subject to the law sincerely , and much more impossible to fulfil or keep the law perfectly : and thence it is further inferred , v. . so then they that are in the flesh cannot please god : the person being sinful , all his deeds and works are sinful also , and neither his person nor his deeds or works can be pleasing or acceptable unto god by the law ; and therefore it is written also heb. . . but without faith it is impossible to please god ; which it would not be if a man could be righteous by the works of the law and without faith , i. e. faith in christ ; he might then please god by the works of the law , and and without faith. now let all these particular considerations , be brought together into one ; namely , that the law requireth personal , perfect and perpetual obedience continually , and that in all points , and doth also require a sinless person ; and it will easily appear that it is become absolutely impossible to every man since adam , ( as it was also to adam himself after the fall , ) ever to become righteous by the works or deeds of the law : and therefore as impossible for any man to be justified in the sight of god by the works of the law , seeing he cannot by the works of the law be righteous ; for this were to suppose that a man might be justified without righteousness , which to suppose is a contradiction and absurdity . and thus having done with the reasons of the doctrine ; namely , that by the deeds of the law , no flesh shall be justified in gods sight : we proceed next and further to enquire , q. why the infinitely wise and holy god , who created man such an excellent and glorious creature after his own image , and put him under such an excellent law , so holy , just and good , should suffer this excellent creature , and this excellent law of his , ( by the interposition of sin ) to be so frustrate and disappointed ; that it is now become impossible for man to be justified by the law and the deeds of it . answ. this must be resolved ultimately into the sovereign will and pleasure of god , as our lord christ upon another occasion ; father , i thank thee lord of heaven and earth , that thou hast hid these things from the wise and from the prudent , and hast revealed them unto babes ; even so father , for so it seemed good in thy sight ; mat. . . a stupendious mystery it was ; and can be resolved ultimately into nothing less than the sovereign will of the blessed god and creatour , who may do what he pleases ; his own will being the most perfect rule , and his own glory the highest and ultimate end of all his works . certain it is , that the holy god could easily have prevented sin , and have preserved his creature man under the conduct of the pure and holy law of his unto eternal life and glory ; but it seemed not good in his sight so to do ; knowing how to over-rule so great an evil as sin , and the transgression of his holy law , to the further manifestation of his own greater glory and the greater good of his own elect : and therefore we further find by inquiry into this matter by the light of the holy scriptures ; that this so stupendious and mysterious a work of his providence with respect to man was necessary in order to the manifestation of his own greater glory and mans greater good , in five or six things . . namely first ; that thereby he might take occasion through sin and the transgression of his law to bring to light and give forth the manifestation of his eternal election of grace both amongst angels and men before the world was ; which was a mystery hid in god , till the discovery and manifestation thereof now began to apppear . . amongst the angels of heaven , amongst whom sin entred , and so great a number of them leaving their first habitation , and were cast down to hell , for their transgression ; whilst a remnant of them were preserved and were confirmed of god in christ , as ephes. . . gods election of grace toward some became manifest , and apparent , and his severity towards the rest that sinned , whom he spared not , but cast them down to hell ; and pet. . . so that here is a difference and a discrimination made betwixt angels and angels , some cast down to hell , others preserved and confirmed in heaven . and that which made the difference was , not any natural goodness , and excellency of endowments in the one more than the other ; but the free grace and election of god in christ , preseverd and confirmed some , that they did not , that they should not sin , whilst the rest sinned and were cast down to hell : hence the elect angels on the one part , tim. . . and the angels that sinned , on the other , divide the whole world of angels . and as vast a difference and distance is put betwixt the one and the other , as betwixt heaven and hell ; as betwixt light and darkness : hence of the same lump of the angelical nature , are made angels of light , as cor. . . and angels of darkness , pet. . . angels of heaven as mat. . . and angels of hell , as mat. . , the holy angels , as mat. . . and the wicked or apostate angels , as jud. . ly . amongst men in this world , god took occasion by sin and the trangression of his holy law , to manifest his election of grace , even amongst men on earth , as he had already amongst angels in heaven . and now a difference is put betwixt the seed of the woman ; ( namely , christ as the head of this election , and all the elect amongst men ; whom the father had chosen in christ before the foundation of the world , ephes. . . tim. . . and whom the father had given to christ out of the wold , john . . these all are one in christ by virtue of this election , and are to be brought unto actual conformity to him in grace here , and glory hereafter . christ the first born , and they all brethren to him , and one to another in him , as rom. . . ) and the seed of the serpent on the one hand , that is , all the children of the devil or wicked one , who are now distinguished and made manifest by the admission and entrance of sin , as john . , . and as sin took occasion by the law , for if there had been no law , there had been no sin or transgression ; so the grace of god took occasion by sin , and by the transgression of the law , to manifest it self both amongst angels and men , to gods greater glory , and the greater good and glorious advantage of his elect. oh the depth both of the wisdom and knowledg of god! how unsearchable are his judgments , and his ways past finding out ! how hath the election of grace taken occasion by the sin and misery of mankind , to shew and manifest it self in glorious triumph over all mans sinfulness and unworthiness , as well as over all mans works and righteousness by the law , in over ruling the one , and excluding of the other ; that the purpose of god according to election , might stand not of works , but of him that calleth ; as rom. . . and again , rom. . . the election hath obtained it , and the rest were blnded . ly . that so he might make way for the coming of his son jesus christ into the world ; for his coming forth into and in the human nature , and being made , and manifested in flesh both to angels and men ; this mystery of godliness , as the apostle hath it , tim. . . ( god manifested in the flesh , ) had never been exhibited in the sight of angels and men , had not the transgression of the law , and the utter inability in the law to give man life and righteousness in gods sight ; first prepared and opened a way for it : had there been no sin , there had needed no sacrifice ; no need of god manifested in flesh ; could righteousness have been by the works of the law , there had been no need of a christ , to take away sin , to make an end of sins , and to bring in everlasting righteousness , as dan. . rom. . . and as the apostle hath it , gala. . if righteousness come by the law then christ is dead in vain . christ coming in the flesh , his being made of a woman , made under the law , his being made a curse for us ; yea , all that he did & suffered for us in his life & death ; yea , his resurrection from the dead , his ascension into heaven , and his intercession for us there hath been altogether in vain , if sin could be expiated and righteousness obtained by the deeds or works of the law : but christ is not dead in vain , his coming into the world is not in vain : now consider what a glorious work , the work of redemption is above all the works of gods creation , and above all the other works of his mighty , wise and holy providence , and be filled with admiration , and wonder at the infinite wisdom , power and grace of god in christ , who hath thus over-ruled , so great an evil as sin is ; and the frustration of the hope of righteousness by the law for the manifestation of the riches of his glory , and grace in his son christ jesus , and the greater advancement and good of his own elect , who are no losers by their disappointment and loss of the hope of righteousness by the deeds of the law ; having now obtained a better hope of a better and greater righteousness by faith in christ , than could have been obtained by the law , if they had never sinned , and if they had fulfilled the righteousness of the law in themselves : glory be to the triumphant grace of god in christ. . that so also just occasion might be offered for the promulgation and making known amongst men the everlasting covenant of grace ; now consider what a great blessing the covenant of grace is , above the law and covenant of works ; which the apostle saith , had no glory in comparison of the new covenant of grace which so far excelled , cor. . , , , , . verses . and consider how the manifestation and revelation of this better covenant hath filled heaven and earth with a greater light and manifestation of the divine glory than any the world knew before or could ever have known without it , and you will fall down and worship before the throne of god , and of the lamb ; saying , blessing , glory , and praise be unto the god and father of our lord jesus christ ; who hath thus blessed us with the blessings of such a covenant : all spiritual blessings , all heavenly blessings , all spiritual blessinngs in heavenly places in christ ; ephes. . . this covenant of grace is called the new covenant ; but only with respect to the promulgation of it ; forasmuch as it was not promulgated till after the fall of man , and the frustration and making void the law or old covenant , as a covenant of works , and utter incapacity of that covenant to give man righteousness and life by the deeds or works of it , as the apostle argueth , heb. . v. , , , . but the covenant of grace is also called the everlasting covenant with respect to the institution and establishment of it betwixt the father and the son , not only because it is to everlasting , and endureth for ever , but also because it is from everlasting , and before all time , and is therefore said to be given us in christ before the world was , tit. . . in hope of eternal life , which god that cannot lie , promised before the world began ; that this is the covenant of grace is plain , because it is that , upon which the hope of eternal life is builded , and it is called the promise , as it is often called in scripture , as gala. . . now we brethren , as isaac was , are the children of the promise , i. e. of the new covenant , for this is the new covenant , which is compared to that jerusalem which is above , and is the mother of all the children of god , as gala. . , , , , . upon this account they are called heirs of the promise , i. e. of the new covenant or covenant of grace , and not of the old covenat or covenant of works , as gala. . . so then brethren , we are not children of the bond-woman , but of the free , i. e. not of the old covenant , but of the new . now of this promise , viz. this promise of god that cannot lie , it is said to have been before the world began , i. e. given us in christ the mediator of this covenant , and unto whom this promise was given for us , before all time , before the world began , i. e. from eternity . and if any shall enquire why then was the law or covenant of works at all added and promulgated ; the answer is ready , as the apostle , gala. . . it was added , because of transgression ; i. e. that by the occasion of sin and transgression of that covenant , men might be prepared to entertain and embrace the promise and covenant of grace , and so look unto the free promise and covenant of grace in christ for life and salvation , and so rom. . , . the law entred that sin might abound , &c. now as it was for the further manifestion of gods greater glory , and for mans greater good , that this new covenant , or covenant of grace should be declared , so it was necessary that sin should first enter , in the transgression and frustration of the law as a covenant of works , that a fit occasion , and season might be offered for the declaring and making known this blessed covenant , this new and everlasting covenant of grace . and thus by the disannulling and making void the old or first covenant as a covenant of works , which could not have bin without the entrance of sin , is way made for bringing in the covenant of grace ! ly . that god might cut off all occasion of boasting from man , and that no flesh might glory in his sight ; had man been justified by the works of the law , and his own righteousness , he should have had whereof to boast , as the apostle , rom. . . for if abraham were justified by works , he hath whereof to glory ; but not before god ; now therefore god in his infinite wisdom hath ordered and over-ruled things unto this issue , that by the work● of the law no flesh should be justified in his sight , that so no flesh might glory in his sight , no , not one amongst the many sons which are and shall be brought unto glory ; that as abraham the father of the faithful , so none of the children of abraham might have whereof to glory before god : god is very jealous of his glory and will not have any creature in heaven or earth , to come in as a sharer with him in that glory , whcih is his own peculiar , and appertaineth unto himself alone . and therefore hath so wisely disposed things in the aeconomy of salvation , that man being raised from the lowest degree and abyss of sin and misery to the highest pitch and height of grace and glory , should have nothing to boast of , nothing to glory in before him ; but to cry , grace , grace unto this spiritual workmanship and building of god by jesus christ even from the first foundation stone to the topstone thereof , as zech. . . so that now boasting is here for ever excluded and , glorying cut off from all flesh , as rom. . . where is boasting then ? it is excluded , by what law ? of works ? nay , but by the law of faith. the law of works , had it carried the glory of giving life and righteousness to man , could not have excluded boasting , but had admitted boasting even amongst the sons of glory ; every person amongst them would have had something of his own to boast of ; his own free will against gods free grace ; his own works and righteousness against gods free promise and grace in christ jesus : but now by the law of faith boasting is utterly and for ever excluded . and that this was gods design is plain , from cor. . , , . eph. . . and thus , as gods own glory is his highest end , ( as in all his other works , so also in this great work of justification by faith , and not by the works of the law , ) so his own most holy and sovereign will is the most perfect rule in order to that end , as eph. . , . who worketh all things after the counsel of his will , that we should be to the praise of his glory . there is nothing more hateful to god than pride . the angels for pride were cast down to hell ; god resisteth the proud , but giveth grace to the humble ; a proud professor is most hateful to god ; for a professor to make himself his end in his religious works and duties , as zech. . , . and to make his own will his rule , as pet. . . is to make himself a god to himself : and is the highest contradiction to the divine will , which is the most perfect rule of his obedience , and to the divine glory , which is his highest end ; now therefore god hath so provided , that amongst all those that are justified , ( not by the works of the law , or their own righteousness , but by faith in jesus christ , ) no flesh should glory in his sight either by ascribing to his own free will in opposition to gods free grace or in his own works and righteousness in opposition to the free promise and the righteousness of god , which is by the faith of jesus christ unto all , and upon all them that believe . . it hath seemed good to the most wise and holy god , by the interposition of sin in the transgression of the first covenant , and the frustration thereof as to any possibility of giving righteousness and life to any man under the heavens ( under which all are concluded , and shut up ) to order things unto this issue , that so occasion might be given to glorifie his justice in the punishing of sin , and to reveal his wrath from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men ; as rom. . . had there been no sin , there had been no wrath ; and so no manifestation of gods righteous judgment , no revelation of his wrath from heaven against all unrighteousness of men upon this earth . now it was absolutely n●●●ssary with respect to gods greater glory , that as his mercy , grace and love should be manifested towards some ; as hath been already shewed ; so his just wrath and the power of it should also be made manifest against others who upon that occount are called vessels of wrath and fitted to destruction ; as others are called vessels of mercy , and aforehand prepared unto glory ; as , rom. . , , v. what if god willing to shew his wrath and to make his power known , endured with much long suffering the vessels of wrath fitted to destruction· there are amongst men in this world vessels of wrath as well as vessels of mercy : as amongst men , vessels have their denomination from that which they contain and are filled up with : so vessels of oyl , vessels of wine , vessels of water , &c. so here some are called vessels of mercy , because they are filled with mercy , grace and love from god in and through his son jesus christ ; and by this mercy , grace , and love of god in christ to them , they are afore-hand prepared unto glory : so on the other hand , others are called vessels of wrath , because they are the objects of gods wrath , and by the fulness of sin , when it is finished and grown ripe in them , they are fitted to destruction , and shall be filled with the infinite wrath of god , and that for ever : for their worm dyeth not , and their fire is not quenched ; as mark . . now such was the will , the sovereign will of god , that this warth of his , and the power of this wrath should be manifested and shewed forth in the glory of it towards these vessels of warth , what if god willing , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 : as much as determining , resolving in ●he council of his will : for here the word ( willing ) doth not signifie barely a consent of the will , that such a thing shall be done ; but a fixed purpose and counsel of the divine will determining and decreeing : to shew his wrath and to make his power known on the vessels of wrath fitted to destruction . now there had been no occasion for the revelation of this part o● the divine will , and the shewing forth his wrath , and the making of his power know towards these vessels of wrath , if sin had not once entered , and the law by transgression been disabled as to the giving man life and righteousness by the works of it ; yea , if there had been no sin , there had been no vessels of wrath , nor any fitting of them to destruction . and thus the wise and holy god hath over-ruled sin and the transgression of his holy law to his own glory , in the manifestation of these vessels of wrath amongst men in this world , and in the fitting of them to destruction ; and in taking occasion thereby to shew his wrath , and to make his power known partly in this world , and more abundantly in that which is to come : so that all the patience and long-suffering of god towards these vessels of wrath , hath no other issue than by their continuance in sin , and filling up the measure of their iniquity , to ripen and fit them to destruction : and after the hardness and impenitency of their hearts to treasure up to themselves wrath against the day of wrath , and the revelation of the righteous judgment of god , as rom. . , . and thus have we done with the doctrinal part : i proceed to the application . use . hence we may infer and be informed that no man can be justified by the light within him and by his obedience to that light ; there hath been a generation of men , amongst us , that have made a greater noise about the light within , and which they say is in ever man in its measure and degree , and that by harkening to the light within , and obeying the same , a man may be righteous , yea , become perfect , and ( as they have affirmed ) to be without sin ; but let us a little examine the matter , and we shall quickly find the falshood of this boasting and confidence ; for this light , as they call it , is either true or false ; if false and not warranted by the holy scriptures , then it is not light , but darkness ; and as our lord saith , mat. . . if therefore the light that is in thee be darkness , how great is that darkness ? but we will suppose that this light which they speak of and affirm to be in every man be true light in its measure and degree ; and if it be so , then at best it can be but the light of gods holy law , as the works of it is written in the conscience of a man : it can pretend no higher ; and then no man that can pretend to the highest degree of that light , and of obedience thereunto , can possibly become righteous and be justified in the sight of god thereby : for then a man might be justified by works of the law contrary to the clear light of the holy scriptures : but forasmuch as no man shall or can be righteous and justified before god by the law and the deeds or works thereof in whatsoever manner or degree they can be performed by him : it is most clear , certain and plain , that no man can be justified in the sight of god by the light within , nor by all his obedience thereunto . . hence we may also infer , and be certainly ●formed , that no m●n can be justified in the sight of god by morality or moral vertue ; morality or moral vertue , is nothing else but obedience and conformity to the moral law contained in the decalogue or ten commandments , though generally it is restrained to the duties of the second table : and many of the heathens , ( who knew nothing of instituted religion and worship , which depend only upon divine revelation ) have attained unto divers moral vertues , and have therein excelled many called christians , and many amongst the professors of christianity , have made little pretence unto or conscience of instituted worship further than the bare name of religion , yet have been found amongst men more morally honest and vertuous than some others that have had a greater name & fame for religion ; and thereby have attained more reputation and esteem amongst men , than multitudes of loose pretenders to instituted religion : yet when all due encourgement and praise is given and allowed to moral virtue and honesty where-ever it is found ; it must be affirmed and is certainly true ; that no man under the heavens can be justified in the sight of god by moral vertue ; for then a man might be justified by the deeds of the law : and that by the deeds of the law in one part of it only , i. e. by the deeds of the second table , when the deeds of the first are omitted . but for as much as by the deeds of the law no flesh shall be justified in his sight ; it followeth as a necessary and undeniable consequence that moral vertue cannot justifie a man ; nor that any man can be justified by moral vertue in the sight of god ; and although there have not been wanting amongst the philosophers of old , and amongst false christians of latter times , who have by disputing , preaching and printing , both with their tongues and pens endeavoured to exalt , magnifie and cry up morality against the gospel of our lord jesus christ , and the righteousness of faith ; yet have not been able to prevail in that attempt . dly . hence also we may as certainly infer and be informed that those that are justified in the sight of god , are not justified by inherent grace and sanctification : 't is a great and a blessed truth , that all that are justified are also sanctified , as titus . , . for the grace of god that bringeth salvation , hath appeared unto all men ; teaching us that denying ungodliness and worldly lusts , we should live soberly , righteously , and godly in this present world : we will suppose that the grace of god , is taken for the doctrine of the grace of god in christ which hath appeared to all men , i. e. to jew and gentile ; by the gospel that bringeth salvation , i. e. the glad tidings of salvation , and salvation it self when it is believed and embraced in the heart of any man by faith. now this grace of god doth teach us , st . doctrinally when it is received only by a common and not saving faith ; as historical or temporary faith is such faith as devils , and wicked men , and hypocrites may have ; as james . , . mat. . , , . when it is thus received , it teacheth us doctrinally , i. e. the light of the gospel of the grace of god , that teacheth men the doctrine of salvation ; the righteousness of gods justification by faith in christ , teacheth us also to deny ungodliness and worldly lusts , and to live soberly , righteously and godly in this present world. which particulars do expresly contain the whole and compleat sanctification of the heart and of the life , i. e. in mortification of sin ; and all manner of holy and godly walking & conversation amongst men in this world : so that if any person pretending to this doctrin of justification , & righteousness by faith in christ be otherwise than a truly , holy , mortified , and sanctified person he is self-convict and left without excuse ; as the gentiles were by sinning against , and walking contrary to the light of nature : so these loose christians by sinning against and walking contrary to the light of grace , the fault is not in the grace of god but in their own selves ; who hereby proclaim to all the world , that they have received this grace or doctrine of the grace of god in vain . dly . but then when this doctrine of the grace of god is imbraced sincerely and with a saving faith , such as is the faith of the operation of god ; as col. . . and the faith of gods elect , as tit. . . and like pretious faith , pet. . . then it doth effectually teach , and certainly work by the same faith , all that sanctification and holiness of heart and life here mentioned : and so again , cor. . . and such were some of you , but ye are washed , but ye are sanctified , but ye are justified in the name of the lord jesus , and by the spirit of our god : so that the same holy spirit of god which applieth christ to our faith for righteousness and justification , doth also apply christ to us as and for our sanctification : and every person that is truly justified in the name of the lord jesus , is also as truly sanctified by the spirit ; and 't is as impossible for a justified person to be distitute of inherent grace and sanctification , as it is for a man living in the body to be so , without the soul , james . . nevertheless justification and sanctification , righteousness imputed and inherent , are distinct and different things , and must fall under a distinct consideration ; and must not , cannot , be confounded ; they differ as the cause and effect , as the antecedent and consequent : and though inherent grace and sanctification doth always accompany the person justified ; yet inherent grace and sanctification is not that righteousness by , or upon which any person is or can be justified in the sight of god : for inherent grace and sanctification is no more , can rise no higher than the writing of the law in a mans heart , and so it is described and set out by god himself , heb. . . quoted out of jer. . . i will put my laws into their mind , and write them in their hearts : the work of grace inherent , is but the writing of the law in the heart ; and all sanctification and holiness is but the outward expression of this law internally written in the heart : now if a man could be justified in gods sight by inherent grace and sanctification , he might be justified by the deeds and works of the law ; and that by imperfect deeds and works too ; for such is sanctification , but the imperfect writing of the law in the heart ; and such are all even the highest attainments of inherent righteousness and acts of new and holy obedience in the saints , but imperfect , phil. . . and rom. . , , , . now forasmuch as no flesh can be justified in his sight by the deeds of the law ; it is manifest and followeth , by necessary ●●nsequence that no man can be justified by inherent sanctification and obedience ; seeing all inherent sanctification and obedience is but the writing of the law in the heart , and the deeds of that law so written . and that which some men have imagined and endeavoured to maintain ( that a believer is justified in the sight of god by evangelical righteousness , i. e. his sincere obedience , or obedience of faith : and that having obtained remission of sins through faith in christs blood , his sincere or evangelical obedience is accepted of god as if it were perfect ) will plainly appear to be a false , and unsound assertion , and most contrary to the truth of the gospel ; for although both parts of this assertion be true in sensu divisio , i. e. in their different sense , and with respect to the different matters to which they do relate ; yet in sensu conjuncto , as they are confounded and referred to one and the same matter , they are utterly false and corrupt ; as namely , that a believer is justified by evangelical righteousness is a blessed truth , if referred to the right subject and matter of justifying righteousness which the gospel doth reveal : but this righteousness then is no other than the righteousness of god , i. e. the personal and perfect obedience and righteousness , which christ who is god man hath performed for us , and in our stead as the second adam and head of the whole church of the elect ; and is therefore called , the righteousness of god , in opposition to all a mans own or inherent righteousness , rom. . , . phil. . . and that this is the only evangelical righteousness , i. e. that only righteousness which the gospel doth reveal . for justification is clear from rom. . , . i am not ashamed of the gospel of christ , for it is the power of god unto salvation to every one that believeth to the jew first and also to the greek : for therein is the righteousness of god revealed from faith to faith ; as it is written , the just shall live by faith , i. e. not in his own , but in the righteousness or another ; which is jesus christ : who is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth , rom. . . but if you will understand evangelical righteousness of , and refer it to inherent grace and sanctification , then it is utterly false ; for then a man is justified by the law and the deeds of it ; seeing inherent grace and sanctification is no other as hath been already shewed , and again , as to the other part of this assertion , namely , that god doth accept the sincere obedience of a believer as if it were perfect ; is also a blessed truth , if you refer it to sanctification only ; but if you refer it to justification , it is utterly false : for no righteousness of man is or can be accepted of god as the matter of his justification in his sight , as hath been already proved ; for that were for a man to be justified by the works of the law , or his own righteousness , which is contrary to the scriptures : now therefore , the sum of the matter is ; that no righteousness can be mentioned or accepted of god in justification , but the righteousness of christ only ; and although inherent righteousness , namely , sanctification of heart , and holiness of life in a believer is accepted of god through christ , as if it were perfect ; yet 't is so accepted as the truth and matter of his sanctification , but not as the matter of his justification , wherein none but christ and his righteousness can or ought to be mentioned . use . let the consideration of this truth caution and warn every man to beware and take heed how he goeth about directly or indirectly to establish his own righteousness , or to seek righteousness in and of himself by the deeds and works of the law , i. e. by his own inherent qualifications , and internal or external acts of obedience , and so become disobedient , and not submit himself to the righteousness of god by faith in christ. the carnal jews of old ( called israel ) fell under this woful mistake ; rom. . , . but israel which followed after the law of righteousness , hath not attained to the law of righteousness ; wherefore , because they sought it not by faith , but as it were by the works of the law : for they stumbled at that stumbling-stone : they followed after the law of righteousness ; i. e. they served god instantly day and night , as acts . . they attended to all the services of the law in sacrifices , and costly offerings , and toilsom as well as chargeable observances , in which they spared no cost , nor pains , but continued day and night , and that with zeal and fervency ; for so was that service carried on by sacrifices and offerings of divers sorts and kinds , which were day and night made , and some of them continually before the lord ; and when the old were 〈◊〉 moved , new were brought in and placed 〈◊〉 their room ; so that there was no vacancy no cessation , but a continued service day an● night , from one years end to another , an● this for the space of years ; and upo● this account , as they did , so they suffered muc● from the nations round about , both near an● far off , and that with much constancy , no● shrinking , nor turning away from the servic● of their god in times of greatest danger an● tribulation , as the histories of ezra , nehemiah , daniel , and the th of the hebrew● do abundantly declare : and yet they attained not to the law of righteousnss , wherefore ? because they sought it not by faith , but as were by the works of the law : those words , as it were , are of great significancy ; shewing , that in the nature and scope of their sacrifices they were directed unto christ , and to seek righteousness not by their own works , and in themselves , but by faith in christ ; and this was their common profession and prophecies they had , and promises of salvation by the messiah , whom had they looked unto by faith , and sought righteousness by faith in him , they had been safe : but they sought it , i. e. righteousness , not by faith , but as it were by the works of the ●aw ; so that whilst they professed christ , ●nd faith in him for righteousness , they closely and under-hand pursued their own righteousness , and rested in the law , and ●he works thereof , and so miscarried ; and this was their stumbling-stone under so bright a profession as they made to the contrary . note . that these things are mentioned and quoted out of heb. . — . not to impeach , or once to question the right faith of those worthies there mentioned ; or as if they obtained not the righteousness of god ; for 't is said , verse . these all obtained a good report through faith ; but to shew what things were done and suffered by the body of that people for many hundred years , and yet resting upon , and trusting to their own works and righteousness by the law , they attained not unto the righteousness of god ; i. e. the generality of them , most of them , through all those generations , as is expresly declared , rom. . , . for a person or people may do much , and suffer much , and yet all in vain , when by a fleshly mind , resting upon these things as their own righteousness , they submit not themselves to the righteousness of god ; which is the same that the apostle taketh for granted , cor. . , , . and which he also plainly declareth , gal. . , , . and herein appealeth to themselves to be their own judges , gal. . , . and god grant that it be not our stumbling-stone also under so great a doctrinal● faith , and profession of justification by faith , and not by the works of the law , that we may not secretly and under-hand closely pursue , and go about to establish our own righ●teousness , if not directly , yet as it were by the works of the law : and it is that whic● the nature of man is very prone and strongly inclined unto , and therefore hath great need of caution and warning in this matter ; for god , who is jealous of his glory , will search out this close hypocrisie , and punish this dissimulation in us , as well as he did in them : and this new and late covering , which some have found out to hide their nakedness , will not be sufficient ; for what doth it avail them to say , that we are justified by evangelical righteousness , when this evangelical righteousness , as they call it , is not christ's , but our own righteousness ; our sincere , but imperfect obedience ; this is to blind our selves , and mock god ; whilst we look one way , and row another ; this is as it were by the works of the law , to seek righteousness , and not by faith : and it were to be wished , that these men who make their boast , and talk so much of sincere obedience under the notion of evangelical righteousness , and thereby darken counsel by words without knowledge , and confound the doctrine of justification with that of inherent grace and sanctification , would first shew sincerity in submitting themselves to the righteousness of god which is by faith in christ , and as sincerely deny their own righteousness in point of justification : and this would be a better evidence of their sincere obedience to the gospel of ●●sus christ , than any they give without it : ●e not deceived , god is not mocked ; he that made the eye , shall not he see ? and he that made the ear , shall not he hear ? and he that formed the spirit of man within him , shall not he understand ? and search out this idol hid amongst the stuft ? as it were by the works of the law. turpe est doctori quem culpa redarguit ipsum . now to back this caution , and ( if it may be ) to fix it upon your spirits with the greater force , i shall add three arguments against this attempting , or going about to establish your own righteousness ; namely ; . this is certainly a vain and foolish attempt ; we may allude to psal. . , . why do the heathen rage ? and the people imagine a vain thing ? the kings of the earth set themselves , and the rulers take counsel togethe● against the lord , and against his christ. there have been those , who from the be●ginning of the world , and in all ages an● generations thereof , as they have had advantages , have attempted by all humane forc● and policy against the lord , and against hi● christ , to oppress and exclude his gospel and spiritual kingdom among men in thi● world ; but they have not succeeded ; they have been still frustrated and disappointed therein : for yet christ sits as king upon his holy hill of zion , and there he shall sit and reign by his word and spirit maugre all opposition of hell and earth : so that they have imagined a vain thing which they were never yet able to accomplish , nor ever shall be . so , let me tell you from the sure word of god , that all such as have gone , and do go about to establish their own righteousness , and not submit themselves to the righteousness of god , have imagined , and do imagine but a vain thing , which they shall never obtain : for god hath said , and will not repent , that by the deeds of the law no flesh shall be justified : and , god is not as man that he should lye , nor as the son of man that he should repent ; hath he said , and shall he not do it ? or hath he spoken , and shall he not bring it to pass ? numb . . . there have been those under the old testament that tried this attempt to the utmost , but were miserably disappointed in the issue ; rom. . . they attained not to the law of righteousness ; and shall any think to succeed better under the new testament , where the light is more clear , and the utter impossibility of this attempt so plainly declared , that he that runs may read : and what a foolish and absurd thing is it , to attempt that which a man knoweth , or may know before-hand he shall never be able to accomplish ? . this is also a sinful as well as a vain attempt , and therefore beware and take heed of it , it is disobedience in the highest degree ; pet. . , , . verses this is spiritual wickedness , and therefore greater spiritual wickedness is that which hath in it spirits of wickedness , and therefore more strong and vigorous . we see by experience a little quantity of spirits extracted by art , hath much more vigour and strength in it than a far larger quantity in the common bulk . where the spirits are not united but dissipated in the common matter ; vis unita fortior : here are the spirits of many sins united in one , in this going about to establish a mans own righteousness in opposition to the righteousness of god. for , st . here is the sin of ignorance , not 〈◊〉 invincible ignorance , for that cannot be i●●puted as sin to any ; but of willful or willin● ignorance , as the apostle peter reproves th● scoffers of the last times , pet. . . 〈◊〉 this they are willingly ignorant of , &c. the● might have known if they would , but the● were not willing to know ; they were willing to be ignorant ; that so they might scoff th● more freely at the promise of his coming ▪ and so here men are willingly ignorant o● gods righteousness , that they might establish their own ; so rom. . . for they being ignorant of gods righteousness and going abou● to establish their own righteousness ; have not submitted themselves to the righteousness of god. and v. . for i bear them record , they have a zeal of god , but not according to knowledge . this ignorance and want of knowledge 〈◊〉 them is no extenuation or excuse of their sin , but an aggravation of it ; as that whereby they , i. e. the jews , are left without excuse , because they might and ought to have known better ; seeing the whole dispensation & aeconomy of the ceremonial law was in the proper scope and tendency of it to lead them out of themselves unto christ , to seek righteousness by faith in him , and upon this account they are as much without ●xcuse as the gentiles were , rom. . , . who when they knew god or might , have ●nown him , yet did not glorifie him as god. ly . here is the sin of enmity and rebellion of the will against god ; they submitted not themselves to the righteousness of god ; ' ●is a meiosis wherein more is implyed than exprest : they submitted not , but rebelled and set themselves against the righteousness of god , from the enmity of their carnal mind : and christ saith unto this generation of men , john . . and ye will not come unto me that ye might have life . . here is the sin of pride : going about to establish their own , they submitted not themselves to the righteousness of god ; going about to establish their own righteousness ; here is the pride of mans heart , he will exalt himself , he will have somewhat of his own ; he will exalt his own righteousness against the righteousness of god ; and such is the pride of man by nature , that if he cannot have righteousness and life in himself , he will not be beholden to another for it ; and if left to himself , will rather perish eternally than go out of himself to seek righteousness and life in christ. ly . here also is the sin of obstinacy an● willful re●using and rejecting the righteousness of god in christ , though infinitely be●ter than their own ; and persisting therei● in opposition to all the clear light of god word , and those convictions of the spirit fastned thereby upon their minds : as the holy man stephen tells them plainly , act ▪ . . ye stiff-necked and uncircumcised i● heart and ears , ye do always resist the holy ghost : as your fathers did , so do ye . so that all these things with some others which might be mentioned , do make it plainly appear to be a very sinful and wicked attempt in ; man to go about to establish his own righteousness . but , . it is also a very dangerous attempt , none can engage in this attempt but with the utmost peril and loss of his soul , if persisted in a mans own righteousness is a stumbling stone , at which they stumble ; and so fall and perish eternally : so fall upon that stone which breaks them to pieces , and provoke till it falls upon them and grinds them to powder : namely , christ the foundation stone in sion ; so rom. . . for the● stumbled at that stumbling stone , as it is written , behold i lay in in sion a stumbling stone and rock of offence . but who are they that stumbled ? but those that sought not righteousness by faith in christ , but as it were by the works of the law : and wherefore did they stumble at christ and his righteousness ? but because they went about to establish their own : their zeal , their madness for a righteousness of their own made them blind and not able to see the righteousness of god , made them enemies unto , and haters of christ , and his righteousness ; and in all the world none such enemies to christ , and the righteousness of god as these ; none such inveterate persecutors of christ and his holy apostles , and that spake against the things preached by them , as these men did contradicting and blaspheming , act. . . thes. . , . their zeal for their own righteousness and made them exceedingly mad , raging and foaming out their own shame against the truth of the gospel , viz. the doctrine of free grace and justification by faith in christ alone , without the deeds or works of the law. use. . this doctrine speaketh by way of exhortation , and that first to sinners , and secondly to saints ; first to them that are out of christ , and secondly to them that are in christ. . to sinners and such as are out christ ; if there be no hope for you , no po●sibility for you to obtain righteousness an● justification by the works of the law in th● sight of god ; then be exhorted to escap● for your lives , and fly for refuge unto jesu● christ the hope , the only hope , the 〈◊〉 hope set before you in the gospel : yo● have no hope by the law , but there 〈◊〉 hope for you in jesus christ : grace for th● greatest sinners in the world. there i● hope in christ for the jew and for the gentile : there is no man upon earth so holy that can be justified by the deeds of the law ▪ and there is no man upon earth so sinful and wicked but he may obtain righteousness and be justified by faith in jesus christ ▪ rom. . . what shall we say then , that th● gentiles who followed not after the law of righteousness , have attained unto righteousness , even the righteousness which is of faith oh therefore make haste and fly for refuge unto jesus christ. the true heirs of promise , heb. . . are described by this character , ver . . who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hop● set before us . and all that are or shall be heirs of promise must and shall fly for refuge to lay hold upon this hope , which is jesus christ , who is entered within the vail ; who when he had by himself purged our sins and brought in everlasting righteousness for us ( as dan. . . to make an end of sins , and to bring in everlasting righteousness , ) sate down at the right hand of the majesty on high , heb. . . now here is hope set before you in christ , fly for refuge and lay hold upon it by faith ; and so lay hold on eternal life , and lay hold on everlasting righteousness ; for christ is eternal righteousness , and eternal life to all that lay hold on him by faith ; who have fled for refuge . here is a reference and allusion to the cities of refuge set apart by gods special appointment from amongst the cities of israel ; which were in number six , in convenient places , and at convenient distances from all parts : to the end that he that had slain a man at unawares might fly , and there find refuge and safety from the avenger of blood , numb . . . — . these cities of refuge were types , and did point unto jesus christ ; the holy ghost thereby signifying and testifying before-hand christ the true and spiritual refuge to sinners amongst men , from the avenger of blood ; with the vindictive and revenging justice of god , and his infinitive wrath gone out in pursuit of all guilty and bloody sinners , and violaters of his righteous and holy law : and the benefit of these cities of refuge was not only extended to the jews but also to the strangers ▪ as v. . the holy ghost plainly testifying hereby the extent of this true refuge in christ unto the gentiles as well a● to the jews ; and that all that fled unto him should be safe , and escape the pursuing vengeance and wrath of god due unto sin and the transgression of his holy law ; and the assurance of safety and refuge to sinners flying unto christ , both of the jew and of the gentiles , is laid in christ , bearing their sins , and fulfilling the righteousne●● of the law for them : it being an act o● glorious justice as well as an act of sove●raign mercy and grace in the father to just●●fie him that believeth in jesus , as rom. . and isa. . . that he might be ju●● and the justifier of him that believeth in jesus ▪ and my righteous servant shall justifie m●●ny , for he shall bear their iniquities . o● ▪ therefore sinner thou needest not fear refug● in christ ! seeing not only the grace an● mercy of god , but his justice also , to whic● i may add his faithfulness and truth in 〈◊〉 word and promise are thy security : o● ▪ therefore sinner fly for refuge to lay ho●● upon this hope which is set before thee , and which is sure and stedfast , and entereth in within the vail : and for the setting home this exhortation , i shall add three motives and give three directions , and so conclude this first branch of the exhortation . motive . sinner know that necessity is upon thee ; thou must fly , or die ; and therefore i may say to thee as the angels did to lot when sodom was destroyed , gen. . . escape for thy life , look not behind thee ; neither tarry in all the plain : escape to the mountain lest thou be consumed . there was an absolute necessity upon lot in his present case to escape out of sodom , to escape to the mountain , or to be consumed in the fire of gods wrath that was kindled against sodom and the cities of the plain : and so it is with thee sinner , escape for thy life , and haste thee unto jesus christ ; for if the avenger of blood in pursuit of thee , doth overtake thee out of christ thou art a dead man , a lost and undone man for ever , and wilt be consumed in the fire of gods wrath and holy indignation that is already kindled , and will burn eternally to the consuming all unbelieving and impenitent sinners who live and dye out of christ ; and are not found in him , i. e. united to him by faith , sprinkled with his blood , and cloath●d with his righteousness . oh! therefore fly unto christ and get into him , and so keep the blood of sprinkling lest he that destroyeth the first-born should touch thee , heb. . . motive . here is refuge prepared and provided for thee in jesus christ : how miserable were man , guilty man , faln under sin , and under the curse of the law , and the wrath of god , if there were no refuge fo● him , no way to escape ? the condition o● man , of every man , would then be desperate ; as helpless and hopeless as that of the devils ; but blessed be god the case is no● so with faln man as it is with the faln angels ; grace , free grace hath put a difference ; oh let us adore god in it , and cry ▪ grace , grace to it ! there was no christ to take the nature of angels , or to take hold o● angels , as the word signifies , heb. . . bu● blessed be god there was a christ found to take the seed of abraham , to make an en● of sins , and to bring in righteousness t● faln man ; and now salvation is ready ▪ righ●eousness and eternal life is ready : o● therefore fly unto christ , and take refuge i● him , and lay hold upon the hope that is in christ for thee ! motive . yea this refuge is not a refuge afar off , but a refuge near , a refuge at hand ; 't is but st●pping out of thy self , and thine own righteousness , and thou art presently in christ , in this sure refuge . great care was taken by god's appointment , that the cities of refuge should be in convenient places , not too far off , lest the distance should discourage the guilty man-slayer , and give advantage to the avenger of blood to prevent his escape thither : but the cities of refuge were near both to them that lived in the land of canaan , and also to them that lived beyond jordan ; on the one side of jordan , and on the other , that all might have opportunity and encouragement to fly thither ; numb . . . yea these cities of refuge , as they were to be near , so the way was to be prepared and made plain , that there might be no letts or hinderances in the way of the poor guilty man slayer , that was to fly for his life ; deut. . . thou shalt prepare thee a way , and divide the coasts of the land ( which the lord thy god giveth thee to inherit ) into three parts , that every slayer may flee thither . even so it is with respect to the true spiritual refuge in christ , 't is a refuge near at hand , and not afar off , that every guilty sinner may fly unto it : so that no sinner hath reason to complain and say , who shall ascend up into heaven ? i. e. to bring christ down from above ? or who shal● descend into the deep ? i. e. to bring christ back from the dead ? no sinner , say not in thine heart , nor think that this refuge is far off ; for the word is nigh thee , even in thine heart , and in thy mouth ; i. e. the word of faith that we preach , rom. . , , . and if thou wilt yet ask and further enquire , what this word of faith is ; read rom. . . that if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the lord jesus , and shalt believe in thy heart , that god hath raised him from the dead , thou shalt be saved . what is nearer than that which is in thy heart and in thy mouth ? well , so near is christ unto every man , unto whom the gospel is preached : christ that came down from heaven into the humane nature ; the word that was made flesh , and dwelt amongst us , and did in the flesh of humane nature bear our sins , and die for us , is risen again from the dead , received up into glory : i say , this blessed jesus is brought near to us in the gospel ; that if we believe in him we shall be saved ; in him , i. e. even jesus who hath delivered us from the wrath to come ; thes. . . and as christ who is our refuge is near ; so the way is prepared , the vallies are ex●lted , and the hills are laid low , the stumbling blocks are gathered up long ago ; isa. . , , . compared with luke . , , . so that sinner , here is now no valley , whose depth should affright thee ; no mountai● whose height should discourage thee ; no stumbling-block left to hinder thee in this flying for refuge unto christ ; therefore sinner , take courage and fly to christ , and lay hold upon the hope set before us ; and as god hath levelled all that was betwixt jew and gentile , and prepared his way , that every guilty sinner , both of the jew , and of the gentile , might have free access unto , and acceptance with his son jesus christ ; lay no stumbling-blocks and put no difficulties in your own way , when god puts none ; but fly for refuge unto him , and be safe ; be happy for ever : but take along with thee these three directions . direct . . first of all ; be speedy in your flight , make no delay ; tarry not ; delays are dangerous and opportunities , blessed opportunities , are many times thereby lost . to day if ye will hear his voice , harden not your hearts ; as heb. . . and again , to day , while it is called to day ; heb. . . and again , now is the accepted time ; this is the day of salvation ; cor. . . and again saith the voice of god by his own son to jerusalem ; oh that thou hadst known , at least in this thy day , the things that belong to thy peace ; but now they are hid from thine eyes ; luk. . , . commonly men fly in haste , and take hold of the present opportunity to avoid the danger feared ; so must thou do sinner , if thou art upon thy flight to christ for refuge ; take hold of the present opportunity , which if lost , may perhaps never be recalled or recovered ; you know what folly it was in him , who said call time again ; no , time past cannot be recalled : the motion of time is not retrograde , like the wheels in ezekiels vision ; which went straight forward and turned not as they went : so doth time , vestigia nulla retrorsum . well sinner , thou hast a day now , a blessed time now ; a day of grace , a time when light shineth into thy heart , convictions are upon thy conscience ; thou hast a sense of sin , and feeling of thy guilt ; tremblest under awakened apprehensions of the wrath of god justly due to thy sin ; seest thy refuge to be only in christ ; hast some kindlings of divine love and affection , some warm desires unto and breathings after christ and grace : oh sinner make use of this blessed time , and lay hold of this pretious season ; and now or never , take thy flight and speed thee away to jesus christ who calleth thee ! and let thy heart answer , behold , i come unto thee ; for thou art the lord my god. lose this season , and lose all ; lose this season , and lose thy soul ; lose this season , and thou art lost for eve● ; for ought thou knowest : thou canst not assure thy self , nor can any man under the heavens assure thee of another day , of a morrow : no , no , to day if you will hear his voice ; there is no morrow mentioned in all the word of god in this case ; there is no m●rrow in the promise , therefore thou canst not expect it ; no morrow in the command , therefore thou canst not work in it : thou mayest repen●● and believe the gospel whilst it is called to day ; but if thou staiest till to morrow it may be it will be too late ; there is but a day of grace , and there is no morrow to succeed : jerusalem had her day , and esau had his day ; but no morrow , no afterward : no , no , then it was too late ; read luke . . heb. . . direct . . be steady in thy flight and persist in thy course ; hold on thy way till thou arrivest at , and beest got into the city of refuge : the guilty man-slayer , was not safe till he got to the city of refuge ; he was as lyable to fall and perish by the hand of the pursuer and avenger of blood at the borders of the city of his refuge , as he was when further off . 't is not his being not far off that would do ; thou art not far from the kingdom of god , saith christ to the lawyer that answered well ; but he was not in the kingdom of god for all that . and whether he ever went on and got in afterward we do not find . you know who said unto paul , thou almost persuadest me to be a christian ; but we find not that he ever became an altogether christian. 't is not thy making some progress toward christ that will secure thee ; but they getting into christ , and they being in christ , john . . rom. . . they that were near the ark , perished in the waters of the flood as well as they that were further off ; none were saved but they that entred in : multitudes there are that seem not far off from christ , yea many that seem near unto him ; but none can be saved but such as are in him . direct . . those that fled to the city of refuge , were to abide therein , and not to venture out of it , at least till the death of the high priest ; for if the avenger of blood found him afterward wandring abroad , he might fall upon him and slay him , numb . . , , . even so sinner , thou must not only refuge thy self in christ for a time , and then wander away after thy own lusts , worldly interests , or thine own righteousness afterward , but thou must abide in christ all the days of thy life , and never draw back through an evil heart of unbelief ; as heb. . . and thou must persevere in thy faith , and in thy course of holiness ; and hold fast the rejoycing of thy hope unto the end ; or else thou must lose all at last ; heb. . , . 't is a dangerous thing , when thou hast put thy hand to the plough , to look back , and remember lot's wife , who escaped out of sodom , and yet afterward looking back , was turned into a pillar of salt : 't is ill for them that begin in the spirit , and do afterward end in the flesh : 't is dangerous turning back from christ , and tacking about again to the world as wind and tyde serve : we read of many that did so , but never recovered their former faith and profession ; joh. . . from that time many of his disciples went back , and walked no more with him . and the apostle peter tells us ; it had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness , than after they have known it , to turn aside from the holy commandment delivered to them ; pet. . , . for it is happened to them according to the true proverb ; the dog is turned to his old vomit again , and the sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire ; v. . and ill it is for those that have sought to be justified by faith in christ , to go back again to the works of the law ; gal. . . christ is become of none effect unto you whoever of you are justified by the law , ye are faln from grace ; therefore having fled for refuge unto christ , abide in him as your refuge . d branch of exhortation . this doctrine speaketh by way of exhortation unto saints , unto believers , unto them that are in christ , and as true heirs of promise have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope that is s●t before them , which is christ ; i say it speaks unto them by way of exhortation , unto three things . . to rejoyce in christ jesus . the poor guilty man-slayer , when he had fled and got into the city of refuge , rejoyced in his refuge , because there he was safe and quiet , and the avenger of blood could not touch him there : so it becometh you much more to rejoyce in christ jesus , your refuge ; for here in christ you are safe and quiet , the guilt of sin , the curse of the law , and the avenging justice and consuming wrath of god cannot touch you here in your refuge ; rom. . . there is therefore now no condemnation to them that are in christ ; gal. . . christ hath redeemed us , from the curse of the law , being made a curse for us ; and thes. . . even jesus , which hath delivered us from the wrath to come . oh therefore rejoyce in christ jesus , because ye are safe and quiet ; your souls are safe ; you are now safe for ever , for ever ! psal. . . then are they glad , because they are quiet or safe , i. e. from their former dangers and fears . oh believers ! be glad because ye are safe arrived in christ your harbour , your refuge , and now ye are quiet and safe from your former dangers and fears ; we which have believed do enter into rest ; heb. . . to rejoyce in christ jesus , doth imply three things ; namely , . thankfulness : the poor guilty man-slayer is thankful for the city of refuge , and for that he is got into the city of refuge ; he bows and worships god in thankfulness , and blesses god who appointed the city of refuge , and blesses god that he is now got into it : so ye that are got into christ , your spiritual and heavenly refuge , bless god , and be thankful for jesus christ , and that ye are now got into christ ; all is of grace , of free grace , that christ was given to be a refuge to guilty sinners pursed by the law and curse , and that ye were enabled to flee unto him in your distress ; oh give the praise and glory to the god and father of our lord jesus christ ; ephes. . . blessed be the god and father of our lord jesus christ ▪ who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in christ : and again , col. . , , . giving thanks to the father , &c. and rev. . . unto him that hath loved us , and washed us from our sins in his own blood ! . satisfaction , compleat satisfaction and content ; the lot is faln to you in a pleasant place ; ye are now in the best state that ever you were in , or that you can be in on this side heaven . the poor man-slayer hath perfect satisfaction and content in his city of refuge ; and though he may want many things , yet he hath that which is better than all , which is best of all , and upon that account he rejoyceth in full contentation , satisfaction and well-pleasedness with his condition : so ye that are in christ , have infinitely more reason to be satisfied , and rejoyce in a holy contentation and well-pleasedness in christ ; for though you may want many outward comforts ; yea , though you may suffer many afflictions and troubles in this world , yet you have that in christ which is better than all worldly comforts ; and which will infinitely weigh down and out-ballance all worldly afflictions and troubles . oh! therefore rejoyce in christ jesus in a holy contentation and well-pleasedness in christ. oh christian ! let thy heart in this answer to the heart of god ; for the heart of the father doth rest in christ in a perfect satisfaction , complacency and delight ; mat. . . this is my beloved son in whom i am well pleased . if the heart of god thus rests in christ , and is well pleased , let thy heart do so too . . reioycing in christ jesus doth imply a holy relyance upon him alone , and resting upon him for all , and that with firm trust , and u●most dependance . the poor guilty man-slayer trusts in his city of refuge makes it his strong tower and rock of defence to save him , and in confidence thereof he bid● defiance to death it self , and to all danger , and triumphs in this confidence over all his enemies , and saith , who is he that shall harm me ? here he can look upon , and talk with his enemy , the avenger of blood , without danger , and without fear : why even so ye that are in christ should rejoyce in christ jesus in a holy relyance and resting upon him alone for all your salvation ; upon his blood to cleanse you , and his righteousness to cloath you , his wisdom to direct and conduct you , his power to preserve you , his merit to obtain all for you , and his spirit to work all in you : oh thus live by faith , and rest upon christ for all : oh christian ! this is indeed right living by faith , and walking by faith , when thou livest out of thy self upon another , i. e. christ , and when thou walkest through all the darkness and wickedness of this world in a steady and firm dependance upon christ thy refuge , thy rock and house of defence to save thee , thy righteousness , thy wisdom , thy sanctification and redemption ! here thou mayest talk with all thine enemies , and throw the gantlet to them all in a holy triumph and rejoycing against that they can do against thee , and say as rom. . . who shall lay any thing to the charge of gods elect ? and as verse . who is he that condemneth ? it is christ that died ! and as verse . who shall separate us from the love of christ ? shall tribulation , &c. as vers . , . and conclude as a conqueror , ( yea more than a conqueror through him that hath loved thee ) as vers . , . . next to rejoycing in christ jesus , be exhorted from this doctrine , to put no confidence in the flesh ; phil. . . rejoyce in christ jesus , and have no confidence in the flesh ; these two must go together in the heart and walking of a christian : you cannot rejoyce in christ jesus , if you have , or put any confidence in the flesh ; and ye cannot have confidence in the flesh , if ye do aright rejoyce in christ jesus : to have confidence in the flesh , is to have trust and confidence in the law , and in the deeds and works of the law , done by you either before or after your laying hold upon christ as your refuge ; the internal deeds of the law , which are the qualifications , virtues and graces of the mind , and the external deeds of the law , which are the external actions of thy life and conversation , both with respect to god and man done and wrought in conformity to the holy law of god , so far as thou art able to reach it : the duties of the first table and of the second ; those which respect religion toward● god , and those which respect righteousnes● towards man , as they are or can be performed by thee ; these all are comprehended in the word flesh ; as appeareth plainly by the apostle ; phil. . . though i might also have confidence in the flesh , if any other man thinketh that he hath whereof to trust in the flesh ; i more : and then he addeth all his legal qualifications , priviledges and performances before his conversion ; v. , . circumcised the eight day , &c. and then he adds all his own righteousness of the law in the internal and external deeds of it after his conversion and faith in christ ; v. . and be found in him , not having mine own righteousness , which is of the law ; but that which is through the faith of christ , the righteousness which is of god by faith : so that all his own righteousness both before and after conversion , he sets in opposition to the righteousness of god by faith in christ ; and this , all this that is , a mans own righteousness , he calleth flesh , and forbids and denies any confidence or trust to be put in it , either by himself , or by any other man ; so as that he or any other person should think or judge , or reckon himself righteous and justified in gods sight by his own righteousness , either of inherent qualifications or external obedience ; no , no , this is abominable ; this the apostle abhors in himself , and deters all others from : but on the other hand , to trust alone unto christ , and rely and depend upon the perfect righteousness of christ , which is the righteousness of god , and is made ours by faith , and not by works ; this is to rejoyce in christ jesus ; but to have confidence in our own righteousness ; this is to have confidence in the flesh : and there are two reasons why all a mans own righteousness is called flesh ; . because it is weak and unable to bear the weight of mans hope and confidence as touching his being righteous thereby , or justified before god ; and thus the horses of the egyptians are said to be flesh , not spirit , because of their weakness and inability to answer the sinful trust and confidence which the jews had in them ; isa. . v. . and . because it is polluted , sinful and unclean by the infirmity and imperfection of grace in the best , and by the mixtures of sin and corruption that attend us in our best duties ; as isa. . . but we are all as an unclean thing , and our righteousnesses are as filthy rags , and therefore not to be trusted in and relied upon when we come before , and have to do with god. now therefore , ye that are in christ , and desire to rejoyce in christ jesus , have ; see that ye have no confidence in the flesh : covet earnestly the best gifts ; strive after the highest attainments of inherent grace and holiness , but trust not to , put no confidence in your own works and righteousness ; for by the works of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight . . and last of all ; see that ye worship god in the spirit ; phil. . . for we are the true circumcision which worship god in the spirit , rejoyce in christ jesus , and have no confidence in the flesh : so that to your rejoycing in christ jesus , and having no confidence in the flesh , you must add this also ; to worship god in the spirit . now to worship god in the spirit implieth these three things ; namely , . to worship god in the spirit , is to worship god in christ ; those of the concision spoken of in the beginning of phil. . who trusted to circumcision and the works of the law , or their own righteousness , worshipped god in the deeds and works of the law , which the apostle here calls flesh ; and so they worshipped god not in the spirit , but in the flesh : they rested in their own deeds and works , and looked not to christ jesus who was the end , perfection , and substance of the ceremonial law. and so indeed their worship terminated in their own righteousness , and they did not by faith go out of themselves unto christ and his righteousness ; and so they did not worship god in the spirit , i. e. evangelically and by faith in christ ; but legally and presuming upon their own merit and worthiness without christ ; and so all their worshipping was carnal and in the flesh , after the old covenant and works ; but not spiritual and evangelical , i. e. after the new covenant and grace . to worship god therefore in christ , and by faith in him as your only righteousness , and always to come unto the father by the son ; this is indeed to worship him in the spirit relying upon his mediation , merit , blood , and righteousness as the mediator of the new covenant , and not upon the old covenant and works . . to worship god in the spirit , is to worship him sincerely and with a true heart ; and thus to worship god in the spirit , is to worship him in truth , joh. , . but the hour cometh and now is , when the true worshippers shall worship the father in spirit and in truth ; for the father seeketh such to worship him : god is a spirit , and they that worship him , must worship him in spirit and in truth . these concisionis● did worship god not in truth , but i● outward shew and hyporisie ; for they worshiped him in the outward circumcision o● the flesh , ; but the inward circumcision of the heart , which is in the spirit , and soul ▪ and mind , that was wanting , that they looked not after : thus , whilst they doted upon , and boasted of the external sign , they lost , they minded not the thing signified , i. e. the internal grace and spirit ; and there was not that in the heart and spirit within , that might accord and stand with , and answer to circumcision without , i. e. the answer of a good conscience ; no , the conscience was neither sprinkled with the blood of christ , nor sanctified by his spirit ; and hence they did not , they could not draw near to god with a true heart , nor in that full assurance of faith that god would either hear or accept them in their worshiping of him : a guilty conscience , and an unsanctified heart is always hypocritical , and playeth false and loose in worshiping god ; hence heb. . . let us draw near with a true heart , in full assurance of faith , having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience , and our bodies washed with pure water ; and the heart must first be sprinkled from an evil conscience , and body washed with pure water , by the blood and spirit of jesus christ , before any man can worship god in spirit and in truth ; and i do , and dare too affirm it from the word of god , that there is not a true and spiritual worshipper of god in all the world , but such as are so inwardly sprinkled and washed with the blood and spirit of jesus christ ; all others do worship god carnally and hypocritically , not in spirit , and in truth , not sincerely and inwardly : oh therefore , you that are in christ , see , look to it , that you worship god in the spirit , and in truth , for else there is none in all the world to do it . . to worship god in the spirit , is to worship him in and according to his own holy institutions , ordinances and appointments , and not according to humane inventions , not according to mens traditions ; there is neither spirit nor truth in that worship that hath not the stamp of divine authority upon it : voluntary humility and will-worship , and all things of mans devising in the worship of god , and that hold not the head christ jesus , can minister no grace or spiritual nourishment to the members and joynts of the body ; eph. . . compared with col. . , , , , , . a little leaven will leaven the whole lump , and a little superstition and will-worship , after th● doctrines and commandments of men , 〈◊〉 render the whole worship vain and fruitle●● to your selves , as well as displeasing , provoke●ing and unacceptable to god ; and so whe●● all the ends of worship are lost , it becom● altogether vain ; as mat. . . but in va●● they do worship me , teaching for doctrine t●● commandments of men ; and who hath ●●●quired these things at your hands ? will 〈◊〉 day dash in pieces the confidence of all suc● worshippers , and evidence the vanity , as we●● as the impiety of all such worship : human● traditions and impositions of men unde● what name or pretence soever , whether of e●●clesiastical , or of holy learned and judicio● persons , or the authority of the civil magistrate , are not sufficient to warrant us i● our worshiping of god : no , no , we mu●● to the law , and to the testimony ; and i● they speak not according to this word , ther● is no light or morning in them : and whe●● men have once rejected the word of th● lord , what wisdom is in them ? yea wha● holiness is in them ? what learning is in them ? yea , professing themselves to be wise , they are become fools ; and why then should you that are in christ follow them , or be led by them , wherein they do not follow christ , or are led by his word and spirit ? 't is time for us to leave them who have left the head jesus christ , and have gone a whoring from under their gods : what though all the world wander after , and worship the beast ? yet those whose names are written in the lambs book of life , must not comply with them ; rev. . , . ye that are in christ are the temple of the living god ; for god hath said , i will dwell in them , and walk in them : what agreement hath the temple of god with idols ? wherefore come out from amongst them , and be ye separate , saith the lord , and touch not the unclean thing ; cor. . , , . and again , rev. . and having therefore , dearly beloved , these promises , viz. of god's receiving us , and of being a father to us , and our being his sons and his daughters ; as before ; let us cleanse our selvet from all filthiness of the flesh and of the spirit , perfecting holiness in the fear of god ; cor. . . and let it be considered by you , that if you be rejected of the world for not worshiping with them after their rudiments , ye shall be received of god in christ , as the true worshippers , that worship him in spirit and truth , i. e. that worship him in christ sincerely , and according to his own institution ; and whether it is better to please god or men ; to be rejected of men , and to be received of god ; or to be received of men , and rejected of god , judge ye ; for to be j●stified by works and our own righteousness ; and to worship god by humane inventions , are equally hateful and abominable with god , tho' highly esteemed amongst men ; jer. . . oh do not this abominable thing that i hate ! and luk. . . ye are they , which justifie your selves before men , but god knoweth your hearts ; for that which is highly esteemed amongst men , is abomination in the sight of god : and for us to think within our selves , that we can be justified in the sight of god by our own works or righteousness ; or that we can worship god by humane inventions , or mens traditions , is to think that god is altogether such an one as our selves , for which certainly he will reprove us ; psal. . , . and there is a secret ▪ yet strong connexion betwixt these two grand errours ▪ viz. to be justified by works , and to worship god by and after our own inventions ; for they commonly go together , and stand and fall together : and those that are corrupt or loose in the doctrine of justification , are accordingly as corrupt and loose in worship : and therefore when a professing people grow loose in the worship of god , 't is an ill omen , and just ground of godly jealousie and fear , that such are unsound and loose in the point of justification : hence gal. . , , , . and that they are not fast knit by a sincere faith unto christ the head ; col. . , , , . let us therefore , as many as are perfect , be thus minded ; to rejoyce in christ jesus ; have no confidence in the flesh ; and worship god in the spirit ; then , and not till then are we the t●ue circumcision ; then , and not till then , do we walk after the spirit , and not after the flesh : as therefore ye have received christ jesus the lord , so walk ye in him : and the god of peace shal● be with you . amen . the second part of the true light shining in darkness : to give to us the knowledge of salvation , & to guide our feet into the way of peace . or , the righteousness of god manifested , opened and declared as the true and only matter of our justification before god , through faith in jesus christ. being one sermon or doctrine of five more remaining upon rom. . , . but now the righteousness of god , without the law , is manifested , being witnessed by the law and the prophets : even the righteousness of god , which is by faith of jesus christ unto all , and upon all them that believe ; for there is no difference . preached first in and about the city of london , and now more lately in the town of cambridge . by thomas taylor . london , printed for nath. crouch , . the true light shining in darkness . rom. . , , but now the righteousness of god without the law is manifested , being witnessed by the law and the prophets ; even the righteousness of god , which is by faith of jesus christ unto all , and upon all them that believe ; for there is no difference . in the foregoing verse , and the discourse thereupon you have heard that there is no righteousness of man whereby he can be justified or stand before god. now lest you should object and say ; if the case be thus with man , with all men , since the fall of adam ; that there is an utter failing of a mans own righteousness : so that it is now become impossible for him to be righteous and to be justified in the sight of god by the deeds of the law ; then is the case desperate with him , and there is no hope ; i say to obviate such an objection as this , and to open a door of hope , o● a better hope to man , thus desperate in himself ; the apostle presently adds ; but now the righteousness of god , &c. as if he had said , oh! ye lost and un●one children of adam , cheer up your spirits and let not your hearts sink ; for tho' there is no hope for you by the law and the works of it , yet there is hope for you in christ : and though there is no righteousness of man that can be the matter of your hope for justification before him , with whom ye have to do ; yet there is a better righteousness which you may attain unto by faith , i. e. the righteousness of god ; but now the righteousness of god , &c. in the text you have this righteousness described and set out unto you by six characters , each one of which will afford a distinct point of doctrine , and deserve a particular consideration . namely , . it is the righteousness of god. . it is without the law. . it is manifested , being witnessed by the law and the prophets . . it is obtained by faith of jesus christ. . it is by way of imputation , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , unto all and upon all that believe , i. e. by way of imputation . . it is extended equally and alike unto all them that believe , for there is no difference , i. e. betwixt one believer and another in respect of justification and this righteousness of faith. the points of doctrine accordingly , are or may be these six , namely , doct. i. that the righteousness which 〈◊〉 by faith of christ to all them that believe , i● the righteousness of god. doct. ii. that the righteousness of god which is by faith of christ to them that believe is without the law. doct. iii. that the righteousness of god without the law , is manifested , being witnessed by the law and the prophets . doct. iv. that the righteousness of god without the law is dispensed and brought down to us , and can be obtained by us only by faith. doct. v. that the righteousness of god which is by faith of jesus christ , is an imputed righteousness . doct. vi. that the righteousness of god which is by faith of jesus christ , is extended equally and alike to all them that believe : so that there is no difference . we shall begin with the first of these namely , doct. i. that the righteousness which is by faith of jesus christ unto all them that believe , is the righteousness of god ; for so the apostle calls it in the text , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , the righteousness of god : and again v. . even the righteousness of god ; and it is not in vain and without special reason , that this character is repeated and inculcated again and again in the text , as also in other places ; for herein lieth one essential difference and characteristical distinction betwixt all other righteousnesses that can be pretended to amongst men , and this righteousness , which is by faith , namely , that this righteousness only and above all others by way of eminency , is the righteousness of god. and this will appear and be made plain in these four general heads . . in that god alone is the author of this righteousness ; and as he is the father of lights from whom every good gift and every perfect gift comes , and in whom is no variableness nor shadow of turning ; jam. . . so this good gift , this perfect gift of righteousness by faith in his son jesus christ , cometh down from above , from him who is the father of lights : and god is the author of this righteousness in a special and peculiar way . indeed as all things of the first creation are of god ; rom. . ult . so all righteousness amongst angels and amongst men is of god , and he is the author and given thereof : the righteousness that is found in the elect angels , who obey his word , and do his will , whatever it is , is of god , and he is the author thereof ; for he planted that rectitude and integrity at first in the angelical nature , and he hath preserved the same in the elect angels that sinned not , and them in it , of his own will : and if there be any righteousness to be found amongst men , it is still of god , and he is the author of it . the original righteousness that was found in the first adam before the fall , was of god as the author of it ; for god made him after his own image , and planted that original righteousness , rectitude and integrity in the humane nature , conformable to that holy and righteous law under which god put him : and if there be found in faln man any thing that may be called righteousness amongst men , as namely , that which men call moral righteousness , it is certainly of god , and god is the author of it , as it sheweth forth the work of his law written at first in their hearts , though now to be found only in the broken remains of it : so that all righteousness , angelical and moral , that is found amongst angels or men , is of god , and god is the author of it , as it is a part of his first creation ; for he made all things very good ; gen. . . and man expresly , after his own image ; verse , . but this righteousness which is by faith of jesus christ unto all , and upon all them that believe , is of god after another manner , and god is the author of it in a more especial and peculiar way , and by way of eminency above all that is called righteousness amongst angels or men besides this ; for this righteousness is of god , and he is the author of it , as it is indeed the foundation of his new creation , and the whole fabrick and building of the new creation is founded upon it ; and look as god's new creation of grace in and by his son jesus christ , is a more excellent workmanship than that of his old creation , and god is the author of the new creature in a more especial manner ; so also is god the author of this righteousness ; cor. . , . therefore if any man be in christ he is a new creature ; old things are passed away , behold all things are become new ; and as old things are passed away , and all things are become new ; so particularly the old covenant and old righteousness by the deeds and works of the law is passed away , and a new covenant and a new righteousness brought in , not of works , but of grace ; not by the deeds of the law , but by faith in jesus christ ; and all things are of god ; as verse . i. e. all things of this new creation , and so this righteousness which is by faith of jesus christ , is of god in a new and more peculiar and glorious way , under a new head , i. e. not adam , but jesus christ , and by a new covenant , not of works , but of grace ; and by a new birth , not after the flesh , but after the spirit ; not of the will of man , but of god ; job . . . jam. . . gal. . , . and so this righteousness is called by a new name , the righteousness of god ; as god is the author of it , and hath created it , and brought it forth after a more peculiar manner ; and this will appear more plainly in the consideration of these three particulars ; namely , particular . first , in that god of his infinitely free and soveraign grace hath in and through his son jesus christ , designed and conferred this righteousness upon us by faith in his son. i say , god of his free grace hath conferred this righteousness by faith upon the heirs of salvation , and that from all eternity the purpose and counsel of his grace designed and conferred this righteousness by his son before the world was ; tim. . , . but according to his own purpose and grace , which was given us in christ before the world began : but is now made manifest by the appearing of our saviour jesus christ , who hath abolished death , and hath brought immortality and life to light through the gospel : what is that which is made manifest by the appearing of our saviour jesus christ , but this righteousness of god ? as in the text , but now the righteousness of god is manifested : now by this righteousness of god is death abolished , and immortality and life brought to light through the gospel . now whence is this righteousness of god , and so immortality and life brought to light ? was it from , or according to works ? no , but according to his own purpose and grace , which was given us in christ before the world began ; so that it was not our works , but god's free purpose and ▪ grace which designed and conferred this righteousness ; and if you will know when this purpose and grace , or this purpose of grace in god moved him hereunto ; it was from all eternity , before the world began ; and this righteousness of god , is not a righteousness of work or by works , but a righteousness of grace , given us in christ , not as a reward of works and of debt , but as a gift of free and soveraign grace ; and so it is called ; rom. . v. . much more they which receive abundance of grace , and of the gift of righteousness , and all that are justified by this righteousness , which is by faith in christ , are said to be justified freely ; rom. . being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in jesus christ : and it is very much to be considered , that mans works are always excluded , and the grace of god , and the gift of righteousness magnified and mentioned in the business of justification ; titus . , , . and for as much as this purpose and grace , or this gracious purpose of righteousness by faith was given us in christ before the world began , it is manifest , that man not having then a being , or having done good or evil , not mans works or worthiness , but gods own free grace and goodness moved him to confer and bestow this gift of righteousness ; as the apostle argueth concerning esau and jacob ; rom. . v. . for the children being not yet born , neither having done any good or evil , that the purpose of god according to election might stand ; not of works , but of him that calleth : so that this righteousness which is by faith of jesus christ , is the righteousness of god , as his grace , his free and soveraign grace in christ hath created , designed from all eternity , and freely conferred the same on all them that believe : and thus no other righteousness , but this of christs only , is or can be called the righteousness of god , because whatever other use there may be of other righteousnessess , either original ▪ legal or moral amongst men in this world , yet certain it is that this righteousness only was designed and conferred as the gift of god's free grace in christ , as that wherein only man can be be justified in his sight . particular . this is the righteousness of god , as his infinite wisdom alone hath contrived and found it out : for considering the case of man now faln under sin by the transgression of the first covenant , and the first adam , and every individual person of mankind comprehended in him , were now become sinners , and had lost all hope and possibility of righteousness by the law ; it was above the reach and understanding of all created wisdom ; and would have put to a non-plus all the wisdom of men and angels , to have found out a way , how man , that had lost his own righteousness , and all hope of it by the law , could ever become righteous again , and be justified in the sight of god ; and that god might be just in justifying man that 〈◊〉 once a sinner and transgressor of his 〈◊〉 law : and had god put the question adam , who had as much natural und●●●standing and wisdom , as any man ever ha● i say , had god put the question to him ; 〈◊〉 me adam , now that sin and death have 〈◊〉 the dominion over thee , and all thy poster●●● by thy transgressing of my law , how sin 〈◊〉 death may be destroyed , and righteousn●●● and life brought in , my law be fulfille● my justice satisfied , and glory preserv●● and thou saved ; his mouth had been stoppe● and his tongue silent without any answer ; could not have entred into the heart of ma● to conceive such a mystery of grace as th●● is : and as there was none amongst men , 〈◊〉 none amongst the angels in heaven tha● could have been his counsellor in this matte● ▪ or have first given unto him ; as rom. ▪ , . who hath been his counsellor ? and wh●● hath first given unto him ? no ; no , god hath been his own counsellor in this matter ; his own wisdom hath contrived this way of righteousness by faith in his son jesus christ ; as rom. . . oh the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of god! how unsearchable are his judgments , and his ways past finding out ! for i had not ●he wisdom , as well as the grace of god ●revented man with the revelation and ma●ifestation of this righteousness , it had ne●er entred into the understanding of men or angels to have conceived thereof ; cor. . v. . but as it is written , eye hath not seen , ●or ear heard , nor hath it entred into the heart ●f man the things that god hath prepared for them that love him ; which is quoted out of isa. . . for since the beginning of the world , men have not heard nor perceived by the ear , neither hath the eye seen , o god , besides thee , what he hath prepared for him that waiteth for him : and doubtless this righteousness of god by faith in his son , is one , and not the least of those things , and these words of the prophet , neither hath eye seen , o god , besides thee , doth not only exclude the eye and wisdom of man , but of angels also : so that it is the eye of god only that hath seen , and his wisdom alone that hath contriv'd this wonderful thing : and it is therefore called not only the wisdom of god ; as cor. . . but also the wisdom of god in a mystery ; as cor. . . and the hidden wisdom , ordained before the world for our glory : and the wisdom , which none of the princes of this world knew ; as verse . for had they known it , they would not have crucified the lord of glory . . parti . this righteousness is also th● righteousness of god , and he is the autho● of it . as his infinite power hath effect●● and performed it in and by his son jesu● christ , as his infinite grace alone hath de●signed and conferred ; and his infinite wi●●dom alone contrived and declared , so also 〈◊〉 infinite power alone hath effected and broug●● it forth ; and therefore christ in bringing in this righteousness is called the wisdom 〈◊〉 god and the power of god , cor. . ● and admirable indeed it is and worthy 〈◊〉 serious and particular consideration to observ● how the infinite power of the godhead m●●nifested it self , and wrought in christ f●● effecting and bringing forth of this right●●ousness ; and this we may consider in 〈◊〉 particular instances thereof ; as namely . . inst. in the bringing forth of h●● son jesus christ into the humane nature● what an emanation and irradiation of th● divine and eternal power of the god●head was therein manifested ; to the admi●ration and wonder of angels and men namely , . in that a virgin should conceive an● bring forth a son , as the prophet had foretold , isa. . . this was impossible with men , but things that are impossible with men , are easie with god : and therefore here was a manifestation of the divine and infinite power in effecting that by its own immediate operation which in the course and order of things as to men was impossible . . in that a man should be brought forth of the seed of the woman , and partaker of flesh and blood , i. e. of all the infirmities of the humane nature and yet without sin ; this also was a further manifestation of the power of god : and as things stood with adam after the fall , was altogether as impossible as that a virgin should conceive ! for adam being first corrupted , and the humane nature depraved by sin ; it became impossible in the way of ordinary generation , which god had ordained for the propagation and continuation of man in the world , that ever any particular man , or person of mankind should be born of a woman , and in that respect be truly the seed of the woman , who was first in the transgression ; and yet be clean from the corruption of the humane nature and be without sin ; as job . . who can bring a clean thing ●ut of an unclean ? not one . that is , not one amongst all the creatures : 't is above and beyond the power and energy of any creature in heaven or earth to effect such a work ; to bring a clean thing out an unclean : and so again , job . ●● ▪ what is man that he should be clean ? a●● he which is born of a woman , that he sho●●● be righteous ? but here behold a miracle i●●deed ! a wonder of divine power and e●●ficacy ! a man , one in the humane nature and brought forth in the fulness of tim● that is perfectly clean , and free from all th● original and inherent corruption of ma● nature , and one which is born of a wo●man , and yet righteous ! righteous above what adam was in innocency , and abov● what the angels of heaven were in the sta●● of original purity : one more holy tha● saints , more holy than angels , and yet ● man , with all the infirmities of mans n●●ture , and yet born of a woman ! a clea● thing indeed , brought out of an unclean and therefore this holy , this clean , and harmless son of man , and separate from sinners , was not brought forth in a way of ordinary generation , but by the immediate energy and power of the most high , working i● a miraculous and extraordinary manner , a● was expresly declared by the angel to the virgin mary , luke . . the holy ghost shall come upon thee , and the power of the highest shall over-shadow thee ; therefore als● that holy thing , which shall be born of thee , shall be called the son of god ; and therefore his generation was peculiar to himself , the miraculous and extraordinary manner of which , thoughts are wanting in us to conceive , and words much more to express , as it is written , isa. . . and who shall declare his generation ? and surely herein that old serpent the devil was greatly deceived and disappointed of his expectation ; for as ( when he tempted cain to murder abel he thought he had thereby made all sure : the seed of the woman in the person of abel being now cut off ; but little did he think then of another seed appointed by god to the woman instead of abel whom cain slew , but when seth was born , the mystery of god was revealed , to the faith of the woman , and the confession of her mouth plainly declared the faith that was in her heart , as to another seed , in whom the genealogy and line was to descend down even unto christ , as gen. . . for god , said she , hath appointed me another seed instead of abel , whom cain slew . so also in the first temptation ; here was the subtilty and malice of the devil to cut off and murder all mankind at once , for understanding that this glorious creature adam , was brought forth as a publick person , and by the covenant g●● had made with him , was to stand or 〈◊〉 the common head and root of all manki●● designed , and in his serpentine wisd●● concluded , that if he could prevail up●● this adam to sin and transgress t●● covenant , he should at once murder 〈◊〉 whole race of mankind , murder him 〈◊〉 them in him , spiritually and eternally 〈◊〉 well as bodily : and having effected this h●● rid murder , he now triumphs over ad●● and all mankind , as a mighty conquer in the spoils he had made of so glorious creature , supposing he had now made all sure , that god himself according to his ow● law was not able to deliver this capt●● adam , and the spoils of mankind out 〈◊〉 his hand ; little did the devil then think 〈◊〉 a second adam , of a more glorious perso● to be brought forth in the humane natur● and of the seed of the woman , or that th●● could possibly ever be , that a clean thing should be brought forth out of an unclean ▪ but behold here the wisdom of god defeating the subtilty , and the power of god defeating the malice and power of the devil ; who had now got the power of death in his hand , as heb. . . had got the keys of hell and death , and had as he thought lo●● up adam and all mankind with him so fast ●ithin these gates , that none could come to ●eliver him : but behold the second adam christ jesus , by the power of god , of the ●eed of the woman , holy , harmless , and ●eparate from sinners being conceived in the womb of the virgin , and born of her with●ut sin , according to the promise made to adam , and now declared immediately after his fall , gen. . . the seed of the woman shall bruise thy , i. e. the serpents head ; and here as the serpent had deceived the woman , and brought her first into the transgression ; so this old serpent the devil was deceived by the woman , of whose seed by the power of the highest is brought forth this second adam , this man christ jesus ; who is made a quickning spirit , cor. . . to quicken or make alive that which was dead , as ver . . who also was not , as the first adam , of the earth , earthy , and therefore easily overcome , as he was ; but the lord from heaven , as ver . . and therefore able to raise up all his , after his own image , to bear the image of the heavenly , as ver . . and to triumph over death and hell , as ver . , , . oh death where is thy sting ! and thus the admirable power of god was manifest in bringing forth such a person as jesus christ , in the humane nature ; jesus christ , the righteous , and the propitiation for our sins , and our advocate with the father ; whose office and work it was to bring down this righteousness of god from heaven to us . . instance . the infinite and eternal power of god , was also as much seen and manifested in christ , bearing our sins in this humane nature , in his own body on the tree : and first let us consider what a burden , what a weight sin and the guilt of sin is , when it is charged and laid upon the conscience by the power of god ; and this may be considered in the angels that sinned ; angels are greater in power than we , as pet. . . angels that excel in strength , or psal. . . angels , who are spirits , i. e. not flesh and blood as we are , weak and feeble ; angels that are not hay and stubble as we are , but a flaming fire , psalm yet these high and mighty angel , these strong and powerful angels , that were naturally the first-born of gods first or old creation , and the excellency of creature strength , when they had once sinned , and god comes to charge them with folly , and lay the guilt and punishment of sin upon them , how doth it sink and break all the powers and spirits of the angelical nature ; and casteth them down into the deepest darkness and despair , and that from the highest light , glory and confidence of their first and heavenly state , and presently cast them down from heaven to hell , pet. . . so unable were they each of them to bear the burden , i. e. the guilt and punishment of their own sin. and . let us consider sin in man , and how unable man is to stand when god shall mark iniquity , as psal. . . if thou lord shouldst mark iniquities , o lord who shall stand ? i. e. none shall or can stand , no nation or kingdom , no house or family , no person under heaven , no not the church or people of god can stand ; if god should mark iniquity , and punish sin but with his temporal wrath and judgments in this world , there is none could possibly stand , for who can stand when god is angry ? and who knoweth the power of his wrath ? the sinners of the old world did know something of it , but they could not stand before it , it swept them all away with the waters of a flood ; and whither did it sweep them ? it swept them down to hell , pet. . . the spirits now in prison ; and that prison is the prison of hell , luke . . and in hell , &c. the sinners also of sodom and gomorrah did know somewhat of this wrath : but they could not stand before it ; they could no longer ( as stout and hard hearted as they were ) bear up under this burden and weight of their own sin , for it brought a dreadful shower of divine vengeance upon them ; a shower of fire and brimstone from the lord out of heaven , by which they all perished , as gen. . , . francis spira also knew somewhat of this wrath , and burden of his own sin , when god laid it upon his conscience , in the guilt and punishment due to it , but he could not stand , but went despairing out of this world , and without any hope or comfort as to the next , as to what did appear . and it may be some of you here present , and if you have not , i am sure others have known something of this matter , when god hath been angry but for a moment ; and hath laid sin in the guilt of it , upon conscience ; it made them sink immediately under utmost despair , and bereaved them of all hope , comfort and patience , that had not infinite mercy stept in to their relief , they had gone despairing down to hell. the damned spirits in hell know more of the power of gods anger , and the weight and burden of sin laid upon their awakened and terrified consciences , than any in this world have done or can do , and their torments are intollerable , luke . . there the worm dieth not , and the fire is not quenched ; they are for their sin , a sacrifice to divine wrath , and they are salted with fire , and salted with salt , and so are eternally roasting in the fire of hell , mar. . , . and yet they do not know all the power of gods wrath , nor feel all the tormenting power of the fire of hell : they feel much and fear more ; they suffer that which is intollerable , and yet they fear what they have not yet felt : but must further feel and suffer to all eternity . oh eternity ! eternity ! oh the wrath of god , that is not only eternal , but infinite ! they know not the utmost , they know not the end of it , nor can know ! for that which is infinite , hath no bounds or limits ; and that which is eternal hath no end . therefore last of all , now consider this second adam , the man christ jesus , who though he had no sin of his own , to answer to god for , for he did no sin , nor was guile found in his mouth , isa. . . he knew no sin , as cor. . . yet he had the sin of the world , i. e. jew and gentile laid upon him and did bear it in his own body on the tree , john . . the lamb of god which taketh away or beareth the sin of the world ; for he did take away sin by his bearing of it , i. e. both the guilt of it , and the punishment due to it : for thus was the iniquity and sin of all god's elect laid upon him , isa. . . and jehovah hath laid upon him the iniquity of us all ; now therefore the sin of the world being laid upon him to bear , what an infinite burden and weight was it ? and how impossible for created strength whether angelical or humane to bear ; as hath been shewed . and yet that this one man , this second adam should bear such an infinite weight as sin and the wrath of god due to sin is ; what a wonder of divine power was manifested therein ? the strength of angels could not , the strength of man could not bear such a burthen and weight , as ye have heard ; yet they had but their own sin charged upon them , but here is a man , the son of man , the man christ jesus , the lamb of god , that beareth and taketh away , by bearing , the sin of the world ; oh admirable and wonderful power of the god-head ; by which this man was inabled to bear such an infinite and eternal weight as sin and the wrath of god due to sin is ; and therefore 't is said of him , that by the eternal spirit he offered himself to god for us , heb. . . for nothing less than the power of the godhead it self , could have enabled the humane nature to bear such an infinite weight and burthen , as sin is , even the sin of the whole world , and the whole , and compleat wrath of god due unto it ; the flesh or humane nature was but a vail to his godhead , as heb. . . but the eternal power and godhead within this vail , was that which enabled this second adam , this man to bear the sin of many : oh therefore behold with wonder and admiration the working of divine power in bringing forth such a man into the world , and also in strengthening this flesh and humane nature , to bear that which no creature in heaven or earth could , neither angels nor men. . inst. but then again thirdly , consider the infinite power of god , and the energy or working of it in the resurrection of christ from the dead . and this also was necessary in order to , and for the manifestation and declaring this righteousness of god for our justification ; which righteousness , though it was wrought by what this man , th●● jesus christ had done and suffered in his life and death in obedience to the law , under which he was made ; yet this compleat , perfect and everlasting righteousness of his as our head and surety , did not fully appear , nor was manifested until his resurrection from the dead , when he was visibly discharg'd out of the prison of the grave , and could no longer be holden of death , having satisfied divine justice to the utmost demand upon him for our sins , and having paid the full price of our redemption ; and therefore now by his resurrection from the dead , he is declared to be the son of god with power , according to the spirit of holiness ; or by the power of the holy spirit which raised him from the dead ; as rom. . . and rom. . v. . by this resurrection of his from the dead , he was justified as our head ; tim. . v. . justified in the spirit , i. e. in or by the power of the spirit or godhead dwelling in the humane nature ; and by his resurrection from the dead , we , i. e. all that believe and are in him by faith , were vertually justified in him , and together with him as our spiritual head ; so that all gods elect were vertually justified by his resurrection ; and therefore , rom. ult . he is said , to be delivered ( i. e. by death ) for our offences , and to be raised again for our justification . now consider what a manifestation there was of the mighty power of god in the raising of this man from the dead , unto which he was delivered for our offences : see how the apostle doth set it out , ephes. . , . according to the working of his mighty power , which he wrought i● christ when he raised him from the dead : here is power , his power , his mighty power . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , the energy or working of this his mighty power ; so that the mighty power of god did work and shew it self at a wonderful rate , when he raised him , i. e. christ from the dead : and indeed the power of god was more seen in the raising of christ from the dead , than in raising all the men in the world besides ; for no man ever had the sin of the world in the guilt and punishment of it laid upon him , but this man christ jesus : and by vertue of this resurrection of his , all the elect , the general assembly and church of the first-born , shall also be raised unto the resurrection of life at the great day ; as cor. . , . therefore the power of god , and the energy or working of it is greater and more glorious in christs resurrection , than in raising all the men in the world besides . inst. but then thly ; what a working of the mighty power of god was manifested in christs exaltation , and the setting of this second adam , this man down at the right hand of god in the heavenly places : and this also was necessary as a reward of hi● death and sufferings , of that obedienc● which he performed to the law for us , and that righteousness which he brought in to us ; as phil. . . having before spoken of his humiliation and obedience ; v. , , . who being in the form of god , &c. addeth , v. . wherefore god hath highly exalted him , and given him a name which is above every name , that at the name of jesus every knee should bow , of things in heaven , and things in earth , & things under the earth ; and that every tongue should confess that jesus is the lord , to the glory of god the father . now this exaltation of christ was the reward of his righteousness , even his , with which the father was so well pleased ; as isa. . . and thereby is this righteousness visibly declared and manifested in the sight of angels and men , being crowned , and in the most solemn manner declared at his inauguration or being received up into glory , which was the ultimate and finishing testimony and witness from the father that he is righteous ; and as such , and upon that account he sits in heaven ; as joh. . . we have an advocate with the father , jesus christ the righteous ; and joh. . . of righteousness , because i go to my father , and ye see me no more : so that christs going to the father , and sitting down in the heavenly places , so as to abide there in a perpetual advocateship , and as intercessor for us with the father , is the highest evidence and demonstration of this righteousness beyond all contradiction ; and therefore upon this argument 't is said the holy ghost shall reprove or convince the world of righteousness , i. e. this righteousness of christ ; because , saith he , i go to my father ; for he went as a publick person and second adam , the head of the church , and there is set down , in our nature , and in our stead , as he that hath wrought out for us , and brought in to us perfect and everlasting righteousness , in whom , as such , all the seed of gods israel shall be justified and glory , isa. . . now that this exaltation of christ , and the setting of him down at the right hand of god in the heavenly places , is a wonderful and glorious work of divine power ; see eph. . , , . according to the working of his mighty power , which he wrought in christ when he raised him from the dead , and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places . now consider this work of divine power , and it will appear admirable ; for god to take this creature man , made by nature lower than the angels , a creature of the earth , earthy ; as psal. . . for thou hast made him a little lower than the angels ; and cor. . . the first man is of the earth , earthy : now i say , to take this nature , and to advance it to heaven , and to set it above angels , both in its union with the godhead in the person of the son , and in its superiority , authority and power over all the angels in heaven , and over all things in heaven and in earth , and under the earth ; as phil. . , . and eph. . . far above all principality , and power , and might , and dominion , and every name that is named , not only in this world , but also in that which is to come ; and thus to put all things under his feet ; as v. . and hath put all things under his feet . this i say is such a work of glorious power , as fills heaven and earth now , and will fill eternity hereafter with wonder and admiration : but then consider again , that this creature man was now faln under sin , the curse of the law , and the wrath of god ; stript of its original righteousness , which it was created in conformable to the law of god , and utterly uncapable of righteousness by the law and the works thereof , and so separate from the actual union which he had with god his creator , and set by sin at an infinite and eternal distance from god as to what this creature man could now do ; and for god to take this creature man , and by a new creation of it in christ , to make all new , to purge and separate it from sin , take it into union with the godhead it self in the person of his own son , raise it from under sin and guilt , cloath it with perfect and everlasting righteousness , and receive it up into glory above the highest angels in heaven : oh what a work of divine and glorious power was this ! beyond whatever was seen in the works of the old creation , or in all the works of providence from the foundation of the world. . but then again fifthly , what a manifestation is there of the power of god , and the working of it towards all them that believe in order to the making of them partakers of this righteousness of god by faith in christ ; divine power hath not done in bringing forth and accomplishing this righteousness by christ for us . but there is a further work of the mighty power of god required and manifested in applying this righteousness to us , and working that faith in us by which alone this righteousness of god is made ours , and we are made partakers of it unto justification of life : for this righteousness of god is unto all , and upon all them that believe ; and as rom. . . for with the heart man believeth unto righteousness : now this faith is not a work of a mans own heart , nor is it of a mans self to believe in jesus christ unto righteousness : no , no , this faith is not of our selves ; it is the gift of god , ephes. . . and as this faith is the gift of divine grace , or the grace of god in christ to us , so it is also the work of his mighty power which worketh in us ; and therefore it is called the work of faith with power , as well as the good pleasure of his will , thes. . . and fulfill all the good pleasure of his will , and the work of faith with power . and without the mighty power of god put forth upon a mans heart in the hearing of the word ; there is not one man in the whole world that would or could believe in jesus christ unto righteousness , isa. . . who hath believed our report ? and to whom is the arm of the lord revealed ? the arm of the lord is his power , his mighty power , and unless the arm , i. e. the mighty power of jehovah be revealed or manifested in the heart of a man ; he doth not , he cannot believe the report which the holy prophets gave christ ; who testified before hand the sufferings of christ , and the glory that should follow ; pet. . . and this i may say from the word of god , there are no more men in the world that have believed this report ; than there are persons in whom this arm of the lord hath been revealed . now that there is a mighty power of god put forth upon them that believe : see eph. . . and what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe ; according to the working of his mighty power which he wrought in christ when he raised him from the dead , and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places ! now look what manifestation there was of the exceeding greatness of his power in raising christ from the dead , and setting of him at his own right hand in the heavenly places ; ( as hath been shewed ) the same manifestation of his power , the exceeding greatness of his power ; and the energy or working of it , is to be seen in & towards all them that believe : for indeed no less power can be sufficient to raise a dead soul from death to life , than to raise a dead body from the grave ; i. e. no power less than the infinite , no power less than the mighty power of god ; and therefore it is so exprest 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 : the superlative or exceeding greatness of his power , and according to that which he wrought in christ when he raised him from the dead : for no less instance and pattern of divine power , and the working of it could reach and set out the working of this power in and towards all them that believe ; than this of its working in the raising of christ from the dead . and indeed to raise a man from the death of sin and unbelief , ( under which all are shut up as in the grave , rom , . . ) is no less a manifestation of divine power , than was the raising of christ from the dead : and when this comes to be fully known and understood by the saints , it will fill them with deep wonder and admiration to all eternity ; as thes. , . when he , i. e. christ shall come to be glorified in his saints , and to be admired in all them that believe ; because our testimony was believed among you in that day . so that it will be the matter of admiration to the saints themselves when they come to the perfect knowledge of this power of god towards them : that ever the testimony given concerning christ by the prophets first and the apostles afterward ; the prophetical and apostolical testimony : our testimony was believed among you . and thus you see the mighty power of god which wrought in christ in performing and effecting this righteousness for us ; and also as it works in us that believe ; that by faith in christ we might partake of this righteousness of god. now therefore it appeareth that god is the author of this righteousness as his infinite free grace in christ hath designed and conferred it ; his infinite wisdom hath contrived , and his infinite and eternal power hath performed and wrought it out in christ for us , and in bringing down this righteousness by faith in christ to us . and so much may suffice to have been spoken to the first ▪ general head : namely , that god is the author of this righteousness in a special and peculiar manner , as it is his work of the new creation , and is therefore called the righteousness of god. head. and secondly , it is called the righteousness of god , because it is the righteousness of the glorious and wonderful person christ jesus , who is god man , and whose name alone is emanuel , i. e. god with us , or in our nature ; this glorious person , whose name is wonderful , counsellor , the mighty god , the everlasting father , the prince of peace , and yet is the son of man , the child born to us , and given to us ; isa. . . was brought forth in our nature and in our stead , to bring in everlasting righteousness , as hath already in part , and shall be more fully shewed in its proper place ; and he hath done it , he hath finished the work that the father gave him to do ; joh. . . and therein he glorified the father ; and the lord is well pleased for his righteousness sake : now this obedience which he hath performed to the law for us , both in that part of it which we call passive , and also in that part which we call active , makes up to us and for us this everlasting righteousness ; and therefore this righteousness which he in his person wrought out for us , is called the righteousness of god , because it is the righteousness of that person who is both god and man in two distinct natures , & one person for ever ; & hence it is that in this wonderful person , what is more properly appertaining to one nature , is oftentimes ascribed to the other ; as act. . . to feed the church of god which he hath purchased with his own blood. here the blood of christ is called the blood of god , though in propriety of speech it was the blood of man , i. e. of the humane nature ; for the godhead is impassible , and cannot suffer , but by reason of the union of the two natures in one person that suffered , it is called the blood of god ; even so the whole and compleat righteousness of christ both in his active and passive obedience , though properly it was not the divine nature that obeyed and fulfilled all the righteousness which the law required , but the humane nature , which was made of a woman , and made under the law ; yet the person who thus obeyed and fulfilled all righteousness for us , being god and man , his righteousness , which ●e performed to the law for us in the humane nature , is called the righteousness of god ; as in the text ; but now the righteousness of god ; and rom. . v. . have not submitted themselves to the righteousness of god ; and then it is added ; for christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth : so that this righteousness of god , which the unbelieving jews submitted not themselves unto , is plainly the righteousness of christ , i. e. of that glorious person who is god-man , or god in our nature emanuel , god with us ; and so an infinite dignity and merit is found in this obedience , this righteousness of christ from the glory and dignity of his person ; and herein is also another part , and that no small part of the mystery of godliness ; that as god was manifest in the flesh or humane natrue ; so god , thus manifested in the flesh , i. e. the humane nature , should ( being thereby made under the law ) become obedient , and fulfil all the righteousness of the law for us ; and in this respect is also this righteousness of god manifested , as the person that performed it was god manifested in the flesh , or humane nature . head. and then thirdly ; this righteousness is also called the righteousness of god in opposition to all righteousness of man , either of the first man adam , or of all other men in the world pretending to a righteousness of their own , and by the works or deeds of the law , as they are or can be performed by them : and as it hath been shewed , the holy ghost casteth a contempt upon man , when he calls him flesh ; as rom. . . there shall no flesh be justified in his sight , i. e. by the deeds of the law , or his own righteousness ; and also casteth a contempt upon all a man 's own righteousness and works , in that he calls them flesh ; and the putting confidence therein , to be putting confidence in the flesh ; as phil. . , . so the holy ghost doth put a glory upon this righteousness of christ , when he calleth it the righteousness of god , and the putting trust and confidence therein , our rejoycing in christ jesus ; and so this righteousness which is by the faith of christ unto all , and upon all them that believe , is the righteousness of god in opposition to all righteousness of man , or a man 's own righteousness . and as the apostle speaketh of the true , i. e. the heavenly tabernacle , heb. . . which the lord pitched and not man ; so he speaketh of this righteousness , which jehovah hath provided in his son christ for us , and not man ; and therefore is christ called , jehovah our righteousness , by the prophet jeremiah , c. . v. . not adam our righteousness , or a man our righteousness , but jehovah , or the lord our righteousness ; and so it is frequently expressed in the holy scriptures , the righteousness of god , in opposition to , and contempt of that righteousness which is of man , or which is our own righteousness ; so rom. . . for they being ignorant of gods righteousness , and going about to establish their own righteousness , have not submitted themselves to the righteousness of god. here is gods righteousness mentioned again and again in opposition to their own righteousness ! and so also , phil. . . not having on mine own righteousness , but the righteousness which is of god : where the apostle calleth it gods righteousness , in opposition unto , and contempt of that which is or may be supposed or pretended to be his own righteousness . head. and then fourthly ; it is called the righteousness of god , as it is that righteousness which only is and can be accepted of god in the matter of our justification , i. e. that righteousness by which , and upon the account whereof only a man may be righteous and justified in his sight : for there is no other righteousness by which a man may or can possibly be justified in the sight of god : or that god accepts of , and is well pleased with , but this as the matter of our justification , as hath been already proved ; so that this only is the righteousness of god , as his heart doth rest in it , is well pleased with it , and doth always accept it by faith in his son jesus christ ; and is not , nor can be well-pleased without it : and as a broken heart is called the sacrifice of god , psal. . . the sacrifices of god are a broken spirit ; a broken and a contrite heart , o god , thou wilt not despise . properly or in propriety of speech , a broken heart or spirit is no sacrifice ; but it was that god expected with all the sacrifices which the people offered according to gods appointment : for the sacrifices for sin were always slain , and so were offered up to god by death , and shedding of their blood. the holy ghost hereby signifying , that as the wages of sin is death ; so every person that sacrificed and brought his offering for sin , did deserve death . and therefore , though this death was transferred and laid upon the sacrifices , which typically did look unto christ ; and so required faith in christ , the lamb or sacrifice of god , which taketh away the sin of the world ; as john . . yet the very nature and import of all the sacrifices did plainly declare and imply , that sin was a bitter and a very evil thing that could not be expiated with less than death : and whosoever did present his sacrifice to be slain , and offered up for sin ; did ipso facto acknowledge himself a sinner , to have deserved death , and to be consumed in the fire of hell ; as the sacrifices were either wholly or in part burnt and consumed in the fire after they were slain : and so were offered up , not by death only but by fire also till they were consumed . now for a man to bring his sacrifice to be slain and burnt in the fire , and salted with salt ; and yet to have no inward sense and feeling of his sin , no feeling of the wrath of god due to sin , and so no inward repentance towards god. this was most hateful and abominable in the sight of god , and so the sacrifice of that person was not accepted , but despised of god , as a piece of meer hypocrisie and outward formality ; for in this man there is neither faith in christ , nor repentance towards god : and therefore all the sacrifices that men did or could offer , signified nothing as to divine acceptation , without this inward sense of sin , and brokenness of heart : this one thing , a broken heart , did signifie more than all sacrifices without it ; and so it is put for , and by the holy ghost , preferred to all sacrifices whatsoever ; the sacrifices of god are a broken spirit ; and why was a broken spirit more than all sacrifices , and alone is called in the plural number , not sacrifice , but sacrifices ; the sacrifices , yea the sacrifices of god , but because of the divine acceptation , because god doth always accept this broken heart , this contrite spirit : a broken and a contrite heart , o god , thou wilt not despise : the words are a holy meiosis , there is more implied , than is exprest ; thou wilt not despise , i. e. thou wilt certainly accept , thou wilt graciously accept and be well pleased with . now therefore the mystery is opened , the meaning of this expression , the sacrifices of god are a broken spirit , is abundantly made clear and plain : it is in this respect that a broken heart alone is called the sacrifices of god , that , or upon the account thereof god is well pleased , yea more pleased , than with all outward sacrifices without it : even so this righteousness , which is by the faith of christ unto all , and upon all them that believe , is called , the righteousness of god , because that this righteousness only , and above all others , is that which carrieth the glory of the divine acceptation ; god will not despise , but will certainly , will graciously accept this righteousness , whenever it is presented unto him upon the faith of a repenting , believing sinner , upon the faith of him that worketh not , i. e. that hath no works or righteousness of his own , which he dares to offer or bring unto god , but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly ; as rom. . . his faith is counted to him for righteousness ; and god is well pleased with this man for this righteousness sake which is alone by faith in his son jesus christ. now that god is well pleased with this righteousness of his son jesus christ , is most clearly testified by the voice from heaven ; mat. . ult . this is my beloved son in whom i am well pleased ; which voice from heaven was heard by john when christ was baptized of him in jordan , and was now entred upon his work of fulfilling all righteousness ; as v. . then cometh this voice from heaven , &c. and again , when christ was transfigured upon the mount a little before his death and translation into heaven : now when he was about to finish his obedience and whole righteousness of the law for us ; i say , then again comes this voice from heaven ; mat. . . this is my beloved son in whom i am well pleased ; and this voice was heard from the most excellent glory by peter , james and john ; as pet. . . which voice from heaven we heard when we were with him upon the holy mount. yea this is also testified by the su●e word of prophecy ; isa. . . the lord is well pleased for his righteousness sake ; meaning christ , as is manifest ; verse , , , , , . of that chap. and it is not christ alone , or as a single person , but christ considered as the head and root of the whole church ; and so jehovah is well pleased for his righteousness sake with all them that believe , and do bear and present this righteousness of christ in the hand of their faith before the father , as that wherein only they desire to be found and stand before him : now that god is well pleased with all such , and doth graciously accept them as just and righteous before him upon the account of this righteousness , is also as clearly testified unto by the holy scriptures ; act. . . and by him , that is , christ , all that believe are justified and accepted as such ; as rom. . . for as by one mans disobedience many were made sinners , or became sinners ; so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous , or become righteous in his sight . and again ; ephes. . . to the praise of the glory of his grace , wherein , or in which grace , he hath made us accepted in the beloved . we were not so by nature , or by our own works and righteousness ; but we are made so by grace through this obedience or righteousness of his son , who alone is the beloved ; and that you may see 't is through this righteousness that we are made accepted , and stand before him as righteous ; 't is added in v. . immediately following ; in whom we have redemption through his blood , the forgiveness of sins ; for though forgiveness of sins , or non-imputation of sins , is only expressed , which is but a part of our redemption and justification ; yet imputation of righteousness is also implied , and necessarily inferred ; as rom. . , , . the apostle doth infer the imputation of righteousness out of david ; psal. . , . blessed are they whose transgressions are forgiven , whose sins are covered : blessed is the man to whom the lord will not impute sin ; for unto this man the lord doth impute righteousness without works ; as v. . for else the apostles argument were of no force ; and that the lord is not well pleased with , or accepteth any person as righteous , but in and through this righteousness of his beloved son apprehended by faith , is also as clearly testified in heb. . . for without faith it is impossible to please god : where he proves that enoch was a believer , and an heir of the righteousness that is by faith ; because he had before his translation received this testimony , that he pleased god ; which he could not do without faith ; nor can any man else under the whole heavens be able to please god without this faith ; for the scripture faith it is impossible . and thus have we finished the doctrinal part , namely , that the righteousness which is by the faith of jesus christ unto all , and upon all them that believe , is the righteousness of god : . as god is the author of it . . as it is the righteousness of that wonderful person who is god-man . . in opposition to a man 's own righteousness : and . as god is well pleased with it . the use of this doctrine is by way of inference ; and hence we may infer ; . that this righteousness which is by faith of jesus christ unto all ▪ and upon all them that believe ; is a perfect and compleat righteousness : the perfection of this righteousness is argued from its author , which is no less than god ●●mself ; and that as it is the design and gift of his own free and soveraign grace in christ ; and as it is the admirable contrivance of his infinite understanding and wisdom , and also as it is the effect and product of his infinite and eternal power manifested both in christ and also in and towards them that believe ; as hath been shewed : now if it be the righteousness of god in such a special and peculiar manner as it is the foundation of his new creation , and making all things new in christ ; and that the new creature is raised and stands before god in his son christ ; upon this foundation of righteousness by faith in christ and not by the works of the law : then certainly it is a most perfect and compleat work of god : for he is a rock , and his work is perfect ; as , deut. . . and sure i am that none can come after god to mend what he hath so curiously wrought , either by adding to , or taking ought from it : and if the question be put , as eccles. . . what can the man do that cometh after the king ? much more may it be put , what can the man do that cometh after god ? and the answer is at hand ; i. e. just nothing at all ; he cannot take ought from or add ought unto that which god hath done . no , no , man cannot add one cubit to his stature , or make one hair of his head white or black ; as luk. , . and mat . . and this is the perfection of gods works of creation and providence , that there nothing can be added to , or taken from that which god made : no , that which is crooked , cannot be made strait ; that which is wanting , cannot be numbred : all created wisdom and power in angels or men , can●not reach the works of god so as to add the least thing which god hath left out , or diminish that which god hath put into it . and as all gods works of the first or old creation were perfect in their kind , gen. . . and god saw every thing that he had created and made , and behold it was very good . and the goodness of the work lay in the perfection thereof according to its kind ; every creature being wrought after the counsel of his own will , which is his rule in working , ephes , . . who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will. and being wrought in a tendency and subserviency to his own glory ; which is his end in working : all things that god had made , answering exactly in their kind to the perfect rule of his will and pleasure ; and to the perfect end of their creation , viz. the glory of their great creatour and benefactour : this was their goodness , this was their perfection ; and in this respect they were all very good and perfect as they were the works of god ; he is a rock and his work is perfect . now if it be thus with all gods works of the first or old creation ; how much more must it be so in the works of his new creation in christ ! which do as far exceed , and are as far above the works of the old creation ; as heaven exceeds and is above the earth . now this righteousness of god by faith in his son jesus christ , is the glory of his grace in christ ; 't is the curious and admirable contrivance of his infinite wisdom , 't is the product and work of his infinite and eternal power ; all the divine attributes shine forth together in joynt lustre and glory in the face of christ , and the work of righteousness by faith in him : oh! what a perfect work then must this needs be ; that is and shall be the admiration of angels and men to all eternity ! as hath been shewed . and the perfection of this work of righteousness by faith in christ will appear , if we consider it is wrought exactly after the counsel of his own will , i. e. the will of his own soveraign grace in christ ; and it answereth perfectly his highest end , i. e. his own glory : it gives all the glory to god in and by his son jesus christ , and cuts off all boasting● and glorying from man , as hath been declared : and therefore there must needs be a glorious perfection in this righteousness of god unto which nothing can be added by man , or by the sons of men ; and in which there is nothing wanting . now the perfection of this righteousness of god is expresly declared in the holy scriptures , and celebrated to the faith of gods elect ; being proposed as an object not only most true , and so worthy of their firm assent unto it as it is a great and glorious truth of god in christ , but also most sure and stedfast and worthy of their utmost trust and confidence , their inward relyance and dependence upon it as to their hope of justification and eternal life in christ ; yea , an object of their spiritual joy and delight ; their rejoycing in christ ; their inward peace with god and comfort doth flow from it , rom. . . being justified by faith , we have peace with god ; and v. . we rejoyce in the hope of the glory of god. which we could not do if we had not perfect and compleat righteousness by faith in christ ; as it is written , col. . . and ye are compleat in him , who is the head of all principality and power . now it hath been shewed how jesus christ as the author of this righteousness is exalted far above all principality and power ; and is made head thereof : angels & men & all things in heaven & earth being made subject to him as a reward of his obedience ; by which exaltion he is declared in heaven and earth to be jesu● christ the righteous : and therefore ye are compleat in him , saith the apostle , i. e. ye have that perfect and compleat righteousness by faith in him ; by which ye are now justified before god the father . the perfection of his righteousness which ye have by faith in him , renders you compleat and perfect ; ye are compleat ●n him ; which you could not be , if ye had not a perfect righteousness in him by faith to stand before god in . the force of the argument lyeth in this , ye are compleatly and perfectly righteous in him , i. e. in christ your head ; and need not any thing of mans wisdom or works to make addition unto this righteousness which ye had in him : no , no , all the wisdom of angels and men can add nothing to your perfection in christ ; ye are compleat in him : and therefore beware lest any man spoil you , through philosophy and vain deceit ; after the traditions of men , after the rudiments of the world ; and not after christ : as vers . . and let no man beguile you of your reward in a voluntary humility , &c. as verse . ● . as if he had said , there are many pretences amongst men , both philosophers and false christians to invent and find out a righteousness of their own ; after their own wisdom , and after their own traditions , and each striveth to exceed other in their inventions of this sort ; and some place their righteousness in this , and others in that work ; and esteem of their own superstion according to the strictness of their order and way : but beware ye , and let no man spoil you of your reward : spoil and rob you of your hope of righteousness by faith in christ alone , without works ; either works of the law or works of mans superstition ; f●r ye are compleat in him : and therefore adhere unto , and rely upon , yea also rejoyce in this perfect righteousness which is in him , and by faith in him alone : and be not moved away from the hope of the gospel upon any pretence whatsoever ; for ye are compleat in him : and such is the perfection of this righteousness which is by faith in christ , unto all , and upon all them that believe ; that as , rom. . . 't is written ; for christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth . the end of the law 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . now there is a twofold end of a thing ; there is finis extensionis ; the end unto which any thing is or may be extended ; and there is finis perfectionis , the end by which any thing is perfected and consummated ; now christ is the end of the law for righteousness in both ; he is , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , both finis extensionis , and finis perfectionis . . he is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth : he is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 finis extensionis ; the utmost end which the law doth or can extend or be extended and stretched out unto : now the law is of great and large extent , as , psal. . . i have seen an end of all perfection ; but thy commandement is exceeding broad . creature perfection is that which a man may easily search out and see to the end of , he may search out and see the utmost extent thereof ; how far it can go , and how far it doth extend : so here saith the psalmist , i have seen an end of all perfection ; but thy comandment is exceding broad . a man cannot so easily see to the the end of the commandment , and find out the extent thereof : no saith the psalmist again , it is exceeding broad . the law and holy commandment extends to all within , as well as to all without ; it extends to the soul and spirit of a man within ; to all the internal faculties : the mind and conscience , the understanding , will and affections ; and to all the internal motions and operations thereof , whether they be good or evil . it extends to all the thoughts and imaginations of the thoughts in the heart of a man ; as gen. . . it extends to the principle and end of a mans way and work ; as zech. . , . it extends to the most secret thoughts and intentions of the heart , and divideth asunder betwixt the marrow and the bones , heb. . , . it extendeth to all the words and actions of a mans life and conversation , to all his religion and religious performances , mat. . , . and v. , . and v. , , . and v. ▪ . to the end . the law in the spirituality and purity of it extends to all that a man is every way , as a man , and as a christian , as considered in his place , station and relations ; and it extends to all that a man hath , and to all that a man doth . oh! well might the psalmist say , but thy commandment is exceeding broad . but yet as broad as the commandment is , and considered in the utmost extent of it ; the obedience and righteousness of christ ; extendeth its self to the utmost breath and length ; yea to the utmost extent of the law in the spirituality , and purity , and diffusiveness thereof ; yea it doth exceed and go beyond the law : for the law required but a mans righteousness and obedience ; as , rom. . . the man that doth these things , shall live by them . but lo here is a righteousness brought in , and an obedience performed to the whole law in the utmost extent of it ; by him who is god , as well as man , even the righteousness of god! and thus christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth ; as the end of the law is finis extensionis . but then again ; christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth ; as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , the end of the law is finis perfectionis , i. e. the perfection , accomplishment and finishing of the law in the spirituality , purity , universality and perpetuity of it . and in this sense also christ is the end , i. e. the perfection of the law , as it hath its accomplishment and fulfilling in him . first ; and first for the ceremonial law , that had its accomplishment , and was fulfilled in christ : all the types and figures ; all the sacrifices , with the sprinkling of their blood ; all the services and ceremonies , looked and pointed unto him who was the substance of them all , and in whom they had their accomplishment , perfection and end ; as job . . . for the law was given by moses , but grace and truth came by jesus christ ; grace , i. e. all that grace of justification typified by the sacrifices and the sprinklings of blood , and all that grace that was shadowed out by the national election , adoption and glory ; all that grace of sanctification typified and shadowed out by circumcision , and the various washings under the law ; all this grace was given unto us from the father by jesus christ ; and the truth and substance expressed and darkly figured in that law of the heavenly things themselves , was performed and made good to us in christ : so grace and truth came by jesus christ in opposition to works , and mans righteousness and trurh in opposition to the shadows and appearances ; so dan. . . to seal up the vision and the prophecy , and to anoint the most holy ; so that the anointing of the most holy , was to be the sealing up the vision and the prophecy of the old testament , i. e. the finishing and accomplishing thereof ; for sealing up doth signifie and imply the finishing and compleating of the things therein conveyed to us : and accordingly all that was seen , though but darkly in the vision of the old testament , and all that was testified aforehand in the prophecy was fulfilled and finished in christ , pet. . , . of which salvation the prophets have enquired and searched diligently , who prophesied of the grace that should come unto you , searching what or what manner of time the spirit of christ which was in them did signifie , when it testified before-hand the sufferings of christ , and the glory that should follow ; so that the vision and prophecy of the old testament , pointed to the most holy , i. e. christ , and had their end of perfection and accomplishment in him : the old testament , tabernacle , odinances of worship , priesthood and service was a shadow of good things to come , but the body is christ , col. . . . and then again secondly , as to the moral law , which was added in that mosaical law and dispensation , and that because of sin or transgression , as rom. . . and gal. . . and was not the covenant of god with that people particularly , as that by which they should expect righteousness and life , for the covenant of god with that people in the mosaical dispensation , was though more dark and shadowy , a covenant of grace . but i say the moral law was added , because of sin ; now as to the moral law , christ is also the end of it , and it hath its perfection and accomplishment only in christ actually , and also in all them that believe virtually : now that the moral law is here mainly and principally intended is plain , in that it is said , that christ is the end of the law for righteousness ; now there is no other law that is the measure and rule of righteousness , but the moral law first , and then such other positive laws as god superadded : for as sin is nothing else but the transgression of the law , so righteousness is nothing else but the fulfilling of it ; so that for as much as christ is the end of the law for righteousness , 't is plain that he did fulfill the moral law , by giving that perfect obedience thereunto , that whole obedience , which the law did and doth require of adam and all his posterity , and that as a covenant of works ; i say this law was fulfilled by christ , for us in the perfection and utmost extent and demand of it , as shall be more particularly set out in the opening of the next doctrine ; for otherwise he could not be the end of the law for righteousness to them that believe , if he had not perfected and filled up the righteousness of the law for them and in their stead ; therefore the righteousness of the law is perfected and fulfilled by christ actually and personally : and he is the end or perfection of it . and then the righteousness of the law is also fulfilled , and hath its perfection in all them that believe virtually and in christ their head ; as rom. . , , for what the law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh , god sending his own son in the likeness of sinful flesh , and for sin condemned sin in the flesh , that the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us : so that the righteousness of the law hath its perfection and accomplishment also in them that believe : they having fulfilled the law vertually and by faith in christ their head ; so that as the apostle puts the question , rom. . . do we then make void the law through faith ? the answer is full ; god forbid ! yea we establish the law. so that this righteousness of god which is by the faith of christ , unto all and upon all them that believe , is a most perfect and compleat righteousness , both with respect to christ , and also with respect to all them that believe ; who have better fulfilled the law in christ their head , than could have been by the first adam , if he had never sinned : but of this more fully under another inference . . hence also we infer the stability and duration of this righteousness ; for if it be the righteousness of god , and that as he is the sole author of it , as the foundation of his new creation in christ conferred freely by his grace , contrived by his wisdom , and effected by his mighty power , manifested in christ , and also in all them that believe , as ye● have heard , then it is a stedfast work that abideth unalterably and unchangeably the same , for ever : for such is the nature of all god's works ; even the works of the old and first creation , that they are established and stand fast for ever , as eccles. . . i know that whatsoever god doth it shall be for ever . i. e. it shall stand and remain as god hath made it : and neither man nor any creature can alter or change that which god hath done ; for solomon explains himself in the following words , nothing can be put to it , nor any thing taken from it ; and god doth it , that men may fear before him , i. e. that men may pay a due reverence to the works of god , and subscribe with a holy submission thereunto : now if this be the nature of all gods works , even in the first and old creation , that whatsoever god doth , abideth for ever , and cannot be changed by man , or by the sons of men : then how much more is it so in his works of the new creation in christ which must and shall stand fast forever ? for as the will and wisdom of man cannot alter or change them ; so god hath declared that he will not ; as james . , . every good and every perfect gift is from above , and cometh down from the father of lights , with whom is no variableness neither shadow of turning ; of his own will begat he us , by the word of truth , that we should be a kind of first fruits of his creatures . and again rom. . . for the gifts and calling of god are without repentance , meaning the gifts of his grace in christ , all the gifts and works of his new creation , are without repentance ; god will not repent , nor alter , or change what he hath done therein . now that this righteousness of god which is by the faith of jesus christ unto all them that believe is such , plainly appeareth and is particularly declared , in that it is called everlasting righteousness , dan. . . which plainly referreth unto christ the messiah , the most holy , whose work it was to make an end of sins , and to bring in everlasting righteousness ; this righteousness of god therefore brought in by christ , is everlasting righteousness , and remaineth unalterably and eternally the same through all ages and generations ; and through all nations , and tongues , and kindreds of men ; so that all which have been , are , or shall be justified in god's sight ; have been , are , and shall be so justified by faith in christ , and by this righteousness of god , which is unto all and upon all them that believe : for there is no difference betwixt nation and nation , betwixt jew and gentile ; no difference betwixt them that were justified under the old testament , and those which are justified under the new testament ; no difference betwixt them that have been justified from the beginning of the world to this day , and those that shall be justified in the ages and generations yet to come ; let them be never so many or never so long ; this righteousness of god remaineth unchangeably the same by the faith of jesus christ only , and not by the works of the law unto all , and upon all them that believe in all nations and in all ages ; so in the old world , all that were justified and saved , were justified and saved by this righteousness of god , which is by the faith of jesus christ , so express●y 't is testified of abel , enoch and noah , heb. . . , , . they obtained witness from god , that they were righteous and pleased god , and became heirs of the righteousness which is by faith ; and that is this very righteousness of god and none other ; and so all that were justified in this world , and since the flood , both before and after the law of moses , were justified by this very righteousness of god by the faith of jesus christ as is plainly declared , heb. . from ●he . ver . to the end of that chapter ; where ●peaking of abraham , isaac , and jacob , and sarah , yea of joseph , who all were before ●he mosaical law and dispensation , about and years in the revolution of time , and afterward speaking of moses , of joshuah of rahab the harlot , yea of gedion , of barak , of sampson , of jephthah , of david , of samuel also , and all the prophets , saith that these all obtained a good report through faith : and what was the good report which they obtained ? namely this , that they were righteous and pleased god , and were justified in his sight by faith in christ , and became the heirs of the promise and of this righteousness of god , which is by the faith of christ unto all , and upon all them that believe : and then for the times of the gospel or new testament , there is no need to say much , only take a text or two , namely , rom. . , . for whom he did foreknow he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his son , that he might be the first born among many brethren ; moreover whom he did predestinate them he also called , and whom he called them he also justified , and whom he justified them he also glorified ; so that look now into god's eternal purpo●● and counsel of grace in christ , and consider how god hath fore-known , and fore-knowing hath predestinated to be conforme● to the image of his son , all those many brethren among whom christ is the first born : and consider also how all these are called in the dispensation of the fulness of times , as ephes. . . for whom he did predestinate them he also called ; and whom he called , them he also justified ; i. e. by faith in his son jesus christ , who is therefore the first born among all these brethren ; so that they are all ( as they come to be called according to this purpose ) justified in the sight of god , by this righteousness of god through faith in jesus christ , as rom. . , . who shall lay any thing to the charge of gods elect ? it is god that justifieth who is he that condemneth ? it is christ that died yea , rather that is risen again , who is even at the right hand of god , who also maketh intercession for us . and as before ver . . whom he justified , them he also glorified . so that all that are elected of god in christ , and are , or have been and shall be called according to gods purpose , are , have been and shall be justified in this righteousness of god through faith in his son , and being thus justified shall be glorified ; and what shall we say then to these things ? god be for us , who shall be against us ? and thus in the dispensation of the fulness 〈◊〉 times he doth gather together in one , all ●●ings in christ , both which are in heaven 〈◊〉 which are on the earth , even in him ; 〈◊〉 gathers them into or under one head , which is christ , by one and the same faith , ●nder one and the same righteousness , which 〈◊〉 not their own , but the righteousness of god by faith : and into one and the same glorified estate in heaven , as job . . , . neither pray i for these alone , but for them also , which shall believe on me through their word , that they all may be one , as thou father art in me , and i in thee , that they also may be one in us , and ver . , . and the glory which thou gavest me , i have given them , that they may be one even as we are one , i in them and thou in me , that they may be made perfect in one : in these words christ prayeth for them that already believed in him , and also for all those that should afterward believe in him through their words , i. e. the apostolical word , the everlasting gospel to be preached unto all nations , and to the end of the world , as mat. . , . and that which christ prayeth for , with respect to them all , is ; that they may be one , and that they may be made perfect in one ; that as the father is in christ and christ in them , they also ma● be one in him , and in the father throug● him : now this union is founded in the●● justification by this faith : for here , by th● spirit on christ's part , given to the● and working faith in them by the 〈◊〉 preached , and by faith on their part , they come into this actual union with christ , an● the father in christ , and are now made perfect in this union , in respect of their justification by faith , and stand compleatly and perfectly justified and righteous before god , even the father , in this righteousness of christ , and so shall be made perfect also in that which doth follow , and depend upon their justification , which is adoption and glory : for whom he justified , them he also glorified , is before , rom. . and the glory which thou gavest me , have i given them , that they may be one , even as we are one ; john . . so that upon the whole argument it doth plainly and fully appear , that this righteousness of god which is by the faith of christ unto all , and upon all them that believe , is an everlasting righteousness , remaining unalterably one and the same in all ages and generations , in all nations and kindreds of the earth , and to all persons that have been already , are now , or ●hall be hereafter justified before god. 〈◊〉 infer . . and then again thirdly , we ●nfer the greatness , excellency and glory of 〈◊〉 righteousness , above all other righ●eousnesses that might have been , or may be mentioned , or pretended unto amongst men ●or angels ; for as the apostle saith of christ , heb. . . that he hath by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they , i. e. the angels ; and argueth from thence the greatness and excellency of his person and office ; so we may say concerning this righteousness , that it hath a more excellent name than any other righteousness of men or angels ; for it is called the righteousness of god , which none other is ; and therefore it is a better , greater , and more excellent , and glorious righteousness , than any other that might have been or may be pretended unto by men or angels : for it hath a more excellent name . . now let us consider man in the first place , and what righteousness he might have pretended or may pretend unto : and certainly adam in the state of innocency was an excellent and glorious creature , the highest and top of gods creation in this lower world ; he was made after the image of him that created him , in knowledge , righteousness , and holiness , and god had 〈◊〉 him under an excellent law , spiritual , holy , just and good ; and this law was written in his heart , he had an original righteousness and integrity of nature conforme● and agreeable to this law , and , an abili●● thereby to have kept and fulfilled all th● righteousness thereof : now if this excellen● person had kept and not transgressed this excellent law ; he and all mankind in him had been righteous , and lived thereby , a rom. . . for moses describeth the righteousness which is of the law ; the 〈◊〉 which doth these things shall live by them ▪ but yet this righteousness which is by the faith of christ unto all , and upon all them that believe , is a greater , better , more excellent and glorious righteousness , than that of adam could have been , if he had not sinned , but fulfilled the righteousness of the law ; for that could have been but a man's righteousness : it could have risen no higher , it could have been called by no greater name than the righteousness of man ; but now here is a righteousness brought in by christ , the second adam , and to us by faith in him , which is the righteousness of god ; the person working out this righteousness for us , being god in the humane nature , hath added an infinite dignity and glory to it by the dignity and glory of his person , as hath been shewed ; so that as christ is a more excellent person than the first adam ; his obedience and righteousness in fulfilling the law must needs be a more excellent righteousness , than that of adam , or all other men could have been , if adam and they in him had kept the law ; for that had been but the righteousness of man , but this is the righteousness of god. oh the admirable work and contrivance of the free grace , wisdom and power of god , in and through his son jesus christ , towards his elect , that ( having lost righteousness in the first adam , and all hope and possibility of it by works ) they have gained a greater , better , and more excellent righteousness by faith in christ ; they lost that which would have been at best but a mans righteousness , but they have gained by that loss , and obtained by faith , that which is the righteousness of god ; so that the poorest believer have a better righteousness by faith in christ , than adam had or could have had in innocency , or that themselves could have had , if they had never sinned . and hereby indeed it is manifest that the seed of the woman hath bruised the head or head-plat of the old serpent the devi● in bringing in a better righteousness . . and let us also consider the gloriou● angels of heaven , the elect angels , an● what righteousness they are justified an● stand before the holy god in : and so far a● we can look into this matter , in the ligh● of the holy scriptures ; it doth not appea●●hat they are justified by faith in christ a● we are , for they never sinned as we all did 〈◊〉 adam , and needed no redeemer to re●eem them by his blood as we did ; and ●hrist took not upon him the nature of angels , ●●at the seed of abraham , as heb. . . ●nd therefore as christ took not their nature , 〈◊〉 stood not in their stead to fulfil the righ●●ousness of that law for them , under which 〈◊〉 were put ; but they have fulfilled and ●ne the will of god their creator , as psal. ● . . bless the lord ye his angels , that 〈◊〉 in strength , that do his commandments , ●●●kning to the voice of his word ; and again ●● . . ye ministers that do his pleasure ; 〈◊〉 that for ought that doth appear , these ho●● angels stand before god and are justi●●●d by their own personal and perfect obe●●●nce to the law of their creator , and in 〈◊〉 own righteousness ; indeed they needed a saviour , to prevent their falling , and to confirm them in that state of innocency and glory , wherein they were at first created and made , and in this respect they have their confirmation in and by christ , and from their election in christ the common head of all gods elect both amongst angels and men , eph. . . and in this respect they are our brethren and fellow servants , as rev. . . brethren they are , though indeed our elder brethren in christ their head and ours , and had their election and confirmation in christ , apparently manifested before us , for their election and confirmation in christ appeared upon the fall of the angel● that sinned , and before the fall of adam , whereas our election and redemption in and by christ , was not manifest nor did at all appear till after the fall of the first adam , and then it began to break forth , and appear in the first promise , gen. . . so that they are our elder brethren yet our brethren in christ , but so , that christ hath the pre-eminence , and is the first born amongst the many brethren , both angels and men , being the head of the election ; yet as hath been said , it doth not appear that they have any other or greater righteousness than their own ; and as they are by nature greater and more excellent than we , so their obedience may excel the obedience of man , if he had also obeyed and fulfilled the law of his creator as they did ; yet still the obedience of angels , and the righteousness wherein they are justified and stand before god , is but the obedience and righteousness of creatures ; though it be never so excellent , though it be angelical ; yet it is , and can be but creature righteousness ; and this righteousness which we have by faith in christ , is god's righteousness , and therefore as god is more excellent than his creatures , so his righteousness is greater ; and more excellent than theirs can possibly be . and here see , and behold again the triumph of grace over sin and death ; that fallen man is raised again and advanced in christ , to a greater , better , and more excellent and glorious hope of righteousness by faith in christ ; not only , than man had in innocency , or could have had by the works of the law , but also than angels in heaven have : so that as they were preferred before us , and set above us by nature , we that believe are preferred before them by grace ; for christ took not angelical but the humane nature into union with the godhead in his own glorious person : and is sat down in that nature , at the right hand of the majesty on high : and we are said also to be sat down together with or in him in the heavenly places , ephes. . . whereas the angels are not said to be sat down , but to stand before the throne and in the presence of god , as ministers and servants , luk. . . rev. . . heb. . , . and the humiliation of christ who was made a little lower than the angels in our nature , hath exalted us with or in christ above the angels , and we have a better righteousness than they . inf. . again fourthly , hence we infer how much it is the duty and interest of every man under these heavens ( to whom the word of salvation comes ) to believe in jesus christ and submit themselves to this righteousness of god ; the very name it carries ( the righte●●sness of god ) is enough to bow every 〈…〉 to stoop to the authority of it , and submit himsel● unto it ; for it is the righteousness of god , as he is the author of it , his free grace hath conferred , his wisdom hath contrived , found out , and appointed , and his power hath wrought out this righteousness for us , in his son christ , and he is only and infinitely well pleased with it , and we are under the highest obligation to submit to it . for , . he hath commanded us so to do , john . . and this is his commandment , that we should believe on the name of his son jesus christ. and when the jews put the question to christ , john . . what shall we do that we might work the works of god ? the answer is , vers . . this is the work of god , that ye believe on him whom he hath sent . and when the voice came from the most excellent glory , and testifyed from the father out of heaven concerning christ ; this is my beloved son in whom i am well pleased . the same voice also addeth the command ; and saith , hear him , mat. . . so that the command of god declared makes it every mans duty to submit to this righteousness of god , by believing in his son jesus christ. . it is a greater and more excellent righteousness than that which is 〈◊〉 be supposed to be a mans own righteousness ; for it is the righteousness of god : and what comparison is there betwixt the one and the other ? what is man ? that is a worm compared with god , whose name is i am : what is man ? of the earth earthy , compared with the lord from heaven ? cor. . . and what then is the righteousness of man , or thine own righteousness poor worm ? compared with this righteousness of god ? surely thy own righteousness is but ▪ filthy rags ; and thou thy self but an unclean thing , isa. . . and why shouldest thou not be willing to part with thy rags , thy filthy rags ; that thou mayest put on the royal robes of christs righteousness ? should not a poor filthy beggar be willing to put off , and throw away his rags , that he may be washed and cleansed and put on the royal apparel which the king of his grace hath provided for him , and commanded him to put on ; that he may stand before him with acceptation ? had mordecai refused to have put off his mournful and dirty weeds of sack-cloth and ashes , the emblems of his shame and sorrow for the destruction designed by haman , and confirmed by the kings seal for this mordecai and all the jews , and now ready for execution : had i say mordecai refused ; what a contempt ▪ would it have been of the royal favour , and rebellon against the royal command of so great a king ? how justly then might the king upon such a contempt of mercy and grace , and his royal authority and command withal ; have abandoned mordecai and left him and all his people to the destruction afore-mentioned ? oh man ! this is thy case , and thou art the man here concerned : hath god of his grace and favour in his son christ conferred and provided such royal robes of righteousness for thee , and commanded them to be brought unto thee , and commanded thee to put off thy rags of self , or thy own righteousness ? and wil● thou dare to reject this royal grace and favour ; and rebel against this royal command of the great god ? how justly mayest thou for this contempt be abandoned of god for ever , and left to perish in thy sins , and the rags of thine own righteousness ? and how canst thou think to stand before god in these rags ? before him , whose name is holy ? and who is of purer eyes , than to behold iniquity ? with whom evil shall not dwell , and in whose presence no unclean thing shall enter ? canst thou dwell with everlasting burning ? o● canst thou , cloathed with hay and stable , stand before consuming fire ? heb. . ult . when joshuah the high priest stood before the angel cloathed in filthy garments ; satan stood at his right hand to resist him , zech. . , , . and he could not st●nd with acceptation , till they took away his filthy garments , and cloathed him with change of raiment , vers . , . and then the angel of the lord protested unto him , as verse . saying , thus saith the lord , the lord of hosts ; if thou wilt walk in my ways , and if thou wilt keep my charge : then thou shalt also judge my house , and shalt also keep my courts ; and i will give thee places to walk among these that stand by . man , know , thou canst not stand , nor walk before god , the holy god with acceptation , till thy filthy garments and filthy rags be taken away from thee , and thou beest cloathed with change of raiment , i. e. the perfect righteousness of jesus christ : which unless thou puttest on by faith , neither thy person nor service can be accepted of him . for as there is no salvation out of christ , so also out of christ and his righteousness , there is no acceptation to any person under heaven . and that thou , oh man ! mayest yet be more fully convinced that thou canst not stand before god in the best of thine own righteousness , but only and alone in this righteousness of god ; which is by the faith of christ unto all , and upon all them that believe : consi-that thou canst not stand before thine own conscience in the best of thine own righteousness : and if thy conscience be an awakened and enlightened conscience , it will witness against thee ; yea , it will judge and condemn thee , in the best of thy inherent righteousness of inward qual●ficat●ons , and external performances : we will suppose , and thou mayest say , thou hast faith ; but hast thou not unbe●ief as well as faith ? and is not thy unbelief more than thy faith ? and many times dost thou not act , at least in some case● as if thou hadst no faith ? and doth not thy conscience reprove and judge as christ doth his disciples ? mat. . . thou wilt say also ▪ thou dost repent , and thou hatest tha● which is evil ; well , but dost thou not find also impenitency and hardness of heart , at least some times and in some cases ? dost thou not find thy heart sometimes to be without all tenderness ? and to be even hardened from gods fear ; so that neither the word of god , nor yet the rod of god do make impression upon thee ? isa. . . yea neither the mercies nor the judgments of god , dost thou lay to heart as thou oughtest to do ? isa. . , . thou wilt say thou art humble , but is there not pride also in thy heart ? and doth not pride prevail many times in thy heart as it did in hezekiah ? chron. . . and doth not thy conscience reprove thee for thy pride as his did , verse . ? thou wilt say also that thou dost love god , but dost thou love him withall thy heart , and all thy soul , and all thy strength ? dost not thou love thy carnal self also , and the creature more than god ; at least sometimes and in some particular cases ? and doth not the love of thy self and of the creature prevail above all the love of god in thy heart ? and so of the rest of all thy inherent qualifications . and then for thy external performances ; thou wilt say that thou prayest and callest upon god in thy close● , in thy family , in and with the congreation of the people of god ? and thou hearest the word , and that with joy and delight thou receivest the seals of gods covenant ; and thou joynest fasting with thy prayers , and chastenest thy soul therewith : well but oh man ! doth not sin mix it self with thy best duties , and iniquity creep into all thy holy things ? and doth not thine own conscience tell thee and reprove thee for these things ? and thou art put to it after all , to cry out , lord be merciful to me a sinner , a wretch , an unclean thing . now if this be true , and these things be so ; that thou canst not stand before thine own enlightened and awakened conscience in the best of thine own righteousness , either of inherent qualifications or external duties : how canst thou think to stand before god , who is greater than thy heart or conscience , and knoweth all things , as , joh. . . yea he knoweth more evil by thee , and seeth more sin and iniquity in thee , and in thy holy things than ever thou didst or canst do , psal. . . jer. . , . therefore he is greater than thy heart and knoweth all things ; as thine own heart condemns thee in all those things , he will condemn thee also ; for thou canst not stand before him in these rags , in these filthy rags : is it not therefore , oh man ! whoever thou art , that hearest the word of god this day : i say is it not thy duty and thy interest also to comply with and submit unto this righteousness of god ; and seek a better righteousness out of thy self by faith in his son ? is not this righteousness better than thy own ? are not the royal robes better than filthy rags ? canst thou stand before the great king of heaven and earth in filthy garments , and will he accept thee ; will not his wrath burn against thee , and say , friend how camest thou in hither , not having on the wedding garment ? and will not he say ? take him hence , bind him hand and foot and cast him into outer darkness ? there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth . and wilt not thou be left speechless and without excuse , as mat. . , , , . oh therefore put on this wedding garment , and wear i● always when thou comest before the king , and treadest in his courts ; & be sure thou beest in it , having it on , and never dare to look god in the face without it ; as , phil. . . but be found in it whilst thou livest , when thou comest to die , and at the day of judgment ; that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear to thy everlasting confusion . infer . . but then again fifthly ; hence we may also infer and a●gue how greatly it is the duty and work , and as well the interest also of every minister of the gospel of jesus christ to be himself well instructed in the knowledge of this righteousness of god ; and understandingly , faithfully and clearly to preach and declare this righteousness of god which is by the faith of christ unto all and upon all them that believe . and that it is your duty and interest to understand and know this righteousness of god , and to be well instructed in and acquainted with this mistery of faith ; and to hold it in a pure conscience ; as the apostle doth command , tim. . . will appear by the considerations following , consid. this righteousness of god by faith in his son jesus christ , is the great foundation truth of the gospel ; and as it concerns every wise and skilful builder to look well to his foundation , upon which the whole building and his success therein , and also his reputation as a workman doth depend : so it doth greatly concern every gospel minister , that he may be a skilful builder in the church of god , to look well to the foundation of the faith and hope not only of himself , but also of the whole church of gods elect : for other foundation can no man lay than what is already laid , which is jesus christ ; the same yesterday , and to day and for ever , as cor. . . if a minister lay his foundation in the works of the law , and mans righteousness , it will never hold ; whatever hope or confidence he builds upon this foundation in himself or others , will certainly fall , when his work shall come to be tryed ; and himself , and all those that hear him , and whom he builds upon this foundation will certainly perish ; unless another better foundation be laid : for by the works of the law , there shall no flesh be justified in his sight : as hath been shewed . no , no , mans righteousness will not ; no less than this righteousness of god can be a sure foundation to build upon for justification in his sight , and for eternal life . consid. the building must be uniform and answerable to the foundation in all parts of it , and bear a true proportion to , and agreement with the foundation to the very topstone ; that the beholders may cry , grace , grace , to it ; and that with shoutings as , zech. . there is a blessed harmony in the gospel , and all gods attributes do harmonize and shine forth in a joynt lustre and glory in jesus christ. so all mans duty is consistent with this principle of the righteousness of god , and doth sweetly flow from it ; grace is manifested , and yet the law is established and not made void by it : gods justice is fully satisfied , his wrath is pacified , the gospel is glad tydings , peace on earth , and good will to men ; the enmity is slain , and the hand-writing of ordidinances that was against us is nailed to the cross , and taken out of the way ; all good works are established upon better principles , and man's duty encouraged and rewarded . and if once you that are ministers have obtained this key of knowledge , the whole mystery of god , of the father , and of christ will be opened unto you ; and your preaching will be clear , uniform and harmonious ; so that you will never contradict your selves in whatever point you preach upon , and the faith of them that hear you will be clear and sound ; but if you fail here , and , through ignorance of this righteousness of god , go about to establish your own , or man's righteousness , your preaching will be confused , and you will contradict your selves at one time , in what you preach , or print at another ; and your hearers will be of doubtful minds , and wavering betwixt works and grace ; betwixt the law and faith. thus you will build again at one time , or other , what you have sometimes destroyed ; and so make your selves transgressors , as gal. . , . and fo● want of a clear light in the knowledge of this righte●● of god , some , though otherwise men of eminent learning , zeal , and personal holiness , have most shamefully contradicted themselves , and exposed their labours to that just censure and scorn even of adversaries , and the sorrow and shame of their friends : whilst their hearers and admirers are unstable and wavering , and so in danger after some time to fall into error : and how far the church of god may be prejudiced thereby time will show : for this one article , is articulus stantis & cadentis ecclesiae . the church of god stands or falls , lives or dies as this one article of justification by faith in christ , and this righteousness of god , standeth or falleth amongst men . and lastly , that it is greatly the duty and interest of ministers to declare and preach this righteousness of god ; appeareth from this one consideration ; namely , that they cannot preach savingly without it : if they have all the wisdom and learning of this world , and have tongues of men and angels , and draw multitudes of admirers and followers after them ; yet this i say from the word of god , that whilst they do not know , or knowing do not preach this righteousness of god , their ministry cannot be powerful to the saving of their own souls , or the souls of those that hear them : for the apostle doth assure us , rom. . , . the gospel of christ is ●o nomine , and upon that account , the power of god unto salvation , to the jew first , and also to the greek ; as it doth reveal and declare this righteousness of god : for i am not ashamed , &c. for therein is the righteousness of god revealed , as it is written , the just shall live by faith. i. e. faith in this righteousness of god. and take away this righteousness of god out of the gospel , it would be no gospel , nor could it be unto salvation : and take away this righteousness of god out of your ministry , and it will be no gospel ministry ; nor can it be a saving ministry to your selves or them that hear you . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . or , a discourse of , or concerning , the time and season , wherein god doth justifie his elect , through faith in his son jesus christ , according to the scriptures . wherein , i. the doctrine of justification from all eternity . ii. the doctrine of justification from the time of christs death and resurrection . are fairly and truly tried and confuted . iii. the true time searched out and stated according to scripture . by tho. taylor . searching what and what manner of time , the spirit of christ which was in them did signifie , pet. . . the kingdom of heaven is likened unto a man that sowed good seed in his field ; but while men slept , his enemy came , and sowed tares and went his way , mat. . , . london , printed for nath. crouch . . rom. . . and whom he called , them he also justified ▪ having already opened and explained this justification wherewith god doth justifie them whom he calleth , in the nature of it : we now proceed to speak of , and open , and explain the same as to the time of it ; because not only the things themselves , but the time or times are to be searched into , when and wherein the things are , and are to be ministred unto us , pet. . , . searching what or what manner of times the spirit of christ which was in them did signifie . and concer●ing this enquiry or search , there are and have been of late two several doctrines or opinions grea●l● cried up , and as confidently affirmed by some , and violently imposed upon their unwa●y hearers , and with the same spirit of violence as furiously contended for by them , who are so imposed upon ; as the ephesian worshipers of diana contended for her goddess ship , as the image that fell down from jupiter out of heaven , acts . , , , . . the first doctrine and opinion so cried up and contended for is ; the doctrine of justification from eternity ; or that gods elect were justified from all eternity . . the second is like unto it ; which at least must be admitted without the least scruple or question : justification from the time of christ death , or resurrection : or that all gods elect were and are justified from the time of christs death or resurrection , because the price was then paid by jesus christ , and he as head of the church discharged by his resurrection , according to the interpretation they give of rom. . ult . who was delivered for our offences , and raised again for our justification ; which they suppose and take for granted , must needs imply the time as well as the thing of believers justification . we shall therefore fairly and truly try both these doctrines by the holy scriptures according to what we are commanded . john . . beloved believe not every spirit , but try the spirit whether they be of god ; for many false prophets are gone out into the world. and we shall first try the first of these doctrines ; as namely , quest. . whether gods elect , or any sort of men were justified from all eternity , as some do say and affirm ? and unto this we answer affirmatively in two things . namely , . that there is and was a gracious purpose , which god had purposed in himself from all eternity , to justifie and save his elect through faith in his son jesus christ , ephes. . . according to his good pleasure , which he hath purposed in himself . and again , tim. . . but according to his own purpose and grace , which was given us in christ jesus , before the world began . and the apostle in the context doth not only plainly imply , but expresly declare the same , when he saith , rom. . . to them , who are the called according to his purpose ; and then , ver . . whom he called , them he also justified ; therefore there is and was such a purpose in god before the world began to call and justifie them . . that all that have been , are now , or hereafter shall be justified through faith in jesus christ , from the foundation of the world , to the end thereof , have been , are now , and shall be justified according to this purpose , which god hath purposed in himself before the world began , and no otherwise , as ephes. . . in whom also we have obtained an inheritance ; ( and this inheritance cannot be obtained without free justification by grace , as tit. . being predestinated according to the purpose of him , who worketh all things after ( or according to ) the counsel of his own will ; for in that he saith all things , 't is manifest , that he worketh this one thing amongst all the rest , even his justifying his elect through faith in his son jesus christ , after or according to this counsel of his own will ; and ephes. . , . who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in christ ; amongst which spiritual blessings , that of justification must be acknowledged to be one , and none of the least or last of those blessings ; it followeth , ver . . according as he hath chosen us in him , before the foundation of the world ; and again tim. . . who hath saved us , and called us with an holy calling ; not according to our works , but according to his own purpose and graee , which was given us in christ jesus before the world began . and this also is plainly declared in the context , rom . . whom he did predestinate , them he also called , and whom he called them he also justified ; and if you will ask how ? the answer is , according to his purpose , as ver . . according to this purpose , he calleth them , and according to this purpose he justifieth them : so that thus far we do consent and agree . . that there is and was a purpose in god from all eternity to justifie his elect , through faith in his son jesus christ , and . that all that are justified , are justified according to this purpose , which god had purposed in himself . but then we distinguish betwixt , being under a purpose of grace from all eternity to be justified : and being justified from all eternity , and therefore though we grant and affirm the former , yet we deny the latter . namely , neg. that gods elect , or any person in this world , are ▪ or is , or ever were , or was justified from all eternity . this doctrine of justification from eternity , i say , we truly reject , disown , and deny , as a false and unsound doctrine , and contrary to the holy scriptures : all which will more than sufficiently appear in these following particulars . part. . this doctrine in the consequent of it , doth deny , destroy and overthrow the truth and true doctrine of gods election and predestination , which the holy scriptures do establish , and which is one fundamental point of the true christian faith , and from whence doth spring as from a fountain , all the parts of our salvation ; this is called , the foundation of god which standeth sure , tim. . . and this is that from whence as from a fountain all the parts of our salvation do spring , and proceed , ephes. . , , , , , , , , , . there are two parts of this election of god , namely , foreknowledge , and predestination . rom. . . for whom he did foreknow , he also did predestinate ; now there neither is nor can be any foreknowledge or fore-ordaining of that which is from eternity , for nothing can be said to be before eternity : and foreknowledge and predestination must be before the things foreknown and predestinated , and therefore if justification were from eternity , there could be no foreknowledge , or predestination thereof ; to speak with a holy reverence , god cannot be said to foreknow himself , or to fore-ordain his own blessedness , and enjoyment of himself alone , 't is true , the blessedness of god doth consist in that knowledge and injoyment of himself , which he hath in and of himself eternally ; but he could not fore-know himself , or fore-ordain himself this blessedness , because he hath and had this eternally , and nothing can precede , or be before eternity . even so god could not be said to foreknow and predestinate his elect to justification and salvation , through faith in his son jesus christ , if they were j●stified from all eternity . and besides , it is ●ritten , gal. . . for the scripture foreseeing tha● god would justifie the heathen through f●●●h , preached the gospel before-hand to abraham ; saying , in thee shall all the nations be blessed . now the scripture could not foresee that which was from eternity : the scripture may and doth declare that which was from eternity , as john . , . and john . , . but the scripture cannot be said to foresee that which was from eternity , yet the scripture did foresee that god would justifie these elect heathen through faith : therefore these heathen were not justified from eternity , though they were elected from eternity : he therefore that saith he was justified from eternity , and doth teach men so , doth by consequence overthrow the foundation of gods election , and deny that himself and those he so teacheth were either fore-known or predestinated of god to justification and salvation through faith in christ. part. . this doctrine of justification from eternity , doth by necessary consequences destroy and overthrow the doctrine and faith of reconciliation , which is also another fundamental point of the christian faith : reconciliation must go before justification , at least in the order of nature , though not of time ; god must be first reconciled to that person in christ whom he justifieth in christ , as cor. . , . god was in christ reconciling the world to himself : and then their justification follows , not imputing to them their trespasses ; reconciliation must be first , and then justification follows , for god justifies a sinner upon the account of the price paid , and satisfaction made by jesus christ , as rom. . . if when we were enemies we were reconciled to god by the death of his son , &c. now reconciliation was not nor could be from eternity , because reconciliation supposeth a breach first made by sin , now the breach made betwixt god and man by sin , was not from eternity but in time , and therefore reconciliation could not be from eternity ▪ and without reconciliation by shedding of blood there is no remission , as heb. . . i. e. no justification to the church of gods elect , for remission of sins is their justification . part. . this doctrine of justification from eternity , destroyeth and overthroweth the true doctrine of justification it self also , which is another fundamental point of the christian faith : and therefore this doctrine of justification from eternity cannot be true . now the true doctrine of justification is , that act of gods grace passed or put forth upon the person elect , whereby of a guilty , ungodly , and unrighteous person before , he is really made and doth become , a righteous person in gods sight , through faith in his son jesus christ given unto him . i say , he is made and doth become a righteous person in gods sight , and that really , and not by opinion only as some would imagine ; and here are two things to be cleared , as namely , . that every man in this world is really made and doth become a guil●y and condemned person in gods sight by the first sin of adam justly imputed to him by the law , so rom. . , and again ver . , . which the apostle plainly affirmeth by a comparison of the two adam's , rom. . . for as by one mans disobedience many were made sinners , &c. ver . . therefore as by the offence of one judgment came , or it came upon all men to condemnation , in gods sight ; so that 't is plain the many ver . . is all men , ver . . even the elect of god as well as others . . that as in the first adam all men did become and were really made sinners in gods sight , by the just imputation of adam's sin to them by the law , even so in christ many as v. . or all men , as ver . . i. e. all that believe are justified , i. e. are made and do become righteous in gods sight , through faith in christ , by the righteousness of one , or by the obedience of one , justly imputed to them by the law of faith and grace . so that as before justification every man was really a guilty and unrighteous person in gods sight ; so now that faith in christ is come , every man that believeth is justified , and doth become , and is made a righteous person in gods sight ; so that justification maketh a real change of state , from a state of sin and unrighteousness , and death , to a state of grace , righteousness and life . now therefore he that is justified from eternity , was from eternity in a state of grace , righteousness and life , and never was in a state of sin , unrighteousness and death : he never was a sinner , ungodly , and condemned in gods sight , and sin had never raigned in him unto death , in whom grace had raigned unto life , through righteousness from all eternity ; but the contrary is true in all them whom god justifieth , as rom. . . now to him that worketh not , but believeth on him , that justifieth the ungodly , his faith is counted for righteousness and rom. . . for when we were yet without strength in due time christ died for the ungodly , and v. . that as sin hath reigned unto death , even so might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life , by jesus christ our lord ; so that we who are now justified by faith in christ , were without strength , were ungodly , were under the reign of sin unto death : but he that was justified from eternity , was never any of these : and therefore no man was or could be justified from eternity ; there is a contradiction in the things themselves ; and therefore this doctrine is inconsistent with the truth : for sin did not reign unto death in any from eternity , but in time : therefore grace could not reign through righteousness unto life in any from eternity , but in time . part. . this doctrine of justification from eternity , destroyeth also the doctrine of adoption , which inseparably followeth justification , and is another inseparable point of the christian faith ; i say adoption followeth , and is an inseparable companion of justification by faith in christ ; he that is justified by faith in christ , is also adopted and taken into the number of gods sons or children by the same faith , as gal . . . . that we might be justified by faith , v ▪ . but after that faith is come , v. . ye are all the children of god by faith in christ jesus : by the same faith by which any man is justified , by the same faith also he is adopted and made a son or child of god , and so again , gal. , . now no man was adopted from eternity , and therefore no man was justified from eternity ; and he that was adopted from eternity , was never a servant but a son ; was never a child of disobedience , a child of wrath , as ephes. . , . but a child of god from eternity : and then there never could be any predestination to the adoption of children , as ephes. . . that the adoption of children had been from eternity . part. . this doctrine of justification from eternity denieth , destroyeth , and overthroweth by consequence , the truth and doctrine of discrimination or making a difference betwixt the state of nature , and the state of grace , which the holy scriptures do every where establish ; the state of nature according the scriptures is a state of sin , and so of death and condemnation , as hath been already shewed : but the state of grace , is a state of righteousness , and so of life and justification , as hath also been declared , through faith in the son of god , rom. . . and rom. . . john . . and john . . now he that saith he was justified from eternity , saith that he was in a state of life from eternity , and by consequence never was in a state of sin and death : for justification is life , as condemnation is death , rom. . . but most certain it is that all were dead , and in a state of sin and condemnation , before they believed on christ even the elect of god as well as others , as cor. . . and the death of christ for all the elect doth prove that they were all dead , and in a state of death jews and gentiles ; for else christ needed not to have died for them , and the love of christ doth constrain all them to acknowledge , that they were dead , and therefore are debtors to christ for their life and justification , through faith in him , and so no more to live to themselves , but to him that died for them and rose again . the words are most plain , and the sense most genuine : for the love of christ constraineth us ▪ because we thus judge , that if one died for all , then were all dead : and that he died for all , that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves , but unto him which died for them and rose again ; therefore seeing they were once dead , and in a state of death and condemnation , they were not justified from eternity , no not one of them , that live and are justified by faith in christ , for they all , and always thus judge , that they were all dead , i e. condemned , and not justified before they believed in christ , and do freely confess the truth , and therefore not one of them doth profess , or can profess any such faith , that he was justified from eternity . part. . this doctrine of justification from eternity , denyeth and overthroweth the doctrine of regeneration or new birth , and the necessity thereof ; which christ himself doth plainly affirm and urge upon every man in this world , john . , , . and so do all the holy prophets and apostles , as may be easily proved if there were any so bold as to deny it . now he that is justified by faith in christ , and hath this power and priviledge given unto him to become a son of god , as every true believer hath , john . , . he also is born of god , as john . . which were born , not of blood , nor of the will of the flesh , nor of the will of man , but of god , as james . . of his own will begat he us by the word of truth : not one believer ( and so justified person in this world ) but he is born of god and begotten of god , and so is born again , as pet. . . being born again not of corruptible seed but of incorruptible , by the word of god , which liveth and abideth for ever , ver . . and this is the word which by the gospel is preached unto you : so that not one person is or can be justified by faith , but at the same time and by the same word of faith , preached to him and believed by him , he is also born again : he therefore that saith he was justified from eternity , saith also that he was born of god from eternity : and he that was born of god from eternity , needeth not ; nor can be born again : for regeneration is but once ; and those that were born of god from eternity , are far from being new born babes , as all true believers are after their first conversion and calling , and as the apostle peter calleth and styleth them . pet. . , . part. . this doctrine of justification from eternity denieth , destroyeth , and overthroweth the doctrine of repentance and conversion to god by christ , and by consequence takes away the necessity thereof : the holy scriptures do every where establish , both in the old and new testament the necessity of repentance and conversion to god , as isa. . , . act. . . act. . , . luke . . , , . but he that saith he was justified from eternity , by consequence saith , that he had remission of sins from eternity , and that his sins were blotted out from eternity , for justification is remission of sins , as psalm . , , . and blotting out of sins , as isa. . . and so he needeth not to repent and be converted , for asmuch as he had his sins blotted out from eternity , and was righteous from eternity ; and well it is if men of these notions and traditions , which they have received to hold , do not become as the pharisees of old ; so whole as they need no physician , and so righteous in their own eyes , that like the just persons , they need no repentance or conversion , as luke . , . and if the name of repentance and conversion shall still be pretended to , and boasted of amongst them ; it shall only consist in making proselytes to this their tradition of justification from eternity , which they call the gospel , and a more glorious light than former ages have enjoyed : and some have not blushed to affirm , than perhaps the apostles had . but let them take heed , lest that wo come upon them spoken by the mouth of truth himself , mat. . . part. . this doctrine doth frustrate and make void all the ends of christ death and suffering , which are the justification and salvation of gods elect ; for if they were justified from eternity , what need was there of christs dying to obtain that for them , which they had from all eternity ? so that if this doctrine be true , as they affirm : then as the apostle saith in another case , gal. . . christ is dead in vain . part . this doctrine of justification from eternity , destroyeth and overthroweth the doctrine and order of god's new creation in christ , and making all things new in him ; which the holy scriptures do every where establish both in the old and new testament . this is certain the old creation was first and before the new , else it were not new ; adam was before christ , or the first adam before the second , as rom. . . and cor. . , , . and so it is written , the first man adam was made a living soul , the last adam was made a quickning spirit , howbeit , that was not first , which is spiritual but that which is natural , and afterward that which is spiritual . the first or old creation in adam is the natural , and the second or new creation in christ the spiritual , now that was not first which is spiritual , but that is first which was natural , therefore the workmanship of god in the natural or old creation was first ; and the workmanship of god in the new creation in christ , is the spir●tual and therefore last : the second must be after the first , or else 't is not second , the new must be after the old , or else the old is not old , nor the other new . now justification by faith in christ , is gods workmanship in the new creation , as cor. . , . therefore if any man be in christ , he is a new creature , old things ( i. e. the things of the first creation in adam ) are passed away , behold all things are become new . and all things are of god , who hath reconciled us to himself by jesus christ. and therefore reconciliation and justification by jesus christ , as ver . . are parts of the new creation in christ as also is most manifest , eph. . , , . 't is manifest i say , that god at first setled all things : so the first adam and all men in him upon the foundation of the law , or covenant of works , which settlement was broken or dissolved by the first transgression , and death entred upon all men by sin , and no hope or possibility of righteousness or life , by that law or covenant any more , therefore now god bringeth forth christ the second adam , and settles all things again upon a new covenant of grace , restoring righteousness and life by jesus christ to all that believe , this is the new creation , that which is spiritual ; now therefore justification and salvation by faith in christ , was not from eternity , because 't is gods new creation in christ ; and forasmuch as the old creation , and that which is natural , was not from eternity but in time ; 't is manifest that gods new creation in christ to any man in this world , was not from eternity , but in time , for the first must be before the second , and the old before the new ; therefore justification and life through faith in christ , was not from eternity but in time , though these things were laid in the purpose , and counsel of god from eternity ; yet they were not nor could be but in time ; and if any will say , god calleth things that are not as if they were , 't is most true but let such consider that all those things are still things that are not , till god brings them forth in time . thus have we tryed this doctrine , and find it most contrary to the holy scriptures ; as the apostle paul ●ryed the doctrine of them who denied the resurrection , under pretence that it was past a ready : whom he convinceth and confu●eth , by the necessary consequences of their doctrine , as cor. , ▪ — . and having finished the tryal of the first opinion or doctrine of justification from eternity : we now proceed to the second , namely . . doctrine that they that are christs were all justified in christ their head from the time of christs death or resurrection , when the price was paid , and satisfaction made by christ , and he as head , was justified and discharged by his resurrection , the question therefore is ; quest. whether the church of gods elect were justified at , from , or in the time of christs death and resurrection ? or whether believers may and ought to dte●he time of their justification from the time of christs death and resurrection ? answ. to this we answer by distinguishing , and that truly betwixt the time and the thing it selfe and accordingly , . we do affirm and conclude , and ( that most surely ) according to the scriptures , that all that are christs ▪ the whole church of gods elect are ●ustified from , by , through and upon the satisfaction , merit , virtue and efficacy of christs death declared by his resurrection , as rom. . , , . and again ephes. . . rom. ult . and rom. . , . and luke . , . thus it is written and thus it behoved christ to suffer and to rise from the dead the third day : that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations beginning at jerusalem . and this is certain that remission of sins or justification cannot be preached to any but upon the account of christs death and resurrection ; viz. the satisfaction , merit and efficacy of his death , manifested and declared by his resurrection according to rom. . . and tim. . . manifested in the flesh , justified in the spirit . . we do also affirm and conclude according to the scriptures , that all that have been , are now , or shall hereafter be justified , from the beginning of the world to the end thereof ; have been , are now , and shall hereafter be justified by the same satisfaction , vertue , merit and efficacy of christs death declared by his resurrection , and no otherways , as heb. . , . whose faith follow , considering the end of their conversation . jesus christ the same yesterday and to day , and for ever . 't is evident from the context , that he setteth before them , the doctrine and example , the faith and conversation of such as had spoken the word of god to them , in which expression he comprehendeth all the holy prophets , under the old testament , and those holy servants of god whom he had mentioned , chap. . particularly , and then more generally referred them to ch . . . as so great a cloud of witnesses : i say all these of the old testament , as well as the apostles under the new testament , together with their present ministers : when he saith remember them which have rule over you , ( or which are the guides and so rule by way of conduct , for other rule the servants of god have none or ever had ) who have spoken unto you the word of god , whose faith follow , considering the end of their conversation . jesus christ the same yesterday and to day and for ever : by yesterday , is meant all the time that is past , by to day the present time , and by forever , is all the time yet to come from the foundation of the world to the end of it : and if so , the same christ jesus was promised , prophesied and preached to them , as truly as unto us , and was believed on by them , as well as by us , and by the same faith , which they had in this jesus christ , they were justified and saved , and became the heirs of the same righteousness of faith as well as we , heb. . . this faith is described , and then abel , enoch , noah , abraham , sarah , isaac and jacob , the heirs ( with abraham ) of the same promise ; and the promise was christ , justification , and salvation in christ with eternal glory , and then mentioning joseph , moses , rahab also a heathen ; and then gideon , barak , sampson , jeptha , david and samuel the prophet , with others , men and women : tells you , these all obtained a good report through faith : before christ the seed of the woman , and the seed of abraham and david promised , was come in the flesh or humane nature ; before his death and resurrection ; and yet believed on christ embraced him and were justified and saved by faith in him all along , as well as we are now , christ is come , hath died and rose again , so rom. . , , . so that 't is most plain christ is the same yesterday , as he is to day , and so forever , i. e. in all ages and generations yet to come , as john . neither pray i for these alone , but for them also that shall believe on me , through their word , that they all may be one . this ( shall believe on me ) reacheth to the end of the world so long as christ shall be preached , and men shall believe on him through their word , of whom christ saith , mat. ult . ult . and lo ! i am with you alway even to the end of the world : so that christ jesus is the same yesterday and to day , and forever ; and all that are justified to day , as well as all that were justified yesterday , and all that shall be justified for ever , i. e to the end of the world have been , are and shall be still justified by the satisfaction , merit , vertue and efficacy of christs death ▪ declared by his resurrection ; who was the lamb slain from the foundation of the world ▪ rev. . as all the sacrifices , types and prophecies did there concerning him , that he should be slain and ri●e again , and in that respect was both the goat for our sin offering or sacrifice , and likewise our scape-goat , let go and escaped from death ( when he had born our sins ) i say let go and escaped by a glorious resurrection : and so as the lamb of god did bear away , or take away the sins of world , john . . did bear or carry them away into a land of forgetfulness , i. e. where none of them shall be remembred . and thus far we do affirm and consent concerning the justification of the whole church of gods elect from the death of christ , i. e. from and upon the satisfaction , merit , virtue , and efficacy of his death ; and that none are justified or have redemption but through his blood , and faith therein , for the propitiation of their sins : as rom. . . whom god hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood , to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins : and v. . to declare , i say , at this time his righteousness , that he might be just , and the justifier of him which be●elieveth ●n jesus . neg. but as concerning the doctrine of justification from the time of christs death and resurrection more or rather than any other time ; or that the church of gods elect are justified from the time of christs death or resurrection ; we do utterly deny and reject , and say the justification of his body the church doth no more commence from , or depend upon the time of his death and resurrection than upon any other time before or after : for , st . if the justification of gods elect did commence from , and depend upon the time of christs death and resurrection , so that they were not , nor could be justified before that time , then all those that were fallen asleep in christ , before the time of christs death and resurrection are perished , as cor . . then they also which are fallen asleep in christ are perished . the consequence is plain and invincible ; for if they were not justified their sins were imputed and not forgiven ▪ and if so , then they died in their sins and so are perished as john . . if ye believe not that i am he , ye shall die in your sins ; and this is eternal perdition , or to perish for ever ; if they were not justified , they were not righteous , righteousness was not imputed to them , and so they neither did not could inherit the kingdom of god , as cor. . . know ye not that the unrighteous ( or unjustified ) shall not inherit the kingdom of god ? and so abel , enoch , noah , abraham , isaac , and jacob , moses and samuel , and all the prophets until john are perished and excluded out of the kingdom of god : yea , john baptist ●lso is perished , and good old simeon that took the babe in his arms and blessed him , and said , lord , now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace according so thy word , for mine eyes have seen thy salvation , luke . , and anna the prophetess also , v. . are perished . for all these died before the time of christs death and resurrection , as is most plain and manifest : but now these are not perished , but were justified by faith in their life time , and blessed in their death , and live now unto god eternally in the mansions of heavenly glory : and for all this we have a sure word of prophecy . abraham lived years before the law of moses , and above years before christ came in the flesh , and years more before christs death and resurrection , and yet was as much justified by faith in christ as any man ever since , or that will be to the end of the world , and so were all the rest aforementioned ; and therefore justification is not reckoned from the time of christs death and resurrection , seeing all these were justified so long before that time . . then christ himself is found a false witness , who came from the bosom of the father , and could declare and did declare the truth , as john . . i say then christ himself is found a false witness who testified of abraham , isaac and jacob , and all the prophets to be in the kingdom of god , luke . , there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth ; when you shall see abraham and isaac and jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of god , and you your selves thrust o●● : now who are these , ye and your selves ? these are many such as lived in and after the time of christs death and resurrection , and great professors too , as appeareth v. . when they shall say we have eat and drank in thy presence , and thou hast taught in our streets ; and also in that parallel place , mat. . . have we not prophesied in thy name ? and in thy name have cast out devils ? and in thy name have done many wonderful works ▪ all which must be after the time of christs death and resurrection , for the spirit was not given for these extraordinary works and miracles till christ was glorified ; and yet saith christ ye shall see abraham , isaac , and jacob , and all the prophets in the kingdom of god , and ye your selves thrust out : so that those that lived before the time of my death and resurrection , as abraham , isaac , and jacob , and all the prophets , ye shall see them hereafter , when that day shall come which revealeth all things : ye shall see them in the kingdom of god , and ye your selves , who lived , professed my name , prophesied and did miracles in my name after the time of my death and resurrection , ye shall see your selves thrust out : and though you cast out devils in my name , yet ye did not cast him out , nor was he cast out of your own hearts . but christs witness is most true , and will be found so at the great day ; therefore let men take heed how they make him a liar , who is truth it self ; for certainly christ did not bear false witness , when he testified to the sick of the palsie , mark . . son , thy sins be forgiven thee , and when he testified in the house of simon concerning the woman that was and had been a great sinner , when she washed christs feet with her tears , and wiped them with the hairs of her head , and brake so costly a box of ointment and poured it upon his head , that all the room was filled with the odour thereof : i say when he testified to simon and all that were in the house concerning her , luc. . . wherefore i say unto thee ; her sins which are many are forgiven , for she loved much : and when he testified to her , v. . and he said unto her , thy sins are forgiven : forgiveness of sins is justification , and they had faith in christ wrought in them ; for mark . . when jesus saw their faith , and luke . . and he said to the woman , thy faith hath saved thee ; and yet the time of christs death and resurrection was not yet come ; so that justification and salvation through faith in christ was as sure and certain , and as full and compleat to them that believed before the time of christs death and resurrection , as ever it was to any since or shall be to the end of the world : therefore the justification of gods elect is no more dated or doth commence from the time of christs death , than from any time before or after . . if the justification of gods elect should commence and bear date from the time of christs death and resurrection , then thousands of gods elect that were born , were converted and called , and have believed on christ since the time of christs death and resurrection , in ages and generations until now , were justified before they were converted and called , before they receiv'd the spirit by the hearing of faith , before they believed god or his word , before they had any faith wrought in them ; for they were justified from the time of christs death , according to this doctrine ; so that they were as much and as truly justified in their unbelief , impiety , unregeneracy and enmity , as ever they were or came to be justified afterwards when they believed and embraced christ , which is most contrary to the scriptures , acts . , ▪ rom. . ephes. . , , . and rom. . . whom he called , them be also justified . paul , when saul a blasphemer , persecutor , and iniurious , was as truly justified as paul when called , a convert , a believer and a preacher of jesus christ , contrary to the scriptures , tim. . , , , . and acts . . for saul continued unconverted , uncalled , a blasphemer , a persecutor , and injurious , ignorant and an unbeliever long after christs death and resurrection ; and yet according to this doctrine must be justified when he lived , and continued in impenitency and unbelief and disobedience till that time ; yea and all those corinthians mentioned , cor. . and such were some of you : but ye are washed , but ye are sanctified , but ye are justified in the name of the lord jesus ; and by the spirit of our god. now look back into the . and . verses ; know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of god ? be not deceived , neither fornicators , nor idolaters , nor adulterers , nor efeminate , nor abusers of themselves with mankind , nor thieves , nor covetous , nor drunkards , nor revilers , nor extortioners , shall inherit the kingdom of god : and such were some of you . plainly implying that when ye lived in these sins uncalled , unconverted , impenitent and unbelievers , then you were not washed , nor sanctified , nor justified ; but now since you were called , and converted 't is otherwise with you than it was before : but ye are washed , but ye are sanctified , but ye are justified in the name of the lord jesus , and by the spirit of our god. ye were not justified before , but now ye are justified in the name of the lord jesus , i. e. since ye believed on that name ; then ye were not washed , nor sanctified while ye wallowed in the mire of these sins , but now ye are washed , ye are sanctified by the spirit of our god : therefore they were not justified from the time of christs death and resurrection , but from the time of their calling to faith ●n christ who dyed and rose again long before . and that this must be the true sense of the apostle , appeareth in that he tells them , but ye are justified in the name of the lord jesus ; he thereby concludeth and that truly , they were not justified before ; though the time of christs death and resurrection was past before . and thus have we finished also the tryal of this second opinion or doctrine of justification from the time of christs death and resurrection , and find it not to be a true doctrine ; a doctrine not of god. all therefore which now remaineth to be done , is to shew and assign the true time and season of gods justifying his elect ; and from whence the truly justified person may humbly date his own justification according to the holy scriptures , and have the seal of god in the true witness of his holy spirit in the word for the proof it . lastly therefore , the due time and season of gods justifying his elect , through faith in his son jesus christ , according to the scriptures , is the time of their respective believing , embracing , receiving and entertaining christ ; christ in the promise , or the promise in christ : for all the promises are yea and amen in christ , cor. . . not a promise alone without christ , for that is to be suspected ; the promise when given by the father , and applyed by the spirit is never alone or separate from christ , but always in christ and together with him : even as abraham is said to have received the promises when he offered up his only son , heb. . . but abraham did not receive the promise , or promises alone , i. e. without christ , the substance of all the promises ; but he received the promise in christ ▪ or christ in and through the promises . for as god made no promise of eternal life out of christ , but in christ and through him , so we can receive no promise or promises of eternal life and salvation but in christ , and christ in and together with the promise . and therefore abraham is said to have received the promise of god in christ , as god gave it to him , so he received it in christ ; as gal. . , , . he therefore that believeth with a justifying and saving faith , receiveth christ in the promises , and embraceth not the promises alone , but christ in the promise : and therefore union with christ , and receiving christ into the heart , and promises , and all things else together , is the true faith of gods elect , and the faith of the operation of god , as john . , . this is the reward that god hath given to us , eternal life , and this life is in his son : he that hath the son hath life ; and he that hath not the son of god hath not life ; and joh. . , . he came to his own and his own received him not . but to as many as received him , to them gave he power to become the sons of god , even to them that believe on his name . so that in short , faith is receiving christ , and without christ be received there is no believing , and where there is no believing there is no justification . the true time therefore of god's justifying his elect , is the time of their believing , i. e. of their receiving and embracing christ ; then , and not before , and thence ever after god doth justifie his elect : and they may from thence date the time of their justification acccording to the scriptures . as it was with abraham , so it is with all the children of abraham ; as it is written again and again ; abraham believed god and it was counted to him for righteousness , rom. . . now from the time that abraham believed god from that time was he justified and ever after ; even so it is with all the children of abraham ; as , rom . , , . now it was not written for abrahams sake alone that it was imputed to him , but for us also to whom it shall be imputed : if we believe on him that raised up jesus our lord from the dead ; who was delivered for our offences , and raised again for our justification . now therefore christian , the time of gods imputing righteousness to thee , and justifying thee in christ ; is not the time of christs dying and rising again , but the time of thy be●ieving on him and embracing him by faith in thy heart who was deliver'd for thy offences , and raised again for thy justification . and to produce this faith in thee , and this believing god as abraham did ; these three things must necessarily concur , all which did concur in the faith of abraham : as namely , . there must be hearing ; the word of god must be truly preached to thee , and thou must hear it ▪ or there neither is , nor can be th●s faith that justifieth ; as , rom . . so then faith cometh by hearing , and hearing by the word of god ; and as v. , . how then shall they call on him , in whom they have not believed ? and how shall they believe in him , of whom they have not heard ? and how shall they hear without a preacher ? and how shall they preach except they be sent , i. e. se●t of god ? and thus god himself preached the gospel to abraham , saying in thee and in thy seed , sha●l the families of the earth , or nations , be blessed , as , gal. . . compared with gen. . . and gen. ● . . so then abrahams faith came by ●●aring christ preached . . the spirit of god mu●t be given of god to thee , and received of thee by hearing the faith or doctrine of faith preached , as gal. . . without which thou canst not receive the spiritual things which the gospel preacheth , but they will seem foolishness to thee because they are spiritually descerned , cor. . ▪ . and cor. . , , , . joh. . , . and again verse — . the word preached i say , will never be rightly understood till god by his spirit openeth thy heart to understand , as luk. . , . acts . . and thus god opened abrahams heart to understand the gospel or the promise in christ preached to him by the gift of his holy spirit . . this faith must be wrought in thee by the same spirit , for this is the faith of the operation of god , as col. . . the gift of god ; as eph. . . produced by the exceeding greatness of his power , as when he raised christ from the dead ; eph. . , . which was done by the power of the holy ghost , rom. . . rom. . . and thus was abrahams faith wrought in him and it was given him to believe , his faith was not of himself , but was the gift of god ; otherwise abraham might have had whereof to boast , but not before god ; as , rom. , . and thus abrahams believing god , was as much of the sovereign will of gods grace and favour to him , as his imputing righteousness to him upon his believing . and thus it is not of him that willeth , nor of him that runneth , but of god that sheweth mercy . so it was with abraham , and so it is with all the children of abraham ; and the lord grant it may be so with thee : abraham belived god and it was counted to him for righteousness . that was the time of gods justifying him through faith in christ ; do thou believe god as abraham did and it shall also be counted to thee for righteousness , and this shall be the time of gods justifying thee through faith in his son jesus christ : even then when all these things concur in thy faith , as they did in abrahams . . the hearing of faith or the word of faith preached to thee : . gods giving and thy receiving the spirit through this hearing of the faith preached : . faith wrought in thee by the same spirit to receive jesus christ : this time i say again , and no other is or can be assigned according to the holy scriptures for thy justification in gods sight . when this faith cometh into thy soul , then cometh this blessedness of thy justification , whether it be in circumcision or in uncircumcision , rom. . — . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . finis . advertisement . by the inadvertency of the printer these few errata's have happened in the first sheet of this book . in the rest more care has been taken , so that there are no faults but what are unavoidable . in page . of the first epistle , line . for did read do . in p. . l. . for works , r. words . l. . r. did then . in p. . l. . for fiery , r. feirce . in p. . l. . r. the kingdom . in p. . of the d . epist. dele ▪ the . ver . of mar. . & r. . in p. . l. . r. . v. of rom. . in p. . l. . r. into the city . a catalogue of books printed for nath. crouch , at the bell in the poultrey ; 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whose curiosity this briefe surveigh of antiquity will in part satisfie. written in latin by that reverend and renowned divine, daniel tossanus, chiefe professor of divinity in the university of heidelberge, and faithfully englished by a.s. gent. synopsis de patribus. english tossanus, daniel, - . approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page images. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; oxford (uk) : - (eebo-tcp phase ). a stc estc s this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons . universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase , no. a ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, - ; : ) a synopsis or compendium of the fathers, or of the most famous and ancient doctors of the church, as also of the schoolmen wherein is clearely shewed how much is to be attributed to them, in what severall times they lived, with what caution they are to be read, and which were their perfections, which their errors. a treatise most necessary, and profitable to young divines, and delightfull to all such whose studies in humanity take from them the leisure, though not the desire of reading the fathers; whose curiosity this briefe surveigh of antiquity will in part satisfie. written in latin by that reverend and renowned divine, daniel tossanus, chiefe professor of divinity in the university of heidelberge, and faithfully englished by a.s. gent. synopsis de patribus. english tossanus, daniel, - . stafford, anthony. [ ], , [ ] p. printed [by john beale] for daniel frere, and are to be sold at the signe of the red bull in little-brittaine, london : . a translation of: synopsis de patribus. translator's dedication signed: a.s., i.e. anthony stafford. printer's name from stc. the first two leaves are blank. running title reads: a synopsis or compendium of the fathers and schoolemen. reproduction of the original in the henry e. huntington library and art gallery. created by converting tcp files to tei p using tcp tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the universities of michigan and oxford and the publisher proquest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by proquest via their early english books online (eebo) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). the general aim of eebo-tcp is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic english-language title published between and available in eebo. eebo-tcp aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the text encoding initiative (http://www.tei-c.org). the eebo-tcp project was divided into two phases. the , texts created during phase of the project have been released into the public domain as of january . anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source. users should be aware of the process of creating the tcp texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data. text selection was based on the new cambridge bibliography of english literature (ncbel). if an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in ncbel, then their works are eligible for inclusion. selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. in general, first editions of a works in english were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably latin and welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so. image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in oxford and michigan. % (or pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet qa standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. after proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of instances per text. any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of tcp data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a tcp editor. the texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level of the tei in libraries guidelines. copies of the texts have been issued variously as sgml (tcp schema; ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf- unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p , characters represented either as utf- unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng fathers of the church -- early works to . christian literature, early -- early works to . - tcp assigned for keying and markup - aptara keyed and coded from proquest page images - ali jakobson sampled and proofread - ali jakobson text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion a synopsis or compendivm of the fathers , or of the most famous and ancient doctors of the church , as also of the schoolmen . wherein is clearely shewed how much is to be attributed to them , in what severall times they lived , with what caution they are to be read , and which were their perfections , which their errors . a treatise most necessary , and profitable to young divines , and delightfull to all such whose studies in humanity take from them the leisure , though not the desire of reading the fathers ; whose curiosity this briefe surveigh of antiquity will in part satisfie . written in latin by that reverend and renowned divine , daniel tossanvs , chiefe professor of divinity in the university of heidelberge , and faithfully englished by a. s. gent london : printed for daniel frere , and are to be sold at the signe of the red bull in little-brittaine . . to his trvly vvorthy , and noble friend , sir r. c. knight . sir , what is not mine owne , i cannot dedicate , and therfore can neither prefix your name nor mine before this booke . i appeale to you here , not as an indulgent patron , but a learned iudge : of such you have the two requisites , ability and commodity . the first is within you , an acute and solid vnderstanding ; the latter , without you , a compleat library , which chrysologus stiles the onely paradise of this world . you sit every day most happily incircled with the most famous writers of all kinds . thus environ'd , the poorest schollar thinkes himselfe majestically enthron'd , and securely guarded . there is not a quotation in this treatise , which you cannot readily bring to the test , and therefore i choose you as a most fit trier of the authors integrity , in whose praise when i have spoken much , it wil appeare in a discerning eye too little . his brevity is such , that sometime i resemble him to one who makes an exact surveigh of an immense kingdome in a moment ; sometimes to the sunne himselfe , who compasseth the world in a naturall day . for the same proportion holds this short discourse with vast antiquitie . i dare maintaine that in farre greater volumes of the same subject , ( as medulla patrum , favus patrum , flores patrum ) you shall not finde so accurate a judgement of the fathers , neither delivered with so entire a faith , and so cleane a sifting of the meale from the branne , of their perfections from their errors . more sentences , it may be , they containe , and the more the worse ; for those wretched summularies , or florists are the very bane of learning , who in stead of culling out the choycest flowres , doe , indeed , nothing but weed authours : they leave the pure wine behinde , and give their thirstie readers the unsavoury lees to drinke . beleeve mee , the fountaines themselves are farre sweeter . possevin hath inserted campians ten reasons in his biblfotheca selecta , and alleageth the cause to be his feare , lest the volume being so small , hereticks might in time collect , and sacrifice them all to vulcan . i thinke this little worke is of as great value , and merits no lesse care , especially since it is already become so rare , that it is hardly by prayer , or money to be purchased of its dignity this is no obscure argument , that the learned sonne of our tossanus thought it worthy the dedication to iacobus arminius , who rose with as great a lustre as any light of the moderne church , though it was his evill destiny to set in a cloud . for the translation i say little , both because it is mine owne , as also that books of this nature admit no flourishes , nor elegancy of phrase . i am confident i have not altered the sense , and that is as much as the most severe criticke can require at my hands . the love to knowledge , and her professors , is yours by inheritance , who derive it from your truly great father , on whose head my divining soule fore-sees impartiall posterity setting that crowne which as yet the modesty of his friends , and the malice of his enemies deny him . i presume therefore that you will adde the perusall of this treatise to your other favours , which are so many , that should i endevour to summe them up , i should at once prove gratefull to you , and tedious to the reader . i beseech you therefore to accept of the bare acknowledgement , and of the religious protestation that i am , noble sir , your most humble servant , a. s. the avthors preface , vvhich together with the treatise it selfe was delivered by way of lecture . my courteous auditors , i have oftentimes called to mind the saying of that most excellent , and grave philosopher , seneca , magnam esse dementiam intanta temporis egestate supervacua discere : it is great madnesse , saith hee , in so great want of time to learne things superfluous . for that first aphorisme of hippocrates the prince of physicians , is most true , vita brevis est , ars longa : life is short , art long . though this bee most true , yet can i not assent unto them , who thinke it enough for a student in divinity to be throughly versed in the sacred scriptures , and that hee need learne and meditate nothing else ; that the immense volumes of the fathers , and ancient doctors , as a vast and fadomelesse sea are to be avoyded , because they bring greater doubt and perplexity , than light and science to the minde ; especially if a man will dwell upon the manifold commentaries of the late doctors , whom we call schoolemen . these assertions ( though they may at first sight appeare faire and goodly ) yet savour too much of arrogancy . farre bee it from any divine to assume that nestorian pride , who , as the ecclesiasticall history testifies , relying on the volubility of his owne tongue , arrogantly contemned the writings of the most ancient interpreters . i confesse , the sacred scriptures are able to render a man abundantly wise , as saith saint paul , tim. . and to instruct him in all things pertaining to salvation , by the faith which is in iesus christ . i confesse also some men have not the understanding rightly to judge of so many commentaries of the ancients ; others have not the leisure to read them , and not a few want meanes to procure them . yet in these a divine ought not to bee altogether a stranger . nesoire quid antequam natus sis acciderit idest semper esse puerum , saith cicero in his oratory . to be ignorant altogether of what happened before thou wert borne , is alwayes to bee a childe : and the commemoration of antiquity , and producing of examples , gives not onely delight , but authority and credit to an oration . it was an ancient and laudable custome , as witnesseth irenaeus , lib. . cap. . that if any question were disputed , the judgement and consent of the most ancient churches wherein the apostles were conversant , should bee enquired into , and fully knowne . but here certaine cautions are necessary , which being not observed by the papists , they have erred many wayes in reading of the fathers , and have proved not so much theologi , as patrologi , and anthropologi : the first caution is , that none reade the fathers except they bee well exercised in the scriptures , which neglected , they shall grope like one blinde in the darke , and saile in a wide sea without either north-starre or compasse . another caution ought to bee , that though the authority and consent of the fathers in the truth , doe much confirme and comfort , yet faith is onely to bee builded upon the apostolicall and propheticall scriptures , as a foundation most firme . for the scripture , as the only queene and empresse ( as luther is used to say ) ought to have the soveraigne command . the third caution is , that in reading the fathers wee doe not imitate those flatterers of ●ionisius siculu , who licking up the tyrants spittle , affirmed it to bee sweeter than nectar . to these i may liken such as without any exception embrace and magnifie indifferently all the writings and sayings of the fathers . these are the points about which at this day we combat the iesuites , the stoutest champions the pope hath ; and not ( as they labour to perswade the vulgar ) about the fathers themselves , or reverent antiquity , as if wee did plainely reiect them , and after the athenian manner were delighted with the novelties of newes-tellers . for first , wee recall them to true antiquity , which is to be derived from the ancient of dayes , and his revelations , that so wee may refuse and condemne as new whatsoever christ hath not taught us , as saint ambrose adviseth us , lib. . officior . next wee distinguish betweene the ages of the church , and betweene father and father , and demonstrate in one and the same father what is authenticall , what erroneous , irreptitious , and inserted by the monkes . moreover , when wee enquire after the church , we doe not seeke the degenerate and adulterate , but the chast and holy spouse of christ : and why may not wee say the same of the roman church at this day , that cicero in his oration for his house said of the roman people , an tu populum romanum esse putas qui constat ex iis qui mercede conducuntur , qui impelluntur ut vim adferant magistrastibus , optant quotidiè praecipiti furore , caedem , incendia , rapinas ; o speciem dignitatis populi romani , quam scilicet reges , quam nationes ex terrae , quam gentes ultimae pertimescunt : dost thou thinke , saith hee , that to be the people of rome which consisteth of those that are mercenary ; who are ready to offer violence to magistrates , that desire daily with a desperate fury , fire , rapes , and slaughter : othe goodly dignity of the roman people , whom kings , forreigne nations , and the most remote inhabitants of the earth doe feare . wee doe indeed much esteeme that roman church whose faith is preached through the whole world , we likewise reverence those fathers and bishops which are not commended to us by the onely authority and canonization of popes , but by their owne purity of doctrine , innocency of life , and constancy in martyrdome . but it is well the iesuits so distrust their owne cause , that they dare not stand to the decision of the sacred scriptures , nor of the fathers themselves , except they bee mutilated , and altered according to their will , and deformed with many suppositious bookes . their impudency this way clearely appeareth in their index expurgatorius not long since here published ; out of all which wee may easily collect that they retaine neither shame , faith , nor conscience , nor any thing authenticke either in the scriptures , or fathers , but onely what is appropriated to their superstition , and will-worship of images . now , most loving auditors , because it is much materiall to the students in divinity ( though all have not the meanes and faculty of reading the fathers ) at least to know what is to be iudged and determined of them in generall , and which were the most famous fathers , and scholasticall authors , as also with what iudgment & choyce they are to be read , i thinke it wil neither be a service unacceptable , nor unprofitable , if in the end of these dogge-dayes , and before the mart now at hand , i instruct you in the premises , and contract the whole matter into , as it were , a synopsis , or abridgement . errata . page . line . read it●● p. . l. . r. litera● . p. . l. . r. academicorum . p. . l. penu●● . r. ●●lle . p. . l. . r. canon law . p. . l. . r. a doctrina . p. . l. , r. constantinople . p. . l. . f. preiudice , r. produce . p. . l. . r. quantum . p. l. . r. lazarum . p. . l. . r. masse . p. . l. . r. taught . p. . l. . r. nestorius . p. . l. . f. shall , r. doth . p. . l. . r. it is told u● p. . r. french. p. . l. penult . f. upon bookes r. upon the sacred writ . a synopsis , or compendivm of the fathers ; or of the most famous and ancient doctors of the church , as also of the schoole-men . generall aphorismes containing certaine rules by which we may judge in reading of the fathers of their true antiquity , and purity , together with the solutions of some objections . aphorisme . that true antiquity is to bee sought after , and magnified , is the common tenent of all pious people . ( . ) for it is manifest that the christian religion is the most ancient , as deriving it testimonies from the very beginning of the world . ( . ) but this is not to be esteemed true antiquity , to understand quid hic , aut ille ante nos fecerit , aut docuerit : sed quid is qui ante omnes est , christus , et qui solus via est , veritas , et vita , à cujus praeceptis nullo modo recedendum est : what this , or that man did , or taught before us , but what he did who was before all , even christ himselfe , who onely is the way , the truth , and the life , from whose precepts wee ought not to digresse , as saith saint cyprian ad caecil . lib. . epist . . ( . ) omnis quippe antiquitas , ct consuctudo sine veritate nihil aliud nisi err●ris vetustas censenda est : so that all antiquity , and custome , not grounded on the truth , is to bee accounted no other than an ancient errour , as the same saint cyprian piously writeth to pomp. against the epistle of stephanus . ( . ) but the ancient truth god taught us by his prophets and apostles , who though in condition they were men , and , indeed , sinners , yet in doctrine which was revealed to them supernaturally by the holy ghost , not by the will of man , wee know them rightly to bee fellow-witneffes , ephes . . . pet. . . ( . ) the perfection of the scriptures is easily proved by these two arguments : first , that they are sufficient to instruct in those things that belong to salvation , and to the full knowledge of the truth . iohn . . iohn . . tim. . , . secondly , because in temptations faith onely finds rest in the testimonies of the sacred scriptures ; having alwayes for its object the word of god revealed by the prophets and apostles , which cannot bee said of any other writings or bookes whatsoever . ( . ) to recall us therefore from the manifest testimonies of the scriptures to the writings of the fathers , or other men , were injustice , and contumely against the holy ghost himselfe ; especially since our faith doth not consist in wisedome , or in the words of men , but in the power of god , or in the evident proofes of the holy ghost . , cor. . ( . ) wherefore saint austine writeth thus against the donausts , lib. . cap. . quis nescit sanctam scripturam canonicam tam veteris quam novi testamenti omnibus posterioribus episcoporum literis ita praeponi , ut de illa omnino dubitari , et disceptari non possit : episcoporum autem literis , quae post confirmatum canonem vel scriptae sunt , vel scribuntur a doctioribus libere reprehendi , et particularia concilia a plenariis , et haec quoque a posterioribus emendari ? who knoweth not the holy scripture canonicall , as well of the old as new testament , so farre to excell all the writings of the later bishops , as that there needs no doubt , or dispute thereof : and that the workes of bishops which have beene , or are now written after the confirmed canon , may bee freely reprehended by the more learned , and that particular councels may be amended by generall , and these also by the successive . ( . ) moreover , whereas many complaine of the obscurity of the scriptures wee ought to make no scruple thereof , there being greater obscurity , lesse purity , and certainety in the writings of men , as plainly manifest the almost infinite commentaries upon peter lombard , and not a few animadversions of the sorbonists upon him ; cum it a sit temperata scripturae obscuritas , ( they be the words of saint austine , lib. . de doct. christ . ) ut facile quis se possit expedire , modo cum similibus , et apertioribus locis scripturae locum obscuriorem conferamus , et imprimis oculos a scopo non dem●veamus , et quod in uno idiomate non intelligimus , ex alio cognoscere studeamus : whereas the obscurity of the scriptures is so temper'd that wee may easily explaine it , if we conferre the obscure place with places more open , and perspicuous ; especially if wee move not our eyes from the scope ; and what wee understand not in one tongue , wee study to know by another . ( . ) lastly , the fathers have often erred , as also the schoolemen , as the papists themselves confesse : but that the scriptures are voyd of all error , no christian doubteth . ( . ) it is enquired therefore whether there bee any need of reading the fathers , and ancient doctors ; and , if it bee needfull , how much wee ought attribute to them . ( . ) to read the fathers profitably no man forbiddeth , but it is not necessary to reade them all , neither are they promiscuously to bee read by all persons ; neither to the same proper end that wee read the scriptures . ( . ) they are not presently to bee accounted the writings of the fathers that are fathered on them . as for example ; some things passe under the name of one dionissius areopagita , others under that of origen , whereof part were forged by idle monks , part were falsly attributed to those fathers ; as also many legends of saints : neither hath every man such light , and knowledge of the scriptures , as may enable him to judge of the fathers , whom wee reade not as foundations of our faith. ( . ) civitas dei ( saith austin , lib. . de civit . dei. c. . ) dubitatîonem academicoram tanquam dementiam detestatur : credit scripturis sanctis veteribus , et novis , quas canonicas appellamus , unde fides ipsa concepta est , qua justus vivit , per quam sine dubitatione ambulamus : the city of god detests all the doubts of the academicks as meere madnesse : she beleeves the sacred scriptures both old , and new , which are called canonicall , from whence faith it selfe is derived , wherby the just shall live , by which wee walke with full assurance . ( . ) wherefore christ , and the apostles , when they taught , did not cite the rabins , nor any father before them but moses , and the prophets : nor was it in vaine decreed in the third councell of cartharge , that nothing should be read in the church but the canonicall scriptures . ( . ) but the fathers are read , and are often cited in the schooles , partly that wee may see the consent of the ancient church concerning the principall heads of doctrine after they were first constituted by the sacred scriptures ; and partly that we may know the history of the church and discerne her inclination , who ( as witnesseth eusebeus lib. . hist . cap. . ) after the apostles times remained not long a virgin , nor long retained her faith incorrupted : partly also , that wee may accommodate to our use the many pious admonitions , and consolations savouring of the very spirit of martyrdome , together with the many elegant similitudes , & comparisons , as somewhere saith erasmus . ( . ) and wee reade so that wee may try all , as admonisheth saint hierom , in epist . ad minerium . meum est prepositum antiquos legere , probare singula , retinere quae bona sunt , et a fide verae ecclesiae catholicae non recedere ; it is my purpose to reade the aneients , to prove every particular , to retaine that which is good , and not to fall from the faith of the true catholike church . ( . ) the same , in a manner , writes saint austine to bishop fortunatianus . neque enim , inquit , quorumlibet disputationes , quamvis catholicorum , et laudatorum hominum , velut scripturas canonicas habeee debemus , ut nobis non liceat , ( salva honorificentia quae illis debetur hominibus ) aliquid in eorum scriptis reprobare , atquerespuere , si forte inveniamus quod aliter senserint , quam veritas habet : talis ego sum in scriptis aliorum , tales volo esse inttllectores meorum . neither , saith he , ought wee to have the disputations of any in the same esteeme with the canonicall scriptures , although they bee men truly catholike , and praise-worthy ; nor to lose the freedome ( paying the reverence due to them ) of censuring their writings , if wee finde any thing in them not consonant to truth : such am i in the workes of others ; such would i have the understanders of mine . ( . ) wherefore the madnesse of them is great , who without choyce would simply admit all the sayings of the fathers , which often contradict each other , and as often digresse from the truth . ( . ) lapsus est a fide , et crimen maximae superbiae ( saith saint basil , in oration de confession . fidei ) velle a scripturis recedere , veleas solas , cum agitur de side , molle admittere . christus enim ait , suas oves , suam vocem audire , non alterius : it is a falling from the faith , and a crime of the highest arrogancy , to forsake the scriptures ; or , when faith is our theme , not to receive them onely . for christ saith , his sheepe heare his voyce , not anothers . ( . ) wherefore saint austine ( when cyprians authority was urged against him concerning baptisme of heretickes ) answered , that hee held not the epistles of saint cyprian for canonicall ; and ( when saint hierome had cited three , or foure fathers touching the reprehension of saint peter by saint paul ) hee replyed , that hee also could quote the fathers , but hee had rather appeale to the sacred scriptures . ( . ) for it is certaine that saint cyprian dissented from the church about the baptisme of heretickes ; and that tertullian being bewitch'd by the montanists , wrote some tracts against the tenents of the church : as also that saint lactantius , and others , were too much addicted to the opinions of the chiliasts , and platonists : and as true it is , that many things are ascribed to the fathers falsely , which savour neither of their stile , faith , nor piety , as shall bee shewed in its proper place . ( . ) moreover , it is most sure that councels have often erred , and that those things which had beene well constituted by some councels , were overthrowne by others : yea , and in the nicene councell it selfe , an unjust sentence had beene pronounced against the marriage of priests , had not one paphnutius , an old man , opposed it . in that councell also there was an over-hard canon written against them , who , after a confession of faith once made , did fight for their princes . ( . ) not without reason therefore is that of panormitanus , a doctor of the common law , de elect. cap. significasti . magis credendum laico , si scriptaras adferat quam papae et toti concilio , si absque scripturis agant : we owe a greater beleefe to a lay man producing the scriptures , than to the pope , and a whole councell , if they determine any thing without them . ( . ) they erre therefore who would have the common opinion passe for a law , preferring the multitude of humane testimonies before the scriptures . ( . ) but some will say , heretickes beleeve not the scriptures , and therefore we must have recourse to the authority of the fathers : to which i answer , that they will lesse beleeve the fathers , and the church , as appeareth in the ecclesiasticall history by the arians , and nestorians , who after the councels of nice , and ephesus , and the crees of the fathers , became more obstinate than before . ( . ) whereas therefore the evangelicall divines of wormes , anno . when they affirmed the holy writ onely to bee the judge of controversie , being asked thereupon , whether or no thereby they meant to take away all authority from the fathers ? answer'd , that they willingly would receive the fathers which lived in the first . yeares after christ ; it is not so to be understood as if they did simply approve them in all things , which the very papists themselves doe not ; but comparatively , that the corruption of doctrine was lesse in those times than in the ages following ; although there were not wanting who after those . yeares retained the apostolicall doctrine in many points : as fulgentius , vigilius , leo bishop of rome , bernard , and damascene himselfe , especially if you consider the doctrine of the person of christ . ( . ) it remaineth that we answer them who demand what is to be done when places are produced out of those first fathers which seeme somewhat to confirme the opinions of the papists , or the errors of others , as in prayer for the dead , the sacrifice of the masse , free-will , &c. to this i answer , first , that proofes of opinions are to be derived from the scriptures , and the rule of saint paul to bee strictly observed . cor. . wee can doe nothing against the truth , but all for the truth . secondly , wee must compare many places together . thirdly , wee must consider how , and secundum quid , any thing is spoken by the fathers . fourthly , we must distinguish the authenticke books from the bastard and supposed , or suspected ; as are the bookes hypognosticon of s. austin , and of questions of the old , and new testament , of a blessed life , and many more not rellishing like the doctrine , or stile of s. austin , as erasmus , and iacobus hermerus rightly observe . the second part . of the writings of the fathers , whereof some are publike , and some private , chap. i. of the canons , which they call the apostles canons , and are wont to bee inserted in the first tome of councels , in the beginning . there are certaine canons publisht in the greeke tongue , which they call the apostles canons ; some maintaining , that they were collected by clement the successor of saint peter : but it is manifest that rapsody to have beene written long after the times of the apostles ; for there are many things spoken of utterly unknowne to the apostles dayes , as of celebrating the paschall feast before the vernall aequinoctiall ; of gold and silver vessels sanctified ; of clergy men , and lay-men , &c. withall , it is unjust , that the papists should object against , and impose upon us those canons which they themselves in many things observe not ; as the canon of clergy men taken in tavernes to bee denyed the communion : of all the faithfull entring the church , who are commanded to heare , and communicate the scriptures : as also the canon that no bishop , or priest , put away his wife under the pretext of religion , &c. lastly , in gratianus himselfe , dist . those canons by the authority of one isidorus are numbred amongst the apocripha although in another place , by the authority of one zephirinus , they are simply received : which contradiction the glosse cannot otherwise reconcile than by distinction of those canons , whereof some are apostolicall , and some suspected . it stands otherwise with the apostles creed , which hath authority above , and is received before all other confessions , because almost all of it consists of the words of the scripture it selfe , and comes to us by apostolicall tradition . see cyprian , and ruffin . in symbol . that creed also is the fountaine and originall of all other creeds . for ( as irenaeus rightly admonisheth , lib. cap. . ) doctrina apostolorum simpliciter pendemus , nec cogitandum est alios doctiores , aut sapientiores successisse apostolis : wee meerely depend upon the doctrine of the apostles ; neither ought wee to thinke that any more wise , or learned than they have succeeded them . chap. ii. of councels , after the apostles time there were synods often assembled to decide ecclesiasticall controversies , and that before the nicene councell ; as about the controversie concerning the paschall feast in the yeare of christ , . in palestine , and at rome : also against the novatians at rome , and in africa : and against paulus samosatenus , anno . to confute whose errour , and blasphemy , there is extant an excellent confession of gregorius neocaesariensis . but those synods before the nicene , were accounted but particular , and provinciall , because the persecution being so hot , they could not conveniently call generall councels . the generall , or oecumenicall ( as saint augustine calls them ) are chiefly foure . the first nicene in the time of constantine the great , about the yeare . the first constantinopolitane by gratianus , and theodosius the elder , anno . assembled against macedonius , and men of pneumaticall spirits . the first ephesine , anno . called by theodosius the younger , against nestorius . the chalcedonian in the reigne of the emperour martianus , anno . in which were condemned eutyches , abbot of constantinople , and dioscorns , bishop of alexandria . to these foure universall councels , beda , and some others adde two more , not of much lesse authority , but in which almost nothing but the decrees of the former councels were establisht : as that of constantinople the fourth , and sixth , about the yeere . which condemned the errors of the monothelites , who averred that the deity & humanity of christ had onely one will , and operation . but gregory the first bishop of rome erred , who , lib. . epist . . writeth thus , quatuor synodos sanctae universalis ecclesiae , sicut quatuor libros sancti evangelii recipimus : wee receive the foure synods of the holy universall church , as wee doe the foure evangelists , gratianus writeth somewhat better in decreto , canon . . sancta romana ecclesia post veteris , et novi testamenti scripturas , quas regulariter suscipit , etiam quatuor synodos suscipi non prohibet : the holy roman church , saith hee , after the scriptures of the old , and new testament , which it regularly receives , doth not forbid the admittance of the foure synods . moreover , these rules are to be observed concerning those foure oecumenicall councels . wee must beleeve the scriptures for themselves , because they have never erred in matters , words , or sentences , but we beleeve the councels not for themselves , but for the scriptures . the certainety of the symbols , and confessions of faith made by those councels , doth not consist in the authority of the men , or the places , but in the perpetuall consent of the whole church from the time of the apostles . councels have no power of making new articles of faith , but onely to explaine them by scripture , and produce them against hereticks . councels may bee ex●mined , and searched what is in them agreeable to the divine word , and what not . for if to those of beraea it were lawfull to examine the doctrine of saint paul , and conferre it with the scriptures , why may not wee examine the councels , since many of them contradictone another ; as the nicene and the ariminensian ; the chalcedonian , and the second ephesian ; the sixt at constantine-poole touching the pulling down of images , and the second nicene under irenes against the defacers of images . also many have erred , as that of carthage before the nicene , of the re-baptizing of heretickes ; the nicene concerning warfare ; the second ephesian , in defending euryches , although some great and famous men were present . leo , bishop of rome , epist . . . saith , that hee doth approve of the decrees of the chalcedon synod as farre as they concerne doctrine , but not those which were acted with anatholius . and the saying of saint austin , lib. . cont . maximinus , is very remarkeable : nec ego tibi nicoenum concilium , nec tu mihi arimin●●●e tanquam praeiudicaturus proferas : nec ego huius authoritate , nec tu illius detineris : scripturarum authoritatibus , non quorumlibet propriis , sed utrisque communibus testibus certemus : res cum re , ratio cum ratione decertet : neither , saith hee , will i with prejudice urge against thee the nicene councell , neither doe thou prejudice against mee the ariminensian : neither am i tyed to the authority of the one , nor thou of the other : let us both submit our selves to the authority of the scriptures , witnesses not proper to one , but common to both : let one matter , one reason contest with another . but some councels deliberated onely upon those things which appertained to the ecclesiasticall policy ; as that of spain , and the laodicenian . other councels decreed partly some things holy , partly many impious : as the lateran celebrated at rome under innocent the third , where the prophane doctrine of transubstantiation was ranked with the articles of our faith . and so in the following councels ( the state of the church alwayes declining ) many idolatries were established ; so that not without cause , the evangelical churches have rejected their authority , and have appealed from them to the antiquity of the apostolicall age. chap. iii. of the private writings of the fathers . before the nicene councell there flourished in the church the two disciples of the apostles , polycarpus and ignatius , in their youth auditors of saint iohn the apostle . but of these there are no writings extant , except certaine fragments of the epistles of ignatius . to them succeeded irenaeus , bishop of lions , and iustinus the philosopher , surnamed martyr , in the reigne of antonius the emperour . hierom in his catalogue of the ecclesiasticall writers , testifieth irenaeus to have written many things , but now there is only one volume remaining , consisting of five bookes against the heresie of valentinus , and the like ; wherein there are excellent sayings of the cunning arguments of heretickes ; as also of the authority , and consent of the ecclesiastical doctrine . among others , this saying is very rife , lib. . cap. . christum pro nobis passum requiesconte verbo , at crucifigi , et mori posset : the word resting , christ suffer'd for us , that he might be crucified , and dye . irenaeus , anno . was set forth at geneva with the notes of nicholas gelasius , who hath explained certaine things unfitly spoken ; as that in his third booke , filium hominis commixtum verbo dei ; . the sonne of man is mixt with the word of god : also , mariam sibi , et universo generi humano factam causam salutis : mary was made the cause of salvation to her selfe , and all mankind : which to say is blasphemy , unlesse we consider her as the organ through which our saviour passed into the world . there are extant both deserving , and learned writings of iustinus martyr , in greeke ; questions , and answers against the gentiles about true faith , and an apology for the christians to antoninus . in the second booke there is a memorable place of the liturgy of the ancient christians ; out of which may bee proved how much the papists degenerate from the custome of the ancient church ; for thus hee saith , die , qui solis dicitur , omnes , tum qui in opidis , tum qui in agris morantur , in unum convenimus , et ex commentariis apostolorum , et prophetarum scriptis recitatur quantam licet . deinde ubi destitit qui recitat , antistes orationem habet , quae admonet , hertaturque ad pulchrarum illarum rerum imitationem . postea omnes una surgimus , et precamur . postquam autem à precibus destitimus profertur panis , et vinum , et aqua . tum antistes rursus precatur , et gratias agit quanta potest contentione , populusque acclamat , dicens , amen : et iis , super quibus actae sunt gratiae unusquisque participat . on the day called sunday , wee assemble together as well they which are in the townes , as those that dwell in the fields ; when as much as is convenient is recited out of the commentaries of the apostles , and writings of the prophets . when the reciter hath ended , the chiefe priest maketh an oration , which admonisheth , and exhorts to the imitation of those faire things . after this we rise altogether , and pray : prayers being ended , there is brought forth bread , wine , and water . then the chiefe priest prayeth againe , and gives thankes with as great ardency as he can , and the people cry , amen . then every one participates of those things already consecrated by prayer and thanksgiving . this , among other things , some approve not of in iustinus martyr , that while hee labours to convince the gentiles out of the writings of the philosophers , hee sometimes attributes too much to the later , whose subtilty certainely did not penetrate to these mysteries of the kingdome of heaven . at that time flourished the alexandrian an schoole ( commodus being emperour ) and namely the famous clemens alexandrinus , anno . many of whose writings are yet extant in greeke : as the adhortatory booke against the gentiles , called protrepticos : three bookes of the schoolemaster , wherein hee teacheth the sonne of god to be our tutor , and what ought to bee the manners of christians ; commentaries of the divers and manifold literature required to institute a christian philosopher . lib. . strom . hee makes mention of a gospell according to the egyptians , wherein there is a saying of christ to solon , veni ad dissolvendum opera foeminae ; i came to dissolve the workes of the woman : but they are fabulous . that in his second booke of the schoole-master seemeth to some harsh , and may bee wrested to a more hard construction ; duplicem esse sanguinem domini , alterum carnalem quo redempti sumus , alterum spiritualem quo uncti : et hoc essebibere sanguinem domini , incorruptionis eius esse participem : that there is a two-fold blood of our lord , the one carnall , whereby wee are redeemed ; the other spirituall , wherewith wee are anointed ; and this is to drinke the blood of our lord , to be a partaker of his incorruption . where the blood of christ is improperly put for the effect , or fruit thereof . origen was the disciple of clement under severus the emperour , ann . . after christ , who being from his infancy throughly grounded in al kind of learning , had also an incredible zeale in comforting the martyrs , as also industry , and acutenesse in confuting the philosophers , and those arrabians , who would have soules to dye with their bodies ; as also berillus the hereticke , who denyed the eternity of christ , whom at length hee reduc'd into the right way . see euseb . lib. . cap. . and . but as the sharpest , and best metled knives easily grow dull , or are broken ; so oftentimes the most acute wits , either by too much confidence , or inconstancy , are soone overthrowne . so it befell origen , who for his many errours , ( as of all soules created at once : of the resurrection of new bodies according to substance : of the salvation of the divels at last : of the possibility of the law against the doctrine of iustification ) is ranked rather with the heretickes than the fathers . of the origenists , heretickes , see saint augustine , cap . de haeresib . and epiphanius , who with a strong endevour of minde , opposed origen ; and hieram , tom. . confuteth some of his errours . yet wanteth hee not his defenders , who excuse him , and thinke many things to be falsly imputed to him ▪ as pamphi●us the priest , ruffinus , and chrysostome . some of his books are yet extant , as eight bookes of principles against celsus , and commentaries upon pentateucham , and the epistle to the romans . at the same time lived s. tertullian , whom the historians make somewhat ancienter than origen . his writings are extant in latine , in a stile harsh , and rough enough , although in some places ( as the learned affirme ) it is mutilated , and misplaced , especially in what he wrote against marcia and praxea . he wrote many things not to be dispised , of praescriptions against heretickes : of patience : of the flesh of christ : of the resurrection of christ : of the trinity : of baptisme : but above all , his apology against the gentiles deserves prayse ( which ( as saint hierome affirmes ) containes the learning of all ages . in other of his books he is either too pure , or too crabbed and severe : as in his booke touching flight in persecution , which hee simply dis-allowes : also in his booke of fasting ; of the cloke ; of the crowne of a souldier ; of virgins to be veyled . but in his bookes to his wife , and of having one onely wife ; monogamy ; and of the exhortation to chastity , he seemes to embrace the errors of montanus . saint hierome thinkes tertullian to have beene provoked to this by the roman clergie . b. rhenanus excuseth him thus , that in the time of persecution , and the day of judgement ( as most of the ancients then thought ) being at hand , hee judged mariage not greatly to be desired . hee was addicted to the opinion of the chiliasts , as is collected out of his third booke against marcio . in his booke against praxea , are many dangerous phrases : as , patrem tota substantia deum esse , filium derivatione , et portione aliqua deitatis : that the father is god according to the whole substance , the sonne by derivation , and some part of the god-head . saint augustine , de genes . ad literam , lib. . cap. . notes also this errour in tertullian , that he beleeved the soule to be a body , for no other cause , saith the same father , then that hee could not thinke it to be incorporeall , fearing lest it should be nothing if it were not a body . neither could hee conceive otherwise of god himselfe , to whom he gave a body . which notwithstanding s. augustine elsewhere so interprets , as if he there understood by a body , a nature , or substance . yet are these acurologiai to be avoyded . these things considered , who seeth not how preposterous the judgements of the papists are , who complaine of the obscurity of the scriptures , and tye us to the fathers ; that is , lead us from certainties to uncertainties ; from things simply true , to doubtfull ; from cleare , to troubled and perplexed ? for whether or no they did it out of weakenesse , or out of policy to draw and allure the heathen to them , it is incredible to be spoken ▪ sometimes how wittily , and sometimes againe how simply the fathers of those times have philosophiz'd concerning things divine . to omit ceremonies , many of which the papists themselves have changed ; as that in the time of tertullian , milke and wine were given to the baptized : that christians abstained from sawsiges and puddings : that they offer'd sacrifices for the dead , and on birth dayes . in the yeare of christ , . ( decius , and valerianus being emperours ) flourished coecilius cyprianus , an affrican . hee was first a rhetorician , then a priest , next a bishop , and at length a martyr of christ , whom lactantius commends for perspicuity and elegancy of phrase . erasmus gives him this testimony , si omnia cypriani opera haberemus , quae magna ex parte interciderunt , cum unum , multorum instar haberi posse , sive eloqu●ntiam , sive doctrinam , sive apostolici spiritus vigorem spectes : if we had all cyprians workes , whereof many are lost , hee alone would in value counterpoize many , either in respect of eloquence , doctrine , or the vigour of the apostolicall spirit . gratianus in parte decreti , dist . . can . . when he numbreth the fathers received in the church , beginneth with saint cyprian . except his epistles , and some other short tracts , as of patience , of mortality , of the lapsed ; also against demetrianus , and the iewes , scarce anything of saint cyprian is left us , although i cannot deny some other sermons are inserted . the explication of the creed is rather made by ruffinus than saint cyprian . the treatise of the lords supper seemes also to have another author . after the frobenian , and lugdunensian edition , his workes were printed , and revised by turnebus at paris , and after that at colen , with an addition of some fragments . hee confuted novatus the hereticke , whom in his epistles hee stiles an importunate innovat●r , and a murtherer of penitence . the staines of saint cyprian were , that hee contended too obstinately , that they were to be re-baptized who were baptized by heretickes ; or who , leaving heresie , repented . although the affrican councell assented to him , yet stephanus , a roman bishop , opposed him . saint augustine , lib. . contra crescon . grammat . saith thus , nos nullam cypriano facimus iniuriam , cum eius quaslibet literas a canonica divinarum scripturarum anthoritate distinguimus . non teneor authoritate epistolae cypriani ad iubaianum , et cum eius pace , quod cum scripturis non convenit , respuo : wee doe no wrong to cyprian , if we distinguish any of his letters from the canonicall authority of the divine scriptures . i am not tyed to the authority of cyprians letter to iubaianus , and by his leave i refuse that which agrees not with the scriptures . saint cyprian also in his epistles , over-carefully , and superstitiously urgeth water to be mixed with wine in the administration of the lords supper , because water and blood flowed from the side of christ . also , epist . . lib. . hee affirmes , infantes statim esse baptizandos ne pereant , quòd eis misericordia non sit deneganda ; that infants must forthwith be baptized , lest they perish ; because mercy is not to be denied them . where hee seemes to confine mercy to the signes . anno . gregorius neocaesariensis , the disciple of origen , a learned , and pious man , confuted samosatenus ; of whose workes there is nothing extant , save a confession of his in the councell of antioch against samosatenus . to these times may be referred arnobius , an affrican ; of whose composing , eight bookes are extant against the gentiles ; as also his commentaries on the psalmes , but they are very briefe , and falsified by the monkes . about the yeare after christ , . flourished lactantius firmianus , in the beginning of the reigne of constantine the great , to whom hee dedicated his bookes of divine institutions against the gentiles . hee lived at nicodemia , and excelled in elegancy , and lustre of language , all the writers of the church . but hee seemed little to understand the proper doctrine of the gospell concerning the benefits of christ , and of faith : for hee expresly writeth , that christ was therefore sent , that by his word , and example , hee might invite us to vertue , and suffered onely to be a president of patience . and when in his . and . booke hee expresly , and of purpose handles the point of christian justice , he onely disputes of the justice of the law , and mentions very sparingly the justification by faith. but the first part of his institutions which taxeth the heathenish idolatries , and philosophicall opinions of god , and the chiefe good ; as also his booke of the workemanship of god in the structure of man , may be read with great profit and pleasure . the fathers in the time of the nicene councell , which was held , anno christi , . whose writings are extant . athanasius , although in the time of the councell he were not a bishop , yet was he alwayes a faithfull assistant of alexander the bishop of alexandria , whom hee afterward succeeded , and deservedly obtaines the first place amongst the fathers of that time : for although hee were exposed to innumerable calumnies , yet with an incredible constancy he frustrated all the endevours of his adversaries , and is stiled the bulwark of faith in the ecclesiastical history : neither was there any other cause that more whetted the bitter hatred of the arians against him ( as saith theodoret , lib. . hist . ) than that they perceived the sharpnesse of his wit , and industry , in confuting of heretickes in the nicene councell . his creed , or his explication of the apostolical creed is in the church among other creeds received . there are yet some of his most grave , and excellent treatises extant at basill , set forth heretofore by the frobenii , and episcopii , but more lately at paris by nivellius , petrus nannius , an eloquent man , being his interpretour : as an oration against idols : of the incarnation of the word : an epistle against heretickes to epictetus bishop of corinth : an exposition of faith : foure orations against the arians : a double apology for his flight against the calumnies of the arians : of divers questions of the scripture to antiochus , and many others of the same argument , which our divines usually object against the neorians , and vbiquitarians . the life of s. anthony the abbot is father'd on him , but there are in it many things fabulous , which savour not of the gravity and simplicity of s. athanasius . most true it is , that both s. athanasius , and those ancient fathers were too fervent in commending the signe of the crosse , and the miracles wrought by that signe , and by martyrs , thinking by this meanes to authorize the evangelicall doctrine . while wee give these cautions touching the blemishes of the fathers , we are not lyable to that censure which the papists lay upon us , derived from the authority of the same father , who in his first oration complaines that the arians accused the fathers : for he speakes not there of all the writings of the fathers , but of the nicene creed gathered out of the scriptures by the fathers of that councell to confute the arians . for hee there diligently admonisheth us to try the spirits , which may be easily done by those who are conversant in the scriptures . there are some memorable speeches of athanasius to be observed ; first , against the lutherans , out of the second oration against the arians . nunquam populus christianus ab episcopis suis , sed a domino , in quem creditum suit , nomen accepit . ne ab apostolis quidem appellationes adepti sumus , sed a christo . illi qui aliundè originem suae fidei ducunt , ut haeretici meritò authorum suorum cognomenta praese ferunt : the christian people never tooke their name from the bishops , but from the lord , in whom they beleeved . neither have wee our appellations from the apostles , but from christ himselfe . they who derive their faith from any other originall , as heretickes , deservedly beare the surnames of their authors . then against the vbiquitaries upon that saying , omnia mihi tradita sunt , &c. all things are given mee . tradita sunt illi omnia , ut medico , qui sanaret morsum serpentis , ut vitae , qui vivificaret , ut luci illuminanti ( id est , ratione officii ) dedit , inquit , deus , ut quemadmodum per eum facta sunt omnia , ita in eo omnia refici possint . quid quod filio dei quaedam tradita sunt quae non habeat , ut homo fieret : all things are given him as a physician that should heale the biting of the serpent ; as to the life that quickeneth , as to a light illuminating ( this is spoken in regard of his office ) god , saith hee , hath granted that as by him all things are made , so by him all things may be refreshed . what if wee say , that some things are given to the sonne of god that he had not before , that he should be made man ? moreover , against schwenckfeld in the same treatise ; vtrumque de christo est credendum , illum esse deum , et omnia creasse , et esse hominem , et ita creatum , et creaturam , qualis est homo . hominum enim proprium est creari : both , saith he , are to be beleeved of christ , that he was a god , and created all things ; and that he was a man , and so created , and a creature , such as manis : for it is proper to men to be created . also against the papisticall canonization of impious men , in his epistle , to all the godly founded , and sanctified in christ . hinc quoq , heresis agnosci et convinci potest , quòd quisquis ipsis charus est , et eiusdem impietatis socius , etiam si aliis delictis , et infinitis sceleribus obnoxius , et adversus se habeat argument a scelerum suorum , probus apud eos , et in pretio habetur : quin imo statim imperatoris amicus efficitur , commendabilis scilicet sua impietate . qui vero corum impietatem redarguit , et quae christi sunt sincere procurant , isti , tametsi puri in omnibus , modo crimen in eos confingatur , in exilium abripiuntur : hence may heresie be knowne , and convinced , that whosoever is deare to them , and a companion in the same impiety , although he be guilty of sundry crimes , and infinite vices , and hath arguments against himselfe of his owne hainous acts , yet he is approved and had in great esteeme amongst them , yea , and is forthwith made the emperours friend , and is commendable for his impiety . but those who reprove their wickednesse , and teach the things sincerely which are of christ , such , though pure in all things , upon any feigned crime layd to their charge , are presently hurried into banishment . to athanasius we may joyne eusebius the bishop of caesarea in palestine , who got the sir-name of pamphilus from his friend pamphilus the martyr , and in the nicene synod joyned himselfe to the orthodox , although in the beginning he wavered a little , as saith sozomen . lib. . hist . cap. . he was very learned in the languages , history , and philosophy . hee wrote a history from the nativity of christ to the time of constantine the great inclusively , which socrates the schooleman , and hermias sozomenus continued from constantine to theodosius the first , and honorius : and evagrius to the time of maurice the emperour ; vulgarly called the tripartite history . eusebius wrote also a chronicle which is yet extant ; and a booke of evangelicall demonstration , and preparation ; in which he compares the evangelicall doctrine with philosophy , and other religions , and solidly demonstrates no doctrine to be more perfect than the evangelicall , as also that in the gospell many things better , and more certaine , are contained , than in any other doctrine whatsoever . he was suspected , indeed , by some to have privily favoured arius : but an apology for him is extant in socrates , lib. . cap. . yet in the beginning of the same history , socrates doth not dissemble this fault of eusebius , that writing the life of constantine , which is comprehended in foure bookes , he lightly blamed the deeds of arius ; and that hee predicated the vertues of that emperour , concealing his vices ; and that he studied more to render his oration illustrious ( wherein he highly praised him ) and to adorne it with majesticall words , than diligently to explaine the things done . he had another blemish common with him and many greeke authors , which bodin , not undeservedly , imputes to him in his method of history ; which is , that ( retaining somewhat of the grecian vanity ) hee relates not a few fabulous things , which have little , or no appearance of truth : as , of an epistle of aglarus , king of the edisseni , to christ , and of christs answer to him : of saint iohn the apostle , and a certaine young man by him recalled from the society of theeves : also of the finding out of the woodden crosse , and of its vertue : of saint peter , who desired a certaine kinde of death , to wit , crucifying ; and governd the roman church . yeares , which how farre it is from truth , calvin , amongst others , sheweth , lib. . instit . cap. . sect . . but as gelasius admonisheth in cap. . lib. . irenaei , it is very likely those great men were deceived by a certaine vulgar opinion , not enquiring into things diligently ; neither could they imagine what engines satan was then preparing to raise up the kingdome of antichrist . after eusebius , and athanasius , ( who died under valentinianus in the yeare ) hilarius is rightly placed . he was bishop of the picts in france , and lived in the time of constantine the sonne of constantine the great ; and his life extended even to the reigne of valentinian . saint hierom preferres him before other doctors of the church , and , although younger , was his familiar friend . his stile is such ( as rightly warnes erasmus ) that it is hard to be understood , easie to be deprav'd : yet saint hierom calls him the trumpet of the latine tongue ; perhaps because hee was the first that confuted the arians in that language . his workes are extant , publish'd at basil , anno . by eusebius episcopius , and are partly controversiall , partly expository . he wrote . bookes of the trinity against the arians ; also an epistle against constantine being then dead , who was the chiefe favourer of the arian faction ; and against auxentius the millanist , a fautor of the arian party , as also of divers synods against the arians ; which booke hee translated for the most part out of greeke from the synodicall decrees . his expository bookes are a commentary upon matthew , but a short one , as also upon many psalmes , all which are comprehended in one tome . hee hath many faults : for , first , hee hath many hard , and unusuall words ; as disfrocit for degenerate ; zabolus for diabolus , and many more of the like kind . next he affirmes the holy ghost to be from the father by the sonne , lib. . de trinit . and upon the . psalme , he attributes a soule , and a body to christ , not subject to any molesting affections , and averres , that thirst and hunger were not natural in him . he seemes to maintaine the body of christ to bee borne , and brought forth by the virgin mary , not to be made of her substance , lib. . de trinit . in his commentary upon saint matthew , he too much inclines to the allegories of origen . next hilarius wee may rightly place saint ambrose , bishop of millan , who lived in the times of valentinianus , gratianus , theodosius , and honorius , emperors ; and when he was proconsul in liguria in the time of valentinianus , he was called to the bishopricke of millan with the full consent of the people . it is reported that he baptized saint austine . hee was endued with great zeale , as appeares in the ecclesiasticall story , and by his demeanour in his bishopricke . the writings of saint ambrose extant , are divided into foure tomes , and are partly morall , as the three bookes of the offices of a christian ; an institution , and exhortation to virgins ; of widowes ; of repentance ; of the worlds volubility ; of the good wee receive by death : also they are partly doctrinall , tom. . of the vocation of the gentiles ; of faith to gratianus ; of the holy ghost to the same ; of faith against the arians ; of the sacrament of the dominicall incarnation . but it is to bee observed , that the more learned have judged saint ambrose not to bee the author of the treatise of the calling of the gentiles ; . because he speaks no where so purely of the predestination of god. . by reason there is mention made of pelagius , who lived after saint ambrose . . in that saint augustine , who cites many things out of saint ambrose against boniface the pelagian , mentions not this b●●ke , which inveighes most of all against the pelagians . . the dissimilitude of phrase . but it is certaine the author of that booke to have beene a learned man , and well exercised in the scriptures : which makes erasmus not unaptly wish , that many such were mixed with the workes of saint ambrose . amongst many excellent sayings contained in those books , these golden words are extant , making directly against the papists , lib. . cap. . where hee disputes the reason why to one man grace is given , to another denyed . quid calumniamur , inquit , iustitiam occultam , qui gratias debemus misericordiae manifestae ? laudemus , et veneremur quod agitur , quia tutum est nescire quod tegitur . hic nec praeterita , nec futura merita censeri possunt : vilesceret redemptio christi , neo misericordiae dei humanarum operum praerogativa succumberet , si iustificatio quae fit per gratiam meritis praecedentibus deberetur : ut non munus largientis , sed merces esset operantis : why doe we calumniate , saith hee , the hidden justice , who owe thankes for the manifested mercy ? let us prayse and adore what is done , because it is safe not to know what is hid . here , neither past , nor future merits are to bee reckoned . the redemption of christ would be abased , neither would the prerogative of humane workes give place to the mercy of god , if iustification , which is by grace , were due to precedent merits : so that it should not be the gift of the distributer , but the reward of the worker . the writings of saint ambrose are partly also homileticall , as tom. . orations , epistles , sermons : partly againe expository : as tom. . lib. * hexaemeron , and a treatise of the patriarchs , which belong to genesis . he wrote also copiously on the . psalme ; and of the sacraments of the church ; also a glosse upon saint luke ; and commentaries upon the epistles of saint paul. where againe it is to be noted against the papists , that s. ambrose upon the fourth chapter to the romans , useth the particle ( onely ) when he averreth gratiam dei solam fidem poscere ad salutem : the grace of god doth require faith onely to salvation . saint augustine quotes his commentaries upon esay , and the . psalme , but they are not extant . by reason of his ignorance in the greeke , and latine tongues , he erred often in his expositions , which is common to him , together with saint austin , and some others . but although he be over-vehement in the commendations of virginity , yet is that memorable against the papists , which he writes in his first booke of virgins , non debere imperari virginitatem , nec necessitatem imponendam , nec castam esse quae metu cogitur : virginity , saith he , ought not to be commanded , neither of necessity to bee imposed ; nor is shee chaste , who is compelled by feare . in his bookes of the sacraments there are some things ambiguous , othersome superstitious : as of unction in baptisme , which notwithstanding was not done altogether without cause by those of riper yeares : also of water to bee mixed with the wine in the cup at the lords table . yet is it remarkeable against the papists , that in his booke of sacraments hee onely acknowledgeth two , baptisme , and the supper of the lord. and when , lib. . he disputes how the bread is made the body of the lord , hee speaketh nothing at all of transubstantiation , but hee confesseth , that there seemeth to be a similitude onely , not true flesh and blood , and that wee must beleeve the operatory word of christ , that is , the efficacious ; that the sacrament is taken outwardly , grace and vertue inwardly . hee plainely distinguisheth bread from grace ; tu , inquit , qui accipis panem , in illa alimento divinae participas substantiae ; quia idem christus est particeps corporis , et divinitatis : thou , saith hee , who takest bread , in that nourishment participatest of the divine substance , because the same christ is partaker of a body , and divinity : which is as much to say ; wee communicate the whole christ , and communicating his flesh , have communion also with god. neither did the greeke churches want excellent doctors ; for in those times , namely , under valentinian , basilius magnus , of caesaria cappadocia , and gregory , bishop of nazianzena were famous , of whom as yet some worthy monuments are extant . wee linke them together , because they were companions in studies , and most intimate friends . yet gregory lived longest , even to the yeare . and wrote a monody , or funerall oration , which containes the life of s. basil . there are extant of this s. gregory , eloquent orations , and epistles , as also greeke poems , which are in the hands of all men . there lived also in those times gregorius nissenus , brother of basilius , who wrote eight bookes of man. there is a learned epistle extant written to him by s. basil , of the difference betweene the essence and subsistence . moreover , s. basil , as hee himselfe somewhere writeth , was diligently instructed in the christian religion from a child . he was indued with so much eloquence , that erasmus doubts not to call him the christian demosthenes . amongst others , that saying which is extant in his sermon of humility is eminent , and is often cited by our divines against the papists : haec est perfecta , et integra gloriatio , quando non propter iustitiam suam aliquis ●ffertur ; sed agnoscit sibi deesse veram iustitiam : fide autem sola in christum iustificari : this is , saith he , perfect and entire glory , when a man is not puffed up with his owne iustice , but acknowledgeth himselfe to want true iustice , and that iustification is onely by faith in iesus christ . also in his epistle of the sacred scripture to eustathius the physician ; non consuetudinem , sed sacras scripturas nermam debere esse : the sacred scriptures , and not custome , ought to be our rule . also in his definitions , quaest . . eos qui praesunt , extra scripturae canonem nihil praecipere debere , ne falsi dei testes et sacrilegi inveniantur : they , saith he , who rule the people , ought to command nothing beyond the canon of the scriptures , lest they befound false witnesses of god , & sacrilegious . and in his epistle of apostasie to the bishops of the west , he complaines , semen apostasiae spargi in illis ipsis ecclesiis inquibus evangelii doctrina primum per orbem manavit : that the seed of apostacy was sown in those very churches , whence the doctrine of the gospell was first spread through the world . his works extant at this day are comprehended in three tomes , and are either doctrinall ; as hexameron , or of the world made in six daies ; eleven homilies ; of the divinity of the sonne , and that the holy ghost is not a creature , against eunomius . where is to be understood , that there were three families of the arians . arius held the son to be equall to the father , but by grace , not by nature . the macedonians , companions of the arians , affirmed the sonne to bee like the father , but not the holy ghost . eunomius held the sonne to bee totally unlike the father , because the creature can by no meanes be like the creator . saint basil also wrote sermons of the humane generation of christ ; also of baptisme . or his workes are expository ; as sermons upon some of the psalms ; a glosse upon the whole psalter , and the sixteene first chapters of esay . other of his works are morall ; as his sermons against drunkennesse ; of wrath ; of humility ; of envy : also his sermons called asceticos , or of the manners of monks , & of those who aspire to an angelicall life . the errours of s. basilius , are , that hee too hyperbollically extols fasting , and a monkish life ; though , indeed , hee describes such monks as peculiarly exercise themselves in piety , and good workes ; to whom the monkes of our times are as much unlike as crowes to swans . by the singular providence of god it came to passe that the heresies of the arians , and pelagians beginning to spring up , in the same time , almost , there arose famous doctors to confute them . for hieronymus stridonensis pannonius lived in part of the time of saint ambrose and saint basil . he was brought up at rome , and was famous in the yeare . he travelled over the greatest part of europe to conferre with learned men , and at length chose himselfe a place of abode in iudaea , in the fields of bethlem , where he wrote many of those things which at this day wee enjoy . hee is painted with a cardinals hat , whereas hee rather led a monasticke life , and those red hats were given in ages long after to some certaine priests of the roman church by pope paul the second , ann . . as platina testifieth . the stile of s. hierome is elegant ; for he was learned , and a great linguist . hee wrote many things , whereof some are expositions upon the psalms , and upon the greater and the lesser prophets : also upon saint matthew , and some epistles of saint paul ; as to the galatians and ephesians . for the commentary ( which goes under his name ) upon the epistle to the romans , savours too much of pelagianisme , which hee ever opposed . other of his writings are controversiall and apologeticall : as against helvidius ; concerning the perpetuall virginity of the virgin mary , against iovinianus and vigilantius : also against the pelagians , and an apology against ruffinus . some againe are paraeneticall , or instructive ; as of the life of clergy men , and concerning the institution of a mother of the family . hee seemeth to have a wit somewhat arrogant and fiery ; which appeareth not onely by his sharpe writings and epistles against saint austin , but also that sometimes hee accuseth the apostle saint paul himselfe of rudenesse of stile , and ignorance in the greeke tongue . beza often complaines of his wresting the scriptures , especially against wedlocke . see the annotations of beza on cor. . tim. . pet. . but it is remarkeable , that although hee was an enemy to wedlocke , yet in his age both bishops and priests were married ; for so he writeth in cap. . ad ephes . legant haec episcopi , et presbyteri , qui filios suos saecularibus libris erudiunt : let those bishops , and priests , saith hee , read these things , who instruct their children in secular bookes . but he often with too much bitternesse inveighes against vigilantius , and iovinianus , for contending with him , that wedlocke , and single life were of equall merit ; as also that the rewards of the just were alike in that life ; and that no choyce was to be made of meats , if they were received with thankes-giving ; that the ashes of martyrs were not to be adored , nor the vespers to bee celebrated at their scpulchers ; that the saints deceased pray not for us . hee contended unseasonably with saint austin concerning saint peter , that he never erred , and that hee was reprehended by saint paul , not seriously , but in jest , gal. . how much the state of the church was disturb'd in those times , appeares by that learned booke of epiphanius , bishop of cyprus , which he wrote against heresies , which worke is worthy the perusall for the variety of story contained in it . then also lived theodoret , bishop of the city cyrus in persia , who wrote five bookes of the history of the church ; and polymorphum , where in three dialogues most worthy the reading , he defends the truth of both natures in christ against the hereticks of his time . in the time of arcadius , and honorius , emperours , lived iohannes chrysostomus , whose eloquence and zeale farre exceeded his knowledge in the scriptures . wherefore he excels more in morals than in doctrines and expositions : for oftentimes hee philosophizeth too subtilly . yet is hee often cited by our divines in the interpretation of greeke words , especially in the epistles of saint paul. vulgarus theophilactus was afterward his imitator , and abreviator , but an authour lesse pure . it was reprehensible in saint chrysostome , that hee was too chollericke , and free of speech , by which hee incurred the great displeasure of many . aurelius augustinus , by nation an african , ought not to be accounted the last amongst the doctors of the church . hee was instructed in rhetoricke at carthage , and was a follower of the maniches nine yeares together . hee relates a great part of his owne life in his confessions . afterward being often admonished by saint ambrose , or rather converted by god upon the abundant teares and prayers of his mother , hee turned into the right way , and succeeded valerius , bishop of hippona in africa , about the yeare . he sustained many sharpe conflicts with the maniches , arians , donatists , and pelagians , whom he confuted by learned writings ; and personally , by word of mouth . hee dyed a little before the first ephesine councell , when hippone was besieged , in the yeare of his age , . gregory . bishop of rome had his workes in so great esteeme , that hee thus writes , lib. . epist . . si delitioso cupitis pabulo saginari , b. augustini opuscula legite , et ad comparationem siligimis illius nostrum furfur em non quaeratis : if you desire , saith he , to be fatned with delicious fa●● ▪ read the workes of saint austine , and having ●●sted his flowre , you will not seeke after our branne . which is to be noted against the papists , who preferre that gregory the first before all others . the workes of saint austine are distributed into ten tomes ; some of them are philosophicall , and of no great moment ; as of grammar , rhetoricke , logicke , musicke ; of order ; of the quantity of the soule . in his bookes of confessions , wherein he describes his owne life , hee often useth too much simplicity and copiousnesse , yet may they be read cursorily . but the students in divinity meaning to read saint augustine , ought to beginne at his doctrinals ; and first at his foure books of christian doctrin , in which he instructs a future divine . next , hee must read his enchiridion to laurentius , and the booke of faith to peter ; of the spirit , and the letter , and of the ecclesiasticall opinions . the epistles of saint augustine , and the bookes of the city of god , are of a mixt kind , partly . doctrinall , partly historicall , but full of various learning . thence let him proceed to his polemicall , or controversiall , which hee wrote against the maniches , the arians , donatists , &c. his expository bookes , as upon the psalmes , and saint iohns gospell , containe more piety than solid interpretation ; partly by reason of his small insight in the hebrew and greeke tongues ; partly because in those interpretations hee accommodated his writing to those times , as also that sometimes he makes digressions ; but his commentary on saint iohn is excellent above the rest . the palmary , or master-peece of saint austin , was , that above all the other fathers , and almost alone , being provoked by the pelagians , hee discusseth diligently the doctrine of originall sinne , and predestination . but as in saint austin it is very laudable that he only of all the ancients , wrote bookes of retractations ( for in his seventh epistle hee professeth himselfe to bee of their number who write by profiting , and profit by writing ) so there remaine some things which require a censure . yet is there no doubt but many things are inserted in his workes , of which hee is not the author . for he being yet alive , sixteene articles were falsly father'd on him , to which hee replyed . but chiefly this was his errour , that as hee wrote much , so hee often varies , nor is alwayes consonant to himselfe . hee hath also many acurologia's , as danaeus , a most learned divine , observes in his annotations upon the enchiridion of saint austin . then he erred , in that he precisely included the salvation of infants in the sacrament of bap●isme . but whereas in some places hee cals the eucharist a sacrifice , hee thus interpreteth himselfe , lib. . civit. dei cap. . that it is the sacrament of the sacrifice of christ . in another place hee seemes to affirme , that the pious soules of the deceased are helped by the almes and prayers of the living , but without the warrant of the word of god ; especially in his booke entituled , the ●are for the dead , where he handles this question , whether or no it profiteth to be b●ried neere the monument of any saint . but that booke ( as calvin admonisheth , lib. . instit. cap. . sect. . ) conteines so many doubts , that the coldnesse of it is able to extinguish the heate of any foolish zeale , and there is no doubt but that booke hath beene depraved by many monkish additions ; for in another place , as lib. . question . evangeli● . c●p . hee affirmes , nullum auxilium a justis praeberi defunctorum animabus : that the soules of the deceased receive no helpe from just men . cyrillus bishop of alexandria flourished about the yeere . in the reigne of theodosius the younger . he expelled the iewes out of his diocesse , and killed not a few of them in the synagogues by the hands of his souldiers . being much incensed against nestorious , he excommunicated him by his owne proper authority , which was not approved of by the fathers , although he defended a good cause , and that nestorius was a little after condemned in the ephesine councell . cyrillus wrote in greeke , and many things which are extant in latine . they were publisht at basill , apud hervag . anno . with an addition . in the first tome are found commentaries upon leviticus , in which he insists too much upon the anagogicall sense . he also wrote commentaries upon saint iohn , but imperfect . his second tome is doctrinall , as the booke which he calleth a treasure . there , in . bookes he defends the consubstantiallity of the sonne , and the holy ghost against the arians . in the third tome , he disputes against iulian for the christian religion ; also touching the right faith to theodosius , and the queene . the fourth tome conteines epistles , homilies , and an apologie to theodosius ; also an exposition of the nicene creed , and synodicall epistles , together with other things against the nestorians . the fift tome is a commentary upon esay , not long since added to his works , and translated by laurence humfre an englishman . vigilius bishop of trent flourished in those times , of whose workes but a few are extant , printed at colen in octavo : as a disputation against the arians , and five books against eutyches , both pious and learned , which are often objected against the vbiquitaries . the hearers of saint austin who reteined his doctrine were anno . primasius , who wrote upon all the epistles of saint paul. prosper aquitanic . anno . helychius anno . hee wrote upon leviticus . fulgentius a bishoppe in africa about the yeere five hundred , under thrasymund king of the vandals ; hee wrote three bookes of diverse questions to monimus , seven bookes to king thrasymund , and other things worthy the reading . his workes were most accurately printed at antwerpe by plantin , anno . after the time of saint austin , and his disciples ▪ the purity of doctrine began with the roman empire very much to decline , by reason of the accumulated superstitions of the munkes ; wherefore the succeeding fathers cannot be in the same esteeme with the first , and more ancient ; yet had the following their peculiar gifts , not to be cōtemned , & wrote many things which are read with great profit . leo the first of that name , bishop of rome about the yeere . in the time of attila . hee was the author of gathering together a synod against eutyches , and dioscorus bishop of alexandria , who would oppresse flavianus an orthodox bishop of constantinople . his workes ; as his sermons & epist . are imprinted at colen by birkmannus amongst his epistles that to flavianus against the blasphemies of eutyches is most eminent , the authority of which epistle was of great force in the chalcedonian councell , wherein amongst the rest this speech is remarkeable , agit vtraque forma , id est , natura cum alterius communione quod proprium est , verbo operante quod verbi est , & carne exequente quod carnis est : unum horum coruscat miraculis , alterum succumbit inivriis . non est ejusdem naturae flere lazarus , & resuscitare . either forme workes that which is proper to it with the communion of the other , the word working what is of the word , and the flesh executing what is of the flesh . the one of these shines with miracles , the other is subject to injuries . to bewaile lazarus , and to raise him proceede not from the same nature . this saying also is memorable , and makes against the papists , serm. . de petro , on that place of matthew . tu es petrus ; thou art peter , &c. soliditas ejus fidei quae in apostolorum principe laudata est perpetua est . haec fides diabolum vincit , portaeque inferi adversus eam praevalere non possunt . the solidity , saith he , of that faith which is praised in the chiefe of the apostles is perpetuall . this faith shall vanquish the divell , and the gates of hell cannot prevaile against it . about the yeere . gregory the first lived , bishop of rome , surnamed the great , who in his youth was a munke of the benedictine order . he instituted the masse , and most of the psalmodies which are in the papacy . his workes are extant printed at basill by the frobenij , anno . stella a venecian priest , who wrote his life , saith , he was a most humble man , and the first of the popes that out of his humility would be called the servant of servants . nullum , inquit , ex successoribus habuit , aequalem , aut pa●em . none of his successours , saith he , were equall , or like to him . hee laboured much to call the gothes to the true faith. hee wrote morall expositions upon iob ; also on the seven psames which wee call poenetetiall ; and upon ezechiel ; the bookes of the kings ; and forty homilies upon the gospels . in his expositions he is pure enough tom. . l. . c. . he writes thus , sciunt , inquit , pij quod omnis justitia humana injustitia esse deprehenditur si divinitus districte iudicetur : the godly know , saith he , that all humane justice appeares injustice if it be strictly examined from above . in his epistles also are found many excellent admonitions , as that which he writes in his second tome to serenus the massilliensian bishop , ad nos per venit quod fraternitas vestra quosdam imagenum admiratores adspiciens , easdem ecclesiae imagenes confregit . eum quidem zelum ne quid manu factum adorari possit laudavimus , sed frangere easdem non debuisse judicamus . idcirco enim pictura in ecclesijs adhibetur , vt hi qui literas nesciunt saltem in parietibus videndo legant . it is told that your fraternalshippe seeing certaine admirers of images hath broken the said images belonging to the church . wee commend that zeale , indeede , which would have nothing made by hands to be adored ; but we judge that you ought not to have broken them , for therefore are pictures admitted into churches , that they who are ignorant of good letters may read by looking on the wals . hee wrote a treatise of the pastorall cure , not unprofitable ; but in his dialogues hee seemes to dote in relating i know not what feined miracles ; as stephano cuidam presbytero diabolum coactum obedire ad extrahendas caligas : bonifacium quendam orando duodecim aureos a maria imputrasse . fortunatum quendam signo crucis equum furiosum mansuetum reddidisse . that the divell by constreint obeyed one stephan a priest to pull off his hose . that one boniface by prayer obtained twelue crownes from the virgin marie . that one fortunatus made a fierce horse tame with the signe of the crosse . concerning the fire of purgatory hee writes doubtfully , lib. . dial. . qualis hinc quisque egredietur talis in judicio praesentabitur . sed de quibusdam levibus culpis purgatorium esse ignem ante judicium credendum est . such as every one departeth hence , such shall hee be presented at the day of judgement . but it is to be beleeved that there is a purgatory fire before the day of judgement for some light crimes . tome . ep●st . . lib. . he complaines grievously that the peace of the whole church is disturbed by one iohn bishoppe of constantinople , by assuming the name of universall bishop . and lib. . epist . . to mauritius the emperour , hee thus writes ; ego fidenter dico , quod quisquis se universalem sacerdotem vocat , vel vocare desiderat , in elatione sua antichristum praecurrit . i confidently affirme , saith hee , that whosoever calleth , or desireth to call himselfe an universall priest , is by this his pride marked for a forerunner of antichrist : yet for all this , presently after gregory phocas successour of maurice , in the yeere . granted to boniface the third , that rome should be the head of all other churches . yet all the churches never simply consented to it , especially the greeke , and the frence . in the yeere ▪ in the time of leo isaurus iconomachus , iohannes damascenus lived . at first hee was secretary to the duke of the sarazens , but after that hee became a munke . his chiefe writings are foure bookes of the orthodoxe faith , which faber stapulensis translated out of greeke . lib. . he discourses of the essence of god , and of the three persons . lib. . of the workes of god ; of the angels , of man , of the fabricature of the world. lib. . of the dispensation of the mystery of our salvation ; where he learnedly disputes of the vnion of natures , and the actions theandricall ; also of the twofold will of christ : but he addes many things supersticious , as of the adoration of images , &c. anno . saint bernhard abbot of clarovall was in great repute , for his sanctity of life and doctrine , and was admitted to compose differences between kings and princes . at that time there was such a disturbance of all things , as saith calvin lib. . instit . cap. . sect. . that it was not much unlike our times , if we consider the papacy . but saint bernhard makes grieuous complaints and admonitions of the corruption of the papall court in his book of consideration to pope eugenius . many excellent sayings also of his are to be read , in sermonib . in cantic . cantecor . and on the psalme ; which sermons are worthy the perusall ; yet many things fabulous are intermingled , as of saints , and he numbers the washing of feet amongst the sacraments . chap. iiii. of the writers , commonly called schoolmen . the labour would be infinite to number all the scholasticall authors ; it suffiseth us to shew the chiefe , whose monuments are extant . there were after those times also some bishops , though not so famous , yet not unlearned , as anno . in the time of heraclius isidorus bishop of hispalia , who wrote holy expositions upon bookes , and some bookes of etymologies . also beda an english priest who in the time of iustinian the second , anno . wrote upon the new testament , as also a learned booke of times . anno . in the reigne of ludovicus pius , haimo bishop of ●abberstat wrote upon the epistles o● saint paul , and many other things . anno . lived rabanus maurus , who being first made abbot of fulda , was afterwards bishop of mens . hee is reported to have written the glosse commonly called the ordinary . there is a saying of his memorable in cap. . epist . iacobi . abraham per opera quae fecit iustus non fuit , sed sola fide : oblatio autem ejus opus , & testimonium fuit fidei . abraham was not just by the works that he did , but by faith onely ; but his oblation was a worke , and testimony of his faith. but it is to be observed that the zeale , and diligence of the bishops decreasing , and their wealth and dignity augmenting , the priviledge of teaching , and writing was conferred on certain munks & priests called schoole doctors , because they taght most in the schools , before this time the doctrin of saint austin , and his manner of teaching was for the most part received ; but about the yeere . the schoole divinity beganne to spring up , which afterwards degenerated from its first simplicity , and purity , and fell upon many unprofitable , and doubtfull questions , full of phylosophy call subtilties , together with definitions , and sentences accommodated to the corruptions of those times . the chiefe of these were lanfrancus monachus papiensis , who opposed himselfe against berengarius , albertus magnus , and peter lombard . then also did gratianus gather the decrees of the popes into one ▪ uolume , and without judgement ; insomuch , that the glosse sweats in reconciling the contradictions . peter lombard about the yeere . wrote foure books of sentences , collected out of all the fathers , as the foundation , and compendium of all scholasticall divinity ; which with some are of great value , yet hath he cited many things amisse out of the fathers , and omitted not a few necessary ▪ many things there are in him , which if rightly understood , and explained make against the papists , especially where hee treats of the supper of the lord. he that would know the defects of lombard , let him peruse the notes of danaeus in lib. . sentent . but like as lombard did not well in that he would confirme the opinions of christian religion rather by the authorities of the fathers then by the testimonies of the scriptures , so , hee is more tolerable farre then the other schoolemen , who acknowledge aristotle for their master , and attribute more to his authority then to the scriptures . among others of that time william occam was famous anno . who defended the right of the emperor against the pope very learnedly . question . whether therefore did tertullian against hermogin rightly call the philosophers patriarks of hereticks , and lib. de praescript ▪ hee tearmes the logicke which the hereticks learnt out of aristotle the subverter of truth , and the turne-coat artificer of building , and destroying ? answer . these are to be understood secundum quid of chrisippean sophismes , and such logicians as eutydemus in plato who instantly denied what hee formerly granted . next of those who make philosophy a mistresse , and a lady in divine matters , who ought to be the waitingmade ; the imbecillity of reason in divine things being not onely apparent , but its * adunamia , corinth . . yet are not philosophy and reason to be rejected , but god is to be invok'd that he wil giue us the spirit of wisedome , whereby the eyes of our minds may be illuminated , that wee faine not false principles , and involve our selves and others in ambiguities , and subtilties of words , as in times past the valentinians did , and many of the schoolemen doe , which abbot trithemius acknowledgeth when he saith , ab hoc tempore philosophia secularis sacram theologiam f●cdare coepit : from this time , saith hee , secular philosophy began to pollute sacred divinitie . but to returne to peter lombard . it is not to be expressed how many of his successors have , i cannot say explain'd , but inuolv'd his bookes of sentences , as amongst the rest , bonaventura , albertus magnus , thomas aquinas , occam , durandus , and innumerable others , the last whereof was thomas caietanus , who lived in the time of luther . the disciple of albertus magnus , was thomas aquinas , commonly called the angelicall doctor , who lived in the yeare . in him two things are laudable : first , that hee argued very methodically . secondly , that as well in his commentary on the epistle to the romans , as in his summa theolog. he hath disputed more tolerably of justification , and predestination , than any of the rest . but he is much to bee blamed in this , that hee imployd the whole strength of his wit in defending transubstantiation , though most unhappily , and with many contradictions . not long after lived iohannes scotus , surnamed duns , a franciscan , who opposed thomas , whence sprung the two sects , thomists , and scotists , of which the first were called nominall , the latter reall ; because the one concluded the names onely , the other the things themselves also to bee comprehended under the predicaments . but it is to be noted , that there was another iohannes scotus long before those times , anno . a man most learned in the greeke and latin tongues , who govern'd the schoole at oxford , and at length was murdered by his schollers with penneknives , because his opinion of the lords supper was no way pleasing to the monks . the last age of the schoolemen from the councell of constance to the time of luther , was not more happy , but more audacious , & infinitely ignorant , although some were more enlightned with knowledge than others . the chiefe of these were iohannes capreolus , iohannes gerson , chancellour of paris ; gabriel biel , tubinga , petrus de alliaco , cardinalis cameracensis , who wrote questions upon the booke of sentences of peter lombard , where , amongst others , this saying of his concerning the eucharist is observable : communem sententiam esse , panem transubstantiari : licet id non sequitur evidenter ex scriptura , sed ex determinatione tamen ecclesiae . alia opinio est quod substantia panis remanet : valde enim possibile est substantiam panis coexistere substantiae corporis ; nec est magis impossibile duas substantias coexistere quam duas qualitates . possibile , inquam est corpus christi assumere corpus perunionem , et ille modus non repugnat rationi , nec authoritati biblicae : it is the common opinion , saith hee , that the bread is transubstantiated ; although that evidently appeare not by the scripture , yet by the determination of the church it does . another opinion is , that the substance of the bread remaines : for it is very possible that the substance of the bread may coexist with the substance of the body : neither is it more impossible that two substances should coexist , than two qualities . it is possible , i say , the body of christ may assume another body by union , and that manner is neither repugnant to reason , nor the authority of the bible . which opinion though lanfrancus had long before refuted as not agreeable to the words of christ , yet luther embrac'd it , as himselfe confesseth , lib. de captivitate babylonic . this was the scholasticall divinity full of sharpe and subtle questions , contentions , and contradictions : while some made it a question whether or no the virgin mary were conceived in originall sin ? the maintainers of which tenent were the dominicans ; the opposers , the other monkes . others demanded whether or no the pope were simply a man , or in part a god , and whether hee were above a councell or no. of which times peucerus rightly admonisheth us in chronic. speaking of the times of frederic . and charles . duplex , inquit , genus hominum exortum est quo sathan papatum fulcivit ; canonistarum , qui collectis variis decretis , et canonibus , tyrannidem pontificiam stabiliverunt , et novum forum constituerunt : et scholasticorum , quorum theologia ex male detortis scripturae , et patrum sententiis , i●sque confusis , tum platonicis , et aristotelicis disputationibus , et pontificum placitis consuta , sacra biblia , et praecipua doctrinae de vera dei invocatione , de vero usu sacramentorum , de fide , justificatione , veris cultibus , atque etiam patrum vetustiorum scripta de cordibus , et manibus hominum excussit : two sorts of men , saith hee , then arose , by which satan supported the papacy : first ; the canonists , who by a collection of various decrees , and canons , strengthened the pontificall tyranny , and erected a new court. the schoolemen next , who ( by composing their divinity out of ill-wrested sentences out of the scriptures , and the fathers , and those confus'd with platonicall and aristo ellicall disputations , and ordinances of the popes ) have forc'd the holy bible out of mens hearts and hands , together with the chiefe heads of doctrine touching the true invocation of god , and the true use of the sacraments , faith , justification , true worships ; and not onely these , but the writings also of the most ancient fathers . yet did god stirre up some in severall ages , who abhorred those subtilties , and betooke themselves to his law and testimonies ; although ( as those times were palpably darke , and obscure ) they could not free themselves from errors and superstition . one of these was nicholas de lyra , . who wrote upon the old and new testament , and on the third to the galatians . hee affirmes faith alone to justifie . another was iohn witcliffe , an englishman , anno . who discover'd many errors and superstitions of the papacy , whose doctrine afterwards iohn husse embraced , and hierome of prage , who were both burned in the councell of constance . but at length by the divine providence it came to passe , anno . that the sincere and incorrupt doctrine of the gospell , and the whole method of teaching was instituted and reformed by those great men , luther , philip melancthon , zwinglius , bucerus , oecolampadius , calvin , and others , so that it is most true which cyprian writes , lib. . epist . . in plerisque famulis suis dignatur deus ostendere ●edintegrationem ecclesiae , et post longas pluvias serenitatem : god vouchsafeth , saith hee , in most of his servants to shew the redintegration of his church , and after much ●aine , serenity . laus , et gloria sacrae trinitati . fjnjs . notes, typically marginal, from the original text notes for div a -e polycarpus . ignatius . irenaeus . sayings of his not iustifiable iustinus martyr . what is lesse approveable in iustinus martyr . the alexandrian school . clemens alexandrinus . harsh saying of his . origen . the errors of origen . the five books of moses . tertullian . his blemishes curiosities of speech . cyprianus . his blemishes gregorius neocaesariensis . arnobius . lactantius . his staines . athanasius . the works of athanasius . 〈◊〉 defects . memorable sayings of his . eusebius . his blemishes hilarius . his blemishes s. ambrose . his writings . * the workes of the six days his defects . basilius gregorius nazianzenus . saint basil . the worth ● sayings of s. basil . his blemishes ●ieronymus . his errours . theodoretus . chrysostomus . theophilactus . the errors of s. chrysostome s. augustinus . the workes of s. austin . his errors . cyrillus . vigilius primasius . prosper . helychius . fulgentius . leo . greg. . the dotage of s. gregory . damascenus . bernhardus . isidorus . beda . haimo rabanus lanfrancus . albertus magnus . peter lombard * impotency . iohannes scotus ▪ another scotus capreoius . gerson . biel petrus de alliaco . whence luther derives his opinion of the lords supper . nicholas de lyra. i●h●nnes witcliffe . iohn husse . hierome of prage catholique divinity: or, the most solid and sententious expressions of the primitive doctors of the church. with other ecclesiastical, and civil authors: dilated upon, and fitted to the explication of the most doctrinal texts of scripture, in a choice way both for the matter, and the language; and very useful for the pulpit, and these times. / by dr. stuart, dean of st. pauls, afterwards dean of westminster, and clerk of the closet to the late k. charles. steward, richard, ?- . approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page images. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; oxford (uk) : - (eebo-tcp phase ). a wing s thomason e _ estc r this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons . universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase , no. a ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (thomason tracts ; :e [ ]) catholique divinity: or, the most solid and sententious expressions of the primitive doctors of the church. with other ecclesiastical, and civil authors: dilated upon, and fitted to the explication of the most doctrinal texts of scripture, in a choice way both for the matter, and the language; and very useful for the pulpit, and these times. / by dr. stuart, dean of st. pauls, afterwards dean of westminster, and clerk of the closet to the late k. charles. steward, richard, ?- . h. m. [ ], , [ ] p. printed for h.m. and are to bee sold by timo. smart at his shop in the great old-bayly near the sessions-house, london, : . "to the reader" signed: h.m. with five final contents leaves; the last leaf is blank. annotation on thomason copy: " march."; the in the imprint date has been crossed out and replaced with a " ". reproduction of the original in the british library. created by converting tcp files to tei p using tcp tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the universities of michigan and oxford and the publisher proquest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by proquest via their early english books online (eebo) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). the general aim of eebo-tcp is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic english-language title published between and available in eebo. eebo-tcp aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the text encoding initiative (http://www.tei-c.org). the eebo-tcp project was divided into two phases. the , texts created during phase of the project have been released into the public domain as of january . anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source. users should be aware of the process of creating the tcp texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data. text selection was based on the new cambridge bibliography of english literature (ncbel). if an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in ncbel, then their works are eligible for inclusion. selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. in general, first editions of a works in english were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably latin and welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so. image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in oxford and michigan. % (or pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet qa standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. after proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of instances per text. any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of tcp data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a tcp editor. the texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level of the tei in libraries guidelines. copies of the texts have been issued variously as sgml (tcp schema; ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf- unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p , characters represented either as utf- unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng bible -- quotations -- early works to . christian life -- early works to . christian literature, early -- early works to . fathers of the church -- early works to . - tcp assigned for keying and markup - apex covantage keyed and coded from proquest page images - robyn anspach sampled and proofread - robyn anspach text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion catholique divinity : or , the most solid and sententious expressions of the primitive doctors of the church . with other ecclesiastical , and civil authors : dilated upon , and fitted to the explication of the most doctrinal texts of scripture , in a choice way both for the matter , and the language , and very useful for the pulpit , and these times . by dr. stuart , dean of st. pauls , afterwards dean of westminster , and clerk of the closet to the late k. charles . london , printed for h. m. and are to bee sold by timo. smart at his shop in the great old-bayly near the sessions-house . to the reader . you may by these few sheets understand in some part that great benefit of humane learning , how serviceable it may bee made for divine . for as the badger-skins , and goats-hair were made use of for the service of the tabernacle in the jewish church : so may the endowments of prophane infidel-philosophers , orators , and poets , bee imployed for the service of the christian . and indeed the arts are but as hand-maids to divinity . look but back upon those two famous patterns of jewish and christian divines , moses learned in all the wisdome of the egyptians , and st. paul wise in all the learning of the grecians , a great artist , and a good linguist : now to what purpose both those gifts , unless improved to a further end , then they were first intended , namely to make greece and egypt proselites , and to teach those nations christianity from the grounds and principles of their own learning . and thus , reader , mayest thou make use of this book , if a minister for thy pulpit ; if a lay-man for thy practice . as for the author , hee is too well known , to bee praysed by a private pen ; onely thus much take notice in his behalf , that these were onely some loose scattered sheets of his juvenilia ; by which you may guess what his full grown elaborate peeces will bee , when ever it shall please god to instruct these ignorant times with those his most learned productions . till when , i am thine in all christian service , h. m. catholique divinity : or , the most solid and sententious expressions of the primitive doctors of the church , &c. quàm malè est extra legem viventibus , quicquid meruerunt semper expectant . petronius . fat swine cry hideously , if but touched or medled with , as knowing they owe their life to every one that will take it . tyberius felt the remorse of conscience so violent , that hee protested to the senate , that hee suffered death daily : whereupon tacitus makes this good note , tandem-facinora & flagitia in supplicium vertuntur , as every body hath its shadow appertaining to it , so hath every sin its punishment : and although they escape the lash of the law , yet vengeance will not suffer them to live ( as the barbarians rashly censured st. paul act. . ) quietly at least . richard the third after the murther of his two nephews , had fearful dreams and visions , insomuch that hee did often leap out of his bed in the dark , and catching his sword ( which alway naked stuck by his side ) he would goe distractedly about the chamber , every where seeking to finde our the cause of his own occasioned disquiet . it is as proper for sin to raise fears in the soul , as for rotten flesh and wood to breed worms . that worm that never dyes , is bred here in the froth of filthy lusts and flagitious courses , and lies gnawing and grabling upon mens inwards ; many times in the ruffe of all their jollity . this makes saul call for a minstrel , belshazzar for his carowsing cups , others for other pleasures , to put by the pangs of their wounded spirits , and throbbing consciences . charles the fourth after the massacre of france , could never endure to bee awakened in the night without musick , or some like diversion , hee became as terrible to himself as formerly hee had been to others ; but above all , i pity the loss of their souls , who serve themselves as the jesuite in laucashire , followed by one that found his glove , with a desire to restore it him ; but pursued inwardly with a guilty conscience , hee leapes over a hedge , plunges into a marle-pit behinde it unseen and unthought of , wherein hee was drowned . vestium curiosit as , deformitatis mentium & morum indicium est . st. bernard . our first parents , who even after the fall , were the goodliest creatures that ever lived , went no better cloathed , than with leather ; no more did those worthies , of whom the world was not worthy , heb. . and surely , however our condition and calling , afford us better array , and the vulgar like a pohemian cur , fawn upon every good suit ( purpuram magis quam dominu● colunt ) yet wee must take heed that pride creep not into our cloaths , those ensignes of our sin and shame , seeing our fineness , is but our filthiness ; our weakness , our nastiness . it is a sure signe of a base minde to think hee can make himself great with any thing that is less than himself , and win more credit by his garments than his graces . st. peter teacheth women , pet. . . to garnish themselves , not with gay cloaths , but with a meek and quiet spirit , and not as those mincing dames , whose pride the prophet isaiah inveighes against , as punctually as if he had viewed the ladies wardrobes in jerusalem . rich apparel are but fine covers for the foulest shame ; the worst is natures garment , the best but follies garnish . how blessed a nation were wee , if every silken suit did cause a sanctified soul ; or if wee could look upon our cloaths , as our first parents did , as love-tokens from god. quicquid propter deum fit , equaliter fit . st. august . it is said in the seventh of gen. vers . . that noah did according to all that the lord had commanded him ; where the word all , is a little word , but of a large extent ; hee doth not his masters , but his own will , that doth no more than himself will. a disspensatory conscience , is an evill conscience , god cryes to us , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , hee will have universal obedience both for subject and object . wee must bee intirely willing in all things to please god , or wee utterly displease him . herod did many things , and was not any thing the better . jehues golden calves made an end of him , though hee had made an end of baals worship : hee that doth some , and not all gods will , with no desire and affection at least , doth but as benhadad , recover of one disease , and dye of another ; yea if hee take not a better course with himselfe , hee doth but take pains to go to hell. then shall wee not bee ashamed , when wee have respect to all gods commandements , psal . . . sordet in conspectu judicis , quod fulg●● in conspect ● operantis . gregor . god can finde flaws in that for which wee may look for thanks . this makes nehemiah crave pardon of his zealous reformations ; and david cryes out , enter not into judgement with thy servant , o lord , for no flesh is righteous in thy sight . yee are they that justifie your selves before men ( saith christ to the pharisees ) but god knows your hearts , for that which is highly esteemed amongst men , is abamination in the sight of god. a thing which i see in the night may shine , and that shining proceed from nothing but rottenness , but bee not deceived ( or if you bee , yet ) god is not mocked , when hee comes to turn the bottome of the bag upwards ( as the steward did benjamins ) all our secret thefts will out , all our collusions come to light ; his law is a law of fire , deut. . . his tribunal of fire , ezek. . . his pleading with sinners , in flames of fire , isa . . . the trial of our works shall bee by fire , and before god who is a consuming fire . happy are they that are here purged by that spirit of judgement and burning . bona res neminem scandalizant , nisi malam mentem . tertullian . good meats displease none but the distempered pallats ; and must the wholesome dishes bee barr'd the table , because they offend the aguish ? no , scandal in this case is medicinable . you know the physitian offends the sick , that hee may the more surely cure him . if to do well cause discontent , wee then offend not against men , but their errors ; and in this regard , wee are tender to the persons themselves when wee strike down their ignorance . in matth. . where our saviour taught the abrogation of jewish ceremonies , and that the worst meats could not defile us , the text intimates the pharisees were offended ; nay , and his disciples from hence seem to intreat his silence , master , seest thou not that they are offended ? but did our saviour regard it ? let them alone , saith hee , they are blinde leaders of the blinde . christ meant to teach us when men grow discontented at the truth it self , the offence is taken onely , not given , and they be said then rather to make , than to receive a scandal : which may serve to reprove too many in our church , who still cry out of weakness , who sit not easie though on their mothers ' knees , they complain her cloaths do offend their tender eyes , her rites say they are scandalous , and they must bee relieved by that text in saint paul , if meat offend my brother , i will eat no meat while i live . it follows then that for their weak sakes , wee must forbear those weak ceremonies . but is the reason the same ? to eat is a private action in common converse , wherein each man is true lord of himself , hee may command his actions , and therefore in this case to use connivency is still to be thought most commendable . but wee speak of actions publick , solemnly designed for our religious meetings , actions enjoyned by laws , and approved by the far more , which is the rule of laws ; should the church give content to some few that dislike , shee would displease multitudes , that approve her ceremonies , and so instead of a pretended sleight offence , shee should run her self upon a true gross scandal . non omne quod licet , etiam honestum est . paulus canonista . it is a rule of the canonists , and they borrowed it from their own innocentius . in all our actions three things must bee observed , quid liceat ; quid deceat ; quid expediat : what is lawfull , what decent , and what expedient . our actions must not bee lawfull only ; for hee that doth no more than hee is bound to , is rather wary than good , and hath learned only safe dishonesty , how by keeping the kingdomes laws , hee may abuse her people . there is a difference between strict law and honesty . in rigour things may bee done , which yet are neither decent in the actor himself , nor expedient for the common-wealth . it s thus in the church too : many things hath god here left in their own selves indifferent ; hee hath therefore not forbidden them , because they may oftentimes bee done in safety , and yet cannot wee bee free , except wee become injurious . is there no way to shew our own liberty but in our neighbours destruction ? grant these things to bee lawfull , yet they may bee unseemly , and shall wee shame our selves ? they may bee expedient too , and shall wee endanger others ? it is not enough to keep the first precept to forbear things unlawfull : a christian man must bee wary too in matters of indifferency . quae per rationem innotescunt , non sunt articuli fidei , sed praeambula , ad articulos . aquinas . to behold this goodly fabrick of the world , may soon force a pagan to confess that there is a deity , but to know that this god is both three and one ; or that of these three , one was incarnate : here nature is blinde , and requires help from a clearer light . to instance in the resurrection , to see the grave open , the earth trembling , the angels attending , did no doubt perswade the watchmen themselves that christ was risen , but to beleeve that hee rose both god and man , this proceeds from the spirit alone , who only can enlighten them that sit in darkness . our domestick abilities may some way prepare us to entertain faith ; when it is received , they may perchance confirm or awaken it ; but wee must confess the authour of it to bee the holy ghost alone , and the word his instrument . notwithstanding where thou mayest use these helps , neglect not the benefits of such outward testimonies ; for though faith come by hearing , yet let christians bee spectators too , and learn , as well to see god in his works , as to beleeve him in his scriptures , though that hee that made thine eye , as well as thy soul , exacts a tribute no less from thy fenfe than from thy reason . these lower powers are made for his glory ; and when they are imployed to viler ends , remember that thou dost not more abuse thy self , than wrong thy maker . mors optima est perire , dum lacrymant sancti . seneca in hypol. something is to bee given to custome , something to fame , to nature , and to civilities , and to the honour of deceased friends . for that man is esteemed to dye miserable , for whom no friend , no relative sheds a tear , or payes a solemn sigh . i desire to dye a dry death , but am not very desirous to have a dry funeral . some flowers sprinkled on my grave would do well , and comely ; and a soft showre to turn those flowers into a springing memory , or a fair rehearsal , that i may not go forth of my doors as my servants carry out the entrails of beasts . but that which is to bee saulted in this particular is , when the grief is immoderate and unreasonable ; and paula romana deserved to have felt the weight of st. jeroms severe reproof , when at the death of every one of her children shee almost wept her self into her grave . but it is worse , yet when people by an ambitious and a pompous sorrow , and by ceremonies invented for the ostentation of their grief , fill heaven and earth with exclamations , and grow troublesome , because their friend is happy , or themselves want his company . it is certainly a sad thing in nature to see a friend trembling with a palsie , or scorched with feavers , or dried up like a potsherd with immoderate heats , and rowling upon his uneasie bed without sleep , which cannot bee invited with musick ; nothing but the servants of cold death , poppy , and weariness , can tempt ' the eyes to let their curtains down , and then they fleep only to taste of death , and yet wee weep not here : the solemn opportunity for tears , wee choose when our friend is faln asleep , when hee hath laid his neck upon the lap of his mother , and let his head down to bee raised up to heaven : this grief is ill placed , and undecent . ne●● me lacbrym is 〈◊〉 , nec 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 faxit : cur ? v●lit● vi●●● per ora vi●●●● . ennius . solemn and appointed mournings are good expressions of our dearness to the departed soul of our friend , and of his worth , and our value of him ; and it hath its praise in nature , and in manners , and publick custome ; but the praise of it is not in the gospel ; that is , it hath no proper and direct uses in religion . for if the dead did dye in the lord , then there is joy in him ; and it is an ill expression of our affection , and our charity , to weep uncomfortably at the change that hath carried my friend to the state of an huge felicity . but if the man did perish in his folly , and his sinnes , there is indeed cause to mourn , but no hopes of being comforted ; for hee shall never return to light , or to hopes of restitution ; therefore beware lest thou also come into the same place of torment ; and let thy grief sit down , and rest upon thine own turf , and weep till a showre spring from thine eyes to heal the wounds of thy spirit . turn thy sorrow into caution , thy grief for him that is dead , to thy care for thy self who art alive , lest thou dye , and fall like one of the fools , whose life is worse than death , and their death is the consummation of all infelicities . the church in her funerals of the dead used to sing psalms , and to give thanks for the redemption , and delivery of the soul from the evill , and dangers of mortality . and therefore wee have no reason to bee angry when god hears our prayers , who call upon him to hasten his coming , and to fill up his numbers , and to do that which wee pretend to give him thanks for . ne excedat medicina modum . galenus . cut not too deep , nor lance too far ; nam non medicina ista , sed clades est , said germanicus in tacitus , when hee saw a great number of souldiers put to death for mutiny , ▪ beriere nocentes sed cum jam soli poterunt super●sse nocentes . spoken by lucan of scylla ; hee let out the corrupt blood , but when there was in a manner no other blood left in the whole body of the commonwealth ; and this was not to cure , but to cut off a common-wealth . and therefore in all punishments let this bee your rule , and let the severity of your justice bee regulated by this prudential and merciful aphorisme ; poena ad paucos , met us ad omnes perveniat , let the clap fright all , the thunderbolt strike but a few . for principi non minùs turpia multa supplicia quàm medico funera , it is as great a shame for a magistrate , as for a physitian to have many dye under his hand . to save whole multitudes , is a work of gods mercy ; and that prince deserves the name of gods vicegerent that imitates him in this particular . for which reason it was that scipio when hee put thirty of his souldiers to death , ante suas lachrymas quam ipsorum sanguinem effudit , shed his own tears before their blood . si molliora frustra cesserint medicus ferit venam , senec. et efflatur omne priusquam concutitur , idem . nothing is struck with the thunderbolt , which is not blasted before with lightning ; first to use gentle means before wee take a more severe course . for great spirits are for the most part like the colossus at tarentum , which you may move with your finger , but cannot wag if you put your whole strength to it , it a ratio est libramenti , plin. much resembling in this the pyrrhite stone , which may bee gently ground , or cut with a sharp tool , but if you press it hard , or handle it rudely , it burneth your fingers ; so great men may be wrought upon in a civil courteous way , but if you think to bring them to goodness by authority and power , you will then put them in minde of their own strength , raise enemies , and opposition , where you did expect a compliance , and friends ; and so instead of saving others , you will destroy your self . suâ sponte cadentem maturius extinguere vulnere , inhumanum est . cice. to break the bruised reed , to trouble the grieved spirit , to strike the breath out of a mans body , who is giving up the ghost , is cruelty upon cruelty . and therefore it was the complaint of cyprian against the persecutors of christians in his time , in servis dei non torquebantur membra sed vulnera , they laid stripes upon stripes , and inflicted wounds upon sores , and tortured not so much the members of gods servants , as their bleeding wounds . tota funeris pompa contemnenda est in nobis , non tamen negligenda in nostris . cice. though the pomp of funerals concerns not the dead in real and effective purposes , nor is it with care to bee provided for within themselves ; yet it is the duty of the living to see their friends fairly interred : for to the dead it is all one whether they bee carried forth upon a chariot , or a wodden beer , whether they rot in the air , or in the earth , whether they bee devoured by fishes , or by worms . when cryton asked socrates how hee would bee buried , hee told him , i think i shall escape from you , and that you cannot catch mee ; but so much of mee as you can apprehend , use it as you see cause for , and bury it , but however do it according to the laws . there is nothing in this but opinion , and the decency of some to bee served . let thy friend therefore bee interred after the manner of the country , and the laws of the place , and the dignity of the person . for so jacob was buried with great solemnity , and josophs bones were carried into canaan , after they had been embalmed , and kept four hundred years , and devout men carried st. stephen to his burial , making great lamentation over him . and aelian tells , that those who were the most excellent persons were buried in purple , and men of an ordinary courage and fortune , had their graves only trimmed with branches of olive , and mourning flowers . it was noted for piety in the men of jabesh gilead , that they shewed kindness to their lord sanl , and buried him , and they did it honourably . and our blessed saviour , who was temperate in his expence , and grave in all the parts of his life and death , as age and sobriety it self , yet was pleased to admit the cost of maries oyntment upon his head and feet , because shee did it against his burial ; and though shee little thought it had been so nigh , yet because hee accepted it for that end , hee knew hee had made her apology sufficient ; by which hee remarked it to bee a great act of piety , and honourable to inter our friends and relatives , according to the proportion of their condition , and so to give a testimony of our hopes of their resurrection . in spiritualibus nihil perfectum . augustinus serm. to prove this , that in spiritual things nothing is perfect , wee may afford a kinde of spiritual nature to knowledge . and how imperfect is all our knowledge ; what one thing do wee know perfectly ? whether wee consider arts or sciences , the servant knows but according to the proportion of his masters knowledge in that art ; and the scholar knows but according to the proportion of his masters knowledge in that science : young men mend not their sight by using old mens spectacles . almost all knowledge is rather like a childe that is imbalmed to make mummy , than that is nursed to make a man ; rather conserved in the stature of the first age , than grown to be greater ; rather a singularity in a desire of proposing something that was not known at all before , then an improving an advancing , a multiplying of former inceptions ; and by that means no knowledge comes to be perfect . st. paul found that to be all knowledge to know christ ; and mahomet thinks himself wise therefore , because he knows not , nor acknowledges christ as paul did . though a man knew not that every sin casts another shovel of brimstone upon him in hell ; yet if hee knew that every riotous feast cuts off a year , and every wanton night seven years of his seventy in this world ; it were some degree towards perfection in knowledge . hee that purchases a mannor , will think to have an exact survey of the land ; but who thinks of taking so exact survey of his conscience , how that money was got that purchased that mannor ? we call that a mans means which hee hath ; but that is truly his means what way hee came by it ; and yet how few are there ( when a state comes to any great proportion ) that know that , that know what they have , what they are worth . wee have seen wills where the testator thinks hee hath bequeathed all , and hee hath not known half his own worth . when thou knowest a wife , a son , a friend , a servant , no better , but that that wife betrayes thy bed , and that son thy estate , and that servant thy credit , and that friend thy secret , what canst thou say thou knowest ? but let us consider this thesis in spiritual things , of a more rarified nature than knowledge in faith , hope , and charity ; and wee shall finde all these to fall within this position , and that there is nothing in any of these three , perfect . and first for faith , if you remember who they were that made that prayer , domine adauge , and the apostles themselves prayed , that their faith might receive an increase , lord increase our faith ; you must necessarily second that consideration with a confession , that no mans faith is perfect . there are men that abound in faith , that is in comparison of the emptiness of other men , or of their own emptiness before they imbraced the gospel , they abound now , but still it is as god hath given the measure of faith to every one , rom. . . not as of manna , a certain measure , and an equal measure , and a full measure to every man ; no man hath such a measure of faith as that hee needs no more , or that hee may not lose at least some of that . and as our faith is not perfect so neither our hope , for so argues the apostle , jam. . . yee ask and receive not , because yee ask amiss ; you cannot hope constantly , because you do not pray aright ; and to make a prayer , a right prayer , there goes so many essential circumstances , as that the best man may justly suspect his best prayer ; for since prayer must bee of faith , prayer can bee but so perfect as the faith is perfect ; and the imperfections of the best faith wee have seen , christ hath given us but a short prayer , and yet wee are weary of that . some of the old hereticks of the primitive church abridged that prayer , and some new fangled men of these times have annihilated , evacuated that prayer , because , say they , the same spirit that spake in christ , speaks in their extemporal prayers , and they can pray as well as christ could teach them . and again ( to leave these ) which of us sayes over that short prayer with a deliberate understanding of every petition as wee pass , or without deviations , and extravagancies of our thoughts in that half minute of our devotion ? i throw my self down in my chamber , and i call in , and invite god and his angels thither , and when they are there , i neglect god and his angels for the noise of a flye , for the ratling of a coach , for the whining of a door . i talk on in the same posture of prayer , eyes lifted up , knees bowed down , as though i prayed to god ; and if god or his angels should askmee , when i thought last of god in that prayer , i cannot tell : sometimes i finde that i had forgot what i was about , but when i began to forget it , i cannot tell . a memory of yesterdayes pleasures , a fear of to morrows dangers , a straw under my knee , a noise in mine ears , a light in mine eye , an any thing , a nothing , a fancie , a chymera in my brain , troubles me in my praier ; so certainly is there nothing , nothing in spiritual things perfect in this world ; not in credendis , in things that belong to faith , not in petendis , in things that belong to hope , nor in agendis in things that belong to action , to works , to charity , there is nothing perfect there neither . i would bee loath to say that every good word is a sin , that were to say that every deformed , or disordered man were a beast , or that every corrupt meat were poyson , it is not utterly so , nor so altogether , but it is so much towards it , as that there is no work of ours so good , as that we can look for thanks at gods hand for that work ; no work that hath not so much ill mingled with it , as that we need not cry god mercy for that work . there was so much corruption in the getting , or so much vain-glory in the bestowing , as that no man builds an hospital , but his soul dyes , though not dead , yet lame in the hospital ; no man mends a high-way , but hee is , though not drowned , yet mired in that way ; no man relieves the poor , but hee needs relief for that relief , in all those works of charity , the world that hath benefit by them is bound to confess and acknowledge a goodness , and to call them good works , but the man that doth them , and knows the weakness of them , knows they are not good works . it is possible to art to put a peccant humour out of a sick body , but not possible to raise a dead body to life . god out of my confession , of the impurity of my best actions , shall vouchlafe to take off his eyes from that impurity , as though there were none , but no spiritual thing in us , nor faith , nor hope , nor charity , have any purity , any perfection in themselves . nobis cum semel occidit brevis lux , nox est perpetuo una dormienda . catullus : the gentiles and their poets describe the sad state of death so , nox una dormienda , that it is one everlasting night to them , a night ; but to a christian , it is dies mortis , and dies resurrectionis , the day of death , and the day of resurrection ; wee dye in the light , in the sight of gods presence , and wee rise in the light in the sight of his very essence . nay gods corrections and judgements upon us in this life , are still expressed so , dies visitationis , still it is a day , though a day of visitation , and still wee may discern god to bee in the action . the lord of life was the first that named death ; morte morieris , sayes god , thou shalt dye the death . i do the less fear , or abhor death , because i finde it in his mouth ; even a malediction hath a sweetness in his mouth , for there is a blessing wrapped up in it , a mercy in every correction , a resurrection upon every death . when jezabels beauty exalted to that height , which it had by art , or higher than that , to that height which it had in her own opinion , shall bee infinitely multiplied upon every body , and as god shall know no man from his own son , so as not to see the very righteousness of his own son upon that man ; so the angels shall know no man from christ , so as not to desire to look upon that mans face , because the most deformed wretch that is there , shall have the very beauty of christ himself ; so shall goliahs armour , and dives fulness bee doubled , and redoubled upon us , and every thing that wee can call good , shall first bee infinitely exalted in the goodness , and then infinitely multiplied in the proportion , and again infinitely extended in the duration . solus deus verè festumagat . philo judae . it hath been disputed by many both of the gentiles , with whom the fathers disputed , and of the schoolmen , who dispute with one another , ansit gaudium in deo de semet ; whether god rejoyce in himself in contemplation of himself , whether god bee glad that hee is god : but it is disputed by them only to establish it , and to illustrate it ; for i do not remember that any one of them denies it . it is true , that plato dislikes , and justly , that saluration of dionysius the tyrant , to god , gaude & servato vitam tyranni jucundam , that hee should say to god , live merrily , as merrily as a king , as merrily as i do ; and then you are good enough to imagine such a joy in god as is only a transitory delight in deceivable things , is an impious conceit . but when as another platonique sayes , deus est quod ipse semper voluit , god is that which hee would bee , if there bee something that god would bee , and hee bee that , if plato should deny , that god joyed in himself ; wee must say of plato as lactantius doth , deus potius seminaverat quam cognoverat . plato had rather dreamed that there was a god , than understood what that god was , bonum simplex , saith st. augustine , to bee sincere goodness , goodness it self , ipsa est delectatio dei , this is the joy that god hath in himself , of himself ; and there sayes philo judaeus , hoc necessarium philosophiae sadalibus , this is the tenent of all philosophers ( and by that title of philosophers , philo alwayes means them that know and study god ) solum deum verè festum agere , that only god can bee truly said to keep holy day , and to rejoyce . this joy we shall see , when we see him who is so in it , as that hee is this joy it self . but here in this world , so far as i can enter into my masters sight , i can enter into my masters joy . i can see god in his creatures , in his church , in his word , and sacraments , and ordinances , since i am not without this sight , i am not without this joy . here a man may transilire mortalitatom , sayes the divine moral man. i cannot put off mortality , but i can look upon immortality ; i cannot depart from this earth , but i can look into heaven . so i cannot possess that final , and accomplished joy here , but as my body can lay down a burden , or a heavy garment , and joy in that case ; so my soul can put off my body so far , as that the concupiscences thereof , and the manifold , and miserable incumbrances of this world , cannot extinguish this holy joy. de fiderium generat satietatem , & satiet as parit desiderium . bern. there is a spiritual fulness in this life , of which st. jerom speaks , ebrietas foelix , satietas salutaris , a happy excess , and a wholesome surfeit , quae quanto copiosius sumitur , majorem donat sobrietatem , in which the more wee eat , the more temperate wee are , and the more wee drink , the more sober . in which ( as st. bernard also expresses it in his mellifluence ) mutuâ , interminab ili , inexplicab ili , generatione , by a mutual , and reciprocal , by an undeterminable , & unexpressible generation of one another , the desire of spiritual graces begets a satiety , if i would bee , i am full of them , and then this satiety begets a further desire ; still we have a new appetite to those spiritual graces ; this is a holy ambition , a sacred covetousness , and a wholesome dropsie . napth alies blessing , o napthali , satisfied with favour , and full with the blessing of the lord. st. stephens blessing , full of faith , and of the holy ghost ; the blessed virgins blessing , full of grace ; dorcas blessing , full of good works , and of alms-deeds ; the blessing of him , who is blessed above all , and who blesseth all , christ jesus , full of wisdome , full of the holy ghost , full of grace and truth . but so far are all temporal things from giving this fulness or satisfaction , as that even in spiritual things , there may bee , there is often an error , or mistaking ; even in spiritual things , there may bee a fulness , and no satisfaction , and there may bee a satisfaction , and no fulness ; i may have as much knowledge as is presently necessary for my salvation , and yet have a restless and unsatisfied desire , to search into unprofitable curiosities , unrevealed mysteries , and inextricable perplexities : and on the other side , a man may bee satisfied , and think hee knows all , when god knows , hee knows nothing at all ; for , i know nothing , if i know not christ crucified , and i know not that , if i know not how to apply him to my self ; nor do i know that , if i imbrace him not in those means , which hee hath afforded mee in his church ; in his word , and sacraments ; if i neglect this means , this place , these exercises , howsoever i may satisfie my self with an over-valuing mine own knowledge at home , i am so far from fulness , as that vanity it self , is not more empty . resurrectio à peccato , & cessatio à peccato , non est idem . durand . every cessation from sin , is not a resurrection from sin . a man may discontinue a sin , intermit the practise of a sin , by infirmity of the body , or by satiety in the sin , or by the absence of that person , with whom hee hath used to communicate in that sin . but resurrectio est secunda ejus , quod interiit , statio . a resurrection is such an abstinence from the practise of the sin , as is grounded upon a repentance , and a detestation of the sin , and then it is a setling , and an establishing of the soul in that state , and disposition ; it is not a sudden and transitive remorse , nor only a reparation of that which was ruined , and demolished , but it is a building up of habits contrary to former habits , and customes , in actions contrary to that sin , that wee have been accustomed to , else it is but an intermission , not a resurrection , but a starting , not a waking , but an apparition , not a living body , but a cessation , not a peace of conscience . now this resurrection is begun , and well advanced in baptismate lachrymarum in the baptisme of true , & repentant tears . but to put off this repentance to the death-bed is a dangerous delay . for is any man sure to have it , or sure to have a desire to it then ? it is never impertinent to repeat st. augustines words in this case , etiam hac animadversione percutitur peccator ut moriens obliviscatur sui , quidam viveret , oblitus est dei , god begins a dying mans condemnation at this , that as hee forgot god in his life , so hee shall forget himself at his death . compare thy temporal , and thy spiritual state together , and consider how they may both stand well at that day . if thou have set thy state in order , and made a will before , and have nothing to do at last , but to adde a codicil , this is soon dispatched at last ; but if thou leave all till then , it may prove a heavy business . so if thou have repented before , and setled thy self in a religious course before , and have nothing to do then , but to wrestle with the power of the disease , and the agonies of death , god shall fight for thee in that weak estate , god shall imprint in thee a cupio dissolvi , st. pauls not only contentedness but desire to bee dissolved , and god shall give thee a glorious resurrection , yea an ascention into heaven before thy death , and thou shalt see thy selfe in possession of his eternal kingdome , before thy bodily eyes bee shut . when even thy death-bed shall bee as elias chariot to carry thee to heaven , and as the bed of the spouse in the canticles , which was lectus floridus , a green and flourishing bed , where thou maiest finde by a faithful apprehension , that thy sickness hath crowned thee with a crown of thorns , by participation of the sufferings of thy saviour , and that thy patience hath crowned thee with that crown of glory , which the lord the righteous judge shall impart to thee that day . in divinis nihil minimum . tertul. it is a wanton thing for any church in spiritual matters to play with small errors , to tolerate , or wink at small abuses , as though it should bee alwayes in her power to extinguish them when shee would . it is christs counsel to his spouse , that is , the church , capite vulpes parvulas , take us the little foxes , for they destroy the vine , though they seem but little , and able to do little harm , yet they grow bigger , and bigger every day ; and therefore stop errors before they become heresies , and erroneous men , before they become hereticks . capite , sayes christ , take them , suffer them not to go on ; but then it is capite nobis , take us those foxes , take them for us , the bargain is between christ and his church . for it is not capite vobis , take them to your selves , and make your selves judges of such doctrinal matters , as appertain not to your cognizance ; nor it is not cape tibi , take him to thy self , spy out a recusant , or a man otherwise , not conformable and take him for thy labour , beg him , and spoyl him , and for his religion leave him as you found him ; neither is it cape sibi , take him for his ease , that is , compound with him easily , and continue him in his estate , and errors ; but cape nobis , take him for us , so detect him , as hee may thereby be reduced to christ and his church . neither only this counsel of christ to his church , but that commandement of god in levitious , is also appliable to this , non misereberis pauperis in judicio , thou shalt not countenance a poor man in his cause , thou shalt not pity a poor man in judgement . though a new opinion may seem a poor opinion , able to do little harm , though it may seem a pious , and profitable opinion , and of good use , yet in judicio , if it stand in judgement , and pretend to bee an article of faith , and of that holy obligation , matter necessary to salvation ; non misereberis , thou shalt not spare , thou shalt not countenance this opinion upon any collateral respect , but bring it to the only trial of doctrines , the scriptures . neither doth this counsel of christs , take us these little foxes , nor this commandement of god , thou shalt not pitty the poor in judgement , determine it self in the church , or in the publick only , but extends it self ( rather contracts it self ) to every particular soul and conscience , capite vulpeculas , take your little foxes , watch your first inclination to sins , for if you give them luck at first , if you feed them with the milk and hony of the mercy of god , it shall not bee in your power to wean them when you would , but they will draw you from one to another extream , from a former presumption to a future desparation in gods mercy . so also , non misereberis , thou shalt not pity the poor in judgement : now that thou callest thy self to judgement , and thy conscience to an examination , thou shalt not pity any sin , because it pretends to bee a poor sin , either prove so , that it cannot much endanger thee , nor much incumber thee , or poor so , as that it threatens thee with poverty , with penury , with disability to support thy state , or maintain thy family , if thou entertain it not . many times i have seen a suitor that comes in forma pauperis , more trouble a court , and more importune a judge , than greater causes or greater persons ; and so may such fins as come in forma pauperis , either way , that they plead poverty , that they can do little harm , or threaten poverty if they bee not entertained . those sins are the most dangerous sins , which pretend reason why they should bee entertained ; for sins which are done meerly out of infirmity , or out of the surprisal of tentation , are ( in comparison of others ) done as sins in our sleep , but in sins upon deliberation , upon counsel , upon pretence of reason , wee do see the wisdome of god , but wee set our wisdome above his , wee do see the law of god , but we insert , and interline , non obstantes of our own , into gods law. if therefore thou wilt corruptly , and vitiously , and sinfully love another , out of pitty , because they love thee so ; if thou wilt assist a poor man in a cause , out of pretence of pitty , with thy countenance , and the power of thy place , that that poor man may have something , and thou the rest that is recovered in his right , if thou wilt imbrace any particular sin , out of pitty , lest thy wife and children should bee left unprovided ; if thou have not taken these little foxes , that is , resisted these tentations at the beginning , yet nunc in judicio , now that they appear in judgement , in examination of thy conscience , non misereberis , thou shalt not pitty them ( as moses speaks of false prophets , and by a fair accommodation of all bewitching sins , with pleasure or profit ) if a dreamer of dreams have given thee a sign , and that sign bee come to pass ; if a sin have told thee , it would make thee rich , and it have made thee rich ; yet if this dreamer draw thee to another god , if this profit draw thee to an idolatrous , that is , to an habitual love of that sin ( tot habemus recentes deos , quot vitia , sayes st. hierom , every man hath so many idols in him , as hee hath habitual sins ) yet though this dreamer ( as god proceeds there ) bee thy brother , or thy son , or thy friend , which is as thine own soul , how near , how dear , how necessary soever this sin bee unto thee ; non misereberis , sayes moses , thine eye shall not pity that dreamer , thou shalt not keep him secret , but thine own hand shall bee upon him to kill him : and so of this pleasurable and profitable sin ; non misereberis , thou shalt not hide it , but powre it out in confession ; non misereberis , thou shalt not pardon , no nor reprieve it , but destroy it , for the practise presently ; non misereberis , thou shalt not turn out the mother , and retain the daughter , not leave the sin , and retain that which was sinfully got , but devest all , root , and body , and fruits , by confession to god , by contrition in thy self , by restitution to men damnified ; else that will fall upon thee , and thy soule which fell upon the church , that because they did not take their little foxes , they endangered the whole vine . sicut invisibilibus est sol , in intelligibilibus est deus . nazian . vvhen wee consider the liberality of our king , the bounty of our god to man in christ , it is species ingratitudinis , it is a degree of ingratitude ; nay , it is a degree of forgetfulness , to pretend to remember his benefits so , as to reckon them , for they are innumerable . bonitas dei ad extra , liberalit as est , it is the expressing of the school , and of much use , that god is essential goodness , within doors , in himself , but ad extra , when hee comes abroad , when this interior goodness is produced into action , then all gods goodness is liberality . deus est voluntas omnipotens , is excellently said by st. bernard , god is all almightiness , all power , but hee might bee so , and wee never the better . therefore hee is voluntas omnipotens , a power digested into a will , as willing as able to do us all , all good . what good ? receive some drops of it in st. bernards own manna , his own honey , creans mentes ad se participandum , so good , as that hee hath first given us souls capable of him , and made us so , partakers of the divine nature ; vivificans ad sentiendum , so good , as that hee hath quickned those souls , and made them sensible of having received him ; for grace is not grace to mee , till it make mee know that i have it , aliciens ad appetendum , so good , as that hee hath given th●t soul an appetite , and an holy hunger , and thirst to take in more of him ; for i have no grace , till i would have more ; and then , dilatans ad capiendum , so good , as that hee hath dilated , and inlarged that soule to take in as much of god as hee will. and lest the soul should lose any of this by unthankfulness , god is kinde even to the unthankful , sayes god himself which is a degree of goodness , in which god seldome is ; nay , in which god scarce looks to bee imitated , to bee kinde to the unthankfull . but if the whole space to the firmament were filled with sand , and wee had before us clavius his number , how many thousands would bee ; if all that space were filled with water , and so joyned the waters above , with the waters below the firmament , and wee had the number of all those drops of water ; and then had every single sand , and every single drop multiplied by the whole number of both , wee were still short of numbring the benefits of god , as god ; but then , of god in christ , infinitely , super-infinitely short . to have been once nothing , and to bee now co-heire with the son of god , is such a circle , such a compass , as that no revolutions in this world , to rise from the lowest to the highest , or to fall from the highest to the lowest , can bee called or thought any segment , any arch , any point , in respect of this circle ; to have once been nothing , and now to bee co-heires with the son of god , that son of god , who if there had been but one soule to have been saved , would have dyed for that ; nay , if all souls had been to bee saved , but one , and that that only had sinned , he would not have been contented with all the rest , but would have dyed for that . and there is the goodness , the liberality of our king , our god , our christ , our jesus . ad patriam itur per ipsum mare , sed in ligno . august . vvhich way think you to go home to the heavenly jerusalem , you must pass through seas of difficulties , and therefore by ship , and in a ship , you are not safe , except other passengers in the same ship bee safe too . therefore said christ to james and john , non est meum dare vobis , it is not mine to give , to ser you on my right , and on my left hand ; non vobis , quia singuli separati● ab ●liis rogatis , not to you , because you consider but your selves , and petition for your selves , to the prejudice and exclusion of others . therefore christ bad the samaritan woman call her husband too , when shee desired the water of life , ne sola gratiam acciperet , saith st. chrysostome , that hee might so do good to her , as that others might have good by it too . the spouse saith , trahe me post te , draw mee after thee . when it is but a mee , in the singular , but one part considered there is a violence , a difficulty , a drawing , but presently after , when there is an uniting in a plural , there is an alacrity , a concurrence , a willingness , curremus post te , wee will run after thee ; if wee would joyn in publick considerations , wee should run together . quantumlibet sis avarus , sufficit tibi deus . st. augustine . accustome thy self to finde the presence of god inall thy gettings , in all thy preferments , in all thy studies , and hee will bee abundantly sufficient to thee for all . bee as covetous as thou wilt , bee as ambitious as thou canst , the more , the better ; god is treasure , god is honour enough for thee . avaritia terram quaerit , saith the same father , adde , & coelum , wouldest thou have all this world ? wouldest thou have all the next world too ? plus est , qui fecit coelum & terram , hee that made heaven and earth , is more than all that , and thou mayest have all him . upon this , st. cyprians wonder is just , deum nobis solis contentum esse , nobis non sufficere deum , that god should think man enough for him , and man should not bee satisfied with god , that god should bee content with fili da mihicor , my son give mee thy heart , and man should not bee content with , pater da mihi spiritum , my god , my father , grant , mee thy spirit , but must have temporal additions too . non est castum cor , saith st. augustine , si deum ad mercedem colit ; as hee saith in another place , non est casta uxor quae amat quiae dives , shee is never the honester woman , nor the lovinger wife , that loves her husband in contemplation of her future joynture , or in fruition of her present abundancies ; so hee sayes here , non est castum cor , that man hath not a chaste , a sincere heart towards god , that loves him by the measure , end , proportion of his temporal blessings . and indeed what profits it a man , if hee get all the world , and lose his own soul ; and therefore that opinion that there was no profit at all , no degree towards blessedness in those temporal things , prevailed so far , as that it is easie to observe in their expositions upon the lords prayer , that the greatest part of the fathers , do ever interpret that petition , da nobis hodie , give us this day our daily bread , to bee intended only of spiritual blessings , and not of temporal ; so st. hierom saith , when wee ask that bread , illum petimus , qui panis vivus est , & descendit de ●olo , wee make our petition for him who is the bread of life , and descended from the bosome of the father , and so hee refers it to christ , and in him to the whole mystery of our redemption . and athanasius , and st. augustine too ( and not they two alone ) refer it to the sacramental bread ; that in that petition , wee desire such an application of the bread of life , as wee have in the participation of the body and blood of christ josus in that communion . st. cyprian insists upon the word nostrum , our bread ; for saith hee . temporal blessings cannot properly bee called ours , because they are common to the saints , and to the reprobates ; but in a prayer ordained by christ for the faithful , the petition is for such things as are proper and peculiar to the faithful , and that is for spiritual blessings only . if any man shall say , ideo quaerenda quia necessaria , wee must pray , and wee must labour for temporal things , because they are necessary for us , wee cannot bee without them , ideo non quaerenda quia necessaria , sayes st. chrysostome , so much of them as is necessary for our best state , god will give us , without this laborious anxiety , and without eating the bread of sorrow in this life , non sperandum de superfluis , non desperandum de necessariis , sayes the same father , it is a suspicious thing to doubt , or distrust god in necessary things , & it is an unmannerly thing to press him in superfluous things . they are not necessary before , and they are not ours after ; for those things onely are ours , which no body can take from us ; and for temporal things , anferre potest inimicus homo invito , let the inimicus homo bee the devil , and remember jobs case , let the inimicus homo bee any envious and powerfull man , who hath a mind to that that thou hast ; and remember naboths case , and this envious man can take any temporal thing from thee against thy will. but spiritual blessings cannot bee taken so , ●idem nemo perdidit , nisi qui spreverit , sayes st. augustine , no man ever lost his faith , but hee that thought it not worth the keeping . perfect a obedientia est sua imperfecta relinquere . august . this peter and andrew declared abundantly when they left their nets and followed christ ; yet however in this leaving of their nets , there is no example of devesting ones self of all means of defending us from those manifold necessities , which this life layes upon , upon pretence of following christ , it is not an absolute leaving of all worldly cares , but a leaving them out of the first consideration , primum quaerite regnum dei , so as our first business bee to seek the kingdome of god ; for , after this leaving of his nets , for this time , peter continued owner of his house , and christ came to that house of his , and found his mother in law sick in that house , and recovered her there . upon a like commandement , upon such a sequere , follow mee , matthow followed christ too ; but after that following , christ went with matthew to his house , and sate at meat with him at home . and for this very exercise of fishing , though at that time when christ said , follow wee , they left their nets , yet they returned to that trade , sometimes upon occasions , in all likelihood in christs life , and after christs death , clearly they did return to it , for christ , after his resurrection , found them fishing . they did not therefore abandon , and leave all care , and all government , of their own estate , and dispose themselves to live after upon the sweat of others , but transported with a holy alacrity , in this present , and chearful following of christ , in respect of that then , they neglected their nets , and all things else . not to be too diligent towards the world , is the diligence that god requires . st. augustine doth not say , suae relinquere , but sua imperfecta relinquere , that god requires wee should leave the world , but that wee should leave it to second considerations , that thou do not forbear , nor defer thy conversion to god , and thy restitution to man , till thou have purchased such an estate , bought such an office , married , and provided such , and such children , but imperfecta relinquere , to leave these worldly things unperfected till thy repentance have restored thee to god , and established thy reconciliation in him , and then the world lyes open to thy honest endeavours . others take up all with their net , and they sacrifice to their nets , because by them their portion is fat , and their meat plenteous . they are confident in their own learning , their own wisdome , their own practise , and ( which is a strange idolatry ) they sacrifice to themselves , they attribute all to their own industry . christus non quaesivit per oratorem piscatorem , sed de piscatore lucratus est imperatorem . august . christ having a greater , a fairer jerusalem to build than davids was , a greater kingdome to establish than judahs was , a greater temple to build than solomons was , having a greater work to raise , yet hee begun upon a lesse ground ; hee is come from his twelve tribes , that afforded armies in swarmes , to twelve persons , twelve apostles , from his juda and levi , the foundations of state , and church ; to an andrew , and a peter , fisher-men , sea-men . hee sent not out orators , rhetoricians , strong , or fair-spoken men to work upon these fisher-men ; but by these fisher-men hee hath reduced all those kings and emperours , and states which have imbraced the christian religion , these thousand and six hundred years . when samuel was sent with that general commission to anoint a son of ishai king without any more particular instructions , when hee came , and eliab was presented unto him , surely , sayes samuel ( noting the goodliness of his personage ) this is the lords anointed . but the lord said unto samuel , look not on his countenance , nor the height of his stature , for i have refused him ; for ( as it followeth there from gods mouth ) god seeth not as a man seeth , man looketh on the outward appearance , but the lord beholdeth the heart . and so david in appearance , lesse likely , was chosen . but if the lords arm bee not shortned , let no man impute weakness to the instrument . for so , when david himself was appointed by god to pursue the amalekites , the amalekites that had burnt ziglag , and done such spoyl upon gods people , as that the people began to speak of stoning david , from whom they looked for defence , when david had no kind of intelligence , no ground to settle a conjecture upon , which way hee must pursue the amalekites , and yet pursue them hee must , in the way hee findes a poor young fellow , a famished , sick young man , derelicted of his master , and left for dead in the march , and by the meanes , and conduct of this wretch , david recovers the enemy , recovers the spoyl , recovers his honour , and the love of his people . if the lords arm bee not shortned , let no man impute weakness to his instrument . but yet god will alwayes have so much weakness appear in the instrument , as that their strength shall not bee thought to bee their own . when peter and john preached in the streets , the people marvelled ( sayes the text ) why ? for they had understood that they were unlearned . but beholding also the man that was healed standing by , they had nothing to say , sayes that story . the insufficiency of the instrument makes a man wonder naturally , but the accomplishing of some great work , brings them to a necessary acknowledgement of a greater power working in that weak instrument . for if those apostles that preached , had been as learned men , as simon magu● , as they did in him ( this man is the great power of god , not that hee had , but that hee was the power of god ) the people would have rested in the admiration of those persons , and proceeded no further . it was their working of supernatural things , that convinced the world ; peter and johns preaching did not half the good then , as the presenting of one man , which had been recovered by them did . twenty of our sermons edifie not so much , as if the congregation might see one man converted by us . any one of you might out-preach us . that one man that would leave his beloved sin , that one man that would restore ill-gotten goods , had made a better sermon than ever i shall , and should gain more souls by his act , than all our words ( as they are ours ) can do . oportet hominem fieri unum . clem. alex. man must grow in his consideration , till hee be but one man , one individual man. if hee consider himself in humanitate , in the whole mankinde a glorious creature , an immortal soul , be shall see this immortal soul , as well in goats at the left hand , as in sheep at the right hand of christ , at the resurrection ; men on both sides . if hee consider himself in qualitate , in his quality , in his calling , hee shall hear many then plead their prophetavimus ; wee have prophefied , and their ejecimus , wee have exercised , and their virtutes fecimus , wee have done wonders , and all in thy name , and yet receive that answer , nunquam cognovi , i do not know you now , i never did know you . oportet unum fieri , hee must consider himself in individuo , that one man , not that man in nature , not that man in calling , but that man in actions . origen makes this use of those words , as hee found them , sam. chap. . erat vir unus , there was one man ( which was elkanah ) hee adds , nomen ejus possessio dei , this one man , sayes hee , was in his name gods possession , nam quem damones possident , non unus sed multi , for hee whom the devill possesses , is not one . the same sinner is not the same thing , still hee clambers in his ambitious purposes , there hee is an eagle ; and yet lyes still groveling , and trodden upon at any greater mans threshold , there hee is a worm . hee swells to all that are under him , there he is a full sea ; and his dog that is above him , may wade over him ; there hee is a shallow , an empty riter . in the compass of a few dayes , hee neighs like a horse in the rage of his lust over all the city , and groans in a corner of the city , in an hospital . a sinner is as many men , as hee hath vices ; hee that is elkanah , possessio dei , possessed by god , and in possession of god , hee is unus homo , one , and the same man. and when god calls upon man so particularly , hee intends him some particular good . it is st. jeroms note , that when god in the scripture speaks of divers things in the singular number , it is ever in things of grace . and it is st. augustines note , that when hee speaks of any one thing in the plural number , it is of heavy and sorrowfull things ; as jeptha was buried in civitatibus gilead , in the cities , but hee had but one grave , and so that is , they made aureos vitulos , golden calves , when it was but one calf . multa relinquitis si desideria renunciatis . gregor . vve read mat. . that the apostles left their nets when they followed christ . their nets were such things as might hinder them in the service of god : such nets , even these men the apostles , so well disposed to follow christ , had about them . and therefore let no man say , imitari vellem , sed quod relinquam , non habeo ; i would gladly do as the apostles did , leave all to follow christ , but i have nothing to leave ; alas all things have left mee , and i have nothing to leave . even that murmuring at poverty , is a net , leave that . leave thy superfluous desire of having the riches of this world , though thou mayest flatter thy self , that thou desirest to have , only that thou mightest leave it , that thou mightest imploy it charitably , yet it might prove a net , and stick too close about thee to part with it . you leave your nets , if you leave your over-earnest greediness of catching ; for when you do so , you do not onely fish with a net , you fish for a net , even that which you get proves a net to you , and hinders you in the following of christ , and you are less disposed to follow him , when you have got your ends , than before . hee that hath least , hath enough to weigh him down from heaven , by an inordinate love of that little which hee hath , or in an inordinate and murmuring desire of more . and hee that hath most , hath not too much to give for heaven , tantum valet regnum dei , quantum tu vales , heaven is alwayes so much worth , as thou art worth . a poor man may have heaven for a penny , that hath no greater store , and god looks that hee to whom hee hath given thousands , should lay out thousands upon the purchase of heaven . the market changes as the plenty of money changes ; heaven costs a rich man more than a poor , because hee hath more to give . but in this , rich and poor are both equall , that both must leave themselves without nets , that is , without those things , which in their own consciences they know , retard the following of christ . whatsoever hinders my present following , that i cannot follow to day ' , whatsoever may hinder my constant following , that i cannot follow to morrow , and all my life is a net , and i am bound to leave that . dilige , & dic quod voles . august . let the congregation see that thou studiest the good of their souls , and they will digest any wholesome increpation , any medicinal reprehonsion at thy hands . wee say so first to god , lord let thy spirit bear witnes with my spirit , that thou lovest me , and i can indure all thy prophets , and all thy vae's , and the woes that they thunder against mee , and my sin : so also the congregation sayes to the minister , dilige , & dic quod voles , shew thy love to mee , in studying my case , and applying thy knowledge to my conscience ; speak so , as god and i may know thou meanest mee , but not the congregation , lest that bring mee to a confusion of face , and that to a hardness of heart ; deal thus with mee , love mee thus , and say what thou wilt ; nothing shall offend mee . thus dealt paul , heb. . . i beseech you brethren , &c. and the strangeness of the case is exalted in this , that the word there is solatii , i beseech you suffer a word of comfort ; what will you hear willingly , if you do not willingly hear words of comfort ? with what shall wee exercise your holy joy , and cheerfulness , if even words of comfort , must exercise your patience ? and yet wee must beseech you to suffer even our words of comfort , for wee can propose no true comfort to you , but such as carries some bitterness with it ; wee can create no true joy in you without some exercise of your patience too . wee cannot : promise you peace with god , without a war in your selves , nor reconciliation to him without falling out with your selves , not eternal joy in the next world , without a solemn remorse for the sinful abuses of this . wee cannot promise you a good to morrow without sending you back to the consideration of an ill yesterday ; for your hearing to day is not enough , except you repent yesterday . but yet though with st. paul wee bee put to beseech you , that you would suffer instruction , though wee must sometimes exercise your patience , yet it is but a word of instruction , and counsel ; and though instruction bee increpation sometimes , yet it may easily bee suffered , because it is but a word ; a word , and away : wee would not dwell upon increpations , and chidings , and bitternesses . lacrimae sanguis animae ; aug. ser. de tempore . the repentance and contrition of a sincere christian for his sins upon his death-bed is such , that at more pores then his weak body sweats drops of water , his sad foul weeps blood , and this more for the displeasure of god , than the stripes of gods displeasure . i●●i verè irascitur deus cui non irascitur ; & nihil eo infoelicius , cui nihil infoelix contigit : vvhom god loves hee chasteneth , heb. . . which rule of divine occonomy , is so general , and without exception , that even those duties that are promised a reward here as alms-deeds , are yet to expect the payment of this reward , with some mixture of affliction , the hundred fold which some men are promsed to receive , though they bee secular blessings , as houses , lands , &c. yet must they bee with persecutions , mar. . . licet in modum stagni fusum equor arrideat ▪ magnos hic campus mantes habet ; tranquillitas ista tempestas est . hieron . it was more safe for peter to bee called satan by christ , than for judas to bee called friend ; such an appellation was a sarcasme in a complement ; as when god tells his people by his prophet , hos . . . i will not visit , &c. gods not visiting here was the greatest plague imaginable , and their highest affliction was , not at all to bee punished . triticum non rapit ven●●● inanes , pal●ae tempest●●● jactantur , cyprian . de simpli●i●at● frela . the church is the barn-floor , the sincere and hypocritical christian are the corn , and the chaffe in that floor , persecution and heretical doctrine are the two winnowing windes to discern betwixt both ; the corn is solid , and immoveable , and will sooner bee ground to powder , than yeeld either to the rough blasts of persecution , or those smooth flattering gales of heresie , whereas the chaffe is carried about , and distracted , with every winde either of persecuting , or pleasing doctrine , eph. . . n●tu● & elinguis ne hoc qui dem habens ut rogare possit , hoc magis rogat quod rogare non potest , hieron . tom. . epist . the cripple that cannot stir , works more upon our charity , than the importunate sturdy beggar that follows the length of a street ● and the very dumbness of those impotent persons in the gospel , was rhetorick equally as powerful with our saviour , as all those acclamations and hosanna's of the jews , the fear and modesty of that poor woman in the gospel , that blushed to ask the cure of her bloody issue , had it by a touch ; that very touch was an effectual prayer , and every finger a several votary to beg the blessing . ant ubi mors non est si jugulatis aquoe ? death meets us every where , and is procured by every instrument , and enters in at every door , by violence , and secret influence , by aspect of a star , and the stink of a mist , by the emissions of a cloud , and the meeting of a vapour , by a full meal , or an empty stomach , by watching at the wine , or by watching at prayers , by the sun or the moon , by a heat or a cold , by sleeping nights , or sleeping dayes , by water frozen into the hardness and sharpness of a dagger , or water thawed into the floods of a river : by a hair , or a raizor , by violent motion , or sitting still , by gods mercy , or gods anger ; by every thing in providence , and every thing in manners ; by every thing in nature , and every thing in chance . it was a sad arrest of the loosness and wilder feasts of the french court , when their king henry . was killed really by the sportive image of a fight ; and many brides have dyed under the hands of maidens dressing them , for uneasie joy , the new and undiscerned chains of marriage . anceps forma bonum , mortalibus exigui donum breve temporis . senec. i have rend of a fair young german gentleman , who living , often refused to bee pictured , but put off the importunity of his friends desire by giving way , that after a few dayes burial , they might send a painter to his vault , and if they saw cause for it , draw the image of his death unto the life , they did so , and found his face half eaten , and his midrife , and back bone full of serpents , and so hee stands pictured among his armed ancestors ; so doth the fairest beauty change , and it will bee as bad with you , and mee , and then what servants shall wee have to wait upon us in the grave ? what friends to visit us ? what officious people to clean●e away , the moist and unwholesome cloud reflected upon our faces from the sides of the weeping vaults , which are the longest weepers for our funerals . quid fit futurum cras , fuge quaerere . horace . let no man extend his thoughts or his hopes toward future and far distant events . this day is mine , and yours , but yee know not what shall bee on the morrow , every morning creeps out of a dark cloud , leaving behinde it an ignorance and silence , deep as midnight , and undiscerned as the phantasmes that make a chrysome childe to smile ; so that wee cannot discern what comes hereafter , unless wee had a light from heaven brighter than the vision of an angel , even the spirit of prophesie . without revelation wee cannot tell whether wee shall eat to morrow , or whether a squinzy shall choke us . st. james notes the folly of some , who were so impatient of the event of to morrow , or the accidents of the next year , that they would consult astrologers , and witches , and devils , what should befall them the next calends , against this the apostle opposeth his counsel , that we should not search after forbidden records ; for whatever is disposed to happen by the order of natural causes , or civil counsels , may bee rescinded by a peculiar decree of providence . when rithilda the widow of albert , earle of ebersberg had feasted the emperor henry the third , and petitioned in behalf of her nephew for some lands formerly possessed by the earl her husband , just as the emperour held out his hand to signifie his consent , the chamber floor suddenly fell under them , and richilda falling upon the edge of a bathing vessel , was bruised to death , and staid not to see he● nephew sleep in those lands , which the emperor was reaching forth unto her , and placed at the door of restitution . quid brevi fortes , iaculemur quo multal ja●●te pr●m●t nox , horat. as our hopes must bee confined , so must our designes , let us not project long designes ; the work of our soul is cut short , facile , sweet and plain , and fitted to the small portions of our shorter life ; and as wee must not trouble our inquiry , so neither must wee intricato our labour , with what wee shall never enjoy ; this rule doth reprove such projects as discompose our present duty by long and future designs ; such which by casting our labours to events at distance , make us less to remember our death standing at the door . seneca tells of g●n●cio corneliu● , a man crafty in getting , and tenacious in holding a great estate , and one who was as diligent in the care of his body , as of his mony , that hee all day long attended upon his sick and dying friend ; but when hee went away , was quickly comforted , supped merrily , went to bed cheerfully , and on a sudden being surprized by a squinzy , scarce drew his breath untill the morning , but by that time dyed , being snatched from the torrent of his fortune ; and a likely hope , bigger than the necessities of ten men ; this accident was much noted then in rome , because it happened in so great a fortune , and in the midst of wealthy designes , and presently it made wise men to consider how imprudent a person hee is , who disposeth of ten years to come , when hee is not lord of tomorrow . aetate fruere , mobili cursu fugit . sen. make use of this instant ; for this instant will never return again , and yet it may bee this instant will secure the fortune of a whole eternity . the old greeks and romans caught us the prudence of this rule , but christianity teaches us the religion of it . they so seized on the present that they would lose nothing of the dayes pleasure . let us eat and drink , for to morrow wee dye , that was their philosophy at their solemn feasts , they would talke of death to heighten the present drinkings ; i had reason to say that christianity taught us to turn this into religion . for hee that by a present and a constant holiness secures the present , and makes it useful to his noblest purposes , hee turns his condition into his best advantage by making his unavoidable fate become his necessary religion . non a●cipi●u● brevem vitam sed f●cimus . senec. vvee complain the day is long , and the night is long , and wee want company , and seek out arts to drive the time away , and then weep , because it is gone too soon , and as the revenue of egypt , and the eastern provinces was but a little summe when they were to support the luxury of mark autony , and feed the riot of cloopatra , but a thousand crowns is a vast proportion to feed an hermite . just so is our life , it is short to serve the ambition of an haughty prince , or an usurping rebel , to trample upon the enemies of our just or unjust interest ; but for the obtaining vertue , for the purchase of sobriety , and modesty , for the actions of religion , god gave us time sufficient , if wee make the out-goings of the morning and evening , i. e. our infancy and old age to bee taken into the computation of a man. omnia crede mihi etiam falicibus ●ubia sunt . sen. even the beauteous spring hath blasts and sharp frosts , the fruitfull teeming summer is melted with heat , and burnt with the kisses of the sun her friend , and the rich autumne is full of sickness , and wee are weary of that which wee enjoy , because sorrow is its biggest portion ; and when wee remember that upon the fairest face , is placed one of the worst sinks of the body , the nose ; wee may use it not onely as a mortification to the pride of beauty , but as an allay to the fairest outside of condition , which the sonnes and daughters of adam doe possesse . for look upon kings and conquerors . i will not tell , that many of them fall into the condition of servants , and their subjects rule over them , and stand upon the ruines of their families : but let us suppose them still conquerours , and the greatest that ever were , yet whatsoever tempts the pride and vanity of ambitious persons , is not so big as the smallest star which wee see scattered in disorder , and unregarded upon the pavement and floor of heaven : and if wee would suppose the pilmires had but our understandings , they also would have the method of a mans greatness , and divide their little molehills into provinces and exarchats : and if they also grew as vitious , and as miserable , one of their princes would lead an army out , and kill his neighbour ants , that hee might reign over the next handfull of a turf ; but then if wee consider at what price , and with what felicity all this is purchased , the sting of the painted snake will quickly appear , and the fairest of their fortunes will properly enter into this account of humane infelicities . proper a vivere , & singulos di●s s●ngulas vitas p●●a ; nihil interest i●●●diem & s●culum . sence . hee that would dye well , must alwayes look for death , every day knocking at the gates of the grave , and then the gates of the grave shall never prevaile upon him to do him mischief . this was the advice of all the wise and good men of the world , who especially in the dayes and periods of their joy , and festival egressions , chose to throw some ashes into their chalices , some sober remembrances of their fatal period . such was the black shirt of saladine , the tombstone presented to the emperour of constantinople on his coronation day ; the bishop of romes two reeds , with flax , and a wax taper ; the egyptian skeleton served up at feasts . these in their semblances declare a severe counsel , and useful meditation ; and it is not easie for a man to be drunk with joy , or wine , pride , or revenge , who considers sadly that hee must ere long dwell in a house of darkness , and his body must bee the inheritance of worms , and his soul must be what he pleases , even as a man makes it here by his living , good or bad . i have read of a young hermit , who being passionately in love with a young lady , could not by all the arts of religion and mortification suppress the trouble of that fancy , till at last being told that she was dead , and had been buried about fourteen dayes , hee went secretly to her vault , and with the skirt of his mantle wiped the moisture from the carkass , and still at the return of the temptation , laid it before him , saying , behold this is the beauty of the woman thou didst so much desire , and so the man thereby overcame his inordinate passion ; and if we make death as present to us , our own death , dwelling and dressed in all its pomp of fancy , and proper circumstances , if any thing will quench the heats of lust , or the desires of money ; or the greedy passionate affections of this world , this must do it . non expectavit christ●●●● saul 〈…〉 in media insa●i● superavit , chryfost . vvhen saul , see act. . . was yet breathing forth slaughter , then came a voyce saying , saul , saul , why persecutest thou meo ? then when hee was in the height of his fury , christ laid hold upon him . and this for the most part was christs method of curing . then when the sea was in a tempestuous rage , when the waters covered the ship , and the storm shaked even that which could remove mountains , the faith of the disciples , then christ rebukes the wind , and commands a calm ; then when the sun was gone out to run his race as a gyant , then god by the mouth of joshuah bids the sun stand still . then when that unclean spirit foamed and fumed , and tore , and rent the possessed person , then christ commanded them to go out . let the feaver alone , say our physitians , till some fits bee passed , and then wee shall see farther , and discern better ; but christ in the text above , itayes not till saul being made drunk with blood , was cast into a slumber ; but in the midst of his raging fit hee gives him physick , in the midst of his madness , hee reclaims him . then when his glory was to bring them bound to jerusalem , that he might magnifie his triumph and greatnes in the eye of the world ; then , then sayes christ to this tempest , bee calm ; to this unclean spirit , come out ; to this sun in his own estimation , go no further . non in fine sed in principio conversus latro . cyril . if thou deferrest thy repentance till the last , because of the theefs example , thou deludest thine own soul ; the theef was not converted at last , but at first , as soon as god afforded him any call , hee came ; but at how many calls hast thou stopped thine ears , that deferrest thy repentance ? christ said to him , this day thou shalt bee with mee in paradise . when thou canst finde such another day , look for such another mercy ; a day that cleft the grave-stones of dead men ; a day that cleft the temple its self ; a day that the sun durst not see ; a day that saw the son of god ( may wee not say so , since that man was god too ) depart from man. there shall bee no more such dayes , and therefore presume not of that voice , bodie , this day thou shalt bee with mee , if thou make thy last minute that day ; though christ to magnifie his mercy , and his glory , and to take away all occasion of absolute desperation , did here call the theef unto him when hee was at the last gasp . novit deus vulnerare ad amar●m . august . the lord , and only the lord knows how to wound us , out of love ; more than that , how to wound us into love ; more than all that , to wound us into love , not onely with him that wounds us , but into love with the wound its selfe , with the very affliction that hee inflicts upon us . the lord knows how to strike us so , as that wee shall lay hold upon that hand , that strikes us , and kiss that hand that wounds us ; ad vitam interficit , ad exaltationem prosternit , saith the same father , no man kills his enemy because his enemy might have a better life in heaven , that is not his end in killing him . it is gods end , who therefore brings us to death , that by that gate hee might lead us into life everlasting . ask of mee , saith god to christ , psal . . . and i will give thee the heathen for thine inheritance . now how was christ to use these heathen when hee had them ? why thus , thou shalt bruise them with a rod of iron , and break them in peeces like a potters vessel . now god meant well to the nations in thus breaking and bruising them : god intended not an annihilation of the nations , but a reformation ; for christ asks the nations for an inheritance , not for a triumph ; therefore it is intended of his way of governing them , and his way is to bruise and beat them : that is , first to cast them down , before hee can raise them up ; first to break them , before hee can make them into his fashion . facies dei est quâ deus nobis innotescit . august . that is the face of god to us , by which god manifests himself to us , god manifests himselfe to us in the word and sacraments : if wee see not them in their true lines and colours ( the word , sincerely and religiously preached and administred ) wee do not see them , but masks upon them ; and if wee do not see them , wee do not see the face of christ . and i could as well stand under his nescio vos , which hee said to the negligent virgins , i know you not , or his nescivi vos , which hee said to those that boast of their works , i never knew you , matth. . . as under this fearful thunder of his mouth , you shall see my face no more : i will absolutely withdraw , or i will suffer prophaneness to enter into those means of your salvation , word , and sacraments , which i have so long continued in their sincerity towards you , and you have so long abused . blessed god , say not to us yet , yet let the tree grow another year before thou cut it down ; and as thou hast digged about it by bringing judgements upon our neighbours , so water it with thy former rain , the dew of thy grace , and with thy latter rain , the tears of our contrition , that wee may still see thy face here , and hereafter ; here in thy kingdome of grace , hereafter in thy kingdome of glory . reperit deus nocentes , saith theocritus , who was an heathen . in which saying the natural man hath a first , and a second lesson : first , that since god findes out the malefactor , he never scapes ; and then since god doth finde him at last , god sought him all the while : though god strike late , yet hee pursued him long before , and many a man feels the sting in his conscience , before hee feels the blow in his body ; that god findes , and therefore seeks , that god overtakes , and therefore pursues , that god overthrows , and therefore resist , the wicked is a natural conclusion , as well as a divine . so that for this doctrine a man needs not bee preached unto , a man needs not bee catechized ; a man needs not read the father's , nor the councels , nor the school-men , nor the ecclesiastical story , nor summists , nor casuists , nor canonists , no nor the bible its self for this doctrine . for this doctrine that god findes out the guilty person , the natural man hath as full a library in his bosome as the christian . non judicandum de cru●e secundum preoedicamentum quantitatis sed relationis . luther . vve must not judge of a calamity by the predicament of quantity , but by the predicament of relation ; to what god refers that calamity , and what hee intends in it . it was a wise and a pious counsel that gamaliel gave that state , abstinete , act. . . forbear a while , give god sea-room , give him his latitude , and you may finde that you mistook at first ; for god hath divers ends by inflicting calamities , and he that judges hastily , may soon mistake gods purpose . it is a notable expression which the holy ghost hath put into the mouth of naomi , ruth . . call not mee naomi , said shee there , naomi is lovely , and loving , and beloved ; but call mee mara , said shee , mara is bitterness ; but why so ? for , said shee , the lord hath dealt very bitterly with mee ; bitterly , and very bitterly ; but yet so he hath with many that he loves full well . it is true said naomi , but there is more in my case than so ; the almighty hath afflicted mee , and the lord hath testified against mee ; testified , there is my misery ; that is , done enough , given evidence enough , for others to beleeve , and to ground a judgement upon it , that hee hath abandoned mee , utterly forsaken mee for ever . yet god meant well to naomi for all this testification , and howsoever others might mis-interpret gods proceeding with her . a deo doctus non solùm , divina discit , sed divina patitur . dionys . arcopag . he that is throughly taught by christ , doth not onely beleeve all that christ sayes , but confirms him to all that christ did , and is ready to suffer as christ suffered . truly , if it were possible to fear any defect of joy in heaven , all that could fall into my fear , would bee but this , that in heaven i can no longer express my love by suffering for my god , my saviour , a greater joy cannot enter into my heart than this , to suffer for him that suffered for mee . it is said . matth. . . that at the day of judgement shall appear in heaven the sign of the son of man ; this is frequently , ordinarily received of the fathers , to bee intended of the cross ; that before christ himself appear , his sign , the cross , shall appear in the clouds . now though the sign of the son of man may bee some other thing than the cross , yet of this sign the cross , there may bee this good application , that when god affords thee this manifestation of his cross in the participation of those crosses and calamities that he suffered here , then thou hast this sign of the son of man upon thee , conclude to thy self , that the son of man , christ jesus , is coming towards thee , and as thou hast the sign , thou shalt have the substance , as thou hast the cross , thou shalt have the glory ; for this is that which the apostle intends , phil. . . unto you it is given ( not laid upon you as a punishment , but given as a benefit ) not onely to beleeve in christ , but to suffer for christ . where the apostle seems to make our crosses a kinde of assurance , as well as our faith : for so hee argues not onely to beleeve , but to suffer ; for howsoever faith is a full evidence yet our suffering is a new seal even upon that faith . et cum blandinis pater es , & pater es cum coedis . august . i feel the hand of a father upon mee when thou stroakest mee ; and when thou strikest mee , i see the hand of a father too . i know thy meaning when thou stroakest , it is lest i should faint under thy hand ; and i know thy meaning when thou strikest mee , it is lest i should not know thine hand : as god saw that way prosper in the hand of absalom , sam. . . hee sent for joab , and joab came not , hee came not when hee sent a second time , but when the messengers came to burn up his corn , then hee came , and then hee complied with absalom , and seconded , and accomplished his desires : so god calls us in his own outward ordinances , and a second time in his temporal blessings , and we come not , but we come the sooner , if he burn our corn , if hee draw us by afflicting us . contemptu famae contemnuntur & virtutes , was so well said by tacitus , that it is pity st. august . said it not . they that neglect the good opinion of others , neglect those vertues which should produce that good opinion ; therefore st. jerome protests to abhor that paratum de trivio , as hee calls it , that vulgar , that street , that dunghil language , as long as my own conscience reproaches me of nothing , i care not what all the world sayes ; wee must care what the world sayes , and study that it may speak well of us . for though it is true , that a fair reputation , a good opinion of men , is not a foundation to build upon , yet it is a fair stone in the building , and such a stone as every man is bound to provide himself of : for , for the most part most men are such , as most men take them to bee , neminem omnes , nemo omnes fefellit , all the world never joyned to deceive one man , nor was ever any one man ever able to deceive the whole world . scinditur incertum studia in contraria vulgus . virgil. the poet here layes the greatest lenity , and change that can bee laid to this kinde of people , that is , in contraria , that they change from one extream to another ; where the poet doth not onely mean that the people will bee of divers opinions from one another ; for , for the most part they are not so ; for , for the most part , they think , and wish , and love , and hate together ; and they do all by example , as others do , and upon no other reason , but therefore because others do . neither was that poet ever bound up by his words , that hee should say in contraria , because a more milde word would not stand in his verse ; but hee said it , because it is really true , the people will change into sundry opinions . and whereas an angel its self cannot pass from east to west , from extream to extream without touching upon the way between ; the people will pass from extream to extream , without any middle opinion . last minutes murtherer , is this minutes god , and in an instant paul whom they sent to bee judged in hell , is made a judge in heaven , act. . . the people will change ; therefore as david could say , i will not bee afraid of ten thousand of men , psal . . . so hee should say , i will not confide in ten thousand men , though multiplied by millions , for they will change . wee finde in the roman story many examples ( particularly in commod us his time , upon cleander , chief gentleman of his chamber ) of severe executions upon men that have courted the people , though in way of charity , and giving them corn in the time of dearth , or upon like occasions ; there is danger in getting them , occasioned by jealousie of others ; there is difficulty in holding them , occasioned by lenity in themselves ; therefore wee must say with the prophet jer. . . cursed bee the man that trusteth in man. sequamur patres tanquam duces no● tanquam dominos . cajetan . let us follow the fathers as guides , not as lords over our understandings ; as counsellors , not as commanders . it is too much to say of any father , that which nicephorus sayes of chrysostome ; in illius perinde atque in dei verbis acquiesco , i am as safe in chrysostomes words as in the word of god. it is too much to say of st. peter himfelf , that which chrysologus sayes , that hee is immobile fundamentum salutis , the immovable foundation of our salvation ; & mediator noster ad deum , the mediator of man to god. the holy patriarchs in the old testament were holy men , though they strayed into some sinful actions : the holy fathers in the primitive church , were holy men , though they strayed into some erroneous opinions ; but neither are the holiest mens actions , alwayes holy , nor the soundest fathers opinions , alwayes sound . molius est mihi non esse quàm fine jesu esse . aug. i were better have no being , than bee without jesus : i were better have no life , than any life without him . for as david could finde no being without jehovah , a christian findes no life without jesus . for what jehovah was to david , jesus is to us . man in general hath relation to god as hee is jehovah , being wee have relation unto christ , as hee is jesus our salvation ; salvation is our being , jesus is our jehovah ; and therefore as david delights himself with that name jehovah , for hee repeats it eight or nine times psal . . a short psalm . and though hee ask things of a diverse nature at gods hands , though hee suffer afflictions a diverse nature from gods hands , yet still hee retains that one name , hee speaks to god in no other name in all that psalm , but in the name of jehovah . so in the new testament , hee which may bee compared with david , because hee was under great sins , and yet in great favour with god ; st. paul , hee delights himself with that name of jesus so much , as that st. jerome saith , as he loved him excessively , so hee named him superabundantly . it is the name that cost god most , and therefore hee loves it best . it cost him his life to bee a jesus , a saviour . the name of christ which is anointed , hee had by office , hee was anointed as king , as priest , as prophet ; but his name of jesus a saviour , hee had by purchase , and that purchase cost him his blood . of a devout use of this very name do some of the fathers interpret that oleum effusum nomen tuum , that the name of jesus should bee spread as an oyntment , breathed as a perfume , diffused as a soul over all the petitions of our prayers , as the church concludes for the most part all her collects so , grant this , o lord , for our lord and saviour jesus christs sake . nihil de causâ suâ deprecatur , qui nihil de conditione suâ miratur . tertul . in which the father describes a patience of steel , and an invincible temper . hee means that the christians in those times of persecution , did never intreat the judge for favour , because it was not strange to them to see themselves , whose conversation was in heaven , despised , and condemned upon earth . they wondred not at their misery , they thought it a part of their profession , a part of the christian religion to suffer , and therefore they never solicited the judge for favour ; they had learnt by experience of daily tribulation the apostles lesson , think it not strange when tribulations and tentations fall ; that is , make that your daily bread , and you shall never starve , use your selves to suffering , at least to the expectation of suffering , acquaint your selves with that , accustome your selves to that before it come , and it will not bee a stranger to you when it cornes . sanctus in irâ dei emendari non vult , erudiri non vult . august . a saint is loath to fall into gods hands , loath to come into gods fingers at all when hee is angry ; hee would not bee disputed with all , nor impleaded , nor corrected ; no , not instructed , not amended by god in his anger . the anger of god is such a pedagogy , such a cat●chi●m , such a way of teaching as the law was . the law is a school-master , saith the apostle , but the law is such a school-master , as brings not a rod , but a sword . gods anger should instruct us , but if wee use it not aright , it hardens us . though gods anger bee one of his wayes , yet it is such a way as you may easily stumble in , and as you would certainly perish without that way , so you may easily perish in that way . for when a sinner considers himself to bee under the anger of god , naturally , hee conceives such a horror as puts him farther off . as soon as adam heard the voyce of god , and in an accent of anger , or as hee tuned it in his guilty conscience to an accent of anger , when adam heard god but walking in the garden , but the noise of his going , and approaching towards him , adam fled from his presence , and hid himself among the trees . much more then if the lord come in anger , if hee speak in anger , if hee do but look in anger , a sinner perishes : hee did but look , and hee dissolved , hee melted the nations , hab. . . david was an obsequious patient to take any physick at gods hand , if there were no anger in the cup. he provokes god with all his emphatical words , judge mee , prove mee , try mee , examine mee , psal . . . bring not onely a candle to search , but even fire to melt mee . but upon what confidence is all this ? for thy loving kindness is ever before mine eyes . if gods anger , and not his loving kindness had been before his eyes , it had been a fearfull apparition , and a dangerous issue to have gone upon . so also psal . . . try mee , o god , and know my heart . but how concludes hee ? and lead mee in the right way for ever . as long as i have god by the hand , and feel his loving care of mee , i can admit any weight of his hand , any furnace of his heating . let god mould mee , and then melt mee again ; let god make mee , and then break mee again ; as long as hee establishes , and maintains a rectifed assurance in my soul , that at last hee means to make mee a vessel of honour to his glory , howsoever hee rebuke , or chastise mee , yet hee will not rebuke mee in anger . in scalâ prima ascensio est ab humo . basil . he that makes but one step up a stair , though he be not got much nearer to the top of the house , yet he is got from the ground , and delivered from the foulness and dampness of that . so in davids first step of prayer , psal . . , . o lord bee merciful unto mee ; though a man bee not established in heaven , yet hee is stepped from the world , and the miserable comforters thereof . there are certain steps and ascensions of the soul in prayer ; and though a sinner may grow up to this strength of devotion , to supplications , to prayers , to intercessions , to thanksgivings , yet at first , when hee comes first to deprehend himself in a particular sin , or in a course of fin , hee comes bashfully , shamefully , tremblingly , hee knows not what to ask , hee dares ask no particular thing at gods hand , but though hee bee not come yet to particular requests for pardon of past sins , nor for strength against future , not to a particular consideration of the weight of his sins , nor to a comparison betwixt his sin , and the mercy of god , yet hee comes to a miserere mei domine , to a sudden ejaculation , o lord bee merciful unto mee , how dare i do this in the sight of my god ? and thus likewise in the regeneration of a sinner , though hee come not presently to look god fully in the face , nor conceive nor prefently an assurance of an established reconciliation , a fulness of pardon , a cancelling of all former debts in an instant ; though hee dare not come to touch god , and lay hold of himself by his body and blood in the sacrament , yet the evangelist calls thee to a contemplation of much comfort to thy soul , in certain preparatory accesses and approaches . behold , saith hee , that is , look up , and consider thy pattern , behold a woman difeased , &c. matth. . . shee knew there was vertue to come out of his body , and shee came as neer that as shee durst ; shee had a desire to speak , but shee went no further , but to speak to her self , shee said to her self , saith that gospel , if i may but touch ; but christ jesus supplied all , performed all on his part abundantly . presently he turned about , sayes the text ; and this was not a transitory glance , but a full sight , and exhibiting of himself to the fruition of her eye , that shee might see him : hee saw her said st. matthew here , hee did direct himself upon others , and leave out her ; and then hee spake to her to overcome her bashfulness ; hee called her daughter , to overcome her diffidence ; hee bids her bee of good comfort for shee had met a more powerful physitian than those upon whom shee had spent her time , and her estate ; one that could cure her , one that would , one that had already , for so hee said presently , thy faith hath made thee whole ; from how little a spark , how great a fire ; from how little a beginning , how great a proceeding ? shee desired but the hem of his garment , and had all him . de infirmitate blandimur , & ut liberius peccemus libenter infirmamur . bernard . vve flatter our selves with an opinion of weakness , and wee are glad of this natural and corrupt weakness , that wee may impute all our licentiousness , to our weakness and natural infirmity . but did that excuse adam , said that father , that hee took his occasion of sinning from his weaker part , from his wife ; that thou art weak of thy self , is a just motive to induce god to bring thee to himself , who hath surely born all thine infirmities . but to leave him again , when hee hath brought thee , to refuse so light and easie a yoak as his is , not to make use of that strength which he by his grace offers thee ; this is not the affection of the spouse when the person languishes for the love of christ , but it is when the love of christ languishes in that person . the former weakness is a good motive for mercy , if in a desire of further strength wee come to that of lazarus his sisters to christ , behold lord that soul whom thou lovest , and hast dyed for , is weak and languishes ; christ answered then , this weakness is not unto death , but that the son of god might bee glorified , joh. . . hee will say so to thee too , if thou present thy weakness with a desire of strength from him , hee will say , why will yee dye of this disease ? gratia mea sufficit , you may recover for all this , you may repent , you may abstain from this sin , you may take this spiritual physick , the word , the sacraments , if you will , onely as god said to joshua , bee valiant , and fight against it , and thou shalt finde strength grow in the use thereof . acceptus in gratiam , hilariter veni ad postulationes . bernard . vvhen thou art established in favour , thou mayest make any suit ; when thou art possest of god by one prayer , thou mayest offer more ; this is a religious insinuation , and a circumvention that god loves , when a sinner husbands his graces so well , as to grow rich under them , and to make his thanks for one blessing , a reason and an occasion of another ; so to gather upon god by a rolling trench , and by a winding stair , as abraham gained upon god in the behalf of sodome ; for this is an act of the wisdome of the serpent , which our saviour recommends unto us in such a serpentine line , as the artists call it ; to get up to god , and get into god by such degrees , as david doth , psal . . . from a miserere , to a sa●a , from a gracious look , to a perfect recovery ; from the act of the levite that looked upon the wounded man , to the act of the samaritan that undertook his cure ; from desiring god to visit him as a friend , to study him as a physitian . medicinae ars a deo data , ut inde rationem animae curandae disceremus . basil . gods purpose in giving us the science of bodily health , was not determined in the body , but his large and gracious purpose , was by that restitution of the body , to raise us to the consideration of spiritual health . when christ had said to him who was sick of the palsie , mark. . thy sins are forgiven thee : and that the scribes and pharisees were scandalized with that as though hee being but man , had usurped upon the power of god ; christ proves to them by an actual restoring of his bodily health , that hee could restore his soul too in the forgiveness of sins . hee asks them there whether it is easi●r to say thy sins are forgiven thee , or to say , arise , take up thy bed and walk . christ did not determine his doctrine in the declaration of a miraculous power exercised upon his body , but by that established their beleef of his spiritual power , in doing that which in their opinion was the greater work ; pursue therefore his method of curing ; and if god have restored thee in any sickness by such means , as hee of his goodness by natural means hath imprinted in natural herbs and simples , think not , that that was done onely , or simply , for thy bodies sake , but that it is as easie for god to say , thy sins are forgiven thee , as to say , take up thy bed and walk : so it is as easie for thee to have spiritual physick , as bodily ; because that as god hath planted all those medicinal simples in the open fields for although some do tread them under their feet , so hath god deposited and prepared spiritual helps , for all , though all do not make benefit of those helps which are offered . now this is gods method , as in restoring bodily health , hee said , surge , tolle , ambula , arise , take up thy bed , and walk : so to every sick soul , whose cure hee undertakes he saith so too ; our beds are our natural affections , these he doth not bid us cast away , nor burn , nor destroy : since christ invested the nature of man , and became man , wee must not pretend to devest it , and become angels , or flatter our selves in the merit of mortifications not enjoyed , or of a retiredness , and departing out of the world , in the world , by a withdrawing of our selves from the offices of mutual society , or an extinguishing of natural affections ; but surge , saith our saviour , arise from this bed , sleep not lazily in an over-indulgency to these affections , but ambula , walk sincerely in thy calling , and thou shalt hear thy saviour say , non est infirmitas haec ad mortem , these affections , nay these concupiscencies shall not destroy thee . membra etiam animae sunt . basil . the soul hath her limbs , as well as the body . surdi audite , coeci aspicite , saith god in isa . . if their souls had not ears and eyes , the blinde could not see , the deaf could not hear , and yet god calls upon the deaf , and blinde , to hear and see ; as st. paul saith to the ephesians , the eyes of our understanding being inlightned ; so david saith , thou hast broken the teeth , psal . . i. e. the pride , and the power , the venome , and malignity of the wicked . and thus the soul hath her bones too in that expression of davids , psal . . . for davids bones here , were the strongest powers and faculties of his soul , and the best actions and operations of those faculties , and yet they were shaken ; for this hereditary sickness , original sin , prevails so far upon us , that upon our good dayes , wee have some grudgings of that fever , eve● in our best actions wee have some of the leven of that sin ; so that if wee go about to comfort our selves with some dispositions to gods glory , which wee finde in our selves , with some sparks of love to his precepts , and his commandements ; with some good strength of faith , with some measure of good works , yea with having something for the name and glory of christ jesus ; yet if wee consider what humane and corrupt affections have been mingled in all these , our bones will bee troubled , even those that appeared to bee strong works , and likely to hold out , will need a reparation , an exclamation , o lord healthese too , or else these are as weak as the worst . qui fine ullà intermissione orat honest à quadam impudentia , agit impndentem . nazian . inceffant prayer hath the nature of impudency , wee threaten god in prayer , as nazianzen adventures to express it ; hee said his sister in the vehemency of her prayer would threaten god , shee came to a religious impudency with god , and to threaten him that shee would never depart from his altar , till shee had her petition granted ; and god suffers this impudency and more . prayer hath the nature of violence . in the publick prayers of the congregation , wee besiege god , and wee take god prisoner , and bring god to our conditions , and god is glad to bee straitned by us in that siege . and therefore the prophet david executed before , what the apostle counsels after , pray incessantly . even in his singing he prayed , and as st. basil saith , etiam somnia justorum preces sunt , a good mans dreams are prayers ; hee prayes , and not sleepily in his sleep , but with a holy fervent extasie and rapture . nescit diabolus quanta bona de illo fiu●t , etiqm cum soevit . august . little knows the devil how much good hee doth us when hee tempts us . for by that wee are excited to have our present recourse to that god whom in our former security wee neglected , who gives us the issue with the temptation . i know what infirmities i have submitted thee to , and what i have laid and applied to thee , i know thy sickness , and i know thy physick ; whatsoever the disease bee , my grace shall bee sufficient to cure it . for whether wee understand that de gratra miraculorum , that it is sufficient for any mans assurance in any temptation or tribulation , to consider gods miraculous deliverances of other men in other cases , or whether wee understand it according to the general voyce of interpreters , i. e. bee content that there remain in thy flesh matter and subject for mee to produce glory from thy weakness , and matter and subject for thee to exercise thy faith , and allegiance to mee , still these words will carry an argument against the expedience of absolute praying against all temptations ; for still this gratia mea sufficit , will import this , amount to this , i have as many antidotes , as the devil hath poysons ; i have as much mercy , as the devil hath malice ▪ there must bee scorpions in the world , but the scorpion shall cure the scorpion ; there must bee temptations , but temptations shall adde to mine , and to thy glory . and therefore is it conduceable to gods purposes in us ( which is the rule of all our prayers ) to pray utterly against all tentations as vehemeutly as against sins . god should lose by it , and wee should lose by it , if wee had no tentations . for god is glorified in those victories which wee by his grace gain over the devil . salvus factus ●s 〈◊〉 nihilo non de nihilo tamen ▪ bernard . thou bringest nothing for thy salvation , yet something to thy salvation , nothing worth it , but yet something with it . thy self hath a part in those means which god useth to that purpose , thy self art the instrument , though not the cause of thine own salvation . thy new creation by which thou art a new creature , i. e. thy regeneration is wrought as the first creation was wrought . god made heaven and earth of nothing , but hee produced the other creatures out of that matter which hee had made . thou hadst nothing to do in the first work of thy regeneration thou couldst not so much as wish it , but in all the rest thou art a fellow-worker with god , because before that there are seeds of former grace shed in thee . nullâ ●o deus perinde atque corporis aerumna conciliatur . nazian . a mo●●ning spirit , and an afflicted body , are great instruments of reconciling god to a sinner , and they alwayes dwell at the gates of atonement , & restitution and bonaventure in the life of christ reports , that the holy virgin mother said to elizabeth , that grace doth not descend into the soul of a man but by prayer and affliction . besides a delicate and prosperous life is hugely contrary to the hopes of a blessed eternity . and certainly hee that sadly considers the portion of dives , and remembers that the account which abraham gave him for the unavoidableness of his torment was , because hee had his good things in this life , must in all reason with trembling , run from a course of banquets , and faring deliciously every day , as being a dangerous estate , and a consignation to an evil greater than all danger , the pains and torment of unhappy souls . so then hee that desires to dye well , and happily , above all things must bee carefull that hee do not live a soft delicate , and voluptuous life ; but a life severe , holy , and under the discipline of the gross . no man wants cause of tears , and daily sorrow . let every man consider what hee feels , and acknowledge his misery ; let him confess his sin , and chastise it ; let him long and sigh for the joyes of heaven ; let him tremble and fear because hee hath deserved the pains of hell ; let him commute his eternal fear , with a temporal suffering , preventing gods judgement by passing one of his own ; let him groan for the labours of his pilgrimage , and the dangers of his warfare , and by that time , hee hath summed up all these labours , and duties , and contingencies , all the proper causes , instruments , and acts of sorrow , hee will finde , that for a secular joy and wantonness of spirit , there are not left many void spaces of his life . nemo mala morte unquam moriebatur , qui libenter opera charitatis exercuit . st. hieron . this the father with all his reading , and experience verifies . i do not remember to have read that any charitable person ever dyed an evill death ; and although a long experience hath observed gods mercies to descend upon charitable people , like the dew upon gideons fleece , when all the world was dry ; yet for this also wee have a promise which is not onely an argument of a certain number of years , but a security for eternal ages , luke . . make yee friends of , &c. when faith fails , and chastity is useless , and temperance shall bee no more , then charity shall bear you upon wings of cherubims to the eternal mountain of the lord. i have been a lover of mankinde , and a friend , and merciful , and now i expect to communicate in that great kindness , which hee shews that is the great god , and father of men and mercies , said cyrus the persian on his death-bed . now i do not mean this should onely bee a death-bed charity , any more than a death-bed repentance , but it ought to bee the charity of our life and healthfull years , a parting of a portion of our goods , then when wee can keep them , when wee cannot then kindle our lights , when wee are to descend into our houses of darkness , or bring a glaring torch suddenly to a dark room that will amaze the eye , and not delight it , or instruct the body ; but if our rapers have in their constant course descended into their grave , crowned all the way with light , then l●t the death-bed charity be doubled , and the light burn brightest when it is to deck our herse . prima quae vitam dedit h●ra carpsit . seneca . vvhen adam fell , then hee began to dye ; the same day ( so said god ) and that must needs hee true ; and so it must mean that upon that very day hee fell into an evill and dangerous condition , a state of change and affliction ; then death began , i. e. the man began to dye by a natural diminution and ap●ness to disease and misery ; his first state was , and should have been so long as it lasted a happy duration ; his second was a daily and miserable change , and this was the dying properly : this appears in the great instance of damnation , which in the stile of scripture is called eternal death , not because it kills of ends the duration , it hath not so much good in it , but because it is a perpetual infelicity , change or separation of soul and body , is but accidental to death . death may bee with , or without either ; but the formality , the curse and sting of death , i. e. misery , sorrow , anguish , dishonour , and whatsoever is miserable , and afflictive in nature , that is death : death is not an action , but a whole state and condition , and this was first brought in upon us by the offence of one man. but now though this death entred first upon us by adams fault , yet it came nearer unto us , and increased upon us by the sins of more of our forefathers . for adams sin left us in strength enough to contend with humane calamities , for almost a thousand years together : but the sins of his children , our forefathers , took off from us half the strength about the time of the flood ; and then fell off from five hundred to two hundred and fifty , and from thence to an hundred and twenty , and from thence to threescore and ten so often halfing it , till it is almost come to nothing ; so that wee have not now time enough to get the perfection of a single manufacture , but ten or twelve generations of the world must go to the making up of one wise man , or one excellent art ; and in that succession of those ages , there happens so many changes and interruptions , so many wars and violencies ▪ that seven years fighting , sets a whole kingdome back in learning and vertue , to which they were creeping , it may bee a whole 〈◊〉 . debilem facito manu , debiem pede , lubricos quatedent●● , vita dum superest bene est . sen. the gout , the stone , and the tooth-ach , the sciatica , sore eyes , and aking head , are evils indeed ; but such , which rather than dye , most men are willing to suffer ; and mecaenas added also a wish rather to bee crucified than to dye , and though his wish was low , timorous , and base , yet wee finde the same desires in most men dressed up with better circumstances . it was a cruel mercy in tamberlane , who commanded all the leprous persons to bee put to death , as wee knock some beasts on their head to put them out of pain , and lest they should live miserably . the poor men would rather have endured another leprosie , and have more willingly taken two diseases than one death . never therefore account that sickness intolerable , in which thou hadst rather remain than dye ; and yet if thou hadst rather dye than suffer it , the worst of it that can bee said , is this , that this sickness is worse than death , i. e. it is worfe than that which is the best of all evils , and the end of all troubles , and then you have said no harm against it . levius fit patientia quicquid corrigere est nefas . horat. all impatience howsoever expressed , is perfectly useless to all purposes of ease , but hugely effective to the multiplying of sorrow , and the impatience and vexation is another , but the sharper disease of the two ; it doth mischief by its self , and mischief by the disease . for men grieve themselves as much as they please ; and when by impatience they put themselves into the reti●ue of sorrows , they become solemn mourners . massurius sabinus tells , that the image of the goddess aug●●●●● was with a muffler upon her mouth , placed upon the altar of volupi●● , to represent that those persons who bear their sicknesses and sorrows , without murmure , shall certainly pass from sorrow to pleasure , and the ease and honours of felicity , but they that with spite , and indignation bite the burning cole , or shake the yoak upon their necks , gall their spirits , and fret the skin , and hurt nothing but themselves . nolo , quod cupio , statim tenere , nec victoria mî plaoet parata . petron. sickness is in some sense eligible , because it is the opportunity , and the proper scene of exercising some vertues . it is that agony in which men are tried for a crown ; and if wee remember what glorious things are spoken of the grace of faith , that it is the life of just men , the restitution of the dead in tres passes and sins , the justification of a sinner , the support of the weak , the confidence of the strong , the magazine of promises , and the title to very glorious rewards . wee may easily imagine that it must have in it a work , and a difficulty in some proportion answerable to so great effects : and therefore if you will try the excellency , and feele the work of faith , place the man in a persecution , let him ride in a storm , let his bones bee broken with sorrow , and his eye-lids loosened with sickness , let his bread be dipped in tears , and all the daughters of musick brought low ; let god commence a quarrel against him , and bee bitter in the accent of his anger , or his discipline , then god tries your faith . can you then trust his goodness , and beleeve him to bee a father when you groan under his rod. for in our health , and clearer dayes , it is easie to talk of putting trust in god. wee readily trust him for life when wee are in health ; for provisions when wee have fair revenues ; and for deliverance when wee are newly escaped ; but let us come to sit upon the margent of our grave , and let a tyrant lean hard upon our fortunes ; let the storm arise , and the keels toss till the cordage crack , or that all our hopes bulge under us , and descend into the hollowness of sad misfortunes , then can you beleeve when you neither hear , nor see , nor feel anything but objections ? faith is then brought into the theatre , and so exercised , that if it abides but to the end of the contention , wee may see the work of faith which god will highly crown . the same i say of hope , and of charity , or the love of god , and of patience , which is a grace produced from the mixtures of all these , they are vertues which are greedy of danger . and no man was ever honoured by any wise , or discerning person for dining upon perfian carpets , nor rewarded with a crown for being at ease . it was the sire that did honour to mutiu● scoevola , poverty made fabritius famous , rutilius was made excellent by banishment , regulus by torments , socrates by a prison , cato by his death , and god hath crowned the memory of job with a wreath of glory , because hee sate upon his dung-hil wisely and temperately ; and his potsherd , and his groans mingled with praises , and justifications of god , pleased him like an anthem , sung by angels in the morning of the resurrection . marcet virtus fine adversario . cicero . god loves to see us strugling with a disease , and resisting the devil , and contesting against the weaknesses of nature , and against hope to beleeve in hope , resigning our selves to gods will , praying him to choose for us , and dying in all things but faith , and its blessed consequents . for so have i known the boysterous north-winde passe through the yeelding aire which opened its bosome , and appeased its violence , by entertaining it with easie compliance in all the regions of its reception . but when the same breath of heaven hath been checked with the stifness of a tower , or the united strength of a wood , it grew mighty , and dwelt there , and made the highest branches stoop , and make a smooth path for it on the top of all its glories . so is sickness , and so is the grace of god. when sickness hath made the difficulty , then gods grace hath made a triumph , and by doubling its power , hath created new proportions of a reward , and then shews its biggest glory , when it hath the greatest difficulty to master , the greatest weaknesses to support , the most busie temptations to contest with . for so god loves that his strength should bee seen in our weakness , and our danger . detestabilis est coecitas , si nemo oculos perdiderit nisi cui eruendi sunt . senec. blindness were a most accursed thing , if no man were ever blinde but hee whose eyes are pulled out with tortures , or burning bafons : and if sickness were alwayes a testimony of gods anger , and a violence to a mans whole condition , then it were a huge calamity ; but because god sends it to his servants , to his children , to little infants , to apostles , and saints , with designes of 〈◊〉 to preserve their innocence , to over●●ome tentation , to try their vertue , to fit them for rewards , it is certain that sickness never is an evill , but by our own faults ; and if wee will do our duty , wee shall bee sure to turn it into a blessing . if the sickness bee great , it may end in death , and the greater it is , the sooner ; and if it bee very little , it hath great intervals of rest ; if it bee between both , wee may bee masters of it , and by serving the ends of providence , serve also the perfective end of humane nature , and enter into the possession of everlasting mercies . however , if all the calamities were true concerning sickness , with which it is aspersed , yet is it far to bee preferred before the most pleasant fin , and before a great secular business , and a temporal care ; and some men ●wake as much in the foldings of the softest beds , as others on the cross , and sometimes the very weight of sorrow , and the weariness of sickness presses the spirit into slumbers , and images of rest , when the intemperate , or the lustfull person rolls upon his uneasie thorns , and sleep is departed from his eyes . solatium est pro honesto dura tolerare , & ad causam patientia respicit . senec. in all sufferings , the cause of it makes it noble , or ignoble , tolerable , or intolerable . for when patience is assaulted by a ruder violence , by a blow from heaven or earth , from a gracious god , or an unjust man , patience looks forth to the doors which way shee may escape : and if innocence , or a cause of religion keep the first entrance , then whether shee escapes at the gates of life , or death , there is a good to bee received , greater than the evils of a sickness ; but if sin thrust in that sickness , and that hell stands at the door , then patience turns into fury ; and seeing it is impossible to go forth with safety , rowls up and down with a circular and infinite revolution , making its motion not from , but upon its own center , it doubles the pain , and increases the sorrow , till by its weight it breaks the spirit , and bursts into the agonies of infinite and eternal ages . if wee had seen st. polycarp burning to death , or st. lawrence rosting upon his gridiron , or st. ignatiu● exposed to lions , or st. sebastian pierced with arrows for the cause of jesus , for religion , for god , for a holy conscience , we should have been in love with flames , and have thought the gridiron fairer than the marriage bed ; and wee should have chosen rather to converse with those beasts , than those men that brought those beasts forth , and have esteemed sebastians arrows to bee the raies of light , brighter than the moon . for so did those holy men account them ; they kissed their stakes , and hugged their deaths , and ran violently to torments , and counted whippings , and secular disgraces to bee the enamel of their persons , and the oyntment of their heads , and the embalming their names , and securing them for immortality . but to see seja●us ●orn in peeces by the people , or nero crying , and creeping timorously to his death when he was condemned to dye , more majorum , to see judas pale and trembling , full of anguish , sorrow , and despair , to observe the groanings and intolerable agonies of herod , and antiochus , will tell and demonstrate the causes of patience and impatience , to proceed from the causes of the suffering , and that it is sin onely that makes the cup bitter and deadly . non est magnum audiri ad voluntatem non est magnum . august . be not over-joyed when god grants thee thy prayer , the devil had his prayer granted when hee had leave to enter into the herd of swine , and so hee had when hee obtained power of god against job . but all this aggravated the devils punishment ; so may it do thine , to have some prayers granted . and as that must not over-joy thee if it bee , so if thy prayer bee not granted , it must not deject thee . god suffered st. paul to pray , and pray , and pray , yet after his thrice praying granted him not that hee prayed for . god suffered that if it be possible , and that let this cup pass , to pass from christ himself , yet hee granted it not . tentemus animas quae deficiunt a fide , naturalibus rationibus adjuvare . st. hieron . let us endeavour to assist them who are weak in faith with the strength of reason , though god hath not given the minister a power to infuse faith into men , yet hath god put it into his power to satisfie the reason of men , and to chafe that wax to which hee himself vouchsafes to set to the great seal of faith . and truly it is very well worthy of a serious consideration , that whereas all the articles of our creed are the objects of faith , so that wee are bound to receive them de fide , as matters of faith ; yet god hath left that , out of which all these articles are to bee deduced , and proved , i. e. the scripture , to humane arguments . it is not an article of the creed to beleeve these and these books to bee , or not to bee canonical scripture , but our arguments for the scripture are humane arguments proportioned to the reason of a natural man. god doth not seal in water , in the fluid and tranfitory imaginations and opinions of men ; wee never set the seal of faith to them , but in wax , in the rectified reason of men , that reason that is ductile , and flexible , and pliant to the impressions that are naturally proportioned unto it , god sets to his seal of faith ; and therefore faith it self by the prophet isaiah is called knowledge , isa . . . by his knowledge , &c. saith god of christ , i , e. by that knowledge that men shall have of him , insomuch that it is not enough for you to rest in an imaginary faith , and easiness in beleeving , except yee know also what , and why , and how you come to that beleef . implicite beleevers , ignorant beleevers , the adversary may swallow , but the understanding beleever , hee must chaw , and pick bones before hee come to assimilate him , and make him like himself . the implicite beleever stands in an open field , and the enemy will ride over him easily : the understanding beleever is in a fenced town , and hee hath out-works to lose before the town bee pressed , i. e. reasons to bee answered , before his faith bee shaked ; and hee will sell himself dear , and lose himself by inches , if hee bee sold , or lost at last . anima spiritualiter cadit & spiritualiter resurge● . august . since wee are sure that there is a spiritual death of the soul , let us make sure a spiritual resurrection too . aud●cter dicam , saith st. jerome , i say confidently however , god can do all things , hee cannot restore a virgin that is ●a●n from it to virginity again , hee cannot do this in the body , but god is a spirit , and hath reserved more power upon the spirit and soul , than upon the body : and therefore i may say with the same assurance that st. jerome doth ; no soul hath so prostituted her self , so multiplied her fornications , but that god can make her a virgin again , and give her even the chastity of christ himself . fulfill therefore what christ saith , joh. . . the hour is coming , and now is , &c. bee this that hour , bee-thy first resurrection ; bless gods present goodness for this now , and attend gods leisure for the other resurrection hereafter ; and then doubt not but what glory soever thou hast had in this world , glory inherited from noble ancestors , glory acquired by merit and service , glory purchased by money , and observation , what glory of beauty , and proportion ; what glory of health , and strength soever thou bast had in this house of clay ; the glory of the latte● house , as it is hag. ● . . shall bee greater than of the former . qui peacat quatenus peccat , sit seip so detetion . clem. alex. in every sin a man falls from that degree which himself had before . in every s● hee is dishonoured , hee is not so good a man as hee was ; impoverished , hee hath not so great a portion of grace as hee had ; infatuated , hee hath not so much of the true wisdome of the fear of god as hee had ; dis●armed , hee hath not that interest , and confidence in the love of god that hee had ; and deformed , hee hath not so lively a representation of the image of god as before . in every sin wee become prodigals ; but in the habit of sin wee become bankrupts , afraid to come to an account . a fall is a fearful thing , that needs a raising , a help ; but sin is a death , and that needs a resurrection ; and a re●●rection is as great a work as the very creation its self . it is death in semine in the root , it produces , it brings forth death ; it is death in arbore , in the body , in its self ; death is a divorce , and so is sin ; and it is death in fructu , in the fruit thereof ; sin plants spiritual death , and this death produces more sin obduration , impenitence , and the like . transeant injuriae plerasque non accipit qui nescit . seneca . hee that knows not of an injury , or takes no knowledge of it , for the most part hath no injury . but alas , how many break their sleep in the night about things that disquiet them in the day too , and trouble themselves in the day about things that disquiet them all night too . wee disquiet our selves too much in being over tender , over sensible of imaginary injuries . they that are too inquisitive what other men say of them , they disquiet themselves ; for that which others would but whisper , they publish ; and therefore that which hee adds there for moral and civil matters , holds in a good proportion in things of a more divine nature , in such parts of the religious worship and service of god , as are not fundamental , non exp●dit om●●● vide●e , non omnia audire , wee must not too jealoussy suspect , nor too bitterly condemn , nor too peremptorily conclude that whatsoever is not done as wee would have it done , or as wee have seen it done in former times , is not well done . antequam unlneramur monemur . origen . before our enemies hit us , god gives us warning that they mean to do so . when god himself is so ●ar incensed against us , that hee is turned to bee our enemy , and to fight against us ( it was come to that isa . . . ) when hee hath bent his bow against us as an enemy ( it was come to that in the prophet jeremy , law. . . ) yet still hee gives us warning before-hand , and still there comes a lightning before his thunder . god comes seldome to that dispatch , a word , and a blow , but to a blow without a word , to an execution without a warning , never . cain took offence at his brother abel , the quarrel was gods , because hee had accepted abels sacrifice , therefore god joyns himself to abels party ; and so the party being too strong for cain to subsist , god would not surprize cain , but hee tells him his danger , why is thy countenance cast down ? gen. . . you may proceed if you will , but if you will needs , you will lose by it at last . saul persecutes christ in the christians , christ meets him upon the way , speaks to him , strikes him to the ground , tells him vocally , and tells him actually , that hee hath undertaken too hard a work , in opposing him : this which god did to saul reduces him ; that which god did to cain wrought not upon him , but still god went his own way in both , to speak before he strikes , to lighten , before hee thunders ; to warn , before hee wounds . in dathan and abi●ams case , god may seem to proceed apace towards execution , but yet it had all these pauses in arrest of judgement , and their reprieves before execution , yet when moses had information and evidence of their factious proceeding , hee falls not upon them , but hee falls upon his face before god , and laments , and deprecates in their behalf , hee calls them to a fair trial and examination the next day , tomorrow the lord will shew , numb . . , and they said , wee will not come , vers . . then god upon their contumacy , when they would stand mute , and not plead , takes a resolution to consume them in a moment , and then moses and aaron return to petition for them , vers . . and moses went up to them again , and the elders of israel followed , and all prevailed not , and then moses comes to pronounce judgement , these men shall not dye a common death ; and after , and yet not presently after that hee gave judgement , execution followed , vers . . god opened his mouth , and moses his , and aaron his , and the elders theirs , before the earth opened hers . in all which wee see that god alwayes leaves a latitude between his sentence and execution , which interim is sphaera activitatis , the sphere in which our repentance , and his mercy move , and direct themselves in a benign aspect towards one another . vili vendimus coelum , glauci more christiani sumus . tertul. how poor a clod of earth is a mannor ? how poor an inch a shire ? how poor a span a kingdome ? how poor a pace the whole world , and yet how prodigally wee sell paradise , heaven , souls , consciences , immortality , eternity , for a few grains of this dust . what had eve for heaven ? so little , as that the holy ghost will not let us know what shee had , nor what kinde of fruit , yet something eve had . what had adam for heaven ? but a satisfaction that hee had pleased an ill wife , as st. jerome states his fault , that fruit , ne contristaretur delicias suas , lest hee should cast her off whom hee loved so much , into an inordinate dejection ; but if hee satisfied her and his own uxoriousness , any satisfaction is nothing . but what had i for heaven adam sinned , and i suffer , i forfeited before i had any possession , or could claim any interest ; i had a punishment before i had a being , and god was displeased with mee before i was , i was built up scarce fifty years ago in my mothers womb , and i was cast down almost six thousand years ago in adams loyns . i was born in the last age of the world , and dyed in the first . how justly do wee cry out against a man that hath sold a town , or sold an army , and adam sold the world , he sold abraham , and isaac , and jacob , and all the patriatchs , and all the prophets ; and if christ had not provided for himself by miraculous generation , hee had sold him too . agnoscere nolumus quod ignorare 〈◊〉 possumus . cypri . de mortal . there is no meditation more serious , than upon the vanity of the world , no consideration more seasonable , than of the brevity and uncertainty of time it self , no knowledge more wholesome , than of the diseases of the minde ; no contemplation more divine , than of humane misery and frailty . which though wee read in the inscription of every stone , see in the fall of everyleaf , hear in the knol of every bell , taste in the garnishing and fancy of every dish , smell in the stench of every dead corpse , feel in the beating of every pulse ; yet wee are not sensible of it , wee will not take knowledge of it , though wee cannot bee ignorant of it . in which consideration the wise man , whose words are as goads and nails , vers . . pricks us deep with the remembrance hereof , so deep that he draws blood , sanguinem animae , the blood of the soul , as st. austin termeth our tears , lachryma sanguis animae . for who can read with dry eyes , that those that look out of the windows shall bee darkned ; who can hear without horrour , that the keepers of the house shall tremble , or consider without sorrow , that the daughters of musick shall bee brought low , or comment without deep fetched sighs upon mans going to his long home , and the mourners going about the streets , to wash them with tears , and sweep them with rosemary . infans nondum loquitur , & tamen prophetat . august . serm. de bono pat . it is lamentable to hear the poor infant which cannot speak , yet , to boad his own misery , and to prophecy of his future condition , and what are the contents of his prophecie , but lamentations , mournings , and woes ? saint cyprian accords with saint austin in his doleful note , vitae mortalis anxietates , & dolores & procellas mundi quas ingreditur inexordio statim suo ploratu , vel gemit● rudis anima testatur , little children newly born , take in their first breath with a sigh , and come crying into the world , as soon as they open their eyes they shed tears to help fill up the vale of tears , into which they were then brought , and shall bee after a short time carried out with a stream of them , running from the eyes of all their friends . and if the prologue and epilogue bee no better , what shall wee judge of the scenes and acts of the life of man , they yeeld so deep springs of tears , and such store of arguments against our aboad in this world , that many reading them in the books of hegesias the platonick , presently brake the prison of their body , and leaped out of the world into the grave . others concluded with silenus , optimum non nasci , proximum quam primum mori , that it was simply best never to bee born , the next to it to dye out of hand , and give the world our salve , and take our vale at once . optima quaeque dies miseris mortalibus avi primi fluit . horat. the prime scope of the book of ecclesiastes , is to stir up all religious mindes to set forth towards heaven betimes , in the morning of our dayes , chap. . vers . . remember thy creator in the dayes of thy youth ; to enter speedily into a strict course of holiness , which will bring us to eternal happiness , to dedicate to god and his service , the prime in both senses , that is the first , and best part of our time . for as in a glass of distilled water , the purest and thinnest first runneth out , and nothing but lees and mother at the last ; so it is in our time and age , our best dayes first run , and our worst at the last . and shall wee offer that indignity to the divine majesty , as to offer him the devils leavings ? florem aetatis diabolo consocrare , faecem deo reservare , to consecrate the top to the devil , and the bottome to god , feed the flesh with the flower , and the spirit with the bran ; serve the world with our strength , and our creator with our weakness , give up our lusty and able members as weapons to sin , and our feeble and weak to righteousness . will god accept the blinde , and the lame , the lean , and the withered for a sacrifice ? how can wee remember our creator in the dayes of our age , when our memory , and all other faculties of the soul are decayed ? how shall wee bear christs yoak , when the grashopper is a burthen unto us ? when wee are not able to bear our selves , but now under the sole weight of age ? what delight can wee take in gods service , when care , and fear , and sorrow , and paine , and manifold infirmities , and diseases wholly possess the heart , and dead , all the vital motions , and lively affections thereof . senes in limine mortis , vitae sunt avidissuni . aristot . de long . & brevi . avit . it was aristotles observation , that old men that have their foot on deaths threshold , would then draw back their leg if they could , and at the very instant of their dissolution , are most defarous of the continuance of their life ; and seeing the pleasures of fin like the apples of tantalus running away from them , they catch at them the more greedily , for want is the whetstone of desire , and experience offereth us many instances of old men , in whom st. pauls old man grows young again , who according to the corruption of nature , which st. austin bewayleth with tears , malunt libidinem expleri quam extingui , they are so far from having no lust or desire of pleasures , as being cloyed therewith , that they are more insatiable in them than in youth ; the flesh in them are like the peacocks , quae cocta recrudescit , which after it is sod , in time will grow raw again , so in them after mortification by diseases and age it reviveth . sophocles the heathen poet , might pass for a saint in comparison of them , for hee thanked god , that in his old age hee was free from his most imperious mistriss , lust : these men on the contrary , desire to enthral themselves again in youthly pleasures , and concupiscence in them is kindled even by the defect of fewel ; it vexeth them that their sins forsake them , that through the impotency of their limbs and faculties , they cannot run into the like excess as in former times : their few dayes before death , are like shrove-tide before lent , they take their fill of flesh , and fleshly desires , because they suppose that for ever after they must fast from them . thus they spur on their jadish flesh , now unable to run her former stages , saying , let us crown our selves with rose-buds , for they will presently wither , let us eat and drink , for to morrow wee shall dye . respice sepulchra & vide quis servus , quis dominus , quis dives , & quis pauper , discerue si potes vinctum a rege , fortem a debili , pulchrum a deformi . aug. l. de nat . & grat . the hand of a dead man stroaking the part , cures the tympany ; and certainly the consideration of death , is a present means to cure the swelling of pride in any form in this life ; many things make odds between men and women , as birth , education , wealth , alliance , and honour ; but death makes all even , respice sepulchra , saith st. austin , survey mens graves , and tell mee then who is beautiful , and who is deformed . all there have hollow eyes , flat noses , and gastly looks , nereus and thirsites cannot bee there distinguished . tell mee , who is rich , and who is poor ; all there , wear the same weed , their winding sheet : tell mee who is noble , and who base and ignoble , the worms claim kindred of all : tell mee who is well housed , and who is ill ; all there are bestowed in dark and dankish rooms under ground . if this will not satisfie you , take a sieve and fift the dust and ashes of all men , and shew mee which is which . i grant there is some difference in dust ; there is powder of diamonds , there is gold dust , and brass-pin dust , and saw-dust , and common dust , the powder of diamonds resembles the remains of princes ; gold dust , the remains of noble-men ; pin-dust , the remains of the tradesmen ; saw-dust the remains of the day-labourer , and common dust , the remains of the vulgar , which have no quality or profession to distinguish them , yet all is but dust . at a game of chesse , wee see kings , and queens , and bishops , and knights upon the board , and they have their severall walks , and contest one with the other in points of state and honour ; but when the game is done , all together with the pawns are shuffled in one bag : in like manner , in this life men appear in indifferent garbs , and take divers courses , some are kings , some are officers , some bishops , some knights , some of other ranks , and orders . but when this life like a game is done , which is sometimes sooner , sometimes later , all are shufled together with the many or vulgar sort of people , and lye in darkness and obscurity , till the last man is born upon the earth , but after that , erunt ipsis quoque fata sepulchris . the grave which hath swallowed up all the sons of adam , shall bee swallowed up it self into victory . theodoro parum interest huminc an in sublime putrescat . erasmus . although the heathen philosophers made little account of burial , as appeared by the speech of theodorus to the tyrant , who threatned to hang him : i little pass by it whether my carcass putrifie above the earth , or on it . and the poet seems to be of his mind , whose strong line it was , coelo teg●tur qui non habet urnam , which was pompeys case , and had like to have been alexanders , and william the conquerors ; yet all christians who conceive more divinely on the soul , deal more humanely with the body , which they acknowledge to bee membrum christi , and templum dei , a member of christ , and temple of god. if charity commands thee to cover the naked , saith st. ambrose , how much more to bury the dead ? when a friend is taking a long journey , it is civility for his friends to bring him on part of his way ; when our friends are departed , and now going to their grave , they are taking their last journey , from which they shall never return till time shall bee no more ; and can wee do less then by accompanying the corpse to the grave , bring them as it were part on their way , and shed some few tears for them , whom wee shall see no more with mortal eyes . the prophet calleth the grave miscabin , a sleeping chamber , or resting place ; and when wee read scriptures to them that are departing , and give them godly instructions to dye , wee light them as it were to their bed ; and when wee send a deserved testimony after them , wee perfume the room . indeed if our bodies ( which like garments wee cast off at our death ) were never to be worn again , wee need little care where they were thrown , or what became of them ; but seeing they must serve us again , their fashion being only altered , it is fit we carefully lay them up in deaths wardrobe , the grave ; though a man after hee hath lost a jewel , doth less set by the casket , yet hee who loves much , and highly esteemeth of the soul of his friend , as alexander did of homer , cannot but make some reckoning of the desk and cabinet in which it alwayes lay : wee have a care of placing the picture of our friend , and should wee not much more of bestowing his body . if burial were nothing to the dead , god would never have threatned coniah that hee should have the burial of an ass , nor the psalmist so quavered upon this doleful note , dederunt cadaver servorum tuorum coeli volucribus , o god , the heathen are come into thine inheritance , thy holy temple have they defiled , and made jerusalem an heap of stones , the dead bodies of thy servants have they given to the fowls of heaven . mors non est exitus sed transitus & temporali itinere decurs● ad aeterna transgressus . cyp. de mortal . vvhich is verified from rev. . . and i heard a voice from heaven &c. from whence wee may learn first , that if all that dye in the lord are blessed , from the very moment of their death , and this blessedness is confirmed by a voyce from heaven : let us give more heed to such a voyce than to any whisper of the flesh or devil . whatsoever philosophy argueth , or reason objecteth , or sense excepteth against it : let us give more heed to god than man , to the spirit than to the flesh , to faith than to reason , to heaven than to earth ; although they who suffer for the testimony of the gospel seem to bee most miserable , their skins being flayed off , their joynts racked , their whole body torn in peeces , or burned to ashes , their good confiscate , their arms defaced , and all manner of disgraces put upon them : yet they are most happy in heaven , by the testimony of heavven it self , the malice of their enemies cannot reach so high as heaven , it cannot touch them much there , much less awake them out of their sweet sleep in jesus . secondly , if the dead are blessed in comparison of the living , let us not so glew our thoughts , and affections to the world , and the comforts thereof , but that they may easily bee severed , for there is no comparison between the state of the godly in this life , and in the life ●o come , for here they labour for rest , there they rest from their labour ; here they expected ; here they hunger , and thirst for righteousness , there they are satisfied ; here they are continually afflicted , either for their sins , or with their sins , and they have continual cause to shed tears , either for the calamities of gods people , or the stroaks they themselves receive from god , or the wounds they give themselves ; there all tears are wiped from their eyes : here they are alwayes troubled either with the evils they fear , or the fear of evil ; but when they go hence , death sets a period to all fear , cares , sorrows , and dangers . and therefore solon speaketh divinely , when hee taught croesus that hee ought to suspend his verdict of any mans happiness till hee saw his end . lastly , if all that dye in christ are blessed , as a voyce from heaven assureth us , wee do wrong to heaven if wee account them miserable , wee do wrong to christ ; if wee count them as lost , whom hee hath found , if wee shed immoderate tears for them from whose eyes , hee hath wiped away all tears , to wear perpetual blacks for them , upon whom hee hath put long white robes . whatsoever our losse may bee by them , it cometh far short of their gain ; our cross is light in comparison of their super-excellent weight of glory , therefore let us not sorrow for them as those that have no hope . let us not shew our selves infidels by too much lamenting the death of beleevers . weep wee may for them , or rather for our loss by them , but moderately , as knowing that our loss , is their gain ; and if wee truly love them , wee cannot but exceedingly congratulate their feasts of joy , their rivers of pleasures , their psalms of victory , their robes of majesty , their crowns of glory . water therefore your plants at the departure of your dearest friends , but drown them not ; for whatsoever wee complain of here , they are freed from there ; and whatsoever wee desire here , they enjoy there ; they hunger not , but feast with the lamb ; they sigh not , but sing with moses , having safely passed over the glassie sea ; they lye not in darkness , but possess the inheritance of saints in light . they have immunity from sin , freedome from all temptations , and security from danger , they have rest for their labours here , comfort for their troubles , glory for their disgrace , joyes for their sorrows , life for their death in christ , and christ for all . ut romae mori non potest qui romae non vixit , ita qui in domino non vixit , in e● non moritur . cor. alapide . as a man cannot dye at rome , who never lived at rome ; so none can dye in christ , who never lived in him , and none can live in him , who is not in him ; first , then wee must labour to bee in him , and how may wee compass this ? christ himself teacheth us , i am the vine , and my father is the husbandman , every branch that beareth not fruit in me , he taketh away , and every branch that beareth fruit be purgeth , that it may bring forth more fruit ; as the branch cannot bear fruit of it self , except it abide in the vine , no more can yee , except yee abide in mee . hence wee learn that wee cannot bear fruit in christ , unless as branches wee bee ingrafted into him . now that a graft may bee inoculated , there must bee made an incision in the tree . the graft or syence must be imped in . after it is put in , it must be joyned fast to the tree . the incision is already made by the wounds given christ at his death , many incisions were made in the true vine ; that which putteth us in , or inoculateth us , is a special faith , and that which bindes us fast to the tree , is love , and the grace of perseverance . if then wee bee ingrafted by faith into christ , and bound fast unto him by love , wee shall partake of the juice of the stock , and grow in grace , and bear fruit also more and more , and so living in the true vine , wee shall dye in him , and so dying in him , wee shall re-flourish with him in everlasting glory . nihil melius aterna lex fecit quam quod unum introitum ad vitam nobis dedit , exitus multos . sen. ep. . vve come but one way into the world , but wee go a thousand out of it : as wee see in a garden pot , the water is poured in but at one place , to wit , the narrow mouth , but it runneth out at a hundred holes . some dye by fire , as the sodomites ; by water , as the old world : by the infection of the aire , as threescore and ten thousand in davids time : by the opening of the earth , as corah , dathan , and abiram , amphiraus , and two cities , buris , and helice . some meet with death in their coach , as antiochus , their chamber as domitian , their bed , as john the twelfth , the theater , as caligula , the senate , as caesar . the temple , as zenacherib . their table , as claudius . at the lords table , as pope victor , and henry of luxenburg . death woundeth and striketh some with a pen-knife , as soneca a stilletto , as henry the fourth . a sword , as paul. a fullers ●e am , as james the lords brother . a saw , as isaiah . a stone , as pyrrhus . a thunder-bolt , as amistatius . what should i speak of felones de se , such as have thrown away their souls . sardanapalus made a great fire , and leaped into it . luoretia stabbed her self . cleopatra put an aspe to her breast stung therewith , dyed presently ; saul fell upon his own sword . judas hanged himself : deronius cut his own veins . heremius bear out his own brains . licinius choaked himself with a napkin . dortia dyed by swallowing hot burning coals . hannibal sucked poyson out of his ring . demosthenes out of his pen , &c. what seemeth so loose as the soul in the body , which is plucked out with an hair , driven out with a smell , frayed out with a phansie ? verily that seemeth to bee but a breath in the nostrils , which is taken away with a scent ; a shadow , which is driven away with a scare-crow ; a dream , which is frayed away with a phansie ; a vapour which is driven away with a pusse ; a conceit which goes away with a passion , a toy that leaves us with a laughter ; yet grief killed homer ; laughter philemon ; a hait in his milk , fabius ; a flye in his throat , adrian ; a smell of lime in his nostrils , jovi●● ; the snufte of a candle a childe in pliny ; a kernel of a raison anacreon ; and an icesickle one in martial , which caused the poet to melt into tears , saying , onbimors non est , si jugulatis aque ? what cannot make an end of us , if a small drop of water congealed can do it ? in these regards wee may turn the affirmative in the cor. . . into a negative , and say truly , though not in the apostles sense , o death where is not thy sting ? for wee see it thrust out in out meats , in our drinks , in our apparrel , in our breath , in the court , in the country , in the city , in the field , in the land , in the sea , in the chamber , in the church , and in the church-yard . domiviam potest a● est ●um utendi 〈◊〉 abutend● . justinian . god may lend thee out even to satah , suffer thee to bee his bayli●●e , and his instrument to the vexation of others : so hee lent out st. paul to the scribes and pharisees , to serve them in their persecutions ; so god may lend thee out . god may let thee out for a time to them that shall plough and harrow thee , fell , and cleave thee , and reserve to himself but a little rent , a little glory , in thy patience ; so hee let out job even to satan himself ; so god may let thee out , god may mortgage thee to a six months fever , or to a longer debilit ; so he mortgaged hezekias . god may lay thee waste , and pull-up thy fences , and extinguish their power , or with-draw their love , upon whom thou hast established thy dependance ; so hee laid david waste , when hee with-drew his childrens obedience from him ; so god may lay thee waste . god may let out all his time in thee in this world , and reserve to himself onely a last year , a last day , a last minute , suffer thee in unrepented sins to the last gasp ; so god let out the good , theef . god is lord of all that thou hast and art ; and then hee that is lord owner , proprietary , may do with that which is his , what , he will. but god will not , cannot devest his domirsion , nor sell thee so , as not to reserve a power , and a will to redeem thee , if thou wouldest bee redeemed . for howsoever hee seem to thee , to have sold thee to sin , to sadness , to sickness , to superstition , ( for these bee the ishmalites , these bee the midianite merchants , that buy up our josephs , our souls ) though hee seem to sell his present estate , hee will not sell reversions , his future title to thee by a future repentance , hee will not sell , but whensoever thou shalt grow due to him , by a new , land a true repentance , hee shall re-assume thee into his bed , and his bosome , no bill of divorce , and re-enter thee into his revenue , and his audit , no bill of sale , shall stand up to thy prejudice , but thy dejected spirit shall spirit shall bee raised from thy consternation to a holy cheerfulness , and a peaceful alacrity , and no tentation shall offer a reply to this question , which god makes to establish thy conscience , ubi libellus , where is the bill of thy mothers divorcement , &c. isa . . . unde illi cura cordis cui ne ipsa quidem adhuc ●ris circumspectia . bernard . pou● domine custodiam ori meo , was the prayer of david , set a watch before my lips . and in the law of mases , the vessel that had not the coveting fastened to it , was unclean ; and therefore the inner parts of a fool are resembled to a broken vessel , which hath neither part entire , nor covering . hee can keep no knowledge while hee liveth , eccles . . . hereupon those more nobly bred amongst the romans , learned first to hold their peace , and afterwards to speak . for hee is an ill treasurer of his own thoughts , that keeps not the doors of his lips shut ; and that heart is never locked fast upon any secret , where a profuse tongue layes interest to the key . and therefore nature hath provided well by fortisying this member , more than any part of the body , setting a garrison of the strong and stout men about it , eccles . . doubly intrenching it with lips and teeth , not so much to oppose a forreign invasion , as to allay mutinies within , for the tongue is an unruly member , and sides much with the perverseness of our will ; and therefore reason should keep strict sentinel upon it , and as well direct , as guard it . nature hath proportioned us a double ear and eye to a single tongue , and reason interprets instantly . wee should hear , and see twice , ere wee speak once natum esse dee sempiternum est . to bee born with god , is to bee eternal with god , spoken by st. austin against the arrians , and the father opens himself by his old similitude , sicut splendor qui gignitur ab igne , as light which is begotten of fire , and defused , is co-equal with the fire , and would bee co-eternal too , if fire were eternal ; so the son with the father , this being before all time , the other must kiss in the same everlastingness . the father thinking his reason built too slenderly doth buttress ( as it were ) and back it with the authority of an apostle , such an apostle as was sometimes a persccutor , and therefore his authority most potent against a persecutor where hee stiles christ , the power and wisdome of god. if the son of god bee the power and wisdome of god ; and that god was never without power and wisdome ; how can wee scant the son of a co-eternity with the father ? for either wee must grant that there was alwayes a son , or that god had sometimes no wisdome , and impudence , or madness , were never at such a growth of blasphemy , as to belch the latter . if the reverend allegation of a learned prelate , or those more sacred of an apostle , cannot bring up the mouth of a malicious heretick , hear the voyce of a prophet , and a father warbling upon that too . before mee there was no other god , and after mee there shall bee none , isa . . . quis hoc dicit , pater an filius ? ( saith ambrose ) who is here , the speaker ; the father , or the son ( hee cometh over him with a subtil dilemma ) if the son , thus hee saith , before mee there was no other cod ; if the father , after mee ( saith hee ) these shall bee none : for both the father in the son , and the son in the father must bee known ; when thou namest a father , thou hast also designed a son , because no man is a father to himself ; when thou namest a son , thou confessest also a father , for no man is son to himself , the son therefore can neither subsist without the father , nor the father without the son , the one being from everlasting , wee may not depose the other from the like omnipotency . vereor ne dum propter te fugis , propter alios sis in pericul● apud dominum . athan. in epist . ad drac . to avoid all occasions of publick service for the church under a pretence of humility , or recluseness , speaks ( too broadly ) the delinquent , refractory ; your anchorite that digs his grave in speculation meerly , and your moale that is earthed wholly in an affected solitariness , are not liable so properly to obscurity , as death , such elaborateness tends not to perfection , but disease ; and wee finde an apoplexy , and sleep , no less on their endeavours than in their name ; all knowledge is dusted with them , and it is no more a nursery of vertues , but a tomb. and ( indeed ) such s●lk-worms spin themselves into flyes , disanimate heartlesse flyes , fit neither for church , nor common-wealth . the laurel , and honour of all secular designes , is the execution , and the happiness of those sacred ones is not intayled barely to the knowledge of them , but to that fac & vives , and that not at home onely in thy particular intendments , but abroad also in thy services for the church ; so that hee that retreats at any alarm , or summons of his god , for the common affairs of the church , to hug , and enjoy himself in his solitary ends , runs himself on the shelves of a rough censure , that of the father to his dracontius . to stand by , and give aim only whilst others shoot , and thou thy self no mark-man , proclaimes thy laziness , if not thy impotency . what a nothing is thy arme , thy bow , thy shaft ? if not practised , nor bent , nor drawn up ; or if so glorious a mark , the church , why not levelled at ? either shee must bee unworthy of thy travel , or thine of her . if therefore this thy mother implore thy aid ( so augustine counsels his indoxi●s ) on the one side , have not ambition on the other , lean not to a l●●ie refusal , weigh not thine own idleness with the necessities and greatness of her burthens , to which ( whiles shee is in travel ) if no good men will administer their help , certe quomodo nasceremini non inveniretis , god must then invent new wayes for our new birth . occidar modo imperet . tacit. annals . ammbition whither wilt thou ? nay , whither wilt thou not ? to the pinacle of the temple for the glory of the world , though thou tumble for it to thy eternal ruine . the greek philosopher eudorus will beg of the gods , that hee may behold the sun so near , as to comprehend the form , beauty , greatness of it , and afterwards hee cares not if hee burn , as if there were no such martyrdome as what ambition fites . let mee bee killed , so that hee may reign , was the resolution of agrippina for her nero. but lo , how the event crowns the unsatiateness of her desires ; hee gains the kingdome , and first digged out those bowels which had fostered him , and then that heart which was the throne of such an aspiring thought , cruelty , shall i call it , or justice , when the vain-glory of the mother was penanced with the unnatralness of the son . thus lofty mindes ( furnished with a strong hope of the success of their designes ) have imbarked themselves into great actions , and proposing humane ends , as scales to their high thoughts , have been wasted into strange promotions , but after they have ( a while ) spangled in that their firmament of honour , they become falling stars , and so the success proves as in-glorious as the enterprise was bold and desperate . wee have seldome met with any eminency that was sudden and permanent : those which in their dawn of fortune break so gloriously , meet with a storm at noon , or else a cloud at night . the sun that rises in a grey and sullen morning , sets clearest : and indeed , ambion is too hasty , and is hurried violently to the end it aims at , without cautiousness , and circumspection to the mean ; but humility hath a calm , and temperate pace , and stoops it along in a gentle posture , yet at length attains her mark , but slowly , as if it went unwilling to honour , and sleighted those proffers which others sue for . primatus fugientem desiderat desideratum horret . chrisol . it is a trick of primacy to fawn where it is not crouched to , but look coy where it is over-courted ; like some weather-cock which in a constant and churlish wind break fairly towards us , but in a wanton blast-turn tail . hence it is that in matters of authority , and preheminence , pride hath for the most part the foil , humility the conquest , that stoops basely to the title , or the profit , and loses either , this in a modest distance , keeps a loof , till worth invite it , and at length gains both ; fo that it is in wayes of promotion , as in some water-works , where one engine raises it to make it fall more violently , another beats it down that it might mount higher . the advice then of st. peter comes seasonably here , humble your selves under the mighty hand of god , that he may exalt you in due time , pet. . . the words are not without the strength of emphasis , here is an humiliaini crowned with an ut exaltet , humble your selves that hee may exalt , as if humility were so necessary a disposition to preferment , that without it god might not exalt . habet hoc vitium omnis ambitio , non respicit . seneca . the thirst of eminency is head-strong , and runs with a loose bridle . it is to see much below satiety , that it still desires , nay it is hungry even in surfeit , and is sharpned with the fruition of that it coveted , so that the birth of this childe , is but the conception of another , one honour rooms not the greatness of his thought , and an ambitious desire seldome anchors any where , but goes on still with a full sall , till it hath compassed the cape it is bound for . this man makes government the stall both of his pride and tyranny , his projects are loftily cruel , so are his actions too , yet still in a hot scent of promotion , which ( if they want a trumpet for others commendation ) shall borrow one from his own , and so at one applaud his designes , and justifie them . and indeed this titilation , and itch of honour , if it once finde in the bosome of the receiver a fair admittance , doth smoothly insinuate , and cheat upon the powers of reason ; but when it is throughly seated , and enthroned there , it is no more a guest , but a tyrant , and leaves the possessor , not a master , but a captive ; and in this case , i know not whether st. augustine will pity his anrelius , or excuse him , quod si cuiquam facile sit gloriam non cupere dum n●gatur difficile est ea non delectari cum offertur , in his . epistle . however the father seems there to plead onely for the delight in glories offered , not in the unjust prosecution of those denied . si nil attuleris , ibis homere for as . ovid. in wayes of sufficiency , and worth , it is the si nil attuleris , damps the preferment ; the age can instance , in some languishing and weak in their intellectuals , men without sap , or kernel , who ( having their store-house well fraught with that white and red earth ) have stumbled on the glories of the time , as if fortune would make them happy in despite of vertue ; when others of christs followers ( were truly his disciples ) are sent abroad with their ite & predicate , bare footed , without bag or scrip , but their commission large , omni creaturae , the wide world is their place of residence ; no particular roof to shelter them , or place of rotiredness to lay their head in . nay some that have served a triple apprentiship to arts and sciences , and spent in these our athens the strength of their time , and patrimony , men throughly ballasted for those high designes , well kerned both in years and judgement , hee mouldring for non-imployment , and dashed for slowness of promotion , when others of cheap , and thin abilities , men without growth or bud of knowledge , have met with the honours of advancement , and trample on those dejected book-worms which dissolve themselves into industry for the service of their church , yet meet neither with her pomp , no● her revenue ; nay , some that have wasted their lamp , and burnt their taper to an inch of years , have spent those fortunes in the travels of divinity , which would largely have accommodated them for more secular courses , and enforced to retire themselves to the solitariness of some ten pounds cure , and so spin out the remainder of their age in a discontented contemplation of their misfortunes : and ( i pray god ) not in a murmuring against his church . where the fault lyes , hee that hath but slenderly trans●iqued with the occurrences of the time , may judge . spiritual promotions are slow of foo● , and come for the most part halting , or in a by-way . times more than calamitous , when the inheritance and patrimony of the church shall bee thus leased to avarice and folly , when these her honours which shee intails upon desert , shall bee heaped upon a golden ignorant , who rudely treads on those sacred prerogatives . strange monument of weakness , he that reels under his own burthen , stoops to be opprest with the weight of others , and loe how hee tumbles to a mortal sin ( the school-men do stile it so ) directly opposite to a pair of vertues , justice , chastity ; unjust , that the revenues due to worth , should be packed upon bulkless and unable persons , and uncharitable for him to undertake the guidance and pasturing of a flock who was never trained up in the conditions of a shepherd . neither is hee an enemy only of a double vertue , but a companion of two such sins , which seem to brave , and dare the almighty to revenge on the prophan●r , inc●usion , perjury ; first , in rushing on the profession not legitimately called ; then in purchasing her honours . pompa mortis magis terret , quam mors ipsa . seneca . vvhy should this sad toil of mortality dishearten us ? groans and sighs , and convulsions , are the bodies passing-bells , no less customary , than natural , and more horrid in the circumstance , than the thing , the retinue and complement of death , speaks more terrour , than the act . the adversary , the judge , the sentence , the jaylor , the executioner , more daunt the malefactor , than the very stroke , and cleft of dissolution . are wee so foolish as to fear that ( sayes the heathen ) which will dash or split us in the whole , no , it is the port which we ought one day to desire , never to refuse ; into which ( if any have been cast in their younger years ) they need repine no more than one , which with a short cut hath ended his navigation . for there are some whom slacker winds mock , and detain , and weary with the gentle tediousness of a peaceable calm ; others swifter wafted by sudden gusts , whom life hath rather ravished thither , than sent , which had they a time delayed , by some flattering intermissions , yet at length , must of necessity strike sail to it . some faint-hearted adrian will ( to his power ) linger it , and fearfully expostulate with a parting soul . quae nunc abib is in loca , pallidula , rigida , nudula ? as if the divorce from the body were everlasting , and there should not bee ( one day ) a more glorious contract . when a confident hilarian , shall dare all those grisly assaults , soul get thee out , thou hast seventy years served christ , and art thou now loath to dye ? again some spruce agag , or hem'd amalakite , would bee palsie-struck with an amara mors , death is bitter , death , mors , death is bitter , death is bitter , sam. . when a lubentius , and a maximinus have their breast-plate on , with a domine parati sumus ▪ wee are ready to lay off our garments the flesh : and indeed , saith st. austin , boughs fall from trees , and stones out of buildings ; and why should it seem strange that mortals dye ; some have welcomed death , some met it in the way , some baffeld it in sickness , persecution , torments . i instance not in that of basil , to the arrianated val●ns ( it is too light ) that of vincentius was more remarkable , who with an unabated constancy thus shuns the rage of his merciless executioner , thou shalt see the spirit of god strength●n the tormented , more than the devil can the hands of the tormenter . and that you may know a true martyrdome , is not dashed either at the expectation , or the sense of torture ; as barlaam will hold his hand over the very flame of the altar , and sport out the horridness of such a death , with that of the psalmist , thou hast ●aught my hands to war , and my fingers to fight . seeing then wee are compalsed with such a cloud of witnesses , what should scare a true apostle from his cupio dissolvi ? let us take his resolution , and his counsel too , lay aside every weight , and run with patience the race set before us , heb. ● . iniquitatem damnare novit deus , non facere . august . god knows how to judge , not commit a crime , and to dispose , not mould it , and is often the father of the punishment , not the fact . hence it is that the dimness of humane apprehension conceives that oftentimes a delinquency in god , which is a monster of our own frailty , making god not onely to foreknow , but predestinate an evil , when the evil is both by growth and conception ours , and if ought savour of goodness in us , it is gods , not ours , yet ours too , as derivative from god , who is no less the patron of all goodness , than the creator ; and it is as truly impossible for him to commit evill , as it was truly miraculous to make all that hee had made good . and therefore ter●ulli●● in his first book , de tri●●●●●● , makes it a non potest fieri , a matter beyond the list and reach of possibility that hee should bee artifex mali operis , the promoter and ingineer of a depraved act , who chalengeth to himself , the title no less of an unblemished father than of a judge . if any then fall off from goodness , hee is hurried no less with the violence of his own perswasion than concupiscence , and in those desperate affairs , gods will is neither an intermedler nor co-partner ; cujus ope scimus multos ne laberentur retentos , nullos ut laberentur impulsos , saith aug. by whose hand of providence , wee know many to bee supported that they might not fall , none impelled that they should : and in his answer to that fourteenth article , falsely supposed to bee his fieri non potest , ut per quem a peecatis surgitur per eum ad peecata decidatur , for one and the self-same goodness to bee the life and death of the self-same sin , is so much beyond improbability that it is impossible ; let this then satisfie our desire of knowledge , et ab illo esse quod flatur , & non ab illo esse quod ruitur ; that his providence is the staffe and crutch on which wee so lean , that wee yet stand our corrupt affections , the bruised and broken reed , on which if wee so lean , wee fall . if any then go onward in the true rode of divine graces , no doubt , but the finger of the almighty points out his way to true happiness ; but if hee wander in the by-paths of a vitious and depraved dissoluteness , his own corrupt affections becken him to ruine . how then can wee without sacriledge and robbing of divine honour , make god the father of so foul and unwashed a crime as obduration , perditio tua ex te israel , if destruction dog thee , thank thy corrupt affections , not blame thy maker , for hee doth but leave thee , and they harden . to lay then with some depraved libertines , the weight and burthen of our sins on the shoulder of predestination , and make that the womb of those foul-enormities , may well pass for an infirmity , not for an excuse . for though god from eternity knew how to reward every man either by crown or punishment ▪ yet hee never enjoyned any man either ● necessity , or a will to sin . compeseat se humana temerit as & id quod non est non qu●rat , ne id quod est , non inveniat . august . mortal thoughts should not carry too lofty a sail , but take heed how they cut the narrow streights and passages of divine predestination . a busie prying into this ark of gods secrets , as it is accompanied with a full blown insolence , so with danger ; humility here is the first stair to safety , and a modest knowledge stands constantly wondring , whilst the proud apprehension staggers , and tumble● too , here is a sea unnavigable , and a gulph so scorning fathom , that our apostle himself was driven to his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . o depth , and in a rapture , more of astonishment , than contemplation , hee stiles it the sacrament and mystery of his will , being so ●ull of unknown turnings and m●●nders , that if a naked reason hold the clue , wee are rather involved , than guided in so strange a labyrinth . to inquire then the cause of gods will , were an act of lunacy , not of judgement . for every efficient cause is greater than the effect . now there is nothing greater than the will of god , and therefore no cause thereof . for if there were , there should something pre-occupate that will , which to conceive were sinful , to beleeve blasphemous . if any then suggested by a vain-glorious inquiry , should ask why god did elect this man , and not that , wee have not onely to resolve , but to fore-stall so beaten an objection , because hee would ; but why would god do it ? here is a question as guilty of reproof as the author , which : seeks a cause of that , beyond , or without which , there is no cause found ; where the apprehension wheels , and reasonruns giddy in a doubtful gyre . here a sorupulous and humane rashness should bee hush●d , and not search for that which is not , lest it finde not that which is : let him that can discry the wonders of the lord in this great deep , but let him take heed hee sinks not down then with this aspiring thought , this ambitious desire of hidden knowledge , and make not curiosity the picklock of divine secrets , know that such mysteries are doubly barred up in the coffers of the almighty , which thou mayest strive to violate , not open , and therefore if thou wilt needs trespass upon the diety , dig not in its bosome ; a more humble adventure , suits better with the condition of a worm , scarce a man , or if so exposed to frailty . it is a fit task and imployment for mortality to contemplate his works , not sift his mysteries , and admire his goodness , not blur his justice . if any therefore stagger at those unfathomed mysteries of gods election and predestination , and his reason and apprehension bee struck dead at the contemplation of gods eternal , but hidden projects ; let him season a little his amazement with adoration , and at last solace his distempered thoughts with that of gregory , qui in fact is dei , &c. in the abstruse and dark mysteries of god , hee that sees not a reason , if hee sees his own infirmity , hee sees a sufficient reason why hee should not see . mee thinks this should cloy the appetite of a greedy inquisition , and satisfie the distrust of any , but of too querulous a disposition , which with the eye of curiosity prying too nicely into the closest of gods secrets , are no less dazeled than blinded , if not with profanation , heresie . divine secrets should rather transport us with wonder , than prompt us to inquiry , and bring us on our knees to acknowledge the infiniteness both of gods power and will , than ransack the bosome of the almighty , for the revealing of his intents . is it not blessedness enough that god hath made thee his steward , though not his secretary . will no mansion in heaven content thee , but that which is the throne and chair for omnipotency to sit on ? no treasury but that which is the cabinet and store-house of his own secrets ? worm and no man , take heed how thou struglest with thy maker . expostulation with god , imports no less peremptoriness , than danger ; and if angels fell for pride of emulation , where wilt thou tumble for this pride of inquiry ? as in matters therefore of unusual doubt , where truth hath no verdict , probability finds audience . so in those obstruct and narrow passages of gods will , where reason cannot inform thee , beleef is thy best intelligencer , and if that want a tongue , make this thy interpreter ; so thou mayest evade with less distrust , i am sure with more safety . etsi domine ego commisi unde me damnare potes , ●u tamen non aml●sisti unde me salvare potes . anselm . o blessed jesus , though i have committed those transgressions for which thou mayest condemn me , yet thou hast not lost those compassions by which thou mayest save mee . and therefore if our souls were insuch a streight that wee saw hell opening her mouth upon us , like the red sea , before the israelites ; the damned and ugly feinds pursuing us behinde like the egyptians ; on the right hand , and on the left , death and sea , ready to ingulf us ; yet upon a broken heart , and undisguised sorrow , would i speak to you in the confidence of moses , stand still , and behold the salvat●on of the lord. thou then which art opprest with the violence and clamor of thy sin● , and wantest an advocate either to intercede , or pity , hear the voyce of the lamb cry unto th●e , i will hear thee out of my holy hill . is any heavily loaden with the weight of his offences , or groans under the yoak and tyranny of manifold temptations , come unto mee , i will refresh thee . doth any hunger after righteousness , behold , i am the bread of life , take eat , here is my body . doth any thirst after the wayes of grace ? loe i am a living spring , come drink , here is my bloud , my bloud , that was shed for many for the remission of sins ; for many , not for all . hath sin dominion over thee , or doth it reign in thy mortal heart ? are the wounds of thy transgressions so deep , that they cannot bee searched , or so old , that they corrupt , and putrifie , here is that good samaritan that will either binde them up , or pour in oyl ; but art thou not yet dead in trespasses , are not thy ulcers past cure ? are there any seeds of true life remaining ? is there any motion of repentance in thy soul● , will thy pulse of remorse beat a little , hast thou but a touch of sorrow , a spark of contrition , a grain of faith ? know there is oyl of comfort for him that mourns in sion , isa . . . not a tear drops from thee in sincerity , which is either unpitied , or unpreserved , god puts it into his bottle . on the other side , is there a pharoah in thee , a heart unmollified , a stone that will not be bruised , a flint unmalleable ? i , both mourn for it , and leave it . but is this heart of stone taken away ? and is there given thee a heart of flesh , is it soft and tender with remorse , truly sacrificed to sorrow , then know there is balm of gilead , for the broken heart , balm that will both refresh and cure it . t●●● then which groanest in thy spirit , and art drawn out as it were into contrition for thy sins , thou which hast washed thy hands in innocency , go cheerfully to the altar of thy god , and cry with old anselm , etsi domine ego commisi unde me damnare potes , tu tamen non amifisti unde me salvare potes . qui pectus suum tundit & se non corrigit , aggravat peccata , non tollit . august . vvhere there is an outward percussion of the breast , without remorse of the inward man , there is rather an aggravation of sin , than a release . that subtle fallacy of the eye , pointing towards heaven ; that base hypocrisie of the knee , kissing the earth ; that seeming austerity of thy hand , martyring thy breast ; gains from god neither applause nor blessing , but the curse of the pharisee , whose example would have chid thee to such an outside of devotion : is then thy repentance disguised ? hath it a touch of dissimulation in it ? is not thy old corruption clean disgorged , but must thou again to thy former vomit ? hypocrite , thy altar is without fire , thine incense without smoak , it shall never touch the nostrils of the almighty , thy prayers in his ears sound like brass , and tinckle like an ill-tuned cymbal ; all this formality of zeal is but a disease of the lip , give mee thy heart , my son , saith god , prov. . i will have that or nothing , and that clean too , washed both from deceit and guilt . those blanchings and guildings , and garnishings of external zeal , are as odious in the eye of god , as those of body in a true christian : this gloss , this paint of demureness , speaks but our whoredomes in religion , and the integrity of that man is open , both to censure and suspicion , that is exposed either to the practice of it , or the approbation . a villain is a villain , howsoever his garb or habit speak him otherwise , and an hypocrite is no less , though sleeked over with an external sanctity , and dressed in the affectations of a preciser cut . let us bee truly that what wee seem to bee , and not seem what wee are not ; let there bee doors , and casements in our breasts , that men may see the loyalty betwixt our heart and tongue , and how our thoughts whisper to our tongue , and how our tongue speaks them to the world . away with those meteors , and false-fires of religion , which not onely by-paths us in a blinded zeal , but mis-leads others in our steps of error . let us then put off the old man in our pride , vain-glory , envy , malice , hatred , and ( that foul disease of the times ) hypocrisie , and let us put on the new man in sincerity , faith , repentance , sobriety , brotherly-kindness , and ( what without it disparages the tongue both of men and angels ) charity : that so at length wee may receive that everlasting benediction , come yee children , in herit the kingdome prepared for you from the beginning of the world . bonum causatur ex integra causa , malum autem ex singularib us defectibus . tho. aquin. god expects perfection , perfection of parts , where man expects acceptance . now as unto that which is good , so unto that which is perfect , there must bee an intire concurrence of all requisites . the defect , or want of any one thing required , may cause an imperfection , but to the constitution of perfection , there must bee a meeting of all things required ; it will appear in the cause specified , lev. , . the sacrifices of beeves , or of sheep , there mentioned , must bee perfect . now if the beast had wanted but any one part , an eye , an ear , an horn , an hoof , any one of these defects had caused an imperfection , and the sacrifice had been imperfect , and so no acceptance of it . but now to have made it perfect , to bee accepted , it must have all , and every one of the parts , every member of the body in its number , and proportion . now the equity holds in all duties of worship . to what end is our worship , if not accepted ; if wee will have it accepted , wee must have it perfect , there must bee all these things in it that god requires . now god requires in worship , not onely that wee use his ordinance , but his order , as outward , so inward . now when there is this perfection that god requires , then may a blessing and acceptance bee expected . but if that order , that spiritual order which god calls for , bee wanting , if wanting in any one part of it , there the duty is imperfect , there no acceptance can bee looked for , but rather a breach . wee may see it exemplified in the law of the peace-offerings , levit. . first , see the ordinance of god , vers . , , . there is the substance of the sacrifice prescribed , then the order is , that they bee eaten in due time , vers . . it shall bee eaten the same day that hee offers his sacrifice , that the flesh bee clean , vers . . and the flesh that touches any unclean thing , shall not bee eaten . that the persons that do eat it must bee clean , vers . . and as for the flesh , all that bee clean shall eat thereof ; that is , all that eat thereof must bee clean , as appears by that which follows , vers . . so then as here is the ordinance prescribed , so the order of eating , that they may bee eaten purely , that pure things bee eaten , that they bee eaten of pure persons ; there peace-offerings thus eaten , were accepted , because here was perfection from the concurrence , and integrity of the causes constituring perfection . but now if any one of these things were missing in point of order , it made them imperfect , and so unacceptable . if not purely in regard of time , though p●re flesh , and eaten by pure persons ; yet no blessing , no acceptance , but a breach , vers . . it shall not bee accepted , it shall bee an abomination , and the soul that eateth of it , shall bear his iniquity . if not pure flesh eaten , though by pure persons , yet not onely no acceptance and blessing , but an uncomfortable breach , even that soul shall bee cut off from his people , vers . , . sacramenta sunt fodinae gratiae , dispositio est vasculum gratiae , promajore dispositione , & affectu tuo majorem gratiam reportabis . euseb . fill the mens sacks with food as much as they can carry , sayes joseph to his steward , gen. . . look how they came prepared with sacks and beasts , so they were sent back with corn : the greater , and the more sacks they had prepared , the more corn they carry away : if they had prepared but small sacks , and a few , they had carried away the less . a prepared heart is a vessel that shall bee filled at the sacrament . open thy mouth wide , and i will fill it , psal . . . now the more or less the heart is prepared , the greater or lesser is the vessel . according to the size and capacity of the vessel , shall it bee filled . fill such mens hearts with spiritual blessings , with vertue from christ , with the comforts of the holy ghost , sayes the lord at the sacrament , fill them with spiritual food as full as they can hold , as much as they can carry . what a sweet comfort is that ? who desires not to carry away from the sacrament as much as may bee ? then bee careful to prepare our hearts , and prepare them to the purpose , the larger is our preparation , the larger is our vessel , the larger our vessel , the larger is our largess and dole at the sacrament . if wee carry not away as much as wee would , it is our own fault , that by preparation wee did not furnish our selves with a more capacious vessel . the poor pittances that many go from the sacrament withall , make them droop when they are gone . they may thank themselves ; for if josaphs brethren had brought small sacks , they could not have carried away much corn out of egypt . let men come with hearts so prepared as they should , and they shall bee laden and filled with as much as they can carry . quicquid recipitur , recipitur ad modum recipientis . aristotle . sacraments work according to that disposition wherein they finde such as receive them . such as are the receivers , so prove the sacraments unto them . it is in this case as it was with the woman under jealousie , and suspicion of uncleanness , drinking the cursed waters , numb . . , . and when hee hath made her to drink the water , then it shall come to pass , that if shee bee defiled , &c. look then as the woman was , such was the work of the water . if shee were clean , the water did her no hurt ; nay , it did her good , shee conceived seed , shee became fruitfull , but if shee were defiled and unclean , it wrought with a mischief , her belly did swell , her t●igh did rot , and shee became a curse . it is so in receiving the sacrament . as men are that receive it , so is the work and efficacy of it , either for good or hurt , either for bain or blessing ; if a man bee prepared with repentance , and so bee clean , then the sacrament brings a blessing , it makes a man fruitful . but if a man bee defiled , and unclean , as every impenitent sinner is , then it banes and mischiefes him , hee proves a more rotten , and wretched sinner than before . an unwholesome and diseased stomach that every food it receives , it alters , and rather nourishes the disease , than the body , and turns wholesome nourishment to matter of grief and vexation . so an impenitent soul coming to gods ordinance in its fins and defilement , doth but turn the wholesome nutriment of the sacrament to the feeding of its disease , and the increasing of its own sorrow and mischief ; as the water that made the clean woman fruitful , made the unclean woman swell and rot . god curses the sacrament to an impenitent , defiled person , and so makes a sad breach upon him instead of a blessing . pertunte sole , pereunt omnia . seneca . for a man to bee stupid and senseless under corporal afflictions , argues a very ill temper of spirit ; but for a man to be stupid and senseless under spiritual afflictions , under such a spiritual affliction , as this , the loss of the son , the loss of christ as a comforter , argues a very ill temper of spirit indeed . strive therefore , o deserted stupid soul , to affect thine heart throughly with thy loss ; thou hast lost more than job when hee had lost children , substance , health , honours , and friends ; nay , thou hast lost more , than if thou hadst lost this world ; nay , thou hast lost more , than if thou hadst lost thy life ; which is of more worth than the world ; thou hast lost christ , which is richer than the world , and sweeter than thy life . what an infinite loss were it to this world to lose the sun ? it were at once to lose all . pereunte sole , pereunt omnia ; for all things serviceable for the use of man , depend upon the motion and influence of that glorious body . what a loss then is it to the lesser world , to lose christ the son of righteousness ? it is to lose all good at once , for soul and body . all graces close and wither , when christ departs , as all fragrant flowers , when the sun withdraws his influence . and when these flowers wither in the soul , a man is a moving dunghil , that stinks in the nostrils of god and man where ever hee comes . a man that hath lost christ , may truly say , as shee when the ark was lost , that his glory is departed . as the sun in the glory of the greater world ; so christ the son of righteousness , is the glory of the lesser world , to wit , man. thou hast lost that in the world , that is more worth than the world , and which all the world can never help thee to . thou hast lost that which would make the worst condition in this life , a heaven , whereas the best without it , is but a hell ; thou hast lost that which would have been to thy soul a continual feast ; whereas now thy soul is in a continuall famine and leanenesse . thou hast lost thy spirits , and thy soul as in a dead-palsie , so that thou art a living dead-man , fit for no spiritual service . thou hast lost thy head , thou hast lost thy eyes , thou hast lost thy hands , thou hast lost thy cloathing ; nay , thou hast lost thy best father , thy best husband , thy best friend ; all , all this , and much more comfort is christ to man. thou hast great reason then , o deserted soul , to lay to heart thy loss . ignis focalis immateriale non urit . aristoteles . the sorrows of hell are such as principally torture the spirit . the fire which wee make , can onely burn , and torture the bodies of men , because this onely of man is material ; immaterials , as the souls of men are , our fire cannot fasten upon , but that strange fire , which god hath kindled in hell for all that disobey him , burns the souls of men , though immaterial substances . nay , so strange is that fire , that it burns these immaterial substances most fiercely , as being the most sinfull part of man ; for it is onely sin that pitches and defiles the soul , and makes it combustible ; which otherwise would never burn if all the fiery artists of hell did blow the bellows . now just such is that fire which conscience kindles upon the breach of integrity , to wit , a fire that burns inwardly , and consumes the marrow of the bones , and drinks up the spirits . the arrows which conscience shuts in upon a man , upon the breach of sincerity , are such as pierce principally the spirit . as long as job was patient under gods hand , hee felt the arrows of the almighty , onely without him , as i may say , to wit , in his body , in his children , and substance ; but when hee brake out , and cursed his day , hee presently complains that hee felt the arrows of god within him , and that the poyson of them drank up his spirits , job . . all that which before hee felt without , was nothing to that which hee now felt within upon his spirit . as the torments which damned wretches shall suffer in their bodies , are nothing to those which shall continually flye up and down in their souls . so david , after hee had made breaches in his integrity , god filled his loynes with loathsome diseases ; but this was nothing to speak of ; god made things strike into his heart , and then hee roared , i am feeble , and sore broken , i have roared by reason of the [ disquietness of my heart . ] david felt pains gather about his heart , and then hee cryes out . the heart is the mark that god principally aims at , when a christian hath turned aside from his upright course ; other outward parts hee may hit , and deeply wound , but this is but to make holes into the heart , where the seat of unsoundness that principally offends him , is . the fire which conscience kindles , it may flash forth into the eyes , and tongue , and hands , and make a man look fearfully , speak desperately , and do bloodily against the body ; but the heat of the fire is principally within , in the furnace , in the spirit ; it is but some sparkles , and flashes onely , that you see come forth at the lower holes of the furnace , which you behold in the eyes , words , and deeds of such men . invidia est vitium permanens . aristoteles . envy is a long lived thing , it will live as long as there is any marrow in the bones ; it will hunt a david long , through ziph , en-gedi , many wildernesses , though never so long ; it will finde a dart to throw at a david , till it hath killed him , or stabbed it selfe . envy fights desperately , and unweariedly , it will never give over as long as there is breath ; it will eat no bread till it hath done its work , killed a paul , or sterved it self . envy is all spirit , all evill spirits move ; it is a spirit of the right breed for the devil , it will fight , and fight till death ; it will work to the utmost vires , as long as nerves and sinewes binde bones together ; it is everlasting burning , which nothing will quench but its own blood . ab extremis miseriae , quies . seneca . i would speak to such from this sentence which are quite undone , which have lost all mony and joy too ; which have many sufferings upon them for christ , but can make no joy out of them . surely i can guess your pain , you are blinde ; you know not who hath stript you , not when hee will return it again . it is impossible for a man to joy under long suffering , unless a man can look to the end of it . this makes heavy afflictions light , long afflictions short , to look where they end . — our light afflictions which indure but for a moment , work about a far more exceeding , and an eternal weight of glory . long-suffering is but a moment , when compared with eternity of glory . the great heaven at a distance , makes a little heaven at present , a heaven in hell , to that soul which hath it in its eye . as those lower heavens , give a great lustre and vigor at a distance to beholders , and raise much ; so doth the heaven of heavens . it is a heaven to behold heaven afar off , where ever the body bee . it was canaan to moses , to see canaan afar off . the fight of the end shortens the way ; suffering is deadly long when a man can see no end , when a man is in darkness , and can see no light , it is hard to bring the soul to joy in such darkness . a man must look upon affliction from one end to the other , that would fetch in joy to his soul from suffering . at one end of long suffering for truth , is a father ; at the other end , a reward , which if seen well , will make the longest suffering very short , and very sweet . media gratiae , ordinem creationis subeunt . aquinas . the means of grace have the order of creation stamped upon them ; christ , the great wheel , that turns all other wheels of our salvation , is made unto us , what hee is , and made of god — who of god is made unto us , wisdome , righteousness , &c. cor. . . christ is a full sea indeed , but not a drop to us , but as made of god. so wee are made able ministers of the new testament , not of the letter , but of the spirit . could such a poor man as i , by speaking a while to the ear , turn the heart from sin to christ , did not a creating blessing sit on my lips ? divine institutions have the formality of a creation in them , because they have what they have , and doe what they doe , from supreme power onely , above all cause and reason : therefore are institutions and means of grace , not so much as mentioned , col. . . giving thanks to the father [ who hath m●●e us meet ] to bee partakers of that inheritance of the saints in light . onely the father is here mentioned ; means are so beside likelihood and reason , to so noble an end , as to make and fit souls for heaven , giving thanks to the [ father ] who hath [ made ] &c. none else worthy to bee so much as mentioned in this noble work . alterius perditio sit tua cautio . isidor . for the wickedness of them that dwell therein , it is that a fruitful land is turned into a wilderness , saith david , psal . . and the heathen historian saith little less , when hee tells us that the ruine and rubbish of troy , are set by god before the eyes of men , for an example of that rule , that great sins , have great punishments . but now say the learned , not to bee warned by others , is a sure presage of ruine . scipio beheld , and bewayled the down-fall of rome , 〈◊〉 the destruction of carthage : and when hannibal was beleagureing saguntum in spain , the romans were as sensible of it as if he had then been beating upon the walls of their capitol . a storm oftentimes begins in one place , and ends in another . when the sword rides circuit ( as a judge ) it is in commission , ezek. . . and when i begin , saith god , i will make an end , sam. . wee cannot but fore-see a storm , unless wee bee like those in st. bernard , qui festueam quaerunt unde oculos sibi er●ant , that seek straws to put out their eyes withall . if wee break not off our sins by repentance ( that there may bee a lengthning of our tranquility ) a removal of our candlestick , may bee as certainly fore-seen , and fore-told , as if visions and letters were sent to us from heaven , as once to the church of ephesus . god may well say to us ; as to them of old , have i been a wilderness unto israel , a land of darkness ? or as themistocles to his athenians , are yee weary of receiving so many benefits by one man ? bona a tergo formosissima , our sins have long since solicited an utter dissolution and desolation of all , and that wee should bee made an heap , and an hissing , a waste , and a wilderness , quod deus avertat . hoc scio , me nihil scire . socrates . christ thought st. john worthy to lay his hand on his holy head in baptisme , who thinks not himself worthy to lay his hand under-christs feet . the more fit any man is for whatsoever vocation , the less hee thinks himself , who am i , said moses , when hee was to bee sent into egypt , whereas none in all the world was comparably fit for that embassage . not onely in innumerable other things am i utterly unskilful faith st. august , but even in the holy scriptures themselves , ( my proper profession ) the greatest part of my knowledge , is the least part of mine ignorance . i in my little c●ll , saith jerome , with the rest of the monks , my fellow-sinners , dare no● determine of great matters . this is all i know , that i know nothing , said socrates , and anaxarchus went further , and said , ne id quidem scire quod nihil sciret , that hee knew not that neither , that it was nothing that hee knew . this is the utmost of my wisdome , said one , that i see my self to bee without wisdome . and si quando fatuo delectari volo non longè mihi quaerendus est , me video , saith seneca , if i would at any time delight my self in a fool , i need not seek far , i have my self to turn too . thus the heaviest ears of corn stoop most towards the ground : boughs , the more laden they are , the more low they hang , and the more direct the sun is over us , the less is our shadow ; so the more true worth there is in any man , the less self-conceitedness ; and the lower a man is in his own eyes , the higher hee is in gods. surely the baptist lost nothing by his humility and modesty in the third of st. matth , for our saviour extols him to the multitude , mattb. . and there are that doubt not to affirm ( where they have it i know not ) that for his humility on earth , hee is dignified with that , that place in heaven , from whence lucifer fell . sure it is , that hee that humbleth himselfe shall bee exalted . if men reckon us as wee set our selves , god values us according to our abasements . the church was black in her own eyes , fair in christs . ignis congregat homogenea , segregat heterogenea . aristoteles . it is one and not the least property , of the holy ghost to assimilate , and make men like it self . as fire turns fuell into the same property with its self ; so doth the blessed spirit inform the minde , conform the will , reform the life , transform the whole man more and more into the likeness of the heavenly pattern , it spiritualizeth and transubstantiateth us , as it were , into the same image from glory to glory , as the sun , the fire of the world , by often beating with its beams upon the pearl , makes it radiant and orient , bright and beautiful like it self . and this is the property of the holy ghost as well as of fire , congregat homogenea segregat heterogenea ; it unites men to saints , and separates them from sinners ; for what communion hath light with darkness ? it maketh division from those of a mans house , if not of his heart , and yet causeth union with gentile , barbarian , s●ythian , if truly christian , coloss , . . oh therefore get this fire from heaven , so shall you glorifie god , matth. . . and bee able to dwell with devouring fire ( which hypocrites cannot do , isa . . ) get warmth of life and comfort to your selves , give light and heat to others , walk surely as israel did by the conduct of the pillar of fire , and safely , as walled with a defence of fire ; and if any man shall hurt , such fire shall proceed out of their mouths to devour them . so that a man had better anger all the witches in the world , than one of those that are baptized with the holy ghost , and with fire ; especially if they bee much mortified christians , such as in whom this fiery spirit hath done with the body of s●n , as the king of moa● did with the king of edom , amos . burnt its bones into lime . mali in area nobiscum esse possunt , in horreo non possunt . augustinus . the wicked may bee with us in the floor , they cannot in the garner ; for there shall in no wise enter into the city of the lamb , any thing that defileth , or that worketh abomination ▪ heaven spewed out the angels in the first act of their apostacy and albeit the devil could s●●ue himself into paradise ▪ yet no unclean person shall ever enter into the kingdome of heaven ; without shall bee dogs and evill-doers ; no dir●y dog doth trample on that golden pavement , no dross is with that gold , no chaffe with that wheat , but the spirits of just men made perfect amidst a paneg●ris of angels , and that glorious amphitheatre , heb. ● . . in the mean while , dei frumentum ego sum ( may every good soul say with that father ) i am gods wheat : and although the wheat be as yet but in the ear , or but in the blade , yet when the fruit is ripe , hee will put in the sickle ( because the harvest is come ) and gather his wheat into his barn , into his garner . fider famem non formidat . bernardus . if bread fall , feed on faith , ps . . . so junius reads that text. jehosaphat found it sovereign , when all other helps failed him , chron. . . and the captive jews lived by faith , when they had little else to live upon , and made a good living of it , hab. ● . ● . to this text the jews seem to allude in that fiction of theirs , that habbakkuk was carried by the hair of the head by an angel into babylon , to carry a dinner to daniel in the den. it was by faith that hee stopped the mouths of lions ; and obtained promises , heb. . and by faith , that one in queen maries dayes , answered her persecutors , if you take away my meat , i trust that god will take away my stomach . god made the ravens feed elias that were more likely in that famine to have fed upon his dead carkass , and another time caused him to go forty dayes in the strength of one meal . faith fears no famine , and although it bee but small in substance , and in shew ( as the manna was ) yet it is great in vertue and operation . the rabbins say , that manna had all manner of good tastes in it , so hath faith , it drinks to a man in a cup of nepenthes , and bide him bee of good cheer , god will provide for him , who likes not to bee tyed to the second ordiniry causes , nor that in defect of the means , wee should doubt of the providence . it is true , god commonly worketh by means , when hee could do without , that wee may not neglect the means , as being ordained of him . david shall have victory , but by an ambush , a sa●● . men shall bee nourished , but by their labour , psal . . . but yet not so as that hee doth all in all , by those means ; hee made grass , corn , and trees , before hee made the sun , moon , and stars , by the influence whereof , they are , and grow ; yea to shew himself chief , hee can , and doth work other-whiles without means , chron. . and against means , suspending the power and operation of the natural causes ; as when the fire burnt not , the water drowned not , the sun went back ten degrees , the rock gave water , the iron swam . and then when hee works by means , hee can make them produce an effect diverse from their nature , and disposition ; or can hinder , change , or mitigate their proper effect . as when at the prayer of elias it rained not for three years and an half , and hee prayed again , and the heaven gave rain , and the earth brought forth her fruits . a man would have thought , that after so long drought , the roots of trees and herbs , should have been utterly dryed up , and the land past recovery ; but god heard the heavens ( petitioning to him that they might exercise their influence for the fructifying of the earth ) and the heavens heard the earth , and the earth heard the corn , the wine , and the oyl , and they heard jezreel , hof . . . let all this keep us as it did our saviour , when hee was tempted in the fourtth of st. matth. from diffidence in gods providence , and make us possess our souls in patience . hang upon the promise , and account it as good as present pay , though wee see not how it can bee effected . god loves to go a way by himself , hee knows how to deliver us , saith st. peter , pet. . and hee might speak it by experience , if ever any man might . the king shall rejoyce in god , saith david of himself , when hee was a poor exile in the wilderness of judah , psal . . . but hee had gods word for the kingdome , and therefore hee was confident , seemed the thing never so improbable , or impossible . wee trust a skilful work-man to go his own way to work , shall wee not god ? loose wee then any particular means , saith one , it is but the scattering of a sunne beam , the breaking of a bucket , when the sunne and the fountain is the same . but wee for the most part do as hagar did , when the bottle was spent , shee falls a crying shee was undone , shee and her childe should dye , till the lord opened her eyes to see the fountain . it was near her , but shee saw it not , when shee saw it , shee was well enough . if thou hadst been here , said martha , my brother lazarus had not dyed ; as if christ could not have kept him alive , unless hee had been present : so if christ will come and lay his hands on jairus his daughter , and elisha stroke his hand over naamans leprosie , they shall bee cured . so the disciples beleeved that christ could feed so many thousands in the wilderness , but then hee must have two hundred pennyworth of bread . but our saviour soon after gave them an ocular demonstration of this truth , that man lives not by bread alone , but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of god. preventus diabolus in accusatione , ultra nos accusare non poterit . origen . be sure before thou come to the sacrament to renew thy repentance in confession ; one sweet advantage shalt thou have by it amongst others , and that is this , our self-accusations in ● our confessions , will bee a prevention , and a disappointment of sathans accusations against us : the devil even at the sacrament will bee laying in against us ; it is good therefore to take a course to defeat him . hee will bee pleading against a man , lord shall this man bee welcome to thy table ? shall hee receive the benefit of thine ordinance ? hee hath done thus and thus , i can lay to his charge these and these sins . thus by his accusations , will hee seek to put in a bar against a blessing upon us . now when a man before the sacrament renews his repentance , and hath in his confessions brought in the accusations against himself , satan is prevented ; for then wee do , as i may say , furnish the lord with an answer to stop satans mouth ; for then will god bee ready to answer for us , why satan thou accusest this man of nothing whereof hee hath not already to the full accused himself ; hee himself hath accused himself of all this already . thou comest too late , all thine accusations shall bee no bar to my blessing . the elder brothers nose swells at his fathers kindness , and goodness to his prodigal brother , and therefore luke . . hee rips up all his courses , and throws the filth of them in his face , that hee was one that had devoured his fathers living , and had spent it among harlots . and this hee doth now whilst they are at the feast , at the fatted calf , and good cheer . yet all this doth the prodigal no hurt , the musick ceaseth not , the feast is not broken off , nor hee thrust out of doors again . and how comes it about that all this did him no hurt ? because the prodigal had prevented his brother , hee himselfe had accused himself to the full in his confessions when hee came to his father , and so by his own confession , had took out the sting and poyson of his brothers malicious accusation : so that his brother comes too late , now the feast and the merriment goes on nevertheless . so will the devil bee snarling against , and picking quarrels against men , even in the feast time ; but he comes too late to do them hurt , if they themselves have first put in the bills of their own indictments against themselves in their confessions before their coming to the sacrament . hamine non est solammodo necessarium ut christum i● ipsius passione depioret , sedmagis seipsum in christo . bernard . behold , saith the baptist , the lamb of god that takes away the sins of the world . upon the cross wee behold christ taking away the sins of the world . on it wee see christ crucified , wee see his hands , feet , and side pierced ; now this sight should so affect us , as it should pierce the very hearts of us . what , the blessed son of god to strip himself of his glory● to humble and abase himself to the ignominious and accursed death of the cross ? the glorious son of god thus abused , and abased ; the onely begotten son of the father , to make such bitter lamentation , my god , my god , why hast thou forsaken mee ? what may the cause of all this bee ? alas , all this was for our sins . it was not judas , nor the jews , nor pilate , nor the souldiers , but they were our sins , thy sins , my sins , that put the son of god to all this sorrow . wee , wee , and none but wee , were the evill beasts that devoured this joseph . our sins were so hainous , and had so provoked the justice of god , that there was no way to satisfie gods justice , to appease his wrath , and to make our atonement , but by the precious blood of the son of god crucified on the cross . and shall i now see my sins lye so heavy upon him as to make him sweat blood ; shall i see him even squeezed under the huge weight of my sins ; shal i see my sins crown him with thorns , nail his hands and feet to the cross , gore his side with a spear , with an unpierced heart ? oh the deep sorrow that our hearts should bee filled withall , when wee see christs body bruising and bleeding upon the cross . it should bee with us then , as it was with them , zech. . . they shall look on him whom they have pierced , and how shall that sight affect them ? and they shall mourn , and bee in bitterness for him , as one that mourns for his onely son , as one that is in bitterness for his first born . how bitterly will such a man mourn ? so bitterly shall they mourn when they look upon christ whom they have pierced . and great reason , for is it not a matter of greater sorrow , to pierce the onely son of god , the first born , the first begotten from the dead , than to lose one onely or first begotten son ? so here , when wee look upon christ whom wee have pierced , this sight should fill our hearts with bitterness , should make our hearts full of sorrow . not onely with an historical sorrow , or a sorrow of natural compassion when wee hear , or see some sad , or sorrowful event , this is nothing ; but with a practical sorrow , with an unfained sorrow of heart , that wee by our personal sins , have had our hands imbrued in the blood of the son of god , that our sins envenomed those thorns , those nails that pierced him , and by their venome made them put him to such bitter torment ; have wee hearts conformable to christ on the cross ? thou beholdest a broken christ , thou beholdest a bleeding christ , behold him therefore with a broken heart , with a bleeding heart , with a pierced spirit . so behold christ on the cross , as the virgin mary beheld him there . and how was that ? woman sayes christ , behold thy son. how did shee behold him ? simeon tells her , luke . . that a sword should passe through her soul , then did a sword pierce through her soul , when shee beheld him pierced on the cross , that sight was a sword through the heart of her . so when we see him pierced , it should bee as a dagger in our hearts . oh wretch that i am , that my sins have been thorns on his head , nayls in his hands and feet , a spear in his side . lord , saith david , when hee saw the people slaughtered by the angels sword , lo● i have sinned , and i have done wickedly , but these she●● what have they done ? so let every one say , loe i have sinned , i have done wickedly , but this innocent and immaculate lamb , what hath hee done ? it is i that have sinned , and it is thou , o lord , that hast smarted . it is i that have sinned , and it is thou , o lord , that hast suffered . it is i that have put thee to all these sorrows , my oaths , my uncleannesses , my lusts , my covetousness my drunkenness , these were the judass●s that betrayed thee , these were the jews that crucified thee . lord i have eaten the sowre grapes , and thy teeth were set on edge : lord● i played the theef , and thou restoredst the things the● tookest not . quid tam ad mortem quodnon christi morte salvetur ? bernardus . he was wounded for our transgres●ions , with his stripes wee are heated , isa . . what sweet comfort may faith retch hence ? look upon the wounds of christ on the cross , as on the cities of refuge , where the pursued soul by the avenger of blood , may flye for safety and sanctuary . indeed i am a grievous sinner , i have wounded my conscience with my transgressions , but behold my saviour here wounded for my transgressions : i have cause to bee troubled in my conscience for the wounds my transgressions have made therein ; but yet my confcience needs not sinke in a despondency of spirit , whiles i look at these wounds of christ ; here bee wounds for wounds , healing wounds for stabbing wounds ; curing wounds , for killing wounds . hee was wounded for our transgressions ; what wound so deadly , that may not , or cannot bee healed by his death and wounds . what comfort is here for faith in the wounds of christ crucified , they pierced my hands , and my feet , psal . . they pierced his side with a spear , and there came out water and blood ; nay , there comes out of these wounds honey and oyl unto faith . by these passages may our faith suck honey and oyl out of the rock , and may taste , and see how good and sweet the lord is . the nayls , the spear , the wounds , all preach unto faith a reconciled god , that god is in christ reconciling the world unto himself . the lords bowels are laid open by these wounds , so as through them wee may see the tender bowels of his mercy , and so as through them , mercy flows from those bowels unto us . oh my dove that art in the clefts or holes of the rock , cant. . . some of the ancients understood those clefts of the rock , the wounds of christ , in which the dove , the church hides and shelters her self . however it may bee alluded to , that should bee our work of faith when it sees those clefts of the rock opened , like a dove , to betake her self thereunto , for shelter and security against all fears and distresses that wrath and guilt may put the conscience to . do any fears of wrath trouble thine heart ? doth any conscience of guilt disquiet thee with the fears of hell ? why now for thy comfort , behold the holes in the rock where thou mayest bee sheltered : dwell now in the rock , and bee like the dove that makes her nest in the side of the holes mouth , jerem. . nessel thy soul in the clefts of this rock . see , and fully beleeve thy peace to bee made with god in christs blood , and look upon him wounded for thy transgressions , with such a faith , as may fill thy heart with an holy security against all such fears . hannibal vel victor , vel victus , nunquam quiescebat . augustinus . the devil left not our saviour at the first and second temptation , this master-flye beelzebub , though beaten away once and again , yet returns to the same place . hee solicits and sets upon our saviour again , and again ( as potiphars wife did upon joseph for all his many denials ) and is not onely importunate , but impudent . stand wee therefore still upon our guard , and look for no ease here . the roman captains when they had once triumphed , took their ease ever after . so did not cato , and is therefore highly commended . so may not wee , if ever we will bee approved as good souldiers of jesus christ . our whole life is a continual warfare , and wee must look for the continual hail-shot of satanical assaults and suggestions . when xerxes fought against the greeks , the sea was full of ships , saith the orator , the earth of souldiers , and the air of arrows . so fares it with the saints under satans batteries , no truce , but continual conflict . st. paul sounds the alarm , eph. . arm , arm , take the whole armour of god , and bee ever in your harness : and st. peter gives the reason , because your adversary the devil as a roaring lion , walketh and watcheth , night and day soeking whom he may devour . for our incouragement , as the devil is a roaring lion , so is christ the lion of the tribe of juda , that delivereth us , and maketh us more than conquerors , holding the crown of glory over our heads , as wee are fighting , with this inscription , vincenti dabo , to him that over-cometh , will i give . fight therefore , and faint not , your reward is s●●e , your armour is of proof . get on both these peeces of defence ( as the girdle of truth , brestplate of righteousness , shooes of peace and patience , shield of faith , helmet of hope , and those also of offence , as the sword of the spirit , and darts of prayer . it is said of sc●va at the siege of dyrrachium , that hee so longresisted pompeys army , that hee had two hundred and twenty darts sticking in his shield , and lost one of his eyes , and yet gave not over till caesar came to his rescue . the like , and somewhat more is reported of cynegrius the athenian in the persian wars . these did thus for a corruptible crown , or temporary honour , what should not wee do for an eternal ? hold out , and hold fast that thou hast , that no man take thy crown from thee . gods spirit sets up a standard in the saints , isa . . . and stronger is hee that is in you , than hee that is in the world . that old serpent hath his head so bruised , and crushed by christ , that he cannot now so easily thrust in his mortal sting , though hee assay it never so often , unless wee dally with him , and lay our selves open , unless wee tempt satan to tempt us by inconsideration , security , or venturing on the occasion . vitanda est glacies si nolis cadere ; hee that tastes of the broth , will have a minde to the meat . the nazarites might not , not onely drink wine , but forbear to eat of the grape , whether moist , or dry , num. . . saturitas ventris seminarium libidinis , hieronymus . a full belly , and a foul heart scarce go uncoupled ; for indeed how should they ? per membrorum ordinem , saith st. augustine , ordo vitiorum intelligitur , as in the anatomy of our bodies , the parts of gluttony and lust are linked together , so are the sins themselves . and therefore the apostle joyns them , rioting and drunkenness , chambring , and wantonness ; first rioting , and then wantonness , that leads on this , and not onely this , but a whole troop of rebellious actions , security , disobedience , idolatry . thus when the fools barns in the gospel were filled with corn , there was no thought of god the benefactor ; all the care was about , soul take thine ease , eat , drinke , and bee merry . and indeed , this eating quite takes away our stomach from all holy duties . i need not tell you of adams surfeit , the israelites in their paradise of canaan , fell to eating too , and by eating fell , as hee did , from their god : and this the lord fore-told them in the . of deuteronomy , when sayes god , i shall have brought israel into the land that floweth with milk and honey i●nud they shall have eaten , and filled themselves , then will they turn to other gods , then and not till then ; and just so they did . for in the very next chapter , at the . vers . you have jeshurun , which is israel , waxed fat , and kicking , and then saith the text , hee forsook god which made him . well therefore did the church of christ prescribe fasting to a religious end , to bridle and keep in the lust of the flesh , so to prevent sins to come , and punish our selves for those already past . and this last st. paul calls an holy chastising and afflicting himself for that thorn in his flesh , which forced him to his watchings often , and his fastings often , to his castiga corpus 〈◊〉 . to correct the in ward man , and bring his body under the lash . and this was christs reason of fasting before tentation . now christ abstained thus not for himself , for the devil could not have prevailed had hee not fasted : there were no faulty desires of the flesh to be tamed ; no possibility of a freer , and more easie assent and compliance of the soul with god , who was already perfectly united to the deity ; but as for us he would suffer death , so for us too , hee would suffer hunger , that first as a saviour , this last as an example , pointing us that had need , for hee had none , the best way to encounter the evill spirit of concupiscence , which is not cast out , no nor kept out neither , but by fasting . in praedicando evang elium non merita personarum , sed officia sacerdotum considerantur . ambrosius . holiness becomes every man well , but best of all publick persous , and that not onely for example of good , but liberty of controling ill . the snuffers of the sanctuary made to purge others , must bee of pure gold themselves . thus herod feared john , not cause hee was a powerful teacher , but a just man. this holiness casts a more dazeling lustre than any other accomplishment whatever . but now suppose the priest sinful , shall the people notwithstanding follow his doctrine , his doctrine , whose life is not the use , his voyce , whose hand points a contrary way ? nothing more , for what if the sacrificer bee unclean , is the offering so ? was the glory of israel , the ark , any whit lessened when it came from the philistims ? did the breath of the lord his answers pass by the less regarded , cause a saul prophesied . scripture is scripture , though the devil speak it , no mans sins should bring the service of god into contempt , nor may good bee refused , because the means are accidentally evill . it is a gross dull capacity that cannot distinguish betwixt the work , and the instrument , the weakness of the person , and the power of the function . you know no unclean viands were for the table of an israelite , no birds of prey , fit company for a prophet ; yea , sampson made much of his honey , though in a putrified lion ; and if ravens are sent to preserve an eiah , hee willingly accepts their courtesie , and dislikes not the meat , cause the waiters were black . these then of the law are less scrupulous , than some of the gospel , who disdain the graces of god when not served in the purest vessel , and loath their mannah , if not out of the tabernacles golden pot. utilis est scientia gentilium , dummodo in usum christianum convertatur . hadrianus sextus . loe a vision appeared to mee , saith ezekiel , a whirlewind , and a fire ; to shew , the prophets of the lord must have light with them , as well as noyse , understanding , as tongue . gods ministers are angels , and these called , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , from their manifold knowledge . i speak this meerly , for that there is a generation that square out the divines study by the scripture-canon onely , all other rules being crooked , and of no use . would you know the reason , the less learning , the less stipend ▪ and indeed good letters have not a little pined away , since divinity began to officiate at the tables end for the trencher . now it is true , scripture was ever the levites predominant element ; but if you will make him a perfect mixt body , the arts are neceslary ingredients . and therefore though hadrian the sixth , in his tract , de verâ philosophiâ , cryes down humane learning with a noise of fathers , yet hee concludes utilem esse scientiam gentilium dummodo in usum christianum convertatur , that to shave and pare the captive woman , and then espouse her , was ever held lawful matrimony . look back upon the two famous patterns of jewish and christian divines , moses learned in all the wisdome of the egyptians , and st. paul wise in all the learning of the grecians , a great artist ▪ and a good linguist ; and no less may wee expect from the rest of the apostles , to whom it was not said , follow mee , and streight way bee fishers , but follow , and i will make you fishers . they were to learn ▪ ere they were to teach , to bee disciples , before apostles . no man is born an artificer , his soul coming as naked into the world , as his body , not having so much freedome as to set up in the meanest trade without serving an apprentiship . and for that , dabitur in illâ horâ , to speak without coming , was a promise made to the twelve apostles when they should bee called to the bar , not the pulpit . the which place , however some of late years in my poor distracted country , have made it scandalous , requires both learning and industry . and thus much st. paul intimated , when hee sent for his books , finding as great want of them , as his cloak in winter . ut hilarem ita celerem datorem diligit deus . bernardus . it is said of the unjust steward , luke . that what hee did was with dispatch , hee called his masters debtors and bid them sit down quickly . god delights in expedition , as well as cheerfulness ; give alms with a cheerful heart , and countenance , not grudgingly , or of necessity , for god loves a cheerful giver , cor. . and therefore give quickly ; when the power is in thine hand , and the need is in thy neighbour , and thy neighbour at the door . hee gives twice , that relieves speedily . the more speed , the more comfort . neither the times are in our own disposing , nor our selves . if god had set us a day , and made our wealth inseparable , there were no danger in delay , but now our uncertainty , if it quickens not , deceives us . how many have meant well , and done nothing , losing their crown with lingring ; to whom that they would have done good , is not so great praise , as it is dishonour that they might have done it ; their death oftentimes preventing their desires , and making their good intentions the wards of their executors ; who many times prove the executioners of their wills and estates . this therefore should bee as a word of advice and caution to all rich men . let their wracks bee our warnings , who are equally mortal , equally fickle . it is a woful , and remediless complaint , that the end of our dayes should out-run the beginning of our good works , which are commonly so done , as the poor may thank our death-beds for them and not us , our disease , rather than our charity . for hee that gives not till hee dyes , shews that hee would not give then , if hee could keep it : and they that give thus , give by their testaments , it is true , but i can scarce say they give by their wills ; the good mans praise , psal . . was , that himself dispersed his goods , and not left them behinde him , and his distribution is seconded by this retribution of gods , that his righteousness indured for ever . the saints of god are like dorcas in the acts , rich in the good works , which shee did her self , and not intrusted others to do them , being her own executrix . let us therefore do good in our life time . our saviour tells us , matth. . that our good works are our lights : let your lights so shine before men , that they may see your good works , and glorifie your father which is in heaven . now what man will have his candle brought behinde him , and not rather carried before , that hee may see which way it goes , and which way himself goes by it ? let us therefore do good in our life time ; early beneficence hath no danger , many joyes , isa . . . for first , the conscience of good done . secondly , the prayers , and blessings of the relieved . thirdly , the gratulations of the saints , are as so many perpetual comforters , which will make our lives pleasant , and our deaths happy : when every one of us may say to his soul with that rich man in the gospel , but upon better grounds , s●ul take thine ease , for thou hast treasure laid up not for many years , but for ever . dives verè christianus non amat divitias sed mavult . augustinus . christians may entertain the unrighteous mammon in the gospel , not onely as a servant , but a friend , but by no means as a lord. there is great vertue in the true use of riches , if there bee a qualification in our desires . and therefore st. august . ( . serm. de tempore , . serm. de verbis apostoli & cap. . de civit. dei ) disputing of that impossible analogy between heaven and a rich man , a camel , and the eye of a needle ; would have a rich man understood there to be cupidum rerum temporalium & de talibus superbientem , such an one as joyns avarice to riches , and pride to avarice ; not prohibiting a moderate and timely care of necessary temporals , but their inordinate appetite , not their propriety and possession , but the difficulty and eagerness of that pursuit . a wise man , as hee will not make riches the object of his pursuit , so neither of his refusal , non amat divitias sed mavult , was st. augustines ; hee weighes them so evenly betwixt desire and scorn , that hee doth neither undervalue , nor over-prize them : hee makes not his minde his chest , but his house , in the which hee doth not lock , but lodge them ; hee loves them not properly but by way of comparison , not as they are riches , but as they are not poverty : yes too , as they are riches , they may not onely bee temperately loved , but desired , but prayed for , prayed for as our daily bread , not absolutely for our spiritual improvement but by way of restriction ; first , humbly with submission to the will of god , then conditionally , so they prove advantagious either to our civil , or moral good . for otherwise if riches are pursued , either with an unlawful , or an unbridled desire , they lead our reason captive , blind-fold our intellectuals , and so damp and dead all the faculties of the inward man , that in way of conscience and religion , wee are benummed meerly ; nabal himself not so stony and churlish , not half so supine and stupid as wee . and therefore your earthly sensualists have this woful brand set upon them by the spirit of , they are men of the world , they have their portion in this life onely , psal . . quid quaeris brevi immittere vasculo totum mare ? hieronymus . to endeavour to express fully the joyes of heaven , were as vain a work as to endeavour to put the element of waters , or whole sea , into a bason . and this may appear , from that story of st. august . concerning st. jer. of whom st. augustine saith , quae hieronymus nescivit , nullus hominum unquam scivit ; what st. hierom knew not , no man in the world ever knew : yet of the joyes of glory , of heaven , in the fruition of god , st hierom would adventure to say nothing , no not then when hee was divested of his mortal body dead . for as soon as hee died at bethleem , hee came instantly to hippo , st. augustines bishoprick , and though hee told him , hieronymi anima sum , i am the soul of that jerome to whom thou art now writing , about the joyes and glory of heaven , yet hee said no more of that , but this , quid quaeris brevi immittere vasculo totum mare ? canst thou hope to pour the whole sea into a thimble , or take the whole world into thy hand ? and yet that is easier than to comprehend the joy and glory of heaven in this life . nor is there any thing that makes this more incomprehensible , than that semper in thess . . . that wee shall bee with god for ever . for this eternity , this everlastingness , is not onely incomprehensible to us in this life , but even in heaven , wee can never know it experimentally , no not in heaven , and all knowledge in heaven is experimental ; as all knowledge in the world is causal ( wee know a thing , if wee know the cause of it ) so the knowledge in heaven is effectual , experimental ; wee know it because wee have found it to bee so . the endowments of the blessed , those which the school calls , dotes ●●a●or●m , are ordinarily delivered to bee these three , visio , dilectio , fruitio , the sight of god , the love of god , and the fruition , the injoying , the possessing of god. now as no man can know what it is to see god in heaven , but by experimental , and actual seeing of him there ; nor what it is to love god there , but by such an actual and experimental love of him ; nor what it is to injoy and possess god , but by an actual injoying , and experimental possessing of him ; so can no man tell what the eternity and everlastingness of all these is , till hee hath passed through that eternity , and that everlastingness ; and that hee can never do , for if it could bee passed through , then were it not eternity . how barren a thing is arithetick ? and yet arithmetick will tell you how many grains of sand will fill this hollow vault to the firmament . how empty a thing is rhetorick , and yet rhetorick will make absent and remote things , present to their understanding . how weak a thing is poetry , and yet poetry is a counterfeit creation , and makes things which are not , as though they were ; how infirm , how impotent are all assistances , if they be put to express this eternity . the best help in my poor judgement that can bee assigned , is to use well , aeternum vestrum , our own eternity , as st. gregory calls our whole course of this life , aequum est ut qui in aterno su● peccaverit , in aeterno dei puniatur ; it is but justice , that hee that hath sinned out his own eternity , should suffer out gods eternity ; so if you suffer out your own eternity in submitting your selves to god in the whole course of your life , and glorifying him in a constant patience under all tribulations ; it is a righteous thing with god to recompence tribulation unto them which trouble y●● , and to you which are troubled , everlasting rest , thess . . . magna parvis minime exprimuntur . seneca . sacred communication , is to make suitable demonstration of infinite love . great love is not suitablely expressed by small things . springs make channels , streams , rivers , suitable to their strength , they make their rent without , suitable to their bubling within , under ground . heaven is but a suitable expression of the love of a god : it is but strange , suitable to such a fountain ; but legible writing out of infinite love . were not heaven made communicable , infinite love would bee but half expressed , it would bee far more in it self , than known to us : it is with christ here in this world , as it is with a christian , a christians fortune here doth not suit his titles , called a king , and hath nothing . now are wee the sons of god ▪ but it doth not appear what wee shall bee . why wee shall bee but the sons of god ; his meaning is , that now title and revenew do not agree , nothing in possession that speaks out the sons of god , the son of a king ; state and title do not fitly and fully express one another ; so it is with christ , now his love , and his expression of it , are short one of another : many expressions of love are made here , but they all express it but brokenly . heaven will speak out an infinite love , it will demonstrate it to the life , to all senses at once , which is such a demonstration of a thing , as here man cannot make of any thing . there a man shall have the advantage of all senses together , to fathom infinite love ; hee shall hear it , see it , taste it , &c. hee shall see the fountain where , and how it riseth ; the ocean how vast it spreads , and how broad it bears , christ demonstrates infinite love fully , fitly , therefore is heaven made communicable to poor earthen creatures , partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light , col. ● . . qui gehennas met ●it , non peccare me●uit , sed ardere . ille autem peccare metuit , qui peccatum ipsum sic ut gehennas odit . augustinus . the object of repenting sorrow , is sin . it is sin that specially afflicts and disquiets a repenting soul , that is the thing that wrings and pinches it . where was it that the prodigals shooe did specially wring him ? luke . . father i have sinned against heaven ; that is , against god in heaven : hee doth not say , father , i am in a depth of misery , ready to perish with hunger , in that pinching distress that i would bee glad to eat husks with hogs . but father i have sinned . this is the grief of a repenting soul , that gods majesty hath been offended in , and by his sins , this was that which lay heaviest upon , and sat closest to davids heart . hee neither cryes out of his discredit , and shame in the world , nor yet speaks a syllable of wrath or hell , but psal . . : . my sinis ever before mee , against thee onely have i sinned , and have done this evil in thy sight . my sin is ever before me , not hel and damnation is ever before mee ; not the fame and reproach of the world , but my sin is ever before mee . it is this , lord , that pinches and disquiets mee , that i have sinned , and done this evill in thy sight . a good heart fears more the committing of sin , than the suffering of punishment following it , prov. . . give mee not poverty , lest i bee poor , and steal and take the name of my god in vain . hee doth not say , lest i bee poor and steal , and bring my selfe under the magistrates sword , or thy wrath ; but hee looks onely at the sin , lest ▪ i steal , and take thy name in vain . hee fears the prophaning of gods name , more than the bringing of his name and person in question . and to this purpose is that which elihu charges job withall , job . . regard not iniquity , for this thou hast chosen rather than affliction ; that is , thou hast rather chosen sin and iniquity , than poverty and affliction ; as if hee had said , inasmuch as thou hast vainly , and rashly expostulated with god , vers . . desiring death , rather than to bear this affliction ; thou art guilty of iniquity , and sinnest in this thy choice . this therefore implies that a good heart would rather chuse affliction than iniquity , to suffer affliction , than to do iniquity . now as a good heart is more afraid of sin , than affliction and punishment , so likewise a repenting heart , is more grieved or sin committed , than for sorrow to be suffered . we shall find david in great anguish and distress of spirit , psal . . , . the troubles of mine heart , are inlarged , oh bring thou mee out of my distress , wringing , pressing anguishes ; look upon my affliction , and my pain . here bee troubles of heart , distresses of spirit , affliction and pain , but what is it now that thus wrings , distresses , and pains david ? see the last words , and forgive all my sins , not forgive all my punishments ; davids sin , not his punishment , was his pain . wee shall see the like in him , sam. . . i have sinned greatly , i beseech thee to take away the iniquity of thy servant : hee mentions not the taking away of any smart ; nay vers . . hee is willing to bear it , i have sinned , let thine hand bee against mee . hee begs that the punishment may bee laid upon him , but begs that his iniquity may bee taken away . let god bee pleased to take away his iniquity and hee is nothing solicitous for the punishment . the offence of god troubled him more , than his personal smart : so that gods heart were but towards him in the pardon of his sin , hee did not care though gods hand were against him smiting him with temporal chastisement . and this will better appear , if wee do but compare pharaoh with david , exod. ● . . intreat the lord , that hee may take away the frogs from mee . the frogs troubled him more than his sin against god. take away the frogs , but no mention at all of taking away his sin . and when afterwards a confession of sin is extorted from him ; yet was it not his sin that disquieted him . exod. . , . not take away my sin , but take away the thunderings , and hail ; lord , sayes david , take away the iniquity of thy servant : oh! sayes pharoah , take away these filthy frogs , and this dreadful thunder . a repenting heart is more troubled , than a thunder and frogs . it seems more filthiness in sin than in frogs , or toads , or ever else can bee presented more ugly to it . a repenting sinner hath his eye upon god , and upon his law , hee sees the hollness of god , that hee is a god of pure eyes , that cannot behold iniquity , hab. . . hee sees him a good , gracious , patient father , and so it cuts him to the heart , to have offended such a father , and god. hee looks upon the law , and sees it to bee holy , just , and good ; and this galls him to the heart , to have violated so holy , and so pure a law. now wicked men , they look wholly at the justice and wrath of god , at the curse of the law , and so nothing troubles them , but the fear of hell and death . if these might bee avoided , the offending of an holy and good god , the violating of an holy and good law , would not a whit afflict , or disquiet them : nay it is remarkable in david , that though hee had upon nathans message to him , confessed his sin , and nathan upon his confession had pronounced the pardon of it ; yet after this hee cryes out , my sin is ever before me , against thee onely have i sinned . mark then , that even pardoned sin , forgiven sin , vexes and disquiets a repenting heart . it pinches him , and disquiets him , though it be forgiven ; it grieves him that hee hath so plaid the fool , and that ever hee was such a beast to offend so gracious a god. when the prodigals father sees him coming afar off , hee runs to meet him , shews compassion to him , falls upon him , and kisses him . that kiss was the seal of his pardon , as if hee had said . behold , i forgive all thy sin ; as when david kissed absolom , and esau kissed jacob , they both did it in token of full reconciliation . and yet for all this , see how the prodigal speaks ; hee sayes not , o father , from the ground of my heart , i unfainedly thank thee , oh how great is my fathers goodness thus to pardon mee , &c. but father , i have sinned against thee . i , but his father had kissed him , and thereby testified that hee had freely forgiven him , what need hee confess his pardoned sin ? why is hee not rather in the confession of praise , than in the confession of sin . oh no , a repenting sinner is so affected and grieved with the offence of god in his sin , that though god have pardoned and forgiven it , yet hee cannot but mourn for it , and be afflicted with it , that so holy a law hath been broken by him , that so good a god hath been offended by him , psal . . . remember , o lord , thy tender mercies , remember not the sins of my youth . if god remember mercy , hee forgets , and forgives sin . if god forget it , why doth david remember the sins of his youth ? yes , so will a true repenting heart do : it will remember the sin that god forgets , it will mourn for the sin which god hath forgiven . nou est poenitens sed irrisor , qui adhuc agit , unde poeniteat . bernardus . repentance not onely confesses , but forsakes the confessed sin , job . . if i have done iniquity , i will do no more . that is the language , and the resolution of true repentance , eph. . . let him that stole , steal no more . true repentance makes men do as god did , when hee repented him , gen ▪ . . . and it repented the lord that hee had made man on earth , and it gri●ved him at his heart : but that was not all : and the lord said ▪ i will destroy man , whom i have created , from the face of the earth , both man and beast , &c. for it repents moe that i made them . nay , repentance in man goes further , one noah found grace in the eyes of the lord , and hee was spared from the common destruction ; but hear , not one lust or sin findes grace in the eyes of a man that truly repents , but all must bee drowned in the flood of the tears of repentance . it is with a man that hath the griefe of true repentance , as it was with nehemiah , neh. . , . i came to jerusalem , and understood of the evill that eliashib , had done for tobiah , in repairing him a chamber in the courts of the house of the lord , and it grieved mee sore : but hee rests not there , but goes further , therefore i cast forth all the houshold stuffe of tobiah out of the chamber . what should tobiah do with a chamber there ? therefore he not onely outs tobiah , but out goes all his stuffes too . so doth repentance , when it considers all the evill , that satan and corruption hath done , and how they have taken up chambers in the heart , that should bee the house of god , it is grieved sore , and thereupon it outs satan , and all his stuffe ; neither satan , nor his stuffe shall bee chambered there any longer . so doth repentance dispossess satan of the soul , as christ dispossessed his body of him , mark. . ● . thou dumb and deaf spirit , i charge thee to come out of him , and enter no more into him ; so repentance cast satan and filthy abominations out of a man , that they enter no more , they are cast out for ever . tears of repentance are not onely wetting , but washing tears , isa . . . wash you , make you clean ; david● tears wash his couch , psal . . and so much more wash himself . baptisme is called the baptisme of repentance , luke . . in baptisme there is a washing away of sin . and how is baptisme the baptisme of repentance ? if in repentance there were not the doing away of sin . if a man could shed a sea of tears , yet if hee do not drownd his sin in that sea , what were hee the better ? if a man should weep his eyes out , yet if hee weep not his sins out , to what purpose were it ? wheresoever repentance is , there must necessarily follow this forsaking and casting off our sins . try therefore thy repentance by this , consider what have thy sins , thy beloved sins been ; is thy drunkenness , with loathing and indignation forsaken ? are thine oaths , uncleannes , covetousn●s , curses , &c. with loathing and indignation abandoned ? it is a good sign , but how idlely talk they of repentance , who because they have blubbered out a few tears , think all is well , when yet they still live , and lye in their sins , and hold them as fast as ever the mariners when they found out jonas , yet fain they would have saved him , wondrous loath to cast him over-board . many see their sins , and know them to bee dangerous sins , but yet exceeding loath to shake hands with them , loath to throw them into the sea , but will rather adventure their own casting away , than cast them over-board . never deceive thy self therefore , though thou hast sighed , cryed , prayed , begged mercy , yet if still thou live , and go on in thy sinful courses , there is no truth of repentance in thee . dives in evangelio damnabatur , non quia abstulerat aliena , sed quod non donaret sua . anselmus . every christian ought to imitate the high pattern of his creator , whose best riches is his bounty . hee that hath all , gives all , reserves nothing . in our creation he gave us our selves , in our redemption hee gave us himself , and in giving himself for us , gave us our selves again that were lost . onely good use then commends earthly possessions , and hee alone knows the true use of the unrighteous mammon , that receives it meerly to disburse it . for what commendation is it to bee the keeper of the best earth ? that which is the common coffer of all the rich mines , the earth , wee do but tread upon , and account vile , because it hides those treasures : whereas the skilful metallist , that refines these precious veyns for publick use , is rewarded and honoured . if therefore your wealth , and your will bee not both good , if your hands bee full , and your hearts empty ; you deserve rather pity , than commendation , and may bee said to have riches indeed , but neither goods , nor blessings ; your burthens being greater than your estates , and your selves richer in sorrows than in mettals . and this was the rich gluttons case in the gospel , who was damned , not for taking away any thing from poor lazarus , but because hee relieved not his wants . it is reported of warram archbishop of canterbury , being on his death-bed , sent his steward to see what store of corn was in his treasury , and when answer was brought , that there was either very little , or none at all , the good man cried , nimirum sic oportuit , that it was very fitting it should bee so : for when said hee could i dye better , than when i am thus even with the world . vera virtus radices agit . seneca . things have their specification from their form . christ in the soul , or truth in the heart , is the form of a christian . hence is that expression , hee is a jew that is one inwardly , so hee is a christian which hath christ in him , and hee upright whose heart is so ; therefore is uprightness annexed in the , psal . and the . verse , to that which is its proper subject , and without which , it subsists not , nor can , to wit , the heart ; vpright in heart , all the upright in heart shall follow righteousness . a good man is called a good man as hee can derive goodness from within ; a good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is good . truth treasured up in the heart is the onely true treasure , and then out of this treasure , motion made to this , and to that expence from hence upon god , upon man ; this is a good man , and bringeth forth that which is good , an upright heart . a man is noted for an evill man , as evill seiseth the heart . son of man , these men have set up idols in their hearts , should i ●ee inqu●red of at all by them ? ezek. . so to set up truth in the heart , as that , and onely that which i love to bow down to , and bee governed by ; this is an upright heart . it is said of the devill , that hee abode not in the truth , because no truth is in him , joh. . . whilst hee was in heaven , heaven was not in him , but pride , and that is hell where ever it is . truth in the heart , and wee abide in truth , that is , wee walk in it , and ate ruled by it . lust in the heart , and let the creature bee where hee will , in heaven , or on earth , hee abides in this , is led up and down by this , and not by truth , and so is called according to that which is in him , and informs him a sinful , deceitful hearted man. there is truth in the heart , ●or in the midst of the heart , the expression is , i think with allusion to the natural form of the heart . the heart hath a tunicle , and a ventricle , one to cover it , the other to hold life , bloud and spirits , and these small ventricles are in the midst of the heart and these the life of the heart ; truth within the tunicle of the heart is not enough , it must bee in the ventricle , in the midst . the expression imports th●s much , that if truth bee not in the soul as the soul of the soul , as the life bloud in the heart , giving life and motion to all , the soul is not healed by it of its unsoundness , and so consequently no upright heart . the psalmist speaking of a righteous man , saith , that his mouth speaketh wisdome , and his tongue talketh of judgement : but is this enough to give the formality of a righteous man. many can talk very soundly , and judiciously , and yet very unsound at heart : observe therefore what follows , where hee centers the formality of integrity , the law of god is in his heart , none of his steps shall slide , psal . . . the small lines of truth , the string of the heart ; the law of god , a law in and unto the heart ; binding and loosing that which lives as it were a life by it self , continually moving when all other parts are still ; that this organ which makes so many steps to others , and yet not making one step , but in , and under the law of truth and christ , this is an upright heart . meditatio pascit scientiam , scientia compunctionem , compunctio devotionom . augustinus . meditation gives a man a sight and knowledge of himself , of his sins , of the riches of gods mercy in christ ; and such knowledge is it , which works compunction of spirit , wee are to bee taken up in the duties of thanksgiving and to bee more than ordinarily inlarged therein . there is no such way to inlarge the heart in that duty , as by meditation to heat , and warm our hearts . so psal . . . . i will sing unto the lord as long as i live , my meditation of him shall bee sweet , i will bee glad in the lord. there is nothing so feeds spiritual joy , and so maintains and holds up that holy flame that should bee in a mans heart , as doth meditation ; that is the oyl and fuel that keeps such fire burning ; the sweeter our meditation is , the more is the heart prepared and inlarged to prayses , and thanksgivings , and joy in the lord. therefore as in other religious exercises , so more particularly in the sacrament , one special duty to bee done , is to take up our hearts with serious meditation . and for the better raising and feeding this meditation , it is good when wee are come to the lords table , to do as solomon wishes to do in that case . prov. . . when thou fittest to eat with a ruler , consider diligently what is before thee . hee adviseth it for a mans better caution , if hee bee a man given to his appetite , that hee may not bee desirous of such dainties as are set before him . but in this case it is good to consider what is set before us , to provoke our appetite , and to stir up in us a longing after those dainties . consider therefore what is set before thee , what is done before thee . consider the sacramental promises , the sacramental elements , the sacramental actions . behold then , and meditate what a feast god hath prepared for us , and set before us , such a feast as that , isa . . . a feast of fat things , a feast of wine on the lees , &c. alas how lean are our souls , what hunger-starved spirits have wee , but here bee fat things full of marrow to feed and fat our lean souls . how dead and dull are our hearts , but here is wine upon the lees , wine that goes down sweetly , that will cause the lips of those that are asleep to speake , that will refresh and quicken our spirits . here wee see the bread broken , the wine powred out . here wee see christ crucified before our eyes ; now wee see him hanging , and bleeding upon the crosse , we now see him pressed and crushed under the heavy burthen of his fathers wrath . now wee see him in the garden in his bloody sweat . now wee may behold him under the bitter conflict with his fathers wrath upon the crosse . behold the man , saith pilate . this is our duty by meditation , to present unto our selves the bitterness of christs passion , exod. . . and moses took the bloud , and sprinkled it on the people , and said , behold the bloud of the covenant . so here , behold the lamb of god which taketh away the sins of the world : and behold the bloud of that innocent , and spotless lamb ; yea behold him now shedding his precious blood to take away the sins of the world , and look upon him as the scape-goat , bearing and carrying our sins upon him . represent we unto our selves in our meditations , as lively as wee are able , all the sorrows of christs passion . this christ commands , and makes it one main end of the institution of the sacrament , do this in remembrance of mee : therefore appointed hee the sacrament , that therein wee might in special manner meditate upon his passion , and his love to us therein . david had a psalm of remembrance , psal . . in the title . but for the death of christ his love in it , and the benefits by it , wee have not onely some psalms of remembrance , as psal . . . and . and others ; but besides , the lord christ hath to the worlds end appointed a sacrament of remembrance , that this great work of christs death , and his infinite love and mercy therein , might above all other works bee meditated upon , and had in remembrance . finis . a catalogue of such sentences of the fathers , and other ecclesiastical , and civil authors , as are explained , and applied to the use of the pulpit , and the practice of christians , in this book . qvàm malè est extra legem viventibus , quicquid meruerunt semper expectant . page . vestium curio sit as deformitatis mentium & morum judicium est . quicquid propter deum fit , equaliter fit . sordet in conspectu judicis , quod fulget in conspectu operantis . bone res neminem scandalizant , nisi malam mentem non omne quod licet etiam honestum est quae per rationem innotescunt , non sunt articuli fidei , sed praeambula ad articulos mors optima est perire dum lachrimant sui p. nemo me lac hri● is decoret , nee funera fletu faxit ; cur ? volito vivus per ora virum ne excedat medicin● modum si molliora frustrà cesserint , medicus ferit venam suâ sponte cadentem maturiùs extinguere vulnere inhumanum est tota funeris pompa contemnenda est in nobis , non tamen negligenda in nostris in spiritualibus nihil perfectum nobis , cum semel occidit brevis lux , nox est perpetua una dormienda solus deus verè fest um agat desiderium generat satietatem , & satiet as parit desiderium resurrectio a peccato , & cessatio a poccato , non sunt idem in divinis nihil minimum sicut in visibilibus est sol , in intelligibilibus est deus . ad patriam itur per ipsum mare , sed in ligno quantumlibet sis avarus , sufficit tibi deus perfecta obedientia est sua imperfecta reli●quere christus non quaesivit per oratorem piscatorem , sed de piscatore lucra●us est imperatorem oportet hominem fieri un●m multa relinquitis , si desideria renunciatis dilige , & dic quod voles lachrimae sangnis animae illi verè irascitur deus , cui non irascitur ; & nihil eo infaelicius , cui nihil infaelix contigit . ibid. licet in modum stag●i f●sum aequor arrideat magnos hic campus montes habet ; tranquilit as i st a tempestas est triticum non rapit ventus , ina●es paleae tempestate jactantur elinguis ne hoc quidem habens ut rogare possit , hoc magis rogat quod rogare non potest vbi mors non est si jugulatis aquae ? anceps forma bonum , mort●libus exigui donum breve temporis quid sit futurum cras , fuge quaerere quid brevi fortes jaculam●r aevo multa ? jam te premet nox aetate fruere , mobili cursu fugit non accipimus brevem vitam , sed facimus omnia crede mihi etiam faelicibus dubia sunt propera vivere , & singulos dies singulas vitas puta , nihil interest inter diem & saeculum non expectavit christus ut saul fatigatus debacchando mansuesceret , sed in mediâ insanin superavit non in fine , sed in principio conversus latro novit deus vulnerare ad amorem facies dei est , quâ deus nobis innotescit reperit deus nocentes non judicandum de cruce secundum praedicamentum quantitatis , sed relationis adeo doctus , non solùm divina discit , sed divina patitur et cum blandiris pater es , & pater es cum coedis contemptu famae contemnuntur & virtutes scinditur incertum studia in contraria vulgus sequamur patres tanquam duces , non tanquam dominos melius est mihi non esse quam sine jes●e esse nihil de causâ suâ deprecatur , qui nihil de conditione sua miratur sanctus in ira dei emendari non vult , erudiri non vult in scala prima ascensio est ab humo de infirmitate blandimur , & ut liberius peccemus , libenter infirmamur acceptus in gratiam , hilariter veni ad postulationes medicinae ars a deo data , ut inde rationem animae curandae disceremus membra etiam animae sunt qui sine ulla intermissione orat , honest a quadam impudentia agit impudentem nescit diabolus quanta bona de illo fiunt etiam cum saevit salvus factus es pro nihilo , non de nihilo tamen nullare deus perinde atque corporis aerumna conciliatur nemo mala morte unquam moriebatur , qui libenter opera chariatatis exercuit prima quae vita dedit hora carpsit debilem facito manu , debilem pede , vita dum superest bene est levius fit patientia quicquid corrigere est nefas nolo quod cupio statim tenere , nec victoria mihi placet parata marcet virtus sine adversario detestabilis esset cacit as , si nemo oculos perderet nisi cui eruendi sunt s●latium est pro honesto dura tolerare , & ad causam patientia respicit non est magnum audire ad voluntatem non est magnum tentemus anim as quae deficiunt a fide , naturalibus rationibus adjuvare anima spiritualiter cadit , & spiritualiter resurget qui peccat quatenus peccat , fit seipso deterior transeant injuriae , plerasque non accipit qui nescit antequam vulneramur , monemur vili vendimus coelum , glauci more christiani sumus agnoscere nolumus , quod ignorare non possumus infans nodum loquitur , & tamen prophetat optima quaeque dies miseris mortalibus avi prima fluit senes in limine mortis v ita sunt avidissimi respice sepulchra , & vide , quis servus , quis dominus , quis dives , & quis pauper , discerne si potes , vinctum a rege , fortem a debili , pulerum a deformi theodoro parum interest huminè , an in sublimi putrescat mors non est exitus sed transitus , & temporali itinere decurso ad aterna transgressus ut mori roma non potest qui romae non vixit , ita qui in domino non vixit in ●o non moritur nihil melius aeterna lex fecit , quàm quod unum introitum ad vitam nobis dedit exitus multos dominium potestas est tum utendi tum abutendi vnde illi cura cordis , cui ne ipsa quidem adhuc or is circumspectio natum esse deo sempiternum est vereor ne dum propter te fugis , propter alios sis in periculo apud dominum occidar modô imperet primatus fugientem desiderat , desiderantem horret habet hoc vitium omnis ambitio non respicit si nil attuleris ib is homere foras pompa mortis magis terret , quàm mors ipsa iniquitatem damnare novit deus , non facere compescat se humana temeritas , & id quod non est non quaerat , ne id quod est non inveniat et si domine ego commisi unde me damnare potes , tu tamen non amisisti unde me salvare potes qui pectus suum tundit , & se non cor●igit , aggravat peccata , non tollit b●num causatur ex integra causa , ma●um autem ex singularibus defectibus sacramenta sunt fodinae gratiae , dispofitio est vascul●m gratiae , pro majore dispositione & affectu tuo majorem gratiam reportabis quicquid recipitur recipitur ad modum recipientis pere●n●e sole pereunt omnia ignis focalis immateciale non urit invidia est vitium permanens . ab extremis miseriae quies media gratiae , ordinem creationis subeunt . alterius perditio sit tua cautio hoc scio , me nihil scire ignis congregat homogenea , segregat heterogenea . mali in area nobiscum esse possunt , in horreo non possunt . fides famem non formidat praeventus diabolus in accusatione , ultra nos accusare no poterit homini non est solummodo necessarium ut christum in ipsius passione deploret , sed magis seipsum in christo quid tam ad mortem quod non christi morte salvetur ? hannibal vel victor , vel victus , nunquam quiescebat saturitas ventris , seminarium libidinis in praedicando evang elium non merita personarum , sed officia sacerdotum considerantur utilis est scientia gentilium , dummodo in usum christianum convertatur ut hilarem it a celerem datorem diligit deus dives verè christianus non amat divitias sed mavult quid quaeris brevi immittere vasculo totum mare ? magna parvis minime exprimuntur qui gehennas metuit , non peccare metuit , sed ardere . ille autem peccare metuit , qui peccatum ipsum sic ut gehennas odit non est poenitens sed irrisor , qui adhuc agit , unde poeniteat dives in evangelio damnabatur , non quia abstulerat altena , sed quod non donaret sua vera virtus radices agit meditatio pascit scientiam , scientia compunctionem , compunctio devotionem finis . notes, typically marginal, from the original text notes for div a -e luke . . andrews resolution to return unto god by repentance directed unto all the elect children of god which truly repent, perfectly guiding them in the right way therein. right godly to read, as delightful to hear, but most profitable to be practised. newly published by john andrews minister and preacher of gods word. being first seen and allowed. andrews, john, b. or . approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page images. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; oxford (uk) : - (eebo-tcp phase ). a wing a a estc r this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of 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(eebo-tcp ; phase , no. a ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, - ; : ) andrews resolution to return unto god by repentance directed unto all the elect children of god which truly repent, perfectly guiding them in the right way therein. right godly to read, as delightful to hear, but most profitable to be practised. newly published by john andrews minister and preacher of gods word. being first seen and allowed. andrews, john, b. or . [ ] p. printed for william whitwood, at the sign of the golden bell in duck-lane, near smith-field, london : . signatures: a b⁴. reproduction of original in the glasgow university. created by converting tcp files to tei p using tcp tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the universities of michigan and oxford and the publisher proquest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by proquest via their early english books online (eebo) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). the general aim of eebo-tcp is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic english-language title published between and available in eebo. eebo-tcp aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the text encoding initiative (http://www.tei-c.org). the eebo-tcp project was divided into two phases. the , texts created during phase of the project have been released into the public domain as of january . anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source. users should be aware of the process of creating the tcp texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data. text selection was based on the new cambridge bibliography of english literature (ncbel). if an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in ncbel, then their works are eligible for inclusion. selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. in general, first editions of a works in english were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably latin and welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so. image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in oxford and michigan. % (or pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet qa standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. after proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of instances per text. any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of tcp data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a tcp editor. the texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level of the tei in libraries guidelines. copies of the texts have been issued variously as sgml (tcp schema; ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf- unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p , characters represented either as utf- unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng christian literature -- early works to . repentance -- early works to . - tcp assigned for keying and markup - aptara keyed and coded from proquest page images - robyn anspach sampled and proofread - robyn anspach text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion andrews resolution to return unto god by repentance . directed unto all the elect children of god which truly repent , perfectly guiding them in the right way therein . right godly to read , as delightful to hear , but most profitable to be practised . newly published by john andrews minister and preacher of gods word . being first seen and allowed . london , printed for william whitwood , at the sign of the golden bell in duck-lane , near smith-field . . the author to the reader . if thou dost read or hear this work , only see thou do this , have care to mend thy evil ways , now past and done a miss . all those that still presume in sin , not minding to amend , d●yly this book will wtiness be revengeful in the end . each day repent , oh still repent with speed , i humbly pray , even for his sons sake , jesus christ , so sin is washt away . the book to the reader . if that my lines could speak with voice , oh then most loud still should they cry , he tha might hear them wou'd rejoyce , no doubt to buy me presently . a great●r book of price more dear , n●w maist thou have , yet not contain directions right , as i have here , repentance truly for to gain . each line doth guide thee to repent , with phrase most plain unto thine ears ; esteem it well , do not relent , sweet is the fruit repentance bears . to the high and mighty king of kings a , prince of peace b , conquerour of death c , hell d , and sin e , the great judge of the world f , and bishop of my soul g , christ jesu my saviour h . o gracious and most high god a , most holy b , most strong c , most mighty d most merciful e , most righteous f , and most beautiful saviour g , i the son of thy handmaid h , whom thou hast created , and redeemed k , ●a●e in all dutifull affection assigned my , ●elf , and my dearest love into thine hands 〈◊〉 my humble petition , which i dedi●red unto thee , o sweet j●su , th●u light ●f my soul m , and to the uttermost of my ; ●ower ( by thine assistance ) have made it ●y daily prayer , and true copy of my ●ya●est aff●ction unto thee , o lord my god n , in the which , through my conti●●ul exercising thereof , i know my sigh●g for my sins is not hid from thee o , nor ●●y tears , which cry from the bottom of my ●eart , for thy crimson priceless drops of ●ood , that trickled down thy azure veins p , 〈◊〉 wash away my scarlet sins q , unknown to ●ee , and now again , o my soveraign delight r , in token of my humblest devotion , and dearest love , which i owe unto thy most sacred self , i am here imboldned ( although far u●worthy ) to dedicate this other mite unto thee ( entitu●ed andrews resolution ) which i cast into thy treasury ſ , not of superfluity , but meer penury , desiring thee , o my saviour t , from the tender bowels of my heart , that through the multitude of thy mercies u , thou wilt guide me therein . and i most humbly beseech thee , that thou wilt vouchsafe to entertain and receive me , that i may be wholly thine , and thou co-equal with god the father , maist be wholly mine , that after my ended miseries , thou wilt crown me with endless mercies : unto this ( sweet jesus ) i most humbly beseech thee to say amen . and so amen , thy earnest , though most unworthy late repentant sinner , john andrews , preacher of the word , desireth with all humility daily to come unto thee . serò sed seriò . andrews resolution . first , what repentance is . there is no d●ctrine in the c●urch of god more necessary , than the doctrine of repentance , and amendment of life ; neither doth the holy ghost so much labour in all the scripture , as he doth to b●at repentance into mens leads a it was not only the only sermon which s. john baptist preached to prepare the way for christ b , but ●●so it was the first that ever was made , it was preached by god himself to our fi●st parents in parad●se c ; and ever since both the prophets , apostles , and many of gods faithful ministers have preached repentance unto the people d . yet notwithstanding many are so wedded unto sin e , and they are become so godless , so graceless , so rooted and fully resolved to live therein , that the most part little understand the doctrine of repentance f , and less practise the duty . many presume to describe it , though few know it : many can talk of it g , but few h walk in it ; many speak of it , but few feel it ; and many think they have caught it when they have b●t the shadow of it : because it is so ●●●●pery that few can hold it , & so secret that many cannot find it : it is ●id fro● the world & revealed unto non● but the elect chi●dren of god k . it is a work that no men with their fine beats and deep devices can compre●●nd : for the conversion of a si●ner is supernatural , and whosoever doth , o● hath not felt in himself what repenta●ce is , shall be ●amned l , therefore ●e that hath ears to hear , let him hea● , and he that hath eyes to see , let him see what repentance if , and withall , bring this present of the hilosophers with him , nosce t●ipsum knew thy self ; it is the first thing to be done in repéntance , and the beginning of all grace . repentance is a work of grace , arising of a m godly sorrow , from a true faith , and knowledge of a mans own spiritual estate : it is a constant n turning of a man in his whole life , from all his sins unto god , it is an hear●y sorrow for sin , with amendment of life , having a godly resolution to sin no more o . it is a most necessary thing for mankind ; it is the very supersedeas and discharge of sin , and the cause of unity between god and man. there is no other means to make peace betwen christ and us , but repentance : no other to discharge sin , p nor course to avoid ●ell , but repentance ; neither any way to win heaven , but repentance and therefore repentance is most necessary , what wounded body would not seek a salve : much more what wounded soul slain with sin , q would not seek repentance , seeing it is the only salve to cure the soul ? it is an eybod of purity , and a defiled man may not wear it . the dignity of it is great , and honourable ; and the lord will not bestow it upon an unworthy person . it is a magnificent guest , r and will not come into a polluted tabernacle . it is an holy saint , and will not dwell in the synagogue of satan . it is not to be bought with silver or gold , nor to be had from the gifts of ring● , popes , or potentates , it is a thing of inestima●le bal●e , a it sheweth the attonement between the saviour and the sinner , and being gotten by faith b , prayer c , and hearing the word of god d , it brings thee unto christ . e it is libra donatio , a gift absolute without consideration , which god ever bestoweth upon his friends , upon those that love him . it is called the spirit of burning , therefore with speed frepent , that repentance may burn thy sins , f est the fire of hell bnrn thy soul , esay . the true essence or nature of thy repentance , only consisteth in turning from all thy sins unto god a : and therefore it is not altogether deri●ed of the word poenitentia , because the divines say , it doth not comprehend totum terminum a quo & ad quem , from what and to whom thou must return . but this is the true repentance which the latin interpret by this word resipiscentia , or conversio , which is not only the changing of the mind , but it is recessus a malo a forsaking of evil , accessus ad bonum and return unto that which is good b : revertimini usque ad me , return as far as unto me . if thou wilt repeat truly , thou must withall have both a purpose in mind , and an inclination in will , and endeavour in life , wholly to forsake all thy sins for ever and turn unto god. to repent , confideth but of two syllables : yet unto the wicked it is too hard to be learned and so unay to be practised , that like as the camelion can change himself into all colours saving white , so would they change themselves from all goodness , to follow evil , rather then to return unto the lord by repentance . to conclude this point , thou shalt no sooner repent , but i heaven shall be confirmed unto thee , habendum & tenendum , for ever and ever . secondly ; god is the author of repentance . repenta●ce is libera donatio , a gift absoluts , without consideration ; and it comes freely from god , who is the very efficient and principal author or donor thereof k . it is therefore to be held the more pretious and to be desired with the more hope ; yea : to be thy summum bonum for it obtaineth salvation , unto all those which truly repent and turn unto god. and he that turneth unto god by repentance , must first of all be turned by god ; and so saith jeremiah , surely after i was converted i repented , and after i was instructed , i smote upon my thigh ; i was ashamed , yea even confounded , because i did bear the reproach of my youth and our saviour christ saith , no man can come unto me except my father draw him therefore saith s. paul instruct them with meekness : proving if god will at any time give them repentance , that they may b● saved , for god is good a and merciful unto all those that turn unto him by repentance ; he is full of pity , and hath no pleasure at all that the wicked should die : but is rich unto all that call upon him for mercy ; and hath promised to hear thy petitions , if thou truly repent . furthermore , if thou hadst repentance in thine l own power , and mightest repent when thou wouldest ; yet it were but a folly ; yea it were a m meer madness to presume in sin because thon hast a remedy . but now seing thy repentance is in the hand of god , and that none can repent without his espocial grace it were a double and a trebble folly to n d●lay thy repentance from day to day or to seek it from any other but from god. thirdly , of examination . before thou confess thy sins unto god , thou must take heed to examine thy self , that thereby thou mayest know them both in greatness and danger : for untill thou know thy sins , that thy conscience may be convicted by them , thou canst never humbly and heartily confess them . far let any repentant sinner ask his conscience what was the first cause of his conversion , and surely he will say , that when he began to repent , he did first search b himself : and finding his ways dangerous , and his cause fearful , did thereupon resolve to take a new course ; it is the beginning of all grace , to search , try , and examine thy self ; it is also a means to prevent gods iudgment : if thou dost not search thy self , then god will search thee with his c fiery crosses and terror of his punishments . but if thou truly examine thy self first to be guilty of adams sin d . secondly , prone by nature to all evil e . thirdly , subject to the curse of gods wrath f . thus in the guiltiness of adams sin sin hath his beginning ; in the original , his continuance ; and in actual , his full perfection . so answerable thereunto is th● wrath of god ; it beginning by leaving thée by nature unto th● flavery of satan ; it is continued by death , and accomplished by damnation . now these thrée rules i leave to thy careful consideration , assuring thee from god thou canst never be saved unless g thou repent , nor nev●r repent , except that thou search , try , and examine thy self . thus if thou wilt repent truly , thou must search and look into thy self , to see in what a miserable case thou art ; as i have said before : and thou shalt find that by h nature , thou art the child of wrath , out of y ● favour of god , not only wretched and accursed by the law , a bondslave unto satan but finally subject to death , hell , and damnation . thus if thou wouldst know if thou art in the right way of repentance or no. thou shalt find , if thou consider in thy self whether thou hast ever any need of gods pardon for thy sin ; or of christ his i blood to salve and cure thy soul : or was thy heart ever wounded or grieved for thy sin , so that thy soul were even sick with the stink thereof ? or diddest thou ever hunger and thirst after god in christ ? and with ●●ghs , groans , and k tears , beg for his mercy upon thy l knees ( as for life and death ) if thou hast not felt , nor done these things in some measure , surely thy case is very fearful and dangerous : thou art not yet in the way of repentance therefore as yet the mercies of god belong not unto thee . fourthly , of contrition . contrition is a fear and inward sorrow of conscience , perceiving that god is angry with sin and is sorry that it hath ●●nned . and to speak more largely of it , thou maist know this , that contrition also comphrehendeth first t●e o knowledg of god , requiring obedience ; and discommending disobedience ; and not to remit sin without full and perfect satisfaction , eit●er in respect of obedience it self , or else in respect of punishment . secondly , the discussing and examining of thy nature , p thy thoughts will , affections , and all thy actions & deeds according to the square and rule of gods laws in every point ; for as s. augustine saith , peccatum puniendum est aut a te aut a deo : si puniturate , tunc punitur sine te ; si vero a tenon punitur , tecum punietur . sin must néeds be punished , either of god , or of thy self , if by thy self , then sin is punished without thee , if of god then thou and thy sin must be punished together . therefore if thou wouldst repent with a true contrition , that thereby thou maist reap a most plentiful harvest , thou must sow in gods field the q seeds of repentance , and oftentimes water then with the tears of thy humble contrition : r so shalt thou gather t●e true fruits of everlasting joy and felicity ſ . for as the déeper the wound , the more diligent the cure : so let thy repentance bring forth as much sorrow , as sin gave the delight . and as s. ambrose saith , expectat lacrymas nostras deus , ut profundat pietatem suam ; god looketh for thy tears in thy contrition , that he may pour down his grace upon thy amendment . t laudatum est cor penitentiae lacrymis ; thou must wash thy hart in a troubled pool of u bethesda , in the true tears of repentance . having an inward sorrow wrought by the holy ghost , for thy sins before committed , against so good and gracious a god ? joyned ●oth with a perfect faith , x to be forgiven for christ his sake , and also from hencefortb with a full and de●erminate purpose to amend and lead 〈◊〉 new life , fifthly , of confession . saint chrysostome saith , that nothing pleaseth god more than confession , if it be joyned with true contrition ; and that it is a part of humiliation , ever joyned with true repentance , because they cannot be truly humble and repent , who confess not their sins unto god : neither will be give them pardon ; for god covers when men uncover a and acknowledge ; he justifieth when men condemn themselves , and fly unto him for mercy . if any plead unto god , non est factum , and deny his deeds and debts of sin : there is no reason why he should have the acquittance of grace . therefore , saith solomon , he that hideth his sins shall not b prosper , but he that confesseth them and forsaketh them , shall have mercy . if thou confess them effectually , it will cause thee to weep like c mary magdalen , wraffle with god , like d jacob ; and pour forth floods of tears like ezeckia . thou e must confess them in this , or such like manner , first , thou must put up an inditement against thy self , and accuse thee before god wherein thou must acknowledge both thy particular and unknown sins generally without any excuse , extenuation , or defence , inbiding the least of them . an example thou maist find in david ; f i know my iniquity is ever before me . secondly , thou must with ●rief of heart ( as a iudge upon the bench ) give sentence against thy self , acknowledging thy unworthyness , by reason of thy sin , to have deserved everlasting damnation ; as the g prodigal child did , who said , father i have sinned against heaven , and before thee ; or the poor publican , who standing far off , would not so much as cast up his eyes to heaven , but smote his breast , crying , lord be merciful to me a sinner . thou must also accuse thy sins , thy very conscience must witness against them , and thy heart convince them ; thou must accuse them , . as strangers dejected , . as adversaries convicted , and . as enemies professed . in so doing , said augustine , when thou accusest thy self by confessing thy sins unto god , thou preventest thereby the devil of his purpose , so that he cannot accuse thee at ●he day of iudgment , for saith he h thou plottest out all thy sins by repentance . where there is no accuser there is no crime produced for the iudge to condemn ; for that which is not hath no punishment : forgiven sins are not ; ergo , forgiven sins have no punishment : and so saith the author to the hebrews , . . leo saith that those sins shall never be condemned which are purged before with i confession and repentance . neither is iesus christ any longer ●hy iudge to condemn 〈◊〉 , but thy advocate to plead for thee , if thou accuse thy self by confession . therefore confess thy sins unto god without any accuse or k delay . for it is another manner of thing to ●epent , than many take it for . it is ●ot every a sob or sigh that brings re●entance : god is merciful , &c , and thus ●●ghtly da●● them over , as though gods mercy were to be gained in a ●oment . let no man deceive him●elf ; it will cost thee many a prayer , ●nd many a tear in thy confession , ●efore thou canst have pardon for thy ●●ns , if thou didst feel the smart of sin but a prick in thy wounded conscience , thou wouldst never give god any rest ; but like david , cry unto god b again and again , until thou hast found some comfortable perswasion of gods mercy in christ , for the forgiveness of thy sins . vntill thou do thus , thou shalt never find any quietness in thy conscience , no● any sound comfort of gods spirit in thee . david could c never repent until god sent nathan unto him to reprove him for his sin ; but so soon as he saw his sin , and that it was not only committed against d uri●h , but also against god , it presently so bounds his conscience , killed his poor heart , and so grieved his soul , that he cryed out in his conscience , against thee &c. as if he would have said , oh my god , it grieves me exceedingly , and wounds my ve●y soul , that ever i was so vile a sinner as to sin against thee , o my most gracious and merciful god. therefore the only way to repent , is , from the bottom of thy heart , in thy conscience to grieve for thy sin , especially for that it is against god , ●nd causeth thee to break his laws ; ●or if thou couldst be sorry for thy sin , ●ecause it is against god , more than ●or g fear of punishment , it were a good sign that thou wert in the ready way of repentance . wherefore if there were no shame ●or punishment , no hell nor damnation , yet thou oughtest to repent , ●ecause thou hast sinned against so h good and gracious a god , who hath i ●reated and redeemed thee . sixthly , faith is the ground or root of repentance . faith may be added unto repentance not as a part , but as the ground k or root thereof ; for it cannot be , that the root and the fruit should be doth one thing : & without faith there can never i any true repentance , therfore they are still joyned together : to clear this doubt , thou must consider three things : . the order of nature ; . the time ; . the manifestation of them both in order of nature , saith goeth before repentance : in manifestation of ●hem , repentance is first ; in time they are both joyned together . by order of nature , first a mans conscience must in some sort be setled , touching his reconciliation with god in christ before he can truly repent . as s. ambrose saith , no man can rightly repent , unless he hope for pardon . so that remission of sins is believed , then upon that comes repentance . by manifestation , repentance goeth before faith , for it is sooner descryed than faith . regeneration is like the sap of a trée , hid within thee bark ; when as repentance is like the bud , that speedily sheweth it self . if we respect y e time , neither of them are one before the other but are begotten both in an instant . so soon as there is fire , so soon it is hot : and so soon as a man is m regenerate so soon he repents : for he that believes , instantly repents . therefore none can truly repent , except he believes , that he is gods. and none can have belief n but he that hath this grace , & faith in him . fur●hermore , none repent , unless they hate sin , & faith causeth a man to hate sin now none can hate sin , except he be sanctified , and none can be sanctified , without he be justified , & this cannot be without faith o , faith comprehendeth justification . again the inward or instrumental cause of repentance , is faith which may be called the mother of repentance , because it brings it forth as the word is the begetter ; and so may have the name of a father : for he that is without faith is dead . no life without faith , no repentance without life : & therefore neither the pharisees prayer p , the harlots vow q , y ● traitors kiss r , the sacrifice of cain ſ , the fast of jezabel t , y ● oblation of an●anias , nor the tears of esaux , could ●e accepted of god , because they were not truly dedoted from a lively faith . lastly , the efficient or principal working cause of faith in thy repentance , is a god , whereby , by faith , every true believer receiveth christ for b himself , as given for him , born for him , dying for him , and rose again for him : for he died for his sins , and rose again for his iustification . and to conclude , repentance separated from faith in christ , is no true repentance . and thus much concerning faith. lstly , the time when to repent . man hath no time of repentance certain , no term c of years , but term of life , and that is most uncertain . t●ough god called saul d twice , samuel , thrice e , his spouse four times f the ninivites . daies g , and the jews forty years ; yet he gives us no time to repent , but to repent now . the time of repentance is the time present without delay , as the holy ghost teacheth : this day if you will hear his voice , harden h not your hearts : for there is but one acceptable time , which being neglected , is as a bird escaped out of the hand , or a shaft shot out of a bow , not to be recalled . at what time ( saith the lord. ) the lord limits no time , if a man repent truly . the time ; of repentance is double ; . it must be done presently without delay ; . continually , every day . it must be done k speedily without delay : for who knows whether this be the acceptable time , which if thou neglect when god calls thee in the youth , or in thy health ; it may be he will not call thee hereafter in thy age or sickness ; and the longer thou dost defer thy repentance , the harder it will be for thee to repent . therefore if thou hast suffered the bud of thy youth to be blasted , thy flower to fade , thy leaves to dry up , and thy boughs to wither , yet keep life in the l root , let the whole become fuel for m hell fire . be not like those which begin not 〈◊〉 live untill they be ready to die and ●hen after a foes desert , n come to ●rave of god a friends entertainment . nor think to snatch up hea●en in a moment , which the best can ●carce attain unto in many years : ●r jump from o dives diet to laza●us crown ; that is , from the service ●f satan , to the solace p of saints . o beloved heaven , is to to be gained ●o easily . the thief indeed may be saved on q the cross ; and mercy found at last , ●ut late repentance is seldom or never true repentance . for if a man repent he can sin no more , then he ●eaves not sin , but sin leaves him . oh therefore if thou wouldst be from from this doubt , avoid the certainty repent whilst thou art in good health , r take time whilst it is offered thee , for time and tide staieth for no man. common experience ●ee●eth 〈◊〉 that time is pre●ious , short and ●●revocable , which can never be redeemed , and withall consider , he that is not ready to repent to day , will be less ready to morrow : it may be god hath appointed this day to be the end of thy life . oh therefore always so live , that thou be ever prepared to die . if thou dost defer thy repentance untill it be to late o i then thou wouldst give a thousand worlds for one days repentance or an hours contrition . record therefore a decree in thy heart , to keep all thy sins in perpetual exile and neve● admit them again in thy court : but turn o turn from sin to sanctity , from babylon to jerusalem , from bethavan to bethel , from sodom to sion , and from belial to god , so let not the sun of thy pleasure be the day of thy lives end , nor night of thy death come before the great work of thy repentance be begun . oh repent , repent therefore that thou and i , and all the elect children of god , may have all our sins freely forgiven us , and be with christ iesus saviour , who hath so dearly bought us : to whom with the father and the holy ghost , be all f honour , power , glory , and dominion , both now and evermore . amen . finis . notes, typically marginal, from the original text notes for div a -e a rev. . b ep ▪ c heb ● ● d hos . e hos . f gen g pet. . h luk. . ● . a psa . b esay . c psal . . d gen. e ●sa . . f esay g can h ps . . gen. . , k eph. . cor . m esay . ; n psa . . psalm . psalm o psalm p ●● . q es . . r sol. s●ng , , &c mat. . ſ luk. . t tim. , acts . u psal . . mat. . sa. . notes for div a -e a kin. , eze. . , . act , pet. . hos . . ● pet . jer. . jer. . ma . , , mar. . luke . luke . acts . acts b mat , , c gen d kin. esay . e joh. . rom. . f rom. g mat. h psal . . rev. . k lu , l lu. ● . esay nahu . . . pla●● , aristotles , t●eophrastes . m eph . cor. . , jer. . n joel . o joh. . john. . eze. . rom , rom. . p joh. . ge. , p. . . q esa . . ez. . luk. . ▪ r joh . & a heb. . b gal. c jam. . d rom. , e act. . ti. . , joh. . f thes . esay . a eze. . . jer . . ki. . esay . eze. . jer. . b ro. . gal. . thes . . acts , i gen. , , deut. . kin. . job . . , eze. . k jer. . lam. . ti . acts . joh. . jer. . john. . tim . a ps . . . jer. . mat. psalm . ez. ch . . ro. . ps . . psal . . ps . l esay . , m deut. . n deut. , chr. . ● cor. cor , . b ps . . c pe . & . d psal . es● . . gen. . e rom. f wisd . . psal . . psa . . pro. . , . esa . . g luk. . cor. . h eph. . mat . heb. . pet. . joh. . k jam luk. . l ki. dan. . augustinus de poenitentia . o job . . , & cor. . p lu. . acts . q mat. . r jam. . , ſ mat. . luke . t ps . . . u joh. . x psalm . , chrysost . in psalmes . a joh. . b prov. c joh. . d gen. . e eze. . f psa . . g lu. . luk. . h jer. . , leo. i john . k ecc. . . thes . . a cor . acts . b psa . . c sa. . ▪ d sa. . psal . h ps . i ● cor. . k heb. . m joh. . , , &c. n pet. o rom. . , , , p lu. . q pro. . r lu . mat. . ſ mat. . gen. . . t kin. . , acts . gen. . a joh. . acts . tim. . b jo. . mat. . luk , . , john . joh. . joh. . john . cor. . . rom. . tim. . pet. . cor. . mat. . mat. . joh. . c acts . ecc. e sa. . f cant. . g jon. deut. , h psa . . k ecc. . thes . l joh. . n ps . . wis . psal . . o lu. . p lu. . q luke . , r eph. . f rev. . for your whoredoms in the city of london, is the hand of the lord stretched forth against thee, and the sword of the lord god drawn to hew thee down ... fox, george, - . this text is an enriched version of the tcp digital transcription a of text r in the english short title catalog (wing f a). textual changes and metadata enrichments aim at making the text more computationally tractable, easier to read, and suitable for network-based collaborative curation by amateur and professional end users from many walks of life. the text has been tokenized and linguistically annotated with morphadorner. the annotation includes standard spellings that support the display of a text in a standardized format that preserves archaic forms ('loveth', 'seekest'). textual changes aim at restoring the text the author or stationer meant to publish. this text has not been fully proofread approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page image. earlyprint project evanston,il, notre dame, in, st. louis, mo a wing f a estc r this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons . universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase , no. a ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, - ; : ) for your whoredoms in the city of london, is the hand of the lord stretched forth against thee, and the sword of the lord god drawn to hew thee down ... fox, george, - . sheet ([ ] p.) s.n., [london? : ] signed: g.f., i.e. george fox. title taken from first lines of text. imprint supplied by wing. reproduction of the original in the british library. eng christian literature -- early works to . warnings -- early works to . a r (wing f a). civilwar no for your whoredoms in the city of london, is the hand of the lord stretched forth against thee, and the sword of the lord god drawn to hew t fox, george a this text has no known defects that were recorded as gap elements at the time of transcription. - tcp assigned for keying and markup - spi global keyed and coded from proquest page images - mona logarbo sampled and proofread - mona logarbo text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion for your whoredoms in the city of london , is the hand of the lord stretched forth against thee , and the sword of the lord god drawn to hew thee down . ye airy spirits , ye high mindes , ye treacherous hearts , ye whores and whoremongers , the god of glory is risen , the sword is drawn . ye chaffish mindes , the plagues of god is to confound you all . ye proud , ye are for the fire which cannot be quenched . ye proud and lofty , and high-minded , are an abomination : it goes before the fall . ye lustful ones , the plague and dread of the lord is to come upon you , who are up in the air , clouds without water , trees without fruit , in your lusts burning , filled with unrighteousness . one tempts another with your beauty , which is vain ; with your apparel , the fashions of it , which your lusts doth increase , which under judgement must be brought , with the terrible god , which is a consuming fire to the proud . and the day of the lord shall burn the wicked ; plagues and vengeance of god be poured forth upon the whores , and upon the whoremongers , and upon the wicked , who burns your selves in your lusts , and brings the plagues of god upon you . oh you stink before the lord , oh you are noysome ; the noysome smell of your flesh stinks , which burns . ye corrupted ones , plagues , wo and misery is to come upon you all , in whom that nature lives contrary to the light : the works of darkness are seen ; you cannot hide your selves from the secrets of the lord , but he sees your works , your actions , your deeds . and the light in all your consciences , shall answer gods judgments , and make you to confess his judgements just , his wrath just , his vengeance just , his plagues just , his destruction just . and this is the word of the lord to you , and answered shall be in every one of your consciences , in the day of the lords slaughter . a witness against all ungodliness . the lord god of heaven and earth is not worshipped . to idolatries are you given , and to pleasures and wantonness , and to pride ; so on going without the fear of god , making images , and so delighting in the works of your own hands , making likenesses of things that be in heaven , of angels ; and making likenesses of things that be in the sea , and making the likeness of things that be on the earth , of men and women , and creatures , and of the stars , sun and moon ; so follows your own inventions , taking pleasure in the works of your own hands , given up to idolatry , in the day-time , found in pleasures , sporting , and in wantonness , which the lord sent his apostles to cry against , who was in the same spirit that gave forth the scriptures : therefore we having the same spirit , do cry out against such things now , as moses and the prophets , who received the law from god . so that the spirit of the lord is grieved now , to see the images of men and women made of stone and wood , set up and down ; and the likenesses of other creatures , of horses , bulls , birds , fowls in the air , and fishes in the sea and rivers , and creeping things of the earth . and this is found in the inventing minde , in cain's nature , where the pride , strife and envie is . i am the light of the world , and doth lighten every one that comes into the world , faith christ the son of god , the covenant of life and peace . if you take heed to this light that comes from the lord jesus , and in it walk , you will come to see the lord jesus , the saviour of your souls , from whence this light comes , who is the way to the father . but if you hate the light which comes from the lord jesus , and will not bring your deeds to the light , with the light to be proved , this is the condemnation , the light , faith christ : which light if ye did love it , would bring you to worship god , and to turn from your inventions , which all is to be condemned with the light , which feedeth the light , wanton , fleshly minde . g. f. sacred geographie. or scriptural mapps . of all the earth, and water, at the creation. . of paradice [sic], and the countries circumjacent, inhabited by the patriarks. . israels forty years perigrination through the wilderness. . canaan, or the land of promise. . the travels of s. paul, and other the apostles. . jerusalem, as it stood in our saviours time. collected both from sacred and prophane authority, by learned persons selected thereunto by the national congreagation of dutch devines, for the more profitable reading of the old and new testament. and to be bound up with bibles. translated into english by j. moxon, hydrographer to the kings most excellent majesty. london, printed by joseoph moxon, and sold at his shop on ludgate hill, at the signe of atlas. . approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page images. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; oxford (uk) : - (eebo-tcp phase ). a wing s d estc r this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons . universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase , no. a ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, - ; : ) sacred geographie. or scriptural mapps . of all the earth, and water, at the creation. . of paradice [sic], and the countries circumjacent, inhabited by the patriarks. . israels forty years perigrination through the wilderness. . canaan, or the land of promise. . the travels of s. paul, and other the apostles. . jerusalem, as it stood in our saviours time. collected both from sacred and prophane authority, by learned persons selected thereunto by the national congreagation of dutch devines, for the more profitable reading of the old and new testament. and to be bound up with bibles. translated into english by j. moxon, hydrographer to the kings most excellent majesty. london, printed by joseoph moxon, and sold at his shop on ludgate hill, at the signe of atlas. . moxon, joseph, - . [ ], p. printed and sold by james moxon, at the signe of atlas in warick-lane, london : . the words "scriptural mapps" appear to be engraved on title page. translation statement and imprint are pasted on title page. "the epistle dedicatory" and "to the reader" are signed: joseph moxon. errata at end of text. incorrectly identified as wing ( nd ed.) s c in reel guide. reproduction of the original in the british library. created by converting tcp files to tei p using tcp tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the universities of michigan and oxford and the publisher proquest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by proquest via their early english books online (eebo) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). the general aim of eebo-tcp is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic english-language title published between and available in eebo. eebo-tcp aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the text encoding initiative (http://www.tei-c.org). the eebo-tcp project was divided into two phases. the , texts created during phase of the project have been released into the public domain as of january . anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source. users should be aware of the process of creating the tcp texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data. text selection was based on the new cambridge bibliography of english literature (ncbel). if an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in ncbel, then their works are eligible for inclusion. selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. in general, first editions of a works in english were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably latin and welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so. image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in oxford and michigan. % (or pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet qa standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. after proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of instances per text. any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of tcp data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a tcp editor. the texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level of the tei in libraries guidelines. copies of the texts have been issued variously as sgml (tcp schema; ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf- unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p , characters represented either as utf- unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng bible -- commentaries -- early works to . christian literature -- early works to . - tcp assigned for keying and markup - aptara keyed and coded from proquest page images - jonathan blaney sampled and proofread - jonathan blaney text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion sacred geographie . or scriptural mapps . . of all the earth , and water , at the creation . . of paradice , and the countries circumjacent , inhabited by the patriarks . . israels forty years perigrination through the wilderness . . canaan , or the land of promise . . the travels of s. paul , and other the apostles . . jerusalem , as it stood in our saviours time. collected both from sacred and prophane authority , by learned persons selected thereunto by the national congregation of dutch devines , for the more profitable reading of the old and new testament . and to be bound up with bibles . translated into english , by joseph moxon , hydrographer to the kings most excellent majesty . london . printed by joseph moxon , and sold at his shop on ludgate hill , at the signe of atlas . . translated into english by j. moxon , hydrographer to the kings most excellent majesty . london , printed and sold by james moxon , at the signe of atlas in warick-lane , . to the reverend and right worshipful , peter mew , d. d. vice chancellour of oxford . and to the reverend and right worshipful john breton , d. d. vice chanc. of cambridge . and to the rest of the reverend and learned collegiates of these two famous vniversities . reverend and learned sirs . i may justly expect that by your approbation or censure the reputation of these scriptural mapps must stand or fall : and therefore , being by my own examinations of them prompted to hope well from you , i offer them to your perusals . the originals of these had their original from an assembly of dutch ministers , who selected from among themselves two such persons as they thought apt and able to correct all the foregoing authours that have set forth mapps of the like nature : viz. ortelius , christiaen adrichom , arnold and nicholas geilkerck , &c. which being finisht they exposed to publick view : designing thereby the more profitable and pleasant reading of the holy scriptures . among other speculators their work fell under my ey : but it was all in the dutch tongue , and scarce to be understood but by those that understood it : wherefore i judging it as profitable and pleasant for us as them , took both the task of translation upon my self , and the charge of engraving and printing the plates and book . if therefore by your good readings any of you find faults in any of these mapps , and let me know where they be , i shall be both thank fal to you , and carefull to get the plates corrected and amended against the next impression . reverend and learned sirs , i wish this peece as capable as i am willing to serve ye . joseph moxon . to the reader . here is offered thee for s●al price the product of much study , and great pairs . the dutch protestant ministery thought it a work very necessary for protestants that may read the bible , to bind up with them , a●d therefore exposed these mapps in their vulgar language , together with explanations on each particular mapp : and i for the same reasons render you the same mapps in the english tongue , with apt explanations on each of them . i have examined every word in each mapp particularly , and altered their spelling the names of citties and towns &c. to the spelling of our english bibles , and geographical tables : and in some few cases ( where i saw positive reason for it from the bible ) corrected the scituation of places . in this book of explanations mr butle● ( the authour of christologi ) hath in a great measure assisted me : the rest i translated from its original in the dutch , all but some alterations i thought fit to make here and there . i have also examined all the proofs of scripture relative to this discourse ; which ( i suppose by oft re-printing of later impressions from former ) were become exceeding falsly cited . but i have corrected them . i confess some grave eys or tender sighted persons may wish the letters in some of these mapps had been bigger , which in regard of the fulness of those mapps could not be : but if such persons will use a magnifying glasse of smal price , they shall find the smalest letters appear large enough . i chose this volume for this little book , that it might more conveniently ly open on the maps while you are perusing them , to avoid the trouble of turning them to and fro . where you find any literal faults have escaped either in engraving the mapps , or printing this book , pray mend them with your pen , and consider how difficult it is to do any thing of this nature without some fault . farewell . joseph moxon . an explanatory discourse upon the mapp of all the earth . shewing the scituation of all the following mapps in respect of the whole : and also how it was since the flood devided and inhabited by the posterity of noah . the eternal and almighty god having on the first day created the heavens , the earth , and the light , by his word , out of nothing ; on the second day the firmament , and the waters above and beneath the same ; on the third day parted the dry land from the waters , and created grass , herbs , and fruitful trees ; on the fourth the sun , moon , and stars ; on the fifth the fishes great and smal , and the fowls of the air ; on the sixth the beasts of the earth ; at last he created man and woman in his own likeness ; giving him power over the fish of the sea , the fowls of the air , and the beasts of the earth , and every creeping thing , and blessed him , placing him in paradice , and promising him upon his obedience eternal life , ( of which the free of life was to be a visible signe . ) giving them leave to eat of all the trees in the garden , except only of the tree of good and evil ; telling them that in the day they eat thereof they should dy the death . the devil seeing man placed in this happy and imperial condition , stirs up the serpent to tempt the woman to taste the fruit of the tree of good and evil ; telling her that they should not dy , but that their eyes should be opened , and they should be as gods. with these sly and impudent lyes of the serpent the woman was perswaded to eat of the forbidden fruit ; and gave unto her husband to eat also . so that they both strayed from the commands of god their creator , and fell by their disobedience into sin , and consequently into destruction . from adam in this fallen condition is produced the whole race of mankind , who dayly as they increase fall into all manner of pleasure , sin , and wickedness . insomuch as through their sinfull lusts and abhominable lives they brought upon themselves the sad and heavy judgement of an universal deludge : so that in this flood perished all the generations of adam , & all other creatures living upon the face of the earth , except faithful noah and his family , and two of kind male and female of all beasts and fowls and all creeping things , preserved an ark built by the directions of almighty god. when the waters retired into the compass of the seas , noah devided the dry land among his sons shem , ham , and japhet : and they again devided it among their sons . the children of japhet inhabited europe , the northern part of asia and america , as we may gather from ezeck . . . . and . . shem spread himself over the south part of asia and america . and ham possessed the land of canaan , arabia , and all africa . yet the posterity of shem drove out the canaanites , and possessed themselves of canaan and most parts of arabia . the sons of japhet were these , gomor , magog , madai , javan , thubal , mesech , and thiras . go●ers sons were askenas , riphat , and togarma . askenas is held by the scribes to be the father of the french and germans . riphat , the original of the finlanders , l●planders , and the inhabitants of condora , obdora , and jougoria ; where ancient geographers have placed the hills of riphai , which at this day is called by the inhabitants thereof the g●rdle of the world. and togarma , the first inhabiter of ▪ sweden , denmark , and norway . from magog are desended all the people of scithya , now called tartarie . ezech. . . & . . and from madia the medes . k●●g● . . . jos . . jer. . . dan. . . & . . & . . the children of javan are these elisa , tharsis , kithim , and doda●im . from elis● , have the greeks ( which are called aeoles ) their original . ezech. . . from tharsis the people of cilicia , wherein is the city of tharsis , wherein the apostle paul was born . from kithim those of cyprus , macedonia , and italy have there original . numb . . . isa. . . jer. . . mach. . . of dodanim are descended the greeks called dores , which are the people of cariae , rhodes , pelepon●esus , and scicil●e . thubal is accounted the father of those of iberia , albania , and spin. and mesech a father of those of cappadocia , moscovia , polonia , and other people that use the sclavonian language , ezech. . . & . . & . . and thiras an original of those of tharsis , misia , and illyria . so that the blessing noah gave laphet came upon him when he said , god spread forth laphet , and let him dwell in the tents of shem ; and let canaan be his servant . this blessing we here see accomplisht : for god so spread forth iaphet that his posterity possessed the nothern parts of the earth : and god hath also given him the third and fourth monarchy of the world . at this day the lord hath plentifully blessed him in some parts of his possessions in spiritual blessings ; in other parts in temporal blessings : as we may see the kingdoms and countries of christendom : as also in the moscovites , tarters , and turks , who at present have the command over much of shems and h●ms posterity . rome the empress of the fourth monarchy had in the time of vespatian thirteen italian miles , and almost one quarter . plin. lib. . cap. . flavius vopiscus witnesseth that the imperour aurelian inlarged the compass of this city to italian miles . the sons of shem , were elam , asshur , arphaisad , lud , and aram. elam was a father of the elamites , that is , of the inhabitants of the lands of susiana , elymais , and persia , dan. . . where the prophet witnesseth that susa or susari ( scituate on the river vl●i which the greeks call euleum ) is a city in the lands of elam . here the monarchs of persia kept their court , as being the imperial city of the second monarchy , and had in its circuit . stad . that is . ital. miles for . stad . makes an ital. mile . strab. lib. . from assur had the assirians ( who had the first monarchy ) their original , whose imperial city was ninive a city of god whose circuit was three dayes journey . jonas . . with which agree ancient writers , who witness that ninive was in length . stad . in bredth and in circuit . stad . that is english miles . arphachsad . was a father of the babilonians and chaldeans , who were called by the hebrews chasdim , from one of the posterity of arphachsad . the imperial city of which lands was babel , of whose great power glory and command the holy scripture witnesses in several places . isa. . . & . . & . . ier. . . . dan. . . with which agree historians and chronologers ; for among the rest herodotus , witnesses that babel was four square , each side having in length . stad . that is english miles . herodotus lib. . yet strab● ( an author of credit ) makes this city less ; saying that the wall of this city was in circuit stad . that is english miles and one stad . among other of arphachsads posterity was heber his sons son , who was a father of the hebrews , who had two sons , one called peleg , because in his time the world was devided : for peleg signifies in english deviding . his brother was called iaketan who had many sons , to wit almodad , saleph , hazarmaveth , sarah , haderam , vzal , dikela , obal , abimael , seba , ophir , haevila and iobab . these spread themselves from mesa to sephar at the hill towards the east . gen. . . many of the learned understand by mesa the hill masium , which is a part of the mountains of amani . and by sephar the city sipphara scituate in mesopotamia upon the river of euphrates . but yet there is more ground to think that their habitations was from the river of tigris towards the east to the farthest parts of the east indies . yet nevertheless elams posterity inhabited also between the borders of these vast stretched forth lands : for the land of hevila borders towards the west on the spring head of the river of pison , which is an arm of the river of tigris . and ophir hevila's brother is held to be the father of the inhabitants of the lands of pegu , sian , and aurea chersonesus , that is the golden peninsula where at this day stands the famous city of malacca : so that by the mountains towards the east we must understand the hills that part the east indies from china . from the land of ophir solomons ships brought gold precious stones and other rich commodities ; performing their voyage in three yeers time . kin. . . & . . . for this reason benedictus arias mountanus understands by sephar and the mountains towards the east the lands and mountains of peru : and saies that therefore the gold wherewith king solomon covered the temple is called gold of peraim , that is both the peru's , for the last silable aim signifies in the hebrew tongue a number of two . chron. . . also the name of the land of jucatan ( which lies between mexico and the island haiti otherwise called spaniola ) sounds very like iaketan the name of ophers father . led the son of shem is held to be a father of the inhabitants of lydia and other countries in asia the less . from aram luds brother have those of syria mesopotamia and armenia their original : for these mighty kingdoms and their perticular provinces are called in the holy scripture the land of aram , although they are distinguished from one another by several names : for example , aram damasci , aramzobe , aram naharam , that is aram between the two rivers of euphrates and tigras , which lands the greeks call mesopotamia . sam. . . . & . . iud. . . the inhabitants of these lands are at this day as well of themselves as of the neighbouring nations about them called aramei and asamei . the children of aram are these , uz , hull , gether , and mas. from uz are descended those of cele syria , called in the holy scripture the land of uz , where job dwelt . job . from hull are descended the inhabitants of palmiaren : from gether those of apamena and from mas the people of pieriah comagena , and cyrestica . see the map of the travels of st paul. the sons of cham are these . cus , misraim , put , and canaan . cus ( from whom the desart and stony arabia was called the land of chus ) begat seba , hevila , sabtha , raema , sebtecha , and nimrod . from seba and hevila are descended the dwellers of the desart and stony arabia . psal. . . isai. . . these countries were afterwards overcome by the posterities of abraham , the edomites and the isralites , and by them possessed . you must understand that desart arabia is so called not that it is wholy desart and un-inhabited , but because it hath many desart places , and few cities , because the dwellers therein live most in tents , as those who for grasing of their cattle often change places . sabtha ( or more properly sabbetha ) is one of the predecessors of the inhabitants of arabia the happy ; wherein in former times was the city of sabbotha . from raema are descended the people that inhabite that part of arabia the happy that borders on the persian sea , where ptolomie places the city of rhegama . among the sons of raema were sheba and dedan . from dedan are descended the dwellers of dedace in ethiopia , and the troglodites , as may be gathered by the marchandize mentioned in ezeck . . . & . . seba was also the progenitor of the people of ethiopia . isai. . . from hence came the queen of saba ( or more properly sheba ) to king solomon . king. . . mat. . . and here reigned the mighty queen can●●es . act. . . and at this time here reigns that potent prince ( untruly called ) presbiter john ( for he is neither presbiter nor priest , but is indeed the mightiest monarch of this world . ) the people of arabia and other mahumetans call him at●clabassi , and his own subjects acegue , and neguz , of the abissines or moors . from mitsraim are descended the people of egypt . and therefore the hebrews from him call that land in their language mitsraim . and also to this day the inhabitants and bordering people call it mìsri . from mitsraim are also descended these following nations : to wit , ludim , the inhabitants of the common-wealth of mariot in egypt . anaemim , the inhabitants of marmarica and cyrene . leabim , the people of lybia scituated between marenmaricam and egypt , naphthuhim , the moors on the borders of egypt , whose chief city is napatha or naphtha , pathrusim , ( which ptolomy calls phorusios , and pliny pharusios : those of getulia who border on the great ocean sea. isai. . . ler. . , . plin. book . . ch . . and casluhim the inhabitants of cassiotidis lying in the entrance of egypt coming from india and the caphtorims that is the inhabitants of seir and other adjacent countries : from these people are descended the philistims , and caphtorims . gen. . . gen. . . deut. . . from put are descended the people of africa the less , mauritania , in which is the river that ptolomy calls phehut , and plinie funt . and also in numidia , and other countries towards the south mauritania , and africa the less are now called barbary , numidia , biledulgerid , and those lands extending farther southwards are called azamaga , gualata , guiny , which is the land of black moors . from canaan are descended the sidonites , hethites , iebusites , emorites , cirgasites , hevites , arkites , sinites , arradites , zemarites , and the hamathites . and their countries extended from sidon unto gaza , &c. gen. . . but almost all this land of canaan was for the many grievous sins of its inhabitants by gods commandment given for an inheritance to the seed of abraham . nimrod the son of chus began to be a mighty man upon the earth : and the beginning of his kingdom was babel , and other cities in the land of shinar . gen. . . now in regard that the posterity of noah are thus placed in europe , asia , and africa , a question may arise how america being so great a part of the world became first populated , and from whence : and because the answer cannot be found either in holy writ or prophane authours , the most we can do is but to offer at arguments , and leave them to be accepted or rejected according as they may seem most probable or improbable to the judgement of the reader . yet certain it is , that the people of america had their original from noah : for in the flood god destroyed every thing that was upon the earth from man to beast ; and noah only remained , and they that were with him in the ark. gen. . . but from which of noahs sons is the task to find out ; in regard we have had so little knowledge of that part of the world till of ( comparatively ) late years . it seems neerest the truth that those people that inhabite the northern parts of america are descended from laphet ; for towards the north is but a small sea both on the western and eastern side . on the eastern side of america between the western parts of norway and the eastern parts of island are not contained above leagues : from whence by the providence of god norway-men fishing at sea in smal vessels might easily by stress of weather be forced over with a strong easterly wind in less than three dayes time . and afterwards either they or their successors by the same providencial cause might in less than one daies time be driven from the western shoars of island upon the shoars of groenland ; which though it be not accounted a part of america , yet in my judgement it ought to be rather part of it than of any of the other three parts of the world ; and that because it borders so very near upon it , that to this day it is unknown whether it be a part of that continent or no. for several of our country men and others have attempted to find a sea passage between them , and yet cannot . but if there be a passage it is a very small one , and therefore we may probably conjecture would not longly hid ; since the necessities that that cold climate is subject to would compel rational creatures ( as men are ) to seek southerly for a warmer scituation . but here to shew the possibility of such an accident i mentioned only three daies time wherein men might be forced over from the western parts of norway to the eastern parts of groenland , though we need not from hence conclude it was so : but we may also think , that america might as well be populated from any other part of europe , if we but allow that navigations have designedly been made thither both by our own country men and several others : as hacklute relates in his english voyages . pag. . from the records themselves , how several navigations have been made by the brittish nation above years ago into america . and withall , for the probability of the truth of those records proves how that in cuba and hispaniola ( two famous islands in the bay of mexico ) the natives retain several brittish words signifying the same thing to this day : besides some marks of christianity among them . yet by the same propability america might be populated either from france or spain , who also are descended from japhet . thus far may be offered in favour of the sons of japhets populating america , and from whence . but if this be not accepted , we may consider the sons of cham , who inhabited the western shoars of africk , which in some places are not above leagues from the main land of brasil . if neither jophet or cham can be allowed in the readers opinion to populate america , then must it of necessity be the sons of shem who populated it : yet here we find almost leagues distance from america in the neerest place , viz. between yedso the most easternly iland of asia and california the most westernly iland of america : therefore as far as the likeliest probability backs this argument , we ought to conclude that america was populated by the sons of japhet . a discourse upon the geographical description of paradice : and the several countries bordering thereon . together with a short discourse of the perigrination of the patriarchs , from adam to jacob. after god had created the heavens , the earth , the sea , and all that in them is out of nothing , for the compleating of his great work he set himself to make man ; and so dignified and honoured him that he made him lord over all creatures , and gave him for his dwelling a most pleasant garden in eden , called paradice ; excelling in stateliness beauty and delightful pleasantness all the countries upon the face of the earth : and therefore is rightly called the garden of pleasure . it is scituate in the land of shinar , a part of asia , upon the river now called tigris , which is called in the holy scripture the river of pison . this river devides it self into four branches , each of a several name . therefore to shew the true scituation of this garden , and to describe it perfectly , we must consider what the prophet moses saies in gen. . . and the lord god planted a garden eastward in eden ; as also at the verse . and a river went out of eden to water the garden ; and from thence it was parted and became into four heads : to wit four heads of water . this text clearly shews that this garden of pleasure was scituate on the east side of pison , where the river waters it with a single stream ; as you may see in the mapp : and though we should suppose that some part of this garden should ly on the west side of the river of pison , yet it is plain by gen. . . that the dwelling place of adom was on the east side : where it saies , so he drove out the man , and he placed at the east of the garden cherubims &c. because he should not enter in again where he went out . also from gen. . . and cain went out from the presence of the lord and dwelt in the land of nod , in the east of eden . and it is the more likely to be beleeved , because this river aswel in length and breadth as in strength of its stream may compare with the rhyne , or donau ; and therefore it may consequently be conjectured that it must hinder our first parents from flying eastward from the presence of the lord had they inhabited to the westwards of this river : for we cannot rationally conjecture they had either boats or ferries to pass over it withall : nor does gods holy word make any mention of building any till noahs time . thus therefore have many ancient geographers committed an eminent errour in this particular , placing this garden of pleasure on the west side of the river of pison . this river ( as aforesaid ) is devided into four heads of water ; to wit , two to the northward or above the garden , and two to the southward or below the garden ; and were called pison , gihon , hiddekel , and euphrates ; and are thus described in gen. . . the name of the first is pison . that is it which compasseth the whole land of havilah , where there is gold. v. . and the name of the second river is gihon . the same is it that compasseth the whole land of ethiopia . v. . and the name of the third river is hiddekel : that is it which goeth towards the east of assyria . and the fourth river is euphrates . this river of euphrates hath its original source from the mountains of moschi and caspy in armenia the great : and the river of hiddekel hath its original from a certain lake or dead sea scituate neer the beginnings of the mountains of ararat . these two streams run downwards into the aforesaid river pison at the north of the garden , and so run southwards to the southmost part of the garden , where the most easterly of these streams retains still the name of pison , and the westernly takes the name of gihon upon it , both emptying themselves into the persian gulph . our first parents being thus placed in this garden of pleasure ( as aforesaid ) had all things therein given them to their use and behoof , except the tree of knowledge of good and evil , gen. . . which was expressly forbidden them by god. but being deluded by the subtleties of satan to break gods command , they were driven out of paradice , and condemned to get their living in the sweat of their brows ; and for their sakes the earth was accurst and over-run with thistles and thorns . having ( as we have touched before ) their dwelling in the land of nod , to the eastwards of the garden of eden ( which countrey was formerly called susiane , and now susan ) where they fell to tilling the ground . they had two sons , the eldest named cain a tiller of the ground , and the youngest named abel a keeper of sheep ; who through the spite and mallice of his brother cain was in his fury muthered by him . cain being accurst of god for this fact , falls into great dispair and perplexity of mind , fearing least every one that meets him should kill him : goes therefore forth from the face of the lord into the land of nod , and builds there a citty and calls the name of it enoch , after his sons name . it may be conjectured that the citty now called susan is the remains of this citty enoch , as bordering neerest to eden , and scituate to the westwards of the mountains of ararat upon the river euleus , where it is probable cain stopt his flight from the face of the lord , being not able to pass over this river . the sins of mankind growing from time to time more and more , are at last punisht by god almighty with an universal deludge ; wherein was drowned all the race of mankind , all the beasts of the field , all the fowls of the air , and all creeping things , except noah and his family , and two of a sort of all creatures that lived on the face of the earth , and of the fowls of the air : preserved by noah upon the waters in an ark built by him according to the directions of god himself , after the world had been created years . this ark having driven to and fro upon the waters above the highest tops of the mountains for the space of about five moneths time , it pleased god to let it rest at last upon the mountains of ararat ; and after the waters were retired again into their place the beleeving noah and his family and all the living creatures that were inclosed in the ark went again out of the ark : and noah and his family setled themselves about the eastern borders of the river of hiddekel : from whence afterwards the generations of noah spread themselves both eastwards and westwards ; naming the several lands and countries wherein they lived after their several names : which hath moved us to insert this geneological table , that the reader may the easier learn to know the lands in the map , and their several original possessors ; as more at large you may collect them out of the bible , and the marginal notes there on . [ let the genelogical table come in here . ] all the people of the earth had then one language and one speech . and that they might the better unite themselves , and perpetrate a name , they consulted to build a citty , and a tower therein whose top thereof should reach up unto heaven ; which the lord being offended with confounded their language , scattered them , and made them leave off building their intended citty . and the name of that place was called babel : as you may see at fig . in the map , because the lord did here confound their language , and from hence desperse them into all parts of the earth . gen. . . not far from this citty is ur , the dwelling place of terah ; as at fig. . in the mapp . this terah was the father of abraham , and the grandfather of lot. and abraham being forewarned of god to depart from thence , according both he and his father terah and lot departed to haran , as at numb . . in the mapp : where terah dyed . gen. . . and abraham at gods command left his native place , and his kindred , and took with him all his family , and his nephew lot , and all their substance , and travelled towards the land of canaan , unto sichem in the plain of moreh , as at fig. . in the mapp . from whence he removed again unto a mountain between beth-el and hai ( as at fig. . in the mapp ) and pitched his tent there ; where he built an altar and called upon the lord. gen. . . from hence they depart southwards ; and by reason of a famine in the land are driven to go down into egypt ; from whence after some time of stay they again depart ( richly blessed with cattle , silver , and gold , &c. ) into the land of canaan : and again took up their dwelling place between beth-el and hai. at fig. . gen. . . here lot and abraham parts , because the land was too little for them . and lot chose the plain of jordan . at fig. . in the mapp ; and pitched his tent towards sodom . gen. . . and abram went and dwelt in the plain of mamre , which is in hebron , gen. . . as at fig. . in the mapp . here it was that ishmael was born , isaac is promised , and abrams name was changed to abraham , gen. . and . from hence abraham journeyed towards the south countrey , and dwelt between kadesh and shur , and sojourned as a stranger in gerar ; at fig. . in the mapp . gen. . . here abraham was commanded to offer up his son isaac upon one of the mountains of moriah ; at fig. . in the mapp . but god finding his obedience forbids him to lay hands on the lad , and provides a ram for a burnt offering in isaacs steed , and promises him his blessings . from hence abraham goes and dwells in beersheba , at fig. . in the mapp . gen. . . and at kirjath-arba which is hebron , sarah dies , and is buried in the cave of machpelah over against . mamre , at fig. . in the mapp . gen. . . afterwards abraham takes an oath of his servant , and sends him to nahor in mesopotamia . at fig. . in the mapp : to take a wife for isaac out of his kindred , and obtained rebekah the daughter of bethuel , and brings her into canaan , where isaac met her as he came from the way of the well lahairoi , at fig. . in the mapp . gen. . . abraham at the age of years dies , and is buried by his sons isaac and ishmael in the sepulcher of his wife sarah , at fig. . in the mapp . gen. . . isaac then dwelt in the cit●y of gerar , at fig. . in the mapp . gen. . . from whence he removed to the valley of gerar. gen. . . and from the valley of gerer to beer-sheba . gen. . . but the children of ishmael being twelve prince dwelt in all that space between havilah , at fig. . and shur , at fig. . in the mapp . gen. . . this was a large countrey , but in probability not very fruitful or close inhabited . because at this time it is called the deserts of arabia . isaac had now two sons , to wit esau , and jacob. and jacob being the youngest by his subtilety bought esaus birth-right for a mess of pottage ; and by it obtained his father isaac's blessing , which belonged to esau ; for which esau sought jacobs life . but by the councel of his parents he went towards podan-arain to laban his mothers brother . but being benighted at luz , he took of the stones of the place for his pillows , and lay down to sleep on them ; and then dreamed that he saw a ladder whose top reached into heaven , and the angels of god ascending and descending . here he received the promise of god : and here he took the stone he had for his pillow , and set it up for a pillar , and poured oyl on it , and named the citty bethel , at fig in the mapp . gen. . to . in the morning he travelled towards the people of the east , where he met rachel , the daughter of his uncle laban , about haran at fig in the mapp : and makes himself known to her , who straight runs and tells her father , who also came out to meet him : and received him kindly . gen. . here jacob served laban years , for his two daughters leah and rachel , together with such cattle of the flock as he barganied for : which the lord blesses , and increases mightily . whereat laban and his sons grow displeased , and murmur against jacob. which caused jacob to depart from thence with his wives and childeren and cattle to the land of canaan over the river euphrates , at fig. in the mapp . turning towards the hills of gillead at fig. in the mapp . after days persuit of his father in law and uncle laban and a great power he brought with him , he was overtaken . yet nevertheless , laban being warned of god not to hurt jacob , made a convenant with him . gen . , . not to hurt each other . here they made a heap of stones in memorial of the covenant , and called the name of it gilead and mizpah : and from thence laban returned home in peace . jacob travelling a little further meets the angels of god , and called the name of the place mahanaim . at fig. in the mapp . from hence jacob and all his family and followers passed over the foord jabbok , gen. . . here it was that jacob wrestled with god , and obtained his blessing ; and was called israel ; wherefore he called the name of the place peniel , at fig. . in the mapp . and here he met his brother esau coming against him , with men : yet they imbraced and parted friendly from one another ; esau to his dwellings in the mountains seir , at fig. in the mapp . gen. . . and jacob journied to succoth , on the river of jordan , at fig. in the mapp ; where he built an house . from thence he came neer the citty of shechem in canaan , at fig. . in the mapp . from hence god commanded him to go to bethel , and make there an altar unto god that appeared unto him when he fled from his brother esau. gen. . . from hence jacob travelled towards ephrath , which is bethelem , at fig. . and within a little way of the place richel dyed with hard labour of her son benjamin , and was buried there . gen. . . and gen. . . israel travelled again from thence , and pitched his tents beyond the tower of edar , at fig. . in the mapp . from edar he went to his father iscaac in mamre , at the citty of arbak , at fig. in the mapp . and isaac being years old dyed ; and was buryed by his sons esau and jacob , in the sepulcher of his father abraham at machpelah , at fig. in the mapp . israel being compelled by famine , and invited by his son joseph , goes into egypt ; that is the land of cham , also called mitsraim , where joseph receives him with joy and duty , and entertains him with great kindness and liberallity , giving him with the consent of pharaoh the land of goshen , at fig. in the mapp , to live in . the soules that came out of egypt with him were in number . and israel being very old and dim of sight dyed there , and was carryed by his son joseph and the rest of his children , and a great train of egyptians very magnificently into the land of canaan ; and buried in the sepulcher of his father and grandfather , at machpelah , which is before mamre , at fig. in the mapp . gen . . thus is the curteous spectator presented with a short narration of the several countries , stations , and dwellings , of our first parents ; from adam downwards to jacob and by the corresponding figures in the mapp , and this narration is directed to find the scituation of every place in question which he shall read of in the bible , wherein they are concerned , with very great ease , speed , and delight . a short discourse upon the perigrination of the children of israel ; together with a geographical description of the several places they travelled to between egypt and the land of canaan . the land of promise is by some old writers called palestine , ( as is conjectured ) from the name of the inhabitants of the land called philistines , a nation descended from cham , one of the sons of noah . and yet may this land be properly called the land of promise ; in regard of the promise god made to abraham , gen. . . and gen. . . it takes the name of canaan from canaan , one of the sons of ham : ) and is devided into particular provinces , according to the several names of chams sons , who were the first possessors of those provinces : as you may more perfectly see in the mapp of paradice . and lastly , this land is called the holy land , alluding to what god said unto moses in deut. . . draw not nigh hither ; put off thy shoes from thy feet ; for the place whereon thou standest is holy ground . notwithstanding this was not spoken by god in the land of canaan ; but in the wilderness of sin by mount horeb. yet however we may account this a very proper name for this land , because the holiness of the lord was there preserved ; the holy citty of jerusalem stood in it ; and the most holy and true son of god had both his birth and conversation in it . the extream bounds of this land reaches fastwards to arabiathe stony . westwards to the great sea , northwards to the hills of labanon , and southwards to the wilderness of paran , edom , and kadesh . it s length between labanon and paran is about english miles : the bredth between the great sea and the river of jordan is various ; for in some places , it is about . in others about . miles over . this land is watered with several smal rivolets or brooks ; some emptying themselves into the great sea and others running into the river of jordan , a famous river taking its original from two smal lakes by the woods of labanon , called jor , and dan ; who running a little way , unite both their streams and names : and from thence is called jordan . this river jordan runs from thence into the lake merom , and from merom into the sea of galilee ; otherwise called the sea of chinereth ; and lastly , running from the sea of chinereth it looses its self and name in the dead sea or vale of siddim . in this valestood formerly those wicked citties sodom and gomorrah , and in the time of lot was a most exceeding fruitfull plot of ground , compared to the garden of the lord , to witt , paradice . gen . . this sea or vale is also watered with the brooks zered , and arnon , and is nevertheless ( as josephus writes ) a salt and unfruitful lake . tacitus , egysippus , pausanius , and others , write wonderful things of this lake ; which for brevity we shall here omit . yet this we ought to remark , that herein is found driving upon the waters a species of pitch called asphaltum : from whence this lake hath also obtained the name of mare asphalticum . this pitch being melted hath a noysom stinck , and is used both in medicines , and by the inhabitants there-abouts for the pitching of vessels . but to proceed , this land of canaan is a very fruitful land : producing corn , wine , oyl , sugar , balsome , figgs , herbs , and flowers ; and is very truely termed a land flowing with milk and honey . exod . . and in several other places . it is beautified with many fair hills , vales , fields , fountains , rivers ; woods , citties , vi●lages , and strong castles : exceling many other lands in the world : and therefore given by god for an inheritance to the father of the faithful and his seed the children of israel , as a type of the heavenly canaan , the place of perfect and accomplished joy and happiness . the exceeding great number of citties in this land is almost incredible : yet that you may the better conceive of it , we have thought fit to add a catalogue of the kingly citties which joshua by lot devided to the children of israel : as follows . to the tribe of ruben hesh●●n madian . p●tra . to manasse g●●al . f●a-d●r . ta●●a●● m●g●●●● . israel . th●●z● . ashtaroth . domas●●● . ed●●● . gesur . maachath . zoba . them●●● madon . to gad rabbah to benjamin . ●●thel . a● . gibe●● : jer●sa●●● . jericho , to simeon . debir . gerar. to zebulon jok●eam . simron mer●● . to issachat apbek . to asher achsaph . lassor●n . tyre . zidon . to naphtali . hazor . edrei . heleph . hamm●th . to dan. ekron . gath. lac●is . to judah harad . arab. makked●h . lib●a . eglon. bes●k . hebron . adullam . tappua . to ephraim . g●●ur . tappuah . l●ssaron . samaria . in all kingly citties . this description of the land of canaan may be thought unproper in this place , since we pretend to shew you the children of israels forty years wandering through the wilderness : but because you may know what land it was god had ordained for them after their trials and travels ; and because we intend in our discourse upon the mapp of canaan to treat mostly upon the actions and passages of our saviour jesus christ in this land , therefore we thought fit to insert this discourse here , and to omit it in the next mapp . wherefore , having thus given you an account of the land of promise , we come next to shew the perigrination of the children of israel towards it through the wildernesses of paran , zin , kadesh , &c. where ( for your information ) take notice that the double prickt line in the map shews the passage they made ; and where you find six little round thus , besides the prickt line , it shews where they pitched their tents : each station is marked with numerical figures , to which the numerical figures in the mapp and book bear particular referrences . but to the purpose . god having purposed that the posterity of abraham should remain as strangers in a strange land years : and this time being expired , he took notice of their miserable bondage , and how they were supprest and tasked of the egyptians , he heard the sighs and complaints of his people ; and therefore sent his servants moses and aaron to lead them out of egypt into the promised land . and because king pharaoh opposed them , therefore god sent all sorts of plagues upon egypt , so that at last pharaoh and his people were not only willing to let them go , but even in a manner drove them out of the land . the children of israel therefore gathered themselves together from all parts of the land to rameses , and ate the paschal lamb on the . day of the moneth ibib. exod. . . ( which with us is part of the moneth of march , and by them accounted the first moneth of the year , ( . years after the creation of the world ) the next day ( to wit the day of the first moneth they journeyed from thence to succoth . ( at fig. . in the mapp . ) and from thence to etham ( at fig. . ) on the edge of the wilderness , and there encamped themselves . from thence they turned to pi-hahiroth , ( at fig. . ) between migdal and the sea , where they were overtaken by the egytians . but god set his angel behind the camp to guard it : and having provided a pillar of cloud and a pillar of light , the one to guide them in the day , and the other to light them in the night , placed the pillar of ( loud behind the israelites , and it became a light to them , but darkness to the egyptians ; so as they could not come at them . israel being thus beset on each side with high mountains , behind with an enemy , and before with the red sea , cryed unto the lord , who by the hands of his servant moses caused the waters to part , and they went over on dry ground : but when the egyptians persued them , the waters returned again , and covered them and their chariots , so that they were all drowned in the sea ; and not one of them escaped . hereat the people rejoyce , and moses and miriam sing praises to the lord for their deliverance . but journeying farther , come to the bitter waters of marah , ( at fig. . ) where they encamped , and murmurred against moses , who by the lords direction threw a tree into the waters , and they became sweet . exod. . . from hence they journeyed to elim . ( at fig. . ) and encamped there , where they found twelve fountains of water , and seventy palm trees . from thence they came to the coasts of the red sea. ( at fig. . ) and from thence to the wilderness of sin , ( at fig. . ) and encamped there on the day of the second moneth after they came out of the land of egypt : here they again murmurred against moses for want of flesh ; calling for the flesh pots and bread of egypt : wherefore the lord pittying them sent them their dayly bread from heaven ; which they called mannah , and caused a great number of qua●●s to come out of the sea to seed them with . then they journeyed from sin , and set up their tents in dep●k●● , ( at fig. . ) from thence to alush , ( at fig. . ) thence rep●●dim . ( at fig. ) where there was no water to drink : wherefore the people again murmur at moses , and tempred the lord : and therefore the name of the place was called massah , and 〈◊〉 exod. . . nevertheless the lord commanded moses to smite the rock , and there came forth water for the people to drink . here also amalek came forth against israel ; and moses and aaren and hur went up to the top of the hill , where moses lined up his hand 〈◊〉 prayer to the lord , and israel prevailed : but when his hands grew heavy , so that he could not hold them up amalek prevailed against israel : therefore aaron and ●ur got a stone for moses to sit on and held up his hands steddy , till amlek was quite discomfited . afterwards came jethro the father in law of moses and priest of midian , whom moses received with reverence and love : and jethra brought with him his daughter zioporah moses wife , and her two sons gerskon and eliezer . jethro seeing the great paine and trouble moses had in judging the people , concels him to seek out wise , couragious , and jastmen , fearing god ; and set them as rulers over thousands over hundreds and over tens : and what causes were too great for them they should bring before moses . this pleased moses well , and he did so . and his father in law departed into his own countrey . the same day the israelites departed out of riphidim , and encamped in the wilderness of sinai , ( at fig. . ) against the mountains which are also in part called horeb : here god came down upon mount sinai in the sight of all the people , and gave them his law ; first by word of mouth , and afterwards to moses in two tables written on stone by god himself , after he had been forty dayes in the mount with god , exod. . . and deut. . , , . but moses coming down , and seeing the idolatry of the people towards the golden calf , waxed so wrath with them that in holy zeal he threw the two tables out of his hands and brake them in peeces ; and took the golden calf and burned it in the fire , and ground it to powder , and shewed it upon water , and made the children of israel to drink of it . then moses prayed unto god , and obtained mercy for them : and god caused moses to hew two other tables , and with his own finger he wrote on them the words that were in the former tables . in the mount sinai moses receives a command from god to make the tabernacle , with all its appertainces according to his directions ; and to require of all the people a free will offering , besides a tax of half a shekel upon every male of years old and upwards . in this tax were numbred . men . exod. . . and in the former vers . it saies it brought up in silver . tal and shek . of silver : besides . talents of siverto cast sockets ; which makes talents . shekels : amounting to ( in our english coin at . sh. . d. the shekel ) the sum of . lb. . sh. . d. besides was freely offered in gold tallents , shekels ; which if we reckon to be worth twelve times its weight in silver ( as according to the most usual received value it is ) it amounts to the sum of . lb. . sh. o. d. to which added the silver aforesaid . . . makes the exact sum of . . . english money . this sum is for the gold and silver only the brass imployed at out the tabernacle and its appertainances was . talents and shekels , which of our weight at ounces to the pound weighs . lb. . ounces ; which reckoned at . d. the pound ( the usual price of bras ; with us ) comes to . lb. . sh. . which added to the former sum , makes . lb. . sh. . the just value of the mettal imployed about the tabernacle . besides the offerings of blew silk , purple , scarlet , fine linnen , goats hair , ram skins dyed red , badger skins , shittim wood , oyl , spices , sweet incense , and precious stones ; which must needs amount to a very great price . nor is there in scripture any mention made what the workmanship of all these materials cost : but surely it would come to much , were into be paid for . the women ( doubtless ) spun their blew silk and goats hair freely : and we may conjecture that many men that had nothing else , offered their labour gratis to the building of this tabernacle to the lord. the tabernacle being finisht was reared up ( exod. . . ) the first day of the first moneth , in the second year after they departed out of egypt . it and all its instruments was annointed and hallowed by moses : and then a cloud covered it , and the glory of the lord filled it . all the day time the cloud remained over it , and fire was in it in the night time , and became a light to all the camp. now follows another offering , ( numb . . , . ) of all the princes and elders of the tribes ; and they send six covered chariots , and twelve oxen ; two princes joyned for a chariot , and each prince sent his ox to do service in the tabernacle . each prince offered also in the first dedication of the altar a charger of . shekels of silver , and a bowl of silver weighing shekels , and an incense cup of gold weighing shekels , which was in all . shekels of silver , amounting to lb. sterling , and shekels of gold amounting to lb. sterling : together lb. sterling . they also offered young bullocks , rams , lambs , and he goats , for burnt offerings , and for sin offerings , and for peace offerings . thus was the altar dedicated . we have before found the people numbred from years old and upwards ; but till now the levites are not numbred : therefore god commanded moses to number them from a moneth old and upwards , and they were found to be . . every first born male is now also numbred ; and they are found to amount to souls : which with the levites make . which with the foregoing makes males . besides women , and maidens , and youths under years of age . on the day of the second moneth of the second year the cloud was taken up from the tabernacle . numb . . . and the camp removed from the wilderness of sinai , and rested in the wilderness of paran , ( at fig. . ) in such order as you may read in numb . . . to . here the people murmur against moses : wherefore the fire of the lord burnt among them , and consumed the outmost part of the host ; and therefore the name of the place was called taberah . and here the people again lusted , and wept for the flesh , the fish , the onnions , and other fare of egypt ; and loath mannah : wherefore the lord sent them such numbers of quailes out of the sea , that they even surfeited with them ; and so kindled the lords anger against them , that he sent an exceeding great plague amongst them : wherefore the name of the place was called kibi oth . hattaavah ; that is graves of lust. numb . . . from hence they took their journey to hareroth ( at fig. ) here aaron and miriam for speaking against moses were punnished ; aaron by words from the lord , and miriam with leprosie , so that she was shut out of the host seven days . and then the host removed thence to rithma , in the wilderness of paran . ( at fig. . ) from hence the lord commanded moses to send forth men to search the land of canaan : who returned again in forty days ; bringing with them a cluster of grapes on a bar between two of them , and pomgranates , and figgs ; and related it to be a land flowing wihh milk and honey . but yet that the people were strong , and the cittie 's walled , and that there were gyants among them : which so discouraged the israelites , that they again fell a murmuring , wishing they had dyed in egypt , or that they were dead in the wilderness : and were conspring to chuse themselves another captain to lead them again into egypt . but joshua and caleb ( two of the twelve that were sent to search the land ) strove to appease and incourage the people : for which the multitude were about to stone them : which so provoked gods anger against them , that he threatned to destroy them all : yet by the prayers of moses the lord forgave them , but swore that none of them that had seen the miracles he did in egypt , and had so oft tempted him in the wilderness should ever enter into the land of promise , only joshua and caleb for their obedience should : but all the rest should dy in the wilderness , as they had wished . wherefore the people were sorry for what they done , and as in dispair offered to go up to the place the lord had promised them . but moses would not consent to it , but councelled them to the contrary : yet they presumed obstinately to go up , though moses and the ark went not with them , and were disco●●●ted by the amalekites , and the cana●ni●es ; and persued and consumed even unto hormah . from rithmah the lord commanded them to go to rimmon-parez , ( at fig. . ) from ●immon-pare● to lithnah , ( at fig. . ) from thence to rissa , ( at fig. . ) then to kehelathah , ( at fig. ) then to mount shapher , ( at fig. . ) then to haradah . ( fig. . ) then to makheloth , ( fig : ) ●hen to tahath , ( fig. . ) then to tarah , ( fig. . ) then to mithkah : ( fig. ) then to hashmonah , ( fig. . ) then to moseroth , ( fig. . ) then to bene-jaakan , ( fig. . ) then to hor-hagidgad , ( at fig. . ) then to jotbathah , ( fig. . ) then to ehronah , ( fig. . ) then to ezion-g●ber , ( fig. . ) on the red sea. from whence salomon sent his ships to ophir for gold. kin. . . while they were in these last recited journeys korah , dathan , and abiram conspired against moses and aaron , and begat a rebellion in the people : for which the earth opened and swallowed them up alive , and the men that were with them , and all their families , and goods , and of their partakers , that offered falfe incense were consumed by fire that came out from the lord. where at on the morrow all the people murmurred against moses and aaron , telling them that they had killed the people of the lord. at which the anger of the lord was so kindled that he sent a plague among them that destroyed : souls . then the lord to put an end to the grudgings of the people commanded moses to cause all the princes of each tribe to bring every one his rod , and write thereon his name , and put them before the tabernacle of the congregation ; and to write aarons name on his rod , and put it there also ; and the mans rod whom the lord should chuse to be chief priest should bud . so on the morrow aarons rod was budded , and brought forth blossoms , and bare ripe almonds . numh. chap. . and ch . by this time god had led them years through several wildernesses ; and in the first moneth they removed from esiongeber into the wilderness of zin to kadesh , ( at fig. . ) here mariam dyed , and was burieed . and here the people again murmur against moses and aaron for want of water : whereupon moses prays unto the lord , who directs him to assemble the congregation , and to take his rod , and speak unto the rock before them : which he did , but smote the rock twice ; and there came forth water abundantly for them and their cattle : for which twice striking upon the rock , the lord reprehends moses and aaron of unbeleef ; ( since he only commanded them to speak to the rock ) ; and tells them they shall not bring the congregation into the land which he had promised them . this was the water of meriba ; so called because of the strife between the people and the lord. numb . . . from hence moses sent messengers to the king of edom , desiring passage through his countrey ; but he denying it the camp journeyed to mount hor , ( fig. ) where aaron dyed in the tortieth year after the children of israel set forth out of the land of egypt , being aged years . numb . . , . while they were at mount hor king arad a can●anite warred against israel ; but israel overcame them and destroyed their cities , from mount hor the camp removed to zalmonah ( at fig. . ) towards the red sea , to go about by the land of edom to punon , ( fig. . ) where the way seemed very grievous to them ; so that they again fell to murmuring against the lord and moses : wherefore the lord sent fiery serpents among them , which stung many of them to death . but upon their confession of their sins , and moses praying to the lord , god commanded moses to make a fiery serpent , and to set it up for those to look on that were bitten , that they might live . numb : . , , , , . from punon they came to oboth , ( fig. . ) thence to jie-abarim , ( fig. . ) on the borders of moab . thence they came and pitched on the river zared , ( fig. . ) thence to dibon-gad , ( fig. . ) then to almon-blath , ( fig. . ) from thence they passed by the well beer , and came to mattanah , ( fig. . ) then to nahaliel , ( fig. . ) then to batmoth , ( fig. . ) in the plain of moab , even to the top of pisgah , ( at this * figure in the mapp ) from hence israel sent messengers to sihon , king of the amorites , desiring his leave to pass through his countrey : but instead of giving leave he raised an army and fought against israel . but israel overcame him and took his countrey from him , and possessed it , and put all his people to the sword . in this encamping the israelites commit fornication with the women of moab , and idolatry with baal-peor : which so kindled the anger of god against them , that he sent a plague among them which destroyed souls . after which god commanded moses again to number the people , and he found the number of males of years old and upwards to be . besides the levites , who were numbred to be . males , from a moneth old and upwards . numb . . but the lord commanded moses to revenge himself on the midianites : so he selected out of every tribe , and sent them against the kings of midian , and slew them , and all the males , and took their women , and their cattle , and all they had , and fired their citties and villages . he sent forth also and took og king of boshan , and his countrie , and all the lands about jordan , on this side . here moses received command of the lord to go up into the top of this mount pisgah , and take a view of the land of promise ; for that in regard of his disobedience to the lord at the waters of meribah , he should not enter thereinto : but joshuab should ledd the people over . and here moses dyed when he was years old , and was buryed in a valley in the land of moab over against beth. peor : but his sepulcher is concealed . deut. . . after israel had mourned , daies for moses , god commanded joshuah to pass over jordan , and take possession of the promised land. therefore joshuah sent out two men to jericho to spy the land , who returning brought tydings how much discouraged the inhabitants were because of them . whereupon the camp removed to shittim , and came to joraan , and lodged there before they went over . three daies after , the officers went through the camp , commanding the people to be in readiness against the ark removed to pass over jordan ; and so soon as the feet of the priests that bare the ark touched the brinks of the water the water parted , but the priests with the ark went into the middle of jordan , and there stood till all the children of israel went over on dry land. and for a perpetual memorial of this miracle , god commanded joshuah to cause one man out of every tribe to take a stone out of the midst of the river where the priests feet stood , and leave it at the place where they should encamp that night , which was at gilgal towards jericho . joshuah commanded them also to pitch twelve stones in the middle of jordan , where the priests feet stood , to remain there for a memorial for ever . the lord of hosts having thus brought the children of israel out of egypt , through the red sea , and led them years together through several wildernesses , and now set them on the other side of jordan , we shall leave them there , and refer our reader to the holy bible for an historical relation of their several exploits in the wars with the nations that possessed the land ; how they overcame them all , conquered their strong citties , possessed themselves of the whole land , and rooted out all their enemies . how this land was afterwards devided among the twelve tribes of israel by joshuah is marked in this mapp with single pricks ; and the capital name that is writ within them is the name of the tribe that possessed so much of the land as is encompassed with those pricks . the citties of refuge appointed josh. . , are marked with a cross upon the tower , as you may see in the mapp it self , on your left hand just over the picture of both sides the shekel . a discourse upon the geographical description of the land of canaan , possest by the israelites , and travelled through by our saviour jesus christ , and his apostles . the fullness of time being come wherein god according to his eternal decree had ordained to send his son into the world in humane shape and nature for the redemption of mankind ; the angel gabriel came and saluted mary ( a virgin at nazereth ) ( at fig. . it the mapp ) with a message from the lord luk . . telling her that the holy ghost should come upon her , and the power of the most high should overshadow her , and she should bring forth a child , and call his name jesus : which accordingly came to pass when augustus caesar was emperour of all the world , and herod the terrarch was king of jewry , and cyrenius governour of syria , which was in the year of the world ( according to mr john butler in his christologia ) . then came mary with her betrothed husband joseph to bethlehem , ( at fig. . ) a citty of david ( for they were both of the lineage of david ) to be taxed according to the decree of caesar. and because there was no room in the inn , they were fain to make shift with a stable , where she fell in labour , and brought forth her first born son , wrapped him in swadling cloaths , and laid him in a manger . the angels soon carryed this joyfull news to shepherds that were then keeping their sheep , and gave them signes how they should find the child ; who straight way left their flock , came to bethlehem , and found him out , and publisht abroad the tydings that was brought them of the angels . luk. . this child was circumcised at eight daies old , and his name called jesus . and when he was daies old he was brought to the temple at jerusalem , ( at fig. . ) by his parents , and presented to the lord , according to the custom of the jews ; whither also ( being directed by the spirit ) came simeon a just man , and one that feared god ; who took the child jesus in his arms , and praised god , &c. whi●e they were yet in bethlehem came wise men ( having seen his star ) out of the east to worship him . and the fame hereof coming to herods ears , caused him to assemble all the chief priests and scribes , to learn of them the place of his birth : who informed him it was to be in bethlehem . wherefore he commanded the wise men to seek the child with all diligence , and bring him word that he might come and worship . when these wise men departed from the king the star went before them till it came and stood over the place where the child was : who when they had found , they worshipped , and presented with gold , incense , and myrhe . but they were warned in a dream not to return to herod , but to return to their own countrey some other way . also joseph was warned in a dream that he should take mary and the child , and fly into egypt . herod seeing himself mocked by the wise men , gave strickt command to kill all the male children of two years old and under in bethlehem , and the coasts about it ; that the prophesie might be ful●illed . jer. . . herod being dead joseph was warned of god in ●eam to return again with the child : but hearing that archelaus his son reigned in fudea , he was afraid ; yet turned aside into galilee , to the citty nazareth . mat. . . jesus being twelve years old came upto jerusalem with his parents to the feast of the passeover ; and when the dayes were accomplisht his parents went home , thinking he had been in the company : but he staid behind disputing with the doctors in the temple ; yet when they came back to seek him he went home with them . in the year of the emperour tiberius when pontius pilate was president of judea , jesus came from nazareth to jordan , not far from the dead sea , viz. to bethabane , where he was baptized of john the baptist ; at which time the holy ghost descended upon him like a dove ; and a voice was heard saying , this is my beloved son in whom i am well pleased . mat. . . from hence jesus was led aside into the wilderness ; where he fasted dies and nights , and was tempted of the devil : but the resisted , and the devil left him . then jesus went again into galilee ; whither followed him andrew , peter , and philip , and dwelt at nazareth . luk. . . where he taught in the synagogue . coming from thence he went to cana , where at a marriage he turned water into wine , joh. . from thence he went to capernaum with his ●other , his brother , and disciples : yet staid not long there , but went to jerusalem , because the feast of passeover was nigh . the first year of his ministery . a o. . jesus coming to jerusalem to the passeover shews his divine authority in whipping the buyers and sellers out of the temple , and overthrowing their tables . joh. · . by these and other signes many believe in him . niced●mus a ruler of the jews came by night to him , to be instructed of him . joh. . . from hence jesus went into the land of judea , and tarryed there same time . but john was baptizing at enon , by salim , and was shortly after imprisoned ; which when jesus heard he returned again into galilee , through samaria ; and came to a citty called sychar ▪ neer jacobs well ; where ( sitting to rest himself , there came a woman of samaria ( while his disciples were gon into the citty to buy meat ) to fetch water ; with whom jesus discoursing , and telling her of her own affairs , she takes him for a prophet , and runs into the citty , telling the cittizens what she had heard and seen : whereupon they come out to him ; and hearing of his words many of them beleeve in him . joh. . . &c. having tarryed there two dayes , he goes into galilee , where the galileans that had seen what he did at jerusalem received him joyfully . v. . coming to cana in galilee there came to him a ruler whose son was sick of a feaver , at capernaum , beseeching him to go down and heal his son before he dyed . but jesus said , go thy way : thy son liveth . and from that hour the feaver● 〈◊〉 him . v. . coming to nazareth , and reading the prophet isaiah , and preaching thereupon ; the people were incensed at his doctrine , and thrust him out of the citty , and died him to the top of the hill whereon the citty was built , to cast him down headlong . but he passed through the midst of them , and went his way , and came and dwelt at capernaum . jesus walking by the sea of galilee called to him peter , andrew , james , and john , who straight way left their nets , and fo●lowed him . mat. . . &c. the second year of christs ministery . a o. . jesus travelling through all galilee preaches in their synagogues , and heals all sicknesses and diseases . mat. . . so that his fame spreads over all syria , and great multitudes follow him out of galilee , decapolis , jerusalem , judea , and from beyond jordan . v. . among others he cured peters wives mother of a feaver . mar. . . , luc. . , . coming to the lake of genesereth the people so prest upon him , that he entred into simons ship that lay by the shoat , and required him to thrust off ; and he preached to them out of the ship . luc. . . and when his sermon was ended , he bad simon lanch out into the deep , and cast his net. but simon told him they had wrought all night and caught nothing , yet because he had them they would ; which when they did , they had so great a draught that their nets brake , and they were fain to call their companions to help draw them in . luc. . . &c. and because his fame spread more and more so many followed him that he could not enter into capernaum , but kept without in desart places . mar. . . luc. . . some daies after jesus came again into capernaum , and entered into a house , whither came many pharisees and doctours of the law to hear him : and as he was teaching there was a man brought to him , lying in his bed , taken with a palsey : and in regard they could not get neer him , because the press was so great , they carryed him up to the house top ; and let him down through the tileings , bed and all ; which he immediately cured : and the man took up his bed and walked . luk. . . going from thence towards the sea , he saw the publican levi , otherwise called mathew : and he said to him follow me . who left all and followed him· v. . afterwards jesus went on a sabbath day through the fields of corn , and his disciples plucked the ears of corn and rubbed them between their hansd and eat them : which the pharisees were offended at . luk. . . afterwards he went into the synagogue on another sabbath day , and healed a man with a withered hand ; which so madded the pharisees that they consulted with the herodians to destroy him : but he avoided them mar. . , . coming neer the sea , he went upon a mountain to pray , and staid there all night . the next morning he called his disciples , and from among them he chose twelve , which he called apostles . luk. . , . going again into capernaum he healed the centurious servant , marvelling at his faith , luk. . , to . from thence jesus goes to a city called naim , ( fig , . where a widdows son being dead was carryed out to be buryed , and which jesus ( in compassion to his mother ) raised again from the dead , and delivered her her son alive . luk , , , to . afterwards he travelled through every city and town in galilee , and samaria , preaching the gospel ; where certain women that he had healed of their infirmities ministred to him . luk. . , . coming to jerusalem to a feast of the jews , he found at the pool of bethesda a man who had been diseased years , whom he made whole on a sabbath day . ioh. . . from thence he returned to capernaum again , took ship , and stilled a storm at sea ; then landed in the region of the gadarenes about gerasa , ( fig. . ) luk. . . where he met a man possessed with legions of devils , whom he dispossed , giving them leave to go into an herd of swine , who immediately thereupon ran headlong into the sea : hereat the inhabitants came and besought him to depart out of their coasts . v. . thence he returned again to capernaum , where jairus a ruler of the synagogue intreated him to come into his house , because his daughter lay dying . v. . and as he was going with him , a woman touched the hem of his garment , and was immediately healed of an issue of blood which she had had years . v : . in the mean while the maiden dyed , but was raised again from the dead . v. . iesus going from thence , gives sight to two blind men . mat. . , to . and speech to a dumb man possessed with a devil v. . . jesus goes through all cities in galilee towards ierusalem , luk. . . where he preaches : is forewarned of the pharisees that unless he depart herod will kill him v. . iesus calls his twelve disciples to him , and sends them forth to preach ; giving them power to cast out unclean spirits , and to heal all diseases . mat. . . who at their return to him again give him an account of their ministery . luk. , . then he takes them aside into a solit●ry place neer bethsoida , where he feeds men with sive barly loaves and two ●ishes . v. . ioh. ▪ , to . but perceiving that the people would make him king , he withdrew himself to a mountain alone . ioh. . . and his disciples missing him , they about evening took shipping to go over to capernaum , whither iesus followed them , walking upon the water ; whom when they saw they were afrighted : but he spake to them , and came into the ship ; and they presently arrived at their port. v , . the third year of christs ministery . a o. . iesus removes from capernaum to ierusalem , and after the feast of pass . returns again , travels through galilee , but shuns iudea , because the jews sought to ki●l him . and being come home again , journeys towards tyre , ( fig. ) and sydon , ( fig. . ) on the coasts of the great sea , where he cast a devil out of the canaanitish womans daughter , mat. . . and departing from thence he went to the sea of galilee through the midst of the coasts of decapolis . mar. . . where he healed one deaf and dumb . v. . and in the wilderness ( fig. . ) he fed . men besides women and children with loaves and a few smal fishes . mat. . mar. . , . then he took ship and came into the coasts of magdala , in the parts of dalmanutha , ( fig. . ) where the pharisees desired of him a signe from heaven . v. . which he being troubled at , left them , and again took ship and came to bethsaida , v. . where he restored a blind man to his sight , v. . hence he and his disciples go casarea philippi , ( fig. . ) where under way peter confessed him to be the christ mat . . mar. . . six daies after iesus took peter , iames , and iohn , and went up to the holy mount pet. . ( fig. ) where he was transfigured , and where appeared moses and elias talking with him ; and here it was that a voice came from heaven , declaring him to be the son of god. mat. . . coming again to the multitude he cast a devil out of a child . mat. . . hence he goes to capernaum , where the toll gatherers demand tribute of him ; wherefore he sent peter with his angle to the sea , and told him that in the mouth of the first fish that sh●uld come up he should find a twenty pence peece , which he bad him give for them both . mat. . . to . afterwards he travels through galilee and samaria towards ierusalem . luk. . . the fourth year of christs ministery . a o. . iesus sends forth seventy disciples by two and two to preach the gospel , and heal the sick , &c. luk. . . against the feast of passeover he departs out of galilee into iudea , and dwells in bethania , ( fig. . ) in the house of martha , v. . thence he went to ierusalem to the feast , where the jewes marvelled at his doctrine , ioh. , . towards the evenings he used to go to mount olives , ( fig. . ) and stay there all night , but in the mornings came again into the city , and preached in the temple . the scribes and pharisees ( to tempr . iesus ) brought a woman to him taken in adultery , who by the law of moses should dy : and he bad them that were without sin to cast the first stone at her ; wherefore they all departed , and left her there without an accuser . ioh. . . to . then he went through all cities and towns thereabouts , teaching the people . and comes in the winter time again to ierusalem , and walked in the temple , in salomons porch , where many of the jews encompass him , and would know positively if he were the christ or no. but for his answers they went about to stone him , and would have laid hands upon him ; yet he escaped them . ioh. . , to . and goes over jordan to the place where he was baptized of iohn , and abode there . v. . afterwards he travelled through galilee and samaria , teaching the people every where . and in his way to ierusalem he met ten leprous men , whom he healed . luk. . to . coming neer iericho ( fig. . ) he gave sight to a blind beggar man , luk. . &c. and when he was entered into the city of iericho he goes into zacheus his house , who was the chief reciever of the tribute , luk. . . &c. here he has news of lazarus his sickness , therefore goes to bethania , and meets martha , who tells him her brother is dead and buryed . but iesus having a great affection to this family , goes to the grave , and restores him to life . yet however , the jews seek to take him . ioh. . . wherefore he withdrew into the wilderness , and remained in a city called ephrem or ephraim , ( fig. . ) six daies before the feast of passeover he came again to bethania , to the house of martha , and sups with lazarus . ioh. . . the next day he went to bethphage , at ( fig. . ) whence he sent two of his disciples to fe●ch a she ass , whereon he rode into ierusalem with great acclamations of the people , who spread their garments and strewed branches in his way , crying hosanna in the highest , &c. mat. . . &c. coming into the temple he again drove out the changers of money , and all them that bought and sold in the temple . v. , : here he healed the halt and the blind that came to him . v. . that night he went to bethania , and lodged there . v. . and in the morning again to jerusalem , where underway he cursed the fig tree , which presently withered . v. . the day time he spent in the temple , teaching the people , and disputing with the scribes , pharisees , and sadduces , as you may read mat. . mar. . luk. . and a nights he went out of the city to mount olives . when now his disciples shewed him the beauty of the temple , he fore-told its destruction . mat. . . mar. . . luk. . . two daies before the passeover , iesus was in bethania , at the house of simon the leper , where mary the sister of lazarus annointed him . mat. . . ioh. . . but iudas who was a theef , and kept the purse , murmuring at the expence of so much precious oyntment , was reprehended by jesus : wherefore he went to the high priest and scribes and elders to betray him . mat. . luk. . , &c. jesus having eaten the passeover , his last supper , with his disciples went ( according to his wont ) to gethshemane ( fig , . ) over the book cedron to pray : mat. . . joh. . . where judas ( with a band of soldiers , and servants of the high priest ) came , and betrayed him with a kiss . mat. . . the soldiers carry him into jerusalem . the next day he is condemned , crucified , and laid in the grave . job . . the third day he rose again from the dead , and shewed himself to mary mug●●lene , joh. . . &c. and also to two of his disciples going to emmaus , ( fig. . ) who came and told it to the eleven apostles , when they were assembled at jerusalem : who told them that peter also saw him . and while they were thus speaking together , he appeared among them , and wished them peace . luk. . eight daies after he shewed himself again to his apostles , and let thomas feel his wounds , joh. . . afterwards he appeared the third time to his disciples at the sea of tiberius , that is , the sea of galilee . joh. jesus having conversed now daies with his disciples , after his resurrection , went with them to mount olives , which is a sabbath daies journey from jerusalem , viz. ( about a mile , ) towards bethania and having given them his commands , declared his will to them , and finally blessed them . he was taken up in a cloud , and so went into heaven . luk. . . the disciples returned again to jerusalem , and there kept their whitson feast , together , and received the holy ghost . a discourse upon the mapp of the travels of s. paul , and other of the apostles . before you peruse this discourse and mapp , be pleased to take notice that for the easier finding out of places , we have marked whole countries with hollow letters a thus ; and cities with numerical figures . it happened that as the jews in their exile were scattered all over asia , like co●strewed on the ground , some seeds also ( whether by land or sea , or both ) fell into cilicia , ( at e in the mapp ) and particularly into the city of tarsus , ( at in the mapp ) among others of this nation was a certain benjamite , a person of good quality , who inhabited here , and from whom descended that heroick father of the gospel called saul , or paul , act. . . phil. . . for such was the custom of those dayes , that most persons of any note or eminency had more names than one . hence this holy father , was by his father called saul , in evidence that he was a hebrew of the hebrews ; and paulus or paul , in token that he was born a free man of rome . now as this son grew up , the good old man was not wanting for care sufficient in his education . and first , the better to grace his priviledge of a romane citizen , he bred him up a schollar in the academy of tharsus , ( ) and here was it , that he became so expert in the philosophical sayings of the heathen sages , such as were aratus , epimenides , menander and others . act. . . tit. . . but as he grew in years to understand himself , the wisdom of man not amounting to enough to make him a child of god , he was therefore sent away from tharsus unto jerusalem ( ) to be instructed in the sacred knowledge of the book of god. here was famous at that time one gamaliel a doctor of the law , and provost of the schools in jerusalem , at whose feet this tarsian jew being set , he studyed the holy scriptures , and greatly profited in divine learning , beyond all his equals and fellow-studients . act. . . gal. . . here was it that whilest he was eager of his way of learning and religion , he drew into his head and heart the doctrine of the pharisees , who were in those dayes though the most respected with the popularity , yet the most hypocritical and malicious of all the jewish sects . phil. . , . during these times the messiah appeared , as was spoken of by the prophet daniel , ( dan. . , , . ) and one half of a week of years , or years and odd , he confirmed the covenant with many of the jewish nation , until in the midst of the week he was crucified and slain : and sacrifice and oblation ceased . all this while was saul at ierusalem , but so intent at gam●liels feet , that this news of the messias found no respect from his ears . christ was crucified at the great paschal feast ; and at pentecost came the holy ghost upon the apostles , and enabled them to speak all languages , and to work miracles . now it hapned , that by vertue of these languages they spake , and the miracles they wrought , so many became their converts , that by the feast of tabernacles a necessity appeared to ordain deacons to assist them in their ministery . of these were appointed first in company , whereof were stephen and philip , and nicanor and others : and after these were made still more and more deacons and evangelists , such as were ananias of damascus , ( ) lucius , barnabas and others . act. ch . . ch . . but as these were zealous in preaching the gospel , the jews were as envious in opposing it , and of those opposers saul of tarsus was none of the meanest . the first quarrel that brake out into blood , was that of the synagogue of the liberrines against stephen , and this seems to have been at the very next feast after that of the tabernacles , at what time stephen was ordained ; and was therefore at latter end of the feast of dedication : at what time stephen being apprehended by those libertines , was haled before the councel , and tumultuously condemned , and stoned to death . this was ( as it seems by course of story ) much about ( and as tradition tells us , upon ) the morrow after the anniversary festival of our saviours nativity , or on the of decemb. thus dyed this proto-martyr , and thus was this first anniversary of the nativity next following his assension turned into mourning , act. . , . &c. but devout men in honour of this noble martyr , would not suffer his body to ly among the bones of malefactors , to be devoured of dogs , but exposed themselves to the hazzard of the jews displeasure , by carrying him to buryal with solemne lamentation , act. . . the persecuters thus exasperated , made great havoke of these sacred mourners ; and some faithfull christians slew they in this heat , together with nicanor s. stephens fellow deacon , besides great multitudes of men and women whom they carryed to prison . dor. syn. of the disciples . act. . . . ch . . . ch . . . under the councel who condemned this s. stephen , was this our saul it seems a principal officer , who was present at his examination , and gave his vote to have him put to death , and was especially imployed to see it done : and more than this , being in a zealous fury in a wrong way , was the death of many a good christian at this time , besides what he imprisoned while he rashly imagined he did god good service by it . . tim. . . act. . , . . at this time was saul but a young man ; and yet not so young , but he was trusted it seems with some place of authority , which was not usually bestowed until a man was current , and so by consequence , at what time our saviour was compleat , this saul was current , and therefore some years younger than christ. for weeks lasted this persecution very hot , until most part of the poor christians being fled from ierusalem ( except the apostles ) were scattered abroad here and there as they could get with safety for refuge of their lives and liberties . but this was so far from hindrance , as it rather proved an advantage to the gospel , by reason of the scattered evangelists who preaching as they fled , scattered the news of the gospel in all parts , as they flew away . philip the deacon taught the samaritans ( ) simon went out towards tyre ( ) and zidon ( ) preaching ; bar●abas took towards cyprus , lucius towards cyrene , ( x ) and ananias made many converts at damascus . ( . now when the news of these things came to ierusalem , ( ) the jews were madded at it : and the furious saul in his fiery zeal , not satisfied in that he had spoiled the growth of christianity in ierusalem , unless he might chace it out of the world also , got letters from caiphas the high priest directed unto the synagogues in damascus in order to bind and bring away to ierusalem all whom he found , both men and women who any waies feared not to own the name of christ. act. . , . but as many times it happens where the more hast is , there is the less speed , so it was here ; for on the , day of january , as saul was going to damascus , and almost there , lo a wonderfull bright light appeared round about him , and cast him upon the ground utterly astonished ; and a voice was heard speaking unto him as he lay , saying , saul , saul , why persecutest thou me ? now such was the force of this miracle and the voice withal , together with other discourse accompanying ; that sauls heat of persecution was quite cooled , and trembling as he lay , his heart turned within him , and he became obedient immedia●ly to all as was commanded him . and being led into the city ( for he was struck blind with the light ) after three daies fasting and prayer , ananias the evangelist● came to him by divine appointment , and baptized him , and also constituted him to be a preacher of the gospel . and saul immediately entred into the jewish synagogue , and began to preach up that doctrine he had afore cryed down so much ; and justified those christians which ere while he had so much condemned . and though the jews opposed his doctrine and himself , yet he stood to it , and confounded them by scripture arguments ; proving out of the law and prophets that that very jesus whom they had so lately crucified was the very christ. but all notwithstanding , the jews would not be convinced , but rather going about to kill him in revenge of his conversion from their way , after certain daies stay he left damascus , and went into arabia , ( c ) where he continued three years , preaching the gospel in the dominions of king aretas . act. . , , , &c. . . ch . . , &c. ch. . . &c. gal. . , , . during these years of saul in arabia , philip the deacon was very successfull in his preaching at samaria . hither also came peter and john the apostles from jerusalem , to confirm and settle the church which philip had first founded . here was one simon a notable sorcerer first converted by philip , and then detected by peter in his hypocrisie , and publiquely shamed , act. . , . &c. this was about the passeover feast next after sauls conversion , which coming on , called peter and john back again to jerusalem : but philip went on preaching along the countrey in the way towards gaza , ( ) and was in the same road , at what time the feast being ended , a certain eunuch called indion , a person of great quality under candace queen of aethiopia , but a jewish proselite , who was returning from the feast , by an happy providence fell into philips way , and that so as to become his convert ; and being baptized , carryed away with him into his own countrey the great tydings of the gospel . but philip went on to azotus , ( ) and so to caesarea , ( ) preaching every where as he went. act. . , , &c. by this time the church began to enjoy peace and rest , by means of sauls conversion : the greatest enemy it seems was taken off , and the rest were dampt , act. . . and besides , the civil affairs of judea ( a ) were not a little disturbed , whereby the spiritual enjoyed the more leisure . for philip the tetrarch being dead , king aretas with a great army invaded herod , in order to be revenged for the matter of heredias , herods concubine , with whom he lived in incest and adultery ; and by reason of areta the daughter of this aretas , and herods lawfull wife , whom he had put away . this came to a battel about the paschal time , in the year of tiherius the emperour ; and herod the tetrarch was greatly foyled and routed , and had been utterly lost , but for the authority imperial interposing : jos. ant. b. . ch . . suet. during these things the holy apostles minded their business , and as it shall seem devided the toparchies of judea amongst them , for the better order in their proceedings . untill the church increasing more and more , the apostles also extended their walks farther and farther ; and ten of them going forth into galilee , and samaria , ( see the mapp of canaan , ) and also into idumea and beyond jordan . s. james constantly abode at jerusalem . eus. eccl. hist. b. . ch . . and s. peter had the peculiar oversight of all quarters of judea , act. . , , &c. as for the deacons and evangelists , they we●● out far and neer into all countries where they could find any jews , unto whom they might preach jesus : for hitherto went they to none but jews , or jewish proselites . act. . . during these times did the apostles and their disciples appoint and celebrate those sacred festivals of the gospel , which we still observe . s. paul was at the feast of pentecost , at a private church where s , james and the elders were assembled . act. . , . during this time also sent pilat to rome , ( ) to give notice unto tiberius and the senate , of the marvellous works of christ , and how he was reported to berisen from the dead , and was esteemed of his disciples as a god. eus. eccl. hist. b. . ch . . also during these years while saul remained in arabia , caiphas was laid by from being high priest , in the . year of tiberius , and in the next year pontius pilate was displaced from his prefecture . jos. ant. b. . ch . . three years were now ended since the assension of our saviour , and the th ▪ was some moneths old , at what time saul having continued almost years in arabia , returned back to damascus , about the of tiberius but newly entred , and the ● of christs birth about parts run out . but here again finding himself in great danger of his life , by reason of the jews implacable malice , he was fain to be let down in a basket over the town wall , and narrowly escaped away with his life , and came to jerusalem , about the feast of tabernacles , cor. . . . act. . . all this while had he seen none of the apostles , but here ( as he came on purpose to find him so accordingly ) he met s. peter . gal. . . . they at first shunned him at jerusalem , till barnabas wrought his introduction among them . here tarryed he daies during the feast , and before and after . but after a great deal of labour in vain beslowed upon the stubborn jews , in order to convince them that jesus was the christ , at length peter and saul both left jerusalem together : saul went down to cesarea , ( ) and from thence all along by land through phoenicia ( f ) syria , ( d ) and cylicia ( c ) until he came to tarsus , his native place act. . , . &c. gal. . . &c. peter in the mean time went about from town to town over all the quarters and toparchies of judea , untill he came to lydda , ( ) where he cured one aeneas , who had been years sick of a palsie , by a miracle : and after some stay there , he was sent for to joppa , ( ) where by a greater miracle he raised one dorcas an holy and a singular good woman from the dead . these miracles were no smal furtherance to the fame of the gospel . act. . , &c. . &c. but such as were yet stubborn would be stubborn ; wherefore now at length , after that peter had abode many dayes at this joppa , the other half of the week of years of confirming the covenant with the jews being utterly expired , and the iewish converts dropping in but slowly , until at length there appeared not one more ; then pleased it almighty god to give warning unto his apostles hence forwards to leave the iews , and to turn in unto the gentiles . this warning by the vision of a strange sheet let down from heaven , wherein were all manner of beasts and fowls , and that as well of the unclean sorts , as of the clean , was first made known to peter ; whereby he was given to understand , that hence forwards he might eat of all sorts without distinction . and in the mean time messengers being come from cornelius a gentile man , he was warned also to go in unto him , without any more scruple what countrey man he was , and whether he were iew or proselite . and accordingly peter being obedient unto the vision , went with them : and finding cornelius and many more gentiles gathered together , he preached unto them , and they were converted , and the holy ghost fell upon them miraculously , and they were baptized , act. : at the same time barnabas of cyprus , and lucius of cyrene ( x ) and others , being in far countries , and moved by the same spirit preached unto the gentiles where ever they were , and they came in , and converted to the faith. act. . , &c. now when the news of these things came first unto jerusalem , peter was questioned for what he had done , until having given satisfaction of his divine warrant , they gave glory to god. &c. after this the apostles deviding the world into parts , each of them took his walk , together with certain evangelists their assistants , into all parts of the world. s. james the brother of john seems to have gon into egypt and marmorica , where he spent those few years his glass had to run . s. john went into asia , dacia , and panonia . s. andrew eastwards as far as sogdia , and scythia . s. philip northward into cappadocia , ibonia , and so between these into scythia . s. bartholmew southeastwards into india , and s. thomas through persia into china . s. jude bestowed himself in mesopotamia , chaldea , and arabia . and simon zel●tus southwestwards into mauritania . s. matthew tarryed at jerus●lem , untill he had written his gospel in the hebrew tongue , and then went after s. james into aegypt , and so into aethiopia . s. matthias sayled over into macedonia , and gracia , and from thence into africa . ant. chr. par . tit. . ch . . par . . oecumen . on acts. eus. b. . ch . . ab. apost . hist. b. . . dor. syn. pet. de nat. b. . ch . . s. james tarryed at jerusalem , but s. peter steered towards antioch . ( ) and that so as rome also was in his ey . about this very time dyed tiberius the emperour at rome , ( ) and ca●us c●ligula ascended the throne , in anno . tac. an. b. . ch . . dion . b. ios ant b. . ch . . and this was a little before the paschal time . s. thomas about this time , with one jude his brother , and an evangelist , going out eastwards , sent jude unto edessa , who miraculously cured king ag●arus of an infirmity which had long vexed him , and converted that king and a great many of his subjects . eus. eccl. hist. b. . ch . , . barnabas went along in s. peters walk to antioch . ( ) and after easter s. peter followed act. . . eus. chron. and because they had here a great harvest of converts , barnabas stept aside unto tarsus , and from thence fetcht saul also unto antioch : and by these three were so many converts baptized , that by reason of the multitudes the disciples began to be first called christians at this place , and so spread the name all over the world , where ever the gospel was dilated . act. . . &c. now by that time peter . barnabas , and saul had been one whole year at antioch , , came agabus the prophet thither from jerusalem , and foretold of a great death , which was to follow over all the world. but with this agabus came certain weak brethren of the jews , who either out of tender conscience or faction , were offended at the entring of the gentiles : as if it had not been lawfull . this weakness s. peter thought fit to comply with : but saul was therefore angry . cor. . , . gal. . , , . thus hapned this first quarrel amongst these great fathers ; but it was only in matters of discretion , not of doctrine . and however he found fault at this time , yet at another time , saul also himself acted s. peters part . cor. . , . after these things was a collection made at antioch for the poor saints at jerusalem , and barnabas and saul carryed it . act. . . it was now anno . at what time barnabas and saul continued preaching at jerusalem . at this time came forth s. matthews gospel in the hebrew tongue , and was published for the use of all good christians . but saul and barnabas tarryed at jerusalem till anno. . and now was it at what time was assembled a great concourse of people from all parts : here was s. peter from antioch , and s. james out of aegypt : and among others the plausible king agrippa failed not to beat the feast too : this agrippa being a very ambitious man , and apt to take over much upon him , had been most shamefully mocked and abused by the romanes and aegyptians in alexandria , and all the jews there fared the worse for him . and because they could not be sufficiently revenged of the romanes and aegyptians who did them the wrong , it seems therefore they threw the more spite upon the christians , who were more apt to fall into their hands ; not that those christians had any wayes offended , but meerly for that inhabiting in alexandria , they also had not been abused as themselves were . and now having found s. james at jerusalem ( who seems to be the father of those aegyptian christians ) they told agrippa of him , who by vertue of his interest both with marullus the prefect , and the officers of the iews , easily laid hands on him , and without more adoe sent him away to execution . but such was the magnanimity of this braveman , that death was but a sport with him : and with so much gallantry did he bear it , that the very soldier that guarded him to the place of execution , was conquered by his prisoner , and that unto such pitch of admiration , as the man was ambitious to dy with him , in the same cause , and so he did ; and thus dyed they nobly together . s. peter after this , was taken also , and imprisoned , but escaped by a miracle . act. . , &c. eus. eccl. hist. b. . ch . . clem. hypot . b. . some say that barnabas and saul were also clapt up , and strangely escaped ▪ but however , about this time saul being in an ecstasie as he was praying in the temple , was caught up into the third heaven , where he heard words unspeakable , and finally was commanded to be gon quickly out of jerusalem , for that the iews would not receive his testimony , and to go away upon gods message far thence among the gentiles . act. . , &c. cor. . , &c. now from the conversion of saul unto his return unto jerusalem were years , and from that time unto his coming again to bring al●s were years , or in all from his conversion . gal. . , . and ch . . . now according to this command barnabas and saul went back again to antioch , and one titus a greek was in their company . but there were at this time certain other evangelists , who in absence of these had taught at antioch ; such as were lucius , simon niger , and manahen . and now barnabes and saul being come thither too , the holy ghost spake openly by vision , saying , separate me barnabas and saul for the work unto which i have called them . act. . , , &c. about this time saul seems to be promoted to be an evangelist . and from hence forward is called paul. anno . in the spring of the year , barnabas and paul left antioch ▪ and having one john mark in company to be their deacon , went forth to preach the gospel . and first they came into seleucia neer the sea , upon the river ●tontes ; and from thence sayled over sea unto salamis ( ) in the isle of cypras . ( g ) and after some stay journeyed all over the island , unto paphos ( ) where sergius paulus the governour held his seat , and who was by these converted to the faith , having first by miracle conquered one barjesus a sorcerer , who opposed them ; for they smote him with sudden blindness , so that he could not see at all . anno . in the spring they crost the sea again to perga ( ) in pamphilia . but here iohn mark being tyred with the voyage broke up their company , and returned to ierusalem . yet barnabas and paul went on as far as antioch ( ) in psidia . ( i ) here in vain first preached they unto the iews ; but after turning unto the gentiles , they were quickly accomodated with crowds of converts , and that not only of the city , but out of the countrey also , who were baptized . this took them up no smal space of time , untill finally by the malicious iews they were driven away out of the coast . hence therefore carryed they the holy gospel unto i●onia ( ) the principal city of lycaonia , ( k ) where some few iews beleeved , but great multitudes of the gentiles ; wherefore here also tarryed they some space of time , and most probable made up their first year in asia , ( n ) act. . , &c. about this time s. peter commending the care of the church of antioch to one erodius whom he left bishop there , himself departed by land through cappadocia , galatia , ( m ) and the rest of asia , pontus , and bathina ; finally he came to rome . pet. . , . this year also hapned the famine spoken of by agabus . dion . b. . suet. b. . ch . . ios. ant. b. : ch . . anno . barnabus and paul continued still preaching at iconia act. . , . about this time s. peter being at rome , ●ounded an hopefull church there also . and simon the sorcerer came thither also with one helena his concubine , who was honoured , by some as much for his arts diabolical , as was s. peter for his doctrines divines and was so far advanced by the great ones , that his image was taken in also amongst their gods eus. eccl. hist. b. . ch . . . . . anno . s. mark at rome published his gospel for the use of that church . and afterwards was sent away into aegypt to govern the church of alexandria . eus. eccl. hist , barnabas and paul about this time were finally driven away from iconia , by a ryotous tumult of envyous iews , and went on preaching to lystra , ( ) where they got great credit by a lame man they cured miraculously . and here also tarryed they some time ; until from antioch and iconia the iews pursuing them with mallice and envy raised a party in the town , and in a tumult stoned paul , who was yet by miracle restored to life again , and went away with barnabas the next day for derbe , ( . ) act. . , &c. v. . &c. anno . barnabas and paul having setled their church at derbe in peace and quiet , left it to the government of elders ordained there , and so returned to lystra , where they spent the rest of the year . act. . , &c. anno . having ordained elders at lystra ( among which was timothy for one ) they returned to ieonium : and doing the like there , finally they came to antioch , in pisidia again . this year dyed the blessed virgin mary , aged about years ; having survived her sons assension . years , and remained a widdow about . eus. chron. anno . barnabas and paul came back again to perga , and from thence went to attalia , ( ) where also they setled a church , act. . ▪ &c. anno . they returned through cilicia and syria unto antioch in syria , every where as they went declaring the great things god had done by their ministery . act. . . anno barnabas and paul still remain at antioch : but in the mean time certain falacious iews from ierusalem disturbed the church , teaching that without circumcision and other legal ceremonies the iews could not be saved . whence followed great disputes ; and finally , barnabas and paul were sent to ierusalem for a determination of the controversie . here at this time were assembled s. iames , s. peter , and s. iohn , besides who ever else un-named , by whom it was ordained , as in acts . with this decree barnabas and paul together with one iudas the brother of s. thomas , and silas , returned unto antioch , to the great satisfaction of the churches . acts . , . after these things barnabas and paul being about to make a second voyage into asia , had some quarrel about iohn mark , whom barnabas desired might be their companion . but paul refused upon this so great was the falling out , that they parted assunder ▪ and barnabas with iohn mark sayled away for cyprus : ( g ) and paul with silas departed into asia . this was anno . early in the year , at what time paul travelled through syria and cilicia , unto derbe in lycaonia . act. . . ch . . , &c. hence went they to lystra , where timothy was also taken in company , and so through phrygia , ( l ) and gallatia , ( m ) and bithynia , ( p ) they made but little stay in asia , but came to troas ( ) in mysia . here they shipt away for the isle of samothrace , ( ) and thence to neapolis ( ) on the continent of tharcia , and so to philippine ( ) in macedonia , ( q ) . act. . . &c. here after lydia and others converted , and a certain devil cast forth of a divining maid , they were cast into prison ; but working miracles there too , the jaylor was converted , and on the morrow they were dismissed . hence went they to amphipolis , ( ) and so to apollonia , ( ) and thence onwards to thessa●lnica , ( ) where jason and other jews were converted , and great multitudes of greeks . but being by unbeleeving jews disturbed , they departed after weeks stay unto berrhea , ( ) where they made more converts than at thessalonica . but the malicous jews persecuting them from thence also , paul sayled away by sea to athens ( ) where he had very famous disputations with the learned of all sects and religions , and converted dyonisius the areopagite , and one damaris a famous woman , and many more . act. . , &c. from hence paul wrote the first and second epistle to the thessalo●ians , for confirmation of that church . and finally from athens he went to corinth , ( ) in the isthmus , where he took up his rest for one whole year and six moneths . act , . , &c. anno . s. paul had a vision at corinth to encourage his preaching . sila● and timothy he sent into macedonia to confirm the churches there . and tarrying at corinth wrought for his living by making of tents , with aqaila and priscilla , and yet preached constantly in the house of one justus , which was near the synagogue : and sosthenes the chief ruler of the synagogue being also converted adjoyned himself unto paul. but when gallio was made deputy a tumult was raised , wherein sosthenes was hearen ; yet paul tarryed still . act. . , &c. anno . s. paul left unto silas the government of the church of corinth ; and himself sayled away to ephesus ( ) in asia . here , after some reasonings with the iews , he converted many of the gentiles . but after some stay , leaving timothy to govern the church here , he sailed away into the isle of creta , ( u ) where having also setled a church , he left it to the care of titus ; and taking ship he sayled directly to cesarea ( ) in canaan , and so he went up to jerusalem ; where tarrying no longer but meerly to salute the brethren , went directly to antioch . act. . , &c. here also he made but a very short stay , and began a third voyage through gallatia , and phrygia , confirming the churches as he went ; but made little stay in a place till he came to timothy at ephesus . ( ) here instructed he certain disciples of s. iohn baptists , and after moneths in vain reasoning in the synagogues with the iews , he preached whole years in the school of tyrannus , unto the gentiles . anno . paul being at ephesus did many miracles ; and sons of scera a iew were fouly foyled and shamed by attempting to cast out devils in imitation of paul. act. . , &c. about the same time s. philip the apostle having preached the gospel in cappadocia , armenia , colchis , and iberia ; finally came down to phrygia , where preaching at hierapolis the unbeleeving lews and heathens conspiring against him crucified him there , and stoned him with stones . eus. chron . & eccl. hist. . . ch . . ant. chr . tit . . c. . anno . s. philip being dead , it seems s. paul was called to be an apostle , and was counted amongst the twelve ; and ever after find we him write himself paul an apostle of iesus christ. being still at ephesus many were converted : and of the new converts many who used curious arts burnt their books of great price , out of zealous love to the gospel . but as he was about to depart , a great tumult was raised by one demetrius a silver smith , upon the account of interest , but was appeased by the town clark. act. . , &c. anno . from hence paul wrote the first epistle to the corinthians , and sent it by timothy . act. . . cor. . . but timothy being returned , paul left him at ephesus , and went himself into macedonia , passing by troas . hither came he about pentecost , and from hence he wrote the second epistle to the corinthians years and somewhat over since his carrying of almes from anti●ch to ierusalem . cor. . . ● . , . hence also wrote he unto titus in crete ( u ) from nicapolis ( ) in this countrey . tit. . . and here he wintered . this year s. peter at rome utterly foiled simon the sorcerer in the presence of nero ; and the sorcerer falling from on high perished . aegesip . b. ● . ch . . epiphan . tom . . haeres . . abd. apost . hist. b. . anno paul by the first of the year came to corinth , where and thereabouts he tarryed moneths . hence wrote he an epistle to the romanes . rom. . . ch . . . act. . hence went he to philippi , rom. . . where leaving epaphroditus govenour of that church , and silvanus bishop of thessalonica , and one urbanus over other small towns. ( phil. . . dor. syn. ( after the daies of unleavened bread he went by sea to troas , in asia , where eutieus being dead was restored to life . act. . . thence went he to assos , ( ) and so to mityleu● , ( ) to the isle of chios , ( ) to samos , ( ) to trogillium , ( ) to micales , ( ) to miletus , ( ) here met him timothy and the elders of ephesus . act. . . hence sayled he away to choos , ( ) and so to rhodes , ( ) thence to patara , ( ) act. . . hence he sayled by cyprus on the left hand unto tyre , where simon one of the deacons was bishop . dor. syn. act. . , , &c. hence sayled he again to ptolomais , and thence ( after one daies stay ) to cesaria , where philip the deacon was bishop . here was foretold of the ill usage which attended him at jerusalem ; yet went he on thither by land , where he arrived at the feast of pentecost . act. . , &c. during his stay here he submitted to certain iewish ceremonies , in order to win the iews . but being found in the temple , by certain jews of asia , was apprehended in a tumult , and buffetted : but being rescued by lysias the chief captain , and found to be a romane , was sent safe away from ierusalem to cesarea ; where at an hearing before one foelix prefect of judea , the high priest and his oratour accused him of great matters , but could prove nothing . act. . , &c. here foelix condiscended himself to hear paul preach the gospel , yet was not converted . but after two years foelix going out of place , left s. paul in prison . s. peter was in aegypt , and from babylon in aegypt wrote his first epistle to the dispersed strangers . pet. . , ch . . . anno portius festus was made prefect of iudea , before whom s. paul was accused a fresh ; but he appealed to caesar. after this , king agrippa heard him preach , but was only almost converted . act. . ch . . but at end of the year s. paul was shipped away for rome . act. . , &c. and sayling by zidon , ( ) so to cyprus , my●a ( ) in pamphilia , ( h ) where he was put in a ship of alexandria , ( ) and came to g●idas , ( ) thence by salmona , ( ) and so westwards to the haven in creta , ( u ) called fair havens , ( ) neer the city lasea . ( ) here he admonished the company to winter : but heeding him not , they sailed on , ( hoping to winter in phenix ) ( ) unto an isle called clauda . ( ) after this they had a very solitary journey for dayes together : and after all hope of life was past , and the ship utterly perished , all the persons landed safe on the isle melita . ( ) here publius governour of the isle was converted . anno s. paul and all his company sayled thence to syracuse . ( ) thence to rhegium , ( ) so to puteoli . ( ) here they landed , and travelled to apiiforum , ( ) thence to the taverns , ( ) and so to rome . here s. paul first preached to the jews : but they being most of them hardned , he preached two full years to the gentiles : having liberty to dwell in an hyred house of his own , having only one soldier for his guard . act. . , &c. anno . he continues prisoner in rome , and this year he wrote the epistle to the galatians . gal. . . and likewise he wrote to the ephesians . eph. . . anno . he was still prisoner , but received dayly the benevolence of the churches . epaphroditus brought him the good will of the philippians ; by whom he returned his epistle to the philippians . phil. . . then came timothy with the alms of ephesus . and a while after came onesinus , run away from his master : by whom s. paul returned the epistle to philemon . then came epaphras to rome , and not unlikely be brought with him the alms of the colossians , to whom be returned an epistle , sent by tychicus of colophon . and finally , after years imprisonment , he came to a hearing before nero : and though most of his friends fell off , yet was he acquitted ; tim. , . and now being at liberty , some think he prosecuted his journey into spain , as he had promised . rom. . . anno . he was in spain , or in his way thither , preaching the gospel . this year s. james at jerusalem suffered martyrdome , in whose place s. simon his brother was chosen bishop . eus. ecc. hist. b. . ch . . & . ios. ant b. . ch . . s. paul in gallia ordained cresceus bishop of calcedon . dor. syn. anno . s. paul out of gallia took shipping , and sayled into greece . anno . s. paul in macedonia visited the churches : and landed at troas i● asia , where carpus was bishop . he left him his cloak and certain parchment writings , and went up into phrygia , unto laodecea , and from thence wrote his first epistle to t●mothy ; at ephesus . tim. . . . promising shortly to come thither to him . but it fell out otherwise ; for in the mean time the news arriving of the persecutions ar r●me , he leaving off all farther thought hasted to be there . and accordingly , going from laodicea to miletum . there he left trophimus one of his companions sick . hence he sailed away to corinth , where erastus tarryed for him by appointment . . tim. . . and hence he sayled away to rome , where s. peter also met him . in the meantime the poor christians in rome were crucified , torn with beasts , and burnt in fire . tac. an. b. . ch . . but s. paul at rome greatly encouraged , and so did s. peter . from hence s. paul at this time wrote his second epistle to timothy , desiring his company . s. paul was clapt up a prisoner , betrayed by alexander the coppersmith of ephesus . tim. . , . demas forsook the faith. anno . s. peter and s. paul were both prisoners at rome . timothy and trophimus came to rome to s. paul. anno . june . s. peter was crucified with his head downwards ; and olympas and rhodion his companions suffered with him . s. paul was beheaded ; and with him suffered his companions aristarchus , trophimus , and pudens . eus. ecc. hist. b. . ch . . tertul. in apol. ch . . dor. syn. thus ended the travels of this painful father , after he had spent some years in preaching the gospel : and had run over many thousands of miles by land and water for the promulgation thereof . the history of jerusalem . babylon and rome were not so much famed for their atchievements warlike but jerusalem was as famous as either , and beyond them both for stories sacred and miraculous . she stands in account for antiquity far beyond rome and but a few years on this side the confusion of tongues ; much of the same date with the city of babylon : for according to the reckoning of calistenes in his letter to aristotle from babylon , at what time it was taken by alexander , that this city had stood years . and according to this computation was babylon founded some few years after the confusion . when ●●m passed over euphrates , with the canaanites , mitsraimites , and phutites , all following towards egypt , whereof canaan dropt by the way , and seated in the holy land. in this pleasant and most fertile countrey the numerous off-spring of these prophane canaanites overspread themselves : and called it in parcels , each tribe after his fathers name ; but remembring the whole countrey by the name of their grandsire canaan . here several of his sons built cities : among others jebus built one , and called it jebus , which some time after was called jerusalem , or hierosolyma . the authour of the book of joshua remembers it by this name ; but then was it only for that this sacred pen-man called it as it had the name in his own age wherein the writer lived , and not as it was in the dayes of iohsua . for until this city was conquered by k. david , and established his royal seat , we find no other name it had but iebus only : from whence the conquerour called it after himself kiriath david , or the city of david . and under that name was it known all the daies of that famous king , and after , untill k. solomon enlarged and beautified the city , and adorned it with the sacred and never enough to be admired temple of god therein , which became more famous all over the world than ever was that one of the wonders of the world the huge temple of diana at ephesus . now by reason of these noble additions of salomon , and for that it was an embleme of this princes most peaceable reign , and more for that it was enriched with the most sacred temple of peace , wherein all people were to make attonement for their sins in order to obtain their everlasting peace with god , it was ever after called hierosolyma in the hebrew tongue , which was as much as to say the inheritance of peace , or the vision of peace ; and such especially was it in the daies of our saviour , when the peace of god which passeth all understanding was preached , and seen there reigning . phil. . . this city was held by the iebusites while it was called iebus , from the year of its first foundation untill the taking thereof by k. david about years , reckoning from about or years after the confusion , or about or after n●●hs floode at what time jebus under his father canaan sat down in those parts . after reigned here   years king david . king solomon son of david . rehoboam son of solomon . . abijam son of rehoboam . asa son of abijam jehoshaphat son of asa anion son of manasseh . josiah son of anion athalia wife of ahaziah joash son of ahaziah . jehoram together with his father and after him . ahaziah son of jehoram . amaziah son of joash uzziah son of amaziah . jothan son of uzziah . ahaz son of jothan under his father and after . hezekiah son of ahaz . manasseb son of hezekiah jeheohaz son of josiah m . jeboiakim brother of jeho . . jehoiachim son of jehoiachim moneths and ten days . zedekiah brother of jehoia . . and after one year more followed the captivity . the whole sum of these times was years and moneths and daies , whereof years were from the rebellion of the ten tribes unto the captivity , and the years of david , of salomon , and moneths of rehoboam before the rebellion made out the rest . only the daies were nothing else but so many dayes excess of one year , wherein the sun went backwards in the dayes of ahaz . at the end of these years came the caldeans from babylon , and utterly destroyed both city and countrey , and kingdom and people . in the midst of his year was k. zedekiah taken , and his children now slain before his face , and finally his eyes put out , and he ended his dayes in bondage . ier. . . but in the midst of the next year both city and temple suffered by fire : and yet not so but that the sacred vessels were preserved ; only with the citizens suffered they all like fate , and were carryed away into captivity . ier. . , . ezek. . . after all this , yet held out gedalia one part of a year , as vassal to the caldeans ; until by the end of the year he was slain by ismael . the remainder of the people fled away into aegypt , and carryed ieremiah the prophet with them . ier. . then sang the prophet his lamentable song , lam. ieremiah ch . . &c. years lay this city desolate , and all the countrey ruinate , the walls were pulled down , and the houses became meer ashes and rubbish : the owl lodged there , and the grass grew in the streets for want of passengers to tread it down : the trees bore all manner of fruit , and yet rotted the apples pears and plumbs for want of hands to pluck them : the ground brought forth plenty of herbs and grass , which withered to earth again for want of mouths to eat it up : and weeds grew every where in steed of corn , for want of people to till the ground . and thus continued it until the land had her fill of sabbaths , for years time that it la● thus desolate . chron. . . during these times while the people were captive at babylon reigned over these wasts nebuchadnezzar years . evilmerodach his son years . belshazzar his sons son years . chron. . . at the end of the year of belshazzar , came cyrus king of persia , and darius the median prince , and laid siege unto babylon , for years together : at the end of which was belshazzar drinking wine in the holy vessels of gods temple , and making merry with his whores in babylon , when the hand-writing appeared on the wall , made him tremble for feat . and the night after ( cyrus having drained the river euphrates dry , ) the city was taken , and belshazzar slain . dan. . and then reigned darius year . on that year was it daniel the prophet set himself to seek the lord by fasting and prayer , for that he had understood by books , that the years were clean run out , in order that the people might be restored again , every man to his own city and countrey , and that the temple and city might be restored . dan. . immediately was this prayer heard : and on the same year dyed king darius . and cyrus coming in place gave order for the return out of captivity . and accordingly the gold and silver and vessels of the temple being delivered up into the hands of zerobabel , they lost no time , but immediately came away , rejoycing for the good hope that god had given them . 〈◊〉 first year could they do but little more than set them up poor hutts to lodge 〈…〉 they were carrying away the rubbish , to lay the foundation of the tem●●● 〈◊〉 congratulate their return one with another . the second year they went on 〈◊〉 with the re-edification of the temple . and so the third , untill the command 〈…〉 to forbear . then had these ( poor strangers as yet in their 〈…〉 lament their hard hap , that the house of god should stand only in 〈…〉 the naked walls , without a roof . thus it continued all the dayes of 〈…〉 his absence in aegypt under the mages , and after that all the while 〈…〉 otherwise called artaxerxes held babylon against darius hystas●● 〈…〉 years . during these times the jews built them houses in ieru●●● 〈…〉 ●●lling , until reproved by the prophets haggai and zachariah , 〈…〉 darius after the babilonion rebel was overthrown , they began 〈…〉 ; and were incouraged by the king. in years space was 〈…〉 in years more the courts were compleated after 〈…〉 this city still rising into beauty and honour more and more , 〈…〉 her self again : only still she b●●oaned her naked body 〈…〉 was the goodness of god , that no sooner were the streets made ready , and the houses finished in their order , but the heart of the king of persia favoured so far as to allow them walls too . and to this purpose nehemiah came with commission to see it done . thus rose this phenix out of her ashes , after she had slept in rubbish many years , and like a virgin she began to sing again for weeks of years , or years , until the comming of the messiah . during these times were chief rulers of jerusalem and principal of the sanedrim there , and high priests . rulers years jerubabel son of shealtiel rhesa meskullum son of zarub . johannab●n rhesa hir●anus son of joham●● joseph son of hir●anus abner son of joseph mattathias son of abner azarmahat son of mat. artarat naum son of azar haggai eli. son of nahum mas●t nahum son of haggai amos sirah son of mas●●● mattathias silea son of amos called in josephus the●●hilus ● joseph arses son of mat. ● ●anna hir●anus son of joseph interrupted by antioch●● epip●●nes fled and slew himselfe judas mac●abeus son of mattathia● ●●ood up in defence of the jews against the abomina●ion introduced by antioc●us epiphanes in the daies of janna and after janna was dead judas slain jonathan his brother des●ndeth high priests years jesus son of josedech joak●m son of jesus who officiated under his father at what time holofernes head was cut off by judeth . and in whose time the building went foreward again elia●hib son of joakim jehojada son of eliashim johanan son of jehojada whose brother manasses married the daughter of sa●ballat joddus son of johanan in the daies of alexander the great , onias son of j●ddus simon son of onias eleazar brother of simon manasses brother of omas and unkle unto simon and e●●azar the high priest omias , ii simon the just , son of eleazar onias iii son of simon the just onias basely murdered his brother jason mene●us another brother obtained by bribery ● alcimus a stranger held the high priesthood ● alcimus dead there was no h. pr. ● rulers , and high priests years but in the first year of alexander pal● king● of syria . jonath●● was made both h ▪ priest and governour ● simon brother of jenathan governour and h priest ● simon slain , john son of s●●on governour and h. priest john sirnamed hircan●● dead , aristobulus his son was king and h. priest ● aristobulus dead jann●●s alexander his brother king and h. p. 〈◊〉 alex. dead salome his wife was queen . and hircanus son of alex h p. salome dead , aristobulus took away both kingdome and h. priesthood from his elder brother hircanus and held jerusalem taken by pompey the roman aristob● and his sons were taken prisoners , and hircanus was made king and h priest again antigonus son of aristolulus by ayd of the parthians was king and h. p. ● rulers years her●d son of antipate● the idum●●● was made king by the senate of rome and warred upon antigo●us all his time antigonus slaine herod reigned in time of this herod was jesus christ born at bethelem archelaus son of great herod he deposed . cop●nius the roman was made govenour m. ambivius governed a● . rufus governed valerius gratus under tib●●●t pontius pilat by whom christ was crucifyed m●●c●llus mar●llus herod agrippa was king of all palestine cuspius fadus governed tiberius ale●●nder ventidus cumanus antonius foelix under whom s. paul was prisoner p●rticus festus albinus gessius florus under whom began the rebellion of the jews vespatian who overcame the jews ▪ titus son of vespatian under who● the city and temple ●ereburned lu●ius bassa who reduced ●assad● ▪ the to●● high priests yers anancel made h. priest by herod aristobulus grandchild to hircanus ▪ he drownded by command of herod anancel held again jesus son of fab●us after him held simon son of ●oethus father in law of herod mattathias son of theophilus during this year zacha●ias the father of s. john baptist efficiated under mattathias on the fast day only joaz●● son of simon b●ethus held eleaxer brother of 〈◊〉 jesus son of sea annas son of sethi● ismael elea●●● son of 〈◊〉 sim●● joseph sirnamed cai●ph●● son i● law of annas jonathan son of annas the oph●lus brother of jonathan simon nattath●● ae●●neus simon joseph ● ananias son of na●●deus ● ismael ananias son of annas jesus ● jesus son of gama●●● mattathias phanes a man of lov degree during the sledge no body for the total thus was the goverment of jerusalem ordered by the rulers and priests during th●se times , untill the day came of the utter subversion thereof . during the persian monarchy she saw but few evil days . in the days of king artaxexes longhand , there was one haman son of hamedatha the aggagite , who was in danger to have undon the whole nation of the lews all the worldover . but by the goodhand of god , and by the means of queen esther and mordica that cloud happily blew over . ( see the book of esther . ) this was some few years before the comming of nehemiah to restore the walls of jerusalem . for that commission of nehemiah by favour of this queen esther was procured : ( nehem. . . in these days lived judith of bethulia , a very famous woman : this was she who cut off the head of holifernes . this holifernes was a great commander general under nabochodonozor : and that nebochodonozor reigned at babylon , during the time of king darius at susha● in persia , and rebelled against the king of persia. and during this rebellion having vanquished one arphaxad a deputy prince of media , under darius , he waxed proud , and sent holofernes out westward against judea , and others ; while himself made head against the persians . but this holofernes perishing , being over witted by judith , ( judith ● . ch . &c. ) nabochodonozor was vanquished by darius , and finally being shut up in babylon was betrayed by zopuras : and darius reigned overall . herodiat . b. . and in the second year after this , was that second of darius , at what time the building of the temple went forward . ez. . after this lived judith some years or more into the reign of darius nothus , during all which time none made the children of israel afraid . nor of a long time after judith . . . in the days of artaxerxes ochus there was one bagoses who was lievetenant to the king of persia in these parts who came to jerusalem , and threatned somwhat : the reason was because of jonathan the h. priest who had ●lain his brother manasseh , for that manasseh had 〈◊〉 a daughter of sanballar , of sa●aria , and contended with him for the priesthood jos. ant. neh. . . but when alexander gat the empyre , sanballat got the start of the jews , and having opportunity by the foretop , struck in with the conquerour , and incensed him against them . but as alexander lay before gaza , sanballat dyed before the walls thereof , and missed of his will , to see his ends upon the jews accomplished . howbeit alexander having mastered gaza came against jerusalem in great wrath . but jaddus being h. priest at that time , came out of the city in his priestly robes to meet him : whom alexander no sooner saw , but his wrath turned all to reverence . for having afore dreamt of just such a person , as soon as he saw him , he remembred his dream and ▪ doing him great honour left also noble marks of his curtesie behind him at jerusalem . jos. ant. but alexand●r being dead ptolomeus lagus lord of aegypt was not so civil ; for he coming upon the city upon the sabbath day while they made no defence took his advantage of their superstition , and surprized the city , and made the citizens his captives , and carryed away many prisoners of them into aegypt . jos. ant. yet the next year antigonus got away this city from ptolomy again , and now was a very bad time with the jews , for palestine lying 〈◊〉 the mid way between syria and aegypt , it was an apt prey unto whom soever was conquerour . and thus somtimes the egyptians were their lords , and otherwhiles the syria●s ; but both ways the jews were slaves . jos. ant. dan. . . &c. until in the end , ptolomeus having utterly routed antigonus , enjoyed whole palestine in peace . after him ptol. philadelphus held it , who did the jews much honour , and caused the famous translation of the old testament into the greek tongue by the septuagint . j●s . ant. 〈◊〉 chr●● ▪ after philadelphus held pt. ever●●● all his time in whose time jesus son of 〈◊〉 wrote his book called 〈◊〉 . but 〈◊〉 called the great ; disturbed 〈…〉 away the whole country from epiphanes his son , yet shewed kindness to the jews , j●s . ant. ●●n . . . for 〈◊〉 having oppressed them , they m●te aptly complyed with 〈◊〉 . dan. . . but the son of this antiochees called ephiphanes , was a bloudy persecuter , who poltuted the sanctuary of the most high , and took away the dayly sacrifice , and set up the abominations of 〈◊〉 , for the space of 〈◊〉 thousand and two hundred days . dan. . . & . , , , . and made havock of the people of jerusalem , killing and carrying away captives , and compelling them to sacrifice to idols , until few of them were left . ● . mac. . . mat. . these were bitter 〈◊〉 and comparable to the daies of the bayb●ni●ns or worse , until judas 〈◊〉 and his br●thren with a smal help stood up and adventured their lives for the law of god ; and did wonders , and cleansed the alter of god , and restored religion dan. . . ch . . jos. ant. ma● . . this judas spent his life in fighting gods battels and was victorious ▪ and after him jonathan his brother did the like , and got ground and became famous , untill he was basely murd●●d by 〈◊〉 . but simon another brother cast out the gentiles from the holy city , and restored jerusalem and the worship of god , and from this time foreward once again began the jews to be their own masters , and to give laws to their neighbour princes . mat. . jos. ant. b. . ch . ● . yet this simon was also slain by treachery . mat. ch . last ▪ but his 〈…〉 john revenged 〈…〉 , and grew great and prevailed against the syrians j●s . ant. b. . 〈◊〉 and let his 〈…〉 his eldest son . this man would be called king , but dyed after one year● 〈◊〉 and alexander his brother succeeded him , who 〈◊〉 with the syrians and his one rebellious subjects years . before these times the jews were grow● famous for skill and knowledge , and that especially in d●●ine things ▪ in the return from captivity 〈…〉 famous scribe ; or a great learned man , e●r . . . after him rose up simon the just , a great promoter of learning eccl. . . after him followed antigonus socheus ; this man was zealous of gods law , and had many followers . but all zealots are not so holy as they seeme , for from this corrupted zeal sprang up the pharisees . amongst others was one sadoc scholar of ant●gonus , who yet in the end wearyed with the strict life of religion , fell off , and became the father of the sadducees , john hircanus the h. priest being vexed with the insolencies of the pharisees , became a professed sadduce , and so his sons after him . but in the days of this alexander the pharisees were so popular that they gave law to the king him self , and occasioned him many stirs and troubles . after alex●nder , s●lome his wife reigned some years , but she dead , aristobulus the yonger son was very troublesome , and put his elder brother besides the throne ▪ but in those days came pompey the great into syria , in persuit of his conquests , and taking advantage of the disorders among the jews took jerusalem , and prophaned the temple with his presence , and left them in servitude of the romans . after a while came crassus by in his parthian expedition , and robd the temple . but in the end herod the son of antipater an edomite , a man of base and mean parentage procured the kingdom by craft and good fortune , and reigned many years . at latter end of his time was jesus christ born . in these daies flourished this city of jerusalem in wealth , peace , and honour , as well as in all manner of wisdom and knowledge : only the jews could not be contented , being under the authoritie of this stranger , and swayed by the roman power jos. ant. luke ● . . but alass , their pride was far a greater mischief to them than their slavery . for that notwithstanding , they enjoyed liberty , and plenty , but by means of this they could not receive christ , and so lost that liberty he brought them from heaven . for whilst god almighty presented them with a greater treasure than ever the world knew before , besides , or since , so over-wise were they in their own eyes that they despised it . jo● . . . now was this city the happiest city in all the world , had she but known her own happiness , wherein it lay , and when she was well . happy was she in her strength of walls , and strength of hands within those walls , happy in her wealth , and happy in her peace , happy in her stately stree●s , but happyer in the rarest and richest temple that ever eyes heheld , but infinitely beyond all these , happyest in that the ever blessed saviour of the world was come among them , and taught them in that temple the doctrine of peace and eternal life . zac. . . mat. . . &c. &c. ah , but they knew not the things that belonged unto their peace when that day was , and therefore hence forward was it hid from their eyes : and therefore was it foretold what the enemy should do unto them , and how the days should come wherein one stone should not be left upon another , of all the goodly buildings she had to be proud of . luk. . , , . ch . . . and accordingly so it came to pass . forty yeary under the type of forty daies , god had promised to beare the 〈◊〉 of the house of judah . ezek . . an this seemed to be fulfilled at this time : for so many years bearing dare from the murder of christ , unto the final destruction of the jews were fulfiled . in the year of christ fulfilled and current was our saviour crucified , the jews crying out to pontius pilat , saying , his bloud be on us , and on our children , mat. . . and many years after this went away these murderers , with their wiped mouths , as if they had done no hurt . and the apostles and other disciples of christ were some killed , and others imprisoned and persecuted from place to place , and yet still went these away , no man questioning ought that they had done . but as these years began to grow on , so vengance began to draw upon this ungratefull people ; and first like a gathering cloud it hovered over head , and shed its drops round about jerusalem , before the city it self was washed with its bloudie shower . the first after christ , death who felt this lowring vengance were the jews at rome , who being detected in certain treacheries upon one fulvia a noble lady of rome , and complanied on to tiberius the emperour by s. ●arnius the ladies husband : all the iews of rome for the sake of those few faulty were banished , slaughtered , and driven into sardinia , to the number of many thousands , jos. ant. b ch . . next unto these the iews of alexandria upon a trifling quarrel in the daies of caius the emp. for years together were continually persecuted , with scornes , robberies , slaughters , and exile , unto an infinite loss both of wealth and bloud . phil. jud. in his second b. of virtues . jos. ant b. ● . ch . . after this , about the beginning of claudius the iews at babylon in caldea followed the same fate , suffering the slaughter of many thousands , until the survivers escaped thence int● seleucia . but here too at years end , both greeks and syrians fell upon them at once , and 〈◊〉 of them more than . men , thence fled the escaped remnant to ctesiphon , but here 〈◊〉 nations joyned together against them , drove them away to the strong holds of nearda , and nisibis . jos. ant. b. . ch . . after this jerusalem began to feel woo too , for in the days of c●manus the govenour , by means of a quarrel with the centinel at the temple gate were men slain at the passeover time . next in the time of foelix the govenour were many quarrels and slaughters both at jerusalem and cesarea , jos. ant b. . ch . . ch . . . . but as the years grew nearer up , finally came gessius florus in the reign of nero to be govenour of jerusalem , who as if he had made it his business to pick quarrels with them , gave himself wholy to bloud and rapine . in the th of nero and ●th of christ , were many thousand jews slain by this mans meanes at cesarea . and a while after the persecution following to jerusalem , there those noble iews who had the honour of roman knighthood , yet could not escape the lash of florus , but by publique whipping and murder many perished . but these were but beginning of sorows ▪ jos. of the warrs . ch . . . . hence presently the wars broke out , and as if all nations had hated the iews , and were glad of the oppertunity , in all places presently they began to slaughter them : at cesarea the syriaus slew . iews , and at scythopol●● the inhabitants slew . more of them , at as●a●on they slew , at ptol●mais , at tyrus , a great many , and so at gadara● at alexandria the old grudge revived and the greeks and egyptians there slew . cestius gallus burnt and spoyled the city zo●●lon 〈◊〉 gallus slew in asamon , and c●sti●s . more in ioppa ; at damascus were slain 〈◊〉 govenour of askelon slew in barrle at one time , and at another ios. 〈…〉 . b ch . , , , &c. b. ch ● . after this came vespotian into gallile , and wasted the countrie , took gadara and killed without mercy : titus his son slew iews at 〈…〉 took 〈◊〉 and slew there men , a● . joppa perished by shipwrack and slaughter at tarich●a upon the lake were slain and taken captives above . men and at 〈◊〉 perished more , and at gis●ala . were ●●ain and taken captives . in the th year of nero , gadir● was taken a second time , and . iews were slain and taken captives there next , at 〈…〉 perished . and captives . and lastly at 〈◊〉 and thereabout followed great slaughters j●s of the war. b. . ch . . . . . ● . . &c b. ch . . , , , . but now a while some intermission happening unto these slaughters by meanes , of 〈…〉 absence , yet great slaughters and opression reigned at jerusalem by reason of seditious tyrants arising from among themselves , with these joyned the idumeans who slew great numbers of the iewish nobility , jos. of th●●ar b. . ch . . . . b , . . . b. . ● . but in the first of vespatian the emperour and th o● christ the iews from all parts of the world were assembled at the feast of the passeover at jerusalem , at what time titus came with his armie and shut them in with a close seidge . now after various success , and much slaughter on both sides , on the th of may , the romans brok down the outward wall , and took the new city ; on the th of may he took the second wall , but lost it again , but on the he took it and kept it , and with it gained all the lower city , after this followed grievious famine in the higher city : men were publiquely burryed in the city , besides what in private . a bushel of corn was sold for crowns , and the dung of oxen was an excellent dish in those days . but during these afflictions on the th of july the romans took , the fort antonia . then began the women to eat their own children for hunger . and the men dropt down dead as they walked in the streets . on the th of august the temple was taken , and fired . and then was all the lower city burnt into ashes . and lastly , on the th of september was also the higher citie taken and burnt . jos. of the war. b. b. . during this siedge were . slain , and in this war were taken captives , besides many millions that perished in silence , thus ended this famous city in the year after christs death . and thus perished those cursed jews as they had wished , saying , his his bloud be on us , and on our children . ten years after this some forts still held out . but in the year . and . ended since christs murder was massada taken , and all judea left desolate . yet after this , beginning to people again , they rebelled in the reign of hadrian , but were therefore utterly driven the countery , and ierusalem was rebuilt upon mount ca●vary ; and called aelia , but no iews might come there anymore . finis . in the table of kings fol. . the first collum●e is false printed . and must thus be corrected jehoram and ahoziah should begin the collumne athalia and 〈◊〉 should follow ahaziah . and 〈◊〉 should begin the third columne . notes, typically marginal, from the original text notes for div a -e now it does appear that s. paul wrote the d epist ▪ to the 〈◊〉 in anno , and this trance was year● before : it was certainly therefore in anno . and so by consequence the martyrdom of this james was in the same year some time before . notes for div a -e some are of opinion this city was first called salem or solyma , and that it had the name in the dayes of abraham . but it seems a mistake in the ancients . for ●●st it was called jebus in the dayes of oth●●l , after joshua was dead . jud. . . and this was a long time after the dayes of abraham . and therefore either it had been called salem for some time only by way of interruption to the name of jebus , or else was never so called . for jebus the father of the jebusites was some hundreds of years elder than abraham . but then how should this interruption come ? or indeed how could the priest of the most high god by any reasonable possibility at any time so interrupt and thrust in as to found a city of his own amidst this prophane people ? for either he was descended of some of the canaani●ish tribes , or from some other . if from the canaanites , how came he to be in such a sacred place , as priest of the most high god ? or was there possibly some sacred person amidst that most cursed people ? yet why so eminently was he called priest of the most high , as if none but he , or at lest so as he ? and that too while shem the son o● noah was yet living ; of whom noah said blessed be the lord god of shem , and let canaan be his servant . and god perswade japhet that he may dwell in the tents of shem ? was this melchizedeck a greater man than shem , gen . , ? or was he sh●m himself ? if so , how came be to seat there amongst the canaan●●● ? or at least , how came to be a priest there , where he had no people ; o● but few to dwell within his tents ? or how came he to pitch his tents there where those who would be perswaded to dwell in them could not aptly be admitted to come at him ? no , therefore ( though with submission to our elders , and under favour of their correction we speak it ) this was not that salem where melchizedeck was prince . there was another salem in the land of canaan . but rather this man was melchisalem as he was melchizedeck king of peace , 〈◊〉 he was king of righteousness , or a prince peaceable , rather than prince of any city called peace ; and seems indeed to have been that very shem the son of noah , who at eldest of his own tribe , was the great priest of priests under god , over all those who descended from his own loin● as this abraham did . art thou a ruler in israel and knowest not these things? viz. the great errour in that which is called the apostles creed and the reall truth of jesus christ his glorious conquering personall reigne on earth, over the devill, sin and death for one thousand yeares. with mans salvation by the free grace and favour of god and jesus christ. laid open by him who heartily desires the manifestation of all the truths of god, and of jesus christ. and the utter excirpation of all the errours of men. william farmer, gent. farmer, william. this text is an enriched version of the tcp digital transcription a of text r in the english short title catalog (wing f a). textual changes and metadata enrichments aim at making the text more computationally tractable, easier to read, and suitable for network-based collaborative curation by amateur and professional end users from many walks of life. the text has been tokenized and linguistically annotated with morphadorner. the annotation includes standard spellings that support the display of a text in a standardized format that preserves archaic forms ('loveth', 'seekest'). textual changes aim at restoring the text the author or stationer meant to publish. this text has not been fully proofread approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page images. earlyprint project evanston,il, notre dame, in, st. louis, mo a wing f a estc r this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons . universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase , no. a ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, - ; : ) art thou a ruler in israel and knowest not these things? viz. the great errour in that which is called the apostles creed and the reall truth of jesus christ his glorious conquering personall reigne on earth, over the devill, sin and death for one thousand yeares. with mans salvation by the free grace and favour of god and jesus christ. laid open by him who heartily desires the manifestation of all the truths of god, and of jesus christ. and the utter excirpation of all the errours of men. william farmer, gent. farmer, william. [ ], p. printed for john hancock in popeshead alley, london : . copy has print show-through. reproduction of the original in the william andrews clark memorial library. eng church of england -- creeds -- early works to . christian literature -- early works to . a r (wing f a). civilwar no art thou a ruler in israel and knowest not these things? viz. the great errour in that which is called the apostles creed. and the reall tru [farmer, william] c the rate of defects per , words puts this text in the c category of texts with between and defects per , words. - tcp assigned for keying and markup - apex covantage keyed and coded from proquest page images - jonathan blaney sampled and proofread - jonathan blaney text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion art thou a ruler in israel and knowest not these things ? viz. the great errour in that which is called the apostles creed . and the reall truth of jesus christ his glorious conquering personall reigne on earth , over the devill , sin and death for one thousand yeares . with mans salvation by the free grace and favour of god and jesus christ . laid open by him who heartily desires the manifestation of all the truths of god , and of jesus christ . and the utter extirpation of all the errours of men . william farmer gent. that christ betwixt his buriall and his resurrection did not descend into hell , nor then preach to the damned spirits in prison . the church of england doth allow of , and acknowledg . creeds : and the now assembly of divines have adheringly ratified , confirmed , and manifested them all ; that is , the nycen creed , the apostles creed , and the athynasian creed . nothing ought to be counted apostolicall , that is not grounded upon , and answerable unto the apostles doctrine . our apostles creed is , that christ was crucified , dead and buried , he descended into hell : the third day he rose again from the dead . there is no doctrine of the apostles , that christ betwixt his buriall and his resurrection descended into hell : therefore it is no apostolicall doctrine . whatsoever is not apostolical , ought not to be made catholical . the nycen creed which is counted catholicall , sayes , that christ suffered for our salvation : descended into hell ; rose again the third day from the dead . that christ suffered for our salvation , or rather that christ suffered for our sins : was finished when he had received the vineger , and said it is finished : father into thy hands i commend my spirit : and having said thus , he gave up the ghost ; or his divine spirit or god-head departed out of his humane body : and then was his full sufferings finished , as christ himselfe saith . jesus knowing that all things were now accomplished that the scripture might be fulfilled : as this nycen creed saith well : although he be god and man , he is not two christs , but one christ : so when his god-head was departed from his man-hood , then hee had finished or fulfilled all scripture as a sufferer : because he was a perfect christ no longer then he was god and man , no more then a man that is a dead man , is a perfect man ; for the dead body cannot suffer because it hath no sense : so that it was only the humane body of christ laid in the grave that was in hell : because the grave is the dead bodies hell : and the grave is called hell in divers scriptures , and so is this nycen creed to be understood . the athanasian creed saith , that christ suffered , and was buried , and the third day rose againe according to the scriptures , and therefore a truth ; for what the spirit of god hath revealed , that only is truth : but the spirit hath in no scripture revealed that christ betwixt his buriall and his resurrection descended into hell : as that which is called the apostles creed doth affirm ; therefore it is none of the apostles doctrine . this doctrine , that christ betwixt his buriall and his resurrection descended into hell , is a hellish , antichristian , romish doctrine , derived from their diabolicall errour , upon that their mis-interpretation of the spirit of god , from those words of the apostle peter , where he saith , that christ hath once suffered for sinnes , the just for the unjust , that he might bring us to god , being put to death in the flesh , but quickned by the spirit ( the holy ghost ) by which ( spirit ) also he went and preached to the spirits in prison , which sometime were disobedient ( to god ) when once ( or at that time that ) that the long-suffering ( or forbearance ) of god waited in the dayes of noah while the arke was preparing . from which text doe the erroneous antichristian doctors of rome gather and conclude , that christ betwixt his death and resurrection divinely in his god-head , went amongst , and preached unto the infernall damned spirits : and to this purpose have inserted those their owne diabolicall words and doctrine amongst the apostles doctrine , and made the same catholicall as part of a church-article , to believe the same as faith unto salvation . this doctrine & interpretation is antichristian , because it doth contradict the doctrine and words of jesus christ himselfe , who said to the penitent thiefe upon the crosse , to day shalt thou be with me in paradise . to be in paradise , is to be in a place of pleasure : this paradise was gods kingdome of glory , which is christs kingdome , as the spirit revealed the same to that thiefe , who said , lord remember me when thou commest into thy kingdome . the humane bodie of jesus that same day after he was dead , was laid safe in josephs tomb or grave which is called hell , where there is no pleasure , neither can a dead body take any pleasure ; therefore the humane dead body could not that day be in paradise : and for christs divine spirit or god-head at all to be , or that day to be amongst the damned spirits , could not then that day be in paradise , because the damned spirits are not in pleasure , but excluded from pleasure , and reserved in chaines of darknesse unto the great and terrible day of the lord where no pleasure is . therefore it is an infallible truth , that when jesus christ said to the thiefe , to day shalt thou be with me in paradise ; he spake of his own divine spirit or god-head , and of the thiefe's invisible , internall , immortall , eternall spirit or soule , which came from god , and not of their mortall bodies which came from the earth , and lay in the earth . and when he spake of paradise , he did not speak of that earthly paradise in eden , into which the man was put after his creation : but of that heavenly paradise into which man should be fetched after his redemption by a resurrection ; in which paradise as jesus christ affirmeth , is pleasure for evermore : and so are the romish doctors and their antichristian diabolicall doctrine , with their false interpreation , confuted . the true meaning of the holy ghost in peter , by those words of peter , are thus to be interpreted and understood ; that peter and all others by god appointed for that purpose , into whom the holy ghost was sent , and spake as the spirit gave them utterance : did not speak , preach , or reveale the will or mind of god to the mortall bodies of men , because the mortall bodies of men are to perish , and so cannot for ever retaine the word of god which is to endure for ever , as jesus christ saith . heaven and earth ( that is the whole mortality ) shall passe away : but not one jot or tittle of my word shall pass away . but the spirit of god doth direct the word of god to the immortall , eternall soules or spirits of men ; because the souls or spirits of men , and the word of god are to endure for ever : and so the souls are able to retain the word for ever . and every soule of man is an immortall , eternall living spirit from god , whose kingdome , habitation and dwelling from whence the soule came is boundlesse , endlesse , and limitlesse : and therefore a place of liberty , because it is without any restraint : and every soul while it is in the mortall body of clay is confined and bounded with its mortall wall of earth the body , and chained in by the naturall corruptions of the sinful flesh . and so every soule while it is in the body , is in prison , because it is by the body restrained from its former liberty it had in heaven from whence it came into the mortal body , wch former liberty was boundless and limitless . therfore it was those soules that were in the mortal bodies of those wicked men of the old world , that lived in the days of noah , before the flood that peter speaks of : that were the spirits in prison preached unto by that quickning spirit or lively spirit of god the holy ghost , by wch the dead body or flesh of jesus christ , was quickned or raised the d day again to life from the dead . it was that same spirit or holy ghost sent by jesus christ into noah , that did preach in noah to the spirits or soules of those wicked men that lived in the days of noah , before the flood , wch were in prison , then imprisoned in their mortall bodies , by their finfull flesh : whose sins were so provoking of the almighty , that the lord said , it repented him that he had made man on the earth , and it grieved him at the heart . these mens soules or spirits were so imprisoned in their bodies , and so chained in by their corruptions of the flesh , that they could not hear the spirit of god preaching unto them in noah for repentance & amendment of life : but were like the deafe adder that stoppeth his eare against the charmer , charm he never so well , peter saith , that god did suffer their disobedience long : and with patience waited for the repentance & amendmēt of life all that while & time . noah was preparing of the arke . and thus is this text to be interpreted and understood to the glory of god , because it sets forth his truth : and therefore that clause in the apostles creed ought to be razed and for ever put out , and no longer suffered for catholicall , as from an apostolicall author , being it was from a papisticall , antichristian , diabolicall , jesuiticall author , the devils chiefe erroneous instruments on earth . that jesus christ shall reign one thousand yeares on earth . saith the apostle peter , no prophesie of the scripture is any private interpretation ; neither came it by the will of man : but holy men of god spake as they were moved by the holy ghost . the scripture is not the word of men , but it is the word of god . and saith the text , the prophesie of john is , the revelation of jesus christ to shew unto his servants things that must shortly come to passe . therefore christ sent and signified the same by his angel to his servant john . one and the same holy ghost delivered the whole word of god , though by divers instruments , amongst whom john was one , and the last , who saith , i saw an angell come downe from heaven , having the key of the bottomlesse pit , and a great chaine in his hand . and hee laid hold on the dragon that old serpent , which is the devill and sathan , and bound him a thousand yeares : and cast him into the bottomlesse pit , and shut him up , and set a seale upon him , that he should deceive the nations no more untill the thousand yeares should be fulfilled . iohn doth not prophesie of any thing to come , but what was answerable & agreeable to former prophesies , and promises . therefore let men in these dayes try the prophesies of iohn with other scriptures , as the noble bereans in the apostles dayes , tryed the apostles doctrine , and then the very truth of god will appear , according to the promise of jesus christ , whatsoever you shall aske the father in my name , he will give it unto you . therefore ask and you shall receive . aske by prayer for heavenly wisedome in faith , and you shall receive a good understanding . seeke and you shall finde . seeke by searching of the scriptures for the truth , and you shall find eternall life . knock and it shall be opened unto you . knocke at heaven gates by a fervency in heart for the spirit of god , and the gates of heaven shall be opened , & the holy ghost shall come in unto you : and he shall reveal all things unto you that be written , whether past , present , or to come . god in the beginning created the whole works and creatures that be mortall within the first fixe evenings and mornings : and loe all things were very good . but when that old serpent , the devill and sathan , that enemie of man by his subtilty , had beguiled eve , and by her adam , and so in them all man-kinde , by sowing tares of disobedience in the whole mortality of god . the lord said , the whole earth and creatures were so corrupted through the deceit of the devill , that it repented god that he had made man on the earth , and it grieved him at the heart . and still even so long as the devil shall have power over the whole mortality of god , he will deceive the nations : but iesus christ by his servant iohn hath promised : the whole mortality , a whole deliverance from the power of the devil for a thousand years , by sending an angel with power from heaven downe into this world , to lay hold on , and arrest the devill at the suite of iesus christ , with an action from god almighty out of the court of gods glorious justice without bail or main prize to cast him into the bottomlesse pit , and to shut him up , and to set a seale upon him , because he by his instruments shut up the body of iesus christ in the grave with a great stone , and sealed him up with the signet of the scribes & pharisees : that he should not rise again according to the scriptures , for the redemption of his redeemed ones . and for the devils deceiving of the nations from the creation unto that time , shall he be kept in , & shut up for one compleat . years ; during which thousand yeares , all the mortall creatures on the earth at that time shall be so freed from the devils evill power , according to former prophesie , and the promises of god by the prophet isaiah . that the devouring lyon shall eate grasse as an oxe , and all creatures shall be atpeace ; even at the same peace they had in the day of the creation before man sinned : by reason whereof the devil had a power to work in all creatures the evil of malice and death : & this . years of the devils confined and restrained power from his working and acting of evill in any wise , either by tempting to evill , or dying for evill , or by evill . there shall be no death , neither shall there be any children gotten or borne ; for getting of children is an act of sinne , because it is acted by lust , and lust is an act of sinne ; for although adam and eve were matrimonially lawfull man and wife before they sinned ; yet did they not get cain the seede of the serpent , before they had sinned ; for if they had , he could not have been wicked ; for the text saith , all mn were conceived in sin . and this text may very well be granted , because cain the first man that was conceived , was a bloody murthering sinner ; for if cain had been righteous , then might some have disputed whether cain had not beene conceived before adam and eve had sinned , as well as they to be married before they had sinned ; therefore and thereby is jesus christ only and alone known to be the son of god , because he was not conceived by the sinfull and lustfull seed of sinfull man : but as the text saith , he was , and none but he was conceived by the holy ghost , and horn of the virgin mary . a virgin , because with child , & her womb not defiled with sinfull seed of lust . the devill is said to be the god of this world , because of his princely power overal the mortal works , & creatures of god in this world through mans sin ; gained by the devils subtle temptation : therefore jesus christ , though the sonne of god , by the love of god to the world , must take upon him sinfull flesh , that thereby hee might redeeme sinfull man from the sins of the flesh ; under which work of redemption , jesus christ , though perfect god , as well as perfect man , during the time of his mortall flesh which hee did receive from the virgin , must be , and was subject to the principalities and powers of this world , even to the devill himselfe , and his wicked instrumentall members , saying , give unto caesar that which is caesars ; for my kingdome is not of this world , during the principality of the devill ; for god and belial cannot dwell both together , that is , god and the devill , cannot be both kings in one kingdome at one time , because god is light , and the devill is darknesse , as the text saith , light and darknesse cannot abide together ; for either light comprehendeth the darknesse , or else the darknesse comprehendeth the light , as every night and day maketh it appear unto us : but pilate the governour said unto jesus christ , are thou the king of the iews : he denied not , saying , thou hast said it : as if christ should have said , pilate . wise solomon saies , there is a time for all things under heaven : although a sonne in his nonage or infancy , by reason hee is under subjection , differs not from a servant ; yet the time will come when it will appeare he is lord of all things . so pilate , though i now by reason of my sufferings at the present , in the time of my mortall flesh , nonage , and infancy , of my not being risen from the dead : and againe , being not yet glorified of my father in heaven , but am here counted as a servant . the time will come when it will appeare that i am he that shall be the king of the jews , and king of kings , and lord of lords ; as my father hath said , sit thou at my right hand , untill i have made thine enemies thy foote-stool , even when all power shall be given me of my father , both in heaven and in earth , then jacob shall rejoyce , and israel shall be right-glad , because of the new heavens and the new earth , and the holy citie new jerusalem which iohn saw , and isaiah prophesied of , comming downe from god out of heaven : and because christ , gods tabernacle , shall be with men , and dwell with them on earth , and they shall be his people : and god himselfe shall be with them , and be their god , as the text by the spirit in solomon saith , from god as a promise to the children of god . it is true indeed , that god will dwell on the earth , as paul saith of christ at the present , saying , who only , ( and none but he ) hath immortality , and dwelleth in that light that none can attaine unto ( which is in the glorious presence of god almighty ) whom never man saw , neither can see ; as the text saith , no man hath seene god at any time , neirher can see him , while hee is cloathed with sinfull flesh : but when the sinfulnesse of the flesh shall be done away , then men shall see god , and jesus christ on earth in such a glory , as mortall sinfull flesh cannot behold for the exceeding brightnesse thereof , as god himself saith , no man can see my face and live ; that is , no man who is corrupted by transgression or sinne , can behold the righteous face of god , because that transgression is darkenesse from the devil the prince of darkenesse , whose darkenesse cannot stand before the righteous glory of god almighty . for as the presence of the suns glory doth doe away the darknesse of this world ; so the presence of gods glory doth doe away all the spirituall darknesse of the devill and sinne ; therefore saith john , that an angel from heaven must first by his power shut and chaine up the devill , and then behold the tabernacle of god is with men , and he will dwell with men , and they shall be his people , and god himselfe shall be with them , and be their god . that is , god shall wholly be their god , because the devill shall wholly with all his power be taken away , and confined as close prisoner for a thousand years : during which thousand years all the mortal creatures shall be at peace as the prophet isa saith , the lyon shall eate grasse like an oxe , and leave devouring : because the devill , by whose power in all the mortall creatures ( all the mortall creatures were set at an evill oddes ) shall be totally done away for that thousand yeares ; that he should deceive the nations no more untill the thousand yeares should be fulfilled . qu. what reason is there grounded upon scripture that christ shall come and dwell on earth , and reign kinge of kings and lord of lords a thousand years . answ. first , for his promise-sake , who hath promised the same in divers scriptures , as peter saith . that in the latter dayes there shall be scoffers , that shall say , where is the promise of his comming . ( we doe not believe it ) for all things continue as they were from the beginning . these scoffers do not regard what solomon saith , that there is a time for all things under heaven . but because such scoffers will not stay gods time , but expect that time sooner then god hath appointed the same : and for that they want patience to waite upon god , will fall into unbeliefe , and say , where is the promise of his comming , as though hee would never come : but unto such saith the same apostle . beloved , be not ignorant of this one thing , that one day is with the lord as a thousand years , and a thousand years as one day . as if peter should say , scoffers , if through impatience you will not believe the promises of god for christ his comming , who is faithfull in all his promises , and who is in all his promises yea and amen . i will confirme the promises of god by the works of god thus . god within the first sixe evenings and mornings in the beginning made and created the whole mortality : even all the works and creatures , and when he had done , he looked on the whole , and behold all was very good . and therefore god adds to his sixe dayes of labour , one day , or a sanctified holy day of rest from all labour : but when man ( by the temptation of that old serpent the devill and sathan ) had disobeyed the commandement of god . then god cursed the whole mortall workes and creatures for mans transgression , with giving the devill power over them all . and so thereby became the whole mortall works and creatures corrupted , and that made god say , that it repented him that he had made man on the earth , and it grieved him at the heart . because that man by sinne had corrupted , and made all that evill ( in one or two houres ) by expostulating with , and yeelding to the devill . that god himselfe was sixe days making very good : and because the devill had power given him over the whole mortall works and creatures , as a just judgement for mortall mans sin : therefore during that time of the devils power , the devill is called the god , ( or chiefe prince ) of this world ; the prince of darkenesse , and the prince that ruleth in the ayre . the devill is not for ever to reign as god of this world , prince of the aire , and prince of the darknesse of this world : but shall be curbed at a time by god appointed : as the devill himselfe confesseth , saying to jesus christ : art thou come to torment us before the time ? as if the devill should have said , jesus christ , why dost thou command our power out of mortall man , knowing that the time of our power over mortality is not yet to be taken away : therefore if thou wilt not suffer us to be in man , give us leave to goe into yonder heard of swine . and because the devill is not alwayes to have power over mortality : but by the power of christ is to have his power taken off of mortality by jesus christ his comming downe from heaven , and to dwell with men on earth for a thousand yeares to deliver the whole mortall works and creatures of god on earth under heaven from the whole principalities and powers of the devill , for , and during that thousand years , according to promise , doth peter say to these unbelieving scoffers : but beloved , be not ignorant of this one thing , that one day is with the lord as a thousand years . therfore as the lord was days making the whole mortality very good : and man by his finne did provoke god to curse the same , with giving the devil power over the whole . man must also labour under the power of the devil with the whole mortality for . years . therfore doth peter say , that in the latter days , or towards the end of the . years . near to that coming of christ there shal be impatient unbelieving scoffers , that shall say , where is the promise , or the fulfilling of the promise of his comming ; unto whom peter saith , be not ignorant of this one thing , that one day is with the lord as a thousand years with man , or man cannot accomplish that under six thousand years , that god did in six dayes , ev●n his working will . and as god did adde a seventh day of holy rest unto his six dayes of labour : so man was from the beginning to celebrate every seventh day a holy day of rest from labour , in remembrance of the sure promise of christ his comming to deliver man and the whole mortality , as paul saith , the creature shall be delivered from the tyrannical power of the devill for a thousand years , into the glorious liberty of the sonnes of god , even for that thousand yeares in which john saw a new heaven and a new earth , and the holy city new jerusalem comming down from god out of heaven , with a great voyce out of heaven , saying , behold the tabernacle of god is with men , and he will dwell with them , and they shall be his people ( because the devill in , or during that time , shall have nothing to doe with them ) and god himselfe shall be with them , and be their god . therefore faith john , blessed and holy is hee that hath part in the first resurrection : because on such the second death hath no power : but they shall be priests of god and of christ , and shall reigne with him a thousand yeares ; according to the promise of god to jesus christ : sit thou at my right hand , untill i make thine enemies thy foote-stoole . even the devil and all his power and wicked instruments , who are the enemies of jesus christ and his members , and so taking the six dayes of gods accompt , in which hee made the whole mortality : and according to peters accompt , sixe thousand years of mans misery under the power of the devill , by reason of sinne : and taking the seventh day of gods accompt , in which he , with all the works of his hands , rested and kept a holy day unto himselfe , and accompt a thousand years deliverance from the power of the devill , sin , and death , in which god again will with man keep on earth a holy sabboth or rest , then and thereby are the promises of christ his comming by peter , confirmed by the workes of god , under gods accompt , of seven dayes in the beginning : but peter for more certainty of this truth , notwithstanding those impatient unbelieving scoffers , questioning the same in the behalfe of himselfe , and all the believing members of jesus christ of the promises of god in christ , saith , neverthelesse we according to his ( that is gods ) promise , looke for a new heaven and a new earth , wherein dwelleth righteousnesse . unto such saith peter , beloved , seeing that yee looke for such things , be diligent that ye may be found in peace , without spot , & blamelesse ; because they that shall enjoy such things saith peter , are a chosen generation , a royal priesthood , a holy nation , a peculiar people . being made so by the righteousnesse of jesus christ . secondly , the comming of christ is manifested by the glory of god as the text saith . if christ had not risen from the dead , then had christ dyed in vaine . so likewise may it be said , if christ be perfect god , as well as perfect man , ( who for man tooke upon him the nature of man : by which on earth he was by his perfect obedience to redeeme man from that power of the devill , which the devill gained over man by mans disobedience ) it stands with the glory of god , for christ , god on earth , to triumph over the devill and all his power on earth , as well as to suffer under the devill and all his power on earth . jesus christ as he was a mortall man , it was a glory to him to suffer for sinners , who himselfe sinned not , as the text saith , the just suffered for the unjust . but if jesus christ as he is god should not triumph over his enemies as a conquerour , his sufferings would be counted in vaine on earth : therefore jesus christ as he is god , for the glory of his god-head , by his servant john revealeth to his , who shall partake of that glory that shall be on earth , when the power of the devill shall be done away . and when new heavens and a new earth , and the holy city new jerusalem from heaven shall appeare , then shall jesus christ glorifie himselfe as god , over the devill and all his workes and powers , as that god by whom all things were created both in heaven and earth , equall with the father as a son and heir of all things , and second person in the trinity : in that trinity which is so un●ted in the god-head , that cannot be d●vided in the persons : as the nyc●n creed very w●l● sets forth . and thus is christs coming to reign on the earth proved by the promises of god , the workes of god , and the glory of god . quest . what manner of glory will that be that christ will have on earth amongst his saints , and what habitation will hee reside in . answ. it will be a heavenly glory , according to that which christ desired as a sonne from god , as a father , saying , father glorifie thy sonne with that glory , which he had with thee : jesus christ amongst men on earth prayed to be glorified amongst men on earth , with a heavenly glory , that men on earth might see him a glorified god , and a conquerour of his enemies , as well as they did see him a despised and a suffering man under his enemies : therefore and according to this do●h john after the prophesie of isay say , i saw a new heaven and a new earth , and the holy city new jerusalem comming downe from god out of heaven , with a loud voyce , saying , behold the tabernacle of god is with men , and he will dwell with them . this glory for the fulnesse of it is not revealed , nor shall it be manifested unto men , untill mens corruptions shall be done away : and that shall not be untill the power of the devill by the power of christ shall be taken off of mortality , according to that of john ; i saw on angell come down from heaven , and he laid hold on the devil , & bound him a thousand yeares , that he should deceive the nations , or corrupt mortality no more , untill those thousand yeares should be fulfilled , or accomplished . this heavenly glory is within the apprehension of no corrupted flesh , further then the things of the flesh doth behold : & the brightest glory of mortality is the sun : and john saith that that glory shall passe the glory of the sunne ; insomuch that that holy city new jerusalem , shall not need the light of the sunne , neither shall there be any night in it . but as in the land of egypt there was an exceeding darknesse at noone-day : but in the land of goshen there was no darknesse : so likewise during those thousand years in all the world there shall be night as well as day : but in the new and heavenly jerusalem there shall be no night at all . and this is all that god hath revealed concerning the fulnesse of that heavenly glory , because corrupted mortality can apprehend no more : as paul saith , if our hope were only in this mortall life , then we were of all men most miserable to suffer affliction for hope of a better life : if wee should misse of it : but saith he , yet it doth not , or here it doth not appeare what wee shall be : but when mortality shall put on immortality , and corruption shall be changed into incorruption , then it will appear ; for here wee know but in part : but then shall we know as we are known . that is , wee who know jesus christ as a sufferer , and rest upon the promises of god by faith in jesus christ for a rewarder : though now wee here with christ suffer for the same , shall then know god and jesus christ in a heavenly glory , conqueringly , as they knew us here sufferingly . secondly , besides this heavenly glory which will in brightnesse passe the glory of the sunne . christ will be glorified by new created heavens and earth , as peter saith ; that is , by restoring of the firmamentall heavens , whereof now the devill is prince , into that same condition they were by god created in , when god saw them to be very good , before man had sinned : and they therefore corrupted by those evill inhabitants , the devill and his angels . and by restoring of the earth with all the creatures created of it by god in the beginning within the fix first days : and that god when he had looked : saw them to be very good , to that same condition they were by god ceated in , before man had sinned : and they therefore and thereby were by the power of the devill corrupted . this restoration after so long a continuance as almost six thousand yeares , shall by men be such a strange alteration , as though it were rather a creation then an alteration : and they who never did see no other but the corrupted heavens , and earth , to see an uncorrupted heaven and earth , will be to them as a new created heaven and earth . and none , male nor female , from adam and eve , ever saw any but a corrupted heaven and earth : because the heavens and the earth were corrupted before they had any issue : therefore doth the text say , that god will create new heavens and earth , because the sonnes of adam never saw that very good condition the heavens and the earth were at the first created in , and into which they shall be again restored . thirdly ; god , christ on earth , will be glorified by a a holy city , a new jerusalem from god out of heaven ; which shall in largenesse so farre passe that old jerusalem builded by the jewes , though it was in solomons time , the greatest city in the whole world , as a citie of twelve thousand furlongs square ; which is by eight furlongs to a mile , fifteen hundred miles square , can passe the largenesse of that old jerusalem : and this city shall so far passe the old jerusalem in glory , as precious stones can surpasse in glory ordinary stones , wood , bricke , morter , iron , steele , and brasse , in the foundations , walls and gates thereof : and the pavements of this city shall so far surpasse in glory the pavements of the old jerusalem , as polished gold like transparent glasse doth surpasse pibble stones : as john at large expresseth the same . and the temple in this city shall so far surpasse in glory solomons temple , that was the glory of the old jerusalem , as the glory of god and jesus christ doth surpasse the glory of fine gold , which was the glory of that temple , as the text saith , the gold beautified the temple . and this holy and great city shall be the refiding place of god and jesus christ on earth with all the faithfull members of jesus christ from abel to that day . object . this relation of john is to signifie and figure out gods glorious kingdome to eternity : and not that there shall ever be here on earth any such glorious place or being . answ. that which is impossible with man , is possible with god , who is able to doe all things . and hath any man found god a lyar at any time ; who is faithfull in all his promises , and just in all his wayes . but peter saith , that in the latter dayes there shall be seoffers , who shall say , where is the promise of his comming ; for all things continue as they were from the beginning ; and so deny the word of truth . but saith peter , we who are written in the booke of life . neverthelesse we according to his promise looke for new heavens and a new earth , wherein dwelleth righteousnesse , which is jesus christ , as john saith , i heard a great voyce out of heaven , saying , behold the tabernacle of god is with men , and he will dwel with them , and they shall be his people : and god himselfe shall be with them , and be their god : as solomon saith , it is true indeed , that god will dwell on the earth . and for a sure evidence of the same saith the text , i jesus have sent mine angel to testifie unto you these things in the churches : which things peter questioned not , but to his church said . beloved , seeing that ye looke for such things , be diligent that ye may be found in peace , without spot and blamelesse . and to any church that shall question these things , saith iohn . these sayings are faithfull and true : for i john saw and heard these things : and i testifie unto every man that heareth the words of the prophesie of this booke , ( wheresoever it is published ) that if any man shall adde too , or take away from the words of the prophesie of this book : god shall take away his part out of the booke of life : and also take away his part out of the holy city ; which city saith the t●x , lyeth four-square , the length is as the breadth , twelve thousand furlongs ; the squares lye east , west , north , and south . the east and west are derived from the antipodes of the rising and setting of the sunne in the firmament all heavens : created on the fourth day . the north and the south are derived from the antipodes of the two ends of the worlds axletree , called the north and south pole , or the two frozen zones of the earth by reason of the suns obscurity and distance . this city is to be on earth , because it lyeth four-square , east , west , north and south ; it is walled about , and so bounded : the length is as the breadth , twelve thousand furlongs , which is fifteen hundred miles . the text saith , in it there shall be no need of the sun . but the text doth not say that it is not within the compasse of the sunne therefore on earth ; for in heaven gods glorious kingdome , habitation and dwelling place is no sun : and where there is no sunne , there can be no east , west , north nor south ; therefore this city cannot be meant nor understood to be heaven : but is meant and to be understood that such a city shall be on earth . now the reason why these things of the devils confinement or imprisonment for a thousand yeares ; and the glorious new jerusalem with all its glorious accommodations promised , are not believed by us gentiles , is this ; as the devill by his power in mortality deceived the jews of the suffering comming of jesus christ for mans redemption , though promised and prophefied of by the only looking for jesus christ a conquerour , and king of kings , according to the promises of a conquering saviour by the devils deceit , esteeesteeming his suffering redeemers condition to be too mean a condition for the sonne of god : and so therefore did not believe him to be the son of god : but upon the crosse said unto him , if thou be the son of god , come down from the crosse , and then we will believe thee . and so the devill deceived the iewes , from their benefit of jesus christ , his redeeming condition . and so also the devill by his power in mortality goes about to deceive us gentiles of jesus christ his glorious , conquering , princely condition , by putting on this mask of infidelity upon us gantiles , notwithstanding all the sure promises of god , that for christ to come downe out of heaven , and on earth to dwell in a walled citie that is bounded , is too glorious a condition for man to behold , and for the earth to bear ; and therefore through unbeliefe and the devils deceit doe scoffingly say , where is the promise of his comming . expecting no other comming , but his comming to judgement : and so doth the devill goe about to deceive us gentiles of our benefit of christ his glorious conquering reigne and condition here on earth in that great and holy city new jerusalem . noah had three sons , shem , ham and japhet . noah was drunke , ham jeeres at his fathers nakednesse , and threfore is cursed and deprived of all the precious promises made to noah and his seed . shem and japhet were sorry and ashamed to see their fathers nakednesse : and therefore going backward , covered their fathers nakednesse , upon whom the promises of god to noah were confirmed ; notwithstanding the said confirmation of promises : inasmuch as the devils originall power in , and over mortality by adam is not taken away , his deceit ceaseth not ; for as he did deceive the jews of christs suffering comming , so he laboureth to deceive us gentiles of christ his conquering comming , as he doth deceive the heathen of both , who neither have had in the one , nor shall have in the other any more benefit then the bruit beasts ; therefore saith iohn , without this city shal be dogs , murtherers , whoremongers , adulterers & lyers , into whom the devil when he shal be let loose for a little season , shall again enter into under the name of gog and magog , to make them more wicked then ever they were before , according to that text : out of whom the devill is cast , and returnes again : he carrieth with him seven worse spirits then the former , and so the latter end of that man is worse then the beginning : because they have no share or part in the booke of life , nor in this holy city . quest . when will the time of the comming of christ be to reign on earth for . years . ans. that man that will declare more then god hath revealed , must be wiser then god made him ; for saith the text , if an angell from heaven teach any other doctrine then what is delivered , believe him not : and as is also said , if they will not believe the law and the prophets , neither will they believe if one should rise from the dead . the precise time god hath concealed , therefore no man can declare it . but so far as god hath revealed , and prefidents of scripture doe make out , so farre may a man suppose thus . man was tempted by the devill to disobey god , whose disobedience god suffered from the creation of adam to noah's flood , which was . yeares . and as god waited with patience on sathans deceived ones , . yeares . in relation by comparison to that may be supposed that iohn doth declare the time of christ his patience , and waiting on sathan the deceiver ; for as god in vengeance did not destroy the old world , untill he with patience had suffered their evill manners . yeares . so may it be supposed that christ will not destroy the power of sathan the deceiver , untill with patience hee hath waited , and borne and suffered in himselfe and members , sathans evills , . yeares from his own birth ; for john saith , here is wisdome ; let him that hath understanding count the number of the beast ; for it is the number of a man , and his number is . david in his dayes did number the dayes of a man to be . yeares , and iohn here to . yeares , because of the decay of nature ; for it cannot be thought that mans life toward the end of the world , of which john treates , should be . but . may be , and also is commonly seene : by which supposition it may be gathered , that christ with patience will wait and forbear sathans evils ten yeares longer then god did beare with the old world . the one was . yeares ; and the other will be . yeares , according to this collection . christ will beare and suffer the evils of sathan , before hee take vengeance on the devill , to destroy or confine his power for a thousand years untill . yeares from the birth of jesus christ , to deliver the whole mortality from the power of the devill , as paul saith , the fervent desire of the creature waiteth when the sons of god shall be revealed ; for the creatures earnestly desire the revelation of the time that the sons of god shall be delivered , because the creature is subject to vanity , not of its own will , but by reason of him which hath subdved it under hope . the creature did not offend , it was the man , male and female , adam that did offend : but the creature because it was created for man , must abide the curse with man ; therefore the creatures also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the sons of god ; for wee know that every creature groaneth with us also , and travelleth in paine together unto this present : and not only the creature , but we also which are the first fruits of the spirit , even we do sigh in our selves , and wait for the adoption , even for the redemption of our bodies , or an assurance of our parts in the blessed first resurrection , which shall bring us the redemption of our bodies , who are the adopted sons of god in jesus christ ; by which blessed first resurrection shall our bodies be delivered out of the devils prison , the grave , and the bodies hell , to gods saints : against whom the devill had no further power , but to kill our bodies , and to imprison them in the mortall hell , the grave of earth , from whence our bodies came , and unto which we did expect they should returne again for a time : and as the corne there lyes in the earth , waiting with the husband-man ; for the first fruits of the spirit , which is that blessed first resurrection of all that are dead in christ , from abel the first that dyed , and all others dead before , and the living then in the year of christ , from the birth of christ , . shall be partakers of jesus christ his glorious reign for that . years of the devils confinement or imprisonment . that man is only and alone saved by the free favour or grace of god and jesus christ , and not at all by man , nor of any thing that man can doe . the grace of god is the favour of god : and the free grace of god is gods free favour . and that which is free , is compleat and absolute of it selfe , and hath no partner nor partaker , neither is under any controule : and so it was the free favour or grace of god which did arise or spring from the love of god in jesus christ , to choose some in the second adam jesus christ , out of the all that was lost in the first adam . for god who hath an al-seeing eye , did see , or fore-see all men lost in the first adam , before the world was , and that was before man was a living creature , and man was a living creature before he was a lost creature , and therefore god did before the world was , through his love in jesus christ and meer mercy towards poor lost man , predestinate by his power , elect or choose through his love , such as should be saved . god did predestinate by his power such as should be saved , by pulling of poore lost man out of the snares and thraldome of sathan : by the perfect obedience and satisfactory sufferings of jesus christ for mans sins , who himself sinned not . and this was a free favour or grace of god to man , to give christ his son unto the death , to ransome sinfull man from sinne : because man in himselfe had nothing worthy to move god thereto : and therefore was it the free grace or favour of god . and as paul saith , that god did give up jesus christ for us all to the death . saith christ , father if it be possible , let this cup ( of thy fury , wrath or indignation ) passe from me : neverthelesse not my , but thy will be done . and as jesus christ the sonne and second person in the trinity is god , as well as god the father and first person in the trinity . so jesus christ as he was god , did give up himselfe to the death for sinners , because in them there was nothing worthy that could , or did move him thereunto : and therefore was it the free favour or grace of jesus christ to dye for mans redemption : and that christ did freely lay downe his life a ransome for sinners ; saith christ ( know this ) that if i did not lay downe my life freely , all the devils in hell , and all the men on earth could not take it away from me . ) for if i should pray unto my father ( for a rescue , because i am unjustly condemned ) hee would give or send me more then twelve legions of angels . and so are all such as shall be saved by the free favour or grace of god , and of jesus christ , through the power of god in jesus christ predestinated unto salvation by the free grace and favour of god , and of iesus christ , and not by any thing at all in man ; for if there could be any thing in man towards his owne salvation . then were not the salvation of man from the free grace and favour of god and iesus christ , if man had any share or part in his owne salvation : but that the salvation of man is wholly and alone from the free grace and favour of god , and of iesus christ , is thus proved . god did predestinate , elect and choose man unto salvation before he was created ; therefore man could have no share or part in his own salvation . god did elect and choose through his love in iesus christ before the world was , such as should be saved ; as the text saith , god so loved the world , that he gave his only begotten sonne . god did not so love the world for any thing in the world that could , or did move god so to love the world : but as the text saith , this is my beloved sonne in whom i am well pleased . so that god is well pleased with his elected chosen ones in jesus christ , because iesus christ hath trod the wine-presse alone , by a sufficient suffering of the wrath of god , unto gods full satisfaction , and hath wrought out the perfect work of righteousness by his perfect obedience to all the commandements of god , and so is god through his love in iesus christ well pleased with his elected ones , who receive their salvation according to election from the free grace of gods love in iesus christ . quest . if salvation be by the free grace of god , and nothing of man : then wherefore doth god command duties , and promise rewards . answ. god doth not command duties from man , because god doth need any thing that man can doe ; neither can man do any duty , untill , or except first god worke in man both the will and the deed to enable him thereby to doe the duty which god commandeth : neither doth god promise a reward , because man doth deserve the reward for doing of the duty ; for when man hath done all that he can , he is but an unprofitable servant , by which text god is a master , & may command what he please : and man is but a servant , and so doth but his duty in doing what god hath commanded ; therefore man cannot deserve or merit the promised reward . for he that breaketh but one commandement , although he could keepe or perform all that is commanded in all the rest but one , he is guilty of all : and so no man as he is of the seed of adam , according to the lust of the flesh can possibly keep or perform all the commandements of god ; therefore none of the seed of adam , according to the lust of the flesh , can deserve or merit for doing of a duty , that reward which is promised for the duty . but inasmuch as god hath promised a reward for doing of a duty , the reward is a due reward to him that can doe all the duties that god hath commanded , and to none else . and so no man but iesus christ only , and alone , ever did , or could keep & performe all the commandements of god ; therefore none but only iesus christ could deserve or merit the reward promised for doing the duty commanded . and no man was , but iesus christ alone of the seed of adam , and not according to the lust of the flesh . therefore in the first place , that man in whom god doth worke both the will and the deed , to enable him to will , and also to doe a duty . and in the second place , that man whose duty is accepted of god in jesus christ in the third place , that man may by and for the perfect obedience of iesus christ , expect the promised reward , as paul saith , have respect to the recompence of reward , because hee looketh not for the promised reward in , and for his own , but in and for the perfect righteousnesse of iesus christ . as for example , iesus christ hath promised a disciples reward to him that shall give a cup of cold water to a disciple in the name of a disciple . the duty commanded , is but a cup of cold water to be given . the party to whom the water is to be given , must be a disciple , or child of god , that wanteth the same . now he that will , or shall expect to receive the reward , must not think to receive it for the richnes of the gift , neither because he hath done the duty ; for neither of these , nor both these are of a valuable consideration , to deserve such a reward , because a disciples reward is eternall life , as the text saith , master we have left all and followed thee , and what shall we have . saith jesus christ , not only you , but also whosoever shall leave father , mother , wife , children , house or lands for my sake , shall receive in this world an hundred fold , and in the world to come life everlasting but he that for such a small duty as the giving of a cup of water , and for so small a value as a cup of water is of , must find out a more valuable consideration why he should receive such a great reward as everlasting life , before he doe receive the same : and that must be , if it be aright , thus , jesus christ is god , unto whom all power was given both in heaven and in earth . and thereby was christ made able to perform whatsoever he should promise , both in this world , or the world to come . and christ is god , in whom all the promises of god are yea and amen , as the text saith , who hath found god a lyar at any time ? now that man that will or shall expect such a great reward for so small a duty , and of so small a value , must doe this ; he must know that god hath wrought that will or good affection in him towards the poore members or little ones of jesus christ for to helpe them in their need . and he must likewise know , that although a cup of water be but of a smal value or esteem , where there is enough ; yet it is the gift of god to him , and that he himselfe doth receive the water from god , before he can give the water to another : and that he doth give the water to a childe of god : because hee esteemes him to be a child of god , and that the love of jesus christ constraineth him to love the members of iesus christ . and when it is so given , then may a man expect that god will accept of the duty in and through iesus christ , and for his perfect obedience sake : who hath merited from god ability from god to perform whatsoever he hath promised . and so will make good all his promises , if the duty be done in christ , and for christ his sake , and the promised reward expected ; not because the duty is done , nor for the things sake : but because christ , who is an able and a faithfull god , hath promised the same . therefore man ought to yeeld obedience , and to doe the duty commanded , and to expect the reward promised for these reasons . first , because god hath commanded the duty as a master , man ought to yeild obedience because he is a servant . secondly , because god , ( and not man himselfe ) worketh both the will and the deed in man , to enable man to doe the duty commanded . thirdly , because god who maketh the promise , is able and faithfull , and will keep covenant . and fourthly , because god in a god of justice : and as the text saith , will come in flaming fire , rendring vengeance on them that know not god , and that obey not the gospel of our lord iesus christ : who requireth nothing of man towards his owne salvation : but my sonne give me thy heart ; or believe that thy salvation is by the free grace of god , and of iesus christ , as iesus christ said to the jewes ; o ierusalem , ierusalem , how often would i have gathered you together as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings , and ye would not . that is , how often would i have taken you into my protection out of the snares of the world , the devill and the flesh by my gospel , to take you off of the rudiments of the ceremoniall law , and have saved you by my precious blood and perfect obedience : and ye would not . therefore thy destruction is of thy selfe o israel , because i offered my selfe unto thee , and thou wouldst not receive me as the text saith , he came unto his owne , and his owne received him not . finis . notes, typically marginal, from the original text notes for div a e- their booke articles o● the church . joh. . . lu. . . joh. . pet. . , , . lu. . . lu. . . gen. . 〈◊〉 . . . pet. . . notes for div a e- ●et . . . ●… . , . rev. . , , . gen. . gen. . . mat. . . isa. , , . isa. . . rev. . . rev. . , , . isa. . , , . isa. . . kings . . tim. . , . john . . isa. . , , , . pet. , . pet. . . gen. . ▪ rom. . , , . rev. . , . . ●ev. . . pe●… pet. . . pet. . . pet. . . colos. see n●… creed . rev. . & . pet. . . pet. . rev. . . ● kings . ● . rev. . . pet. . . rev. . . ● . . ●●v . . . ●en . . ●en . . . 〈◊〉 . . . rev. . . rom. . , , , , . notes for div a e- rom. . . eph. . , . . predestination . rom. . . election . joh. . . mat. . . mat. . . . thes. . . flores solitudinis certaine rare and elegant pieces, viz. ... / collected in his sicknesse and retirement by henry vaughan. approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page images. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; oxford (uk) : - (eebo-tcp phase ). a wing v estc r ocm this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons . universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase , no. a ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, - ; : ) flores solitudinis certaine rare and elegant pieces, viz. ... / collected in his sicknesse and retirement by henry vaughan. nieremberg, juan eusebio, - . two excellent discourses. eucherius, saint, fl. - . de contemptu mundi. english. vaughan, henry, - . [ ], , [ ], p. printed for humphrey mosely ..., london : . each part has special t.p. reproduction of original in the university of illinois (urbana-champaign campus). library. (from t.p.) two excellent discourses of [brace] . temperance, and patience, . life and death / by i.e. nierembergius -- the world contemned / by eucherius, bp. of lyons -- and the life of paulinus, bp. of nola. created by converting tcp files to tei p using tcp tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the universities of michigan and oxford and the publisher proquest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by proquest via their early english books online (eebo) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). the general aim of eebo-tcp is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic english-language title published between and available in eebo. eebo-tcp aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the text encoding initiative (http://www.tei-c.org). the eebo-tcp project was divided into two phases. the , texts created during phase of the project have been released into the public domain as of january . anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source. users should be aware of the process of creating the tcp texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data. text selection was based on the new cambridge bibliography of english literature (ncbel). if an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in ncbel, then their works are eligible for inclusion. selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. in general, first editions of a works in english were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably latin and welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so. image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in oxford and michigan. % (or pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet qa standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. after proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of instances per text. any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of tcp data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a tcp editor. the texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level of the tei in libraries guidelines. copies of the texts have been issued variously as sgml (tcp schema; ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf- unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p , characters represented either as utf- unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng paulinus, -- of nola, saint, ca. - . christian literature, early. - tcp assigned for keying and markup - spi global keyed and coded from proquest page images - john latta sampled and proofread - john latta text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion flores solitudinis . certaine rare and elegant pieces ; viz. two excellent discourses of . temperance , and patience ; of . life and death . by i.e. nierembergius . the world contemned ; by eucherius , bp of lyons . and the life of paulinus , bp of nola . collected in his sicknesse and retirement , by henry vaughan , silurist . tantus amor florum , & generandi gloria mellis . london , printed for humphrey moseley at the princes armes in st pauls church-yard . . to the truely noble and religious sir charles egerton knight . sir , if , when you please to locke upon these collections , you will find them to lead you from the sun into the shade , from the open terrace into a private grove , & from the noyse and pompe of this world into a silent and solitary hermitage : doe not you thinke then , that you have descended ( like the dead ) in occidentem & tenebras , for in this withdrawing-roome ( though secret and seldome frequented , ) shines that happy starre , which will directly lead you to the king of light . you have long since quitted the publick , & to present you now with some thing of solitude and the contempt of the world , would looke like a designe to flatter you , were not my name , argument enough for the contrary . those few that know me , will ( i am sure ) be my compurgators ; and i my selfe dare assert this , you have no cause to suspect it . but what ever the thoughts of men will be , i am already sure of this advantage , that we live in an age , which hath made this very proposition ( though suspected of melancholie , ) mighty pleasing , and even meane witts begin to like it ; the wiser sort alwaies did , for what ( i beseech you , ) hath this world , that should make a wise man in love with it ? i will take the boldnesse to describe it in the same character which bisselius did the hansome concubine of mahomet the great : puella tota quanta , nil erat aliud quàm illecebra picta , delicatus harpago , &c. the whole wench ( how compleat soe'r ) was but a specious baite ; a soft , sly , tempting slut ; a pleasing witch ; a living death ; a faire , thriving disease ; a fresh , infectious aire ; a pretious plague ; a furie sweetly drawne ; wild fire laid up and finely drest in lawne . this delicate , admir'd in●hantresse ( even to those who enjoy her after their owne lusts , and at their owne rate , ) will prove but a very sad bargaine ; she is all deception and sorrow . this world and the prince of it are the canker-rose in the mouth of the fox ; decipit , arefit , pungit . but those future , supreme fruitions which god hath in store for those that love him are neither phantasmes , nor fallacies ; they are all substantiall and certaine , and in the apostles phrase , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , a far more exceeding and eternall weight of glory . nothing can give that , which it hath not , this transi●ory , changeable and corrupt world cannot afford permanent treasures . all it gives , and all it shewes us , is but trash & illusion . the true incorruptible riches dwell above the reach of rust and theeves . man himselfe in his outward part , which was taken out of the world , feeles the like passions with the world , he is worn , was●ed , dissolved and changed , he comes hither , he knowes not how , and goes from hence , he knowes not whither . nescio quò vado , valete posteri ! was the roman's epitaph : one generation commeth , and another passeth away . properant & decurrunt in absconditum , they hasten and drive on to their appointed place , untill the great day of accompt . all the severall shapes and gestures we see in this wild masque of time are but so many disguises which the spirits that first assumed them , cast off againe when they have acted their parts . most elegantly did augurellius sing to peter lipomanus upon the death of his sister clara ; amaena , petre , cum vides , &c. peter , when thou this pleasant world dost see , beleeve , thou seest meere dreames and vanitie ; not reall things , but false : and through the aire each where , an empty , slipp'rie scene , through faire . the chirping birds , the fresh woods shadie boughes , the leaves shrill whispers , when the west-wind blowes . the swift , fierce greyhounds coursing on the plaines , the flying hare distrest 'twixt feare and paines ; the bloomy mayd decking with flowers her head , the gladsome , easie youth by light love lead ; and whatsoe'r heere with admiring eyes thou seem'st to see , 't is but a fraile disguise vvorne by eternall things , a passive dresse put on by beings that are passiveles . all the gay appearances in this life seeme to me but a swift succession of rising clouds , which neither abide in any certaine forme , nor continue for any long time ; and this is that , which makes the fore travell of the sonnes of men to be nothing else , but a meere chasing of shadowes . all is vanity ( said the royall philosopher , ) and there is no new thing under the sun. i present you therefore with a discourse perswading to a contempt & a desertion of these old things which ( our saviour tells us ) shall passe away ; and with an historicall , faithfull relation of the life and happinesse of a devout , primitive father , who gave all that he had upon earth to the poore , that he might have treasure in heaven . some other additions you will finde , which meeting now in this volume under your name , will in their descent to posterity , carry with them this fairest testimonie , i loved you . this ( sir ) is my maine and my sole designe in this addresse , without reservation and without flattery , for which respect , and for no other , i beleeve you will accept of what i have done , and looke upon my suddaine and small presents , as upon some forward flowers whose kinde hast hath brought them above ground in cold weather . the incertainty of life , and a peevish , inconstant state of health would not suffer me to stay for greater performances , or a better season ; least loosing this , i should never againe have the opportunity to manifest how much and how sincerely i am sir your servant and well-wisher henry vaughan . byvske neare sketh-rock . . to the onely true and glorious god , the sole disposer of life and death . o doe not goe , thou know'st i 'le dye , my spring and fall are in thy booke ! or if thou goest , doe not deny to lend me , though from far , one looke ! my sinnes long since have made thee strange , a very stranger unto me ; no morning-meetings ( since this change ) nor evening-walkes have i with thee . why is my god thus hard and cold , when i am most , most sick and sad ? well-fare those blessed dayes of old , ( lad ! when thou did'st heare the weeping o doe not thou doe as i did , doe not despise a love-sick heart ! what though some clouds defiance bid , thy sun must shine in every part . though i have spoyl'd , o spoyle not thou , hate not thine owne deere gift and token ! poore birds sing best , and prettiest show , when their neast is fallen and broken . deare lord ! restore thy ancient peace , thy quickning friendship , mans bright wealth ; and if thou wilt not give me ease from sicknes , give my spirit health ! to the reader . candidus & medicans ignis deus est . so sings the poet , and so must i affirme , who have been tryed by that white and refining fire , with healing under his wings . quarrelling with his light , and wandring from that fresh and competent gourd , which he had shadowed me with , drew those sun-beames upon my head , whose strong and fervent vibrations made me oftentimes beg of him , that i might dye . in these sad conflicts i dedicated the remissions to thy use , reader , & now i offer them to thy view . if the title shall offend thee , because it was found in the woods and the wildernesse , give mee leave to tell thee , that deserts and mountaines were the schooles of the prophets , and that wild-hony was his diet , who by the testimony of the sonne of god , was the greatest amongst those that are borne of women . it may be thy spirit is such a popular , phantastick flye , as loves to gad in the shine of this world ; if so , this light i live by in the shade , is too great for thee . i send it abroad to bee a companion of those wise hermits , who have withdrawne from the present generation , to confirme them in their solitude , and to make that rigid necessity their pleasant choyse . to leave the world , when it leaves us , is both sordid and sorrowfull ; and to quitt our station upon discontents , is nothing else , but to be the ●pes of those melancholy schismaticks , who having burnt off their owne hands in setting the world on fire , are now fallen out with it , because they cannot rule it . they are spirits of a very poore , inferiour order , that have so much sympathy with worldlie things , as ●o weepe at parting ; and of as low a parentage are those , that will be sick of leap-yeares & sublunarie mutations . i honour that temper , which can lay by the garland , when he may keepe it on : which can passe by a rosebud , and bid it grow , when he is invited to crop it , — whose gentle measure complyes and suits with all estates ; which can let loose to a crown , and yet with pleasure take up within a cloyster gates . this soule doth span the world , and hang content from either pole unto the center , where in each roome of the well-furnished tent he lyes warme and without adventure . prince lewes , the eldest son of charles king of naples , at the age of twenty one yeares , and just when he should have been married to the youthfull princesse of majorica , did suddenly at barcellon put on the rou●h and severe habit of the franciscans : the queens and princesses theye met to solemnize the marriage of his sister blanch with james king of aragon , imployed all their rhetorick to disswade him from it ; but to no purpose , he loved his sack-cloth more then their silks , and ( as mounsier mathieu ( alluding to that young princesse , ) speakes of him , ) left roses to make conserve of thornes . resolution , reader , is the sanctuary of man , and saint pauls content is that famous elixir , which turnes the rudest mettall into smooth and ductible gold : it is the philosophers secret fire , that stomack of the ostrich which digests iron , and dissolves the hardflint into bloud and nutriment . it was an honest reply that his cook made unto the duke of millain , when worsted in a great battell by the florentines , the over passionate resentment of so unexpected a repu'se , made him quarrell with his meate : if the florentines ( said he ) have spoyled your tast , that is no fault of mine ; the meate is pleasant , and well drest , but the good successe of your enemies hath made your appetite ill . i protest seriously unto thee , and without scepticisme , that there is no such thing in this world , as misfortune ; the foolish testinesse of man arising out of his misconstruction and ignorance of the wise method of providence , throwes him into many troubles . the spouse tells us , that the fingers of the bride-groome are deckt with beryll and pretious stones : what ever falls upon us from that almighty hand , it is a diamond ; it is celestiall treasure , and the matter of some new blessing , if we abuse it not . god ( saith the wise king , ) created not evill , but man ( who was created upright ) sought out many inventions : these indeed be get that monster ; his ill digestion of his punishment ( which is a kinde of divine diet , ) makes him to pine away in a sinfull discontent . if thou art sick of such an atrophie , the precepts layd down in this little booke ( if rightly understood , and faithfully practised ) will perfectly cure thee . all that may bee objected is , that i write unto thee out of a land of darkenesse , out of that unfortunate region , where the inhabitants sit in the shadow of death : where destruction passeth for propagation , and a thick black night for the glorious day-spring . if this discourage thee , be pleased to remember , that there are bright starrs under the most palpable clouds , and light is never so beautifull as in the presence of darknes . at least intreat god that the sun may not goe down upon thy own dwelling , which is hartily desired and prayed for , by hen : vaughan . newton by vsk in south-vvales . april . . . two excellent discourses of . temperance and patience . of . life and death . written in latin by johan : euseb : nierembergius . englished by henry vaughan , silurist . — mors vitam temperet , & vita mortem . london : printed for humphrey moseley , and are to be sold at the princes armes in st paul's church-yard . . of temperance and patience . the doctrine of good living is short , but the work is long , and hard to be perswaded , though easie to bee learnt : for to be good , is of all things the most easie , and the most ready , if wee could learne but one other art , which antisthenes termed the most necessary , i will add , the most difficult , and that is , to forget to doe evill . i find that peace and joy have two handles , whereby we may take hold of them , patience , and temperance . rule thy evil with these , and then thy will may rule thee well . horses are ruled with bridles and spurs . in prosperity use the first , that is , restraine , or keepe in thy selfe . in adversity the last , that is , incite , and use thy selfe to a gallant apathie , and contempt of misfortunes . generous and metlesome coursers when they are breathed , or rid abroad , are compelled to trample upon those very things , whose first sight startled and terrified them ; doe so with thy selfe : tread under thy feet thy most hideous adversities ; so shalt thou forget the feare of fortune , which makes men unfit for vertue . patience in adversity is temperance in prosperity . nor can it be easily resolved , which of these two excells : this is most certaine , that noble sufferance is as necessary to man , as the virtue of temperance . some few crosses thou canst beare well , but fortune can afflict thee with many , and thou by patience ( the greatest of virtues ) must afflict her with more ; for — the naked man too getts the field , and often makes the armed foe to yeeld . it costs not much to live well , and it is as cheape to learne it . the whole art is comprised in these two words , patience , and temperance . in these lies all the mysterie of peace : you would think it a secret of the priests of ceres , it is so unknown to any , but sacred minds . these are the domestick gods of tranquility , and the tutelar angels of good men : beleeve with epictetus , that the quintessence of all philosophie is squeezed into these two , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 beare and forbeare . he neither obtaines , nor retaines his joy , that doth not abstain , and sustaine . these are the two poles upon which tranquility and vertue move . to obtain peace , you must bear ; to retain it , you must forbeare . an odd way of fruition ; by refusing you obtaine , and by suffering you preserve : by refusing the favours , and suffering the spite of fortune . by this very carriage did diogenes beleeve that he had quite deposed and overthrown her : hee crowned his temples with branches of pine , the old isthmian ceremonie , and walked like an absolute victour in the sacred games . being required by a crosse fellow , not to usurpe that honour till he had lawfully strived , he answered , that he had overcome two enemies , pleasure and griefe , the one by forbearing , the other by bearing . make not thy self a woman : thou hast ( if thou wilt use them ) both temperance and patience , the best stratagems , and countermines against the wiles of fortune . her storms and suddain● furies ( which are alwaies clean , and without dissimulation , ) thou mayst break and overcome by bearing ; her arts , her deep and cankerd hatred , by listning to reason , and a warie , stayd circumspection , while she spends and wasts with her owne malice . the wrath of furious and hasty persons is sincere , and without artifice ; it hath no poyson , but what breakes out presently at the tongue , or the hand : fortune too , when in this humour , is lesse noxious , for she makes then an indifferent use of all tooles , and disposeth of them without study . but when she begins to hate , she becomes slow and weary , and not contented with open valour , addes to it treachery . she pines with the memory of her old favours , and that she may pull down what she built , adornes her most deadly intentions , as poverty and grievous miseries , in the dresse of felicity . all her projects , machinations and engines to torture and vex man , amount to no more , then to give him what he would not have , and to deny him what he would have . he breaks her neck that abstaines from the first , and contemnes the last . but here is our double disease , by which virtue conceived for a great end , together with felicity , become both abortive , that wee neither rightly wish , nor rightly abstain , loath , or love , but doe both most absurdly , most preposterously . we covet most unseasonably , when even necessity is necessary , and this to him that wants , is no more then a wish . we covet , i say , such things as fortune hath not , and in a time when they may not be had . wee would have cherries in january : these wishes are their own torments : fortune too most commonly gives them but cold comfort . why should we covet extraneous goods ? it is better to serve the necessity of the time , then to be a slave to fortune . wee are set upon longing like woemen with child , that labour with strange appetites and depraved stomacks ; that loath healthfull viands , and ( which in them is very strange ) abhorre sweet meats ; that affect raw , absurd compositions , that eat lime , charcoles and ashes , that in the dead of winter long for summer-fruits , and in summer for winter-fruits . what dost thou think is bearing and forbearing ? it is to be even with fortune , discreetly to abstaine , discreetly to will , and to covet nothing . abstain then : otherwise what wilt thou do by coveting , but make way for fortune , and enlarge her empire ? though she would not , she must needs hit thee . her being blind , hinders not but she may shoote well : when the mark is have at all , and every where : an archer without out eyes cannot misse it . though unwilling , her arrowes cannot wander from him , whose lust wanders after all things . she will hit him without ayming , whose hope aymes at every thing . no weapon falls in vaine amongst a multitude . her scope to hurt , is the same scope thou takest to wish . thou must know that the command of fortune over man about these outward things , lies in the midst of the will , as the hand in the midst of a bended bow . if thou holdest thy will by the middle , then art thou master of both ends , and mayst doe any thing . if thou commandst the one halfe , i will not say , thou hast no hold at all . liberty hath two limbs , to will , and to refraine : the one is a stronge arme , the other a weak hand : what thou hast not , thou mayst refraine from wishing to have , but no man can have what ever he would have . when you refrain from willing , then have you power over all things ; when your will lusteth , then you are subject to all things . outward goods are fleeting things , and the faithfull servants of unfaithfull chance . o how great a treasure , how provident and infallible a supply against these sudden ebbs and diminutions is a regular and resolute will ! why are we troubled at them ! we are too hard for fortune , and by much too hard , if wee command but the one halfe of our will ; that maimed and halting hand ( if i may so speak ) will overtake and bring back the most averse and winged felicities . it will enrich us sooner and surer then all the treasures of croesus : those are but beggerie before thee if thou covet them not , if thy will be not a begger . not to will , makes thee securely rich , even when thou wilt , that is , when thou doest will nothing . thou makest fortune poore by leaving her no power over thee , and nothing in her self , wherewith to please thee ; i meane to deceive thee . thou wilt be richer than attalus by contemning his store , and of greater power than midas ; for his was placed in fruition and touching , but thine in absence and emptinesse . by wishing nothing thou hast all , yea those things which thou seest not : and what wonder then , if those things thou seekest not , being abundantly enriched by thy most pretious povertie ? it was divinely argued by eusebius , that he onely should be esteemed rich , who was perswaded that he had enough . for those that adde still to what they have already gotten , and never thinke that they can get enough , though richer than midas , are most poor and miserable beggers ; because they are nothing rich in their own minds . and in another place , an unreasonable covetousnesse ( saith he ) is sooner driven away with the losse of riches allready gotten , then by a plenteous and dayly accesse of more treasures . wherefore thou art then only rich , and possessest all things to thy mind , when to have nothing is in thy will : when ever thou sayest , it is enough , thou hast all . yea , thou hast more then thou shouldst have . all that comes afterwards doth but load and overwhelme thee . of such an immoderate use is temperance , and i judge patience to be of no lesser . happily it may be easier ; for having learnt to abstain , we may the better sustain . impatience ariseth naturally out of cupidity , and feare is the daughter of hope . cast these away , and you will find , that an adverse fortune may be entertained , not onely with patience , but with much wellcome . crates , or zeno ( a gallant man , if either of the two ) being at sea in a great storm , caus'd all his goods ( wherewith the ship was loaden ) to be thrown over board , and thanked fortune for the kindnesse : doe thou the like , and approving of thy misfortunes , say , it is well done , fortune , thou hast read me a good lesson , thou hast had care of my soul. i thank thee that thou art come thy selfe to fetch these burthens , which i should have brought thee home . thou hast dealt courteously to lend me their use , and to prevent their abuse . i like thy method , and prefer thy advise to thy favours ; i know thy meaning . i must make a wise use of these crosses , i must have recourse to virtue , to my self , and to my god. thou dost not onely incite , but compell me to goodnesse . i am brought safe to shore , by the splitting of the ship : hereafter i will be better provided . behold , thou hast left yet behind thee some moveables , which thou shouldst have taken with thee , they are thine by right . thou gavest me so many things , that thou canst not well remember them . i desire not to conceale them , take all thy reliques and appendencies with thee , all that is here besides my selfe ; i hold thy leavings not worthy of acceptance from the mind of man. i wish that we would so deal with fortune , as a certain old man did with theeves that came to rob his house . take with you ( said he ) all that you see here . they did so , leaving nothing behind them but an empty purse ; which the old man tooke up , and following after , called to them ; take this also with you , which you forgot to put up . fortune perhaps amazed at such a noble , serene disposition , would restore all : it is most certaine the theeves did . but let a christian reject this figment of fortune , and in all worldly mutations acknowledge and kisse the divine hand . but if after all this , thou wilt not excuse the outward and ravenous manners of fortune ; there will be no just cause for thee to accuse them , having received no damage by her . if thou wilt purge thy mind from wishes and hopes , thou mayst safely place thy selfe before her very arrowes , and defie them . and truly i believe it will be thy most secure station . when stratonicus saw an unskilfull fellow shooting at buts , he got presently close to the vvhite , as the onely place free from danger : and being asked his reason for that unusual refuge , he answered ; least that fellow should hit me . fortune ( we say ) is blind ; stand then in her way : she hits that the least , which she most aimes at ; but if all her shafts should fall upon thee , they can draw no blood from thee , as long as thou art not drawn by covetousnesse . if you break off the point of the weapon , it cannot hurt you . our own covetousnesse is fortunes edged toole ; take that away , and you disarme her , and secure your selfe : blunt weapons wound not to blood . i suppose now that epictetus his abridgement , or reduction of philosophy into two words , abstain and sustain , will seeme prolix enough to you . the first we have past through ; the second and last , i meane sustain , or the art of bearing well , wee shall find tedious enough . hee cannot be said to wish for nothing , that finds fault with that which he hath . this bearing well is to desire nothing but what wee have . a serene , bright will then , not clouded with thick and muddy desires , will find the burdens of fortune to be very light : for fortune of her selfe is very light and easie , but she hath for pannels our own lusts , which are heavier than her packs , and without these shee puts not one loade upon us . nothing tires and weighs us down but our own wishes , which evills ( being ignorant that our burthen proceedes from them , ) we multiply with an intent to ease our selves , but in the meane time the weight increaseth . a certain plain countryman wearied with ploughing , and returning home from the field after his daies task , tyed the plough to his asse , and afterwards mounted himself upon his back ; but the tyred asse , and overloaden , could not stirre from the place ; whereupon the country-man lights , and with the plough upon his backe remounting the asse , tells him , now i hope thou canst goe well , for it is not thou , but i that carry the plough . wee are every day as ridiculous , though not so harmlesse as this country-man . wee study with new cares and new desires to ease and diminish our old lusts ; which not onely keepes under , but choaks and presseth to death all the seeds of joy and content . this is nothing else , but to retain the former load undiminish'd , and to put another on the top of it . as long as we tolerate these burthens , we become intollerable to our selves , without any exaggeration of fortune . let us shake them off , let us cast off hope , that troublesome tympany ; so shall we find fotune light , and be able to bear both her and our selves . all things may be born of him , that bears not future evills ; those are grievous burthens , which miraculously oppresse us , and so strangly accommodate themselves to our hurt , that they exist in the heart , and vexe it , before they can exist in time . not onely evil , but good , when it is hovering and uncertain , doth afflict us . of evills themselves there cannot come so many together upon us , as we can feare : fortune can throw at us but few darts at one time , and were she not still furnished by our lusts , we should quickly see her quiver empty . abstinence then , or the restraining of our desires is the nurserie of patience , by a like title as the toleration of evill and good but when i name patience , i speake not of a simple thing ; for there is not onely patience in evill , but in good also , and this later is sometimes the most difficult . there is one when we suffer , and another when we act . there be also other divisions of patience . holy ephrem makes it threefold : the first towards god , the second towards the tempter , or wicked angel , and the third towards man. i shall add a fourth , and the most difficult of all , towards our selves ; or i will make it onely twofold , first towards those that are without us , the second and last towards our selves , or those commotions which fight against us from within . this last is the greatest , because it teacheth us to beare those pressures which lean upon us , and bow us down . it is harder to resist those weights which come forcibly upon us from above , then those which come oppositly , or over against us . the beasts can draw more after them , then they can carry upon their backs . man hath enough to beare within himselfe : but evills are a great familie , and keep aswell without doores as within . every minute of our tranquility is purchased with patience ; it is the great sacrament of peace , the sanctuary of security , the herald and the badge of felicity . what will it availe us to be at peace with those that are without , while we suffer intestine warres and tumults within ? let us have peace in our selves , and having mastered the rebellion and disorders of the will , let us be the patients of our sadnesse , yea of our impatience , and some times of our patience . as nothing is more accidentall to man then to suffer , so should he conclude , that nothing is more necessary for him than patience . it is the naturall medicine for all humane calamities , with which ( as the heart with dittany ) wee pull out the heads and splinters of those arrowes which the mighty hunters of this world shoot at us . nature dealt not more unkindly with man , than with other creatures : the boare is cured with ivie , the dragon with wild-lettice , and the snake with fennell . others have their cure nearer , in their owne members : his tongue is the balsom to a wounded dog ; and the catholicon of man is silence and patience . but did i say that to suffer was accidentall to man ? i blot out that errour , and affirme , it is necessary : wherefore patience is most necessary ; for by that we are freed from a slavish sufferance , as by a certaine gifted premunition and defensive faculty . by patiently enduring we become impassible . the minde is invulnerable , unlesse in the fits of impatience , as achilles was in the heele . think not the art of patience to be any more , then not to suffer voluntarily ; at least , not in spight of thy will. hee that gently endures , doth by a short cut free himself from the tedious labours and numerous punishments of life . necessities should be chearefully borne . the hands , the feet , and the other limbs will sooner fail to execute their duties , then to be insensible of paine . the sick , the maimed , yea and the dismembred are not so morcified , but they are subject to sensation . it was an excellent saying of herod the sophist , when hee was pained with the gout in his hands and feet ; when i would eat , ( said he ) i have no hands ; when i would goe i have no feet ; but when i must be pained , i have both hands and feet . so entire and whole are we alwaies to griefe ; which sufficiently sheweth , that the soundnesse of man is best seene in his patience ; and such a strong necessity of suffering is laid upon us , that when our limbs faile us in their offices , they must not faile of sufferings . thou wilt aske then what can they suffer , when without spirit and motion ? i will tell thee ; not to be apt to suffer , is their suffering . nothing is lacking to the misery of man , though his limbs should be wanting , his griefe by that defect will abound the more . deeply , and into the inmost closets of our hearts should that saying of the temanite descend , man ( said he ) is borne unto trouble , and the bird to flye . observe , if the birds be unfurnish'd of any thing for flight : they are all over arm'd for it ; their bills are keen and sharp-pointed , and serve like foredecks to cut their aire ; their pinions are two swift rowers , and the feathers in both wings placed orderly every one longer then the other represent soe many oares . their traines are the sternes , with which they bend their whole bodies , and govern them in their flights , and with their feete and crooked clawes like anchors , they stick and fasten themselves to the green branches , which are their havens , and shady harbours . though thou hadst never seene them use their wings , yet by their very structure , thou would'st judge that those feathered sayles were design'd for the aire , and flying . man is every way as well accoutred for trouble . observe him : thou shalt find nothing wanting that may conduce to his passion , though he wants much of patience . man is every way most exactly trimmed and adorned for trouble ; he was made unfit for labour , that he might be fit for sufferings ; he hath no wings to fly from them , he is poor , infirme , naked , defencelesse ; and ( which is worse than all ) forsaken of himself : betwixt nakednesse and poverty he is on all sides exposed and appointed for misery , as the bird is for the flight . thou shalt observe all this in him ; for wanting all the necessaries which support life , he is surrounded onely with those sad necessities and intanglements which make life grievous and burthensome ; as a sparrow is drest and cloathed all over with those soft habiliments which make his flights easie and pleasant . the onely difference betwixt them is this , that those instruments of flying may faile the birds , but those of suffering cannot faile man. so carefull was nature of mans condition , that she would not trust fortune with his relatives . the eagle may casually lose his sharpnesse of sight , the roe her swiftnesse , and the lyon his strength ; but man while he lives cannot not misse of afflictions . there is a greater care had of our affaires ; and to a glorious end are these calamities made sure unto us , if wee can make them beneficiall . the first token , and evidence of life is crying . the prim-roses , or first blossoms of it are teares ; from these it take its inauguration . man is not borne before he suffers : yea , he grones and complaines in his very passage into the world. the first homage he payes to life is sufferance , and from that minute to his last , he becomes ( as blesensis saith ) a constant tributary to misery . i judge him that murmurs at this payment , that kicks under this generall burthen , to wrong and disesteem the noblest nature , i mean man ; and to be worthy of this very puishment , not to be at all . he is a most vile abuser of humane nature , that thinks it not worth his patience , and values himselfe at a most sordid rate ; let him beare in his manhood , what he bore in his infancie , and not be ashamed of his investiture , because he felt affliction , before he felt the light . it is the first lesson we are taught here , and the last that wee shall learn. all other creatures , as soone as they are born , make some use of their strength ; but man knowes no use of any thing but teares : he must afterwards be taught the cause of them . we must teach him every thing , but weeping . all other things are given him for his labour , but teares he can have for nothing . this onely faculty was bestowed upon him gratis , all other concessions are the rewards of his paines ; but teares were given him freely , because they ease and allay his sorrowes . this convenient salve did nature ordain for some inevitable sores . she prepared this oyle to allay the aking of those stripes the world gives us , which without this native oyntment would have smarted more : for those wounds , whose anguish is not vented at the eyes , lie heaviest upon the heart . and by this i am induced to believe , that it is naturall for man to suffer , because he onely naturally weepes . every extraneous felicity of this life is violent , or forced ; and these constrained , though splendid adiuncts of fortune are therefore short , because noe violent thing can be perpetuall . to suffer is the naturall condition and manner of man , this is believed to be his misery : without patience , i confesse , it is . nature never failes us in those things which are needful , much lesse divine providence and grace : wee shall therefore never faile of sufferings , because they are the great necessaries , & medicines of humane nature . wee read of many men that never laught , but never heard of any that never wept . democritus himself came weeping into the world ; none ever came without labour , none without griefe . thou wilt ask , why man , the only creature addicted to beatitude , should bee borne to trouble ? why through the vale of teares travells he to the house of joy ? why is he alone , being capeable of felicity , made subject unto misery ? because he is borne for virtue , the next and readiest instrument to attaine beatitude . now troubles , or miserie are the masse , or first matter of virtue , and without this hard rudiment , without this coyne of sorrow he cannot purchase it . nor are the good offices which these calamities doe for us , either meane or few ; for wherefore flowes , yea overflowes the divine mercy upon man , but because he is miserable ? wherefore is gods sure power and saving arme stretched out , but because he is fraile ? wherefore are his comforts and refreshments so plentifully showred down , but because he is sorrowfull and helplesse ? wherefore is his liberality and most faithful providence seen every minute , but because he is poore and constantly needy ? yea wherefore is immortality , everlasting pleasures , and a glorious resurrection secured unto us , but because our bodies are mortal , and subject to death and putrefaction ? by this time perhaps you see the appositnesse of that comparison which eliphaz made betwixt man and a bird . the bird by nature lifts himself above the earth upon his wings , he passeth from hence into the cleare confines and neighbourhood of heaven , where he dwells for a time , and looks with contempt upon this inferiour darksome portion of the world : when hee descends towards the earth , he keepeth still above us , he lodgeth in the height and freshnesse of the trees , or pitcheth upon the spires or ridges of our houses , or upon some steepe rock , whose height & inaccessibleness promise him securitie ; something that is eminent and high he alwaies affects to rest upon . man likewise ordained for heaven , and the contempt of this spot of earth is by his very calamities borne up and carried above the world , yea into heaven , as an eagle by the strength of his wings ascends above the clouds . o the depth of the riches of the wisedome of god! o the mercifull designe , and devic● of his providence ! who knowing our corrupt nature , hath laid upon us a necessity of seeking those blessings , whose inestimable value ought to stirre us up to a most voluntary and diligent searching after them . to this necessity by the same chain of his providence hath hee tyed utility . these are sufficient motives to perswade us to patience . it was wisely said by some arabian , that the hedge about patience was profit : for he that thinks gaine to be necessary , must think labour so too . allthough fortune should be so prodigal as to poure all her treasures into the bosome of one man , and not repent when she had done ; yet would this very man sometimes feele strong exigencies in indigencie . pompey , and darius were both hardly distrest with thirst ; they that were lords of so many rivers , did then wish for one drop of water . alexander the great , in some of his expeditions was like to perish with cold , though his dominion did in a manner extend to the very sun ; for in the east ( which i may call the suns house , ) he was such an absolute lord , that ( bating the power to forbid the sun to rise ) there was nothing more could be added to his conquests . seeing then that labour or troubles are a necessity imposed upon man , it followes , that there are other labours belonging unto him , which are also as necessary ; and those i shall terme voluntarie labours . o● these the elegant philosopher eusebiu● hath excellently spoken ; voluntary labours ( saith he ) are necessary , because of future labours which hang over our heads : he will beare those with more ease when they fall upon him , who of his own accord , and beforehand hath exercised himself in them : but you see that in this course also the maine remedy is patience . he that suffers willingly , suffers not , even that which is necessary to be suffered . one wedge drives out another . venemous bitings are allayd by venemous medecines ; therefore in necessary troubles , there is a necessity of voluntary labours , that violent evills meet not with obstinate wills : but the unavoydablenesse of suffering would not be grievous , nor the necessity or law of nature any way rigorous , did not we by our owne exaggerations adde to their weight , and our owne pain . wee helpe to encrease our owne calamities by reasom of our inerudition , as diphilus tells us , who adviseth even the happy man to learn miseries . what can wee doe more becomming our fraile condition , then to teach our mortality the troubles of life , which are certain prolusions , or arguments of death ? what is more beneficiall , then to learn great tryalls and dangers , that wee may leave that servile custome of fearing ? fortune , whose burthens we ought to bear as willingly , as if wee desired to undergoe them ? it is a great rudiment of patience to suffer willingly , when we least expect sufferings . it is strange , that although wee see nothing in the course of this life more frequent then miseries , yet will wee not be perswaded that they may fall into our share : our griefes come most commonly before we believe they may come . nothing can make us believe , that we may be miserable , untill misery it selfe assures it to us . the mind therefore should be tryed and prepared for it , with some lusorie or mock-misfortunes . nor must we give eare to democritus , whose saying is , that if there be any things for us to suffer , it is good to learn them , but not to suffer them . it is good indeed to learn them , but if they must be unavoydably suffered , what will our learning of them avail us ? a most ridiculous advise , in my judgement : and if the author of it had been wise , he had laught at nothing more then at this his owne conclusion . it is good to learn to suffer evills , but not to be evill . it will benefit us much to learn to suffer them , if not as they are evills , yet lest wee our selves become evill ; for such we shall be by impatience . besides the overcomming of reall evills , there remaine other slight hurts , as the discourtesies of nature , chance and furie , of our enemies and our selves also , which we cannot avoyd ; but these last are no evills , but the sheaths or quivers of evills ; out of these either our opinion , or our impatience draw evills upon our selves . bion used to say , that it was a great evill , not to be able to beare evills . without this ability , life cannot be pleasant to any , and in this consists the skill and knowledge of life . let the mind then learne to buckle with these rude toyles of life , and by a frequent velitation or light skirmishing with troubles so improve it selfe , that when we c●me to deale with the serious hand , and close encounters of fortune , we may receive her at sharpe , and like active , vigilant duellists , put by her most artfull and violent thrusts . one salustius that lived in the time of simplicius did put upon his bare thigh a burning cole , and to keepe in the fire did gently blow it , that he might try how long hee could endure it . i beleeve that fire did put out and quite extinguish all the burnings and raging flames of incensed fortune . if crosses foreseen are alwaies held light , those we tast and make experiment of before they come , must needs be lighter , because after tryall we feare them not : feares are the forete●●h of miseries , which bite us sor●st , and m●st intollerably . it was a most ridiculous judgement which that sybarite ( mentioned by serinus ) past upon the valour of the spartans . this tender citizen travelling by chance into lacedemon , was so amazed at the severe discipline of that manly nation , who brought up their children in all rigorous and laborious exercises , that being returned home hee told the fidlers of * sybaris , that the forwardnesse of the spartan youths to dye in battell was , because they would not be compelled any longer to such a toylsome life . this soft fellow knew not how much industry could prevaile against misfortune , and patience against passion . that valour of the spartans was not despayre , but the virtue of suffering perfected . their voluntary labours at home had so excellently improved them , that they could not onely slight the necessary and common afflictions of life , but overcome also ( by a noble volunteering , ) the very prerogative of fate , violating even the violence of death , while they dyed unconstrayned and undisturbed . mithridates his feare of being poysoned , made him use himselfe to a venomous diet , by which he came at last to disgest all sorts of poysons without any prejudice to his health : so that afterwards when he would have poysoned himselfe in good earnest , he could not possibly doe it . by this destroyer of mankind did he secure himselfe even from himselfe , and by long acquaintance made this deadly enemie a faithfull friend : he fed life with the provision of death . by a like sagacity should we forearme our selves against the conspiracies ( if i may so say ) of nature . let us labour against labours ; it will much availe us : our very feares will prove comforts ; by using our selves to sufferance , the antidote of life , which is patience , becomes effectuall . of such great importance is this assiduous exercise in troubles , that it lets in the nature of constancie , and is a sure manuduction to that sincerest vertue . the roman fencers , players for prizes , barbarous and dissolute livers , if but indifferently skild , received their wounds without grones , or any alteration of gesture or countenance , because they would not be judged pusillanimous , nor cowardly decliners of danger ; if at any time they fell by the violence of wounds , they sent presently to know their masters pleasures , ( because they would satisfie them , ) for they themselves were contented to dye ; if their masters ( finding them incurable ) bad them prepare for death , they would presently hold forth their throats and receive the sword most willingly . o the serious faith of playes ! o the faith of players in serious dangers ! it is all one then , whether thou thinkest fortune a meere pageant and pastime , or not ; thou shouldest obey with an immortall faith even to the death . let a wise man execute the commands of his creator , let him like a faithfull souldier of jesus christ certifie his great master , that he is ready and willing to doe him service , that he will lose his life , & choose rather to dye , then not to submit to his pleasure . the conflicts of a good man with calamities are sacred : he is made a spectacle to the world , to angels and men , and a h●llowed present to the almighty . let him in this state overcome his enemies ! a more glorious garland then the olympick olive-branches shall crown an enduring patience , which by an humble , but overcomming sufferance wearies the hands of those that beat us . it is the part of a wise man , to tire and weare out the malice of his enemies . i say not by suffering , but by patience , which makes him neither their patient , nor trampled upon , but a trampling overcomer . this was the glory of melancoma , who lived not one day without an enemy . in the most vehement season of the yeare , hee judged his single-selfe hard enough for his two adversaries : he could beare with the sun , his most obstinate antagonist , though fighting against him in the heate of the summer with so many hands as he had rayes . : when he might have gotten the victory by opposition , he would not but by submission . hee considered , that the best might be overcome by the worst , if force should take place . that victory was in his judgement the noblest , when the enemy , yet whole and without any hurt , was compell'd to submit . there is he overthrown , when not by wounds , but by himselfe . therefore what vice , and a spurious patience did in the roman fencers , let virtue and true patience performe in thee : and what custome and exercise wrought in melancoma , let reason and judgement worke in thee : what reason effected in possidonius , let grace effect in thy heart , and let not grace which workt mightily a in eustathius , and sufficiently in many others , languish and faile in thee alone . the power of god is perfected in weaknesse , giving us some prelibations ( as it were ) of it self ; whither by bearing with our infirmities , or by our bearing his operations . i believe this last : for the glory of an almighty power against a weake thing would be very small ; how litle then against infirmity it selfe ? that power is truly glorious , and hath matter for glory , which prevailes against the mind , a free unconfined thing , and holds it firme though surrounded with infirmities : the power of god glories more in prevailing against us , then against our infirmities . b●t if wee seek for more delicate or easie remedies , and dare not arme our selves against misfortunes with this harnesse of proofe , b●cause we think it too heavy ; it remaines that we must make use of either hope , or expectation . evills that are foreseen , lose much of their edge : but because we promise our selves the favours of fortune ( of whom we have alwaies a good opinion , though wee seldome speak well of her , and she deservs as ill , ) our calamities , while this credulous remissnesse keepes us from looking to th●m , find way to surprize and oppresse us at once . against violent misfortunes we may not use violence . expectation will sometimes serve us best , if it be accompanied with a strong and irremisse beliefe , that the crosse is at hand , and will not delay . for what happens in this life more frequent , than unthought of events ? wee meete oftentimes even in one day with matter of grief , and matter of patience . it is strange , that for those two meales we eat in the day , wee are all the day , and all our life long providing : but for trouble , for griefes and sadnesse , which take not up two houres in the day , but all the houres and daies of our lives , wee never think to make any preparation . cast up ( if thou canst ) how many things must be had to humor the pride of mans appetite ; more than for a sacrifice . it is no small state , nor ceremonie that the belly is serv'd with : how many men doth this worms-meat imploy , cookes , bakers , fishers , fowlers , hunters , sheepfeeders , herdsmen , millers , colliers , and butchers ? how many instruments , spits , pots , trivets , cauldrons , chasing-dishes , chargers , platters , and a thousand other utensils of gluttonie ? and to what end is all this preparation ? but to please one palate once in the day , or twice at most . o foolish men ! wee are ever providing for pleasures , but never for troubles , which not twice , but for a great portion of our time , ( if not continually ) wee must needs endure . who against the certain approach of an enemy , will be secure and quiet , and upon the comming of a friend watchfull and sollicitous ? why do we provide so much for pleasures and vanitie , and provide nothing against the day of trouble and miserie ? we are guarded about with cloaths of state , canopies , couches , silk-curtains , feather-beds and pillowes ; wee arme our selves for delights and softnesse , for sleeping and eating , because they are every daies works ; but hear not every day telling us , that the evill day is behind . we labour to provide for the backe and the belly , why not for the better part , why not for our fraile condition ? the sense of the secure liver is too too delicate : the affliction of the inconsiderate or unprepared too bitter . chance throwes downe the carelesse violently : and fortune tires the idle even to vexation . the rude and unexperienced in troubles afflicts and macerates himselfe with an impatient mind in the very midst of his most affected bla●dishments , and in the bosome and calme of all his pleasures . i hold impatience to be a kind of night-mare which comes upon us waking , or the day-hag of life : this troublesome disease ( for our time of rest is his time of mis●ule , and when wee are sleeping , then is he stirring , ) sets upon us when wee are most at ease , and with a certain strange heavinesse seemes to oppresse and smother us , when in the meane time that weight which so much oppresseth us , is laid on by our owne imagination : and this sometimes makes us crye out , as if wee were killed ; others , according to lucretius , struggle & grone as if by panthers torne or lyons teeth , which makes them lowdly mourn . some others seem unto themselves to dy . some clime steep solitudes & mountains high , from whence they seeme to fall inanely down , panting with fear , till wak'd , and scarce their owne , they feel about them if in bed they lye , deceiv'd with dreams , and nights imagerie . but the greatest trouble of all , is , that without any hope of remedy , they vainly strive and endeavour to shake off this shadow of heavinesse ; in vain with earnest struglings they contend to ease themselves : for when they stir & bend their greatest force to do it , even thenmost of all they faint , and in their hopes are crost . nor tongue , nor hand , nor foot will serve their turne , but without speech and strength within they mourne . what more expresse image can there be of impatience lying heavily especially upon those , who drouse away their time in a vitious rest and idlenesse ? they are opprest , cry out , rage , and vainly resist , without any burthens but what their own fancy layes upon them . they feele the weight the heavier , the more they stirre it , without they shake it quite off . to refuse , or not willingly to undergoe burthens , is the onely burthen of impatients . but if they would awake to themselves ( which of necess●ty they must , for when can the will be more rational , than when necessity is unreasonable ) all these factitious weights and seeming heavinesse would quickly vanish : force must not be used against fortune , but patience . this excells so much in strength , that it bears all : for it bears what ever it will , and for this very reason because it wills. samson carryed away the do●es , the two posts , and the barre of the gate of the city of gaza ; but this strength lay in his haire , like the locks of nisus and pterelaus . a miraculous strength ; but weakly secured . the strength of patience is more safely seated ; it lyes not in a lock , which may be cut off by some dalilah , or comethe , or scylla , or any womanish and fearfull hand . to will , is the sanctuary of its strength ; by being willing it is not onely enabled to bear , but also beareth . the backe and shoulder of patience is the will. this voluntary fortitude of the mind will do all its businesse , without the help of outward engines ; it needs not the assistance of the armes , nor the weak use of wishes . the strength of virtue is not external , but in it self . there remain also other necessary indurances , though not to those that suffer them allready , yet to others that may , or are about to undergoe them : for the preservation of our country & liberties we ought patiently to suffer even unto death . it is not too deare a rate to pay that debt wee owe to nature , for the defense of nature in our publick persons : to this we want not the incouragement of examples . what ever hath been suffered heretofore , may be suffered now by us . but if those presidents rather cool , then provoke our courage , why dare not wee suffer a little , seeing they suffered so much ? to teach us this virtue of patience , and strengthen our ruinous brittle condition , the motherly love and fatherly care of the eternal , divine mind , did provide and disperse through certaine spaces and intervalls of time ( like knots for the strengthning of a weak reed , ) persons of such eminent patience and piety , as might by their examples sustaine and beare up mankind , untill the antient of daies , and father of immortality himself should descend into this mortall life , and be born for patience , and for death . in the meane time , that the populous world might not want a glasse to dresse themselves by , he sent these to be the substitutes and forerunners of his mighty and inimitable patience . the first he consecrated to this dignity was abel , in whom patience ( saith holy aldhelmus ) was original , as sinne was in adam . god joyned patience to his innocence by a certain original justice or claim in him ; but to the rest of the just it descends together with sufferings , by right of inheritance : to none more , to none better then to the innocent . but now even by this , those suffer most , that should suffer least , the good and the just . but those sufferings are most sacred , that are most unjust . adam found out afflictions , and abel patience ; the medicine presently followed the disease . evills were the inventions of sinne , patience was the device of innocence . so that patience as their peculiar treasure abounds more , and is more beloved by the just , then by any else . but that posthume cry of abel proceeded not from impatience : for god would not have taken to himself the cause of one dying discontentedly , and with indignation ; but as devout alexandrinus saith , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , &c. abel the just dying unjustly was the first of men that shewd the foundations of death to be ruinous ; wherefore he being dead yet speaketh . death , whose right came by unrighteousnesse , laid ruinous foundations indeed , because ill-layd , upon the just dying unjustly . it hath cause to grieve , that it erred so fouly in its first stroke , seeing it might have made a better beginning in wicked cain . but there was divinitie in it , that death taking possession of mankind by the murther of the just , might be justly exterminated and swallowed up in victory by the undefiled virgin-prince of the just , who for that end was born of a virgin. ephrem saith , that death howled or lamented in her very beginning , which shewed what would be her end . the hern by instinct of nature chatters and mourns , before he becomes the prey of the falcon. death dyed by him , over whom she had no power . only there is the night of death , where sin , where corruption lives . another tie of constancy laid upon the world , after a convenient space , was job , who retained his patience after prosperity , and after innocence . patience is no where merrier , nor better contented with it self , then in the innocent . integrity and fortune seldome lodge together . adversity is the whetstone which keepes it from rust , and makes it shine . no virtues can subsist without troubles , which are their foode . they live not commodiously , where their provision is farre from them : wherefore holy and just men have adversity alwaies ( like a well ) at their dores . i shall take up then with that saying of eliphaz : affliction comes not forth of the dust , nor doth trouble spring out of the ground ; but rather from heaven ; and comes oftner to holy and heavenly livers , then to worldly and unrighteous persons . after job , and at a convenient distance from his time was tobiah appointed , who instead of celandine , made use of patience to heal his eyes : being blind●d by the swallows , he found a more pretious medicine then their he●be , and his glory is more by bearing with the living , than burying the dead . this holy man also after innocence , though not after prosperity , retained his patience ; untill at last the son of god himselfe , after impassibility and allmightinesse , became wofully passible , and humbled himself to the death of the crosse : of so great an example was patience worthy , and so necessary was this voluntary passion of god himselfe to our fatall necessity of suff●ring . by this mighty example of himself he hath sanctified patience to be the all-heal , or universal antidote of evills , and the soveraign lenitive of sorrowes . divinely did one sing to the blessed jesus . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . thou the nepenthe easing griefe art , and the minds healing reliefe . at this secret counsel of the almighty , did the rude instincts , or hallucinations rather of the old heathens ( proceeding , noe doubt , from their sense of humane misery . ) blindly aime . they dreamt of some son of god to be the great exemplar of patience , and pattern of virtue ; but finding none , they made and proposed to themselves hercules the son of jupiter , for a president of continuall patience , obedience and virtue : about whose labours and atchievements , antiquity hath mightily pleas'd it self with lies and fables . this ( indeed ) they rightly apprehended , that labour or troubles are rather repugnant to , then unworthy of divinity ; they held them becomming vir●ue , and withall necessary , that they might adorne patience with these two jewells , the reward of suffering , and the dignity of the sufferer . but the truth of god hath now outdone the fictions of men ; it hath exceede all they did licentiously wish , but could not hope for . our patience is now sufficiently instructed by the sonne of god , who is the pleasant remedy and panacea of evills . the blessed jesus breathed nothing but patience , nothing but mildnesse in his life , in his doctrine . these are the great examples which true christians should follow ; not those of spurious patience , and a narrow , heathen fortitude , which after it had born some evills indeed , dyed at the root , and could not bear it self . seneca ( otherwise in many things a very true , and sometimes a christian philosopher , ) proposeth to his readers the example of cato ; but i utterly reject it ; for he destroyed himselfe , because he could not save his common-wealth . what constancy was here , though in a state that concern'd not his private happinesse ? or what manner of constancy was that , which durst not endure and hold out , but was overcome , not by irrecoverable , fallen affaires , but falling : not collasped and ruin'd , but tottering and doubtfull ? i confesse , it was a spectacle , which the eye of god intentive to his great and various works might behold with glory : and i confesse him a brave heathen , ill-disposed . but i see nothing glorious and excellent in him , nothing of true worth , but what i can find as wel in the most degenerate and womanish sardanapalus . if wee look upon cato amidst the publick ruines , wee shall finde him overthrowne and laid along , where an old wall stands up , no enemy having touch'd him . a most unworthy man ▪ ( if he was a man , ) to fall thus basely like a woman ; who at the noyse of any thing suddenly thrown down , casts her self to the ground , and squeaks though untouch'd , and far enough from danger . but thou wilt say , though all things became subject to one man , though his legions possest the earth and his navies the seas , yea though caesars own regiment was in the gates , yet cato made his way out . an honest voice , if it were not flattery : i tell thee he did not make his way , but sneakt and fled out most shamefully : his legs could not carry him off , and therefore hee ran away upon his hands . but it is all one , flye with which he will , it is a plain flight ; his busie and searching fear , which in him ( by reason of a sudden , unmanly astonishment ) was most sagacious , shew'd him this postern or backdoor , which he most basely fled out at . but what could that man be afraid of , that had born so often the assaults of fortune ? he feared that very same fortune : how can that be , ( say'st thou ) seeing he had coped with her so long before ? for that valour let him thank his errour : he believed fortune ( according to her old vogue ) to be still inconstant , he expected that the tyde should turne ; but finding her obstinate , and resolved in earnest to the contrary , he feared her last blow , and providing for himself by a most dastardly tendernesse , did with his owne hands dresse and make a wound to his own liking . to be patient , or to suffer as wee please , is not patience . he could bear the anger , but not the hatred and feud of fortune . that is poore valour , that bears onely the flourishes and pickearings of an enemy , but dares not receive his full charge . a weak man will for some time stand under a great burthen ; but he that carries it through , and home , is the strongest . cato then was a most base , pusillanimous combatant ; hee quitted his ground , and left fortune in the field , not only unconquer'd , but untir'd , and flourishing with a whole arme , which hee had not yet drawn bloud from : what inconstancy can be greater then his , who was more inconstant than vertiginous fortune ? or who more a coward then he , that fled and ran away swifter and sooner than her wheeles ? to call cato then either constant , wise , or good , is most unjust ; nay more , it is an injurie to mankind , to call him a man , who hath deserved so ill of wisedome and men , by thinking that any cause , or chance in this world can be worthy of a wise mans death . i would he had read the conclusion of theodorus , not the dissertation of socrates ! theodorus cythereus most truly affirmed , that there never can be cause enough for a wise man to cast away his life ; and he proves it by invincible reason : for him ( saith he ) that contemns humane chances , to cast away his life because of them , how contrary is it to his own judgment , which esteems nothing good , but what is virtuous , nothing vitious but what is evill ? i wish , when he did read socrates , that he had also understood him ! for then he should have heard him condemning that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , or mad refuge of selfemurther , and commanding him not to stirre out of his appointed station without full orders from the great generall of life . why then dost thou cry up cato for a great leader , who was a most cowardly common souldier , that forsook his charge , and betrayed the fort intrusted to him by the prince of life ? but here thou wilt reply , that his last nights contemplation , just before he quitted it , was immortality . the end he did study it for , made it then unseasonable : and i know not ( seeing he was but an imperfect speculator in the doctrine of immortality , ) why hee should be so hasty to try whither eternity was perishable , or not , by casting away his own . he should have expected it , as he did expect the change of fortune , which till that night he alwaies esteemed mortall : he should have prepared for it by makeing triall of his constancie before eternity . what praise then either of patience , or fortitude hath he deserved ? he did no more then the most effeminate , hemon and sardanapalus . o the glorious act of cato then , equall to his , that handled the spindles ! an act of women , evadne , jocasta , and auctolia . an act of whores , sappho and phaedra . an act of wenches , thysbe , biblis , phillis and anaxarete . an act of boyes , iphis and damocles . an act of doting , decrepit men , aegeus , sesostris and timathes . an act of crazie , diseased persons , aristarchus and erat●sthenes . an act of madmen , aristotle , empedocles , timagoras and lucretius . a rare commendation indeed for a wise man , to have done that which whores , wenches and boyes , sick men and madmen did , whome either the impatience of their lust , or fortune made impatient of life . whither thou wilt say , that cato kill'd himself to fly from fortune , or to find immortality , thou canst in neither deny his impatience either of joy , or else of feare , and in both of life . i would he had been as patient now of life , as he was sometimes of thirst ! that voice of honour , upon the sands of libya , was his ! where ( the r●man army like to perish with thirst ) a common souldier that had taken up a litle muddy water in his helmet , presenting it to him , had in stead of thanks this bitter rebuke , base man ! & couldst thou think cato alone wants courage to be dry , & , but him , none ? look'd i so soft ? breath'd i such base desires , not proofe against this libye sun 's weak fires ? that shame and plague on thee more justly lye ! to drinke alone , when all our troops are dry . here was a glorious voice , and there followes it a more glorious hand : for , with brave rage he flung it on the sand , and the spilt draught suffic'd each thirsty band . this manly virtue he degenerated from in his last act , and all his friends wisely bending to the present necessity , hee onley broke . the people being all taken , he only fled . to see cato a sufferer in the publicke miserie , had been a publick comfort ; they would have judged it happinesse to have been unhappy with him . it is honour to suffer with the honourable , and the tyranny of fortune is much allayed , and almost welcome to us , when shee equally rageth against the good and noble , as against our private selves . if , as he refused the remedy of thirst , he had also rejected this ill remedy against misfortune , his glory had been perfect . wee must then be the patients of life ; and of this patience ( which i thinke the greatest of any , ) wee have two eminent examples in job and tobiah , who not onely provoked by fortune , but by their wives also , defended their calamities in the defense of life . for the other patience in death ( which is the least , ) the example of abel sufficed , designed by the wonderfull counsell of god ( untill the manifestation of his son , that great arch-type of patience in life and death , ) to suffer , though innocent , a violent and unexperienced death , that the first onset of fate ( which was most furious , ) meeting in him with an unconquerable patience , might be so●● what tamed , and the weapons of death having their edge dulled in the first conflict , might afterwards be of lesse terrour to mankind . just abel was the first that shew'd us the way of dying , when the name of death , as yet untri'd , was most formidable unto life ; that he might teach man patience in his death , and leave it to posterity as a medicine found out by him . but when men ( by a sad experience grown wise , ) found out a greater evill then death , which to religious men was this sinfull life , and to the miserable and impatient their own lives ; then were job and tobiah set forth the convincing examples of patience in life , who endured a life more bitter than death , lest by not enduring , they should , to their misery , adde sinne . they taught the world that patience was a better medicine for evills than death , and withstood the opinions of the lunatick people . falsely did euripides ( arrogating a laudable title to death , ) terme it the greatest medicine of evills , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . as if he in another place had not term'd it the greatest of evills . if death then be not its own medicine , how can it be the medicine of evills ? it is an evill great enough , that it is not the medicine of evills ; but that sufficeth not , it is also the greatest evill . aeschylus is in the like errour , for it is called by him the physician of incurable evils , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . a most ridiculous appellation : how can that be the physitian of incurable evills , which is it selfe such an incurable evill as their owne machaon could not resist ? equally false is that of sophocles , the last curer of diseases is death . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . if death it selfe be a disease , which must , and shall be healed , how can it be the last curer of diseases ? but these men ( after the common manner of physicians , ) held the cure of great evills to consist in desperate remedies , as obstinate diseases are expell'd by strong and diaphoretick medicines : health indeed is dear unto us , and death , i confesse , puts an end to all its diseases , and to all medicaments too . it takes away the disease sooner and oftner then any other remedy ; but these poets themselves ( as sick men say of their potions ) deny not but it is bitter . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . it is better to live ill , then to dye well , saith euripides himselfe in another place ; such a good opinion had hee of death . it had beene but a sorry provision for mankind , if god had given us no other medicine against temporal evills , but death . the cure of our miserable condition had been both imperfect and uncertain , and to our sad necessity there had been added necessarie despair , when the cure of small evils had been by a greater , and the great evill it self left incurable . but ( glory to the blessed jesus ! ) wee are both fully c●red , and faithfully cared for ! that which can cure all evills , must be something that is not evill ; therefore death cannot cure them , because it is an evill ; for god created it not , but it came into the world through the envy of the divell : good men hold it to be evill , & the bad find it so . thou wilt ask then , what is the medicine of evills ? i answer , it is that , which is the medicine that strengthens us to bear the violence , and the pangs of death ; that which the very enemies of it cannot deny to be good , i mean patience : that which being made evill by abuse , yet in that state hath been commended by men that were not evil , by seneca in his cato , dion in his melancoma , and philo in his pancratiastes : so winning and attractive is the virtue of patience , that the very shadow of it procures reverence , and make the very abuse and corruption of it laudable . if then the counterfeit of it could beautifie vice , and make it amiable even to wise men , what wonder is it , if the substance be a protection and ornament to virtuous persons ? this is the medicine which leonides gave against death . let those titles therefore which death usurped , be vindicated by the right owner . patience then is the best medicine of evills ; it is the cure of the incurable , the last physitian , the ease in death , the mollifying oyle , the gentle purge , the pleasant potion , and that i may recover its right to another title which death usurped from the pen of b●etius , it is a sanctuary that lies alwaies open to the distressed . lastly , lest i should deny that , which even the envy of fortune could not deny , patience ( as zeno elegantly said , ) is the queen regent of all things , yea of that rebellious changling fortune . but let us adde to the certainty of the cure , the easinesse of comming by the medicine : we need not send for it into forraign regions , nor dig it out of mines , nor extract it out of the veines of herbs , or the vital parts of beasts : wee need not go for it to the apothecary , nay i shall adde , wee need not wish for it ; it is already in our custody , a manuall antidote that is alwaies about us , and in us , effectuall for all things , and ready for all men . it is a physitian we need not call upon ; not like death , that forsakes the wretched , and those that earnestly long for it , that hath no pitty upon teares , but keeps off , — and will not hear the crie of distrest man , not shut his weeping eye . hitherto we have taken view but of one side of patience , and that halfe of her which she opposeth to evills . every part of her is lovely and excellent : and if we remove now from this collateral station to a direct , we shall behold her intire beauty , and how well shee deserves of good . the sacraments of this virtue are two : to suffer evill : to do good : nobly doth she celebrate both ; with her there is no evill , without her there is no good . i think her the mart , and mother-city of all that is good . every virtue is a colonie of patience , planted and nourished by her . virtues owe their original to her , she is part of it , and in every one of them . she is their holy fire , their vesta , and lararium , or private chappell ; they are her nuns or virgins , what ever they have , either sacred or glorious , is from her : to the perfection of man there is nothing more necessary : for as brasse must be first melted , and afterwards cast ; so the hard and rigid matter of virtues must be softned and dissolved by patience , that man may become a glorious and living statue of divinitie . no marvell , that wee require labour and hardnesse in virtuous persons , seeing wee expect it from smiths ; a certain just law of all the world hath exacted it to be the price of virtue . beare what thou wouldst not , and thou shalt enjoy what thou wilt . labour is the good mans purse : patience is his gold : onely an obstinate , sordid idlenesse makes men poor , not onely in body but in mind also : without patience they cannot possesse their own soules . neither nature , nor virtue , nor fortune ( and this last thou wilt perhaps think strange , ) trust us with their goods without this . prosperity , when it is lent to man , dispensenth its treasures to none so plentifully , as to the laborious : without a blow it stroaks us not . the sweet-meats it brings are not eaten , but in the sweat of the face . it was truly said of fortune , give bread to the poor , but give him thy fists for sauce . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . the snake will easily slip through our hands , unlesse we grasp her with figleaves , or some knotty , rough grass ; fortune is very slippery , and without labour , and a strong hand , she will not be held . honest gaine breeds most joy , i shall adde most security , when it is gotten with most pain . labour is the earnest we give for after-joyes , which are an addition , or consequence rather , attending the other fruits of it . though it goes before them , yet it is refreshed with their following after ; as hunger , which is a natural sauce , sweetens the meat , and the joyes of the eater , even before ●e eates : wee look with most delight upon those things which wee think to be our own , and we think them most , which wee have most labour'd for . patience is a certain title to possession , but labour gives the right . the mother loves those children best , and as most hers , which shee brought forth with most pain . hony is gathered of bitter herbes ; they that love not the bitternesse , must not eate of the honey . the drones of attica ( saith tzetzes , ) will not touch the hony of hymettus , because it is gather'd of thyme , which the attic drone cannot endure to light upon . the noble xenophon loved no glory , but that which was purchased by his owne industry . the glory of god himselfe is not without labour , which he hath shew'd unto us by his works , and amplified in particular natures according to his wisdome , for our example . wickedly did hermogenes think of that supreme , eternally active mind , esteeming him to rest , by reason of idlenesse and inefficacie , though elegantly refuted by afer in these words , his glory is the more in that he hath laboured . god doth not onely looke upon , and rule the world , he made it also ; and which of these , thinkst thou , is most worthy of glory ? is it not to have made it ? what is more glorious then to have made glory ? in the present sabbath and solemnity of gods rest , the workes which he hath made , declare his glory unto men , whose task also is , to work . besides , this first curious draught of his almighty hand contributes something to the perfect beauty of his immortal , last one ; for the divine eye ( reflecting upon this proofe , ) will adorne that building of holinesse and glory with everlasting strength , and an inviolable , celestial freshnesse . god made not man by a fiat , as he did the rest of the creatures , but fell to work himself , and like the potter that first tempers , then fashions the clay , he made him by makeing , not by speaking . that one royall creature capable of felicity , was consecrated for beatitude , and the divine likenesse with the ceremony of labour : here man was instructed , before he was made : he received the exemplar of living before he received life : idlenesse was forbidden him , before he had the power given him to be active . but when he gave him life , he gave him also with it another specimen , or item of labour , breathing into him , as if he had used respiration ( which refresheth the laborious , ) to shew man the use of his breath . all things that were created for the service of mankind , were by the manner of their creation ( which was with a fiat , or command , ) taught to be obedient and humble : but man was first ordained for dominion , afterwards for labour ; and god himself , the lord of all , labour'd in his creation , that hee might make him to be in love with his ordinance , and that god ( plotting as it were against himself , ) might by that love of man be induced to love him the more , and to esteeme him more his owne creature then any other , because he onely ( like his creatour ) loved activity , and the use of life . and this i believe is the meaning of xenophon : labour ( saith he ) is a certain over-measure , or extraordinary favour of love . so glorious an ornament is patience , either in suffering , or else in doing , i believe in both ( for labour , without the good of patience , is good of it selfe , ) that for no other end , but to be thought temperate and wise , the pythagoreans commended abstinence , the stoicks severity , the cynick exceeded to rigour , the gymnosophists to cruelty , and a face of madnesse and despair . every one of these adorned his heresie with patience , and all the rude statues they erected to wisedom , were crowned with this virtue . edesius being sent by his father to traffick into greece , quitted the merchant , and turn'd philosopher : his father upon his return receiving him with stripes , and hee patiently bearing them , asked him , what he had learnt in the schooles of the philosophers ? he answered , to bear your anger dutifully : with the same testimony did another scholer of zeno adorne the stoa : but possidonius was hardlier provoked then either ; he was so tortured with bodily pain , as if the disease had maliciously laboured to confute his principles : but how far it prevailed , appeares best by his own words ; it is to no purpose , ( said he ) vex me as much as thou canst , thou shalt never make me give thee an ill word . so carefull was he of the reputation of his master . but dionysius heracleotes , not able to rule his passions , lost the repute of a philosopher . so much doth that majesty and tacite reverence wee admire in virtue depend upon patience . patience doth that for the private man , which their life-guards doe for kings : it keepes him safe , and reverenc'd . it is the minds main-guard , that preserves the authority of virtue , and secures the virtuous person , lest evills should make him evill . it is in the oppressed a certain tutelar angel , and the sacred guardian of their spirits from affliction . most appositely did halitargius call patience the conservatrix of our condition . o how great is the glory of virtue , whose guard and attendant is patience , the queene of all things ! she is not onely the crown and ornament of philosophie , but the badge and garland of the christian warriour . she is not onely honour'd by the impatient themselves , but by the furious and salvage . abraames , almost slaine and martyr'd by the indian infidels , did with this one weapon not onely resist , but overcome a whole city : and that with more expedition then caesar , and with better successe then alexander ; for to such admiration and reverence of his person did his patience drive them , that in the very midst of the storme his persecutors b●came suddenly calme , begging forgivenesse with teares , and with the generall consent of the people elected him for their patron and president , whom a little before ( having not seen this pearle of patience , ) they design'd for destruction and death . it was the majesty of this immoveable , serene virtue , that forced them to this miraculous election , adjudging it of most royall excellencie , and most worthy of soveraignty . leander told the fathers , met at toledo , that patience would either win , or overcome her adversaries . solon knew this : for being checkt by some standers by , because he suffered an uncivill fellow to spit upon him , he answered : fisher-men , that they may catch one whiting , suffer themselves to be dashed over with the fome and flowings of the sea-waves ; and shall not i do the like to catch a man ? whither he catched him , or not , i cannot tell : but i am sure , that john fernandius , a servant of jesus christ , and a fisher of men , catch'd a whole kingdome with that very baite . hee preaching to the indians in the street , one barbarous infidel , having gathered his mouth full of sordid spittle , came pressing through the crowd to the place where he stood , and delivered it just in his face ; but he nothing moved therewith , and neither rebuking the barbarian , nor discomposing his former gesture , persisted in his masters businesse , and preach'd on : his doctrine though powerfull , after the silent rhetorick of this publick example , might for that time have beene well spared . here was the foundation of the churches of japan and amangucia : this very indian ( and none before him ) becomming the first fruits of that region unto christ . so glorious a document of patience made him envy our divine philosophy , that envy made him ambitious , and his holy ambition made him a christian . so gainfull an industry is patience , and such a compendious art of overcomming . most wholsome is the advice of pimenius : malice ( saith he ) never overcomes malice , you must overcome malice with goodnesse : but if we could overcome one evill with another , why will wee not reserve that glory for virtue ? by such a bloodlesse victory did motois overthrow his adversary ; from whom he fled most valiantly , lest he should offend him ; i do not say with his hands , but with his sight ; for patience hath no hands , but shoulders . his adversary pursues : motois had lockt himself up , & became his own prisoner , esteeming it guilt enough , that another could be angry with him : but hearing that his enemy was come in ( being only impatient till he had shewed more patience , ) hee breakes open the door , bids him welcome , and like one that had offended , desires to be forgiven , and afterwards feasts him . this story i have touch'd upon , that thou maist see how powerfull an instrument of tranquillity , and a quiet , happy life , patience is , that makes peace to beare fruit in another mans soyl , and civilizeth forraigners . how fruitfull then is she at home , ? how prosperous a dresser of virtues in himselfe is the patient man , that will not suffer the propagation of vices in another ? but leander said , that patience doth either overcome , or else win her enemies ; i say , she doth both win and overcome : she wins men , and overcomes fortune ; nay , she makes her ( though unwilling ) a most officious servant of goodnesse . the name of patience is not an empty , titular honour ; it hath also very large and princely revenues for the maintenance of virtue . that fable of the divine in holy maximus is truth . he saith , that wise men dwell in the shadow of a tree , which the more the people cut it , growes the more . it strives , and vies with the iron ; or to borrow the poets expression , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , it lives when kill'd , and brancheth when 't is lopt . his own mythology is most elegant : by this tree ( saith he ) is signified wisedom , which tur● es misfortunes into ornaments , trouble into virtue , losse into gain , and scars into beauty : for the patient and wise liver , like the serpent of lerna , when he is most mangled , is most entire ; he drinkes in fresh spirits through his very wounds , his courage is heightned by them , and his spilt blood , like dew , doth cherish and revive him , like some faire oke , that when her boughes are cut by rude hands , thicker growes : and from those wounds the iron made , resumes a rich and fresher shade . the benefit then wee receive from patience , is twofold : it diminisheth the sorrowes of the body , and increaseth the treasure of the mind : or to speak more properly , there is one great benefit it doth us , it turnes all that is evill into good. most apposite to this , is that of nazianzen , patience digesteth misery . concoction and digestion of meats are the daily miracles of the stomack : they make dead things contribute unto life , and by a strange metamorphosis turne herbes , and almost all living creatures into the substance of man , to preserve his particular species : no otherwise doth virtue by patience ( which is her stomack , ) transform and turne all damages into benefits and blessings , and those blessings into it self . lupines , or bitter pulse , if steep'd in water , will grow sweet and nourishing : patience doth macerate miseries , to fatten it selfe with them . certaine divine raies breake out of the soul in adversity , like sparks of fire out of the afflicted flint . the lesser the soule minds the body , the lesser she adheres to sensibility , shee is by so much the more capable of divinity , and her own nature . when her den of flesh is secure and whole , then is she in darkness , & sleepes under it : when it is distressed and broken , then is she awake , and watcheth by some heavenly candle , which shines upon her through those breaches . the wounds of the body are the windowes of the soul , through which she looks towards heaven ; light is her provision , shee feedes then upon divinity . sublime is that rapture of the most wise gregory , — 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . — — one food the best for all is to feed on the great gods mind , & draw an immense light from the bright trinity . death it self , which the lust of eating brought into the world inedible , or as zeno saith , indigestible , is eaten , digested and transubstantiated into life by patience , begun in abel , and perfected in jesus christ . so that now , that saying of pirrho , who affirm'd , that there was no difference betwixt death and life , is no longer a paradox ; nor need we make use of that shrewd exaggeration of euripides : who knowes ( said he ) but this which we call life , is death , and death life ? we see , that men , when they are ( as we speak ) alive , are then only sick , but the dead neither sicken , nor suffer any sorrowes : certainly the death of a good liver is eternal life . every action of a wise man is a certain emulation of death ; wee may see it exprest in his patience . the soul by this virtue disintangles , and frees her selfe from the troubles of mortality : for the frivolous flesh burning with fevers , or drown'd in dropsies , or any other diseases , the attendants of corruption , which possesse and fill up the narrow fabrick of man ; the soul ( as in great inundations , when the lower roomes are overflown ) ascends to the battlements , where she enjoyes a secure , healthfull ayre , leaving the ground-roomes to the tumult and rage of the distemper'd humours . she ascends thither , where griefe cannot ascend . carneades , comming to visit agesilaus grievously tormented with the gout , and turning his back to be gone , as if impatient of the violence and insolencie of the disease ( whose custome it is to shew litle reverence towards the best men , the prerogative of vir●●e can give no protection to nature , ) agesilaus pointing from his feet to his brest , calls him back with this check , stay carneades , the pain is not come from thence hither . hee shew'd by this , that his mind was in health , though his feet were diseased , and that the pain had not ascended thither , where the soule sate inthroned . at this height she hath two priviledges more then ordinary ; she is lesse affected with the body , because at some distance from it ; and hovers above griefe , because above sensibility ; shee is nearer to god , and dresseth her selfe by his beames which she enjoyes more freely , as from a kind of balconie , or refreshing place , having onely a knowledge , but no sense of the bodies affliction . from this place she overlookes the labours and conflicts of the flesh , as angels from the windowes of heaven behold warre , and the slaughter of distracte●●●en . one benefit more shee hath by patience , that though shut up in the body , yet shee can have a tast of her glorious posthume liberty . death looseth the soule from the body , it breaks in sunder the secret bonds of the blood , that she may have the full use of her wings , and be united to divinity . patience , though it doth not quite loosen the chaine , yet it lengthens it , that she may take the aire , and walk some part of the way towards home : though it frees not the soul from the body , yet it gives her liberty and dominion over it . he that is tyed up by a long cord , is within the compasse allowed him untyed , and a free man. the spirit of man incensed by adversities , and collected into it selfe , is by a certain antiperistasis made more ardent and aspiring : fire is never stronger , nor more intense then amongst water ; in the bosome of a cloud it breakes forth into thunder : so this divine spark , which god hath shut up in vessels of clay , when all the passages of pleasures are stopt , his raies ( which before were diffused and extravagant ) returne into it selfe , and missing their usuall vent , break forth with such violence , as carries with it sometimes the very body , and steales the whole man from passion and mortality . the levitie of fire is of greater force , then the gravity and massinesse of earth : his spirit is unresistable , and the unknown force of it will blow up the greatest mountains , and the strongest castles this earth affords . hitherto have i discoursed of outward evills , i shall now consider the inward , and how patience is their antidote . you have seen her prerogative over fortune , and reputed evills , which are called evills , because they seem to be so , not because they are so ; as disgrace , grief , and poverty . all these are but fictitious evils , which custom and humane error have branded with that injurious denomination : for in these contingencies there is no reall evill , but the evill of opinion ; neither is any man miserable but in his own conceit , and by comparison . the glory of patience would be but poor and trivial , if it could doe no more then take away , or beare with such frivolous and fictitious troubles as these : if it prevailed onely against evills , which we do not suffer , but invent . it s true glory is , that it subdues true evills : not that it bears them , but that it removes them far from us : not that it endures them , but than it abstaines from them : for truly to suffer evil , is to do evil , whose agent alwaies the patient is , by reason of a most ill impatience : but patience is onely excellent , because it suffers not . this worst kind of evil is therefore the greater , because because when 't is in acting , it is not seen ; and were it not afterwards felt , there would be no place left for virtue . this is the usuall method of vice , a flattering , comical entrance , and a tragical exit . the force and malice of evil actions may be gathered by their nature : they are so powerfully hurtful , that when they cease to be , they cease not to torment us : and so malignant , that while we act them , they flatter us , that being acted , they may afflict us : while we are doing them , they conceal and deny themselves ; but being done , they appear to our sorrow . wherefore he that will lead a blessed , a joyfull , and a peaceful life , must make it his whole work , to do no work , but what religion and virtue shall approve of . what peace and security can he enjoy that will revenge himselfe , ( what more would cruelty have ? ) according to his own lust ? what life can he be said to live , that kills himselfe to please his inordinate affections ? what joy can he have , whose troubled conscience is his continual executioner , racking and tormenting him in the very embraces of smiling fortune ? no outward fomentations will serve turne against that indisposition to which fevers and fire are but coolers . wee can provide against the violence of winter and summer-weather when and how we please : but the inward heats and colds , the raging accessions of the spirit admit no cure . patience , though fortune should assist her , will never heal the wounds of conscience . he that suffers by the guilt of conscience , endures worse torments then the wheel , and the saw : as that heat which ascending from the liver , and the region of the heart , doth diffuse it selfe through the body , is greater then the united flames of the dog-star and the sun. what torturing invention of amestris , pher●tima , or perillus did ever so afflict distress'd wretches , as the fury of his owne conscience did torment orestes , though freed from all men but himself ? no tyrant is so cruel as a guilty spirit : not scylla with his prison , siuis with his isthmian pine , phalaris with his bull , sciron with his rock , nor faunus in his inne . the pelusians when they punished parricides , conceived no torture so answerable to the heynousnesse of the crime , as this inward divine revenge ; neither the a sack , nor the lime-kil pleased them so much as this gnawing worm , the terrible and luctual excogitation of the wise father of nature . they ordered therefore , and enacted it for a law , that the murtherer for three daies and three nights should be pent up in some narrow roome together with the naked body of the slaine , and be forced to look upon it , whither he would , or not ; which was effected by putting him in such a posture , as permitted him not to look any way , but just upon the dead . the sicilian tyrant himselfe knew that conscience was a more cruell torment then the bull of brasse . this made him spare the most unnaturall and bloody offenders , that they might be tormented , not with scalding metalls , and glowing iron , but by a damning conscience . the first penaltie for murther was conscience : the first actor of a violent death was punished with life : he that first saw , and introduced death , was thought worthy of no other punishmen● , but the security of life , which he first shewed to be not secure : for it is a more mercilesse punishment then death , to have long life secured with a killing conscience . so he that brought murther first into the world , was first punished with the terrourr of conscience : which are then most torturing , when health and strength are the capital punishments . the protoplasts themselves , the parents of death , and of mankind too , who gave us death before they gave us life , thought it a greater plague then death , to be still alive , and yet to be guilty of death ? they would have fled to death , to flye from themselves . apposite to this is that of marius victor , — they faine would ( if they might ) descend to hide themselves in hell. so light of foot is vengeance , and so near to sin , that soon as done , the actors do begin to fear and suffer by themselves : death moves before their eyes ; sad dens , and duskie groves they haunt , and hope ( vain hope which fear doth guide ! ) that those dark shades their inward guilt can hide . you see now that conscience , even amongst cell the pelusians , was held a legal and politick punishment , that in phalaris it was a tyrannical devise , in cain the divine vengeance , and in adam and eve , the justice of nature . god , nature , reason , and fury it selfe ( which in this case must not be defined madnesse , ) do all beare witnesse , that selfe-condemnation , or the guilt of conscience is of all others the most bitter and avenging torment . adde to this , that the certainty of it is as infallible , and inevitable , as the extremity and fiercenesse of it are implacable : there was never any tyrant so cruel , but would pardon some offender : there was none so severely inquisitive , but some might either escape from him , or deceive him : but the rigour of conscience permits neither favour , flight , nor fraud . it is utterly inexorable , and neither our feete will serve us to ran away , nor our hands to free us : whither shall a man ran from himselfe , from the secrets of his own spirit , from his life ? no man can be an impostour or dissembler with his own heart , no man can undo what he hath already done : to have sinned is the remediless plague of the soul. it was a slow expression of victor , that vengeance is near to sinne . it is swifter then so : it is not consectaneous , or in chase of it , but coetaneous with it , and its foster-sister the punishment hath the same birth with the offence , and proceedes from it ; it is both the sister , and the daughter of it : wickednesse cannot be brought forth without its penalty : the brest that conceives the one , is big with the other , and when the one is borne , he is delivered of both . it is a fruitfullnesse like that of mice , whose young ones are included the one in the other , and generate in the very wombe . conscience , while man thinkes of evill , even before he acts , doth rebuke that thought : so that the punishment is praeexistent to the crime , though in the reigne of virtue it is noiselesse and uselesse ; as penal lawes are dead letters , untill they are quickned by offenders . it is then in its minority , and without a sting , or else it is asleep , untill the cry of sinne awakes it . in the state of evill , conscience is the first and the last revenger : when smal offences are wiped out , enormous crimes like capital letters will still remain . no man can find a sanctuary to save him from himself . no evill doer can so fly for refuge , as to be secure , though he may be safe : hee will be afraid in that place , where he thought not to fear : though he fears not the friends of the murthered , yet he finds that within him , which makes him sore afraid : he may escape the executioner and the sword , but he will be overtaken by himselfe ; and being safe , hee will be afraid even of his safety : though he may find fidelity in his fellow-tyrants , yet shall he find none in his own bosome , which is ever clamorous , and spues out blood and guilt . nature deviseth such a punishment for evill doers , as that which tyed living malefactors unto the putrid carkasses of dead men , that the horrour and stench of them might afflict their spirits , and the quick flesh be infected and devoured by the dead and rotten . the punishment sticks fast unto us after the offence , whose carkasse is terrour of conscience , shame , and a gnawing remorse , that feeds still upon the faulty , but is not satisfied . the guilty person can have noe peace , but night and day doth his owne life molest , and bears his judge and witnesse in his brest . adde to this , that reason which in all other pressures and misfortunes is the great auxiliary and guardian of man , is in an offended conscience his greatest enemy , and imploys all her forces to his vexation and ruine . fortune therefore is not the onely cause of our contristation ; we our selves do arm adversities , and put a sword into the hand of griefe to wound us with ; we are sticklers against our selves . evill actions afflict more then evill fortune ; we are not onely troubled that it was chaunce , but that it was our choice . it is the worst kind of misery , to be made miserable by our owne approbation . that evill which we procure to our selves , must needs grieve us more , then that which we casually suffer : noe damage is so doleful , as a condemning conscience . truly , i do believe , that the onely misfortune of man is sinne. and so very bad and mischievous a cheat it is , that when it is most punished , wee think it most prospers ; neither can fortune be justly termed evil , but when she is the assistant of evill men , and the surety for evill doing . this permitted successe makes the affaires of the most unrighteous to be esteemed just : this is a felicity like that of beasts , which we put into pleasant and well watered pastures , that they may be fed for slaughter . against this true misfortune , as well as the false and seeming , patience must be our antidote ; not by bearing , but by abstaining from it . patience in this case must elevate it selfe , and passe into a virtuous anger and contempt of sinfull prosperity : we must be piously impatient of all their proffers and poisonous allurements ; impatient , i say , that we may patiently overcome them . therefore as i have formerly exhibited the art of bearing well to be the onely remedy against fortune : so now i shall demonstrate to you , that the art of abstaining well , is the sole medicine against these true and inward misfortunes : differing diseases must have different cures . patience is the poyson that kills fortune , and the balm that heales her stripes : but a sacred impatience , or abstinence from sinne is the antidote of conscience ; and the basis or foundation of this holy impatience is transcendent and triumphant patience . to mitigate or overcome fortune is a trivial trick : flattery will do it , if we can but descend to approve of , and commend all that she doth . to preserve the peace of conscience , wee must be rigid , and censorious : we must speak home , and truly : we must examine before we act , and admit of no action that wil be a just cause but for to blush . the approaches of fortune are abstruse : she moves not within the light of humane wisedome ; or if she doth , the strength of her prerogative lies betwixt willingnesse and constraint : it is a kind of fatal fooling : man playes with his stars untill they hurt him : but the cause of an evill conscience is within our view , and may be prevented by counsell ; for no man can sinne against his will , or without his knowledge . one naile must drive out another : he that would avoyd damnation , must avoid also those things which are damnable : he cannot grieve too much , that grieves only to prevent eternal griefe . the helps we use against fortune are after-games . but the salves of conscience must precede the wound ; the cure of spirituall diseases is their prevention . in the affaires of this world the best man is the experienced : but in the distresses and affaires of conscience , he is the wisest that is most ignorant . a noxious knowledge is death , and every sinner is a fool. the wised●me of doves is innocence , and that which makes the light to shine is its simplicity . light is a type of joy , and darknesse of sorrow : joy is the fruit of innocence , and sorrow of sinne. the sorrow we take for fortune is hurtfull : those teares , like tempestuous droppings , if not kept out , will rot the house : but the sorow for sinne is healing . penitential tears are the o●le of the sanctuary : god gives them , and afterwards accepts them : they both cleanse us and cherish us . when marble weepes , it washeth off the dust : worldly teares are the waters of marah ; the tree that sweetens them , must be shewed by the lord : the waters of the pool * bethesda heal'd not , untill the angel stirred them ; without true remorse teares profit not : but if they have that ingredient , they are showers which the lord hath blessed , and must not be stopped , although they might . as courage , and a joyfull heart are the ripe fruits of innocence , so shame and sorrow are the hopefull buds and primroses of it . contrition is the infancie of virtue : therefore that sadnesse must not be expelled which expelleth vice. it is an invention of the deity to destroy sinnes : that they might be either unfruitfull , or fruitfull onely to their owne destruction : for this we have two instances from nature , in the mule and the viper : whereof the one is barren , and the other unhappily fruitfull . nature is carefull that evills may not multiply , or if they do , that they may not prosper . the mule is barren , lest there should be an increase of monsters . apposite to this , is that saying of gregory cerameus , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 &c , evils ( saith he ) are denyed from god the power of propagating , as mules have not the faculty to preserve their kind by generating one another . the viper notwithstanding is a mother , but shee brings forth her owne destruction : the birth of her young ones is her death . so sorrow , that is the child of sinne , is the death of it also . let therefore this saving destroyer of sins be made much off , let this godly sorrow be still cherished , and never rebuked : he that dryes up his teares , before he is cleansed , takes delight in his filthinesse , and like the lothsome drunkard , would sleep in his vomit : penitent afflictions should never be resisted but by precaution . hee then that would not drink of this wormwood , must be sure to refuse the sugred venom of sinne : no man is evill for nothing . every defect in life is occasioned by a defect of patience : because we cannot endure to be constantly good : because we are impatient of continuall holinesse . two evills attend upon sinners , the evill of sin , and the evill of punishment , which is the evil of sorrow : to escape the last , we must abstain from the first : wee must be either impatient of the first , or else the patients of the last : unlesse wee will suffer a litle to avoid offences , wee must suffer much after we have fallen into them . a short displeasure is better then a long torment : this previous patience of abstaining , frees us from two subsequent evils : the pain of conscience untill we repent , and after that the pain of penitence : these two are the appendants , or retinue of every sinne ; a seasonable , innocent forbearance is the fense against them both : one small griefe averts these two great ones : how wholesome and comfortable is that patience which prevents sinne and sorrow , the consequent of it ? but virtue , when it is most healthfull , is in the estimation of some reputed to be poyson : for no other reason do they reject it , of whome theodotus elegantly sings , virtues faire cares some people measure for poys'nous works , that hinder pleasure . this patient abstinence from evill is the mother of holy joy , it keeps the mind pleasant and serene : what is there , or what can there be more beneficial , or delightfull to man , then a pure , innocent conscience , where all the virtues ( like busie bees ) are in constant action , as in a fair , flowry field , or rather in paradise ? where all is divine , all peacefull , nothing polluted , no feare , no distraction . in this state , as theophanes saith , the wise man is adorned with a godlike conscience , and a mind becomming the very deity . what is there more joyful , then to be master of such a power , as cannot be violated by tyrants and torments ? it was a golden and victorious saying of tiburtius : every punishment is poor , when a pure conscience keepes us company : for as the guilty can receive no comfort : so the innocent cannot lose his joy. the joy of conscience is natures recompence , the coalescent reward , or fruite of integrity , an entailed happinesse , the native blandishment of life , and the minds mighty purchase : what happier gaine can be , then to rejoice alwaies , for what wee have done but once ? or what greater damage then an unrighteous gain ? it was bravely said by chilo , that the heavi●st losse was to bee chosen before base gain : that will grieve us but once , the other alwaies . the losse of temporal goods will trouble us but for a time , but a lost conscience will torment us eternally . what greater liberty can there be , then not to fear any thing ? and what can he be affeard of , that is not frighted by the guilt of his own spirit ? when periander was asked , what liberty was ? he answered , a good conscience . and another saith , that man should with virtue arm'd , and hearten , d be , and innocently watch his enemy : for fearlesse freedom , which none can controule , is gotten by a pure and upright soul. sinne makes remisse and c●wardly spirits to be the constant slaves of misery : what liberty , yea , what joy can he have , or what dares he do , whose guilty soul with terrours fraught , doth frame new torments still , and still doth blow that flame which still burns him : nor sees what end can be of his dire plagues , and fruitful penalty ? but fears them living , and fears more to dye . which makes his life a constant tragedy . therefore to preserve the mirth and peace of conscience , righteous , or honest actions are mainly conducing , and should be alwaies our imployment ; for this is the appointed task of man , and it is his mysterie too . the hand is the best sacrifice . the antient portugals used to dedicate to their gods the right hands of their captives ; but offer thou thine own , and not anothers . to be onely without vice , is a vitious commendation : nay , it is not commendable at all , but self-indulgence , or a flattering of our owne corrupt inactivity . to such a passe is man come , that he is not ashamed to do lesse for virtue , then the vitious will do for vice. it is a most poore and fordid glory , to be onely not numbred amongst the bad : it is a base degree of praise , to be reputed onely not base . to be without vice , is not to be good : not to be vitious , and to be virtuous , are two things . to refrain from evill , is scarse not evill , especially if we proceed no further : for to be able to be good , and not to be throughly so , is , if not evill , a neighbourhood to evill . true praise consists not in a bare abstinence from evill , but in the pursuance & the performance of good . it sufficeth not therefore that we doe nothing which may afflict us , but we must withall doe something that may exhilarate us . this we must remember , that to do good is one thing , and to become good is another ; although we cannot become good , unlesse wee doe good ; but we become good , not because we have done good works , but because we did them well . discretion , which considers the manner of doing good , orders the action so excellently , that oftentimes there is more goodnesse in the manner , then in the action : what will it availe us to do good , if it be not well done ? it is to write faire , and then to poure the inke upon it . actions cease to be good , unlesse well acted , they are like excellent colours ill-layed on . the more glorious thy intention is , the more carefully thou must manage it . indiscretion is most evident in matters of importance : one drop of oyle upon purple , is sooner seen , then a whole quart that is spilt upon sack-cloath . the ermyn keepes his whitenesse unstained with the hazard of his life : hee values himselfe at a most sordid rate , that esteems lesse of virtue , then this beast doth of his skin ; that prefers a foule life to a fair death , that loves his blood more then his honour , and his body more then his soule . ennius saith , that the way to live , is , not to love life . life is given us for another cause , then meerly to live : he is unworthy of it , that would live onely for the love of life ; the greatest cause of life is virtue : what more absolute madnesse can there be , then to make life the cause of sin , yea the cause of death , and for lifes sake to lose the crow● of life ? what greater unhappinesse , then to dye eternally by refusing death ? the virtuous youth pelagius , rather then he woul●d lose his innocence , suffered the most exquisite and studyed torments of that impure tyrant habdarrhagmanus : he suffered many deaths before he was permitted to dye : hee saw his limbs , his hands , and his sinewes cut in sunder , and lying dead by him , while he yet lived . this preservation of their honour some chast beauties have paid dearly for . it cost nicetas his tongue , amianus his eye , saint briget her face , apollonia her teeth , and agatha her breasts : the lovely cyprian virgin paid her life for it . nature even for herself doth lay a snare , and handsome faces their own traitours are . the beauty of chastity is best preserved by deformity , and the purity of life by a contemptible shape . the shoomaker is carefull of the neatnesse of a shooe , which is made to be worn in durt and mire : and shall man be negligent to adorn his soul , which is made for heaven , and the service of the deity ? every artificer strives to do his worke so , as none may find fault with it ; and shall we do the works of life perfunctorily and deceitfully ? all that makes man to be respected , is his worke , as the fruite doth make the tree : and a good work can never be too much respected . keepe thy selfe alwaies in respect by doing good : thy own dignity is in thy own power : if thy works be good , thou shalt be accounted good too ; if better then any , thou shalt be acknowledged for the best . man is the effect of his own act , he is made by those things which he himself makes : hee is the work of his own hands . a rare priviledge , that permits men , and impowers them to make themselves : thou hast leave to be whatsoever thou wouldst be . god would not limit thy happinesse : he left thee power to encrease it , to polish and beautifie thy selfe according to thy own mind . thy friend , or thy neighbour cannot do it : thy owne good must be thy owne industry . virtue , because she would be crosse to fortune , is not adventitious . it is our great happinesse , that this great good must not be borrowed . blessed be that divine mercy which hath given us means to be saved without the assistance of our neighbours , who have endeavoured to damn us ! that almighty hand which first created man in the image of his creatour , finished him not , but left some things for him to doe , that he might in all things resemble his maker . it is one thing to be an idol , or counterfeit , and another to be a lively figure and likenesse : there are many coppies , which are not assimilant to their originals , like pictures that have not so much as an ayre of those faces they were drawn by . to the politure and sweetning of the divine image , there are some lines expected from thine owne hand . if some expert statuary , suppose phidias himselfe , should leave unfinished some excellent peece , like that statue of minerva at athens , and out of an incurious wearinesse , give himself to some obscure and artlesse imployment , or to meere idlenesse , wouldst not thou much blame and rebuke him for it ? and canst thou deserve any lesse , if by a loose and vitious life thou wilt either totally deface the image of god in thy selfe , or else leave it unfinished ? doest thou think that god is maimed , seeing thou doest leave his image without hands , i mean , without good works ? dost thou think that he is blind , seeing thou dost extinguish , or put quite out that discerning light and informing wisdome which hee hath given thee ? hee that doth not integrally compose himself , and will not carefully strive for perfection , would represent god to be imperfect , and a monster . virtuous manners ( saith holy maximus ) are types of the divine goodnesse , by which god descends to be represented by man , assuming for a body those holy habits , and for a soule the innocent dictates of wisdome in the spirit , by which he makes those that are worthy , to become gods , and seals them with the true character of virtue , bestowing upon them the solid riches of his infallible and immortal knowledge . work then while it is day , while it is life-time ; work and cease not : finish this expectation , this great spectacle , not of men onely , but of god and angels . remember that the rewards and applause of this world are but a paint of eternity : the solid and permanent glory is given in heaven , when every man shall have praise of god. the limbner is carefull to beautifie and shew his utmost skill in that peece , which hee knowes to be intended for judicious eyes : thou art not to paint , but really to make a living image of the divine mind , which also must be examined and judged by that searching eye , from which nothing can be hidden : have a care that no ill mixture , nothing disproportionable , nothing uneven or adulterate may be found in it . the presents we offer to the true god , must be true and solid works , not the fictitious oblations of jupiter milichus : why wilt thou delight in a maimed soule , or which is worse , in a soul whose best part is dead ? thou hadst rather have a member cut off , then hanging dead by thee : thou wouldst then onely wish for its company , when it would be no hindrance to thee . and canst thou endure the immortal soul to be sick of death , to be sick in his best part , in the head ? wilt thou suffer thy mind to drowse , to be paralytical and senselesse , never thinking of god , nor of doing good ? in such a liver , the beauty of his immortal part is crusted over with an incurable leprosie ; and reason , which is the soules countenance , is most ingloriously ecclipsed . the task of life is to labour , and the sacrament of the soule is to work rationally . idlenesse is a parenthesis in the line of life : when we do nothing , wee do not live . slothfullnesse is a dead existence , a kind of sleep when we are awake : that life is empty , that is not filled with the care of living well . it was truly said by possidonius , that one day of a learned mans life , was more pleasant , then all the years of the unlearned : one houre , one minute well spent , is to be preferred before a sinfull , voluptuous for-ever . time is a sacred thing : it flowes from heaven , it is a thred spun from thence by the motion and circumvolution of the spheres . it is an emanation from that place , where eternity springs . the right use of it , is to reduce it to its original : if we follow time close , it will bring us to its fountain . it is a clue cast down from heaven to guide us thither . it is the younger brother of eternity , the one must be sought in the other . it hath some assimilation to divinity : it is partly knowable , and partly not : wee move in it , and wee see it not : it is then most invisible ; when most present . if we be carefull of it , the benefit is ours : if wee neglect it , we cast away our selves . hee lives not at all , that lives not well : and hee that lives ill , shall dye worse : hee suffers a living and sensible death : it is death , because it wants the fruit of life ; and it is sensible , because it is with losse and punishment . many ill livers comfort themselves with a vain conceir , that the state of death is senselesse : but vice and idlenesse are more malitious deaths , they carry with them the penalty of sense : they are fertill in evills , and barren of good , like a cursed ground that bringes forth nothing but thornes and thistles . you expect grapes from your vines , & corn from your fields , but no fruit at all from your selves : were you made to be good for nothing ? for shame be your own dressers , manure your selves , and prune your vain and noxious affections . man himself is his own pretious soile , his own fruitfull field , and thriving plant : let him that expects fruits from extraneous things , tast first of his own . good workes are the apples of this heavenly plant. the vine and the field , though they bear not for themselves , pay their annual proventions . if they had beene left to their first fruitfullnesse before the curse , they had exceeded in a most uberous , spontaneous fertility ; if they should yeild nothing now , they would be good for nothing . man bears fruit for himselfe , and may bear as much as he pleaseth : wilt thou then keepe backe thy own provision ? wilt thou pine thy selfe ? or by burying thy talent in the dust , be an enemy to thy own soule , and envious towards others ? virtue in my opinion is like to musick : it pleaseth most of all the virtuous man himself ; and it pleaseth also the vitious , whose conscience doth force him to admire that in others , which he neglects in himselfe . musick delighteth both the musician , and the unskillfull . musick built the walls of thebes ; and virtue must build the new hierusalem . musick and virtue are the performances of the hand , and the cordials of the mind . every lover of virtue is musical , that is so say , he is pleased with the suffrages of his own conscience , and solaced with the celestiall flights of his pure spirit : hee loves the works of virtue ( not to gain the peoples applause , ) but for virtues sake , whose beauty and power are best seene in her workes . honesty is one of the liberal arts , it is a trade of conscience , not of gaine . craftsmen shew their skill in their works : the sculptor in his cuts , the painter in his limnings , and the goldsmith in his plate . to do something , not the manner of doing it , is their care : their worke may be well done , though negligently , and without much art. the limner may give a stroke in hast or anger , which neither judgement , nor curiosity can ever match . giotto's circle , though drawn perfunctorily , surpassed the most elaborate peeces of other ar●●sts . virtue alone makes no use either of errour or chance , and this she doth meerly to oppose fortune . in virtuous actions , if wee erre in doing , though we do good , yet the worke of virtue is not well done . in other arts , one exemplar , or act may serve to shew the artificers skill , though he should never work more : but it is not so in virtue ; as we cannot know a skillfull musician , unlesse he plaies upon some instrument ; so virtuous men are not manifested untill they act : he that will give any proofe of himselfe , must needs be active ; but to be so once , is not activity . virtue is a most usefull thing , and the use of it dyeth not after it is used : for allthough all the actions of man are transitory , yet when they proceed from virtue , they are permanent . i advise thee therefore to be permanent , yea to be immortal . care not for those things which the world esteems to be enduring , as gold , and the wealth of fortune ; those will make them wings and fly away , when thou doest least look for it . care thou for those things which the people , and their hypocritital rulers value not , because they believe them to proceed from a sheepish and rewardlesse tamenesse , and not from grace , and the secret dispensations of the god of peace . care , i say , for righteousnesse and innocence ; care that thy actions be upright : these are the treasures which the world believing to be transient , shall find one day to be truly solid and permanent . thou hast read somtimes that advice of the apostle , redeem the times : that is to say , what thou doest well at one time , thou shalt have it at all times : thy good actions , with●rsoever thou goest , will bear thee company : they are companions of a most rare fidelity , and will leave thee neither in the hour of death , nor after death . when our friends cannot follow us , then do our good works travell with us , they are then our best friends , and overcome our foes . envy it selfe is appeased with death , it falls off with the body . malice knowes no posthume persecution , and the glory of virtue in that state is above the reach of her enemies : though they may disturb our temporal rights , they are too short to oppose our claime to immortality : the onely peaceful possession of the dead , is his good life , and righteous dealings : what wil it avail the rich oppressours of this world , to have their carkasses buried in the abundance of their treasures , unlesse they mean by it , to restore that unto the earth which was digged out of her bowells ? gold and silver are no ransome for unrighteousnesse . virtue alone , which survives death , is the refreshment of the dead : he cannot be affeard to dy , who is assured of a better subsistance after death : their dissolution is onely fearful to those , who lose all by it , and their life to boot . the posthume inheritance of man is his righteousnesse and integrity , which death takes not from him , but puts him in possession of them . thou maist gather , that good or virtuous works are proper and necessary to the soul , out of mans natural desire of fame , and that innate appetite of immortality which is planted in his spirit : nature desires nothing which is not rational , and her perswasions , even when they degenerate , strain , and point at some primitive delights , and innocent priviledges which she was free to before her corruption . all secular glories dye with the body , goodnesse only is above the power of death : that faire part of life is kin to the supreme good , and death cannot hurt it ; yea it is secured by death , which kills envy , and frees the virtuous both from the malice of their enemies , and the possibility of failing in themselves . therefore the best imployment for man ( if he will consider either his own benefit , or the approbation and liking of nature , which aimes also at immortality ) is the work of virtue , yea far better then the work of reason . many , while they study the reason of virtuous works , passe by virtue it self . by a fruitless study how to do good , they lose their time , and doe none at all . theorie is nothing so beneficial as practice . it is a true saying that jamblichus cites out of pythagoras ; every good thing consists of substance and use , and not of meer knowledge . to be good , is to doe good . the knowledge of a skilfull physitian profits not the sick , unlesse he falls to practise , and gives him something towards his cure . learned aphorisms heal not the diseased , but bitter medicines . that soul which can reason subtilly , and discourse elegantly , is not saved ; but the soul which doth good works : knowledge and faith without actual charity are both dead . neverthelesse there is amongst men a certain covetousnesse of wisdome and knowledge , as well as of money . the acquisition pleaseth them , but they will not set it out to use . as usurers hoard up their mony , laying it out neither in pious works , nor for their own necessities , but suffer it to lye under rust and darknesse : so some learned men neither practise those excellent rules of living which they have learnt , nor will they impart them unto others : they study stil more curiosities , being in the mean time incurious of their salvation . i will say of them , as anacharsis said of the athenians , they know no use of money but to count it . there is no man poorer then the rich miser , and none more unlearned then the unpractised . nature is contented with mediocrity : the world hath many things in it which humane affairs have no need of . virtue also is perfected in few precepts : though we fill the world with our writings , it is not our volumes that can make us good , but a will to be so . book-men write out of no other design , but to reform and civilize mankind : they make several assayes , numerous attempts , and then renew them . the dice run not well alwaies , the last cast may carry more then all the former . therefore to stir up and incline the will to goodnesse , many things are necessarie ; but to be good there is nothing needfull but willingnesse . we suffer our selves to be cheated by hope ; we trust that when we have gathered so much knowledge as we covet , then we shall do all that we can d●sire . o foolish and vain pr●crastination . alchuvius terms it a palsie , i am sure it is a madnesse . we stay like that foolish beggar for a mess from the kings table , and in the mean time starve . we care not to use this present life which is our own , but study the secrets of another , which as yet is not ours . we would learn mysteries , and some things that are either out of our way , or else beyond it . christians should neither wander , nor sit down , but goe on ; what is that to thee ? follow thou me . content is a private sphere , but wants nothing , and is ever calme . they that study the world are ( of the two ) the worst speculators . popular , politick persons live alwayes by events : their ambition and firienesse makes their lives uneven , and uncertaine : innocent , and undisturbed habits are the companions of humility . giant-spirits , though they may flash sometimes with faire thoughts , have alwaies dark and stormy affections . men , or the most part of men , are like swans , whose feet though ever in a living bath , are alwaies black ; but their wings and doune , which keep above those streames , are pure white . that part of our lives which is ever padling with the current of time , is foul and defiled ; but that which soares above it , is fair and holy . worldly businesse is the soules idlenesse . man , ordained to be king of the worlds republick , had been a meer cypher , if without soul-imployment . he had been created to no end without this aime . if he for whom all things were made , will not endeavour to secure himself being made , he was made in vain . an ornament to the world he cannot be : he was not made with any great gaity , & his decaies are both numerous and hastie . if to be seen only , were the duty of created things , the stars should have been onely fixt , and not moving . stop ( if thou canst ) the course of the sun , his restlesse and vast circ●mvolution : as motion makes him bright and lively ( for hee rejoyceth to run his race ) so standing still , and slothtfulnesse would make him sad and sullied ; the beauty of the firmament would be darken'd , the freshnesse of the earth would fade , and the whole family of nature missing those cherishing beames , would pine and decay : rivers would fall asleep , minerals would prove abortive , and the mourning world would wast away under darknesse and sterility . but the sunne though he should not move , would not be uselesse ; his very sight is beneficial . hee is the created light of the visible world , a marvellous vessel , and an ornament in the high places of the lord. but man for whom all these things were made , without he b● active and serviceable to his own soule , is good for nothing . there is nothing more pleasant , nothing more peacefull , nothing more needfull then an industrious , wise man , and nothing more impertinent , and uselesse then the sluggard . the rest of the mind is the motion of virtue , and the idlenesse of the idle is the disturbance of his spirit . he that doth nothing , is of lesse use , and by much worse then nothing it selfe . wouldst thou be reduced into that unnaturall vacuity of not being , which is without form and void ? cease to do good , and it is done . the fruitlesse tree must be cut down : doest thou ask why ? that it may not be ; yea , that it may be nothing , and not cumber the ground . annihilation is more profitable then a fruitlesse being . in this family of nature , every one hath his task : none may be idle . the best and the noblest are the most laborious . consider heaven , the first exemplar of agility ; the brightest and the most active elements are the next to it , and above them move the stars . fire is the suburb of heaven : the earth which is cold and dull , like an iland lies most remote , and cut off ( as it were ) from the neighbourhood of light . nothing hath commerce with heaven , but what is pure : he that would be pure , must needs be active : sin never prevailes against us , but in the absence of virtue , and virtue is never absent , but when wee are idle . to preserve the peace of conscience , wee must not feare sufferings ; if the hand of man wound us , god himselfe will cure us : but if wee wound our selves by resisting him , the hands of all his creatures will be against us , because ours was against his . having now taught you how to master adventitious , personal evils , and to prevent the evils of conscience ; it orderly followes , that i should teach you how to subdue and triumph over publick evils , or national calamities . the sufferings of just persons wound the heart of a wise man , when his own cannot grate upon it . fortune , that could neither hurt him by force , nor by fraud , drawes blood from him through the sides of others . the righteous liver is troubled more with the losses of his neighbours , then with his own . hee whose patience could not be overcome by passion , lies open and naked to the assaults of compassion . the life of the wise man is the most pretious and profitable , he lives not only for himself , but for others , and for his country : the safety of the imprudent is his care , as well as his own : hee is not onely their compatriot , but their patriot and defender . excellent is that rapture of menander , — true life in this is shown , to live for all mens good , not for our own . he onely truly lives , that lives not meerly for his own ends . to live is not a private , but a publick good : the treasure of good living is diffusive . the civil guardian lookes to the goods of his vvards : but the wise man is the naturall tutor of the people , and lookes to the publick good , and to the aged as well as those that are in their minority . it will therefore be worthy our paines , to consider and enquire how such men should carry themselves in popular and grand mutations ; whither they should change their nature , or their maners , or retain them both , when both fortune , knaves and fooles are most changing . in national alterations , a wiseman man may change his outward carriage , but not his inward : his mind must be dry and unmoved , when his eyes flow with teares : hee must bestow a compassionate , fatherly look upon the afflicted , and those that are soe weak , as to believe that temporal sufferings can make them miserable . but neither his tears , nor those that he bewailes , must work so far upon him , as to break his inward peace by admitting of fear , or hope , or the desire of revenge ; and though hee himself stands in a secure station , from whence he can both distresse & defeat fortune , yet must he helpe also to redeem others ; he must take the field with his forces , and set upon her with open valour , doing good ( as tzetzes saith ) to all men , and abolishing every where the power of fortune . if hee finds that the brests of others are too narrow to entertaine royall reason , hee must labour by stratagems , by manuductions , and inducing circumstances to incourage and strengthen them ; hee must not leave them , untill he hath secured them . antisthenes said , that a good man was a troublesome burthen . who but insipid wretches , that have no feeling of their misery , will assent to this position ? a good liver is troublesome to none , but to the bad , and he is by so much the more pretious and desirable . that wound which makes the patient senselesse ; is more dangerous then that which smarts and grieves him . but if their misery when it is made apparent to them by the good man is thereby diminished , and they acknowledge themselves to have been made so by their own vain opinion ; it is just that they confesse virtue to be healing , and that by her meanes they found helpe from a strangers hand , when their own were infirm and helplesse . o virtue , the great lenitive of man-kind ! yea of those who are thine enemies ! thy hand heals him , that would hurt thee , as egypts drought by nilus is redrest , so thy wise tongue doth comfort the opprest . yea , the evill by whose association thy purity was never defiled , thou dost helpe by the good . in every virtuous man i hold that saying to be true , which venantius spoke of the great captain bonegissus : his hand restores , his counsel secures : whom fortune rejects or casts out of her armes , he taketh up and guards them in his . and hence i am induced to differ in my opinion from philo , about that saying of the jews law-giver , that a wise man hath heavy hands . what wonder is it if they be so , seeing the imprudent , the afflicted , and th● disconsolate , who are grievous and heavy to themselves , do all depend and hang ●pon his armes , like infants upon their mothers ? to help these hangers on , he must needs be bowed , and by speaking faire to their grievances , begin to redress them . this is the property , or rather the prerogative of the constant and wise man ; hee can descend safely from the sphere of his owne happinesse to mingle with , and to comfort the miserable . noe man by standing still can rescue one that is carryed away by a violent torrent , and ready to be drowned ; nor if he also be overcome by the same stream , can he save the other . it is one thing to be thrown down , and another to be bowed down . he that would not be thrown down , must look to the liberty of his will , and not submit it to fortune . but to restore , or raise up others , it is necessary that he must bow . no man can take up a child that is fallen , but by bending himselfe : to cure the ill-affected , we must in some things incline to their affections . comfort is a potion of that nature , that heals not the sick , without an appearance of the same indisposition in the very physitian : the patient will otherwise suspect that for poyson , which is meant for his health . hee that is ill-affected , wil be unwilling to believe that another which is not so , can have any skill to cure him : and he that labours with the same disease , can neither cure others , nor himself . therefore he that would minister comfort unto the distressed , must of necessity have his will above the tyranny of fortune , he must have a mind that is invulnerable , and yet seem to be very tender and sensible of her lightest strokes . it is one thing to be subject to these affections , and another to rule them : to be had of them , and to have them . he that would loose others , must not be bound himselfe . when mus●nianus observed a troop of horse , that was under his command , to halt , and make a stand , expecting some omen from a bird that had suddenly pitched before them , he bent his bow , and riding up to the front of the troop , shot at the bird , and killed him : then laughing at their folly , he told them , that there was but litle advice or help to be expected from such irrational creatures , that were not onely ignorant of the destiny of others , but could not foresee their own ill luck . wee must look first to our own safety , afterwards to others : the hand of the helper should make the first assay upon himself : he that experimentally knowes , he can swim , is fi to save another that is in danger to be drtowned . but when i speak of tendernesse , and a seeming complyance with the weaknesse of others ; i mean not dissimulation . i allow a community of tears , but not of the cause of tears . let the miserable bewail their misery , and let the wise man mourne with those that mourn , because they mourne amisse , not because they suffer . let him not mourne for the power of fortune , but for the weaknesse of man. when a friend of solon found him weeping , hee told him , that tears were not the potion against fortune , and would therefore profit nothing ; i know it well ( said solon ) and that is it which i lament . he bewailed the tears of others , not the cause of their tears : that is it which a wise man ( the enemy and the avenger upon fortune , ) may justly bewail , to see men weep , when weeping availes not . he is troubled , not because they suffer , but because they will not be comforted ; yea , because they will not be men : he thinkes not that it is evill to suffer worldly afflictions ; nay , hee knowes it is good , but he knowes withall that worldly sorrowes slay the soul. this is the consideration that calls forth his tears : hee wisely distinguisheth , that man is not made miserable by any outward accidents , but by his own opinion : for no man is made unhappy , because he exists , or is , but because he thinks himselfe to be so : the wise man bewailes a greater evil then the evil of misfortune , and that is the inability of some men to beare evil. hee mourns not because they are patients , but for their impatience . the true or reall evil which he knowes to be in them , is their ignorance of false or reputed evills . that which causeth him to weep , is their causelesse weeping . he that disguiseth his constancie thus , dissembles not . i make not a wise man to be impassible , but enduring and compassionate , yea the patient of compassions : though i exempt him from the crowd and populacie ; i place him not above humanity : though he is no peere of the multitude , yet he descends to pitty them : but we doe not therefore disturb his peace and serenity , because he is mercifull and condoling ; but because it is his expectation , his desire . he is not stormy , nor treacherous , nor base , but courteous , liberal and happy ; he is in all estates master of himself ; he is kept fresh and pleasant by the secret joyes and vivifications of an unoffended conscience . it was well said by the school-divine ; that the tears of the righteous were the smiles of their soules . gregory nazianzen commended his brother cesarius for his honest dissimulation with the dissembling court. he was inwardly an anachorite , and outwardly a courtier . in publick and splendid affaires affaires ( which are more seducing and inconstant then private , ) this policie is necessary : wee should alwaies have a snare ready for them , that we may escape theirs . in the downright blowes of fortune , that is , in our own domestick losses , we should be sincere and naked ; we should put on nothing but our native complexion , and a serene mind . in this case , wee should be so undaunted , as to looke upon upon fortune , and overcome her without any weapons , we should set naked upon her , not onely without defensive armes , but without cloaths . in the dangers of others , we must deal otherwise ; wee must use all means to secure them : wee must deal with fortune as she deals with us , by disguises and stratagems : all her wares are but gilded clouds , a superficiall wash ; they are not that which they seem to be ; to be true to our selves , wee must be false to these , wee must not trust them . shee cannot require more from us , or better , then what shee gives : her good , and her evill are both counterfeits , and he that dissembles with them , offends not . the riches of this world are not sound within : wee may not for th●ir sakes corrupt our soules , and be mad● like unto them . let the peace of co●●●●●nce shine within , upon a white and undefiled throne , though wee look mournfull and ragged without . no man deals better , or more justly with this world , then he that lends her his face , but keeps his heart . this is the nature of the world , to give us a fair looke , and an empty hand . consider thy selfe : how often hast thou been that creature , which thou didst not seem to be ? all the accoutrements of fortune , all her pomp , and the transitory course thereof , when laid out with the best advantage , seemes to me but a stage-play . her most glorious favourits passe by like whifflers , which carry torches in their hands onely to shew the deformity of their vizards : they hasten away , and like to speedy posts , bear hence the lamp of life . all the glory of this world , hath darknesse , and treachery in it . it passeth gloomily by us , like high-way-men that traverse the road with veiled faces : hee that will be even with this counterfeit , must clap on a vizard too , and by an honest dissimulation , preserve himself . in the funeralls of our friends , our kindred and benefactors , wee may moderately mourne ; but we must not lose our patience , nor that christian peace , which is the golden fruit of faith and hope . the great mercy of god hath so provided , that evill when it sets upon us , is but an apparition ; there comes good presently after it . to live well , we have in our selves more then enough : we need not any extraneous help ; our very desiring of it , makes us miserable . so excellently best is our condition , that the blessed life is ours gratis , but misery we must hunt after . the happy life needes neither riches nor wishes ; misery cannot be had without desiring , and it is never given without covetousnesse , which is the price paid for it . wee suffice of our selves for a happy life ; why not for meere life , which is something lesse ? shall we think our selves poor , because we abound with the means of happinesse ? as long as the batteries of fortune cannot shake the mind , nor make the wil to fly into shivers ; the heart is whole , and our peace is secure : her musters and preparations seem formidable but to children only : take off the helmet , or vizard of evil , and underneath it , you will find good : hast thou lost a friend that took care for thee like a mother , and furnished the like a father ? that very losse is an occasion of greater gain , though at first it appears not . parents sometimes to sport with their children disguise themselves : the child at the first sight is dejected , but having taken off the masque , he findes his mother : he laughs , kisseth and embraceth her , and if shee comes again in that dresse , he fears her not . who would not be astonished at that furious army of evils , which fought against holy job ? it was a sad sight to see a father , after the losse of his children , and substance , to lye languishing under the tyranny of a devouring ulcer , and where ? upon a dunghill , the very sink of uncleannesse and corruption . but this frighted him not : hee was so farre from thinking it an evil , that he played with the worms , and made that , which his friends esteemed for vengeance and misery , to be his meditation and mirth : hee was sure that he was innocent , and retaining his integrity , he could not misse of joy . he saw through that crust and scab , the sure mercies of god : his beautifull and healing hand , shined through that lothsome veyle . he desired not the comforts of his kinred , nor his friends : he said to corruption , thou art my father , and to the worms , you are my sisters . this was onely a shel , or seeming evil ; but the kernel , or substance that lay within it , was solid and reall good . as children deal with nuts , so good and wise men deal with calamities ; they break the shell , and eate the kernell : both the good and evill of this world have their fucus , and outside : hee that knowes that , and knowes how to take it off , is a knowing man , and knowes how to use them . this lesson saint paul taught the citizens of corinth . let them that weep ( saith he ) be as though they wept not : and they that rejoyce , as though they re●oyced not : and they that buy , as though they possessed not . he allowes onely an illusive and seeming commerce with the world : hear his reason , and you will acknowledge his justice : the fashion of this world ( saith he ) passeth away , or is transient and deceiving : that which men call fruition in this world , is but face-acquaintance : all temporall possession is but a looking on , the things themselves passe away . they are still in a cryptical , unperceived motion , when we suppose them to be fast lockt , and fettered in our armes : they creep from us like a mist or smoke , which in confused and silent evolutions steales out at the top of the chimney , after it hath fouled it within . all worldly things , even while they grow , decay , as smoke doth , by ascending , wast away . saith dionysius lyrinensis . the apostle would have us to put on the same disposition , and to be even with this great deceiver by a like deception . let us give it but a glimpse , and halfe a face , as it gives us but a transient and flattering salute . let us weep and not weepe , rejoyce and not rejoyce , use it and not use it . this wee can never act handsomly without personating , or rather mocking this arch-cheat . when our eyes flow with tears , we must keep our consciences smiling and pleasant : wee must have heraclitus his face , and democritus his heart . the forehead is the index of the mind ; but the soul of the just must shine , when his face is most clouded . wee must not give our strength unto the world , that is to say , we must not seriously affect it : in all our negotiations with it , we must stand at a distance , and keepe our affection for him , who must be loved with all the heart , with all the strength , and with all the soul. saint paul ( when he made use of this expression , ) had respect , i believe , unto the rites of the roman theater , the comick and tragick lawes of their poets , which together with their government , were dispersed into all civill climates : he applied to the various representations , suddain changes and successive showes of the stage , where truth moved in disguise , and the serious travels of the sons of men , were by masquers and personating counterfeits solidly acted : where the short flourish of humane affaires did wither by degrees , and ended in a sad catastrophe , while the poets plot upbrayded the vanity of states-mens policie . the world is a meer stage ; the master of the revels is god ; the actors are men ; the ornaments and flourishes of the scenes are honour , power and pomp ; the transitory and painted streams of mortality , which passe along with the current of time , and like flowers , do but onely appeare , when they stay longest : hee that enjoyes them most , doth but smell to them , and the shortest fruition permits as much . what else was the majesty of the assyrian empire , but a tractitious , vanishing apparition , a slight flash of transient glory ? it shot by like a falling star , and was presently succeeded by the medes and persians : after them came the macedon , and last of all the roman . the kingdomes of mortall men are not immortal : they are no better then their rulers . where is ninus now , where is semiramis , cyrus , darius , alexander , antipater , ptolomie , julius caesar , octavian , and tiberius ? where now are these patriarchs of amb●ition , these weak roots of the assyri●n , median , persian , macedonian , asian , egyptian , and roman greatnesse ? what is become of these primats of pride , these eldest sons of fortune , these prosperous disturbers of mankinds peace , before whom the world became dumb , like a sparrow before a kite ? what a deep silence ! what a thick darkness is now drawn over them ! nothing remaines of them but their names , and the bare skeleton of glory : their onely boast , is , that they have been : our onely knowledge , is , that they are vanished . nay , it is most certain , that we a know not all their names ; those we are acquainted with , are not many : so ruinous a thing is humane glory , though held by mortal men to be immortal . they are deceived : it leaves neither reliques , as their bodies do ; nor inscriptions , like their sepulchers . the glory of men is more mortal then their carkasses . their bones remain after ●heir funerals , after the fire , & executioner ; and th●ir teeth may be seen , when they can neith●r snarl● , nor bite . but their fame is edibl● , it is dev●●red by time without f●re , ●●a , without aire ; for by no● re●●●●ing p●s●erity , it becomes dumb , and miss●●h their ●ongues , by whose speaking it lives . all the felicity of men is a dream , it comes on they know not how , and when it vanisheth , they cannot so much as discern its back-parts . if these recorded empires , these famous yoaks and burthens of the world came so suddenly to nothing ; what will be the lot of these petty fetters , these leaden manacles that we are bound with ? if those massie and mighty weights were so clearly blown off ; what will become of these loose packes , which have nothing to balasse them , but feathers , but chaffe and motes ? those universall monarchies founded upon the principall cities of the world , whose colony was the whole earth : those cities whose bulwarks did threaten the clouds , whose armies and fleets made the earth to tremble , and the seas to grone : whose lawes ( like oracles ) were held sacred and unalterable ; found no security against the arm of god , which tears the crowne from the head , and the scepter from the right hand of the lawgiver . he considers in his dwelling pl●c● , like a cl●●r 〈◊〉 upon h●●bs : ●e 〈…〉 the things that are to c●●e : he ●●●●th the nations with the s●ve of 〈◊〉 : he b●owes upon them , and they w●th 〈◊〉 and ●hall not be planted . and why t●in●●ou the● that these dry and fading 〈…〉 f●ourish for ever ? all temporall tri●mphs have their date : they passe away in a sure and uninterrupted course , and when they begin to decay and unloade thems●lves , then they are swiftest . all the pomp of this world , is but gilded emptiness● , a nine daies blossome , whose beauty drops into the same mould from whence it sprung . it is the consciousnesse of their delusion , that makes these worldly honours fly from us so fast ; lest if they should stay long , wee should discover their cosenage ; the discoverer then would be ashamed of his dot age , and the discovered would blush at his deceit . therfore saint paul , in these versible and transitory fashions of the world , would have us to personate stage-players , who when they weep , grieve not ; when they b●y , they poss●sse not ; when they command , they are without authority . seeing the world is but a play , and a fable , hee would not have us to act in earnest . players act the lives of others , not their owne : i wish that we could do so too . excellent is that advice of the divine , to live a stranger unto life . why should i be troubled with the affaires of others , more then with their agues or feavers ? he that lives without the affections of this life , is master of himself , and looks upon all things , as spectators do upon stage-playes , who are without passion , because without interest . the actors care not how the scenes varie : they know , that when the play is ended , the conquerour must put off his crown in the same ward-robe where the fool puts off his cap. take this wholsome counsel of resting quiet in the degree appointed thee , not from the mouth of musonius , teletes , or epictetus , who adviseth thee to be a pantomime , or shifting masquer in these worldly enterludes , but from the mouth of saint paul , that great doctour of the universe . let every man wherein he is called , therein abide with god. that supreme , eternall mind is the master and deviser of this worldly drama : hee brings on the persons , and assignes them their parts . art thou called to be a servant ? be not troubled at it : hath he ordained thy life to be short ? desire not to have it lengthned : if poor , desire not to be made rich . what part soever he hath appointed for thee , be contented therewith , and act it faithfully . it is thy duty to represent the person thou wert chosen for , and not to choose ; that is the prerogative of thy great master . if it be his will , that thou shouldst act a begger , a sick man , or an afflicted , let it be thy care to act it well , and to meddle with no other action . the stageplayer is not commended , because he acts the part of a prince , but because hee acts it well , and like a prince . it is more commendable to act a foole , a begger , or a mourner to the life ; then to act a king , or a philosopher foolishly . in the beginning , the midle , and the end of thy course , keep thou to thy part . the best way of acting is to make thy heart consentaneous to thy tongue , thy deeds to thy words , and thy conversation to thy doctrine . in all the tumults and combustions of this world , keepe constant to thy station ; comfort the afflicted , and envy not the wicked ; despise not the one , and flatter not the other : remember thy creator , and forget not thy end . gloria tibi mitissime jesu ! of life and death . the people think life to be the greatest good , and death the greatest evill . they are mightily deceived : and as in the least blessings , so in this , which is the greatest , they greatly erre . for life , if thou livest not well , is the greatest evill ; and death , if thou dyest not ill , is the greatest good ; and dye ill thou canst not , unlesse thou livest ill . a life that is not good encreaseth evils and wickednesse ; and the death of the good sets an end to afflictions and miseries . those that are sick of the jaundis , judge the sweetest honey to be the most bitter : so evil men esteem death to be evill , because of their evill conscience ; but death is not so to any , but to those onely , whose evill lives end in the evill of endlesse death . this controversie i shall decide with such reasons as must not be numbred , bu● weighed . if wee look upon philosophy , it takes part with death , and is the first that marcheth into the field against this popular error . it teacheth us that this hideous nothing , this imaginary fear of the multitude should be alwayes contemned , and sometimes desired . how many wise men hath this contempt of death made immortall ? for those , who by a continual remembrance of death , did compose and regulate their lives , are now by the memory of their virtuous lives vindicated from death . socrates perfected his wisdom by his willingnesse to dye ; pythagoras by his gentlenesse ; anaxagoras dyed merrily ; * calanus resolutely ; hee would not stay to be tamely besieged by her , but sally edout , and took her . he surprized death and a●l of them despised her . no definitions we can give will suffice to make death odious , every one will make it desirable . whither you consider what death is , or what are the effects , or consequents of it ; whether the evil or the good attending it ; or whether death it self be a meer evill or meer good all make for it . for though it should be an evill , yet the good that comes by it exceeds that evill ; and being evill , it cannot be so great an evill as all those evils it puts an end to . what one thing hath life that is desirarable ? contentions , and obstinate , busie miseries , whose frequency and number hath made them lesse feared then death , which comes but once : whose assiduity , or daily malice to afflict us , hath by a long custome made us not valiant , but senslesse and blockish . orpheus defined life to be the penalty of soules ; and aristotle added , that it was a punishment like to that , which tied the living to the dead , mouth to mouth , and breast to breast . the pure and eternal soul is tyed to the putrid and wasting carkasse . if god should now suddenly create a man , giving him withall in that very instant the perfect and free use of his mind , and should then bring before him all mankind ( as he did all living creatures before the first man ) and shew him in this mixt multitude some weeping and sighing ; some without eyes to weep ; some without hands ; others without legs ; some sick and languishing ; others eaten up with horrid , impure ulcers ; some beging ; others quarrelling ; some plotting treason , and washing their hands in innocent blood ; some old and decrepi● , quivering , trembling , and leaning upon staves ; some distracted , and bound up in chains ; others plundered , tortured , murthered , and martyred ; their murtherers in the mean time pretending religion , piety , and the glory of god : and after all this outward scene , should so enlighten his eyes , that he might discover another inward one , i meane their secret thoughts , and close devices , their tyranny , covetousnesse , & sacriledge varnished outwardly with godly pretences , dissembled purity , and the stale shift of liberty of conscience : is there any doubt to be made , think you , but after such impious , and astonishing spectacles , he would quickly repent of his existence or being , and earnestly desire to be dissolved again , that he might rest in peace , and not be cast into this hospital , and valley of villanies which we call the world. it is for this cause , that wise nature is so slow and niggardly in her dispensations of reason and maturity unto man , lest a sudden perfection should make us loath her , and lest the necessary evils of life understood in grosse , and upon our first entrance into life should discourage us from undergoing those miseries which by degrees , and successive conflicts we more willingly struggle with . abner the eastern king , so soon as his son was born , gave order for his confinement to a stately and spatious castle , where he should be delicately brought up , & carefully kept from having any knowledg of humane calamities ; he gave speciall command that no distressed person should be admitted into his presence ; nothing sad , nothing lamentable , nothing unfortunate ; no poor man , no old man , none weeping nor disconsolate was to come near his palace . youthfulnesse , pleasures , and joy were alwaies in his presence , nothing else was to be seen , nothing else was discoursed of in his company . a most ridiculous attempt to keep out sorrow with bars and walls , and to shut the gates against sadnesse , when life is an open door by which it enters . his very delights conveigh'd displeasure to him , and grief by a distast of long pleasure found way to invade him . so constant is pleasure in inconstancy , that continual mirth turns it into sadnesse . certainly though abner by this device might keep all sorrows from the presence of his son , hee could not keep them from his sense : hee could keep out , and restrain external evils , but could not restraine his inherent affections . his son longed ; this made him sad in the very midst of his joyes . and what thinkst thou did he long for ? truly , not to be so cumberd with delights . the grief of pleasures made him request his father to loose the bonds of his miserable felicity . this suit of the son crost the intentions of the father , who was forced to give over his device to keep him from sadnesse , lest by continuing it , he should make him sad . he gave him his liberty , but charged his attendants , to remove out of his way all objects of sorrow : the blind , the maimed , the deformed , and the old must not come near him . but what diligence is sufficient to conceal the miseries of mortality ? they are so numerous , that they may as soon be taken out of the world , as hidden from those that are in the world . royal power ●●●vailed lesse here then humane infirmity ; for this last took place in spight of the first . the prince in his recreations meets with an old man , blind , and leprous ; the sight astonisheth him ; he startles , trembles , and faints , like those that swound at the apparition of a spirit ; enquires of his followers what that thing might be ? and being inwardly perswaded that it was some fruit of humane life , he became presently wise , disliked pleasures , condenmed mirth , and despised life . and that his life might have the least share here , where fortune hath the greatest , he rejected the hopes and blandishments of life , yea that which is to many the price of two lives , his kingdom , and royal dignity : he laboured with all diligence to live so in the world as if he had been dead , that by avoyding sin , the cause of sorrow , he might be , though not safe , at least secure . if this single accident made him so much offended with life , what ( think you ) would he have done , had his liberty been universal , and unbounded ? what if he had seen the inside of those stately tombes wee build for the worms to eat us in , where they feed upon such fat oppressors as have been fed here with the tears and pillage of the oppressed ? what if he had narrowly searched every corner of the world , and seen those necessary uncleannesses in which the birth of man is celebrated , in which this miserie is inaugurated , by the paines of the mother , and the cries of the infant ? what if he had entred into their bed-chambers and bosomes , where some sit weeping , others wishing ; some surfeited and sick with fruition ? where some mourn for their wives , others for their children ; some pine and starve with want , others are full and vomit ; some are troubled with lack of necessaries , and others are as much vexed with abundance and superfluity ? what if after all this search , and wide disquisition he could not have found one house without some misfortune , and none without tears ? what if he had been admitted into the breasts of all those , whom either domestick , hidden griefs , lingring diseases , worldly cares , or an insatiable covetousness is ever tormenting ? perhaps thei sight of so many evils had driven him to a refusall of life , in which we doe so dye with miseries , and by which miseries doe so live in us ; at least he had earnestly wished and groaned for some means of redemption from so miserable a bondage . if any had brought him the joyful news of liberty , and affirmed that some were already made free , he had certainly envyed them very much , and would have been impatient to know the means . but when it had been told him that the device and release was death , i do not onely think , but i verily beleeve that he had both approved of it , and would have sought for it more then for hidden treasure . he had judged it not onely desirable and convenient , but necessary , and the greatest felicity , and favour that the living could expect . if some solitary travellour , shut up in a wilderness , and surrounded with wild beasts , should on the one side see a tiger making towards him , on the other a lyon , and from some third place a scalie , winding serpent , or a basilisk , which kils with ●is very looks , whose hissings fright all natures monstrous ills , his eye darts death , more swift then poison kils . all monsters by instinct to him give place , they fly for life , for death lives in his face ; and hee alone by natures hid commands reigns paramont , and prince of all the sands . if these , with a thousand more , as bears , leopards , wolves , dragons , adders , and vipers were gathered together about him , and ready to seize upon him , what would not he give to be freed from the violence and rage of such destroyers ? what greater felicity could he desire , then to be redeemed from such an horrid and fatall distress● ? and is it a lesser blessing to be delivered from greater evills ? we are surrounded with calamities , torn by inordinate wishes , hated by the world , persecuted , prest , and trodden upon by our enemies , disquieted with threatnings , which also torture and dishearten some ; for in pusillanimous dispositions fear makes words to be actions , and threats to be torments . death is a divine remedy which cures all these evil death alone is the cause that temporal miseries are not eternal . and i know not how that came to be feared , which brings with it as many helps , as the world brings damages . danger it self is a sufficient motive to make us in love w th security . death only secures us from troubles : death heals , and glorifies all those wounds which are received in a good cause . when socrates had drank off his potion of hemlock , he commanded that sacrifices should be offered to aesculapius , as the genius of medicine . he knew that death would cure him . it was the antidote against that poysonous recipe of the athenian parliament . tyranny travels not beyond death , which is the sanctuary of the good , and the lenitive of all their sorrows . most ridiculous were the tears of xerxes , and worthily checkt by his captain artabazus ; when seated on the top of an hill , and viewing his great army ( wherein were so many hands as would have served to overturn the world , to levell mountains , and drain the seas , yea to violate nature , and disturb heaven with their noyse , and the smoak of their camp ) he fell to a childish whining , to consider in what a short portion of time all that haughty multitude , which now trampled upon the face of the earth , would be layd quietly under it . he wept to think , that all those men ( whose lives notwithstanding hee hastned to sacrifice to his mad ambition ) should dye within the compasse of an hundred yeares . the secular death , or common way of mortality , seemed very swift unto him , but the way of war & slaughter he minded not . it had been more rational in him to weep , because death was so slow and lazie , as to suffer so many impious , inhumane souldiers to live an hundred years , and disturb the peace and civill societies of mankind . if as hee saw his army from that hill , he had also seen the calamities and mischief they did , with the tears and sorrows of those that suffered by them , he had dried his eyes , and would not have mourned , though he had seen death seising upon all those salvages , and easing the world of so vast an affliction . he would not have feared that , which takes away the cause of fear : that is not evill , which removes such violent and enormous evills . if i might ask those that have made experiment of life and death , whither they would chuse ( if it were granted them ) either to live again , or to continue in their state of dissolution , i am sure none would chuse life but the wicked , & those that are unworthy of it ; for no pious liver did ever repent of death , and none ever will. the just desire not this life of the unjust , which ( were it offered them , ) they would fear it more , ( now being at rest , ) then ever they feared death , when they lived . the story runnes that stanislaus the polonian , a man of marvellous holinesse and constancy ; had the opportunity to put this question , and the respondent told him , that he had rather suffer the paines of dissolution twice over again , then live once : he feared one life , but did not fear to dy thrice . having this solution from the experienced , it is needless , and fruitlesse to question on the living . if soules were praeexistent , as one origen dreamt , as cebes , plato , hermes , and other philosophers , the great fathers of hereticks , have affirmed ; wee might have reason to conclude , that they would obstinately refuse to be imprisoned in the wombs of women , and wallow in seminal humours . what if it were told them , that they must dwell nine monthes in a thick darknesse , and more then nine years ( perhaps all the years of their sojourning ) in hallucinations , and the darknesse of ignorance ? what if the paines , the exigencies , the hunger and thirst they must endure , before they can be acquainted with the miseries of life , were laid before th●m ? the infant while he is yet in the womb , is taught necessity . quest for foode makes him violate that living prison , and force his way into the world. and now comes he forth , ( according to the sentiment of hippocrates , ) to seek for victualls ; the provision which proceeded from his mother , being grown too little for him . but he comes from one prison into another , and breaks through the first to enlarge his own , which he carries with him : but if the soules ●hus incarcerated ( like prisoners through a grate ) might behold the various plagues and diseases of those that are at liberty , as palsies passions of the heart , convulsions , stranguries , the stone , the gout , the wolfe , the phagedaena , and an hundred other horrid incurable evils , such as pherecides , antiochus , and herod were tormented with , or that fearful sicknesse of leuthare , which was so raging and furious , that she did eat her own flesh , and drink her blood in the extremity of the pain : or if they might see those evills , which man himselfe hath sought and found out for himself ; as emulations , warres , bloodshed , confusion , and mutual destruction ; is there any doubt to be made , think you , but they would wish themselves freed from such a miserable estate ; or that their intellectuall light were were quite extinguished , that they might not behold such horrid and manifold calamities . plato imputed the suspension of reason in infants , and the hallucinations of childhood to the terrour and astonishment of the soules , which he supposed them to be possessed with , because of their sudden translation from the empyreal light , into the darke and grosse prisons of flesh , and this inferiour world ; as if such a strange and unexpected change ( like a great and violent fall , ) had quite doated them , and cast asleep their intellectuall faculties . proclus assisted this conjecture of plato , with another argument drawne from the mutability , and the multitude of worldly events , which in the uncertaine state of this life , the soules were made subject unto . adde to this , that the merriest portion of life , wihch is youth , is in both sexes bedewed with tears , and the flowers of it are sullied , and fade away with much weeping , and frequent sadne●se . children also want not their sorrowes : the rod blasteth all their innocent joyes , and the sight of the school-master turnes their mirth into mourning . nay that last act of life , which is the most desirable to the soul , i mean old age , is the most miserable . the plenteous evills of frail life fill the old : their wasted limbs the loose skin in dry folds doth hang about ; their joynts are numm'd and through their veines not blood , but rheumes and waters flow . their trembling bodies with a staffe they stay , nor doe they breath , but sadly sigh all day : thoughts tire their hearts , to them their very mind is a disease ; their eyes no sleep can find . adde to these usuall infirmities , the confluence of adventious maladies : for all the former distempers and corruptions of life gather themselves together , and make head in old age ; when the inward strength , and expulsive power of nature is decayed , when wee are almost dead , then do they revive and rage most of all . rivers are no where more full , nor more foule then towards the channell-end . but this generall decay i acknowledge to be a great benefit , because it drives away all voluptuous and unseemly delights from the aged , that their soules may be lively and in health , when the hour of dissolution comes . and indeed it is necessary , that griefes and unpleasantnesse should lay hold upon age , because men ( who are alwaies unwilling to think of dying , ) may be thereby weaned from the delights of life , and learn to dye before the day of death . seeing then , that the temporal life is in all its portions so full of misery , it is not irrational to conclude , that soules ( if they were praeexistent , ) would be very unwilling to submit to this sad bondage of flesh and blood . nor do i wonder that isis , in his sacred book , writes , that the soules , when they were commanded to enter into the bodies , were astonished , and suffered a kind of deliquium , or traunce ; and that they did hisse and murmure , like to the suspirations of wind . camephes sets down their complaints : 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , &c. miserable wretches ! in what have we so foulely trespassed , what offense so heinous and worthy of so horrible a punishment have we committed , as to be shut up and imprisoned for it , in these moist and cold carkasses ? our eyes from henceforth shall not behold the divine spirits , for wee shall onely peepe through two small spheres made of grosse and corrupt humours . when we look towards heaven , we shall have onely the liberty to grone for the presence of our creatour , but see him we may not ; for we shall see then by a secondary light , which is the light of the lower world , and not be permitted to use our own discerning light , &c. we shall hear our kinred rejoycing in the air , and mourn that we are not partakers of their liberty , &c. but thou great father and maker of spirits , who doest dispose of all thy works as it pleaseth thee , appoint we beseech thee some terme to our sad bondage , and let this punishment passe quickly over us , that we may be restored again to our celestiall liberty , to behold ( without obstruction ) the perfect beauty of all thy works , &c. they comforted themselves with the thought of the bodies dissolution , and petitioned before th●ir captivity , that their inlargement might be hastned : when they were excluded from the heavenly life , there was no greater blessing then the death of the body , which sets an end to the earthly . hee that loves death , hates a transitory corrupt condition , and he that hates his own life here , shall keep it unto life erernall . i do verily believe , that to him that throughly considers it , no part of life can be desireable . it is altogether so full of sorrowes ; it is a peece weaved of calamities and troubles , yea , life it selfe is its owne vexation . as those that travell in rough , uneven and mountainous roades are alwaies gasping and weary , which makes them sit down often , to recover their spent breath , and refresh themselves , that having reach'd the brow and crown of the hill , they may walk onwards with more delight , and be at leasure to feed their eyes with the beauteous prospect , and freshnesse of those green & flowry plaines which lye extended before them : so this troublesome and tumultuous life hath need of death , for its ease and repast , as a state in which it doth repaire and strengthen it selfe against the fair journey and progresse of eternity . frail and weary life cannot last , and hold out untill the indiction of immortality ; so long a journey cannot be performed without subsiding ; a resting place must be had : death is the inne where we take up , that we may with more chearfullnesse set forwards , and be enabled to overtake , and to keep company with eternity . nay , so fraile is life , that it cannot expect , or stay for the day of death without some prevening recreations : it travells by stages , and periodical courses , where it breathes , and gathers strength against the next motion . as tyred travellours make frequent pauses in the very roade , and cannot stay for the refreshment of lodging ; so life , by reason of the importunity , and the multitude of humane troubles , cannot endure or hold out till it reacheth the inne , which is death ; but is driven to rest in the shade upon the way-side ; for sleep ( the shadow of death ) is nothing else but a reparation of weary and fainting life . so much more excellent then life is death , that life is driven to be sustained by so many deaths , that is to say , the mortal life is necessarily preserved by sleep , which is the usher & masquerade of death . reedes , because they are very weak and brittle , are strengthned with distinct knots or joynts , which makes their length firme , and keepes them from cleaving : so life , if it were not refreshed and mantained still by successive , set allevations of certain prolusions of death , would fall asunder and vanish upon its first appearance . hitherto we have discoursed of life , let us now consider death , and compare it with life . if death in its shadow and projection be the recreation of life , how delightfull will it be at home , or in it self ! wearinesse is a preparative which makes rest pleasant : that recipe which succeedes bitternesse , must needs be sweet . charidemus used to say , that through all temporal things there was a chaine drawne , whereof one link was pain , and the other pleasure : that these succeeded one another , and so ( said he ) after great sorrowes there come greater joyes . what greater sorrowes can there be , then the sorrowes of life ? there is therefore no greater pleasure then the pleasure of death , which succeed those great sorrows . phalaris said , that men held life to be pleasant , because they suspected death to be grievous and irksome . he speaks after the sense of the people , and abuseth life , not esteeming it to be good , but because he thinks death to be evill . i shall crosse his saying , and inferre that death should be esteemed pleasant , because wee are sure that life is painfull : but there is an appearance of something like errour , because we see many here , that passe through their whole lives without any troubles or discontents . that felicity is rare and adulterate , and happens most commonly to those that desire it not : look not upon those few which escape in this storme , but upon those which are drowned : these last are innumerable , thought it is thought otherwise , because they are sunk into the bottom , and cannot be seen . admit not , i beseech thee , for a testimony against● death , those ejulations and tears which darken funerals , and make foul weather in the fairest faces . opinion makes the people compassionate , and they bewail not the party that is dead , but their owne frailty . call not for evidence to the teares of strangers , because thou knowest not whence they flow ; but call for it to thine own , for none of us is happy or miserable but in his own sense which makes us any thing . what reason hast thou to think life better then death , because others mourne when thou dyest , who when thou wert born , didst weep thy selfe ? it is madnesse to judge our selves miserable , because others think so . the solemnities of death are contrary to the ceremonies of life . at the birth of man others laugh , but he himself weeps . at his death others weep , but surely hee rejoyceth , unlesse his ill life hath made his death deadly . nor must thou think that his joy is either little or none at al , because it is not manifested unto thee : thou mayst lye watching by the side of one that dreams of heaven , & is conversing with angels , but unlesse hee tells it thee when he is awaked , thou canst discover no such thing while he sleepes . the infant that is born weeping , learns to laugh in his sleep , as odo and augustine have both observed : so , he that bewailed his birth with tears , welcomes the shadow of his death with smiles : he presaged miseries to follow his nativity , and beatitude his dissolution . weeping is natural ; tears know their way without a g●ide : mirth is rude , and comes on slowly , and very late , nor comes it then without a supporter and a leader : it must be taught , and acquired . weeping comes with the infant into the world ; laughing is afterwards taught him ; the nurse must both teach , and invite him to it . when he sleeps , then he sips and tasteth joy ; when he dies , then he sucks and drinkes it . mourning and grief are natural , they are born with us ; mirth is slow-paced , and negligent of us : the sense of rejoycing ( if we beleeve avicenna ) comes not to the most forward child till after the fortieth day . men therefore weep at thy death , because it is an experiment they have not tryed ; and they laugh at thy birth , because the miseries of thy life must not be born by them . thou onely art the infallible diviner of thy own frail condition , who refusest it with teares , which are the most proper expressions of unwilling , & constrained nature . but as the ceremonies of life and death are contrary , so he that is born , and he that dyes , have different events . death to some seems to destroy all , but she restores all : by discomposing things she puts them in their order : for he that inverts things that were be●ore inverted , doth but reduce them to their right positure . the funeral rite of the t●bitenses ( who are certain east-indians ) is to turn the inside of their garments outward ; they manifest that part which before was hidden , and conceale that part which before was manifest ; by which they seeme , in my opinion , to point at the liberty of the soul in the state of death , and the captivity of the body , whose redemption must bee expected in the end of the world . this inversion by death is reparation , and a preparative for that order wherein all things shall be made new . most true is that saying of the royal preacher , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . a good name is above precious ointment , and the day of death is better then the day of ones birth . but thou wilt ask , to whom is the day of death better than the day of his nativity ? it is in the first place to him that dies ; true ( thou wilt say ) if he be a just and holy man ; yea ( say i ) though he be wicked . who doubts that there can happen in all their lives a better day to the just and honest , then the day of death , which frees them both from seeing , and from feeling the miseries which are in this world ? as for the unjust , it is most certain , that no day can be more beneficiall to them , then that which sets an end to their impieties , tyranny , perjury , and sacriledge . to deny a sword to one that would murther himself , is benevolence ; to deny money to a gamester that would presently cast it away , is courtesie ; and to deny life to those that would use it to their owne damnation , is mercy , and not judgement . but to whom besides these is the day of death better then the day of life ? certainly to god almighty ; because in that day when the wicked dye , his justice on them , and his mercy towards his own are conspicuous to all , and acknowledged by all . and to whom else ? not to speak of the rich and amb●tious , it is good to all men , to the whole creation , and to nature it self : for in that day the fair order and prerogative of nature is vindicated from the rage and rape of lustfull , intemperate persons : it becomes constant , consonant , and inviolable , by putting off those gross vestiments which make her productions subject to the assaults and violence of man , who is the most perverse and shamelesse defacer of gods image in himself , and the most audacious and abhominable contemner of his ordinances in his works , by using them to a contrary end , and quite different from that which their wise creator made them for . but let us not consider the goodnesse of death by those evils onely which it freeth us from , but by the blessings also which it brings along with it . their soules are by some men less valued then fortune and temporal power ; some cast away their lives to winne a crowne , yea the crowne , and the kingdome of another . they plot to forfeit a crown of eternall glory , by usurping a transitory one : they murther their owne soules by shedding the blood of some innocent persons , permitted to be overcome by men , that they might have power with god , and prevail . shall the short sove●aignty and sway of some small corners and spots of earth be compared to the everlasting triumphs in the kingdom of heaven ? the death of the sufferer is in this case the most gainfull ; the more he loseth by it upon earth , his gain is by so much the greater in heaven . the shorter our stay is here , our time above ( if reckon'd from the day of our death ) is the longer , but hath no end at all ; and the more our sufferings are , the greater shall our glory be . hegesias the cyrenian , when he praised death , promised not these blessings of immortality , but onely an end of temporall miseries ; and yet he did so far prevail with his auditors , that they preferred death to life ; they contemned the one , and so lusted after the other , that they would not patiently expect it , but did impatiently long for it ; they fel upon their own swords , and forced death to come on , by turning life out of doors before her lease was out ; and had not ptolomie by a special edict silenced his doctrine , he had robbed him of more subjects then ever war or the plague could have taken from him . before the blessed jesus had made his entrance through the veile , and opened the way to heaven , the reward of righteousnesse and sanctity was long life , the peculiar blessing of the pa●riarchs : it was a favour then not to appear before perfect purity , a judge of infinite , and all-seeing brightnesse , without an advocate or friend to speak for us , in the strength and heat of irregular youthfulnesse , when not so much as time had subdued or reformed the affections ; but now b●cause christ is gone thither before , and hath provided a place for us , the greatest blessing , and highest reward of holynesse is short life , and an unseasonable , or a violent death : for those harsh epithets ( which are but the inventions of fearfull , and sinful livers ) are swallowed up of immort●lity , & an unspeakable heavenly happinesse which crowns and overflowes all those that dye in christ . wee consider not those blessings which death leads us to , and therefore it is , that we so frequently approve of our most frivolous , wordly wishes , and sit weeping under the burthens of life , because we have not more laid upon us . a certain groundlesse suspition , that death is evill , will not suffer us to believe it to be good , though the troubles of life make us complement , and wish for it every day . this foolish fear and inconstancy of man , locmannus ( one of the most antient sages of persia , and admitted also into the society of the arabian magi , ) hath pleasantly demonstrated in the person of an old man , loaded ●ith a gr●at burthen of wood ; which having quite tyred him , he threw down , and called for death to come and ease him : hee had no sooner called , but death ( which seldome comes so quickly to those that call for it in earnest , ) presently appeared , and demands the reason , why he called ? i did call thee ( said he ) to help me to lift this burthen oft wood upon my back , which just now fell off . so much are we in love with miseries , that we fear to exchange them with true happiness : we do so doate upon them , that we long to resume them again , after wee have once shaked them off ; being either faithlesse and wavering , or else forgetfull of those future joyes , which cannot be had without the funerall and the death of our present sorrowes . what man distrest with hunger , if hee sate upon some barren and rockie bank , bounded with a deep river , where nothing could be expected but famine , or the fury of wild beasts ; and saw beyond that stream a most secure and pleasant paradise , stored with all kinds of bearing trees ; whose yielding boughes were adorned and plenteously furnished with most fair and delicate fruites ; if it were told him that a little below , there was a boate , or a bridge to passe over , would refuse that secure conveyance , or be affeard to commit himself to the calm and perspicuous streames , choosing rather to starve upon the brink , then to passe over , and be relieved ? o foolish men ! for gold , which is digged out of the suburbs of hell , we trust our selves to the raging and unstable seas , guarded with a few planks , and a little pitch ; where onely a tree ( as aratus faith ) is the partition betwixt death and us : and after many rough disputes with violent perills , and the fight ●f so many more ; wee perish in the unhappy acquisition of false happinesse ; the sea either resisting , or else punishing our covetousnesse . but to passe into our heavenly country , into the bosome and embraces of divinity , into a realm where fortune reigns not , wee dare not so much as think of it . who after long banishment , and a tedious pilgrimage , being now come near to his native country , and the house of his father , where his parents , his brethren , and friends expect him with longing , would then turn back , and choose to wander again , when he might have joy , when he might have rest ? god the father expects us , the blessed jesus expects us , the mild and mourning dove doth long and grone for us : the holy virgin-mother , the angells our friends , and the saints our kindred , are all ready to receive us . it is through death that wee must passe unto them : why grieve we then , yea , why rejoyce wee not to have this passage opened ? but let us grant that death were not inevitable , yea , that it were in the power of man , and that every one had a particular prerogative given him over destinie ; so that this greatest necessity were the greatest freedome , yea , that man could not dye , though he desired death : yet in this very state , would hee be troubled with fortune and hope . he would be a fool that would not venture to dye , to enjoy true felicity : that would choose rather to live alwaies in the changeable state of most unchangeable and lasting miseries , then to put an end to them all by dying once . it is madnesse to feare death , which ( if it reigned not upon the earth ) wee would both desire and pray for . it was wisely adjudged by zaleucus , that death ought to be publickly proclaimed , though men had been immortall . had death been arbitrary , and at every mans pleasure , i believe we had esteemed it as desireable as any other joy ; now because it is imperial , and above us , let it not seem too much , if wee grant it to be tollerable . it was absurdly said by on● , that death was a necessary evill , and ought therefore to be patiently born . his inference was good , though from a bad principle : death is rather a necessary good : and if necessity makes evils to be tolerable , there is more reason , it should make good so . death because it is good , should be made much of ; and wee should rejoyce that it is necessary , because that makes it certain . how great a good is that , by which it is necessary that we be not miserable ! which frees the captive without ransome , dismisseth the oppressed without the consent of the oppressour , brings home the banished in spite of the banisher , and heal●s the sicke without the pain of physick : which mends all that fortune marred ; which is most just ; which repaires and makes even all the disorders and inequalities made by time and chance ; which is the blessed necessity that takes away necessary evills ? he had erred less● , if he had mentioned a necessity of bearing life patiently , whose more proper definition that sorry proverbe is ; for it casts us into necessary evills against our will , and is the cause that wee willfully meddle with evills that are unnecessary . it is a discreet method of nature , that infuseth the soules into the body in such a state that is not sensible of their captivity , lest they should murmur at the decrees of the great archiplast . what wise man that were neare the terme of his appointed time , if he were offered to have life renew'd , would consent to be born again , to be shut up in flesh , & fed for nine months with excrementitious obscenities , to bear all the ignominies of nature , all the abuses of fortune , to resume the ignorance of infancie , the feares of childhood , the dangers of youth , the cares of manhood , and the miseries of old age ? i am of ●eliefe that no man did ever live so happily , as to be pleased with a repetition of past life . these evills which with our owne consent wee would not have reiterated , wee are driven into without our consent : they are necessarily inferred , that they may be willingly borne , to shew the necessity of patience . wee are born on condition , that wee must dye . death is the price or reward of life : it is the statute-law of mankind , and that ought to be born as a publick good , which ( were it not already enacted ) would be the spontaneous petition of all men . certainly if life were without the jubile of death , it were just to refuse it , as a servitude which hath no year of release . let us now clearly prove , that death is not evill , out of her assimilation and conformity to those things , which are most excellently good . none leade a better life , then those that live so , as if they were dead , rom. c●ap . . ver . . for he that is dead , is freed from sinne. therefore that which is the exemplar of goodnesse , cannot be evill : the onely true praise of the living , is to assimilate death : he is the most commendable liver , whose life is dead to the world , and he is the most honest that lives the least to it ; whose soul listens not to the body , but is at a constant distance from it , as if they were dissolved ; or though it sojournes in it , yet is not defiled by it , but is separated from sensuality , and united to divinity . what is the reason ( thinkest thou , ) that the divine secrets are revealed to men most commonly in their sleep ; because that similitude of death is most pleasing to god. life is a wild and various madnesse , disturbed with passions , and distracted with objects ; sleepe ( like death ) settles them all ; it is the minds sabbath , in which the spirit , freed from the senses , is well disposed and fitted for divine intimations . the soul is then alive to it selfe , while the body reigns not , and the affections are ecclipsed in that short interlunium of the temporall life . philosophie , or humane knowledge is nothing else but a contemplation of death ; not to astonish or discourage men , but first to informe , and then to reform them : for the fruit of philosophy is virtue , and virtue is nothing else but an imitation of death , or the art of dying well , by beginning to dye while we are alive . virtue is a certain primrose , a prolusion or assay of dying . therefore that by which man becomes immortall and eternall is the preface , and the inch●ation of death . this is the main drift of philosophy , to make life comfortable by conforming it unto death , and to make death immortality by regulating life . death is intollerable to him only that hath not mortified his desires , while he yet lives ; but expects to swallow up death , and all the powers of it at once ; that is to say , in the hour of death . we cut our meate , and feed on it by bits , lest we should be choaked by swallowing it whole ; so death , if it be assayed and practised by degrees , will be both pleasant in the tast , and wholsome in the digestion ; if we mortifie one affection to day , and another to morrow . hee that cannot carry a great burthen at once , may carry it all by portions . philosophy acts the part of death upon the stage of life : it kills sensuality , and makes death most easie to be born by teaching us to dye dayly . what can be more grievous then death unto him , who together with his own , feeles the paine of a thousand other dying cupidities ? we faile not to bewaile the losse of one thing , whither honour , pleasure , or a friend : how much more when we loose all at a blow , and loose eternal life in one short minute ? the soule of the wise man frees her selfe from the body in an acceptable time , she casts off the delectations of the flesh , and the cares of this world while it is day-light , that shee may enjoy her self , and be acquainted with god before the night comes . she finds by experience , that her forces are more vigorous , and her light more discerning , when she is not sullied with earthly negotiations , and the gross● affections of the body ; she finds that covetousnesse , love and feare permit her not to see the truth , and that the affaires of the body are the remora's of the spirit : and therefore she concludes , that he must neglect the cryes of the flesh , and be attentive onely to the voyce of god ; and upon these considerations , shee shakes off that bondage ; she deserts the familiarity and consultations of blood , that she may advise with , and discerne the most clear light of truth ; she casts off pleasures , by which even spirits are made subject to sense and pollution . the truth is most pure , and will not be manifested , but to the pure and the undefiled : therefore all the scope and the end of virtue is , to separate the soul from the body , and to come as near death as possibly may be , while wee are yet alive . this is the cause that wise men do so much love and long for death , at least they fear it not . how can he feare death , who by dying passeth into the life of the blessed ? who hath already delivered himselfe from more feares and inconveniences then death can free him from ? yea from those dangers which make death fearfull ? who before his dying day , hath disarmed and overcome death ? shall he that all his life-time desired to be separated from the body , repine at the performance and fullfilling of it ? it were most ridiculous , if hasting towards home , thou wouldst refuse the helpe of another to convey thee thither with more speed , and be angry at thy arrival in that port , whither thou didst bend thy course since the first day thou didst set forth . there is no man that seeking for a friend , will not rejoyce when he hath found him . no man will be angry if another perfects what he did begin , but was not able to finish . nature by death perfects that which virtue had begun in life , and the endeavour dies not , but is continued , and thrives by a necessary transplantation . while he yet lived , he denyed himselfe the use of the body , because it hindr●d the course of the soul ; and the body dying , he doth but persist in the same just denyall . it is a greater pleasure to want , then not to use what wee doe not want . this correlation of death and virtue i shall exhibite , or lay out to your view , by a discussion of those honours which each of them procures . as virtue by the consideration of death , ordereth and preserves her majesty ; so by imitating death , she obtaines the reverence and admiration of all : what more reverend thing can wee labour for , then that , which by our reverence of it , makes the worst livers to be reputed not bad ? as those who are evill , are loath to believe themselves to be such , because of an innate reverence due from every man to virtue , which makes them love the repute of excellencie , though not inherent , and rejoyce to be accounted good of themselves , or in their own esteem , though they be evill , taking pleasure in that self-deception : so those who have beene vitious in their lives ( out of the reverence wee owe to death , ) wee dare not speak evill of when they are once dead ; nay , it is not civil , nor pious , to mention the dead without commendation , either by praise , or else by prayer , & our christian well wishes , as if they had been most deserving in their lives . so powerfull is the majesty of death , that it makes the most contemptible , venerable . those we most envie while they live , we speak well of when they are dead . excellent is that observation of mimnermus , against the virtuous man we all make head , and hate him while he lives , but praise him dead . envy pursues us not beyond the grave , and our honour is not free and secure til we are layd in it . that humble and quiet dust stops the lying and malicious mouth . socrates foresaw that his draught of hemlock would ( after his death ) make his very enemies his worshippers : he saw his statues erected by the same decree that did cast him downe : and what was the motive ( thinkst thou ) that made his enemies worship him dead , whom they persecuted living ? there is amongst the people a secret tradition that whispers to them , that those who are freed from the miseries of this life , live happily in another world . now happinesse even in their opinion is worthy of honour ; therefore the honour or veneration which death exacts , is a certain tribute , or a debt rather that is due to happinesse ; and if for this thou wilt advise with thy aristotle , he will not deny it . the lacedemonians bestowed the olympick palms and honours ( which whosoever won in his life time , he was accounted most happy ) upon all that dyed , without exception , or extenuation ; adorning the statutes of some , and the tombes of all with the green and flourishing laurel , esteeming every one of the dead as happy as the most fortunate victor that lived . the antient romans held the greatest honour of the living to consist in the renown of their dead ancestors : they judged him to be highly honoured , that was enjoyned by any dying persons to perform some extraordinary service for them , as an embassie , or some other weighty negotiation : and * callistratus in his first book of questions affirmes , that embassadors so employed are the most honourable ; because that the suffrages and election of dying men is most venerable , as being then upon the borders of immortality , and discerning more then those who are yet in the midst of life , and more in the clouds of thick-sighted humanity . that honour is the greatest which is done us by the honourable . nor is this glory of death a relative of the soul only ; looke well upon the body , that provision of the worms , a frail and perishing objects , but ful of majesty . we are nothing so moved , nor doe we so gravely compose our selves at the presence of a king , as at the sight of a dead body . with how much awfulnesse doth it lye along ! with what a secret mysterious command doth it check all about it ! it is a silent , abstruse philosopher , and makes others so too : nor is it onely venerable , but sacred , and the depositum , and index of an almighty restauratour . the honour of sepulture is a part of religion . now , if it be argued that goodnesse consists onely in utility , or benefits , it follows that nothing is good , but that which profiteth : death then is the best , and the greatest subordinate good of all ; for the death of others benefits those that see it , and their own death is most profitable to those that mind it . the lamae ( who are the priests of the tehitenses ) are in this point the most excellent philosophers in the world : when they prepare to celebrate prayers , they summon the people together with the hollow , whispering sounds of certain pipes made of the bones of dead men ; they have also rosaries , or beads made of them , which they carry alwayes about them , and they drink constantly out of a skull : being asked the reason of this ceremony by antonie andrada , who first found them out ; one that was the chiefest amongst them , told him , that they did it , ad fatorum memoriam . they did therefore pipe with the bones of dead men , that those sad whispers might warn the people of the swift and invisible approach of death , whose musick they termed it , and affirmed it to be the most effectuall of any ; that the beads they wore did put them in minde of the fraile estate of their bodies , and did in prayer-time regulate and humble their thoughts ; that a constant commemoration of death was as beneficial to the soul as devotion , & therefore they carryed them alwaies about them as the powefull momento's of their approaching departure out of the land of the living . to this he added , that their drinking in a skull did mortifie their affections , represse pleasures , and imbitter their tast , lest they should relish too much the delights of life ; lastly , he added that this constant representation of death , was an antidote against all the sinfull excesses and deviations of man. with the same medicine they secured themselves from other iniquities : when they were to swear concerning any thing , they laid their hands upon certain images set with the bones of dead men , by which ceremony they were put in mind of the last judgement , and the account which the dead and the quick must give in that great , that impartiall and censorious day . certainly this was no barbarous , but a very humane and elegant philosophy , which taught men to season , and redeeme all the daies of their lives , with the memory of the one day of their death . admirable was the memory of mithridatés , who was master of two and twenty languages , and could readily discourse in every one of them ; and no lesse happy was that of cyrus , themist●cles and seneca ; but a constant memory of mans miseries , and his death exceeds them all . as the rootes of the tree in the i le of malega , upon that side which lookes towards the east , are an antidote or preservative , but those which spread westward are poysonous and deadly : so the cogitations of a christian , which are the roots by which hee stickes to heaven ( for every christian is a tr●e reversed , ) when they look towards the west , or setting point of life , are healing and salutiferous ; but those which reflect still upon temporall things , and his abode in this world are destructive and deadly . nature doth every minute commend unto us this memoriall of death . hermes in his sacred book contends , that respiration was given to man , as a sign of that last efflation , in which the soul parts from the body . wee should therefore as often as wee breath , remember death , when we shall breath our last , when the spirit shall returne unto him that gave it . our whole life is nothing else but a repeated resemblance of our last expiration ; by the emission of our breath we doe retaine it , and ( as i may say ) spin it out . god gave it not continual and even , like fluent streames , or the calme and unwearied emanations of light , but refracted and shifting , to shew us that we are not permanent but transitory , and that the spirit of life is but a celestial gale lent us for a time , that by using it well , we may secure it eternally . another hermetist adviseth us , adorare relliquias ventorum , to make much of , and to honour our soules , which are the breathings , and last dispensations of the still fruitful , and liberal creator : this we can never do but by a frequent study of our dissolution , and the frailty of the body . of such an effectuall goodness is death , that it makes men good before it comes , and makes sure of eternity by a virtuous disposing of time . thinke not that evill , which sends from so far the beams of its goodnesse . there is no good liver but is a debtor to death , by whose lendings , and premunitions we are furnished and fitted for another world . the certainty of it , and the incertainty of the time and manner , ( which is the onely circumstance that seemes to offend us , ) if it were seriously considered , deserves to be the most pleasing & acceptable ; for amongst all the wondrous ordinances of divine providence , there is none more excellent for the government of man then death , being so wisely disposed of , that in the height of incertainty it comprehends and manifests an infallible certainty . god would have us to be alwaies good , to keepe in his likenesse and image : therfore it is his will , that we should be alwaies uncertaine of our most certain death . such is his care of us , lest the knowledge of a long life , and a late death should encourage us to multiply our transgressions , as the notice of a swift dissolution might dishearten and astonish us . but being left now in a possibility of either , we are taught to live soberly , and to expect the time of our change in all holynesse and watchfullnesse . the possibility of dying shortly , doth lessen the cares of life , and makes the difficulties of virtue easie . bondage and slavery ( if it be but short , ) is to those that suffer it the lighter by so much : and a large allowance of time makes us slow to virtue , but a short portion quickens us , and the incertainty of that very shortnesse makes us certaine to be good . for who would weep , and vexe himself for worldly provisions , if he certainly knew that he should live but one month ? and how dares he laugh , or be negligent of his salvation , that knowes not whither hee shall live to see one day more , yea , one hour ? the incertainty of death makes us suspect life , and that suspition keepes us from sinning . the world was never fouler , nor more filled with abominations , then when life was longest , when abused nature required an expiation by waters , and the generall submersion of her detestable defilers . theophrastus did unjustly to raile at nature , and condemne her of partiality ▪ when he envyed the long life of some plants and inferiour creatures , as the oake , the hart , the ravens ; some of which live to feed and flye up and down in the world above five hundred years . he quarrelled with the wise dispensations of divinity , because a slight suite of feathers , and a renew'd dresse of greene leaves could weare out a building that lodged a rationall soul , and the breath of the almighty . both his wish and his reason were erroneous : he erred in desiring long life , and in judging happinesse to consist in the multitude of yeares , and not the number of good workes . the shortnesse of life is lengthned by living well : when life was reckond by centuries , the innumerable sins of the living so offended god , that it repented him to have made impenitent man : those that sinned out of confidence of life he punished with sudden destruction . that long liv'd generation had made the world unclean , and being polluted by their lives , it was purged by their deaths . he shorten'd afterwards the lease of life , reducing it to an hundred and twenty years , that by the diligence of frequent death , he might reform the past disorders of long life , and prevent them for the future , teaching both sexes to amend their lives by giving them death for their next neighbours . so beneficiall is death , so much profits the certainty of it , and as much the incertainty : the ignorance of the day of death is in effect the same with the knowledge of it ; the first makes us watch , lest it come upon us unawares ; and the last ( though it might name the day to us ) yet could it not arme us better against it , perhaps not so well . this incertainty of dying , certainly secures us from many errors ; it makes us prudent , provident , and not evill . death therefore is a device of the almighty , and a wise instrument of divine policy . zaleucus so highly approved of it , that he was about to enact and proclaime a law for dying , had he not found it already published by the edict of nature : and in his preface to those laws made for the locrenses , he warns them , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , &c. to have alwayes before their eyes that time , which is to every one the end of life , because a hearty repentance for all former injuries seiseth upon all men that thinke of death , and an earnest desire or wishing , that all their actions in life had been just . wherefore it is expedient that in all our dealings and thoughts death should act a part , and be our familiar counsellor , ever present with us ; so shall we be carefull to doe all things virtuously and justly . death then is most necessary to govern mankinde , because the memory of it keeps us in awe , and conformable to virtue . all commonwealths that follow the method of nature , must approve of this law of zaleucus , and death in all their consultations should guide their lives . certainly in the government of the rebellious generation of man , death hath been the most awfull engine of the deity ; without this stern he guided them not : when man was immortall , god saw it necessary to preserve his immortality by death ; he injoyned the law of abstinence to adam , under the penalty of dying , which is continued still by the same artifice of death , lest iniquities should be immortall , & wickedness should escape punishment : by the patience and submission of his only son to death he restored dead men to life , he conferred upon him all his lost honours , renewd and confirmed his old prerogative , and together with the salvation of his soule gave him a sure promise , that his body allso should be made immortal ; but in all these favours , and after full reconciliation , he would not remove death , but continued it still , and the incertainty as well as the certainty of it . this divine devise of death so pleased god , and was so necessary for the good of man , that though by the merits of his dying son he changed all the former things , blotting out ordinances , abolishing ceremonies , & opening the gates of heaven to all believers , yet would not he exterminate death . it was out of his mercy that he refused to abrogate it , that while corruption reigned , death also might reign over it , lest this poyson should want its antidote . we have therefore no just cause to complain of death , which is an invention conducing to our great good , and the incertainty of the time ( though it most vexeth us ) is notwithstanding the most beneficial circumstance that attends it . the time of life is certainly known , & there is but one entrance to the light of this world : the ceremony of dying is not formal ; it keeps not to one time , nor one manner , but admits of all times , and many manners . life comes into the world but one way , but hath many waies to go out . it was the benevolence of god to open so many doors to those that flye for refuge . one way is more then enough to find out dangers , but to escape them , many are but necessary . death is not a burthen of seaven or nine monthes , but life must have time before it sets forth . and what are the first encounters of it ? tears ●nd bonds . it cannot avoyd evills , and it is afeared to bear them ; therefore it delaies time , and when it cannot lurk any longer , it comes forth crying . death leads us forth to joy and liberty : therefore it stayes not , it seeks no corners nor protractions . nor doth death free us onely from suffering evills , but keeps us also from doing any : to be good every day , thou m●st dye dayly . the incertainty also of the time of death , and the manner of it , like a busie monitour , warnes thee to do good , and to be good at all times , and in every place , private or publick : and the inevitablen●sse of it takes away all excuse or pretensions for thy impreparation . the glory of death , is also much augmented by its facility , in redressing the difficulties of life . it is not without the divine counsel , and a speciall priviledge that the soule of man is so easily parted from the body ; the life of beasts is more tenacious , and will suffer much indignitie and fury before it leaves them . there is n● living creature more fraile , none more weak then man ; the lightest str●ake fells him ; the soul is very nice , and will quickly cast off the body if it persists but in the least indisposition . a single hair killed fabius , and a grape anacreon ; these contemptible instruments destroy'd them as effectually as the thunderbolt did esculapius . coma dyed as easily as he could wish , and baptist a mirandulus as he could think : his soule quitted his body without any grudging , without a disease , without poyson , without violence , or any fatall mischance . no door can keep death out , it defeats life with its own weapons , and kills us with the very cordials and comforts of it . perhap● no kind of death is more violent then th●● which sets upon us with the forces o● l●●e , because it kills when life is most vigorous and pleasant . their owne wishes have destroyed many : and life hath oftentimes perished by her own contrivements . clidemus was killed with honour , diagoras with joy , plato with rest , and philemon with laughter . this last is both a merry , and a frequent destroyer , and freed sicily from one tyrant . death also makes use sometimes of our very virtues to exanimate us : shame killed diodorus , and the mother of secundus the philosopher dyed with blushing , and an excessive modestie . life is a fraile possession , it is a flower that requires not rude and high winds , but will fall in the very whispers and blandishments of fair weather . it is folly to labour to retain that which wil away ; to fly from that which will meet us every where , yea , in the way we fly , is a vain and foolish industry . whither we seek death or avoyd it , it will find us out : our way to fly , and our very flight end both in death ; by hasting from it , we make hast to it . life is a journey , whose end cannot be mist ; it is a steady ayming at dissolution : though we fetch wide compasses , and traverse our way never so often , we can neither lengthen it , nor be out of it : what path soever we take , it is the port-roade to death . though youth and age are two distant tropicks of life , yet death is as near to the one , as to the other : and though some live more , and some lesse , yet death is their equal neighbour , and will visit the young as soon as the old . death is a crosse , to which many waies leade , some direct , and others winding , but all meet in one center : it matters not which thou takest , nor whither thou art young or aged : but if thou beest young , thou maist come sooner thither , then the old , who is both doting and weary . it was necessary that a sanctuary being provided for the distressed , the way to it should be easie , pervious , and at an indifferent distance from all parts . good should be diffusive , and the gate that leads to it , must be without doors and bolts . the entrance into this life , is narrow and difficult , it is difficultly attained , difficultly retained , and lyes alwaies in the power of another . every man may take life from us , none can take death . life is subject to the tyranny of men , but death is not ; life makes tyrants , and death unmakes them . death is the slaves prerogative ●oyall , and the sabbath of the afflicted . leo iconomachus the emperor , made the birth of both sexes tributary : but death never paid taxation . it was not lawfull in his reigne to get children without paying for them ; every infant so soon as borne , was to give him contribution , they paid then the excise of life . death onely frees us from these impositions of tyrants . and wilt thou then condemn liberty , and that maturity of death by which it ripens every age ? wilt thou the divine liberality blame , because thy life is short , or may be so ? thou hast no reason to find fault with the years already given thee , because thou shalt not have more : thou mayst as well quarrel with nature , because she made not thy dimensions larger , and thy body heavier by eighty or a hundred pounds : he that measured thy proportion , measured thy time too : and too much of this last would have been as troublesome and unweildy as too much of the first : for long life , opprest with many woes , meets more , the further still it goes . death in every age is seasonable , beneficial , and desirable : it frees the old man from misery , the youthfull from sin , and the infant from both . it takes the aged in the fullnesse of their time ; it turnes the flowers of youth into fruit ; and by a compendious secret improvement , matures infancy , leading it into the gate of heaven , when it cannot go one step upon earth , and giving it the wings of a dove to flye , and be at rest , before it can use its feet . to these past arguments of the goodnesse of death , i shall adde another . death in the old world , ( before the manifestation of god in the flesh , ) was the publick index , or open signe of hidden divinity . it is the gift of god , who gives nothing but what is good . the divell playing the ape , and labouring to imitate the inimitable jehovah , did by asserting death to be the greatest good , mainly fortifie those abominable rites and honours conferred upon him by his blind worshipers : when they petitioned him for the greatest blessing that the gods could give to man , he ( by the permission of the true god whom they had deserted ) would within three daies strangle them in their beds , or use some other invisible meanes to set an end to their daies . thus he served triphonius , agamedes , and argia for her three sons : this miserable mother requested of him , that hee would give the best thing to her children , that could be given to men : her petition was granted , and within a very short time they received that which she thought to be the worst , namely death . so great is the ods betwixt seeming to be , and being really : betwixt opinion and truth : yea that death which we judge to be the worst , i meane the immature , is oftentimes the best . what greater good had deckt great pompey's crown then death , if in his honours fully blown , and mature glories he had dyed ? those piles of huge successe , lowd fame & lofty stiles built in his active youth , long , lazie life saw quite demolished by ambitious strife : he lived to weare the weake and melting snow of lucklesse age , where garlands seldom grow . but by repining fate torne from the head . which were them once , are on another shed . neither could i ever grant that the death of infants and children , though commonly bewail'd as unseasonable , were the parents misfortunes , but the courtesies rather , and mercies of the almighty . to omit amphiaraus , and other ethnick instances ; i shall make use of a true and christian history , which in these later years , was the great admiration of king philips court. didacus vergara , a most noble hopefull ●outh , adorned with all those vertues which ●eautifie a blooming life , was famous in the mouths of all good men , and as deare in their hearts . but what was the reward ( thinkest thou ) of his virtuous life ? an immature and almost a sudden death ; so that it is not to be doubted , but it was a divine favour . being to go into bed , he spoke to his sister , o what manner of night will this be unto me ! i beseech you , deare sister , furnish me with some candles , and leave one to burn by me . abought midnight he suddenly called , so that all the familie was awaked , and got up ; to whom he told that he should dye that night ; and desired them to send presently for his confessour . they all imagined that he had been troubled with some dream , especially his father , a most renowned physitian , when he felt his pulse to beate well and orderly . but notwithstanding all this , they omitted not to send for his confessour , who was gasper pedroza : he ( as if touched with some divine presension ) was at that dead time of the night awake , and being come to the sorrowfull father , he told him , that didacus was expected in another world before day , that the virgin-q●eene of heaven had revealed so much to him , and that hee would be gone as soon as the sacraments could be administred unto him . it fell out just so : for those sacred sol●mnities were no sooner ended , but he was dissolved , as if he had stayed onely for that spirituall refection to strengthen him in his journey . he left this dark and low world towards the first breakin gs of the day , and ascending to eternity upon the wings of the morning . he might have past from thence with lesser noise , and in a shorter time ; but he expired more solemnly then so ; and yet without weary accessions , and the tyranny of sicknesse : he stayed for the saving institutions of his redeemer , the businesse that detain'd him so long , was heaven , and not the tumults of a tyring and obstinate dissolution ; all this proves it to have been the hand of god , and not an unfortunate , sudden death ; the precise actions of the deity must be attended with unusuall circumstances . whome god doth take care for and love , he dies young here , to live above . there is room enough for life within the compasse of few years , if they be not cast away : think not that to last long , and to live long is the same thing : every one that hath stayd long upon earth , hath not lived long . some men find fault with death , because no experiment can be made of it , without an absolute dissolution : they would dye twice , to trye what kind of state it is , that they may be fitly furnished against the second time , when they must dye in earnest . but this is madness , and were it granted them , the good they pretend would not be performed . for he that will cast away one life without preparing for death , wil not fear to hazard another ; desperate malefactors will take no warning by r●prieves . besides , what benefit would there be by dying twice , seeing that of necessity they must live twice too , and so be twice miserable , if not twice impious ? it is strange , that these men who fear death , and adjudge it to be evill , should desire to have it doubled , and that which , by their good will , they would not tast once , they will beg to chew and swallow downe twice ; whereas if death were an evill , it would be so much the lesser by comming but once . the miseries of life are nothing so civill ; they are instant , importunate , and outragious ; they will reinforce themselves , and set upon us twice or thrice , yea , a thousand times . death is more modest , she wearies us not as long as wee are well : when our disorders have turned the harmony of life into discord and noise , then shee comes to cast those murmurers asleep , and to give the soul peace : he is no troublesome guest that comes but once . but it were a great happinesse , thou wilt say , if men did experimentally know what it is to dye : truely this felicity is not wanting : death is a most admirable , ingenious excogitation : though we dye but once , yet do not we dye at once : we may make , yea we do make many assaies or tryals of dying : death insinuates it selfe , and seizeth upon us by peecemeals ; it gives us a tast of it self : it is the cronie , or consort of life : so soon as we begin to be , w●e begin to wast and vanish ; we cannot ascend to life , without descending towards death : nay we begin to dye before we appeare to live ; the perfect shape of the infant is the death of the embryo , childhood is the death of infancie , youth of childhood , manhood of youth , and old age of manhood . when we are arrived at this last stage , if we stay any long time in it , and pay not the debt we owe , death requires interest ; she takes his hearing from one , his sight from another , and from some she takes both : the extent and end of all things touch their beginning , neither doth the last minute of life do any thing else , but finish what the first began . we may know also what death is , by the apparition or image of it . we see it , and make tryal of it assiduously : we cannot act life one day , but wee must act death at night : life is a terrace-walke with an arbour at one end , where we repose , and dream over our past perambulations . this lesser rest , shewes us the greater ; the soule watcheth when wee sleepe , and conscience in the just as well as the unjust will be ruminating on the works of life , when the body is turned into dust . sleepe is nothing else but death painted in a night-peece ; it is a prelibation of that deepe slumber , out of which we shall not be awaked untill the heavens be no more : we go to bed under a scene of stars and darknesse , but when we awake , we find heaven changed , and one great luminary giving light to all : we dye in the state of corruption , errours , and mistinesse : but wee shall be raised in glory , and perfection , when these clouds of blacknesse that are carried about with diverse winds , and every enemy of truth shall vanish for ever , and god alone shall be all in all . we affect sleepe naturally , it is the reparation of man , & a laying by of cares . the coppy cannot match the pattern : if we love sleep then , why should wee hate the idaea of it ; why should we feare death , whose shadow refresheth us , which nature never made , nor meant to fright us with ? it was her intention to strengthen our hope of dying , by giving us the fruition of this resemblance of death ; lest we should grow impatient with delay , she favour'd us with this shadow and image of it , as ladies comfort themselves with the pictures of their absent lovers . there is no part of life without some portion of death , as dreames cannot happen without sleepe , so life cannot be without death . as sleepe is said to be the shadow of death ; so i think dreams to be the shadowes of life , for nothing deceives us more frequent then it : when we shal be raised from death , we shal not grieve so much because the joys of life were not real , as because there were none at all . it was said by one , that he had rather dream of being tormented in hell , then glorified in paradise : for being awaked , he should rejoyce to find himselfe in a soft featherbed , and not in a lake of unquenchable fire : but having dreamt of heaven , it would grieve him that it was not reall . paracelsus writes , that the watching of the body is the sleep of the soul , and that the day was made for corporeall actions , but the night is the working-time of spirits . contrary natures run contrary courses : bodies having no inherent light of their own , make use of this outward light , but spirits need it not . sun-beams cannot stumble , nor go out of their way . death frees them from this dark lantern of flesh . heraclitus used to say , that men were both dead and alive , both when they dyed , and when they lived : when they lived their soules were dead , and when they dyed , their soules revived . life then ▪ is the death of the soule , and the life of the body : but death is the life of the soule , and the death of the body . i shall return now to prosecute the commendations of death , because it comes but once . death ( like the phoenix ) is onely one , lest any should be ill . that which comes but once , is with most longing looked for , and with most welcome entertained . that poor man , the owner of one ewe , nourished her in his bosome , she did eate of his meat , and drank out of his cup , as nathan exemplified . the father that hath but one son , hath more cares , then he that hath many ; so should we be more carefull to provide for death which comes but once , then for the numerous and daily calamities of life : by providing for that one , wee turne the rest all into so many joyes . whatsoever is rare , whatsoever is pretious , it is single , and but one . there is nothing so rare , nothing that is comparable to a good death . but it is not the universality or diffusivenesse of it that makes it so , but the contempt and the subduing of it ; h●s death is most pretious , by whom death is contemned . dissolution is not a meere merit , but a debt we owe to nature , which the most unwilling must pay . that wisedome which can make destiny to be her servant , which can turne necessity into virtue , mortality into immortality , and the debt we owe to nature into a just right and title to eternall glory , is very great . what greater advantage can there be , then to make heaven due to us , by being indebted to nature , and to oblige divinity by paying a temporal debt ? clemens called them golden men , who dyed thus ; that is to say , when it was necessary to dye . they made necessity their free will , when either the publick liberty , the prerogative of reason , or the word of god called for their sufferings : for though death be a debt due to nature , yet in these causes , nature doth willingly resigne her right , and god becomes the creditor . if we pay it unto him before the time of pure resolution , nature is better pleased with that anticipation , then if we kept our set day : he is the best debtour , that paies before the time of payment . the day of payment by the covenant of nature is old age , but the good man paies before the day . if the noblenesse of thy mind will not incite thee to such a forward satisfaction ; let the desire of gaine move thee , for the sooner thou payest , the more thou dost oblige . hee that suffers an immature death for the good of his country , for the sacred lawes , or the vindication of the truth of god , and not for his owne vain glory , doth free himselfe from the natural debt , and doth at the same time make god his debtour , and all mankind ? to a man that dyes thus , all men are indebted : god owes him for the cause , and men for the effect : the last doth at least set us an example , and the first improves the faith , and gives life to charity . adde to this , that this great good of a passive death , is a voluntary imitation of the son of god , who laid down his life for the life of the world : and it is also done without our industry ; this great virtue , this glorious perfection requires not our care and activity to bring it about . this death is most pretious and the best , because it is executed by others , and not by ourselves : to suffer death , not to dye , is glorious . if prisoners break their chaines , it is neither their glory , nor their security , but augments their guilt , and hastens their condemnation : so he that violates his own body , and makes way for the soul to flye out with his own hands , is damned by the very act : but if another doth it to him , it is both his salvation and his crown . the heathens esteemed it no honour for captives to have their bonds loosed : it was their freedome , but not their glory . when the jugde himself did break off their chaines , that they accounted honorable . by this ceremony did vespasian and titus acknowledge the worth of joseph the jew : this vindicated his integrity : by cutting his bonds with their imperial hand , they freed him both from captivity and disgrace . titus said , that if they would break off his fetters , and not stay to take them off , his honour would be so perfectly repaired by it , as if he had been never bound , nor overcome . the same difference ( in point of honour ) is betwixt the naturall death and the violent : betwixt dying when wee are full of daies , and the death which tyrants impose upon us , when we are mangled and grinded by their fury . this honour is then greatest , when the body is not dissolved , but distorted and broken into peeces . certainly the best men have ever perished by the violence of tyrants ; nature ( to preserve her innocence ) being very backward and unwilling ( as it were ) to take away such great and needfull examples of goodnesse . treachery and violence were ordained for the just in the d●ath of abel ; who dyed by the wicked . this better sort of death was ( in him ) consecrated to the best men ; those persons whom nature respects , and is loath to medle with , envy laies hands upon : whom the one labours to preferre , the other plotteth to destroy . nor deals she thus with the good only , but with the eminent and mighty too : thus she served hector alexander and caesar : the goodliest object is alwaies her aim . when thrasybulus the astrologer told alexander the roman , that he should end his daies by a violent death , he answered , that he was very glad of it , for then ( said he ) i shall dye like an emperour , like the best and the greatest of men , and not sneak out of the world like a worthlesse , obscure fellow . but the death of these glorioli was not truly glorious : i have onely mentioned them , because that a passive death ( though wanting religion ) hath made their honour permanent . that death is the truly glorious , which is seald with the joy of the sufferers spirit , whose conscience is ravished with the kisses of the dove : who can look upon his tormentour with delight , and grow up to heaven without diminution , though made shorter on earth by the head . this is the death which growes pretious by contempt , and glorious by disgrace : whose sufferer runs the race set before him with patience , and finisheth it with joy . we are carefull that those things which are our own , may be improved to the utmost ; and why care wee not for death ? what is more ours then mortality ? death should not be feared , because it is simply , or of it self , a great good , and is evill to none but to those that by living ill make their death bad : what ever evil is in death , it is attracted from life . if thou preservest a good conscience while thou livest , thou wilt have no feare when thou dyest , thou wilt rejoyce and walke homeward singing . it is life therefore that makes thee fear death : if thou didst not fear life , if life had not blasted the joyes of death , thou wouldst never be afraid of the end of sorrowes . death therefore is of it self innocent , sincere , healthfull , and desirable . it frees us from the malignancie and malice of life , from the sad necessities and dangerous errours we are subject to in the body . that death , whose leaders are integrity and virtue , whose cause is religion , is the elixir which gives this life its true tincture , and makes it immortal . to dye is a common and trivial thing , for the good and the bad dye , and the bad most of all : but to dye willingly , to dye gloriously is the peculiar priviledge of good men . it is better to leave life voluntarily , then to be driven out of it forcibly : let us willingly give place unto posterity . esteem not life for its own sake , but for the use of it : love it not , because thou wouldst live , but because thou mayst do good works while thou livest . now the greatest work of life is a good death . if life then ought to be lesse esteemed then good works , who would not purchase a good death with the losse of life ? why should we be afeared of politick , irreligious tyrants , and an arm of flesh though guarded with steele ? nature it selfe threatens us with death , and frailty attends us every hour : why will we refuse to dye in a good cause when 't is offered us , who may dye ill the very next day after ? let us not promise our selves a short life , when our death assures us of eternal glory . but if it were granted that death were neither good nor honourable , but evill and fearfull , why will not we take care for that which we fear ? why do we neglect that which we suspect ? why , if it be evill , do not wee arme and defend our selves against it ? we provide against dangerous contingencies , we labour against casuall losses , and we neglect this great and enevitable perill . to neglect death , and to contemn death are two things : none are more carefull of it , then those that contemne it ; none feare it more then those that neglect it ; and which is strange , they fear it not because they have neglected it , but they neglect it , when they fear it : they dare not prepare for it , for fear of thinking of it . o the madnesse and idlenesse of mankind ! to that , which they adjudge to be most evill , they come not onely unprepared , but unadvisedly , and without so much as forethought . what mean we , what do we look for ? death is still working , and wee are still idle , it is still travelling towards us , and we are still slumbering and folding our hands . let us awake out of this darke and sleepy state of mind , let us shake off these dreams and vain propositions of diverse lusts : let us approve of truth and realities , let us follow after those things which are good ; let us have true joy made sure unto us , and a firm security in life , in death . sickness and death , you are but sluggish things , and cannot reach , a heart that hath got wings . finis . the world contemned , in a parenetical epistle written by the reverend father evcherivs , bishop of lyons , to his kinsman valerianvs . love not the vvorld , neither the things that ar● in the world . if any man love the world , the love of the father is not in him . ioh. . . they are of the world , therefore speake they of the world , and the world heareth them . chap. . vers . . if the world hate you , ye know that it hated me before it hated you . ioh. . verse . if ye were of the world , the world would love his own , but because ye are not of the world , out i have chosen you out of the world ; therfore the world hateth you . ver . . remember the word that i said unto you , the servant is not greater than the lord : if they have persecuted me , they will also persecute you : if they have kept my saying , they will keepe yours also . v. . london , printed for humphrey moseley , at the princes armes in st pauls church-yard . . advertisement . heribert ros-weyd published this peece at antwerp . it is mentioned by gennadius cap. . ●e scriptoribus ecclesiasticis ; and erasmus ( long before ros-weyd's edition ) writ some notes upon it . the author eucherius was a roman senatour , but being converted to the faith , he left the senate , and lived in a poor cell by the river druentium , where his wife galla died . his two daughters , consortia , and tullia , having learnt christ , continued both in the virgin-life , & signorum gloriâ claruerunt . he sate bishop in the chair of lyons ( as i find him placed by helvicus ) in the year of our lord . some will have him a century lower , but that difference weakens not the certainty of it . the peece it self ( in the original ) is most elaborate and judicious , and breaths that togatam elegantiam which in most of the roman senatours was not more acquired ▪ then natural . what this valerian was ( more then our authors kinsman , by whose pen his name lives ) is not certainly known . some will have him to be priscus valerianus , the prefect , or deputy of france , mentioned by sidonius apollinaris : others are willing to let him passe for that valerian , whose homilies now extant were published by sirmondus . but as it is not determinable , so is it not material : this we may safely conclude , that he was a very eminent , noble . personage , and one that followed too much after temporal pomp , and the powers of this world ; though neither of them could lend him so much light , as would keep him from obscuritie . to bring down these top-branches , eucherius layes the axe to the root of the tree , by shewing him the vanity , and the iniquity of riches and honours , the two grand inticements of popular spirits . and this he doth with such powerfull and clear reasons , that to virtuous and peaceful minds he hath renderd them not only contemptible , but odious . much more might have been spoken against them , but ( seeing the age we live in , hath made all his arguments , demonstrations ) he hath in my judgement spoken enough . h.v.s. evcherivs to his kinsman valerianvs , &c. they are happily linked in the bond of blood , who are held together by the bond of love . and for this gift ( which is descended upon us from the father of lights , ) both you and my selfe may greatly rejoyce : whom love as well as kindred hath united , and those two faire obligations have betrothed in one entire affection . one of them wee tooke from the fathers of our flesh , and the other from our private dispositions . this double tye by which ( love binding us on the one side , and blood on the other , ) we are mutually knit together ; hath inforced me to inlarge my selfe in this epistle with some excesse more then usuall ; that i might commend unto your consideration the cause of your owne soul , and assert the work of our profession to be , that supreme beatitude which is onely true , and capable of those things which are eternal . and indeed your own pious propension is not repugnant to the profession of holy living , who already by a forward felicity of manners have in some points prevented , and met with many things which are taught un●o us by sacred learning : so that by the meanes of provident and discreet nature , you seem unto me to have seized upon many duties of religion ; as the concessions and indulgences of our good god towards you , whose gift it is , that the divine wisedome should partly find in you , and partly conferre upon you the riches of his kingdome . but although ( by the hands of your father , and father in law , ) you have been allready advanced and seated upon the highest pinnacles of temporall honours , and are still adorned and surrounded with illustrious titles descending from them both ; yet i desire , and long to find in you a thirst of greater and far higher honours , and shall now call you not to earthly , but heavenly honours , not to the dignities and splendour of one short age , but to the solid and enduring glories of eternity : for the onely true and indelible glory is , to be glorified in eternity . i shall therefore speak unto you , not the wisedome of this world , but that secret and hidden wisdome which god ordained befor the world unto our glory . i shall speake with much care and affection towards you , and with very little respect or animadversion of my selfe ; for i have in this attempt considered more , what i wish to see perfected in you , than what i am able to do in my self . the first duty of man ordained and brought forth into this world for that end , ( my most dear valerian ! ) is to know his creatour , and being known , to confesse him , and to resigne or give up his life ( which is the wonderfull and peculiar gift of god , ) to the service and worship of the giver ; that what he received by gods free donation , may be imployed in true devotion , and what was conferred upon him in the state of wrath and unworthinesse , may by an obedient resignation make him pretious and beloved . for of this saving opinion are we ; that as it is most certain , that we came forth first from god , so should we believe it , and presse on still towards him : whereupon we shall conclude , that he onely , rightly and divinely apprehends the purpose of god in making man , who understand it thus , that god himself made us for himself . it is then our best course , to bestow our greatest care upon the soul ; so shall that which is the first and highest in dignity , be not the lowest , and last in consideration . amongst us christians , let that which is the first in order , be the first cared for ; let salvation which is the chiefest profit be our chiefest imployment . let the safeguard and the defense of this , take up all our forces ; let it be not only our chiefest , but our sole delight . as it surpasseth all other things in excellencie , so let it in our care and consideration . our supreme duty is that which wee owe to god , and the next to it appertaines to the soul. and yet these two are such loving correlates , that though every one of them is a duty of supreme consequence , and such as by no means we may presume to neglect or omit , yet cannot wee possibly performe any one of them without the other . so that whosoever will serve god , doth at the same time provide for his own soul ; and he that is carefull for his own soul , doth at the same time serve god. so that the state of these two soveraign duties in man , is by a certain compendious dependencie and co-intention rendred very easie , while the faithfull performance of the one , is a perfect consummation of both : for by the unspeakable tendernesse and mercy of god , the good wee do to our own soules , is the most acceptable service and sacrifice that we can offer unto him . much physicall curiosity , much care and many strict observations are bestowed upon the body ; much pain it undergoes in hope of health ; and deserves the soule no medicine ? if it be but fit and necessary , that diverse helps and means of healing are sought for the body , for the recovering onely of a temporall and transitory health , is it not unjust that the soul should be excluded , and be suffered to languish and putrifie with deadly and spirituall diseases ? shall the soul onely be a stranger to those proper and pretious remedies ordained for it by the great physitian ? yea rather , if so many things are provided for the body , let the provision for the soul be far more abundant : for if it was truly said by some , that this fleshly frame is the servant , and the soul the mistris , then will it be very undecent and injurious , if we shall preferre and place the servant before the mistris . it is but a just claim , that the better part should require the better attendance ; for with constant and intentive diligence should wee look on that side , where the greater dignity and our most pretious treasure is laid up . it is not agreeable to reason , and it takes from the honour of our imployment , that we should subject it to the unworthier party . the flesh being allwaies inclined to vitiousnesse , drawes us back to the earth , as to its proper center and originall : but the soul being descended from the father of lights , is like the sparks of fire still flying upwards . the soule is the image of god in us , and the pretious pledge of his future munificence . let us imploy all our innate forces , and all outward auxiliaries for the preservation of this : if we manage ▪ and defend it faithfully , wee take care for , and protect the intrusted pledge and purchased possession of god. what conveniencie can wee have to build , unless we do first of all lay the foundation ? but to him that hath design'd a superstructure of true blessings , the fundamentall must be salvation . and if hee hath not laid that foundation , upon what can the consequences he hopes for be builded ? how shall he be filled with the increase of those remunerations and after-blessings , that wants the first fruits , and denies the rewarder ? what portion can he have in the joyes of eternity , that will be wanting to his own salvation ? how can he live the life of the blessed , that wil not rise from death ? or what will it benefit him to heape up temporal provision , and the materials of this world ; when he hath stored up nothing for the comfort of his soule ? or as our lord jesus christ hath said , what is a man profited , if hee gain the whole world , and lose his own soul ? there can therefore be no cause for sparing and laying up , where it is manifest , that the soul is already lost ; where salvation is forfeited , what gaine or profit can be hoped for ? or wherein shall the true treasure be laid up , or wherewith shall he receive it , when the soules pretious vessell , and the storehouse of eternal joyes is utterly ruined and broken ? let us therefore while we have time , labour for true riches , and make earnest hast to that holy and heavenly commerce , which is worth our looking and longing after . eternall life may be obtained in a very few daies : which daies though they should be blest with an inoffensive and untainted holinesse of life , yet because they are but few , are to be lightly esteem'd of : for nothing can be rich in value , which is but short in duration : nor can that procure any long or durable joyes , whose time of existence or abode is narrow and transient . the short accommodations of this life have but short effects . it seems therefore but just unto me , that to the joyes of this present life ( if it hath any ) we should preferre the true and indubitable joyes of that which is everlasting . for the felicity we enjoy here , is at best but temporal , but the other is eternal ; and the fruition of a transitorie , uncertaine happinesse is but a frailty and accident ; but the possession of inviolable and never ending joyes , is triumph and security . it is clear then , that the eternal life is most blessed ; for what other thing can be named , or thought upon , that is more happy then everlasting life ? as for this present short life , it is so very short , that it is withall most miserable . it is prest and assaulted on every side with surrounding , inevitable sorrowes , it is distrest with many evill defects , and tost to and fro by secret and penal accidents . for what is there in all the whole world that is so uncertain , so various , and so replenished with troubles , as the course of this life ? which is full of labour , full of anguish , fraught with cares , and made ominous with dangers : which is distracted with violen● and suddaine mutations , made unpleasant with bodily distempers , afflicted with thoughtfullnesse , and mentall agonies , and lies naked and open to all the whirlwinds of time and chance ? what benefit then , yea , what reason have you to turne aside , and run away from eternal joyes , that you may pursue and follow after temporall miseries . do not you see , my dear valerian , how every one that is provident ( even in this life , ) doth with plenty of all necessaries furnish that cottage or field , where hee knowes he shall reside ? and where he abides but for a short time , his provision is accordingly , where he intends a longer stay , he provides likewise a greater supply ? unto us also , who in this present world ( being straightned on every side ) have but a very short time , are eternall ages reserv'd in the world which is to come ; if so be that wee competently provide for an eternall state , and seeke onely what is sufficient for the present , not perversely bestowing the greatest care upon the shortest and smallest portion of time , and the smallest care upon the time of greatest and endlesse extent . and indeed i know not , which should soonest , or most effectually incite us to a pious care of life eternal , either the blessings which are promised us in that state of glory , or the miseries which we feel in this present life . those from above most lovingly invite and call upon us ; these below most rudely and importunately would expell us hence . seeing therefore that the continuall evills of this life , would drive us hence unto a better , if we will not be induced by the good , let us be compelled by the evill : both the good and the bad agree to incite us to the best , and though at difference amongst themselves ; yet both consent to make us happy . for while the one invites us , and the other compells us , both are sollicitous for our good . if some eminent and powerfull prince having adopted you for his son , and co-partner , should forthwith send for you by his embassador ; you would ( i believe ) break through all difficulties , and the wearisome extent of sea and land , that you might appear before him , and have your adoption ratified . god almighty , the maker and the lord of heaven and earth , and all that is in them , calls you to this adoption , and offers unto you ( if you will receive it , ) that dear stile of a sonne , by which he calls his onely begotten , and your glorious redeemer . and will you not be inflamed and ravished with his divine love ? will you not make hast , and begin your journey towards heaven , lest swift destruction come upon you , and the honors offered you be frustrated by a sad and sudden death ? and to obtain this adoption , you shall not need to passe through the unfrequented and dangerous solitudes of the earth , or to commit your selfe to the wide and perillous sea : when you will , this adoption is within your reach , and lodgeth with you . and shall this blessing , because it is as easie in the getting , as it is great in the consequence , find you therefore backward or unwilling to attain it ? how hard a matter to the lukewarme and the dissembler will the making sure of this adoption prove ? for as to the faithfull and obedient it is most easie , so to the hypocrite and the rebellious , it is most difficult . certainly , it is the love of life that hath inslaved us so much to a delectation , and dotage upon temporal things . therefore do i now advise you , who are a lover of life , to love it more . it is the right way of perswading , when we do it for no other end but to obtain that from you , which of your owne accord you desire to grant us . now for this life which you love , am i an embassadour ; and intreat that this life which you love in its transient and momentary state , you would also love in the eternal . but how , or in what manner you may be said to love this present life , unlesse you desire to have it made most excellent , perfect , and etternally permanent , i cannot see ; for that which hath the power to please you when it is but short and uncertain , will please you much more , when it is made eternal and immutable : and that which you dearly love and value , though you have it but for a time , will be much more deare and pretious to you , when you shall enjoy it without end . it is therefore but fit , that the temporall life should look still towards the eternal , that though the one , you may passe into the other . you must not rob your selfe of the benefits of the life to come , by a crooked and perverse use of the present . this life must not oppose it selfe to the damage and hurt of the future : for it were very absurd and unnatural , that the love of life should causse the destruction and the death of life . therefore whither you judg this temporall life worthy of your love , or your contempt ; my present argument will be every way very reasonable . * for if you contemne it , your reason to do so , is , that you may obtain a better : and if you love it , you must so much the more love that life which is eternall . but i rather desire , that you would esteem of it , as you have found it ; and judge it to be ( as it is indeed ) full of bitternesse and trouble , a race of tedious and various vexations ; and that you would utterly forsake and renounce both it , and its occupations . cut off at last that wearisome and endlesse chain of secular imployments , that one and the same slavery , though in several negotiations . break in sunder those cords of vain cares , in whose successive knots you are alwayes intangled , and bound up , and in every one of which you travell is renewed and begun again . let this rope of sands , this coherencie of vaine causes be taken away : in which ( as long as men live ) the tumult of affairs ( being still lengthen'd by an intervening succession of fresh cares ) is never ended , but runnes on with a fretting and consuming sollicitousness , which makes this present life , that is already of it selfe short and miserable enough , far more short and more miserable . which also ( according to the successe or crosnesse of affairs ) lets in divers times vain and sinfully rejoycings , bitter sorrows , anxious wishes , and suspitious fears . let us last of all cast off all those things which make this life in respect of their imployment but very short , but in respect of cares and sorrows very long . let us reject , and resolutely contemn this uncertain world , and the more úncertain manners of it , wherein the peasant as well as the prince is seldom safe , where things that lye low are trodden upon , and the high and lofty totter and decline . chuse for your self what worldly estate you please : there is no rest either in the mean , or the mighty . both conditions have their miseries , and their misfortunes : the private and obscure is subject to disdain , the publick and splendid unto envy . two prime things i suppose there are , which strongly enchain , and keep men bound in secular negotiations ; and having bewitch'd their understanding , retaine them still in that dotage ; the pleasure of riches , & the dignity of honours . the former of which ought not to be called pleasure , but poverty ; and the latter is not dignity , but vanity . these two ( being joyn'd in one subtile league ) set upon man , and with alternate , insnaring knots disturb and intangle his goings . these ( besides the vain desires which are peculiar to themselves ) infuse into the mind of man other deadly and pestiferous lustings , which are their consequents ; and with a certaine pleasing inticement sollicite and overcome the hearts of mankind . as for riches ( that i may speake first of them ) what is there , i pray , or what can there be more pernicious ? they are seldom gotten without injustice ; by such an administrator are they gathered , and by such a steward they must be kept ; for covetousnesse is the root of all evils . and there is indeed a very great familiarity betwixt these two , riches * and vices in their names , as well as in their nature . and are they not also very frequently matter of disgrace , and an evill report ? upon which consideration it was said by one , that a riches were tokens of injuries . in the possession of corrupt persons they publish to the world their bribery and unrighteousnesse , and elswhere , they allure the eyes , and incite the spirits of seditious men to rebellion , and in the custody of such they bear witnesse of the sufferings , and the murther of innocent persons , & the plundering of their goods . but grant that these disasters should not happen , can we have any certainty , whither these things that make themselves wings , will fly away after our decease ? he layeth up treasure ( saith the psalmist ) and knoweth not for whom he gathers it . but suppose that you should have an heir after your own heart , doth hee not oftentimes destroy and scatter what the father hath gathered ? doth not an ill-bred son , or our ill choice of a son-in-law prove the frequent ruin of all our labours and substance in this life ? what pleasure then can there be in such riches , whose collection is sin and sorrow , and our transmision , or bequeathing of them anxious and uncertaine ? whither then at last will this wild and deviuos affection of men carry them ? you know how to love accidental and external goods , but cannot love your own self . that which you so much long for is abroad , and without you ; you place your affection upon a forraigner , upon an enemy . returne , or retire rather into your selfe , and be you dearer , and nearer to your own heart then those things which you call yours . certainly if some wiseman , and skilfull in the affaires of this world , should converse , and come to be intimate with you , it would better please you , that he should affect your person , then affect your goods ; and you would choose , that he should rather love you for your self , then for your riches ; you would have him to be faithful unto man , not to his money . what you would have another to performe towards you , that doe you for your self , who ought to be the most faithfull to your self . ourselves , ourselves wee should love , not those things which wee phantastically call ours . and let this suffice to have been spoken against riches . as for the honours of this world ( to speak generally , and without exception ▪ for i shall not descend to particulars ) what dinity can you justlt attribute to those things which the base man , and the bad , as well as the noble and good , promiscuously obtain , and all of them by corruption and ambition ? the same honour is not conferred upon men of the same merits , and dignity makes not a difference betwixt the worthy and the unworthy , but confounds them . so that which should be a character of deserts , by advancing the good above the bad , doth most unjustly make them equal ; and after a most strange manner there is in no state of life lesse difference made betwixt the worst men , and the best , then in that state which you term honourable . is it not then a greater honour to be without that honour , and to be esteemed of according to our genuine worth , and sincere carriage then according to the false gloss of promiscuous , deceiving honours ? and these very things ( how big soever they look ) what fleeting and frail appearances are they ? we have seen of late men eminently honourable , seated upon the very spires , and top of dignity , whose incredible treasures purchased them a great part of the world ; their successe exceeded their own desires , and their prodigious fortunes amazed their very wishes : but these i speak of were private prosperities . kings themselves with all their height and imperiousnesse , with all their triumphs and glory shined but for a time . their cloathings were of wrought of gold , their diadems sparkled with the various flames , and differing relucencies of precious stones ; their palaces were thronged with princely attendants , their roofs adorned with gilded beams , their will was a law , and their words were the rules and coercive bounds of mankind . but who is he , that by a temporal felicity can lift his head above the stage of humane chances ? behold now , how the vast sway and circumference of these mighty is no where to be found ! their riches and precious things too are all gone , and they themselves the possessors and masters of those royal treasures ! most late , and most famous kingdoms ( even amongst us ) are now become a certaine fable . all those things which sometimes were reputed here to be very great , are now become none at all . nothing i think , nay i am sure , of all these riches , honours , powers went along with them from hence : all they took with them was the pretious substance of their faith and piety . these onely ( when they were deprived of all other attendants ) waited on them , and like faithfull , inseparable companions , travelled with them out of this wrold . with this provision are they now fed ; with these riches , and with these honours are they adorned . in these they rest , and this goodnesse is now their greatnesse . wherefore , if we be taken at all with honours and riches , let us be taken with the true and durable ones : every good man exchangeth these earthly dignities for those which are celestiall , and earthen treasures for the heavenly . he layes up treasure there , where a most exact and inconfused difference is made betwixt the good and the bad ; where that which is once gotten shall be for ever enjoyed ; where all things may be obtained , and where nothing can be lost . but seeing we are fallen into a discourse of the frailty of temporal things , let us not forget the frail condition of this short life . what is it , i beseech you , what is it ? men see nothing more frequently then death , and minde nothing more seldome . mankinde is by a swift mortality quickly driven into the west , or setting point of life , and all posterity by the unalterable law of succeeding ages and generations follow after . our fathers went from hence before us ; we shall goe next , and our children must come after . as streames of water falling from high , the one still following the other , doe in successive circles break and terminate at the banks ; so the appointed times and successions of men are cut off at the boundary of death . this consideration should take up our thoughts night and day ; this memoriall of our fraile condition should keep us still awake . let us alwayes thinke the time of our departure to be at hand ; for the day of death , the farther we put it off , comes on the faster , and is by so much the nearer to us . let us suspect it to be near , because we know not how far . let us , as the scripture saith , make plain our wayes before us . if we make this the businesse of our thoughts , and meditate still upon it , wee shall not be frighted with the fear of death ▪ blessed and happy are all you who have already reconciled your selves unto christ ! no great fear of death can disturb them , who defsire to be dissolved that they may be with christ ; who in the silence of their own bosomes , quietly , and long since prepared for it , expect the last day of their pilgrimage here . they care not much how soon they end this temporal life , that passe from it into life eternal . let not the populacy and throng of loose livers , or hypocriticall time-pleasers perswade us to a neglect of life , neither be you induced by the errours of the many to cast away your particular salvation . what wil the multitude in that day of gods judgement avail us , when every private person shall be sentenced , where the examinations of works , and every mans particular actions , not the example of the common people shall absolve him ? stop your ears , and shut your eyes against such damnable precedents that invite you to destruction . it is better to sow in tears , and to plant eternal life with the few , then to lose it with the multitude . let not therefore the number of sinfull men weaken your diligence of not sinning ; for the madnesse of those that sin against their own soules , can be no authority unto us ; i beseech you look alwayes upon the vices of others as their shame , not your example . if it be your pleasure to look for examples , seek them rather from that party , which though the least , yet if considered as it is a distinct body , is numerous enough : seek them ( i say ) from that party , wherein you shall find those ranged , who wisely understood , wherefore they were born , and accordingly while they lived , did the businesse of life ; who eminent for good works , and excelling in virtue , pruned and drest the present life , and planted the future . nor are our examples ( though of this rare kind ) only copious , but great withall , and most illustrious . for what worldly nobility , what honours , what dignity , what wisdom , what eloquence , or learning have not betaken themselves to this heavenly warfare ? what soveraignty now hath not with all humility submitted to this easie yoke of christ ? and certainly it is a madnesse beyond error and ignorance for any to dissemble in the cause of their salvation . i could ( but that i will not be tedious to you ) out of an innumerable company produce many by name , and shew you what eminent and famous men in their times have forsaken this world , and embraced the most strict rules of christian religion . and some of these ( because i may not omit all , ) i shall cursorily introduce . clement the roman , of the stock of the caesars , and the antient linage of the senatours , a person fraught with science , and most skillfull in the liberall arts , betook himself to this path of the just ; and so uprightly did he walk therein , that he was elected to the episcopal dignity of rome . gregorie of pontus , a minist●r of holy things , famous at first for his humane learning and eloquence , became afterwards more eminent by those divine graces conferr'd upon him . for ( as the faith of ecclesiastical history testifies , ) amongst other miraculous signes of his effectual devotion , he removed a mountain by prayer , and dried up a deep lake . gregory nazianzen , another holy father , given also at first to philosophie and humane literature , declined at last those worldly rudiments , and embraced the true and heavenly philosophy : to whose industry also wee owe no meaner a person then basil the great ; for being his intimate acquaintance , and fellow-student in secular sciences , he entred one day into his auditory , where basilius was then a reader of rhetorick , and leading him by the hand out of the school ; disswaded him from that imployment with this gentle reproofe , leave this vanity , and study thy salvation . and shortly after both of them came to be famous and faithfull stewards in the house of god , and have left us in the church , most usefull and pregnant monuments of their christian learning . paulinus bishop of nola , the great ornament and light of france , a person of princely revenues , powerfull eloquence , and most accomplish'd learning , so highly approved of this our profession , that choosing for himself the better part , he divided all his princely inheritance amongst the poor , and afterward filled most part of the world with his elegant and pious writings . hilarius of late , and petronius now in itaelie , both of them out of the fulnesse of secular honours and power , betook themselves to this course ; the one entring a into the religion , the other into the priesthood . and when shall i have done with this great cloud of witnesses , if i should bring into the field all those eloquent contenders for the faith , firmianus , minutius , cyprian , hilary , chrysostome and ambrose ? these i believe spoke to themselves in the same words which a another of our profession used as a sparre to drive him●elfe out of the secu●ar life into this bless●d and heavenly vocation ; they said , i believe : what is this ? the unlearned get up , and lay hold upon the kingdome of heaven , and we with our learning , behold where we wallow in flesh and blood . this ( sure ) they said , and upon this consideration they also rose up , and tooke the kingdome of heaven by force . having now in part produced these reverend witnesses , whose zeal for the christian faith hath exceeded most of their successours , though they also were bred up in secular rudiments , perswasive eloquence , and the pomp and fulnesse of honours ; i shall descend unto kings themselves , and to that head of the world , the roman empire . and here i think it not necessary that those royal , religious antients of the old world should be mentioned at all . some of their posterity , and the most renowned in our sacred chronicles i shall make use of ; as david for piety , josiah for faith , and ezechias for humility . the later times also have been fruitfull in this kinde , nor is this our age altogether barren of pious princes , who draw near to the knowledge of the onely true and immortal king , and with most contrite and submissive hearts acknowledge and adore the lord of lords . the court , as well as the cloyster , hath yeelded saints , of both sexes . and these in my opinion are more worthy your imitation , then the mad and giddy commonalty ; for the examples of these , carry with them in the world to come salvation , and in the present world , authority . you see also how the dayes and the years , and all the bright ornaments and luminaries of heaven , do with an unwearied duty execute the commands and decrees of their creatour ; and in a constant , irremissive tenour continue obedient to his ordinances . and shall wee ( for whose use th●se lights were created , and set in the firmament , ) seeing we know our masters will , and are not ignorant of his commandements , stop our ears against them ? and to these vast members of the universe it was but once told , what they should observe unto the end of the world ; but unto us line upon line , precept upon precept , and whole volumes of gods commandements are every day repeated . adde to this , that man ( for this also is in his power ) should learn to submit himself to the will of his creator , and to be obedient to his ordinances ; for by paying his whole duty unto god , he gives withall a good example unto men . but if there be any that will not returne unto their maker and be healed , can they therefore escape the arme of their lord , in whose hand are the spirits of all flesh ▪ whither will they fly , that would avoyd the presence of god ? what covert can hide them from that eye which is every where , and sees all things ? let them heare thee , holy david , let them heare thee . psalm . whither shall i go from thy presence , or whither shall i flee from thy spirit ? if i ascend up into heaven , thou art there : if i make my bed in hell , b●hold thou art there . if i take the wings of the morning , and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea ; even there shall thy hand lead me , and thy right hand stall hold me . if i say , surely the darknesse shall cover me : even the night shall be light about thee . yea the darknesse hideth not from thee , but the night shineth as the day : the darkness and the light are both alike to thee . therefore ( willing or unwilling ) though they should absent themselves from the lord of all the world by their wills , yet shall they never be able to get their persons out of his jurisdiction and supreme right . they are absent from him indeed in their love and affections : but he is present with them in his prerogative and anger . so then being ranagates , they are shut up , and ( which is a most impious madnesse ) th●y live without any consideration or regard of god , but within his power . and if these being earthly masters , when their servants run away from them ; with a furious and hasty search pursue after them ; or if they renounce their service , prosecute them for it , and become the assertours of their owne right over them ; why will not they themselves render unto their master which is in heaven his most just right ? why will they not stay in his family , and freely offer themselves unto his service , and be as impartial judges in the cause of god as in their own ? why with so much dotage do we fixe our eyes upon the deceitfull lookes of temporal things ? why do we rest our selves upon those thornes onely , which wee see beneath us ? is it the eye alone that wee live by ? is there nothing usefull about us but that wanderer ? we live also by the eare , and at that inlet wee receive the glad tydings of salvation , which fill us with earnest grones for our glorious liberty and the consummation of the promises ; whatsoever is promised , whatsoever is preached unto us , let us wait for it with intentive wishes , and most eager desires . that faithfull one , the blessed author of those promises assures us frequently of his fidelity and performance , let us covet earnestly his best promises . b●t notwithstanding this which hath been spoken , if a sober and virtuous use were made of the eye , we might by that very faculty be drawn to a certaine sacred longing after immortality , and the powers of the world to come ; if that admiration , which by contemplating the rare frame of the world wee are usually filled with , were returned upon the glorious creatour of it , by our praises and benediction of him ; or if we would meditate what a copious , active and boundlesse light shall fill our eyes in the state of immortality , seeing so fair a luminary is allowed us in the state of corruption : or what transcendent beauty shall be given to all things in that eternall world , seeing this transitory one is so full of majesty and freshnesse ; there can be no excuse for us , if we sollicite the faculties of these members to abuse and perversenesse : let them rather be commodiously applyed to both lifes , and so minister to the use of the temporall , as not to cast off their duty to the eternal . but if pleasure and love delight us , and provoke our senses , there is in christian religion , a love of infinite comfort , and such delights as are not nauseous and offensive after fruition . there is in it , that which not onely admits of a most vehement and overflowing love , but ought allso to be so beloved ; namely , god , blessed for evermore , the onely beautifull , delightfull , immortal and supreme good , whom you may boldly and intimately love as well as piously ; if in the room of your former earthly affections , you entertain heavenly and holy desires . if you were ever taken with the magnificence and dignity of another person , there is nothing more magnificent then god. if with any thing that might conduce to your honour and glory ; there is nothing more glorious then him : if with the splendour and excellencie of pompous showes , there is nothing more bright , nothing more excellent . if with fairnesse and pleasing objects , there is nothing more beautifull . if with verity and righteousnesse , there is nothing more just , nothing more true . if with liberality , there is nothing more bountifull . if with incorruption and simplicity , there is nothing more sincere , nothing more pure then that supreme goodnesse . are you troubled that your treasure and store is not proportionable to your mind ? the earth and the fullnesse thereof are under his lock : do you love any thing that is trusty and firm ? there is nothing more friendly , nothing more faithfull then him : do you love any thing that is beneficial ? there is no greater benefactor . are you delighted with the gravi●y or gentleness of any object ? there is nothing more terrible then his almightinesse , nothing more mild then his goodnesse . do you love refreshments in a low estate , and a merry heart in a plentifull ? joy in prosperity , and comforts in adversity are both the dispensations of his hand . wherefore it stands with all reason , that you should love the giver more then his gifts , and him from whom you have all these things , more then the things themselves . riches , honours , and all things else , whose present lustre attracts and possesseth your heart , are not onely with him , but are now also had from him . recollect your dispersed , and hitherto ill-placed affections , imploy them wholly in the divine service . let this dissolute love and compliance with worldly desires become chast piety , and wait upon sacred affaires . call home your devious and runnagate thoughts , which opinion and custome have sadly distracted ; and having supprest old errors , direct your love to his proper object , bestow it wholy upon your maker . for all that you can love now is his , his alone , and none else . for of such infinitenesse is he , that those who do not love him , deale most injuriously : because they cannot love any thing , but what is his . but i would have an impartial judgement to consider , whether it be just for him to love the work , and hate the workman ; and having cast by , and deserted the creator of all things , to run and seize upon his creatures every where , and without any difference , according to his perverse and insatiable lust . whereas it behoved him rather to invite god to be gratious and loving to him , by this very affection to his works , if piously layd out . and now man gives himself over to the lusts and service of his own detestable figments , and most unnaturally becomes a lover of the art , and neglects the artificer , adores the creature , and despiseth the creator . and what have we spoken all this while of those innumerable delights which are with him ? or of the infinite and ravishing sweetnesse of his ineffable goodnesse ? the sacred and inexhaustible treasure of his love ? or when will it be that any shall be able to expresse or conceive the dignity and fulnesse of any one attribute that is in him ? to love him then is not onely delightfull , but needfull : for not to love him , whom even then when we love , we cannot possibly requite , is impious ; and not to returne him such acknowledgements as we are able , whom if we would , we can never recompence , is most unjust : for what shall we render unto the lord for all his benefits towards us ? what shall we render unto him for this one benefit , that he hath given salvation to man by faith , and ordained that to be most easie in the fact , by which he restored hope to the subjected world , and eternal life unto lost man ? and that i may now descend unto those things which were sometimes out of his covenant , i mean the nations and kingdomes of the gentiles , doe you think that these were made subject to the roman power , and that the dispersed multitude of mankind were incorporated ( as it were ) into one body under one head for any other end , but that ( as medicines taken in at the mouth are diffused into all parts of the body ) so the faith by this means might with more ease be planted and penetrated into the most remote parts of the world . otherwise by reason of different powers , customs , and languages , it had met with fresh and numerous oppositions , and the passage of the gospel had been much more difficult . blessed paul himself describing his course in planting the faith amongst this very people , writes in his epistle to the romans , that from hierusalem and round about to illyricu● he had fully preached the gospel of christ . and how long ( without this preparation in the fulnesse of time ) might this have been in doing , amongst nations , either innumerable for multitude , or barbarous for immanitie ? hence it is that the whole earth now from the rising of the sun unto the going down thereof , from the farthest north and the frozen sea breaks forth into singing , and rings with the glorious name of jesus christ . hence it is , that all parts of the world flock and run together to the word of life : the thracian is for the faith , the african for the faith , the syrian for the faith , and the spaniard hath received the faith. a great argument of the divine clemency may be gathered out of this , that under augustus caesar , when the roman power was in the height , and acmie , then the almighty god came down upon the earth and assumed flesh . therefore that i may now make use of those things , which you also are versed in , it may be clearly proved ( if any skilled in your histories would assert the truth ) that from the first foundation of the roman empire ( which is now one thousand one hundred and eighty five years ago ) what ever additions and growth it gathered either in the reign of their first kings , or afterwards under the administration of consuls , all was permitted by the onely wise , and almighty god to prepare the world against the coming of christ , and to make way for the propagation of the faith. but i return thither , from whence i have digrest . love not the world ( saith st. john ) neither the things that are in the world ; for all those things with delusive , insnaring shews , captivate our sight , and will not suffer us to look upwards . let not that faculty of the eye which was ordained for light , be applyed to darknesse , being created for the use of life , let it not admit the causes of death . fleshly lusts ( as it is divinely spoken by the apostle ) war against the soul , and all their accoutrements are for the ruin and destruction of it . a vigilant guard doe they keep , when they are once permitted to make head , and after the manner of forraign and expert enemies , with those forces they take from us , they politickly strengthen and increase their own . thus hitherto have i discoursed of those splendid allurements , which are the chiefest and most taking baits of this subtile world , i mean riches and honours . and with such earnestnesse have i argued against them , as if those blandishments had still some force . but what beauty soever they had , when cast over heretofore with some pleasing adumbrations , it is now quite worn away , and all that paint and cousenage is fallen off . the world now hath scarce the art to deceive . those powerfull and bewitching lookes of things , beautiful sometimes even to deception , are now withered , and almost loathsome . in former times it laboured to seduce us with its most solid and magnificent glories , and it could not . now it turnes cheat , and would entice us with toyes , and slight wares , but it cannot . reall riches it never had , and now it is so poor , that it wants counterfeits . it neither hath delectable things for the present , nor durable for the future ; unlesse wee agree to deceive our selves , the world in a manner cannot deceive us . but why delay i my stronger arguments ? i affirm then that the forces of this world are dispersed and overthrown , seeing the world it self is now drawing towards its dissolution , and pants with its last gasps , and dying anhelations . how much more grievous and bitter will you think this assertion , that for certain it cannot last very long ? what should i trouble my self to tell you that all the utensils and moveables of it are decayed and wasted ? and no marvell that it is driven into these defects , and a consumption of its ancient strength , when now grown old and weary it stoopes with weaknesse , and is ready to fall under the burthen of so many ages . these latter years and decrepitness of time are fraught with evils and calamities , as old age is with diseases . our forefathers saw , and we still see in these last dayes the plagues of famine , pestilence , war , destruction , and terrours . all these are so many acute fits and convulsions of the dying world . hence it is that such frequent signs are seen in the firmament , excessive ecclipses , and faintings of the brightest luminaries , which is a shaking of the powers of heaven ; sudden and astonishing earthquakes under our feet , alterations of time● and governments , with the monstrous fruitfulnesse of living creatures ; all which are the prodigies , or fatall symptomes of time going indeed still on , but fainting , and ready to expire . nor is this confirmed by my weak assertions onely , but by sacred authority and the apostolical oracles : for there it is written , that upon us the ends of the world are come , co● . . which divine truth seeing it hath been spoken so long agoe , what is it that we linger for , or what can we expect ? that day , not onely ours , but the last that ever the present world shall see , calls earnestly for our preparation . every hour tels us of the coming on of that inevitable hour of our death , seeing a double danger of two finall dissolutions threatens every one in particular , and all the world in generall . wretched man that i am ! the mortality of this whole frame lyes heavily upon my thoughts , as if my own were not burthensome enough . wherefore is it that we flatter our selves against these sure fears . there is no place left for deviation : a most certain decree is past against us , on the one side is written every mans private dissolution , and on the other the publick and universal . how much more miserable then is the condition of those men ( i will not say , in these out-goings , or last walks of time , but in these decayes of the worlds goodly things ) who neither can enjoy ought that is pleasant at the present , nor lay up for themselves any hope of true joyes hereafter . they misse the fruition of this short life , and can have no hope of the everlasting : they abuse these temporal blessings , and shall never be admitted to use the eternall . their substance here is very little , but their hope there is none at all . a most wretched and deplorable condition ! unless they make a virtue of this desperate necessity , and lay hold on the onely soveraign remedy of bettering their estate , by submitting in time to the wholsome rules of heavenly and saving reason . especially because the goodliest things of this present time , are such rags and fragments , that he that loseth the whole fraught , and true treasure of that one precious life which is to come , may be justly said to lose both . it remaines then , that we direct and fixe all the powers of our minds upon the hope of the life to come . which hope ( that you may morefully and clearly apprehend it ) i shall manifest unto you , under a type or example taken from temporal things . if some man should offer unto another five peeces of silver this day , but promise him five hundred peeces of gold , if he would stay till the next morning , and put him to his choice , whither he would have the silver at present , or the gold upon the day following , is there any doubt to be made , but he would chuse the greater sum , though with a little delay ? goe you and doe the like : compare the crummes and perishing pittance in this short life , with the glorious , and enduring rewards of the eternall : and when you have done ▪ chuse not the least and the worst , when you may have the greatest and the best . the short fruition of a little is not so beneficial , as the expectation of plenty . but seeing that all the fraile goods of this world are not onely seen of us , but also possessed by us : it is most manifest that hope cannot belong unto this world , in which we both see and enjoy those things we delight in : for hope that is seen is not hope ; for what a man seeth , why doth he yet hope for ? rom. . ver . . therefore however hope may be abused , and misapplyed to temporal things , it is most certaine that it was given to man and ordained for the things that are eternal ; otherwise it cannot be called hope , unlesse something bee hoped for , which as yet ( or for the present life ) is not had . therefore the substance of our hope in the world to come is more evident and manifest , then our hope of substance in the present . consider those objects which are the clearest and most visible ; when we would best discern them , we put them not into our eyes , because they are better seen and judged of at a distance . it is just so in the case of present things and the future : for the present ( as if put into our eyes ) are not rightly and undeceivably seen of us ; but the future , because conveniently distant , are most clearly discerned . nor is this trust and confidence wee have of our future happinesse built upon weak or uncertain authors , but upon our lord and master jesus christ , that allmighty and faithfull witnesse , who hath promised unto the just , a kingdome without end , and the ample rewards of a most blessed eternity . who also by the ineffable sacrament of his humanity , being both god and man , reconciled man unto god , and by the mighty and hidden mystery of his passion , absolved the world from sinne . for which cause he was manifested in the flesh , justified in the spirit , seen of angels , preached unto the gentiles , believed upon in the world , and received into glory . wherefore god also hath highly exalted him , and given him a name which is above every name : that at the name of jesus every knee should bow , of things in heaven , and things in earth , and things under the earth . and that every tongue should confesse that the lord jesus is in glory , both god and king before all ages . casting off then the vaine and absurd precepts of philosophy , wherein you busie your selfe to no purpose , embrace at last the true and saving knowledge of christ . you shall find even in that , imployment enough for your eloquence and wit , and will quickly discern how far these precepts of piety and truth surpasse the conceits and delirations of philosophers . for in those rules which they give , what is there but adulterate virtue , and false wisedom ? and what in ours , but perfect righteousnesse and sincere truth ? whereupon i shall justly conclude , that they indeed usurpe the name of philosophy , but the substance and life of it is with us . for what manne● of rules to live by could they give , who were ignorant of the first cause , and the fountain of life ? for not knowing god , and deviating in their first principles from the author , and the wel-spring of justice ; they necessarily erred in the rest : hence it happened , that the end of all their studies was vanity and dissention . and if any amongst them chanced to hit upon some more sober and honest tenets , these presently ministred matter of pride and superstitiousnesse , so that their very virtue was not free from vice . it is evident then , that these are they , whose knowledge is earthy , the disputers of this world , the blind guides , who never saw true justice , nor true wisedome . can any one of that school of aristippus be a teacher of the truth , who in their doctrine and conversation differ not from swine and unclean beasts , seeing they place true happinesse in fleshly lusts ? whose god is their belly , and whose glory is in their shame . can he be a master of sobriety and virtue , in whose school the riotous , the obscene , and the adulterer are philosophers ? but leaving these blind leaders , i shall come againe to speak of those things which were the first motives of my writing to you . i advise you then , and i beseech you , to cast off all their axioms , orgeneral maxims collected out of their wild and irregular disputations , wherein i have knowne you much delighted ; & to imploy those excellent abilities bestowed upon you in the study of holy scripture , & the wholsom instructions of christian philosophers . there shall you be fed with various and delightfull learning , with true and infallible wisedome . there ( to incite you to the faith ) you shall hear the church speaking to you , though not in these very words , yet to this purpose , he that believes not the word of god , understands it not . there you shall hear this frequent admonition ; feare god , because he is your master , honour him because he is your father . there it shall be told you , that the most acceptable sacrifice to god are justice and mercy . there you shall be taught , that , if you love your self , you must necessarily love your neighbour ; for you can never do your selfe a greater courtesie , then by doing good to another . there you shall be taught , that , there can be no worldly cause so great , as to make the death of a man legal or needfull . there you shall hear this precept against unlawfull desires . resist lust as a most bitter enemy , that useth to glory in the disgrace of those bodies he overcommeth . there it will be told you of covetousnesse , that it is better not to wish for those things you want , than to have all that you wish . there you shall hear , that he that is angry , when he is provoked , is never not angry , but when not provoked . there it will be told you of your enemies , love them that hate you , for all men love those that love them . there you shall hear , that he laies up his treasure safeliest , who gives it to the poor , for that cannot be lost which is lent to the lord. there it will be told you , that the fruite of holy marriage is chastity . there you shall hear , that the troubles of this world happen as well to the just , as the unjust . there it will be told you , that it is a more dangerous sicknesse to have the mind infected with vices , then the body with diseases . there to shew you the way of peace and gentlenesse you shall hear , that amongst impatient men , their likenesse of manners is the cause of their discord . there to keepe you from following the bad examples of others , it will be told you , that the wise man gains by the fool , as well as by the prudent : the one showes him what to imitate , the other what to eschew . there also you shall hear all these following precepts . that the ignorance of many things is better then their knowledge ; and that therefore the goodnesse or mercy of god is as great in his hidden will , as in his revealed . that you should give god thanks as well for adversity , as for prosperity ; and confesse in prosperity , that you have not deserved it . that there is no such thing as eare ; and for this let the heathens examine their own● lawes , which punish none but willfull and premeditating offenders . there to keep you stable in faith , it will be told you , that he that will be faithfull , must not be suspitious ; for we never suspect , but what wee slowly believe . there also you shall hear , that christians when they give any attention to the noyse and inticements of their passions , fall headlong from heaven unto earth . it will be also told you there , that seeing the wicked do sometimes receive good things in this world , and the just are afflicted by the unrighteous , those that believe not the final judgement of god after this life , do ( as far as it lies in them ) make god unjust , and far be this from your thoughts . there it will be told you about your private affaires , that what you would have hidden from men , you should never do , what from god , ye should never think . there you shall here this rebuke of deceivers ; it is lesser damage to be deceived , then to deceive . lastly you shall hear this reproofe of self-conceit , or a fond opinion of our owne worth ; flye vanity , and so much the more , the better thou art : all other vices increase by vitiousnesse , but vanity is oftentimes a bubble that swims upon the face of virtue . these few rules , as a tast and invitation , i have ( out of many more ) inserted here for your use . but if you will now turn your eyes towards the sacred oracles , and come your self to be a searcher of those heavenly treasures , i know not which will most ravish you , the casket , or the jewell , the language or the matter . for the booke of god , while it shines and glitters with glorious irradiations within , doth after the manner of most pretious gems , drive the beholders eyes into a strong and restlesse admiration of its most rich and inscrutable brightnesse . but let not the weaknesse of your eyes make you shun this divine light , but warme your soul at the beames of it , and learne to feede your inward man with this mystical and healthfull foode . i doubt not but ( by the powerful working of our mercifull god upon your heart , ) i shall shortly find you an unfeyned lover of this true philosophie , and a resolute opposer of the false ; renouncing also all worldly oblectations , and earnestly coveting the true and eternall . for it is a point of great impiety and imprudence , seeing god wrought so many marvellous things for the salvation of man , that he should do nothing for himself : and seeing that in all his wonderfull works he had a most speciall reguard of our good , we our selves should especially neglect it . now the right way to care for our soules , is to yeild our selves to the love and the service of god : for true happinesse is obtained by contemning the false felicities of this world , and by a wise abdication of all earthly d●lights , that we may become the chast and faithfull lovers of the heavenly . wherefore henceforth let all your words and actions be done either to the glory of god , or for gods sake . get innocence for your companion , and she is so faithfull , that she will be also your defendresse . it is a worthy enterprise to follow after virtue , and to perform something while we live , for the example and the good of others : nor is it to be doubted , but the mind , by a virtuous course of life , will quickly free it selfe from those intanglements and deviations it hath been formerly accustomed to . that great physition to whose cure and care we offer our selves , will daily strengthen and perfect our recovery . and what estimation or value ( when in this state ) can you lay upon those glorious remunerations that will be laid up for you against the day of recompence ? you see that god , even in this life , hath mercifully distributed unto all ( without any difference ) his most pleasant and usefull light . the pious and the impious are both allowed the same sunne , all the creatures obediently submit themselves to their service : and the whole earth with the fullnesse thereof is the indifferent possession of the just and unjust . seeing then that he hath given such excellent things unto the impious , how much more glorious are those things which he reserves for the pious ? he that is so great in his free gifts , how excellent will he be in his rewards ? he that is so royal in his daily bounty , and ordinary magnificence ; how transcendent will hee be in his remunerations and requitalls ? ineffable and beyond all conception are those things which god hath prepared for those that love him ; and that they are so is most certain : for it is altogether incomprehensible , and passeth the understanding of his most chosen vessels to tell , how great his reward shall be unto the just , who hath given so much to the unthankfull and the unbelieving . take up your eyes from the earth , and look about you , my most dear valerian ; spread forth your sailes , and hasten from this stormy sea of secular negotiations , into the calme and secure harbour of christian religion . this is the onely haven into which we all drive from the raging surges of this malitious world. this is our shelter from the lowd and persecuting whirlwinds of time : here is our sure station and certain rest : here a large and silent recesse , secluded from the world , opens and offers it selfe unto us . here a pleasant , serene tranquillity shines upon us . hither when you are come , your weather-beaten vessell ( after all your fruitlesse toiles ) shall at last find rest , and securely ride at the anchor of the cross . but it is time now that i should make an end . let then ( i beseech you , ) the truth and the force of heavenly doctrine epitomized here by me , be approved of and used by you to the glory of god and your own good . these are all my precepts at present : pardon the length , and acknowledge my love . gloria tibi mitissime jesu ! primitive holiness , set forth in the life of blessed paulinus , the most reverend , and learned bishop of nola : collected out of his own works , and other primitive authors by henry vaughan , silurist . kings cap. . v.r. . my father , my father , the chariot of israel , and the horsmen thereof . london , printed for humphrey moseley at the prince's armes in st. paul's church-yard , . to the reader . if thou lovest heaven , and the beauty of immortality , here is a guide will lead thee into that house of light . the earth at present is not worth the enjoying , it is corrupt , and poysoned with the curse . i exhort thee therefore to look after a better country , an inheritance that is undefiled and fadeth not away . if thou doest this , thou shalt have a portion given thee here , when all things shall be made new . in the mean time i commend unto thee the memorie of that restorer , and the reward he shall bring with him in the end of this world , which truely draws near , if it be not at the door . doat not any more upon a withered , rotten gourd , upon the seducements and falshood of a most odious , decayed prostitute ; but look up to heaven , where wealth without want , delight without dist●st , and joy without sorrow ( like undefiled and incorruptible virgins ) sit cloathed with light , and crowned with glory . let me incite thee to this speculation in the language of ferarius : define tandem aliquando prono in terram vultu , vel praeter naturam brutum animal , vel ante diem silicernium videri . coelum suspice , ad quod natus , ad quod erectâ staturâ tuendum tenendumque factus es . immortalia sydera caducis flosculis praefer , aut eadem esse coeli flores existimato nostratibus amaranthis diuturniores . farewel , and neglect not thy own happiness . h.v. the life of holy pavlinvs , the bishop of nola . ben sirach finishing his catalogue of holy men ( to seal up the summe , and to make his list compleat ) brings in simon the sonne of onias : and ( after a short narration of his pious care in repairing and fortifying the temple ) hee descends to the particular excellencies , and sacred perfections of his person . which to render the more fresh and sweet unto posterity , he adornes with these bright and flowrie encomiums . . he was as the morning-star in the midst of a cloud , and as the moon at the full . . as the sunne shining upon the temple of the most high , and as the rain-bow giving light in the bright clouds . . as the flower of roses in the spring of the year , as lilies by the rivers of waters , and as the branches of the frankincense-tree in the time of summer . . as fire and incense in the censer , and as a vessel of beaten gold set with all manner of precious stones . . as a fair olive-tree budding forth fruit , and as a cypresse tree which groweth up to the clouds . . when he put on the robe of honour , and was cloathed with the perfection of glory , when he went up to the holy altar , he made the garment of holinesse honourable . most great ( indeed ) and most glorious assimilations , full of life , and full of freshnesse ! but in all this beauty of holinesse , in all these spices and flowers of the spouse , there is nothing too much , nothing too great for our most great and holy paulinus . the saints of god ( though wandring in sheep-skins , and goat-skins , in caves , and in mountains ) become eminently famous , and leave behind them a more glorious and enduring memory , then the most prosperous tyrants of this world ; which like noysome exhalations , moving for a time in the eye of the sun , fall afterwards to the earth , where they rot and perish under the chaines of darkness . the fame of holy men ( like the kingdome of god ) is a seed that grows secretly ; the dew that feeds these plants comes from him , that sees in secret , but rewards openly . they are those trees in the poet , which silently , and by none seen , grow great and green . while they labour to conceal , and obscure themselves , they shine the more . and this ( saith athanasius in the life of antonie the great ) is the goodnesse of god , who useth to glorifie his servants , though unwilling , that by their examples he may condemn the world , and teach men , that holinesse is not above the reach of humane nature . apposite to my present purpose is all this prolusion , both because this blessed bishop ( whose life i here adventure to publish ) was a person of miraculous perfections and holynesse , and because withall he did most diligently endeavour to vilifie his own excellent abilities , and to make himselfe of no account . but pearls , though set in lead , will not lose their brightnesse ; and a virtuous life shines most in an obscure livelyhood . in the explication of his life i shall follow first the method of nature , afterwards of grace : i shall begin with his birth , education , and maturitie ; and end with his conversion , improvements , and perfection . to make my entrance then into the work , i finde that he was born in the city of burdeaux in gascoyne , in the year of our lord three hundred and fifty three , constantius the arian reigning in the east , and constans in the west , and * liberius being bishop of rome : in a golden age , when religion and learning kissed each other , and equally flourished . so that he had the happines to shine in an age that loved light , and to multiply his own by the light of others . it was the fashion then of the roman senatours to build them sumptuous houses in their country-livings , that they might have the pleasure and conveniency of retiring thither from the tumult and noyse of that great city , which sometimes was , and would be yet the head of the world. upon such an occasion ( without doubt ) was burdeaux honoured with the birth of paulinus , his fathers estate lying not far off , about the town of embrau , upon the river garumna , which rising out of the pyrene hils washeth that part of guienne with a pleasant stream , and then runs into the aquitane sea . by this happy accident came france to lay claime to paulinus , which she makes no small boast of at this day . but his country indeed ( if we follow his descent , which is the right way to find it ) is italie , and rome it self ; his ancestors were all patricians , and honour'd ( by a long succession ) with the consular purple . his patrimonies were large , and more becomming a prince then a private man ; for besides those possessions in the city of burdeaux , and by the river garumna , he had other most ample inheritances in italy about narbone and nola , and in rome it self . and for this we have a pregnant testimony out of ausonius , who labouring to disswade him from evangelical poverty , and that obscure course of life ( as he is pleased to term it ) layes before him ( as the most moving arguments ) the desolation of his ancient house , with the ruin and sequestration ( as it were ) of his large possessions ; his words are these . ne raptam sparsamque domum , &c. let me not weep to see thy ravish'd house all sad & silent , without lord or spouse , and all those vast dominions once thine owne , torn 'twixt a hundred slaves to me unknown . but what account he made of these earthly possessions , will appeare best by his own words in his fifth epistle to severus : ergo ●ihil in hunc mundum inferentibus substantiam rerum temporalium quasi tonfile v●ll●s app●●it , &c. god ( saith he ) layes these temporal accommodations upon us that come naked into this world , as a fleece of wooll which is to be sheared off . he puts it not as a load to hinder us , whom it behoves to be born light and active , but as a certain matter which rightly used may be beneficial . and when he bestoweth any thing upon us , that is either dear or pleasant to us , he gives it for this end , that by parting with it , it may be a testimonial , or token of our love and devotion towards god , seeing we neglect the fruition of our best present things for his sake , who will amply reward us in the future . he had conferred upon him all the ornaments of humane life which man could be blest with . he was nobly born , rich , and beautifull , of constitution slender and delicate , but every way fitted for virtuous imployment ; of an excellent wit , a happy memory , and , which sweeten'd all these gracious concessions , of a most mild and modest disposition . to bring these seeds to perfection , his father ( having a care of him equall to his degree ) caused him to be brought up under the regiment of decius magnus ausonius , a famous poet and oratour , who at that time kept a school of grammar and rhetorick in the city of burdeaux . the ingenuity and sweetnesse of paulinus so overcame and ravished ausonius , that he used all possible skill and diligence , to adorne and perfect those natural abilities which he so much loved and admired in this hopefull plant . the effect was , that he exceeded his master . ausonius upon this being called to the court by the old emperor valentinian ; paulinus gave himselfe to the study of the civill law , and the acute and learned pleadings of that age , wherein he was so excellent , that the emperor taking notice of his abilities , took order for his election into the senate , and this a very long time before his tutor attained to that honour . this praecedence of eloquence and honour * ausonius himself confesseth ; but having a greater witnesse , i shall leave his testimony to the margin , to make room for the other . take then ( if it please you ) the judgement of that glorious and eloquent doctour saint hierome , for thus he writes in his thirteenth epist . to paulinus , o si mihi liceret istiusmodi ingenium non per aonios montes & heliconis vertices , ut poetae canunt , sed per sion , &c. o that i were able ( saith he ) to extoll and publish your ingenuity and holy learning , not upon the aonian hills , or the tops of helicon ( as the poets sing ) but upon the mountaines of sion and sinai ; that i might preach there what i have learnt from you , and deliver that sacred mysteries of scripture through your hands ; i might then have something to speak , which learned greece could never boast of . and in another place , a most pregnant wit you have , and an infinite treasure of words , which easily and ap●ly flow from you , and both the easinesse and the aptness are judiciously mixt . to these divine favours already conferred upon him , god added another great blessing , the crown of his youth , and the comfort of his age ; i meane therasia , a noble roman virgin , whom he tooke to wife in the midst of his honours , and who afterwards ( of her owne free will ) most joyfully parted with them all , and with her own pleasant possessions to follow christ in the regeneration . at this height of honours , & growing repute , he was employ'd ( upon some concernments of the empire ) into italy , france , and spain ; where he was detained ( together with his dear consort ) for the space of almost fifteen years ; during which time , he secretly laboured to make himself acquainted with the glorious fathers of that age , and ( the spirit of god now beginning to breath upon him ) hee was strongly moved to embrace the christian faith. in these travells of his , it was his fortune to arrive at millaine , where saint augustine , and alypius , the bishop of tagasta in africk , did the sojourne ; here by accident he was known of alpyius , though unknown to him ; as we see it often fall out , that great persons are known of many , which to them are unknown . much about this time ( which was the eight and thirtieth year of his age , ) he retired privately with his wife into the city of burdeaux . and the hour being now come , that the singing of birds should be heard , and the lips which were asleep should speak : hee was there by the hands of holy delphinus ( who then sate bishop in the sea of burdeaux , ) publickly baptized , from which time forward he renounced all his secular acquaintance , associating himself to the most strict and pious livers in that age , especially to saint ambrose the bishop of millan , and saint martin the bishop of tours . that he was baptized about the eight and thirtieth yeare of his age , is clear by his owne words in his first epistle to saint augustine , nolo in me corporalis ●rtus , magis quam spiritalis exortus aetatem consideres , &c. i would not ( saith he ) that you consider my temporall age , so much as my spiritual ; my age in the flesh is the same with that cripple , who was healed in the beautifull gate by the power of christ working by his apostles ; but my age in the regeneration is the same with the blessed infants , who by the wounds intended for christ himself , became the first fruits unto christ , and by the losse of their innocent blood , did foreshew the slaughter of the lamb , and the passion of our lord. now for the first , saint luke tells us , that the cripple upon whom this miracle of healing was shown , was above forty years of age ( acts chap. . ver . . ) and for the infants , the evangelists words are , that herod sent forth his messengers , and slew all the male children that were in bethlem , and the coasts thereof , from two years old and under . so that considering all the circumstances which offer themselves for the clearing of this point , it will evidently appear , that he was baptized ( as i have said before ) in the eight and thirtieth year of his age . the onely instrument which god was pleas'd to ordain , and imploy upon the earth for his conversion , was his dear and virtuous wife therasia ; which makes me conjecture , that she was borne of christian parents , and had received the faith from her infancie . this ausonius his old tutor , ( who was scarce a good chrihian , ) forgat not to upraid him with in most injurious termes , calling her tanaquil , and the imperatrix of her husband : to which passionate passages ( though sadly resented ) paulinus r●plyed with all the humanity and sweetnesse which language could expr●sse . thus ausonius barks at him . undè istam meruit non foelix charta repulsam ? hostis ab hoste tamen , &c. — how could that paper sent , that luckless paper , merit thy contempt ? ev'n foe to fo ( though furiously ) replies ; and the defied , his enemy defies : amidst the swords and wounds ther 's a salute . rocks answer man , and though hard , are not mute . nature made nothing dumb , nothing unkind : the trees and leaves speak trembling to the wind . if thou doest feare discoveries , and the blot of my love , tanaquil shal know it not . to this poetical fury , paulinus reposeth with that native mildnesse , which he was wholly composed of : continuata meae durare silentia linguae , te nunquam tacito memoras ; placit amque latebris desidiam exprobras ; neglectaeque insuper addis crimen amicitiae ; formidatamque jugalem objicis , & durum iacis in mea viscera versum , &c. obdurate still , and tongue-tyed you accuse ( though yours is ever vocall ) my dull muse ; you blame my lazie , lurking life , and adde i scorne your love , a calumny most sad ; then tell me , that i fear my wife , and dart harsh , cutting words against my dearest heart . leave , learned father , leave this bitter course , my studies are not turn'd unto the worse ; i am not mad , nor idle ; nor deny your great deserts , and my debt , nor have i a wife like tanaquil as wildly you object , but a lucretia , chast and true . to avoid these clamours of ausonius , and the dangerous sollicitations of his gr●at kindred and friends , he left burdeaux and nola , and retyred into the mountanous and solitary parts of spaine , about barcin●e and bilbilis upon the river sale. two journeyes he made into spain , this last , and his first ( before his baptism ) upon the emperours affairs ; he sojourned then in new casti●e , in the city of complutum now called alcala de henares , where his wife therasia was delivered of her onely son celsus , who died upon the eighth day after his birth . holy paulinus in his panegyrick upon the death of celsus the son of pneumatius , by his wife fid●lis , takes occasion to mention the early death of this blessed infant , hoc pignus commune superno in lumine celsu credite vivorum lacte favisque frui . aut cum bethlaeis infantibus in paradiso ( quos malus herodes perculit invidiâ , ) inter odoratum ludit nemus , &c. this pledge of your joint love , to heaven now fled , with honey-combs and milk of life is fed . or with the bethlem-babes ( whom herods rage kill'd in their tender , happy , holy age ) doth walk the groves of paradise , and make garlands , which those young martyrs from him take . with these his eyes on the mild lamb are fixt , a virgin-child with virgin-infants mixt . such is my celsus too , who soon as given , was taken back ( on the eighth day ) to heaven , to whom at alcala i sadly gave amongst the martyrs tombes a little grave . hee now with yours ( gone both the blessed way , ) amongst the trees of life doth smile and play ; and this one drop of our mixt blood may be a light for my therasia , and for me . these distant and obscure retirements he made choice of , because he would not be known of any , nor hindred in his cours● ; which at nola , and the adjacent parts of rome ( where his secular honours an i antient descent made all the people obsequious to him ) could not possibly be effected besides very few in those western parts ( especially of the nobility ) had at that time received the christian faith ; for they look'd upon it as a most degenerate , unmanly profession : such a good opinion had those rough times of peace and humility . this made him lesse looked after by the inhabitants of those parts ; and his own friends not knowing what became of him , began to give him over , and not onely to withdraw from him in their care , but in their affections also , giving out that he was mad , and besides himself . but all this moved him not : he was not ashamed of the gospel of christ , he counted all things dung that he might gaine his saviour , and hee fainted not , but endured , as seeing him that is invisible . the first step to christianity ( saith saint hierome ) is to contemne the censures of men . this foundation he laid , and upon this he built ; he had given himselfe wholly to christ , and rejected the world ; he tooke part with that man of sorrowes , and suffered the scoffs and reproaches of these men of mirth . the people are the many waters , he turn'd their froth and some into pearls , and wearied all weathers with an unimpaired superstitie . hee was sounded upon that rock , which is not worne with time , but wears all that oppose it . some dispositions love to stand in raine , and affect wind and showers beyond musick . paulinus sure was of this temper ; he preferred the indignation and hatred of the multitude to their love , he would not buy their friendship with the losse of heaven , nor call those saints and propagators , who were devills and destroyers . what courage he had in such tempests , may be seen in every line almost of his workes ; i shal insert one or two out of his th epistle to severus : utinam , frater mi , digni habeamur qui maledicamur , & notemur , & conteramur , atque etiam interficiamur in nomine jesu christi , dum non ipse occidatur christus in nobis . &c. i would ( saith he ) my dear brother , that we might be counted worthy to suffer reproach , to be branded and troden upon ; yea , and to be killed for the name of christ , so that christ be not killed in us . then at last should we tread upon the adder , and the dragon , and bruise the head of the old serpent . but ( alas ! ) wee as yet relish this world , and do but pretend to love christ ; we love indeed to be commended and cherished for professing his name , but wee love not to be troubled and afflicted for his sake . and in his first epistle to aper ; o blessed displeasures ( saith he ) to displease men by pleasing christ ! let us take heed of the love of such , who will be pleased without christ . it is an observation of the readers of saint cyprian , quod in ejus scriptis singula propè verb● martyrium spirant , that through all his writings , almost every word doth breath martyrdome . his expressions are all spirit and passion , as if he had writ them with his blood , and conveyed the anguish of his sufferings into his writings . i dare not say so much of paulinus , nor of any other father of the church ; but i fear not to say that paulinus both durst , and ( had he beene called to it ) would have laid downe his life for the love of christ . four yeares hee spent in these remote parts of spain , during which time , he did lead a most solitary and austere life , labouring by all meanes to conceale and vilifie himself . but a city that is built upon a hill cannot be hidden ; his holinesse and humility had so awaked the common people dwelling about the place of his abode , that they would not rest again till they had him for their minister . this most honourable and sacred charge he would by no meanes adventure to undergo , judging himselfe a most unworthy vile sinner , not fit to deale in holy scripture , much lesse to handle and administer the mystical elements of life . but god , who had ordained him for it , would not suffer this . for the people ( not without violence and some rudeness , ) carried him away to barcinoe , where holy lampius , then bishop of that sea , did upon christmasse day by the laying on of his hands , consecrate him a faithfull steward and learned dispenser of the mysteries of god. this passage we have fully related in his sixth epistle to severus , nos modo in barcinonensi ( ut ante scrips●ram ) civitate consistimus , &c. i live now ( saith he ) as i formerly writ to you in the city of barcinoe , where ( since the last letters received from you ) i was by the violence of the people ( god , i believe , having foreordained it ) compell'd to enter into holy orders upon that day in which our lord was born . i confesse it was done against my will , not for any dislike that i have to the place ( for christ is my witnesse , that my highest desire was to begin my imployment in his house with the office and honour of a door-keeper ) but having designed my selfe ( as you know ) * elsewhere , i was much terrified with this sudden and unexpected pleasure of the divine will : however i refused it not , but submitted with all humility , and have put my necke into the yoke of christ , though altogether unworthy and unable . i see now that i have medled with things that are too wonderful for me ; i am made a steward of the secrets of the almighty , and honourd with the dispensation of heavenly things , and being called nearer to my master , i am exercised about the body , about the spirit , and the glory of jesus christ . the narrownesse of my understanding cannot comprehend the signification of this high and sacred dignity , and i tremble every minute ( when i consider my own infirmities ) to thinke of the great burthen that is laid upon me . but he that gives wisedome to his little ones , and hath perfected praise out of the mouths of babes and sucklings , is able to finish what he begun in me , that by his mighty working , i may be made worthy , who was most unworthy to be called . the priesthood is an office belonging to the kingdome of heaven . it is an honour that is ranged upon holy ground , and by it selfe . worldly dignities , which are but humane inventions , are , and may be acquired ( with lesse offence ) by humane meanes , as bribery , ambition , and policie . but to take hold of this white robe with such dirty hands , is nothing lesse then to spit in the face of christ , and to dishonour his ordinance . he that doth it , and he that permits it to be done , agree like herod and pilate , to dispise and crucifie him . they that countenance and ratifie such disorders , take care to provide so many judasses to betray christ , and then vote the treason to be lawfull . every man can speak , but every man cannot preach : tongues and the gift of tongues are not the same things : the wisdome of god hath depth and rich●s , and things hard to be spoken , as well as milk , and the first principles of his oracles . wee have amongst us many builders with hay and stubble , but let them , and those that hired them , take heed how they build ; the tryal will be by fire , and by a consuming fire . the hidden things of dishonest , the walking in craftinesse , and the handling deceitfully of the word of god they are well versed in ; b● true sanctifie , and the s●irit of god ( which saint paul thought he had ) i am very sure they have not . a modest reader would now thinke that paulinus had removed himselfe farre enough from the elaborate temptations , and clamorous pursuits of ausonius ; but even in this will he be deceived . for at the fourth years end , did the incantations of this busie and obstinate charmer find him out . god ( no doubt ) providing for the security of his servant all that while , by delaying them in severall regions , or else by concealing the abode of his beloved votary , from this pursuer of soules . for with all the artifice and strength of wit , did he set upon him in this last letter , which the divine providence suffered not to come into his hand , till he had set both his hands to the plough , and seald his conformation with that indelible character . and now having set a hedge about his beloved , he suffered this fowle of the evening to fly over , which chattered to him in these melodious numbers . vertisti , pauline , tu●s dulcissim● mores ? &c. sweet paulinus , is thy nature turn'd ? have i so long in vaine thy absence mourn'd ? wilt thou , my glory , and great romes delight , the senates prop , their oracle , and light , in bilbilis and calagurris dwel , changing thy ivorie-chair for a dark cell ? wilt bury there thy purple , and contemn all the great honours of thy noble stem ? to this roman magick , and most pernicious elegancy , paulinus replyed with a certain sacred and serene simplicity , which proved so piercing , and powerful , that he was never after troubled with the poetry of ausonius . — revoe andum me tibi credam , cum steriles fundas non ad divina percatus ? castatidis supplex averso numine musis , &c. shall i beleeve you can make me return , who pour your fruitless prayers when you mourn , not to your maker ? who can hear you cry : but to the fabled nymphs of castalie ? you never shall by such false gods bring me either to rome , or to your company . as for those former things you once did know , and which you still call mine , i freely now confesse , i am not he , whom you knew then ; i have dyed since , and have been borne agen . nor dare i think my sage instructor can believe it errour , for redeemed man to serve his great redeemer . i grieve not , but glory so to erre . let the wise knot of worldlings call me fool ; i slight their noise , and heare my god approving of my choice . man is but glass , a building of no trust , a moving shade , and , without christ , meer dust : his choice in life concerns the chooser much : for when he dyes , his good or ill ( just such as here it was ) goes with him hence , and staies still by him , his strict judge in the last dayes . these serious thoughts take up my soul , and i while yet 't is day-light , fix my busie eye upon his sacred rules , lifes precious sum , who in the twilight of the world shall come to judge the lofty looks , and shew mankind the diff'rence 'twixt the ill and well inclin'd . this second coming of the worlds great king makes my heart tremble , and doth timely bring a saving care into my watchfull soul , lest in that day all vitiated and foul i should be found : that day , times utmost line , when all shall perish , but what is divine . when the great trumpets mighty blast shall shake the earths foundations , till the hard rocks quake , and melt like piles of snow , when lightnings move like hail , and the white thrones are set above . that day , when sent in glory by the father , the prince of life his blest elect shall gather ; millions of angels round about him flying , while all the kindreds of the earth are crying , and he enthron'd upon the clouds shall give his last just sentence , who must die , who live . this is the fear this is the saving care , that makes me leave false honours , and that share which fell to mee of this fraile world ; lest by a frequent use of present pleasures i should quite forget the future , and let in foul atheism , or some presumptuous sin . now by their loss i have secur'd my life , and bought my peace ev'n with the cause of strife . i live to him , who gave me life & breath , and without feare expect the houre of death . if you like this , bid joy to my rich state , if not , leave me to christ at any rate . being now ordained a minister of holy things , and a feeder of t●e flock of christ , that he might be enabled to render a joyfull account at the appearance of the great shepheard , he resolved with all convenient expedition to sell and give away all his large and princely possessions in italy and france ; which hithert● he had not disposed of ; for he looked upon his great patrimonies as matters of distraction and backsliding , the thoughts and solicitousnesse about such vast revenues disturbing his pious affections , and necessarily intruding into his most holy exercitations . upon this rare resolution he returnes with his faithfull consort into france , leaving barcinoe and holy lampius in much sorrow for his departure . for though hee had entred there into the ministery , yet was he no member of that diocesse . and here ( saith uranius , who was his presbyter , and wrote a brief narration of his life ) did he open his treasuries to the poor and the stranger . he did not only refresh his neighbours , but sent messengers into other remote parts to summon the naked , and the hungry to this great feast , where they were both fed and cloathed with his own hands . he eased the oppressed , freed the captives , payd the debts of whole families , and redeemed divers persons that were become bondslaves to their creditors . briefly , he sold all that he had , and distributed the money amongst the poor , not reserving one penny either for himself , or his dear therasia . saint ambrose in his thirtieth epistle to sabinus confirmeth this relation : paulinum splendore generis in partibus aquitaniae nulli secun●um , venditis facultatibus tam ●uis quametiam conjugalibus ; &c. paulinus ( saith he ) the most eminent for his nobility in all the parts of aquitane , having sold away all his patrimonies , together with the goods of his wife , did out of pure love to jesus christ divide all that vast summe of money amongst the poor ; and he himself from a rich s●nator is become a most poor man , having cast off that heavy secular burthen , and forsaken his own house , his country , and his kindred , that he might with more earnestnesse follow christ . his wife also , as nobly descended , and as zealous for the faith as himself , cons●nted to all his desires , and having given away all her own large possessions , lives with her husband in a little thatch'd cottage , rich in nothing but the hidden treasures of religion and holinesse . saint augustine also in his first book de civitate dei , and the tenth chapter , celebrates him with the like testimony : our paulinus ( saith hee ) from a man most splendidly rich , became most poor most willingly , and most richly holy . he laboured not to adde field unto field , nor to inclose himself in c●dar and ivory , and the drossie darke gold of this world , but to enter through the gates into the precious light of that city , which is of pure gold like unto cleare glasse . he left some few things in this world , to enjoy all in the world to come . a great performance certainly , and a most fair approach towards the kingdom of heaven . he that fights with dust , comes off well , if it blinds him not . to slight words , and the names of temptations , is easie , but to deale so with the matter , and substance of them , is a task . conscience hath musick , and light , as well as discord and darknesse : and the triumphs of it are as familiar after good works , as the checks of it after bad . it is no heresie in devotion to be sensible of our smallest victories over the world. but how far he was from thinking this a victory , may be easily gathered out of his own● words in his second epistle to severus ; facile nobis bona , &c. the goods ( saith he ) i carried about me , by the slipping of my skirt out of my hand , fell easily from me : and those things which i brought not into this world , and could not carry out of it , being only lent me for a time , i restored again . i pulled them not as the skin off my back , but laid them by , as a garment i had sometimes worne . but now comes the difficulty upon me , when those things which are truly mine , as my heart , my soul , and my works must be presented and given a living sacrifice unto god. the abdication of this world , and the giving of our temporall goods amongst the poore , is not the running of the race , but a preparing to run ; it is not the end , but the beginning , and first step of our journey . hee that striveth for masteries , shall not be crowned , except he first strive lawfully ; and he that is to swimme over a river , cannot do it by putting off his cloathes onely , he must put his body also into the stream , and with the motion of his armes , his hands and feete , passe through the violence of the brook , and then rest upon the further side of it . and in his th epistle , he cries out , o miserable and vaine men ! wee believe that wee bestow something upon the poor : wee trade and lend , and would be counted liberall , when we are most covetous . the most unconscionable userers upon earth are not so greedy as we are , nor their interest and exactions so unreasonable as ours . we purchase heaven with earth , happinesse with misery , and immortality with rust and rottennesse . such another divine rapture is that in his poems . — et res magna videtur , merc ari propriam de re pereunt● salutem ? perpetuis mutare caduca ? &c. — and is the bargain thought too dear , to give for heaven our fraile subsistence here ? to change our mortall with immortall homes , and purchase the bright stars with darksome stones ? behold ! my god ( a rate great as his breath ! ) on the sad crosse bought me with bitter death , did put on flesh , and suffe'rd for our good , for ours , ( vile slaves ! ) the losse of his dear blood . wee see by these manifesto's what account he made of this great deed ; so great , that none now adaies thinke of doing it . go thy way , sell whatsoever thou hast , and give to the poor , is a commandement , as well as , take up the crosse and follow me . this last cannot be done , but by doing the first . well sell oftentimes , but seldome give : and happily that is the reason we sell so often . he that keeps all to himselfe , takes not the right way to thrive . the corn that lies in the granarie will bring no harvest . it is most commonly the foode of vermine , and some creatures of the night and darknesse . charity is a relique of paradise , and pitty is a strong argument that we are all descended from one man : he that carries this rare jewell about him , will every where meete with some kindred . he is quickly acquainted with distressed persons , and their first sight warmes his blood . i could believe , that the word stranger is a notion received from the posterity of cain , who killed abel . the hebrewes in their own tribes , called those of the farthest degree , brothers ; and sure they erred lesse from the law of pure nature , then the rest of the nations , which were left to their owne lusts . the afflictions of man are more moving then of any other creature ; for he onely is a stranger here , where all things else are at home . but the losing of his innocency , and his device of tyranny have made him unpittied , and forfeited a prerogative , that would have prevailed more by submission , then all his posterity shall do by opposition . not to give to one that lacks , is a kind of murther : want and famine are destroyers as well as the sword , and rage very frequently in private , when they are not thought of in the publick . the blessed jesus who came into the world to rectifie nature , and to take away the inveterate corruptions of man , was not more in any of his precepts , then in that which bids us love one another . this is the cement not onely of this world , but of that other which is to come . blessed are the mercifull ; and , give to him that asketh thee , proceeded from the same lips of truth . and in his description of the last judgement , he grounds the sentence of condemnation pronounced against the wicked upon no other fact , but because they did not cloath the naked , feed the hungry , and take in the stranger . love covers a multitude of sins , and god loves the chearfull giver . but this is not our whole duty : though we give our bodies to be burnt , and give all our goods unto the poor , yet without holinesse we shall never see the face of god. darknesse cannot stand in the presence of light , and flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdome of god. the great difficulty then ( as our holy bishop here saith ) is to become a living sacrifice ; and truly the next way to it , is by an evangelical disposing of these outward incumbrances ; this will open and prepare the way before us , though it takes nothing from the length of it . the hawke proines and rouseth before she flyes , but that brings her not to the mark : preparations , and the distant flourishes of array will not get the field , but action , and the pursuance of it . his estate in france being thus disposed of , he retyred into italy ; where having done the like to his patrimonies there , hee came to millaine , and was honourably received by holy ambrose , then bishop of that sea. but these gay feathers of the world , being thus blown off him , by the breath of that spirit which makes the dry tree to become green , and the spices of the garden to flow out , all his kindred and former acquaintance became his deadly enemies . flyes of estate follow fortune , and the sun-shine ; friendship is a thing much talked off , but seldome found ; i never knew above two that loved without selfe-ends . that which passeth for love in this age , is the meere counter to it ; it is policie in the cloathes of love , or the hands of esau with the tongue of jacob. these smooth cheats the world abounds with : there is clay enough for the potter , but little dust whereof commeth gold. the best direction is religion ; find a true christian , and thou hast found a true friend . he that fears not god , will not feare to do thee a mischiefe . from millaine he came to rome , where he was honourably entertained by all , but his own kindred , and siricius the great bishop . it was the ill fortune of this zealous pope , to be offended not onely with paulinus , but with that glorious father saint hierome . it was a perillous dissolutenesse of some bishops in that century , to admit of lay-men , and unseason'd persons into the ministry . this rash and impious practice siricius had , by severall strict sanctions or decrees , condemned and forbidden ; and it is probable that the reason of his strange carriage towards paulinus and hierome was , because he would not seem to connive at any persons that were suddenly ordained , though never so deserving , lest he should seeme to offend against his own edicts . it is a sad truth that this pernicious rashnesse of bishops ( fighting ex diametro with the apostolical cautions ) hath oftentimes brought boars into the vineyard , and wolves into the sheepfold ; which complying afterwards with all manner of interests , have torne out the bowels of their mother . wee need no examples : wee have lived to see all this our selves . ignorance and obstinacie make hereticks : and ambition makes schismaticks ; when they are once at this passe , they are on the way toward atheisme . i do not say that ecclesiastical pol●ty is an inviolable or sure sense against church-rents ; because there is a necessity that offences must come , though wo to them by whom ; but rules of prevention are given : and therefore they should not be slighted . the bride-groom adviseth his spouse to take these foxes while they are litle . in a pleasant field halfe a mile distant from nola lies the sepulcher of the blessed martyr felix . to this place ( which from his youth hee was ever devoted to , ) did paulinus now retire . it was the custom of holy men in that age no● onely to live near the tombs of the martyrs , but to provide also for their buriall in those places ; because they were sure , that in the resurrection , and the terrours of the day of judgement god would descend upon those places in the soft voyce , that is to say in his love and mercies . eusebius is his fourth book , and the sixth chapter of the life of constantine tells us , how that great emperour gave strict order for his buriall amongst the tombes of the apostles , and then adds , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . saint chrisostome in in that homilie which hee writ to prove that christ is god , gives the same relation , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , &c. the emperors of constantinople ( saith he ) esteeme it for a great honour , if they be buried not within the shrines of the apostles , but at the gates of their temple , that they may be the door-keepers of those poor fishers . so marcellina , descended from the consular nobility of rome , refused to be buried amongst her ancestors , that she might sleepe at millaine with her great brother saint ambrose , where shee lies under this epitaph . marcellina , tuos cum vita resolveret artus ; sprevisti patriis , &c. life , marcellina , leaving thy faire frame , thou didst contemne those tombes of costly fame , built by thy roman ancestours , and lyest at millaine , where great ambrose sleeps in christ . hope , the deads life , and faith , w●ich never faints , made thee rest here , that thou may'st rise with saints . to this place therefore near nola in campania ( a country lying within the realm of naples , and called now by the inhabitants terra di lavoro , ) as to a certain harbour and recesse from the clamours of their friends , and the t●mptations of the world , did paulinus and therasia convey themselves . his affection to this holy a martyr was very great : for frequenting nola , when he was yet a youth , he would oftentimes steale privately to visit his sepulcher : and he loved the possessions which his father had left him in those parts above any other , because that under pretence of looking to his estate there , he had the convenience of resorting to the tombe of felix ; where he took in his first love , and in the seaven and twentie●h year of his age , made a private vow to become a servant o● jesus christ . this felix was by a descent a syrian , though born in nola , where his father ( trafficking from the east into italie , had purchased a very fair estate , which he divided afterward betwixt him and his brother hermias ; but felix following christ , gave all to his brother . the frequent miracles manifested at his tombe , made the place famous , and resorted to from most parts of the world . saint augustine , upon a controversie betwixt his presbyter boniface , and another fellow that accused him , when the truth of either side could not be certainly known , sent them both from hippo to nola , to have the matter decided upon oat● , before the tombe of felix ; and in his th epistle , hee sets down the reason , why he sent them so farre . his words are these : multis notissima est sanctitas lo ci , ubi felicis nolensis corpus conditum est , quò volui ut peragrent , quia inde nobis facilius fideliusque scribi potest , quicquid in eorum aliquo divinitus fuerit propalatum . the holinesse ( saith he ) of that place where the body of felix of nola lies interred , is famously knowne to many ; i have therefore sent them thither , because that from thence , i shall be more easily and truly informed about any thing that shall be miraculously discovered concerning either of them . paulinus had not lived very long in this place , but it pleas'd god to visit him with a very sharpe and tedious sicknesse . hee had now ( upon earth ) no comforter but therasia ; his estate was gone , and his contempt of that made the world contemne him . in this solitude and poverty , he that tries the reines and the heart , begins to take notice of this his new servant , and the first favour he conferred upon him was a disease . good angels doe not appeare without the ecstasie and passion of the seere : without afflictions and trialls god will not be familiar with us . fruit-trees if , they be not pruned , will first leave to beare , and afterwards they will dye . nature , without she be drest by the hand that made her , will finally perish . he that is not favour'd with visitations , is ( in saint pauls phrase ) a bastard , and no son of the superiour jerusalem . paulinus had put from him all occasions of worldly sorrowes , but he wanted matter for heavenly joyes . without this disease , hee had not known so soone , how acceptable his first services were unto his master . this sicknesse was a pure stratagem of love , god visited him with it for this very purpose , that he himselfe might be his cordial . man and the eagle see best in the day-time , they see by the light of this world : but the a night-raven is a bird of mysterie , and sees in the darke by a light of her own . paulinus hought now ( like the servant of elisha ) that hee had not a friend in all the world to be of his side ; but god removes the mist from his eyes , and shewed him a glorious army of saints and confessours , who during the time of his sicknesse , did so throng and fill up his cottage , and the fields about it , that neither his palace in rome , nor his house in burdeaux could ever boast of such a number . these comforters he hath recorded with his own pen in his first epistle to severus ; viderant pueri tui , &c. your men ( saith he ) that were here with me , have seen , and can tell you with what constant diligence all the bishops , and my brethren the clergy , with the common people my neighbours , did minister unto me all the time of my sicknesse . unto you , who are unto me as my own soul , i take leave to boast and glory in this mercy of the lord , whose goodnesse it is , that i am so plentifully comforted . there is not one bishop in all campania that did not come personally to visit me , and those whom either a farther distance , or their own infirmities would not permit to travel , fai'd not to visit me by their presbyters & letters . the bishops of africk allso with the beginning of the spring , sent their particular letters and messengers to comfort me . thus he that forsakes houses and brethren , and lands to follow christ , shall receive an hundred fold even in this world , and in the world to come life everlasting . as touching the letters or embassage rather of the african bishops to paulinus , it happened on this manner . alypius , the bishop of tagasta in africk , had at millain ( as i intimated before ) taken speciall notice of paulinus : and the rumour of his conversion ( as the actions of eminent and noble personages passe quickly into the most distant regions , ) had filled with joy not onely the churches of africk but the most remote corners of christianity , even the very wildernesse and the scattered isles , which in those daies were more frequented by christians , then populous continents and splendid cities . alypius upon this ( because he would not loose so fair an opportunity to ground his acquaintanec , ) dispatcheth a letter from tagasta to paulinus , to gratulate his conversion to the faith ; encouraging him withall to hold fast his crown ; and for a token , sent him five of saint augustines bookes against the ma●ichaeans , which in that age ( when the invention of the presse was not so much as thought of , ) was a rich present . paulinus was so taken with the reading of these volumes , that he conceived himself not onely engaged to alypius , but to augustine also . whereupon he sent his servant from nola with letters full of modestie and sweetnesse to them both , and with particular commendations to other eminent lights of the church then shining in africk . these letters received by augustine and alypius , and communicated by them to the other bishops , and the african clergy , were presently coppied out by all , and nothing now was more desired by them , then a sight of this great senatour , who was turned a poor priest , and a fool ( as saint paul saith ) for christ his sake , and the off-scouring of the world. but above all , the soules of holy augustine and paulinus ( like jonathan and david , or jacob and joseph ) were knit together , and the life of the one was bound up in the life of the other . the perfect love and union of these two , can by none be more faithfully , or more elegantly describ●d , ●hen it is already by saint augustine himself . i shall therefore insert his own words , the words of that tongue of truth and charity ; o bone vir , o bone frater ! lei dico ut toleret , quia adhuc lates oculos meos , latebas animā meā , & & vix obtemperat immo , non obtemperat . quomodo ergo non doleā quod nondū faciem tuā novi , hoc est , domū animae tuae , quam sicut meā novi ? legi enim literas tuas fluentes lac & mel , praeferentes simplicitatē cordis , in qua quaeris dominū , sentiens de illo in bonitate , & afferens ei claritatē & honorem . legerunt fratres & gaudent , infatigabiliter & ineffabiliter tam uberibus & tam excellentibus donis dei , bonis tuis . quotquot eas legerunt , rapiunt ; quia rapiuntur , cū legunt . quàm suavis odor christi , & quàm fragrat ex eis ? dici non potest , illae literae cum te offerunt ut videaris , quantū nos excitent ut quaeraris : nam et perspicabilē faciunt , & desiderabilem . quantò enim praesentiam tuam nobis quodammodò exhibent , tantò absentiam nos ferre non sinunt . amant te omnes in eis , & amari abs te cupiunt . laudatur & benedicitur deus , cujus gratiâ tu talis es . ibi excitatur christus , ut ventos & maria tibi plasare tendenti ad stabilitatem suam dignetur . ibi conjux excitatur , non dux ad mollitiem viro suo , sed ad fortitudinem redux in ossa viri sui : quam intuam unitatem redactam , in spiritualibus tibi taus firmioribus quantò castioribus nexibus copulatam , officijs vestrae sanctitati debitis ir te , uno ore salutamus . ibi cedri libani a terram depositae , & in arcae fabricam compagine charitatis erectae , mundi hujus fluctus imputribilitèr secant . ibi gloria ut acquiratur , contemnitur ; & mundus , ut obtineatur , relinquitur . ibi parvuli , si●e etiam grandiusculi filij babylonis eliduntur ad petram , vitia scilicet confusionis , superbiaeque secularis . haec atque hujusmodi suavissima & sacratissima spectacula literae tu● praebent legentibus ; literae fidei non fictae , literae spei bonae , literae purae charitatis . quomodo nobis anhelant sitim tuam , & desiderium defectumque animae tuae in atria domini ? quid amoris sanctissi●i spirant ? quantam opulentiam sinceri cordis exaestuant ? quas agunt gratias deo ? quas impetrant â deo ? blandiores sunt , an ardentiores ? luminosiores , an faecundiores ? quid enim est , quòd it a nos mulcent , ita accendunt , it a compluunt ; & it a screnae sunt ? quid est , quaeso te , aut quid tibi pro eis rependam , nisi quia totus sum tuus in eo , c● us tot us es tu ? si parùm est , plus certê non h●beo . o good man , o good brother ! you lay hidden from my soul , and i spoke to my spirit , that it should patiently bear it , because you are also hidden from my eyes ; but it scarse obeyes , yea it refuseth to obey . how then shall i not grieve , because i have not as yet knowne your face , the habitation of your soul , which i am as well acquainted with as my owne ? for i have read your letters flowing with milk and honey , manifesting the simplicity of your heart , in which you seek the lord , thinking rightly of him , and bringing him glory and honor . your brethren here have read them , and rejoyce with an unwearied and unspeakable joy , for the bountifull and excellent gifts of god in you , which are your riches . as many as have read them , snatch them from me ; because when they read them , they are ravished with them . how sweet an odour of christ , and how fragrant proceeds from them ? it cannot be exprest how much those letters , while they offer you to be seen of us , excite us to seek for you : they make you both discerned and desired : for the more they represent you unto us , wee are the more impatient of your absence . all men love you in them , & desire to be beloved of you . god is blessed and praised by all , through whose grace you are such . there do we find that christ is awaked by you , and vouchsafeth t● rebuke the winds and the seas , that you may find them calme in your course towards him . there is your dear wife stirred up , not to be your leader to softnesse and pleasures , but to christian fortitude ; becomming masculine again , and restored into the bones of her husband : whom we all with one voice salute and admire , being now united unto you , serving you in spiritual things , wherein you are coupled with mutuall embraces , which the more chast they be , are by so much the more firm . there do we see two cedars of libanus fell'd to the earth , which joyned t●gether by love , make up one arke , that cuts through the waves of this world without detriment or p●trefaction . there glory , that it may be acquired , is contemned ; and the world , that it may be obtained , is forsaken . there the children of babylon , whither litle ones , or of maturer age ; i mean the evils of confusion and secular pride , are dashed against the stones . such sacred and delightfull spectacles do your letters present unto us : o those letters of yours ! those letters of an unfained faith , those letters of holy hope , those letters of pure charity ! how do they sigh and gaspe with your pious thirst , your holy longings , and the ecstatical faintings of your soul for the courts of the lord ? what a most sacred love do they breath ? with what treasures of a sincere heart do they abound ? how thankfull to god ? how earnest for more grace ? how mild ? how zealous ? how full of light ? ? how full of fruite ? whence is it that they do so please us , and so provoke us , to showre and raine upon us , and yet are so calm and so serene ? what is this i beseech you ? or what shall i returne unto you for these letters , unlesse i tell you , that i am wholly yours in him , whose you are altogether ? if this be too little , in truth i have no more . these were the first effects of paulinus his letters ; but shortly after , st. augustine sent him others , nothing inferiour to this first , either in affection , or piety . and the year following , being elected by valerius to fit his coadjutor in the sea of hippo , where he afterwards succeeded him ; it was resolved by them all , namely by valerius , augustine , alypius , severus , and profuturus , the african bishops , that a messenger should be dispatched into campania to ●resent paulinus with their several letters , and the sincere gratulations of their respective clergy ; which accordingly was performed . in the beginning of this year , which was the three hundred ninety and fifth after christ , theodosius augustus the first , a most pious emperour , and a nursing father of the church departed this life . the ethnick writers hating his memory as virulently as his person , laboured with all manner of lyes and libels to render him odious and detestable to posterity . holy endelochius awaked with these scandalous clamours , and the insolent aspersions cast upon so religious an emperour , writes earnestly to paulinus , and prevailes with him , to imploy those excellent abilities bestowed on him , in the defense of this faithfull souldier of jesus christ , and champion of his spouse . this task paulinus performed , as appears by his owne words in his th epistle to severus , to whom hee sent a coppy of his learned panegygick ; however posterity have suffered in the losse of it . but we want not another witnesse : that learned father , and happy translator of the booke of god in his thirteenth epistle to paulinus , gives us a very fair and full account of it . librum tuum quem pro theodosio principe prudenter ornateque , &c. your booke ( saith he ) whihc elegantly and judiciously you composed in the defense of the emperor theodosius , and sent to me by a vigilantius , i have with much delight read over . what i admire in it , is your method : for having excelled all other writers in the first parts , you excell your selfe in the last . your stile is compact and neat , and with the perspicuity and purenesse of cicero , and yet weighty and sententious ; for that writing which hath nothing commendable in it , but words , is ( as one saith ) meer prating . the consequence besides is very great , and the coherence exact . what ever you infer , is either the confirmation of the antecedent , or the inchoation of the subsequent . most happy theodosius , to be vindicated by such a learned oratour of christ ! you have added to the glory of his imperial robe , and made the utility of his just lawes sacred to posterity . but this rare peece , with many more mentioned by gennadius , either through the envie of the heathen , or the negligence of our own , are unfortunately lost ; especially a volume of epistles written to his sister , with some controversial peeces against the ethnick philosophers , mentioned also by saint augustine in his four and thirtieth epistle ; and a most learned treatise of true repentance , and the glory of martyrs . much about this time , the name of paulinus began to be famous in the east ; and not onely there , but in all parts of the christian world. it is almost incredible ( especially in this age of impieties and abominations ) how much the example of this one man prevailed over all . the course he ran , drew another wealthy and noble r●man ( i mean pammachius ) from the senate to the cell ; and all the fathers of that age , when they prest any to holy living , and a desertion of the world , brought in paulinus for their great exemplar , and a star to lead them unto christ . st. augustine propounds him to romanianus & licentius , saint hierome to julian , and the daughters of geruntius ; and saint chrysostome in his thirteenth homily upon genesis , sets him downe for a pattern to the husbands , and therasia to the wives . the reverend bishop of hippo did very earnestly sollicite him to come over into africk , & he gives his reason for it in these words : non imprudenter ego vos rogo , & flagito , & postulo , &c. not unadvisedly doe i intreat and earnestly desire , and require you to come into africk , where the inhabitants labour more now with the thirst of seeing you , then with the famous thirstinesse of the climate . god knowes , i ask it not for my private satisfaction , nor for those onely , who either by my mouth , or by the publick fame have heard of you ; but for the rest , who either have not heard , or else having heard will not believe so great a change ; but when they themselves shall see the truth , they will not onely believe , but love and imitate . it is for their sakes therefore , that i desire you to honour these parts with your bodily presence : let the eyes of our flocks also behold the glory of christ in so eminent a couple , the great exemplars to both sexes , to tread pride under their feet , and not to despaire of attaining to prefection . and in his fifty ninth epistle to paulinus , when ( according to the custome of those holy times ) hee had sent his presbyter to him to be instructed , he cannot ( saith he ) profit more by my doctrine , then he can by your life . saint hierome useth the same engine to bring down the high thoughts of julian : art thou ( saith he ) nobly descended ? so were paulinus and therasia , and far nobler in christ . art thou rich and honourable ? so were they : and from the height of honours and worldly riches became poor and inglorious , that they might gain christ . dearly did anastasius , who succeeded siricius in the sea of rome , affect this holy bishop , as appears by his owne words in his sixteenth epistle to delphinus the bishop of burdeaux . but amidst all these triumphs of the church of god , for the conversion of so eminent a person , and the frequent gratulations of learned men , exprest by their letters or personall visits , there were none that raged with so much hatred and malice against him as his own kindred , and former acquaintance . a prophet hath no honour in his own country , and those of his owne house will be his enemies . there are no such persecutors of the church , as those that do it for selfe-ends , and their private advantage . sweetly doth he complain of these bitter , unnatural dealings in his fifth epistle to severus . potiore mihi parente germanus es , quam illi quos caro tantùm & sanguis mihi sociat , & . you are my brother now by a greater father , then those who are tyed to me by flesh and blood onely . for where is now my great affinity by blood ? where are my old friends ? where is my former acquaintance ? i am become as a dream before them all , and as a stranger to my owne brothers , the sons of my mother . my kinsmen and my friends stand looking upon me afar off , and they passe by me like hasty floods , or the streames of a brook that will not be stay'd . they convey themselves away , and are ashamed of me , who displeased them by pleasing god. and in his first epistle , i beseech you ( saith he ) if i shall have need ( for now my servants , and those i made free-men , are become my despisers , ) that you would take care to send the old wine , which i beleive i have still at narbon , hither unto me , and to pay for the carriage : do not fear , dear brother , to make the poor your debtor , &c. the noble spirit is the bravest bearer of indignities : and certainly extraction and a virtuous descent ( let popular flatterers preach what they will to the contrary , ) is attended with more divinity , and a sweeter temper , then the indiscrete issue of the multitude . there is an eminent difference betwixt flowers and weedes , though they spring from the same mould . the ape contending with the lyonesse , told her , that she was a very fair creature , but very barren : for you ( said the ape ) bring forth but one at a birth , and i bring six , or more ; 't is true ( replyed the lionesse , ) but thy fix are six apes , and my one is a lyon. the greatest part of men , which we commonly terme the populacy , are a stiffe , uncivill generation , without any seed of honour or goodnesse , and sensible of nothing but private interest , & the base waies of acquiring it . what virtue , or what humanity can be expected from a raymond cabanes , a massinello , or some son of a butcher ? they have one barbarous shift , which tigers and beares would blush to commit : they will cut the throats of their most generous and virtuous benefactours , to comply with times , and advantage themselves ; yea , they will rejoyce to see them ruined , and like inhumane salvages , insult over their innocent and helplesse posterity . i could compare those fawning hypocrits , that waite not upon men , but upon their fortunes , to that smiths bitch in the apologues of locmannus the persian , which sleeping in the forge , could not be awaked with all the noise of the hammers , the anvile , and the bellowes : but if the smith would offer to stirre his teeth to eat , shee would start up presently , and attend upon him with all officiousnesse . she would share with him in the fruits of his labours ; but would not watch and look to the shop one minute while he laboured . paulinus had now first lost these false friends , but was loaded for it with the love and commendations of true ones ; and i know not which offended him most , to be despised by the first , or commended by the last . he had ( like saint paul , ) great heavinesse , and continuall sorrow of heart , to see that his brethren and kinsmen according to the flesh , hated him because he loved christ : and on the other side , his humility would not suffer him to beare the labour of love , i meane the generall applause and sincere commendations conferred upon him by his christian friends . severus in one of his epistles written to him ( after hee had spent some lines in the commendation of his zeale and constancie , ) contrary to the custome of that plaine age , subscribed himself , his servant . to the first he replyed , that his excessive love had drawn him to the sin of untruth : and the last he desired him to desist from , for this reason ; cave ergo ne posthac , &c. have a care hereafter ( saith he ) that you who are a servant of christ , called unto liberty , terme nor your self the servant of a sinner , and of one that is not worthy to be called your fellow-servant . the virtue of humility will not excuse the vice of flattery . thus gregorie the great , when pope anastasius had exceeded towards him in his laudatory elocutions , blasted them all with this humble reply ; quod verò me ●s domini , quod lucernam , &c. your calling me the mouth of the lord , a shining light , and a strong helper , is nothing else but an augmentation of my iniquity ; for when i deserve to be punished for my sins , then do i instead of punishment receive praise . severus , in another of his epistles to paulinus , earnestly intreated him to suffer his picture to be taken by a limner , which he had sent to him for that purpose , that he might have it to set up , together with the picture of saint martin , before the sacred font in a fair church which severus was then in building . this friendly motion paulinus was very much offended with , and would by no means consent unto , teling severus , that too much love had made him mad ; and in his eighth epistle , reasoning with him about this request , what kind of picture ( saith he ) would you have from me , the picture of the earthly , or the heavenly man ? i know you love onely that incorruptible image , which the king of heaven doth love in you . i am ashamed to picture what i am , and i dare not picture what i am not . but severus resolving to force it from him , would not be satisfied with any other returne ; whereupon he sent it to him , with these following verses , the elegant expresse of his unfeined humility . the first coppy relates to the pictures , and the latter to the font. abluitis quicunque animas & membra lavacris , cernite propositas ad bona facta vias , &c. you that to wash your flesh and soules d●w near , ponder these two examples set you here . great martin shewes the holy life , and white ; paulinus to repentance doth invite ▪ martins pure , harmlesse life tooke heaven by force , paulinus tooke it by teares and remorse . martin leads through victorious palms and flowers , paulinus leades you through the pooles and showres . you that are sinners , on paulinus look , you that are saints , great martin is your book . the first example bright and holy is , the last , though sad and weeping , leads to blisse . the verses relating to the font , were these . hic reparandarum generator fons animarū vivum viventi lumine flumen agit , &c. here the great well-spring of wash'd soules , with beams of living light quickens the lively streams ; the dove descends , and stirs them with her wings , so weds these waters to the upper springs , they strait conceive : a new birth doth proceede from the bright streams by an immortall seed . o the rare love of god! sinners wash'd here , come forth pure saints , all justfied and clear . so blest in death and life , man dyes to sins , and lives to god ; sin dies , and life begins to be reviv'd : old adam falls away , and the new lives , born for eternal sway . nor did the manners of holy paulinus differ from his mind : all his garments , all the utensils of his poor cot , were so many emblems and memento's of humility . grace is an elixir of a contrary nature to the philosophers stone , it turn'd all the gold and silvervessells of this great senatour into earthen dishes and wooden spoons . righteousnesse and honesty are alwaies poor . in his first epist . to severus , he presents him with some of this innocent furniture ; misimus testimonialem divitiarum scutellam buxeam , &c. i have sent you ( saith he ) a platter made of a box-tree , for a testimoniall of my , riches ; receive , it as a pledge or earnest of evangelicall poverty , and let it be an example to you , if as yet you will make use of any silver platters . to this he addes , that he was very desirous to be supplyed with some more earthen dishes , which ( saith he ) i do very much love ; and then subscrib●s reason , quòd secundum adam cognata nobis sint , & domini th●saurum in talibus vasis commissum habeamus ; because they are near kin to us by adam , and because the treasure of the lord is committed to our care in such vessells . certainly poverty ( as man is now to be considered ) is his best , and his true estate . riches , though they make themselves wings , yet do they not fly to heaven . the h●m● or house of gold , is the heart of the earth , and mineralls are a fuel of hell-fire . poverty was the inauguration of the first man , who was made naked , and all his posterity are born , so . this onely have i found ( saith solomon ) that god made man upright , but he hath sought out many invention . by covetousne●se we loose our uprightnesse : wee come here light and easi● , b●t we load our selves af●●rwards with ●nnecessary burthens . perditi● tua ex te , these weights that we take up , sink us down : our temporall misery as well at the eternal is from our selves . the merriest creature that i can see , is the * sparrow . this makes me think , that hee is not troubled with forethoughts , which are the hands of covetousnesse . what man and beasts scatter and leave behind them , is his provision : his table is laid every where , and the first bush he meets with , is his bed . our saviour , who knew the nature and thoughts of all created things , was pleased to send us to school to the birds . they are alwaies full of musical livelinesse , and a certain bright freedome , which descends not so low as men and beasts . spirits , when they have businesse upon earth , must assume bodies . clarity and purification is a kind of poverty : it is a state that have cast off dregs & burthens . divine is that saying of gr. pi●ides . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . poor habits are naturally heaven-seekers . but paulinus , though he was poor , yet was he charitable , and withall liberall . the widowes mite is more then the rich mens abundance . in the four hundred and tenth year after christ , when the gothes raged in italy , and had sackt nola , paulinus ( amongst many others , ) was taken prisoner by them ; and thus ( saith saint augustine ) as i afterwards learnt from him , did he then pray in his heart . domine , ne excrucier propter aurum & argentum ; ubi enim omnia mea sunt , tu scis . o lord suffer me not to be troubled with the losse of gold & silver , for thou knowest where all my riches are laid up . his treasure was laid up in heaven , where he commanded us to lay it , who foretold , that these calamities should come upon the world. and god ( without doubt ) had reguard unto his prayer , for the barbarous enemie leading all the rest into captivity , he onely was left behind . but amongst all these plunderings and outward afflictions , hee never failed in his daily almes to the poor , nor was the hand of his faithfull therasia any way shortned . at last his store failing , and no more provision being left , then onely one loafe of bread ; a poor man comming to the door for reliefe , paulinus commands it should be given him . but therasia ( arguing with herselfe , that no begger could be poorer then paulinus now was , and that it was as much charity to keepe it for him , as to give it to another , ) conceal'd the loafe , and suffered the poor man to go without it . a day or two after , some men that were sent with relief to paulinus , from his friends , arrive at nola , and tell him that they had been there much sooner , had not one of the ships , which was loaden with corn , been cast away almost in the harbour ; the rest that were fraught with wine and other victualls , being come safe to shore . whereupon paulinus turning towards therasia , put her in mind of her overmuch carefullnesse , with these words , understand now therasia , that this great ship full laden with co●ne , was cast away for that one loafe of bread which thou didst steale from the poore man. but passe we now to his episcopall dignity . in his own workes we have not one line that mentions this ecclesiasticall honour , nor any other passage of his life , that might but seem to conduce to his own glory . they breath nothing but humility , nothing but self-deniall and dedignation . wee must be guided then through this part of his life by other authors , and such faithfull records as are come unto us , from the hands of learned and publick persons ; who either upon the generall interest and concernments of the church , or their own private merits , and not by reflection were acquainted with him . the first that offers himself to us , is uranius , his own presbyter , who in that short narration which he wrote of his life , sets him forth to posterity in this following character ; cum autem ad summum sacerdotij gradum , &c. when he was honoured ( saith he ) with the highest degree in the priesthood , he did not shew himself such a bishop that desired to be feared , but one that endeavoured to be beloved . he was never so farre angry , as not in his anger to shew mercy . nor could that man indeed be angry , for he regarded not calumnies , and he avoyded hatred . he never sate in judgement , but mercy sate close by him . he was truly such a bishop as laboured to get the love of all . for hee lived a consolation to all , and their great example to make sure their salvation . nor is this my voyce onely : even the barbarous nations who knew my lord paulinus by report onely , will testifie as much . and worthily was hee beloved of all , who was a friend to all . for who was there cast down , and he did not lift him up ? who ever called to him for help , and was not piously and comfortably answered ? for he was pious , tender hearted , humble and courteous , hating none , despising none . he gave to all , he cherished all : he encouraged the fearfull , pacified the violent , those with his words , these with his example ; some he comforted with his letters , and those that wanted , with his mony . he loved not any riches , nor any treasures , but those which christ promised to his followers . gold and silver , and the other accommodations of life he approved of , if they were liberally given to the poor , not covetously hoorded up . briefly , he had in him all goodnesse , for he loved christ . hee had faith , meeknesse , love towards his neighbours , a constant care of the poor , compassion upon the weak , and laboured for nothing in his life , but peace and charity . all his endeavours were to make men good , and to save their soules . what place is there in the world , what solitude , what seas which acknowledge not the good works of holy paulinus ? all men desired his acquaintance , and did extreamly long to have a sight of him . who ever came to him without joy or who went from him , but he desired to stay longer ? those that could not see him in the body , desired to see him in his writings ; for he was sweet and gentle in his epistles , elegant and ravishing in his poems . what more shall i say ? the relations that may be given of him , would be scarse credible , but that his knowne integrity is above falshood . nola was at this time a very famous and splendid city , nothing inferiour to the best emporiums of italie , and had withall a very rich sea ; which questionlesse was a great occasion , that the piety of this blessed bishop was so renowned , and so familiarly spoken of in the most remote parts of the world. so the just and faithfull god exalteth those that humble themselves , and honours those that honour him . he had beene faithfull in those things that were his own , and was therefore intrusted with the treasures of the church . prosper in his second book , de vitâ contemplativâ , and the ninth chapter , tells us , how hee disposed of them ; sanctus paulinus ( ut ipsi meliùs nostis ) ingentia praedia quae fuerunt sua , vendita pauperibus erogavit : sed cum posteà factus esset episcopus , non contempsit ecclesiae facultates , sed fidelissime dispensavit . holy paulinus ( saith he ) as you best know , sold all those princely possessions which were his own , and gave of them to the poor : but when he was afterwards consecrated bishop , he neglected not the revenues of the church , but was a most faithfull steward and dispenser of them . so faithfull , that when he lay upon his death bed , hee had not one piece left to relieve himself , but was driven to lay out for some cloathes which he had given to the poor , a small summe of mony , which god ordained to be sent to him for that very purpose a litle before the hour of his dissolution . so that living and dying , he kept to the apostles rule , and owed no man any thing but love . hee was a great lover of learned and holy men , and confesseth in one of his epistles to alypius , that his affection to saint ambrose , was the first inducement which he felt to incline him to christianity . his dearest and most intimate friends were saint augustine , saint ambrose , saint hierome , saint martin the bishop of tours , delphinus the bishop of burdeaux , and amandus his successour ; alypius the bishop of tagasta , januarius the bishop of naples , afterwards a martyr , victricius the rhotomagensis , aper , severus , and nicetas of da●ia . i may say of him as the scripture saith of moses , he was the meekest man upon the face of the earth . he was not onely obedient and serviceable to these fathers , and pillars of the church , but to his own presbyters and domesticks : he judged himself the most unworthy , and the most unable of all his brethren . victor the monk , sent from severus to see him ( according to the custome of those times ) washed his feete . this was a ceremony , which in that age of holinesse could not be refused . but victor by this did not onely wash his feet , but his face also ; for he drew tears from him , because hee might not deny him the performance of that evangelical service . servivit ergo mihi peccatori , & vae misero mihi quod passus sum ; he served me a sinner ( saith the holy bishop ) and woe is to me because i suffered him . but he staid not at tears , for as soone as victor had done washing his feet , to requite his service , he fetched him clean water , and held the bason while he wash'd his hands . he was not like that insolent abbot that did cast off his humility with his cowle , and being asked by his brethren , why he was then so proud , that was formerly such an humble monk , made answer ; that in his monachisme , when he went so low , and stooping , he was searching for the keyes of the abbey ; but now having found them , he did hold up his head to ease himself . this true carriage of an evangelist , made him both honourd and beloved ; the church rejoyced , and glorified ●od for him , and the court admired him . holynesse is a light that cannot be hidden : it is a candle set upon a hill : stars never shine more glorious , then when they are neare black clouds . in the year of our lord , four hundred and nineteen ( a grievous schism then happening in the church , ) there was a convention of certain bishops and fathers at rome , to quiet those groundlesse perturbations , and stop the breach . but honorius the emperour , judging by his skil in the temper of those church-men , that no good would be done without the presence of paulinus , who then lay sick at nola , dispatched his imperial le●ter to this holy bishop , wherein he earnestly intreated him ( if possible ) to shake off his present indisposition , and to repaire in person to the synod , lest that great blessing of peace , which he and the church did earnestly hope and long for , might by his absence unfortunately miscarry . this royall record ( because it is a monument of no lesse sincerity then concernment , and discovers unto us much of the face of those times ) i shall verbatim insert . sancto & venerabili patri , paulino , episcopo nolensi . tantùm fuit apud nos certa sententia , nihil ab his sacerdotibus , qui ad synodum convenerant , posse definiri , cum beatitudo tua dé corporis inaequalitate causata , itineris non potuit injuriam sustinere , ut propter absentiam sancti viri , non quidem obtentura : interim tamen vitia gratulantur , cùm prava & vetus ambitio , & cum benedicto viro sanctaeque vitae diù vel●t habere certamen , ut contra haec apostelicae institutionis bona , de praesumptis p●r vim pariet●bus ●xistimet confidendum . o verè digna causa quam non nisi coronae t●ae beata vita designat ! dilatum itaque judicium nuntiamus , ut divina praecepta ex venerationis tuae ore promantur , qui easecutus implesti ; nec potest alius ●orum praeceptorum lator existere , quam qui dignus apostolicis disciplinis est approbatus . specialiter itaque domine sancte , meritò venerabilis pater , justus dei famulus , divinum opus , contemp●o labore , tributum hoc nobis visitationis tuae ( si ita dicendum est ) munus indulge , ut postpositis omnibus , quantùm temperantia his & tranquillitas suffragantur , synodo profuturus , sine intermissione etiam desideriis nostris , & benedictioni quam cupimus , te praestare dig●eris . to the holy and reverend father paulinus , bishop of nola. such a firm opinion have we that nothing can be agreed and concluded upon by the bishops met in this synod , ( your holinesse by reason of your bodily indisposition being not able to travel hither ) that for your onely absence it is not like to continue : in the mean time offences triumph and rejoyce at it , and the old and wicked sinne of ambition , which of a long time desires to contend even with your holynesse and upright life , presumes now , and is confident that having forcibly taken the wall from us , it will carry you also against the wholsomnesse of apostolicall institution . o! a cause truly worthy not to be determined , but by your holy life , which is your crown ▪ we therfore d●clare unto you , that we have suspended our judgement for the present , that we may have the truth of these divine precepts pronounced by your reverend mouth , who have both followed them , and fullfilled them : for none can be a fit arbiter of those rules , but he that hath approved himself worthy and conformable to apostolicall discipline . wherefore , holy sir , worthily reverend father , the faithfull servant of god , and his divine work , we intreat you particularly , that slighting the troubles of this journey , you would favour us with this gift and tribute ( if i may so speak ) of your presence : and laying aside all other concernments ( so far as your health and ease will permit , ) be in your owne person at this synod , and vouchsafe to lend your assistance to our desires , and that blessing which wee earnestly long for . wee see by this letter in what account hee was with the emperour , and that his integrity and holyness were not dissimulations and popular fables , but experimentall truths so known and so believed ; hee was a true christian , and no impostour . it was not the custome , but the nature ( if i may so say ) of those primitive times to love holy and peacefull men . but some great ones in this later age , did nothing else but countenance schismaticks and sedicious raylers , the despisers of dignities , that covered their abominable villanies with a pretence of transcendent holinesse , and a certain sanctimonious excellencie above the sons of men . this vaile ( which then cousend weak eyes ) is now fallen off their faces , and most of their patrons have by an unthought of method received their rewards : the rest without doubt ( though they shift themselves into a thousand shapes ) shall not escape him , whose anger is not yet turned away , but his hand is stretched out still . but retur●e we to paulinus : whose charity and tendernesse towards the poor , was both inimitable and incredible ; this iron age wants faith as well as mercy : when he had given them all he had , to the last that begged he gave himself . gregorie the great , in the third book of his dialogues , and the first chapter , hath recorded this memorable passage . i shall cut it short , and in as , few words , as conveniently may be , give you all that is material . when the vandals had miserably wast●d campania , and carried many of the inhabitants into africk , blessed paulinus gave all that he had both towards his own sustenance , and the reliefe of the poor , amongst the prisoners and captives . the enemy being departed , and his prey with him ; a poor widow ( whose onely son was ( amongst the rest of the natives ) by a son in law of the king of the vandals carried into bondage , ) comes to petition paulinus for so much money as might serve to redeem him . paulinus told her that he had nothing then left , either in money or other goods , but promised , if shee would accept of him , to go with her into africk , and to be exchanged for her son. the poore widow taking this for a meere scoffe , turnes her back to be gone . paulinus followes after , and with much adoe made her believe , that he meant it ( as he did indeed ) in earnest . upon this , they travell'd both into africk , and having opportunity to speake with the kings son in law , the poor widow begged of him first ▪ to have her son restor'd unto her gratis : but the youthfull and haughty vandal averse to all such requests , would hear her no farther ; whereupon she presents him with paulinus , and petitioned to have her son set at liberty , and the other to serve in his stead . the prince taken with the comely and reverend countenance of paulinus , asked him , what his occupation or trade was ? paulinus answered , that he never followed any trade , but that he had good skill in dressing of herbes and flowers . upon this , the prince delivered her son to the widow , who took him home with her , and sent paulinus to work into his gardens . the prince delighting much in flowers and sallets , would very frequently visit paulinus , and took such delight in him , that he forsook all his court-associates to enjoy the company of his new gardiner . in one of these visits , paulinus taking occasion to confer seriously with him , advised him to be very carefull of himselfe , and to consider speedily of some means to secure and settle the kingdome of the vandals a in mauritania ; for ( said he ) the king your father in law will shortly dye . the prince something troubled with the suddain newes , without further delay acquaints the king with it ; and tells him withall , that his gardiner ( whose prediction this was ) excelled all other men both in wisedome and learning . whereupon the king requested , that he might see him ; you shall , replyed the prince , for to morrow when you are at dinner , i will give order that hee shall come in person with the dishes of sallate to the table . this being agreed upon , and accordingly performed , the old tyrant upon the first sight of paulinus exceedingly trembled , and speaking to his daughter , who sate next to him , to call to her husband , he told him , that the prediction of his gardiner was very true ; for yesternight ( said he ) i saw in a dream a great tribunal with judges sitting thereon , and amongst them this gardiner , by whose judgement a scourge which had been formerly put into my hands , was taken from me . but learn of him what his profession is , and what dignity he had conferred upon him in his own country , for i cannot believe him to be ( as he pretends ) an inferiour or ordinary person . as soon as dinner was ended , the prince stole from the presence into the garden , and earnestly intreated paulinus to tell him , who he was ; i am ( said he ) your gardiner , which you received in exchange for the widowes son. i know that , replyed the prince , but i desire to know your profession in your own country , and not the servitude you have put your self in with me for the present ; to this paulinus answered , that he was by profession a bishop , and a servant of jesus christ the son of the living god. at these words the prince was mightily troubled , and requested him to depart againe into his own country , assuring him , that before he departed , he would give him any thing that he should please demand . paulinus replyed , that he would desire no●hing , but to have those captives which were carried out of campania , set at liberty , and transported to their native country . to this the prince consented , and for paulinus his sake , furnished them with shipping and all other necessaries for their voyage , and sent them home joyfull in the company of their blessed and beloved bishop . some few daies after , th● old tyrant ( as god had foretold by his holy servant ) departed out of this world into his owne place ; and so that scourge which god had put into his hand for the punishment of a great part of the christian world , was taken away , and the instrument cast into the fire . wherefore whoever thou beest , that readest this book , and art a sufferer thy selfe , or doest see and grieve for the calamities of the church , the oppression of the poor , & the violent perverting of judgement & justice in a province , do not thou marvel at the matter , nor vex thy self ; for he that is higher then the highest , regardeth it , and there be higher then t●ey . envy not the glory of sinners , for thou knowest not what will be their end ; but submit thy self under the mighty hand of god , expecting with patience the time of refreshing , and i do assure thee upon my soul , thou shalt not be deceived , paulinus , with all his joyfull captives , was now landed in campania , where all the inhabitants , as upon a solemne feast-day flocked together to welcome him , and to poure their joyes into his bosome ; some received their sonnes , some their brothers , and some their husbands : both the receivers and the received were beholding to paulinus . they commended , honoured and admired him : he exhorted , incouraged and confirmed them . mutuall consolations are a double banquet , they are the churches eulogiae , which we both give and take . what the campanians most admired in paulinus , was that which the scripture commends in moses : youthfullnesse in old age . he was now as earnest , as hearty , and as active for the glory of god , as in his most vigorous years . his spiritual force was not abated , nor the eye of his soul any way dimmed . hee did not coole towards his setting , but grew more large , more bright , and more fervent . bearing trees , when their fruit is ripe , bend their boughes , and offer themselves to the gatherers hands . he knew that his time of departure was at hand , and therefore moses-like he made his doctrine to drop as the raine , and his speech distilled as the dew . hee poured out his milk and his wine , and made them drink abundantly . to labour in the heat of the day , and to give over in the cool , is great indiscretion , the contention should be alwaies hottest towards the end of the race . i am now come to my last paragraph , which all this while i did reserve for his works of piety . and these indeede ( if wee consider his unworldlinesse , and religious poverty ) were very great and very sumptuous . he repaired and beautified the four old basilica's , or churches , dedicated to the martyr felix , and built the fifth , which exceeded them all , both for beauty and largenesse . this he dedicated to our lord and saviour jesus christ . it was adorned with two stately porches , the one opend towards the way of publick resort , the other was a private postern ; and the path leading to it , was through a pleasant green field set with fruit-trees and other shady wood , ●enced about with a very high and sumptuous wall ; the entrance into this court was through a fair marble-gate , in whose front were cut these following verses . caelestes intrate vias per amoena vireta , &c. through pleasant green fields enter you the way to blisse ; and wel through shades and blossoms may the walkes leade here , from whence directly lyes the good mans path to sacred paradise . this church was joyned to the other four , and an entrance made from the one into the other , by high and spatious arches , supported with pillars of marble . through these pillars ( whose height did almost reach to the roof , ) as through a traverse was to be seene , by those that came from the old ch●rch into the new , the picture of the crosse , limned in most lively and glorious colours , and hung with garlands of palms and flowers ; above it shined a cleare and luminous skie , and on the crosse , which was all purple , sate perching a flock of white doves ; at the bottome of this paisage were written these verses . ardua florifera crux , &c. the painfull crosse with flowers an● palms is crown'd , which prove , it springs ; though all in blood ' is drown'd : the doves above it shew with one consent , heaven opens onely to the innocent . in the courts belonging to this church , were very faire and spatious walks , paved with stone , and covered over head against the violence of weather . the outside was supported with pillars , and the inner was divided into neat and cleanly cells , opening towards the walks , where the people that came thither to celebrate the vigils of felix , reposed themselves . round about these courts were great cisterns , and lavers of severall kinds of marble most curiously polished , whose diverse-formes and colours were very delightfull , and much recreated the beholders . the porches , which were very large , and contained with in them many private oratories , or places of prayer , were all richly pictured with sacred histories out of the pentateuch , the book of joshuah , judges and ruth ; this church is fully described in his twelfth epistle to severus , and his ninth natalis , when nicetas came out of daciae to see him . ecce vidès quantus splendor velut aede renatâ rideat , insculptum camerâ crispante lacunar in ligno mentitur ebur ; tectoque supernè pendentes lychni spiris retinentur ahenis , et medio in vacuo laxis vaga lumina nutant funibus , undantes flammas levis aura fatigat , &c. you see what splendour through the spatious isle , as if the church were glorified , doth smile . the ivory-wrought beams seem to the sight in graven , while the carv'd roofe looks curl'd and bright . on brasse hoopes to the upmost vaults we tie the hovering lamps , which nod and tremble by the yeelding cords ; fresh oyle doth still repair the waving flames , vex'd with the fleeting aire . having finished this church , hee built another , not far from nola , in a litle town called fundi , where his possessions ( which he afterwards sold and gave to the poor , ) were situate ; this also de dedicated to our lord jesus , whom he used to call th● saint of saints , and the marty of martyrs . in this church in the great isle leading to the altar , he caused to be put up another peece of limning , or sacred paisage , which for b●auty ●nd exce●l●ncie exceeded all the form●r . we have it most lively described and explained in these following verses . sanctorum labor & merces sibi rite cohaerent , ardua crux , pretiumque crucis sublime , corona , &c. the paines of saints , and saints rewards are twins , the sad crosse , and the crowne which the crosse wins . here christ the prince both of the cross and crown amongst fresh groves and lillies fully blown , stands , a white lamb bearing the purple crosse , white shewes his purenesse , red his bloods dear losse : to ease his sorrowes the chast turtle sings , and fans him swetting blood with h●r bright wings ; while from a shining cloud the father eyes his sons sad conflict with his enemies , and on his blessed head lets gently down eternal glory made into a crown . about him stand two flocks of di●fering notes , one of white sheepe , and ●●e of sp●ckled goates , the first possesse his right hand , and the last stand on his left : the spotted goates are cast all into thick , deep shades , while from his right the white sheepe passe into a whiter light . but in all these sacred buildings , our most pious and humble bishop did not so much as dream of merit . he thought ( as bl●ssed mr. herbert did ) that they were good works , if sprinkled with the blood of christ ; otherwise hee thought them nothing . it will not be amisse , nor perhaps needlesse , to produce his own words in his own defense : nisi dominus aedificaverit domum , vano aedificantes labore sudabimus . oremus ergo dominum , ut dum nos illi aedificamus domicilia quae videntur , ille nobis intus aedificet illa quae no● videntur , domum videlice● illam non manufactam . unlesse the lord build the house , wee labour in vaine to build it . let us therefore ( saith he ) pray to the lord , that while wee outwardly build unto him these visible buildings , hee would build inwardly in us those which are invisible , that is to say , the house not made with hands . how can a servant merit by making use of his masters goods ? all we do , and all we give are but his concessions and favours first given unto us . cum suis & hìc & ibi rebus lo●upletamur , in this world , and in the world to come all ou● magnificence is but his munificence . but paulinus was not onely outwardly pious , but inwardly also . he did so abound with private devotions , that all the time from his baptism to his buriall , may be truly called his prayer-time . all that he did think , all that he did speak , and all that he did write , was pure devotion . either publick or private prayers took up all his tim● . our saviour tells us , that gods elects cry day and night unto him , and saint paul adviseth us to pray without ceasing , and in every thing to give thanks , for this ( saith he ) is the will of god in christ iesus concerning you . holy paulinus called saint paul his master , having made himselfe his disciple , hee would not neglect his commands : if you continue in my word ( saith our saviour ) then are you my disciples indeed . to this i shall adde his conformity and obedience to the church , a blessing of no small consequence in all ages , especially in this age of schismes and heresies . hee highly honoured the memory of the saints of god , and was a most chearfull and devout observer of sacred festivals , or holy daies . his pious affection to these blessed seasons , together with the necessity and convenience of them , he hath most elegantly and learnedly demonstrated in his poems . — hos per long a morantes tempora , dum tardi splendens rota vertitur anni sustineo intentis affecto pectore votis : quos cupio totis mihi praelucere diebus , vel quando veniunt ita compensare moras , ut aestivis possent spatiis producere lucem , aut illum pensare diem , qui sistere jussis syderibus , longo lassavit lumine mundum , humanos duplicans dilatâ nocte labores . ergo velut caelum stellis , & floribus arva temporibusque annos dominus , sic ipse diebus tempora distinxit festis , ut pigra diurnis ingenia obsequiis , saltem discrimine facto , post intervallum reduci sollemnia voto sancta libenter agant , residesque per annua mentes festa parent domino , quia jupiter intemeratos justitiae servare piget : delinquere suetis , parcere peccato labor est : decurritur omni valle , per ascensum non est evadere cursu . inde bonus dominus cunctos pietatis ut alis contegat , invalidis niti v●rtutis ad arcem congrua sanctorum dedit intervalla dierum , ut saltem officiis mediocribus ultima christi vestimenta legant , & eos sacra fimbria sanet . primus enim gradus est caelo pertexere cunctos continuâ bonitate dies , & tempore toto pascha sacrum christi cultu celebrare pudico . quod si mista seges tribulis mihi germinat , & cor incultum stimulat terreni spina laboris , vel festis domino studeam me offere diebus , ut vel parte mei tanquam confinia vitae , corpore ne toto trahar in consortia mortis . englished thus . those sacred daies by tedious time delai'd while the slow years bright line about is laid , i patiently expect , though much distrest by busie longing , and a love-sicke brest ▪ i wish , they may outshine all other daies , or when they come , so recompence delaies as to outlast the summer-hours bright length , or that fam'd day , when stopt by divine strength , the sun did tyre the world with his long light , doubling mens labours , and adjourning night . as the bright skye with stars , the fields with flowers , the years with diff'ring seasons , month● and houres god hath distinguished and mark'd ; so he with sacred feasts did ease and beautifie the working dayes : because that mixture may make men ( loath to be holy ev'ry day , ) after long labours with a freer will. adore their maker , and keepe mindfull still of holyness● , by keeping holy daies : for otherwise they would dislike the wayes of piety as too severe . to cast old customes quite off , and from sinne to fast is a great work . to runne which way we will , on plaines is easie , not so up a hill . hence 't is our good god ( who would all men bring under the covert of his saving wing , ) appointed at set times his solemne feasts , that by mean services , men might at least take hold of christ as by the hemme , and steal help from his lowest skirts their soules to heal . for the first step to heaven , is to live well all our life long , and each day to excel in holynesse ; but since that tares are found in the best corn , and thistles will confound and prick my heart with vaine cares , i will strive to weed them out on feast-daies , and so thrive by handfuls , 'till i may full life obtaine , and not be swallow'd of eternall paine . two places upon earth were most renowned with the memory of our saviour , bethlem for his birth , and mount calvarie for his passion . to extirpate all remembrance of his humanity out of these places , hadrian the persecutor caused the idol of jupiter to be set up , and worshipped in mount calvarie ; and in bethlem he built a mosquie for that egyptian block adonis , which the idolatrous jewes called thamuz . some men amongst us have done the like : two seasons in the year were consecrated by the church to the memory of our saviour : the feast of his nativity and circumcision , and the feast of his passion and resurrection . these two they have utterly taken away : endeavouring ( in my opinion ) to extinguish the memory of his incarnation and passion , and to race his blessed name out of those bright columnes of light , which the scripture calls daies . they will not allow him two daies in the year , who made the day●s and the nights . but it is much to be feared , that he who hath appointed their daies here , will allow them for it long nights . holy paulinus had now attained a good old age , the fore-runners ( as master herbert saith ) were come , and the almond tree did flourish : hee was all white with years , and worshiped ( like jacob ) lea●ing upon the top of his staffe . his virtuous and deare therasia had died ( i believe ) long before this time ; god having ordained him to be hindmost , who was the stronger vessell , and best able to bear her absence , and the unavoydable disconsolations of flesh and blood . and now ( having for some time stood gazing after her , ) he begins to follow , god visiting him with a strong paine in the side , which in a few daies did set him at liberty to overtake her , by breaking the prison . three daies before his dissolution , symmachus and hyaci●thinus , two bishops of his acquaintance c●me to visit him ; whereupon hee spoke to uranius his presbyter , that hee should prepare to attend him in the administration of the sacrament ; for ( said he ) i desire to receive it in the company of my brethren , which are now come to see mee . this sacred solemnity was no sooner ended , but suddenly hee began to ask , where his brothers were ? one that stood by , supposing that he had asked for the two bishops , answered , here they be : i know that , replyed paulinus , but i aske for my brothers januarius and martinus , who were here with me just now , and promised to come to me again . and having thus spoken , he looked up towards heaven , and with a voyce as chearfull as his countenance , which seemed to shine and revive with joy , he sung out the one hundred and twentieth psalme , i lift up mine eyes unto th● hills from whence cometh my help . my help commeth from the lord , who made heave● and earth . this being done posthumianus , another presbyter that was then present , told paulinus , that there were forty shilling● unpaid for the cloathes which he had given to the poor , before be fell sick . to this paulinus replyed with a smile , that he remembred it very well : and son ( said he ) tak● no thought for it , for beleive me , there is on● that will not be wanting to pay the debt of the poor . the words were no sooner out of his mouth , but presently there comes in from the parts of lucania ( now called basilicata ) a presbyter sent from the holy bishop exuperantius to visit paul●nus ; who brought him fifty shillings for a token from the bishop . paulinus receiving the money , blessed god , saying , i thank thee o lord , that hast not forsaken them that seek thee . of these fifty shillings he gave two with his owne hand to the presbyter that brought them , and the rest he delivered to post humianu● to pay for the cloathes which were given to the poor . the evening now drawing on , hee remained quiet and well at ease untill midnight : but the paine then increasing in his side , he was troubled with a great difficulty , and shortnesse of breathing , which held him till five in the morning . the day begining to break , he felt the usuall motions of holynesse awaking his spirit , to which ( though weak ) he chearfully obeyed , and sitting up in his bed , celebrated mattins himselfe . by this time all the deacons and presbyters of his diocesse were gathered together at the door , and came ( like the sons of the prophets ) to see the translation of their aged father . after some short exhortations to holynesse and christian courage , he lifted up his hands and blessed them , mindfull ( it seems ) of our saviours carriage at his ascension , whose peace he prayed might rest upon them . shortly after ( the pain still encreasing and prevailing against him ) hee became speechlesse , and so continued untill the evening ; when suddenly sitting up ( as if hee had been awaked out of his sleep ) he perceived it to be the time of the lucernarium , or evening-office , and lifting up his hands towards heaven , he repeated with a low voyce , this verse out of the psalmes , thy word is a lantern unto my feet , and a light unto my paths . about the fourth hour of the night , when all that were present sate diligently watching about him ; his poor cottage did suddenly shake with such a strong earth-quake , that those who kneeled about his bed were something disordered with it , and fell all trembling to their prayers . the guests of eternal glory were now entred under that narrow roof , where ( after the abdication of his great worldly honours ) he had lived so long in all holynesse and humility . for in that instant of time ( saith uranius ) he was dissolved , the blessed angels testifying that they were present to conduct his happy and glorious soul into the joy of his master . by the like signe did christ signifie to his church in hierusalem , that he heard their prayers when they were persecuted by the mercilesse jews . gregory the great , in the place st. paulinus to his wife therasia . come my true consort in my joyes and care ! let this uncertaine and still wasting share of our fraile life be giv'n to god. you see how the swift dayes drive hence incessantlie , and the fraile , drooping world ( though still thought gry , ) in secret , slow consumption weares away . all that we have , passe from us : and once past returne no more ; like clouds , they seeme to last , and so delude loose , greedy mindes . but where are now those trim deceits ? to what darke sphere are all those false fires sunck , which once so shin'd they captivated soules , and rul'd mankind ? he that with fifty ploughes his lands did sow , will scarse be trusted for two oxen now , his rich , lowd coach known to each crowded street is sold , and he quite tir'd walkes on his feet . merchants that ( like the sun ) their voyage made from east to west , and by whole-sale did trade , are now turn'd sculler-men , or sadly swett in a poore fishers boat with line and nett . kingdomes and cities to a period tend , earth nothing hath , but what must have an end : mankind by plagues , distempers , dearth and warre , tortures and prisons dye both neare and farre ; furie and hate rage in each living brest , princes with princes , states with states contest ; an vniversall discord mads each land , peace is quite lost , the last times are at hand ; but were these dayes from the last day secure , so that the world might for more yeares endure , yet we ( like hirelings ) should our terme expect , and on our day of death each day reflect . for what ( therasia ! ) doth it us availe that spatious str●ames shall flow and never faile , that aged forrests hie to tyre the winds , and flowers each spring returne and keepe their kinds ? those still remaine : but all our fathers dyed , and we our selves but for few dayes abide . this short time then was not giv'n us in vaine , to whom tyme dyes , in which we dying gaine , but that in time eternall life should be our care , and endlesse rest our industrie . and yet , this taske which the rebellious deeme too harsh , who god 's mild lawes for chaines esteem , suites with the meeke and harmelesse heart so right that 't is all ease , all comfort and delight . " to love our god with all our strength and will ; " to covet nothing ; to devise no ill " against our neighbours ; to procure or doe " nothing to others , which we would not to " our very selves ; not to revenge our wrong ; " to be content with little ; not to long " for wealth and greatnesse ; to despise or jeare " no man , and if we be despised , to bear ; " to feede the hungry ; to hold fast our crown ; " to take from others naught ; to give our owne ; these are his precepts : and ( alas ! ) in these what is so hard , but faith can doe with ease ? he that the holy prophets doth beleeve , and on gods words relies , words that still live and cannot dye ; that in his heart hath writ his saviour's death and tryumph , and doth yet with constant care , admitting no neglect , his second , dreadfull comming still expect : to such a liver earthy things are dead , with heav'n alone , and hopes of h●av'n hee 's sed ; he is no vassall unto worldly trash , nor that black knowledge , by which pretends to wash , but doth defile : a knowledge , by which men with studied care loose paradise agen . commands and titles , the vaine worlds device , with gold , the forward seed of sin and vice , he never minds : his ayme is farre more high , and stoopes to nothing lower than the skie ; nor griefe , nor pleasures breede him any pain , he nothing feares to loose , would nothing gaine ; what ever hath not god , he doth detest : he lives to christ , is dead to all the rest . this holy one sent hither from above a virgin brought forth , shadow'd by the dove ; his skin with stripes , with wicked hands his face , and with foule spittle soyl'd and beaten was ; a crown of thornes his blessed head did wound , nayles pierc'd his hands and feet , and he fast bound stuck to the painefull crosse , where hang'd till dead with a cold speare his hearts dear blood was shed . all this for man , for bad , ungratefull man the true god suffer'd ! not that sufferings can adde to his glory ought , who can receive accesse from nothing , whom none can bereave of his all-fullnesse : : but the blest designe of his sad death was to save me from mine ; he dying bore my sins , and the third day his early rising rais'd me from the clay . to such great mercies what shall i preferre , or who from loving god shall me deterre ? burne me alive , with curious , skilfull paine cut up and search each warme and breathing vaine : when all is done , death brings a quick release , and the poore mangled body sleepes in peace . hale me to prisons , shut me up in brasse : my still free soule from thence to god shall passe ; banish or bind me , i can be no where a stranger , nor alone ; my god is there . i feare not famine ; how can he be sed to sterve , who feedes upon the living bread ? and yet this courage springs not from my store , christ gave it me , who can give much , much more ; i of my selfe can nothing dare or doe , he bids me fight , and makes me conquer too . if ( like great abr'ham , ) i should have command to leave my fathers house and native land , i would with joy to unknown regions run , bearing the banner of his blessed son. on worldly goods i will have no designe , but use my owne , as if mine were not mine ; wealth i 'le not wonder at , nor greatnesse seeke , but chuse ( though laugh'd at , ) to be poore & meeke . in woe and wealth i 'le keepe the same stay'd mind , griefe shall not breake me , nor joyes make me blind : my dearest jesus i 'le still praise , and he shall with songs of deliverance compasse me . then come my faithfull consort ! joyne with me in this good fight , and my true helper be ; cheare me when sad ; advise me when i stray ; let us be each the others guide and stay ; be your lords guardian : give joynt ayde and due ; helpe him when falne ; rise , when he helpeth you ; that so we may not onely one flesh be , but in one spirit , and one will agree . finis . notes, typically marginal, from the original text notes for div a -e * a towne in the higher calabria in italy . miles distant from rome : the inhabitants were mightily given to pleasure , and taught their horses to dance to the pipes ; which the crotoniatae their deadly enemies observing , brought into the field a company of minstrels : the sybarits horses bearing the pipes began to dance , and disordered their army , by which meanes they were overthrowne to the number of . a one of the courtiers of the emperor traian , and afterwards a most glorious martyr . being in chase of a stagge , he observed betwixt his hornes the signe of the cross , and heard a voice out of his mouth , speaking to him in the latin tongue , cur me persequeris ? whereupon leaving his game , he retyred presently into his own house , and having called together his wife and children , were all baptized and received the christian faith. but in the persecution under hadrian , he and his wife theophila for their faithfullnesse to jesvs christ , were burnt together in a brasen bull ; and so having overcome and endured unto the end , they received the morning star , and crownes of life , which shall never be taken from them . see volater lib. . a pliny mentions this punishment : the parricide after his apprehension , to augment the horror of his conscience , was first whip● with rods dipt in the blood of his murthered parents : and afterwards together with a dog , an ape , and a cock ( creatures which shew litle reverence towards their sires ) he was thrust alive into a strong sack , and so thrown into the sea. cell the inhabitants of pelusium , a town in the borders of egypt , now called damiata ; it was built by peleus the fratricide , from whom the citizens desce●ded . * the word in the he brew signifies , the house of powring out : which in a secret allegorie may very well concerne man. a vixere fortes ante agamemnona multi ; sed omnes illach ymabiles urgentur , ignotique longâ nocte , carent quia vate sacro . notes for div a -e * one of the indian gymnosophists , who feeling himself a little sick made a great bonefire , and in the presence of alexander burnt himselfe therein . alexander a little before asked him , what he would have ? hee answered , i shall see thee shortly . which fel out , for he dyed at babylon few days after . * one of the counsellors of alexand the great . the pipes of death used by the lamae . notes for div a -e * an excellent dilemma . * divitiae & vitia . a every rich man is either a tyrant himself , or the son of a tyrant . gregorius thaur●aturgus . thou hast his life annexed to this epistle : as a precedent after these precepts . a hilarius about this time ( which was . years after christ ) did lead a monastical life ; but upon the death of honoratus , he was ele●ted his successor in the bishoprick of orleans , in which dignity he continued not long , for being addicted to solitarinesse , he resigned it , and turned into the wildernesse . a st. augustine . this letter was written in the year of our lord . philip. chap. . ver . , . notes for div a -e * he subscribed to the damnable heresie of arius , as both hierome and athanasius testifie against him . * cedimus ingenio quantum praecedimus aeyo , assurgit musae nostra camaena tuae . sic & fastorum titulo prior , & tua romae praecessit nostrum sella curulis ebur . st. hierome ep. . * for nola. a paulininus calls him a martyr , quia multa pro christo passus , ersi non occi●us . a paulinus will have the word which is commonly used in the latin , to be nicticora , from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , which signifies the apple or candle of the eye , and not from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . and this he saith was told him by a holy man , that had lived a long time in the deserts of egypt , where he observed the nature of this bird of night , and the pelican . august . epistol . . ad paulin. a he proved afterwards a most detestable heretick . te multa dilectio ad mendacii peccatum traxit . * paulinus calls christ ( mstically ) a sparrow : h●c est ille pass●r , qui requirentibus se n viis hilaritèr ostend it ; nunc in portis fit obvius , nunc in platis occurrit , nunc in muris vel turribus sublimis convocat ad se amatores suos , & invitat cos in altitudines habitationum suarum , ut impleat ve●bum suum , & exaltatus omnia ad se trahat . quis dabit nobis p●nnas columbae deargentatas , ut pennati pervolemus ad bravîum supernae vocationis , sequentes istum passerem solitarium , qui est unicus dei filius , supervolitantem , cui in altis habitat , & humilia respicit ? lib. . d ▪ civitate de● . a this was about the year of our l. . about which time the vandals after their excursions through polonia , italy , franconia , and andalusia had setled in africk , where they continued quietly until the reigne of justinian , bu● rebelling against him , they were together with their king gillimer totally overthrown by the great captaine beli●arius an. christi . luk. . januarius was bishop of naples , and a martyr ; and martinus was the bishop ●f tours in france the secret shooting of the wicked, reproved or, a word to the namelesse publisher of that he calls strength in weaknesse, or the burning bush. naylor, james, ?- . this text is an enriched version of the tcp digital transcription a of text r in the english short title catalog (thomason .f. [ ]). textual changes and metadata enrichments aim at making the text more computationally tractable, easier to read, and suitable for network-based collaborative curation by amateur and professional end users from many walks of life. the text has been tokenized and linguistically annotated with morphadorner. the annotation includes standard spellings that support the display of a text in a standardized format that preserves archaic forms ('loveth', 'seekest'). textual changes aim at restoring the text the author or stationer meant to publish. this text has not been fully proofread approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page image. earlyprint project evanston,il, notre dame, in, st. louis, mo a wing n thomason .f. [ ] estc r this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons . universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase , no. a ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (thomason tracts ; : f [ ]) the secret shooting of the wicked, reproved or, a word to the namelesse publisher of that he calls strength in weaknesse, or the burning bush. naylor, james, ?- . sheet ([ ] p.) s.n., [london : ] imprint from wing. signed at end: james naylor. annotation on thomason copy: "july d. ". reproduction of the original in the british library. eng christian literature -- early works to . christian life -- early works to . a r (thomason .f. [ ]). civilwar no the secret shooting of the wicked, reproved; or, a word to the namelesse publisher of that he calls strength in weaknesse, or the burning bu naylor, james a this text has no known defects that were recorded as gap elements at the time of transcription. - tcp assigned for keying and markup - apex covantage keyed and coded from proquest page images - judith siefring sampled and proofread - judith siefring text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion the secret shooting of the wicked , reproved ; or , a word to the namelesse publisher of that he calls strength in weaknesse , or the burning bush . now is the living god visiting his people , and gathering his seed out of babylon and egypt , and hath called out his servants , and sent them to these strange kings with his message , to bring out to light that which hath been kept in prison , whereat pharaoh is exceedingly troubled , and the king of babylon's posts meet one another with this cry , our kingdome is taken at one end , the sea rages , and all that have treasures in ships are gathered to stand up for their god , and their king , to keep in bondage . but , from him that sits upon the seat of iniquity , to the magitians that use the inchantments to deceive withall ; yea , and upon all that believe them ; shall the hand of the lord be , to make babylon desolate , and to dash her children against the stones which lie in the streets thereof , which all the builders refuse . this is the lords doing , and woe to him that doth resist him , who hath sent his word to strange nations , and to people of dark understandings , whether they will hear or forbear . and thou amongst the rest , who calls thy self the publisher of what i writ to james nowell's wife , but conceales thy name , as one ashamed of his vision , saying , ( in thy practice ) smite him secretly , as the backbiters and whisperers of old ever did , stirring up prejudice in the minds of people , and making them evil affected against the truth , so dost thou against the movings and messages of the living god in his servants , rendring them under the names of sore temptations , terrible adversaries , bitter assaults of the enemy , and such like corrupt words thou uses to inform the reader withall , before he read the letters : and when thou hast cast out thy venome against the truth of the lord , then thou covers thy self with feigned words , saying , i leave it to the most wise and holy god to direct the wise in heart to consider them : oh thou full of all subtilty , was not god able to direct the wise without thy forestalling slanderous opinions ? how hast thou helped god , or any wise man herein ? hadst thou printed them both , and been silent , then thou hadst left it to god indeed , and i should have been silent also ; hast thou dealt moderately herein , or as thou would be done unto ? shall not the least of wise men judge thee , and thy spirit ? nay , hast thou not helped on the devils kingdome with lies , as i shall bring no other witnesse against thee herein , but her whom thou so highly commends ; for , sayes thou , her temptations , afflictions , and conflict , was repeated and renewed so often as opportunity was given by her new visiters ; ( which visiters are these letters which thou hast published ) but saith she , i am no way troubled at such continued charges ; now how must this be divided betwixt you , seeing the one at least must be the liar , both in this and divers other things i might instance : but i delight not to rake into such filth , onely i shall let thee see in a few words what a body of confusion is in this daughter thou art boasting of ; which shame might have been hid , had it not been for your glorying against the truth : and though to me both thou and she is known without words ; yet before others who yet judge things according to the outward appearance , i shall take but a word or two out of her own mouth , whereby her foundation might be discovered , to the least of those who know the kingdom . she sayes , she knowes her self assuredly to be in the kingdom of god ; yet still kept groaning for adoption : i say , the kingdom of god consists rot in groaning for adoption , but in righteousnesse , peace , and joy in that which is holy , and none are there but sons who are adopted ; no farther in the kingdom then newborn , and self denyed , though she say her self is in the kingdome , which never came so far as a disciple where self is standing , much lesse not into the kingdome . further , she confesses her own deceivings yet within her , unjudged , which are yet to try ; and the yoke of sinfull covenant in her , yet unbroken ; all which and much more may be taken from her own pen without wronging her , as her letters ( by thee ) published may witnesse ; yet withall this she sayes , she knowes her self to be in the kingdom of god , when it is no other but exalted into the chambers of your own imaginary : for all who knowes the kingdom of god can witnesse against you , that no such unclean stuffe comes there , no self nor self-deceivings ; no sin , nor sinful covenant comes there : all this is in the kingdom of satan , and not of god , never was : or ever shall be ; blessed be god who hath condemned out all that filth and confusion , and all that lives in it , that he may keep his kingdom pure , therefore do the virgins love him : and had she known the kingdom of god in her , she had never wondered how i durst adventure to write to one vvhose face i had not seen , as she doth in her paper ; and ( sayes she ) consider whether ever the apostles or prophets thou art like herein : i say , did not god command his servants to write his message to strange lands , and strange persons ? and did he first send them to look upon their faces to knovv what to write to them , or doth that adde to his word ? oh shame with your blindnesse herein ; is god become as blind as you , who cannot judge but by carnal appearance , and will you limit him to your selves ? that eye never savv ? prophets nor prophesies , christ nor apostles : but this is all you knovv of god or his word , his judgments and kingdom , who are blindand deaf , as to the invisible : and so the visible and carnal judges , judging god to be like your selves , imagines self to be in the kingdom ; but the blind and deaf comes not there in that state . had god no other servants but such as you , it might be long ere the obedience of christ and his sufferings should be manifest in flesh , for the gathering his seed into the light , as ever he did send them to strange people who declared his word to them whose faces they had not seen , to open their blind eyes , and so bring them out of darknesse into the light to be seen , which to her is a wonder . and this is thy daughter thou boasts on , and calls her a daughter of abraham , who is a daughter of disobedience , strengthening her self against the word of the lord , because the instrument had not seen her face , resisting in her own will the tender of eternal love , and this thou calls strength in weaknesse , which is obstinate wickednesse , and that both she and thou must know , when you have finished your measure ; and of her blood i am clear for ever . and this is the bush thou boasts of which is not consumed though fire be in it : i say , there is a time when the fire is in the bush , and the bush unconsumed ; then is the seed of god in egypt under pharaoh and the magitians , and in that state death raignes from adam till moses : also there is a time when the light of israel doth burn up the bush , and devour the briars and thorns in one day , then is that god known who is a consuming fire to all that choakes his seed ; go learn what this means , then shalt thou see whereof thou art glorying ; and under that glory a fire shall be kindled . who would set briars and thornes against me in battle ; i will go through them and burn them together . thy murmuring against the northern people is come before the lord ; thus saith the lord , i have raised one from the north , from the rising of the sun is he come , upon you as upon morter and clay ; who declares from the beginning knowes him , and who is before time can say that he is righteous , but thou canst not hear him nor declare him , who consumes the bushes , and makes plain before him , that he may plant in the wildernesse , and make it a land of springs , for the poor and needy to drink at , where shall come no more fear of briars and thorns , but the little ones shall feed safely ; this , death , knowes not onely the fame you have got . woe to you brambles and bushes who tears the lambs on every side ; josephs bough you know not , nor its fruit , ( though you have got it to talk of ) you are the fruit of the cursed ground , your end is at hand : yet a lamentation there is , ( that doth not change ) for the seeds sake , by a lover of your soules , james naylor . christ's tears for jerusalems unbelief and ruine now humbly recommended to england's consideration in this her day of tryal and danger. by [faded print] reverend and learned divine mr. theophilus gale. gale, theophilus, - . approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page images. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; oxford (uk) : - (eebo-tcp phase ). a wing g estc r this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons . universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase , no. a ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, - ; : ) christ's tears for jerusalems unbelief and ruine now humbly recommended to england's consideration in this her day of tryal and danger. by [faded print] reverend and learned divine mr. theophilus gale. gale, theophilus, - . [ ], p. printed for m. widdowes at the green dragon in st. pauls church-yard, london : . includes six preliminary contents pages and errata page. print faded on title page; partly illegible. reproduction of the original in the congregational library, london. created by converting tcp files to tei p using tcp tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the universities of michigan and oxford and the publisher proquest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by proquest via their early english books online (eebo) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). the general aim of eebo-tcp is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic english-language title published between and available in eebo. eebo-tcp aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the text encoding initiative (http://www.tei-c.org). the eebo-tcp project was divided into two phases. the , texts created during phase of the project have been released into the public domain as of january . anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source. users should be aware of the process of creating the tcp texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data. text selection was based on the new cambridge bibliography of english literature (ncbel). if an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in ncbel, then their works are eligible for inclusion. selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. in general, first editions of a works in english were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably latin and welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so. image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in oxford and michigan. % (or pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet qa standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. after proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of instances per text. any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of tcp data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a tcp editor. the texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level of the tei in libraries guidelines. copies of the texts have been issued variously as sgml (tcp schema; ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf- unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p , characters represented either as utf- unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng jesus christ -- early works to . christian literature -- early works to . - tcp assigned for keying and markup - apex covantage keyed and coded from proquest page images - ali jakobson sampled and proofread - ali jakobson text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion christ's tears for jerusalems unbelief and ruine . now humbly recommended to england's consideration in this her day of tryal and danger . by 〈◊〉 reverend and learned divine mr. theophilus gale . london , printed for m. widdowes at the green dragon in st. pauls church-yard . . preface . it is the supreme wisdome , interest , and perfection of man , who is an intelligent being , to understand , & adhere unto his last end , and whatever means conduce thereto : this is stiled , luke . . to know the things that belong unto our peace . and the supreme end of our great lord , in espousing human nature , was , to acquaint sinners with the things that belong to their peace , and bring them into an immediate capacitie for the fruition of them . is it not then the highest piece of folie , and madnesse , for rational creatures , to shut their eyes , and hearts against that , which is their supreme happinesse ? is there so much beautie in the deformitie of sin ? so much pleasure in the chains and fetters of satan ? so much libertie in the vassalage , and bondage of lusts ? so much content in the embraces of an heart-distracting world ? so much peace and ease in the stings , and troubles of a tormented conscience ? so much life in the death of sin , and hel torments , as to make a rational soul amorous of , and in love with them ? if not , how comes it to passe , that men mind not more the things that belong unto their peace ? was it ever known that any , but mad men , would take delight to see their own heart-bloud gush out ? would any but blind fools spurne at food , the most delicious , satisfying food , when offered to their famished souls ? may we not count such bewitched sots , who plot , and contrive , by al means possible , to ruine themselves ? and yet , lo ! is not this the case of al such , who wil not know , and embrace the things that belong unto their peace , when offered to them ? alas ! what a world of such mad , and blind fools are there ? yea , how many great professors , yea how many churches , fal under this black brand of folie and madnesse ? was not this jerusalem's sin and folie , for which she has paid so dear , for years ? and has jerusalem been alone in this sin ? has not england also dranke very deep of this venimous , intoxicating cup ? and what may we expect but jerusalem's prodigious ruines , unlesse we al make haste , to know and embrace the things that belong unto our peace , before they are hid from our eyes ? the designe therefore of this ensuing discourse , is to awaken , and provoke secure unbelievers , and slumbering professors , deeply to consider , and chearfully to embrace evangelic offers of life , and grace , before it be too late . and our first book is wholly spent in the explication of our lords doleful lamentation , luke , . over jerusalems sins and ruines . wherein we have endeavored to explicate , what were jerusalem's church-wasting sins , and ruines , which our lord here laments ; in order to a conviction of , and lamentation over our own sins , and approching ruines , if not prevented by a timous repentance , and closing with the things of our peace . and because jerusalem's main sin was infidelitie , this therefore is the chief subject of what follows book . wherein we have endeavored to explicate the black and prodigious nature of vnbelief , in the several parts thereof ; and that in opposition to faith , whereof it is a privation . wherein we have also opened the nature , and main essential ingredients of faith : which indeed comprehends the chief vitals of christianitie ; and therefore requires our most diligent attention , and curious inquisition . the next great and commun head to be explicated is the causes of infidelitie : which wil open to us , what a great mysterie of iniquitie lies at the root of unbelief . hence we are to procede to its aggravations , which wil discover to us the monstrous magnitude of this sin . and thence follows the severe punishment , and vengeance , which the righteous god inflicteth for this sin of infidelitie . these things wil , if providence favor , and assist our desires , be the subject of several discourses . only , that i might not at present wholly frustrate the readers expectations , i have in the corollaries , and uses of the second book given some hints and intimations of the chief particulars , which i intend to discourse of under the following heads . as for the forme of the discourse , i thinke i may with sinceritie say , i have endeavored to suit it to my mater . i would hate sinful affectation of words , or things , merely to please itching curious spirits , as much as hel. yet if any words occur that may give lustre and efficace to the truths discoursed of , i cannot thinke myself obliged to reject them , because not so vulgar , as other words lesse proper are . only , if thou meet with any word beyond thy capacitie to apprehend , remember that the following word usually explains the same . a table of contents . book i. christ's lamentation over jerusalem . chap. i. an explication of luke . . pag. the contexture of the words , pag. . and when he was come near , . he beheld the citie , , . and wept over it . , , . chap. . the most solemne profession without sinceritie wil not satisfie christ , — . chap. . previous , and general observations , . chap. . church-sins bring church-ruines , . evil of doing brings the evil of suffering , . sin in itself the worst evil . . chap. . a numeration of jerusalem 's sins , . . vnbelief a church-ruinating sin , ibid. . carnal presumtion , . . spiritual pride , . . carnal securitie , - . . carnal confidence , . . earthly-mindednes , pag. . . vnfruitfulnesse , . . persecution of the prophets , . . want of reformation , . . impenitence , . . apostasie , . chap. . divine wrath the effective cause of jerusalem 's ruines . . the effects of divine wrath on jerusalem , . . temporal jugements , ibid. . spiritual jugements , , . chap. . . the qualities of christs tears , . ( . ) they are divine , ibid. ( . ) rational . ( . ) free. ( . ) sincere , , . ( . ) spiritual . ( . ) generous . ( . ) humble , - . ( . ) pathetic . ( . ) sympathetic , , . ( . ) seasonable . ( . ) public , . . the efficaces of christ's tears , . ( . ) prophetic . ( . ) instructive . ( . ) exhortative . ib. ( . ) threatning . ( . ) intercessorie , . ( . ) influential . ( . ) exemplary , , . chap. . the motives of christs tears , . ( . ) as a father . ( . ) as an husband , ibid. . ( . ) as her lord. ( . ) as a minister , , . ( . ) christs natural relation to jerusalem , . chap. . doctrinal corollaries , ibid. . christs affections relative , ibid. . christs affections most pure , . . christs real wil to save sinners , ibid. . the aggravations of such as refuse christ , . mans ruine from himself , . use . advice to studie englands sins , . use . mourne over englands sins and miseries , . use . caution against church-sins , pag. . book ii. wherein the nature of infidelitie consists ? chap. . the explication of luke . . . chap. . eighteen general observations drawn from luke . . - . chap. . what the things of our peace are , which men disbelieve , . . vnbelief as to the scriptures in general , . . vnbelief as to the gospel , . . as to maters of grace , . ( . ) the realitie of evangelic offers , . ( . ) the freedome of the covenant , . ( . ) the vniversalitie of its offers . . ( . ) the riches of grace in the covenant , . ( . ) the immutabilitie of the covenant , . . vnbelief as to maters of providence , - . . vnbelief as to future glorie , ibid. the formal object of vnbelief , . chap. . vnbelief as opposed to the assent of faith , . . rejection of divine truths , . . non-attention to sacred notions , ibid. . implicite assent is vnbelief , . . when assent is not supernatural , . . when assent is only superficial , . . when assent is not real , . . when assent is not spiritual , . . a general confused assent , . . a suspense douting assent , - . . an inevident , obscure assent , . . a legal assent , . . a forced assent , . . a fluctuating assent , . . an undervaluing assent . . . a barren assent . . chap. . the real objects of infidelitie , . infidelitie strikes at ( . ) god himself , . ( . ) his divine attributes , soveraintie , &c. . ( . ) divine providences . ( . ) ordinances , ib. vnbelief rejects christ , . vnbelief rejects heaven , . the acts of vnbelief . . rejection of christ , . ( . ) by open opposition of him , . ( . ) by dislikes of him , . ( . ) by heart-cavils against him , . ( . ) by not approving the reports of christ , . ( . ) by delays , as to a closure with him , . chap. . the wils defective reception of christ . . . as to the object . in receiving a false christ , . ( . ) a compound christ , ibid. ( . ) a divided christ , . . the true christ under false respects , . ( . ) in regard of motives , ibid. ( . ) in regard of christs grandeur , . ( . ) when christ is not received as offered , . . the defects of the subject . ( . ) when the wil is rotten , . ( . ) when the wil is languid and faint , . ( . ) when the wil is only terrified , . ch. . . vnbelief as opposed to adherence , . . diffidence and distrust , pag. . . dissatisfaction of heart , . . the disobedience of vnbelief , . . non-application of christs grace , . . putting far off christs coming , . chap. . doctrinal corollaries . cor. . almost-believers may procede very far , and yet remain infidels , . ( . ) how far as to assent , . ( . ) how far as to consent , . cor. . there is a boundlesse difference betwixt saving faith , and commun : as to . ( . ) knowlege , . ( . ) self-denial , . ( . ) a legal and evangelic spirit , . ( . ) the bent of the wil towards christ , . ( . ) purifying the heart from sin , . ( . ) transformation of the heart into the image of christ , . ( . ) the use of means , . ( . ) the foundation , . ( . ) the end and rule , ibid. ( . ) gods faithfulnesse , ibid. cor. . no middle 'twixt faith & vnbelief , ib. cor. . saving faith most rare , but commun faith most cheap . . cor. . believers have much unbeief , . cor. . unbelief is the greatest sin , . cor. . this justifies god in his greatest severitie against unbelievers , . chap. . practic vses . vse , . studie the mysterie of infidelitie , . studie the causes of infidelitie , . ( . ) spiritual darknesse . ( . ) carnal reason , . ( . ) carnal securitie . ( . ) self-love , ibid. ( . ) spiritual pride . ( . ) short-spiritednesse , . ( . ) beloved lusts , ibid. use , . of lamentation and humiliation for the prevalence of infidelitie , . motives to humble our selves for vnbelief , . use , . of examination , whether our faith be saving , or only commun ; also how far we fal under infidelitie , . heart-examens by way of soliloquie , . use . of exhortation to deal with infidelite , as our worst enemie , . use . pursue after faith , as the most excellent and useful grace , . the excellent effects of faith , . the opposite qualities of faith and vnbelief . scriptures explicated . chap. ver. page . genesis . . . . deuteronomie . . . . . , . . samuel . . . . chronicles . . . . job . . . . psalmes . . , . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . esaias . . . . . . . . ●● . jeremie . . . . . . . . , . . . . . lamentations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . hosea . . . . . . . matthew . . , , . . . . . . , , . . luke . . , . . . . . . - . . . . , . , . . luke . . . . . . , &c. . . , &c. . . . . . . . . . john. . . , . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . , . . acts. . . . . . . romans . . - . . . , , . . . . . . , . . corinthians . . . . galatians . . , . . ephesians . . , . . philippians . . . . thessalonians . . . . hebrews . . , . , . . . . . . . . , . . james . . . . peter . . . errata . page . l. . read pretensions . p. . running title , r. without . p. . l. . for ying r. lying . p. . l. . r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . p. . l. . after his own , put a colon. p. . l. . r. particle p. . l. . for thenc r. thence . p. . l. . r. whereon . p. . l. . after under adde the. p. . l. . for me r. him . p. . l. . r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. . l. . r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 : l. . r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . p. . l. . r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . p. . l. . for has leaning , read hastening . book i. a general account of christ's lamentation over jerusalem . luke . . and when he was come near he beheld the citie , and wept over it . chap. i. an explication of the text , luke . . as israels temporal benedictions were symbolic images , or types of spiritual blessings , promissed to the believing seed of abraham ; so her temporal jugements , were also symbols , or typic shadows , of spirtual jugements , threatned to , and inflicted on evangelic unbelievers . and to confirme this , 't is worth our observation , that most , if not al of those expressions in scripture , whereby a the place of eternal punishment is represented , relate , and allude to some places , or stories , remarquable for gods exemplary vengeance , executed on sinners , under the old testament . yea , the last destruction of jerusalem by titus , here foretold , and lamented by our lord , is , by a b learned author stiled a map of hel. the 〈…〉 our ensuing discourse , touching the nature , aggravations , and punishment of vnbelief . and i no way dout , but that it wil appear , in the sequel , to be a truth , beyond al question , that our blessed lord , in this his sad lamentation over unbelieving jerusalem , had no smal regard to evangelic unbelievers , who should despise the things that belong unto their peace , in these last days . for it is a golden rule , given us , by a great c master of wisdome , that the word of god has various complements , or fulfillings , in successive periods , and ages of the church . and that this text in particular , may not be confined to the judaic church ; but also justly be applied to evangelic unbelievers in al ages ; and particularly in this , wil appear by what follows , in the parallel , or proportion between one and t'other . as for the contexture , or coherence of our text , with the precedent discourse , it deserves a particular remarque , as it lies couched in the first particle , and ; as also in that following expression , when he was come near : which evidently connecteth this historie with what precedes . our evangelist had hitherto declared with what joyous acclamations , and congratulations , the vulgar jews welcomed their promissed messias ; how chearfully they recognised him as their soverain lord , and king ; what loud hosanna's , and psalmes of praise they sang unto him : he now procedes to expound , with what a triste and pensive minde ; with what a bleeding and melted heart ; with what a mournful and weeping countenance christ received them . they rejoice in their new-found messias , and king ; but he weeps over them : they seem to instal him , and lift him on his throne ; but he with tears laments their final vnbelief , contumacie , and ruine not far off . this seems to be the natural connexion of the words , as it wil further appear by what follows . as for the explication of the words , we shal be as brief as our mater wil permit . that first particle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , and , is usually taken copulatively , as it connects the following discourse with what precedes : and so it describes to us a considerable circumstance , of this historie , namely the time of christ's lamentation over jerusalem ; which was immediately after their solemne acclamations of joy , and hosanna's to him , as their messias . hence it follows , when he was come near . this gives us another great circumstance of christs lamentation ; and that is the place ; which was the mount of olives ; from whence christ , being now in his descent , had a direct , and ful prospect of jerusalem offered to his eye ; which , amidst al the peoples joyous salutations , so far pierced , and affected his heart , as it brake forth into this doleful lamentation . it is natural to the spirit of a man to break forth into a passion of grief , at the approche , and view of any grievous and displeasing object . and that which makes this place the more remarquable is , that here it was that david , the type of christ , bewailed the rebellion of his son absolon ; as sam. . . and david went up by the ascent of mount olivet , and wept as he went up , &c. david , at every ascent , poured out a quantitie of tears , in lamenting the contumacie of his natural son absolon ; so christ , the celestial david , at every descent , sends forth many tears , in bewailing the contumacie of his federal sons , of jerusalem . and that which yet further aggravates this circumstance of place is , that ( which christ foresaw ) on this very mount of olives , where christ now laments the sin and ruines of jerusalem , the romans in their first siege against this citie , began to pitch their tents , as josephus , in his book of the jewish war , chap. . observes . so that wel might our blessed lord make this place the seat of his lamentation , which he foresaw would be the first seat of their national ruine . but it follows : he beheld ] the participle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , wants not its peculiar emphase , in that it denotes a certain person , viz. christ ; which gives us another notable circumstance , much conducing to the explication of the whole . o! what a great , illustrious he is here ? what wonders of wonders lie wrapt up in this he ? what tongue , or thought , of men , or angels , can expresse , or conceive , the infinite dimensions of this little pronoun ? who can declare his generation ? is not this he , he that first gave being , and welbeing to jerusalem , as to althings else ? did not this he , bring her out of egypt , that house of bondage ? was not this noble he her protector , and conductor in the wildernesse ? was not this soverain he , her king and lawgiver in canaan ? did not this infinite eternal he , descend down into the womb of a virgin , and espouse human nature , thereby to put himself into an apt capacitie , to be jerusalem's savior ? who was this celebrious he , but the messias , a borne jew , who had judaic bloud running in his veins , a judaic heart to pitie , judaic eyes to weep over , a judaic tongue to plead with , importune , and beseech impenitent unbelieving jerusalem , to accept of the things that did belong unto her peace ? this was that heroic , generous , and illustrious he , who here beheld , not only with the eyes of his bodie , but also with the eye of his omniscient divinitie , the present impenitent , contumacious , unbelieving ; and the future miserable , ruinous and desolate state of jerusalem : for so it follows . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , the citie ] with an emphase ; for the article here points out a certain citie , and that with a remarque , and accent . the citie , which was his first bride ; but now an adultresse ; who plotted , how she might embrew her hands in her husbands bloud : the citie , wherein the oracles of god , and gracious tokens of his presence were first loged , rom. . . the citie , which did once oblige herself , by a firme covenant , or oath of allegeance and supremacie , to submit to him , as her crowned king , and lawgiver ; but now turnes her back upon him , and cries up no king but cesar ; who ere long would be her ruine . the citie which was sometimes the beautie of holinesse , and seat of divine worship ; but now is become the sinke of al vices , and satans throne , or synagogue . lastly the citie , to which he had in person preached the joyful sound , and glad tidings of salvation ; to which he had offered the first handsel of evangelic love , and free grace ; which he had been so long wooing , and courting to be happy in the embracement of himself , and al other things , that did belong unto her peace : but she would not . and what follows ? and wept . ] what ? the lord of glorie weep ! he that was god blessed for evermore drop tears ! how comes this to passe ? what a strange accident is here ? whence spring these divine tears ? surely it must be some prodigigious cause , that draws this holy water , from those sacred eyes of god-man . e some of the ancients , otherwise orthodoxe , were so far struck with the sense of this prodigie , as that they thought it incredible , that the son of god should weep : and therefore , not understanding the sense , force , and efficace of these divine tears , they left out this word , wept . but that christ , god-man , was capable of weeping , is evident by the like passion elsewhere ; as at his friend lazarus's grave , john . . and on the crosse , or in the garden , as hebr. . . but yet the raritie of this , or any other passionate emotion in christ , argues some stupendous , and strange ground , or occasion thereof . certainly nothing ordinary came from christ : his commun words , and actions were not ordinary : much lesse may we conceive his tears , which so rarely dropt from him , to be of an ordinary tincture , and origine . no , they were the tears of god , and therefore must have much of divinitie in them , both as to their rise , mater , end , occasion , &c. they were wise , judicious tears , not foolish , as ours usually are : they were spontaneous and free , not forced , and strained , as ours oft are : they were not sullen and pettish tears , as ours ; but meek , the tears of the lamb of god : they were not selfish and private tears ; but generous , and public , for national sin , and miserie . these tears were spiritual , not carnal ; regular not inordinate : they had not so much of passion , as of compassion , and commiseration in them : our tender-hearted lord seems to forget his own passion , which was near , whiles his bowels rolled with compassions , towards an impenitent ingrateful citie . they are the tears , of an affectionate physician , bleeding over the wounds of his self-murdering patient ; of a gracious , generous prince , bewailing the wilful rebellion of his dying subjects . in short , these tears are very amorous , precious , and efficacious ; inviting weary and heavy-laden sinners to accept of rest ; forewarning the obstinate and impenitent of their danger ; instructing the ignorant and weak in their dutie , of believing on him ; encouraging the scrupulous and douting soul , to come unto him , and finally , interceding for such as belonged to the election of grace , though at present enemies to him . such were the noble qualities , and divine efficaces of these sacred tears , as it wil appear by what follows . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , over it ] or , for it ; or by reason of it ; which connotes , or hints to us the aggravation , or weight of the impulsive cause ; what it was that excited , or drew forth this sacred passion ; namely jerusalems present sin , and coming miserie . as for her sin it lay chiefly in this : our blessed lord being ordained and commissionated , by god the father , to gather in the lost sheep , of the house of israel , nothing was more deeply fixed in his heart , than the execution of this his commission and office : now drawing near to jerusalem , and having a view of it in his eye , it could not but melt , and break his heart , to consider , that she , who was the sacred seat of the covenant ; wherein the divine majestie had so long resided , with many significant symbols and tokens of his presence ; i say , that she should reject her lord , and husband , after so many importunate wooings , invitations , and offers made of the things that did belong unto her peace . as for her approching miserie , that also was mater of sad lamentation ; and that in many regards . . that henceforward al the great things of her peace should be , as a sealed book , hid from her eyes . . that she , who was the beautie and glorie of al nations , should , within a few years , lie buried in her own ruines . . that ( which is the worst of al ) al her plagues and jugements , were sealed and subscribed by divine wrath , and vengeance . oh! this was sad indeed , that al her woes , must stand sealed with the mediators black curse . no wonder then , that her crowned king , and mediator , who was a borne jew , and minister of the covenant , doth here , by virtue of his place and office ; and also by reason of his near alliance to jerusalem , deplore and lament over her sinful forlorne state . thus much for the explication of the lamentation it self . before we procede to the mater of christs lamentation , mentioned in the following words , we shal make some brief reflexions on , observations from , and useful improvements of the words explicated . chap. ii. the most solemne profession without sinceritie wil not satisfie christ . from the contexture of this v. . with the precedent discourse , by comparing christ's posture towards them , with their posture towards him , we may observe , that the most solemne profession of honor and subjection unto christ , wil not satisfie him , without real affection , and performance . these awakened , convinced jews welcome christ with the highest profession of joy , and the most solemne rites , due to him as their messias , v. , . where it is said , the whole multitude of the disciples , began to rejoice , and praise god with a loud voice for al the mightie works that they had seen ; saying , blessed be the king that cometh in the name of the lord , peace in heaven , and glorie in the highest . if we compare this acclamation , with the same mentioned john . , . we shal find many considerable circumstances , which confirme our observation . for ( ) it is said , john . , . that the multitude of disciples , which sung hosannas to christ , came from jerusalem to meet him : which argues , they were but a mixt multitude , who being struck with a sense of his mightie workes , could not but recognise him , as their crowned king and savior : albeit many of them , as 't is most likely , within a few days crie , with as loud a voice , crucifie , crucisie him . ( ) it s said , john . . that these awakened jews , took branches of palme-trees in their hands , f which was a symbol of their joy , as luke . . oh! how much were they overjoyed to see their long waited for messias ? thence it follows , ( ) and they cried hosanna , ( i. e. save now , as psal . . . ) blessed is the king that cometh in the name of the lord. this last clause is taken from ps . . . and is apparently a solemne rite or ceremonie used for the inaugurating of their promissed messias , thus we see what solemne acclamations of joy , titles of honor , and profession of subjection they give to christ as their messias . but doth al this satisfie christ ? doth he fully acquiesce , in these visible apparances of their professed obedience to him ? no surely ; notwithstanding al their seeming joy in him , yet he weeps over the most of them , with the rest of their brethren , as those in whom he fulwel saw ( by the omniscient eye of his divinitie ) there was not any one dram of saving faith or love towards him . hence it is apparent , that pretentons of honor , love , and friendship to christ satisfie not him , without real intentions of the same : verbal profession , and superficial transient affection signifie nothing in christs account , without a deliberate , resolute , complete , ponderous , deep , and inviolable bent of wil towards him . christs omniscient eye pierceth thorow our very natures , and is more intimate to us , than the most intimate part of our selves ; and therefore , albeit we may delude others , yea , our selves also , with the vizard , and masque of an hypocritic profession ; yet we cannot delude christ : he sees that the first principle of such feigned profession is but some commun illumination , or languid affection : he knows who they are that crie him up in profession , and yet despise , or crie him down in heart , and prevalent affection : he considers that such mens forced subjection to him , procedes only from legal principles , and therefore wil ere long degenerate into secret , if not open rebellion against him . he sees such mens light is a burden to them ; their faith lies level with the interest of self ; their starcht holinesse is but an artificial , pharisaic sanctitie , or at best , but some light touches , or superficial impresses of the spirit of grace . in brief , christ has , as isai . . . a quick sent , to distinguish betwixt commun illuminations , and the saving light of life ; between legal humiliation , and evangelic repentance ; betwixt painted watered holinesse , and sincere grace : and therefore many almost-christians , who passe for sheep in their own , and the worlds eyes , are but altogether swine in christs eye . hence we may learne , that awakened sinners may procede very far in the owning of christ , and yet bedisowned by him : they may , as these poor souls here , embrace him with much seeming joy ; submit to him as their king , with much pretended chearfulnes ; crie hosanna , ( i. e. save now ) with much seeming faith and dependence on him as their savior ; and yet al this while christ not own them as his loyal subjects . this also teacheth us , that there is a vast difference between mans jugement and christs . alas ! how many are justified by us , as also in their own consciences ; and yet condemned by christ ? as on the contrarie , how many are condemned by the world , and peradventure by their own consciences as hypocrites ; who yet are justified by christ ? this further instructs us , that a christians main worke is to approve himself to christ . it maters not who condemnes , if christ justifies ; who curseth , if he blesseth ; who kils , if he makes alive ; who troubles , if he speak peace . as christ doth curse the blessings ; so also he doth blesse the curses of the wicked , when unjustly pronounced , against the godly . wherefore christians should mind more , how they may approve themselves to christ , than what may commend them to the world . this also admonisheth us ; mostly to intend , and look wel to heart-work . for 't is the sinceritie of the heart only that commends us unto christ . externe formes , and apparences of pietie commend us to the church , but unlesse there be an inward power and realitie of grace in the heart , al our visible formes do but render us more slie , cunning hypocrites , and so more loathsome & abominable in the eye of christ . lastly , this discovers to us , the desperate curse and plague that abides on self-deluding sinners ; such as extol christ in profession , but yet continue enemies to him in affection ; such as go forth with their palme-branches of seeming joy , to welcome christ , and yet secretly in their hearts crucifie him , such as sing hosanna's to him , as their crowned king ; and yet reserve the bent of their hearts as a throne for some base lust . certainly , such almost-christians , are no better than almost-devils : the whitenesse of their fair , but false pretences of honor to christ , doth but aggravate the blacknes of of their sin in rejecting of him : the masque of their profession , serves but to concele a rotten heart : their seeming godlines serves but more effectually to oppose that which is such in truth . chap. iii. previous , and general observations from the text. we now procede to the bodie of our text , and therein the first thing that occurs , is the circumstance of place , wherein our blessed lord made this his doleful lamentation over jerusalem , contained in that expression , [ and when he was come near ] . whence observe , that the approche of any afflictive , or miserable object draws forth grief & pitie , from a christian & gracious spirit . what is grief , but the emotion or rolling of the bowels at the presence of some grievous object ? and the nearer the object is to us , either by natural , civil , or , religious bonds , the greater wil our grief be , at the approche thereof . jerusalem was allied to christ by the most intimate , and essential bonds both of nature , and religion : he was borne of a jewish womb , educated in the jewish land , the crowned king of jerusalem ; which was a federate citie , allied to him by al manner of civil and religious obligations ; and therefore approching near it , his bowels melt and turne within him , to think , that this citie , so near and dear unto him , should not understand , or embrace the things that appertain to her peace ; but on the contrarie , be at this very very time meditating and contriving his death , and her own ruine . but this wil come under further consideration in what follows . we passe on to the act of christ , which ushered in , and opened the dore to this his sad lamentation , [ he beheld , ] hence observe . that the lord of glorie did so far condescend to sinners , as to clothe himself with human nature , and organs , thereby the more feelingly to commiserate and pitie them . and oh ! what an infinite ocean of condescendent grace is here ? what unparalled dimensions of eternal love and mercie , are there in the bowels of this tenderhearted redemer ? what ? was he indeed content to assume a mans heart , to bleed over sinners ; a mans tongue to plead with and persuade sinners to be happie ; a mans eyes , to water his exhortations with tears ; yea , a mans soul and bodie to die for sinners ? o! what wonders of superlative love , and condescendent pitie are here ? who would ever question the affectionate regard of such a compassionate redemer ? how comes it to passe that the blessed lord , should borrow human eyes to behold and pitie sinners , and yet they want an eye of faith to behold their savior ? o! what monstrous ingratitude is this , that the king of sion , should stand gazing on sinners , ' til his heart dissolve into tears ; and yet they stand amusing themselves with idols of clay , and never mind the gracious regards of their lord ? fie , fie on such blind , idol-lovers ! . from this act , he beheld , we may further observe , that christs eye affects his heart ; his sight moves his compassions . there are no sterile , jejune , or barren speculations in christs eye ; but al his contemplations are warme , and heart-melting : they break forth into affection , and end in operation . christs eye is not dul or sleepy , but vigilant and watchful : he watcheth over sinners , when they sleep over him : he beholds them with an eye of pitie and compassion , when they behold him , with an eye of bloud , and revenge : he casts a wist eye of sympathie , and lamentation towards jerusalem , whiles she is looking and considering how she may pul out his eyes and heart . o! what a compassionate eye is this ? hence follows the object of christs contemplation ; and that is [ the citie ] i. e. the citie , which was so nearly related , and yet so vastly opposite to him : the citie which was his first bride , and yet now a commun harlot for idol-lovers : the citie , which was the seat of his glorious presence ; but now a den of thieves and robbers : the citie , which had been the glorie of al nations , but was now next dore to ruine . hence observe , that the prevision , or contemplation of imminent danger occurring to a place or people , nearly related to us , doth much affect a serious , compassionate heart . al relations cal for affections : and there is no affection more proper for relates under present , or impendent miserie , than compassion . that mother must needs have the heart of a tiger , who seeing her child boiling in a caldron of lead , hath no emotion of bowels for it . christ here , whiles he beheld the citie with the eyes of his bodie , did at the same time , with the eye of his omniscience , behold al the sins , and future miseries of jerusalem ; al her contemt of his evangelic offers , love , and grace ; al her covenant-breaking , and apostasies from him ; al her bloody and mischievous designes against his person , crown , and dignitie ; with al the curses , plagues , and shours of divine wrath , which would ere long pour down , as a deluge , on her . this could not but melt his heart into tears , and draw from him the doleful lamentation which follows . to see a deluge of sin , exhaled or drawen up into clouds of divine wrath , ready to burst asunder , and fal down in shours of vengeance , on a professing citie , or people nearly allied to us , cannot but dissolve an affectionate gracious heart , into shours of tears , and christian lamentations . that must needs be an heart desperately obdurate and hard , that is not affected and moved at such a sight . but more of this in what ensueth . chap. iv. church-sins the moral causes of church-ruines , and therefore the chief mater of our lamentation . we now come to the lamentation it self , expressed in those termes [ and wept over it ] which we may forme into this proposition , or doctrine , that nothing was mater of greater lamentation unto christ , and ought to be such unto us , than to behold the ruines , of a professing citie or church , which has been long the seat of gods gracious presence and worship . this proposition , which takes in the spirit and mind of the whole verse , i intend , with the lords assistance , to insist somewhat more largely on . and for the explication hereof three questions occur , as fit to be examined by us : ( . ) touching the object or mater of this lamentation , what christ here doth , and what we ought to lament ? ( . ) as to the act , what christs weeping here implies ? ( . ) as to the motives of this lamentation , what it was that moved christ to lament over the ruines of this professing citie , or church of jerusalem ? . q. what christ here doth , and what we ought to lament , in the ruines of a professing citie , or church , which hath been long the seat of gods gracious presence and worship ? for the resolution of this question , we may consider the ruines of a professing citie or church , ( . ) in their causes , ( . ) in the effects of those causes . ( . ) as for the causes of these ruines , they are either moral , and meritorious ; or , ( . ) physical , and productive . . the moral , or meritorious cause of jerusalems , as also of al other church-ruins , is sin. sin is the fuel of divine wrath : eternal vengeance flameth out of guilt : physical or natural evil , is but the consequent of moral : the evil of passion , or suffering , is but the effect of the evil of action , or doing . yea , sin is in it self the worst evil : he that departes from god , executes on himself his last doom . the soul that loseth god , loseth its way , life , and self ; and the further it departeth from god , the more it is envelopped , and entangled in eternal chains of darknesse and miserie . no sin is so pleasing in the committing , as it is bitter in the issue g . there is an inseparable connexion betwixt sin and punishment ; and nothing can dissolve it but the bloud of christ : every sin carries hel in its womb : lust is a pregnant mother with child of death , and torments : thus gen. . . and if thou doest not wel , sin lieth at the dore . sin , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , by which some h hebrew doctors understand the punishment of sin : so gen. . . as elsewhere , sin is used for punishment , by reason of that individual connexion that is between them . hence the greek atee ; which they feigned to be a woman cast out of heaven , pernicious and hurtful to al. oh! what an enemie is sin ? [ lieth , ] 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , coucheth , a word usually given to brutes , but applied sometimes to men , job . . and here to sin , which , as a hurtful beast , lieth in wait , ready to devour . what a slie foxe is sin ! hence it followeth , [ at the dore ] i. e. ( . ) near at hand : for to lie at the dore , is to be near at hand , so deut. . . the curses are said to lie , or couch on the sinner . or ( . ) at the dore , may implie such a a certain place , in which it may be easily excited ; just like a chained mastive , that lies at the dore , and albeit he seems to sleep ; yet suddenly starts up , and sets upon such as are about to enter in : thus sin , or the punishment of sin , lieth at the dore . that sin is in it self the worst evil , is evident ; because ( . ) it was the first evil , and so the mesure of al evil : for , the first in every kind , is the mesure of al in that kind . again , ( . ) as sin was the first evil , so also the first moral cause of al other evils : now a bad cause is worse than its effects : as a good cause is more noble , and perfect than its effects . it was sin that opened the dore , and let in al other evils into the world , and therefore it must needs be the worst evil . ( . ) sin contains in it al the malignitie , venime , poison , stings , curses , and plagues of evil : al the degrees of evil lie wrapt up in sin : ( . ) the worst part of hel lies in sin : a sinlesse hel would be comparatively , an easy hel , to a rectified soul : our blessed lord suffered a sinlesse hel , and yet was , at the same time , infinitely happy , as to his essential beatitude . by which it is most evident , that sin is in it self the worst evil and hel. hence it naturally follows , that the first great object , or mater of our blessed lords lamentation , was jerusalem's sins ; which were her worst evil , and the main cause of al her other evils . thus the prophets , and people of god of old , in al their lamentations over church-ruines , they had a particular eye on their church-sins as the procuring cause thereof . so jeremie , in his lamentations , layeth the greatest accent on their sins , which were the meritorious cause of al their sufferings . thus lament . . . for the multitude of her transgressions , her children are gone into captivitie , before the enemie . oh! here lies the sting of al israels sufferings , that the multitude of her transgressions drew them on her : this was that which most deeply wounded , and pierced the heart of this holy man. so v. . jerusalem hath grievously sinned , therefore she is removed , [ as an unclean , loathsome thing ] al that honored her despise her ; because they have seen her nakednes [ i. e , her lewdnes and abominations ] yea , she sigheth , and turneth backward , v. . her filthines is in her skirts , &c. the like v. , . and chap. . . thus our blessed lord here , in his lamentation , the first thing he has in his eye , and that which did most deeply pierce , and wound his heart , was jerusalems sin : i he saw her to be a cage of al unclean birds , a sink of al manner of abominations ; which would unavoidably involve her in ruine : this makes his heart to bleed , and his eyes to gush forth with salt tears over her . and this is the genuine character of a true christian heart , to mourne more for the evil of doing , than for the evil of suffering ; and for the latter only as the fruit and effect of the former . a cain or judas can lament and groan under the strokes of the rod ; but a peter , or a christian mournes under the offense , that procured those strokes : without dout an hard-hearted jew could not but lament to see jerusalem sacked , and the temple in flames about his ears ; ay , but 't was the christian only that mourned kindly for the sins of jerusalem , which were the fuel of those prodigious flames of divine wrath . to lament over the ruines of a renowned citie , or church , is facile ; because natural to an ingenuous , affectionate spirit : but to bleed over and bewail those sins , which were the cause of those ruines , none can , in any mesure of evangelic sinceritie , performe , but christ , and such as are animated and influenced by his spirit . but we procede to particulars ; to explicate , what those church-sins are , which exposed jerusalem , and so by a paritie of reason , wil expose any other professing citie or people , to church-ruines ; and therefore ought to be mater of lamentation . chap. v. a particular enumeration of jerusalems sins ; which were the moral causes of her ruine ; and so a chief mater of our lords lamentation . . the first great church-sin , which our blessed lord here laments , as the moral cause of jerusalem's church-ruine , is her vnbelief ; or , rejection of the things that did belong unto her peace . this indeed is a prodigious church-wasting sin , that which ever cost israel very dear , even from her infant-state . israel had signal tokens of christs conduct , care , and providence , in the wildernes ; yet what passions of discontent ; what disingenuous murmurs ; what fits of unbelief , doth she ever and anon , on the least approche of danger , fal into ? how doth her spirit sink , and despond under the least difficultie ? this is evident from num. . , . and . , , &c. for which al that generation , save caleb and josua , who were of another spirit , perished in the wildernes . thus also before their babylonian captivitie , the great sin , the israelites were guiltie of , and that which opened the dore to al their following miserie , was their vnbelief , or contemt of gods word . so isa . ●● ▪ . now go write it before them in a table , and note it in a book , that it may be for the time to come , for ever and ever . v. . that this is a rebellious people , ying children , that wil not hear the law of the lord. now wherein lay this their rebellion ? why , chiefly in their unbelief , or despising of gods word , as v. . because ye despise this word , and trust in oppression , &c. here lies their main sin : and what follows ? v. . therefore this iniquitie shal be as a breach ready to fal ; swelling out in an high wal , whose breaking cometh l suddenly , at an instant , i. e. exceding , exceding suddenly : for these two synonymous adverbs joined together , are very emphatic , and argue , that this their ruine should be extreme sudden , as also great . great unbelief brings great , and swift ruine to the most glorious churches , if repentance follow not . when christ comes with offers and acts of grace towards his church , then for her to despise his word , turne her back on al his gracious offers , yea , trample on them , this exposeth the most flourishing churches to sudden , and inevitable destruction . this god threatens israel withal in her first church-constitution , lev. . , , , &c. this also we find threatned , and executed on her , in her last church-destruction , mat. . , . this therefore is the first , and as we may phrase it , the original sin of jerusalem , which our blessed lord here bewails , as the womb of al her miserie . oh! what a world of miserie hath unbelief brought on many flourishing churches ? when a professing people reject the gospel of christ , is it not just with christ to reject them ? what a hel of plagues , both spiritual and temporal , doth a despised gospel bring on professors ? how oft doth christ cut off his own covenant-people from promissed , and expected mercies for their unbelief ? what sore jugements doth unbelief expose men unto ? whence sprang that deluge of confusion , and barbarisme , which drowned the easterne churches , but from their contemt of the gospel ? yea , had not the floud of antichristianisme , which has so long overwhelmed these westerne churches , its rise from this envenimed spring of unbelief ? this is evident from thes . . . because they received not the love of the truth , &c. and 't was a prophetic persuasion of a great divine , that god would shortly take away peace from the whole world , for despising the peace of the gospel . this conclusion we no way dout but to make good , that al the great plagues , and jugements of god upon the professing world or churches , have been for the contemt of his word by unbelief . for albeit other sins have had their share , yet this of unbelief has been the main spring of al church-ruines . but this wil be the subject of our following discourse . . another prodigious , church-wasting sin , which jerusalem was notoriously guilty of , is groundlesse presumtions , and self-flatterie : self-flatterie , wherever it is predominant , brings self-ruine : a mere forme of godlines without the power , is a grosse delusion , which carries millions of souls to destruction , in a golden dream : a fond presumtion of being a true church , or member of christ , is the greatest delusion . this was ever the great sin of jerusalem , in her declining state , and that which exposed her to great ruines , & calamities . thus before the babylonian captivitie , jer. . . trust ye not in lying words , saying , the temple of the lord , the temple of the lord , the temple of the lord are these . as if jerusalem had said : alas ! why doest thou threaten us , with captivitie and ruine ? have we not the temple of god amongst us ? and are we not , upon this account , his federate people , his darlings and chosen ones ? is not the shekinah , or presence of the divine majestie seated amongst us ? are not al the promisses appendant to this temple ? may we imagine that the holy , and faithful god wil quit the place of his residence , and glorious rest ? may we not then groundedly assure our selves , that our faithful lord wil conserve and maintain his own temple , and people that worship him therein ? thus they trusted in lying words , saying , the temple of the lord , the temple of the lord , &c. k some refer the last word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 these , to the works of the jews , relating to the externe worship of god ; and so they render , the temple in the genitive case , these are the works of the temple of jehovah : as if they had said : what doest thou reprehend , o prophet , in our works ? or , why doest thou cal in question the most constant promisses of god ? we are so greatly confirmed concerning al these things , which thou allegest against us , as of nothing more : for , are not these our works of jehovah's temple , commanded by his law ? as for the promisses , are they not appendant to this temple ? and thence are they not as firme , and constant towards us , as the temple is firme ? this temple is gods resting place for ever , psal . . . wherefore we are most confident , that the faithful god , wil , for his own temple sake , conserve our countrie , and we his worshipers . which ever way we take the words , it comes much to one ; and clearly discovers to us the fond presumtions , and foolish self-flatteries of this people , grounded on their commun church-privileges . and therefore this holy prophet puts this their groundlesse presumtion , as a main ingredient into his lamentations over the ruines of jerusalem . so lament . . . thy prophets have seen vain and foolish things for thee , and they have not discovered thine iniquitie , to turne away thy captivitie ; but have seen for thee false burdens , and causes of banishment . jerusalem's false prophets soothed her up in groundlesse presumtions of peace and quietude , which proved the cause of her captivitie . that which we read , causes of banishment , is in the original , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 expulsions , or banishments , i. e , they have proposed to thee such glavering doctrines , and presumtuous persuasions of good times , as have been the cause of thy ruine and banishment : where , the effect being put for the efficient cause , or action , it gives us the true rise of their captivitie , namely those fond presumtions , and false persuasions of peace , which their false prophets had infused into their hearts . this the prophet sadly laments . and was it not thus also in our blessed lords days ? is not this one chief ingredient of his lamentation over jerusalem , that , she did not know , in that her day , the things which did belong unto her peace ? what doth that import ? surely , in part , thus much ; she flattered herself into a fools paradise , of being abrahams seed , and thence under the messias's wing ; and this her self-flatterie was the greatest obstacle and bar to her closing with him , the true savior , and alone foundation of her peace . thus much also our lord declares , john . , . where he endeavors , to beat them out of their fond presumtion , and groundlesse persuasion , of being abrahams seed ; whereas indeed they were , as he tels them , v. . children of the devil , and near to ruine . and certainly this is mater of sad lamentation , to see persons or churches , lift up to heaven in their own presumtuous conceits , and yet dropping down to hel in realitie : such violent presumtions , if not cured by medicinal grace , bring inevitable ruine , to the most flourishing churches . so rev. . , . because thou saiest i am rich , &c. . another church-sin , which was a great moral cause of jerusalems ruine , is spiritual pride : this indeed is a proper church-sin , arising out of church-privileges , or other spiritual excellences vouchsafed by christ . thus it was with jerusalem , in the days of old , which god promiseth to cure , zeph. . . i wil take away out of the midst of thee , them that rejoice in thy pride , and thou shalt no more be haughtie because of my holy mountain . it seems there were a people who did much pride themselves , and grew very haughtie , by reason of the holy mountain , which was a visible symbol , or token of gods presence : ay , but god promiseth , in evangelic days , to cure this tumor and tympanie . as it is with single persons , so with whole churches ; there are some sins of infirmitie , which god connives at , and wil passe over , upon a general repentance ; but this sin of spiritual pride , is of such a deep tincture , malignitie , and antipathie against god , as that , if it be not timely repented of , and turned from , 't wil prove the gangrene , and bane of the most flourishing churches . there is no sin so opposite to our receiving grace from christ , as spiritual pride : oh! what a burden is this to christ , that they who are nothing , have nothing , can do nothing of themselves , should be proud of what they have received from him ? as they who are most abased in themselves , are most exalted by god , and nearest to him ; so they who most exalt themselves , are most abased by , and estranged from god , luke . . for every one that exalteth himself shal be abased : and he that humbleth himself shal be exalted . pride , it is the cancer of parts , the moth of privileges , the rust of comforts , the poison of duties , the sting of crosses , the reproche of professors . none so much favored , and enriched with grace and comfort by christ , as humble souls , and churches ; but he resisteth the proud , jam. . . and psal . . . god knoweth the proud afar off : i. e , god knows him as an enemie , and loves not to come near him . god has an old grudge against spiritual pride , as one of his most ancient inveterate enemies , borne in heaven , in the bosome of angels , and therefore resists it most . wel therefore might our lord weep over this sin , as a cause of jerusalems ruine . . another sin , which morally hastened jerusalems ruine , was her carnal securitie . this seems evidently comprised in christs following bil of indictment , v. . if thou hadst known , i. e , considered . our gracious lord makes loud , and solemne proclamations of peace ; but jerusalem was fast asleep . again he threatens vengeance and wrath ; but she has no ears to hear . at last , flames of divine wrath break forth upon her ; but al this while she l awakes not , ' til scorched and burned to ashes . so that the great sin christ bewails is her securitie . ah! what a cursed sin is securitie ? this desperate securitie of jerusalem our lord also foretels , luke . , . and as it was in the days of noah ; so shal it be also in the days of the son of man ; they did eat & drink , &c. here christ foretels what wretched securitie should seize on carnal professors , at the coming of the son of man ; whereby we may understand , not only his final coming to jugement , but also his coming to judge jerusalem ; which was but a prologue , and preamble to the last jugement ; and therefore we find them both promiscuously inserted in this chapter . the same is mentioned , mat. . , . our blessed lord considering how stupid and secure jerusalem was , notwithstanding the near approche of her ruine , it made his heart dissolve into a passion of tears . this was jerusalems sin of old , and that which had a great influence on her first captivitie . so isai . . , , , , , , . where he shews , how blind and deaf they were both priests and people : and then concludes , ver . . therefore he hath poured upon him the furie of his anger , and the strength of battle ; and it hath set him on fire round about , yet he knew not ; and it burned him , yet he laid it not to heart . what a strange , prodigious securitie is here ? divine wrath flames about his ears , like an old house , and yet he knew it not ; yea , it burned him , lying asleep on the bed of carnal securitie , and yet he laid it not to heart . oh! what a dead sleep is this ? how inevitably doth ruine follow such dead sleeps ? that this was a main cause of jerusalems first captivitie is evident from jeremies lamentation over it , lam. . . her filthinesse is in her skirts , she remembreth not her last end : she was grown wilfully blind , and sottishly secure ; notwithstanding al gods divine admonitions and threats , she dreamt of nothing but peace and prosperitie . her approching ruine was not laid to heart . and what follows ? therefore she came down wonderfully . m there is a great elegance in the original , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with wonders , i. e , wonderfully : as if he had said , she came down with the admiration of many , who cannot find out the reason of her being thus cast down . we have here a substantive , which being added to a verb , is , and that not without an emphase , put for an adverb . oh! what a wonder was it , that jerusalem should thus descend into captivitie ? but yet he that considers what filthinesse was in her skirts , and how extremely secure she was , may not wonder at it . thus jerentie puts in this her securitie , as a main ingredient of his lamentation , over fallen jerusalem . yea , this sin of carnal securitie is that , which our blessed lord foretels would happen to virgin-churches , in these last evangelic times , mat. . . while the bridegroom tarried , they al slumbered , and slept : not only the foolish , but also the wise virgins are said to sleep : which argues that carnal securitie is the great universal sin of virgin-churches , in these evangelic last times . and surely , 't is not so much the forces of forrain , professed enemies , as the venime and malignitie of this domestic sin , that brings desolation to virgin-churches . the sleeping devil doth more mischief in the church of christ , than the roaring devil . to sleep in satans lap , is much worse than to rore in egypts , or babylons furnace . while jerusalem sleeps , her jugement sleepeth not : her carnal securitie determines in dreadful awakenings : how easily doth she fal into the romans hands ; yea , into the fire of divine wrath , while she is asleep in her sin ? did not jael , a poor silly woman , pierce thorow great sisera's head , when he was asleep ? and may not , in like manner , smal tentations bring ruine to the most flourishing churches , when asleep , on the bed of carnal securitie ? this therefore is great mater of lamentation . . another church-sin , that exposed jerusalem to church-ruine , was her self-fulnesse , and carnal confidence . she was ful of her self ; her own contrivements , sufficiences , and dependences ; wherefore no wonder if she reject her messias , and al his offers of peace . this christ every where upbraids the unbelieving jews with , as the main spring of their ruine , luke . - . was not this also the great sin , that brought old jerusalem under the babylonian captivitie ? doth not the prophet isaias , by a witty sarcasme , upbraid her with this sin , as the cause of her ruine ? isa . . . enter into the rock , and hide thee in the dust , for fear of the lord , &c. the prophet here , by a sarcasme , doth aggravate the proud confidence of this people , from the consideration of gods inevitable jugements : as if he had said : flie , if thou canst , the terrible aspect , and severe hand of thy god : but al thine attemts shal prove abortive : al thy proud confidences are insignificant . the like jerem. . , . why do we sit stil ? assemble your selves , and let us enter into the defenced cities , and let us be silent there : here you have the vain confidence of the jews : they thought to secure themselves against divine wrath , in their fenced cities : what follows ? for [ or rather , but ] the lord our god hath put us to silence , and given us the waters of gal to drink ; because we have sinned . this is an ironic answer of the prophet , as a rebuke to their carnal confidence : and oh ! what an hel lies in it ? they boast of securing themselves , and obtaining rest in their fenced cities : yes , saith the prophet ironicly , you shal be secure , and quiet : but how ? not , as you dream , in your fenced cities ; but in being made drunk with the lords waters of gal , ( or rather poison ) whereby you shal be deprived of al counsel , and exposed to violent destruction : this is the silence the lord wil give you , as the reward of your carnal confidence . so hos . . . ephraim feedeth on the wind , and followeth the eastwind● he daily increaseth lies , and desolation . the later is the effect of the former ; his desolation is but the fruit of his lying confidences : ephraim by multiplying lies , i. e. carnal confidence in the assyrians , and egyptians , doth but multiplie desolation . when ever any professing people , or church , begin to be self-strong , or confident in an arme of flesh , they are the next dore to some great danger . what ever we make the bottome of our confidence , that we make our god : and our jelous god wil never bear it , that we place an idol in his room : if he intend mercie to us , he wil break al such images of jelousie , which would otherwise break us . . another great sin , which promoted jerusalem's ruine , was her earthly-mindednesse . she preferred her clay-gods , and temporal interest before her messias and the great concernes of eternitie : state-peace was more regarded by her than peace with god : cesar's crown was more adored by her than christ's ; and therefore deservedly did she perish by cesar's hand . how justly did our soverain lord suffer jerusalem to fal by cesar's sword , when as she prefer'd cesar before her lord ? she , forsooth , would have no king but cesar : was it not just then with god , to suffer her to perish by no hand but cesars , whom she preferred before her messias ? this was also the temper of the gadarenes , ( a companie of apostate jews : ) who prefer'd their swine before their messias , and his spiritual offers of peace , luke . . and is not this mater of sad lamentation , to see professors prefer back and bellie , externe pompe and grandeur , before christ and his gospel ? surely such swinish gospellers are not far from ruine , if timous repentance prevent it not . . again , vnfruitfulnes and barrennes under al gracious influences , vouchsafements and indulgences , was a pregnant cause of jerusalems ruine , and so further mater of christs lamentation . this is evident from that parable of christ , mat. . , . where christ having proposed , and represented the barren condition of the jews , by the parable of certain idle husbandmen , who had received a vineyard to dresse and til ; but instead of rendring the lord fruits in their season , they took his servants , and abused some , and killed others ; yea , at last killed the heir : our blessed lord gives us the reddition , or application of this parable , v. . therefore i say unto you , the kingdome of god shal be taken from you , and given to a nation , bringing forth the fruits thereof . where he plainly shews , that their unfruitfulnes , together with their rejection of christ , was the main cause of their rejection by god. the same is confirmed by the foregoing parable of the figtree , v. . and when he saw a figtree in the way , he came to it , and found nothing thereon , but leaves only ; and he said unto it , let not fruit grow on thee henceforward for ever . and presently the figtree withered away . this infructuous fig-tree was an embleme of the unfruitful jewish church , which was near unto cursing . this also was the sin of the judaic church , before their babylonian captivitie , as we find it mentioned by esaias , chap. . v. - . touching gods unfruitful vineyard , which was situated on a fruitful hil , under the warme influences of the sun , and planted with the choicest vine , &c. but when he looked it should bring forth grapes , it brought forth nothing but wild grapes : wherefore he layes it wast , &c. v. , , . fructification is the last end of a vineyard ; and therefore if this fail ; for what use serve the trees , but to be cast into the fire ? unfruitful churches , or professors , serve for no other use , but to make fuel for divine wrath to feed upon . . another church-sin , which greatly advanced jerusalems ruine , was her continued persecution of gods prophets , and apostles , sent time after time unto her . this our blessed lord expresly mentions in that forecited parable , mat. . , . where 't is said , they took his servants , and beat one , and killed another , and stoned another : yea , at last , they took the heir and killed him . and what follows , but the miserable destruction of these wicked men , v. ? the like we find , mat. . , . in the parable of the mariage-feast , which the king made for his son : where 't is said v. . and the remnant took his servants , and entreated them spitefully , and slew them . this remnant were the unbelieving jews , who took the apostles , and messengers of christ , and entreated them spitefully , and slew them . and what follows ? v. . but when the king heard thereof , he was wroth : and he sent forth his armies , and destroyed these murderers , and burnt up their citie . oh! how deservedly do such perish , by the hand of christ , who take his ministers and messengers of peace , and entreat them spitefully , and lay violent bloudy hands on them ? al this our blessed lord pronounceth in plain naked termes , mat. . , . o jerusalem , jerusalem , thou that killest the prophets , and stonest them that are sent unto thee — behold your house is left unto you desolate , &c. for a professing citie to stone the prophets and christs messengers of peace , is that which brings swift destruction . . further , want of reformation is a great church-sin , which had a mightie influence on jerusalem's ruine . christ had given her many serious admonitions , and forewarnings of her approching miserie unlesse she did reforme : but al would not avail , and therefore now he mournes over her obstinate perseverance in her sin . god layes in a provision of threats against this sin , in the first constitution of the judaic church , lev. . , . and if ye wil not be reformed by these things , but wil walk contrary unto me : then wil i also walk contrary unto you , and wil punish you yet seven times for your sins , &c. want of reformation in churches is that which puts a bar to al church-deliverance , and opens the dore to al church-miseries . this was the great challenge , which christ had against the church of pergamus , rev. . . . as also against the church of thyatira , v. . for which he threatens them with great tribulations , if they reformed not speedily . . impenitence , and want of humiliation under al church-provocations , was a sin that much conduced to jerusalem's church-ruine . jerusalem was not only defective in point of reformation , but grown obdurate , contumacious , and hardened in her sin ; so that neither christs gracious , nor his severe visitations did any way move , or affect her . impenitence addes a seal unto al other sins , and miseries : impenitent hearts are incurable : when professors , or churches go on to sin with an high hand , notwithstanding al gods chastisements , and kind admonitions , what can be expected but speedy ruine ? thus it was with ahaz , chron. . . and in the time of his distresse did he trespasse yet more against the lord. this is that king ahaz . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that ; here is a demonstrative pronoun , subjoined to a noun , instead of a verb substantive , which carries in it a singular elegance . that king ahaz , i. e. such a monstre as cannot be melted by the furnace of divine wrath . . the last church-sin , i shal mention , as that which had a malignant influence on jerusalems destruction , was her open apostasie from , and rebellion against god. this is a sin of such a deep tincture and guilt , as that it inevitably brings ruines on the most flourishing churches , if long continued in . this was jesuruns sin , deut. . , , , . jesurun ( or israel ) waxed fat and kicked — they sacrificed to devils , and forgot god , &c. what follows ? v. , . is not this laid up in store with me , and sealed up among my treasures ? to me belongeth vengeance and recompence , their foot shal slide in due time : for the day of their calamitie is at hand , &c. gods treasures v. . are to be understood of his vindictive wrath , and vengeance : for so it follows v. . to me belongeth vengeance and recompence . whereby is denoted , ( . ) the justice of god : for gods treasures of wrath , are but the effect , and due recompence of mens treasures of sin : whence it s called here recompence : which is explicated rom. . . but after thine hardnes , and impenitent heart , treasurest up to thy self wrath against the day of wrath , and revelation of the righteous jugement of god. the treasures of wrath are but the revelation of the righteous jugement of god , against the treasures of sin ; which impenitent sinners lay up . ( . ) by gods treasures here , may be understood the certitude of divine wrath : for what is laid up in store with god , as in a treasure , and moreover secured with a seal , is most certain . al the wits and forces of heaven , and earth cannot break open this divine seal , or make void gods treasures of wrath . ( . ) hereby also is intimated gods longanimitie , or long sufferance : for what is laid up in a treasure , is not of present use , but for the future , l so the greek verb to treasure up , signifies to lay up for to morrow . so it follows v. . their foot shal slide in due time . the lord forbears long , til sinners have filled up their mesure ; and then opens his treasure of wrath . ( . ) these treasures of wrath implie gods severitie at last against impenitent sinners , which go on in ways of apostasie and rebellion . the longer god waits for jesurun's returne to him , the more fierce wil his indignation be against her , if she returne not : patience abused turnes into multiplicated furie . when god comes to open his sealed treasures of indignation , against contumacious , rebellious jerusalem ; oh! what flouds of wrath break forth against her ? thus psal . . . thus were they desiled with their own works , and went a whoring with their own inventions . here you have jesuruns apostasie from god : and then follows gods severitie against jesurun , v. . therefore was the wrath of the lord kindled against his people ; insomuch that he abhorred his own inheritance . when a professing people or church begin to grow weary of god , he begins to abhor them , as as an unclean thing , or that which is abominable . thus i have dispatcht the church-sins , which brought ruine on jerusalem , and therefore were the chief mater of our blessed lords lamentation : and i have insisted the more largely and particularly hereon , that so , by having a view of those church-sins , that usually bring church-ruines , we may , so far as we are guiltie , lament over the same , and reforme for the future ; lest we , in lik emanner fal under jerusalems condemnation , and ruines . chap. vi. divine wrath , and the effects theref on jerusalem , further mater of christs lamentation . having finisht the moral cause of jerusalems ruine , we now procede to the productive cause thereof ; which was chiefly the wrath of a sin-revenging , jelous god. as sin was the fuel , so divine wrath was the fire which consumed jerusalem . and this was another great , and moving object , which drew this sad lamentation from our gracious lord. jerusalem was now in a prosperous , tranquil , or quiet state : oh! how beautiful and goodly was her temple to the eyes of beholders ? do not christs disciples cry out , mark . . master , see what manner of stones , and what buildings are here ? very good : ay , but what replie doth christ make , luk. . . as for these things , which ye behold , the dayes wil come , in which there shal not be left one stone on another , that shal not be thrown down . our omniscient lord saw divine wrath smoking against jerusalem , and this made him to weep over it , whiles others gloried in its beautie . our poor shallow apprehensions contemplate causes in their effects ; but christs omniscient eye saw the effect in its causes ; and therefore laments over it , as being actually present to him . and ah ! what doleful mater of lamentation is here ; to see the dreadful fire of divine wrath flame forth against jerusalem , the place of gods gracious redsience ? a spiritual heart can see al the plagues and curses of hel wrapt up in divine wrath . a carnal heart can apprehend and feel the effects of gods wrath , especially such as are more visible and sensible ; as the raging pestilence , london's prodigious flames , or the like : ay , but how few are there who take notice of that divine wrath , which animateth and feedeth all those national judgements ? where is that soul , or at least how rare is he to be found , who laments the fiery indignation and wrath of god , which spirits al church-ruines ? but this was the posture of our tender-hearted saviors spirit : the great thing he bewails was the wrath of god , which hung , by a smal thread , over jerusalem : this was the sword which pierced his heart , and made his eyes gush forth with tears . the like we find in jeremie's lamentations over captive jerusalem , lam. . . the lord hath troden the virgin , the daughter of judah , as in a wine-presse . the treading of judah as in a wine-presse argues her extreme oppression and affliction , and therefore we find the same expression of christs passion , isa . . . but who is it that treads judah , as in a wine-presse ? he tels you , the lord hath troden , &c. here lies the sting of al : gods wrath visible and apparent in their captivitie , was that which mostly wounded his heart . ah! saith jeremie , 't is not so much the babylonians furie that toucheth me , as the lords indignation which appears in our sufferings : 't is the hand of god that cuts mine heart ; 't is his wrath that makes me so sad . so lam. . . how hath the lord covered the daughter of sion with a cloud in his anger , and cast down from heaven unto earth the beautie of israel , and remembred not his footstool in the day of his anger ! the lords obnubilating , or covering with a cloud , the daughter of sion , argueth his great indignation against her : some conceive , that the prophet , by a tacit antithesis , alludes to the cloud of glorie , which overshadowed jerusalem , at the dedication of the temple , kin. . . but now , alas ! a contrary , dark , calamitous cloud of wrath covers her , which was great mater of lamentation . thus v. , , , , , , . so lam. . . the anger [ or face ] of the lord hath m divided them , [ or , dissipated them ] he wil no more regard them , [ or , he wil not adde to regard them , ] i , e , he wil not give them one favorable regard , one gracious aspect more . and , oh ! what an heavy doom was this ? how many hels lay wrapt up in these direful tokens of divine wrath ? this therefore was that which our blessed lord greatly laments in jerusalems ruines , that al was the effect of an angry displeased deitie . as for the instrumental causes of jerusalems destruction , there was somewhat also in these , that gave our compassionate lord some mater of lamentation . to consider that the roman cesar , whom the jews now so much crie up , and prefer before himself , their only messias , should ere long , in his successor , prove the great instrument of their desolation ; and that he should first pitch his tents in this very place , where our lord now stood ; oh! what abundant mater of lamentation did this afford to our tender-hearted lord , who was so nearly allied to jerusalem ? we come now to the effects of jerusalems sins , and gods wrath inflamed thereby ; which yield fresh mater of lamentation to our dear lord. the effects are proportionable to the causes : sin and wrath cannot but produce prodigious jugements on jerusalem . i the temporal effects of gods wrath against jerusalem were very prodigious and lamentable . ( . ) is it not a sad and lamentable sight to see jerusalem , a citie so populous , become desolate and without inhabitant ? as mat. . . behold your house is left to you desolate : was not this one great part of jeremies lamentation over old jerusalem ? lam. . . how doth the citie sit solitary , that was ful of people ? how is she become as a widow ? ( . ) was it not also a doleful thing , to see jerusalem , which was the wonder of the world , for beautiful edifices and structures , laid even with the ground , not a stone remaining on another ? as our lord foretels , luke . . and shal lay thee even with the ground , and shal not leave in thee one stone upon another . this seems an hyperbolic expression , denoting extreme destruction . hag. . . to lay a stone upon a stone , signifies to build : wherefore not to leave a stone upon a stone , signifies utterly to destroy . and that this prophetic description of jerusalems utter ruine , was fulfilled to a tittle , historie informs us . m it s said , that jerusalem was so far demolisht by vespasian , that there was no footstep of the citie left remaining : yea , afterwards it was by musonius the prefect plowed up ; so that it not only ceased to be a citie ; but moreover it was not lawful for any to build on that soil for the future : for , according to the roman-law , that citie which had a plow passed over it , ceased to be such : and it was a capital crime for any to build so much as a cottage in that place . such were the miserble ruines of jerusalem here foretold . and oh ! what a sad contemplation was this to our dear lord ? how did it make his heart to bleed , as his eye to weep . they who have seen london buried in its own ashes , cannot but remember what a sad spectacle this is . ah! who would not lament at such a sight ? ( . ) is it not also a lamentable case , that she , who was the glorie , and desire of nations , should become the derision , reproche , and scorne of al ? was not this also great mater of lamentation to jeremie , lamentat . . . they hisse , and wag their head at the daughter of jerusalem , saying , is this the citie , that men cal the perfection of beautie , the joy of the whole earth ? . but the most dreadful , and lamentable effects of divine wrath on jerusalem , were spiritual jugements ; the prevision whereof greatly afflicted our tender-hearted lord. ( . ) oh! what a bleeding contemplation was it to our gracious lord , to view that dismal breach , which divine wrath was about to make on jerusalems church-state ? to consider , that now al the great things that did belong to her peace , were to be as a sealed book , altogether hid from her eyes : ah ! how doth this pierce , and wound the heart of her messias ? that she , who had been dignified and adorned with such rich marques of divine favor , beyond al nations in the world , should now be divested and stript naked of al : what an heart-breaking was this to her gracious lord ? did not this consideration fil jeremies heart with sad lamentations over old jerusalem ? lam. . . the ways of sion do mourne , because none do come to the solemn feasts , &c. so lamen . . , . and he hath violently taken away his tabernacle , as if it were of a garden , he hath destroyed his places of the assemblie . ( . ) the withdrawment , not only of the means , and symbols of grace , but also of al gracious influences from jerusalem , afforded further mater of sore lamentation unto her lord. it is a dreadful curse to want al special means and tokens of grace : but yet , if in the want of these the lord vouchsafeth his grace to improve commun means of grace , or particular deprivements of special means , this is no smal divine benediction : but , alas ! our lord foresaw it would be quite otherwise with jerusalem : she was like to be deprived , not only of al special means of grace ; but also of grace it self , without which she could not improve commun means , or her particular deprivements of special means : and , oh ! how greatly doth this afflict her compassionate lord ? a christian , though he be sometimes deprived of the means of grace , yet the lord gives him grace to improve those very deprivements , in order to his humiliation , spiritual povertie , hunger and thirst after the means , and a more complete life of faith , and dependence on christ . and thus his deprivements of the means of grace , become a means of grace unto him : his want of ordinances is , as sanctified by grace , a great ordinance to him . ay , but was it thus with jerusalem ? no ; she was not only to be deprived of al means , and symbols of grace ; but also of grace it self , without which she could not make any improvement of these withdrawments , or be humbled under them . this paul sadly laments , cor. . . for ' til this day remaineth the same veil untaken away , in the reading of the old testament . he speaks of the veil on the hearts of the unbelieving jews . ( . ) another spiritual jugement , which christ laments , as that which hung over jerusalem , was gods pouring out on her a spirit of slumber , and delivering her up to judicial occecation and obduration , or hardnes of heart . so rom. . . god hath given them the spirit of slumber . and this indeed was the curse of curses ; the plague of plagues ; the hel of hels ; which contains in it al manner of spiritual jugements ; as being left to the plague of their own hearts , king. . . being given up to the enchantments of a bewitching world ; having al commun mercies and providences cursed to them , rom. . , . being delivered up to satan , the god of this world , cor. . . &c. but of these in their proper place . chap. vii . the eminent qualities , and efficaces of christs sacred tears . having finisht the object , or mater of christs lamentation , comprised in that notion [ over it , ] we now procede to the act [ wept . ] wherein we find two considerables , ( . ) the qualitie . ( . ) the efficaces of christs tears over jerusalem . sect. . as for the qualities of these tears , they are very rare and admirable , clothed with many eminences , which render them infinitely more excellent than al other tears . for ( ) they are divine tears : dropt from the heart and eyes of him , who was as truely god , as man. and oh ! what an admirable , yea infinite perfection doth this give to these tears , that they flow from the divinitie ? what! doth the son of god , who is eternally blessed , in the beatific vision and fruition of his own glorie , drop tears ; and that over an ingrateful , contumacious , rebellious citie ? oh! who could ever have imagined , that this could be , had we not ocular and evident demonstration thereof ? surely these tears must be no vulgar , commun tears , which have so much of the divinitie in them . oh! what precious tears were these , that dropt from god-man ? what sweet and delicious wine were these tears to the angels that attended on christ ? ( . ) these tears of the son of god were ponderous , weightie , or rational tears : they were not , as ours usually are , foolish , irrational tears ; but very judicious , and wel-grounded . o! what infinite reasons , what rational motives had christ to induce him to weep over jerusalem ? how oft do our tears flow from false imaginations , or some feeblenesse of nature , without any grounded reasons ? but was it thus with christ ? had he not massie , ponderous inducements , to induce him unto this sacred passion ? were not jerusalem's sins , and approching ruines , forcible and binding reasons of our lords weeping over her ? ( . ) these tears of christ were most spontaneous , or voluntary and free ; not forced , and strained , as ours frequently are . oh! how naturally did this holy water flow from that sacred fountain , christ's eyes ? what bleedings of heart , what inward compassions were the main spring of this sacred passion , vented by his eyes ? christs tears had a divine fountain in the heart , by which they were fed and maintained : they were as the sweat of an anguished , troubled spirit ; as the bloud of an heart lively struck with the sense of jerusalems coming miserie . ( . ) hence also these tears of christ were most sincere and cordial . the best of our tears , have too deep a tincture of hypocrisie : naturalists say , that there is no pure element of water , to be found in this lower region : this is most certain as to our tears ; there are none so pure but they have some concretion , or commixture of sin and hypocrisie . but 't was not so with christs tears : every tear that dropt from him was as pure as crystal : there was not the least tincture of guile , or hypocrisie in his tears : every tear was a lively glasse and image of his heart : there was an exact conformitie between the passion of his eye , and compassion of his soul . ( . ) again , these tears of christ were spiritual and regular ; not carnal , or exorbitant . we seldome weep , but there is much of carnalitie , and exorbitance in our tears ; either in regard of the motives , mater , or manner of their emanation . but oh ! how spiritual as to their motives ; how regular as to their mater ; and how ordinate and harmonious as to their manner were al christs tears ? alas ! how impossible is it that there should be any irregular or inordinate passion in christ , who was a masse of pure grace ? our blessed lord was not a mere patient , but a wise judicious agent in al his passions : hence that which is expressed by a passive verb , john . . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , my soul is troubled , is expressed by an active , john . . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , and he troubled himself ; which clearly shews that christs troubled affections were governed , and influenced by his jugement ; every tear that dropt from him was perfumed with grace : his eyes were as a fountain of rose-water ; every drop gave forth a sweet smel of heaven . ( . ) christs tears were generous and noble : he seemed to forget and disregard himself , whiles he minded and regarded jerusalem . his own crucifixion was very near , yet he seems to overlook that , and mournes chiefly for jerusalem's ruines . alas ! how selfish , private , and narrow are our tears , for the most part ? we oft weep for the evils we suffer : but oh ! how rarely do we weep for the evils we commit ; or , for those which the church suffers ? the evils that touch us afflict us ; but how little are we afflicted with the evils that touch the honor of christ , or his concernes ? but was it thus with our great lord ? whence sprang his tears ? was it from the provision of his own sufferings ? or , was it not rather from the intuition of jerusalem's sins and sufferings ? jerusalem , is at this very time , plotting the death of her tender-hearted savior : but lo ! what affectionate tears doth he shed over jerusalem's apprehended destruction ? oh! what generous and noble tears are these ? how much self-denial is here ? ( . ) these tears of christ were also meek , and humble . our tears , if they have any thing of a noble and generous tincture in them , then usually they are proud and obstinate : but these tears of our blessed lord were not lesse meek and humble , than great and generous ; and oh ! how rare is such a conjunction among men ? some heroic and generous romans , have dropt some tears over their vanquisht enemies : but how much pride , how much triumph , have they discovered therein ? but it was not thus with jerusalems king : his tears flowed from an humble , contrite , meek , and broken spirit : they were the tears of the lamb of god. no proud murmurs ; no sullen pettish humors ; no revengeful thoughts were mingled with these his sanctified tears ; as usually there are with ours . ( . ) these tears of christ were amorous , and pathetic . what a great pathos and emotion of affection lay wrapt up in christs tears , is evident by his broken and imperfect language , v. . saying , if thou hadst known , even thou , at least in this thy day ! &c. how broken and imperfect is his language ? his heart was so ful of affection , as that he wanted words to give vent thereto : he drops now and then a word , and now and then a tear : 〈◊〉 , his tears swallowed up and drowned his words ; which argues a mightie pathos and ebullition of affection . those who were present at lazarus's grave , and saw our blessed lord to water his grave with tears , conclude , john . . behold , how he loved him ! and may not we in like manner , from christs tears over jerusalem , crie out also , behold , how he loved it ? julius caesar beholding the head of pompey his slain enemie , could not but drop some tears over it ; which was an argument , not only of a generous heroic spirit , but also of some affection towards pompey . but oh ! what tendernesses of love , what warme bowels of affection lye wrapt up in the tears of our gracious lord , over impenitent and ingrateful jerusalem ? doth it not argue an high degree of love in those tears of our lord , that , forgetting al the past injuries done unto him , and al the future cruelties he was to suffer from this rebellious citie , he could notwithstanding weep over her coming miseries ? so amorous and pathetic were these tears . ( . ) these tears of our affectionate lord were also dolorous and sympathetic : there was not only love , but also grief , sympathie , and compassion in these tears . this addes a further excellence to christs lamentation : for grief and sympathie with others in their afflictions , is an afflictive passion ; and therefore rarely exerted in any eminent degree , but among intimate confidents and friends ; who are knit together by such an intimate , essential bond of amitie , as that they can espouse each others ils , as their own , sympathie argues an high degree of amitie : and oh ! what sympathie , commiseration , and compassion do christs tears argue ? are they not as the bloud of a wounded heart , to use cyprian's phrase ? doth not the romans sword , which ere long was to be sheathed in jerusalem's bowels , pierce thorow the very heart of her messias ? how is his spirit wounded by the sword of divine wrath , that hung over jerusalem ? al tears are the legats , or ambassadors of grief ; but none argue more grief , than such as are dropt over our nearest relates , in deepest miserie . and o! what passionate grief and sympathie was there in christs tears , over bleeding jerusalem ? thus theophylact on this text : o he wept over the citie as a man-lover — he therefore discovered by his weeping bowels of pitie . what a sacred prodigious passion is here ? oh! how warme and bleeding with compassions are these sacred bowels , which embrace a citie so impenitent , so ingrateful , so ful of bloudy and mischievous contrivements against so gracious a savior ? joseph , when his bowels waxed warme , could not choose but break forth into a passion of tears , in the presence of his brethren , who had been so injurious to him : but o! joseph's compassions were infinitely short of these in our lord , towards ungrateful jerusalem . it s reported of scipio africanus , that when he beheld carthage mount up in flames , he could not but weep : which argued some commiseration in this noble heroic spirit , who was an enemie . but , alas ! what is this to those unparalled compassions , which flowed forth from the heart of christ , together with his tears over jerusalem ? ( . ) another qualitie appendent to christs tears regards their season , which was a day of public rejoycing : this sad lamentation of christ , was in a day , wherein they made solemne acclamations of joy , and sung hosanna's unto him . this argues the weight of christs tears : surely there must needs be some weighty reason and cause of these tears , which were so plentifully poured out , by our lord , in a day of such solemne triumph . ay , but our lord did , by the eye of his omniscient divinitie , discerne a world of hypocrisie , vnbelief , ingratitude , and treacherie in their hearts : he foresaw that some of these very men , who now sang hosanna's to him , as their crowned messias , would , within few days , crie out , at least in heart and consent , crucifie , crucifie him . he had a clear prevision of al jerusalems treasons , and bloudie designes against his regal person , crown , and dignitie , with al the sad effects hereof ; and this sad prospect drew tears from him in this day of solemne joy. ( . ) lastly , these tears of christ were public , in the view of al standers-by ; which gives some accent to them . had he wept in a corner , where no eye could have seen it , surely it had been very much , for a person of his qualitie and dignitie : but oh ! to shed tears in such a public manner , what burning affections ; what a fermentation of boiling compassions ; what sympathetic tendernesses doth this argue to be in the heart of our lord ? thus much for the eminent qualities of christs tears . . we come now to the efficaces and influences of these sacred precious tears ; which also admit several regards . ( . ) these divine tears of christ were very ominous , and prognostic : they did foretel dreadful accidents , and prodigious disasters , which would befal jerusalem . these tears proceded not from a sick brain , or phantastic imagination of chimeric , or impossible dangers ; no , they were prophetic tears , issuing from a judicious eye , which had an hypostatic union with the omniscient divinitie . ( . ) hence also they were instructive tears : every tear dropt a lesson ; yea , preacht a sermon to impenitent , unbelieving jerusalem . oh! what sacred instructions , what sage documents , what deliberate counsels , what seasonable admonitions , what useful cautions , did every tear carrie in its bowels ? how happy might jerusalem have been , had she but understood , and entertained the holesome doctrines , which these tears preached to her ? did not every tear instruct her , what a tender-hearted savior she had to deal with ? how unwilling he was to reject her ? how glad he would be , to receive her into the bosome of his grace ? what a bloudy sin unbelief was ? &c. ( . ) these divine tears were not only instructive , but also exhortative . they carried in them efficacious and binding arguments , to persuade impenitent jerusalem , to mind , and embrace the things that did belong unto her peace . what more efficacious to prevail on an obstinate wife , than the tears of her affectionate husband ? what more powerful charme may there be , to win the obedience of a rebellious child , than the tears of affectionate parents ? can there be a more forcible motive to gain the consent of a sick patient , than his physicians tears ? what wil move the hearts of desperate rebels , to returne to their liege lord , if his tears wil not do it ? and , lo ! here the king of kings , by his pathetic tears , exhorts , persuades , and invites his obstinate spouse , his rebellious children , his sick patients , and his rebellious subjects to returne unto him , and embrace the things that belong unto their peace . so ezech. . . have i any pleasure at al that the wicked should die , saith the lord god ? &c. more particularly , these tears of christ exhort , and invite jerusalem to repentance : christ weeps for her sins , that so she might thereby be induced to weep for her own sins . doth it not argue an heart desperately hard , when christs tears wil not dissolve or soften it ? drops of rain wil in time make a rock hollow : oh then ! how obdurate is the heart of jerusalem , when the efficacious tears of the son of god wil not move , or work upon it , to consider the things that belong unto her peace ? ( . ) these tears of christ were also comminatorie , or threatning : every tear speaks a curse , and direful threat to the impenitent jews . as patience , so tears rejected , or abused , become furious . those are the most dreadful curses , which procede from the mouth of blessednes it self . if christs affectionate tears prevail not on sinners to come unto him , and partake of his blessings ; they then fal down in shours of divine threats and curses . and oh ! what an astonishing curse is this , to be cursed by the mediators mouth , which is the fountain of al blessednes ? o! what a deplorable case is jerusalem in , when every tear of her gracious lord drops a threat , and curse on her ? how has jerusalem for more than years layn under this curse here dropt , and mingled with our lords tears ? ( . ) these sanctified tears of christ were also intercessorie : as they threatned curses on the reprobate jews ; so in like manner did they intercede for mercie on the elect jews in jerusalem . christs tears , as wel as his bloud and prayers , were a part of his intercession : they had an articulate language and voice , which god the father wel-understood . and look as christs intercessory prayer for his church , joh. , includes also a curse on their enemies ; so also these his tears , albeit they threaten curses to those who persevere in their impenitence ; yet they intercede for mercie on the elect seed . ( . ) these tears of christ were very influential and fructuous . every tear dropt grace into the hearts of christs penitent believing disciples . christs tears , as they were a deluge of curses on the impenitent jews ; so also were they a floud of mercies towards his elect seed . without dout , those christs disciples , who saw him shed these tears , were not a little moved , and influenced thereby . christs tears were a soverain means to mollifie and soften their rockie , stonie hearts : how could they refrain to mourn , when they see their lord weep over jerusalem ? what grief and shame might they wel have for their own sins , when they behold their great lord , thus to weep over jerusalem's sins ? how much ought these sympathetic tears of their lord move them , to sympathise also with jerusalem in her miseries ? ( . ) lastly , these sacred tears of our blessed lord were also exemplary . without al peradventure , our blessed lord intended these his public tears , not only as a demonstration of his affectionate regard towards sinners , but also as a great exemplar , or patterne for his saints . christ , the natural son of god , hereby gave al the adopted sons of god , a fit patterne for their tears . christ wept for jerusalem's sins , thereby to give us a patterne of mourning for sin , both in our selves and others : christ seems to forget his own sufferings , whiles he laments the sufferings of jerusalem , now contriving his death : oh! what an admirable exemplar is here for saints to bleed over the sufferings of others , yea of enemies more than their own ? but how far christs tears ought to be imitated by us , we intend to shew in the application . chap. viii . the motives , that induced christ to weep over jerusalem , from his relations to her . having dispatcht the object and act of christs lamentation , we now passe on to our third question , what it was that moved christ to weep over jerusalem ? as for the motives which refer to the object , they have been sufficiently explicated , in what precedes , chap. , , . i shal now only mention such as lie wrapt up in the subject , christ , and his relation to jerusalem . relations , as we al find by experience , carrie in them the most moving considerations : nothing so efficacious to draw forth commiseration and pitie , towards an object in miserie , as our relation natural or spiritual to it . the strongest motives to compassion spring from relations . now our blessed lord stood in many near relations unto jerusalem ; which greatly moved him to commiserate her sinful , and ruinous state . ( . ) christ bore the relation of a father to jerusalem : israel was his first-borne church : as luke . . where the jewish church is wrapt up in the parable of an elder son . now its wel-known what binding motives to pitie lie wrapt up in the bowels of a father . was it ever known , that a father saw his child burning in the fire , and yet wanted bowels of pitie for him ? can we imagine , that the heart of our tender lord , which was made up of such tendernesses , could forbear to bleed over dying jerusalem ? we find this lively exemplified , in the movings of christ affectionate bowels towards ephraim , jer. . . is ephraim my dear son ? is he a pleasant child ? for since i spake against him , i do earnestly remember him stil : therefore my bowels are troubled for him . the bowels are said to be the seat of the most tender affections : and it is certain , that in great acts of commiseration the bowels are most deeply affected . though this be spoken of christs compassions towards penitent ephraim , yet in some proportion it holds good , in respect of back-sliding jerusalem : for a prodigal rebellious son is a son , and therefore the object of commiseration , as it appears in the storie of the prodigal , luk. . . though jerusalem was now turned prodigal , yet christs bowels could not but melt towards it , with tender commiseration . . christs relation to jerusalem as an husband , is yet a deeper motive to stir up his bowels of pitie towards her . jerusalem was christs first-bride : she got his first virgin-love : she first subscribed with her hand to the conjugal contract ; and thence became holinesse to the lord. jer. . , . go and crie in the ears of jerusalem , saying , thus saith the lord , i remember thee , the kindnes of thy youth , the love of thine espousals , &c. so v. . what iniquitie have your fathers found in me , that they are gone far from me ? ah! this breaks christs heart , that jerusalem , who had , by a solemne mariage bond , joined herself to him , should now turne her back on him , as a commun harlot , and lie in commun for every idol-lust . how could this tender-hearted savior , choose but weep over jerusalem , his apostate-spouse , who never found iniquitie in him , or any just cause for such a grand apostasie ? would it not break the heart of a tenderhearted husband to see his wife bid defiance to him , and lie in commun for every base miscreant ? this christ sadly laments , jer. . . which my covenant they brake , although i was an husband to them , saith the lord. as if he had said : o! this breaketh mine heart , i cannot bear it , that israel should break with me , who have been so kind , so affectionate , so indulgent an husband to her : who could ever have imagined that israel , would have dealt so unkindly with me , who have been so kind to her ? what prodigious disloyaltie is this , that jerusalem should prove so false to me , who have been so faithful an husband to her ? yea , what monstrous folie is this , that jerusalem should be so cruel , so bloudie-minded , so much an enemie to her self , as to reject me , her best friend and husband ? ( . ) christ was nearly allied to jerusalem as her lord and soverain , which gives him a further inducement to mourne and weep over her . this we find insisted on , john . . he came unto his own , and his own received him not . his own jerusalem was christs own proper house ; a palace , which he had built , for his own regal residence ; a temple , which he had erected and consecrated , for his own divine worship : and was it not al the reason in the world , that christ should be received as lord into his own p house and temple ? q is there any thing more naturally our own , than that which we give being and existence unto ? was not jerusalem then most properly , yea most naturally christs own , in that he gave being to her , both in her politic and religious capacitie , as a state and church ? and yet , lo ! it followes , and his own received him not , i. e. as lord and king : our blessed lord comes and knockes at jerusalem's gates ; but could not be admitted into his own house . oh! how greatly doth this pierce and wound his heart ? who could ever have thought , that the lord of glorie should have been denied entrance into his own royal palace ? what stupendous rebellion is this ? surely , wel might this draw tears from our lord. ( . ) christs federal relation to jerusalem , as minister of the covenant brought him under an essential , and deep obligation to lament over her sinful , and ruinous state . christ was invested with an aptitude and facultie to preach glad tidings of salvation unto jerusalem : yea , the jews , just before this lamentation , luke . . recognise him as mediator , and supreme minister of the covenant : this toucheth him to the quick , to consider that he , who was their alone mediator , and had , with so much fidelitie and affection , preached the everlasting gospel to jerusalem ; yea was , by some of them , solemnely avouched to be their crowned king , should yet be rejected by them , together with al the great things that did belong to their peace . christ tels us , that it was his meat and drink to performe his office as mediator , namely to gather in the lost sheep of israel : therefore when he considers their contumacious obstinacie and rejection of him , oh! how doth this wound his heart ? what a doleful contemplation was this unto him ? r thus as he was jerusalems supreme minister , he doth , by virtue of his office , deplore its wilful impenitence , and approching ruine . alas ! what an heart-bleeding consideration is it , to a faithful gospel-minister , after al his indefatigable and unwearied labors with his stock , to see them persist in open defiance against god , to the ruine of their souls ? and may we imagine , that our tender-hearted lord , who was jerusalem's chief bishop , or minister , and had preached so long , with so much affection to her , should not be deeply afflicted , at the consideration of her wilful unbelief , and ensuing miserie ? surely the consideration of this his office and relation added much weight to his lamentation . would it not grieve a tender-hearted physician , to see his patient to spil his physic , which alone can cure him , and so run into desperate courses , which wil unavoidably bring death to him ? just so it was here , christ was the good samaritan , jerusalem's most affectionate physician , and therefore it could not but prick him to the heart , to see her wilfully rejecting al the good things that belonged to her peace and health ; to run her self into inevitable ruine . ( . ) christs natural relation to jerusalem , as he was a borne jew , and so her elder brother , added many ingredients to this his sad lamentation . our blessed lord was borne of a judaic mother ; he had a judaic heart loged within him ; judaic bloud running in his veins , judaic bowels and compassions ; and therefore no wonder that he weeps over his impenitent brethren , who were on the brink of ruine . but so much may suffice for the motives which induced our lord , thus to weep over jerusalem . chap. ix . doctrinal corollaries , and practic uses , drawn from this christ's lamentation over jerusalem . having gone thorow the explication of the proposition , we come now to the improvement thereof ; and that first by doctrinal inferences . ( . ) doth christ weep over the sins and ruines of impenitent jerusalem ? hence then infer , , that christs affections are relative : his sorrow stands in relation to the sinners miserie ; as also his joy to the sinners good . al christs affections , whiles on earth , were very generous and public : he discovered little or nothing of private interest and passion : al his affections , actions , and passions were relative . yea , the whole of christ as mediator , is relative : he espoused human nature not for himself , but for sinners : he lived not for himself , but for his people : he died not for himself , but for sinners : thus here he wept not for himself , but for jerusalem . ( . ) this also discovers to us , the heroic , and pure strain , or temperament of christs affections . doth he , indeed , shed tears over jerusalem , who is now meditating , how she may shed his bloud : has he so much pitie and bleeding compassion for her , who hath so little pitie and compassion for herselfe ? oh! what incomparable generous affections are here ? what an unparalled sweet humor is there loged in the heart of this great emmanuel ? who could ever have imagined that human nature had been capable of such pure , and desinteressed affections , had we not so real an experiment thereof in this soverain messias ? ( . ) hence likewise we may collect , how really and chearfully willing christ is to save sinners . certainly , he that makes such bitter lamentation over the foreseen ruines of jerusalem , must needs have a very cordial , and unfeigned wil and desire of her salvation . this we find expressed to the life , mat. . . o jerusalem , jerusalem — how oft would i have gathered thy children together , even as an hen gathers her chickens under her wings , and ye would not ? what a pathetic expostulation is here , which carries in it notices of vehement affections ? oh! how willing is christ to give unto sinners the things that belong unto their peace ? yea , is he not more willing to to bestow great things than smal ? doth not his willingnesse to give , infinitely excede the sinners willingnesse to receive ? is not christ more glad to receive poor and weary souls , than they are to come unto him ? may sinners come too soon to christ , or before they are welcome ? has christ set any bars or rails about his throne of grace ? may not whoever wil , come and drink freely , and deeply of this living fountain ? is not every thing about christ mighty drawing , alluring , and inviting ? how drawing and encouraging is his gospel ? what alluring and inviting arguments are there in his bloud and passion ? has not christ removed al groundlesse cavils and objections , which foolish sinners are apt to make against coming to him for life ? doth not jerusalem first break with him , before he breaks with her ? and when that unhappy breach is made , doth not his weeping over her sufficiently argue , how fain he would be reconciled to her ? how much 't would please him to see her but cast half an eye towards him ? how much his heart would leap within him , to behold her , in the prodigals posture , returning towards him ? did christ ever cease to make tenders of grace to her , ' til she ceased to accept or desire the tenders of his grace ? yea , is not christs forwardnesse to give , beyond the sinners forwardnesse to receive ? did christ ever refuse to give , til sinners refused to aske what they wanted ? oh! how oft doth christs kindnesse overcome the sinners unkindnesse ? did he not frequently expresse great love and pitie , when he had the greatest cause to expresse severe wrath ? oh! what infinite pleasure and satisfaction doth christ take , in his gracious effusions and communications to sinners ? doth he not thinke himself sufficiently paid for what grace he hath given forth , if he may but obtain the souls desires after more ? how industrious is he in seeking sinners , when they have lost themselves ? oh! what a sad consideration is it , that christ should be so boundlesse and large in his offers , and we so narrow in our receivings ? ( . ) christs weeping over jerusalem instructs us further , what a dreadful sin it is to reject christ , and al other concernes of our peace . christs gracious invitations unto , long waitings for , and at last tears over jerusalem , do greatly aggravate her impenitence , and unbelief towards him . for the lower christ condescends to sinners , the nearer he comes to them , and the more importunate he is in the offers of his grace ; the greater is their sin in rejecting such gracious and sweet offers . what ? doth christ come unto his own ; his own children , spouse , subjects , brethren , and friends ? and wil not his own receive him ? doth he so freely open his gracious heart to sinners , and wil they shut their hearts against him ? is he so forward to give , and shal we be so backward to receive ? doth christ offer such great things to sinners , and shal they prefer such poor toys before them ? yea , is christ in himself so incomparably excellent , and wil sinners yet so much disdain him , and so proudly shift themselves of him ? can there be a more hainous sin than this , to meet christs bowels and pitie with kicks , and contemt ? oh! studie the weight of this sin . ( . ) this lamentation of christ over impenitent jerusalem teacheth us also , that mans ruine is from himself ? if after al christs gracious invitations ; al his unwearied forbearances ; al his bitter and salt tears , jerusalem wil stil persist in her rebellious contemt of his gracious offers , how inexcusable is her sin , and inevitable her ruine ? what wil prevail upon her , if christs tears , and intreaties wil not prevail ? what can save her , if her redemers grace and mercie save her not ? what is it that keeps evangelic sinners from being saved ? is it any defect in the object , or its revelation ? is it mere simple ignorance , or impotence in the subject ? no ; but it is wilful blindnesse and impotence : they shut their eyes and wil not see ; they bolt their hearts and wil not open to christ , who knocks at the dore of the soul , by many gracious invitations of his gospel and spirit . and do not such deservedly perish , who electively embrace their own ruine , and wilfully reject the things that belong to their peace , mat. . ? surely this wilful impotence , or rather impotent wilfulnesse evidently demonstrates , that impenitent sinners frame their own hel. ( . ) hence also infer , that the greater privileges , and marques of favor christ doth confer on any people or church , the more sorely doth he resent any unkindnesse from such . the resentment of a smal unkindnesse , from such as have been obliged by special favors , is more afflictive , than greater unkindnesses from others . for jerusalem , who lay under so many , and essential obligations , to reject christ , and al his gracious tenders of mercie , oh! how much doth this break his heart ? what swords and spears to pierce thorow his soul is this ? for jesurun , when she is made fat with divine mercies , to kick against those bowels , whence her mercies flowed , how much doth this wound and grieve the heart of christ ? ( . ) lasty , hence also we may collect , that christ's tears are the best exemplar , or patterne of ours . he that wil mourne in a christian manner , needs no better idea , or exemple than this christs lamentation . al christs affections , actions , and passions , so far as they are imitable by us , deserve a great remarque : but nothing cals for a more exact imitation from us , than this christs lamentation : every branch thereof deserves great consideration , admiration , and imitation . . we procede now to some more practic application of our proposition ; and that first by way of admonition , and advice , that we al studie wel , and consider deeply jerusalems church-wasting sins , how far they may be found amongst us . was jerusalem guiltie of rejecting christ , and the things that did belong unto her peace ? and have not we been , in an high mesure , guiltie of the same ? doth not this sin lie involved in londons ashes and ruines , as wel as in jerusalems ? did jerusalem fondly flatter herself , and ungroundedly presume of peace , when christ threatned nothing but wars and desolations ? and has not this also been englands sin ? do not men crie peace , peace , when god speaks nothing but wrath ? was jerusalem puffed up with spiritual pride , and carnal confidence in her church-privileges , and the tokens of gods presence ? and have not english professors been notoriously guiltie of the same sins ? did jerusalem sleep securely under al christs divine comminations , menaces , or threats of approching judgements ? and has not england also slept securely under al divine premonitions of coming judgements ? had earthly-mindednesse a great place in jerusalems black catalogue of church-desolating sins ? and have not english professors been dreadfully guiltie of this sin also ? have not back and belly , trade , pompe , and pleasures , been the great diana's , which have captivated the hearts of too many professors ? was jerusalem infructuous and barren under al gracious appointments , vouchsafements , and influences ? and has not this also been englands great sin ? did jerusalem persecute gods prophets and apostles ? and may we exemt england from the guilt of this sin ? was the want of reformation jerusalems church-depopulating sin ? and is england free from this sin ? lastly , was jerusalem guiltie of impenitence , want of humiliation , and open apostasie ? and let al judge , whether england has not been fouly guilty of the same sins . o that english professors would spend some time , studie , and pains , in completing this parallel between jerusalem and england , in point of church-wasting sins , thereby to break their hearts , and make them bleed forth bitter lamentations over englands sins , and approching miseries , if she repent not . hence also we are furnisht with mater of exhortation to english professors , that they would , by al means possible , endeavor , both in themselves and others , an exact imitation of this our lords lamentation over jerusalem ? did our gracious lord , who was himself void of the least spot , weep so bitterly over jerusalems sins ? oh then ! how much should we , poor sinful we , weep over englands sin , whereunto we have contributed so great a share ? doth our blessed lord , who was free from al sin , so much lament the sins of others , wherein he had no share ? o! what an high degree of impenitence is it then for us , not to lament over our own sins , or national sins , wherein we have had our share ? if we mourn not over national , or church-sins , do we not hereby make our selves partakers in them ; and so by consequence , in those judgements that follow ? oh! what a sad contemplation is it , to think how many great professors make themselves guilty of national , or other-mens sins , by not lamenting over them ? how much blasphemie , atheisme , profanesse , idolatrie , sensualitie , securitie , contemt of the gospel , and other national sins , are by the righteous god , charged on the account of many great , yea some good professors , because they never mourned over these national sins ? and may not these professors expect to be involved in national jugements , who thus , by their defect of humiliation , involve themselves in national sins ? yea , may not the great want of mourning , and humiliation for other mens sins , give too many great professors cause to suspect , that they never truely mourned , or were humbled for their own sins ? for he that mournes for his own sins as he ought , mourns chiefly for the dishonor that comes to god thereby : now if this be the principal motive of our mourning for sin , then we shal mourn for the dishonor that comes to god by other mens sins , as wel as by our own . but the bottome-reason why some professors mourne for their own sins , and not for other mens sins , is self-love : they think their own sins wil draw jugements on themselves , and therefore they mourne for them , thereby to avert gods wrath from themselves : whereas true godly sorrow is chiefly afflicted for the offence given to god : it is grieved , not so much because self , as because christ is grieved . certainly a soul truely humbled for his own sins , wil also be humbled for , and mourn over national sins and jugements . how much then are we concerned to imitate our great lord in this his lamentation ? do not his tears accuse , and condemne our impenitent , secure , and hard hearts ? he weeps for other mens sins ; but alas ! how little do we weep for our own ? may not christs tears fil us with soul-confusion and shame , to consider , how much we are strangers to such christian lamentations , over sinful and ruinous england ? has not this been the practice of saints in al ages , to lament over the sins , and ruines of their church or state ? was not this the temper of lots spirit ? is it not said , he was vexed with the filthy conversation of the wicked , pet. . . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , oppressed as with a burden , or dispirited and weakned , as with a tedious sicknes , as the word imports ; so v. . vexed his righteous soul , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , he cruciated , or tormented his soul as upon a rack : such was his grief and anguish for their sins . and was not this likewise the gracious posture of davids spirit , psal . . , , ? oh! what lamentations did the good prophets of old make over jerusalems first captivitie , and her sin , which was the cause thereof ? again , has not god made many gracious promisses to such , as mourne over the sins of the places they live in , as ezech. . ? it s true , peradventure they may not be exemted from commun calamities ; ay , but doth not god sanctifie , and sweeten al unto them ? but to speak a little of the qualification of our lamentation : we are to imitate , as much as may be , the qualities , or manner of christs weeping . were christs tears rational , spiritual , and voluntarie ? such should ours also be . was christs lamentation generous and public ? did he seem to forget his own private sufferings , whiles he bewailed jerusalem's ? oh! how ambitious should we be of the like pure sorrow ? were his tears pathetic , and sympathetic ? did every tear flow from a broken bleeding heart ? how much then should we affect such tears ? again , were his tears so efficacious , so influential ? what a shame is it then for us , that our lamentations are so barren and fruitlesse ? alas ! how far short do our lamentations come of christs ? do not we grieve more for the evils we our selves suffer , than for the sin , we or others commit ? sense of pain , or losse afflicts us : but how little are we afflicted with the sense of guilt and sin ? we mourn over the ruines of a burnt citie , or impoverished nation : but how little do we mourn over our sin , and the wrath of a sin-revenging god , which were the causes of those ruines ? lastly , christs lamentation , doth administer to us a serious caution against al those sins , which may draw down jugements on a citie , state , or church . is not this the great end and designe of al divine lamentations , to obviate and prevent the like sins and ruines ? was not this one main end , why christ here breaks forth into so sad a passion of weeping over jerusalem , thereby to lay in a caveat for us , that we run not into the like sins and ruines ? o then let us keep our spirits , and lives , at the greatest distance that may be , from these or suchlike church-sins , which bring with them such stupendous , inevitable church-ruines . reformation is the supreme end of al sacred lamentation : and albeit national jugements may surprise us , as wel as others , yet if we can keep our selves from national , and church sins , which are the causes of such jugements , they wil in the issue prove no jugements , but perfumed mercies to us . what ever burdens lie on our backs , if sin lie not on our spirits , they wil be very tolerable , easy burdens to us . book ii. a general consideration of the text , luke . . with a particular resolution of that first question , what it is not to know the things that belong unto our peace ? or , wherein the nature of unbelief consists ? chap. i. the explication of luke . . having given some general account of christs lamentation , both as to its mater and forme , we now procede to a more exact consideration of the chief particulars thereof contained in v. . saying , if thou hadst known , even thou , at least in this thy day , the things which belong unto thy peace ! but now they are hid from thine eyes . these words carrie in them an extreme pathos , or moving affection : every word is pathetic , and emphatic : christs heart seems so ful of bleeding pitie , as if he wanted words to give it vent : every expression is so broken , as though his heart were quite broken to pieces : yea , doth he not seem to drop a tear between every word ? to speak , and weep ; to drop a word , and then a tear ? so ful of affection and commiseration is every expression , as it wil appear by each particular . saying , ] christ doth not only weep , but speaks , he mingles words very emphatic with tears ; which addes much efficace , and weight to his lamentation . if , ] 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 : s some understand the the first particle , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , as aitiologic , or causal ; and so they suppose it to discover to us the cause of christs weeping . t but others , upon more grounded reasons , make the particle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to be redundant , and expletive ; according to the greek idiome and luke's wonted pleonasme , wherein it usually stands as a note of asseveration , and so serves for a mimesis . for they are wont to premit it before a sentence , which being spoken by some one , is recited ; whence it is no more than an enarrative , and expletive particle . neither doth the syriac version impede this construction : for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 there is not causal , but a note of exclamation . as for that next particle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , rendred , if , it is variously explicated : u some conceive there is no defect in this discourse of christ , and thence they expound 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in an optative sense , by vtinam , would to god thou hadst known : so they make it to be the same with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . because ( . ) this is not improper , or unusual in the greek . ( . ) the syriac , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 illu , is also optative . ( . ) in this sense 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is also used by the lxx. for jos . . . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , would to god we had remained . but i rather incline to the jugemeut of calvin , beza , and others , who make this oration of christ to be elliptic , or defective ; and so refer the partible 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , if , to the subjunctive mood . ( . ) because the particle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is rarely , if ever , found used in the new-testament , for vtinam , would to god. ( . ) because it is here premitted , as introductive to a pathetic exclamation , drawn from most intimate bowels , and such a torrent of melted affections , as seem to shut christs mouth , and interrupt his words . w and indeed experience testifieth , that such , in whose bowels are loged burning vehement affections , are not able to expresse their minds , but by abrupt and broken words . and that which confirmes this reason , is , that we find here , in christs expressions , two mixed affections ; . a great mesure of commiseration and pitie , as to jerusalems approching miserie . and . a great degree of indignation , by reason of her prodigious ingratitude , contumacie , and unbelief ; which were the cause of al her miserie . thus a learned x author observes , that this oration of christ is defective ; as of one , who partly commiserates jerusalems approching destruction ; and partly upbraids her unheard-of perfidie , and contumacie . thus it seems evident , that the particle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , if , here notes christs speech to be very defective , abrupt , and pathetic . but yet there remains a difficultie , how this pathetic interruption , or defect in christs oration , is to be filled up ; concerning which we shal speak in the explication of that clause , even thou . it follows , [ thou hadst known , ] i. e. believed , embraced : for it is a general rule among the hebrews , that words of sense implie affection . faith is oft in scripture expressed under the notion of knowlege ; because assent is the first essential ingredient of faith ; whence follows consent : and albeit the former may sometimes be found without the later , as in historic faith ; yet the later is never found without the former . there can be no consent , without assent , although there may be sometimes assent without consent , as in the devils . yea , may we not affirme ( which we dout not but to demonstrate in its place ) that al true , divine , spiritual , deep , prevalent , efficacious assent , to the things that belong unto our peace , is ever attended with a sincere consent to the same ? for , albeit divine saving assent , and consent , may differ as to their formal acts , and objects ; yet are they not the same , in regard of their effective principles , ends , and effects ? is not the wil under the tuition of the understanding ? can it move regularly towards any object , without the conduct of the mind ? yea , have not the mind and wil mutual , reciprocal influences each on other ? and lastly , what if we should assert , that the mind , which is the seat of assent , and the wil , wherein the consent of faith is seated , are not essentially different faculties ; but one and the same soul , receiving different denominations , according to its different acts , and objects ? this is no novel opinion , neither do we want reason , or sacred authoritie to confirme the same , as we may prove hereafter . this gives us the reason why our blessed lord expresseth faith by knowlege ; and jerusalems unbelief , by not knowing the things that belong unto her peace . but we are also to remember , that it is not simple ignorance , that jerusalem is charged with ; but a perverse , stupid , voluntarie , affected ignorance ; which is so far from excusing , as that it aggravates the sin of those who are guiltie of it . even thou , ] 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . the vulgar latin and erasmus render the particle , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , et , and ; supposing it to be copulative ; as if our blessed lord should deplore and lament , that jerusalem did not receive the gospel , as other cities had done . thus some wil have the defect of this elliptic discourse filled up by a tacite indication of some other persons , or cities , who knew the things that did belong to their peace ; whose exemple our blessed lord would fain have jerusalem to follow , in knowing the things that did belong to her peace . these persons , some wil have to be the commun people , which immediately before make such solemne acclamations of joy , and sung hosanna's to christ , v. . others understand thereby other cities of judea , which had received the gospel : others understand it indefinitely , of al such cities as had at any time repented , and turned to god. as if our lord should have said , other cities , as ninive , &c. have acknowleged their sins , and understood the things that belonged to their peace ; would to god thou also hadst known the things that belong to thy peace : thus some . but we are not necessitated to introduce any persons , for the filling up this defective oration : y for the particle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in this place is not copulative , but put for vel , even , in this sense : if even thou , which art the metropolis of judea , the chief seat of the divine shekinah , or habitation , and adorned with such singular privileges , beyond al places in the world , if , i say , thou hadst known , &c. z thus that which christ here laments is not , that jerusalem had not known the things that did belong unto her peace , as other cities had done , but this is the great thing he bewails , that jerusalem , which lay under such deep and essential obligations , to receive her messias , even she should so unworthily reject him . so that the simple , and natural sense seems to be this : if even thou , whom it so nearly concernes , hadst known , &c. at least , ] 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . the repetition of the conjunction 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is not uselesse ; but carries with it a singular elegance , and emphase : a for the first 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , and , refers to the citie ; thē last to her day , which follows : as if he had said ; if thou , jerusalem , hadst known , even thou , whom it so greatly concernes to know these things , at least in this thy day , in which i , thy promissed messias , am come unto thee . b thus the particle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is to be understood , as before for vel , even , or , saltem , at least ; which is evident from the particle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 annext thereto . whence it follows . in this thy day ] there is a great pathos , and emphase in this notion , this thy day ; whereby we must understand , according to the hebraic idiome , that space of time , or the last period of that time , which our lord had so graciously vouchsafed to jerusalem , for her repentance . every word is very significant and weightie . ( . ) the word day , has much in it : as if he had said ; the day of grace yet shines on thee : thy sun is not as yet set : but the night wil follow , joh. . this is termed , the time of thy visitation , v. . ( . ) the epithet thy is also very emphatic . thy day , i. e , that day , which thy lord has , in much singular favor , vouchsafed to thee , beyond al the world besides , which as yet lies in darknesse . thy day , wherein thy messias has given thee such public and manifest demonstrations of his sacred mission , and commission from god : thy day , wherein i have been wholly taken up in preaching to thee , the great things of thy peace ; wherein i have given thee so many solemne invitations , so many gracious allurements , so many bland and friendly intreaties , to accept of me as thy savior . and ( . ) there seems yet to lie a farther emphase in that first particle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 this ; which seems to be both restrictive and emphatic : in this thy day , wherein i now make my last application and addresse to thee . as if he had said : i sent my prophets to thee ; but alas ! how were they abused , and slain ? i have in person made many addresses and supplications to thee ; but have i not received as many repulses from , as ever i made applications to thee ? lo ! now i make my a last application to thee : every word is watered , and bedewed with tears : o! that thou wouldest , in this thy day , thy last day , receive the things that belong unto thy peace . albeit thou hast hitherto rejected al my gracious offers ; yet even now , at least now in this thy day , be persuaded to listen to me . thus some understand by this thy day , the ultimate and extreme occasion , and season , wherein christ made offer of salvation to jerusalem . yet we may not exclude the former seasons , and offers of grace , which christ gave to jerusalem : for this pathetic oration includes in it , not only an invitation for the present , but also an exprobation , and indignation against jerusalem , for her former contemt , and rejection of the things that did belong unto her peace : so that we may not exclude any part of that time , which was afforded to jerusalem , by her messias ; although the last period of this time may , possibly , be chiefly intended . hence it is thought , that these words refer to that zechar. . . rejoice greatly o daughter of sion : shout o daughter of jerusalem ; behold thy king cometh to thee . but this coming of christ , may not , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . hactenus nunc saltem , cum illa dies qua dictum est , dicite filiae sionis , zachar. . . as i conceive , be confined to this last coming of christ to jerusalem , but extends to the whole oeconomie , or dispensation of his grace , before his crucifixion . but it follows . the things which belong unto thy peace ] 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ; this is evidently an hebraisme : for the hebrews under the notion of peace include al manner of beatitude , and prosperitie . the things that belong unto our peace , are either complexe and notional ; or simple and real : the complexe , notional maters of our peace , are the evangel , or words of peace , promulgated by christ and his apostles : the simple and real things of our peace , are ( . ) christ himself , the great mediator of our peace , with al his merits . ( . ) the spirit of christ , who makes application of al our purchased peace . ( . ) god the father , the original fountain . ( . ) heaven , &c. but now ] here we have ( . ) an aposiopesis , or an abrupt breach in the course of the oration ; whereby a principal part thereof seems to be left unmentioned . this argueth the depth of christs grief , and the vehemence of his lamentation ; which wanted words to give it vent . this aposiopesis , or breach in christs words , may be thus filled up : if thou hadst known , even thou , at least in this thy day , the things that belong to thy peace , [ oh! how chearfully , how greedily wouldest thou have embraced them ? or , oh! how happy wouldst thou have been ? ] e others incline rather to refer the aposiopesis to the last clause of the following words , but now they are hid from thine eyes [ to thine unspeakable damage , and eternal ruine . ] the difference is not material : we may take in both . ( . ) but now ] as if had said : time was , o jerusalem , when thou hadst the bright , warme beams of my gospel-grace shining on thee : but now , thy day of grace is gone , thy sun is set : thou hast had many wooings , and importunate offers of grace from me : but now i am come to give thee my last adieu : adieu , jerusalem , adieu . thou hast had many strivings of my spirit vouchsafed to thee : but now my spirit bids thee farewel : farewel jerusalem . thence it follows , they are hid from thine eyes , ] here is an hebraic ellipsis , wherein the consequent is also expressed by the antecedent : for those things which are hid , are removed out of sight : whence the later is also expressed by the former : f so that the meaning is , the gospel is hid , and thenc removed from thee . or peradventure , it may allude to the veil on moses's face , whereby the glorie of god was hid from the jews ; which was a symbolic shadow of their blindnesse , as it is explicated by paul , cor. . , . for until this day remianeth the same veil , &c. this continues in use among the jews to this very day : for in their synagogues , whiles the law is read , they have a veil on their faces ; which is a black marque , though little considered by them , of the veil of ignorance , and hardnesse on their hearts . thus christ threatens here , that , for the future , the things of their peace , should be hid from their eyes . and it deserves a particular remarque , that their jugement bears proportion to their sin : they wilfully shut their eyes against the gospel ; and christ judicially shuts the gospel , and hides it from their eyes : g they reject the things that belong to their peace ; and the things that belong to their peace reject them : their hearts are sealed up by unbelief against the gospel ; and the gospel becomes as a sealed book to them : they bid adieu to christ ; and he bids adieu to them : they prefer cesar before christ ; and christ deservedly leaves them , to be ruined by cesars hands , whom they prefer before himself . chap. ii. eighteen general observations drawn from the words of the text , as before explicated . the words being thus explicated , they offer to us varietie of choise observations . as from that first notion , saying , we may observe ( . ) that christs expressions of pitie do spring from the deepest affections . every word is attended with a tear : every saying is a lively image of a wounded heart . ( . ) that christs sayings and doings are the same . every word of christ carries omnipotence in its womb : as his promisses , so his threats are omnipotent : and jerusalem found , by dreadful experience , this threat fulfilled to a tittle . yea , to this very day she lies under the dreadful arrest of this threat . the menaces , and threats of men , even of the greatest of men , are oft but smoke and wind : they threaten and storme much ; speak big words ; but alas ! how little can they do ? but oh ! what energie and efficace is there in every saying of christ ? hath not poor jerusalem layen . years under the prodigious curse of this one dismal saying ? o! then dread every saying of christ . it follows : [ if ] hence observe ( . ) that christ is very real , serious , and pathetic in al his offers of grace unto sinners . every word of the gospel is but a chariot , that conveighs christs heart to sinners : if ever he be in good earnest , it is in his evangelic invitations . his bowels are never more warme , and rolling ; his affections never more bleeding , than in inviting and drawing sinners to himself . oh! how low doth christ stoop ? unto what mean termes doth he condescend , to win his enemies to be reconciled to him ? how studious and industrious is he , to remove al heart-cavils , against the offers of his grace ? doth he ever break with us before we break with him ? ( . ) this particle [ if ] as explicated gives us yet this further observation , that nothing doth more deeply provoke christs indignation against sinners , than the wilful rejection of his gospel , grace , and person . for this particle , if , as was noted , implies not only commiseration , but also indignation and exprobation : christ by this abrupt manner of speech doth sorely upbraid jerusalem , with her contumacious contemt of himself , and his evangelic offers of grace . now to upbraid another , is to lode him with reproches , disgraceful and biting words ; thereby to aggravate his ingratitude , and the foulnesse of his fact ; as also to manifest what a just ressentiment , and sense we have of the injuries done to us , by the person upbraided . so that christs upbraiding jerusalem with her wilful impenitence and unbelief , argueth his deep ressentiment thereof , and just indignation against her for it . thus christ upbraids his own disciples with their unbelief , mark . . which argues that the least degree of unbelief is greatly ressented by , and sorely offensive to christ . but of this hereafter , in the aggravations of unbelief . thou hadst known ] hence note ( . ) that sanctified notions are the root of saving faith , and the divine life . to speak a little what sanctified notions import ; and then what connexion they have with saving faith , and the divine life . these sanctified notions , are a divine light of life , john . . an unction from the holy one , john . . proceding originally from the father of light and life , joh. . . whereby believers know things as they ought , cor. . . for the spirit of god impressing a divine glorie on supernatural objects , it openeth the same to the mind , and also openeth the mind to receive the same ; and thence implanteth a supernatural instinct , a divine sagacitie , and intuitive light ; whereby the soul not only sees spiritual objects , but also has a particular , experimental tast , and feeling sense thereof ; which kils beloved idols and lusts , turnes the bent of the heart towards christ , and proves the dore to communion with god in christ , and the divine life . and oh ! how clear and distinct ; how deep and solid ; how sweet and delicious ; how efficacious and active , yea transformative are these sanctified notions , which lie wrapt up in the light of life ? what a mighty conformitie has the renewed mind , clothed with these divine notions , to al divine truths ? how is al the glorie of this lower world eclipsed , and al carnal delights made to lose their relish hereby ? what satisfaction in god , what fervent affections towards christ , what bigorous vigorous exercices of grace doth this light of life worke in believers ? but it hath a more peculiar soverain influence on faith , and al its vitals . inward , spiritual , deep , feeling , affective and practic notions , of god in christ have an huge soverain influence on faith : so the psalmist assures us . psal . . . and they that know thy name wil put their trust in thee . a clear , distinct , particular , stedfast , divine , operative knowlege of christ breeds confidence in , recumbence on , and adherence to him . none are more tenacious , and resolute in adhering unto christ , than such as are baptised with his spirit , and light of life . yea , according to the quantitie and qualitie of our light , such wil be the quantitie , and qualitie of our faith : if our light be spiritual , divine and saving , such wil our faith be : again , if our light be not only spiritual for the kind ; but also intense , prevalent and strong as to degree ; then wil our faith be also mightie intense , prevalent and efficacious : such an individuous , yea , essential connexion is there betwixt saving knowlege and divine faith . hence , ( . ) observe , that ignorance is the original , and most pregnant parent of vnbelief . the papists tel us , that ignorance is the mother of devotion . and it holds true , as to their own devotion , which is but superstition , and wil-worship : for ignorance is both the mother , and nurse of al idolatrie , and superstition ; and so by consequence also of unbelief : and therefore it is no wonder that the papists require only an ignorant , credulous , implicite faith of their devoti : for such a blind faith suits best with their blind devotion , and superstition . but surely such an implicite blind faith wil not suffice a christian : yea is it not the worst kind of unbelief ? to believe only as the church believes , without a right understanding of the objects we believe , what is it but to believe nothing as we ought ? he that pins his faith on the churches sleeve , without ever considering what he believes , what doth he , but at once part with , and bid adieu to his faith , religion , reason , yea , and his humanitie too , as we may shew hereafter ? such are the malignant influences , and qualities of a blind , ignorant implicite faith. even thou ] i. e. h thou jerusalem , who hast been the seat of the divine presence , dignified with such splendid marques of divine favor , and adorned with such rich discoveries of evangelic grace , &c. hence observe ( . ) that , as to externe marques of divine favor and benediction , the richest that a people , or church can be made partaker of , is to be made the seat of gods gracious presence , and evangelic administrations . out of heaven there may not be expected a greater externe privilege than this , for a people to be espoused by god , as his visible church , the place of his gracious residence , and evangelic administrations . this was jerusalems privilege : she was christs first bride : the covenant of grace was first loged in her bosome : christ was her first crowned king , and lawgiver : the oracles of god were first laid down in pawn with her : her land and citie was adopted by christ , as symbols of his church : her temple was a type of christs natural bodie ; wherein he dwelt by visible tokens of glorie , and grace : her males bore somewhat of christ in their flesh : yea , christ himself was borne of judaic flesh and bloud : jerusalem had the first tenders of gospel grace : christ long waited for , and as minister of the covenant , endeavored after her conversion . such were her privileges . but in this pathetic expression , even thou , there lies couched not only an intimation of jerusalems privileges ; but also an exprobation of her sin ; and that with vehement indignation . as if he had said : what! jerusalem serve me so ! even thou , who hast been so dignified by me ! oh! what an hainous odious sin is this ? who can bear it ? hence observe ; ( . ) that by how much the more any people or church is dignified with divine privileges , or gracious vouchsafements ; by so much the more hainous is their sin , if they improve not those means and privileges . the more excellent gifts we are invested with , the greater punishment do we deserve , if we abuse the same : so isai . . , , , , . at least in this thy day , ] these words , as before explicated , afford to us several practic observations . ( . ) that evangelic sinners have a day of grace afforded to them . where-ever the sun of righteousnes comes , he brings healing under his wings , ( i. e. beams ) or a day of grace . ( . ) that it is the supreme wisdome and interest of professors , to fil up their day of grace , with the duties of their day . oh! what deep engagements did jerusalem lie under , to improve her day of grace ? how happie might she have been , had she but performed the same ? ( . ) hence also observe , that the day of grace wil have its period . though christ wait long , yet he wil not wait always : the longest day of grace hath its night : and usually the clearer , brighter , and warmer the day of grace is , the shorter it is : where christ vouchsafeth the greatest means of grace , if they are not improved , but contemned , there usually the day of grace is shortest . think of this . ( . ) hence also observe , that the nearer christ comes in the offers of his grace ; and the longer he waits for our acceptation of those offers , the more inexcusable shal we be , if we reject , or neglect the same . this observation lies wrapt up in that first expression , at least . our blessed lord oft came very near , and close to jerusalem , in the tenders of his grace : oh! how oft did he knock at her gates ? how long did he wait for her reception of him ? what sacred , and sweet importunitie did he use , to persuade , and prevail upon her , in that her day , to accept of the things that did belong unto her peace ? but alas ! she would not ; she rejects al his gracious offers , ' til at last her day was expired . and oh ! how much doth this aggravate her sin ? who is worse than he , who hath a clear day of grace vouchsafed him , and yet electively embraceth darknesse before light ? the things which belong unto thy peace ] i. e. my self , who am thy peace-maker , the king and mediator of thy peace ; with whom is thy covenant of peace &c. hence note , ( . ) that christ alone is the great mediator of our peace : out of him there is no peace : take away christ , and you take away the chief corner-stone , the main foundation of our peace . the sin-revenging god is nothing but wrath , and everlasting burnings out of christ . but he that hath christ , hath peace with god , and with al the creation besides . nothing can hurt him , who is under the wing of christ , the prince of peace . al peace of conscience , which is collected either from holy conversation , or from evangelic promisses , or from the sense of gods love , or any other way , is al resolved into christ , as the proper source , and spring thereof . therefore he that knows not christ , knows not the things that belong unto his peace . ( . ) hence also observe , that vnbelievers are the greatest enemies to their own peace , and welfare . al the enemies of jerusalem did not so much obstruct her peace , as her own unbelief . satan and al his powers of darknesse are not so prejudicial , and destructive to the peace of souls , as their own unbelieving hearts . how feeble is hel ? how insignificant and unable are its iron gates , to prevail over the weakest believer , that adheres to christ ? but as for sinners , that are under the dominion of unbelief , oh ! what a world of enemies are they exposed unto ? how doth every tentation prey upon them ? what wars , what commotions , what confusions doth every lust raise in their hearts ? yea , how much are such obnoxious to the wrath , and rage of the righteous god ? ( . ) hence also we may observe ; that it addes much weight to the aggravation of vnbelief , that it is a rejection of the things that belong unto our peace . the excellence of the objects , which are offered to sinners in the gospel of peace , greatly aggravates their sin , who refuse them . was it ever known that a conquered enemie refused termes of peace ? is there any record to be found of a captive rebel , that rejected a gracious pardon from his prince ? and yet , lo ! this is the unbelievers case : christ comes with gracious offers of peace and life ; but alas ! how are they rejected ? oh! what an hainous sin is this ? yea , unbelief is not a mere simple refusal of the things which belong unto our peace ; but it carries in its bowels , much enmitie , opposition , antipathie , blasphemie and contumelie against god , and christ , and al the great things of our peace , as hereafter . but now they are hid from thine eyes ] hence observe , ( . ) that when god puts a period to the day of grace , al means of grace are insignificant , and ineffectual . although god may sometimes continue the means of grace , yet doth he not withdraw his influences of grace from those means ? and then how inefficacious are they ? what is christ but a veiled face ? what is the gospel , but a sealed book ? what are ordinances , but broken cisternes ? what are promisses , but dead letters ? what are duties , but barren wombs , when the day of grace is gone ? yea , are not al these so far from becoming means of grace , as that they are indeed , by reason of mans wilful impenitence , means of hardening ? yea , is not christ himself a stone of offense , and stumbling to such , as are deprived of the day of grace ? thus are the things of their peace hid from their eyes . ( . ) hence also observe , that when god puts a period to the sinners day of grace , then begins his day of jugement . jerusalem's day of jugement began from this very moment , that christ pronounced this dreadful sentence against her : for henceforward al christs dispensations towards her were in jugement . there was a curse upon her blessings , wrath and revenge mixed with her sweetest privileges , and mercies . what christ speaks in general of satan and his kingdome , joh. . . now is the jugement of this world , &c. the same may be in particular applied to jerusalem , and al other impenitent sinners , who are passed their day of grace . thus when the day of grace ends , the day of jugement begins : for when al the things that pertain to thy peace are hid from thine eyes , what remains , but chains of darknes , and beginings of jugement ? ( . ) hence also we may observe , that there is an exact proportion between the unbelievers sin and jugement . the wilful unbeliever shuts his eyes against al the things that belong unto his peace ; and then the righteous god comes and claps a seal of judicial occecation , or spiritual blindnesse on his eyes , that so he never see them more : joh. . . for jugement am i come into this world , — that they which see might be made blind . there is oft an exact conformitie betwixt mans sin , and gods jugement : what a visible character , and stampe of jerusalem's sin is here impressed on her jugement ? what is it that she suffers from the righteous mouth and hand of christ , but what she voluntarily inflicts on herself ? she wil not see the things that belong unto her peace ; and therefore saith christ , she shal not see them , they shal be hid from her eyes . she wil not open the gates of her soul , that the king of glorie , her messias , may enter in ; and therefore saith christ , let her heart be shut under the curse of judicial obduration . this was gods usual method in punishing israel , even from her infant-state . and oh ! how much doth this illustrate the justice of god , when visible ideas and stampes of mens sins , are to be seen in the face of their jugements ? how must this needs cut , and wound the heart of an awakened penitent sinner , to see his guilt in the face of his punishment ? this analogie , and affinitie betwixt the unbelievers sin , and jugement leaves him also without the least shadow of excuse . alas ! who but the unbeliever himself may be blamed , if the good things of the gospel be hid from his eyes , seing he himself first shut his eyes against the dazling glorie of those bright beams , which shone so long on his eyes ? what cause have unbelievers to complain , that the gospel is a veiled , or sealed book unto them , seing their hearts are veiled , and sealed with unbelief against it ? oh! what a vindication wil this be of the righteous jugement of god , but confusion to wilful unbelievers , to consider the exact paritie , and analogie which there is between their sin , and their punishment ? how wil this confound them to al eternitie ? chap. iii. the notional object of unbelief : or , what are those notional things , that belong unto our peace , which unbelief assents not unto ? the precedent observations furnish us with singular mater of discourse : each observation deserves a particular examen , and remarque : but we shal cast al into the mould , or forme of this one general proposition , or doctrine : that vnbelief , or the not knowing the things that belong unto our peace , is a sin of the deepest tincture , or most hainous aggravations ; and that which exposeth the sinner to the most severe wrath , and jugements of god. this proposition contains the spirit and mind of the text ; as also the sum and substance of al the former observations ; which , in the explication hereof , wil have their particular consideration . and , for our more regular , and methodic procedure herein , we shal resolve the proposition into these four grand questions . ( . ) what it is not to know the things that belong unto our peace ? or , wherein the genuine idea , or nature of vnbelief doth consist ? ( . ) whence this vnbelief springs ? or , what are the seminal roots , the original causes of this sin ? ( . ) what are the aggravations of this vnbelief ? ( . ) what severe wrath and jugements from god , attend this sin of vnbelief ? the examen , and resolution of these questions wil give us the ful explication of our proposition , as also of the text. q. . what it is , not to know the things that belong unto our peace ? or , wherein the nature of vnbelief doth consist ? for the more ful resolution of this question , we shal consider unbelief ( . ) with relation to its object . ( . ) in regard to its act. . the object of unbelief is here expressed , under this comprehensive notion , the things that belong unto thy peace : these are ( as we before intimated ) either ( . ) complexe and notional : or ( . ) simple and real . the complexe , or notional things that belong unto our peace , are al those divine axiomes , maximes , canons , or notions , loged in the sacred scriptures , which any way conduce to our peace . the simple , or real things that belong unto our peace , are the good things themselves , which lie wrapt up in those divine axiomes , or notions of sacred scripture ; namely , god in christ , heaven , &c. the former are the object of faiths assent ; the later of its consent , election , and choice . again , the notional things that belong to our peace , which are the complexe object of faiths assent , may be considered by us ; ( . ) materially ; ( . ) formally . the material complexe objects of faiths assent are the scriptural notions , which faith assents unto : the formal object of faith's assent is the formal reason , proper motives , or principal grounds of its assent ; that which induceth , or draws our minds to assent unto sacred scriptural notions ; as also constitutes , specifies and distinguisheth divine saving assent . lastly , the notional , material object of our assent is either general , or particular . the general object is the whole word of god : the particular is the gospel , or covenant of grace , which gives us a more particular and expresse idea of the things that belong to our peace . the things that belong unto our peace being thus distributed , according to their several constitutions , and regards to faith , we may with more facilitie , and perspicuitie determine and resolve our question , what it is not to know the things that belong unto our peace ? but before we enter on the explication of unbelief , we must premise , that our intendment is to treat of it in its general , and abstract nature , and not as it relates to this or that subject : for albeit our text speaks of the unbelief of persons irregenerate ; yet inasmuch as the unbelief of persons regenerate differs not totally , from that in persons irregenerate , we may very wel and properly treat of both , under one general idea ; though with different reflexions on , and applications to this , or that subject , thus much being premised , we procede to the explication of our question . first , we shal begin with the notional , material , general things that belong unto our peace , of its object , is , not to assent to the word of god. which are the sacred scriptures , or word of god in the general ; which not to know , or , truely assent unto , is the original , and no smal part of vnbelief . oh! here lay the the bitter root , and spawn of al jerusalems sin , and miserie : she did not understand , at least not practicly assent unto the sacred scriptures , in which al the things that belonged to her peace lay wrapt up . moses , and the prophets were a sacred map , wherein jerusalem might have viewed the celestial canaan , her messias , his glorious names and titles of honor , his person , and offices , with al other things that did belong to her peace : but alas ! jerusalem wanted spiritual eyes , to contemplate such glorious objects . this our blessed lord upbraids the carnal jews with , joh. . . search the scriptures ; for in them ye think ye have eternal life , and they are they which testifie of me . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , to search , signifies here , by a sacred sagacitie , and unwearied studie to hunt , or inquire into the scriptures , as dogs hunt after wild beasts : but oh ! this the unbelieving jews were strangers to ; and therefore no wonder , if they were strangers to al the things that did belong to their peace . the scriptures are the oracles of god , the glasse wherein his glorious perfections shine : neither can there the least ray of true religion shine on lapsed man , but what is reflected from this celestial miroir of the divine wil. the splendor of divine majestie is but as an inexplicable labyrinth , unlesse we are conducted thereinto by this thread of sacred scriptures . god is nothing to us , but what he testifies of himself . god is nothing , saith tyndal , but his law and his promisses , i. e , that which he biddeth thee to do , and believe , and hope ; and to imagine any other thing of god , is grosse , and damnable idolatrie . the sacred word is the spirits schole , in which he teacheth al the things that belong to our peace : so that we may be contentedly ignorant of what is not here taught . hence it is apparent , that one main , and fundamental part of unbelief consists in not yielding a real , firme , distinct , certain , affectionate , deep , and practic assent to the sacred scriptures . and oh ! what an epidemic , universal sin is this , even in the professing world ? how many are there , among the croud of knowing professors , who never gave an explicite , actual , chearful , spiritual , and stedfast assent to the word of god , and its sacred autoritie ? are not the most of professors extreme partial in their credence , or belief , of the divine scriptures ? do not they pick and choose , what may correspend most with their lusts , or carnal interests ? this word that pleaseth them they can believe , but that word which disgusts them they cannot assent unto : do not many , in their prosperitie disbelieve the threats , and in their adversitie the promisses ? and what is this , but not to know the things that belong to their peace ? for he that doth disbelieve any one part of scripture , may he not be justly reputed to disbelieve the whole ? is not the reason and autoritie of a part , the same with the reason and autoritie of the whole word ? wherefore , doth not he who rejects a part , also reject the autoritie of the whole ? it s true , al scriptures are not alike fundamental , or equally necessary to salvation ; yet may we not justly conclude , that al are equally necessary to be believed , if we consider their origine and autoritie ; as they are al inspired by the spirit of god , and clothed with indelible characters of divine majestie ? o then ! how many knowing professors are in this point guiltie , of not knowing the things that belong to their peace ? how few are there that yield a rooted , welgrounded , operative assent to the whole word of god ; who have an ear to hear , wherever , and whenever god hath a mouth to speak ? o that professors would seriously ruminate on this , that so far as they disbelieve the truth , certaintie , and autoritie of any one word of god ; so far they disbelieve , or know not the things that belong to their peace . and whence is it , that many professors are so averse from assenting to the whole word of god ? is it not from the prevalence of some lust in their hearts , which turnes them strongly another way ? they disbelieve some scriptures ; and why ? is it not because they lie not level with their lusts ? oh! what a deep mysterie of iniquitie is this disbelief of the scriptures , as loged in some carnal hearts ? what malignant , and venimous effusions doth it transmit into their lives ? is it not the great stratageme , and plot of satan to dispirit , and weaken mens assent to the sacred scriptures ? and doth he not hereby create , in many sincere believers , much unbelief , concerning the things that belong to their peace ? may not the most of our tentations be resolved into some disbeliefe of the scriptures ? and on the contrary , hath not a real , fixed , supernatural , and saving assent to the sacred scriptures , a mighty soverain , efficacious influence on al our graces , and duties ? doth not the vigor , strength , beautie , and improvement of al grace depend on our belief of the scriptures ? o that men would then look wel hereto ! . we procede now to the particular notional maters , or things belonging to our peace , which unbelief rejects : and those are the gospel , or covenant of grace , with al the branches thereof . the gospel is grace's office ; the shop where the sinner may find both food and physic . the covenant of grace is faiths magna charta ; the epistle of christ writ with his own bloud ; the cabinet , wherein al our jewels of grace , and peace are laid up by christ ; yea , the words of life ; wherein christs heart lies wrapt up , and is conveighed unto sinners . the promisses of the gospel are the element in which faith lives and moves : they are the air , which faith sucks in , and breaths forth : they are the food , on which faith seeds . there is no diet so natural , so delicious , so restaurative , so corroborative , or strengthening , so nutritive , so satisfying as the promisses spirited by free grace : faith relisheth no food like this . faith never reposeth herself so securely , never sleeps so sweetly , as when she doth lean her head on the bosome of some promisse : if she hath but a promisse to cast anchor on , she can ride confidently in the greatest stormes ; and laugh at al the proud waves , that beat against her . now this being the temper and spirit of faith , hence it necessarily follows , that not to assent to the gospel , or covenant of grace , and the promisses which lie wrapt up therein , takes in much of the vital spirit of unbelief . this wil be more evident if we consider , the chief material parts of the covenant of grace , and the evil aspect which unbelief casts thereon . the covenant of grace contains in it ; ( . ) maters of grace . ( . ) maters of providence . ( . ) maters of coming glorie : now in al these regards unbelief may be said , not to know the things that bolong to our peace . . the covenant of grace contains in it maters of grace . the law tels us what we are by nature ; but the gospel tels us what we are , or may be by grace : the law discovers to us our sin and miserie , but the gospel discovers our remedie ; and so opens a dore to faith : yea , the gospel doth not only declare to us the objects and maters we are to believe , but also furnisheth us with many gracious encouragements , and incentives to believe : yea further , the gospel doth not only afford us maters and motives of faith ; but also it becomes a sanctified instrument in the hand of the spirit to conveigh faith , and al other graces to us . for it is an infallible maxime in theologie , that evangelic promisses of grace , on such , or such conditions , without grace to performe those conditions , are as little available to beget faith , as the law is . thus we see how ful of gracious maters , motives , and offers the covenant of grace is . but yet the more fully to anatomise the bowels of unbelief , as to maters of grace offered in the covenant , we shal a little , though but cursorily , touch on those offers of grace , which the covenant makes , with their proprieties . ( . ) the offers of grace made in the gospel , or covenant of grace , are very real , and cordial : there is never a line , no nor a word of the gospel , but it carries christs heart wrapt up in it : every promisse is a love-letter sent by christ , to assure the sinner , how affectionate his heart is set towards him : there is not an expression that drops from the mouth of christ , but is ful of bleeding affection : every promisse gives the sinner a good law-right to grace , provided that he accept of it when offered : if christ be real in any thing , he is so in the offers of grace to sinners . but now unbelief looks on al these offers of grace , as mere romances , fables , or fine-spun stories . this was the case of the unbelieving jews , as paul assures us , rom. . . how beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace , and bring glad tidings of good things ! oh! what good news is here ? who would not chearfully assent to such glad tidings of peace ? is there any so sotish , as to refuse such good things ? yes , addes paul , v. . but they have not al obeyed the gospel : for esaias saith , lord who hath believed our report ? as if he had said : true , we preach the great truths of gospel-peace unto sinners ; but alas ! how few have obeyed , or assented to the truth of the gospel ? do not the most of men look on these things as too good news to be true ? where is the man , that really assents to the realitie of these glad-tidings ? may we not then justly crie out with esaias , who hath believed our report ? thus unbelief cals in question the realitie of evangelic offers of grace . ( . ) the offers of grace in the gospel are very gratuitous and free : and this draws on faith freely to close therewith : for faith being a federal instrument influenced , and acted by the covenant , the more it apprehends the freedome of the covenant , the more freely it wil embrace the same . now the covenant instructs faith fully in this point : it teacheth us , that the grace of the covenant expects no foundation in us , no condignitie , no congruitie , no moral capacitie , or condition in us , but what itself intends to confer . the covenant informes us , that free-grace is moved by nothing without it self ; that it gives , because it wil give , or because it hath given : that the poorer we are , the more willing he is to inrich us ; the nakeder we are , the more ready christ is to clothe us : yea , the covenant assures us , that christ intends much good for them , who intend no good to him , nor yet to themselves ; yea , to such as intend evil to him , and to their own souls , even for such rebellious souls he intends gifts and grace , as psal . . . thou hast received gifts for men ; yea , for the rebellious also , that the lord god might dwel among them . now this freedome of the covenant , and the grace of god offered therein , gives a mighty foundation , and encouragement to build upon : for the great obstacle and bar to faith is this , that we are not fit for christ : this is one of unbeliefs greatest pleas , against closing with the good things of the covenant : what ? may poor i presume to believe ? i , who am so unworthy ? i , who have so long spurned at christ , and al the things that belong to my peace ? i , who have so oft broken with christ , plaid fast and loose with him ? what ? may i presume , that christ wil have any regard to me ; poor , sinful , backsliding , rebellious me ? oh! how can this be ? what a presumtion would it be in me , to cast an eye towards christ , and the good things that belong unto my peace ? thus unbelief opposeth , or at least demurs at the freedome of the covenant and its grace . ( . ) another proprietie of the covenant is the vniversalitie of its gracious offers . though the covenant of grace be , as to its interne spirit , mind , and dispensation particular , definite , and absolute ; yet as to its externe offers and dispensation it runs in conditional , indefinite , and universal termes ; inviting al that wil to come in . it sets no bars or rails about the throne of grace ? but gives free admission to al , that wil come for mercie , rev. . . the covenant excludes none , but such as exclude themselves by unbelief : and why should sinners exclude themselves , before god excludes them ? but alas ! this is the il-humor of unbelief , because it cannot see the sinners name in particular written on the covenant , therefore it questions al the grounds of faith. oh! saith the unbelieving sinner , here are rich offers indeed ; but , alas ! i , what am i the better for al this ? may such a wretch as i come to christ , to be embraced in his sacred armes ? what ? i , who am in such a nastie pickle ; so polluted with sin ? oh! i may not , i cannot believe that such an hainous sinner as i , shal find christs armes open to receive me . thus unbelief questions the vniversalitie of christs offer , and puts a bar to its own mercies ; whereas the gospel puts none ; but saies , john . . if any man thirst , let him come to me and drink , and rev. . . whoever wil , &c. there lies no restriction , or bar on the covenants part : al the restriction and bar is in mens wils . wilful unbelief is the only bar . ( . ) unbelief sets limits to the plenitude and richesse of grace , held forth in the covenant . we find the richesse of grace in the covenant expressed under the symbol of a sumtuous feast , mat. . . tel them which are bidden , behold , i have prepared my dinner : my oxen and my fatlings are killed ; and althings are ready : come unto the mariage . here we see what a bountiful lord sinners have to deal with : how much his infinite grace excedes al our sins . now what reception is given to such a magnificent rich treat ? that follows v. . but they made light of it , and went their way , one to his farme , and another to his merchandise , &c. oh! what monstrous unbelief , and ingratitude is here ? o! what infinite treasures of grace are there wrapt up in the covenant ? how much do those treasures of mercie and goodnesse , loged in the heart of christ , excede al the treasures of sin , loged in the hearts of poor sinful we ? is christ such a liberal savior for sinners ? and shal they be ashamed , or afraid to beg at the dore of such a liberal savior ? was not this the very end why god gave the law , that sin might appear exceding sinful ; to the intent that grace might appear exceding gracious , ro. . ? so ro. . . moreover the law entred , that the offence might abound . as if he had said : this is the very reason , why god delivered the law on mount sinai , in such a terrible manner , that so thereby men might behold , as by a magnifying glasse , the proper dimensions , and merits of their sins : ay , but what was gods end in making sin thus to abound ? why , that follows , but when sin abounded , grace did much more abound : here saith paul , lay gods bottome-designe , in permitting sin thus to abound , that thereby grace might superabound ; yea , that at that very time , when sin so much abounded , grace might superabound ; at that very time , when we appeared to be so great enemies to christ , he might appear to be so great a friend to us . thus mercie in god is more merciful , than sin in us can be sinful . and oh ! what a foundation and encouragement for faith is here ? but alas ! how doth unbelief spurne at , and despise , at least limit these richesse of grace ? ( . ) unbelief cals in question , the immutabilitie , certaintie , and fidelitie of the covenat . david gives us an excellent character of the covenant , and its immutabilitie , sam. . . although my house be not so with god ; yet he hath made with me an everlasting covenant , ordered in althings and sure : for this is al my salvation , and al my desire ; although he make it not to grow . notwithstanding al davids care for the settlement of his familie on the throne , yet he foresaw , by a spirit of prophesie , how fragile , and instable his throne was : only herein he solaceth himself , that the covenant , wherein his faith and main hopes were bottomed , was most stable and sure : and oh ! how doth this , amidst al his prophetic fears , touching the instable and tottering state of his familie , revive and chear up his spirits ? for this is al my salvation , and al my desire . let althings else sink or swim , it maters not , so long as the covenant is sure and inviolable : hence covenant-grace is stiled , the sure mercies of david . the blessed god has obliged himself by covenant , confirmed by oath and sacrifice , which are the most essential ties , and therefore he cannot but be true and faithful to his word : otherwise he were not true to himself . and yet , lo ! how jelous , how suspicious , how captious is unbelief , touching the certaintie of the covenant . men are ready to confide in those who are sufficient and faithful ; specially if they have their bond : but yet unbelievers dare not trust the faithful , alsufficient god , albeit they have his bond , or covenant , and that confirmed by oath . so much for the grace of the covenant . . the covenant of grace is furnished with promisses , not only of grace , but also of providence , which unbelief is very apt to cavil at . the covenant of grace is the believers charter , not only for spirituals , but also for temporals : it extends to the very hairs of their heads , the most inconsiderable things . surely they can want nothing , who have alsufficience engaged for their supplie . it s true , means sometimes fail ? ay : but cannot , doth not their wise father feed them without means , when he sees it necessary ? and are not such supplies , by so much the more pure and sweet , by how much the more immediate they are ? the lesse there is of the creature , is there not the more of god in al our provisions ? doth not our omnipotent god oft bring the greatest triumphs out of the greatest extremites ? it 's true , he doth not alwaies keep his people from the crosse ; ay , but doth he not always keep them under the crosse ? have not the most black , and seemingly confused providences , an admirable beautie , and harmonious order in them ? did ever believer need any thing , but what he could better need than have ? are not those needs blessed that secure us from sin , and make way for greater mercies ? are not al gods providences spirited by mysterious wisdome and paternal love ? is it not then the believers wisdome , and interest , to suffer his father to be wise for him ? how comes it to passe then that believers themselves , should be so unbelieving as to gods paternal providence towards them ? oh! what a mysterie of iniquitie is there in unbelief , as to this particular ? this christ much cautions his disciples against , and upbraids them with very oft , and that with sharp rebukes . so mat. . . wherefore , if god so clothe the grasse of the field , which to day is , and to morrow is cast into the oven , shal he not much more clothe you , f o ye of little faith . as if he had said : doth god clothe the grasse of the field , which is so fading , with so much beautie and glorie ? and wil he not much more clothe you , o ye short-spirited ones ? that which we render , o ye of little faith , is expressed by the hebrews in such termes , as import the anxious , cruciating , vexatious cares of such , who , though they have enough for the present , are stil ful of inquietude , and distrust about future supplies . whence he addes v. . wherefore take no thought , saying , what shal we eat , &c. i. e , be not anxiously solicitous , or incredulously thoughtful about these viatics , or necessaries of life ? and why ? v. . for after al these things do the gentiles seek . as if he had said : is it not a shame , that you , who are my disciples , should be as unbelieving , as anxiously inquisitive about these things , as the poor gentiles , who know nothing of my covenant ? thence follows another argument , or branch of the former : for your heavenly father knoweth that you have need of al these things . i. e , alas ! why do you concerne your selves so much about these poor things ? have you not a father in heaven , who is mindful of , and provident for you ? doth he not wel understand al your needs ? and is he not engaged by covenant to supplie you with al necessaries ? and hath he not promissed in this very case , psal . . . to give meat to them that fear him , and to be ever mindful of his covenant ? why then wil you not believe ? we find the like character of unbelief , as to the providence of god , luke . . take no thought for your life : 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , give not way to anxious , distracting , distrustful thoughts , about the necessaries of life . and then our blessed lord gives the reason of this his admonition , v. . consider the ravens , &c. luke makes a special mention of the ravens , because god has a particular providence , and care of the young ravens , as both job , and the psalmist observe . the hebrews have many observations about gods care of the young ravens : the philosophers also note , how the young ravens are neglected by their parents . hence christ argues ( a minori ) how much more are ye better than fouls ? i. e , surely if he be so much concerned for fouls , how much more wil he concerne himself for you his children . then he addes another argument against unbelief , v. , . and which of you , with taking thought , can adde to his stature one cubit ? &c. other arguments are urged , v. , . then he concludes v. . and seek not what ye shal eat , or what ye shal drink ; neither be ye of doutful minds : 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , let not your minds hang , as meteors in the air , ful of suspense about future supplies ; be not of an anxious , thoughtful mind ; let not your thoughts be distracted , and as it were racked with carking cares . the word signifies , such an anxietie , as fluctuates 'twixt hope and fear . such is the suspicious anxious temper of unbelief , as to providential maters of the covenant . . the last branch of the covenant concernes maters of coming glorie ; wherein also unbelief may be said , not to know the things that belong unto our peace . the chief concernes of our peace , are those invisible glories of the other world : al our present spiritual suavities , and delices are but dreams , in comparison of that formal beatitude , in the beatific vision of god face to face . alas ! how far short is our present vision of god in evangelic shadows and reports , of that immediate intuition of god , as he is , joh. . , ? whence the main worke of a believer here is to live by faith , in the daily contemplation , and expectation of that approching glorie . for the more we eye our home , the more industrious , lively , and pressing wil we be in our journey thither : faith maketh things absent , present . so heb. . . faith is the substance of things hoped for : 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , that which gives a substantial essence , an actual existence , a solid basis or foundation , the first-fruits ; yea , a real presence , to those good things hoped for of the other world : so much is wrapped up in that notion . then it follows , the evidence of things not seen : 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , the argument , the demonstration , the meridian light , the legal conviction , the spiritual eye , whereby invisible glories are made visible . such is the miraculous efficace of faith , as to approching glorie : such a clear , real , fixed fight of heaven has it here on earth . ay , but now unbelief draws a veil on al these invisible glories , and makes them to disappear : what fantastic dreams , what carnal and grosse notions , what base and unworthy thoughts has it of future rest ? how studious is unbelief to obliterate , and rase out the idea of eternitie , fixed in the heart ? how apt is it , yea , industrious to remove far from conscience , the second coming of christ , and ensuing jugement ? how fain would it build mansions here , and take up with something short of god ? oh! how little doth unbelief regard those mansions of glorie , which christ is preparing john . , ? how seldome or never , doth it take a view , with moses , on mount pisgah , of the celestial canaan , the new jerusalem , where is the lambs throne ? yea , what low , cheap , undervaluing thoughts hath unbelief of that promissed land ? thus it is said of the unbelieving jews , psal . . . yea , they despised the pleasant land , ( or the land of desire ) and believed not his word . this pleasant land canaan was a type of heaven ; and in despising it they despised heaven : and al this lay wrapt up in the bowels of their unbelief . they did not yield a real , supernatural , firme , certain , practic assent to the word of promisse touching canaan ; and therefore they despised it , and not only that , but also the celestial canaan , which made god swear in his wrath against them , that they should not enter in , heb. . . so much for the material notions , both general and particular , which unbelief is ignorant of . . i shal treat a little of the formal object of faith , and how far unbelief is defective therein . the formal object of faith , as it comes under the notion of assent , is the divine veracitie , or autoritie of god , appendent to his word . for look as in the workes of god , there are certain divine characters , ideas , impresses , or notices of gods wisdome , power and goodnesse ; which a spiritual heart contemplates , and admires ; so likewise in the words of god , there are certain stampes and ideas , of the veracitie and autoritie of god ; which the believer contemplates and assents unto , as the formal object of his faith . thus thes . . . because when ye received the word of god , which ye heard of us , ye received it not as the word of men ; but ( as it is in truth ) the word of god. [ not as the word of men . ] as here notes a reduplication , i. e , the formal reason , proper motive , or principal ground of their assent to gods word , was not any human autoritie ; but the divine autoritie , or veracitie of god. and here lies the main specific , essential difference , betwixt divine , and human faith : divine faith receives the word of god , as the word of god ; under that reduplication , i. e , as it is clothed with divine autoritie ; but human faith receives the word of god , as the word of men , i , e , as clothed with some human autoritie , church-tradition , or the like commun motives . now this human faith , as to the word of god , is no other than real unbelief : for he that believeth the word of god , only as commended to him by the church , doth really disbelieve the same . it is not the objects believed , but the formal reason of our belief , that distinguisheth a divine from a human faith : he that assents to divine truths merely on human grounds or reasons , can have but an human faith , which is real unbelief : as he that assents to natural truths , reveled in the word of god , as reveled , and clothed with divine autoritie , has a divine faith . so that albeit the mind assentes to the whole word of god ; yet if the principal ground , or formal reason of its assent be not divine autoritie , its faith is but real unbelief . and here lies a main plague of unbelievers , its possible they do assent to the whole word of god ; ay , but yet they see not those sacred characters , those divine stampes of gods autoritie , and truth , which are appendent to his word ; the chief ground of their belief is only some human tradition or autoritie . such was the faith of those samaritans , john . . who believed merely for the saying of the woman , &c. whereas afterward ver . . many more believed , because of his own word . this is a divine faith , there was a sound of heaven in christs own voice ; a little image , or stampe of divine majestie , which the believing samaritans could discerne . o! remember this , if the autoritie of god be not the chief bottome of your assent , your faith is but vnbelief . so much for the notional object , both material and formal , of unbelief . chap. iv. an explication of unbelief , as it opposeth , or is defective in the first act of faith , namely assent to the good things that belong to our peace . we now procede to the act of unbelief , comprised in that notion , if thou hadst known . this knowlege must be commensurate to , or as large as its object ; which ( as we have shewn ) is either notional , or real : as it refers to its notional object , so its termed assent ; as to its real object , so consent . we shal begin with the first ; namely , what it is not to assent to the notional maters , or things , that belong to our peace ? now this dissent from the things that belong unto our peace , implies sundrie gradations , or ascents ; which tend much to the explication of vnbelief . . not to know , or assent to the sacred notions of our peace , is to reject them . this was the case of jerusalem ; she rejects al christs gracious offers of peace : she wil not so much as lend an ear to them . thus also it was with those obstinate unbelievers , mentioned prov. . . they would none of my counsel : they despised al my reproof . to reject the counsel of christ , and to despise his reproof , is the height of dissent , and disbelief : so jerem. . . lo , they have rejected the word of the lord , and what wisdome is in them ? the rejection of gods word is the highest degree of ignorance and unbelief . the like hos . . . because thou hast rejected knowlege , i wil also reject thee . this rejection of the word of god , is a kind of total infidelitie ; yea , such a dissent , as implies an aversion in the mind from the sacred notions of its peace : wherefore it denotes the dregs of unbelief ; and a mind principled with enmitie against divine truths . for truth is the most beautiful thing that is : and of al truths , divine are the fairest . now then to reject such , argues a mind very much debauched and distempered by sin . . not to know the sacred notions of our peace , is not to give diligent attention to them . many evangelic unbelievers dare not openly reject the things that belong to their peace ; but yet they do not attend with diligence unto them . the first step of saving faith is diligently to attend to the reports of the gospel ; to bow the ear to divine truths , as pro. . . my son attend unto my wisdome , and bow thine ear to my understanding . this attention , and bowing the ear to divine truths , is the first step to the obedience of faith. whence , by consequence , not to attend , or listen with diligence to the reports of the gospel , takes in much of unbelief . this also was the case of many unbelieving jews , they did not attend to christs evangelic offers of peace . thus psal . . . o that my people had hearkened unto me , &c. i. e , given diligent attention to my word . attention is the contention of the soul to understand : and that which drawes it forth , is the admirable greatnes , sweetnes , and suitablenes of reports : unbelievers want an inward sense of the wonderful greatnesse , suavitie , and fitnesse of evangelic gladtidings , and therefore no wonder that they attend not to them . . men know not the things that belong to their peace , when they yield not a discrete , explicite assent thereto . true saving faith implies an expresse , judicious assent : it carries with it the highest , and purest reason ; yea , the flour , and elixir of reason . what more rational , than to assent to the first , supreme truth , truth it self ? surely , believers are no fools : they know who it is they believe , and for what : so paul . tim. . . i am not ashamed : for i know whom i have believed , and am persuaded , that he is able to keep that which i have committed unto him . paul was not ashamed of his sufferings , because he knew whom he had believed : he did not content himself with a popish implicite faith ; but understood wel the object , and reasons of his faith. alas ! what is implicite faith , but implicite unbelief ? can he that understands not the propositions he assents to , rationally believe the same ? is this to believe , to understand nothing of what we believe ? doth not this implicite faith destroy the very formal nature of true faith ? what! may we suppose , that divine faith consists in ignorance ? if we pin our faith only on the churches sleeve , without ever understanding what we believe , is not our faith worse than that of devils , who know what they believe , and therefore tremble ? yea , doth not this implicite faith strip us , not only of our christianitie , but also of our humanitie ? for , is not every rational being so far a debtor to truth , as to examine wel the reasons and grounds of his assent ? yea , doth not this implicite popish faith carrie in it much of atheisme , and blasphemie ? for , to believe only as the church believes , without examining the articles , or motives of our faith , what is it but to make the church our infallible god , and our selves but mere brutes , divested of reason ? so that can there be any thing more destructive to the notion , and nature of true faith , than such an implicite faith ? and yet , alas ! how commun is it among a great number of christians ? how many are there who pretend to be believers , and yet understand little , or nothing of the main articles , or grounds of their faith ? it stands on sacred record , as a noble character of the bereans , act. . . that they searched the scriptures daily , whether these things were so . hence surely we may conclude , that an implicite faith is no better than virtual unbelief . . not to know the things that belong unto our peace , is , not to give a supernatural , divine assent to them . the things that belong unto our peace , are supernatural and divine ; and therefore they cannot be truely apprehended by a natural , human assent . to yield a natural , human assent to things supernatural and divine , is no better than real dissent . now men yield not a supernatural divine assent to the things that belong to their peace . ( . ) when the principal grounds , formal reasons , and proper motives of their assent are only natural and human , i , e , when mens assent is grounded only on some human autoritie , or argument . al faith is by so much the more firme , by how much the more firme and infallible the autoritie of him that reports the mater is : if the autoritie be only human , the assent can be but human , and so fallible ; the assent to the conclusion being founded on the strength of the premisses , as the edifice is on the foundation : now the strength of a testimonie consists in the autoritie of him that testifies : for such as the principal ground and foundation of the assent is , such wil the assent be : and if there be any defect , or imperfection in the foundation of our assent , the same wil diffuse it self throughout the whole : if church-tradition , or human argument be the only , or main ground of our assent , it can never be supernatural and divine , as before . ( . ) men yield not a supernatural divine assent to the gospel , when the productive principle , or efficient of their assent is not supernatural and divine , i. e , when their assent is not infused by the spirit of god. a natural facultie can never , of itself , produce a supernatural assent . and the reason is most evident , even from the commun nature of al assent ; which requires some a'dequation or agreament betwixt the object , and the facultie : now what proportion is there betwixt a natural mind , and supernatural truths . ? are not divine mysteries above the reach of a human understanding , unlesse the spirit of god come and clothe it with a divine light ? is not the natural mind shut against supernatural objects , until christ , by his spirit open the same ? thence it is said , luke . . then opened he their vnderstanding , that they might understannd the scriptures . they had some habitual light before ; but christ now extendes and stretcheth their minds to a more ful comprehension of the promisses : to every degree of saving light , there is required a fresh influence , and assistance of the spirit . it s said , he opened their vnderstandings : men may open supernatural truths , and promisses to our minds ; but none can open our minds to take in supernatural truths , save the spirit of christ : such therefore as are not illuminated by the spirit cannot know the things that belong to their peace . the believer hath a divine light , a supernatural instinct , whereby he understands , and assents to the voice of christ in the gospel ; john . . my sheep hear my voice : just as the simple lamb , by a natural instinct , discerneth the voice of her dam from the rest in the flock . . men know not the things that belong to their peace , when the truths and promisses of the gospel take not deep root in their hearts . our assent ought to be commensurate , or proportionable to its object : great and weighty truths , must have a rooted and deep assent : a superficial , indeliberate assent to the great things of the gospel , is but interpretative dissent . this was the great defect of the high-way , and stonie ground , mat. . , , . the seed sowen by the way-side , was lost assoon as received : but the word sowen in stonie hearts , was received with some joy , i. e , the novitie , and greatnesse of the things offered , made some superficial impression on their hearts ; but yet there wanting a depth of earth , an hot day of persecution , soon blasted al. there is no assent stable and firme , but what is deep and rooted . thus much our blessed lord assures us , in his parable of the sandy foundation , mat. . . whereas the sound believer , who digs deep into the heart , and builds his assent on rooted , welgrounded principles , though windy , stormy tentations beat against it ; yea , albeit he hath a thousand objections against what he believes , yet his assent is firme and stedfast ; because the bottome-principles on which it is grounded remain firme . a superficial , precipitated , and rash assent is very staggering and mutable : when men judge according to the apparences of things , without solid deliberation , and deep inquisition into the grounds and reasons , they never arrive to a fixed assent . thence saith christ , joh. . . judge not according to the apparence , but judge righteous jugement . a superficial assent is soon turned into dissent . . such as yield not a real , but only notional assent to evangelic truths and promisses , know not the things that belong to their peace . for things may then only be said to be truely known , when they are received as offered : now the things offered in the gospel are practic , or things referring to practice : thence to yield only a notional assent to them , is really to dissent . many of these unbelieving jews , whom christ condemnes in our text , had a very great forme of knowlege , or notional assent to the things that belonged to their peace , as 't is evident from rom. . , , , . behold thou art called a jew , and restest in the law , and makest thy boast of god , and knowest his wil , and approvest the things that are more excellent , being instructed out of the law , &c. i , e , thou art an accurate critic in the law , thou canst exactly distinguish between things clean and unclean : and then he sums up al in one expression , ver . . which hast the forme of knowlege , and of the truth in the law . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 here signifies k an artificial image , scheme , figure , or picture of knowlege ; and it s opposed to a substantial , solid , real knowlege ; which is stiled , prov. . . sound wisdome , or essential knowlege . these unbelieving jews had a notional idea , an artificial scheme , a curious picture of knowlege ; but they wanted the real , substantial , essential contemplation of those things , that belonged to their peace . now as there is a vast difference between the contemplation of things in pictures , or shadowes ; and the contemplation of them in their own proper substances : so here , the unbeliever that views the things of his peace only in pictures , systemes , or notions , comes far short of the believer , who views the same intuitively , as they lie wrapt up in evangelic promisses . faith is described hebr. . . the substance of things hoped for , i. e , it hath a real , substantial contemplation of things hoped for , as if they were actually present , before the eyes : and then it follows , the evidence of things not seen ; the invisible things of celestial canaan become visible to an eye of faith : whence it is apparent that he who has only a notional knowlege of the things that belong to his peace , is really ignorant of them . mere speculative assent to things practic , is no better than real dissent : for our assent is then only true , when it is agreable to its object , formally considered . the things of our peace are most substantial and real ; but the unbeliever assents not to them as such : he sees them only in words , notions , and imaginations ; and therefore counts them but mere conceits , fine-spun notions , and curious pictures : his forme of knowlege is but real ignorance . . men know not the things that belong to their peace , when their assent to them is carnal , not spiritual . the things that belong to our peace are most spiritual ; they admit not the least commixture of what is carnal ; and therefore a carnal mind never truely assents to them . things spiritual cannot be apprehended by any but a spiritual facultie : carnal assent to things spiritual , is real dissent . how can he assent truely to any sacred truth , who understands nothing truely of that he assents unto ? thus the apostle argues strongly , cor. . . but the natural man receiveth not the things of the spirit of god , for they are foolishnes to him : neither can he know them , because they are spiritually discerned . ( . ) by this natural , or animal man , we must understand every irregenerate man , who has not his mind imbued with saving faith. ( . ) of this man its said , he receiveth not ; 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 : it s a metaphor assumed from narrow-mouth'd vessels , which cannot take in things too big for them : the things of the spirit of god ( which are the same with the things of our peace ) are too big for animal , natural minds . yea , ( . ) he addes , neither can be know them : there is a moral impossibilitie that he should know them : and why ? that followes ( . ) because they are spiritually discerned : as if he had said ; alas ! how is it possible that he should know them ? what proportion is there betwixt spiritual objects , and a carnal subject ? must not every visive facultie have some agreament with the object visible ? and is there any agreament betwixt a carnal mind , and things spiritual ? is not every thing that is received , received according to the nature of the recipient ? doth not then the carnal heart receive things spiritual carnally ; as on the contrary , the spiritual heart things carnal spiritually ? thence saith christ to the unbelieving jews , joh. . . ye judge after the flesh , i. e , ye judge of me , and of my gospel , only in a carnal manner , by carnal reason , and therefore no wonder ye believe not in me . . such as content themselves with a general confused assent to evangelic truths and promisses , know not the things that belong to their peace . the more particular , and distinct our knowlege is , the more certain it is : general notions are more confused and fallacious : a particular dissent may wel stand with general assent . therefore he that has some general confused notions of the things that belong to his peace , lies under a particular ignorance of the same . this was the case of these unbelieving jews ; they had some general notices of the messias ; some rude confused ideas of heaven and god ; but alas ! how imperfect , how grosse , how insignificant were their notions ? hence our blessed lord exhorts them , that they would , in order to the procurement of a true saving faith , search the scriptures , john . . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . it s a metaphor drawn from the sagacitie of dogs ; which with their noses closely follow , and search into the sent of their prey . these unbelieving jews had much general confused knowlege of the scriptures : ay , but they wanted this divine sagacitie , to inquire and search into them , as dogs do into the sent of their prey : they could not sent the things that belonged to their peace , because they made not a narrow scrutinie , a particular , distinct , exact inquisition into evangelic truths , and mysteries . as if christ had said : ah friends ! you pretend to believe moses and the prophets : you conceit your life lies wrapt up in them : but how comes it to passe then , that you believe not in me ? do not al the scriptures testifie of me ? oh! here lies your sin , you wil not search into the scriptures : you content your selves with some general confused notions ; without any particular , distinct inquisition into the things that belong to your peace . . men know not the things that belong to their peace , when they suspend their assent , or yield to any prevalent dout , touching the truth of them . i shal not dispute , what mesure or degree of certaintie is essential to true saving faith ; but that it cannot consist in a mere opinion , or probable conjecture , without some degree of certitude , i think , is most certain from the current of scripture . this is evident by the character paul gives of abrahams faith , rom. . . being not weak in-faith , i. e , his mind did not hang in suspense , or under some prevalent dout , touching the truth of the promisse . this is illustrated by another notion , ver . . he staggered not at the promisse through unbelief . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 here signifies to hesitate , or remain under varietie of anxious douts and opinions : his mind was fully persuaded of the truth of the promisse , as it is expressed v. . being fully persuaded , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 : it s a metaphor borrowed from navigation : as sails are filled with a good wind ; so his mind was filled with a fulnesse of assent , to the truth of the promisse : there was no room for any suspense , or prevalent dout . and this indeed seems essential to al true saving faith , that there be a prevalent certitude , or certain persuasion touching the truth of the object ; albeit many sincere believers may be altogether uncertain touching their title to , or interest in the object . my meaning is this : there ought to be a plenitude , or fulnesse of assent to the truth of the promisse ; albeit there may be wanting , in many believers , an assurance of their interest in the things promissed . now this certaintie of divine assent ariseth partly from the certitude of the object , but more immediately from the demonstration of the spirit , elevating , or raising the mind unto this certain persuasion , touching the truth of the promisse . and herein true saving faith is differenced from that which is commun and human : the unbeliever may yield some feeble , staggering , instable assent , to the good things that belong unto his peace ; but stil he hangs in suspense ; his douts are greater than his faith . it s true , the true believer hath oft great douts touching the promisses ; but yet his douts are not so much of the truth of the promisses , as of his interest in them ; or , whether his apprehensions of them be true : whereas unbelievers dout of the truth of the promisses , albeit they may be presumtuously confident of their interest in them . thus it was with the unbelieving jews , joh. . . how long doest thou make us to dout ? or , l how long doest thou keep our souls in suspense ? they hung , as it were , 'twixt heaven and hel ; under much suspense , whether those things christ preached were true or false : they did not totally dissent , and yet they could not fully assent to christ . thus they hung in suspense : for suspense is a middle , twixt assent and dissent : though as to divine assent , every such prevalent suspense , or dout touching the truth of the promisse is real unbelief : he that assents not fully , doth really dissent . therefore christ addes , v. . i told you , and you believed not : they seem to lay the blame on christ , the darknes of his revelation ; but he resolves al into their unbelieving hearts . the like character of unbelief we find , luke . . . neither be ye of doutful minds . m 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , in its primary notation signifies to be carried up aloft in the air , as meteors , clouds , or birds ; which wanting a firme foundation , are tossed to and fro with every blast . so it signifies the same with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , to wander ; or with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in a●re suspensus , modò huc modò illuc inclinat . beza . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , john . . to lift up the mind , or keep it in suspense . hence also it is used to signifie an anxious suspense , hesitation or dout , touching the truth of things . this is the condition of many awakened sinners , they arrive at some anxious suspense or doutfulnes of mind , and that is al : they hang in the air of commun conviction , between heaven and hel ; for a little while til the prevalence of lust make them fal down again on the earth ; where they lie buried in the ashes of their own convictions and profession : they dare not , they cannot yield a ful , and prevalent assent to the gospel of christ : al that they attain unto , is a mere opinion , a suspensive faint assent . thus every unbeliever hangs , as a meteor in the air , under prevalent suspense , and hesitation , touching the truth of the promisses . thence mark . . we find douting in heart , and believing opposed . they that yield only an opinionative , doutful assent to the things of their peace , do really dissent : a suspensive faith is no faith in gods estime . . to yield only a cloudy , inevident , obscure assent to the things that belong unto our peace , is not to know them . divine faith carries with it not only certaintie , but also evidence : thus hebr. . . faith is the evidence of things not seen . evidence implies a ful , clear , manifest apprehension of things present : among which such are most evident , as are most visible : thence the sun is most evident , because most visible . it s true , the objects of faith are altogether absent , inevident , and invisible , as to sense or reason ; whence they are stiled , things not seen : ay , but yet they are present , evident , and visible to an eye of faith . so the scholes determine , n that the truths of faith are evidently credible . on ! what a manifest , clear , intuitive vision doth faith afford ? but the unbeliever sees nothing evidently and clearly : he has only obscure , misty , dark notions of the things that belong unto his peace : so pet. . . and cannot see far off : like one that is purblind , or in a mist . the unbeliever has no evident conviction , or discoverie of the great things of the other world : he sees only things next to him , objects of sense or reason ; and therefore he knows not the things that belong to his peace . some thinke the original 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is used to represent the image of a false faith , under the similitude of a blind man , who moving his eye-lids , may take in some confused obscure shadow of light ; which yet is altogether unuseful , and insructuous . . such as receive the things that belong to their peace with a legal assent only , may be justly said not to know the same . the main things that belong to our peace are evangelic ; and therefore such must our assent be , if right . to receive evangelic truths only , with a legal faith , is really to disbelieve the same . many convinced sinners , yield a very strong assent to al the terrors of the law : this , and that , and t'other threat , belongs to me , saith the poor sinner : i am he , to whom this sentence of the law , and that curse doth appertain , &c. it s strange to consider , how far awakened sinners may procede , in such a legal assent to law-threats , and yet never attain to an evangelic faith . this seems to be the case of those unbelieving jews , mentioned hebr. . . but the word preached did not profit them , not being mixed with faith in them that heard it . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , not being incorporated : it seems to be a terme borrowed from meats ; which being received into the stomach , and mingling with that acid ferment , or juice , which is loged there , are by the assistance thereof digested , and so turned into good nutriment , bloud , and spirits : just so the word of god , being received into an honest heart , and incorporated with an evangelic faith , doth nourish and strengthen the believer . ay , but now these unbelieving jews wanting this acid juice of evangelic faith , the word received profited them not . they yielded a legal assent to the threats of the law ; but yet , being void of an evangelic assent to the promisses of the gospel , they received no profit from the word preached . legal assent to the threats of the law , if it procede no further , usually ends in greater unbelief , and securitie . . such also may be said not to know the things that belong to their peace , who yield only an involuntarie , forced assent thereto . this follows on the former ; for a legal assent is only forced , and strained ; whereas an evangelic assent is affectionate and free : whence it is made a character of those primitive believers , act. . . then they that gladly received his word . what word doth he here mean ? the word of promisse , v. . for the promisse is to you , and your children , &c. it s said v. . they were pricked in their heart , &c. i , e , they were wounded with the sense of their sin , in crucifying the lord of glorie : and having now the promisse of life and pardon preached to them ; o! how gladly do they receive this word ? what welcome news is this ? how are they overjoyed at such glad tidings of salvation ? what content , what satisfaction , what pleasure do they take in this evangelic word of life ? how greedily do they receive , or assent to it , even as a voluptuous man receives his food , or a condemned malefactor his pardon ? so much the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , gladly , doth import . again , as many as gladly received the word : here is a restrictive and distinctive note : for gladly here doth confine and restrain the sincere reception of the word , to these here specified , in distinction from the rest of the auditors ; of whom also many received the word , but not gladly : so that this note seems to be characteristic , and descriptive of true saving assent , which hath joy and gladnesse mixed with it : they receive the word , and they receive it gladly : they assent to it , and they assent chearfully ; they would not for a world but assent to it . as the eye sees the sun , and sees it gladly ; the ear hears music , and gladly hears it : so faith assenteth to the word of god , and assents with gladnesse : though there be much obscuritie , and seeming contrarietie to carnal reason , in some parts of gods word ; yet , so far as it appears to be the word of god , faith willingly assens to it : the mind is captivated to divine testimonie . though perhaps the poor believer cannot rationally discourse , or reason touching the truths he assents to ; yet he hath a divine instinct , a spiritual sagacitie , an interne sense , whereby he tasts divine words ; and so can distinguish them from al human words , though sugared over with never so much spiritual rhetoric . thus he receives the word gladly . so also 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , signifies such a reception as an host gives his guest , or a man his intimate friend . al which fully demonstrates , with what an affectionate assent they received the word of life . the like is mentioned of the bereans , act. . . these were more noble than those in thessalonica , in that they received the word with al readinesse of mind , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , i. e , with an affectionate chearful assent . indeed al true saving faith connotes a pious inclination in the soul : for the things that belong unto our peace being purely dependent on the testimonie of god ; if there be not a pious affection in the heart towards god , the sinner wil never assent to , & close with the promisses , and offers of life made to it . affection to any person , makes us very credulous , or apt to receive his report : love makes our assent quick and chearful : it puts the best interpretation upon whatever is spoken : and if there be but an half-promisse , or a word hinted , that may be for encouragement , the lover is apt to applie it to himself , and improve it . thus every word of god is an infallible oracle , to such as have a pious affection for him . thus david describes his faith , by his delight in the statutes of god , psal . . . i wil delight my self in thy statutes . the original imports , to behold with delight , or to contemplate with pleasure . oh! what satisfaction did davids faith find in the statutes of god ? but oh ! how melodious and sweet was the joyful sound of the gospel to davids faith ? if the law be so delightful to a believer , because he sees therein , as in a glasse , al the spots of his soul ; oh! how delightsome then is the gospel to him , which discovers the face of god , and christ to him ; yea , and transformes his heart into the same glorious image ? hence it appears , that if our assent to the reports of the gospel be not affectionate and chearful , it is not saving . the devils believe and tremble ; but because they do not gladly assent , therefore their faith is not saving . so essential is an affectionate inclination to divine assent . whence it naturally follows , that such as afford only a forced assent to evangelic truths , do really dissent from them : such an intimate connexion is there between divine assent , and pious affection . . not to know the things that belong unto our peace , is not to retain the same , when once received . this also is a consequent of the former : for things forced are not durable : when our assent is only compelled by legal convictions , it lasts no longer than that compulsion , which gave foundation to it : whereas an affectionate assent is very adhesive : it sticks fast unto its object : every thing delights to adhere to what it likes : if the heart be chearfully inclined towards god , it wil delight in its assent unto his word . but when our assent is grounded only on legal threats , and forced convictions ; how soon doth it wear off , and die away ? this was the case of many unbelieving jews : they had now and then some stounding convictions , such as produced in them a great assent to the words of christ : oh! what attention , what reverence , and respect do they give to christs word ? but alas ! how soon is their assent turned into dissent ? thus john . . and ye have not his word abiding in you . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , n to abide signifies with john , to dwel , or take up its fixed habitation : the word of god now and then found some place in their minds , as v. . ay , but it did not inhabit there : it loged there , but as a traveller in an inne , for a night only . there are many professors , who entertain the glad tidings of the gospel for a season , but they retain them not : whereas david saith , psal . . . thy word have i hid in mine heart , that i might not sin against thee . there seems to be an elegant metaphor in the word hid , drawen from those , who having found a choise treasure , they hide it , thereby to secure it . thus david hid gods word in his heart . whence christ pronounceth a blessing on those that hear his word and keep it , luk. . . hence that exhortation , hebr. . . therefore we ought to give the more earnest heed to the things that we have heard , lest at any time we should let them slip . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , i. e , let them slide away as water through a mil , which never returnes more . he that lets evangelic truths slide away , out of his heart , cannot be said to know the things that belong unto his peace : al true divine assent is permanent and lasting : he that ever dissents from , never yet truely assented to evangelic notions of peace . we find this divine retention of gods word wel expressed by moses , in his exposition of the law , deut. . , , , . . such as have not a transcendent estime , or great and sublime thoughts of the things that belong to their peace , may also be said not to know them . for an object or thing is then only known truely , when its worth and value is in some mesure known : he that has only poor , unworthy , base thoughts of great things , may be said not to know them . the efficace , vigor , and strength of every assent , ariseth from the right valuation of the object : for the minds adherence unto truth is more or lesse prevalent , according to the apprehension it has of their value : unto several truths equally apprehended , the minds assent , or adherence is not equal ; but greater or lesse , according to the estime it has of their worth . thus the prevalence , vigor , and efficace of our assent , and adherence to supernatural truths , doth naturally arise from the apprehension we have of their value : and thence a true assent to divine notions , and promisses alwaies carries admiration in its bowels : he that doth entertain the great mysteries of the gospel with a cheap , mean estime only , doth really disestime the same : an undervaluing low assent to divine truths , is real dissent : certainly such know not christ , who estime him not as the worlds wonder . this christ ironicly upbraids the unbelieving jews with , john . . ye both know me , and know whence i am , &c. he speaks ironicly in replie to the jews reprocheful speech , v. . howbeit we know this man whence he is , &c. as if he had said : you neither know me , nor yet the messias , as you pretend : for if you knew me and whence i am , you would highly estime me as your messias , sent by god , &c. lastly , they know not the things that belong to their peace , who give only a sterile , dead , unactive assent to them . true divine assent is ful of life , virtue , and activitie : a barren dead faith is real unbelief : the end of saving knowlege is practice : unprofitable knowlege is one of the worst kinds of ignorance . al sacred sciences are affective and effective : that assent which doth not kil sin , wil never give life to the sinner : divine assent leaves suitable impresses , and sacred stampes on the heart . doth thine assent to the things that belong to thy peace fil thy soul with admiration of , and love unto them ? is there an agreament twixt thine heart , and the things thou believest ? thou saiest , thou assentest to the truths of the gospel ; ay , but doth not thine heart dissent from the duties of the gospel ? and is not this a strong argument that thy faith is but a dead assent ? so jam. . . for as the bodie without the spirit is dead ; so faith without works , is dead also . though works are not the cause , which gives life to faith ; yet they are necessary products , which argue life in faith . a living faith is ful of vital spirits and operations : he that wants these , has only a dead corps of faith , or the name of a believer . david gives us a better account of his faith , psal . . . thy word have i hid in mine heart : and why so ? that i might not sin against thee ? he gave a deep , firme , practic assent to divine truths , such as kept him from sin . so much for the first part of unbelief , as opposite to the assent of faith . chap. v. the explication of unbelief in reference to its real objects ; and its first main act , consisting in the wils rejection of christ . having finisht the notional objects , and acts of unbelief , it remains that we procede to the explcation of its simple , real objects , and the acts which answer thereto . ( . ) as for the simple , real objects of unbelief , they wil , as before , be best explicated by considering , what are the simple , and real objects of faith : for unbelief being but a privation of faith , it has one and the same object therewith . now the simple , real objects of faith regard either our present , or future state : as to our present state , the object of faith is either remote and vltimate ; or next and immediate : the remote and vltimate object of faith is the deitie , or divine essence : the next and immediate object of faith is christ , god-man , and mediator , betwixt god and men. the object of faith , as to our future state , is approching glorie , heaven ; or , al those good things hoped for , heb. . . according to this distribution of the real objects of faith , we may , with facilitie , determine , what are the objects of unbelief ? or , what are those simple , real things , that belong to our peace , which unbelief refuseth ? of these we shal treat but very concisely ; because they wil again fal under consideration , when we come to the aggravations of vnbelief . . unbelief is a rejection of god , his divine essence , attributes , providence , workes , ordinances , and glorie : which are al great ingredients of our peace . unbelief strikes at the deitie , or divine being , which is the alone ultimate foundation of al saving faith , heb. . . oh! what a world of practic , if not speculative atheisme , lies wrapt up in the womb of unbelief ? again , how are al the divine attributes struck at by unbelief ? doth not unbelief reject the wisdome of god , by preferring carnal wisdome before it , luk. . ? is not the fidelitie and veracitie of god oppugned by unbelief , in that it receives not his testimonie , and so makes him a liar , joh. . , ? how much is the soveraintie of god opposed by unbelief ; in that it cannot , because it wil not , submit , either to his secret , or reveled wil ? how doth unbelief quarrel at , and murmur against the soverain pleasure of god , both preceptive and providential ? it can neither yield active obedience to the former , nor passive to the later : it can do but little , and suffer lesse for god. again , doth not unbelief offer much violence to the love , mercie , and compassions of god ? is not mercie clothed with the rough garment of severitie ? is not the ugly vizard of hatred , and revenge , put on the beautiful face of divine love ? doth not divine benignitie , or bountie , fal under censure of illiberalitie , when unbelief sets in the chair ? further , is not divine justice impleaded , or masqued with the face of injustice by unbelief ? doth it not put light for darknes , and darknes for light ; good for evil , and evil for good ? is not the righteous god accused , as one that justifies the wicked , and condemnes the innocent ? moreover how doth unbelief narrow divine omnipotence ; yea , look upon it as mere impotence , and weaknes ? doth not infidelitie also prescribe bounds to gods omnipresence , exodus . - ? is not gods omniscience also blinded by it , isai . . ? so also , for al gods works of providence , how doth unbelief draw a veil on the most glorious of them ? lastly , as for al divine ordinances and institutions , are they not dispirited , and made ineffectual by unbelief ? is not prayer no prayer , hearing the word no hearing ; are not sacraments no sacraments to the unbeliever ? . unbelief refuseth christ , the next immediate object of faith , and the great mediator of our peace . oh! what a large heart has christ to give , but how narrow-hearted is the unbeliever in receiving the things that belong to his peace ? is not christ the great ordinance of god , constituted , designed , and adapted to be the mediator between god and man ? and yet , lo ! how doth unbelief sleight him , yea slander him , reproche him , plunder him , grieve him , provoke him , and crucifie him day by day ? is not christ extreme liberal towards sinners ? doth he not meet them half way ; yea , prevent them in the offers of grace ? and yet , oh ! how backward is unbelief ; how unwilling to come to him for life ? what distances , shinesses , and estrangements from christ , doth it continually delight in ? doth not infidelitie attemt to turne the whole of christs mediatorie office , into a mere shadow , or romance ? what rare experiments hath christ given of the efficace of his bloud , the energie and power of his grace to redeme sinners ? and yet how doth unbelief question , and cavil at al ? what wonders are there in christs love to sinners ? how omnipotent , and invincible is it ? what sweet charmes to conquer hearts has it ? and yet how doth unbelief cover al , with the masque of hatred and crueltie ? oh! what incomparable beauties are there in christs person ? how amiable and lovely was he , even in his lowest condition ; in the womb , manger , and on the crosse ? do not al the lines of gods grace , and our duty meet in christ as mediator ? how inglorious are the most excellent things in the world , if compared with christs glorious perfections ? and yet lo ! how doth infidelitie disgrace , and reproche christ ? what low , mean , scandalous , yea cruel thoughts has it of him ? . unbelief rejects not only god and christ , and the holy spirit , but also approching glorie , and al those good things hoped for of the other world . oh! what grosse , and carnal conceptions has unbelief of al those invisible , and coming glories ? how doth it turne al the great and glorious enjoyments of heaven into mere insignificant fancies , notions , fables , and sick-dreams ? yea , doth not unbelief despise and contemne those rich delices of future glorie ? are not the sensual enjoyments of the flesh , the pleasures of egypt , preferred before the ravishing delights of the celestial canaan ? do not sensible goods weigh down the invisible weight of glorie in the unbelievers heart ? but thus much for the real objects of unbelief , of which more largely hereafter . sect. . we now procede to the several acts of unbelief , in relation to these real objects ; which may be also distinguished according to the several acts of faith , whereof they are privatives . the first and general act of faith , in relation to christ , its next and most immediate object , is consent , election , or reception of him as tendred in the gospel : and opposite hereto , the first and great act of unbelief is reprobation , or rejection of christ : and this indeed is the most fundamental , and vital act of unbelief ; that which our lord doth most directly strike at , in this his doleful lamentation , over jerusalem : if thou hadst known the things that belong to thy peace , i. e , if thou hadst embraced , and received me thy king , and mediator of peace , oh then ! how happie hadst thou been ? but alas ! alas ! thou hast rejected me thine alone messias ; and therefore , lo ! al the the things of thy peace are hid from thine eyes . and that this not knowing the things that belonged to her peace , connotes jerusalems rejection of christ , is further evident , if we consider the hebraic idiome , that lies wrapt up in this notion : for it s a commun rule among the hebrews , that words of sense , or knowlege implie affection : so that not to know , is not to elect , or embrace the things belonging to our peace . whence it s very manifest , that the rejection of christ , is the main thing which our blessed lord intends , in this his black character of jerusalems unbelief . but seing this rejection of christ is a comprehensive large notion , which admits a great latitude of degrees ; we shal , as the lord inables us , distinctly explicate its particulars . ( . ) the bea rt rejects christ , when it openly opposeth him , and al the wooings of his grace . this was the case of the unbelieving jews for the most part : our blessed lord comes with offers of grace and peace : but oh ! how is he fleighted ? how much is he contemned ? what opposition is made against him , by the most and chiefest of them ? thus much our lord himself complains of , under the parable of an householder , who planted a vineyard , &c. mat. . , &c. whence he concludes , v. . the stone which the builders rejected , the same is become the head of the corner : this is the lords doing , and it is marveilous in our eyes . oh! what a marvel is this , that the very builders , the elders and rulers of the people , should reject their messias , the chief corner-stone of their salvation ? the like mark . . and he began to teach them , that the son of man must suffer many things , and be rejected of the elders , and of the chief priests and scribes . what ? the elders reject him ? the chief priests and scribes oppose him ? oh! what a prodigious piece of unbelief is this ? and is this the sin of unbelieving jews only ? are there not multitudes , who would fain be estimed good christians , and yet thus oppose , and resist christ to his very face ? what shal we think of the sensual professor , who rolleth himself in the delices of egypt , and cannot part with a lust for christ ? where may we place the sleepy christian , who logeth his head in the bosome of the times , and sleepeth sweetly on the bed of carnal securitie , without the least attention , to the loud and repeted knocks , and cries of christ ? and may not also many terrified awakened sinners be reckoned among the opposers of christ ; even such , who though they see their sin and miserie , yet flie from christ , as from an enemie ; and choose rather to take refuge in their own carnal confidences , than accept of christ as their mediator ? may not al these , and many more seeming christians , be justly reputed opposers , & rejectors of christ ? ( . ) such may be said to reject christ , who , albeit they do not openly oppose him , yet maintain secret soul-disgusts , and heart-dislikes of christ . faith lies much in a wel-inclined affection , or affectionate inclination towards christ : it supposeth a good liking , or pious propension towards christ . for , while the sinner looks upon christ as an enemie , or as a severe , austere lord , he minds not going to him . unbelief is very apt to take offense at christ : it is il-minded towards him , and therefore on every trifling occasion offended at him . this was likewise the temper of the unbelieving jews , whence saith christ , mat. . . and blessed is he , whosoever shal not be offended in me . the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies to set a gin , trap , or snare ; to put an obstacle or impediment in mens way , that so they may not procede on . some derive the word from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , to halt , and so a scandal signifies originally a sharpe stake , or stone , that makes men to halt : others derive it from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , a crooked piece of wood , whereof they made gins , or snares to catch wild beasts : b whence a scandal naturally signifies a gin or snare . the word scandal sometimes also signifies a stone , or block in the way , at which men are apt to stumble , and fal : and thence in the old testament it is taken for a fal , and so sometimes for sin , as judg. . . where it is rendred a snare . the meaning seems this : blessed is he , whose conscience shal not be scandalised at me ; whose mind shal not be possessed with black scandalous thoughts of me ; by which the heart stumbles , and fals into many snares and gins . oh! what lies , and scandals doth the unbeliving heart raise of christ ? thus unbelief fils the heart with disgusts , and offenses against christ , which are as so many gins , or snares ; as so many sharpe stones , or bars to keep the heart from christ . faith breeds a good liking to christ , and therefore it puts a good sense , a candid interpretation on al that is spoken by christ : but oh ! what a world of offenses and scandals against christ are there in this unbelieving heart ? how proneisit to quarrel with christ ? what is this but to reject christ ? ( . ) such as do allow themselves in secret , heart-cavils , and disputes against the offers of grace , made by christ , do interpretatively reject him . some poor awakened sinners there are , who , peradventure have not any deep disgusts , and dislikes against christ ; yet they studie what they can to raise objections against the tenders of life made by christ . it s strange to consider , how the hearts of some lie at catch , and studie how they may evade the offers of grace . thus it was with the unbelieving jews ; whose cavils for the most part arose , not so much from any desire of satisfaction , as from the bitter root of inveterate prejudices against christ . so luke . . and they reasoned with themselves , saying , if we shal say from heaven , he wil say , why then believe ye him not ? the chief priests and scribes are here brought to a great dilemma : they must either disown john to be a true prophet ; or they must own christ for their messias : now they reason with themselves , how they may evade this forcible argument . and is it not thus with a great number of awakened sinners ? when christ comes with a close conviction , and makes them see their necessitie of believing on him ; oh! what secret cavils and disputes are there against christ ? how artificial , and witty is unbelief , to shift off christ , and al his tenders of life ? what stout logic has every unbelieving heart against believing in christ ? what is this but to reject christ ? ( . ) the wil may be said , at least virtually , to reject christ , when it doth not justifie , or approve those reports that are made of christ , by the ministerie of the word , or in conscience . this is a more refined degree of rejecting christ , very commun among many great professors . some convinced sinners are not so disingenuous as to be alwaies cavilling at christ , yet they do not approve the reports made of christ as they ought . they have no considerable objections against evangelic offers ; and yet the heart is unwilling to entertain them . they are unwilling to grant what they can hardly denie . this christ cals being slow of heart to believe , luke . . o fools and slow of heart to believe al that the prophets have spoken . this is the first part of faith in the wil , to justifie , recognise , or approve that assent which is wrought in the jugement touching christ : and when christ has obtained the wils approbation and consent , he soon gains its affiance , or confidence . as a carnal heart , that approves of the offers of sin , is soon overcome by it : so an awakened heart , when once it comes to approve the offers of christ , and the assent made thereto by the mind , how soon is it induced to yield its consent to christ ? but oh ! here lies the root of unbelief , the wil doth not fully approve and allow , of what the mind is oft forced to assent unto . this was also the condition of many unbelieving jews : so luk. . . and al the people that heard him , and the publicans justified god , being baptised with the baptisme of john. the commun people and publicans are said to justifie god , i. e , they approved of what reports were made touching christ : though its likely many of them , did it but with a temporary faith . but then it followes ver . . but the pharisees , and lawyers o rejected the counsel of god against themselves , being not baptised of him . how did the pharisees , and lawyers reject the counsel of god ? why it was by not justifying or approving , what god reported touch - verbo 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , quod est approbare & laudare . groting christ : so that when the wil doth not justifie , approve , or commend , what god in his word , or by the dictates of conscience doth report touching christ , it may be said to reject the counsels of god , and christ . as the wil by approving the assent of the jugement turnes it into consent ; so by disapproving the same it declares its rejection thereof . this holds true both in maters of sin , and grace . ( . ) the heart may be justly said to reject christ , when it admits of demurs , and delayes , as to a complete closure with him . this is a more subtile , and refined degree of unbelief . some there are , who seem to justifie , and approve the reports made of christ , and their own assent thereto : they have nothing to object against christ : they seem wel-satisfied in the offers he makes : but yet al this while there is a secret dilatorie , procrastinating , delaying spirit in them : they would fain close with christ , but not as yet : they have a wil for hereafter , but not for a present choice of christ : they cannot as yet bid adieu to their beloved lusts : a little slumber , a little sleep more they must have , in the lap of their delilahs . this was the case of some tardy disciples of christ , among the jews , as luke . . and he said unto another , follow me : but he said , lord , suffer me first to go and bury my father . he hath nothing to object against christ ; but seems abundantly satisfied in christs offers ; only he desires to be excused for a while , til he had buried his father . again ver . . and another also said , lord , i wil follow thee : but let me first go bid them farewel , which are at home at my house . thus awakened sinners put off christ , as felix did paul , with delays : if christ wil but wait a while their leisure , wel and good ; they are then content to espouse him for their lord : but at present , they have no leisure , because they have no heart , to close with christ . yea , is there not much of this dilatorie humor in many wounded souls , who conceit they are not yet humbled enough , and therefore not meet to go to christ ? whereas indeed there is no such way to get an humble spirit , as to come to christ for it . certainly , al such delays argue much unwillingnes to believe : a wil for hereafter only , is a present nil : an election for the future , is no better than a present reprobation : if you consent only for hereafter , you at present reject christ . so long as you defer to do , what you know you ought to do , so long you wil not do it . yea , what are these delays to embrace christ , but a more slie rejection of him ? may not christ justly estime your delay to embrace him , a refusal of him ? are not such put offs a kind of denial ? when christ wooes thee long , by many sweet inspirations , both of word and spirit ; for thee to stifle al these good motions , by continued delayes , doth not this argue a mightie unwilling heart to believe ? hast thou the least shadow of reason for thy delays to believe ? thou saiest thou wantest grace : ay , but mayest thou not , by believing , receive grace for grace ? is not grace both in being , and degrees the effect of faith in christ ? do not thy sins greaten much by delays to believe ? are not thy debts to justice multiplied by not believing ? the longer thou forbearest to believe , wil not thy heart be the more averse , and backward to believe ? peradventure thou conceitest christ wil not receive thee , if thou comest to him : ay , but whence springs this prejudicate conceit , but from the unwillingnes of thine own heart to receive christ ? has not christ declared himself to be more willing to receive thee , than thou canst be to come unto him ; as 't is evident from the parable of the prodigal , luke . - ? are not al thine objections against believing presently , but the forgeries , and figments of thine unwilling heart ? remember , there is as great hazard in thy loitering delays , as in down-right rejection of christ : for , albeit thy delays may be painted over with some apparent colours of humilitie , and fears lest thy faith would be presumtion , yet christ is as effectually opposed , and excluded thereby , as by manifest opposition . thou hadst as good say it in down right termes , thou wilt have none of christ ; as thus put him off , time after time , with dilatorie answers : though the acts differ in degrees ; yet the principle and root is the same in one and t'other ; namely an unwilling heart : and this christ sees ful wel ; and therefore thy demurs , suspense , and seeming caution , or delay to believe , greatly provokes christ ; and is by him interpreted no better than a flat refusal of him . al the relief thou hast is this , thou hopest to embrace christ hereafter , when thou art more humble , and fit for him : but oh ! what a poor shift is this ? tel me , mayest thou not be in hel , before this hereafter come ? or , wil not thine unwilling heart be more fortified against christ by delays ? canst thou ever hope to be better , or more humble but by believing ? oh! consider what a world of unbelief lies at the bottome of such an unwilling heart ; and how much christ is rejected by such delays ? so much for unbeliefs rejection of christ . chap. vi. the explication of unbelief , as to the wils defective reception of christ . wherein is considered its essential defects , both as to the object , and subject . having fininisht the first great act of unbelief , which consists in the wils rejection of christ ; we now procede to a second , namely the wils defective reception of christ . though indeed this second act of unbelief , differs from the former , not so much in essence , and degree ; ( for every defective reception of christ , is a kind of rejection of him ) yet we may thus distinguish them : the former rejection of christ we may look on as a more expresse and manifest piece of unbelief ; but this defective reception of christ is more subtile , and refined unbelief : the former is more commun , and belongs , for the most part , only to carnal , secure sinners : but this later is more proper , and confined to close evangelic hypocrites : the former is more total and vniversal ; this later more partial unbelief . how many awakened sinners are there , who dare not openly oppose christ ; yea , that would not seem to have any dislikes against his person ; or cavils against his offers ; yea , that seem ready to justifie and approve the reports , and convictions they have of christ ; and not only so , but also to close with him presently , without any demurs , and delays ; i say how many such are there , who are thus far free from the rejection of christ , and yet guiltie of some essential defect , or flaw in their reception of him ? wherefore for the more ful explication of the nature of unbelief , it is apparently necessary , that we inquire into the several essential defects , which unbelievers are guiltie of , in their pretended , partial reception of christ ; for which they may be justly said , not to know the things that belong to their peace . now these essential defects , which many evangelic , refined hypocrites are guiltie of , in their seeming reception of christ , may be considered , either in regard of the object , or of the subject of this reception : as for the object of this defective reception , mens seeming faith is no better than real unbelief ; ( . ) when they receive only a false christ instead of the true : or , ( . ) when they receive the true christ under false respects , and considerations . . we shal begin with the defects of unbelief as to its object , in receiving only a false christ . oh! what a world of splendid , glittering professors are there , who , notwithstanding their pretended faith in christ , receive only a false christ , a formed picture , or idol of their own sick phantasies , in the room of the true christ ? unbelievers may be said to receive a false christ , ( . ) when they compound , or adde any thing to christ : and ( . ) when they divide , or take any thing from christ . ( . ) such as compound christ , or adde any thing to him , do thereby make him , as to themselves , a false christ . and are there not a vast number of refined hypocrites , who are guiltie of this defective reception of christ ? do not some compound their carnal interest with christ ? they would forsooth , receive christ ; ay , that they would , as they conceit , with al their hearts ; but they must have the world too . they need christ to relieve their burdened consciences ; and they need the world to relieve their sensual hearts . was not this the very case of the young man , who came so confidently to christ , with what lack i yet , mat. . ? what lack i yet ? poor man ! thou lackest the main , saith christ , ver . . if thou wilt be perfect , go and sel that thou hast , and give to the poor , &c. christ saw his pretended reception of him was very defective ; he knew what his beloved idol was , and therefore pincheth him in that : and what follow , ? v. . he went away sorrowful , [ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , befieged with sorrows , or rather , beyond mesure sorrowful : for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 here is not a preposition , but an adverb , and signifies excedingly , eminently ; as our latin per , ( which is supposed to be derived hence ) in perquam , &c. oh! what a deluge of sorrows pressed in on him ? and why ? ] for he had great possessions . he had a moneths mind to be one of christs disciples : he seems very forward to give him a chearful reception ; provided , that christ would be content to loge with his swinish idol , the world : but if this may not be ; if christ wil not be content to have the world for his corrival , then with a pensive sorrowful heart , he bids farewel to christ . and is not this the very case of a world of rotten-hearted christians ; who could be content to give christ good reception , would he be but content to admit of the world for his corrival ? but if christ wil not admit of a partner , then farwel to him ; he is not for their turne . yea , how many are there , who compound christ with some prevalent beloved lust ? christ they must have to satisfie conscience , and lust they must have to satisfie their heart : hence they mediate a league between christ , and their darling lust ; which seems to be the case of those forward professors , luke . , . who pretended to much acquaintance with christ , but al the while were but workers of iniquitie ; such as joined some bosome-lust with christ . what is this but to make christ a servant , yea , a pander and caterer to lust ? lastly , do not the best of refined hypocrites join a world of spiritual idols with christ ? what shal we think of the politic hypocrite , who joins his own carnal prudence with christs wisdome ? where may we place the gifted hypocrite ; who places his evangelic gifts in the room of christ ? may we not rank the whining , affectionate hypocrite among unbelievers ; since that he makes his tears , and melting affections , in part , if not wholly , his christ ? what shal we conclude of the devote , legal hypocrite , who makes his duties and self-righteousnes a part , if not the whole of his christ ? where may we rank the self-dependent , self-confident hypocrite ; who takes the commun assistances and influences of the spirit , vouchsafed to him , and placeth them in the room of , or equal with christ ? are not al these so many false christs , or imaginary idols , joined with christ ; which render the reception of him defective ? ( . ) such as divide christ , make him a false christ , and so their reception of him defective . as they who adde to christ , so also they that take any thing from christ , transforme him into an idol of their own sick brains . and oh ! what a multitude of close hypocrites are defective in their reception of christ , as to this particular ? how many are there , who seem content to receive our blessed lord , under the notion of jesus , a savior ; but dare not receive him as christ , an anointed king , and lord , to rule over their persons and lusts ? this seems to be the case of the unbelieving jews , john . . he came unto his own , and his own received him not . what ? p not receive their messias ? do they not oft flock after him , and sing hosanna's to him , as a little before our text , luke . ? yes , they were content to receive him as a savior , ( so hosanna imports , save us now ) ay , but they would not receive him as king and lord : so long as he preacheth glad tidings of salvation , oh ! how welcome is he ? what chearful treatment do they give him ? who but christ ? ay , but when he comes to king and lord it over their lusts ; to rip open their hypocritic , rotten hearts ; to pinch and wring their lusts ; oh then ! how do they kick , and throw at him ? again , how do others divide between christ and his yoke ? the wages of christ is sweet , and pleasing : but , oh ! how cumbersome and irksome is his worke ? this was israels , temper , hos . . . but israel slideth back as a back-sliding heifer , i. e , q in heifer impatient of the yoke . israel loved to tread out the corne , hos . . . because that was pleasing work , there was wages in the work : but o! how averse is israel from plowing worke ? what a burden is the yoke to her effeminate , tender neck ? further do not many seeming christians divide betwixt the crown and crosse of christ ? the crown is very beautiful in their eye ; but , oh ! what a black ugly thing is the crosse of christ ? how pleasing is it to reigne with christ ? but how displeasing is it to suffer with him ? lastly , do not the most of professors divide betwixt those good things that are in christ , and those good things that flow from him ? al would gladly share in the benefits of christ ; but how few desire to have share in his person ? how forward are awakened sinners , to catch at the righteousnes , and merits of christ , thereby to screen off the scorching heat of divine wrath ? but how backward are they to close with the person of christ , as the object of their fruition ? thus unbelievers pick and choose ; take so much of christ as as wil serve their turne , and no more : there is some one thing in christ they like wel ; but some other thing they as much dislike : they like the bloud that came forth of his heart , to wash their guiltie consciences ; but oh ! how do they dislike the water that came forth also , to wash their filthy hearts ? his smiling countenance , and gracious pardons are very grateful to them ; but oh ! how ungrateful is his royal sceptre of righteousnes ; his soverain autoritie , and laws ? thus unbelievers diminish and take from christ , in their seeming reception of him : which indeed is but to turne christ into an idol : for a divided christ , as wel as a compound christ , is but a false christ ; no true christ . . another branch of vnbelief , as to its defective reception of christ , is , when men receive the true christ , in a false manner , or under false considerations and respects . there are many who seem willing to take christ only , and completely , without composition , or division ; but yet there remains stil some essential defect , or flaw in the manner of their receiving , or in the formal reasons , proper grounds ; and fundamental considerations , on which they receive christ . though this may , in something , agree with the former , yet we may conceive this difference : in what precedes christ is considered materially ; but now we are to consider him , as the formal object of faith , and vnbelief : and so the first thing we are to consider herein , is the motives and grounds on which christ is received . ( . ) vnbelievers are defective in their manner of receiving christ , when the principal grounds and motives of their receiving him , are only false , or at best but commun . to receive christ only on false , or commun motives , is in truth , not to receive , but refuse him . and , o! what a world of professors are greatly defective herein ? are there not a vast number of seeming christians , who receive christ only on carnal motives , and grounds ? how many are there , who receive christ , as the way to a terrestial , or earthly , not to a celestial , or heavenly life ? do not some receive him , as the most compendious way to riches ? others , as the way to honors ? &c. was not this the case of many carnal jews , who followed christ only for the loaves , and miracles , he wrought for them ? thus joh. . . they were al in hast to make him king : and why ? the reason you have , ver . . because ye did eat of the loaves , and were filled . o! how sweet was it , to be fed by miracles ? again how many are there , who receive christ merely out of noveltie , to please their phantasies , and satisfie their curiositie ? and do not such soon grow weary of christ ? thus it was with herod , luke . . he longs to see christ ; and why ? to gratifie his curious eye , with the sight of some miracle : and therefore when christ would not humor his curiositie ; how doth herod deride , and set him at nought , v. ? yea further , do not many receive christ on hellish grounds , merely to concele a rotten heart , or some base practices ? lastly , are there not amany convinced , terrified sinners , who seem to receive christ in good earnest , but t is only to quiet conscience ; to allay the scorching heats of divine wrath , which torment conscience ? surely this , albeit it be good in its kind , yet 't is but a commun motive , and therefore no firme foundation for the reception of christ . he that wil receive christ as he ought , must take him , not only to ease conscience of the burden of guilt , but also to ease his heart of the burden of lust . so much for the false , or commun motives , which render some mens reception of christ , no better than real unbelief . ( . ) vnbelievers are defective in their manner of receiving christ , when they receive him not in his grandeur ; or , in that state , and greatnes , which is due unto him . a prince is then received aright , when he is received according to his dignitie . should a subject receive his prince , and entertain him no better than he would entertain a peasant , or countrey-neighbor ; would not this be interpreted a contemt , rather than a kind reception of his prince ? so christ , if he be not received in some degree according to his grandeur , dignitie , and state , he counts it a contemt , rather than a good reception of him . christ must be received as christ , i. e , as supreme lord , and alone mediator , or he is not truely received at al : he wil be a king , or nothing . this was the great sin of the jews , they could be content to receive christ as a great prophet , ( as the mahumedans do ) but they did not receive him according to his grandeur , or that greatnes and glorie which he was invested with ; and therefore they are said not to receive him , john . . whereas john saies of the believing jews , those who received him indeed , ver . . that they beheld his glorie , the glorie as of the only begotten of the father , ful of grace and truth : i. e , they received him in al his grandeur , splendor , majestie , and glorie . the unbelieving jews stumbled at the meanesse of his person , kingdome , and glorie . christ wil be received as king , or not at al. ( . ) christ is received in a false manner , when he is not received as offered in the gospel . christ is never received as he ought , unlesse he be received as he is offered , i. e , on his own termes and conditions , without any limitations , restrictions , impositions , or laws , from such as receive him . if men come to indent with christ , or impose termes on him , beyond what the gospel allowes , christ thinkes it dishonorable for him , to enter into such a soul . so much for the defects unbelievers are guiltie of , as to the object of their reception . sect. . the nature of unbelief may be further explicated , from the many essential defects that attend the subject of this reception ? refined hypocrites may be guiltie of notorious unbelief , not only in receiving a false christ , or the true christ in a false manner ; but also in receiving the true christ , with a false , or defective heart : if the wil be naught or defective , the reception can never be good , or perfect . for every thing is received according to the qualitie or condition of the recipient . now christ may be received with a naughtie , or defective wil several waies . . a rotten , hollow , deceitful wil , is a base , naughty wil. he that truely receiveth christ , receives him with a sound sincere heart : if there be any prevalent degree of guile and hypocrisie loged in the bent of the wil , that renders it a rotten , hollow , hypocritic heart , such an one as christ wil never delight to dwel in . a believing heart is a single heart : it has single aims , single ends , single regards to christ : wherefore a double heart is a false , treacherous , lying heart : what ever its pretensions to christ are ; yet stil it has some oblique regard , some squint eye on some beloved idol : such have , as psal . . . an heart and an heart ; one heart for christ , and another for some darling lust . oh! what adulterous hearts have many glittering professors ? notwithstanding their pretences of virgin-love to christ , yet what secret hants have they for some other lovers ? what private dalliances with inferior goods , are they guiltie of ? how are their hearts distracted , and torne , as it were to pieces , between convictions of sin , and yet affections to sin ; between assent to christ , and yet consent to lust ? what adulterous hearts are these ! such we find wel characterised , james . . ye adulterers , &c. a true believer receives christ with an upright , strait heart : he hath a strait end , and a strait rule : but oh ? what perversitie , what crookednes is there in many mens hearts , who pretend to a reception of christ ? what secret turnings and windings are there ? surely such divided hearts are very faultie , as the scripture tels us , hos . . . their heart is divided , now shal they be found faulty . a divided heart , or wil , is a naughty , adulterous , rotten , lying , perverse heart , and therefore can never make a good subject for the reception of christ . the faith of such is but rank unbelief . . the wil is defective in the reception of christ , when it is only incomplete , languid , and faint . saving faith is the act of a wil strongly bent , and determined for christ . if the heart be not firmely resolved and fixed for christ , al our faith is but mere fancie . so many degrees as we have of a bended wil towards christ ; so many degrees we have of saving faith. remisnesse argues division of heart , and this argues hypocrisie : christ counts not himself duely received , unlesse he possesse the sanctified bent of the wil. and herein therefore lies the soveraintie of efficacious grace , in bending the wil , to a correspondence with christ : til the bent of the wil be purged from idols , and opened to christ , he never enters into , or inhabits any soul . christ is too pure a spirit , to loge with swinish lusts , in one and the same bent of wil : he wil be al in al there , or none at al. so that they who give not christ the entire bent of their wil , give him not that place which is due unto him ; and therefore such may not expect his companie . may it be imagined that the lord of glorie wil take up his logement in that soul , where base nasty lusts have the same , or better room than he ? is this , even among men , counted good reception , to entertain a person of honorable condition , in some out-loge , or in the same place with the swine ? and do not a world of great professors thus receive christ ? how many are there , who loge christ only in some out-affections ; in some faint , imperfect desires ? or , if some others are more civil to him , and afford him some room in their more inward affections ; yet is he not stil loged with the swine ? have not some base lusts as good , if not a better room in the heart than christ ? surely this is not to receive christ : he that has not a stronger wil for christ than for sin , is really unwilling for christ , but willing for sin . if the heart be bent for lust , it is unbent for christ : he that is only in a faint mesure willing to receive christ , is habitually unwilling : such as are not prevalently resolved for christ , are prevalently resolved for sin ; and so consequently , and virtually unresolved for christ . yea , a faint and languid willing of christ , is a virtual and implicite , though not formal nilling of him : imperfect , weak volition , or willingnes to receive christ , is implicite , and real nolition , or unwillingnes to have him . hence that sad complaint of god against judah , jer. . . and yet for al this , her treacherous sister judah hath not turned to me with her whole heart , but feignedly , saith the lord. judah gave god some imperfect reception ; but it was not with her whole heart : the bent of her wil was not turned towards him , and therefore she is said to embrace him but feignedly , or in falsehood ; as it may be rendred . a languid , partial wil is but a feigned false wil , in point of faith : he that gives not christ the whole heart , or the prevalent bent of his wil , ( which in moral estimation passeth for the whole wil ) gives him nothing but a civil refusal , or denial . such as the bent of the wil is , such is the man , as to sin , or grace . . the wil is defective in the reception of christ , when it is only terrified , and forced ; not free , and chearful in closing with him . many awakened sinners , while under dreadful terrors , and horrors of conscience , seem strongly inclined to receive christ : who but christ ? ay , but how little have they of a chearful ready wil ? are not al their closures with christ wrung , and forced from them , merely by the violence of a tormented terrified conscience ? do they not come to christ only as a wounded person to his chirurgeon , for a plaister to heal conscience ? they receive christ , but is it not only , as a bankrupt entertains a rich suretie , to pay their debts to the law ? surely , such involuntary , constrained receptions of christ , if they do not end in a more chearful election , are but more modest refusals of him : involuntarie election is a degree of real reprobation . albeit every election hath something of the wil in it ; yet that may be termed an involuntary forced election , when the wil , might it with securitie use its own freedome , would not elect , what it now closeth with . and oh ! how many terrified souls do , with such an involuntarie , forced wil , receive christ ? they see no beautie , or worth in christ ; only they make use of him to serve a turne , to quench the flames of divine wrath in conscience ; and when that is done they lay him aside again , as an uselesse servant : what is such an unwilling choice of christ , but a more courtly rejection of him ? do not such forced consents passe for real dissents , among more civil persons ? such as entertain christ in the● extremities , and perplexities of conscience , with such an involuntary wil , how soon do they lay him aside , when the storme is over ? was not this the very case of the unbelieving jews , even from their infant-state in the wildernes ? so psal . . . when he slew them , then they sought him , and they returned , and inquired early after god. when god awakened their consciences , by terrible jugements ; oh! how early do they inquire after their messias ? what chearful reception do they seem to give unto him ? ay , but this was but a terrified , affrightned wil ; they did but flatter him with good words : their heart was not right , as it follows , ver . , . a forced wil , is but a false lying wil ; it is no real wil , but nil . when there is nothing on the wil but mere compulsive terrors , it never gives a fiducial reception to christ : til the wil be in faith , it 's never saving . convictions of sin , seconded by legal terrors , may compel some to believe ; but if there follow not a spirit of adoption and libertie , that faith proves only legal , and temporary . we find a good character of evangelic faith in zacheus's reception of christ , luke . . and he made haste , and came down , and received him joyfully : his wil was in his faith : he received christ , and would not for a world , but receive him : he believed , and would not but believe : his heart was in the work : it was his joy and delight to entertain christ , not only in his house , but in his heart also . but is it thus with al that pretend to receive christ ? are there not many who receive christ , under dolors and rackings of conscience , who yet have no liking to him ; yea , who would gladly shift themselves of him , were their troubles of conscience once wel over ? do not the hearts of such secretly draw back from christ ; yea entertain an inveterate , old grudge against him , while they seem willing to draw near to him , and make use of him in their extremitie ? have not such soon enough of christ ? are they not soon weary of him , and therefore turne him off again , assoon as he hath served their turne ? do they not secretly wish that they might be saved by their own doings , rather than by believing in christ ? it s true , they , in a sort , receive christ ; but how is it ? is it not as a wounded captive receives his enemie with fair words , to save his life ; whiles yet he hates him in his heart , and is grieved , that he should need his enemies favor ? surely this is not to receive christ gladly : for to such it is a burden to be beholding to christ for salvation : they had rather be saved any other way than by christ : oh how glad would they be , if god would but accept of their own goods works , instead of christs merits : whereas a true believer would to choose , be saved by christs merits , rather than by his own : he is abundantly satisfied in christ , and the way of salvation by him : his wil doth electively hug and embrace christ , as his best friend . thus zacheus received christ joyfully . it s true , many sincere believers , at first , whiles under a spirit of bondage , have only a terrified , affrightned wil : yea , after they have received a spirit of adoption , and christ , by saving faith , how much of an unwilling heart do they find mixed with their faith ? what legal , selfish regards have they oft towards christ ? ay , but this is the distemper , and therefore the burden of their souls : they are never better pleased , than when their wils are most chearful , spiritual , and forward in closing with christ : how greatly do they approve of , and delight in the way of salvation by christ ? what contentement , and pleasure do they take in believing ? how much rather had they have their grace , peace , and comfort in christs keeping , than in their own ? but is it thus with unbelievers , such as receive christ only with a terrified , legal wil ? is it not a burden to them , that they should be driven to such streights , as that none but christ can relieve them ? is there not a secret displeasure , and dislike against christ , even while they are forced , by reason of their extremities , to make use of him ? would they not be glad to be eased of christ , were their consciences eased of their trouble ? such is the temper of a terrified wil. and so much for the unbelievers defective reception of christ . chap. vii . unbelief explicated as to its defects , in adherence to , recumbence on , satisfaction in , obedience to , application of , and waiting for christ . . having explicated the nature of unbelief , from its defective reception of christ , we now procede to those defects which attend the consequents of such a reception . and we shal begin with the wils adherence to christ ; which seems to be an immediate consequent of the foregoing reception of christ . adherence is an essential branch of faith ; and that which naturally follows upon al reception of christ : so that he , who doth not firmely , yea , inviolably adhere to christ , may be justly said , never to have received him aright . r faith is defined a firme & rooted disposition , or habit : moses , in his exhortation to the unbelieving israelites , adviseth them to cleave unto god , deut. . . the original , in its primarie notion , signifies a conjugal adherence , such as is between man and wife , as genesis . . and so it denotes here that conjugal adherence which the soul ought to maintain towards christ , as its husband ; which paul also expresseth by the similitude of mariage , ephes . . — . and cor. . . by cleaving to the lord. this conjugal adherence of the believer to christ , is wel illustrated by ruths cleaving to her mother , ruth . , . the like job . . they are joined one to another , they stick together , that they cannot be sundred . such ought to be the inviolable adherence of the soul to christ . so act. . . barnabas exhorts them , with ful purpose of heart to cleave unto the lord. faith is a mighty adhesive and tenacious grace : it adheres to christ as the needle to the loadstone : yea , it follows hard after christ , though he may seem to run from the soul ; yea , to turne against it as an enemie . thus psal . . . my soul followeth hard after thee . christ had deserted him , but he could not desert , or leave christ : his soul cleaves fast to christ , albeit christ seems to shake off his soul : for so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies ; and so it is rendred by some , my soul adheres to thee . such is the temper of faith. but now unbelief is alwaies drawing back from christ : though it may , under a storme , shelter it self under christs wing , and give him some forced reception ; yet it soon has enough of christ ; and therefore cares not how soon it be rid of him , when its turne is served . this backsliding temper of unbelief is wel expressed , hebr. . . take heed , brethren , lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief , in departing from the living god. an unbelieving heart is a backsliding heart : unbelief is one of the greatest cowards in the world : every shadow of danger makes it draw back from christ . whereas true faith is ful of masculine , undaunted courage : it can follow christ through a sea of bloud : yea , it dares not let go its confidence in christ , though he seem to shake the soul over the flames of hel , or drag it through the lake of fire . the weakest believer , at his greatest straits , keeps his reversion of christ : though christs divine suavities , and spiritual consolations forsake him , yet he doth not totally forsake christ , nor yet his dutie : he may fal into sin , and fal backward unto backsliding , yet he dares not lie in his fals : his soul is rooted in christ , and the covenant ; and therefore never dies : the spirit of christ abides in him , and that causeth him to abide in christ , radically , and habitually , even under the most severe winter of tentation . so it followes ver . . for we are made partakers of christ , if we hold the beginning of our confidence stedfast unto the end . the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , rendred here confidence , signifies , in its primary notion , a firme basis , or foundation ; a subsistence , and substance . faith gives a firme foundation , subsistence , and stabilitie to the soul ; so that it keeps stedfast in adhering unto christ , even in the most unstedfast times . but now unbelief has no foundation , and therefore no subsistence : it is stable in nothing but instabilitie . oh! how fluctuating , staggering , unstedfast is the unbelieving heart , even in the most stedfast times ? how apt is it to draw back from christ , on the least apparence of difficultie ? unbelievers do , as the philistines , sam. . . forsake their god , when their god forsakes them . and this drawing back is so essential , and natural to unbelief , as that they are reciprocally used one for the other . so heb. . . now the just shal live by faith : but if any man draw back , i. e , believes not in , or adheres not to me . thus again ver . . but we are not of them that draw back unto perdition ; but of them that believe , to the saving of the soul . where drawing back is opposed to believing , and so expressive of unbelief , its most natural genius and disposition ; which is to draw back from christ . now this drawing back of unbelief has a double object ; ( . ) god in christ , the supreme end , and object of faith : and ( . ) divine institutions , and appointments , which are the means , in and by which faith adheres to god in christ . this later , seems chiefly ( though not exclusively ) intended in this place ; as it appears by the whole scope of the precedent discourse ; wherein the author gives the hebrews a strict admonition , to beware how they did forsake the assembling of themselves together , as the manner of some was , to avoid persecution , v. , &c. so that to draw back from the institutions , and ordinances of christ , is here , as it may justly be interpreted , a drawing back from christ . and this is grounded on a great maxime in nature , which teacheth us , that he who forsakes the means , forsakes the end . for he that firmely wils , and adheres to an end , doth also firmely wil , and adhere to the means , which have an intimate , and essential connexion therewith . yea , the more difficult the means we undertake for christ are , the firmer is our adherence to him , as our end. whence it is evident , that so far as any soul forsakes the institutions , and ordinances of christ , so far he forsakes christ : withdrawment from the means of grace , appointed by christ , is a withdrawment from himself : and herein much of the spirit of unbelief discovers itself and its maligne influences . this was the great iniquitie of the unbelieving israelites , as we find them characterised , hos . . . and my people are bent to back-sliding from me . their backsliding lay , chiefly , in forsaking the institutions and appointments of god , and giving up themselves to idolatrie , and superstitious worship . this also was their sin , in the wildernesse , as it appears , psal . . . for their heart was not right with me , neither were they stedfast in his covenant . albeit they had engaged themselves to christ , by a solemne league and covenant ; yet what a crooked , perverse , lying heart was there in them ? how unstedfast were they in his covenant ? how did they play off and on , fast and loose , to and fro , up and down with christ ? such is the nature of unbelief : whereas our blessed lord instructs us luke . . that no man having put his hand to the plough , and looking back , is fit for the kingdome of god , i. e , he that doth not persevere in adhering to christ , never truely believed on him : a temporary faith is no better than real unbelief : that faith was never real , which is not lasting . . another branch of unbelief consists in diffidence and distrust , as it is opposed to the recumbence of faith . faith is the most passive grace : it can do or suffer nothing without christ : and therefore its force , and strength consists in recumbence on christ . faith never knows better days , than when it goes most out of it self , and rests on christ . hence we find the nature of faith oft described , by its recumbence : so psal . . . commit thy way unto the lord ; trust also in him , and he shal bring it to passe . commit , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e , devolve , or rol thy way , i. e , thine affairs , thy cares , from thy self , or thine own heart , upon thy lord. so psal . . . he trusted on the lord : or according to the hebr. he rolled ( himself , or his burdens ) on the lord. it seems to be a metaphor , borrowed from porters , who exonerate , or unlode their burden on some place fit to receive it . faith rols off al the sinners burdens , whether of guilt , or filth , or tentations , or duties , or civil concernes on christ . thus the spouse is described cantic . . . who is this that cometh up from the wildernesse , leaning on her beloved ? faith is a recumbent grace : when it cannot honor christ , as it would , by obedience , yet then it honors him by dependence : it fetcheth al from christ , and so gives al glorie to him : yea , the more grace it receives from christ , the more sense it has of its need of christ : the more it acts for christ , the more it conceives itself obliged to christ . though it doth never so much for christ , yet it dares not trust in any thing it doth or hath ; but wholly in christ . such a mere passive , dependent , recumbent thing is faith ; as we find it described , isai . . . let him trust in the lord , and stay upon his god. though the believer may , by stormes of tentation , be now and then beaten off from christ his rock and centre ; yet he comes on again , and casts anchor afresh on christ : he counts not himself safe , til his heart fixe here : al his interruptions and assaults do but bring him to a more absolute , and complete recumbence on christ : his faith finds no sure bottome but here : it counts itself secure no where , but on omnipotence . yea , the stronger faith is , the stronger usually is its recumbence on , and confidence in christ . and this , in al desertions , keepeth the believer from sinking , in that he swims by faith on the covenant , and in recumbence on christ . but now it is quite contrary with unbelief : how natural is it to corrupt nature to trust in , and depend upon its own forces ? yea , are not divine assistances , and influences abused by unbelief , unto carnal confidence ? oh! what an absolute independence , and self-sufficience doth unbelief affect ? how fain would every unbeliever deifie himself , by making himself the first principle of his dependence , and trust ? was not this the sin of our first parents , to affect a self-sufficience ; that so they might derive from themselves , what they ought , by a natural dependence , to derive from god ? and do not al their lapsed seed naturally follow their steps herein ? as fallen man affects to seek himself , as his last end ; so doth he not strongly desire to depend on himself , as his first cause , and supreme efficient ? and if the unbeliever cannot find a sufficience in himself to depend on ; then how doth he hunt , and seek out among the creatures , for some bottome to recumbe , and fixe upon ? so hos . . . when ephraim saw his sicknesse , and judah saw his wound , then went ephraim to the assyrian , and sent to king jareb . israel had rather go any where , for relief , than unto god. how natural is it to unbelievers , to trust in any sorry idol-god , of their own making , rather than in the god , that made heaven and earth ? how unable are unbelievers to trust god , in the want of althings ? but how much lesse are they able to trust him , in the fulnesse of althings ? doth not mens depending so much on themselves , or the creature , argue their little , if any dependence on christ ? it s true , some refined , evangelic hypocrites may now and then seem to depend on god ; ay , but do not they , al the while , secretly depend on themselves ? is not their recumbence on god , as hypocritic , as their false hearts ? do they not seem to depend on god , but mean while shift for themselves ? is their confidence in god universal ? can they trust god in al conditions , difficulties , emergences , seasons , and things ? true confidence , as wel as obedience , must be universal : but alas ! how unable are unbelievers to confide in god , in a stormy day ? what a poor affiance in christ have they under the abundance of althings ? how little do they regard , and depend on christ in smal concernes ? this self-dependence was the great sin — of the unbelieving jews , which christ every where upbraids them with : so luke . . but rather give almes of such things as you have : and behold althings are clean unto you . our blessed lord here seems ironicly to upbraid the pharisees , with their self-confidences : they conceited , that their almes and other externe good works , would expiate for al their sins ; albeit their hearts were ful of al manner of wickednes : christ sharply taxeth , and rebuketh their folie , with this smart ironie : and behold althings are clean unto you . as if he had said : you presume , by your almes , to purchase heaven ; but , alas ! how are you deceived ? what smal support wil this yield you at the last day ? thus augustin : christ seems smartly to taxe the vain persuasion of the pharisees , who albeit they had spirits obnoxious to the vilest lusts , yet by giving almes , they trusted they were half-gods . . another branch of unbelief consists in a certain dissatisfaction of heart : opposite to that acquiescence and rest , which the believer finds in christ . faith brings with it a divine contentement and satisfaction : the more experience it hath of christ , the better pleased it is in adhering to him : if it were to choose again , it would make no other choice than christ . there is no doctrine , no discourse so pleasing to faith , as that which exalts christ : it loves to hear christs excellences displayed . oh! how sweet is it to faith , to see christs face , to hear his voice , to smel his sweet savors , to taste his delices in the gospel ? how glad is it to be stript of al fond presumtions , carnal confidences , and false bottomes , that so christ alone may give rest to the soul ? so paul , phil. . . and rejoice in christ jesus , and have no confidence in the flesh . how doth he insult over al his former vain confidences ? what satisfaction doth he take in christ , and in him alone ? how glad is he that christ takes any course to break his carnal confidences , that so nothing but christ himself may support his heart ? such acquiescence , satisfaction and rest doth faith find in christ . but now unbelief is of a quite contrary humor : though it may , being forced by the importunitie of a clamorous conscience , give christ some reception for a while ; yet how il satisfied is it with christ : what a burthensome guest is he ? how soon doth the unbelieving soul hanker again after its beloved idols ? oh! what reachings forth of heart after this , or that , or t'other secret idol ? what disquietments , and repining discontents are there , at the deprivement of such , or such an inferior good ? what secret desires and inclinations are there towards the law , that old husband ? at least how fain would the heart admit the law , as a covenant of works , to share in that conjugal faith and affection , which is due only to christ ? thus it was with many unbelieving galatians ; gal. . . but now after that ye have known god , or rather are known of god , how turne ye again to the weak and beggerly elements , whereunto ye desire again to be in bondage . [ how turne ye again ? ] what doth he mean by this ? were the galatians ever under the legal ceremonies , here stiled beggerly elements , as ver . ? no , the galatians were never before under those judaic ceremonies : only they are said to turne again unto them , because they affected a t similitude , or ressemblance to the jews herein . oh! how fain would they symbolise or agree with the jews , and so mingle something of the law with christ ? so it follows : [ whereunto ye desire again to be in bondage , ] 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , ye desire , or , u ye greedily covet , ye greatly wish and long to be under the law : oh ! how much do you desire , what strong wishes have you to join the law with christ ? the like ver . . tel me , ye that desire to be under the the law , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , i. e , ye who are so hungry , and greedy after the law . this was the temper of many judaising galatians ; they would fain compound the law with christ : they could not rest satisfied in christ alone , as the mater of their justification , but must needs join the law with him ; which paul tels them , gal. . , . was to make christ of none effect . for he that rests not in christ alone , as the mater of his justification , trusts not at al in him . so also in point of happinesse , he that doth not acquiesce in christ alone ; as the object of his rest and satisfaction , doth not really believe in him : whence saith christ , luke . . if any come to me , and hate not his father , &c. i. e , if he be not satisfied in me as the fountain of his life , he hath no share in me : x for to hate here , is to love lesse . christ doth not injoin his disciples simply , & absolutely to hate parents , &c. no , that were sin : but he means comparitively , i. e , whoever doth not love parents , wife , &c. lesse than me , cannot be my disciple . so ver . . whosoever he be of you that forsaketh not al that he hath , he cannot be my disciple . what doth christ mean by this ? doth he expect that , when we turne christians , we bid adieu to al outward comforts ? no surely : this command of christ doth not so much respect the act , as the affection : we are not commanded to cast away al , but to love christ above al. . again , vnbelief is ful of murmurs , disobedience , and reluctance against the soverain wil of god. faith is the most obsequious , obedient , and dutiful grace : oh! how ful of resignation , and submission is the believing wil , so far as it is believing ? when christ enters into any soul , he expects , that every proud imagination , every high thought stoop unto him : that the whole soul bow before him , and adore his soverain wil and pleasure . thus job . . then job arose , ] this notes his speed , courage , and resolution in complying with the divine wil. [ and rent his mantle and shaved his head , ] these were symbols , or tokens of great sorrow , and humiliation under the hand of god. faith doth not destroy natural affections ; but it regulates and spiritualiseth them . when the hand of god is on us , our hand should be on our hearts , in order to a deep sense , and humiliation under gods visitation . then it follows : [ and fel down upon the ground , and worshipped ] the hebrew words do both signifie a bowing to the ground . because in their worship , they usually fel to the ground , or bowed their head , knee , or whole bodie ; therefore the same word , among the hebrews , signifies both to bow , and to worship : what then doth jobs falling to the ground , and worshipping import ? ( . ) a sense of gods hand in this visitation . ( . ) an adoration of , or bowing before the divine wil as most righteous . ( . ) a satisfaction in the present issues of the divine wil. in short , it implies a melting or dissolving of his wil into the divine wil , as most holy and best . hence v. . it s said , that in al this job sinned not , nor charged god follishly . i. e , jobs faith brought his wil to correspond with the divine wil. o! what a sweet harmonie was here ? but this unbelief cannot endure : oh! what risings of heart are there against the truths , grace , wil , waies , and crosse of christ ? how doth unbelief strugle , and fret against the supreme pleasure of christ ? hence the same word in the greek signifies both unbelief and disobedience ; as john . . he that believeth not the son. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , which signifies also , w he that is not obedient to the son : al faith carries something of obedience in it , or a subjection of the mind , and wil to the word , and grace of christ : whence unbelievers are stiled , ephes . . . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , children of disobedience , or unpersuasible , untractable children ; such as cannot bring their hearts to bow and stoop to divine truths , grace , and commands . and indeed much of the nature of infidelitie is lively exprest by this notion of disobedience : thus the israelites unbelief is set forth to us , act. . . to whom our fathers would not obey , but thrust him from them , and in their hearts turned back again to egypt . how did they disobey christ , and thrust him from them ? was it not chiefly by their murmurs and unbelief ? so in like manner we find unbelief set forth by fretting against god , ( which is an high degree of disobedience ) psal . . . fret not thy self because of evil doers . [ fret not thy self , ] or , be not angrie , chide not . unbelief is very prone to be angrie ; yea , to chide god ; because of the prosperitie of wicked men : whereto is opposed vers . . trust in the lord , &c. this trusting in god is opposite to that fretful spirit , v. . the like antithesis , or opposition we find ver . . rest in the lord , and wait patiently ; fret not thy self , because of him that prospereth in his way . rest in the lord : hebr. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 be silent unto the lord : don't let one murmur , or impatient word drop out of thy mouth , but wait patiently , or expect , with much silence and patience , relief from the lord : beware , how thou doest fret , and repine against his soverain pleasure . so that a fretful , murmuring spirit is quite opposite to that silence and obedience , which faith implies : what is faith , but a free and chearful resignation of al concernes to god ; with a complete subjection to his soverain wil , grace , and spirit for the accomplishment of al ? faith subjugates , and captivates our wisdome , to divine wisdome ; our consciences to the divine law ; our whole heart and life , to the divine wil , either preceptive , or providential . a believer , as such , lives no longer , than he lives in the divine wil and grace : and no thing is so fit a subject for such a divine life , as a broken heart : and what so effectually breaks the heart as faith in christ ? oh! what meeknesse is there in faith ? how silent is it ? how flexible to the divine wil ? certainly the lower the wil lies in subjection , and submission to god , the higher faith riseth : the highest faith is that which lies lowest in subjection to the foot of god. such was abrahams faith , isai . . . called him to his foot . faith yields up it self to christ , to be acted as he pleaseth ; to do or suffer as he thinks fit : it leaves the soul with christ , to be wrought upon as he seems good . so paul act. . . lord , what wilt thou have me to do ? paul makes christ master of his wil , and al : he is content to be wholly influenced by christs soverain wil and spirit . whence faith is compared to a mariage-covenant ; whereby the wife gives over , and resignes al right to her husband : so the believer gives up himself to christ , that he may be his . hence the more resistance there is against the wil and grace of christ , the more unbelief : an unbelieving wil is an inflexible wil : its mighty stiffe and hard . unbelievers are extreme covetuous and greedy of their own wils : to part with their wils is death to them . . infidelitie , or vnbelief , implies also an unwillingnes to appropriate , or applie the promisses , and grace of christ , for the sinners benefit . faith is a mighty appropriating , applicative grace : although it be very silent , patient , and submissive , as to mesures , degrees , seasons , and the manner of receiving grace ; yet it is very ready to applie al promisses , or intimations of grace given it : yea , if it has but a general promisse , yet it can make particular application of it to the soul : yea , sometimes , though it has but an item , an half-promisse , or nod from christ , yet it can applie and improve it for the sinners encouragement . as by the acts of adherence and recumbence the soul goes forth to christ ; so by this appropriating applicative act of faith , it sucks in , and applies to itself the grace of christ , according to its several needs , and indigences . is the poor sinner laden , and pinched with the guilt of sin ? o then ! how doth faith applie thereto a plaister of christs bloud ? doth some powerful lust , or tentation assault the soul ? then faith goeth to christ for fortifying , corroborating grace ? is the believer called to any difficult piece of service , either active or passive , for christ ? then faith applies to itself the divine assistance and direction of christs spirit . thus it receiveth out of christs fulnesse , grace for grace , joh. . . but now unbelief is altogether unacquainted with this divine art , of appropriating , and applying the grace of christ : it doth want , not only legs , or an active power to go to christ ; but also hands , or a passive power to receive from christ . oh! what a prodigiously proud begger is unbelief , in that it scornes to receive an almes from christ ? what! not receive grace when offered ? doth christ offer an act of indemnitie unto sinners ; and wil not they receive it at his hands ? oh! what a proud , bloudy sin is unbelief ? alas ! many convinced sinners think it too much presumtion and arrogance for them to appropriate , and applie the grace of christ to themselves : they think it better becomes them to applie nothing but wrath and condemnation to themselves : so modest and humble do they seem to be : but , oh ! what a world of pride doth there lie at the bottome of this seeming modestie and humilitie ? is it not rank pride for sinners to refuse that grace , which is freely offered ? when christ comes to pour in grace freely into the soul , then to refuse that grace , because we have no monie to purchase it , what egregious pride is this ? . the last act of infidelitie , or unbelief , is , a diffident removing , or putting far from the soul , the second coming of christ , and al the great things of eternitie , which ensue thereon . faith has such a miraculous efficace , as that it can make things absent , present ; things invisible , visible , heb. . . it gives a prelibation , and foretast of approching glories , ephes . . , . here paul tels them , that after they believed , they were sealed , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 : it is a translation borrowed from seals , by the impression or stampe whereof we distinguish things true from false , things authentic from uncertain . the stampe of a seal impressed on an instrument , renders it indubitable and unquestionable . the jews had the externe seal of circumcision ; and the grecians were sealed with the marque of their idols ; ay , but saith paul , ye were sealed with that holy spirit of promisse ; 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 : the article here is treble ; which carries in it a great emphase ; and demonstrates some extraordinary work of the holy spirit : it seems to refer to the great promisse of the spirit , luke . . as elsewhere . but what is meant by this seal of the spirit ? i know some understand it of the seal of assurance ; whereby they were assured of their eternal possession : and we need not altogether exclude this sense : yet i humbly conceive , that this seal is primarily to be understood of the stampe , or impresse of grace at first regeneration , which is communicated to al believers : whence it is said , they were sealed with that holy spirit , i. e , the spirit of sanctification . now this impresse , or stampe of the spirit of sanctification after their first believing is said to be , ver . . the earnest of our inheritance , &c. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , comes from the hebrew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , which in the general signifies al that which is given for the confirmation of a promisse ; and particularly among the phenicians , ( whence the grecians seem to have derived the word , ) it notes earnest-money . so that the sense is this : ye , who have believed , have received the earnest of the spirit of grace , whereby you have hopes and expectation of glory ; hence faith has the bridegrooms coming fixed on its eye ; the sound of the last trumpe ever ringing in its ear . ay , but unbelief removes al these far from the soul : it says , in the language of those secure sinners , pet. . . where is the promisse of his coming ? do not althings continue as they were ? unbelief is possest with a kind of sleeping devil : it dreams of nothing but building tabernacles here : what a stranger is it to eternitie , and the concernes thereof ? if the secure sinner be now and then a little awakened , and startled at the apprehensions of future jugement ; how restlesse is unbelief , til it has got the soul asleep again ? how are the eyes shut , and the wil bolted against al foresight , and expectations of christs second coming ? oh! what a torment is it to the unbeliever , to lie under awakened apprehensions , expectations of , and approches towards future jugement ? what would he give , if eternitie were buried in oblivion ? there is nothing in the world that the unbelievers heart is more alienated from , and averse to , than the second coming of christ . faith breeds a great expectation of longing for , and has leaning unto that great day : but oh ! how doth unbelief endeavor to choke and stifle al awakened apprehensions thereof ? and if the spirit of bondage worke any lively sense and convictions of that terrible day , what dreadful stormes and tempests of legal fear doth unbelief raise in the soul , whereby it is indisposed , and hindered from any effectual endeavors , and preparations for that day ? and oh ! how commun is this piece of infidelitie ? did not our great lord foretel , that it should be the main sin of these last days , luke . . yea , is it not foretold , mat. . . that the wise virgins , as wel as the foolish , should , in these last days , be overtaken with spiritual slumber , and removing far from them the coming of their lord ? but oh ! what a dead sleep are the foolish virgins under , who mind not at al the coming of christ ? and whence comes the sensualitie and luxurie of secure sinners , but from this great piece of infidelitie , in not waiting for christs coming , as mat. . - ? what makes many knowing professors so formal , dead-hearted , loitering , and lazy in al the great duties , and services of christianitie , but their not expecting this great day ? fiducial expectation of christs coming makes christians active and vigorous in al gracious exercices , as we find it exemplified in paul , cor. . . phil. . , . again , whence springeth the excesse of unlawful passions , and the prevalence of domineering lusts , but from unbelief as to christs second coming ? lively apprehensions and expectations of this glorious day , are most efficacious to kil lusts , and remove tentations , as pet. . , . how comes it to passe that men are so carelesse and regardlesse of a good conscience , but from want of such lively expectations of christs coming ? what made paul so exact in keeping a good conscience , but his faith in eying this great day , as act. . , ? how little do men mind , affect , or do any thing as they ought , so long as they put far from them the coming of their lord ? doth not the peace , comfort , grace , strength , beautie , and flourishing of a christian depend on this piece of faith ? doth it not argue a desperate , hard , unbelieving heart , not to regard this day ? do not such professors , as neglect this piece of faith , live below their principles and profession ? so much for the nature of infidelitie . chap. viii . doctrinal corollaries deduced from the precedent idea's , and notions of infidelitie . having dispatcht the formal idea , or nature of vnbelief , before we passe on to the remaining questions , it wil be not a little vseful , that we make some improvements of what hath been laid down , both by corollaries , and more practic vses . as for corollaries , various great truths may be deduced from the precedent explication of infidelitie . as , . that awakened sinners may procede very far in assent , and consent to the things that belong unto their peace , and yet remain infidels , or vnbelievers . this corollarie doth naturally flow from the former description of unbelief ; and we need go no further for the exemplification hereof , than those unbelieving jews , over whom our lord here weeps , and laments . alas ! how far did many of these awakened jews procede in their assent , and consent to christ , as their long-waited-for messias ? do they not immediately before v. , . solemnely recognise him as their crowned king ? oh! what joyous hosanna's , and psalmes of praise do they sing unto him , as john . , , . which refers hereto ? and doth not this argue a great conviction in their consciences ; as also some faint , and languid inclination in their wils towards him ? and yet , lo ! our blessed lord weeps over them as those , who knew not the things that did belong unto their peace . oh! what a soul-astonishing consideration is this , to consider how far many poor , awakend sinners have gone in owning christ , and yet at last have been disowned by him ? how many self-deluding souls assent to christ in their jugements , and yet consent to lust in their hearts ? if we make some brief reflexion on the forementioned particulars of faith , what a strange concurrence shal we find to make good this corollarie ? ( . ) did not the unbelieving jews of old , ( as a world of false professors now ) assent unto the scriptures , as the oracles of god , wherein al the good things of their peace were loged ; and yet never arrived unto a real , particular , fixed , evangelic , prevalent , and vigorous credence thereof ? how many assent to the things which belong to their peace in notion , but yet dissent in heart and practice ? do not too many assent to the pleasing , and sweet offers of the gospel , but yet dissent from the displeasing , and self-crucifying duties thereof ? oh! how far have many convinced sinners gone in attention to , and reception of the things of their peace ? what great and amazing conceptions have they had thereof ? yea , how much have they approved of things most excellent ? yea , what strong legal assent have they yielded unto the terrors of the law ? yea , have not some been as it were ravisht with joy in their contemplations of approching glories ? yea and have not these convictions wrought their hearts to a great mesure of alienation , and aversion from sensible goods ; as also closing with the good things that belong to their peace ? and yet al this while , what strangers have they been to a saving assent to the things that belong to their peace ? have they not given a mere natural , human assent to supernatural divine truths ? it s true , they have received the word of god , but was it not as the word of men , as clothed with some human autoritie , or excellence ? oh! how many have their consciences awakened by the word , who yet never subject their consciences to it ? how many receive the word of faith , and yet mixe not faith with the word they receive ? alas ! what a dismal contemplation is it to consider , how far many awakened professors have gone , in a professed , and partial assent to the things that belong to their peace , and yet al the while really dissented from them ? ( . ) may not also convinced sinners procede very far in their consent , to the good things that belong unto their peace , and yet remain infidels ? did not many of these unbelieving jews , whom our lord here weeps over , approve of , and consent to him , as their crowned king and messias ? and yet how soon do they spit in his face , and bid defiance to him ? is it not said , john . , . that many believed in the name of jesus , whom yet he did not believe , or confide in ? they commit themselves to him , but he dares not commit himself to them ; knowing them to be rotten-hearted . alas ! how many seem willing to take christ hereafter , provided they may for the present solace themselves some while in their lusts ? and do not al such demurs , delays , and wils for hereafter , argue a present nil , or unwillingnesse to embrace christ , as luke . , ? yea , are not many terrified wils , under the stings and gals of conscience , oft inclined to a present , and speedy closing with christ , who yet never arrive to a saving election of him ? oh! how many are there , who elect a compound christ , or a single christ with a compound heart ? do not too many awakened sinners choose a divided christ , or a whole christ with a divided heart ? oh! what a world of legal consciences bottome their faith on some false christ , of their own framing ; or on the true christ with a false rotten heart ? how few , yea very few embrace christ , and the other good things of their peace , in the greatnesse of their glorie ? do not many seem willing to adhere to christ in a storme of legal terrors , who yet , when the storme is over , returne again to their lusts , and adhere to them , as their best friends ? how many also elect the good things that belong to their peace , but yet reject the means , without which these good things can never be obtained , as luke . , ? and is not such a languid , incomplete , feeble wil , and consent , a real nil , and dissent ? farther , have not many almost-believers been brought to some mesure of recumbence , and dependence on christ , who yet have stil secretly and insensibly depended , and leaned on something in themselves , as isai . . , ? how many also have seemed very forward to resigne up al concernes , both of soul and body to christ , who yet have stil retained secret reserves , and hants for some beloved lust , or idol , as ananias and sapphira , act. . , , ? yea , have there not been some , who have not only applied themselves to christ , but also applied , and appropriated christ to themselves , in some mesure ; and yet never had a real union with him ? doth not this seem to be the case of those carnal professors , luke . , ? how forward are they to appropriate and own christ , and yet he wil not own , but reject them , as workers of iniquitie ? yea , have not many been content to give some kind of feigned subjection unto christ , and yet al the while continued voluntary slaves and vassals of their lusts , as psal . . ? here christs enemies bow before him , and lick the dust , which in those oriental parts were symbols , or signs of great homage and subjection . again , have not some illuminated professors seemed to acquiesce , and take up their rest in christ , and the other good things of their peace , and yet secretly rested in something below christ , or at least not alone in christ ? lastly , is it not said of the foolish virgins , mat. . . that they expected the bridegrooms coming , yea went forth to meet him ; who yet never had interest in him , or the good things of his kingdome ? oh! what a dreadful consideration is this , to thinke , how far many awakened sinners have proceded in the main acts of faith , and yet after al determined in final unbelief ? . albeit vnbelievers may procede very far in some acts of faith , yet there is a boundlesse difference between saving faith , and commun ; as also between believers , and believers . i cannot persuade myself , as some , that saving faith and commun differ only in degrees : i conceive the difference to be specific , or in kind ; though i affect not contention , and therefore wil wave controversies : only that there is a vast difference between the saving faith of true believers , and the commun faith of unbelievers , wil be evident from the following propositions . ( . ) the commun faith of vnbelievers ariseth only from some traditional notions of the gospel , or commun illuminations ; but the saving faith of believers ariseth from the light of life , joh. . . and is not the difference between saving light and commun , as great , as that between the light of the sun and of a candle ? is there not a vast difference between the unction of the holy one , john . . which believers have , and the commun notions of unbelievers ? oh! what mistie and confused notions of the good things that belong to their peace have unbelievers , pet. . ? but how bright and distinct are the believers notions , proceding from the light of life , jo. . ? is not the unbelievers candel-light mere darknesse , if compared with that intuitive real sight of things invisible , which the believer enjoys , heb. . ? oh! how superficial , and fleeting are al the unbelievers notions ? but how solid and deep are the believers conceptions of spiritual mysteries ? the believer has a divine instinct , and spiritual sagacitie , as to the good things of his peace : but alas ! what is al the unbelievers knowlege thereof , but a mere natural notion , or commun hearsay , or forced conviction ? how doth the believers light of life , kil his lusts , darken the worlds glorie , melt his affections , turne the bent of his wil towards al the good things of his peace ; yea , transforme his soul thereinto , by stamping an image of god thereon , as col. . ? but oh ! how dul and lazy ; how dead and lifelesse , is the unbelievers faith and knowlege , jam. . - ? ( . ) the commun faith of vnbelievers ariseth from self-love , self-flatterie , and carnal presumtion ; but the saving faith of believers ariseth from self-jelousie , and self-denial . how apt is self-love to frame a faith of its own , such a faith as wil easily correspond with its lusts ? is it not the grand designe of self-love , where-ever it is predominant , to come to christ on its own feet of carnal confidence ? but how much doth the self-denying believer abjure himself , and al his own self-sufficiences to win christ , phil. . , ? spiritual povertie is the next capacitie to saving faith : the more sensible the humbled soul is of his own needs , the more ready is he to go to christ . but is it thus with unbelievers ? do they not seek in themselves what they should seek in christ ? and when they have found any imperfect good in themselves , how much do they recumb and rest on it , as the main bottome of their confidence ? oh! what a pregnant cause is self-fulnesse of commun faith ; as self-emtinesse of saving faith , luk. . , , ? so also for carnal presumtion , and self-flatterie , what a seminal root is it of false , or commun faith ? what a world of faith consists in mere fancie ? how many professors have no other bottome for their faith , than a fond presumtion that they have faith ? thus men baptise their carnal presumtions into the name of faith . oh! how prone are presumtuous unbelievers to plung their nasty defiled hearts in the precious bloud , and promisses of christ , and then fondly conclude christ is theirs ; albeit they never were deeply sensible of their sin , and need of christ ? and are not such presumtuous conceits , or rather deceits , the main spring of most mens commun faith ? but is it not quite otherwise with the true believer ? doth not his faith spring mainly from self-jelousie ? it s true , he can justifie god and christ , though it be in his own ruine ; but oh ! how much doth he condemne himself day by day ? he can be indulgent to others ; but is he not very severe against himself ? is not every one nearer to christ than he in his own apprehensions ? oh! what self-accusations , and self-condemnations doth he , or ought he to passe on himself every day ? and are not these his self-jelousies , and self-jugements a great spring of his faith in christ , cor. . ? ( . ) the commun faith of vnbelievers ariseth from a legal spirit of bondage ; but the saving faith of believers from an evangelic spirit of adoption . and oh ! what a vast difference is there between commun faith , and saving , in this regard ? a legal faith , arising from a spirit of bondage , may worke dreadful terrors , but never solid peace of conscience : it brings men under a legal covenant , but cannot keep men stedfast therein , psal . . , , , . it workes in men legal preparations for christ , but it cannot worke a thorow conversion to him : it divorceth the heart in part from sin ; but marries it to the law , not to christ : it plows up the fallow ground , but cannot sow the seed of grace . it makes a deep wound in conscience , but cannot heal it : it may drive men into despair , but it cannot , of itself , drive to christ : it may restrain from sin , and constrain to dutie , but it gives no strength for , or love to dutie : it may kil , but it cannot make alive : it may rend , but it cannot melt the heart : it may make sin bitter , but it cannot make christ sweet : it may be an advocate for the law , but not for christ . such is the commun faith of unbelievers . but now the evangelic faith of believers , arising from a spirit of adoption , doth not only kil , but also make alive in the bloud of christ : it doth not only divorce the heart from sin , self , and the law ; but also espouseth it to christ : it improves al legal preparations in order to an evangelic closure with christ : it workes godly sorrow for sin , not only that it may be pardoned , but because it is pardoned : it is not only compelled to dutie by legal motives ; but also allured thereto by evangelic persuasives : it doth much for christ , and yet rests on nothing but christ : it workes not only evangelic actions , but also evangelic principles and dispositions : it urgeth the law much , but on evangelic grounds , and designes : it destroies not moralitie , but perfects it : it frees men not from dutie , but in and for dutie . such are the different postures of a legal , and evangelic faith. ( . ) saving faith turnes the main bent of the wil towards christ , and al other good things that belong unto its peace ; but commun faith affords christ , and al those good things only some imperfect desires . the true believer makes a free , and complete acceptation of christ , and resignation of al unto him : he takes the whole of christ , and gives christ the whole of his heart : he goes to christ with a plenitude or fulnesse of wil , and receives from christ a plenitude of grace , john . . he is so amorous of the good things that belong unto his peace , that he can part with althings for them ; yea his wil is carried with a violent propension towards them , as the iron to the load-stone . but is it thus with the unbeliever ? doth he not ever adde something to christ , or take something from christ ? alas ! what is his commun faith , but a mere faint velleitie , a languid imperfect desire after the good things that belong unto his peace ? how unable is he to go to christ , with a plenitude of wil ? how little is he allured , or ravished with the incomparable beauties of christ ? perhaps he has some good liking to the good things of his peace ; but oh ! what a violent lust has he after other things ? he may have some evanid or dying wishes after the divine life ; but oh ! what a peremtorie obstinate wil has he towards present goods ? every smal tentation makes him let go christ ; but oh ! how tenacious , how strong is his holdfast of the creature ? an unbeliever is the greatest monstre in the world ; he hath two hearts , an heart for god , and an heart for the world , psal . . . and yet when any difficulty approcheth , he hath no heart at al : such a coward is he , & so far from true faith . a true believer , the more difficult his worke & tentations are , the stronger is his adherence to christ , and al the good things of his peace : yea , though christ may seem willing to part with al interest in him ; yea , to turne against him as an enemie ; yet oh ! how unwilling is he to part with his interest in christ ; or to do any thing unworthy of that friendship he professeth to christ ? but is it thus with the commun faith of the unbeliever ? alas ! on what easy termes can he part with al claim to christ ? how unsteadfast is he in al his covenants with christ ? how little can he resigne up himself wholly to christ , or receive whole christ , as offered in the gospel ? in times of soul-troubles he seems willing to elect christ , but in times of competition between christ and lust , how soon doth he prefer lust before christ ? what are al his good wishes towards the things of his peace , but broken half-desires ? doth he not at the same time , when he layes hold on christ , secretly also catch at the world , or some beloved lust ? how unable is he to wil and nil the same things , to be constant to his own election of christ , and reprobation of sin ? though he sometimes looked towards christ , yet how little doth he follow that look ? what a latitude , and libertie doth he leave for idols in his heart ; and thence how little room for christ ? so little is his wil fortified , and armed with resolution in adherence unto christ . ( . ) the true believers saving faith is a purifier from sin , act. . . but the vnbelievers commun faith is a protector , and promotor of sin. and oh ! what a vast distance is here betwixt saving and commun faith ? how impossible is it that the unbelievers heart , which is the spouse of sin , should be married to christ ? wil christs jelousie , which is so severe , admit any corrival , or equal lover into his conjugal bed , the heart ? must not his royal love have a throne al alone in the heart ? is it not then impossible , that sin , in its dominion , should dwel in the same heart with christ ? yet , lo ! is not this the grand designe of the unbelievers commun faith , to reconcile christ and sin , two opposite lords ? how oft doth commun faith go to christ for life , that so the sinner may live more securely in sin ? the believers very fals into sin , are , as managed by faith , a sanctified means to purge out sin : but , oh ! the unbelievers partial departure from sin , and closure with christ , is , as improved by his commun faith and lust , made a blind and engine for the protection , concelement , and improvement of sin . saving faith makes the believers very defects , and neglects serve for the promoting of some spiritual good : how is he humbled for , and by his very sins and negligences ? but the commun faith of an unbeliever makes his best duties , and performances serve to promote spiritual sins : how do al his covenants and resolutions against some grosser , visible sins , serve only to hide , strengthen , and foment secret , invisible lusts ; as spiritual pride , carnal confidence , hos . . ? or at best , doth he not make use of al his covenants against sin , only as a balsame to heal the wounds of his conscience , not as poison to kil the lusts of his heart . such is the curse , and plague of commun faith . ( . ) saving faith transformes the heart into the image of christ , and thence makes the believer conforme to his life , and laws ; but commun faith workes neither . saving faith brings the heart near to christ , and so stampes the image of christ upon the heart : it cannot make men christ , but yet it makes them like unto him , and that not only in one particular excellence , but in al : it changeth the last end , and disposition of the wil , and thence the whole soul and life : it infuseth a divine plenitude , or fulnesse of grace into the soul , answerable to that fulnesse of sin , that was there before . and as christ is one with his father , by personal union ; so believers are one with christ , by faith : hence much of the life of christ appears in their lives : the love and spirit of christ prevails with them , to live the life of christ , and conforme to his laws : and oh ! what a sweet harmonie and conformitie , so far as faith and grace prevails , is there between the spirit and life of christ , and their spirits and life ? how much do their hearts , and lives answer to the primitive patterne of puritie , in the heart and life of christ ? but can the unbelievers commun faith worke such rare effects ? it s true , sometimes his actions are changed ; but are not his vital principles , and dispositions unchanged ? he may sometimes conforme to the laws of christ in appearance ; but doth he not stil hate them at heart ? whereas the believer , whiles he breakes the law of christ in action , he conformes to it in affection and desire , as roman . . . the unbelievers commun faith may lead him to please christ in shew , but is it not al to please himself in truth ? doth he not wholly live on self as his spring , and to self as his last end ? oh! how impossible is it for him to live by faith on christ , and to christ , which is the believers life ? ( . ) saving faith makes believers diligent in the use of means , and yet keeps them from trusting in them : commun faith makes vnbelievers negligent in the use of means , and yet to trust in them . oh! how industrious is faith in the use of means , as if there were no christ to trust unto ? and yet doth not faith trust wholly in christ , as if there were no means to be used ? yea , doth it not trust christ as much in the fulnesse of means , as in the want of them ? but oh ! how much doth unbelief trust in means , though it be very negligent in the use of them ? ( . ) saving faith is alwaies bottomed on a promisse , and by it workes up the heart to god : but commun faith is alwaies bottomed either on false persuasions , or self-sufficiences , and by them turnes the heart from god. ( . ) saving faith walkes in gods ways , by a strait rule , to a strait end . but commun faith is always stepping out of gods way : its rule and end both are crooked . true faith looks both to its end , and rule ; it wil not do good that evil , or evil that good may follow : but commun faith wil do both . ( . ) lastly , saving faith values an half-promisse , yea a mere peradventure from god , more than the best promisse the creature can make : but commun faith depends more on the rotten , and false promisses of its own heart , or of the creature , than on al the promisses of god. . hence we may further infer , that there is no medium , or middle , between true faith and infidelitie . commun faith is but real unbelief : he that is not a sound believer , is a real infidel : he that receives not christ on his own termes , rejects him : not to trust in christ with al the heart , is not to trust him at al in truth : a forced election of christ , is a real reprobation of him : a mere human , or notional , or general , or confused , or instable , or inefficacious assent to christ , is real dissent . not to rest in christ alone as our mediator , is not at al to confide in him : he that cannot part with al for christ , wil soon part with christ for any thing : if faith purifies not the heart from sin , and fortifies it against tentation , it deserves not the name of faith , acts . . if faith gives not a substantial being to things not in being , it doth nothing ; heb. . . if you can believe nothing but what you have reason , and evidence for from the things themselves , you believe nothing as you ought : for though reason may assist faith as an instrument , yet it destroyes faith as a principal ground or argument ; because faith is of things inevident , heb. . . faith takes nothing for its formal reason , or principal ground , but increated autoritie : and therefore it is not the mere evidence of reason , but the testimonie of god , that makes men believers . and if so , then , oh ! what a world of that , which passeth for faith among men , wil one day appear to be real unbelief ? what may we judge of those who hang up christ in their phantasies , as pictures in an house , but yet never really adhere to , or recumb on him ? is not this mere fancie rather than faith ? what shal we conclude of the presumtuous believer , who presumes god wil shape his mercie according to his humor ? is not his faith mere unbelief ? yea , can there be a more cursed piece of unbelief , than a fond groundlesse presumtion that we do believe ? again , what shal we say of the dead-borne sleepy faith of secure sinners , who lay their head in satans bosome , and sleep securely on the pillow of his rotten peace ? is not this a piece of unbelief , which devils and damned spirits are not guiltie of ? for they believe and tremble at the apprehensions of their approching jugement . and oh ! how soon wil these their sweet sleeps end in dreadful hellish awakenings ? again , may we not judge the same of legal faith ; which sets up the law in the room of christ ; or at least yokes the law and christ together ? do not such , by joining the law with christ , disjoin their hearts from christ , rom. . - ? is it not as bad a piece of unbelief , to set up the law instead of christ , as to set up lust instead of the law ? yea , is there not much of idolatrie in such a legal faith ? for do not such as depend on their own legal performances for life , make themselves their god and christ ? oh! how oft doth such a legal faith , or carnal confidence end in black despair ? were it not easie to shew , if opportunitie served , how al the false , or commun faiths in the world are indeed but real infidelitie , colored over with a tincture of faith ? o then ! what a world of infidels and unbelievers are there , who walk up and down under the masque and vizard of believers ? surely if al these pretended fancied faiths are real unbelief there can be no middle betwixt faith , and unbelief ; and then , how many great professors wil fal under the black character of unbelievers , albeit they may now passe for good believers ? . hence also we learne , that solid saving faith is most rare and difficult ; but commun faith most cheap and easie . it s no difficult mater , in these knowing times , to gain the notion of faith : but oh ! how difficult is it to attain unto the thing faith ? a general , implicite assent to the things that belong unto our peace is very commun ; but oh ! how rare is it to meet with a particular , explicite , real assent to the things of our peace , formally considered ? do not the most of professors yield only a human , natural , or traditional assent to divine , supernatural truths and mysteries ? multitudes now adays receive the word of god ; but how ? is it not as the word of men , i. e , as clothed with human autoritie , or the evidence of reason ; not as the word of god , thes . . ? a confused , suspense , reeling assent to evangelic doctrines is very commun ; but is not a distinct , fixed , deep , welgrounded assent as rare ? oh! how superficial , and feeble is most mens assent to the good things of their peace ? or if some awakened consciences arise higher , to a more complete and deep assent ; yet , alas ! how legal is their assent , even to evangelic truths ? how hard is it even for true believers , much more for those who have only commun faith , to see sin as sin , and not to fal under a legal spirit of bondage ? to assent to the truths of the gospel , when conscience is fired with the terrors of the law , is no great pain : but oh ! how painful a thing is it , to assent to gospel truths , from an inward feeling apprehension of their own worth and excellence ? to assent to the doctrines of the gospel is commun : but is it not as commun to dissent from the duties of the gospel , which in divine estimation is but a dead faith ? how few have impressions suitable to their faith ? how few are there among the croud of believers , who have an admiring assent , an high estime , and right valuation of the good things that belong unto their peace ? it is indeed very facile to yield a barren , lazy , dead assent to evangelic notions ; but oh ! how difficult is it to arrive unto a fruitful , vigorous , lively , efficacious , practic assent , such as may forme , and transforme the heart into the very image of those good things we assent unto ? so also for consent , it is very commun and easie for convinced sinners to be induced to make some indeliberate , involuntary , partial , imperfect election of christ , and other good things that belong to their peace ; but oh ! how rare and difficult is it to attain unto a chearful , speedy , complete and fixed closure with christ , on his own termes , as offered in the gospel ? is it not commun with many to adhere to christ in profession , but to lust in affection ? how many commun believers give christ good words ; but give their hearts to some idol-lover ? do not too many also pretend subjection to christ , and his soverain pleasure ; but really intend subjection to no other lord than their own lusts ? how many seem to depend wholly on christ for grace , who yet secretly lean on their own understandings , and good wils ? o that men would believe , what a difficult thing it is to believe aright ? alas ! how violent is the motion of faith ? how much against corrupt nature are the supernatural acts of faith ? was there ever a greater miracle under heaven , excepting the incarnation of the son of god , than the working of faith in an unbelieving heart ? is not every saving faith a standing miracle ? oh! what a contradiction is it to carnal wisdome , and corrupt nature , to assent and consent to the imputed righteousnesse of christ ? what a painful thing is it to carnal hearts , to part with right eyes , and right hands , every beloved lust for christ ? how many thousand ways are there to unbelief or commun faith , but oh ! how narrow , yea indivisible is the way to saving faith ? commun faith growes among roses , but saving faith among thornes . what a grand deceit therefore is it , to conceit saving faith easie and commun ? certainly he never yet believed aright , that has not in some mesure had experience , what a difficult thing it is to believe aright . . hence likewise we may conclude , that believers themselves , have many reliques and remains of vnbelief in them , alas ! how much darknesse is there mixed with their notions , of the good things that belong to their peace ? how much dissent is there in their assent to evangelic truths ? it s true , they dare not , when they are themselves , reject the good things of their peace ; ay , but do they not too oft neglect , and undervalue the same ? are their apprehensions , and impressions suitable to the worth of those objects they believe ? how then comes it to passe , that on the interposure of some tentation , they turne aside to lying vanities ? are not believers themselves oft very confused , and instable in their assent to evangelic mysteries ? yea , have they not sometimes many prevalent suspensions , hesitations , and douts touching the sacred scriptures , and their divine autoritie ? how oft have many sincere believers been violently assaulted with atheistic thoughts , that there is no god ? what a sealed book , and dark saying is the whole gospel , to many afflicted consciences , in times of desertion ? in times of distresse , how oft doth their faith question the realitie of the promisses ? what 's the reason why many true believers are so much shaken , in some difficult cases , but because they do not bottome their souls on the immutable faithfulnesse of god in his promisses ? are not the gracious offers of the covenant most rich , abundant , and free ? how then comes it to passe , that believers are so poor and low in grace ? is it not from their want of faith , to draw out that fulnesse that is contained in , and offered by the covenant ? have not believers gods immutable word , oath , and fidelitie to confirme his covenant ? and yet , lo ! how backward are they to trust him in any straits ? how frequently do believers stagger in their adherence unto christ ? how much are they off and on , up and down , fast and loose with christ ? how little are they acquainted with the applicatorie , appropriating acts of faith ? what great things might believers receive from christ , had they but a great faith to expect and receive them ? how seldome are the most of believers in realising believing views of approching glories ? what obscure , and strained notions have they of eternitie ? had we eternitie in our eye and heart , how would the view thereof darken the glorie of this lower world ? did believers eye much their home , how vigilant , active , and vigorous would they be in their way thither ? life and death are the same thing to one that daily expects the coming of his lord : but oh ! how apt are believers themselves to put far from them that great day ? were not the the wise virgins overtaken with fits of slumber aswel as the foolish ? again how little can the most of believers acquiesce and rest satisfied in christ , as the alone spring , and mater of their life ? do they not sometimes conceit , that there is some grace , or other good , to be found out of christ ? and are they not hereby oft inveigled to wander from christ ? ought not the heart to be where the treasure is ? and is not the believers treasure in christ ? how then comes it to passe , that he is so little satisfied in christ , but for want of faith in him ? moreover , how short-spirited and impatient are many believers ? what confined and narrow hearts have they under the crosse ? do not the length , and weight of their burdens oft make them extreme short-spirited , as exod. . . for shortnesse of spirit ? so num. . . its said , they were short-spirited , because of the way , i. e , the length of their sufferings shortned their spirits ; they could not in patience possesse their souls : and many of them were true believers for the main . oh! how soon do such short-spirited believers despond , and sink under their burdens ? what faintings under duties are they obnoxious unto ? how straitned are their spirits as to present , or expected mercies ? what murmurs and discontents have they against the yoke , and crosse of christ ? yea , how dissolute , soft , and feeble are they in resistance of tentations ? how timorous and faint-hearted at the approche of difficulties ? whence procede believers black and dismal imaginations under desertions , but from their unbelief ? is is not hence also that they are so humorous , and il-minded towards christ ; so apt to raise black lies and slanders of him ? do not their unbelieving hearts change christ into another christ , by covering his face with a masque of hatred and displeasure ? oh! how much are the sinews of many poor believing souls shrunk ; how much are their spirits cramped and dispirited by unbelief , specially in cases of soul-trouble or tentation ? so great is the prevalence of unbelief in many sound believers . . hence we may further collect , that vnbelief is a sin of the first magnitude , a great mysterie of iniquitie ; the greatest monster that ever was . this naturally flows from the former idea and explication of unbelief : for if the character and nature of unbelief be so comprehensive ; if it seize so much on the vitals of the soul , then certainly it must needs have a very maligne and venimous influence on al sin ; yea , it must contain in it the malignitie , and poison of al sin . oh! what a prodigious sin is unbelief ? what abysses and depths of iniquitie are there in the bowels of it ? we have seen how it infuseth itself into the whole soul , and dispirits al the faculties thereof ; oh! what darknesses and mists doth it infuse into the mind ? how foolish and sottish doth it make sinners ? what grand mistakes and prejudices doth it breed , touching al the good things of our peace ? how stupid and senselesse doth it make conscience ? what a world of securitie , and false peace doth it produce ? what made the old world so secure before the deluge came , and swept them al away , but their unbelief ? how comes it to passe that both wise and foolish virgins slumber , before the coming of the bridegroom , but from their unbelief ? what makes sinners so stout-hearted and opposite to the righteousnesse of christ , but their infidelitie , isai . . ? how comes it to passe that sinners are so inflexible as to al chrsts gracious offers , but flexible towards sin , and its allurements ? what is it that fortifies the heart so much in its adherence to idols , and false objects of trust ? what makes mens wils so rebellions against christ , yea destroyeth obedience in the principal root thereof ? are not al these the fruits of unbelief ? oh! what a lazy , slothful , remisse , and softnatured thing is unbelief , as to al that is good ? and yet how vigorous and active is it in , and for the production of al sin ? yea , is not unbelief virtually al sin ? doth it not breed , preserve , foment , incourage , actuate , and spirit al sin ? whence procede the great errors of mens minds , hearts , and lives but from infidelitie ? how comes it to passe that sinners are so hasty in snatching at present goods , but so slow-hearted and backward in closing with the good things of their peace ? surely it is from unbelief . whence spring mens confusions , and distractions of heart in times of trouble , but from their unbelief ? whence also springs al that formalitie , and deadnesse in duties , but from unbelief ? is not this also the cause of mens hypocrisie both in heart and life ? oh! what a world of irregular and exorbitant passions doth unbelief worke in mens hearts ? what makes the sensual world so tenacious in adhering to sensible good , but their unbelief , as to good things hoped for ? may not then every sin deservedly cal unbelief , father ? is not this sin of infidelitie to be found at the end of every sin ? whence spring the main exorbitances , and distempers of mens hearts and lives , but from infidelitie ? men discourse variously what was the first sin by which adam fel ; but have we not much reason to believe , that unbelief was adams first sin , which opened the dore to al sin and miserie ? for had not adam disbelieved the word of god , which threatned him in the day that he did eat of the forbidden fruit he should die , he had not believed satan . and as unbelief at first opened the dore to al sin , so doth it not stil hearten , and improve al sin ? yea , is it not the prodigious womb of al sin ? yea , has it not more of sin than any , or al other sins ? it s true , scandalous sins have more of infamie ; but has not infidelitie more of obliquitie , and guilt in it ? is not that the greatest sin , which is against the greatest laws , and obligations ? and is not infidelitie against the greatest obligations that ever were , even a covenant of grace ; which makes such free , such ful , such rich , such suitable , such general , such importunate , such heart-satisfying offers of grace ? and can there be a greater law , than the mediators evangelic law ; which is composed of such sweet alluring precepts , and promisses ? and yet lo ! how doth unbelief oppose the royal law of christ ? oh! what a world of rebellion lies wrapt up in the bowels of infidelitie ? how doth it scorne , reject , yea spurne at bowels of evangelic love , and grace ? yea , is it not extremely opposite to al the principles of obedience ? is there not also abundance of idolatrie in infidelitie ? can there be a worse idol than self idolised ? and doth not every unbeliever idolise his own carnal wisdome , his proud wil , his commun gifts , his self-sufficience , his legal righteousnesses , and seeming good duties ? is not the unbelievers self-dependence the worst piece of idolatrie ? doth not every unbeliever by depending on himself , as his first principle , and last end , make himself his god ? again is there not an hel of blasphemie in infidelitie ? doth not every unbeliever , by his secret , or open murmurs against god raise many black lies , and scandals on god ? yea , what are the unbelievers discontents against god , but , in the scriptures account , a cursing of god , as job . , ? lastly is there not a world of atheisme in al infidelitie ? doth not unbelief , at one stroke , take away the scriptures , god , and christ , and al the good things of our peace ? as the unbeliever doth by his self-dependence deifie himself , so doth he not also by the same undeifie the true god ? thus we see what a prodigious monstrous sin unbelief is . . this notion of infidelitie , as before explicated , justifies god , in his most severe procedures against al vnbelievers . alas ! what blame may be laid upon the holy god , for hiding the things of his peace from the unbelievers eyes , when as he wilfully shuts his eyes against them ? has the unbeliever any thing to object against christ , for not healing his wounded soul , seing he wilfully rejects the medicinal grace , and bloud of christ , which are the only remedies for his healing ? if sinners wil justifie their unbelief , which is so much condemned by god , is it not just with god to condemne them for it ? so long as unbelievers despise gospel-love , and mercie , is it not just that gospel-vengeance take hold of them ? what more equitable than that such perish in their sins , who resist al the sweet attractives and allurements of grace , by which christ endeavors to draw them out of sin and miserie ? doth not infidelitie dispirit and make void al ordinances , and means of salvation ? who then can be blamed , but the unbeliever , for his own damnation ? is not infidelitie the highest treason against heaven ? can then any punishment be too severe for it ? doth not unbelief , as has been intimated , darken al the glorious attributes of god ? is not the wisdome of god estimed mere folie by it ? doth it not rebel against the soveraintie of god , by placing the sinners wil above it ? doth it not make the faithfulnesse of god unfaithful ; yea , give the lie to it , by questioning the truth of his promisses , john . ? oh! how warme , how large , how tender , how rolling are the bowels of free-grace towards sinners ? but doth not unbelief spurne at those bowels , by shutting the heart against them ? is not the omnipotence of god limited , yea counted mere impotence by infidelitie , isai . . , , ? how doth it likewise trample on the patience , and forbearance of god ? is it not then most righteous , that the great god , who is thus injured , and abused by infidelitie , should revenge his own quarrel thereon ? again , how doth infidelitie slander , reproche , and undermine christ , the great mediator of life and salvation ? is not christ the greatest institute and ordinance of god ? is he not appointed by god as the alone savior of mankind ? and yet , lo ! how do unbelievers reproche and oppose him ? is not christ greatly undervalued , when his gracious offers are rejected ? can we abuse christ more , than by opposing the good things offered by him ? is it not a bloudy crime to meet christ's grace with resistance ? oh! what an hel of iniquity lies in this sin of unbelief , in that it is a despising of christ's bleeding , drawing love ? is any sin a greater burden , and pain to christ than infidelitie ? is he not hereby wearied , esa . . ? yea , is not christ greatly mocqued , and slandered by unbelief ? yea , doth not infidelitie rob christ of al his mediatorie offices , and perfections ? yea , is it not the sorest crucifixion of christ ? did not judas , the jews , and pilate pierce christ more sorely by their unbelief , than by their acts of betraying , and condemning him ? now if infidelitie be so injurious to christ , is it not just with him to vindicate such injuries ? yea , indeed , what are al the unbelievers jugements and torments , but such as he electively , and voluntarily draws upon himself ? are any evangelic unbelievers damned , but such as wilfully elect death before life ? do not al they that reject christ , electively embrace death , prov. . ? and has the unbeliever any reason to complain against god for condemning of him , seing he is unwilling to be saved ? is not this the main that christ expects from evangelic unbelievers , that they willingly accept grace offered to them ? and if they wil not , who is to be blamed , but their own perverse stubborne wils ? do not they deservedly perish , who wilfully perish ? if sinners wil be so cruel , so bloudy-minded , as to murder their own souls by unbelief , they must blame none but themselves for their ruine : the righteous god is sufficiently vindicated from any imputation against him . oh! how wil this silence , and seal up the lips of unbelievers unto al eternitie , that grace and life was offered to them , but they voluntarily chose death before life ? what pleas can such have , why they should not be damned , seing they wilfully rush into ways that lead to damnation ? chap. ix . practic uses . . studie the mysterie and causes of infidelitie . . lament over the prevalence of it . . examine how far it prevails . . abjure it as the worst hel. . pursue faith as the highest interest , and spring of the divine life . we now procede to a more close , and practic application of these general notions of infidelitie . and the first vse we shal make of this doctrine , is , by way of general advice unto al , both believers and unbelievers , to studie much the black nature , and venimous influences of infidelitie . certainly , if sinners were but wel acquainted with that mysterie of iniquitie , that is wrapt up in the bowels of infidelitie ; and how pernicious this sin is to their souls , were it possible that they could please themselves in it as they do ? alas ! can we imagine , that unbelievers would sit down so quietly under the chains & fetters of their unbelief , were they but in a serious manner apprehensive of it ? but ah ! here lies the great damning sin , and miserie of the unbelieving world , men are not deeply and feelingly sensible of the burden , and stings of an unbelieving heart . how few are there , who observe and mourn under the secret veins of infidelitie , that loge in their hearts ? where is that soul that lamentes , day by day , his want of a particular , supernatural , spiritual , distinct , certain , firme , evangelic , ful , prevalent , affective , effective , and transformative assent to the good things that belong to his peace ? do not many great professors seem to assent to the mysteries of the gospel , but yet really dissent from , or , at least not live up to them ? have not many the name of believers , who yet never felt the virtue , and efficace of faith ? do not many pretend to a kindnesse for christ , who yet secretly hate him in their hearts ? how few , yea very few , among the croud of professed believers , live under the vital power of faith ? may we not , without breach of charitie , judge those to be under the power of unbelief , who were never truly sensible of the power of it ? is not infidelitie , as it has been shown , the greatest sin , and therefore ought to have the greatest sense ? what is the main and first worke of the spirit of bondage but to convince the unbelieving world of their unbelief , as john . ? and can men be convinced of it , unlesse they studie , and observe the nature and workings of it ? why is it that the most of men do account infidelitie so smal a sin , but because they never inquired into its black ugly nature and aggravations ? how comes it to passe , that many take part with their unbelief , but because they are not sensible , what a mischievous pernicious thing it is ? alas ! did men studie , and believe what an hainous sin infidelitie is , how would they abominate and loath it ? what speed would they make to be rid of it ? yea , why is it that believers themselves are so much under the prevalence of unbelief , but because they have not that sense of its indwelling , and prevalence , which they ought to have ? did believers meditate much of , and mourne under the evils of an unbelieving heart , surely they would not be so much troubled with it as they are . oh! what a rare thing is it for believers to have a quick sense of unbelief ? what better argument and marque can we have of a sound believer , than a daily sense of , and humiliation for unbelief ? yea , is it not a good signe of much growth in faith and other graces , to be inwardly acquainted with , and troubled for the remains of infidelitie dwelling in us ? do not the best and most improved christians usually complain most of this sin ? oh! what an invisible , slie , and subtile sin is infidelitie ? how long doth it lie lurking in the soul , before it be observed ? doth it not , like some cunning politicians , animate and encourage every sin , yet concele itself in al its actings ? doth it not then greatly concerne al , both believers and unbelievers , to studie wel the nature , causes , and maligne influences of unbelief ? oh! how much of infidelitie might we find in every sin , were we but wel-skilled in the nature , and workings of it ? but , alas ! what mysteries and riddles are unbelievers to themselves ? how unacquainted are they with the spiritual , cunning , and subtile turnings and windings of their unbelieving hearts ? is it not then the great concerne of al , to be greatly intent on the studie of , and inquisition into the nature , operations , and effects of unbelief ? but above althings we should much contemplate , and inquire into the causes of infidelitie . is not he the wisest philosopher , who contemplates , and understands best the causes of things ? and do not men account him the most able physician , who gives the best conjecture at the causes of a disease ? so in like manner may we not repute him among the most understanding believers , who is best skilled in discerning the causes of unbelief ? surely althings are best known in and by their causes : o then ! if thou wilt understand the black nature of infidelitie , studie and inquire narrowly into its causes : inquire into that soverain , venimous , black darknesse , which dwels in conscience , and makes al the good things of thy peace to disappear . oh! what a veil doth this thick spiritual darknesse draw on al the excellences of christ ? how doth it stain al the beautie , and glorie of evangelic offers , made to the unbelieving soul ? oh! what an efficacious influence hath the darknesse of conscience , on the darknesse of infidelitie ? studie also how much carnal reason doth promote infidelitie . what more contrary to faith than carnal reason ? when men endeavor to mesure the promisses , or providences ; the words , or workes of god by carnal wisdome ; what black jealousies , and suspicions of gods love , care , and faithfulnesse procede thence ? how is the unbelievers heart filled with black ugly prejudices against christ , and al the offers of his grace ? the lesse of carnal reason , there is mixed with faith , the more pure it is . again observe how much carnal securitie doth foment , and promote thine unbelief . is not a secure conscience ever an unbelieving conscience ? when men consider not the things that belong to their peace , how can they understand , or believe them ? what made the old world so much disbelieve the approching deluge of gods wrath , but their wretched securitie ? it s true , unbelief is oft the cause of carnal securitie , but is it not also as oft the effect of it ? is not the securitie of the wise and foolish virgms , made a cause of their infidelitie , matthew . ? is not faith maintained by an inward , tender , feeling sense ; and unbelief by the want of such a sense ? further , take notice how much self-love doth feed , and nourish thine unbelief ? what self-dependence and self-seeking it workes in thee ? how soft-natured , and faint-hearted as to dutie , but stout-hearted and resolute against christ , and al his gracious invitations , it makes thee ? oh! studie how much self-love fortifies thy heart against al the good things of thy peace ; but exposeth and layes it open to al the tentations of sin and satan . consider also how much spiritual pride contributes to thine infidelitie : oh! how craftie and cunning is the pride of infidelitie ? and how much are the unbelievers bands strengthened hereby ? meditate also on thy short-spiritednesse , and its venimous influence on thine unbelief : how contracted and narrow is the unbelievers heart ? and how much is his unbelief promoted hereby ? a confined , short , straitned spirit is alwaies pusillanimous , feeble , and unbelieving , as exod. . . lastly , examine if there be not some base , darling lust lurking at the bottome of thy wil , which secretly feeds , and fortifies thine unbelief . oh! what large provision doth any beloved lust make for infidelitie ? how much is its throne maintained by it ? what stout arguments do darling lusts urge against christ , and al his gracious offers ? these with some other are the principal causes , and most bitter roots of infidelitie , the observation and discoverie of which , wil be of great use for the subduing of this sin . but the more ful inquisition into the causes of infidelitie wil be the entire subject of the second part of our discourse touching unbelief . . another practic improvement we may make of this doctrine , is by way of sad lamentation , and humiliation for the prevalence of infidelitie in the world , even among professors . is the idea , or visage of unbelief so black and ugly ? are its influences so venimous , and contagious ? how then comes it to passe , that this knowing world is enamored , and fallen in love with it ? could any sober mind imagine , that a thing so deformed , and pernicious , should seem so amiable and desirable in the eyes of men ? was it ever known , that the leper was amorous of his scabs ; or the begger in love with his rags ; or the prisoner with his fetters ; or the wounded person with his bleeding wounds ? how then comes it to passe , that the christian world is so much amorous of , and delighted in infidelitie ; which is the worst leprosie , povertie , deformitie , and miserie , that the soul partakes of ? yea , how comes it to passe , that believers themselves have such reliques and remains of unbelief in them ; and that in such days as these are , wherein evangelic light , love , and grace so much abound ? hath not our blessed lord taken al the courses and means that may be , to cure men of their infidelitie ? as to the encouragements and motives to believe , doth he not shew himself as kind as kind may be ? has he not given al manner of warrants , yea commands for men to believe ? doth not the covenant of grace give as good law-right , as may be , for al that wil to come and embrace the good things that belong to their peace ? are not the offers of the covenant general , free , abundant , and most affectionate ? is not christ more willing to save , than sinners are to be saved ? as to means , what can god do more , than he has , in saying , here is my son , my spirit , my gospel , and al the good things of my peace ; take al , and welcome ? and are not the termes on which al these good things are offered , most easie to any that is but really willing to be happy ? yea , are not the means vouchsafed by god , to cure our infidelitie in these lightsome days , much greater , than in former days ? whence then is it , that men continue in their infidelitie , and that with so much delight ? has christ condescended so low in the offers of his grace , and do sinners still persist in their rejecting , or not improving such rich and gracious offers ? oh! what mater of sad contemplation , and lamentation is here ? how ought every eye to weep apart , and every heart to bleed apart , for personal , domestic , ecclesiastic , and national infidelitie ? alas ! how true , too true , is that prediction of our omniscient lord , touching these last days , luke . . neverthelesse when the son of man cometh , shal he find faith on the earth ? who knows how near this coming of the son of man may be ? may we not conjecture , that some great coming of the son of man cannot be far off , because faith is so much departed from the earth ? was there ever , since the coming of our lord in the flesh , more light , and yet more atheisme in the world ? is not the disbelief of the main articles of our faith , the only faith and belief that is to be found among some ? are not al the great fundamentals and vitals of faith struck at by some , who would count it an high affront to be judged unbelievers ? yea , to come nearer home , have we not cause to fear , that many , who passe for shining believers , wil one day appear to be rotten-hearted unbelievers ? yea , to leave others to their supreme judge , have we not al cause to lay our hands on our hearts , and condemne our selves of much infidelitie ? if thou art not sensible of much unbelief indwelling in thee , is it not a sad symtome , that thou hast nothing , or at best , but very little of true faith in thy heart ? may we not safely say , that he never truely mourned for any sin , who never mourned for infidelitie , which is at the end of every sin ? oh! what lamentable ruines has unbelief brought on many flourishing churches ? and may we expect to be exemted from the like strokes of divine justice , unlesse we lament , and mourn over our unbelief , which deserves the same ? take these motives to provoke thine heart to a deep lamentation and humiliation for thine own , and other mens unbelief . ( ) unbelief is , as has been said , the greatest sin , and therefore ought to worke in us the greatest sense and humiliation . ( ) if thine heart be not deeply humbled for thine unbelief , thou wilt soon be overcome by it . ( ) the more thy soul is melted under the sense of unbelief , the more evangelic and spiritual it is . what better marque is there of a spiritual , yea of a believing heart , than a deep sense of , and humiliation for unbelief ? it is a great proof of our faith , yea , of an eminence in faith , to mourne greatly under unbelief . ( ) a little unbelief in believers is much worse than much unbelief in others ; because believers have greater obligations , encouragements , assistances , and means to believe . ( ) not to be humbled for the unbelief of others , whether churches , or state , is to partake with them in their sin ; and so to expose our selves to their approching jugements , at least temporal . . this lays a deep and essential obligation on al , to examine accurately , how far they fal under the guilt and power of infidelitie . if the nature of unbelief be such , as hath been described , then surely it concernes al to examine how far it prevails in them . doth not the great ressemblance that there is between saving faith and commun , oblige al to trie of what stampe , and make their faith is ? alas ! how much commun assent is there , which passeth for saving ? what a great verisimilitude , or likenesse is there between the notional assent of unbelievers , and real assent of true believers ? do not many knowing professors seem to receive the word of god , as the word of god , who yet indeed receive it only as the word of men ? have not many contemplative professors sublime , and raised apprehensions of spiritual mysteries , and yet al the while their assent to them is but carnal and natural ? do not some seem deeply convinced of , and confirmed in evangelic reports , who yet yield but a legal , staggering assent thereto ? doth not the vigor and strength of many mens assent arise from some transient worke of the spirit of bondage , rather than from a deep apprehension , and valuation of evangelic objects , which they assent unto ? again , how easy is it for men to be mistasten in their consent to the good things of their peace ? do not many seem very forward in electing of christ , who yet retain secret reserves for some beloved idol ? are not too many , from the force of legal convictions , compelled to close with christ , who yet secretly hate him at heart ? how many adhere to christ in profession , and yet adhere to the world , or lust in affection ? are there not many , who seem to recumb and lean on christ for life , but yet really recumb , and lean upon self ? oh! what a world of convinced sinners take up with a spurious or commun faith instead of saving ? how dreadfully do millions of unbelievers delude themselves with a sick dream , and shadow of commun faith ? alas ! what an easie mater is it for professors , in these knowing times , to mistake commun faith for saving ? to deceive themselves and and others with a forme or picture of faith , and yet to remain under the real power of unbelief ? it is indeed very difficult to gain a true solid divine faith : but oh ! how easie is it to take up with a seeming faith ; which yet shal look as much like saving faith as may be ? oh! how securely doth infidelitie lurke in many poor souls , under the vizard of faith ? doth not commun faith oft look so demurely , as that you can very hardly discerne its difference from saving ? are not the most of professors too soon satisfied in their own faith ? do not multitudes of awakened sinners lay their consciences asleep , or amuse themselves with the apparences of faith ? is not every unbeliever , yea believer also , a mysterie to himself ? how much then are we al concerned to make a narrow scrutinie into our hearts , and to examine whether our faith be of the right kind ? oh! what a foolish and dangerous thing is it , for any to deceive themselves with false images and apparences of faith ? is not the least error here fundamental ? alas ! what a poor felicitie is it , to steal silently to hel , in a fond persuasion of being believers , when as our faith hath no foundation , but in our own sick dreaming phantasies ? of what use wil a forme of faith , without the power of it be , unlesse to sinke us deeper into hel ? to have a notion of faith , and yet to live under the practice of unbelief , what wil this serve for , but to concele , and fortifie hypocrisie , and al manner of spiritual lusts in the heart ? doth not this then further oblige us , to examine strictly what we are as to faith and infidelitie ? again , if after al this men wil not examine and use the means to discover their state , are not such willingly deceived ? and if men are willingly deceived in this particular , do not they willingly perish ? and oh ! what a sting wil this be to torment wilful unbelievers in hel , that they were so willing , and took so much pains to deceive themselves with a mere semblance , and shadow of faith ; but were no way willing , and took no pains to examine their hearts , thereby to undeceive themselves , and lay a foundation for saving faith ? wil not this make the evangelic unbelievers hel seven times hotter than al other hels , that he took so much pains to deceive and ruine his soul ; but was not willing to take a little pains to undeceive , and save his soul ? oh! what cruel self-murder is this ? doth it not then nearly , and greatly concerne us al to make a very curious examen , and strict research into our hearts , touching our faith , whether it be saving , or only commun ? o that professors would put such questions as these , unto their consciences , and never desist , til they have brought the whole to some good issue . it s true , i have a notion and forme of faith ; but have i indeed the real power and virtue of faith ? am i not rather under the dominion and prevalence of infidelitie ? i assent to some words of god that are agreable ; but do i not dissent from some other which disagree with , and crosse my lusts ? i do receive the word of faith ; but have i faith mixed with the word i receive ? mine awakened conscience attendes to the joyful sound of the gospel ; but doth not my lustful heart attend as much to allurements of lust ? the peace of the gospel is pleasing to my wounded conscience ; but are not the duties of the gospel displeasing to my rebellious heart ? my mind hath some estime for the good things of my peace ; but has it not as great estime for the good things of this world ? have i a right valuation of those things i hope for ? mine assent to evangelic truths , and mysteries seems firme and strong ; ay , but doth it leave suitable impressions on mine heart ? is it vigorous , affective , and active ? doth it kil my lust , and give life unto my soul ? moreover , o my soul , thou seemest to have a good liking to jesus , the savior ; ay , but hast thou as good a mind to christ , i. e , as anointed by the father to be king over thy lusts , person , and goods ? art thou brought over to a voluntarie , free , cordial , complete , and fixed closure with him , as offered in the gospel ? canst thou take a whole christ , with thy whole heart , and that for ever ? doest thou give christ that place in the intention and bent of thy wil , which belongs to him ? hath his lave and grace the soverain dominion over thy wil ? and is thy wil bended to a correspondence with his divine wil ? canst thou be content to be nothing , that christ may be althings to thee ? is his glorie thy last and utmost end ? and is it thy joy to see althings to suit with his end , though they may crosse thine own private ends ? wil nothing but christ content thee ? art thou restlesse ' til thou attainest to the enjoyment of him ? is this the grand motive of thy seeking after christ , that thy good is laid up in him , and not in thy self ? and art thou wholly for christ , as he is wholly for thee ? doest thou adhere to him with a plenitude of wil , as the iron to the loadstone ? canst thou do much for , and yet trust in nothing but christ ? art thou obsequious and obedient to the spirits dictates , as to thy supreme conductor and director ? and when thou comest short of honoring christ by obedience , doest thou honor him by humble acknowlegement , and dependence ? canst thou wait on , and adhere to christ in his ordinances , albeit thou feelest no sensible impartments of comfort , peace , and quickening ? these , or such like questions , which take in the spirit and life of faith , thou shouldest frequently put to thy soul , and never desist from urging of them , ' til thou hast brought the question to this conclusion , whether thou art a true believer or not ? if thou desirest more expresse rules to examine thy state by , then take those mentioned in the foregoing chapter , corollarie . touching the differences between saving faith and commun : whereby thou mayest , with the concurrence of divine illumination , arrive to a wel-grounded persuasion , whether thy faith be only commun , or saving . ( . ) this also affordes mater of exhortation unto al , to abjure and abandon infidelitie , as the worst enemie in the world ; yea , worse than satan , or hel itself . can there be a worse enemie , than that which deprives us of our chiefest good ? and is not this the grand design of infidelitie ? yea , doth it not put a bar to al mercie , but open the dore to al sin and miserie ? how sottish , and foolish doth it make sinners ? what a dul , lazy , remisse , loitering spirit doth it breed in men ? yea , how negligent , slow-hearted , and backward to whatever is good , are believers themselves , so far as unbelief prevails on them , luk. . ? o! how doth it slug mens spirits in whatever good they are about ? what a clog is it to the soul in al its spiritual exercices ? how doth it crampe , and dispirit the affections , those feet of the soul ? what stubbornesse , rebellion , and obstinace doth it infuse into the wil ? how much doth it distract , deaden , and harden the heart in al duties ? how lean , poor , and barren in grace , and gracious fruits are many believers , by reason of their prevalent unbelief ? doth it not also take off the beautie , lustre , and sweetnesse of mercies received , or expected ? oh! how bitter are many sweet mercies when mixed with infidelitie ? yea , doth it not turne al mercies into curses , to those who are under the complete dominion of it , as rom. . ? and how many choise mercies are believers deprived of by reason of their unbelief ? whence spring their groundlesse troubles of consciences ; their misjugements , and mistakes about their state ; their heart-faintings , sinking discouragements , and despondences under desertion ; their hard and scandalous thoughts of christ , his heart , and dispensations towards them , but from their infidelitie ? oh! what a sting doth it put into al afflictions ? how burdensome , and irkesome is the crosse of christ to the unbelieving heart ? how sweet and easy is the bitter , heavy crosse so far as faith prevails ? but , oh ! what a troublesome , vexatious neighbor is infidelitie ? how doth it torment the heart , and cause it to pine away , and consume to nothing , even under groundlesse expectations , and needlesse fears of trouble ? may it not become a true proverb , much infidelitie , and much sorrow ? how do afflictions pinch , and gal unbelieving spirits ? how unable are such to see any good in afflictions ? what need have afflicted persons of faith ? again , how soon doth infidelitie betray us into the hands of every tentation ? faith hath omnipotence engaged for its assistance : but oh ! what a poor , impotent thing is unbelief ? how unable is it to to conflict with smal tentations ? satan is oft the father , but is not unbelief the mother of al tentations ? what made adam and eve yield to satan's tentation , but their infidelitie ? was not this also that which made judas betray , peter denie , and the jews crucifie the lord of glorie ? it s true , when the tentation is asleep , the unrighteous man is righteous ; the unclean person is chaste ; the passionate man is meek ; the invidious man is kind ; the avaricious man is liberal ; the unfaithful man is faithful : but oh ! when the tentation is awakened , how soon doth unbelief betray the heart into the hands of these , or the like corruptions ? thinke not thy self secure from the prevalence of any tentation , so long as thou art under the prevalence of infidelitie . alas ! how soon is tentation fired by unbelief ? but oh ! how is the believing soul , that by faith adheres to christ , strongly fortified , and armed against the most violent tentations ? moreover , how are the main breaches of our lives maintained , and improved by infidelitie ? what departures from god , what turnings aside from , or remisnesses in duties are unbelievers exposed unto ? doth not unbelief cut the sinews , and nerves of al evangelic obedience ? doth it not let out the vital spirits , & heart-bloud of al good inclination and affections ? is not the very root , and seminal virtue of good intentions withered and blasted hereby ? how much beneath the least evangelic dutie is the unbelieving soul ? how doth unbelief poison many good inclinations ? oh! what a venimous maligne thing is unbelief ? how doth it infuse a malignitie , and poison into al the parts of the soul ? is not the spirit of the mind , the most noble part of the soul , envelopped , or wrapt up in contagious black darknesse by it ? are not al the faculties of the soul spoiled of their vigor , beautie , harmonie , order , and exercices by unbelief ? oh! what a bloudy , hard-hearted , soul-murdering sin is it ? how doth it compel the sinner to embrew his hands in his own bloud ; to sheath a sword in his own bowels , by a wilful rejection of evangelic offers ? how welcontented is it to see the unbelievers sentence of condemnation subscribed , and sealed with the mediators dreadful curse , john . ? what flames of vengeance ; what treasures of wrath doth infidelitie treasure up against the day of wrath , rom. . . thes . . , , ? how patient is it , whiles satan claps on the chains , and fetters of spiritual slumber , and hardnesse of heart on the sinners legs ? how willing is it to see the poor unbeliever famished and starved , amidst the rich and sumtuous feasts of evangelic grace , and mercie ? has not christ made a plentiful , and costly feast for sinners ? and is he not extreme free , and cordial in his invitations ? how then comes it to passe that sinners come not to it when invited ? why , is it not unbelief , that keeps them back , and that as it were by hairs , namely some poor and foolish excuses , mat. . - ? oh! how studious , and ready is infidelitie to shift it self of christ , and al the good things of its peace , offered to it ? what silly excuses , and pretences doth it make , to put off christ , and his evangelic offers ? what little reason , or cause have unbelievers to object against christs gracious offers ? are not christs armes open to receive them , when they come ? yea , doth he not , day by day , cal upon , and importune them to come unto him , prov. . - ? did he ever refuse , or look strangely on any that came unto him ? yea , is he not more willing to receive sinners , than they are to come unto him ? or , are the flames of hel more elegible , than the joys of heaven ? is the vassalage of satan more desirable , than the libertie of the sons of god ? is there so much beautie in sin , as to make men desire it before the beauties of holinesse ? are the remorses , and stings of the worme of conscience more agreable , and pleasing , than peace of conscience , and the smiles of divine love ? if not , how comes it to passe , that sinners choose the evil , and refuse the good offered to them ? oh! is not infidelitie the cause of al this miserie ? is not christ's hand , and heart open towards sinners ; but are not their hearts shut against him by unbelief ? is there any thing in christ , or his evangelic offers that keeps men from believing ? o then ! what an irrational , sottish , perverse , cruel sin is unbelief ? what a world of miserie doth it bring on sinners ? how justly doth christ pronounce a sentence of death against them , who wilfully reject his offers , and means of life ? alas ! how is it possible that salvation itself should save such , so long as they wilfully spurne at the offers of salvation ? is there any sin that doth more directly oppose salvation by christ , than unbelief ? christ comes , by his evangelic offers of grace , to draw the unbelievers heart unto him ; but oh ! how doth he draw back ? yea , how doth his unbelief oppose christ , as he comes clothed with grace , love , and pitie ? and can unbelievers expect , that christ should passe by such affronts , and indignities , without severe punishments ? doth any thing more provoke christ , than to have his bowels , and compassions towards sinners spurned at ? cannot he put up any injuries better than this ? is not unbelief the most cruel , and bloudie enemie in the world , in that it takes away not only the active power of doing good , but also the passive power of receiving good , when offered ? is not this the language of infidelitie , lord , i need not , i desire not thy grace ; keep it to thy self : i have wherewith of mine own , to supplie my needs ; i can make a shift with mine own righteousnesse , to clothe my nakednesse ; with the balsame of mine own good workes to heal my wounds , &c. and as infidelitie thus puts a bar to al grace and mercie ; so also doth it not open the dore to al the jugements of god ? are not the most severe plagues of god entailed on infidelitie ? doth not this sin provoke god to curse mens blessings ? doth it not also cut us off from many promissed mercies ? yea , how severely hath god punished this sin in his own people ? was not moses an holy man , deprived of entring into canaan for one act of unbelief ? oh! how deep doth gods wrath sinke into the unbelievers soul ? how many flourishing churches have been deprived of the gospel , and means of grace for their infidelitie ? or suppose , that god continues some means of grace , yet doth not unbelief turne them into means of hardening ? when men wil not believe the gospel , how oft doth christ leave such to a spirit of error , to believe lies ? yea , doth not infidelitie continued in , oft cause christ to give up such to their own lusts ; which break forth sometimes into scandalous sins ? yea , how oft doth christ deliver up impenitent , obstinate unbelievers , to a spirit of slumber , judicial hardnesse , and al manner of divine vengeance ? are these the effects of infidelitie ? is there so much sin , and self-murder , wrapt up in its bowels ? and are there so many curses and plagues , both temporal , spiritual , and eternal , entailed on it ? may we not then , without any injustice , conclude , that unbelief is the worst enemie we have in the world ? doth not our infidelitie give us more pain and trouble than al other enemies ? oh! then how should we , with fire and sword , persecute unbelief , as our most mortal enemie ? can we be too severe against such a deadly enemie ? is not al pitie and compassion that we shew towards unbelief , the greatest crueltie that may be to our own souls ? why should we then cease our indignation and revenge against unbelief , ' til we have let out its heart-bloud ? remember , the more you pitie , & spare it , the more cruel you are to your selves . . this also layes an essential and strong obligation on al , both believers and vnbelievers , to put an high value on faith ; and to pursue after it , as their supreme interest , and concerne . surely , if infidelitie be so prodigious , and pernicious a sin ; then , by a paritie of reason , faith most be the most useful , and excellent grace . contraries much illustrate , and set off each other : and oh ! how doth the black deformed nature , and venimous qualities of infidelitie set off the beauties , and excellent qualities of faith ? what a strange , and miraculous power , and efficace has faith ? how doth it make things absent , present ; the invisible glories of the coming world visible ; as the visible glories of this world invisible and disapparent ? yea , doth not faith appropriate to itself the whole of gods alsufficience and omnipotence ; and so may , in a sober humble sense , be said to be in some sort alsufficient , and omnipotent ? for al that is in god , faith , by a strange magnetic virtue , can applie to it self ; and thence it can do althings , so far as it has a promisse to bottome on . doth not the great god make himself a debtor to such as trust in him ? how doth faith rend a man from himself , without violence , or pain ? what more effectual to break al our idols , and images of jelousie , than saving faith ? how doth it make al the beautie of the creature to fade away , as a sun-burned flower ? doth it not also dismount the believer , and make him walke on foot , in al manner of self-abasement ? how soon doth the bottome of al sensible good fal out , when faith comes into the soul , and takes the chair ? what doth more elevate and refine reason , than saving faith ? have not those that believe most , the deepest , and soundest reasons ? who is the wiser man , the believer that adheres to the first truth and chiefest good ; or the unbeliever , who rejects the same , and adheres to idols of time ? how doth faith corroborate , and fortifie the wil in what is good , by uniting of it to christ , and the divine wil ? what a sweet harmonie , and order doth it inspire into the affections ? how doth it make the believer to fear god under smiles , love him under frowns , hope in him under difficulties , wait for his returne under desertions ? yea , when our affections are under the greatest disorder and confusion , doth not faith oft draw peace and order out of it ? is not faith both food and physic ? doth it not as wel feed grace , as purge out sin ? whence springeth the christians union with christ , but from faith ? could christ and sinners ever come together , unlesse faith did unite them ? can things contrarie be united , but by some efficacious bond of union ? was it ever known that there was a mariage between the living and the dead ? how then comes it to passe that the dead sinner is espoused to a living christ ? is not this happy match , the alone miraculous effect of faith , wrought by the spirit of god ? and hence doth not faith make god thine , as surely as thou art thine own ? and faith having united the person to christ , doth it not thence , by grace derived from him , purifie the nature also , acts . ? and doth not faith hence worke a miraculous change in the whole disposition of the soul , and conversation ? and as the member is naturally subject to the head , so doth not faith subject the whole soul to christ ? whence also doth not the believer entirely give up himself to christ , as christ gives up himself to the believer ? oh! how doth the believing soul follow after , and adhere to christ , by ineffable groans , and acts of faith , though christ may sometimes seem to depart from him ? how inquisitive is faith to understand al the virtues of christ , and to receive from him grace for grace ? what a violence is it to faith to live , act , breath , speak and walke out of christ ? what is it that keeps the heart , as a chast virgin for christ , but faith ? hence also faith gives the soul solid peace in and with god : and oh ! how satisfying is this peace , which faith gives ? what child-like confidence , and boldnesse ensues hereon ? and thence , how much is the soul satiated in communion with christ , so far as faith prevails ? what solaces , and delicious suavities doth the believing soul , at times , receive from christ ? what an active application is there on christs part towards the believer ; and passive application on the believers part towards christ ? how much is faith delighted in trading with heaven and christ ? is not this the main businesse of faith to enjoy christ , to live and die in him ? what is it that gives the soul an abode in christ , and christ in the soul , but faith , as john . ? oh! what strong desires , and thirsts after christ doth faith worke in the soul ? doth it not make the absence and presence of christ , the mesure of bitter and sweet , of good and evil ? what more efficacious to draw forth every grace in its exercice than faith ? unbelief is the spring of spiritual sloath and lazinesse ; but oh ! how vigorous , and active is faith ? there is no grace , or dutie but it is made easy by faith : how easy is the worke of humiliation made by faith : what makes divine love more spriteful , and vigorous than faith ? yea , is not the whole of christianitie contained in the bowels of faith ? is there any grace required to the divine life , which faith cannot supplie us with ? yea , faith is so good a chymist , as that it can extract riches out of povertie , strength out of weaknesse , glorie out of shame , peace out of trouble , grace out of sin , life out of death , something out of nothing . oh! how miraculous are the virtues of faith ? it makes a man able to do althings , an yet it makes him see he is nothing , and can do nothing : it makes a man content with any thing that god gives , and yet unsatisfied ' til he can enjoy althings in their fountain . again , if we consider faith in its parallel antithesis , or opposition to infidelitie , we shal then see more fully the excellent qualities of it , as also the mischievous influences of infidelitie . ( . ) faith breeds jealousie of our selves , but confidence in god ; it reckons it cannot believe god too much , nor self too little . but oh ! what self-confidence , & jelousie of god doth infidelitie produce ? how much doth it trust self ; and thence how little can it trust in god ? what mutual influences , and reciprocations are there between self-confidences and jelousies of god ? ( ) faith keepeth the heart close to god , his word , and ordinances ; and so keepeth god close to the heart : it follows christ in ways of dependence , adherence , subjection , submission , and conformitie ; and so christ follows it in ways of gracious communications , consolations , manifestations , and communion . but is it thus with unbelief ? doth it not depart from god , his word , and ways ? and thence doth not god depart from the unbeliever ? ( . ) faith prepares for , quickens in , and sweetens every dutie : it sets prayer on foot , meditation on the wing , and drawes forth the attention , and intention of the soul in hearing and reading of the word . but oh ! how doth infidelitie hinder , deaden , and embitter the soul in al gracious exercices ? how doth it clip the wings of meditation , stifle and choke the breathings of prayer , & c ? ( . ) faith fixeth and establisheth the heart , by knitting of it to christ , who is an immutable rock . but oh ! what a mutable , variable , inconstant thing is infidelitie ? how doth it make the heart to stagger , and reel , by dividing and taking it off from god , isai . . ? ( . ) faith makes a livelyhood out of divine promisses , engagements , relations , and influences : it sucks sweetnesse out of promisses , and so is nourished by them : it feeds on divine relations , and influences , and so finds a livelihood in the greatest famine of spiritual injoyments : it is long-handed , and reacheth to heaven for supplies , when al means below fail . but oh ! how short-handed is infidelitie ? it 's true , it has a long hand to reach forth to the creature ; yea , sometimes to hel ; but it has no hand to reach after christ , or his promisse : how doth it suffer the poor hungry soul to starve amidst al evangelic promisses and dainties ? whereas faith takes the soul by the hand , and leades it from one promisse to another , from one attribute to another , and so suckes gracious influences from al , as it need requires . ( . ) faith conquers the whole soul to god ; and thence althings else are conquered to the soul : it subjects the heart to christ , and so makes althings subject to it . but infidelitie captivates the heart to lust , and thence it becomes captivated to every thing else . oh! what a vassal is the unbeliever to every base lust , yea to himself ? ( . ) faith fortifies the soul against al the blandissements , allurements , and eye-pleasing delights of this lower world : it blasteth al the fair promisses of created good , by out-bidding of them . but alas ! how soon is unbelief entangled , and overcome by every inveiglement , and snare of sinful pleasures ? it can fortifie the heart against nothing , but the convictions , and good motions of the spirit . faith is the shield of the new creature , to repel al the poisoned darts of the world and satan ; but infidelitie is the shield of the old man , to repel al the convictions of the spirit , darted into the sinners conscience . ( . ) faith prepares the heart for , and preserveth it under every difficultie , frown , and afflictive crosse : it prepares for the worst times , yet hopes for , and expects the best : it takes out the sting and poison of every crosse ; and infuseth into it a medicinal , healing virtue . but can infidelitie do such marvels ? doth it not unfit us for every difficultie , and then betray us into the hands of it ? faith never leaves us at a losse ; it clotheth the mind with a divine light , whereby it is inabled to see , and passe thorough al dangers . but oh ! how doth unbelief darken the eye of the soul ; and so create black visions of carnal fear , and heart-rending troubles ? difficulties and distresses are the element of faith ; but how unable is infidelitie to live , or breath in such a sharpe air ? ( . ) faith opens the dore to promissed mercies and deliverances : it keeps the condition of the promisse , and so keeps the soul under the blessing of the promisse . but is this in the power of infidelitie ? doth it not rather put a bar to promissed mercies ; as num. . . heb. . ? yea , doth it not open a dore to al the threats and curses of the law ? yea , doth it not bind the unbeliever fast under a sentence of condemnation , as john . ? whereas faith on the contrary stops the mouth of al legal threats and curses , and locks the soul fast under a state of salvation , john . . ( . ) faith improves mercies received , and so makes way for more : it giveth god the honor of his mercies , and man a sanctified and comfortable use of them . but can infidelitie thus improve mercies ? doth it not rather , by its murmurs , and misimprovments , destroy former mercies , and so hinder future ? was not this the temper of the unbelieving jews in the wildernesse , as we find it described , psal . . — ? oh! how doth unbelief rob god of al the glorie , and so man of al the comfort , and right use of mercies received ? how unthankeful , how discontented is the unbeliever under mercies received ; and thence unfit to receive more ? whereas the believer is content under the want of mercies , and thence fit to receive them : he can trust god with his soul , and al other mercies ; and thence god trusts him with mercies needful . but the unbeliever , notwithstanding the receipt of former mercies , cannot trust god for the future ; and therefore god wil not trust him with any special marque of love and mercie . these and suchlike being the admirable qualities of saving faith , how much doth it concerne al to labor , with al possible vigor and activitie , after this so noble and useful a grace ? art thou an unbeliever ? oh! how much then doth it concerne thee to labor after faith , that so thou mayest partake of these admirable privileges and advantages , which hereby thou wilt be invested with ? art thou a new convert , and beginner in christianitie ? oh then ! how much doth it concerne thee , to get much faith , that so thou mayst be strong ? art thou strong , and wel grown in grace ? and art thou not then engaged to act faith much , that so thou mayst continue strong , and grow more strong in grace ? alas ! what canst thou do or suffer without faith ? how much art thou beneath the least dutie or suffering farther than thou art acted by faith ? and oh ! be sure thy faith be of the right make and stampe : dread being deluded with a false , or commun faith , more than hel. make a curious inquisition into the nature , causes , and workings of thy faith : see that it be wel-grounded , and duely qualified . this advice doth more nearly concerne young converts , whose eternal welbeing depends chiefly on the right constitution of their faith at first conversion . for if thy faith in its first framing be naught , thine heart and life wil never be good : thou mayst build a beautiful and goodly structure of profession on a common faith ; but let me tel thee , a storme of tentation wil come , and wash al away : if thy profession be bottomed only on a commun faith , it is begun in hypocrisie , and wil end in apostasie . o that men would be wise before it be too late , and endeavor to know the things that belong to their peace , before they be hid from their eyes . finis . notes, typically marginal, from the original text notes for div a -e a see mede on prov. . . pag. . diatr . . b jackson of the script . fo● . . c sir francis bacon . the contexture of the words . the explication . and. when he was come near . he beheld . the citie e 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 &c. some ( otherwise ) orthodox , took away the word , [ wept ] not understanding its force and strength . epiphanius in ancorato . over it doct. . john . . . f 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ] signum laetitiae . grot. vse . vse . vse . vse . vse . and when he was come near . doc. . he beheld doct. . doct. . the citie doct. . doct. . the moral cause of church-ruines is sin. g maximum scelerum supplicium in ips●s est . seneca . gen. . . h r. salomo & aben-ezra . i christus interiora ejus in●u etur , & ▪ vidit cam esse sentinam omnium flag●●orum . gerard. ex egesi●●i . l. . c. . unbelief . isa . . , . l repente momento veniet fractura ejus ] h. e. maximè subito , & repentè . adverbiorum synonymorum conjunctio emphatice fit . glass . gram. s. . carnal presumtion . jer. . . k junius & glassius lam. . spiritual pride . carnal securitie . l 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he bewails therefore the insensibility of jerusalem theophylact . in locum . isa . . . lam. . . m descendet mirabilibus ] i. e. mirabiliter , q. d. multorum cum admiratione , &c. glassius gram. s . . carnal confidence . isa . . . jerem. . , . hos . . . earthly-mindedness . vnfruitfulnes . persecution of the prophets , &c. want of reformation . . impenitence . chron. . . apostasie . deut. . , . l 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . the wrath of god the effective cause of jerusalems ruine . luk. . . lam. . . lam. . . lam. . . m cum dicit dissipatos fuisse à facie domini , vult ut nolit amplius ipsos aspice●e . calv. sect. . the effects of gods wrath against jerusalem . i temporal jugements . m scaliger in euseb . chro. . . spiritual jugements . . withdrawment of the means of grace . . withdrawment of gracious influences . . a spirit of slumber . he wept . . the qualities of christs tears . . they are divine . . rational . . spontaneous and free . . sincere . . spiritual and regular . . generous . . meek and humble . . amorous and pathetic . . dolorous and sympathetic . o 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . theophyl . . seasonable . . public . the efficace of these tears which were ; . ominous and prophetic . . instuuctive . . exhortative . . threatning . . intercessorie . . influential . . exemplary . the motives which indued christ t● weep over jerusalem from his relations to her . . as a father . jer. . . . as an husband . jer. . , . jer. . . . as lord. joh. . . p est autem 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , tanquam in domum suam . grot. q docent juriscon sulti , id maxime naturaliter nostrum esse , quod nos ut existeret effecimus grot. . as minister of the covenant . r quatenus ergo huic populo minister in salutem , pro officii sui ratione illius exitum deplorat . calv. . christs natural relation to jerusalem . doctrinal inferences . chrsts affections relative . christs affections most pure . christs wil to save sinners . mat. . the aggravations of such as refuse christ . mans ruine from himself . grand unkindnes . christs tears the exemplar of ours . use . advice to studie englands sins , &c. vse . exhortation to mourne over englands sins , and feared miseries . pet. . . vse . caution against church-sins . notes for div a -e saying , s illud 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 est 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ostendit enim reddi a christo causam fletus . grotius . t beza , gerhard . u 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hic est utinam . grot. w si cognovisses tu . pathetica oratio , ideoque abrupta . calv. x budaeus prioribus in pandectas annotationibus . thou hadst known . even thou . y particula 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hoc loco non est copulativa , sed ponitur pro saltem , gerhard . z vel tu , urbs illa supra omnes terrae urbes , deo dilecta , urbs davidis , deo dicata . grot. a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 bis repetitum emphaticè ponitur pro latino , vel , saltem glass . b ergo hic quoque particula 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 accipienda est , ut paulo ante , quod etiam liquet ex particula 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 adjuncta . bez in this thy day . a erat haec ultima quasi occasio ad salutem judaeis oblata , ut mossi●● sibi oblatam recip●●ent , & ita salvar●ntur . glass . significat voce diei adesse , extremum tempus , &c. gerhard . quamvis hactenus sceleste & impie contra deum fueris contumax nunc saltem resipiscendi est tempus . calvin . illuxit grot. the things which belong unto thy peace . but now . e beza , gerard. they are hid from thine eyes . f ellipsis est hebraea , qua ex antecedente intelligitur simul consequens . quae enim abscouduntur , ea à conspect● removentur . gerhard . g 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ] ignorantia inexcusabili quia lucemoblaram i mo ingestam fastidiose respuis . grot. doct. . doct. . doct. . doct. . doct. . psal . . . doct. . even thou . h si vel tu , quae singulari privilegio in toto orbe praecellis , si tu , inquam , quae eoeleste es in rerris sacrarium , cognosceres . calv. doct. : doct. . doct. . doct. . doct. . doct. . doct. . doct. . doct. . doct. . doct. . doct. . doct. the nature of unbelief . what the things that belong to our peace are . the first part of unbelief in respect joh. . . disbeliefe of the gospel or covenant of grace . the covenant of grace contains . . maters of grace . unbelief questions the realitie of the offers of grace . rom. . , . unbelief questions the freedom of the covenant . unbelief strikes at the universalitie of the covenants offers . unbelief limits the riches of grace . rom. . unbelief questions the certainty of the covenant . sam. . . unbelief as to providence . mat. . , , . f 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , hebraeis etiam vocantur hi , qui cùm in praesens habeant satis futuri in●er ●itudinecruciantur . grot. luke . - . aristotle , pliny , aelian . unbelief as to future glorie . heb. . . the formal object of unbelief . thess . . . the several gradations of dissent from the sacred notions of our peace . . rejection of divine truths . . not to attend to sacred notions . . not to yield an explicite assent to divine truths . . not to give a supernatural assent , luk. . . not to give a deep assent . . not to yield a real assent . rom. . , , , . k 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . oecum . . not to give a spiritual assent . cor. . . . a general confused assent . joh. . . metaphor . a canum sagacitate sumta , &c. strigel . . to suspend our assent . rom. . . ver . . ver . . joh. . l 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hic est quod 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , luc. . suspensum tenere . grot. luk. . m 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , graecis non eum modò declarat qui positus est in sublimi , sed eriam eum cujus animus velut . an inevident obscure assent . n veritates fidei sunt evidenter credib●les . aquin pet . . a legal assent . heb. . . . forced assent . act. . . act. . psal . . . . not to retain the things of our peace . n jo. . . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , johanni est insigi grot. psal . . . luk. . . low estime . joh. . . . a barren assent . jam. . . psal . . . . the simple objects of unbelief . unbelief refuseth . . god. . his being . . his attributes , wisdome . faithfulnes . soveraintie . mercie . justice . omnipotence . . providence . ordinances . . unbelief rejects christ . . unbelief refuseth heaven . the acts of unbelief . . rejection of christ . this rejection of christ implies , . open opposition . dislikes of christ . mat. . . b 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 significat propriè tigillum in instrumentis quibus capiuntur lupi , aut vulpes , aut mures : hesychius expressè inquit , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 & commentarius aristophanis inquit , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , sunt curva ligna in decipulis - strigel . in rom. . . heart cavils against offers of grace . luk. . . . not approving the reports of christ . luk. . . o 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , rectè vertitur rejicere : id enim optimè opponitur v. . . delays as to a thorow closure with christ . luk. . . the wils defective reeption of christ . the defects of unbelief as to its object in receiving . . a false christ . . a compound christ . christ compounded wirh the world . mat. . , , . supra modum tristis est enim composita dictio , ex adverbio intendendi 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , quod semper per paroxytonum est ; et significat admodum , excellenter , valde nimis , schmidius in mat. . . christ compounded with lust . christ compounded with spiritual idols . . a divided christ . p 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , i , e. ut dominum , grot. joh. . . q l●r● impatiens ▪ the de●ects of unbelief as to the respects under which christ is received . . as to motives ; . as to the grandeur of christ . . when christ is not received as offered . the defects of unbelief as to the subject of its reception . . a rotten deceitful heart . . a languid , faint wil. jer. . . a terrified forced wil. psa . . . luk. . . . the wils defects as to adherence unto christ . r 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . deut. . . 〈…〉 psal . . heb , . . heb. . . heb. . , . hos . . . psal . . diffidence and distrust . psal . . . cant. . . luk . . . dissatisfaction . phil. . gal. . . t vocula 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 non rem eandem , sed similem respicit . idem 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 glass . gram. sacr. u 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , i. e , qui ultrò & perindè appetitis , velle aliquando pro cupidè optare . glass . gram. sacr. luk. . , . x 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , est minus amare , grot. . the disobedience of unbelief . job . . . joh. . . w qui inabsequiens est filio . grot. psal . . . ver . . . nonapplication of the grace of christ . . putting far off christs second coming . ephes . . , . corollaries . corol. . almost-believers may procede far and yet continue infidels . as to assent , . as to consent . corol. . the difference betwixt saving faith and commun . . as to knowlege . . as to selfdenial . . as to a legal and evangelic spirit . . as to turning the bent of the wil to christ . . as to purifying from sin . . as to transformation into the image of christ , and conformation to his life and laws . . as to the use of means . . as to the foundation . . as to end and rule . . as to gods faithfulnes . corol. . no middle twixt faith and unbelief . corol. . . saving faith rare , but commun faith cheap . corol. . believers have much of unbelief in them . corol. . infidelitie the greatest sin . corol. . god justified in his severe procedure against vnbelievers . vse . of advice to studie the nature and influence of infidelitie . studie the causes of infidelitie . spiritual darknesse . . carnal reason . . carnal securitie . . self-love . . spiritual pride . . short-spiritednes . lastly , beloved lusts . vse . of lamentation and humiliation for the prevalence of infidelitie . vse . . of examination , whether thy faith be saving , or only commun . heart examens by way of soliloquie . vse . of exhortation to deal with infidelitie as our worst enemie . vse . to pursue after faith as the most excellent & powerful grace . faiths efficace . the effects of faith. . self-denial . . the elevation of reason . . the fortifying of the wil and affections . . union with christ . . sanctification . . adherence to christ . . peace and communion with god in christ . . the exercise of grace . . al spiritual goods . the opposition betwixt faith and unbelief . a defence of the country parsons admonition against the exceptions of the plain-man's answer. assheton, william, - . approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page images. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; oxford (uk) : - (eebo-tcp phase ). a wing a estc r this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons . universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase , no. a ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, - ; : ) a defence of the country parsons admonition against the exceptions of the plain-man's answer. assheton, william, - . [ ], p. printed, and are to be sold by r. taylor near stationers-hall, london : . with an imprimatur on the verso of the title page dated: april . . by william assheton. reproduction of the original in the merton college library. created by converting tcp files to tei p using tcp tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the universities of michigan and oxford and the publisher proquest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by proquest via their early english books online (eebo) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). the general aim of eebo-tcp is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic english-language title published between and available in eebo. eebo-tcp aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the text encoding initiative (http://www.tei-c.org). the eebo-tcp project was divided into two phases. the , texts created during phase of the project have been released into the public domain as of january . anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source. users should be aware of the process of creating the tcp texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data. text selection was based on the new cambridge bibliography of english literature (ncbel). if an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in ncbel, then their works are eligible for inclusion. selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. in general, first editions of a works in english were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably latin and welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so. image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in oxford and michigan. % (or pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet qa standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. after proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of instances per text. any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of tcp data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a tcp editor. the texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level of the tei in libraries guidelines. copies of the texts have been issued variously as sgml (tcp schema; ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf- unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p , characters represented either as utf- unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng christian literature -- early works to . christian life -- protestant authors -- early works to . - tcp assigned for keying and markup - apex covantage keyed and coded from proquest page images - judith siefring sampled and proofread - judith siefring text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion a defence of the country parsons admonition , against the exceptions of the plain-man's answer . london , printed , and are to be sold by r. taylor near stationers-hall , . imprimatur . guil. needham april . . a defence of the country parson's admonition . there is a paper called the plain man's answer , &c. which hath made some reflections upon the country parson's admonition . but how justly and with what success ( being directed to make short work on 't ) i do thus briefly examine . the exceptions against that little tract , are . general . . special . . his general exception is against the person who gives you this advice . who , as he pretends , is not duly qualified to write admonitions , because he is not infallible . for thus he expostulates with me . sir , you do not pretend to such infallibility ; and therefore if i must rely upon the ministerial function , i ought in case it can be found , to seek out such a one as is unerring . ( plain man's answer , p. . ) and again . but what ! must i stand to the direction of the ministerial function ? can it secure me that the reverend divines of the church of england have hit upon the right sence of scripture ? but i see they pretend not to such an infallibility . and therefore sir , i must needs tell you , that as when i make choice of a physitian or lawyer , i love to chuse the best . so , if i must make choice of a director , i must and will make choice of him , that can give me security that he neither can nor will lead me astray ; for i do not love to rely upon any thing that can deceive me . [ p. . ] the sum of which charge , when resolved into plain english , is this . these divines of the church of england ( are so modest ) they dare not pretend to be infallible ( for they know but in part , cor. . . ) and therefore they are not fit to be trusted with the care of souls . do not hearken to them , nor regard their admonitions . but the priests of the church of rome ( if we could but make you believe it ) they are infallible , i. e. they neither can nor will deceive you . but are these missioners in earnest whilst they insinuate such things ? do they really believe themselves when they talk at this rate ? to put them to the test ; ask this very missioner ; whether he , or any other private priest in the church of rome , is infallible ? and let him not think to satisfy your doubts by declaring ; that he doth not find any other , but those called roman catholicks , that offer to challenge it . ( pag. . ) what 's this to the purpose ? we need not be told that they challenge to be infallible ; we do not suspect their confidence , but expect their proof . but now if this missioner shall acknowledge , that neither he nor any other private priest is infallible ( and i know he dares not pretend the contrary ) you are then to be admonished , from his own principles , that such fallible and erring guides are not fit to be trusted . you have lately been reminded , not to pin your faith upon anothers sleeve , unless you could be sure that such a one on whom you rely , could not , nor would not deceive you . ( p. . ) and therefore ( my good parishioners ) since some body must direct you , pray do you consider ; whether it is not more prudent to trust your own parson , then a fallible pretending priest ? if this missioner shall then further propose ; that though he is not infallible himself , yet he can bring you to an infallible church , and that 's as good . to this you may answer ; that though your parson is not infallible , yet he can bring you to infallible scriptures , and that 's better . and 't is pertinent to observe ; that the romanists themselves , as well as we , do acknowledg these holy scriptures to be infallible ; but we protestants do declare ; that the church of rome is not infallible . and therefore , since in all doubtful cases the safest part is to be chosen ( and that 's safest , say the priests , wherein both sides are agreed ) do you stick to the scriptures , and let them take their church . i shall not now enter upon the merits of the cause ; by examining the nature of this pretended infallibility . neither , at present , shall i take notice of those reasons , which are here produced by this missioner to support it . these , god willing , shall be considered in their proper place , viz. in my reflections upon the missioners answer to the plain-man's reply . which i hope , in due time , to publish . so much for his general exception . his exceptions in special , are against those directions , which by way of expedient , i desired you to observe . . he is not well pleased that i send you to your prayers . to pray unto god to give you his grace ; to hold fast the profession of your faith without wavering , heb. . . but this is to correct st. paul , and not the country-parson . who thinks it very proper ( since we are to pray in faith ) to turn an apostolick precept into a prayer . and being admonished by the apostle to hold fast our profession : in an humble dependance upon the divine grace , we pray unto god to enable us to do it . however at last he gives you leave to say your prayers . but then he tells you , it must be in this form. if i be not in the right , &c. and if i be in the right , &c. but will this missioner allow his new converts , to pray with these if 's and and 's ? if he grants them such liberty , let me then desire them daily to repeat this prayer . if the church of rome , of which i have now professed my self a member , is not a sound catholick church ; but in any instance is erroneous superstitions and idolatrous ; lord pardon my errors , and lead me into the way of truth . and if the reformation of the church of england , is just and warantable , and agreeable to thy holy word ; lord open mine eyes ; that i may acknowledge my mistake and return into her communion . amen . if here it shall be further urged ; that this conditional way of praying is indeed very fit for protestants , who are not infallibly secure that their faith is true , being various and uncertain ; [ p. . ] but these kind of prayer are never to be used by roman catholicks , who are certain that their faith is true ; and that they are in the right , as being members of an infallible church : tell him ; this is only to talk big , and to be judge in his own cause . for , . a man may be certain , and sure that he is in the right , without being infallible . . there is greater uncertainty ; more divisions and diversity of opinions ( and that in matters of faith ) in the chruch of rome , then there are in the church of england . if he startles at the charge , and thinks himself affronted ; desire him ( for his satisfaction ) to return an answer , to the learned dr. stilling fleet upon that subject . the . direction ( with which likewise he is pleased to find fault ) was this ; when you read the holyscriptures , and do find some place which is too difficult for you , do not then pretend to interpret it your selves . but beg the direction of your spiritual guide ; and desire him to shew you how it is to be understood . it seems thisgentleman is resolved to shew his skill ; other-wise this expedient ( for a reason that he knows ) might have pass'd without his censure . 't is very surprizing ; that a romish priest , who expects such blind obedience to his dictates , should yet be thus offended at this honest advice . byt the reason is evident . for whilst the good protestants of england are so kind to vs , and so careful of themselves , as to own their clergy ( as blessed be god they do , notwithstanding all the arts of rome to withdraw them from us ) i say , whist they stick to their clergy , through gods blessing , they are certainly safe . as to the slavery of such submission ( which this author suggests ) with respect to the church of england , 't is an invidious reflection . we do indeed desire you to take our advice . not for that we have dominion over your faith , but are helpers of your joy : for by faith ye stand , cor. . . now the scripture is the only rule of our faith ; and as such ( to use his own expression ) we will stand and fall by it . ( plain-man's answer . p. . ) and therefore ( as he well reminds you ) you must search diligently and soberly into it your selves . ( lb. p. . ) imitate those noble bereans , who received the word with all readiness of mind , and searched the scriptures daily , whether those things were so . acts . . but to what purpose ( thinks this author ) do you read the scriptures , which neither you , nor your clergy , can pretend to interpret ? and why not ? cannot the divines of the church of england interpret scripture as well as the priests of the church of rome ? no saith he , because they are not infallible , ( and thus he upbraids us at least ten times in this very answer . ) but what strange impertinence is this ? that those men should be thus concern'd for the want of infallibility in others , who have so little of it themselves . for is there any thing more fallible and contradicting , then those vast volums of popish commentators , that even make our shelves to crack ? and yet all these , fallible as they are , owned and published , with the usual approbations , and permissu superiorum . now had i leasure to expostulate , i would desire this missioner ( who writes to me in your name ) to resolve me . that since it would be very profitable for all christians , that the scriptures should be infallibly interpreted ; why doth the church of rome employ particular doctors to interpret them fallibly ? why are such different and contradictory expositions published by her authority ? why doth she not rather petition his holiness , or whoever else is best able to do it , to explain them infallibly ? why doth she hide her candle under a bushel , and keep her talent , of interpreting scripture infallibly , wrapt up in a napkin ? how such unfaithfulness can be answer'd to her lord and master jesus christ , i leave him sadly to consider . to him that knoweth to do good and doth it not , to him it is sin . james . . . i did direct you ; as far as possible to avoid all disputes about religion . and thus far he allows you to follow my advice . for he hates contentions , heats and animosities . and indeed so do i , as being fully convinced , that it is much more profitable , both for me and my parish , to spend my time in devotion and practical discourses , then in these unpleasing disputes . and i have great reason to affirm ; that the rest of my brethren of the church of england , are likewise of the same mind . but since the importunity of others , in seducing our people , hath forced us to it , we dare not now be silent : and think our selves obliged as good shepherds , not only to feed our flocks ; but also to keep them from wandring into by-paths , and to defend them from those that would lead them astray . to his exceptions against my fourth expedient i do thus reply . that it will be time enough to enquire after the priviledges of the roman church , when you are first convinced ; that it is your duty to leave the communion of the church of england . now whoever would perswade you to such a separation ( i told you if he will proceed rationally and to the purpose ) he must first convince you ; that the church of england is no sound member of the church catholick : but that her doctrine is either defective or false . if he pretends that it is defective ; he must then shew , that there are some truths necessarily to be believed , as articles of faith , which the church of england doth not receive as such . and also that there are some necessary duties , or parts of worship , which the church of england either wholly omits , or else doth not require under any such necessity . but if he affirms , secondly , that the doctrine of the church of england is false , he must then prove ; that the church of england doth require some unlawful condition of her communion ; and that either in faith or worship . plainly thus . he must make it appear that her faith is erroneous , and contrary to the written word of god ; the faith once deliver'd to the saints . or else that her worship is unlawful , superstitious or idolatrous . all this indeed he thought very reasonable . and because he hath no leasure for long enquiries , ( p. . ) i will not be so rude as to press him beyond his measures . however i must be so obliging as to assure him ; that when he hath found his arguments , i shall be ready to attend him . and now ( my good parishioners ) having dispatcht this answer , let me thus briefly enforce my former admonition . 't is a serious thing to change your religion . eternity depends upon it . and therefore 't is an unpardonable error , to be guilty of rashness in so weighty a concern . be not perswaded out of your senses with confidence and noise . nor do you presently conclude , that some men are in the right ; because they say it is impossible they should be in the wrong . if they think to frighten you into their way by telling you ; that you are other-wise damned : regard such threatnings no more then you would the ravings of a quaker . for not he that commendeth himself is approved , but whom the lord commendeth . cor. . . be not discouraged ; nor suspect the truth of your faith , because at first hearing you cannot answer a sophistical objection . thinking men , who expect solid arguments , may possibly be surpriz'd , on the suddain , with such slender stuff . for even a child may puzzle a states-man , at riddle my riddle . but these kind of tricks , when a little examined , how trifling do they appear ? and signify nothing but the confidence of those who urge them . remember this , and shew your selves men . finis . a prospect of the primitive christianity, as it was left by christ to his apostles, by the apostles to their disciples saint polycarp and holy ignatius, both contemporaries with and disciples to the holy evangelist and apostle saint john whose lives follow in this short treatise, together with their famous epistles written to several churches / translated according to the best copies out of the original greek into english, by thomas elborowe ... elborow, thomas. approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page images. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; oxford (uk) : - (eebo-tcp phase ). a wing e estc r ocm this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons . universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase , no. a ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, - ; : ) a prospect of the primitive christianity, as it was left by christ to his apostles, by the apostles to their disciples saint polycarp and holy ignatius, both contemporaries with and disciples to the holy evangelist and apostle saint john whose lives follow in this short treatise, together with their famous epistles written to several churches / translated according to the best copies out of the original greek into english, by thomas elborowe ... elborow, thomas. polycarp, saint, bishop of smyrna. epistola ad philippenses. english. ignatius, saint, bishop of antioch, d. ca. . epistolae. english. [ ], , [ ] p. printed by tho. newcomb for william grantham ..., in the savoy : . reproduction of original in union theological seminary library, new york. created by converting tcp files to tei p using tcp tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the universities of michigan and oxford and the publisher proquest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by proquest via their early english books online (eebo) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). the general aim of eebo-tcp is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic english-language title published between and available in eebo. eebo-tcp aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the text encoding initiative (http://www.tei-c.org). the eebo-tcp project was divided into two phases. the , texts created during phase of the project have been released into the public domain as of january . anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source. users should be aware of the process of creating the tcp texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data. text selection was based on the new cambridge bibliography of english literature (ncbel). if an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in ncbel, then their works are eligible for inclusion. selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. in general, first editions of a works in english were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably latin and welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so. image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in oxford and michigan. % (or pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet qa standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. after proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of instances per text. any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of tcp data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a tcp editor. the texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level of the tei in libraries guidelines. copies of the texts have been issued variously as sgml (tcp schema; ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf- unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p , characters represented either as utf- unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng polycarp, -- saint, bishop of smyrna. ignatius, -- saint, bishop of antioch, d. ca. . barnabas, -- apostle, saint. epistle of barnabas. -- english. fathers of the church. christian literature, early. church history -- primitive and early church, ca. - . - tcp assigned for keying and markup - apex covantage keyed and coded from proquest page images - robyn anspach sampled and proofread - robyn anspach text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion a prospect of the primitive christianity , as it was left by christ to his apostles , by the apostles to their disciples saint polycarp and holy ignatius , both contemporaries with and disciples to the holy evangelist and apostle saint john . whose lives follow in this short treatise , together with their famous epistles written to several churches . translated according to the best copies out of the original greek into english , by thomas elborowe vicar of chiswick in the county of middlesex . in the savoy , printed by tho. newcomb for william grantham , at the sign of the black bear in westminster-hall . . to the reverend father in god , robert lord bishop of worcester . my lord , i have been your debter these many years , and although i was perswaded formerly to appear in print in a short exposition upon the book of common-prayer , yet that small and imperfect piece did seek protection from the wings of another . it is my happiness now to make choice of a subject most proper and fit for your lordships patronage ; wherein christianity and the fence about it , the vine and the hedge are so delineated , according to the primitive patterns , that this present age , wherein we live , may blush and stand amazed to see how much short they are in the practise of that religion which they profess , and be ashamed of themselves that they of the first age should be christians indeed , whilst too many of this are onely christians in name . it hath been very well observed by the antient fathers , and as much by these two as by any , holy polycarp , and divine ignatius ( who fly to the sacred wings of your lordships protection to secure them from a second martyrdom , which the unkind world may threaten them withall ) that religion consists more in practice than in speculation , and is rather an occupation than a meer profession . but i will detain your lordship no longer from the reading of them in our plain english , whom you have so often conversed with in their own language . thus having discharged a small part of my debt , which yet your acceptance will double upon me , i remain your lordships debter still , ever praying for your lordships health and happiness . your dutiful and obedient son , thomas elborowe . the life and death of saint polycarp martyr , bishop of the church of smyrna , and disciple to saint john the evangelist . polycarp was a man of an excellent spirit , an eminent christian , fruitful in every good work , the disciple of the blessed apostle and evangelist saint john , not onely instructed by the apostles in the doctrine of christianity , and continually conversant amongst them , who had seen christ in the flesh ; but he was by the apostles themselves ordained bishop of the church of smyrna in asia . he was that famous angel so much commended for his pietie , patience , and constancie , revel . . , , . when 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , very great persecutions disturbed and vexed all asia , and fell very heavie upon that city , where he was then metropolitan . irenaeus , who was polycarps disciple , makes mention of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , his conversation with john , and gives him this style , that he was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , that blessed and apostolical presbyter . he further reports of him thus , that he was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , made bishop over the church of smyrna in asia by the apostles themselves . tertullian , shewing how the apostolical churches derived their successions , mentioned polycarp placed over the church of smyrna by john. he is styled by eusebius , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , a person very familiar with the apostles , and is said by the s●me author to have obtained 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , the episcopacie of the church of smyrna , by the joynt suffrage of those , who had seen the lord , and were his ministers . jerom says he was a disciple of john the apostle , and by him ordained metropolitan bishop of smyrna , for he was totius asiae princeps , the prince of all asia . gildas saith , he was egregius pastor , christi testis , an excellent pastour , and witness of christ . the very heathens thinking to disgrace him the more did give him this honourable eulogie , that he was , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , the doctor of asia , the father of the christians . this godly professor and great prelate lived to a very great age and finishing his life by a glorious martyrdom , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , did as it were seal up by his martyrdom , and put a period to the persecution which then raged . this happened under the reign of marcus aurelius philosophus , and lucius verus roman emperours . very memorable things are recorded of this great saint and martyr by eusebius , to whom i refer my reader . this briefly touching polycarp himself . i come now to speak as briefly of his works and writings . divers are by divers attributed to him . some make mention of many tracts , homilies , and epistles which he wrote , and of one entire book composed by him upon the death of saint john the evangelist , his master . suidas mentions epistles written by him to dionysius the areopagite , and to several churches . irenaeus , who was his disciple , mentions epistles written by him , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . to neighbour churches , and to certain of the brethren . but these shall not be a matter of my further enquirie , whether so , or not so . i shall now give you a brief account out of some of the ancients touching this epistle of his , written to the philippians . photius reports it to be read publickly in churches , his word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , and gives it out to be an epistle , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , full of many admirable admonitions , clear and plain , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , according to the ecclesiastical form of interpretation then used . jerom styles it epistolam valdè utilem , a very useful epistle , and reports it to be read in the churches of asia to his very time . irenaeus saith it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , a most full , and complete epistle , out of which all , who are willing to learn , and have any care or value for their salvation , may learn 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , the exact form of faith , and doctrine of truth . eusebius says the very same out of irenaeus . sophronius and suidas style it an epistle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , very admirable . maximus the scholiast reports him to have written epistles to the philippians , but that is supposed a mistake , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 being put for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . this epistle so excellent for the building of us up in faith and love , and in whatever may adorn christian profession , i now offer to the charitable and courteous reader , translated into english , out of that greek copie , which was published by the right reverend prelate , and learned antiquarie , doctor vsher , primate of ireland , and printed at oxford , anno dom. . the epistle of saint polycarp , bishop of smyrna , and holy martyr , to the philippians . polycarp , and the presbyters with him , to the church of god within the diocess of philippi ; mercy unto you , and peace from god almighty , and from the lord jesus christ our saviour be multiplied . i congratulate you highly in our lord jesus christ , in that ye have embraced those patterns of true love , and accompanied ( as became you ) those who were involved in holy bands , which are the diadems of those , who are truly the elected of god , and of our lord ; and because the root of your faith , which was preached to you , continues firm even from the beginning until now , and brings forth fruit unto our lord jesus christ , who suffred for our sins even to the death , whom god raised up , having loosed the bands of death , in whom , having not seen him , ye believe , and believing rejoyce with joy unspeakable and full of glory . into which joy many desire to enter , knowing that through grace ye are saved , not by works but by the will of god through jesus christ . wherefore having your loyns girt about , serve god with fear and truth , forsaking empty vain babble , and the errour of many , believing in him who raised up our lord jesus christ from the dead , and hath given to him glory , and a throne at his right hand . to whom all earthly and heavenly things are subject , and every thing that hath breath pays service , who shall come to judge the quick and dead , and whose bloud god will strictly require at the hands of those , who do not believe in him . but he , who raised him from the dead , will raise up us also , if we do his will , and walk in his commandements , and love the things which he loved ; abstaining from all unrighteousness , incontinence , covetousness , detraction , fals-witness-bearing , not rendering evil for evil , reproach for reproach , railing for railing , cursing for cursing , but remembring what the lord said teaching in this wise , judge not that ye be not judged , forgive , and it shall be forgiven you , be merciful , that ye may obtain mercy , in what measure ye mete , it shall be measured to you again ; it is also said , blessed are the poor in spirit , and they , who are persecuted for righteousness sake , for theirs is the kingdom of god. these things ( brethren ) i write unto you concerning righteousness , not imposing any commands upon you as from my self , but because ye have moved me so to do . for neither i , nor any other like unto me , can attain to the wisdom of blessed and glorious paul , who , being amongst you , and conversing face to face with men then living , taught you exactly and firmly the word of truth ; who also being absent wrote epistles unto you , by which , if ye give heed unto them , ye may be built up in the faith , which was delivered unto you ; which faith is the mother of you all , being followed by hope , and led on by love , which directs you to god , and christ , and our neighbour . for if any man is possessed of these , he hath fulfilled the command of righteousness . he , who is possessed of love , is free from all sin ▪ but covetousness is the root of all evil ▪ knowing therefore that we brought nothing into the world , and that we shall carry nothing out , let us arm our selves with the armour of righteousness , and teach our selves in the first place to walk in the commandements of the lord. and let us in the next place teach the women , that they walk according to that rule of faith , which was delivered unto them , and in love , and holiness , and that they love entirely their own husbands with all sincerity , and all others equally with all continency , and that they instruct their children in the discipline and fear of god. and let us teach the widows to be sober and wise , according to the faith of the lord , and to make intercession for all without intermission , keeping themselves from all detraction , accusation , fals-witness-bearing , covetousness , and all evil , knowing that they are as the altars of god , who observes the faults of every one of us ; for nothing is hid from him , neither of our reasonings , understandings , nor secrets of our hearts , and because we know that god cannot be mocked , we ought to walk worthy of his command , and of glory . likewise let the deacons be unblameable in the presence of his righteousness , for they are the ministers of god in christ , and not of men ; let them not be accusers , nor double-tongued , nor covetous , but continent in all things , compassionate , careful , walking according to the truth of the lord , who was made the minister of all , from whom , if we please him in this world , we shall receive a future reward ; for he hath ingaged for us to raise us from the dead , and , if we have our conversation worthy of him , we shall also reign with him , as we believe . in like manner let the young men be unblameable in all things , chiefly let them study chastity , and restrain themselves as with a bridle from all that is evil . for it is a good thing to be elevated in our desires above all the desireable things of this world , because all concupiscence of the world warreth against the spirit , and neither fornicators , nor effeminate persons , nor abusers of themselves with mankind shall inherit the kingdom of god , nor they , who do absurd things . therefore it is necessary that ye abstain from all such things , being subject to the presbyters and deacons , as to god and christ . and let the virgins walk with a blameless and chaste conscience . let the presbyters be of tender bowels , compassionate towards all , converters of those who are in errour , visiters of all that are sick , careful of the widow , the orphans , and the indigent , always providing that which is good in the sight of god and men , not given to wrath , no respecters of persons , not unjust in judgement , keeping themselves far from all covetousness , not hastily believing any thing against any man , not rash in passing judgement against any , knowing that all of us are the debters of sin ; and , as we pray the lord would forgive us , we ought also to forgive , for we are continually in the sight of the lord god , and must all stand before the tribunal of christ , and every one of us give an account for himself . therefore let us serve him with fear and all reverence , as he hath given in commandement , and as the apostles have evangelized to us , and the prophets , who preached before-hand the coming of our lord. be zealous of that which is good , and keep your selves from scandals , avoiding the company of false brethren , who carry the name of the lord in hypocrisie onely to seduce vain men into errour . for every one , who doth not confess , that jesus christ is come in the flesh , is antichrist ; and he , who doth not confess , the martyrdom of the cross , is of the devil ; and he , who shall pervert the oracles of the lord to serve his own private lusts , and shall say that there is no resurrection , nor judgement , is the first-born of satan . therefore let us decline the folly of many , and their false doctrines , and give heed to that word , which was delivered to us from the beginning . let us attend unto prayers with all sobrierie , and unto fastings with all perseverance ; and in our supplications let us pray unto the al-seeing god , that he would not lead us into temptation , as the lord hath taught , for the spirit is willing , but the flesh is weak . let us endure without fainting , resting our selves upon our hope and pledge of righteousness , which is jesus christ ; who did bear our sins in his own body upon the tree , who did no sin , neither was guile found in his mouth , but he patiently endured all things for us , that we might live through him . therefore let us be the followers of his patience ; and if we suffer for his name , we glorifie him ; for he set us such an example in himself , as we believe . therefore i exhort you all to obey the word of righteousness , and to exercise all patience , as ye have seen it exemplified before your eyes , not onely in the blessed ignatius , zosimus , and rufus , but in others among you , in paul himself , and the rest of the apostles . for ye may be confident , that all these have not run in vain , but in faith and righteousness , and having obtained the place due unto them , are now with the lord , with whom also they suffered ; for they loved not this present world , but him , who died for us , and was for us by god raised again from death to life . stand fast therefore in these things , and follow the pattern of the lord be stedfast in the faith , immutable , lovers of the brotherhood , kind one to another , united in truth , performing all meekness each to other , and despising none . when ye can do good , do not deferre it , for alms delivereth from death . be subject one to another , having your conversation unblameable among the gentiles ; that your selves may receive praise from your good works , and the lord be not blasphemed by your means . but wo to that man , by whom the name of the lord is blasphemed . therefore teach all men sobriety , and be your selves conversant in it . i am very much troubled for valens , who was made a presbyter among you , because he is unmindful of his place , which was committed unto him . i therefore admonish you , that ye abstain from covetousness , and that ye be chaste and true . keep your selves from all evil . but how can he preach this to another , who cannot govern himself in these matters ? if a man keep not himself from covetousness , he will be defiled with idolatry , and accounted an heathen . but who knows not the judgement of the lord ? do we not know , that the saints shall judge the world , as paul teacheth ? but i have neither perceived , nor heard of any such thing among you , amongst whom blessed paul laboured , who are also in the beginning of his epistle . for he glories of you in all those churches , which onely knew god at that time , for as yet we had not known him . therefore , my brethren , i am grieved for him , and for his wife , to whom the lord give true repentance . and be ye sober as to this very thing , esteem not such as as enemies , but restore them as frail and erring members , that the whole body of you may be saved , for in so doing ye build up your selves . i trust that ye are well exercised in the holy scriptures , and that nothing is hid from you , which thing is not yet granted unto me . as it is written , be angry , and sin not ; let not the sun go down upon your wrath . blessed is he , who shall believe , which thing i believe to be in you . now the god and father of our lord jesus christ , and jesus christ the eternal high-priest , and son of god , build you up in faith , and truth , and in all meekness , that ye may be without anger ; and in all patience , longanimity , long-sufferance , and chastity ; and give you a lot and part amongst his saints , and to us together with you , and to all , who are under heaven , that shall believe in our lord jesus christ , and in his father , who raised him from the dead . pray for all saints . pray also for kings and potentates , and princes , for those , who persecute you , and hate you , and for the enemies of the cross , that your fruit may be manifested in all , and ye may be perfect in him . ye and also ignatius have written unto me , that , if any man go into syria , he may carry also your letters , which i will either do my self , if i have a fit opportunity , or he , whom i shall send upon your message also . according to your request we have sent unto you those epistles of ignatius , which he wrote unto us , and so many others of his as we had by us , which are subjoyned to this epistle , and by which ye may be very much profited ; for they , contain in them faith , and patience , and all that is necessary for the building of you up in our lord. signifie unto us what ye shall certainly know concerning ignatius himself , and those who are with him . i have written unto you these things by crescens , whom i formerly commended to you , and do now commend , for he was conversant amongst us unblameably , and i believe he was the same amongst you . ye shall also have his sister commended , when she shall come unto you . be safe in the lord jesus christ in grace , with all yours . amen . the life and death of holy ignatius , bishop of the church of antioch in syria , holy martyr and disciple of saint john the evangelist : together with a true account of these following epistles of his ; . to the smyrneans . . to polycarp . . to the ephesians . . to the magnesians . . to the philadelphians . . to the trallians . . to the romans . all faithfully translated out of the original greek into english , according to the most genuine copy found in the library of lawrence de medicis by the learned isaac vossius , and by him published at amsterdam in the year of our lord. . this holy man ignatius was a man of an extraordinary zeal , vast charity , most clear apprehensions as to divine things , devout and religious , even to a miracle . he was styled theopherus , as he calls himself in all his epistles , either ( as is supposed by some ) because he was that little child mentioned in the gospel , which christ took up in his arms , when he would teach his disciples humility by the low character of childhood ; or because he did constantly bear god about with him in his holy and pure heart . my purpose is in brief , to shew you what he was , of what esteem in the church , and how he ended his life by a glorious martyrdom ; which i shall do out of those writers of antiquity , who were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , persons worthy of credit , and of very venerable esteem in the church of christ . origen reports him , episcopum antiochiae post petrum secundum , the second bishop of antioch after peter . athanasius said he was , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . made bishop of antioch after the apostles , and a martyr of christ . irenaeus hath written of him thus , that he was , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , for a testimony of his faith towards god condemned to beasts . chrysostom saith , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , that he was familiarly conversant with the apostles , nourished up together with them ; 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , and that he was by them esteemed worthy of so great a principality ; meaning undoubtedly the episcopacie of the church of antioch , for he says presently after , that he was not only 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , worthy of so great a principality , but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , he obtained that dignity from those holy persons , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , and the hands of the blessed apostles themselves were laid upon his holy head . theodoret says he was , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , a most famous doctor of the church , and that he received , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , the grace of the high-priesthood by the right hand of glorious peter , and that after he had governed the church of antioch , he was crowned with martyrdom . jerom says he was the third bishop of the church of antioch after saint peter the apostle . socrates says the same , and that he was very much a companion of the apostles . he is styled by evagrius , i 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , the divine ignatius . gildas in his time said , that the british clergy were not onely not good enough to be accounted priests , but scarce good enough to be esteemed mean christians in comp r●son of him . scaliger s ys he was vir singulari eruditione , a man of singular learning . neander says he was , vir magni spiritus , fidei , & zeli , a man of a great spirit , faith , and zeal . baronius styles him , copiosam apostolicarum traditionum apothecam , fortémque adversus haereticos armaturam . a copious store-house of apostolical traditions , and a strong armour against heretiques . he suffred a glorious martyrdom under the emperour trajan , and being brought bound from antioch to rome was condemned to be devoured by beasts . here i conclude touching ignatius himself . i come now to speak something of his writings . it is the judgement of learned men , that many epistles are ascribed to him , which were never written by him , but were the epistles of some latter supposititious writers , who did imitate his style , which are these epistles following . . the epistle written from philippi to the church of tarsus . . the epistle written from philippi to the church of antioch . . the epistle written from philippi to heron deacon of the church of antioch . . the epistle written to the philippians touching baptism , which epistle makes mention of several feasts , the quadragesimal fast , and the passion week to be observed , and from this very passage mr john calvin took his occasion to speak against the epistles of ignatius , or rather against that epistle ; now his objection being against that , which is not numbred amongst the genuine epistles , can make no thing against those epistles of his , which will hereafter appear to be genuine . . an epistle written from antioch to maria cassobolita is ascribed to ignatius . . two epistles written to saint john the evangelist . . one short epistle written to the blessed virgin mary ; these are all ascribed to ignatius . indeed in the forementioned epistles we may meet with much of ignatius spirit , style , method , matter , and his very expressions , yet they are not accounted his genuine epistles ; and in regard they are not received for the true epistles of ignatius , nor found in that sylloge or collection made by polycarp , at the end of his epistle to the philippians , therefore , though i have translated them , i have forborn the publishing of them , and yet there are many excellent things in them very much conducing to christianity . having hitherto given a brief account of those epistles which are supposed false , i come now to make enquiry after those , which are without all question true . first , that ignatius wrote epistles is not to be questioned , unless we will also question all antiquitie ; for the ancient fathers of the church make frequent mention of his epistles , and fetch citations out of them as being of great moment , and good authority . eusebius by name , tells us expresly what epistles ignatius wrote , and from whence he wrote them , and to whom . whilst he was at smyrna , and upon his voyage to rome , he wrote epistles from smyrna , to the ephesians , magnesians , trallians , and romans ; when he was gon from smyrna to troas , he wrote from troas to the church of philadelphia , to the church of smyrna , and to polycarp . here we have the just number of those epistles which were accounted his , being seven in all . well , though we have found out the seven epistles which were his , yet we have not brought our search to the full point , the proper 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ; for there were several copies of these epistles found in several libraries , and manuscripts , by the diligent search of able and learned men fitted for such an imployment . now of these copies some were corrupt and interpolate , such were the epistles published in greek with the vulgar latine version by the right reverend father in god bishop vsher primate of ireland , and by him printed at oxford , anno dom. . master isaac vossius published the same in an edition of his , which was printed at amsterdam , anno dom. . i believe master john calvin , the centuriators , doctor whitaker , and some others made their exceptions and objections against these epistles , and justly enough rejecting them as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , & 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , refuse and adulterate stuff ; for their quarrel was not against the epistles of ignatius , but against the corruptions , and interpolations inserted , and put into his epistles . and this is the opinion of doctor rivet , calvinum non in ignatium , sed in quisquilias & nanias depravatorum ignatii invectum esse . that calvin inveighed not against ignatius , but against those who corrupted and depraved him . but besides these , there is a later , truer , and more refined copie , wherein are the very epistles of ignatius found out , by the diligent search of master isaac vossius , all in greek ( the epistle to the romans only excepted ) which is called the laurenti●n copy , because it was found in the library of lawrence de medicis , and published by the said isaac vossius , together with the forementioned edition printed at amsterdam , anno dom. . which copy agrees word for word with two ancient latine manuscripts lately found out by the right reverend bishop vsher , one in the publike library of gunwel and caius colledge in cambridge , the other in the private library of doctor richard montague late bishop of norwich , both which manuscripts are printed with the edition of bishop vsher , anno dom. . this is judged to be the most true , pure , and incorrupt copy of ignatius , which is now exstant , containing in it all that ever was cited by the ancient fathers out of ignatius , and agreeing very exactly with the exemplar used by eusebius more then years ago ; in so much that doctor blundel upon the sight of this copy confessed , se gratulatum seculo nostro , quod illud ipsum exemplar , quo ante annos usus erat eusebius , novam ipsi propediem affulsuram lucem sponderet , that he congratulated our age , because that very copy , which eusebius used years ago , did promise now to bestow new light upon the present age . this is the copy which i have attempted the translation of , out of the original greek into our vulgar english , and that for the use and benefit of the vulgar and common people , that they may be able to discern the true state of the christian church , its regimen , doctrine , and discipline in those very times , which were , i am sure , neerest to the times of the apostles , for ignatius lived with , and was disciple to one of them . but before i set down my translation , i shall give you the account of master isaac vossius himself touching the edition by him published , and according to which i have made my translation , as it here follows translated out of latine , so exactly as i could ; most courteous reader , so it happens ( as thou and i may have very often observed ) that all things , which are either formed by nature , or framed by art , are of such a condition , that the most perfect in their kind do still appear the more beautiful , and artificial , as men imploy their study and indeavours in the contemplation of them . some such thing hath happened to me touching ignatius , in whose epistles , when ever i gave them a second reading , i still observed something not observed before , from which they challenged my further approbation . so often ( i say ) as i reassumed them into my hands , so often did something appear in them , by which i could make discovery of the genuine writer of them . one while that elegant simplicity , which was most suitable to the age wherein he lived ; another while the verity and harmonie of words and things so every way corresponding ; besides this the zeal and fervencie of the martyr , which as in other of his epistles so in that to the romans is most conspicuous . all these are a sufficient evidence unto me for the owning , and finding out of the true author . which raiseth the greater admiration in me , that there should be any persons , who do not onely deny these to be the very epistles of ignatius , but also doubt not to affirm that he wrote none at all . neither do they use any other argument to perswade us to think that ignatius wrote no epistles , but onely this , because ( say they ) no ancient author before eusebius makes mention of them . for they confidently affirm that those sayings of ignatius , which are extant in irenaeus , and origen , were not taken from the epistles of ignatius , but from his own mouth . certainly those very learned men took little notice of that place in origen , which is to be seen in his sixth homily upon luke , by chance ( saith he ) i found in an epistle of a certain martyr ( i mean ignatius the second bishop of antioch after peter , who in his persecution fought with beasts at rome ) it elegantly written thus , that the virginity of mary was a secret kept from the prince of this world. but we shall now make our approach to more ancient times , that so the antiquity and verity of this our ignatius may be the more apparent , and the errour of those men also be the more conspicuous , who are otherwise perswaded of him . the first therefore , who made mention of these epistles of ignatius is polycarp the martyr , in his epistle to the philippians , whose words are these , we have sent unto you those epistles of ignatius , which he sent unto us , and so many other epistles of his as we had by us , according to your desires , which are all annexed to this epistle , out of which epistles ye may reap very much benefit , for they contain in them faith and patience , and whatever is convenient to build us up in the lord. now it cannot be doubted by any man , but that polycarp had the epistles of ignatius , to whom amongst his seven , ignatius did in particular entitle one ; which polycarp himself gives testimony of ; when he saith , ye have written unto me , and also ignatius . now polycarp was about years survivor to ignatius . so that i propound this question ; what appearance of truth can there possibly be , that ( so long as polycarp was alive ) these true epistles of ignatius should be suppressed , and others suborned in the place of them ? did polycarp destroy the first , that there should be a necessity to devise others in their stead ? i think no man will render himself so ridiculous , as to make an attempt to prove any such thing . now i proceed . if polycarp had these epistles , certainly irenaeus his scholar who cited them , had the same ; and origen received them from irenaeus , whose citation out of them we mentioned a little before . and i am of opinion that no man can imagine , that the epistles of ignatius cited by eusebius , were any other epistles then those which origen made use of : athanasius , jerom , chrisost●m , theodoret , antiochus , damascen , photius , and innumerable others , who all of them made use of the testimony of ignatius , did follow that copie , which eusebius had . so that ignatius was never accounted of by any as apocryphal , and yet all the books of the new testament had not the luck to escape so , but some were questioned as to their original and authority . seeing therefore we have such a continued succession of eminent men , who have given their approbation touching these epistles , i do not see by what argument they can possibly defend their opinion , who are otherwise perswaded of them . it is confessed his epistles have been corrupted , and abused , and been read over with their corruptions and interpolations to these present times ; yet there have not been wanting men of piercing judgements , who have discovered truth to be in those very interpolate epistles ; andrew rivet an eminent man makes this out sufficiently . however i now publish those epistles , which are genuine , and in all respects agreeing with the testimony of the antients ; so that they , who will deny these , must deny also that this martyr ever wrote any epistles . but let them enjoy their own opinion , for my part i am assured that they will meet with very few of the same , and none that can be of it with reason . but ( courteous reader ) thou art indebted to the medicaean library , that thou hast these writings of ignatius pure , and not counterfeit ; and thou art indebted to the most serene prince ferdinand the second , the great duke of etruria , through whose incomparable love to learning and study i gained an opportunity of having the use of that famous librarie , and so of finding out this incomparable treasure of ignatius , which we now exhibit and publish to the world . the epistles of saint ignatius . to the smyrneans . ignatius , who is also theophorus , to the church of god the father , and of the beloved jesus christ , which hath obtained mercy in all grace , replete with faith and love , failing in no good gift , most becoming god , and fruitful in holiness , which is at smyrna in asia , be very much joy in the immaculate spirit by the word of god. i glorifie the god jesus christ , who hath filled you with wisdom . for i understand that ye are perfected in an immoveable faith , and are as persons fastened with nails to the cross of our lord jesus christ , both in flesh and in spirit ; and well-grounded in love by the bloud of christ , having a full assurance in our lord ; who was truly of the stock of david , according to the flesh ; the son of god according to the will and power of god , truly born of a virgin , baptized by john , that he might fulfil all righteousness , and who truly suffered for us in the flesh under pontius pilate and herod the tetrarch . from the fruit of whom we are , even from his divinely blessed passion , that he might by his resurrection lift up an ensign to all ages , to the saints , and to all who do believe in him , whether they be jews or gentiles in one body of his church . for he suffered all these things for us that we might be saved . and he truly suffered , as also he truly raised up himself ; neither did he suffer onely in appearance , as some infidels affirm , who themselves are onely in appearance , and according to their wisdom shall it happen unto them being incorporeal and daemoniacks . for i my self saw him in the flesh after his resurrection , and do believe that he is risen . and when he came to those , who were with peter , he said unto them , take hold of me , handle me , and see me , for i am not an incorporeal spirit . and straightway they touched him , and believed in him being convinced by his flesh , and by his spirit . and hereupon they contemned death , for they found themselves to be above it . and after his resurrection he eat and drank with them as one in the flesh , though he was in spirit united to the father . touching these things ( beloved ) i admonish you , however i know ye are already of this perswasion . i do it to preserve you from beasts in the shape of men , whom it is necessarie for you not to entertain , but to avoid as much as possible . onely pray for them , if happily they may repent , which is a thing very difficult . but jesus christ , who is our true life , hath the power of this . but if these things were done by our lord onely seemingly , then am i also seemingly in bonds . and why have i yielded up my self to be put to death ? why to the fire , to the sword , to the beasts ? but because to be nigh to the sword is to be nigh to god , and to be inclosed with beasts is to be compassed about with god. only in the name of jesus christ do i endure all things , that i may suffer with him , who is himself made a perfect man , and now strengtheneth me . whom some ignorant men denie , but they are rather denied by him , being more the preachers of death than of truth ; whom neither the prophets have perswaded , nor the law of moses , nor yet the gospel hitherto , nor those suffrings of ours , which are according to man. for they are of the same mind concerning us . but what would it advantage me , should any man speak in my praise , and yet blaspheme my lord , denying him to have taken flesh upon him ? for he , who confesseth not this , hath perfectly denied him , and puts him to death . but i am unwilling to write down their infidel names ; neither may i make any particular remembrance of them , until they shall happily repent into a belief of the passion , which is our resurrection . let no man be deceived . for if things in heaven , and the glory of angels , and rulers visible and invisible believe not in the bloud of christ , it will be even unto them condemnation . he who receiveth it , may receive it . let place puff up no man ; for faith and charity is all , and nothing is to be preferred before them . but observe those who are otherwise opinioned of the grace of jesus christ , which came unto us , how contrary they are to the judgement of god. they have no regard at all of charity , they neither care for the widow , nor orphan , nor any afflicted person be he bond or free , hungry or thirstie they absent themselves from the eucharist and prayer , because they will not confess the eucharist to be the flesh of our saviour jesus christ , which suffered for our sins , and which the father by his goodness raised from death to life . therefore contradicting this gift of god , and disputing about it they die , but it would be better for them to love it , that they may rise again . it is very convenient that ye abstain from such persons , and that ye have no converse with them , neither privately , nor publikely . but that ye give heed unto the prophets , and chiefly to the gospel , wherein the passion is made manifest unto us , and the resurrection is completed . but avoid divisions as the beginning of evils . and be all of you observant of the bishop , as jesus christ was observant of the father ; and observe the presbyterie as the apostles ; and reverence the deacons as the command of god. let no man presume to do any thing belonging to the church without the bishop . and let that eucharist onely be accounted firm , which is either performed by the bishop himself , or by his licence . where the bishop shall appear , there let the multitude be , for where jesus christ is , there is the catholique church . it is neither lawful to baptize , nor to keep the love-feast without the bishop ; but whatever he shall approve of , that is well-pleasing to god , that so every thing , which is done , may be firm and established . furthermore , it is a blessed thing to grow sober , and whilst we have opportunity , to return to god by repentance . it is a becoming thing to know god and the bishop . he , who honoureth the bishop , is honoured of god ; but he , who doth any thing without the bishops approbation , performs a service to the devil . therefore let all things abound among you in grace , for ye are worthy . ye have every way refreshed me , and jesus christ will refresh you . ye have loved me both when i was absent , and present , god will requite you ; and if ye patiently endure all things for his sake , ye shall enjoy him . ye did well in that ye gave an honourable reception to philon , rheus , and agathopus as the ministers of god-christ , who have accompanied me for the word of god. they also give thanks unto the lord for you . because ye have every way refreshed them . nothing , which ye have done to them , shall be lost as to you . i could offer up this my spirit upon the service of your souls , and upon the same account carry about these my bonds , which ye have neither despised , nor been ashamed of ; neither will jesus christ the perfect faith be ashamed of you . your prayer reached as far as to the church which is in antioch of syria , from whence being carried a prisoner for god in most venerable bonds , i salute you all . and however i am not worthy of such an honour being the last that came thence , yet by the will of god i was accounted worthy , not from any thing which i know worthy in my self , but through his grace , which i pray may be perfectly bestowed upon me , that through your prayers i may obtain god. and that your work may be perfected as well on earth as in heaven , it would be an honourable service very much becoming your church , which is worthy of god , to appoint some fit person for the honour of god , and to dispatch him into syria , to congratulate them for their restored peace , that they have again received their proper splendour , and that their little body is re-established in such a way as is fit for them . indeed it seems unto me a worthy work for you to send some person from amongst you with an epistle to joyn in glory with them , for that tranquilitie , which is amongst them according to god , and that they are now come to the quiet haven through your prayers . being perfect your selves mind the things which are perfect . for if ye have but a will to do good , god is ready to assist you . the love of the brethren , who are at troas , saluteth you , whence also i write unto you by burrus , whom ye sent along with me together with your ephesian brethren , who hath refreshed me in all things . i wish all would become imitatours of him , who is the exemplar of the ministerie of god. grace shall remunerate to him according to all that he hath done to me . i salute the divine bishop , and most venerable presbytery , and the deacons my fellow servants , and all in the name of jesus christ man by man , and together , both in his flesh and bloud , passion and resurrection , carnally and spiritually , in the name and unity of god and of you . grace be unto you , and mercy , and peace , and patience always . i salute the houses of my brethren , together with the women , children , virgins , and select widows . be strong to me-ward in the power of the spirit . philon , who is with me , saluteth you . i salute the house of tavia , whom i pray that she may be established in faith and love both carnally and spiritually . i salute alke a name to me very desireable . farewel in the grace of god. to the smyrneans from troas . to polycarp . ignatius , who is also theophorus , to polycarp bishop of the church of the smyrneans , who hath rather god the father and the lord jesus christ for his bishop , be very much joy . having embraced thy judgement , which is according to god , founded as upon a rock and immoveable , i glory exceedingly that i was accounted worthy of thy unblameable presence , which i would enjoy in god. i exhort thee by that grace wherewith thou art endued , that thou wouldest add unto thy race in admonishing all men that they may be saved . justifie thy place by using all diligence both in a carnal and spiritual way . be careful to preserve unity , than which nothing is better . support all as the lord supporteth thee . bear with all men in charitie as also thou dost . find leisure to be constant in prayers . desire a larger understanding than yet thou hast . be watchful , keeping in thy possession a vigilant spirit . converse with all man by man as god shall inable thee . like a complete champion bear the infirmities of all , the more the labour is , the more is the gain . it is not so much for thy commendation to love eminent disciples , as by thy meekness to bring into subjection those who are more pernicious . every wound is not healed with the same plaister . mitigate their paroxysms by embrocations . be in all things wise as the serpent , and harmless as the dove . for this cause art thou carnal and spiritual , that thou mayest use a gentle hand in the managerie of those things , which are manifest to thee ; praying that those things also , which are concealed , may in time be made manifest , that so thou maist be defective in nothing , but abounding in every grace . this very season calls upon thee to desire the fruition of god , as governours of ships wait for the winds ; and he , who is tossed with the waves , covets after the haven . be watchful as a champion of god ; that which is deposited for thee , is incorruption and life eternal , of which also thou art persuaded . i would in all things freely offer up my self for thee , and these my bonds , which thou hast loved . let not those persons at all astonish thee , who seem to be persons worthy of credit , and yet are teachers of strange doctrines . stand thou firm as an anvil , which is beaten upon . it is the part of a gallant champion to be stripped of his skin and yet to overcome . and in this respect it is necessary for us patiently to endure all things for god , that he may patiently bear with us . be more diligent than yet thou hast been ; consider the seasons , and wait for him , who is above season , not limited to time , invisible , yet for our sakes made visible , not capable of touch or suffering , yet suffering for us , and enduring every manner of way for our sakes . let not the widows be neglected , under god do thou take care of them . let nothing be done without thy sentence , and do thou nothing without the sentence of god , that whatsoever thou dost may be established . let congregations be gathered more frequently , and take the names of all persons . let neither men nor maid-servants be despised by thee , neither suffer them to become proud , but let them be more and more servants to the glory of god , that so they may obtain a better freedom from god. let them not love the common freedom , that they may not be found the servants of concupiscence . flee evil arts , but especially have no conferences about them . bespeak my sisters that they love the lord christ , and that they furnish their husbands with all necessaries both for their fleshly and spiritual estate . and in like manner admonish my brethren in the name of jesus christ to love their wives as the lord loveth the church . if a man can continue chast to the honour of the flesh of our lord , let him remain so , but let him not glory . for if he glory in it , he will be destroy'd , and if he would be more taken notice of than the bishop , he is corrupted . it is meet that they who marry and are given in marriage should be joyned together by the sentence of the bishop , that so the marriage may be according to god , and not according to concupiscence . let all things be done to the honour of god. be mindful of the bishop , that god may be mindful of you . i could give my life for those persons who are subject to the bishops , presbyters , and deacons , and wish that i may receive my part in god together with them . labour together one for another , strive together , run together , suffer together , sleep together , awake together as the stewards , assessors , and ministers of god. do things pleasing to him , whom ye fight for , and whose souldiers ye are , from whom ye expect your salarie . let none among you be found a desertor of his colours . let your baptism arm you , faith be your helmet , love your spear , patience your whole armour , and your works your gage , that ye may receive a reward worthy of you . therefore bear patiently in meekness one with another , as god bears with you . let me enjoy you always . but in that the church , which is in antioch of syria , is at peace through your prayers , as it is manifested to me , i was therefore the more cheerful , and intent upon the things of god without distraction , that by any means i may through sufferings enjoy god , and be found your disciple at the resurrection . o polycarp , most blessed of god , it becomes thee to gather together a council most becoming god , and to appoint some worthy person , whom ye esteem highly in love , whom ye look upon as a diligent man , fit to be called a messenger of god ; and that this honour be bestowed upon him , to go into syria there to spread abroad your forward charitie to the glory of christ . a christian hath no power over himself , but is to attend the things of god. when ye shall have dispatched this business , tho work shall be ascribed to god and to you . for i believe that through grace ye are prepared for so good a work pleasing to god ; and knowing how compendiously ye are capable of truth , i have exhorted you in few letters . but because i cannot write unto all the churches , in regard i am suddenly to sail from troas to neapolis , as i am commanded ; thou shalt write to those other churches , who art possessed with the mind of god , that they do the same thing . that they , who are able , may send footposts , others epistles by thy messengers , that ye may all be glorified by an eternal work , as thou art worthy . i salute all by name , and the wife of epitropus , with her whole house , and her childrens . i salute my beloved attalus ; i salute him , who shall be accounted worthy to go into syria ; i pray that the grace which is in our god jesus christ , may be always with him . in whom do ye continue permanent in the unitie and visitation of god. i salute alke a name desireable to me . farewel in the lord. to polycarp . to the ephesians . ignatius , who is also theophorus , to the church blessed in the greatness of god the father with all fulness , praedetermined before ages to be ever permanent unto glory , immutable , united , elect by real sufferings , through the will of the father and jesus christ our god. to the church worthy of all blessedness which is in ephesus of asia , be very much joy in jesus christ , and in immaculate grace . approving of thy name in god highly beloved , which ye have possessed by a just title according to the faith and love , which is in christ jesus our saviour , i exhort you to continue followers of god , and that ▪ being re-inlivened by the bloud of god , ye perfect that work which is so suitable to you . for ye heard that i was a prisoner from syria for the common name and hope , and that i hoped through your prayers that i should be inabled to fight with beasts at rome , that so i might become through martyrdom a disciple of him , who offered up himself to god for us an oblation and sacrifice . i have compendiously apprehended your very numerous multitude in the name of god by onesimus your bishop in the flesh , whose charitie is beyond expression ; whom i beseech you to love according to jesus christ , and all of you to be like unto him . blessed be he , who hath bestowed so worthy a bishop upon you , so worthy of him . and i pray that my fellow servant burrus , who is your deacon , every way blessed according to god , may continue to the honour of you and the bishop . crocus also , who is worthy of god and of you , whom i have received as the exemplar of your charity , hath refreshed me in all things , as the father of jesus christ will also give refreshing unto him , and to onesimus , and burrus , and euplus , and fronton , in whom i have viewed you all in love . i would enjoy you always if i might be worthy of it . therefore it becomes you every way to glorifie jesus christ , who glorifies you ; that being perfected and knit up in one and the same subjection , and being of one mind and one judgement , ye may all speak the same thing , and being subject to the bishop and the presbytery , may be sanctified in all things . i do not give commands to you as if i my self was a person considerable ; for though i am a prisoner for his name , yet am i not perfected in christ jesus . for now i begin to be a disciple , and speak to you as my fellow teachers . for it is meet that i should be admonished by you in faith , instruction , patience , and long sufferance . but in regard my charity towards you would not suffer me to be silent , i have therefore taken the first hold of this opportunity to exhort you to concur in the judgement of god. as jesus christ himself , who is our incomparable life , did follow the judgement of his father , and the bishops designed to the ends of the earth follow the judgement of jesus christ . therefore it is a comely thing for you to concur in the judgement of the bishop as also ye do ; for your presbytery most worthy of praise , and of god is so adapted to the bishop , as strings are fitted to the harp , in so much that jesus christ is celebrated through your unanimity and agreement in love . ye are all made up man by man into one chorus , and keeping the melodie of god , which is vnitie , ye shall with one voyce glorifie the father by jesus christ , that he may also hear you , and acknowledge you by what you do to be the members of his son. so that it is profitable for you to continue in immaculate unitie , that ye may always be partakers of god. if i in so short a time have gained so great a conformableness in manners with your bishop , which is spiritual , and not after the manner of men ; how can i estimate of your happiness , who are continually united to him , as the church to jesus christ , and jesus christ to the father , that all things may be consonant in unity . let no man be deceived . if any man is not within the altar , he is deprived of the bread of god. for if the prayer of one or two is so effectual , how much more effectual is the prayer of the bishop , and all the church ? he therefore , that will not come into one place , ( or joyn with the congregation ) is a proud man , and hath separated himself , and it is written , that god resisteth the proud . therefore let us endeavour to be in subjection to the bishop , that so we may be god's subjects . and if any man take notice that the bishop holds his peace , let him fear and reverence him so much the more ; for we ought to receive him , whom the master of the family hath sent to govern his house , as we should receive the master himself , who sent him . therefore it is evident that we ought to respect the bishop as the lord himself . but onesimus doth himself very much commend your good order , which is according to god ; for ye all live according to truth , and there is no heresie amongst you , neither do ye hear any but jesus christ speaking according to truth . some indeed by an evil deceit have accustomed themselves to carry about his name , but they do things unworthy of god , and these ye ought to shun as beasts . for they are like mad dogs biting unawares , whom ye ought to avoid , and have a special eye upon , being persons very hard to be cured . there is one physitian fleshly , and spiritual , begotten , and unbegotten , god made in the flesh , and the true life in death , both of mary and of god , first passible , and then impassible . let no man seduce you , as ye are not yet seduced , being wholly of god. for so long as there is no contention amongst you , which may be hurtful to you , ye live according to god. i am made as an off-scouring for you , and as a purgatorie expiation for you ephesians famous to ages . carnal men cannot do spiritual things , nor spiritual men do the things which are carnal ; neither can faith do the things of infidelitie , nor infidelitie the things of faith. but those very things , which ye do as carnal men , are spiritual , so long as ye do all things according to jesus christ . i have known some passing from those parts , who held an evil doctrine , but ye would not suffer them to sow their seeds amongst you , but stopped your ears against them , that ye might receive none of the doctrine sowed by them . for ye are stones of the father's temple , prepared for the building of god the father , carried up on high by the engine of jesus christ , which is his cross , by the cord of the holy spirit . but faith is your guide , and charity your way , which leads unto god. ye are all therefore fellow-travellers , carrying about with you god and the temple , christ and sanctitie , being in all things beautified according to the commands of jesus christ , in whom i am exceedingly rejoyced , being vouchsafed so great a dignitie as to converse with you in writing , and to joy together with you , who live according to the other life , and love nothing but onely god. pray also without ceasing for other men , for there is hope of their repentance , that they also may attain god. admonish them , and let them be wrought upon by your works to become your disciples . oppose your meekness to their anger , and whilst they boast of great things , do ye mind the things of humility . pray for them who speak evil of you , keeping your selves firm in the faith against their errour . be mild how morose soever they are ; neither be hasty to requite them according to their own examples . let us be found their brethren by our mild carriage towards them , and endeavour to be the followers of the lord. though some among you may be injured , defrauded , despised , yet let no one amongst you be found an herb of the devil . keep your selves in all puritie and temperance both in flesh and spirit through jesus christ . the last times are come ; therefore let us reverence and fear the long-sufferance of god , that it be not our condemnation . for either let us fear the wrath to come , or love the present grace . one of the two is onely to be found in jesus christ , that we may live indeed . nothing can become us without this ; for this i bear about my bonds , which are as spiritual pearls , through which by your prayers i may rise again . and let me always be partaker of your prayers , that i may be found in the lot of those ephesian christians , who were ever of the same mind with the apostles , through the power of jesus christ . i know who i am , and to whom i write . i am a condemned person , but ye have obtained mercy . i am under danger , but ye are established ; ye are the passover of those who are killed for god , being the fellow-ministers of sanctified paul , who was martyred , worthily blessed , under whose feet i would be found , that i may enjoy god ; who in a whole epistle makes mention of you in jesus christ. make hast therefore to meet together more frequently to the eucharist of god and to glorie . for when ye often come together into one place the powers of satan are rendred frustrate ; and his enmitie is destroyed through your unity of faith. nothing is better than peace , by which all hostilitie of heavenly and earthly powers is made void . none of these things are conceal'd from you , if ye hold perfectly that faith and love in jesus christ , which are the beginning and end of life . for faith is the beginning , love is the end ; these two united are of god , and all other things tending to honestie do wait upon these . no man , who hath covenanted into the faith , committeth sin , nor doth he hate another who is possess'd of charitie . the tree is known by its fruit ; and they , who have solemnly engaged to be christians , shall be seen by the works they do . for it is not now the work of an engagement , but it is through the power of faith , if a man be found to the end . it is better to be silent and to be ; than to speak and not to be . it is a good thing to teach , if a man do as well as teach . there is therefore one teacher , who spake , and it was done , and the things also , which he did in silence , are worthy of the father . he , who is truly possess'd of the word of jesus , can hear also his silence , that he may be perfect , that he may do according to what he speaks , and be known according to those things wherein he is silent . nothing is hid from the lord , but our very secrets are nigh unto him . therefore let us do all things as having him dwelling in us ; that we may be his temples , and he may be our god in us ; for whatever is shall be made manifest to us , and therefore do we justly love him . erre not ( my brethren . ) they who are destroyers of houses shall not inherit the kingdom of god. therefore if they are dead , who act such things according to the flesh ; how much more is it death for any man by an evil doctrine to corrupt the faith of god , for which jesus christ was crucified ? such a one being defiled shall go into the unquenchable fire , and so shall he who hears him . for this cause the lord received the unction upon his head , that he might breathe into his church incorruption . be not annoynted with the doctrine of the prince of this world , which hath an ill odour ; neither let him lead you captive from the life , which is set before you . why are we not all wise having received the knowledge of god , that is , jesus christ ? why are we foolishly destroyed , being ignorant of that grace , which the lord hath truly sent amongst us ? my spirit is the off-scouring of the cross , which is a scandal to unbelievers but to us salvation and life eternal . where is the wise ? where is the disputer ? where is the boasting of wise men so called ? for our god jesus christ was conceived by mary according to the oeconomie of god , of the seed of david by the holy ghost , who was born and baptized , that he might through sufferings cleanse the water . and the virginity of mary , the child born of her , and the death of the lord , were hid from the prince of this world , being three crying mysteries yet wrought up by god in silence . how came he then to be manifested to ages ? a star in heaven appeared , which out-shined all the other stars , and the light of it was ineffable , and the noveltie of it did contain a strangeness in it . all the other stars together with the sun and moon were a chorus to this star , which did carry in it a brightness and splendour above them all . the world was troubled about it , to find out how this new-star should appear amongst the other stars so unlike unto them ; hereupon all magick was dissolved , and every bond of wickedness dis-appeared , ignorance was taken away , the old kingdom was destroyed , when god appeared as man for the renewing of life eternal . but that , which was perfect with god , took a beginning , and thereupon all things worked together to bring about the destruction of death . if jesus christ through your prayers shall make me worthy , and it be his will , in a second little book , which i am about to write unto you , i will lay open unto you how i began my oeconomie in the new man jesus christ , both in his faith , love , passion and resurrection , and i shall the rather do this , if the lord shall reveal it unto me . because all of you man by man through the grace of his name concur together in jesus christ , of the stock of david , according to the flesh , the son of man , and the son of god ; and ye are all obedient to the bishop , and to the presbyterie with an undivided mind , breaking one bread , which is the medicine of immortalitie , an antidote against death preserving to life eternal in jesus christ . i could give my life for you , and for him whom ye have sent to smyrna for the honour of god ; whence also i write unto you , giving thanks unto the lord , loving both polycarp and you . remember me as jesus christ also remembers you . pray for the church which is in syria ; whence i am led away a prisoner unto rome , being the last of the faithful there , if i may be accounted worthy to be found to the honour of god. farewel in god the father , and in jesus christ our common hope . to the ephesians . to the magnesians . ignatius , who is also theophorus , to the church blessed in the grace of god the father , through jesus christ our saviour , which is at magnesia neer to maeander , which i salute in him , and wish it very much joy in god the father and in jesus christ. knowing your most excellent order of love , which is according to god , i joyfully made it my choice to speak unto you in the faith of jesus christ . for being accounted worthly of the name most becoming god in these bonds , wherein i carry it about , i celebrate the churches , praying that they may be united in the flesh and spirit of jesus christ , who is our endless life , by faith and love , before which nothing is preferred ; but chiefly of jesus and the father , through whom having patiently endured every injury from the prince of this world , and escaping them we shall enjoy god. for i was accounted worthy to see you by damas your divine bishop , and the worthy presbyters , bassus and apollonius , and sotion the deacon my fellow-servant , whom i would enjoy , because he is subject to the bishop as to the grace of god , and to the presbyterie as to the law of jesus christ . and it becomes you not to make any use to your selves of the age of the bishop , but to give him all reverence , according to the power of god the father ▪ ( as i have known holy presbyters ) not presuming upon that juvenile order which appears , but as wise men in god , concurring with him ; yet not with him , but with the father of jesus christ the bishop of all . therefore for his honour , who wills it , it is meet we perform obedience without hypocrisie . for a man doth not deceive this bishop , whom we see , but puts a fallacie upon him who is invisible . this is not spoken in reference to the flesh , but to god , who knoweth secrets . therefore it is meet not onely to be called christians , but to be so . for some indeed there are , who own the bishop in name , but do all things without him . such men appear to me to be men of no good conscience , because they hold meetings not established by commandment . all works have some end , two are propounded , death and life , and every man shall go to his proper place . as there are two sorts of coyn , one of god , another of the world , and each coyn hath its proper stamp set upon it . infidels have the stamp of this world ; believers in love have the stamp of god the father by jesus christ , whose life cannot be in us , unless we can through him voluntarily die into his passion . but seeing i have in the persons prescribed taken a view of your whole multitude in faith and love , i admonish you to do all things in the unanimity of god ; your bishop being president over you in the place of god , and the presbyters in place of the council of the apostles , and the deacons most pleasant to me , having the diaconie of jesus christ committed to them , who was with the father before ages , and in the end appeared . having therefore all received manners like unto god , reverence one another , and let no man defraud his neighbour according to the flesh , but love one another always in jesus christ . let nothing be amongst you , which may possibly divide you , but be united to the bishop , and to those who are presidents over you , according to the type and doctrine of incorruption . therefore as the lord being united to him did nothing without the father , neither by himself , nor by the apostles ; so neither do ye act any thing without the bishop , and the presbyters . neither attempt any thing upon your own account however reasonable it may appear unto you . when ye come together into one place , let there be one prayer , one supplication , one mind , one hope in love and in immaculate joy . there is one jesus christ than whom nothing is better . therefore all concur together as into the temple of god , as to one altar , to one jesus christ , who came from one father , and being one is returned to him . be not deceived by strange opinions , nor old fables , which are unprofitable . for if we still live according to the law and judaism , we confess that grace is not received . for the most divine prophets lived according to jesus christ ; and therefore they were persecuted , being inspired by his grace , that they might work a perswasion in those , who were not perswaded , that there is one god , who manifested himself by jesus christ his son , who is his eternal word , not coming forth from silence , who in all things pleased him that sent him . therefore if they , who were conversant in the works of old time , came to the newness of hope , not sabbatizing any longer , but living according to the dominical life of that day , whereon our life did rise again through him , and through his death ( whom some deny ; ) through which mysterie we have received both to believe , and also to endure with patience , that we may be found the disciples of jesus christ our onely master ; how shall we be able to live without him , whom the prophets , being his disciples , looked for in spirit as their master ? and because they justly expected him , he , when he was come , raised them from the dead . therefore let not us be insensible of his goodness ; for if he should retribute to us according to what we do , we should cease to be . therefore being made his disciples let us learn to live like christians . for he , who is called by any other name than this , is not of god. therefore put away from you the evil leaven , which is old and corrupt , and be ye changed into the new leaven , which is jesus christ . be ye seasoned in him , that none of you be corrupted ; for ye shall be disproved by your savour . it is an absurd thing to profess jesus christ , and yet to judaize ; for christianism hath not believed into judaism , but judaism into christianism , that every tongue believing might be gathered unto god. but these things ( my beloved ; ) not because i have known any of you to be such , but because , though i am lesser then you , i would have you to be preserved , that ye may not fall into the snares of a vain opinion , but may have a full assurance in the nativity , passion , and resurrection , effected in that season when pontius pilate was governour , all truly and firmly accomplished by jesus christ our hope , from which hope may none of you be perverted . i would every way enjoy you , if i may be worthy ; for though i am in bonds , yet am i not to be compared to one of you , who are at libertie . i know ye are not puffed up , for ye have jesus christ among you . and i know the more i praise you , it doth but shame you so much the more , as it is written , the just man is an accuser of himself . make it your endeavour to be confirmed in the determinations of the lord and the apostles , that whatever ye do may be prosperous both in flesh and spirit , faith and love , in the son , and in the father , and in the spirit , in the beginning and the end , together with your most venerable bishop , and your presbyterie , which is as a spiritual crown decently platted , and the deacons , who are according to god ▪ be subject to the bishop , and one to another , as jesus christ to the father according to the flesh , and the apostles to christ and to the father , and the spirit , that there may be unitie both carnal and spiritual . knowing that ye are full of god , i have exhorted you but in few words . remember me in your prayers , that i may obtain god ; and that church which is in syria , from whence i am not worthy to be called . for i very much want your prayer united in god , and your love , that the church , which is in syria , may be accounted worthy to be watered by your church . the ephesians from smyrna salute you ( whence also i write unto you ) being present to the glorie of god , as also ye are ; who have refreshed me in all things together with polycarp the bishop of the smyrneans . the other churches also salute you in the honour of jesus christ . be strong in the concord of god , being possessed with a discerning spirit , which is jesus christ . to the magnesians . to the philadelphians . ignatius , who is also theophorus , to the church of god the father and the lord jesus christ , which is in philadelphia of asia ; which hath obtained mercy , is settled in the concord of god , rejoycing in the passion of our lord indiscernably , and fully assured of his resurrection in all mercy ; which i salute in the bloud of jesus christ , for she is my eternal and permanent joy , chiefly if they continue united with the bishop , and the presbyters with him , and the deacons manifested to be according to the sentence of jesus christ , whom he hath firmly established according to his own will by his holy spirit . which bishop i have known to have obtained the ministerie for the common good , not by himself , nor by men , nor out of vain-glorie , but by the love of god the father and the lord jesus christ , whose mild temper i have been amazed at , for by his silence he can do more than they who speak vain things . for ye are as harmoniously agreeing in commands , as the harp and the strings . therefore my soul blesseth that sentence of his , which is according to god , knowing that it is vertuous and perfect , and that he cannot be moved , nor provoked to anger , being in all the meekness of the living god. being therefore the children of light and truth , flie division , evil doctrines . where the pastour is do ye as sheep follow him ; for many wolves , who seem worthy of credit , do by an evil delectation lead captive persons running to god , but through your unitie they shall have no place . depart from evil herbs , which jesus christ doth not cultivate , for they are not the plantation of the father . not that i have found any division amongst you , but a resining us from the dreggs . so many as are of god , and of jesus christ are with the bishop , and so many penitents as come over into the unitie of the church , shall be of god , that they may live according to jesus christ . my brethren , be not deceived . if any man follows him , who is the maker of schism , he is no inheritour of the kingdom of god if any man walks about in a strange opinion , he is not conformable to the passion . let it be your endeavour therefore to use one eucharist ; for there is one flesh of our lord jesus christ , and one cup for the unitie of his bloud , one altar , as one bishop with the presbyterie and deacons my fellow servants , that whatever ye do , ye may do according to god. my brethren , i am very much poured out in love towards you , and exceedingly rejoycing strengthen you , yet not i , but jesus christ , for whom i am in bonds , and therefore am the more affraid , because i am not yet taken out of the world . but your prayer to god will perfect me , that i may obtain that lot to which i was chosen , flying to the gospel as to the flesh of jesus , and to the apostles as to the presbyterie of the church : we love also the prophets , because they preached the gospel , and did hope in him , and expect him ; in whom also believing they were saved in the unitie of jesus christ , being holy men worthy to be beloved , and most worthy of admiration , born witness of by jesus christ , being his martyrs , and numbred up together in the gospel of the common hope . but if any man preach judaism to you , hear him not . for it is better to hear christianism from one circumcised , than judaism from one uncircumcised . but if both of them speak not of jesus christ , they are to me as pillars and monuments of dead men , whereon the names of men onely are written . flie therefore evil arts , and the frauds of the prince of this world , lest being troubled with his opinion ye be weakned in charitie . be all of you made up into one with an undivided heart ; i thank my god that i have a good conscience as concerning you , and that no man hath wherof to glory , either privately or publikely , that i have been burdensom to any either in little or much . and i beseech all to whom i have spoken , that they possess not this as a testimonie . and although some would seduce me according to the flesh , yet my spirit , which is from god , is not seduced . he knows whence it comes , and whither it goes , and is a reproover of secrets . i have cried in the midst of you , i have spoken it with a loftie voice , attend unto the bishop , and the presbyterie , and the deacons . and though some have suspected me to have spoken these things as foreknowing the division of some ; yet he is my witness , for whom i am a prisoner , that i have not been taught it by man , but the spirit preached it , saying these things , do nothing without the bishop . keep your flesh as the temple of god. love vnitie . flie divisions . be ye followers of jesus christ as he himself is of the father . therefore i did what was proper for me as a man perfected unto unitie . but where there is division and wrath god dwelleth not . therefore the lord pardons all penitents , if they shall return by repentance to the vnitie of god , and the council of the bishop . i believe the grace of jesus christ , who will loose every bond from you . and i exhort you to do nothing with contention , but according to the discipline of christ . for i have heard some speaking in this wise , that if i find it not amongst the antients , i do not believe the gospel . and when i replied to them , that it is written . they answered me , it lies before us . but jesus christ is to me antiquitie , and the records not to be touched are his cross , and his death , and his resurrection , and the faith , which is by him , in which things i would be justified through your prayers . honourable are the priests , but more honourable the high-priest , to whom are committed the holies of holies , and with whom alone are deposited the hidden things of god. he is the door of the father , by whom abraham , and isaac , and jacob , and the prophets , and apostles , and church of god have entered . all these things are for the unitie of god. but the gospel hath something in it chiefly valueable , and that is the presence of our lord jesus christ , his passion , and resurrection . for the beloved prophets preached of him ; but the gospel is the perfection of incorruption . all things together are excellent , if ye believe in love. but seeing that through your prayers , according to the bowels which ye have in christ jesus , the church , which is at antioch of syria ( as is told to me ) is at peace ; it becomes you , as the church of god , to ordain a minister to go thither as an embassadour upon the embasie of god , to joy together with them that they are made one , and to glorifie his name . blessed in jesus christ shall that man be , who shall be accounted worthy of such a ministery , and ye your selves shall be glorified . this is not impossible for the name of god , if ye have but a will to it , as some neighbour churches also have sent bishops , others presbyters and deacons . as for philo the deacon of cilicia , he is a man that hath given a good testimonie , and now ministers to me in the word of god , together with rheus agathopus a choyce man , who accompanies me from syria , having renounced this life , these also bear testimonie to you , and i give thanks to god for you , because ye have received them , as the lord you . but they , who have dishonoured them , may obtain redemption by the grace of jesus christ . the love of the brethren , who are at troas , saluteth you , whence also i write unto you by burrus , who was sent along with me from the ephesians and the smyrneans for the word of honour . the lord jesus christ will honour them , in whom they hope , in flesh , soul , faith , love , and unanimitie . farewel in christ jesus our common hope . ignatius to the philadelphians . to the trallians . ignatius , who is also theophorus , to the holy church , beloved of god the father , of jesus christ , which is in trallis of asia , elect , and divine , having obtained peace in the flesh and bloud , by the passion of jesus christ our hope , and the resurrection grounded upon him ; which i salute in fulness , in an apostolical style wishing much joy . i have known you to have a blameless understanding , not to be severed in patience , and that not by use , but by nature , as polybius your bishop hath manifested to me , who by the will of god , and of jesus christ , was at smyrna ; and did so congratulate me a prisoner for jesus christ , that i did view over your whole multitude in him . therefore receiving from him that good disposition of mind , which is according to god , i gloried finding you as i had known you the followers of god. for in regard ye are subject to the bishop as to jesus christ , ye appear to me not to live as men , but to live according to jesus christ , who died for us , that believing in his death ye may escape death . therefore it is necessary , as ye do to do nothing without the bishop ; but that ye be subject to the presbyterie , as to the apostles of jesus christ our hope , in whom we should be found having our conversation . it behooves the deacons also , being the mysterie of jesus christ , to please all men every manner of way . for they are not the ministers of meats and drinks , but ministers of the church of god. therefore it is necessary for them to avoid accusations as fire . let all in like manner reverence the deacons as jesus christ , and the bishop , being the son of the father ; and the presbyters as the council of god , and companie of the apostles . without these a church is not called . of whom i am perswaded that ye are so informed , ( for i have received the exemplar of your love , and have it by me in your bishop , whose behaviour is a great disciplination , and his meekness power ; whom i think that very atheists do reverence ) being satisfied that i spare not my self . formerly though i might have matter to write , i thought not fit for this cause , lest being a condemned person i might seem to command you as an apostle . i am wise in god as to many things , yet do i measure my self , that i may not be destroyed by boasting . for now it behooves me to be very much affraid , and not to give heed to those , who would puff me up . for when such speak unto me they scourge me . truly i love to suffer , but know not whether i am worthy . for my zeal appears not to many , but i have the greater war within . i have need therefore of meekness , that by it the prince of this world may be defeated . cannot i write unto you of things celestial ? but i am affraid , lest i should give you some offence being yet but babes . therefore pardon me , for i would not perplexe you with those things , which ye are not able to bear . for it is not for a slightie matter that i am a prisoner , being acquainted with things celestial , and the angelical orders , and their governing constitutions , things visible and invisible ; and besides this i am now a disciple . for many things are wanting to you , that we may not fall short of god. therefore i exhort you , not i , but the love of jesus christ , to use only the christian nutriment , and to abstain from that strange herb , which is heresie . for the times are such , that persons worthy of credit seemingly do fold in heresie with jesus christ , like those , who administer deadly poison , and temper it with a drink made of honey and sowre wine , which the ignorant receives with pleasure , and so dies by an evil delectation . therefore preserve your selves from such , and so it shall be , if ye are not puffed up , being inseparable from god , jesus christ , and the bishop , and the orders of the apostles . he , who is within the altar , is pure ; that is , he , who does any thing without the bishop , presbyterie , and deacons , is of an impure conscience . not that i have known any such thing among you , but foreseeing the subtilties of the devil , i take care of you before hand being my beloved . do ye therefore , re-assuming your mild disposition , build up your selves anew in the faith , which is the flesh of the lord , in love , which is the bloud of jesus christ . let none among you have any quarrel against his neighbour . give no offences to the gentiles , that the multitude which is in god be not blasphemed by a few foolish men . for wo to him , through whose foolishness my name is blasphemed amongst some . therefore be deaf to him , who speaks to you without jesus christ , who was of the stock of david , and of mary , who was truly born , eat and drank , was truly persecuted under pontius pilate , was truly crucified , dead , things in heaven , on earth , and under the earth beholding him . and was truly raised again from the dead , his father raising him up according to his likeness , as his father will raise up us also , if we believe in him , through jesus christ , without whom we have no true life . but if , as some atheists , that is , infidels s●y , he suffered only in appearance , as they themselves are only in appearance , why am i in bonds ? and why do i pray that i may fight with beasts ? therefore do i not die without reward ? and am i not a lyar against the lord ? fly therefore evil plants , which bring forth deadly fruit ; which if a man taste of , he dies presently . for these are not the plantation of the father , if they were they would appear branches of the cross , and their fruit would be incorruptible . through which cross by his passion he advocates for you being his members . the head therefore cannot be born without the members , god having promised the vnion of them , who is himself . i salute you from smyrna , together with the churches of god , which are present with me , who have every way refreshed me both in flesh and spirit . my bonds , which i carry about for jesus christ , do admonish you , that i desire to enjoy god. continue in your vnanimitie , and in prayer one for another . for it becomes you all one by one exceedingly , and the presbyters to comfort up the bishop for the honour of the father of jesus christ and of the apostles . i beseech you in love to hear me , that writing unto you i may not be a witness within you . pray also for me , out of that charitie which is in you , for i need the mercy of god , that i may be accounted worthy of the lot , which i labour to enjoy , and may not be found reprobate . the love of the smyrneans and ephesians saluteth you . remember in your prayers the church which is in syria , whence i am not worthy to be called , being the last of them . farewel in jesus christ , being subject to the bishop as to the commandement , and likewise to the presbyterie . and love one another man by man with an undivided heart . my spirit shall be an expiation for you , not onely now , but when i shall enjoy god. for as yet i am in danger , but the father , who is faithful , will fulfil my petition and yours in jesus christ , in whom may ye be found unblameable . to the trallians . to the romans . ignatius , who is also theophorus , to the church which hath obtained mercy through the magnificence of the most high father , and jesus christ his onely begotten son , sanctified and enlightned by him who willeth all things , which are according to the love of jesus christ our god ; which is president over the churches about in the region of the romans , as over a quire , being divine , comely , most blessed , worthy of praise , in a becoming order , eminently chaste , and set up for a president of charitie , having the law of christ , and bearing the name of the father ; which i also salute in the name of jesus christ the son of the father , according to the flesh and spirit united in every command of his , filled with all the grace of god without any difference , and purged from every strange tincture , wishing very much joy in our lord jesus christ our god immaculately . having beseeched god , i happened to see your divine faces , as i much desired to receive you . and being in bonds for jesus christ i hope to salute you , if it be his will , that i may be accounted worthy to continue to the end . for the beginning is well ordered , if thereby i may obtain grace so as to obtain my lot unto the end without impediment . for i fear your charitie , lest it prove injurious to me . for to you it is easie to do what ye will ; but to me it is a difficult thing to enjoy god , unless ye are the more sparing to me . i would not have you to please men , but to please god , as ye do please him . i shall never have such an opportunity to enjoy god , neither shall ye be intituled to a better work , if ye can but be silent . for if ye be silent and let me alone , i shall be of god , but if ye love my flesh , i shall be but a voice , and to run again . ye cannot do better than to let me be sacrificed unto god , in regard the altar is already prepared . that ye being made up a chorus in love may sing to the father in jesus christ ; because god hath accounted the bishop of syria worthy to be found , and to be sent from the east unto the west , to set and go down gloriously from the world unto god , that i may rise again in him . ye have never bewitched me in any thing ; ye have instructed others , and i would that those things may be firm , which ye as teachers have commanded . onely pray for me to be inabled inwardly and outwardly , that i may not onely say it , but will it , and not only be called a christian , but be found so . for if i shall be found so , i may also be so called , and then be a believer , when i appear not to the world . nothing is good which is onely in appearance ; for our god jesus christ being in the father appeareth the more . a christian is not a work of persuasion but of greatness , especially when he shall be hated of the world . i write to all the churches , and lay my commands upon them all , that i may willingly die for god , if ye shall not hinder me . i intreat you that ye would not be unseasonably kind unto me . suffer me to be the meat of beasts that by them i may enjoy god. i am the wheat of god , and shall be ground by the teeth of beasts , that i may be found the pure bread of god. allure those beasts the rather to become my sepulchre , and to leave no reliques of my body , that when i am fallen asleep i may not be burdensom to any . then shall i be the true disciple of jesus christ , when the world shall not see my body . pray to the lord for me , that by these instruments i may be found a sacrifice to god. i do not give you commands as peter and paul ; they were apostles , but i am a condemned person , they were free , but i am a servant even until now , yet , if i suffer , i shall be made the freeman of jesus christ , and shall rise again free ; and being now a prisoner i learn to desire nothing . from syria even to rome do i fight with beasts , both by land and by sea , by night and by day , being bound to ten leopards , ( which are my military guard ) which are the worse for being kindly treated . but by their injurious dealings i am the more made a disciple , yet am i not therefore justified . i would enjoy the beasts which are prepared for me , and i pray that they may be found sharply set , nay i would entise them greedily to devour me , and not fearfully to decline the touching of me as they have avoided some . but if they shun me , and will not , i shall provoke them . pardon me . i know what is convenient for me . now i begin to be a disciple in that i have a zeal to nothing visible or invisible , but that i may gain jesus christ . let the fire , the cross , the violence of beasts , scattering of bones , concision or chewing of members , grinding of the whole body , buffetings of the devil come upon me , so that i may but enjoy jesus christ . the ends of the world will profit me nothing , nor the kingdoms of this age . it is good for me to die for jesus christ , rather then to rule over the ends of the earth . i seek him , who died for us , i will him , who rose again for us . he is the gain set before me . pardon me , brethren , do not hinder me to live , do not separate me by the world , who am willing to be of god , nor seduce me by that which is material . suffer me to receive the pure light , when i approach to that , i shall be a man of god. suffer me to imitate the passion of my god. if any man hath him within him , he may understand what i will , and sympathize with me , knowing what things have taken possession of me . the prince of this world would spoil me , and corrupt my judgement , which is according to god. therefore let none of you being present contribute any assistance to him , but rather be for me , that is , for god. do not speak jesus christ , and covet the world . let no fascination be amongst you . neither do i exhort you being present to believe me , rather believe the things , which i write unto you ; for i write unto you being alive , yet withal willing to die . my love is crucified , and the fire , which is in me , desires no water . but there is one living and speaking in me , who saith to me inwardly , come to the father . i take no pleasure in the meat of corruption , nor in the pleasures of this life . i will the bread of god , which is the flesh of jesus christ , of the seed of david , and the drink which i will , is his bloud , which is incorruptible love . i would live no longer according to men , and this shall be if ye will. will it therefore that ye also may be accepted . i intreat you by a few writings , believe me ; but jesus christ shall manifest these things to you , that i speak truth . that is no lying mouth , by which the father hath truly spoken . pray for me that i may obtain . for i have not written unto you according to the flesh , but according to the mind of god. if i suffer ye have loved me , but if i prove reprobate ye have hated me . remember in your prayers the church in syria , which in my stead hath god for its pastour . jesus christ himself shall watch over it , and your love. but i am ashamed to be named from them , for i am not worthy , being the last of them , and an abortive . but i may through mercy be something if i obtain god. my spirit saluteth you , and the love of the churches which have received me for the name of jesus christ , not as one passing by them ; for they did not meet me onely on the way according to the flesh , but conducted me to the citie . these things i write unto you from smyrna by the ephesians , worthy to be most blessed . crocus also is with me a name desireable , together with many others , who came from syria to rome to the glorie of god. i believe they are known to you , to whom ye may make manifest the things approaching me . for they are all worthy of god , and of you , and it becomes you to refresh them in all things . i have written unto you these things upon the day before the ninth of the calends of september . be strengthened to the end in the patience of jesus christ . finis . the life of saint barnabas the apostle . saint barnabas was a man of excellent and divine qualifications , beautified and adorned with singular gifts and graces for the propagating of christianitie , and promoting the kingdom of the lord jesus ; being one of the secundary apostles , which were in that age made choice of in imitation of the twelve , and chosen together with paul to this honourable imployment by god himself , act. . . all were not apostles , cor. . . hoc magnum erat , & per paucorum privilegium , this was a great privilege , and onely of some few . christ was the apostle of god. heb. . . the twelve the apostles of christ , joh. . . and they , as the spirit gave direction , did constitute others in like manner . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , there being many apostles besides the twelve after their similitude . of this number was barnabas , who needs not any humane character , in regard he abounded with so much of divine approbation , for honourable mention is frequently made of him in the acts of the apostles written by saint luke . he and paul were tanquam jugati boves , as gods chief yoke of oxen , ploughing over much ground , and manuring the field of christianitie ; he was a person of very great eminencie and integritie in his place and office , often imployed upon honourable services for the church , sometimes alone , and sometimes in conjunction with holy and blessed paul , and when he had done the church all honest and faithful service he possibly could , and had improved his talents to his masters glorie , the churches benefit , and his own , he finished the course of his natural life by a glorious martyrdom , and under the power of nero the first of persecutors , and worst of men , was burnt at the stake for his religion , upon the eleventh of june , which day is annually observed by our church to perpetuate his memory , and to advance gods glorie . this briefly concerning the author ; his following epistle indeed may not prove so very acceptable to some , in regard of his strange explications of scripture , which are not after the modern and more refined mode . but it is to be noted that , when he wrote , christianity was but in the cradle , and scarce advanced into her morning dress , then god made choice of the weak things of the world to confound the mighty , and of rude and illiterate men to confound the learned . since that time christianity hath made a conquest over the world , heathen learning is become subservient to divine truths , the rudeness and first draught of christianity hath been polished over , and adorned by the most able and learned pens ; the following translation of this epistle is according to the original greek copy set forth by mr isaac vossius , and printed at amsterdam , anno dom. . who himself gives this following account of it in his annotations upon it . some years have passed over , since it was my resolution to publish this epistle of barnabas , which i received from the incomparable salmasius ; but being prevented by a journey , i could not then perfect what i intended . when i went for england to make my self acquainted with that nation , another opportunity offered it self unto me , whereby i was encouraged speedily to make publike the epistle before mentioned , which had merited long before to be sent forth to the publike view . for the right reverend dr vsher , bishop of armagh , and primate of ireland was then preparing to publish a new edition of ignatius , and when he made it both his request and offer that this epistle of barnabas might be printed with his ignatian epistles , i not onely freely consented to it , but was very glad , that so very antient a monument should fall into those hands , from which i was assured it would borrow not a little splendour . and had not a great fire consumed a great part of the citie of oxford , and destroyed all exemplars , we had had long since a very fair edition of this author . however there were not wanting in france some learned men , who thought it a very unworthy thing that such a writing as this should be so long concealed . thereupon claudius menardus of the order of saint maurus lately fitted out for us a new edition ; and that he hath very well deserved of the publike for this act of his no man can deny . yet he had merited more had it been his good fortune to see more copies for seeing that edition of his was wholly taken out of one only book , it could not possibly come forth any other then very faulty . though fortune hath not so much favoured me as to minister occasion to any mans envie , yet this happiness hath been afforded me , to have the use of three manuscripts , whereby to correct that edition ; the medicaean librarie of florence supplyed me with the first , and that of theatins at rome furnished me with the other two ; and lucas hostenius an eminent man , who cannot be praised according to his deserts , is the person , to whom i am indebted for the use of them . what help these three manuscripts have afforded me , he will be best able to judge , who can think it worth his while to compare this with the other edition before mentioned . but i cannot imagine upon what grounds some men should think that this is not the epistle of barnabas , whereas clement , origen , and others ascribe it to him . learned men ( i believe ) may take offence at some unusual expositions of his , made upon some places of scripture ; but they can have nothing whereon to ground a perswasion , that those places should be misinterpreted by a man of so great authority , whom the holy scriptures make so frequent mention of , and who was always an inseparable companion of the apostle paul , and himself one of the minor apostles . but who could expect all kind of science and learning from those first christians ? and think that they might not as well be mistaken as their relatives , especially in things not appertaining to faith ? do we not meet with many things as strange in the epistle of clement ? which epistle was published by patricius junius the kings library keeper , and an eminent man , to whom i am so much a debtor , that he cannot possibly oblige me more . for who can well digest that fable of clement about the phoenix , and his many worlds beyond the ocean ? neither do i believe that some will easily admit of that exposition about the scarlet thred of the harlot rahab , that it should be a type of the bloud of christ , and other things of this nature which i could reckon up , but they are not so proper for this place ; yet was this clement called an apostle by as good right as barnabas was . therefore no persons ought to find fault with that in the one , which they excuse in the other . it is known to every one how very mystically , superstitiously , and almost impertinently , those first christians did interpret the scriptures . therefore if some things should be met with in this author , which may displease the learned , let them rather impute it to the manner of expression used by those ancient christians , than entertain the least thoughts that this writing is supposititious . nor let any persons therefore like the worse of this epistle of barnabas because eusebius , and other greek writers of a later date , have placed it amongst the apocryphal writings . for they did not question the author , only they approved not of those mystical interpretations of his , made upon many places of scripture . and for the same reason many works of clement of alexandria and of origen , were accounted apocryphal , whereas it was never yet doubted of , whether those very works so accounted of were their genuine works . and certainly if we should reject all writings , which have at any time been accounted apocryphal , we should reject the epistle of paul to the hebrews , and the epistle of jude the apostle , and that of clement to the corinthians ; which thing should we do how absurd would it seem to any man ? others have given out that they have discerned this epistle to be spurious both from the style , and manner of writing , and they have affirmed the very same things of the epistles of ignatius ; but they , who boast of such things , would seem more accute than becomes them . for it is not so easie to distinguish spurious writings from genuine , as it is to know true pearls from counterfeit . when true stones are compared with counterfeit , the fucus of the counterfeit soon appears , as a true people will discover a false one ; which is a thing ordinary in other traffiqueable commodities . but from what is it possible for these men to take the ground of their conjecture , who deny these to be the very epistles of ignatius and barnabas ? have they seen other writings of theirs ? certainly not . therefore how come they to know what style barnabas and ignatius used ? yet they go on and say , that what they think to be true , they know to be true , and if it be so with them , i will not adde one word more about them . the catholique epistle of saint barnabas the apostle . my sons and daughters , in the name of our lord jesus christ , who loved us , i wish you much joy and peace . knowing that there is in you an abundance of the great and comely graces of god , i am rejoyced above measure by your blessed and excellent spirits ; for by this means ye have received a natural grace . so that i am hereby very much comforted , hoping to be set at liberty ; because i verily perceive that the spirit is infused into you from the honourable fountain of god. and seeing i am of this perswasion , and know it the more fully so to be , in regard that , whilst i am conversing with you , many things have succeeded well with me , according to the equal way of the lord ; therefore is it happily brethren in my thoughts to love you more than my own soul ; because the greatness of faith and love dwelleth therein , and the hope of that other life . thinking of this ( and because it was my care to impart something unto you of what i have received ) that it would be a sufficient reward to do service to persons of such a spirit , i made it my proper business , as allotted to me , speedily to send unto you some few things , that together with your faith ye may have also perfect knowledge . there are also three constitutions of the lord , the hope of life , the beginning , and the consummation . for god hath made before-hand things plain to us , by his prophets , who are passed , and hath given unto us the beginnings of future things . but , as he hath said , it is a more honourable and high thing to approach to his altar . yet i shall not as a teacher or doctor , but as one of you , shew you a few things , by which ye may be the more joyful in many . seeing therefore that the days are most wicked , and that the adversary hath the power of this world ▪ we ought diligently to make enquiry into the equal ways of the lord. fear and patience are the coadjutors of your faith ; and the things , which fight for us , are longanimitie and continence . where these remain pure , according to the lord , wisdom , understanding , science , knowledge rejoyce together with them . for he hath laid it open to us by all the prophets , that he will not use our sacrifices , victims , nor oblations , saying in this wise , to what purpose is the multitude of your sacrifices unto me , saith the lord , i am full of the burnt-offerings of rams , and the fat of lambs ; i delight not in the bloud of goats and bulls . neither do i regard you , when ye come to appear before me . for who hath required these things at your hands ? neither shall ye tread my courts . when ye bring your course bread it is vain , your incense is an abomination to me . your new moons , and sabbaths , and great day i cannot endure ▪ your fast , idle time , new moons , and feasts my soul hateth . god hath therefore made these void , as the new law of our lord jesus christ , which is without the yoke of necessity , hath made void the humane oblation . the lord saith again unto them , have i commanded your fathers , when they went out of the land of egypt , that they should offer unto me sacrifices and victims ? but this i commanded them , saying , let every one among you bear no malice towards his neighbour , and let no man swear falsly . seeing therefore that we are not without understanding , we ought to understand the counsel of the goodness of our father . for he being willing to seek us also going astray , hath told us how we should come unto him , saying , the sacrifice of god is a contrite heart , and one that is humbled , god doth not despise . therefore ( brethren ) we ought to enquire more certainly concerning our salvation , that nothing may have entrance into us , which may turn us away from our life . god speaks again unto them as concerning these things , saying , wherefore do ye fast to me , that your voice may be heard on high , as this day ? i have not chosen such a fast , nor a day for a man to afflict his soul ; neither shalt thou bow down thy neck like a bulrush , nor spread sackcloth and ashes under thee , nor shall ye call this an acceptable fast . but to us he saith thus , when ye shall fast , loose every bond of iniquitie , dissolve the obligations of violent contracts , set the oppressed at libertie , make void every injurious obligation ; break thy bread to the hungry ; bring the poor that are without shelter into thine house ▪ when thou seest the naked clothe him , and hide not thy self from thine own flesh ; then thy light shall break forth as the morning , and thine health shall spring forth speedily ; and thy righteousness shall go before thee ; the glorie of the lord shall be thy rereward . then shall thou call , and the lord shall answer ; thou shall cry , and he shall say , here i am : if thou take away from the midst of thee the yoke , the putting forth of the finger , and speaking vanity , and shall give thy bread to the hungry with all thy soul . therefore in this ( brethren ) god is provident and merciful , in regard the people , whom he hath acquired to his beloved , should believe in simplicity , and he hath shewn to all us , that we should not run as proselytes over to their law. and it concerns us to write much of the things in hand , which cannot heal . let us flie every work of iniquitie , and hate the errour of this time , and love things future . let us not give libertie to our soul , nor suffer it to wander with most lewd men and sinners . for the trail is consummate , as it is written , as daniel saith , it is at hand . for this cause doth the lord divide times and days , that his beloved may hasten to his inheritance . so saith the prophet , ten kingdoms shall reign upon the earth , and a little king shall arise , who shall depose three into one . concerning the kingdoms , and this very thing daniel saith again , i saw a fourth beast dreadful and terrible , and exceeding strong , having ten horns , and another little horn grew up in the midst of them , before whom there were three of the first horns plucks up by the roots . therefore we ought to understand , and i intreat you again , as one of you , loving you above mine own life , that ye would take heed unto your selves , and that ye would not be like unto those , who heap up their sins , and say , that their testament is also ours . but ours it is , for they have for ever destroyed that which moses received . for the scripture saith , and moses was in the mount fasting fourty days and fourty nights , and he received the testament from the lord , the tables of stone written with the hand of god. but they being turned unto idols destroyed that , for the lord saith to moses , go down quickly , for thy people , which thou broughtest out of the land of egypt , hath transgressed . and moses cast the tables of stone out of his hands , and their testament was broken , that the love of jesus might be signed upon your hearts unto the hope of the faith of him . therefore let us give heed unto the last days ; for all the time of our life and faith shall profit us nothing , if we do not endure unjust things , and future temptations , as the son of god saith , let us resist all iniquitie , and hate it . consider therefore the works of an evil life . ye ought not to separate your selves as being justified , but meeting together in one , to enquire what may be in common profitable and convenient for the beloved . for the scripture saith , wo to those , who are wise in their own eyes , and prudent in their own sight . let us being spiritual , be made a perfect temple to god , as much as in us lies . let us meditate upon the fear of god , and endeavour to keep his commandements , that we may rejoyce in his judgements . the lord accepting no mans person judgeth the world ; every man shall receive according to his deeds . if he be good , his goodness goes before him ; if wicked , the ways of his wickedness follows after him . take heed lest at any time being called , and at ease , we do not fall asleep in our sins , and the wicked one getting power over us , do not awake us out of our sleep , and exclude us from the kingdom of the lord. understand a little more ; having seen the great signs and wonders among the people of the jews , and that the lord doth so leave them ; therefore let us take heed , lest happily we be found , as it is written , many called , few chosen . for this cause , the lord endured to deliver up his body to death , that we might be sanctified by remission of sins , that is , through the sprinkling of his bloud . for it is written of him to the jews , and to us , in this manner , he was wounded for our transgressions , bruised for our iniquities ; by his stripes we were healed . he was led as a sheep to the slaughter , and as a lamb before the shearer dumb , so opened he not his mouth . therefore we ought exceedingly to rejoyce in the lord , because he hath shown unto us things past , and hath made us wise , neither are we without understanding of things to come . but he saith , the net surely is spread in vain in the sight of any bird . this he saith , in regard that that man shall justly perish , who hath knowledge of the way of truth , and yet will not refrain himself from the dark way . moreover , the lord endured to suffer for us , and yet he is the lord of the world , to whom he said upon the day before the world was consummate , let us make man according to our image and similitude . learn therefore how much he endured , who would suffer this from men . the prophets having the gift from him prophesied of him ; and he , that he might abolish death , and make manifest the resurrection from the dead , endured , because it was necessary for him to appear in the flesh , that he might make good the promise to the parents . and preparing a new people by his being upon the earth , he declared by making a resurrection the judgement , and in the end by teaching , and doing great signs and wonders , he preached to israel , and dearly loved him . then he chose proper apostles , who should preach his gospel , who were sinners above all sin , that he might shew that he came not to call the righteous , but sinners to repentance . then he manifested himself to be the son of god. for had he not come in the flesh , how could men looking on him have been saved ? for the sun , which is the work of his hands , men cannot look directly upon with their eyes intent upon the beams of it . therefore the son of god came in the flesh , that he might consummate the sins of those , who persecuted his prophets unto death . and for this he endured . for god saith , by the stripe of his flesh all are healed . and again , when i shall smite the shepherd , then shall the sheep of the flock be scattered . he would thus suffer , and it was necessarie that he should suffer upon the tree . for he saith , who prophesied of him , thou shalt deliver my soul from the sword . and , fasten my flesh with nails , for the congregations of wicked men are risen up against me . and again he saith , behold , i have given my back to scourges , and my cheeks to strokes , and set my face , as a firm rock . but when he had done the command , what saith he ? who shall condemn me , let him be set against me ? or who shall judge me , let him come neer to the servant of the lord ? wo unto you , for ye shall all wax old as a garment , and the moth shall devour you . again the prophet saith , he was set a stone for contusion . behold , i will lay in sion for foundations a pretious stone , elect , a chief corner-stone , honourable . what saith he after ? and he , who hopeth in it , shall live for ever . is our faith therefore placed in a stone ? far be it . but because the lord hath given strength unto his flesh . for he saith , and he bath set me as a strong rock . again the prophet saith , the stone which the builders refused , is made the head of the corner . and again he saith , this is the great and wonderful day , which the lond hath made . i write the more simply to you , that ye may understand . i am the off-scouring of your love . what saith the prophet again ? the congregation of wicked men came about me , they enclosed me as bees do the wax . and , they cast a lot upon my vesture . seeing he should be manifest in the flesh , and should suffer ; his passion was manifested long before . for the prophet saith to israel , wo to the soul of profane men , for they take evil counsel against themselves , saying , let us seize upon the righteous , for he is unpleasing to us . moses also saith unto them , behold these things saith the lord god , enter into the good land , which the lord hath sworn to abraham , and isaac , and jacob , and inherit the land flowing with milk and honey . learn what knowledge saith , hope in jesus , who will come in the flesh to be manifested unto you . man is a suffering land . for from the face of the earth was the figment of adam driven . why therefore saith he , a good land flowing with milk and honey ? blessed be our lord , who hath put wisdom and understanding in us of his secrets . for the prophet saith , who shall understand the parable of the lord , but onely the wise and the intelligent , and he who is a lover of the lord. seeing therefore he renewing us by remission of sins hath made us to be another figure , he hath made us to have souls like children and hath formed us anew . for what he saith to the son , the scripture saith concerning us , we will make man according to our image and likeness , and let them rule over the beasts of the earth , and the fowls of heaven , and the fishes of the sea . and the lord seeing man an excellent figure , he said , increase and multiply , and replenish the earth . these things to the son. again , i will shew you , how in the last days he made a second figure as concerning us . the lord saith , behold , i will make the last things as the former , and therefore did the prophet preach thus , saying , enter into the land flowing with milk and honey , and have dominion over it . behold therefore we are formed anew , as he also saith in another prophet , behold , saith the lord , i will take from them , that is , from those whom the spirit of the lord hath foreseen , their hearts of stone , and will give them hearts of flesh . for he was to be manifested in the flesh , and to dwell in us . for , my brethren , the inhabitation of our hearts is an holy temple to the lord. again the lord saith , how shall i appear before the lord my god , and how shall i glorifie him ? he saith , i will confess unto thee in the church , in the midst of my brethren , and will praise thee in the midst of the church of saints . therefore we are they whom he hath brought into the good land . but why milk and honey ? because a little child is first quickned with milk and honey , and nourished . so we also being nourished and enlivened by the faith of the promise and the word shall live , and have dominion over the earth . for he said before , let them increase and rule over the fishes . what can this be now , that a man should have power to rule the beasts , or fishes , or fowls of the heaven ? for we ought to be sensible . to govern , is of power and authoritie , and he shall bear rule who is thereto appointed . and if this be not now , he hath said that it shall be ; when ? when we our selves may be perfected to be made heirs of the covenant of the lord. vnderstand therefore ( sons of joy ) that the good lord hath before hand manifested all things to us ; that we might know whom we ought to praise with thanks-giving according to all ; therefore if the son of god being lord , who also shall judge the quick and dead , hath suffered , that his stripes may enliven us ; we ought to believe that his son of god could not suffer , unless it was for us . and when he was crucified he had vineger and gall given him to drink hear how the priests of the people have manifested this , there being a command written concerning it . the lord commanded that if a man would not fast the fast , he should be destroyed . because he would offer up in sacrifice for our sins the vessel of the spirit , that the type also which was made in isaac offered upon the altar might be completed . what saith he further by the prophet ? and let them eat of the goat offered on the fast for the sins of all . mark diligently : and let all the priests alone eat the entrails unwashed with vineger . why this ? because ye shall give me gall and vineger to drink , when i shall offer up my flesh for the sins of the new people . eat ye alone the people fasting and bewailing in sackcloth and ashes ; that he might demonstrate that it behooved him to suffer by them . therefore what hath he given in command ? observe ; take two goats fair and alike , and offer them ; and let the priest take one for an holocaust ; but what shall he do with the other ? he saith , let one he made an execration . mark how the figure of jesus is manifested . and ye shall all spit upon it , and pierce it , and put crimson wooll about the head of it , and so let it be sent into the wilderness ; and when this is done , he who bears the goat into the wilderness , shall take of the wooll , and put it upon a dry brushie thorn , called rubus , the berries of which we usually eat if finding them in the field . for the fruits of this thorn onely are pleasant . but what is the meaning of this ? observe ; one goat was for the altar , the other for an execration , and the goat for execration was crowned . why ? because they shall see him in that day having his flesh cloathed in scarlet , and they shall say , is not this he whom we have crucified , setting him at nought , piercing and mocking him ? truly this was he , who then said , that he was the son of god ; and he was used in like manner as those fair goats which were alike . so that when they saw him they mourned over him , who was to come under the figure of a goat . see therefore the type of jesus who was to suffer . but why did they put the wooll into the midst of thorns ? this is a type of jesus appointed to the church . he , who would take away the scarlet wooll , must needs suffer many things , for the thorn is terrible , and he who would rule over it , must endure affliction ; so , saith he , they , who would see me , and approach my king-dom , ought to receive me through tribulations and sufferings . but see what figure this was , when it was given in command to israel , that man , in whom sins were completed , should offer an heifer , and killing it should burn it , and then servants should take up the ashes , and put them into earthen vessels , and then the servants should take scarlet wooll and hyssop , and so sprinkle the people one by one , that they might be purged from their sins . understand in what simplicity it speaks unto us . this heifer is jesus christ , the men offering it are those sinners , who brought him to the slaughter ; for they seemed partly men , and partly sinners but the servants sprinkling were they , who preached unto us remission of sins , and puritie of heart . to whom he gave the power of the gospel , they were twelve in testimonie of the tribes , for they were the twelve tribes of israel , which they were to preach it to . but why were there three servants sprinkling ? these were in testimonie of abraham , and isaac , and jacob , who were honourable with god. but why was the wooll put upon wood ? because the kingdom of jesus was from the wood , and they therefore , who hope in him , shall live for ever . but why was there wooll and hyssop together ? because in his kingdom shall be evil and gloomie days , wherein we shall be saved . for he , who is wounded in the flesh is healed by hyssop cleansing away the filth . and for this cause are these things , which are made thus manifest to us , obscure to them , because they hearkned not unto the voyce of the lord. again the lord saith by the prophet something of the ears , teaching us thereby how we should circumcise our heart , saying , by the hearing of the ear hath he heard me ▪ and again he saith , they , who are afar off , shall hear with the hearing , what i have done , and shall know me ; and , ye shall circumcise your hearts , saith the lord. and again he saith , hear , o israel , for the lord thy god speaketh these things unto thee . and again the spirit of the lord prophesieth , who is he that would live for ever ? let him hear with the ear the voice of my servant . and again he saith , hear , o heaven , and give ear , o earth ; for the lord hath spoken these things for a testimony . and again he saith , hear the word of the lord , ye rulers of this people . and again he saith , hear , o children , the voice of one crying in the wilderness . therefore he circumcised our ears , that hearing we may believe the word . for the circumcision , of which they were perswaded , is abolished . for he said , there should be a circumcision not made upon the flesh . but they have transgressed , because a wicked angel hath taught them . he saith again unto them , these things saith the lord your god. here i find a commandment , sow not among thorns , but be circumcised to your lord. and what saith he further ? and circumcise your hard heart , and do not harden your neck . and again , behold the lord saith , all nations are uncircumcised having on the foreskin , but this people is uncircumcised in heart . but thou wilt say , the people hath received circumcision as a seal . but so every syrian , and arabs , and all the idolatrous priests , and the egyptians have received circumcision , therefore are they also within the covenants . learn therefore ( children ) abundantly concerning all nations , that abraham , who first gave circumcision in the spirit , did see so far as to the son , for receiving the definitions of three letters , he gave circumcision . for he saith , that abraham circumcised the males of his house , which were ten , and eight , and three hundred . therefore what knowledge was given to him ? learn , there were first ten and eight , then three hundred , the ten note . the eight note n , there ye have 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . and the cross , which should have the grace , was noted in the three hundred , for the numeral of that is t. therefore it is manifest that jesus was figured in two letters , and the cross in one . abraham knew the implanted gift of his doctrine , and gave it for a sign to us . no one hath learned a more genuine word from me , onely i know that ye are worthy . but where●s moses hath said , ye shall not eat swines flesh , nor the eagle , nor the hawk , nor the crow , nor any fish which hath not scales upon it ; undoubtedly he received in his understanding three constitutions . afterwards he saith to them in deuteronomie , i will give to this people my judgements . undoubtedly therefore the command of god was not that they should not eat , but moses spake in the spirit , when he spake of not eating swines flesh , he spake it to this effect , thou shalt not , saith he , be joyned to such men , who are like unto swine , who , when they are fed and wanton , forget their lord , but when they are in wants acknowledge him ▪ for the swine , when he hath eaten , knows not his lord , but when he is hungry , he cryes , & when he is filled again is still , and holds his peace . neither shalt thou eat , saith he , the eagle , nor the hawk , nor the kite , nor the crow . in this he saith , thou shalt not associate thy self with such men , who do not make provisions for themselves by labour and sweat , but live by rapine , and injurious taking from others , and however they appear to walk in simplicity , yet they observe what things may be offered to them without any labour , these they diligently prie out , and being idle themselves , and very pernicious creatures by reason of their wickedness , they devour and feed upon the flesh of others . he saith , thou shalt not eat the lampry nor the polypus , nor the cuttle-fish . that is , he saith , thou shalt not be joyned to , nor like unto those men , who are ungodly to the end , and condemned to death ; for these fishes alone being accursed , swim onely in the deep , not diving as other fishes , but inhabiting in the mud of the deep . he hath said again , thou shalt not eat the conie . why said he it ? only to shew , that thou shouldest not be alascivious lecherous person , nor like unto such ; for the hare or conie doth every year breed abundantly , and as many years as she liveth maketh her so many burrows . neither shalt thou eat the hyaena . this he saith , thou shalt not be an adulterer , nor defiler of men or women , nor like unto such . why so ? for this kind of animal every year changeth its nature , and is one while a male , and another while a female . again he well said , thou shalt hate the weasil ; this he saith , thou shalt not be like unto those , of whom we hear , by reason of their impurity , that they do unlawful things at the mouth , neither shalt thou associate thy self with impure persons , who commit iniquitie with the mouth ; for this animal conceiveth at the mouth . therefore moses by the spirit delivered three constitutions touching meats , but they understood them to be meant of meats in a fleshly sense ; but david took the true knowledge of these three constitutions , and spake in this wise . blessed is the man , who hath not walked in the council of the ungodly , as those fishes which walk in the dark down into the deep . and hath not stood in the way of sinners ; as persons seemingly reverencing their lord , and yet transgressing like swine . and hath not sat in the seat of pestilent men . like unto birds which sit watching for prey . thus have you a perfect knowledge of moses his constitutions about meats but moses saith , thou maist eat of whatever hath a cloven hoof , and cheweth the cud . wherefore saith he it ? because every such creature having received food doth seem to acknowledge his feeder , and being refreshed to rejoyce in him . he spake it well seeing the commandment , therefore what said he ▪ he gave in commandment that they should be joyned to those who fear the lord , and who meditate in the heart upon the command of the word which they have received , and to associate with those , who speak the judgements of the lord and keep them , and to those , who knowing that meditation is a work of joy , do ruminate upon the word of the lord. but what means the beast with a cloven foot ? this shews that a just man , though he walks in this world , yet he expects and lays hold upon another . observe how excellently moses gave his laws . but they could not know or understand these things : yet we rightly understanding the commands , do speak as the lord would ; therefore hath god circumcised our ears , and our hearts that we might understand these things . we shall now enquire , whether it was the lord's care to manifest any thing before hand touching the water , and the cross . as concerning the water it is written to israel , how they should not receive baptism , which should bring remission of sins , but should build up to themselves . therefore the prophet saith , be astonished , o heaven , and let ▪ the earth very much tremble at it , for this people hath committed two great evils , they have forsaken me the fountain of living waters , and hewed out to themselves broken cisterns . is my holy mount sion a desert rock ? ye shall be as the young ones of a bird fluttering about the forsaken nest . and again the prophet saith , i will go before thee , and will level the mountains , and will break in pieces the gates of brass , and cut in sunder the bars of iron , and i will give thee the treasures of darkness , and hidden riches of secret places , that they may know that i am the lord god. and he shall dwell in the deep cave of the strong rock : afterwards what saith he ? his water shall be sure through the son. ye shall see the king with glory , and your soul shall meditate on the fear of the lord. and again he saith in another prophet , he , who doth these things , shall be as a tree planted by the water-courses , which shall give its fruit in its season ; and his leaf shall not wither , and whatsoever he doth it shall prosper ; not so the ungodly , not so , but they shall be as the dust , which the wind scattereth before the face of the earth : therefore the ungodly shall not stand in the judgement , nor sinners in the counsel of the just . for the lord knoweth the way of the rightcous , and the way of the ungodly shall perish . be ye sensible how he hath appointed water and the cross for the same thing . for this he saith , blessed are they , who , hoping in the cross have descended into the water . and whereas he saith , he will give a reward in its season . this he saith , i will retribute to them . the leaves shall not wither . this he saith , that every word which shall proceed out of your mouth in faith and love , shall be for the conversion and hope of many . again another prophet saith , and the land of jacob was praised above all lands . this he speaks of the vessel of his spirit which he will glorifie . afterwards what saith he ? and there was a river drawing from the right hand , and trees in their season grew up out of it , and whosoever shall eat of them shall live for ever . this he saith , because we descend into the water full of sin , and filth , and we ascend out of it , bearing fruit in the heart , having fear and hope in the son jesus through the spirit . and whereas he saith , whosoever shall eat of these shall live for ever . this he saith , whosoever , saith he , shall hear the things that are spoken , and shall believe , he shall live for ever . he determines in like manner concerning the cross by another prophet speaking thus , and when these things shall be consummate , and when the wood shall be bowed , saith the lord , and shall rise again , and when blond shall distit from the wood . thou hast something again touching the cross and him who should be crucified . for he saith again in moses , when israel was warred against by strangers , and that they were to be put in remembrance that they were warred against , that they might be delivered up to death for their sins , the spirit spake to the heart of moses , that he should make a type of the cross and of him who should suffer , to shew that unless they hoped in him , they should be warred against for ever . therefore moses laid the armour one piece upon another in the middle of a fountain , and standing higher than all , stretched out his hands , and so israel prevailed , and when he drew in his hands again they were put to death . why was this ? that they may know that they cannot be saved , unless they hope in him . and in another prophet he saith , all the day long have i stretched forth my hands to a people that will not be perswaded , contradicting my just way . moses again makes a type of jesus , because it was necessary that he should suffer , and give life , when they supposed to have destroyed him in the sepulchre . for when israel fell he made every serpent to bite them , and they died , because the transgression in eve was by the serpent , that he might reprove them , and convince them , that for their transgression they were delivered up to the anguish of death . in the end , though moses had commanded that there should be no molten nor graven image amongst them for a god , he made one to shew the type of jesus . for moses made a serpent of brass , and placed it gloriously , and by proclamation called the people . they coming together intreated moses that he would pray and make an offering for them , that they might be healed . then moses said unto them , when any of you shall be bitten , let him come to this serpent set upon a pole , and let him hope , believing that though it is dead , it is able to give life , and he shall be immediately healed ; and they did so . in this thou hast the glorie of jesus , for all things are in him , and to him . what saith moses again to jesus the son of naue , giving him , being a prophet , this name , that all the people should hear him only , because the father would reveal all things touching his son jesus to the son of naue . and when he gave him this name , and sent him to search the land , he said , take a little book in thine hands , and write what the lord saith . because the son of god in the last days will cut up all the house of amalek by the roots . behold again jesus , not the son of man , but the son of god , but manifested by a type in the flesh . and because they would say that christ is the son of david , he fearing and understanding the errour of sinners saith , the lord said to my lord , sit on my right hand , until i make thy enemies thy footstool . and again esaias saith in this manner , the lord said to christ my lord , i have holden his right hand , that the nations may hear him , and i will break in pieces the power of kings . see how david calls him lord , and the son of god. but let us see whether this people be the heir or first people , and whether the testament be ours or theirs . hear now what the scripture saith concerning this people . isaac prayed for rebekah his wife , because she was barren , and she conceived , afterwards rebekah came to enquire of the lord , and the lord said unto her , two nations are in thy womb , and two people in thy bowels , and one people shall prevail over the other people , and the elder shall serve the younger . ye ought to be sensible who is isaac , and who is rebekah ; and which of the two he hath demonstrated to be the elder people , this people , or that . and in another prophesy he saith , jacob spake more plainly to joseph his son , saying , behold , the lord hath not deprived me of thy presence ; bring thy sons unto me , that i may bless them . and he brought forth ephraim and manasses , desiring that the blessing might be given to manasses , because he was the elder , and he set him on the right hand of his father jacob. but jacob saw in the spirit a type of that people which should be . and what follows ? and jacob changed his hands , and put his right hand upon the head of ephraim the second and the younger , and blessed him . and joseph said to jacob , put thy right hand upon the head of manasses , because he is my first-born son . and jacob said to joseph , i know it my son , i know it , but the elder shall serve the younger , yet he also shall be blessed . see which of these he hath appointed to be this first people , and heir of the covenant . yet further , let it be remembred that through abraham we have a greater perfection of our knowledge . therefore what saith he to abraham , that because he believed , it was counted to him for righteousness ? behold , i have made thee a father of nations which should believe in the lord through uncircumcisions . but let us now enquire , whether he hath performed the covenant which he sware to the fathers , to this people ? he gave it , but they were not worthy to receive it , by reason of their sins . for the prophet saith , and moses was fasting in the mount sinai fourty days and fourty nights , that he might receive the covenant from the lord for the people ; and he received of the lord the two tables , written with the finger of the lord's hand through the spirit : and when moses had received them , he brought them down to deliver them to the people . and the lord said to moses ; moses , moses , go down quickly , for thy people have transgressed , which thou broughtest out of the land of egypt . and moses understood that they had made them molten idols , and he cast the tables out of his hands , and the tables of the covenant of the lord were broken . moses indeed received them , but they were not worthy . learn now how we received them . moses received them as a servant , but the lord himself gave them to us , who suffering patiently for us was made manifest , that they might be consummate in their sins , and we might be the people of the inheritance , and receive the covenant by the heir jesus christ . the prophet saith again , behold , i have set thee for a light of the gentiles , that thou maist be for salvation to the ends of the earth , saith the lord god who redeemed thee , who was prepared for this very thing , that he making discoverie of our evils destructive to death , and how wholly we were given up to the transgression of errour , might deliver us from darkness , and put his covenant in us by the word . for it is written how that the father commanded him to redeem us from darkness , and to prepare for himself an holy people . therefore the prophet saith , i the lord thy god have called thee in righteousness , and i will hold thy hand , and will strengthen thee , and i have given thee for a covenant to the nations , and for a light to the gentiles , to open the eyes of the blind , and to deliver those that are in bonds , those that sit in darkness from the prison-house . know therefore how we were delivered and redeemed . again the prophet saith , the spirit of the lord is upon me , because he hath anointed me , and sent me to preach the glad tidings of grace to the humble , to heal the broken-hearted , to preach liberty to the captives , to open the eyes of the blind , and to call an acceptable year of the lord , and a day of retribution , and to comfort all that mourn . it is also written concerning the sabbath in the ten words , wherein he spake in the mount sinai face to face to moses ; and ye shall sanctifie the sabbath of the lord with pure hands , and with a pure heart . and in another place he saith , if their sons shall keep my sabbaths , then will i put my mercy upon them . he calleth it a sabbath in the beginning of the creation . and god made in six days the works of his hands , and finished upon the seventh day , and rested on it ; and sanctified it . sons observe what he saith when he saith , he finished in six days . this he saith , that god the lord will finish all things in six thousand years ; for a day with him is a thousand years , he himself witnesseth it , saying , behold this day , a day shall be as a thousand years . therefore , children , in six days , in six thousand years all things shall be finished . and he rested on the seventh day , this he saith , when his son coming shall finish the works of his time , and shall judge the ungodly , and shall change the sun , and the moon , and the stars , then he shall rest honourably upon the seventh day . in fine this he saith , thou shalt sanctifie it with pure hands , and a pure heart . therefore how can any one now sanctifie the day , which god hath sanctified , unless he be of a pure heart in all things ? let us not be deceived . for if he resting gloriously doth sanctifie it , we being just , and doing just things shall be able to sanctifie it , when we have received the promise of iniquitie ceasing , all things being made new by the lord. then we shall be able to sanctifie it , when we our selves are first sanctified . afterwards he saith to them , your new moons and your sabbaths i cannot away with . see how he saith , that the sabbaths which are now are not acceptable unto me . but in that he rested , he made all things which he had made the beginning of the eighth day , that is , the beginning of another world . therefore we observe the eighth day with alacrity of mind , whereon jesus rose from the dead , and being manifested , ascended up into the heavens . i shall moreover speak unto you concerning the temple : how they being in miserie did erre in their hope upon the way , for they did not hope in the god of the temple , who made them , but in the temple as being the house of god , for almost , like the very heathens , they confined him within the temple ; but learn what the lord saith making void the temple . who hath measured the heavens with his palm , and the earth with his fist ? is it not i ? saith the lord. heaven is my throne , and the earth my footstool ; what house will ye build unto me ? and what is the place of my rest ? know that theirs is a vain hope . after this he saith again , behold they who destroy this temple , shall themselves build it . it is done . for when they warred it was destroyed by the enemies ; and the ministers themselves of those enemies shall build it . again he hath opened , how the city and people israel should be delivered up . for the scripture saith , and it shall be in the last days , that the lord will deliver up the sheep of the pasture , and their fence and their tower to destruction . and it is come to pass as the lord hath spoken . therefore we shall enquire whether there be a temple of god. there is where he saith he would make and finish it . for it is written , it shall be when a week is finished , that the temple of god shall be built glorious in the name of the lord. therefore i find that there is a temple . but how shall it be built in the name of the lord ? learn . before we believed god the dwelling of our heart was corrupt and weak as a temple built truly by the hand ; for the house was full of idolatry , by idolatry it was the house of devils , so that we did whatever was contrary to god. but it shall be built in the name of the lord. learn , that a glorious temple of the lord shall be built : but how ? learn ; we receiving remission of sins , and hoping in the name of the lord were made anew , and created again as from the beginning . so that in our house , that is , in us , god truly dwelleth . how ? the word of his faith , the calling of his promise , the wisdom of his judgements , the commands of his doctrine , he himself prophesying in us , he himself dwelling in us , opening to us the gates of the temple , who were before the servants of death , that is , opening that mouth which gives repentance to us , hath brought us into the incorruptible temple . and he , who desires to be saved , minds nothing but him dwelling in him , admires nothing but him speaking in him , desires to hear nothing but the words spoken from his mouth . this is the spiritual temple built unto the lord ; so far as he would in power and simplicity manifest it unto us . my soul hopeth with desire , that i have omitted nothing convenient for you , and conducing to salvation . if i should write unto you of things future , ye would not understand me , because they are shut up in parables : but these things are so . let us now pass over to another kind of knowledge and doctrine : there are two ways of doctrine and power , either of light or of darkness : and great is the difference of these two ways . over one are appointed the angels of god , the ministers of light ; over the other the angels of satan ; over the one is the lord from ages to ages ; over the other the prince of the time of iniquity . the way of light is this ; if a man would walk to the place designed , he will make haste by his works . therefore knowledge is given to us that we may walk in it , which is this . thou shalt love thy maker . thou shalt glorifie him who redeemed thee from death . thou shalt be simple in heart ; and being rich in the spirit , thou shalt not joyn thy self with those who walk in the way of death . thou shalt hate to do that which is not pleasing to god. thou shalt hate all hypocrisie . thou shalt not forsake the commandments of the lord. thou shalt not exalt thy self , but be of an humble mind . thou shalt not assume glorie to thy self . thou shalt not take evil counsel against thy neighbour . thou shalt not give boldness to thy soul . thou shalt not commit adultery , nor fornication , nor buggerie . thou shalt not refrain to correct the impurity of some by that word , which cometh from god ; and when thou reproovest transgressions , thou shalt not respect persons . thou shalt be meek and quiet , trembling at the words , which thou hast heard . thou shalt not remember evil things against thy brother . thou shalt not be of a double and wavering soul , doubting whether thus or thus . thou shalt not take the name of the lord in vain . thou shalt love thy neighbour above thy soul . thou shalt not destroy the child by abortion , nor kill it when it is born . thou shalt not take away thy hand from thy son , nor from thy daughter , but from their youth shalt teach them the fear of the lord. thou shalt not desire thy neighbours goods , nor be a covetous person . thou shalt not adhere in thy soul to proud persons , but be numbred amongst the just and humble . thou shalt embrace temptations , when they happen , as good things . thou shalt not be of a double mind , nor a double tongue ; for a double tongue is the snare of death . thou shalt be subject to the lord , to masters , as to the type of god , in reverence and fear . thou shalt not command thy maid or man-servant with bitterness ; especially those who hope in him , left thou be found destitute of the fear of god , who is over both . for he came not to call men by their persons , but those whom his spirit prepared . thou shalt communicate to thy neighbour in all things ; and shalt not call any thing thine own ; for if ye are communicative in incorruptible things , how much more in corruptible . thou shalt not be hastie in tongue , for the mouth is the snare of death . keep thy soul as chaste as thou canst . do not stretch forth thy hands to receive , and shut them when thou shouldst give . thou shalt love every man speaking to thee the word of the lord as the apple of thine eye . mind the day of judgement night and day . seek out every day the persons of holy men , and searching by the word go forth to exhort , and meditate to save a soul by the word . and thou shalt labour by thy hands for the redemption of thy sins . thou shalt not doubt to give , nor murmur when thou givest . give to every one that asketh of thee , but know withal who is the good recompenser of the reward . keep the things , which thou hast received , neither adding to nor taking from them . hate a wicked person to the end . judge justly . make no schism . make peace betwixt those who are at variance . confess thy sins . come not to prayer with an evil conscience . this is the way of light . but the dark way is crooked , full of that which is execrable . for it is the way of eternal death with torment ; wherein are things destructive to the soul , idolatrie , boldness , sublimitie of power , hypocrisie , doubleness of heart , adulterie , murder , rapine , pride , transgression , deceit , malice , arrogance , witchcraft , magick , covetousness , want of the fear of god , persecutors of the good , haters of the truth , men who love but know not the wages of righteousness , persons not adhering to that which is good , nor to just judgement , men who regard not the widow nor fatherless , being not watchful to the fear of god , but to do evil , from whom meekness and patience are far removed ; lovers of vain things , seekers of revenge , such as have no pity for the poor , nor endeavours to relieve the oppressed , ready to detract , nor knowing their maker , murderers of children , corrupters of the figment of god , such as turn away themselves from the needie , oppress the oppressed , advocates for the rich , unjust judges of the poor , and sinners every way . it is therefore an excellent thing for him who learns the righteous commands of the lord , which are before written , to walk in them ; for he , who does them , shall be glorified in the kingdom of god ▪ but he , who chooseth the other things , shall perish with his works . therefore there is a resurrection , and a retribution . i intreat those , who are eminent , to take the counsel of my good will. if ye have any amongst you upon whom ye may work , forsake them not . for the day is at hand , in which all things shall perish together with him who is evil : the lord is at hand , and his reward . i intreat you again and again , that ye be good law-givers to your selves , and that ye remain faithful counsellours to your selves . take away from amongst you all hypocrisie . and may god , who governs the whole world , give to you wisdom , science understanding , and knowledge of his righteous judgements in patience be ye taught of god , seeking out what the lord requireth from you , and do , that ye may be saved in the day of judgement . and if there be any remembrance of good , remember me , meditating on these things ; that my desire and watchfulness for you may come to some good . begging grace ▪ i beseech you , that as the good vessel is yet with you , ye may fail in none of these things ; but search them out diligently , that ye may fulfil every command . for they are worthy things . i therefore endeavoured the rather to write unto you of such things as i was able that i might cheer you up . be safe the sons of love and peace . the lord of glory , and of all grace , be with your spirit . amen . the end of the epistle of barnabas the apostle companion of saint paul the apostle . a postscript to the reader , the scope and designed end of this most excellent epistle of barnabas was to keep christians from judaizing , and to fix them upon the substantial duties of christ's oeconomie , whereof moses politie was but a shadow . he sets down the types , and the things typified , the figures , and the things prefigured , shews in the former part what of moses is done away , and in the latter part what of christ is come in place of it . the style is obscure , because the subject is so . if it please not ( reader ) now it is translated , thou maist , it is to be hoped , for that very reason , pity the pains , and pardon the mishaps and miscarriages in it of the translatour . farewel . finis . notes, typically marginal, from the original text notes for div a -e iren. epist . ad florin . iren. lib. . advers . haeres . c. . tertul. in lib. de praescript . advers . haeres . euseb . eccles . hist . lib . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . jerom. in script . eccles . catalog . gildas in castig . cler . britan. euseb . l. . c. . euseb . eccles . hist . lib. . vid. halloix . vit . polycarp . c. . suidas in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . iren. epist . ad florin . photius in bibliothec . num . . jerom. in scrip. eccles . catal . iren. advers . haeres . lib. . c. . euseb . eccles . hist. lib. . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . suid. in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . notes for div a -e homil. . in luc. in lib. de synod . arimin . & seleue. iren lib. . advers . haer s . c. . chrysost●in ignat encom . ●om . . edit . ●avil p. . theod r. dialog . jerom. scriptor . eccles . catalog . socrat. eccles . hist . l. . c. . evagr. eccles . hist . lib. . c. . gild as in cactig●● . cler. britan . jerom. in script . eccles . catal . calvin . instit . lib. . c. . sect. . vid. d. rivet . critic . sacr. c. . euseb . eccles . hist. lib. . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . rivet . crit. sacr. c. . vid. d. blund . praef . in animad . contr . d. ham. p. . notes for div a -e euseb . li. . c. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . isai . . isai . . dan. . isai . . matt. . isai . . gen. . isai . . zech. . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . two letters of advice i. for the susception of holy orders, ii. for studies theological, especially such as are rational : at the end of the former is inserted a catalogue of the christian writers, and genuine works that are extant of the first three centuries. dodwell, henry, - . approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page images. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; oxford (uk) : - (eebo-tcp phase ). a wing d estc r ocm this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons . universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase , no. a ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, - ; : ) two letters of advice i. for the susception of holy orders, ii. for studies theological, especially such as are rational : at the end of the former is inserted a catalogue of the christian writers, and genuine works that are extant of the first three centuries. dodwell, henry, - . [ ], p. printed by benjamin tooke ..., and are to be sold by joseph wilde, dublin : . errata: prelim. p. [ ]. signed: h.d. includes bibliographical references. "a catalogue of the writings of such christian authors ...": p. - . reproduction of original in huntington library. created by converting tcp files to tei p using tcp tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the universities of michigan and oxford and the publisher proquest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by proquest via their early english books online (eebo) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). the general aim of eebo-tcp is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic english-language title published between and available in eebo. eebo-tcp aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the text encoding initiative (http://www.tei-c.org). the eebo-tcp project was divided into two phases. the , texts created during phase of the project have been released into the public domain as of january . anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source. users should be aware of the process of creating the tcp texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data. text selection was based on the new cambridge bibliography of english literature (ncbel). if an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in ncbel, then their works are eligible for inclusion. selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. in general, first editions of a works in english were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably latin and welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so. image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in oxford and michigan. % (or pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet qa standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. after proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of instances per text. any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of tcp data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a tcp editor. the texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level of the tei in libraries guidelines. copies of the texts have been issued variously as sgml (tcp schema; ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf- unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p , characters represented either as utf- unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng clergy. theology -- study and teaching. christian literature, early -- bibliography. - tcp assigned for keying and markup - aptara keyed and coded from proquest page images - melanie sanders sampled and proofread - melanie sanders text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion imprimatvr : having perused the following advices , i conceive them suitable and convenient for the use of the persons concerned respectively ; and i do accordingly recommend them to the use of such young students in the university as design the study of divinity , or the susception of holy orders ; and to all others that shall desire to engage themselves in that holy function . and that they may be communicated with more advantage , i do hereby license them to be printed and published . ja : armachanus . two letters of advice , i. for the susception of holy orders ▪ ii. for studies theological , especially such as are rational . at the end of the former , is inserted , a catalogu● of the christian writers , and genuine worke that are extant of the first three cent●rice . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . s. chrysost . de sacerdot . l. vi. dvblin , printed by benjamin to●k● , printer to the kings most excellent majesty ; and are to be sold by joseph wilde mdclxxii . to the most reverend father in god , james , by divine providence lord archbishop of armagh , primate and metropolitane of all ireland , and vice-chancellor of the vniversity of dublin . my lord , you are so many wayes entitled to the patronage of the ensuing advices , as i do not know how i could be just in omitting this oc●●sion of a publick acknowledg●●ent of it . for whether the subject be considered , as relating either to conscience or learning , you have a right of judging all concernments of either kind : the former as metropolitane , and consequently as the supreme guide of conscience under god in the church of ireland ; the later as vice-chancellor of our vniversity , in which regard you are most justly interessed in the fruits and seeds of your own cultivation : or the persons concerned , they are all of them such as depend on your direction , and therefore the rules for whose behaviour ought most properly to be communicated to them by your recommendation : or my self , as you have upon all occasions given evidences of your favour to me , so more signally in this affair , by first advising this publication , and after honouring it with your own license and approbation . however presumptuous the attempt might seem , in other regards , yet to a judge so candid and favourable , as i have alwayes found your grace to be , the innocence and sincerity of my design for restoring christianity to her primitive splendor , may suffice to excuse , if not expiate , appendent imprudences . for your grace already understands too well to be informed by me , how vain it is to attempt a reformation of the laity whilest the clergie is not held in that reputation by them which might provoke them to an imitation of their example ; and how little hopes there are of retriving that reputation without a reformation of their lives and a restitution of their discipline , which would prove the most expedient means to let such persons who either cannot , or will not , distinguish betwixt the sacredness of their office and their personal demerits , understand the unexpressible usefulness of their calling being piously and conscientiously discharged in order to the most momentous and most noble ends of mankind . and that a preconsideration must needs prove more successful in promoting this industry in practice , which would , by way of obvious consequence , restore their honour , than any postnate advices as being likely to prevent the engagement or admission of such persons who would not afterwards be capable of such impressions ; and that it is more secure for the persons concerned to let them understand the personal and habitual qualifications necessary for rendring their duty performable by them than afterwards to admonish them concerning particulars , when it is too late to retire , how unsuitable soever the practice prove to their personal qualifications , will not , i think , be doubted by any intelligent considerative person . this is my design in the former of the subsequent letters , the usefulness and convenience whereof is further cleared in the letter it self , and has not , that i know of , been attempted by any other . if it had , i should very willingly have spared my own pains . my manner of performance also has been at once to shew the ad●●ces rational and to have been designed by our church , that so it might be fitted for all sorts of concerned readers , both such as are able to judge it themselves , and such as are not . i have therefore ordered the whole in such a series of discourse as that the sequel must needs be admitted by him who has granted the principles lay'd down at the beginning ; and the first principle is that which the church her self first enquires into , even a providential call from god , or a motion of the spirit , as far as that may be credited without danger of enthusiasme ; and accordingly the inferences have generally been examplified in such instances as have been approved by our church since her reformation , that so i might , as well as i was able , prevent objections against my design from the inconsiderableness of my person , an artifice too usually , as it is weakly and unreasonably , made use of for the defeating the most commendable projects . the objection in it self is in truth so very little momentous as that i should not think it worthy to be taken notice of , if i were not more solicitous for my cause than my person . but seeing it is so obvious in the way of persons that may be concerned to cross my design , and withall so taking with the vulgar , i doubt it will concern me even in prudence to crave your graces patience for a brief apology . omitting therefore my own justification , which i confess a task too great for my weak abilities ( though if i did undertake it on a publick account , i might for an excuse of such immodesty , urge the example of the great apostle , who , out of tenderness for his cause , was ( as himself confesses ) necessitated to such a folly ) yet i conceive it undenyable that the merit of the cause is abundantly sufficient to compensate the demerit of my person , and for my part , so that the cause may not be prejudiced , i shall very heartily submit the choice of instruments to the pleasure of god himself . besides further that it is extreamly unreasonable to urge personal demerits against a cause . indeed if the cause had been recommended on personal regards , the disparagement of the person might have invalidated such a recommendation . but considering that nothing here is pretended , but the solidity of the reasons submitted to an impartial examination ; none can say that they are the weaker for being propounded by an unworthy person . neither indeed is the supposal true , that even in point of authority any thing here is recommended onely by my private person ; for having shewn it in every particular approved and designed by the church , it must needs be supported by her authority , which may well be presumed sufficient for the design intended , the general reformation of her clergie . but i must thankfully acknowledge that your grace has in a great measure freed me from these personal odium's by undertaking the patronage of these otherwise despisable attempts . for none can now pretend themselves unconcerned in the advice of a laick or a private person when the supreme metropolitane has not onely thought it convenient , but recommended it . this is the reason that necessitated me to take sanctuary in your graces patronage , wherein i dare more confidently promise my self a kind reception because you have encouraged it . yet am i not herewith satisfied ; but as necessitous persons are usually emboldened to new requests by past concessions ; so , in order to the desired success of these papers , i further beg a favour , greater and more efficacious than the greatest munificence of the most potent temporal princes , though less impoverishing , and that is your fatherly blessing and prayers for these and the other studies and endeavours of your graces most obliged and obsequious servan● h. d. a praeface to the reader , containing some necessary advertisements preparatory to the ensuing discourses . how much the reputation of religion is concerned in the honour of its relatives , especially the persons teaching and professing it , as it has been the sense of all prudent nations , so it is too evident from the experience of ours . for if we seriously reflect on that irreligion and atheism which has lately so overrun that part of the gentry who have had that freedome of education as to discern beyond the grosser superstitions of the credulous vulgar , and yet wanted that depth and solidity of judgment , or that industry and diligence , which had been requisite for a positive satisfaction , concerning the true measures of things ; i think there cannot be a more probable original assigned for it , than this of the contempt of the clergie . for when upon pretence of a maintenance of their christian liberty , some persons of a better meaning than information , were seduced by their more subtilly-designing leaders to resist some indifferent constitutions of their superiors ; they found themselves obliged in pursuance of their principles to call in question their whole authority . for considering that they were not any particular abuses of a just authority , not any bare inexpediency in the ceremonies already established ( for which governours , not subjects , had been responsible , and for which a redress ought to have been desired by subjects in a modest and peaceable way , which , if denyed , could not have justified a separation , seeing that nothing under sin can excuse that , and a condescension to superiors in confessed inexpediencies cannot be proved a sin ) but the very authority by which they had been established ; and finding further that this authority was of that kind that was indeed intrinsecally involved in all exercise of government , so that it was impossible to plead and exception of duty upon supposal that their superiors had transgressed the bounds of their just power ; they perceived themselves reduced to this extremity to justifie their own disobedience by a renunciation of their authority . for indeed all government must needs prove useless that is denyed a power of imposing temporary obligations , and that power must needs be denyed where all things necessary are supposed antecedently determined , and what is not so is thought uncapable of any just determination . having therefore thus devested the clergie of all power properly so called , yet that they might seem to attribute something to the eminency of their place in the church , they were willing to allow a power of perswading such as were willing to obey , onely with this difference ( that i can perceive ) from the meerest laick , that laicks might perswade others to piety , but clergiemen must ; that it was charity in them , but duty in these ; that it was onely the general calling of those , but the particular of these ; that the laity might discharge it privately , but the publick performance of it was onely permitted to the clergie . this seems to have been the uttermost design of their most ancient patriarchs , none of them , that i know of , ever enduring to hear of any laical encroachments on the calling it self . but whilest they were so studious in opposing their established superiours , and so careless of better provisions for that unsettlment themselves had introduced into the church , or the ill consequences of their own attempts ; they unawares undermined their own foundations , and exposed themselves to the same encroachments from the laity which themselves had attempted on their settled governours . for least any veneration of their calling mi●h● render their perswasions themselves so awful as not to admit of any easie contradiction , which might still preserve some discipline and dependence of the laity upon them ; themselves had furnished the usurping laity with such pretences as that , that reverence it self must needs prove very inconsiderable . for first , they had opposed professedly all difference betwixt the clergie and laity , and indeed all relative holyness , as popish and antichristian , and tending to the usurpation of a lordship over gods heritage ; so that now there was nothing left to the clergie that might as much as challenge a respect of the laity but their personal skill in the objects of their profession , which both left the unskilful clergie destitute of any pretence of challenging reverence ; and was no curb to the more skilful laity ; and indeed in the event made them perfectly equal , seeing that the skilful laity might as well challenge respect from the unskilful clergie , as the skilful clergie from the unskilful laity , their order being indeed no ingredient in the ground of such a challenge . besides secondly , their making the scriptures an adequate rule for all prudential establishments , and obliging the laity to a particular enquiry into the merit of ecclesiastical constitutions , even in probable , as well as certain , senses of the scripture , not as much as advising a modest acquiescency in the judgment of the clergie even in things they do not understand , nor indeed letting them understand their incompetency in any case where they might hope for the assistance of a more able guide ( for indeed that pretence of understanding the scripture by its internal light , or by the spirit whereby it was written , or by prayer without urging the use of ordinary means , the methods of expounding the scriptures so celebrated among them , seem extremely to favour enthusiasm , and to supersede the necessity of an exterior guide ) these pretences , i say , seem to deprive the clergie of the authority even of proponents , which is the least that can be imagined , and therefore of all respect on this regard , and therefore must needs degrade them to 〈…〉 with the laity , in all which way of proceeding every later sect argued rationally and consequently from the principles of the first innovators . the laity therefore having such specious consequent pretences for their independence on the clergie , and yet the clergie still insisting on their original claim , it was obvious to conceive with what jealousie and partiality their proceedings herein must be censu●ed by the laity now conceiving themselves as adversaries concerned to maintain their liberty against the conceived usurpations of the clergie . and finding the clergie to be interessed in the controversies , both as to the honour and obedience challenged by them , and as to that affluence of temporal fruitions which had been conferred on them by devout persons as suitable expressions of that honour ; they did not make that use thereof , which in reason they ought , to enquire first , whether that private interest it self of the clergie , were not coincident with the publick of the church ; or secondly , whether it were not coincident with the truth , whereof if neither could appear upon a sober scrutiny ; but that the arguments for the contrary were found either evident or more probable , then indeed , and not till then , it might be presumed that interest might have an influence in their determination . but , as the vulgar is very willing to censure , and yet very loth to undergo the trouble of a laborious enquiry , so they have made the cler●ies interest a prejudice against their cause ; so that now their arguments are either not heard ( they not being presumed competent advocates for their own cause , and others not being concerned for them , as not being concerned with them ) or if they be heard , yet with no indifferency , the interest of the clergie being thought inconsistent with that of the laity : a way of proceeding not onely very unjust but very unreasonable , it being every way as weak to conclude a cause false as true on no other pretence but that of private interest . however this argument , such as it is , being by prophane persons taken for granted from the concessions of the religious laity , and they withall further discovering the unreasonableness of those persons who , upon pretence of honouring religion had brought a contempt upon its principal professors and defenders ; it was easie for them to conclude religion it self dishonourable and suspicious from this repute of its chiefest champions ; for if what make ; for the interest of the clergie must immediately be condemned or suspected without any further enquiry , which is the unreasonable practice of the vulgar , then the prophane person finding religion in general conducive to this purpose , and being brought into suspicious thoughts of the clergie by the pretended discoveries of the greatest pretenders to religion ; it is obvious to conceive what consequences he will be likely to deduce thence to the prejudice of religion in general . especially considering that this dishonour of the clergie was like to invalidate the use of all coercive means for inducing the laity to a practice of their duty , and so to leave them intirely to the influence of their own good natures , which though at first they might be heated into a zeal by way of antiperistasis from the opposition of their adversaries ; yet upon their disappearing , that zeal which had onely been inflamed by aemulation , must , like rome upon the demolition of carthage , decay , and so their former li●entiousness will return with a violence proportionable to their former restraint . and when men are come to this extreme they will then be as much concerned that those threats of the clergie which awaken their consciences , and make them nauseate and disrelish the ploasures of their sins , should be false , at least should be believed so by themselves ( which belief though false , may serve to stupifie their present sense ) as they pretend the clergie interessed in their truth , and therefore may be presumed as partial . and when men are willing and interessed to disbelieve religion , how very weak reasons are sufficient to induce them to it , themselves acknowledge when the case is not immediately applyed to themselves ; there being no disparity to exempt disbelief from being as obnoxious to interest as that credulity so much decryed by them . indeed any one that would consider the persons ( that they are such usually as are not seriously addicted and though pretending to be w●●s , yet not deeply considerative ) or the weakness of the reasons , either tending to direct scepticism , or undermining their own foundations , or arguing an unwillingness of conviction , would suspect this to have been the gradation of their disbelief . as it has therefore thus appeared both from reason and experience that this contempt of the clergie does naturally tend to atheism and irreligion ; so on the contrary the best prevention of these horrid consequences will be their restitution to their due respect and honour ; which will best be performed by a praemonition of persons designing this calling , that they may neither engage in what they are not able to effect , nor endeavour a reformation of inconveniences when it is too late . this is the design of these papers , which i hope all they who ground their hopes of present or future prosperity on their love of our jerusalem , will conceive themselves obliged to further by their prayers or powers as god shall enable them . but besides this first use which is very suitable to the necessities of this present age , there is also another of no small moment , the satisfaction of our well meaning separating brethren . for whatever other weak reasons are pretended ( as indeed i think they would seem very weak to any prudent judicious indifferent persons that were convinced of the heinousness of that sin of schism which they are produced to excuse ) yet i think they are the lives and unseriousness of some of our conformable clergie , that are indeed their decretory arguments ; for this indeed seems to be the great reason that makes them fancy our ministery less edifying than their own , because they come possessed with irreverence to their persons ( for i do not perceive that themselves pretend the same difference in hearing such of ours for whom they have entertained a greater respect ) and that negligence of 〈◊〉 and unserious way of preaching seem to be the true grounds of that irreverence . now my way of defence is not the least to justifie their ●ices or imprudences , or to defend their persons against publick justice ( as they seem to misunderstand us , when they charge us with the patronage of prophaneness upon account of these persons ) but to let them understand how little our church is indeed concerned in their defence . for if the character of a clergieman here described answer the true design of the church ( as i have shewn that it does by injunctions and canons produced from her since her reformation ) then it will appear that such persons are so far unconformable as they are disliked ( for it is plain the person here described can neither prove impious in his life , nor imprudent or trifling in his preaching ) and sure themselves will not think it equitable that our church should be charged with the errors of non-conformists . the onely thing therefore that may seem blameworthy here is that the canons of the church are not executed on such persons with due severity . but neither will this excuse their separation ; for first , they are not concerned to see this justice done so as to be obliged upon neglect of it to withdraw from our communion . for neither do they suffer in a personal regard , the ordinances administred by the irregular or imprudent clergie , whilest permitted , not depending on their personal sanctity or prudence , and therefore being as efficacious to the well-disposed recipients as otherwise ; nor are they entrusted with a publick charge , so as to be responsible for publick miscarriages when irremediable by them ; and therefore secondly , all the blame of such connivances is to be layd , not on the government , whose standing established rules oblige them to a severer care , but on the governours , who may also be charged with non-conformity when they do not act according to the rules prescribed by them ; and therefore it will be very unjust for these personal neglects to separate from their government and communion ; especially considering thirdly , that separation on these regards is so far from preventing the inconvenience or remedying it , as that indeed it does but transfer the blame from the governours to such separatists ( though they think to avoid it ) by affording an apology , by them unanswerable , to governours for such personal neglects : that the delinquents cannot be perswaded to reform themselves , and that a power of perswading onely is allowed them by these separating brethren ; that even as to that coercive power challenged by themselves , yet it is not prudent to exercise it without any probable hopes of success , that being the way to expose it to contempt , which in a power which has nothing to render it coercive but the sacredness of its esteem in the opinion of the delinquent , may endanger the whole authority , as the loss of that will occasion a general impunity , a much greater evil than any single inconvenience . and seeing the multitudes of sects and communions ready to receive a punished delinquent , and the disparaging opinions introduced by them concerning authority , may th●● , upon their principles , ex●use governours from the execution of the canons , where the blame will afterwards ly themselves may understand without any suggestion of mine . i shall beseech them to bestow some serious and unprejudiced thoughts upon it . now though the following advices be calculated principally for the use of the clergie , who are more entrusted , and therefore more obliged to caution on the account of the multitude who depend upon their conduct as well as themselves ; yet are there several things proportionably useful for the laity . for there is as much truth in that pretence of our brethren for equalling the laity to the clergie as there was in that of the rebellious congregation of corah , that all the people of god is holy , that christians , as well as the israelites , are called the a lords heritage , that christ has made us all b priests to god and his father , that we are built up a holy c priesthood to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to god by jesus christ . and accordingly common christians are obliged to the same offices to the heathen common world as the clergie are to the laity : thus they are to shew them a good example , to be lights in the world , to reprove and exhort delinquents , and to offer up rational sacrifices for the whole world. and if they were to be received adult to the profession of christianity , there would be the same care for purity of intention in laicks as there is now in clergiemen . thus in the primitive times none were received to this profession , but they who had first given some evidences of their sincerity , either by enduring some rigorous initiatory penances , as was usually practiced in admissions to pagan mysteries . thus three moneths fast was prescribed in the time of the d author of the pseudo-clementine recognitions , and the quadragesimal fast was appointed before the most ancient anniversary for baptism , easter ; and arnobius was not trusted till he had written in defence of the christian religion , and st. cyril of hierusalem in his e homilies to the competentes is very earnest in urging the necessity of a sincere and cardinal intention ; and from this great caution of admitting heathens to an intuition of their mysteries , it was that after all indications of their sincerity even adults were not admitted without the testimony of susoeptors or godfathers , persons of approved gravity and sincerity . and the same obligations are in reason incumbent now on those who are adult , though baptized in their nonage . if i were not unwilling to be tedious , it had been easie to have shewn in all the other qualifications how even private christians are in their proportion obliged , though not in so eminent a degree , and rather excused from that by its impossibility to their circumstances , than its unnecessariness . but that which i shall at present especially recommend to the perusal of the laity , is letter i. numb . xxvi . where they may find such prescriptions as may prevent many disconsolations in the practice of piety to which the neglect of them does expose many seriously devout persons . it has also by some worthy friends been thought requisite for rendring the present attempt more useful for our britannick churches , to recommend to the persons , concerned in these advices , the study of their publick records , the homilies and articles and books of ordination and common prayer , and canons and constitutions since the reformation , though this indeed is easily reducible to that head of skill in all those controversies that divide communion ; for this seems to have been the adaequate design of the church herein to shew what she thought necessary to be believed , or , at least , not factiously contradicted by such as were to be admitted to her communion . and for the better understanding her true sense in this affair , and its vindication from the misunderstandings of her adversaries , it were very requisite to read the whole history of the reformation , and to observe the sentiments and temper of the principal persons engaged therein ; and by what kind of mediums her proceedings have been justified in the several ages , and against the several adversaries , respectively . by this means you will best understand the difference betwixt her impositions ; which of them were intended as conditions of catholick communion , that is , as fundamentals ; and which onely of her particular , that is as prudent and probable , and not obliging to an internal assent but onely an exterior peaceable acquiescency ( for certainly the church intended some of both kinds ) and the late way of requiring an external assent onely to the articles indefinitely , without prescribing any prudential limitations , how far that is to be extended , and admitting a liberty of straining the articles in favour of our own opinions , without any consideration of the controversies therein designed by the church , may be expounded so licentiously as to open a gap for the most pestilent haeresies . in the second letter , i confess many things in the improvement of the proposals there laid down , and in the catalogues of books , might have been more accurately enlarged , but that i conceived these sufficient to initiate a novice , which i have there signified to have been my uttermost design , and i doubt whether it would be prudent to discourage beginners with the prospect of too greater a task . in my censure of school divinity , there is one fundamental defect omitted , which i look on as so very considerable , and of so extremely fullacious consequence to them that rely on it , and yet never observed , that i know of , that i thought it worthy a particular mention here . that is , that the greatest and most sacred ▪ mysteries of the trinity and iucarnation are explained as to their theological consequences from the principles of the peripa●etick philosophy as borrowed by them from the modern translations and commentaries of the arabians . it is plain that all the use of philosophy in affairs of this nature cannot be to discover any truth anew , but onely to explain the sense of the authors delivering it , and that that philosophy alone can be useful to this purpose , whose language was observed by them ; and that not aristotle but plato was then generally followed not onely by the generality of the philosophers of that age , but in accommodation to them his language observed by the scriptures themselves ; especially st. john i. and by the generality of the fathers , those of greatest repute in both the occidental and oriental churches , the pretended areopagite and st. augustine himself , to whom the schools are most beholden , st basil , both st. gregories nazianzen and nyssen . st. chrysostome &c. so that this way of proceeding is lyable to two very fundamental mistakes ( which should be studiously avoided in affairs of so great concernment ) first of explaining platonick language by peripatetick philosophy ; secondly of explaining the ancient peripatetick philosophy by the present expositions of the modern arabians . these with the other defects there mentioned would methinks invite some generous advancers of learning to review the whole foundations of our modern school-divinity which would be an attempt becoming the ingenuity and inquisiti●eness of the age we live in . and seeing i have taken this occasion of mentioning such a design ; it may be it may not prove altogether unacceptable , perhaps something necessary to clear my meaning , to propose such a way of managing it , as i conceive most convenient , which i most willingly refer to the censures of persons more skilful and experienced . that i think would be first to distinguish accurately betwixt such questions as are to be decided by reason , and such whose principles are either wholly or principally derived from revelation . in the former the schoolmen may be more securely trusted , their excellency lying in the closeness of their discourse . but here it self , it were well that their principles were reformed ; especially in such an age as this is , care should be taken that nothing be taken up precariously upon the authority of any however celebrated philosopher ( a practice too frequent among them ) but what might sufficiently recommend it self by its own nature and intrinsick reasonableness . and then for those which are derived from revelation it is plain that their whole decision must be derived from testimonies either of scripture or ecclesiastica●l authors , the producing whereof seems to be the principal dosign of the master of the sentences ; though some things are added in the sums concerning prophesie and the ceremonial law. concerning these therefore it seems to me expedient that some excellent persons skilled not onely in ecclesiastical but rabbinical and philosophical learning , and indeed generally in oriental philo●logy , would undertake a historical account of them ; wherein he should first shew historically how the whole article was believed and taught in the several ages of the church , what forms of speaking were used by the fathers concerning it , how it was expressed , and how much concerning it believed in its first simplicity , how afterwards additional explanations were introduced and by what degrees : what was the first occasion of the several controversies , who were their principal haeresiarchs , how they were disposed in their manners and how addicted 〈◊〉 the studies , wherein their haeresies 〈◊〉 truly consist , whether in the perniciousn●● of their doctrines , or their factious mann●● of propagating them to the prejudice 〈◊〉 the churches peace . if in the perniciousness of their opinions ; then it were we● it were shewn first what those opinion were as near as could be from the haeretick own words ; and secondly upon what ●●casion first entertained ; and thirdly 〈◊〉 what degrees promulged ; and fourthly by what arguments deseaded , and among them which were principal , and which onely secondary and accessary ; and fifthly by what success 〈◊〉 , by whom seconded , and by whom 〈◊〉 sixthly by what degrees 〈◊〉 first by what fathers , secondly by what 〈◊〉 , and thirdly by what 〈…〉 ; and how all their proceedings were ●esented by the catholick church 〈◊〉 and in all these degrees of 〈…〉 first how far both parties 〈…〉 , and wherein they 〈…〉 secondly as to their differences , to shew what was condemned as pernicious ( and among them what was counted more and what less pernicious ) and what onely as improbable , for it seems plain that many errors of haereticks were not counted haeresies ; and thirdly the degrees of unanimity in the church in her censures : what censures were generally received and confirmed by the catholick church 〈◊〉 ; what onely by her representative , in general councils ; what onely by particular churches in provincial ; what onely by particular persons , how numerous or 〈◊〉 soever ; and ●ou●thly the arguments alledged in defence of the ecclesiastical censures , especially such of them on which the churches resolution was principally grounded , and of which her champions were most confident ; and indeed if these were judiciously chosen , i think it would not be amise if the weaker were quite omitted , both because they are perfectly unnecessary as depending entirely on the conclusiveness of the others , and involved in the same success ; and because with some cavillers who are glad of any occasions of carping they might prejudice the principal cause , there being no more politick way for betraying the truth in so 〈◊〉 an age as this than to offer to defend it by unconclusive arguments . and the same way of proceeding may be proportionably applyed to theological questions of meaner concernment . when thus the matter of fact had been thus plainly represented , it would then be seasonable to proceed to a positive judgment according to these historical evidences . and in order hereunto it would be further expedient to consider the first originals of every 〈◊〉 , what foundation every article had in the actual belief of the persons to whom it was revealed , antecedently to the revelation , and therefore how the revelations were likely to be understood by them ; which being discovered , then to examine in the second place what might be deduced concerning the whole article from such originals , whether pagan philosophy , or opinions or practices prevailing among the rabbinical jewes , or the hellenists , for whose use the scriptures were principally designed . when this is done , then it would be convenient , thirdly to compare the article so explained with the scriptures as understood by the primitive fathers , to see how far it was approved , and where corrected and amended by revelation . and this may be proportionably applyed , not onely to the primitive doctrines of the church , but also , to her later explications and modes of expressions opposed to the several haereticks opposing it . concerning which the method of accurate enquiry would require that first it were examined whether onely the doctrine were pretended derived from their ancestors , or also their own explications and phrases of expressing it . if onely the doctrine , then to examine whether indeed the expressions of the ancients concerning it were aequivalent with their own . if also the individual expressions , then to examine the sense of the ancients concerning such expressions and the authors that used them by the rules already propounded concerning the decrees of the church against h●ereticks ; and whether they used them in the same sense as afterwards . when materials were thus prepared , and the truth thus discovered , which must needs suppose a considerable volumin●usness , and probably some difference of opinion in the diversity of auhors requisite to be employed on so great a task ; then it would be further seasonable toar● some judicious and prudent persons should reduce the whole to a compendium , ( which might serve as a text for scholastical disputes , instead of lombard ) with references to the larger treatises that they might be more readily consulted on occasion . and the best way of contriving this would , i think , be to distinguish this compendium into two parts : the former of natural , and the later of revealed theology , where every thing might be reduced to its pr●●ter principles . many other expediencies hereof might have been mentioned , as present i shall onely mention one which i conceive m●re considerable . that is , that hereby persons might not be invited to meddle beyond their abilities ; for the principles of these two parts have so little mutual dependence on each other , and the natural endowments requisite in the persons that should undertake them are so very different , and so rarely conjoyned in one person ( a rational judgment without much reading being sufficient for that divinity which is purely natural ; and much reading and a tenacious memory and a philological critical judgment being requisite for that which is revealed ) that it is no way convenient that every one who might attempt the rational part , though with very excellent success , should immediately , without consideration of his own abilities , presume himself fit to venture on the other that concerns revelations . and indeed any sober considerative person may easily observe how untoward the rotionalists of this age who dee●y book-learning prove when they are engaged on a subject that requires reading , what improper notiors they impose on terms they do not understand , how strangely they misrepresent their adversaries meaning , disputing many times against 〈◊〉 of their own brains , how difficully they yield to that which would not once be scrupled by skilful persons , how in answering they propose such possible cases as are perfectly destitute of all actual probability . and a propor●ionable slightness is ordinarily 〈…〉 in the rational discourses of great 〈…〉 though i confess some very excellent persons have been accurate in both ; but such instances , being more rare , cannot prejudice the general rules we are now discoursing of . then in both parts it were well ( in imitation of origen 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . ) to premise first what propositions in every article were to be taken for unquestionable , as being evident from reason or revelation as explained by tradition ; and it would be more useful if it were distinctly shewn what kind of evidence agreed to every proposition particularly . for thus what were self evident from natural reason might be relyed on in disputes against even atheists that are not sceptical ( and they that are destroy all discourse as denying all principles ) what were clearly consequent from the notion of a deity and providence , would be of force against our modern pagan theist●s , and all persons admitting such a thing as religion ; what were clear from old testament revelations could not be denyed by the jewes , especially if so expounded , and that unanimously by their own rabbins , what were clear from the new testament must be owned by all christians that admit of it , even those that extend its perfection to all indifferent puncti●●●● ; what were clear from it as expounded by primitive catholick tradition , might be taken for granted against all such as were willing to stand to that tryal ; and lastly that which had no other evidence than the actual definition of the church how groundlesly soever , could onely be made use of against such persons as are for a blind obedience to such a church without examining the reasons of such definitions . and in all these instances it were well to note what were indeed evident from such principles , and what were also admitted for such by the persons acknowledging such principles , which would be f●rther ●ery considerable in order to the success , seeing many things may be indeed rational , yet not a knowledged such by the persons concerned ▪ yet i do not intend that every person should be permitted to dispute each of the●e things publickly as professing his own diss●●●faction concerning them , but that they who are called to it p●●videntially ( as in this age frequent occasions will occ●r ) in order to the satisfaction of o●hers may have a ready pr●m●tuary to have recourse unto in time of necessity . otherwise the church ought , as a church , to prescribe the belief of some things as a necessary condition of her communion . when these principles were th●s methodically disp●sed , it would then be seasonable to improve them in the controversies whose free discussion might be tolerated among good and peaceable christians , if among these a caution were had for the retrenching such as were unnecessary and unedifying . this way , if it were prudently managed would not onely afford solid principles for the schools , but also lay the most probable foundation for the reunion of christendome . for if things were thus accurately enquired into , i verily believe , governours would find a necessity of remitting their rigour in several impositions , and subjects would discover the great necessity of obedience and the no-necessity of those reasons produced for their separation . but i must confess the work is too great to be attempted by private persons how considerable soever , and therefore would require not onely the patronage but also the cencurrent industry of governours ; and by how much the greater the authority were that countenanced it by so much the more likely it would be to thrive . for great freedome were requisite in the correction of present , errors , and that could not be so safely trusted to the management of private persons , and would be received with less envy and faction from the church , and would not prove a precedent for any factious innovations . onely i must confess that the doctrine of infallibility whilest maintained will hardly be reconcileable with a candid review of what has been already , though never so erroneously , received . but first even among them , it were well they distinguished what had been decided by the church from what had not been so ; and secondly even among them abuses , never so universally received , if not canonically decided , might be reformed ; and thirdly considering that a preservation of their authority and a prevention of innovations , which they conceive effectually performable onely by that pretence , seem to be their principal inducements to it , may be thus provided for by being themselves the authors of such reformation ; it may be they might not 〈◊〉 it so inexpedient to yield even this which seems to be the principal cause that makes our breaches irreconcileable . and certainly if it would please god to inspire governours with a serious and industrious , and candid , yet active spirit for the service of the church much more might be done , that is , for the restoration of religion , and unity , and the prevention of those daily scandalous , both o●inions , and practices , which all good christians do so seriously deplore ; and that he would be pleased to do so their con●ederated prayers and endeavours might be very available . letter i. contents . the introduction . numb . i. the design of the following advices . ii. the danger of miscarriage in the clerical calling , the consequent necessity of a call from god for undertaking it ; how we are to judge of this call in a rational way , the general requisites thereunto . iii. the first requisite , a pure intention , what it is , and how to be tryed . iv. v. vi. the second requisite , natural gifts , how we may hence conclude a calling . vii . why these gifts are called natural . what they are that necessary in regard of knowledge . all theological knowledge not simply necessary for every ordinary parochian , but what is more immediately practicall . men are to be fitted for further knowledge by the practice of what they know already . viii . the great use and probable successfulness of this method in reducing hereticks or schismaticks . ix . the knowledge of a clergieman ought to be not onely that of a practitioner , but that of a guide . hence is inferred , first a necessity of knowing and understanding fundamentals wherein all agree , as of the apostles creed . from whence is also further inferred a necessity of understanding , first the scriptures , and therefore the originals wherein they were written , especially the greek . x. xi . secondly , the fathers of the first and purest centuries . the necessity of this . xii . the expediency of it . xiii . secondly , a necessity of skill in such controversies as divide communions . xiv . thirdly , a skill in casuistical divinity . the insufficiency of pulpit-reproofs , and the necessity of dealing with particular consciences in order to the reformation of particular persons . xv. xvi . xvii . requisites for inducing the people to a practice of their duty , when known : first a skill in the ars voluntatis . xviii . secondly , boldness and courage in telling them of their duty . how necessary this qualification is , and how much to be tendered . how it may be best performed without offending on the other extreme of petulancy . xix . thirdly , a sweet and sociable , yet grave and serious , conversation . how these two seeming contradictory extremes may be reconciled . xx. fourthly , a holy and exemplary life . xxi . that their lives may be exemplary , two conditions are necessary ▪ first , that they be excellent . xxii . secondly , that their excellency he conspicuous . how this conspicuity may be so contrived as that it may not hinder humility and modesty ▪ xxiii . the last requisite , a firm and stable resolution . how to be tryed . xxiv . these advices seasonable for such as have already undertaken orders , as well as such as onely design them . that these personal qualifications will supersede the necessity of particular rules . xxv . two things further requisite for a nearer accommodation of the forementioned qualifications to practice : first , that an observation of them from a principle of divine love and on a rational account , is more expedient both for personal comfort and publick edification . xxvi . second , some general rules in managing a parochial cure for bringing the people to a ruleable temper . xxvii . the catalogue of the writings of such christian authors as flourished before the conversion of the romane empire to christianity . pag. . letter . ii. contents . the introduction , and heads of the ensuing discourse . numb . i. what is meant by scholastical divinity . what to be observed in oratory . the light and certainty of the rational faculties supposed anteedently to all theological proof . ii. a method of managing reason most advantageously in theological controversies . iii. the usefulness of reason and school-divinity . in what principal controversies they are especially seasonable . iv. a censure of school-divinity , and how it is to be used . v. the most accurate way of finding out the sense of the scripture . the use of philological learning in general in order hereunto : particularly , first of those tongues wherein they were originally written ; secondly , the idioms of those tongues ; thirdly , the idioms of the writers ; fourthly , the antiquities : the customes of the zabij , chaldaean and phaenician ; their history , chronology and geography . the way of judging the testimonies of the fathers concerning traditions . vi. the use of saecular philosophy in order to school-divinity . vii . the use of saecular learning to the text of the holy scriptures , of the ancient greek poetry ; of the greek , especially the stoical , philosophy . an apology for it . viii . the means for unriddling the mystical senses of the ancient poets and philosophers , and publick idolatries of the heathens : the oneirocriticks and hieroglyphicks . an apology for their use in expounding prophetick books of scripture . ix . the authors to be read for initiating a young student in each of the particulars advised . x. the method to be observed for preventing distraction in so great a variety . xi . errata : the most material errata that might prejudice the sense , or prove any other way inconvenient , are already corrected with the pen. some others there are of less momen● , which upon occasion of this vacancy are here presented ; as pag. . l. . for advant ag●ously read advantagiously . p. . l : penult . for especially r. especially . p. . l. penult ▪ for besides r. besides . p. . l. . for i ● . r. in . p. . l. ● . for he p r. help . p. . r. . p. : l. for oppotunities r. opportunities . p. . l● ult . for wholy r. wholly . letter i. a letter of advice to a young student designing the susception of holy orders . sir , i. having got that opportunity of fulfilling your requests since your departure , which i wanted when you were present ; ( because , besides the gravity of the subject whereon you have employed me , and my own natural aversness from such insignificancies , and the necessity now , if ever , of plain dealing ; i believe your self would rather have it bestowed on material advices , ●●an empty complements ; ) i shall therefore , like the downright and truly just areopagites , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , make use of it , without any further ceremonial addresses . ii. first therefore , when you desire advice for your behaviour in that holy function you design to undertake ; i hope you do not intend that i should be prolix in insisting on particulars . for both that has already been performed at large by many others ( particularly you may , if you please , consult our late excellent vice chancellour's visitation rules * , where you will find most capacities provided for , or , among the ancients , who usually speak more from the heart , and experience of piety , than our modern , though otherwise more accurate , authors , st. chrysostome de sacerdotio , or st. gregories pastoral , or st. hieroms d . epist . ad nepotianum : entire treatises concerning it , though some of them more peculiarly relate to the episcopal or sacerdotal order ) and my own little experience in the world , and none in the circumstances considerable in managing a clerical life , may sure be sufficient to excuse me from such a task ; besides that it must needs prove both tedious and burthensom to your memory , and intricate to your prudence , to make application of innumerable rules to circumstances yet more infinite that can never be foreseen . my design therefore shall be , onely to propound such advices as may capacitate you for the discharging of your function to the advantage of the publick where you shall be entrusted , as well as your own soul , and enable you more advantagiously to judge concerning particulars , than you can by rules ; and those grounded on such sure principles , and such excellent ancient precedents , as that , i hope , you shall have no reason to complain that they are unpracticable , because they are not calculated from present experience . iii. to which purpose , before you are actually ordained ( if you be not already ) i must conjure you by all that is dear unto you , to consider what it is , and with what design you undertake it ? that , as it is indeed the nob●est employment to be subservient to the supreme governour of the world , in order to his principal designs , to which the world it self , and consequently the vastest empires and the greatest princes , and whatever else is counted glorious in the esteem of inconsiderate mortals , are subordinate by god himself in a capacity as ignoble as is that of the body to the soul ; so , the hazard is proportionable : the miscarriage of those noble beings for whose redemption nothing but the blood of god was thought sufficiently valuable ; and consequently accountable according to the estimate god himself has been pleased to impose upon them : that therefore you remember that you stand in need of greater natural abilities and providential auxiliaries , as it is more difficult to take care of a multitude , than of a single person ; that if supernatural assistances be necessary for the salvation of the most able private person , much more they must be so to one not pretending to the greatest abilities in a personal regard when engaged in publick ; that ●herefore you never venture on it without probable presumption of the divine assistance ; that that cannot possibly be presumed if it be undertaken rashly ( god never having promised to succour us in dangers voluntarily incurred by our selves ) that it is rash if undertaken without a call from god ; ( i hope you will not understand me of an enthusiastical unaccountable one , but a rational and providential , which you may observe the * church her self to have taken care of in the very office of ordination ) that you cannot prudently presume a call but upon these principles : that you are principally created for the divine service in the improvement of mankind ; that you are engaged in gratitude to perform your duty in it for the many benefits by him conferred on you ; that you cannot approve your self grateful unto him unless you love him , nor veraciously pretend to love him unless you most desire what you conceive most pleasing to him ; whence it will follow that you must addict your self to that course of life which is most pleasing to him , if you find your self qualified for it , for this is the onely truly rational providential call , which can without enthusiasme be expected and judged of . now these qualifications must be a pure intention , natural abilities , and a firm immoveable resolution ; for if any of these be wanting , you can never be secure of your own endeavour , much less of the divine assistance , for avoiding so imminent a danger . iv. but because i am not considering these qualifications under a meerly natural or moral notion , but as they may ingratiate you with god , and so intitle you to that assistance , without which , as has been shewed , you cannot securely venture on a state of life so extremely dangerous ; i conceive it therefore necessary to warn you what it is you may safely trust in this enquiry . first therefore , for the purity of your designs , you may observe that purity implies a freedom from mixture of what is more base with what is more noble , whether that which is base be predominant or onely equal . and therefore that your designs may be pure , you must take care that . you design this course of life for those ends alone , which indeed do onely render it worthy being designed by you upon a rational account ; for this must needs be that which is most excellent . . that you do not design this most excellent for any thing less excellent as a more ultimate end : nay , . that you do not design any thing less excellent as an end even coordinate with the more excellent , but onely as subordinate . the latter points are those wherein you may be most easily mistaken , and wherein it will be most difficult to satisfie your self of your own sincerity . at present you may take this rule : if you find your self so affected with the less noble end as that without it you have reason to think that you should not undertake such a difficult duty for the more noble end alone , you have reason to suspect that the more noble end is onely subordinate , and the less noble truly ultimate ; and if you find that your desires of the less noble end are such , as that , if you should fail of it , you would find less complacency in your duty , though you were sure thereby to attain that which is supposed more noble , you will have reason to suspect your designs of the less noble end to be , at least , partial and coordinate . both designs are sinful ; but with this difference : that the designing the more noble end for the less noble , argues the will perfectly depraved , and implies no volition , but onely a ve●●eity , for that which is more noble , and therefore can no way entitle such a person to the divine favour ; but the making the less noble end coordinate , argues indeed a volition , but so imperfect , as cannot move the divine favour , who cannot choose but take ill such a dishonourable competitor , and who will by no means yield any of his honour to another ; nay , who has further declared it his pleasure , either to have the whole heart , or none ; who will by no means partake with his adversaries , but nauseates and abhors the lukewarm person . but though , where this is expresly designed , it can no way deserve his love , yet , where it is irreptitious and by way of surprize , it may , at least , incline his pity , upon the same account as other sins of infirmity , to which the ordinary life of mankind is supposed obnoxious , and for which allowances are made in the very stipulations of the gospel . yet will not this consideration suffice to excuse your neglect of it ; for both , negligence will make it cease to be a sin of infirmity ; and besides the consequences of it ( whatever the occasion may be ) are so pernicious , as may make you either less serviceable in your office , or less acceptable in your performances of it ; and are therefore , with all possible caution , to be avoided . v. but that i may descend , and speak more plainly and particularly to your case ; you may perceive that that which onely renders the clerical calling rationally desireable , is that to which it is upon a rational account useful , which can be nothing in the world ( the design of this calling being to teach men how to despise and easily to part with all such things the world calls good ) but onely the service of god in a peculiar manner ; and that this service is to fulfill his will as far as you are capacitated for it by this calling , which onely aims at the sa●vation of the souls of mankind . be sure therefore that the service of god , and the salvation of souls be intirely your design . and do not trust your saying so , but make some experiment of your affections ; for it is by their habitual inclinations , and not by some warm lucid intervals of reason , that your course of life is like to be determined ; and you are to remember , that your choice is irrevocable , which must oblige you to a serious consideration of what you do before you undertake it . place therefore your self by frequent meditation in such circumstances wherein no other end were attainable . suppose the church were in a state of persecution , which is not onely the warning , but also the promise , of the gospel ; or that your flock were assaulted by the malice of any cruel , or the scandalous example of any great , but powerful , sinner ; or many other such hazardous cases which may fall out though the church be countenanced by the saecular government ; would you here follow the example of the true a shepherd , or the hireling ? could you by your own example let your flock understand that your self did seriously believe what your calling must have obliged you to have taught and urged to them : that b the world and all its allurements and menaces are to be despised , that c all things are to be accounted loss and dung for the excellency of the knowledge of the cross ; that d tribulations upon this account were glorious , and e being counted worthy to suffer for the name of christ peculiarly honourable ; that f persecutions and reproaches , and bitter calumnies suffered for so good a cause were matter of exultation and exceeding joy ? could you even in these difficulties repeat your choice if it were reiterable ? or , if you were desporate of any other portion in this life , would you not either wish it undone , or even actually undo it if you could with honour ? do not think this case romantick even now ; for both this will be the securest way of passing a faithful judgment concerning your own temper , especially of that which is necessary for this calling ; and this is one of the chief duties and uses of the calling it self , that you be ready g to assist your flock in the time of necessity , and h to lay down your life for them , when it might prove for their advantage ; and , believe it how prosperous soever you may fancy christianity to be among us , you would find it to be actually true , in a high degree , by the odium you must needs incur by a conscientious discharging of your duty : in admonishing scandalous persons , openly , and others , secretly , of their vices , and suspending such as would shew themselves incorrigible from the communion ; in freely , and sometimes openly , rebuking the great ones as well as the mean , nay sometimes more , inasmuch as their example is more pestilential ; in generally weakning the hands and hearts , and disappointing the designs , of impious persons , by shaming them out of countenance , by reducing their companions , and generally awing them by a constantly grave and severe behaviour . vi. and by this experiment you may also perceive whether any less noble end be ingredient in your designing this calling : whether it be to gratifie the humours of your friends , or a vainglorious shewing of your parts , or a more honourable condition of life even in this world , or a more plentifull maintenance , or a politick design of making your self considerable in gaining a party for your own designs , though , i confess , the humour of our protestant laity is generally so self-confident , and so little dependent on their ministers ( if they do not despise them ) as that this last temptation cannot now be very dangerous . for if you can as cheerfully serve god in the absence of these temporal encouragements as with them ; if you can for your own sake patiently bear with the succeslesness of your performances , and satisfie your self in the conscience of having performed your duty ; if you be as industrious and careful of a cure less temporally advantagious , as of one that is more , and of persons that cannot , as well as of those that can , reward you ; if you know , with the apostle , how to be abased , as well as how to abound ; if you can praise god as cheerfully in a low , as in a prosperous condition ; nay more , as having then a title to many blessings of which your prosperous condition is uncapable ; if you can find your affections so disintangled from the world , that you are , like i st. paul , careless of living , upon your own account , but onely for the divine service ; then indeed , and not till then , you may be securely confident of the integrity of your intentions , and venture your self in this warfare , as the clerical calling is expresly called by st. paul , tim. ii. , . and as it were certainly most secure that your affections were thus generally alienated from these more ignoble designs , that you may satisfie your own conscience of your own freedom from the suspition of them ; so , because the heart is so intolerably deceitful as that its inclinations cannot be certainly discerned till the objected be vested with advantagious particular circumstances ; and these cannot be so prudently foreseen in general ; it will , at least , concern you to make the experiment full in such cases as you are by your own inclinations obnoxious to , and whose circumstances may very probably and frequently occur , and therefore may rationally be expected . remember that this enquiry be performed , as in the sight of god , to whom you must return an account of this stewardship , and whom it is impossible to deceive ; and for your own sake , whose interest is not meanly , but , greatly and eternally , concerned in it : not onely for your personal prejudice which you may incur by your imprudence herein , but also those mischievous consequential miscarriages , which will involve you deeply in the guilt of the ruine of as many souls as shall be engaged therein by the example , or imprudence , or negligence of their guide , who should have been exemplary to them . it were well if you made this the subject of a communion-exercise before you take orders ; for when you have devested your self of all worldly designs , and have god alone before your eyes , and spiritual considerations ; and have acknowledged your own insufficiency to discern the deceitfulness of your heart , and have therefore humbly implored the divine assistance , and intirely placed your confidence in him , and his inspirations , not extraordinary and enthusiastical , but , providential and moral : that he may be pleased to clear your understanding from all prejudices of your will ; that to your understanding , thus prepared , he would suggest the securest motives ; that he would enable you with a prudent and distinguishing spirit in passing your judgment , and making your election of them ; when , i say , you have done all this , you will then have the greatest moral probability that is possible , that your judgment ( if you can satisfie your self of your sincerity in observing these rules ) is the judgment of right reason , and consequently , in the way we are now speaking of , the will of god. vii . but neither is this purity of design alone sufficient ( unless you have abilities for it ) either to presume a call from god , or to venture securely and prudently on it . not the former ; for gods designing men for particular callings , is , in a providential way , to be concluded from his gifts , which are the talents he intrusts us with , and therefore obliges us to improve , and that after the most advantagious way ; so that where god has given natural gifts peculiarly fitting a person for a particular calling , and where it is withall evident , that either they fit him for no other calling , or , at least , not so advantagiously , or to a calling not so advantagious ; there , if he follow the dictate of right reason ( which is the onely providential voyce of god ) he must needs conclude himself in prudence obliged to follow this , rather than any other . but you may be here mistaken , if you consider either your gifts , or your calling , partially . your gifts you are to consider universally , in regard of themselves , or their effects , which may with any great moral probability be foreseen , whether natural , or accidental : whether , as some of your gifts do fit you for the clerical calling , so , they may not equally fit you for another ? whether , if they fit you onely , or peculiarly for this , yet , you may not have other qualifications that may make it dangerous ? whether , if you have such as may render it dangerous , the danger be greater , or more probable to come to pass , than the advantage ? whether , if you have none , yet , you have not onely some , but all , the qualifications for this calling ? whether , if some be wanting , they be either fewer , or less considerable than those you have ? so also , concerning the calling it self , you are to consider whether , all things being allowed for , it be likely to prove more advantagious , or disadvantagious , to you ? whether it be more necessary , or onely more convenient ? whether , if more necessary ▪ it be also more secure , especial●y in regard of your greater interest● ? and concerning all these enqui●es , you may fall into great mistakes , if you have not before rectified your intention , and so fixed on a right end , from whence you may deduce faithful measures o● things . it will therefore here concern you to use all possible prudence and caution ; and you cannot be excused if you use less than you would in a case wherein all your secular fortunes and your life it self were deeply hazarded , seeing these things are incomparably less trivial . viii . i hope you will not so far suspect me of pelagianism as to put me to the trouble of an apology for calling these qualifications natural . my meaning is not , that these natural qualifications alone are sufficient for discharging the clerical calling ? or , that those auxiliaries that are superadded are onely natural ; but onely , that all superadded auxiliaries are grounded on the improvement of such as are natural , not as merits rigorously obliging god in point of justice , but as motives mercifully perswading and inducing him , who is of himself already munificent ; so that the principal and original ground of expecting these supernatural auxiliaries , which can onely be hoped for by them who are peculiarly called , can antecedently ( as it is plain that the ground of their hope must be antecedent ) be grounded on nothing but what is natural . to let this therefore pass ( that this whole discourse may be deduced home to your case ) it will be necessary to shew what these qualifications are , which will best be understood by their accommodation to the design for which you intend them . that therefore i suppose to be the taking of a particular charge upon you of the souls of a particular congregation ; so that according to the several wayes of the miscarriage of such souls , you ought to be contrarily qualified for their security . and the miscarriage of their souls being occasioned by their non performance of their duty , your qualifications must consist in such requisites as may induce them to that performance . and these will , in general , be reduced to two heads : such as may be necessary for informing them in their duty , and such as may induce them to practice it● for in both these put together their security does adaequately consist . and in order to these two ends you must be endued with two requisites : knowledge , for convincing their understandings ; and prudence , for perswading their wills . by knowledge i do not so much mean that which is speculative and scholastical , as that which is more immediately practical . for i suppose your charge to consist principally of the illiterate multitude , and that if you have any intelligent learned laick that may be capable of higher things , yet that it is more rare and casual ; and that in these qualifications , i am speaking of , we are not so much to consider what is rare and extraordinary , as what is frequent and usual ; what is useful and convenient , as what is absolutely necessary . for both those extraordinary occasions cannot so much oblige to a peculiar provision , especailly in those multitudes which are necessary for these services of the church , all which cannot be expected capable of them ; and those cases , being extraordinary , may be supplied by a few peculiarly gifted that way , seeing it is gods usual way thus to distribute those 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , which are indeed convenient for the edification of the catholick church in general , but not absolutely necessary for every particular charge . for these ends therefore , wherein your other studies of more necessary concernment , or the aversion of your own genius , may not incline you , or afford you opportunity , or enable you , to attain such skill your self as were convenient ; it will be sufficient that you hold correspondence with such as have it , whom you may consult with as occasion shall require , and so not be altogether unprovided even for these extraordinary occurrences . but that which will more peculiarly and indispensably concern you , is that more immediately practical knowledge , which all are some way bound to observe , and of which none , which act prudently in their common concernments of the world , may be presumed uncapable . and it were well that you would reduce all other speculative knowledge to this , as it is certainly designed by god. my meaning is , that you would not begin with notions in instructing others , but that you would first stir them up to practice such duties as are by all parties acknowledged to be essentially obligatory under the state of christianity ( as , god be praised , principles sufficient for most of these are admitted by all considerable parties that violate the peace of christendom , however otherwise disunited among themselves ) and so by that means bring them to a carefulness of their wayes , and a tenderness of conscience , and an inquisitiveness after their duty universally whatever it may be ; which will prepare them for what other instructions they may afterwards prove capable of ; and will be of excellent use , both for rendring your advice acceptable and useful to them , when they first sensibly experience its necessity before it be communicated ; and for preventing the infusion of any frivolous and unprofitable notions , which are very dangerous to popular capacities ( who are usually more passionate than judicious , and are too prone to impose their own private sentiments in things , they do not understand , as well as those they do , on others , and so to make them the badges and characteristicks of subdividing parties ) and will be the best measure for suiting and proportioning their knowledge to their capacities ; for they are certainly capable of so much knowledge whose usefulness they are capable of apprehending ; and no more is necessary , if i may not say , expedient , to be communicated to them . ix . i could have shewn you , in many regards , how incomparably more advantagious this way is , even for the reduction of hereticks and schismaticks , than that which is ordinarily made use of , an abrupt disputation : for by this means you will find that the onely true causes of heretical and schismatical pravity , obstinacy and perversity of will , and prejudices of the world , and the vain desire of applause and victory , and their preingagement in a party , and that shame and unwillingness to yield ( even to truth it self , when it appears their adversary ) which unawares surprizes the most innocently meaning men , will be removed before your reasons be propounded , which , if by them they be thought more convincing , they must , upon these suppositions , needs prevail ; and that the want of the removal of these is that which ordinarily makes disputations so successess ; nay that the conversion it self of the persons without the purgation of these prejudices , might indeed enlarge our party ( a design too vain to be aimed at by any peaceable pious christian ) but would never be advantagious to the persons themselves ( the charity to whose souls ought to be the principal inducement to a rational and prudent person to engage him to endeavour their satisfaction ) because it were hardly probable that the truth it self could be embraced on its own account , and so for virtuous motives , whilest these humors were predominant ; and to receive the truth it self for vitious ones were a desecration and prostitution of it , which must certainly be most odious and detestable in the sight of god , who judges impartially of the secret thoughtss and intentions , as well as the exteriour professions , of men ; that , i say , these things are true , if reason do not , yet sad experience will , prove a full conviction . besides their receiving the truth it self upon humour . ( and it cannot be judged to be upon any other account where it is not embraced upon a pious sensse of its usefulness ) would both be scandalous to those that might perceive it ( as hypocrites cannot alwayes be so cautious in their personations , but that sometimes the asses ears will appear through the lyons skin ) and would render them as uncertain to any party as the cause that makes it . nay if , after you had reduced them to this good pliable temper , you could not prevail on them in perswading them to an assent to what you say , either through the weakness of their understandings , or your own unskilfulness in pleading for a good cause with advantage ; yet you must needs conclude them invincibly ignorant , and therefore excusable before god in this regard , as well as positively acceptable in others ; and therefore must be as charitable in your demeanour to them , as , you believe , god will prove favourable in their final sentence ; which must needs be a great secondary satisfaction and comfort ( that their errors themselves are innocent ) to such as are more intent on the improvement of christianity it self than any subdividing denomination ; for it god himself , though he desires that good men should attain the actual truth in order to the peace of ecclesiastical communion , be yet pleased to admit of some anomalous instances of his mercy , whose failing thereof shall not prove prejudical to them ; if , i say , god may do thus , and may be presumed to do so by you ; i do not see how you can excuse your self ( if you dissent ) from forfeiting the glory of uniformity and resignation of your will to god , which are they alone which make your other services acceptable , or from incurring the blame of the envious murmuring servant , of having k your own eye evil because your masters is good . nay , for my part , i believe , that if you can here ( as you ought to do in all cases ) be satisfied in an expectation of a future reward from god ; your patient and confident acquiescing in the will of god , even when your endeavours prove successess as to the end immediately designed by your self , will be so far from being a discouragement , as that it will indeed intitle you to a greater preportion of spiritual comfort ; both because you may then best satisfie your self in the integrity of your intertien for god when you can readily acquiesce without any gratification of your self by a victory in your discourse ▪ and because the present little fruits of your labours may justly encourage you to expect a more plentiful arrear behind . yet , i believe , this preparation of your auditors for your discourses by a sense of piety will not minister much or frequent occasions of dissidence even of the event , no● consequently of the exercise of these passive graces , as well in regard of the divine assistance , you may then hope for , as your own abilities . for when the person has thus rendred ●imself worthy of the favour and has implored the divine goodness for its actual collation ; there can 〈◊〉 reason to despair of the divine assistance , so far as it may not violate the ordinary rules of providence : such as are the suggesting such motives to your mind as are most proper to prevail on the capacity of the person with whom you deal : the fitting you with advantage of proper and persuasive expression ; the suiting all to the circumstances and apprehension of the person , and the like , which when they concur cannot frequently fail of the desired event . but that which does especially recommend this method , is , that these moral dispositions of the will are so frequently taken notice of in the gospel it self as the qualifications that prepared its auditors for its reception . for these seem to be the l the opening of the ears , the m touching of the heart , the n sheeplike disposition , the o preparation for the kingdom , the p ordination to eternal life , the q true israeliteship , which are everywhere assigned as the reasons of the conversion of many of them . but this onely by the way . x. that i may therefore return to the subject of my former discourse , you may hence conclude , that all that your people are obliged to practice , that , at east , you are obliged to know ; and that not onely as a practitioner , who may be secure in knowing his own duty , in the simplicity of it , with such reasons also of it as may be useful for rectifying his intention , which is the onely thing that can rationally be conceived to render a duty acceptable to god ; but also as a guide , who should also be acquainted with the nature of the duty it self , and the reason why it is imposed by god , and how it may contribute to the improvement of mankind , and what influence every circumstance considerable may have on the morality of the whole duty ; for without these things you can never be able to make a true estimate of those infinite cases that may occur , having to deal with persons of different complexions , and different callings , and different habitual inclinations . upon which account it will concern you first to have studied all those fundamentals , which are generally esteemed so by persons of all persuasions ( such are those contained in the r creed commonly ascribed to the apostles ) not that i conceive it necessary that you deduce all consequences that may be inferred from expressions used , even by approved authors , even in these affairs themselves ; but that you may be able , from your own judgment , to give an account what concerning them is necessary to be believed , and for what reasons , that so you may be able to satisfie an inquisitive laick , and maintain the honour of your place , which is to preserve the keys of knowledge as well as discipline ; and , believe it , in this knowing age , it is more than ever necessary . but for these things i would not have you too much trust the schoolmen , or any modern collectors of bodies of divinity , who do too frequently confound traditions with opinions , the doctrines and inferences of the church with her historical traditions , the sense of the ancient with the superadditions of modern ages , and their own private senses with those of the church . if therefore you would faithfully and distinctly inform your self herein , i do not understand how you can do it with security to your self that you do not misguide your flock , in affairs of so momentous a concernment , without having recourse to the originals themselves ; wherein you should cautiously distinguish what is clearly , and in terms , revealed by the apostles , and what onely is so virtually and consequentially ; for it cannot be credible that god has made the belief of that necessary to salvation , which he has not clearly revealed ( so as to leave the unbelievers unexcusable ) and that cannot rationally be pretended to be clearly revealed , which is neither so in terms , nor in clear and certain consequences . now these originals are the scriptures as the text , and the fathers of the first and purest centuries as an historical commentary , in controverted passages , to clear its sense . first therefore the reading of the scripture is a duty , in all regards , incumbent on you ; for these are they that s are written that we might believe , and that believing we might have life in the name of christ ; that t are certainly to assure us of those things wherein we have been catechized ; that are able to make us u wise unto salvation . and particularly , in reference to your calling , the scriptures are said to be necessary for making x the man of god ( an appellative especially proper to the clergie tim. vi . . ) perfect in teaching , in reproving , in correcting , in discipline ( so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies ) acts also peculiarly belonging to the clerical calling . and accordingly our y church does oblige the clergie to read two chapters , at least , every day , concerning which , according to the old rules , they might have been examined by the bishop , as also in erasmus's paraphrase ; which seems to have been instituted to make amends for the length of the romane offices ( injoyned by them on their clergie under pain of mortal sin ) above that of our liturgie ; as conceiving the skill of the clergie in the scriptures of more moment for the discharge of their duty to the publick than their prayers themselves . besides your skill herein is looked on as so necessary as that it is one of the severest charges laid on all in the very collation of their orders , that they be z diligent in reading the scriptures . xi . but you must not think this charge satisfied in beginning to do so from the time of your ordination . for you must remember that you are then to be a teacher , not a scholar ; besides that you cannot pass a prudent judgment of your own abilities till you have already experienced them , and thereof 〈◊〉 must have begun before . as you therefore read the scriptures , it were well that after reading of any chapter you would mark the difficult places , at least in the new testament , and , when they may see●● to concern any necessary matter of faith or practice ( for you must remember that i am now speaking of the meanest qualifications that may be expected in him who would prudently take this calling on him ) afterwards consult commentators , such as are reputed most excellent in their kind ; and read them , not cursorily , but carefully , examining their grounds to the uttermost of your capacity ; seeing that you are to enquire , not onely for your self , but also for as many as are to be led by you . first therefore , after you have read the commentator , either in writing , or , if that bee too tedious , in meditation , recollect the sum of his discourse , by reducing them to propositions ; then apply the proofs to the propositions they properly belong to . then examine the pertinency of his proofs so applyed , if they be reasons , from the nature of the thing ; if testimonies , from the authors from whom he borrowes them , by which means alone you may understand whether they mean them in the sense intended by him . and at last see how his sense agrees with the text it self , by comparing it with the cohaerence , both antecedent , and consequent . and for this occasional use of expounding scripture , it were necessary to be skilled in the originals ; for all translations being performed by fallible persons , and being capable of such aequivocations which may frequently have no ground in the originals ; the sense , as collected from such translations , may very probably be misunderstood , and therefore cannot be securely trusted . but , of the two originals , the greek is that , which can with less security be neglected upon the principles already praemised . for , supposing that your obligation is chiefly for matters of faith , and so transcending natural means of knowledge ; and moral duties , not evident , nor deducible , from the light of right reason , as being special degrees , peculiarly due to those manifestations of the divine love in the gospel , greater than could have been expected from the divine philanthropy , as it appears from reason alone ; both of these are proper to the gospel-state , and therefore are onely to be expected from the new testament , which , though in other things it may require the hebrew , for understanding the hellenistical s●ile ; yet in these things , being so peculiarly proper to the gospel-state , and being many of them merely new revelations , it cannot be so extreamly necessary , and therefore the greek may be here sufficient . yet i must withall needs confess , that ( for the government and governours of the church , and the rituals adopted into christianity by the positive institution of the gospel , the two sacraments and other solemnities of the service of god ) the knowledge of the jewish antiquities is very necessary for clearing some things of so momentous a consideration , and so ordinary practice , as that you may not be able , without them , to give a fall satisfaction to your parochia● cure , in doubts that may nearly concern them , which will therefore require a skill in the rabbins , if not in the hebrew tongue wherein they are written . xii . and upon the same account , i do not , for my part , see how you can well have neglected the fathers of the first and purest centuries , especially those that are , by the consent of all , concluded genuine , and that lived before the empire turned christian , who consequently were free from those secular enjoyments , which , in a short time , sensibly corrupted that generosity and exemplary severity , which were so admirably conspicuous in the infancy of christianity . for , though it be confessed that the scriptures are indeed clear in all matters indispensably necessary to salvation ( which are the onely subjects of my present discourse ) yet i conceive that perspicuity to have been mainly accommodated to the present apprehensions of the persons then living , many of the phrases being taken from doctrines or practices then generally prevailing among them , and obviously notorious to all , the vulgar , as well as persons of greater capacities . but that all things , that were then clear , might not , as other antiquities have done since , in a long process of time , contract an accidental obscurity by the abolition , or neglect , of those then notorious antiquities on which that perspicuity is supposed to depend ; or that , supposing this perspicuity still to depend on such antiquities , providence should have been obliged to keep such antiquities themselves unchanged , or any other way notorious than by the monuments still extant of those ages ; cannot , i conceive , with any probability be presumed : either from the nature of the thing ; or the design of the scriptures , which both seem to have been written in accommodation to particular exigences , and on particular occasions ; and rather to intimate , than insist on , such things as were already presumed notorious , and must needs have been either more intricate , if brief ; or more tedious and voluminous , if accurate , in explaining so numerous particulars . now , if this perspicuity were accommodated to the apprehensions of them to whom they were , more immediately , revealed ; then certainly the holy ghost must needs be presumed to have intended such senses as he knew them ready and likely to apprehend ( especially in such cases wherein the terms were taken from something already notorious among them , and wherein they could have no reason to suspect their misapprehensions , much less , ordinary means to rectifie them ) and therefore , on the contrary , what we can find to have been their sense of the scriptures , in things perspicuous and necessary , that we have reason to believe verily intended by the revealer . besides that this is the usual practice of our most accurate criticks , to expound their authors , where difficult , by comparing them with other writers of the same time , or sect , or subject , which mention the thing doubted of more clearly ; and therefore cannot prudently be refused here , where we are speaking of the ordinary moral means of finding out the true sense of the scriptures . i do confess that the fathers do not write in a method so accurate and fitted to the capacities of beginners as our modern systemes , but withall , i think , it cannot be denyed but that they are , even upon that account , more intelligible than the scriptures , so that they who are obliged to be skilful in the scriptures cannot , upon any account , be presumed uncapable of understanding the fathers . nor ought it to be pretended that the writings of the fathers are too voluminous and tedious a task for a young man to undertake before his entring into the clerical calling ; for both i do not see how that way can be counted tedious , which is necessary , and onely secure , how long soever it may be ; nor is it indeed true , that the fathers of the first three centuries were a task so very tedious ( for as for others afterwards , the more remote they are , the less competent also they must be for informing us of the sense of the apostles in an historical way of which alone we are now discoursing ; nay seeing that the later writers can know nothing this way , but what has been delivered to them by the former , it will follow that they cannot be able to inform us of any thing new , after the reading of their predecessors , and therefore , though it might be convenient , yet , after the primitives , the reading of the later fathers cannot be so indispensably necessary ) especially if the counterfeited authors and writings be excepted , together withall those that are lyable to any just suspicion , and are reputed such by learned and candid men ; and if their time were improved , as it might by most , and would by all , that would undertake this severe calling upon these conscienti●us accounts i have been already describing . besides i do not know why they should complain for want of time either before , or after , the susception of holy orders , when as we see other callings require seven years learning before their liberty to practice , whereas a much less time well improved would serve for this , even for ordinary capacities , that were grounded in the necessary rudiments of humane learning ; and they have afterwards a maintenance provided for them without care , that they might addict themselves without distraction to employments of this nature . all things therefore being considered , i do not see how this requisite ( how much soever it may amuse some by its seeming novelty ) is either unnecessary or unpracticable . xiii . besides these reasons from necessity , i might produce others of conveniency why young practicioners of divinity should deduce their doctrine more immediately from the fountains . as first , that by this means they may be best able to judge impartially , when they are less possessed with the favour of a party ; whereas it is , i doubt , too frequently , the practice of those that do otherwise , first espouse a partly , afterwards to see with no other perspectives than what prejudice and interest will permit , not so much to enquire what does indeed appear truly derived from the apostles , as what these conveighers of apostolical tradition say in favour of their own , and discountenance of their adversaries faction . and secondly , this would certainly much contribute to the infusing a peaceable spirit into the catholick church ( a blessing vigorously to be prosecuted and prayed for by all good christians ) which certainly could not chuse but considerably contribute further to the actual peace of christendome , whose principles might undoubtedly in many things be better accommodated , if their spirits were less exasperated . this it would do , partly by the inevidence of the reasons , when examined ; for it is generally the unexperienced confidence that is most bold and daring ; partly in deriving principles of accommodation from those fountains which all do so unanimously applaud , and wherein therefore they are most likely to agree , if ever providence reduce them to a reconciliation : and partly because by this means they will be less likely to broach any offensive doctrines , seeing that for this end , not onely the church of rome , but our mother the church of a england , has required that no other expressions of scriptures be urged publickly but such as are agreeable to the doctrine of the fathers : your observation of which canon i do not see how you can secure without knowing what they hold , nor know what they hold without reading them . besides thirdly , that the very conversing with such admirable monuments of piety , where most of their very errors seem to have proceeded from a nobly designing excessive severity , and their practices rather exceeded , than fell short of , their doctrinal severity , must needs , like the conversation of god with moses in the mount , affect them with a proportionable splendor : to see them devoring all their worldly interests for the service of the church , exposing their lives and fortunes for the faith of christ , i do not say , willingly and patiently , but even joyfully and triumphantly , b wearying their judges cruelty , and blunting their executioners axes , with the multitudes of such as , without any enquiry , offered themselves , crowding and thronging to the catastae , the vngulae , the stakes and gridirons , and other the most terrible executions that were ever heard of , with as much earnestness and emulation as was ever shewn in the olympick exercises , impatiently striving for the honour of that which the world thought penal and calamitous . and lastly that they must needs from hence make a truer estimate concerning the real design and duties of christianity , from those times wherein it was undertaken upon choice and a rational approbation , and against all the contrary aversations of worldly interests , merely for its own sake , and when it was preached in the simplicity of it , without any compliances or indulgences gratifying either the humours or pretended necessities of a worldly conversation ; than now when fashion and education and worldly interests are the very inducements inclining many to profess themselves christians , who otherwise take not the least care of fulfilling their baptismal obligations , and wherein the vitious reserves of the world have prevailed so far as to corrupt their very casuistical divinity , and to make them believe those things impossible , and so necessarily requiring the divine favour to excuse them , which yet were then universally performed . and to see how peculiarly the clerical calling was then honoured : that none were chosen to it but either such as were designed by the more immediate inspiration of the c holy ghost to their ordainer ; or by the general suffrages of the d people concerning their unspotted lives , when that extraordinary way failed ; or by some extraordinary experiment of their excellent spirits : such were e renouncing all their possessions , and resigning them to the common use of the church , or some f exemplary suffering for the faith of christ ( which though not extending to death was then called g martyrdom ) besides that zeal and incessant diligence in providing for the necessities of their cure , and those persecutions which were sometimes as peculiarly their lot as they were gods , must needs imprint a sacred awe and reverence for the calling , which , if measured by present either precepts or precedents , cannot be deservedly esteemed . xiv . but to proceed . besides this knowledge of the prime necessary fundamentals it will also be necessary for to be skilled in all such controversies as separate any considerable communions of christians . for these also your flock , illiterate as well as learned , are obliged to practice . for it is certain that they must be obliged to make use of the sacraments as the ordinary channels where grace may be expected , and therefore must communicate with some church ; and seeing every church does not onely assert its own , but censure other communions differing from her , and therefore will not permit any person that enjoyes her communion to communicate with any other ; it will follow that they must all be concerned , as far as they are capable , to understand a reason , not onely of their communion with ours , but their consequent separation from other churches . for seeing schisme is a sin of as malignant an influence to souls as many others which are more infamous in the vulgar account ; it must needs be your duty to secure them from that , as well as other sins . now the formal imputable notion of schism as a sin being the no-necessity of its dividing the churches peace ; that any party of men may be excusable from it , they must be satisfied : either that not they , but their adversaries , were the causes of the division ; or that , if themselves were , yet it was on their part necessary ; which it is impossible for you to do even to your own prudent satisfaction , if you do not understand the true state of the controversies , and the full force of what is produced on both sides . and for knowing the true state of the controversies , you must remember , that the obligation incumbent on you for knowing them does not concern you as they are the disputes of private doctors , or even tolerated parties , but as they are the characteristicks of communions ; and therefore they must be the councils and canons , or such other publick authentick records of the churches , or their acknowledged champions as explaining their churches sense , and not their own ▪ and the conditions practiced among them without which their communion cannot be had , that you must be presumed skilful in . i do not think it so indispensably necessary that you be skilled in all the particular controversies of meaner concernment even betwixt different churches themselves , but those that are mutually thought sufficient to separate communion ; nor in all those themselves , but in any . for as , for joyning in a communion , it is necessary that all the conditions prescribed for it be lawful ; so on the contrary , if onely one be unlawful , it is enough to prove the separation not unnecessary , and so not culpable , nay , that it is necessary and obligatory ; and so sufficient to satisfie him in as much as he is concerned to practice . your skill in these things will every way be obligatory on you : for their sakes that are capable , that you may satisfie them ; for those that are not , that you may secure them , ( who , by how much they are less able to he●p themselves , must consequently more rely upon your conduct , which will therefore lay the blame of their miscarriages heavily on you , if they be occasioned by your negligence ) and for the reducing such as are misled , a duty too generally neglected among the poor superstitious natives , though expresly required by the h canons of our church ; so that you are obliged , not onely to be able to teach your flock , but also i to resist gain sayers , to k rebuke them with all authority , l to stop their mouths , to convince and perswade the modest , and to confound and shame the incorrigible . but , in dealing with adversaries , it were fit , that , in accommodation to the method already prescribed , of fitting them for rational discourses by first bringing them to a conscientious sense of their duty ; you would therefore fit your motives to those preparations , by insisting not onely on the truth , but the piety , of embracing what you would perswade them to , and the impiety of the contrary ; how directly , or indirectly , it countenances or encourages licentiousness ; at least of how mischievous consequence the sin of schism upon such an account would be , and how inconsiderable the contrary palliations are for excusing it : that schism is a breach of peace , and so a violation of the very testament of our lord ; of love , and so a disowning the characteristick badg whereby christians are peculiarly distinguishable from the infidel-world ; a subdividing the church into factions and parties , and consequently chargeable with the guilt of the scandal of the common adversaries , who by these means are induced to dishonourable thoughts of the institutor of so confounded a profession , and are by these mutual exasperations enabled to see the infirmities of all parties by their mutual recriminations ; and so their minds become exulcerated and impregnably prejudiced against all the rhetorick of the gospel , and uncapable of those ends designed by god in it's publication ( and oh how heavy an account will such dishonour of god , such frustrating of his evangelical designs , and the miscarriage of such a multitude of souls , so dearly purchased by him , amount to ! ) besides the internal mischiefs following from it : a weakning the common strength by dispersing it into multitudes of inconsiderable fractions , singly considered , and so disabling it for any generous designs of taking care of that great part of the world which never yet heard of the gospel , besides the dissolution of discipline , the contempt of the authority , and weakning it , and so the great liberty made for all the vices and scandals of wicked men by a consequent impunity . i would heartily recommend this consideration to our conscientious dissenting brethren who are affrighted from our communion by the scandalous lives of some of our pretended conformists , how much themselves contribute to the calamities they so seriously deplore by bringing a disrespect on that authority which should , if entertained with due veneration , either reform them , or make them cease to be scandalous by their perfect exclusion from her communion . xv. but that which you can least of all want , is a study too much neglected , because too little experienced , among protestants , that of casuistical divinity . for unless your general sermons be brought home and applyed to particular consciences ; i do not know how you can be said to have used your utmost diligence for the salvation of particular persons , and therefore how you can clear your self from particular miscarriages . i am sure , this is the way the apostle st. paul vindicates himself from the blood of all men . act. xx . . that he had not spared to declare unto them the whole counsel of god , v. . and that , not onely publickly , but also , from house to house v. . nay that for three years , night and day , he ceased not to warn euery one with tears ; which expressions do certainly denote a greater frequency than that of their publick synaxes , where their preaching was in use ; besides that the words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , used for every one , cannot be understood of them collectively , but distributively and singly . there is a remarkable saying quoted by clemens m alexandrinus from an ancient apocriphal work : that the companion of a good man can hardly perish without involving the good man himself in a participation of the blame ; which is certainly , in a more severe sense , verifiable of a person engaged in the clerical calling , because of the charge with which they are peculiarly intrusted . the charge it self you may read in ezech. xxxiii . ( a passage i conceive very well worthy some serious thoughts before you undertake orders ) if the destruction come , and take away any of your charge , whosoever he be , he dyes in his sins ; but you , if you have not warned him , are responsible for him . now i do not see how you can be said to have warned him , when you have not taken the pains to inform your self of his condition ; for considering that you are not now to expect revelations , but to judg a posteriori , by the appearances and ordinary course of things ; you cannot warn any of danger but such as appear in a state of demerit , to whom god has threatned it , and that , how culpable it is , cannot be judged without examination of particular circumstances . for do not believe that the pulpit-denunciation of judgments can suffice , or that it can reach the end of these warnings , the terrifying men from their sins , so as not onely to make them entertain some struggling velleities against them , but also to endeavour an effectual relinquishment of them . for either they are indefinite and hypothetical , involving ●deed all sinners in the danger , but not telling who are such , so that the application ( which is of the most effectual influence for the reduction of any particular person ) is left entirely to the too-partially-affected disposition of the person himself ( whose very judgment being either diverted or depraved by his vices , so that he is unwilling or unable to discern them to be so , and his very conscience by that means either actually or habitualiy seared ) he can be never likely to condemn himself , unless he be reduced by a particular consideration of his own , for which he is not beholding to the ministery ; or they are so managed as that indeed no man can have reason upon that account to be particularly terrified . for considering that those denunciations that are general do concern those remainders of sin which are as long-lived as themselves in the most pious persons ; and accordingly that the publick confessions of sins , wherein the pious as well as the impious are concerned to joyn , and that without dissimulation or falshood , are such as are confessed , in the very same forms , to deserve the penalties so denounced , and yet it is most certain that no condemnation does belong to them ; nay , though they constantly commit the like sins , and therefore periodically have need of reiterating the same confessions , as not being encouraged to believe it possible to relinquish all such sins , but onely to strive against them ; by this means persons are accustomed to confess themselves sinners , nay , and great ones too , and to deserve the severest of these comminations , and yet all this without any terrour , supposing all this to be common to them with the holyest men living , to whom undoubtedly no terrour does belong ; these things , i say , being considered , they cannot hereby be obliged to believe themselves actually in danger of these threats , and therefore cannot , for fear of them , be obliged to relinquish utterly their endangering demerits . i doubt many a poor soul does feel this experimentally , who , though they have lived for many years under a terrible ministery , yet never have been thereby actually terrified from those vices to which themselves acknowledg the curse of god to be due , especially if they were secret , and so might escape the censures and particular reproofs of men . besides that by this means of onely pulpit-reproofs you cannot pretend to say that you have warned such persons as either through irreligion , or prophaneness , or contrary perswasions ( occasions too frequent now a dayes , and comprehending multitudes of souls ) forbear the church , or consequently clear you from being accountable for them . but , though in publick preaching sins were particularized more than they are , and charged with that peculiar severity they deserve ; yet you must remember that they are very few that can prudently be so dealt with : such as generally prevailed , and such as were notorious ; so that for all others that are not reducible to these heads , ( many of which may prove of as dangerous consequence to the concerned persons themselves as these , if they perish in them . ) i do not see how you can chuse but be responsible , if you do not reprove them by a more close and particular address . xvi . i know the degeneration of our present age is so universal herein , and that men are naturally so disingenuous , as that rather than they will acknowledge themselves faulty , they will strain their wits for palliations and apologies , especially when countenanced by the practice of men of an otherwise severe conversation ; that you may not admire if you may find some who may conceive me severe in this point . but you must remember the liberty i have designed in this whole discourse , not to flatter any one in affairs of so hazardous consequence ; and i do not doubt but that even those my opponents themselves will believe this way , though more severe , yet certainly , more excellent and more secure , and therefore though it were onely doubtful , yet it were more conveniently practicable . but for my part , i think it so little doubtful , as that , laying aside that unwillingness that either interest , or the surprisal of a novelty , may create in many against its reception ; i think there can be little pretended that may cause a rational scruple to an unprejudiced understanding person . for if a general denunciation of gods anger against impenitents had been sufficient , and no more particular application had been necessary to have been made than what had been the result of the guilty consciences , or the good natures , of the persons themselves , or the peculiar providential preventions of god ; i do not see what necessity there had been of the prophets , as watchmen , of old ; or of preachers now . for that god is a rewarder and punisher of the actions of wicked men , none ever yet denyed that held a providence , much less such as owned any written revelations , which were able more distinctly to inform them what these rewards were ; and we know it is the reply of abraham to dives , that if moses and the prophets were not able to assure them of the certainty of these future rewards on supposition of their impenitency , neither would they be convinced though a preacher were sent them from the dead , so that upon this account the sending of prophets must have been needless , especially of such as were distinct from the penmen of the canonical books , and were sent on provisional messages , for concerning such alone i am at present discoursing . besides the credibility of these rewards depended on the credit of the law it self , which was antecedent to the mission of prophets , as being that by which they were to be tryed , and therefore could not in any competent way be proved by their testimony ; which will appear the rather credible when it is remembred that temporal calamities were the usual subjects of these ordinary prophetick messages . the onely thing therefore that they must have been sent for must have been a particular application to the parties concerned . and accordingly this is their method still to deliver their message to the persons themselves : when to the people , as it was most frequently , in their publick assemblies ; when to their princes , or to other particular private persons , still their practice was accordingly . nor did they ever excuse themselves ( as too many are apt to do now ) when persons apprehended themselves particularly concerned , by pretending that the application was none of theirs ; but still they owned it , and were ready to suffer the inflictions of those whom they had thus exasperated . and accordingly we find it reckoned among the principal qualifications of a prophet even by the jewes themselves , that he be , not onely wise , and rich , but also valiant . and jeremy is thus encouraged to harden his face like brass , and that he be against the jewes like n an impregnable fortress , that he should not o fear their faces neither p be dismayed ; and esay , as a type of our saviour , hardens his face like flint , isa . l. . which i do not know of what peculiar use it could prove in this case , unless it were to embolden them that they might not fear the threats or malice of the great ones in the performance of their duty , which they had not been in such danger of without this application . besides , if this application were not the peculiar employment of an ordinary prophet , i do not understand what it was that was blamed in the false prophets , who q preached peace when there was no peace . for that ever any of them was so impudent as to deny the truth of gods denunciations against sinners indefinitely is no way credible ; or that doing so , they could find credit in a nation so signally convinced of a providence . their crime therefore must have been , that they flattered the wicked , and either made them believe their faults to be none at all , or not so great as indeed they were ; or that god would either excuse them particularly , or not punish them in this life , or not suddenly , or not severely . and accordingly also in the new testament we find r s. stephen and the s apostles charging their crimes home on their persecutors ; and to this end endued with an admirable t 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , among other gifts of the holy ghost then dispensed for capacitating them for their office . and that this particular application was not grounded on such particular revelations whereby those extraordinary persons might have been enabled to judge particularly of their cases , for which we , who have none but humane fallible means of knowing the wickedness of mens hearts , may now be thought less sufficient ; may appear from the frequent mention of this use of particular reproof as an u ordinary qualification for the clerical calling , and from the like practice of the most ancient fathers and martyrs , who every where x freely inveigh against the particular scandalous persons of their times , and their persecutors . but these things are in themselves obvious , and are a subject too copious to be insisted on at present . xvii . supposing therefore this necessity of a particular application , it will be easie to deduce hence the necessity of your skill in casuistical divinity . for if you must particularly apply you must particularly know the state of the conscience you have to deal with . and that you may judge it when known , you must know the means of acquiring all virtues , and of avoiding all vices and sins , and the stress of all lawes , and the influences of all circumstances considerable , and the way of dealing with all tempers ; that you may never judge rashly , that you may advise pertinently and successfully , that you may so provide for the present as that you may foresee dangerous consequences , that you may not run consciences on perplexities by making one duty inconsistent with another ; all which do some way or other belong to casuistical divinity . especially it will concern you to be some way skilled in all lawes more immediately relating to conscience : the law of nature , and the positive lawes of god and the church , which are to be your rules in affairs of this nature . and , because the law of nature intirely , and all other lawes as to their particular influences and applications to particular cases , as indeed also all useful humane learning , do some way depend on the accurateness of your method of reasoning ; therefore here it were convenient that you be provided with those requisites for ordering it which are mentioned in my letter of advice for studies ; for without this your inferences will be same and imperfect , and not secure to be relied on by a person in your dangerous condition . xviii . xviii . but besides these qualifications of knowledge , for informing people concerning their duty there are also other practical requisites for inducing them to the observation of it . such are an experience and prudence in the ars voluntatis ( as nierembergius calls it ) an undoubted courage and confidence in enduring all difficulties that may , and undoubtedly will , occur in the performance of your duty ; a sweet and sociable behaviour that may win , yet grave and serious that may awe , the hearts of men ; but above all , even for the sake of your cure , as well as your own , a holy and exemplary life . of these in their order . first therefore your first qualification of skill in the ars voluntatis , the art of y catching men , that i may speak in the language of our saviour , and s. paul , will require both experience in the nature of these mental diseases , for your information ; and prudence in the application of their cure ; for without these you can with as little rational confidence venture on their cure as the physician that were neither skilled in symptomes or diseases or the virtues of herbs and minerals which are their usual remedies ; and were as responsible for their miscarriage under your hands as the law makes empiricks and unskilful persons . for understanding the nature of these mental diseases , you must remember that , as virtue is the improvement , so , vice is the debauching of the rational faculties , and therefore you cannot expect to prevail on mens interests and inclinations by a bare representment of the unreasonableness of their actions ; for it is clear that reason is no measure of the actions of brutes ; and therefore whilest men live not above the brutal principle , that which is animal and sensual ; reason is as little valued by them as the richest indian gems by the dunghill cock in aesop . so that indeed your work must be first to make them reasonable before you propound your reasons to them ; and it is half done when you have made them capable of hearing reason . whilest therefore they are unreasonable , you must deal with them as we do with children ( it is a similitude excellently urged and illustrated to this purpose by z maimonides ) first allure them by motives proportioned to their present capacities , to perform the material actions of virtue , till by use they be confirmed into a habit , which when it is well rooted , it will then be easie by shewing the rational advantage of them ( which they will then be capable of understanding and perceiving ) both to endear their duty , and rectifie their intentions , and so to make them formally virtuous . and the prudent managements of this affair are the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , mentioned by a socrates , the b wise charming in the psalmist , the c serpentine wisedom commended by our saviour , the craft and catching with guile mentioned by d st. paul. now for this it will be necessary , in point of experience , that you be acquainted with those difficulties in your self ( for thus our saviour himself is observed , by the author to the hebrewes , by his e fellow feeling of our infirmities , to be qualified for his being a merciful high priest , and being able to succor them that are tempted ) and in others ; both as to their tempers , and habitual inclinations , and callings , and daily conversations , and the temptations likely to occur : to know the material virtues they are inclined to , and to lay hold on the mollia tempora f●ndi , their good humours , and lucid intervals , and providential impulses ; for without these things you cannot know either how to win them , or how to keep them , and secure them from apostacy especially if of a fickle and variable humour , as most men are in their spiritual resolutions . besides prudence will be necessary as to all its requisites : circumspection , to discern the whole case as to all the precepts and prohibitions to which the action may be obnoxious ; all the inclinations , and those many times very different , if not contrary , in the same persons ; all the circumstances accusing or excusing , of which allowance is to be had ; caution , in a foresight of all dangers , which upon the aforesaid considerations may be probably expected , and in allowing for future probable contingencies : iudgment , in accommodating the lawes , and the actions , and the inclinations of the patient in a due proportion , and providing for their seemingly-contradictious necessities . xix so also , that boldness and courage is another qualification for this purpose , seems clear , not onely from the old testament passages intimated formerly concerning prophets , but also , from the new testament where it is usua●ly mentioned as a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the spirit that was to fit them for the discharge of their clerical calling . thus the confidence of st. peter and st. john was admired by the sadducees act. iv . . which is intimated to have proceeded from the spirit ▪ v. . and accordingly this was also prayed for for the future v. . and this is also observed concerning st. paul after his addresses to the exercise of his office , that he was strengthned in his disputations with the jewes , acts. ix . . which is paraphrased by his speaking boldly in the name of jesus v. . and this i conceive to be that f preaching with authority mentioned concerning our saviour ; and that g preaching with power , in the evidence and demonstration of the spirit , concerning the apostles . and indeed without this you can never expect to be able to undergo the difficulties you must engage in , in the performance of your duty . for how can you tell the great ones of their scandalous sins , or reprove gainsayers , or shame the guilty , or destroy the confederacies of the wicked , without exasperating many vitiously disposed minds against you ? and if you fear shame , or the spoyling of your goods , or the pain of your body , or death it self ; you must needs fear those in whose power it is to inflict them on you ; and if you do so , then , considering that they are so fondly enamoured of those things that tend to their ruine as that they bear their deprivation with impatience , and , like madmen , prosecute their benefactors with detractions and hostilities ( so little sensible they are of the favour conferred on them , in disswading and restraining them from them ) you can never , upon those terms , be able to rescue them from their danger . this is a qualification , though now extremely neglected , of so very momentous consequence , as that i shall beseech you to be tender of it , for your flocks sake , if not for your own . for , believe it , their everlasting welfare depends more nearly on the fidelity of your admonition ; and it is to little purpose for you to keep the watch if you do not give warning at the approach of danger ; or , with the dog , to observe the flock , if you do not bark when the wolf is ready to devour them . let not therefore the pretence of youthfull modesty , or the danger of petulancy or unmannerliness , or the accusation of incivility , or a slavish comp●iance with the ceremonies of the world , or whatever other pretences may be produced by such as are either willing to apologize for their neglect in this kind , or are conscious of something in themselves that may deserve the exercise of this dreaded severity ( as men are generally too ingenious in palliating the occasions of their own ruine ) rob you of a jewel wherein the security of so many souls is so nearly concerned . you may , i believe , think it difficult , how to bring your self to it , and when you have it , how to beware of offending on the opposite extreme , of being petulant and impertinent , and rendring your self unsociable . for acquiring it i should advise you to take care of spending your tyrocinium under the wings of a patron , at least such a one as would be offended with your freedom ; but rather in a management of an inferior little family . tim. iii. . . and this may serve for acquiring an habit of confidence . but then for the reason of it , if i may take you for the person the former qualifications have supposed you to be , you cannot be unprovided : for he who values not any worldly enjoyment as great , can never be awed by any worldly pomp ; and he that undervalues even death it self , the king of terrours , can never be affrighted by the means of any mortal , how great soever , whose power can extend no further , from the performance of his duty . but then for avoyding the other extreme of petulancy ; believe it first , that , if you could not avoyd it , yet it were much the safer excess both for your flock , and for your self : for your flock , who must needs be less prejudiced by being charged with fau●ts they are not guilty of , or unseasonably , than by being permitted in a total ignorance of such as are unquestionably dangerous , a false alarm being sometimes more secure than none at all ; and for your self , your imprudences in this kind being alleviated by many commendable ingredients , a zeal for god , and a conscientious sense of your duty , and a good intention , and the preservation of a vigilant and active spirit , which is more frequently useful in your profession than its restraint . but secondly , for avoyding it , if you take care that neither your self , nor the person concerned , be in a passion when you advise him , you will both find him more tractable , and your self more ruleable , and more steady , in observing the prescriptions you have resolved on before . and then for furnishing you with such rules of restraint of anger other ordinary books may be sufficient ; and therefore i forbear . xx. so also for your conversation , that it must be sweet and winning , may appear from the supposals already premised . for , considering that the persons , you have to deal with , are not as yet supposed capable of reason ; and your very prescriptions themselves , bluntly proposed , are sufficient to make them averse from hearkning to you , and so to frustrate your whole design by an unseasonable precipitation ; you must therefore first allure them , not by the reasons of the duties themselves , but by that great good will you are to shew to them , whereby they may be induced , as children are , upon account of their parents , or other friends they are fond of , to believe that you would never advise them such things if you were not very confident that they would effectually conduce to their good . now to convince them of this your good will , you must condescend to their childish apprehensions as far as is lawful , that is , you must shew it by a sweet and willing readiness to promote that which themselves conceive to be for their good where it may not prove really inconsistent with it , by an avoyding all needless occasions of offending them , and by that means shewing an unwillingness to impose any thing on them to which they are averse , without a great conviction of its being useful for their greater interests . but for this end you need not imitate them in all their actions ; for that were not to reach them out of the ditch , but to fall in your self for company . but you must bear with their impertinencies , and still ( as near as you can ) proportion their present duty to their present habitual abilities , not discouraging them in their faylings , but rather thence taking occasion to stir them up to a greater future diligence ; and have a care of making them entertain harsh and unworthy notions of religion : that it is a state of life , melancholy and sad , and a perpetual valediction to all joy and comfort ; that it renders a man burdensome to himself , and troublesome to all the society with whom he does converse ; that it is so wholly designed for future hopes as that it can have no portion in present enjoyments . rather let them know by your doctrine and behaviour , that it is not an exchange of joy for sorrow , even in this life but of inferior , baser , less solid and less lasting ones for such as are incomparably more valuable and more secure ; and that it is so far from disturbing or embittering societies as that , on the contrary , it obliges both to love and to be worthy to be beloved , to do all the good we can to all mankind , which must needs mutually endear them ; and qualifie them for a mutual renunciation of their own wills in complyance with each other , and that indeed , not onely by way of complement . by all means therefore be chearful before company , that you may not bring an ill report upon the pleasant land of promise , like the murmuring spies h but take a special complacency in seeing others chearful as well as your self ( it was recorded as a saying of our saviour in the interpolated gospel according to the nazarenes : nunquam laeti sitis nisi cùns fratres in charitate videritis ) and do not willingly give any offence to any , but where justice and their own greater interest require it ; and even then , take care that their offence rather be , at their own guilt , than your way of admonition , at least beware that they may have no just reason to do so . but especially take care to behave your self chearfully in your exercises of austerity that they may understand that there are indeed other joyes besides those of sense , and that they are chiefly then to be expected when the mind is freest from worldly solaces . but that which will be a special endearment of you to society , will be neither to speak evil of any behind their backs your self , nor to hearken to such as would ; to prevent all quarrels before your presence , which will be easier , either by preventing the occasion or increase of passion , which will be also so much easier if it be taken before it grow unruleable ; or by diverting the discourse , or withdrawing one from the other ; or , if they be already fallen out , by endeavouring their reconciliation , and a good understanding among them for the future ; to be the common preservative of peace among your flock , and the arbitrator of their differences . yet you must withall take heed that this complyance be not prejudicial to that gravity and seriousness which is necessary for preserving that sacrd respect to your office primarily , and to your person in regard of your office , which is necessary for deterring many , even in a mute way , from their sins , by virtue of those unobliterated impressions of conscience and modesty , and that slavish honour of virtue and shame of vice , which naturally seize on the most debauched persons imaginable . and seeing that the whole recommendation of your doctrine is , as i said before , in accommodation to these childish apprehensions of the vulgar , resolved into their esteem of your person ; you ought above all things to be tender of those requisites that are necessary either for acquiring this esteem , or its preservation . and this seeming contradiction that seems to be betwixt this complyance and awfulness may thus conveniently be reconciled , if you observe , that your complyance be in your censures , but your awfulness in your practice ; by being a mild judge of other mens actions , but a severe censurer of your own ; condemning onely evil things in others , but the very appearances of it in your self ( as you must needs do if you would be exemplary , and you must be exemplary if you would awe ) for in order to your own practice , you must consider , not onely the nature of the thing , but the decorum of your person ( which , because it is so necessary for capacitating you for the discharge of your calling , you must be obliged to observe under pain of sin ) so that that may be lawful for a laick , which cannot be so for you . for your own persons sake therefore you are to forbear , not onely such things as are unlawful in their own nature , but such as are inexpedient ; not onely such as are inexpedient , but such as are indecent ; not onely such as are indecent for others , but such as are so for you ; not onely such as are so , but such as may appear so ; not onely such as may appear so on just and reasonable grounds , but such as may be thought so by others , and so may engage them in sin , though unjustly and unreasonably . nay , even in things that were lawful for you , it were well that , it they be any thing light and trivial , as exercises & recreations , or telling of merry stories : that they were either not done before the vulgar laity ; or if they be , that they be managed with such sparingness and abstemiousness , that it may appear that they are rather used for their profit than their pleasure , and therefore that you be neither tedious nor eagerly concerned in them . but most of all you are to take care of jeasting with the inferior laity themselves , who , as they are less capable of reason , and so more awed by these ceremonial distances , are also more apt to despise you , when they see them transgressed by you . xxi . but that which is the first second and third requisite for this calling , as the orator said concerning pronunciation in rhetorick , is a holy and an exemplary life . for seeing that the vulgar is thus to be decoyed to embrace your doctrine , not for its reason , but for the respect they are first to entertain for its preacher ; as you must maintain your own credit among them , that they may be ready to believe what is taught them by you , so you must also let them understand that what you teach them is indeed believed by your self , and they can have no reason to believe you do so unless they see you practice it . for do not the same duties oblige , and the same menaces belong to you , as to them ; and cannot you ( even by your own confession ) expect a more favourable hearing ( if you may not fear one more severe for the reasons already mentioned ) and is hell and damnation the acknowledged reward of those actions you are guilty of your self ? if you were fearful that this were true , certainly you would not venture on them ; if you be not , how is it credible that you do believe them ? if you do not believe them your self , how can you perswade others to believe them for your sake , who are ( as i said before ) uncapable themselves of judging of your solid reasons . how little solid soever this way of arguing be in it self , yet assure your self , it is that on which the practices of the vulgar , to whose apprehensions you are to accommodate your self in this affair , are mainly grounded . i might have shewn you also further , what influence this would have in procuring the qualifications already mentioned , that belong to morality . for experience ; you must needs be better acquainted in dealing with other mens conditions , when you had first tryed their weaknesses in your self . this would inform you how tender a thing conscience is , and yet how ticklish ; how many misunderstandings it is obnoxious to , and how it is influenced by the difference of mens humours and constitutions . and this must , at least , make you tender and cautions in dealing with them . for prudence also , that being nothing else but the impartiality whereby right reason is able to judge concerning circumstances ; and the rectitude of reason consisting in the immunity of the understanding from all prejudices , either intellectual or moral ; holiness of life contributing to this immunity , removing those moral prejudices which are of greatest concernment here , must also be considerably advantageous for enabling it to judge prudently . so also for courage and confidence , how can he fear the faces of men who undervalues all that for which they fancy themselves so very terrible , even death it self with whatsoever aggravations ; who has the encouragement of glorious future hopes , and present visitations ; who is fully confident of the good will of god ( from whom he receives them , when incurred in his service ) that his tribulations shall be proportioned to his abilities ; and accordingly that , if they be great , his consolations shall be the more , which are so much valuable beyond them , that the severest tribulations prove in the event the greatest blessings , as intitling him to them ? so also it has been already shewn how a sweet and sociable , yet grave and serious , behaviour is either the express duty of religion it self , especially that of a clergieman , or a necessary consequence from that excellent temper religious exercises are likely to bring its practitioners to . xxii . now because this sanctitie of life , as in you , must also be exemplary , it will therefore be necessary that it have two qualifications : that it be excellent , and that it be conspicuous . for an example must be understood , in regard of them to whom it is propounded , to have the notion of a rule ; and a rule must be able to rectifie the actions that are to be ruled by it ; which it cannot do if either there be any obliquity in it self , or if its rectitude be unknown to the party concerned in it . it s excellency must be necessary in respect of the vulgar , who are concerned to imitate it ; and therefore must exceed the strict duty of a laick ; for usually learners do allow themselves a liberty of falling short of their copy , and therefore if ever the laity do reach the severity of their pastor ; either they must thence forward not make his practice their precedent , or be incurious of a further progress . the former i have already intimated , how disproportionable it is to their ordinary apprehensions . and how dangerous the later is , every mans experience may inform him ; that whilest he growes negligent , he looses what he has , as well as fails of the gains he might have made ; and besides that is never likely to reach to that perfection , at which , it is the duty of a laick , as well as a clergieman , to aim . and you must remember with what savour they are likely to judge their own having reached your example . besides , you should consider that they will not measure their own perfection by the multitude of duties , but the excellent manner of performing them ; and that they are all sensible ( of what is truth whether they were so or not ) that you are obliged to some duties in which they are not any wayes concerned ; and that therefore they discharging their own duties as well as you do yours , though they be fewer , yet that they are equal with you . you must therefore so behave your self as to neglect no part of your duty : whether as to your general , or your particular calling ; as a christian , or as a clergieman , that may be subject to the observation of men ( for this kind of perfection is acknowledged possible by all protestants ) and that , not onely in omitting no duty , but in performing all the good that may be expected from your profession . otherwise how can you i silence blasphemers with confusion and shame whilest they may have any just occasion of carping at you ? how can you k adorn your profession , and bring even infidels to an acknowledgment of the glory of god by the excellency of your conversation . remember that these expressions now mentioned from the apostles are set down as the duty of private christians ; and what severity must then be necessary for them who are to be patterns , not onely to the world ; but also to those who are to be their precedents ? and besides your greater duties , it will concern you to be punctual even in small things ; in fulfilling your duty , and performing your promises , how frivolous soever the matter were ; for this was it that gained the pharisees such a reputation of sanctity , and yet not blamed by our saviour ; but their hypocrisie in observing these minute things with a scrupulous severity , but neglecting the weightier matters of the law without reluctancy . but especially it will concern you to be cautious and severe in such virtues as concern a moral civil conversation , and in matters of worldly interest , for these are the peculiar objects of the love , and consequently of the jealousie of the vulgar , and therefore here you may expect to find them most severely critical . and if these virtues be taken care of , you may expect to find them more favourable in censuring vices of the spirit ; for this is that which so ingratiates the quakers and other ent●usiasts with them , whose other vices of uncharitable censoriousness , and spiritual pride , and imperious dogmatizing , are so far from being noted by them as that , when they gain proselytes it is not upon rational accounts ( which they disclaim under the opprobrious name of carnal reasonings ) but by a recommendation of their persons , upon account of their severe observation of secular justice . xxiii . but it is also further necessary that this excellency be conspicuous . and this qualification , though of excellent use for your flock , may prove of dangerous consequence to your self , if not discreetly managed . the use of it for the good of others appears from those passages of scripture , wherein christians are called l the salt of the earth , m the city that is placed on a hill , and cannot be hid , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 n the luminaries of the world , o not to be concealed under bushels , but placed in candlesticks ; and where they are commanded p to let their light so shine before men , that they might see their good works , and glorifie their father which is in heaven ; many of which are spoken indeed to private christians as well as others ; but especially concern the clergie , who are to be luminaries to the commonalty as they are to the gentile world. and upon this account ( the necessity of the church requiring it ) st. paul himself q becomes a fool ( it is his own expression ) even in publishing the materials of his own praise : the sufferings , and miracles , nay the revelations which were such as might not onely prefer him before the false apostles , but equal him to the true ones themselves . and most expresly he perswades them r to provide for things honest , not onely before god , but also before men . accordingly the bishops by the ancient canons were not to go any where without the attendance of some of their clergie that might be able to give testimony of their behaviour ; and st. ambrose , s that severe distributer of his time , prohibited none for coming to him at any time , though he supposed that persons would not be so unmannerly as to disturb him unnecessarily when they saw him better employed , as st. augustine witnesses ; and another bishop , in t sozomen is mentioned to have kept open house that any might at any time surprize him if engaged in any indecent action . you must not therefore think that when our saviour reproves the pharisees for doing their actions so u that they might be seen of men , and on the contrary seems to prescribe such a secrecy as that x the right hand may not know what the left hand does , that it is in all cases forbidden that our good actions be known , or that we are alwayes obliged to conceal them ; but that it is expedient that we conceal them when their publication may not be peculiarly serviceable for the edification of others ; not to publish them for any complacency we are to take in them our selves , but merely for that service to god for which we may be enabled by our reputation among men . i confess the publication of virtues is very disadvantageous in several regards for the person : partly because experience shewes that the heats of religious passions themselves , as well as others , evaporate by being vented ; partly because it exposes us more to the inspection and censures of men , which , whatever they be , may prove dangerous to us if they be intended by us . for it is hard to intend them without some complacency and concernedness in them , which , whether it be for god's sake or our own , is alike dangerous . for if we be concerned , then we must needs be discouraged if they fall contrary to our expectations ; or if they prove favourable , it will be very hard to distinguish what is useful for the service of god , and what onely gratifies our own humours in the object of our complacencies ; which difficulty is by so much the more dangerous , inasmuch as it is more spiritual , and less easily discernible , virtues either supposed or real being its most dangerous temptation ; which is a deplorable case , to be at the expence of denying our selves , and suffering all the difficulties of materially virtuous actions , and yet to loose the reward of them by seeking it unduly and preposterously . but on the other side , the conveniences of having your resolutions and several of your actions known , are : that exposing your self hereby to publick censure , you may , if true , take them for warnings and admonitions ; if false , for tryals and exercises of your patience ; that you may therefore terrifie and awe your self into a greater caution , when you remember so many critical eyes ready to observe your lapses ; that you may avoyd many impertinent temptations which all will be ashamed to motion to a person unlikely to entertain them . and assure your self that it were much more beneficial for the edification of your flock , that you were hypocritical than licentious ; and that it is the safer extreme to e●r in professing too much than too little , as long as it does not appear that your profession is not real . for the hypocrite onely perishes himself , but may notwithstanding save others though himself be reprobate , as the apostle does y imply , and he honours religion even in counterfeiting it , which must needs alleviate his condemnation . but the scandalous licentious person is like the dragon in the revelations , z that involves the very stars in his own ruine , or like him in the gospel , who not onely breaks the evangelical prescriptions himself , but also teaches others to do so too , who though he do it in the most frivolous instances , yet our saviour himself threatens that he should be the least in the kingdom of heaven , that is , none at all , as it is usually understood s. matth. v. . though , for my part , i had rather understand by the kingdom of heaven , the gospel-state ( for this seems to be the notion of it s. matth. iii. . iv . . x. . xi . . xiii . . . . . . . . . xviii . . xx . . xxii . . xxv . . and of the kingdom of god s. matth. xii . . xxi . . mark i. . iv . . . luk. iv . . vii . . viii . . x. , . xi . . xiii . . . and accordingly the gospel it self is called the gospel of the kingdom , and they who are interes●ed in it , the sons of the kingdom , upon several occasions ) and by the being least therein , the least participation of its priviledges , according to which the meaning will be : that he who teaches men to despise the least injunctions of the gospel ( who yet may still own himself a professor of it , which cannot justly be pretended of him that teaches to despise the greatest ) shall enjoy least of the gospel priviledges , whether it be in a diminution of his reward , or a mitigation of punishment , or in enjoying exterior priviledges onely in opposition to the interior . i have the rather mentioned these perswasions because i verily believe the fear of being noted of singularity and hypocrisie & affectation does dete●r many , not onely of the laity , but the complying clergie themselves of our church , from making an exterior profession of what they do most conscientiously practice in private ; to whose consideration i shall onely at present recommend that severe threatning of our lord , that of them who are ashamed of him before men he will also be ashamed before his father and his holy angels . now that you may accommodate these difficulties together , and so let your other virtues appear , as that their appearance may not prove prejudicial to your modesty ; you must take heed that that publick applause do not provoke you to think better of your self than you really deserves which you may have reason to avoyd , if you remember : that whatever men think of you , yet you are really no greater than god knowes you to be , and that by this measure you must expect your reward ; that men are fallible in their judgments , judging according to fondness , or affection , or charity , which will not onely provoke , but oblige , them to judge well when they find no reason to the contrary , though indeed there be ; by which means good men themselves may be mistaken in judging too favourably of you , and that commendably , in reference to themselves ; and in their informations , knowing nothing but the bare action , but not the intention from whence all its morality is most properly , and most securely , estimable . be sure therefore that this shewing your works to others be like the a cloud in the wilderness , which on the one side enlightned the israelites , but on the other darkned the egyptians . so let their excellencies appear outwardly , that they may stir up your spectators to the praise of god , and the emulation of your example , as that , at the same time , onely their imperfections may appear inwardly to your self , which may prostrate you to as low a humiliation . besides , it were well that besides what they knew , you would reserve some greater excellencie unknown , for which you might onely have regard to god , who sees in secret what he will openly reward . for if you can do any excellent action for which you can have no motive or design in this world , then it will be clear that , even in those whereby you may gain secular applause , yet that is not your either onely , or ultimate , motive . and in general , where you find their commendations exceed your merits , let it stir you up to a virtuous shame of being less worthy than you seem . xxiv . but that without which all these qualifications will not suffice , if separated from it , and without which you cannot prudently venture on such a dangerous calling , is a resolution of persisting in them all firmly and unmoveably for the future . for this is the prudent consideration of the builder so much commended by our saviour , ( and you must remember that the analogie holds very well in the clerical calling , for as himself is called an architect , cor. iii. . so his employment is called edification , not onely there , but also rom. xv . . gal. ii . . cor. x. . xii . . xiii . . eph. ii . . . iv . . . ) that built his house upon a rock , against which neither the rainy torrent , nor the violent rivers , nor the tempestuous winds , were able to prevail . s. matth. vii . . . for you must remember that not to maintain your building is as great an inconsideration as not to finish it ; though indeed , final perseverance being the onely accomplishment of this building , it cannot be finished if it be not maintained . you must therefore besides the former qualifications , which are requisite to this purpose , remember that the calling , you are undertaking , will oblige you for your life , and therefore your choice , if imprudently made , will therefore be of worse consequence , because it is irrevocable ; so that your chief care must be to foresee whether you be able to persevere afterwards in maintaining what you have begun , and that for your whole life . and for this end you must consider your qualifications themselves : whether they have appeared onely in single acts or in habits ; or if in habits , whether they be newly acquired or strongly confirmed and rooted by custome ; for you cannot trust any other habits for their duration for so long a time . besides you must consider whether your temper be fickle , or stable ; if it be fickle , you can trust no habits themselves longer than you persevere in the same humour , or till they may decay gradually according to the method of their acquisition . then also you must consider the difficulties you may have occasion to conflict with , which if they be less than those you have already dealt with or equal , you may hope to persevers but if greater , you cannot conclud● that , because your habits have bee● so confirmed as not to yield to smaller difficulties , therefore they would be able to hold out in greater tryals . and for those you must not onely foresee such as you are likely to encounter at your first entrance upon this holy calling , but such as you may probably meet with in the course of your whole life , but still with regard to the proficiencie you may make in confirming those habits you have against the time you may have occasion to meet them in , if you be not deficient to your self . nor would i have you think that i herein make your future hopes of the grace of god a cypher , in requiring you to foresee all future difficulties , and to measure them by ●roportion to your present strengths ; or you see i do not deny the ne●essitie of the grace of god for ●ringing you to this excellent frame ●f spirit i have been hitherto des●ribing ; nor all such hopes of grace ●or the future as may be grounded ●n covenant-conditions , your cooperation and improvement of what you have at present ; so that the onely grace whose hopes i have seemed to exclude , is that which is extraordinary and uncovenanted , such as is all that which is necessary for overcoming those difficulties , which you have voluntarily incurred your self , and which were not likely to befall you in an ordinary course of providence , nor are brought upon you by an extraordinary . but as for other difficulties , which cannot be foreseen , but are merely casual in respect of second causes ; you need not be so anxious , but leave them confidently to that providence which has prohibited your carefulness for them ; and do not fear your being disappointed in such dependences as are not rash and imprudent , as long as you are otherwise careful● of performing those duties on which your title to these promises does depend . xxv . if you be already engaged in orders , as this discourse suppose● you not to be , you may be tempted to think all that has hitherto been said digressive and unseasonable . but you will find no reason to do so after a little recollection . for as , if you be not , there will be no occasion for such a surmise ; so if you be , yet it will be useful to you , if not as a warning to shew you what you are to do , yet at least as an information , both what you ought to have done before , and what you ought therefore to be penitent for , if you hitherto have neglected it , and upon what you are to lay out your whole endeavours for the future . but , to proceed , supposing now that you are the person i have been hitherto describing , you cannot stand in need of any particular rules ; for if you be thus called by god you shall be taught by him in the performance of the duty to which he has called you ( i mean this teaching as well as the call in an ordinary providential sense , which is that wherein the prophesies concerning it are verified under the gospel ) for both this prudence and other abilities will be able to guide , and this piety to suggest , what is fit to be done upon all particular exigencies ; and as those themselves are gifts of the spirit , so their improvement will intitle you to greater , so that their direction and influence is rather to be imputed to god than man , though it be true , that now by virtue of the evangelical covenant they are usually conferred in the use of ordinary means , and this reaching particular circumstances must needs make all rules unnecessary . if you do not understand this coherence , you may more clearly by this chain of principles : first , the providential teaching and direction of god is that of right reason , so that they that are led by it are led by god ; secondly , that we may be led by right reason two things are necessary , and these two are perfectly sufficient : first , that the rational faculties be rectified ; and secondly , that the lower appetite and other executive faculties be in a ready disposition of being obedient to reason . and both these must needs have been supposed in the qualifications now mentioned . for the rectifying of the rational faculty does require onely : that nothing be taken for granted precariously , and that the understanding be not diverted from its ordinary natural course of examining things to the full ; for it is from the first principles of reason impossible that the understanding taking no principles for granted but such as deserve to be so , and proceeding orderly in deducing consequences from them , should be mistaken . i do not mean that the understanding proceeding thus is alwayes infallible as to the nature of the thing , because it may mistake some principles for self-evident that are not so , merely upon an account of that natural dulness it contracts from the body ; but it is alwayes infallible as a rule of morality , that is , the lower faculties conforming to it can never be guilty of any immorality , because the error , if any be , must needs be invincible , and so inculpable . and upon this account god , who does not undertake , nor is concerned , to direct the understanding any further than it is necessary for the saving of the person , cannot be reasonably conceived to have any other infallibility in his design than this moral one , at least , is not obliged to have it . now for the rectifying of the rational faculties you are first , supposed to have used means for informing it by your skill in those several studies which have been hitherto advised ; you are secondly , disswaded and prevented from imbibing any prejudices , or any corrupt affections for one party by your immediate recourse to the originals themselves ; you are thirdly , advised for the most accurate improvement of your judgment in a clear and advantageous method of reasoning ; and fourthly , in the use of all these means you have been shewn how you may in an ordinary way be confident of the assistance of divine providence in such cases as you cannot secure your self in by your moral diligence : whether for removing such prejudices as you could otherwise hardly discover to be so ; or by providential placing you in such circumstances wherein those reasons may offer themselves to your cognizance which you could otherwise never have discovered ; or by capacitating your judgment for a more equal censure concerning them ; whether by improving your natural capacity to a more than ordinary perspicuity ; or by rendring intellectual objects more intelligible by your greater experience , and familiarity , and fixation of your mind upon them ; or by fitting them to such times when your judgment may be less distracted , and consequently more quick and apprehensive ; and by giving his holy spirit by virtue of which they are to be discerned . now when all these things are thus secured , certainly there cannot be more probable humane means thought on for finding even the truth it self , and therefore the rational faculties must have the greatest security they are capable of , and to greater they cannot be obliged . and then , considering that natural reason thus purified is b the candle of the lord , and that the spirit which may thus be expected is the c spirit that leadeth into all truth , and the d divine unction that teaches all things ; i do not see why it may not be said as truly here as it was falsely said of e herod , that the judgment of reason thus rectified is not the voice of man , but of god. and then for the second thing required to this rectitude of reason , the subjection of the lower appetite to the superior part of the soul thus rectified , that is the whole design of a good life , a qualification already sufficiently recommended , which therefore needs not to be further spoken of at present . xxvi . so that , if you be already ordained , you see , that according to these principles , your main duty will be , either seriously to set your self to the acquiring these qualifications , if you have hitherto neglected them ; or , if you have not , to take a care of keeping your garment that none may see your shame , and reteining your first love ( the very warnings of our saviour himself to those of your profession rev. iii. . ii . . ) to persevere in those excellent dispositions that you have so happily begun , and from thence to deduce rules for your following practices . for rendring these requisites a little more useful , i shall onely add two things more , and so put an end to your present disturbance . the first shall be concerning the manner either of acquiring , or exercising th●se gifts , especially relating to practice , that may be most beneficial both to your self , and the publick ; the second concerning the manner of dealing with your parishioners that may make them capable of your instructions . concerning the former , it has been already intimated before , that the most proper way of perswading mankind is first to allure them to the performance of actions materially virtuous , and by a frequent repetition of them to beget an easiness and delight , and a rooted habit , which , when acquired , and that averseness and sensuality , which before had rendred men uncapable of good counsels , being removed , you may then propound your reasons with success , and rectifie their intentions , and render them formally virtuous . that therefore which will most concern you for the publick as well as your own soul , is , the rectifying your intention . seeing therefore right intention is to be measured from the due end , you must take care that all your religious actions in general be designed with an intention so habitual and deeply rooted , as that all particular ones may , according to the degree of deliberation they proceed from , partake of the same either virtually and interpretatively , or explicitely and particularly . now the proper end of religious actions being the service and pleasing of god , you must take care that they be performed with that design which you know to be most pleasing to him : and that is the doing them purposely for his sake ; and that they are so done you may best satisfie your self by examining whether they proceed from a principle of divine love . exercise your self therefore daily to bring your self to this habitual sense of the divine love , which will even in this life abundantly recompence the pains you may be at in acquiring it . for both in respect of your self and of your flock you shall find it advantageous . to your self the advantages will be : that by this means you shall best secure the reward of your virtuous actions , when you do not onely perform them , but perform them upon a virtuous motive ; that by this means your duty shall become , not a task , but , a real pleasure , proceeding from such a pleasing and endearing principle ; and having the omnipotence and good will of god to secure you from the fears of disappointment when your desires are reasonable ; and as a sure refuge and sanctuary to have recourse to , when they are not ; and that you will not be subject to the slavery of such desires themselves , which are the originals of all misery even in this life ; and your performance of your duty will be more universal ; not onely in things agreeing with your humour , but even in those which are most contradictory to it , which will be so much the more acceptable to god by how much it is less so . to our selves . besides , it were well that you would endeavour to render your love as rational as you can , and as little dependent on the passions of the lower appetites ; for by this means your tranquillity will be continual , and not depend on the vicissitudes of humours ; seeing , if you be led onely by reason , that being alwayes true , must consequently be alwayes seasonable ; and that the reason whereby you judge concerning your own condition were rather grounded on your actions than your affections , so as never to think better of your self when you find your affections warm , if your actions are not correspondent ; nor the worse , when your affections flagg , your actions still continuing conformable . this rational rectifying of your intention would still oblige you to keep an habitual attention and watchfulness over your actions , and yet would make attention it self less necessary by being habitual , and make it less affected . it would make it less necessary , because virtuous habits , as well as vitious , would breed a facility and inclination to virtuous actions even antecedently to deliberation . it would make it less affected , because piety would appear in such actions where affectation could not take place , as well as where it might ( for indeliberate actions are not capable of affectation ) and because it would make an uniformity in all actions of your life , which were remarkable . which must needs make your life exemplary with more advantage to your self , as well as to the vulgar : to your self , because observing of rules could not be practiced but in actions deliberate , which are but few , and must be handled more tediously ; whereas this way of securing acts by habits and habituallyright intentions , would at once provide for all , by diminishing their number , and by directing such as would remain : to the multitude ; who by this means must better be convinced of the truth and sincerity of their pastor , when their most accurate inspection could discern no affectation , and that by all appearances it seemed real , not hypocritical . xxvii . for. managing your cure it were well that you would constantly allot some time daily from your studies for visiting them , when you shall think them best at leasure . and because the particular persons may be more than you may be able to deal with in an ordinary way , therefore for their ordinary cure you should first win parents and masters of families to a sense of piety , which being once performed , you may then easily induce them to a care of the souls of their f children and servants , by shewing them how their religion would conduce to their verry secular interest ( that hereby their servants would prove more faithful , and their children more obedient and comfortable to them ) that therefore they should keep up their family duties constantly : their morning and evening prayers ; that occasionally they would instill an instruction in their duties , by having some good book read to them all , especially the whole duty of man , according to the method of the partitions therein prescribed , every sunday one ; that they would , by your advice prescribe some select g passages of scripture fitted for their practical use , to be gotten by heart by them ; to instruct them , as they find them capable , in the art of holy meditation and mental prayer ; to stir them up to a frequent communion , and to desire your advice upon occasion of any important scruple , whether in order to the sacrament , or upon any other occasion ; and to influence them all by their word , and example , and exhortation , and peculiar encouragement . then endeavour what you can , to abolish the nurseries of vice and publick debauchery , not by imploring the magistrates assistance ( that becomes secular persons rather than your self , and would be apt to harden the hearts of the persons concerned against you ; when they should find your exhortations backed with no better arguments ) but by perswasions ; partly by disswading the multitude of such callings as are interessed in mens vices , ( such are taverns and ale-houses , especially the most debauched of them ) to give over that kind of calling , and betake themselves to something more profitable for the commonwealth , and more secure for their own souls . concerning this you may make use of the advice and assistance of your more able parishioners , who may be best experienced in the commodities of the countrey , and may be able to employ them even in raising new advantageous arts of trading , if it be necessary . but for those trades that are directly unlawful , if they be not able to undertake any other , it were better that they were maintained on the publick charity than that they should be suffered to return to their former employments . you may see for this st. cyprians epistle ad eucratium l. j. ep. . so also it were well that those taverns and ale-houses , which might be permitted after the detraction of their superfluous number , were confined to inns who by their paucity might gain sufficiently and virtuously a convenient maintenance . and to this purpose you might perswade them to keep small drink , that none may be necessitated to use their strong ; and to take care of either tempting or permitting any to drink beyond their measure , as they would tender the security of their own souls from a participation of their sins . then it were well , in the next place , that you frequented the schools , if there be any , and according to the authority the law allowes the clergie in such cases , examined the care and method of their masters , and especially to take care of a method of instilling piety into their children , which their masters may practice them in ; h or , if their masters be negligent , you should allure and encourage them your self . do not despise this mean employment ; for both you will find them more capable of virtue than such as are confirmed in vitious habits , by a more inflexible age , and longer custome ; and by this means you may more easily secure the hopes of the next generation , which you may live your self to see grown up according to your own desire . then for giving them more particular prescriptions you should stir them up to a particular confession of their sins and temptations , according as our mother the i church of england and k ireland approves it , but to give them no formal absolution till a long experience has let you understand their stability in keeping their resolutions , which will both keep them careful in their daily practices , when as yet they are uncertain of their condition ; and will come with more comfort , either in a time of spiritual dejection , or the hour of death , when they shall find that you are neither precipitant nor favourable in judging concerning them ; ●esides that their pardon before god in order to the sacrament will be never the less valid because you do not assure them of it . and , in doing this it were well that , with advice of your ordinary , you would retrive the canon of this church of l ireland for tolling your parish bell the evening before the eucharist , and waiting for such in the church as are desirous to confess themselves , or ask your ghostly counsel , withall warning them of those crimes which you are not obliged to conceal , that they may not think themselves betrayed under pretence of religion . besides , you should be ready to take all occasions of peoples seriousness and melancholy , whether for temporal discontents , or for fear of death , and upon such occasions to warn the spectators to beware of deferring the care of their souls to such exigencies , who will then most probably be affected , and so to behave your self to the person principally concerned as that the standers by may understand the ground of his comfort to be rather his past life than any indications he can give of his present penitence . and upon occasion of your visitation of sick persons , you should remember what the rubrick of the office requires you to put them that are rich in mind of laying up a good foundation for the time to come tim. vi . . . . of shewing their gratitude to god who has blessed them by paying him an acknowledgment out of their gains ; and shewing themselves not to be proprietors but faithful stewards , especially if the riches be justly gotten ; otherwise you must refuse their very oblations , till they have first made satisfaction to the persons injured by them . but what is justly gotten , and may be lawfully accepted , it were better bestowed in a considerable summe ( for houses of correction for maintaining idle vagabonds , and raising them to do something profitable for a livelihood ; for educating and raising necessitious persons to an honest calling ; for helping those who are reclaimed from a scandalous course ; for all those good uses , which in the primitive church were supplyed out of the common treasures of the church ) than in transient almes . many other things might have been added , but that , you may remember , i did not promise you an enumeration of all particulars of this kind . onely these seem more necessary for reducing your people to a ruleable temper , without which your other care will not be so significant . i hope you will excuse the freedom i have taken ; for my own part i thought i could not have discharged the duty of a faithful friend , if i had not done so . otherwise i have been so far from imposing on you , that i have not advised any thing , which either is not evident , or has not its reason insinuated with it in the body of my discourse ; and so may freely be judged of either by your self , or any other whom you shall make use of either for its correction or improvement . whatever the event may prove , assure your self , it was undertaken with a good intention , by your assured well-wisher , especially in such christian services , h. d. ad num. xii . xiii . because i have there shewn the necessity of studying the fathers of the first and purest centuries , as a qualification for the susception of orders ; it has been by some friends , that perused it , conceived convenient for the instruction of novices , for whose use this advice was principally calculated and designed , that i should adjoyn a catalogue of the christian authors and writings , such as are genuine , during that period , till the conversion of constantine to christianity , together with good editions where they might find and furnish themselves with them . i was soon satisfied of the reasonableness of this request , and have accordingly endeavoured its performance , wherein if i may seem decretory in resolving positively somethings controverted among learned men , without producing my reasons ; i desire that it may be remembred that my design was not to prejudicate against skilful dissenters , but to advise such as were unskilful ; and that even in regard of them , the reason why i do not produce my reasons is not that , by concealment of my evidence , i might oblige them to depend on my authority , but partly to avoyd prolixity , and partly because i do not conceive such unskilful readers competent judges of them , and partly because such as are , may consult many others who have undertaken it professedly ; and that , though the reasons be not produced , yet the degree of assent , whether certain , or doubtful , or probable , is warned , which was the most cautious way i could imagine of dealing with such persons , especially these things themselves not being delivered from my own private sense , but of such as have most learnedly and impartially managed this subject . i do not intend as much as to mention such authors or writings which i conceive undeservedly to pretend to my prescribed period ( what my thoughts are concerning such may be sufficiently concluded from my not mentioning them ) nor to explode such works as are falsly inscribed to the particular persons whose names they bear , if upon other regards they may seem genuine in respect of the time intended , that is , if it be probable that their authors who ever they were flourished within the period intended , about the time wherein they are ranked , that so they may be presumed competent testimonials of the state of the church in those ages , which is the end for which i produce and recommend them . nor shall i trouble my self to recount such genuine truly-inscribed works themselves , as either are not at all extant at present , or extant onely in fragments quoted at the second hand from other antient authors ; for these will be in order met with in the places from whence they are respectively produced , and references to those places will generally be found in their good and accurate editions . nor lastly do i pretend to give an account of such histoans as have described the acts of the martyrs , and are conceived ancient ; for both many of them are anonymous , concerning whom it would be very hard to resolve on their particular age ; and it is a work particularly undertaken by it self by surius , lippomannus , &c. in those authors therefore which shall , after these deductions , remain proper for my purpose , i shall signifie the time they flourished in ( which is most necessary for my present design of discovering their testimonial authority ) not by years , which would be obnoxious to many further disputes , but by the beginning , middle , or end , of their respective centuries since the incarnation . a catalogue of the writings of such christian authors as flourished before the conversion of the romane empire to christianity . i. clemens romanus . his i. epistle to the corinthians , undoubted . his . ep. to the same , though question'd whether his , yet certainly is of an author very ancient ; flourishing within the period intended . edit . of a fragment of the later , and the former almost entire , by patricius junius at oxford , anno. dom. mdc . xxxviii . ii. i gnatius . his vi . ep. of primate vsher's latine , and isa ac vossius's florentine greek editions , viz. ad ephesios . ad magnesianos . ad trallianos . ad smyrnaeos . ad romanos . ad philadelphienses . questioned onely , i think , out of interest by the presbyterians , because he is decretory against them . his epistle ad polycarpum is thought by isaac vosfius in his notes , undeservedly questioned by our primate . edit . by primate vsher at oxford , partly an. do. mdcxliv . partly mdcxlvi . iii. barnabas . his epistle , if not of the apostle , yet certainly written about this time , seing it is quoted under his name by clemens alexandrinus strom. ii . p. . . . . . v. . . and origen . l. . cont. cels . l. iii. periarch . and others . edit . together with ignatius's epistles by isaac vossius a. d. mdcxlvi . or alone by hugo menardus . paris . mdcxlv .. iv. esdras . his iv . book apocryphall counterfeited by some judaizing christian about these times . v. hermes trismegistus . his poemauder thought to be a christiancounterfeit , by casaubon , exercit . i. in baron . num . x. edit . the best by hannibal rosellis colon. agrip . mdcxxx . fol. vi. polycarpus . his epistle to the philippians , undoubted . edit . with ignatius by primate vsher as aforesaid . vii . ecclesiae smyrnensis epistola , concerning the martyrdome of st. polycarp &c. larger than in eusebius . edit . the same . viii . jvstine martyr . his undoubted works . paraeneticus . oratio adversùs graecos . apologia i. ad antoninum pium &c. apologia ii. ad marcum antoninum &c. dialogus cum tryphone . epistol . ad zenam & serenum . his works , though doubted , yet most probably genuine . de monarchiô , not much questioned . epistol . ad diognetum , questioned , i think , onely by sylburgius . edit . paris . mdcxv . graeco-latin . ix . hermas . his pastor in iii. books undoubtedly ancient , and about this time , at least , as appears by the antiquity of the authours that quote it . edit . bibliothec. patr. colon. agrippin . mdcxviii . tom. i. p. . x. pius the i. his iii. and iv. epistles in the order of blondells edition not much questioned . edit . david blondell . epistol . pontific . genev. mdcxxviii . xi . a thenagoras . his works , though mentioned by none of the ancients yet never questioned that i know of . legatio pro christianis . de resurrectione mortuorum . edit . with st. justine martyr as aforesaid . xii . tatianus . undoubted ▪ oratio ad graecos . edit . with s. justine martyr , as aforesaid . diatessaron , thought to be the same with . harmonia evangelica extant under the name of ammonius alexandrinus . edit . biblioth . patr. edit . colon . agrip. tom. iii. p. . xiii . theophilus antiochenus . undoubted . lib. iii. ad autolycum . edit . with st. justine martyr as aforesaid . commentaria or allegoriae in evangelia , somewhat doubted of by st. hierome in cant. who quotes them . edit . biblioth . patr. colon. agrip . tom. ii. xiv . i renaeus . undoubted , adversùs hereses . l. v. edit . the most compleat that i have seen is that of fevardentius , having ( besides as much of the original text in greek as could be had from the quotations of ancient authors ) v. whole chapters restored at the end not extant in any former . his notes tend rather generally to abuse the protestants than to explain the sense of his author . it is in fol. colon . ag. mdxcvi . i hope we may , ere long , expect a better edition from oxford . xv. oracul . sibyllin . l. viii . a counterfeit christian author , quoted by st. justine martyr and theoph. antiochenus , but not reduced into the form wherein we have it now till about the time of the emperor commodus at least . edit . opsopoei parisijs , mdcvii . xvi . testamenta patriarcharum counterfeited by some ancient judaizing christian , about this time at the uttermost ; for it is quoted by origen , in genes . edit . biblioth . patr. colon. agrip. tom. i. p. . xvii . clemens alex andrinus . undoubted . protreptic . paedagog . l. iii. stromat . l. vii . the viii . book as also the greek eclogae annexed at the end of it , thought to belong to his hypotyposes , the main body whereof is long since lost . edit . parisijs mdcxl . his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ; published under the name of grigen's xx. homily on jerem . is accordingly extant in mich ghislerius on jerem . tom. iii. p. . comment . in i. ep. s. petr. in epist . s. judae in ep. canonicas s. joh●nnis . are probably the same accounted his by cassiodore , div. l. by whom they are all recounted excepting that of s. jude . they seem rather to have been collected out of his works , especially his hypotyposes now lost , than drawn up in this form by st. clement himself . edit . of the comment . bib. patr. tom. i. p. . ed. secund. xviii . recognitionum l. x. ad jacob. fratrem domini , translated by ruffinus , and by him dedicated to one gaudentius . i do not suppose it to be the genuine work of clemens romanus whose name it bea●s ; for it is certainly later than bardesanes syrus , a discourse of whose quoted from him by eusebius pr. evang. l. vi. c. . is here transcribed at large ; and yet considerably ancienter than origen , philocal . by whom it is attributed to clemens romanus himself , which is the reason why i place it about this time . edit . colon. agrippin . mdlxix . by lambert gruterus . xix . celsus . his altercatio jasonis & papisci . a preface to it is extant under the name of st. cyprian ad vigilium de judaicâ incredulitate . edit . tom. iii. of s. cyprian's works according to pamelius's distinction . but the work is ancienter than origen , by whom it is quoted , l. iv. advers celsum epicuraeum . xx. tertullianus : undoubted . de pallio : apologeticus : de testimonio animae . ad scapulam . de oratione : ad martyras : de spectaculis . de idololatriâ . de habitu muliehri . de cultu faeminarum l. ii. ad vxorem suam l. ii. de coronâ militis . de velandis virginibus . ad nationes , l. ii first published by jacobus gothof●edus in . genev. mdcxxv . & therefore not to be expected in former editions . adversùs judaeos . de praescriptionibus adversùs haereticos . de baptismo . adversùs hermogenem . adversùs valentinianos . de anima . de carne christi . de resurrectione carnis . de fugâ in persecutione . de pudreitiâ . de patientiâ . adversùs asar●ionem , l. v. carminum adversùs eundem , l. v. scorpiacon adversùs gnosticos . adversùs ? r axeam . de exhortatione cas●itatis . de monogamiâ . de j●junto adversùs psychicos . a●● th●se are in ludovicus a cerda's edition , paris . mdcxxiv . &c. in three volumes fol. with notes . or if you would have an edition of an easier price , get that of franeker , mdxcii . rather than many others , though later . books probably his , or of some other of his age. de poenitentiâ , edit . as aforesaid . genesis . sodoma . ad senatorem conversum . these three last are in verse , and are usually extant both among tertullian & st. cyprian's works , being ascribed to both of them . books conjectu●ed by 〈◊〉 to be his , from the likeness of their style . ad amicum agro●●● . de 〈◊〉 circumcisio●e . 〈…〉 . of s. hierome's works . edit . basil. mdliii . the former at pag. . the later at pag. . xxi . epistola de cibis judaicis . not tertullian's , though ascribed to him , but of some bishop , who probably flourished about this time . some think of novatian the schismatick . edit . with tertullian as aforesaid . xxii . 〈◊〉 aduersùs graecos inscripta contra platonem , de vniversi caus● . a fragment of it published by david hoeschelius in his notes upon photius's bibliotheca , ad p. . by him attributed to a christian josephus , by our primate vsher to caius , about alexander the emperour's time . wh●ever he was that was author of it , he seems to have flourished within our period , and to have been a platonizing christian . xxiii . m●●ucius foelix . his octavius , undoubtedly his since discovered by fr. balduin . edit . lugdun . batav . mdclii . with notes . xxiv . hippolytus ●ishop & martyr , commonly called portuensis , if they be the same ; whether they were or no , yet they seem to have flourished about the same time , and have the same works indiscriminately ascribed to them such are : de antichristo , & consummatione mundi , though questioned by several , yet most probably genuine , seing it is mentioned as such by st. hierome de script . eccl. whose authority i conceive alone sufficient to countervail all those suspicions rather than 〈…〉 against it from the matter . edit . bibliothee . patr. graeco . latin. tom. ii . p. . canon paschalis not doubted that i know of . edit . joseph . scalig . lugd. batav . mdxcv . books probably his : de deo trino & uno & de mysterio incarnationis , contra haeresius noëti . edit . gerard. vossis in miscell . sanctor . patrum ad ●in . gregor . 〈…〉 & helicem haereticos . edit . heur . canisii tom. v. antiq. lect. part. p. . both of th●se , if his , are probable to have been fragments of his work against h●resyes mentioned by the ancients . demonstratio contra judaeos . edit . possevin . apparat. verb. hippolytus . xxv . origenes adamantius . his undoubted works : . such as are extant in greek : cont. celsum . lib. viii . philoca●●a , 〈…〉 his works by st. 〈…〉 st. gregory edit . 〈…〉 viii . comment on st. matth. and on st. joh n●w . commentaryes on jerem. formerly published by the 〈◊〉 of st. cyrill . of alexandria , restored to origen , together with several parts of philocalia 〈…〉 to the scriptures to which they relate , &c. edit . in vol. fol. by petr. dan. huetius , together with large and learned prolego●●na . a fragment of his epistle ad julium affricanum concerning the book of susanna . edit . by d. haeschelius augus● . vindelic mdcii . p. . we may , i hope 〈◊〉 long , expect more of his tractates in greek in an edition by themselves by the same hu●tius . . such as are extant in latine , in a tomes , according to genebrard's edition , mdciv. genuine in tom. . in genes . hom. xvii . in exod. hom. xiii in levitic . hom. xvi . though formerly attributed to s. cyrill , yet undoubted since their restitution . in josu● hom. xxvi . hom. ii . in cantic . canticorum , interpret . s. hieronymo . in isaiam hom. ix . in jeremiam hom. xiv . in ●zechielem hom. xiv . periarch●u l●v. genuine in tom. . in lucam hom. xxxix . in epist. ad roman . lib. xxxvi . cont. celsum l. viii . philocalia collected , as aforesaid , out of his works . epist. ad jul. affrican . entire in latine . other works probably his , and onely doubted of because of the liberty taken by 〈◊〉 in translating them , of adding frequently interpolations of his own : in num. hom. xxviii . in judi● . hom. ix . in lib. reg●or . hom. i. hom in ps. xxxvi xxxvii xxxviii . in cantic . canticer . hom. iv . cum 〈◊〉 . in divers . hom. i. iii. iv . v. vi . ix . x. note that learned men do not r●●y so confidently on any thing 〈◊〉 by ruffinus because of the difficulty of distinguishing the original text from his interpolations . xxvi . jvlius affricanus . his epistle to origen concerning the story of susanna , undoubted . edit . with origen's answer to him , in greek in haeschelius in latine tom. ● . of origen's latine works , as aforesaid . a great part of his chronography extant from eusebius in georg. syncellus edit . paris . mdclii . from whence , not being then published , it was borrowed by scaliger in his edition of eusebius's chronicon in greek . xxvii . gregorius thaumaturgus . his undoubted works . charisteria or panegyric . ad origen . graeco-latin . metaphrasis in ecclesiasten , extant onely in latine . epistola canonica in latine onely in vossius , but in greek also in balsamon , edit . graeco-latin . parisijs , mdcxx . p. . his confession of faith recited by st. gregory nyss●n in his life , as revealed to him by st. john baptist . graeco-lat . such as cannot be easily disproved : de animâ ad tatianum . in annunciationem b. virginis , sermones iii. sermo in s. theophaniâ . edit . of them all by gerard. vossius praepos . tungrens . mogunt . mdciv . xxviii . ammonius alexandrinus the matter of origen . undoubted . canon , or harmonia evangelica mistaken by victor capuanus for tatianus 's diatessaron . edit . under the name of tatianus , bibl. patr. colon. agrip : mdcxviii . tom. ii . p. . xxix . cornelius romanus , undoubted . two epistles to s. cyprian , among st. cyprian 's epistles , xlvi . xlvii . ep. ad lupicinum edit . among blondell's ep : pont. doubtful . xxx . cyprianus carthag . his undoubted works : all the epistles , lxxxiii . according to pamelius's distribution , who has placed them according to the time wherein they were written , are certainly his , and the other author 's , to whom they are inscribed . de disciplinâ & habitu virginum . de lapsis . de vnitate ecclesiae . de oratione dominicâ . contra demetrianum . de vanitate i●lolorum . de mortalitate . de bono patientiae . de opere & eleemosynis . de zelo & livore . books most probably his , and thought certainly to be so by pameliu● . libri iii. testimoniorum ad quirinum , quoted by st. hierome . de exhortatione martyrij . de laude martyrij ad moysem & maximum & catero● confessores . de spectaculis . de disciplinâ & bono pudicitiae . ad novatianum haereticum , quòd l●psis spes veniae non sit deneganda . books , if not his , yet certainly of ancient authors about his time . de singularitate clericorum . de aleatoribus . de moutibus sinâ & sion . adversùs judaeos qui insecuti sunt dominum nostrum . edit . s. goulartij mdxciii . the names of authors whose certainly genuine works are extant among st. cyprian's , for the direction of young students , who might otherwise meet them quoted , and not know where to find them . donati ep. i. somwhat doubted of , cleri romani ad clerum carthaginiensem , ep. iii. ad cyprianum ep. xxxxxxi . confessorum universorum ad cyprianum , de pace lapsis danda . ep. xvii . caldonij ad cyprianum ep xix . ad clerum carthag . ep. xxxix . celerini ad lucianum ep xxi . luciani ad celerinum . ep. xxii . moysis & maximi & caeterorum ad cyprianum rescript . ep. xxvi ▪ l ▪ synodi affrican . ad cornelium , ep. liv. firmilian . ad cyprianum ep. lxxv . nemesiam ad cyprianum , resp. ep. ●xx●iii . 〈…〉 ad cyprian . resp . ep ▪ lxxix . felicis & caeterorum ad cyprianum resp . ep. lxxx concilium carthaginiense sub cypriano , concerning rebaptization of haereticks . xxxi . pontius diaconus his life of st. cyprian , undoubted . edit . with s. cyprians works as aforesaid . xxxii . an author about that time against rebaptization of haereticks . edit . among the notes of rigalitus , in his edition of st. cyprian . xxxiii . dionysius alexandrinus . his undoubted works : epist. canonica ad basiliden . edit . with balsamon on him , apud balsamon . edit . as aforesaid , p. . ep. adversùs paulum samosatenum , translated by urrian . edit graeco latin . mdcvi● . latin. bibl. patr. colon. agrip. tom. iii. p. . xxxiv . methodius bishop of olympus , & afterwards of tyre , commonly called patarensis by the greeks . undoubted works : excerpta ex libr. de resurrectione . ex lib. de creatis , ex lib. de symposijs , ex lib. contr . porphyrium , &c. all these improved above what had been extant of them formerly in epiphanius , photius and damascen . liber de libero arbitrio . oratio in simeon . & annam . oratio in ram●s palmarum , most probably his , though by some formerly ascribed to st. chrysostome . edit fr. combesis cum amphilochio &c. graeco-lat . paris . mdcxliv . xxxv . de trinitate , a work ascribed by some to tertullian , by others to novatian the haeretick ; but of an author later than either of them being certainly after the rise of sabellius the haeretick whom he mentions , and yet in all probability before arianism . edit . with tertullian , as aforesaid . xxxvi . arnobius afer . undoubted . l. vii . contra gentes . edit . lugd. batavor . mdcli . with notes . xxxvii . lactantius firmianus . undoubted : divin . instit . l. vii . de irâ dei. de opificio dei. epitome in libros suos . edit . lugdun . batavor . mdclxiv . xxxviii . petrus alexandrinus . undoubted : epistol . canonica . edit . balsamon . p. . xxxix . pamphilus martyr . apologia pro origene , i verily believe genuine , notwithstanding what st. hierome objects against it . for eusebius himself pretends the assistance of pamphilus in his writing that apology of his , hist , eccl. l. vi ▪ c. . ●at . 〈◊〉 graec , edit . christophorson and it is observed by photius ●od● xviii . who tells us ▪ that the first v books had the assistance of pamphilus , the vi nly after his martyrdome composed by eusebius alone ; so that the contrary testimony of eusebius produced by st. hierome , that pamphilus wrote nothing but some few epistles , if it were rightly quoted ( for it doe , not appear , i think in eusebius as extant at present ) was in all likelyhood to be understood of such works as he alone was author of , whereas in this he had the assistance of eusebius himself . this is the onely objection insisted on by st. hierome . out of st. hierome it appears , that this was onely the first book of those v. wherein it appears from photius , that eusebius had the assistance of pamphilus ; so that it seems , that this alone was selected by ruffinus out of the whole work , because this , as it should seem , was alone employed in vindication of the opinions of origen , the rest , as may be conjectured from their contents mentioned in photius , spent in a historical elogy , and vindication , of his life . i have the more particularly insisted on this , and given my reason why i believe it genuine , because the authority of st. hierome has swayed the generality of the learned world in this particular . edit . usually in origen and st. hierom's works . note that for the understanding and judging of these authors and their works , it would be very expedient to read the ecclesiastical history of eusebius , where also many more considerable fragments of the authors already mentioned , and several others not mentioned , will be found , very well worthy perusal in order to the design intended . letter ii. a letter of advice for direction of a young student in divinity , especially such as is rational , related to in the former , numb . xvii . sir , . i am sorry that your bashfulness has hitherto denyed me the more familiar oppotunities of your acquaintance during your residence among us ; but am withall glad that these present disadvantageous circumstances themselves of time and place have now at length , though unexpectedly , emboldened your modesty to such a welcome , and never●unseasonable , motion . but neither the interest of friendship , nor my own inclination , nor the copiousness of the subject wherein you have employed me , nor my little leasure for things so unsignificant , will permit me to retaliate your complements ; and therefore , i hope , you will excuse me though i be abrupt in my addresses to the resolution of your proposal . and that i may avoyd that generality and unpracticableness and obscurity to which immethodical discourses are very obnoxious ; and may contrive my thoughts in as few words and as little time as the ordinary frequent avocations of my other studies will allow me , and withall more usefully and distinctly to your purpose : i conceive it most convenient to shew . the design of scholastical divinity , and the general requisites thereunto ; and thence secondly , the more particular influence of saecular learning in order to it ; and thirdly , some few books to initiate you herein , and general directions that are adviseable in your studies of them ; and lastly , the order wherein i conceive them most successfully intelligible ; in prosecution of which method you will have , not onely my counsel , but my reasons , which i most willingly submit to your censure to be followed or rejected as you shall find them more or less convincing . ii. for the first , that i may prevent a mistake which i believe you will be ready to take up because of the ordinary signification of the term , it will be necessary to forewarn you , that by scholastical divinity i do not intend that onely which is rigorously so called , but more largely all , wherein there is required skill for the deduction of inferences ; whether for the resolution of controversies , or doubts of conscience● as it comprehends that which is textuary as well as what is purely rational in opposition to that which is practical and inartificial , as oratory . for concerning this later , affectation being a vice most repurgnant to its end , which is serious perswasion ; and to which scholars are usually too much addicted for this very reason of their too critical observations of the rules of art ; i conceive it most expedient that it be contrived as natural as is possible , to which it will be necessary that all things which may have an influence on your particular end be prudently considered , your subject , and your auditory and your own genius , and your very manner of delivery , to which every thing may so agree as if they had been your onely incentives , and what you said had been without any deliberation ; and to this purpose though you may read ancient and late authors that are respectively commended in their kind , i should not advise you the imitation of any particularly , but let your own disposition chuse for it self without any designed reflections . but this onely by way of digression , though i believe pardonable , because possibly pertinent to your purpose . scholastical divinity in the sense now explained is that which i conjecture more principally intended by you ; and to which i shall therefore confine my future discourse . it s design therefore being for the clearing of such propositions as , although they be necessary for faith or practice , yet their evidence depends upon the explication of such terms as are not obviously intelligible by the vulgar : the most convenient way for determining the requisites of this will be by shewing the nature of those principles from whence it deduceth its particular conclusions . for whatever is requisite for understanding the true sense of them , must also be so to the certainty of their illations ; and therefore religion objectively taken being a revelation of the divine will as the measure of ours , whereby we may be competently informed of our duty in order to happiness ▪ the difference of these principles which are per se nota in their kinds must arise from the different lights under which they are manifested , that matters concerning religion are discovered by a supernatural divine light as exceeding that of our natural reason , the onely measure of all our natural knowledg ( which yet is not to be understood , as some dangerously conceive , of the light of the faculty , as if reason were not able certainly and evidently to know the credibility , at least , of what is so propounded ; nor of the light of the formal object of assent , as if that were not alwayes proportioned to the faculty ( which if it were not , it were both impossible to be discerned , and unsafe to be assented to , seeing many things may and do very falsely pretend to such a plausible title ) but rather in regard of the material object , which sometimes has a natural connexion with the formal , and sometimes onely by voluntary institution ) for so , that i may clear my mind by an instance , when we know god from the creatures , this whole light is natural , not onely in regard of the faculty , nor of the creatures which have a natural proportion to it , but also of the naturally-dependent connexion of the creatures on god , who is known by them , but when we know the trinity from divine revelation propounded by men , and attested by miracles , although both of them are natural in the two former senses ; yet neither this humane proposition nor these attesting miracles have any natural or necessary connexion with the doctrine of the trinity , which is propounded as credible by them ; but with the supernatural will of the divine proponent , upon which account also this light in relation to this object is called supernatural . these things though possibly as yet you may not see the use of , yet hereafter you may perceive to remove the very material misunderstandings of most schoolmen in this question , and to be very fundamental to what we shall hereafter advise consequentially to these principles . iii. seing therefore that from hence it appears in general that the light of the faculty is absolutely necessary for the improving all that is objective , whether natural or supernatural ; i conceive it very convenient to exercise frequently your discursive faculty in theses upon some difficult question which you may meet with in your studies , and especially in such as are intricate and subtle ; for these will best enable you to conceive aright in others of a like nature , though of a different matter . the time for this , if you shall think fit to design a particular one , were i believe fittest in the morning , when the spirits are more clear and subtle , and your thoughts more composed , and so every way more apt for contemplation . in the performing hereof i would not have you insist on your authors method . ( for which purpose it were well your morning-thesis concerned a question you had studied the night before ) but rather endeavour upon full deliberation of what has been produced for both opinions , to deliver your own conceptions , and to exercise your own invention as much as is possible ; and withall in your method , not to mind onely the private concernment of the difficulty you are then handling , but also the general of others of the same kind , so as that your experience in this may capacitate you for others : as to consider the true sense of the terms , if there be any material ambiguity that is suspicious of being misunderstood by the contradicting parties ; but not to spend time on them when they are obvious and trivial , and of none or little moment for determining the principal question ; and then faithfully to enquire into the true state of the question , which you were not to think you understand , and so not to define your own thoughts concerning it , before you have first candidly examined the true sense of both adversaries , the want of which you will find to be an original of most of those logomachyes which are so frequent in the schools , and i believe generally received in very many of those controversies which divide the communion of whole churches ; whence it proceeds that many of the arguments of both parties need no other solution than the clearing of their adversaries meaning , which being once performed , they are found impertinent and unconclusive , and for the attaining of this i would not have you rely on violent bigots , or the followers of factions , who speak onely by roat , and besides the design and reason of their masters , and are resolved , nay and many times obliged , to defend them in whatever they say , though never so paradoxical , and are frequently put to their shifts to invent defensible glosses , how expresly soever the author has explained his meaning , and where he is the least obscure , are much more favourable to what is more easily defensible ; nor on the bare words of the first authors , it being ordinary for controvertists to over-speak themselves , and to bring in many things ex abundanti , which though they might think probably true , yet might well be spared without prejudice of their cause ; and much less from the partial relations of their adversaries : but rather from the rise and occasion of the question , from the design and disposition of themselves and their adversaries , where , if on either side you will allow any thing for violence , you will have more reason to suspect it of the later assailant than the first proponent , who , no adversary appearing , may reasonably be presumed to have delivered his mind with less design , and more simplicity ; and from the connexion with their other principles . and never satisfie your self of your success in this enquiry till you have found out some great verisimilitude that might very plausibly perswade a judicious and ingenuous man to your adversaries opinion , if swayed with his prejudices ; for it is hard to be so generally uncharitable as to believe that there are not some such that maintain all much received opinions . and to this purpose i conceive it very convenient that you be conversant with other works of the author from whom you dissent , that you may thence perceive what principles he does otherwise much rely on , and what his moral disposition is , for this may be very effectual for swaying him when the main arguments used are popular and declamatory ; and of that nature are most of those questions which divide great and numerous ecclesiastical societies , as were easie to instance and evince if i were not affraid of being tedious . when you have thus gained the true sense and use of the question , your nearer approaches to its resolution you may make in this order : first to consider the nature of the prejudices , for though in some cases they may contribute , yet they are never to be the onely motives for determining your assent ; and therefore you are to see that first , they never hinder you from embracing a contrary evidence more convincing than that on which themselves are grounded ; nor secondly , from impartially considering the force of that which does onely pretend it , though in the event it do not prove so ; but onely thirdly , when upon full inquiry you find the contrary but equally probable with what you do at present believe , there you may securely submit your self to providence , that has placed you in such circumstances as thus incline you rather than hazard your present peace for an onely equal contentment in the contrary , so that it be done modestly , without any censorious reflections on such as dissent from you ; and that you would consider what they are distinctly , and if you find your self partially affected to either of them , there to be cautious that it do not betray you to any thing unreasonable . and in general , for the avoyding of them all , i conceive it very adviseable that you be not too prodigal in uttering your thoughts concerning any theological question of moment before a multitude with any concernedness and vehemence before you have first examined it by these forementioned prescriptions . after this , for the most faithful discovery of the nature and force of the proofs , you should distinguish from their differences those things wherein both parties are agreed , and on which as on common principles they ground their arguments . for these you will find to be of very great use for judging the particulars , unto the which , if you be satisfied with them , you may descend more closely , assuring your self that , however their opinions may , yet , it is impossible that their reasons should , be really contrary : that you may therefore find distinctly how far they are conclusive , and to whether opinion they are more favourable ; it were well that first omitting that multitude of particular ones that are produced for both , the whole force were summed up in one a priori ; wherein you might at one view perceive the whole series of their principles : and then that you divide them into so many propositions , disposed in the order wherein they follow from each other , which when you have done , you may then examine first , the absolute truth of these principles distinctly ; and secondly , their consequence from each other ; and then thirdly , the truth of these premises relatively : what sense is requisite to be true that these consequences may be inferred from them ; and whether they be indeed true in these particular senses that are requisite ; and by these means you will most probably find the true and faithful measure of discerning how far they are conclusive , which you may then compare with the true sense of the contrary opinion as you have formerly explained it , and so of the contrary proofs with this , and an you find them exactly agreeing so you may determine . these rules i have the more particularly insisted on , because , as they are rarely taken notice of , and more rarely observed by our modern controvertists , so , to me they seem the most successful for the avoyding those mistakes and fallacies which are too frequent among them ; for by this means you will more probably understand the question , your proofs will be more directly levelled against your adversary , and his main objections will be supposed resolved before you are determined , and for others which stand in need of more particular answers ( they being weaker ) you may be less solicitous . nor do i think all of these necessary in all questions to be distinctly considered , but principally for the most important ones of divinity ; and some , at least , to be necessary to all of what nature soever ; and that such regard be had of those which are not , that before you neglect them you be assured that they are indeed impertinent . and in the management of the whole , especially where you do endeavour self-satisfaction , it were well you were as brief , as clear , as distinct , and as methodical , as is possible . iv. having thus shewn you the form of managing reason in general , i believe you do expect that i should descend particularly to direct your studies that you may be furnished with materials . and this i shall attempt in pursuance of my formerly designed method , in both those kinds of principles , by which , as i said , all theological controversies are to be determined . for the first , those which are rational , i would commend that too much decried study among most protestants of school-divinity : for considering that the very foundations and principles of all religion are natural , that all supernatural revelations are but accessory complements to these , where nature was actually debauched , or originally insufficient , but never undertake to give a compleat digest of them ; and indeed do either not mention them at all , or where they do , yet not professedly , but upon occasion of others ; and then it self they are rather supposed than prescribed , or , where prescribed , yet rather as to the circumstances of their exercise than as to their moral and universal obligation ; so that here , reason is wholy left even by god himself to the evidence of its own inquiry ; and this not onely as to those particulars which are so plain and obvious as that they even offer themselves without inquiry , and it is impossible to be ignorant of them without a gross negligence , or a resolved obstinacy , but such wherein some great philosophers themselves have been mistaken , as the universal providence of god over mankind , which not onely epicur●s . but for any thing that i know , the jewes themselves did hardly believe , by whom we find god's care of the salvation of the gentiles admired at as a m strange and incredible thing , and a great argument of his not being an n accepter of persons , as it seems they had thought before , and their most favourable sentiments concerning them seem to have been , that god had indeed appointed o tu●elary angels for other nations , but that himself was their own president● that their own souls onely were p immortal , and that none others had any portion in the world to come ; that therefore their proselytes were truly q transubstantiate , whence those phrases of being r born again , and s of the spirit , wherein our saviour wonders at the ignorance of t nicodemus , as being notorious among the rabbins ; and yet the whole old-testament seems so particularly designed for their commonwealth as that they have little occasion for mentioning god's providence over other nations ; but especially also in secondary instances of the law of nature , which though it appears that they have been for time and place dispensed with , and therefore their universally-obliging reason being more circumstantial , is less easily discernible ; yet their severe penalties without any new positive prohibition , and their having been looked on as abhominable in the very gentiles , show that the church reputed them unlawful for this very reason , as in the question of polygamy , of marrying the brothers relict , and of vsury , and other instances wherein i believe i should not be unwarrantably consident if , notwithstanding what others have endeavoured concerning them , i should say that they cannot be clearly disproved by any particular prohibition in the new testament . and the general indefinite way of propounding those which are moral and those which are not in the old testament , and the new one never descending to particulars , but onely in general teaching us that what was typical must needs disappear at the real exhibition of what they signified , and that all accommodations even in what otherwise was moral , must now under larger grace , and greater means , and clearer revelations , in all reason be evacuated ; the onely way of determining here any thing particularly must be , omitting all testimonies , to examine the nature of the precepts themselves , and thence to discern whether the reason of their obligation be temporary or eternal . to which i may add , that many counsels are urged in the scriptures , many things in complyance to the present circumstances , and some indulgences to present prejudices even in the new testament , and this without particular provision for future observance , which are not any other wayes distinguishable but by reason . and of the same necessity it is for all cases of conscience , and many other emergent difficulties which you will frequently encounter in the practice of divinity : and it were easie to shew how very useful it is for the most important controversies that divide the communion of christendome ; and how its greatest adversaries , those of rome , do ground themselves mainly on it in their exigencies ; as in the necessity of a visible judge of controversies , in their detaining the cup from the lait● , which themselves cannot deny to have been granted them in the first and purest centuries , and in the doctrine of the resolution of faith ; so in the remonstrant and jansenist opinions , in all with the socinians , and most with the sectaries , which are such instances wherein our men prove it unreasonable to expect particular proof from scripture ; and the same , i think , might be proved concerning most of the definitions of the church against the enemies of the trinity and incarnation , as to particular expressions whereby she disowned their innovations , that they were grounded on these so tragically declaimed-against theological reasons , if i were not affraid of being redious . but in short , if it be considered that hither all controversies are finally resolved , even all authority into the reason of its credibility ; that all other wayes of arguing are plausibly excepted against by some parties ; but this cannot , there being no opposing it but by it self , which is a contradiction ; that this at length when all is done will be found most satisfactory , these will sure be sufficient prejudices to invite you , till you shall find something as plausible alledged for the contrary . v. but in the study of this rational divinity i would not perswade you to imitate the schools themselves any farther than as they are rational ; for i must confess that one fundamental defect seems to me generally ingredient in their discourses ; that they seem rather to endeavour the outwitting of their adversaries than their own satisfaction : which may be very suspicious both from their making use of reasons which themselves confess unsufficient for the conviction of infidels , which yet they take for strong consolations of believers , which might indeed be tolerable if the efficacy of such proofs depended on any proper principles which were admitted by believers and not by infidels , but depending on pure philosophical reasons , as most of these do , which are produced by aquinas , who speaks for them l. i. cont. gent. c. . they seem less excusable ; but principally their determining the question by , and conforming their reasons to , some authority , and that sometimes very contemptibles as of some heathen philosophers , or late doctors , or at the uttermost particular fathers ( for they seldome meddle with councils ) and their laying too much stress upon their very forms of speaking , though not mentioned in the scriptures , to the very decision of articles of faith , as , i think , might easily be proved in the question concerning the procession of the holy ghost from the son against the greeks , nay often on their very mystical expositions , without the least examination of their design , or sense , or credibility . nor is it needful to mind you how very unsufficient they had been for it though they had attempted it ; partly because of their ignorance in the greek fathers , and so being necessitated to rely on ignorant translations for those they had ( for greek learning was continually decaying in the latine church from the time of the removal of the empire , an early but very remarkable instance whereof ( that i may not now particularize others ) we have in that famous cheat put upon the whole general council of u ariminum by valens and vrsacius and some few other eastern bishops of reading 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the decree of the nicaene council ; but especially after the open breach betwixt the romane and constantinopolitane patriarchs , whereby intelligence with the orientals was exceedingly interrupted , long before the rise of the schoolmen ; but mainly because of their great unskilfulness in critical learning , to know their original , and their sense in other places , which yet had been necessary to their design . and therefore i should advise you to be more ingenuously rational than they are , in the proof of your principles as well as in the inference of your conclusions ; that you do not strain your wit to make any testimony desensible before you are otherwise convinced of its credibility , and at least let it not be as a principal motive of your determination ; that you never trouble your self much with those reasons themselves which , as they are onely propounded as probable , so they , are confessed to be unnecessary ; but first , consider the nature of the question , whether the arguments , whereon the whole stress of its assent can onely be surely grounded , and which if they be weak the definition cannot be certain , be reason , or authority ; and if it be reason grounded on authority ( as most of the school-questions are ) that then you urge the reason no farther than the authority will warrant you ; and remember that a less will suffice , when all the use of reason is for rendring the conclusion it self defensible , for that proceeds on particular evidences whereby it appears to us , and therefore does not require a real , but every-way apparent , credibility ; but where the reasons grounded on these phrases and manners of expressing the article are drawn to the direct proof of its real truth , or are taken as principles for the probation of others ; it were then reasonable to have recourse to lombard's text , and to examine first , whether that doctrine be really taught by that father , who is by him quoted for it ? and secondly , whether it be delivered by him as his own private opinion , or as the sense of the church ; and whether dogmatically , or in heat of controversie ? if as the sense of the church , then thirdly , what was the ground of it , whether the evidence of universal tradition , or aequivalencies in the scriptures ; or the general sense onely of the learned ? and whether they took it up for the evidence of its proper reason , or originally from the authority of some private person , who was commended in these controversies , and from whom it was derived by the rest without any new examination ? for in some of these things you will find most of lombards principles to be deficient , they being for the much greater part transcribed from st. augustine . but it may be a more direct way for knowing the rational modes of expression , whereon the church grounded her arguments ( in those articles which are generally and surely believed for revelation , and wherein ancient and universal authority may be presumed more securely expressive of the genuine sense of tradition than our private reasonings , as in the trinity and incarnation ) will be by examining what principles of this kind are supposed in her discourses with the ancient hereticks in the first general councils , most of her definitions there being , as i formerly said , grounded on theological reason . and therefore i would advise you in general before your particular enquiries , to satisfie your self how far your resolution is to be grounded on particular reason , that so , if they should fail , as they will certainly in many things which yet upon other accounts are very reasonably credible , you may not presently condemn the conclusion as simply false because of the falshood of their improper principles . and what questions are onely determinable by reason you have several instances in the beginning of the former paragraph . vi. but it remains , for the accomplishment of this first part of my task , that i proceed to the second sort of principles , namely such as are known by divine revelation . and here seeing the resolution of no parties is against the plain words , or at least the sense , of the scriptures ; and it is farther agreed that the bare grammatical signification of the words is of no other force for expressing the speakers mind than as it is ordinarily reasonable to presume that he intended this where there are not particular suspicious of believing otherwise ; therefore for the bringing these things home to the decision of our present controversies , it will be requisite to enquire first , what sense of them is aequivalent with the conclusions to be proved by them ? and secondly , what reason there is to believe that this sense was designed by the speaker ; and where this is ambiguous and both of them seem applicable without absurdity , the onely way for determining which of them was intended by him must be by examining all those things which may be supposed as notorious to that auditory to whose understandings he was to accommodate himself , and what was onely likely to prove efficacious in reference to his design . and though this later be to be performed by reason . by examining their misapprehensions ; and then considering what were in prudence most proper for their correction , and which particular sense is most rationally reducible to this design ; yet the former will be most satisfactorily resolved by philological learning : by enquiring how the same author used the same expression in other clearer parallel places ; how the auditors themselves usually understood it , and so to examine the idiomes either of the place or country from other their contemporary writers ; and if the notoriousness of the speech depended on a matter of fact , to which it alluded , and of which none of them could probably be presumed ignorant ; then the most sure way both for understanding that particular phrase and all other discourses whatsoever of the same subject , will be by clearing the thing it self , and poynting at those instances , in allusion to which those expressions might have been occasioned , which had been otherwise unintelligible . and to this end you may more easily discern first , the necessity of the tongues wherein they were originally written ; for it is very possible , either by reason of the affinity or homonymy , or for want of answering words in the other tongues , for translations to be mistaken , at least , not to be so secure as to ground arguments , which may be very much endangered by the very uncautiousness of the expression ; and secondly , the idiomes of those tongues , which are frequently occasions of mistakes in them that rely on translations that render them verbatim , without considering their importance in the originals , as is usual both in the reputed lxxii and the vulgar latine , which were generally followed by the greek and later latine fathers , and many perplexities might be instanced which are raised by them from thence , which have no difficulty in the originals . and for this it will be convenient to be acquainted , not onely with the sacred text it self ( which , especially in the old testament , are all the records remaining of the purer ancient hebrew , and therefore can give little light to the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but also with those tongues , which seem at first derived from it , as most of the orientals are ; but those especially into which it afterwards degenerated after the ruine of their government , by reason of their mixture with other conquering nations . such was the chaldee , on occasion of the babylonian captivity , as appears from part of jeremy , daniel and ezra , and those parts of the chaldee paraphrases which are truly inscribed to jonathan and onkelos ; and syriack in the time of our saviour , as is observed by learned men from most of these hebrew words mentioned in the new testament , by mixture of the syro-macedones after the prevalency of the grecian monarchy ; for in these it seems more probable that the words which were afterwards imposed in stead of the genuine hebrew without any interruption where the things were practiced , and whilest the notions were fresh in memory , did more exactly answer them than those that wanted these advantages ; and thirdly , the idiomes of the person himself , of his wit , of his country , of his education ; for it is clear that the style of the scriptures is very different : either lofty , or low ; or eloquent , or rational , in accommodation to the writers natural abilities . for thus the new testament writers have many hebraisms , and st. paul some cilicianisms , as you may find instanced by st. hierome ad algas . q. . and origen on the romanes . and these are of great moment both for varying the signification of the same phrases , and making them more or less-accurately intelligible in grounding arguments on them ; and fourthly , the antiquities alluded to ; and these not onely such as are directly aimed at , and with approbation , but also such as are purposely opposed ; for thus maimonides x conceives the rites of the zabij very beneficial for giving light to many positive levitical precepts , which now , for want of them , seem strange and impertinent ; and it would doubtlessly much contribute to the clear distinction of those which were moral or judicial , grounded on temporary or eternal reason , to have known all the ceremonies of the chaldaean and phaenician idolatry , though , i think there are no very great assistances for it in our now-extant writers ; and what is related occasionally either by the credulous greeks or ancient talmudists , or the later arabians , being exceedingly intermixed with fabulous and conjectural assertions , will need a very prudent and judicious sagacity to separate what is credible from what is not so . but for what may be performed from our present assistances in this subject , i shall refer you to the excellent discourse of our famous antiquary mr selden de dijs syris . and for the better understanding of these , and the main design of historical or prophetical writers , and those very considerable seeming differences even in the circumstances of what is onely upon several occasions related in themselves as well as in exotick authors , and this not onely in some frivolous instances , but in such wheron depend the greatest arguments for religion ; the accomplishment of remarkable promises and prophesies whose truth was to warrant very considerable alterations , as in the lxx year's captivity , and daniel's weeks , whence is derived one of the strongest grounds of christianity ; neither of which can be determined without the auxiliaries of the heathens ; it will be necessary to study and compare their history , and chronology , and geographical descriptions of those countreys . and for the traditional doctrines of the old testament , because the best means for their discovery seem to me to depend on saecular learning , i shall therefore defer them to their proper place . in the mean time for particular and occasional expressions of the new , it were convenient to be acquainted with the first haeresyes , and the conveyance of its traditional doctrines in their plain , and genuine , and unmixed practice , which will be the best way of making them applicable to our present controversies , will be most probably derivable from the fathers of the immediately succeeding centuries ; which is the design i would have you principally aim at in reading them . and concerning those general cautions to be observed in following them , i presume you have before your departure heard my thoughts in some of our colledg-exercises ; and therefore i shall not need to be large in them , onely in general , you may observe a vast difference betwixt what they deliver either as their private thoughts , or as a generally-received opinion , and what they assert as the doctrine of the catholick church delivered to them from the apostles ; and here it self betwixt what they reputed such from some judicial inferences of their own , and what they were more competent judges of , in that pure historical evidence which must have been obvious to them without any , or at least any difficult , illations , and this with vincentius lerinensis's rules ; in all times , all places , and all ecclesiastical societies that were founded by apostles or apostolical persons . for in the former i then endeavoured to shew their fallibility from that unaccurate way of arguing which prevailed generally among them ; and those unsecure principles on which they relyed , which though i then onely touched , as willing to consine my discourse to the time allotted for it ; yet possibly they might be of some use in your reading of the fathers , inasmuch as that to some of them i believe you will find most of those errors which in many instances , by the confession of all , prevailed in the first three centuries , to be easily reducible . other rules were advisable for the discovery of these testimonial from judicial traditions , but because the mentioning of my own thoughts concerning them together with my reasons , would engage me in many and great controversies which cannot possibly be dispatched in few words , and that i have already insensibly exceeded my first designed brevity , i forbear . vii . and now , concerning the second particular formerly propounded , namely the influence of secular learning in order to those mentioned designs of the study of divinity , i shall insist on the method already observed in that . and though it were easie by an induction in all humane sciences whatsoever , to shew this serviceableness ; yet because so large a task might possibly discourage you , as not being attainable in one life ; and their usefulness is very different in its degrees , some being onely convenient , and some absolutely necessary ; some necessary for your own satisfaction , and some for the information of others ; some for more rare and casual , and some for your ordinary auditories : and you will find their use in your observation of these , and may accordingly more or less engage your self in them as you shall find your self invited by your own genius , or curiosity ; i shall therefore mainly meddle with such as are introductory and general , and are of use for the most necessary ends ; your own satisfaction , and that of your ordinary auditory . and first , for that which is rational , and rigorously called school-divinity , most of the terms wherein its questions are expressed being philosophical , the use of philosophy , especially that of the modern peripateticks , which in later ages has so universally prevailed in the schools , is so obvious as that i cannot suspect you ignorant of it . but yet , i believe you may be desirous to be informed of the distinction of those parts which are necessary from those which are not ; that so you may know at present where to fix your thoughts more closely in subserviency to your future studies . for your satisfaction herein , i think x you may securely give over your reading it distinctly by way of course , and apply your self more immediately to the study of school-divinity ; for the school-men allowing themselves that liberty of largely discussing philosophical questions on the summes and sentences ; as you shall by this means want none of them that are necessary , so you will be disengaged from many of them that are purely heterogeneous . but because they do frequently use this liberty licentiously , therefore it will be convenient to determine more distinctly what parts are necessary , and to what ends . first therefore , for that natural divinity which is supposed true antecedently to divine revelation , and which is therefore onely intelligible by reason ; it being commonly reduced to two main principles : the divine nature and existence , and the soul's immortality ; and the nature of its faculties and the manner of its operations , in accommodation to which all the divine precepts and auxiliaries are designed ; the former will be best advanced by physical arguments drawn from the nature of the caelestial motions , and the necessity of an universal ordinator of the second causes both to their own ends , in th●se that are inanimate , and at least to that of the universe , in those that are not ; &c. which as they are evidently more perswasive and sensible , and of a more general accommodation to ordinary capacities , and such as we find principally made use of by st. paul himself , not onely in his popular discourses rom. i. . but even in his disputes with the philosophers , act. xvii . . . and xiv . . so i do really conceive them more strong than those metaphysical ones , that have been lately again urged and improved with the general applause of our late philosophers , by the famous des cartes . and there is one question , which as i confess exceedingly intricate , and yet omitted by most that i have seen of our late ingenious authors that handled the argument , at least not considered with that accuracy it deserved ; so i conceive it very necessary for the conviction not onely of atheists ( which yet the unhappiness of our age has rendred not altogether unseasonable ) but also of some subdivided christians , those especially of the romane communion , and that is the distinction of true from counterfeit miracles , which will require natural philosophy , wherein the notion of a true miracle , by the confession of all , requiring that it be above the power of natural agents , for the determining of that it will be necessary to shew how far that does extend ; and because it is yet farther agreed , that all sensible effects of created substances must depend on matter and motion ; therefore this will require two things to be examined ; their utmost efficacy in general ; and then particularly the uttermost efficacy of those that are present at the production of the supposed effect that is to be tryed ; the knowledg of which i presume you are not ignorant to be the very design of natural philosophy ; wherein notwithstanding you are not now to be confined to the peripatetick principles , but may more ingenuously examine others , and accept what you your self shall conceive most satisfactory . but the investigation of the particular divine attributes will be best performed by metaphysicks , wherein all the terms requisite to this way of arguing are prosessedly handled : the nature of entity and bonity in general ; the notion of those perfections , which are called simpliciter simplices ; and the examination of what are particularly such by their compatibility with others greater than themselves , and which are not reducible to any other sciences , from whence it has even in y aristotle himself the name of natural divinity . and from hence also depend all those terms whereby even supernatural revelations are made reconcileable with natural reason , and upon which most of those objections depend that are indeed material , and necessary to be answered ; for the whole force of these relyes on such principles as are universally conclusive in all sorts of entityes ; for otherwise the confessed analogical participation of the same perfections in god and the creatures will be sufficient to invalidate all inferences drawn to him from particular experiments in other creatures , which are the uttermost that all other sciences are able to reach . and to these ends you will find the general part very necessary ; and the particular , where it goes no further than the perfect explication of their nature , and confines it self within it own most immaterial abstraction . and therefore you may observe this part most taken notice of by protestants , and you will find it most generally serviceable to the whole design of school-divinity . but then for the other part that concerns the nature of the soul , and of its operations ; the supernatural assistances being proportioned to them , it will be necessary to know them for the understanding this proportion . and because some of these assistances are extended as well to the nature of their acts as their morality : and the moral manner of the operations is most answerable to the nature of the agent , and accordingly best intelligible by its relation : therefore it will be convenient to know them , first physically , as they are handled in aristotle's books de animâ and there especially the rational and intellectual degree , and others no otherwise than as they conduce to the better understanding their present organical dependent way of operation , and that discourse de animâ separatâ which you will find adjoyned at the end by some authors ; and then morally , in ethicks , from whence you are directly to deduce all those obligations that are purely moral ; and the necessity and design of those that are positive and supernatural , and generally all those universal rules , on which depends the prudential practice of casuistical divinity . for controversie logick i mention nothing , because i believe there is little in it necessary to your purpose but what is borrowed from metaphysicks , or some few things concerning faith and opinion and demonstration , which you will find sufficiently to your purpose discussed on the summes and sentences . and as it will be thus serviceable in general to know the main design of those sciences , and their influence in divinity , for discerning the necessity of particular questions , how far they are reducible to it ; so in particular you may consider , first , whether it was first raised from any theological occasion , accordingly to the rules formerly prescribed ; or whether it be capable of being used as a principle for the deciding any theological controversie ? and if it be , then secondly , whether that theological controversie it self be of any moment ? and then thirdly , whether that philosophical principle be capable of any certain resolution , and especially in that sense that is requisite for this decision ? but for the improvement of principles of this kind in proving the immortality of the soul ( not now to reflect upon the piously-designed attempts of several ingenious persons in this regard ) for my part , how convincing soever they may prove in the event , i can discern no great necessity of having recourse unto them , or relying on them . for though indeed the existence of god cannot be proved by revelation , it being so antecedent to it as that he that doubts of it cannot admit of revelation to prove it by ; yet is there not the same necessity here , seeing the soul may really be immortal , though its immortality could not be made out from any natural appearances falling under our cognizance ( daily experience furnishing us with instances of most certain truths which are yet uncapable of being proved from such appearances ) in which case we may yet be assured of it by revelation . for our doubting concerning the proof of the souls immortality by reason does not upon any rational pretence oblige us to question the existence of revelations ; and supposing that the real immortality of our souls is attested and revealed by god , our own antecedent ignorance of it upon natural accounts cannot ground the least suspicion of the divine infallibility concerning it ; nay it is from our prime a●tions of such a being most certain that infinite truths are evident to him which are not obvious to our grosser observations , and it cannot be disproved that this is one . supposing therefore that god has revealed the immortality of our souls ; and that he is in this , as well as in other revelations , veracious ; and that he certainly does , though we do not , know the truth even in this particular affair ; it must needs follow that we must be obliged to believe it upon account of such divine revelation , though antecedently we could never have known it by natural discoveries . this i have onely observed by the way , to shew the no-necessity of insisting on such proofs , and to let atheistical irreligious persons understand how little indeed religion is concerned in their weakness ; though , i think , i might have added that deserting this way of proof , and insisting onely on revelation in this case is not onely more secure , but in many regards more convenient and more aggreeable with the principles of christianity , and better sitted for solving difficulties which are less intelligible on other principles . but what i have to say to this purpose is both subject to be misunderstood , and too tedious for my present design , and therefore i forbear . viii . but then for that part of divinity that is textuary , besides the knowledg of the tongues and phrases , which will be gotten by reading ancient authors in their own words upon other occasions , and for which your own experience will hereafter be your more satisfactory directory ; for the understanding of the doctrinals of the old testament ( which you will find very necessary for the new , there being nothing pretended to be revealed in the new , but what was at least mystically presigured in the old , and there being many doctrines at that time generally believed by the jewish church which were not so clearly expressed in the old , which as they seem to be connived at by our saviour , so they seem generally to have been received without any new revelations by the primitive christians ( and yet the way is certainly as fallible in some instances as true in others , and therefore ought to be accurately distinguished ) the onely way will be to examine the credibility of doctrines that pretend to be originally jewish traditions . and for this you are not onely to trust the rabbins , both for their notorious fabulousness , and their little antiquity , and their plain imitations of the graecian philosophers even before our saviour's time , upon occasion of their acquaintance with them by the macedonian conquests , whom yet together with philo and josephus . i would recommend to you for the historical relation of those opinions and practices that afterwards prevailed , and are frequently alluded to in the new testament ; but that which is the main design of the primitive christian apologies , what the graecians had either preserved entire from the division of babel , or in after-ages derived from the jewes , which yet are both more numerous and more ancient than those that are now extant of the jewes themselves ; for by this means as you shall discover much of that truth which was mystically involved in the old testament , though otherwise certainly intended , where otherwise there is no clear mention of the immortality of the soul , of the resurrection of the body , or the future judgment , which are the very foundations , not onely of christian , but of all rational , religion ; but also the original of many errors both among the later jewes and christians . for this therefore i conceive it convenient to read the ancientest greek poets together with their greek scholiasts , and that you do not look on them barely as idle romances , but as grave philosophers and historians ; for such they were reputed not onely in their own times , but also by all their followers , as involving divine , and natural , and historical notions of their gods and heroes under mystical and parabolical expressions . thus the name was used for makers of lawes , for establishers of commonwealths , for discipliners of youth and women , as you may see proved from the testimonies of homer himself and others by the excellent heinsius in his prolegom . ad hesiod . hence they were after imitated by the oracles , and accounted sacred , and prophetical , and inspired with a divine fury , as were easie to prove if i had leisure . but yet because those things are related on the faith of much later authors , and are mingled with their own inventions , and are expressed in dark , and designedly-obscure , resemblances ; therefore two things will be requisite to be inquired into : first , whence they originally proceeded , whereby will appear both how far they are credible , and what was after superadded by the graecian affectation of vain glory ; and secondly , what was their distinct sense . for the former , i confess the ancient graecian barbarism , their late incorporations into civil societies , their then it self being divided into little republicks , which could not chuse but continually allarm them with perpetual factions and mutual jealousies of one another , and leave little time for incouragement for studies , and their late invention of letters , or of any means for communicating tradition to posterity , make me unwilling to advise you to trust them for any thing ancient that is historical . and therefore i believe your best way were to examine with what other ancient learned nations they had commerce , from whom they might probably derive their philosophical or theological learning , and particularly concerning such notable persons as were acknowledged to have had some especial influence in their improvement ; such were orpheus for the old , and pherecydes syrius for the later theogonyes ; whether they were indigenae or forreigners , whether they travelled , and to what nations ? and because the ambition of the later greeks has endeavoured to suppress those testimonies that might seem to make them beholding to other nations for what they gloried themselves to be the first inventors of ; either by confounding forreigners of the same name with their own , and by that means arrogating the glory of their actions to themselves , or by deriving their original from their gods , and those such as were historically many or uncertain , as they do with orpheus , when they make him the son of apollo and calliope , it were well to collect out of creditable authors what is mentioned concerning them , that so you may from other circumstances conjecture whence they did most probably derive their learning . and there are three nations especially , who , by reason of their undeniable antiquity , and their established government , and their estimation of learning , and their encouragement and opportunities , and publick deputation of some orders of men for that end , might be very credible for the conveyance of the traditional divinity , and who , by reason of their familiarity with the jewes , might easily have corrected themselves where they had been mistaken : the chaldaeans , the phoenicians and the aegyptians ; whereof the two later must needs have been known to them as anciently as their ancientest inventions : the phoenicians by occasion of their notorious trafficking at sea ; and the aegyptians , as appears both by the affinity of their tongues and letters , from the graecian apis , whether the sicyonian or argive , supposed after his death to have been canonized in aegypt , from the stories of aegyptus and danaus in aegypt , of tithonus and memnon and phaëthon in aethiopia , mentioned by the most ancient graecian mythologists , from the testimonies of very many of themselves , if i had leasure to produce them ; and especially in that most of their gods and rites and mysteries were thence borrowed , as is clear , besides others , from that full confession of z diodorus siculus related also by a eusebius . but that all of them were frequented by the later philosophers is abundantly proved by the primitive christian apologists . and therefore it will also concern you to be acquainted with the opinions of the philosophers , those of them especially that are traditional , and who are known themselves to have travelled to these countreys : for the later subdivisions seem generally to have been built on the private wits of particular factious persons ; concerning whom , especially the stoicks , what my thoughts are you may easily discern from my prolegomena to my dear tutor's book de obstinatione : that if their rational discourses be considered as conversant about such instances as are uncapable of solid demonstrations from purely natural principles , such as the platonick notions of the trinity , and the hierarchyes of good or evil daemons , and the state of the soul after death , and the rewards and punishments of the other world ; these will further admit of a twofold consideration , either as to that use and authority that may be grounded on their reasons , and that cannot be acknowledged very considerable , both because the cases are supposed such as are uncapable of any solid proof of that kind ; and the reasons they produce are therefore at the best onely conjectural , and frequently captious ; and they are unnecessary for us christians , who have securer arguments from divine revelation ; and for affairs of this nature their antiquity gives them no special advantage over us , and they are more clearly and closely managed by later authors : or as to that purely historical use which may be made of their opinions , how weak soever their reasons are , for explaining those passages of scripture , which are expressed in their language and allude to their sense , whether as approved or rejected . and thus howsoever conjectural the proof of such propositions might have been supposed formerly , yet it might merit a confident assent as grounded on the surer word of prophesie ; nay though they be rejected in the scripture as false , yet so it self they may help us to understand those very scriptures that were supposed to condemn them . for the terms being supposed philosophical , the philosophers themselves must needs be presumed fittest to explain their own sense of them ( which is most likely to be the sense intended by the holy ghost ) and by understanding the terms we come to understand the propositions resulting from them , so condemned ; which being apprehended will help us further to discover what is necessary for bringing such a discourse home to the purpose , which must needs be very advantageous for discovering the design of the holy ghost in it , as that is also for judging of consequential modes of expression , of which kind are many provisional definitions of the church , and doctrines of the schoolmen . but then supposing the rational discourses of the philosophers conversant about affairs within their own reach , whereof they might be presumed competent judges , they may again be two wayes considered : either as to their intrinsick conclusiveness , or as to the actual reputation they had gained among the jewes , and those other nations among whom they were dispersed , for whose use the scriptures were primarily designed , and to whose defects they may therefore be presumed to have been originally accommodated . in the former regard their discourses will have so much and no more credibility than what a particular examination of their solidity will afford to a person competent to judge of it ; or than the fame of their skill and integrity in affairs of this nature , might have been conceived sufficient to perswade to such as were unskilful themselves , and so exposed to a necessity of relying on their bare authoty . but in the later , their authority may be much greater as far as it may be thought to have been further confirmed and approved by the holy ghost himself . for the holy ghost undertaking in an extraordinary way to supply the defect of ordinary means in the discovery of such truths or falshoods as might prove necessary or pernicious in order to the salvation of mankind ; it is to be presumed that wherein he did not offer a correction , there he presumed the use of ordinary means sufficient . and then the onely ordinary means of discovering their present duty and their future interests ( especially for the vulgar for whose use revelations were principally calculated ) being natural reason as managed by its ablest professors , the philosophers , they having no other light antecedently to revelation ; it will further follow , that nothing taught unanimously by such philosophers , if uncorrected by the holy ghost , was by the holy ghost himself thought dangerous to the salvation of persons obliged , in prudence , to rely on such an authority ; nay that all things so unanimously agreed on , in matters necessary to be resolved in order to salvation , if the holy ghost did not undertake a new resolution , were supposed by him to have been already resolved rightly by the philosophers themselves , which no less than divine approbation of such discourses must needs add more than a bare humane authority to them . this is the sum of what i have more largely discoursed and proved in the forementioned place , which you may perceive principally to concern such philophers as are professedly moral , who as they are also generally applauded by scholars for the generosity of their temper and principles ; and their aggreeableness to christianity ; so they are not indeed guilty of that unpracticableness wherewith they are charged by some less considerative persons . it is true indeed that they thought the soul alone to be the essential man , and the body the organ and prison of it , and indeed praeternatural to it , upon which account they made its imprisonment here a consequence , if not a punishment , of its degeneracy , and its restitution to its primitive prosperity to consist in its compleat purgation from all corporeal faeculencies . but this is not so to be understood as if they had thought the soul incorporated ( upon what account soever ) to be as free from being affected with corporeal impressions , as the musician is from those of his instrument , or the prisoner of the place of his captivity ; or had accordingly perswaded the soul to her duty by a naked proposal of its reasonableness without any prudential praescriptions for making her capable of reason . for it is plain that they themselves conceived the soul to be more than locally united to the body by virtue of the nephesh as the jewes ; or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ( in opposition to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ) as the platonists and primitive christians , and it may be st. paul himself ; or the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the chaldee oracles , or the umbra , as virgil , calls it ; which being thought of a middle nature betwixt material and spiritual beings , and participating of the qualities of each , was thought to bind the soul inseparably to the body , and to subject it to a sympathy in corporeal passions . thence that forgetfulness of all its old notions , the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or flagging of her wings wherewith she could formerly freely mount at her pleasure , the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , the unreasonableness of matter , the drunkenness with the cup of lethe represented by cebes , which made their so frequent exhortations to be sober and vigilant , imitated also by the apostle himself so very necessary . and in complyance hereunto it was that they held that the truth it self was undiscoverable and unintelligible by impure persons , and accordingly they were as solicitous in concealing the secrets of their philosophy from the prophane vulgar as the pagan priests were in discovering their idols to uninitiated persons ; and as the revealers of the mysteries of the gods were punished with death , so hipparchus the pythagorean had a monument erected for him by those of his own profession signifying his death in a moral sense for divulging their acroamati●ks . so that , though they held not the body to be any part of the man , yet they held so near a connexion with it as was conceived sufficient to render it uncapable of pure and naked reason ( which would indeed have proved unpracticable to such persons ) and were therefore as well obliged by their principles , as they did observe it in their practice , to accommodate their perswasions to the opportunities and abilities of the persons concerned , which being considered must needs make them practicable . all this might have been shewn and proved at large if it had now been seasonable . nor is this practice proceeding on the principles of the philosophers , repugnant to the formal and fundamentally-virtuous motives from whence onely actions are denominated supernaturally-good in the sense of christianity : such as humility , and a sense of our own weakness , and a perpetual actual dependence on the divine favour , and a pure and primary intention of his glory , and no satisfactory reflections on our own condition here ; but a resolute preparation to endure anxieties of mind , and deprivations of the divine comfortable presence , and the peace of our own conscience , and solicitous apprehensions concerning our eternal welfare , and frequent occasions of disquietude in the rational soul , as well as in those outward goods of the body or of fortune . for it might have been easily shewn how that all these things as far as they are truly subservient to the designs of christianity are admitted and applauded by the philosophers themselves , and that which is indeed disapproved by them is not approved by our christian revelations . that humility , and a sense of our own weakness , and a perpetual dependence on the divine favour , must needs have been owned by the philosophers , appears from what i have said to evince their acknowledgment of the necessity of the divine assistance in all good performances , in my proleg . sect. lv. lvi . lvii . lviii . lix . to which i shall add nothing more at present . and if doing good actions for the glory of god , be first , to do them out of a sense of our duty of obedience to his commands , and a subjection to his providence ( however notified to us , whether by the light of nature and conscience , or by positive revelations , can make no difference , if the light of nature and conscience be owned for the voice of god ) and secondly , to testifie by them our honourable sense of the wisdome and goodness of god in his providences even where they seem to carnal sensual judgments most absurd and rigorous ; and thirdly , not onely to entertain and manifest this honourable opinion in our selves , but also to endeavour by such our actions to propagate the like honourable opinions to others ; and fourthly , to renounce all vain glory of our own , whether as it signifies a complacency in other mens opinions ; or an ascribing to our selves those actions which had been indeed performed by the divine assistance ; if , i say , these things be meant by acting for the glory of god ; then these philosophers , how rarely soever they mention the word , most certainly have owned the thing , concerning which alone learned and candid persons would be solicitous . and it may be they who would make more necessary would find it more difficult to prove than to assert . so also for our unsatisfiedness with our condition here ; if thereby be understood a murmuring and repining at the condition allotted us by providence , however ungrateful it may seem to flesh and blood ; that is so far from being commendable in the repute of christianity as that it is indeed a very great rebellion and perverseneses against the divine dominion . but if by our unsatisfiedness here that alone be meant ( which onely can be meant the former sense being excluded ) an opinion of the unsufficiency of sublunary fruitions for the satisfaction of our more noble and capacious souls ; the way of bringing men to such an opinion seems to be the principal ; if not the adaequate , design of this moral philophy i am now discoursing of . the greatest seeming paradox is how to explain how philosophy does dispose persons for enduring the deprivation of those good things of the mind which have an intrinsick moral goodness , such as anxieties of mind , a senselessness and dulness in the performance of duties , and the other instances already mentioned . and the difficulty here seems the more considerable because the two fundamental principles of these persons in this affair , seem , if not utterly false , yet , very unsecure : first , that god never exercises good men with the loss of any thing that is really good ; and that such are all , and onely , the goods of the mind , which is the onely seat of happiness . for by this means persons are taught not to expect evils of this kind , which must needs both render them more secure and unprovided for their reception , and the unexpectedness of such evils would also aggravate , their vexatiousness . and secondly , that it is in the power of good men to avoyd even all surprisals to any thing indecent that might deservedly procure by way of punishment any intervals of divine displeasure , wherein all their disappointment must tend to their further disquietment . besides that by the former principle , god never inflicting spiritual evils on arbitrary accounts , but in case of demerit ; and this demerit , by the later , never agreeing to a good man ( seeing its very supposition does ipso facto make him cease to be such ) good men will not seem obliged to expect it , and therefore not to be provided for it . but notwithstanding all this , i conceive it certain first , that understanding all these things concerning him whom the philosophers call a wiseman , and we christians a perfect man ( though they , as well as we , did question the actual existence of such a person , as i have already shewn in my aforesaid prolegom . sect. lxii . ) yet i say supposing such a person , all that they say on this subject would be true concerning him ; he would never be obnoxious to disturbances of this kind , as never deserving them , and therefore would need no defensative against them . but then secondly , for those other ordinary persons who do most frequently occur in ordinary practice , i do confess that to apply these principles to them would indeed be subject to the mentioned inconveniencies ; but i must withall profess that i think it never was their design to make such an application ; and therefore they must needs have been far from diverting others from such expectations , or from providing against them . for these weaker persons therefore , it is plain first , that they did acknowledg such not to act rationally , and therefore unlikely to be moved by rational arguments ; so that their discourses on this account could not have been unpracticable as if they had onely shewn them their duty , but not considered their abilities for practicing it . and secondly , that in persons acting so irrationally , passions were not so avoydable , nor their irrigularity easily separable from themselves , nor their demerit from their irregularity , nor consequently that th●se dissatisfactions and punishments necessarily-consequent to such demerit so hardly separable from such passions ( such as are most of those mentioned ) could be easily avoiedd . for first they acknowledged a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 resulting necessarily from the mere mechanical impressions of exterior objects , in the inferior soul ; and secondly , a sympathetical influence of the inferior on the superior soul , upon account of the praeoccupation of sense and sensitive judgments and performances during the minority of reason , which , according to their principles , might by virtue of the former impression , incline the judgment it self to a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 : or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to the first 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , that is , to believe the things really correspondent , to their appearances , to be such as they seem , which must needs infer a parity of resentment in the rational , which had before possessed the sensitive appetite . and thus much they do not deny concerning their wiseman himself , of the second order , such as was conceived existent in this life . but further thirdly , in weaker inferior persons they thought this sympathy so naturally-consequent to those exterior impressions as that it could not be prevented by particular ordinary reflections , but by long exercises , and solemnly-premeditated resolutions . so that to sensualists or weakly religious persons they both allowed reasons to expect such disturbances of mind , and the same latitude of providing against them as could have been advised by any other prudence whatsoever . for though indeed they might say that god would not permit any real evil to befall religious persons , yet they never undertook ( ●ay they warned the contrary ) that no apparent evil should do so too ; or that imperfectly virtuous persons should alwayes value things according to their real worth , and not be seduced sometimes to mistake their appearances for realities ; or that doing so , they , as well as others , would not prove lyable to dissatisfactions of mind , was never intended to be affirmed by them . and it might have been shewn how most of the disturbances now mentioned are imputable to the mistakes of weak understandings , and either are no realities at all , or , at least , not really such as they are conceived to be . thus those anxieties of mind , and dulness and distraction in the performance of spiritual duties , which are usually represented as so discouraging to piously designing persons , are no more originally than a meer revolution of their humours and complexions , and mistakes adequately occasioned by the indisposition of the recipient , not by any malignity of the things themselves . for indeed what reason is there to conclude their condition bad because their complexion is clouded with melancholy , a thing as little in their power , and as obnoxious to vicissitudes , as the vainest of those exterior fruitions so solemnly renounced by all pious persons ? and what else but complexion can be the reason why they are within a while ( without any accession of new guilt ) disquieted with jealousies and scrupulosities concerning that which not long before in a mature process of judging they had pronounced perfectly innocent , and recover periodically , when the cloud is over , without any further rational conviction ? yet this is that which melancholy persons miscall the fruition or desertion of the divine internal visitations . for if it were a real consciousness of demerit that were the reason of such an alteration of judgment concerning their own condition , either the demerits must be supposed frailties and inadvertencies , and those are known unsufficient to put us out of a state of grace ; or they are great and habitual , and such cannot agree to persons supposed pious , who onely , according to the principles of these philosophers themselves , are entitled to solid joy and comfort . and the same untowardness of complexion seems to be the principal , if not the onely , cause of that unquietness of conscience of which such persons do complain , for if the guilt were rationally grounded , they could not be the persons we are supposing them . so also for solicitousness concerning perseverance , it is certain that by the promises of christianity , he that does improves his present grace shall not be left destitute in any future exigences , but shall either have his abilities enlarged , or his temptations proportioned to his present abilities ; which he that believes ( as he must who professes to believe christianity ) can have no reason for solicitousness , and a solicitousness without reason can be imputed to nothing but complexion . so that the most likely means of prevailing on such persons practicable in pursuance of their principles , are ; both to perswade the persons that their present actings are unreasonable and erroneous , and to remove such prejudices as may immediately be removed upon conviction , and to comply with such as cannot till in process of time they may be made more capable of better impressions , and in the mean time prescribing such rules and exercises as may at once make their present condition most tolerable , and put them in a state of most probable proficiency for the future , the onely thing therefore that may be complained of in this moral philosophy is , that it wants those advantageous arguments for comforting persons which are afforded by christianity ; which will be no reason of neglecting , but improving , it by such auxiliary superadditions . and it may be that want of complyance which is complained of , may upon thorough consideration be found to be , not such as may so minister comfort for the present as that it may withal tend to the conviction of his error , but such as might nourish and confirm it , and detain the person perpetually in so imperfect a condition , an inconvenience to which novices in a religious life are too frequently obnoxious . for certainly a state of religion prudently managed would be obnoxious to fewer disturbances of the rationally superior soul than now we find it , if indeed to any at all . and lastly it might have been said , according to sense of the mystical divines as well as the stoicks , that these visitations , which are so eagerly aimed at by beginners in devotion , are meerly indifferent , and no real rational excellencies , neither as making the persons enjoying them better nor more honourable , nor as arguing them more acceptable to god , both because of the difficulty of distinguishing divine consolations from diabolical illusions , and because they dare not say that true consolations themselves are distributed in proportion to their personal excellencies , but many times greater to the weaker , who need them more for their encouragement , and lesser and fewer to more excellent persons ; so that still the doctrine of these philosophers may hold , that good men are not arbitrarily exercised with the loss of any thing truly excellent ; nor are the remedies of these philosophers onely so stupefactive as they are by some conceived , as if they were onely addressed against the pungency , but did not eradicate the malignity of the distemper , the same way as a natural bold complexion , nay sometimes distemper of the brain , does free from the sense of evil at present , which notwithstanding on sober thoughts will prove as afflictive as ever in this life , besides the more severe consequential inconveniences . for it was their profest doctrine that virtue was the onely solid security of happiness , which must needs have obliged them not to accept of any other indolency but what must arise or be conformable thereunto , which no prudent considerate person will deny to be not onely a solid cure of present maladies , but also a secure prevention of future miscarriages . and it is really a mistake of the true sense and design of these excellent persons to think that they made their present satisfaction so adaequately the end of their philosophical performances as that they should make no conscience of committing those vices which were less liable to present molestations , or of acquiring those virtues which were either contrary or not contributive to present happiness , and that solid purity was hardly intended by them , they being more solicitous for sensual than spiritual purity ; for purity in exterior appearance , than in the intention . for it is plain that happiness was by them thought necessarily consequent to virtue , and misery to vice under their very formal notions , which , whatever sensualists might think , could not leave them any ground of such a distinction of any virtues that were at present afflictive , or , vices that might advance any present real satisfaction , which must have obliged them to a prosecution of all virtue , and a detestation of all vice , without any exception . and then the advantages they proposed to themselves being onely grounded on the intrinsick nature of the duties themselves , and not being thought the least promoted by other mens opinions , must needs have made such duties desirable independently on common fame ; besides that they did expresly decry , and teach men to despise , other mens opinions , than which nothing can be thought more effectual for the eradication of all vain glory and hypocrisie and conceitedness , of which uncandid censurers ancient as well as modern have been so forward to condemn them . i will not undertake to justifie their persons in these particulars ; but i think i may very justly except against this way of proceeding to censure their principles from their practices , both because affairs of this nature concerning their secret intentions are impossible to be known by men who cannot discern their hearts , and in such cases common humanity as well as charity obliges to believe the best ; and because there were some of them so wary as that they never appeared guilty of the least affectation as far as humane observation could discover them , nay gave evidences of the contrary ( it had been easie to have produced instances if i had not been afraid of being too tediously digressive ) and if the uttermost for which any shew of proof can be pretended were granted , that they had been vain glorious and been so universally ; yet what is that to discredit the goodness of their principles , ( for the defence of which alone i am concerned ) the best professions of the world being apt in their own case to think themselves hardly and unkindly used , if their principles should be condemned for their unconformable practices ? and i have already shewn that such practices , if they had been , must needs have been unconformable . thus much may suffice at present for vindicating the rational use of these ancient morallists . for as for that pedantick use which some less prudent persons seem mainly to design in reading them , that they may upon occasion produce them as patrons of sentences in themselves , so intrinsecally rational as that they need no patronage , i think it needless to warn considerative persons of its insignificancy , of which the generality of scholars are by this time sufficiently convinced . ix . but then for the discovery of those mystical senses which were designedly thus involved by the poets and philosophers , and withall for unridling their publick idolatries , the ground of these intricacies being that language of the gods mentioned by homer , and instanced in many particulars by clemens alexandrinus strom. iv. the best means , where there be any regular ones possible ; will be to examine what these were both among themselves , and other nations from whom they received them . and these , according to the two wayes whereby the gods were thought to have revealed themselves to men : either by visible representation of things whose natures had some analogy with what they intended , or more directly and familiarly by way of voice ; may seem also to have been twofold . for the former , you may , i believe , get much advantage from that otherwise reputed late and unprofitable as well as superstitions , learning of the graecian oneirocriticks , which as they were evidently thought divine , and the main instance of that sort of revelation among all ancient nations ; so they had incomparably greater advantages for their conveyance to posterity than any other kind of learning . and the graecians being confessedly none of its first authors , but the asiatick telmissij ( whether those of caria or of the city telmissus in lycia ) as a tatianus and b clemens relate , i suppose on greek testimonies , it seems evident that they derived it easterly . and for the lycian telmissus , it being , according to suidas , founded by antenor's posterity , it is impossible that they should be its first inventors , seing that from homer it appears that it was practiced by the graecians themselves before that ; and for the other , most of those asian colonies being acknowledged to have proceeded easternly ( for most , if not all the graecian colonies , that were there , were planted there after the destruction of troy ) may probably give much light for discovering the secrets of the eastern learning , and of those nations especially that were anciently famous for it , the chaldaeans , and the phaenicians , from whom in all probability they derived most of their traditions . and another advantage of this , above all other , sorts of mystical learning is , that , whereas the explication of others was either reserved with the priests themselves , or afterwards communicated to some few initiated persons after very severe and rigorous tryals of their secrecy , as you may see in lucas holstenius's notes upon porphyry de vitâ pythagorae , which it is probable very few would undergo , & might therefore be more obnoxious to corruption or forgetfulness , which i suspect to be the true reason of those corruptions among the graecians themselves , till they were again repaired by the philosophers by a new intelligence with those nations from whom they had originally derived them ; the ordinary practice and profession of this made its explication also not at all subject to those inconveniences . so also you will , i believe , get much assistance from the aegyptian hieroglyphicks ( though that also be thought by many an unprofitable learning ) for understanding the ridiculous * statues of their gods , and their sacrifices , and vivaria of sacred animals , and their mystical caeremonies which afterwards even they themselves that were initiated knew not , and many of the pythagoraean symbols , and the mystical philosophy . for that this was a sacred manner of expressing themselves , besides many others , c origen expresly affirms ; and that circumcision was necessary for initiating them that were desirous to learn it is very probable , upon which account pythagoras may be thought to have endured that rite , according to d clemens alexandrinus ( and probably that opinion of many mentioned by e st. ambrose , making him a natural jew , contrary to the general consent of others who make him a tyrrhenian , or of asia , might hence have had its original , whereas it is evident not onely from the former testimony of origen , but also from f aristophanes and g herodotus , which later place is also quoted by h josephus , nay from the very instance of appion himself , that notorious and bitter enemy to the jewes , who is yet reported by the same josephus to have dyed of it , that circumcision was afterwards derived to many other nations , and particularly to the aegyptians from whom celsus thinks the jewes to have borrowed it apud orig. l. i. ) and he could not legally have retired to his gentile course of life , if he had been circumcised by the jewes , it being onely administred by them to their proselytes of justice whose recidivation was counted as piacular as that of the natural jewes themselves ; which by the way being appropriated in the scriptures to the jewes so as that the uncircumcised and the gentiles are used synonymously , yet being , before the travels of the philosophers , borrowed by other nations , will give a strong suspicion of their conveying their doctrines together with their caeremony of initiation . this observation may indeed confirm the vulgar opinion concerning the phaenicians , both because it hence appears that they did not use circumcision anciently , nay seem to have abhorred it , which made themselves abhorred by the jewes , and therefore their receiving it afterwards seems to argue them better affected to the jewes , from whom upon that account it seems probable that they received it ( besides that their good affection to the jewes appears from the very friendly league of david and solomon with hiram , that i may not mention the marriage of ahab with jezabel the daughter of ithobalus , and that uncircumcision is never , that i remember objected to them in the scripture after the time of saul ) so that together with that it is not improbable that they might receive other things to which they were less averse , especially if any credit may be given to the pretended sancho●●athon . but for the aegyptians and aethiopians , i do not think it so easily proved that they received their circumcision from the jewes . for first , i know no ground of believing it an innovation among them , the scripture it self never upbraids them with uncircumcision . and secondly , the circumcision it self was differently practiced among them from the customes of the jewes . it was not as with the jewes administred the eighth day , nor as with the arabians in imitation of ismael , the thirteenth year , but to persons fully adult ; such as was appion when he dyed of it ; nor to all persons of their nation or superstition , but onely to some eminently qualified persons that were sit to be initiated in their mysteries ; not onely to men , nor indeed to any but such a● i have already mentioned , but also to women , and that rather for a natural cause proper to the women of those countreys , as physicians conceive , than any matter of religion , whatever is pretended at present to the contrary ( for i look on the fable of maqueda their pretended queen of sheba's institution of it related by zaga zabo in damianus a goes as not worthy to be taken notice of ) so that at least in regard of them this argument for their deriving other things from the jewes together with their circumcision will not hold . nor do i think the customes of the modern aethiopick abyssens , though they may indeed argue a judaizing disposition in their first converters to christianity , sufficient to argue any communication of theirs with the jewes in the time of their paganisme , which is the onely thing i am at present discoursing of . for the other way of expressing the mind of their gods to them articulately by voice , as some of them seem to have been seigned purposely for their obscurity ; so i believe you will find very many of them significant in other tongues . and for this purpose i conceive it convenient that you were acquainted with the theory of the ancient magick ; for , besides that the ancient philosophers did by all means aim at the nearest and most familiar conversation with their gods , and that the name was not then , as it was after , counted infamous , and even after it was , they are strongly suspicious of their too good affections to it from the strange stories of apollonius tyaneus , prophyry , and jamblichus , and those 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they s● much speak of ; many of the primitive haereticks , who exactly insisted on their footsteps as their patriarchs , as tertullian calls them , did plainly practice it , as simon , and menander , and marcus , and basilides , and most of their names of their aeones , and some of their sacred rites mentioned in irenaeus , are merely magical . and as the true religion was by degrees perverted into idolatry , so magick in the bad sense seems to have been nothing but a further degeneration of ancient idolatry . onely the notion is creater here than among the graecians , that they being applyed onely to such whom they thought properly gods : the several virtues of him that is supreme , or the influence of the stars , or the president daemons ( not to the inanimated elements of nature ) or canonized heroes ; most of them are exotical ( which is the reason of their strangeness in the greek ) nay in oriental tongues which have an affinity with the ehrew , and may therefore the more probably give light to the idolatry of those nations that are alluded to in the old testament ; that these people were especially inquisitive in all religions , for the names of their most powerful gods , and so sometimes of the true as well as false ; for thus i am apt to suspect those imitations of the tetragrammaton to have been derived to the occidentals ; thus the name jovis among the romanes , which from suidas and ennius and iucius ampelius , and most ancient authors , appears to have been the nominative case , whence they derived their vejoves and dejoves , and , which brings it yet closer to my purpose , as i remember , varro in st. augustine , makes him worshipped by the jewes . so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which you may see instanced and excellently discoursed of by mr. nicholas fuller in miscel . sacr. l. ii . c. . and iv . c. . . which author i shall recommend to your reading on vacant occasions , and the god 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is by i diodorus siculus also said to have given the law to moses . and that these names were divulged by the magicians , besides the words of origen 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ( produced out of a greek m s. by the forementioned k mr. fuller , though now not extant , that i know of , nor by what appears after the diligent search of petrus l daniel huetius the author of the late collection of origen's greek commentaries , nor any thing , as i remember , answering it in the latine translation of russinus , who yet is not famed for rendring the greek exactly , nor does himself pretend to it ) confirming my conjecture ; will be reasonable to believe : whether we consider that there is no plausible author pretended for it , none of the philosophers ; or those wicked uses it was put to in the rites of bacchus and apollo , or that commendation given it by the devil himself in the oracle of apollo clarius , wherein he confesses , m 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sure for some such mischievous purpose . so also the god of abraham isaac and jacob is mentioned by n origen as invoked by magicians , nay and the name of jesus himself , not onely in him , o but also by the sons of sceva in the acts. p to which i might add that security of conveyance in them , their superstition forbidding them the liberty even of a translation , which was a great reason of their strangeness among the graecians , and yet is professedly maintained as reasonable by q jamblichus , as great an enemy as he seems to magick , and it seems to have been the opinion of the stoicks defended by origen . l. i. p. . and for this you may see the necessity of the oriental tongues , which if you cannot spare time for your self , i would advise you to be acquainted with some that is excellent in them , whom you may consult upon occasion . but that which i believe would be most serviceable for this design among the greek idolatries , is the coptite or ancient aegyptiack , from whom , as i said formerly , they borrowed very many of them , wherein though both the likeness of the character , and the signification of many of their words , may be easily discernible ; yet both in some , the idiomes of the tongues will make the difference more apparent , and where they do not , it would at least concern you to know their convenience , for the historical enquiry , whether among the others there was any thing proportionable ? and possibly you will find some assistance this way for the understanding those hard mystical words used by the romans , mentioned by r arnobius , though seeing tages , and the hetrurians the reputed indigenae , were thought to be the inventors of most of those sacred rites wherein they were used , i conceive the right knowledge best deducible from the ancient hetrurian tongue before it was corrupted by those numerous greek colonyes that overspread afterwards a great part of italy . and for this your best conjectures will be drawn from those obsolete old latine words in ennius , plautus , festus , varro &c. and other later antiquaries and grammarians . and in this whole way of deriving unknown words to their primitive originals , you must allow many variations , either for want of answerable letters , or the ignorance of later transcribers , wherein , that you may not be irregular , it would concern you to be critically acquainted in both tongues , the borrower , and the borrowed , that by comparison of both you may conjecture what alterations were likely to happen . but besides this use of oneirocriticks and hieroglyphicks and the other pagan mystical arts of concealment for understanding the hidden senses of their poets and philosophers , and their publick idolatries ; i have observed another use made of them by some very learned persons , for explaining the prophetick books of scripture , which because it may seem something strange at the first sight and is not cleared particularly 〈◊〉 those ingenious authors that use it , and may withall be very apposite for the use of a scholastical divine ; it may be seasonable on this occasion to give some account of it ▪ first , therefore i suppose that god did intend that these prophesies which were committed to writing , and enrolled in the publick canon of the church , should be understood by the persons concerned in them . for otherwise it could not properly be called a revelation , if after the discovery things still remained as intricate as formerly , and it is not credible that god should publish revelations onely to exercise and puzzle the industry of humane enquiries , or as an evidence of his own knowledge of things exceeding ours ( though indeed that it self cannot be known by us unless we be able to discern some sense which otherwise could not have been known than by such prophesies ) or to give occasion to enthusiasts and cunningly designing persons to practice seditions and innovations under the pretence of fulfilling prophesies , without any possibility of rational confutation by the orthodox , who , upon this supposal must be presumed as ignorant of them as themselves ; and there is no prudent way of avoyding this uselesness and dangerousness but by rendring them intelligible to the persons concerned . and secondly , the persons concerned in these kinds of revelations , cannot be the prophets themselves or any other private persons of the ages wherein they were delivered , but the church in generall also in future ages . for as prophesie in general is a gratia gratis data , and therefore as all others of that kind given primarily and originally for the publick use of the church , so certainly such of them as were committed to writing , and designedly propagated to future ages , must needs have been of a general and permanent concernment . and thirdly , the church concerned in those prophesies , cannot onely be those ages which were to survive their accomplishment , but also those before ; and therefore it cannot be sufficient to pretend , as many do , that these prophesies shall then be understood when they are fulfilled , but it will be further requisite to assert that they may be so before . for the onely momentous reason , that must be conceived concerning these , as well as other , revelations , must be some duty which could not otherwise have been known , which must have been something antecedent , for all consequent duties of patience and resignation are common to them with other providences , and therefore may be known in an ordinary way . now for antecedent duties , such as seem to be intimated in the prophesies themselves where any are mentioned , nothing can suffice but an antecedent information . besides to what end can this post-nate knowledge serve ? for satisfying christians of the divine prescience upon the accomplishment of his predictions ? this is needless ; for they already profess themselves to believe it . is it therefore for the conviction of infidels ? but neither can this be presumed on a rational account . for how can it be known that a prediction was fulfilled when it is not known what was predicted ? or how can it be known what was predicted when the prediction is so expressed as to be capable of many senses , and no means are acknowledged possible for distinguishing the aequivocation ? nay will not such a design of ambiguity seem to such a person suspicious of that stratagem of the delphick oracles , to preserve the reputation of a prophetick spirit by a provision beforehand for avoyding the danger of discovery ? for indeed this kind of prophesie will be so weak an argument for proving divine inspiration , as that indeed it may agree to any natural man of ordinary prudence . for in publick affairs ( the subject of these prophesies ) which proceed more regularly and are less obnoxious to an interposition of private liberty , the multitude who are the causes of such evolutions generally following the complexion of their bodies , and therefore being as easily determined , and therefore , predicted from natural causes as such their complexions ; it will not be hard , at least , very probably , to conjecture future contingencies from present appearances of their natural causes . and then by foretelling them in ambiguous expressions he may provide that if any of those senses , of which his words are capable , come to pass , that may be taken for the sense intended , so that a mistaking in all but one would not be likely to prejudice his credit . and at length if all should fail , yet a refuge would be reserved for the superstitious reverencers of his authority , that themselves had rather failed of understanding his true sense than that had failed of truth ; especially if among a multitude of attempts , but one hit in one sense ( as it is hard even in a lottery that any should alwayes miss , much more in matters capable of prudential conjectures ) that one instance of success would upon those accounts more confirm his credit than a multitude of faileurs would disparage it ; because in point of success they would be confident of their understanding him rightly , but in miscarriages they would lay the blame , not on the prediction , but their own misunderstandings . now seeing this way is so very easily pretended to by cheats beyond any probable danger of discovery , it cannot to persons not already favourably affected ( who onely need conviction ) prove any argument of a divine inspiration ; and therefore will , even upon this account , be perfectly useless . supposing therefore that it is necessary that these predictions be understood before , as well as after , that they are fulfilled ; it will follow fourthly , that where they were not explained by the prophets themselves , there they were intelligible by the use of ordinary means , such as might , by the persons to whom the revelations were made , be judged ordinary . for that they should be explained by new prophets to be sent on the particular occasion , there is no ground to believe ; and if these prophesies were so expressed as that they needed a new revelation for explaining them , they must have been useless , and indeed could not have deserved the name of revelations , they still transcending the use of humane means as much as formerly . for if they had been revealed formerly what need had there been of a new discovery ? and if this need be supposed it must plainly argue that the former pretended revelation was not sufficient for the information of mankind in the use of ordinary means , and that which is not so , cannot answer the intrinsick ends of a revelation . this therefore being supposed that old revelations are thus intelligible without new ones , it must needs follow that their explication must be derived from the use of ordinary means . and then for determining further what these ordinary means are that might have been judged such by those to whom these revelations were made , i consider fifthly , that this whole indulgence of god in granting the spirit of prophesie was plainly accommodated to the heathen practice of divination . this might have been exemplyfied in several particulars . thus first , the very practice of revealing future contingencies , especially of ordinary consultations concerning the affairs of private and particular persons , cannot be supposed grounded on reason , ( otherwise it would have been of eternal use , even now under the gospel ) but a condescension to the customes and expectations of the persons to whom they were communicated ; and secondly , that an order and succession of prophets was established in analogy to the heathen diviners is by a very ingenious person s proved from that famous passage of deut. xviii . . . to which purpose he also produces the concurrent testimony of origen cont. cels . l. i. and thirdly , that the sense of the platonists and other heathens , concerning divine inspiration , its nature and parts and different degrees , and distinction from enthusiasm does very much agree with the notions of the rabbins concerning it , will appear to any that considers the testimonies of both produced by mr. smith in his excellent discourse on this subject . hence it will follow sixthly , that as this divination of which they were so eager , was originally heathenish , so they were most inclinable to make use of those means of understanding it to which they had been inured from the same principles of heathenism , especially where god had not otherwise either expresly provided for it , or expresly prohibited the means formerly used , and those means , others failing , were most likely by them to be judged ordinary . and that oneirocriticks were the proper means among the heathens for explaining their divinatio per somnium answering the jewish degree of prophesie by dreams ; and indeed the principal art of the harioli and conjectures concerning visions as far as they held analogy with those representations which were made to other less prepared persons in their sleep , will not need any proof . it might have been shewn how the principal rules of the jewish cabbala 〈◊〉 among the heathen was a curious mystical kind of learning contrived for maintaining a conversation with their gods ● wherein they were im●●ated by the gnosticks , so they were derived from the heathen occult philosophy . and certainly it is most likely to have been some kind of expressing and explaining prophesies , and some kinds of learning subservient thereunto , which was so solemnly studied by the jewish candidates for prophesie in their schools and colledges , and which made it so strange that persons wanting that preparation , such as saul and amos , should be by god honoured with it ; besides that we find the punctual fulfilling of several predictions of the chaldaeans by virtue of their oneirocriticks ( those most eminent transactions of the conquests of cyrus and the death of alexander the great were thus foretold ) plainly implying that god himself as he designed those dreams to be divinatory , so he observed the oneirocritical rules in their signification ; for it is not probable that revolutions managed by such special designs and signal interpositions of divine providence could have been foreknown or signified by the devil , he being frequently put to his solemn shifts of aequivocation for concealment of his ignorance in affairs of greater moral probability , and consequently of easier prediction . and it cannot seem more strange that god should observe the rules of oneirocriticks and hieroglyphicks in his responses when made use of with a pious design by his own people , than that he should answer the heathens themselves in their own practice . thus he observed the sign proposed by the philistines for discerning the true reason of their sufferings sam. vi . . . and met balaam in the use of his enchantments numb . xxiii . . . and revealed our saviours nativity to the magi by the means of a star. and particularly for oneirocriticks , their suitableness to this purpose will not be scrupled by them who admit the testimony of trogus pompeius t who ascribes the first invention thereof to the patriarch joseph , which will be very congruous to that prevailing opinion among the fathers and many late excellent authors , that all arts were derived originally from the jewes . besides daniel who was so famous for expounding dreams , though he was thought by the heathens to do some things by the inspiration of the holy gods dan. v. . yet had chaldaean education , chap. i. . and was a great proficient in it v. . and was accordingly included in the decree for killing the chaldaeans dan. ii . . and was therefore after his miraculous interpretation of nebuchadnezars dream , promoted to be master of the magicians , astrologers , soothsayers and chaldaeans . dan. v. . and therefore certainly was thought in things not exceeding the power of the art to have proceeded according to its prescriptions ; that is , in the interpretation , though not in the discovery of the dream it self . and they as well as the jewes being concerned in the event of his prediction must also have been so in the understanding of them . so also moses being expresly affirmed skilful in all the learning of the aegyptians , must therefore be presumed skilful not onely in their hieroglyphicks , for which they are so commonly famed , but also in oneirocriticks to which they were also addicted as appears gen. xli . . and methinks that challenge made in the revelation u concerning the name of the beast , that here is wisedom , and that he that hath understanding should exercise himself in counting the number thereof , ( as it seems plainly to allude to the cabalistical way of finding out names by numbers , whereof we have among the heathens a precedent in x martianus capella who thus sits the names of mercury and philology to shew the congruity of their marriage besides very many more in the gnosticks in st. irenaeus , so ) seemes to imply that it was , though hardly , in the exercise of this art , discoverable even by humane wisedome . certainly st. irenaeus understood him so when he attempted to unriddle him by finding out names , whose numeral letters , in the greek tongue wherein the challenge had been made , might amount to such a number . i do not , by all that has been said , intend that all prophesies are explicable by any rules of art or suitable conjectures . i know many of the heathen oracles themselves were not . the oracles expounded by themistocles , curtius , nebrus &c , did not depend on art but luck ▪ my meaning is onely concerning the prophetick visions , and onely those of them which are left unexpounded by god himself ; for that these are to be presumed sufficiently intelligible in the use of ordinary means , may thence be conjectured , that seeing that , according to the jewes , this is made the characteristick distinction betwixt true prophesie and enthusiasme , that though both of them ( the gradus mosaicus of prophesie onely being excepted , which is extraordinary ) do imply a mixed influence of the intellectual and imaginative facultives , yet that in enthusiasme the imaginative were predominant , but in prophesie the intellectual ; whence also they further inferred that though enthusiasts might have prophetick instincts as little understood by themselves as others , yet true prophets perfectly understood their own condition , and made prudential reflections , and were inquisitive after the sense , and were therefore importunate with god for a further revelation of what they understood not , and therefore what they did not enquire after , nor consequently was not upon such their solicitations revealed to them , was in all probability to be supposed already rightly understood by them without revelation , and therefore in the use of ordinary means . indeed it might so fall out that what was in the use of ordinary means intelligible might yet actually not be understood , and god might for that time be pleased that it should not be so , especially where no duty antecedent might be prejudiced by such a concealment ; yet is not so late an understanding of such prophesies grounded on their obscurity , but that of the event , which when come to pass will be found , without any new revelation , exactly correspondent . besides all this for the discovery of tradition i think it would very much conduce to be conversant with the heathen oracles , especially the * chaldaean and magical ; for from them you will most probably understand their sense , and from them the ancients , plato and pythagoras , seem to have borrowed their opinions , and porphyry professedly did gather from them a body of philosophy in his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 mentioned by st. augustine and o - and for your more clear and satisfactory proceeding in these enquiries , it would , it may be , be very available to know the common opinions that generally prevailed in the world upon the decaying of idolatry , when the mysteries began to be divulged , and the philosophers themselves to speak more plainly , and by the former prescriptions to examine how far they were intended by the ancients , and from history , and the manner of their expressing it , from what nation it is probable they derived them , and what means those nations had either for preserving them from the beginning , or after of learning them from the jewes , and alwayes presume that nearer the original you shall find them more pure from after invected superadditions . this method many may think something strange , and i do confess i dare not warrant it all upon my own experience , and therefore i have not at all been decretory , and have withall insinuated my reasons , and i believe no candid scholars will censure them without a tryal , and if upon examination they be found unsatisfactory , i here profess my self very willing to be corrected by those that are more experienced and judicious ; and you shall find the main design of them to be the same with that of the learned fathers for the first centuries , onely with some additional directions for their further improvement . but i proceed . x. the third particular then concerned the necessary books , and general directions for their management , in pursuance of these studies . and here first concerning that part of divinity which is purely rational , i do not conceive it necessary for you to trouble your self with variety of authors , but with those onely that are commended for their ingenious managing it , or who proceed on different principles ; and for the greatest part of it you shall find it intermingled with school-divinity , and therefore will not need any different prescriptions . for school divinity therefore , according to the principles already laid down , for the testimonial part on which it is grounded ( and the same you may also understand of the canon law : for burchardus , ivo , and gratian , are guilty too of relying on inconsiderable , and counterfeit , and corrupted authorities , for the which in gratian you may read the emendations of the excellent antonius augustinus ) i advised you after the text of lombard , to read the fathers and councils , for the use i told you formerly , but principally for the historical discovery of new testament . tradition , especially the earliest of them ; those that are counterfeit as well as what are genuine , if they be truly ancient . and your best order in reading them will be to begin with the apologeticks against the heathens ; for these will advance your humanity studies , and will shew you their design in divinity ; and will be best intelligible by you as least depending on ecclesiastical learning , and are most accurately penn'd as being designed against the graecian wisedom , and the saecular philosophy . and the names of those pieces of this kind , according to their succession as near as i can ghess ( for it were convenient that you read them continually and in order , both for your own memory ( for the later usually transcribe the former ) and for your better comparison of their conveniences and differences together ; and possibly you may not know them ) are these : st. justine martyr , his paraenetick , apologies i. and ii. de monarchiâ confutation of aristotle , if his . athenagoras , his legatio pro christianis , de resurrectione mortuorum , an excellent rational piece . tatianus , his oratio ad graecos . theophilus antiochenus , ad autolyc . lib ▪ iii. clemens alexandrinus , his protreptick , the greatest part of his stromat●● , wherein his main design seems to be to prove the principal tenets of christianity by the testimonies of poets and philosophers , though mingled with many excursions against the gnosticks who seem to be the greatest enemies of the old philosophy . this author i would have you read attentively , both because his stile is intricate , and he is full of quotations , which will otherwise be hardly remembred , & he is one of the most learned that managed that cause . tertullian , his apologetick , ad nationes lib. ii. ad scapulam , de idololatriâ , de spectaculis . minucius faelix , his octavius . st. cyprian , his de vanitate idolorum , put of which is out of minucius faelix , transcribed verbatim ; ad demetrianum ; ad senatorem conversum , either his or tertullian ' sin verse de vit . laps . carm. origen , his cont. celsum . lib. viii . arnobius , his cont. gent. lib. vii . lactantius , his divin . institut . l. vii . besides that most of his other works tend that way . eusebius caesariensis , his excellent collections de praeparatione evangelicâ , l.xv. to be read with all diligence . contra hieroclem . athanasius m. his contr. gent : julius firmicu● maternus his de erroribus profanarum religionum . st. gregory nazian l. his steliteutic . in julian . st. ambrose , cont. symmach . aur. prudentius , his contra symmachum , and several passages in his peristephan●n occur to this purpose . st. chrysostom , his oratio adv : ●●nt . st. augustine his de civitate dei l. xxii . an excellent work . st. cyrill of alexandria cont. julian . l. x. theodoret. therapeutic . a fair edition of the apologists has been promised from leiden , but they have not , that i know of , performed it in any more than minucius faelix and arnobius , & lactantius with notes . these are all that i can at present remember , together with those two jewes , josephus cont . appion . and several pieces of philo. the writers also of the saecular history of the romanes from the time of our saviour , which may contribute much to the understanding them are suetonius , tacitus , and the writers of historia augusta usually bound together , herodian , xiphiline , dio cassius , and afterwards ammianus marcellinus , and zosimus . for understanding their ecclesiastical writings , and their full design , and how far what they say is to be taken for the sense of the church , it will concern you to know the condition of the writers : both how they were qualified for knowing it , and how affected for following it ? what violence they used in their stile , and therefore what regular abatements were to be allowed ? and really , i think , you shall find no doctrines firmly relyed on by them as the sense of the church catholick but such as were opposed by some of the then extant haereticks , as you may see in the account given of it , by origen in his praeface to his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and in pamphilus his apology for him , by y st. irenaeus , z tertullian & alexander alexandrinus in his encyclical epistle against arius , before its augmentation on occasion of that haeresie , by st. cyril of hierusalem also and st. epiphaniue , and ruffinus . for this end therefore it will be requisite to read first those ecclesiastical historians that are ancient : eusebius with the additions of ruffinus , socrates , sozomen , theodoret , evagrius , and the collections of theodorus lector , as you shal , find them together bound in one graeco-latine folio , or in the translations of cassiodorus and epiphanius scholaris in the tripartite history ; but especially take notice of eusebius , both because the rest do not meddle with what he handles , but onely begin where he leaves of ; and because you shall find i● him fragments of many ancient and excellent fathers whose works are otherwise lost ; and because the ages described by him are the most considerable in this affair . and then nicephorus callistus , who though himself otherwise late , and mingled with many counterfeits , and so of no considerable authority alone , yet very likely had truer copies of the authors followed by him that are extant , and the assistance of some that are not . then for understanding the arian controversies , which were the principal that employed the fourth century , you may read gelasius cyzicenus , and philostorgius the arian epitomized by photius , more largely than in his bibliotheca , and published by gothofredus . these are the principal historians for the first four centuries and upwards within the time of the first general councils , into which i would have you principally to enquire , this being the uttermost period that is owned by the dissenting communions of christendom as the most aequal arbitiator of their controversies . but the sullest account of this as also of what authors deliver concerning it , and a discussion of the historical controversies , and most of what can be desired in this kind you will find in the learned cardinal baronius . but for his mistakes , either through oversight or prejudice ( for he is extremely addicted to the driving on the papal cause ) besides what casaubon and bishop mountague , and others of both parties have performed , you may read that useful and elaborate piece of the protestant magdebur genses , though written before him , and examine both their quotations , and determine impartially as you shall judge reasonable . next , for understanding the haeresies , besides what you must be presumed to have met with in the historians , they that handle them professedly are : st. irenaeus , in his first book . tertullian , contra valentinianos , & in the appendix to his praescriptions , if it be his . epiphanius . philastrius . s● . augustine . theodoret. leontius byzantinus in his schola . theodorus presbyter de incarnatione , and others . after this the workes of the fathers themselves that are genuine , and those that are not according to theire true antiquity ; which that you may know and distinguish ( besides those ancients : st. hierom , who transcribes most that he has from eusebius , only translating him , and gennadius &c. ) i shall referr you to erasmus and others in the editions themselves , to possevine's apparatus , bellarmine de scriptor . eccles . cocus , rivet's critica sacra , and gerhard , which it were well that you had by you to consult upon occasion as you are reading them . and what i have here advised you for the four first , after you have observed them , you will your self be able to improve farther in the later centuryes , my design at present is only an introduction . for the councills ( which i would advise you to read before their contemporary or later . fathers , both because their authority is greater , and will be necessary to understand the allusions of particular fathers to them in opposing the haereticks condemned by them , and what fathers are most to be relyed on in what controversies ; for that is not to be determined by their greater personal learning , but rather by their approbation in the church as her chiefest campions . such were st. athanasius against the arians , st. cyril against the nestorians , st. augustine against the pelagians &c. ) you may make use of the same praescriptions proportionably applyed , for knowing which are counterfeit , and which are genuine ; which oecumenical , and which onely provincial : which are very fundamental enquiries to what must be grounded on them ; for which you will find an account , for the papists , in binius's tomes who usually borrowes what he has from baronius and bellarmine ; and for the protestants , from the aforesaid centurists , who through every age bestow a chapter on that purpose . the greater fathers you will find by their names , but for those that are less voluminous , you must have recourse to the bibliothecae : both graeco-latine and latine , especially in the last editions , though you may find some in the first that were afterwards expunged out of the later by the popish party . for the schoolmen , i should rather counsel you to read the prime authors than the abettors of parties , unless it be , when you have satisfied your self of their sense , for the closer prosecution of their arguments ; for they are indeed very much improved by their ingenious commentators . for aquinas , you need hardly read any thing but his sums , which you will find to contain the sum of his works ( which mount to that voluminousness they have , very much by repetitions ) as well as of divinity , and that with this advantage , that these were his last and most praemeditate thoughts , seeing he dyed before he compleated them . these you may read with cajetane . then scotus on the sentences together with lychetus ; and for the nominalists occham and ariminensis , if you can get them ; if not , biel , who is more easily procurable . if you would read any more of the ancient schoolmen , let them be such as are not addicted to factions , or those that are moderate ; such are bonaventure , durand , gerson , almain , aliaco and cameracensis . for critical learning you are to take notice of the unusual or ambiguous phrases of authors , and mark them on the margents of the books themselves , if they be your own , and when you shall meet with any thing parallell , compare them together , and , if they be rarely observed , note them in mss. prepared for that purpose . for the antiquities of the old testament , and the jewish customes in the new , you may read the talmud , the chaldee paraphrasts , the old rabbins , with josephus and philo. for the new testament sects , the pharisees , sadduces and essenes , besides what you will meet in the authors already prescribed and epiphanius , who had himself been formerly a jew , you may read the trihaereses of scaliger , serarius , and drusius ; and others upon baronius's apparatus . but the praxis of all matters of this nature is sufficiently contained in those late editions of the polyglotta and criticks , that i need not trouble my self to give you an inventory of any more authors , than what you will find quoted upon several occasions . the knowledge of the old aegyptian divinity and tongue you may have from herodotus , plutarch de isid . & ostride , and aristotle , the prodromus , oedipus and thesaurus of athanasius kircher ; the phaenician from sanchoniathon in eusebius de praep. evang. from those fragments of pherecydes syrius in ancient authors ; for he is said to have borrowed them hence by suidas , though possibly with alterations of his own , and the works of porphyry who was their countryman ; the chaldaean from their magick oracles bound up with a collection of all the rest of what nature soever , with the greek scholia of psellus and pletho by opsopaeus , and jamblichus de myster . aegyptior . & chaldaeor . for the lives and histories of the ancient poets you may satisfie your self from gerardus johannes vossius de poetis and gregorius giraldus in his dialogues , concerning the same subject . the lives and opinions of the ancient philosophers you may read in diogenes laërtius , plutarch de placitis , the greek lexicographers , and very many other ancient authors , particularly in what is remaining of porphyry's work on that subject , his v●●a pythagorae and of plotinus , and very much of that eastern , both babylonian and indian learning in the expeditions of apollonius tyaneus written by philostratus , and the late mr. stanley ; especially for their opinions you may consult the excellent collection of stobaeus . and though all the three sects of philosophers , both jonick , italick and eleatick , seem originally to have been derived from the barbarians , ( as you may see learnedly discoursed by clemens z alexandrinus ) and so would be beneficial to your design ; yet i think there are hardly any professed works remaining of any of them but the pythagoraeans and the platonists . for the former you may read the golden verses with hierocles , and his symbols with giraldus on them , usually both bound together with hierocles's works , together with the late collection of pythagoraean authors and fragments at cambridg , mdclxx . for the later , you may have plato's works and doctrine cleared by marsilius ficinus , and others that have endeavoured to reconcile him to aristotle . the mystical senses of the poets ( besides what you shall meet with commonly in the ancients ) you have explained by n●talis comes , vossius de idololatriâ , and giraldus de dijs gentium , and among the ancients , by phurnutus and palaephatus professedly . their oracles i have already mentioned . for their oneirocriticks , there are artemidorus and achmedes alone , and astrampsychus at the end of the forementioned edition of the oracles . for their historians and geographers , i refer you to bodinus his methodus historiae , at the end whereof he has a catalogue of them , and an account of the times which they lived in , but above all to their late princes : scaliger and petavius for the one , and ortelius and bochartus for the other . and this may serve for your initiation in these studies , which is , at present , my uttermost design . xi . but the way for avoyding confusion and distraction in such a variety of them , which will belong to the fourth particular of my propounded method , will be to shew which of them are not necessary to be studied at the same time , but in order ; and for them which are so , what times distinctly are most seasonable . for the former , you may , from what has been said , perceive what studies are requisite for others , and therefore necessary to be first prosecuted ; and besides what are more necessary for your present uses , and what may as yet be more conveniently omitted : onely it were well you would endeavour to overcome the rudiments of whatever you design as soon as you can , though they be not of present use , for you will find them more tiresome when you are older . of these therefore it will be unnecessary to speak any more . that therefore , in those that are at present to be followed , you may avoyd distraction , and yet loose as little time as is possible : you may distinguish them into such as are more easily apprehended , and entertained with more present and sensible pleasure , and so leave a more tenacious impression on the memory ; and these you may apply your self to immediately after your recreations , and afer a little reflection , you may proceed to those that are more serious , and require a greater recollection : for such i esteem history and geography ; for which i would have you begin with the ancients in their own tongues , with the annotations of noted criticks , who both may put you in mind , and satisfie you in difficulties which you had not otherwise expected , and refer you to parallel places in other authors , where you may find that which probably you may sometimes be desirous of , some things discussed more largely which in your present author are more briefly intimated , which it will be very beneficial to read immediately whilest the other things are more fresh in your memory ; and when you are so far skilled in them , you should have your paper books by you , to note , and compare , and exercise your own conjectures concerning what is singular , and worthy of especial observation ; or such as will more exercise your judgment , and require a mind more composed and serious , and therefore afford less pleasure in reading , and upon that account will require more meditation : for such i intend school-divinity , for which i think it were well you allotted your morning-studies wholly , allowing onely some time before dinner for meditation ; wherein also i would have you not onely exercise your memory in reflecting on what was produced by your author , but also your judgment , in examining what means may be used for the determination of the whole controversie . and the same way you may take at night which is another convenient time , in preparing materials for your morning thesis according to the praescriptions already mentioned . the rest of the afternoon you may design for the apologies , and your other humane studies . and i think it very commendable if you would employ the praxis of your grammatical studies for the understanding of the scriptures , and therefore that you would with them , together with your devotions , begin and conclude your morning and evening studies , but so as that you may afterwards draw from them some moral and practical observations that may be of use for the ordering or examination of your behaviour for the whole day . and the same advantage you may get by reading the lessons at publick prayers in your greek or hebrew bible , and noting in the margent with black-lead the unusual idioms , or obscure passage you may meet with , that so , if afterwards you remember , or find , any thing that may contribute to their explication in your other studies , you may know whither to refer them . and thus , i think , i have gone through all the particulars of your present proposal : both how to order your studies to divinity , what were most conducing to that end , and what first to be taken in hand , as briefly , as was possible , conveniently , though , i confess , very much more largely than i had originally intended , and i must ingenuously acknowledge that , as i have already professed my self willing , so i am my self suspicious that it will be necessary , that i be corrected in some instances , wherein i cannot pretend to any considerable experience . i believe you may your self easily guess what they are , for i cannot now stay to enumerate them particularly ; and as i should be willing my self , so i shall advise you to consult men whom you know to be skilled in each of them severally ( if you have any conveniency ) before you practice them . but if in any of the rest , wherein i am able , or in any of your particular studies , you shall meet with any important difficulties , i hope you will use the ingenuity of a scholar in freely communicating them to your very affectionate friend and servant , h. d. notes, typically marginal, from the original text notes for div a -e a s. pet. v. . b rev. ● . v. . xx . . c s. pet. ii . . d rec●gn . i. iii. & vi. e pras. & catech iii. notes for div a -e * bishop taylor . * do you trust that you are inwardly moved by the holy ghost , to t●ke upon you this office and ministration , to serve god for the promoting of his glory , and the edifying of his people ? answ. i trust so . ordering or deacons . a s. joh ▪ x. ● . . b s. joh. xvi . . ● . joh. xi . ● ▪ c phil. ●● ▪ . d acts ix . , . e acts v. . f s. matth. v. . . g jer. xxiii . . ezek. xxxiv . , , , , . h s. joh. x. . phil. ii . . i phil. i. , , . k s● matth. xx . . l isa . xlviii . . l. . m acts xvi . . n s. john x. , . o s. luke ix . . p acts xiii . . q s. john . r that this is the sense of the church concerning this creed , appears , in that this is required of all persons to be baptized , in the office of baptism ; of all persons dying , in the office of visitation of the sick ; of all persons thought fit to be confirmed or communicated , in the church-catechism . s joh. xx . . t luk. i. . u tim. iii. . x tim. iii. . . y also that every parson , vlcar , curate , chautery , priest , and stipendary , being under the degree of a batchelor of divinity , shall provide and have of his own , within three months after this visitation , the new testament both in latin and english , with the paraphrase upon the same of erasmus , and diligently study the same , conferring the one with the other . and the bishops and other ordinaries by themselves or their officers in their synods and visitations , shall examine the said ecclesiastical persons how they have prostred in the study of holy scripture . injunct by k. edward vi. anno . 〈◊〉 . . of dr. sp●r●ow p. . also that every parson , vicar , curate , and 〈◊〉 priest , being under the degree of a master of art , shall provide and have of his own within three months after this visitation , the new 〈◊〉 both in latin and english with parap●ra●es upon the same , conserring the one with the other . and the bishops and other ordinaries by 〈…〉 or their officers , in their synods and 〈◊〉 , shall examine the said ecclesiastical persons how they have prfited in the study of holy scripture . injunct by q. elizabeth , anno , . p. . . . i shall read daily at the least one chapter of the old testament , and another of the new , with good 〈◊〉 , to the increase of my knowledge . pro●●●●● to be made , promised and subscribed by persons to be admitted to any office , room or cure , or other place ecclesiastical , among the articles of q. elizabeth , anno , . p. . z in the 〈…〉 thire orders a imprimis verò videbunt , ne quid unquam doceant pro concione , quod a populo religiose teneri & credi velint , nisi quod con●entaneum sit doctrinae veteris aut novi testamenti , quodque ex il●â psà doctrinâ catholi●i ●atres & v●teres episcopi 〈◊〉 lib. quo●und canon . an ● . ed. ii. d. sparrow p. . b tertul . ad scapul . c dr. hammond on i. tim. . . d lamprid . in alexan. severo & ibid. casaub . s. cyprian . ep. . e so s. cyprian . pont. in vit . cyprian . f so aurelius s. cyprian . ep. . celerinus id. ep. . numidicus ep. . g vid. pamel . in ep. . s. cyprian . & b. rhena . & ali●s ad tertul a● martyr . h can. of the church of ireland xl . i tit. i. k tit. ii . . l tit. i. . m 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . trad●e . sub nomine s. matthiae apostole apud clem. alex. strom. vii . p. . edit . lugd. bat. . s. luke . xvi . . n jer. i. . vi . . xv . . o v . p v. . q jer. vi . viii . . r act. vii . . s act. ii . iii. . . . iv . . xiii . . . t act. iv . xlii . vid nam . xix . u tim iv . . tit. ii . . x ●s . justin . martyr against crescens a cyni●k . philosopher , and the romanes apol. and tertullian ad scap. & apol. s. cyprian ad demetrian , &c. y mat. iv . . mark. i. . cor. xii . . z port. moss . edit . oxoniens . p. . . . &c. a apud pl●ton . in phaed. b pl. lviii . . c s. mat. x. . d cor. xii . . e heb. ii . . . f mat. vii . . mark. i. luk. iv . . g cor. ii . . h num. x●ii . xiv . i s. pet iii. . k tit. ii . . i. pet. ii . . l s. ma. v. . mark. ix . . luk. xiv . . m mat. v. . n phil. ii . . o mat. v. . mark iv . . luk. viii . . xi . . p mat. v. . q 〈…〉 . r rom. xii . . cor. viii . . s augustin . lib. vi . confess . c. . t acacius berae●rs soz●m . eccl. hist . lib. vii . c . ni●eth . cal. lib. xii . c. . u s. ma. vi . . . x ib. v. . y cor. ●● . ● . z 〈…〉 . . mar. vii . . luk. ix . . a exod. xiv . . b prov. xx . . c joh. xvi . . d 〈◊〉 joh. ii . . . e act. xii . . f this was required from all ecclesiastical persons : item , that every holy-day throughout the year , when they have no sermon , they shall immediately after the gospel , openly and plainly recite to their parishioners in the pulpit , the pater noster , the credo , and the ten commandments in english , to the intent that the people may learn the same by heart , exhorting all parents and housholders to teach their children and servants the same as they are bound by the law of god , and in conscience to do . injunct ▪ by k. edward vi . in the collect. aforesaid p. . injunct . by q. elizabeth a. . p. ib. item , whether they have charged fathers and mothers , masters and governours of youth , to bring them 〈◊〉 in some virtuous study or ▪ occupation . arti●l . of visitation by archb , cranin , under eow . vi . p. . g this was enjoyned on all teachers of children : . item , that they shall accustome their scholars reverently to learn such sentences of scripture as shall be most expedient to induce them to all godliness , injunct . by q. eliz . p. . h . item , that all teachers of children shall stir & mobe them to a love and due reverence of gods true religion , now truly set forth by publick authority . injunct . by queen elizabeth . p. . et quoties habebitur sacra concio , e●s vel emittent , vel deducent a● templum , ut statim a teneris incipiant erudiri ad pietatem &c. lib. quoru●d . canon . an. . p. . & can. lxxix . an. . i church of england visit . of the sick can. cxiii . an. . k ibid. & can. xix . lxiv. l can. xix . so also the injunct of k. edward vi . p. , the articl . of v●sit . by arch● , cr●●mer p. . injunct . by q. eliz an. n ●● . p. articl . of visitat . an. . p. . notes for div a -e cent. i. mid . and end . cent. mid . and end . cent. . beg . cent. beg . cent. . beg . cent. . beg . cent. . end . . beg . mid . cent. . aft . mid . cent , ● mid . 〈…〉 cent. mid . cent. . aft . mid . cent. . aft mid . cent. . aft . mid . cent. ● . near the end . cent. ● . near the end . cent. . cent. . near the end . cent. . near the end . cent. near the end . cent. near the end & . beg . ce●● . . beg . 〈…〉 cent. . beg cent. . 〈◊〉 . cent. . beg . mid , cent. beg . cent. mid . cent. beg . cent. mid . cent. mid . and after . cent. . aft . mid . cent. . aft . mid . cent. . ast . mid . cent. . ast . mid cent. . near the end . cent. . end . cent. . en● . ●eg . cent. . end . . beg . cent● . end . . beg . it may be he had it from his iii books de vita pamphili , now lost . notes for div a -e m act. xi . . n act. x. . o ra● . israel de a●●m . c. xxv . p 〈◊〉 : sy●agog . juda c. c. ●ip . . q rab. isr . disp . cab. de anim. c. . & ibid jos . voysin . in not. d. hammond on s. john ii● . . r john iii. . s ib. v. . . t ib. v. , u st. hieronym . adv . luciferiferian . & alij . x more nebok . part. iii. c . &c. in commonit . x this aduice was addressed to a graduate , who was therefore to have been presumed to have read over his course already once . this is warned that others to whom it does not belong , may not imprudently apply it to themselves . y metaph i. vi . c. . text. . z biblioth●● . l. i. p. . ed. graeco lat. a praep. e● . l. x. c. . a orat. in graec. b strom i. p. . * so cellu● : 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c in rom. c. ii. & cont cels l. i. d strom . p. . e ep. . ad iren. f a charnens . g enterpe● c. . . h l. i. ●ent . appion . i bibliothee . i. i. par● . . k i. iv. c. . l origen●an . m apud macrob. sat. l. i. c. . n cont . cels . l. i. & l. iv . p. . . o ib. i. i. p act. xix . . q de myster . r l. vii . adv . gent. s dr. stilling-fleet or. sacr. l. ii. c. iv . n. . t ●omniorum primus intelligentia● condidet . trog ap● justin hist . l. xxxvi . u rev. xiii . . x l. ii . * that these also are mystically to be understood , we have the word of origen : 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ( sayes he ) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . cont 〈…〉 . iv . p. . y adv. hae. li. c. . z de 〈◊〉 . c ● . & ad praxeam c. . & de 〈…〉 c. . z strom . the genuine epistles of the apostolical fathers, s. barnabas, s. ignatius, s. clement, s. polycarp, the shepherd of hermas, and the matyrdoms of st. ignatius and st. polycarp, written by those who were present at their sufferings : being, together with the holy scriptures of the new testament, a compleat collection of the most primitive antiquity for about cl years after christ / translated and publish'd, with a large preliminary discourse relating to the several treaties here put together by w. wake ... apostolic fathers (early christian collection) english. approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page images. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; oxford (uk) : - (eebo-tcp phase ). a wing g a estc r ocm this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons . universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early 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(eebo-tcp ; phase , no. a ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, - ; : ) the genuine epistles of the apostolical fathers, s. barnabas, s. ignatius, s. clement, s. polycarp, the shepherd of hermas, and the matyrdoms of st. ignatius and st. polycarp, written by those who were present at their sufferings : being, together with the holy scriptures of the new testament, a compleat collection of the most primitive antiquity for about cl years after christ / translated and publish'd, with a large preliminary discourse relating to the several treaties here put together by w. wake ... apostolic fathers (early christian collection) english. wake, william, - . [ ], , [ ], - , [ ] p. printed for ric. sare ..., london : . reproduction of original in huntington library. includes index. created by converting tcp files to tei p using tcp tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the universities of michigan and oxford and the publisher proquest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by proquest via their early english books online (eebo) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). the general aim of eebo-tcp is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic english-language title published between and available in eebo. eebo-tcp aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the text encoding initiative (http://www.tei-c.org). the eebo-tcp project was divided into two phases. the , texts created during phase of the project have been released into the public domain as of january . anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source. users should be aware of the process of creating the tcp texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data. text selection was based on the new cambridge bibliography of english literature (ncbel). if an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in ncbel, then their works are eligible for inclusion. selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. in general, first editions of a works in english were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably latin and welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so. image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in oxford and michigan. % (or pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet qa standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. after proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of instances per text. any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of tcp data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a tcp editor. the texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level of the tei in libraries guidelines. copies of the texts have been issued variously as sgml (tcp schema; ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf- unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p , characters represented either as utf- unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng ignatius, -- saint, bishop of antioch, d. ca. . clement -- i, -- pope. polycarp, -- saint, bishop of smyrna. hermas, nd cent. barnabas, -- apostle, saint. christian literature, early. - tcp assigned for keying and markup - spi global keyed and coded from proquest page images - judith siefring sampled and proofread - judith siefring text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion the genuine epistles of the apostolical fathers s. barnabas , s. ignatius , s. clement , s. polycarp . the shepherd of hermas , and the martyrdoms of st. ignatius and st. polycarp , written by those who were present at their sufferings . being , together with the holy scriptures of the new testament , a compleat collection of the most primitive antiquity for about ci years after christ. translated and publish'd , with a large preliminary discourse relating to the several treatises here put together , by w. wake ▪ d.d. chapl. in ordinary to their 〈◊〉 and preacher to the honorable society of grays-inn . london printed for ric. sare at grays-inn gate next holborn . . imprimatur , apr. . . carolus alston , r.p.d. hen. episc. lond. à sacris . a catalogue of the several pieces contain'd in this book , and the order of them . a discourse concerning the treatises here collected , and the authors of them . part i. the first epistle of st. clement to the corinthians . the epistle of st. polycarp to the philippians . the genuine epistles of st. ignatius . a relation of the martyrdom of st. ignatius , written by those who were present at his sufferings . the epistle of the church of smyrna , concerning the martyrdom of st. polycarp . part ii. the catholick epistle of st. barnabas . the shepherd of hermas , in three books . the remains of st. clement's second epistle to the corinthians . an index to both parts . a discourse concerning the several treatises contain'd in the following collection ; and the authors of them . the introduction . . had i designed the following collection either for the benefit or perusal of the learned world , i should have needed to say but very little by way of introduction to it : the editors of the several treatises here put together , having already observed so much upon each of them , that it would i believe be difficult to discover , i am sure be very needless to trouble the reader with any more . . but as it would be ridiculous for me to pretend to have design'd a translation for those who are able with much more profit and satisfaction to go to the originals ; so being now to address my self to those especially who want that ability , i suppose it may not be amiss before i lead them to the discourses themselves , to give them some account both of the authors of the several pieces i have here collected ; and of the tracts themselves ; and of that collection that is now the first time made of them in our own tongue . tho' as to the first of these , i shall say the less , by reason of that excellent account that has been already given of the most of them by our pious and learned dr. cave : whose lives of the apostles and primitive fathers , with his other admirable discourse of primitive christianity , i could heartily wish were in the hands of all the more judicious part of our english readers . . nor may such an account as i now propose to my self to give of the following pieces be altogether useless to some even of the learned themselves ; who wanting either the opportunity of collecting the several authors necessary for such a search , or leisure to examin them ; may not be unwilling to see that faithfully brought together under one short and general view ; which would have required some time and labour to have search'd out , as it lay diffus'd in a multitude of writers , out of which they must otherwise have gather'd it . chap. ii. of the first epistle of s. clement to the corinthians . of the value which the ancients put upon this epistle . of st. clement himself , who was the author of it : that it was the same clement of whom s. paul speaks , phil. iv . . of his conversion to christianity : when he became bishop of rome , as also whether he suffer'd martyrdom , uncertain . of the occasion of his writing this epistle , and the two main parts of it . of the time when it was written . that there is no reason to doubt but that the epistle we now have was truly written by s. clement : the objection of tentzelius against it of no force . how this epistle was first published by mr. patrick young ; and translated by mr. burton into english. of the present edition of it . . the first tract which begins this collection , and perhaps the most worthy too , is that admirable , or as some of the ancients have called it , that wonderful epistle of s. clement to the corinthians ; and which he wrote not in his own name , but in the name of the whole church of rome to them . an epistle so highly esteem'd by the primitive church , that we are told it was wont to be publickly read in the assemblies of it : and if we may credit one of the most ancient collections of the canon of scripture , was placed among the sacred and inspired writings . nor is it any small evidence of the value which in those days was put upon this epistle , that in the only copy , which for ought we know , at this day remains of it , we find it to have been written in the same volume with the books of the new testament : and which seems to confirm what was before observed concerning it ; that it was heretofore wont to be read in the congregations , together with the holy scriptures of the apostles and evangelists . . but of the epistle it self , i shall take occasion to speak more particularly by and by . it will now be more proper to enquire a little into the author of it ; and consider when , and upon what occasion it was written by him . . and first for what concerns the person who wrote this epistle ; it is no small commendation which the holy ghost by s. paul has left us of him ; phil. iv . . where the apostle mentions him not only as his fellow-labourer in the work of the gospel ; but as one whose name was written in the book of life . a character , which if we will allow our saviour to be the judg , far exceeds that of the highest power and dignity . and who therefore when his disciples began to rejoyce upon the account of that authority which he had bestow'd upon them , insomuch that even the devils were subject unto them ; luke x. . tho' he seem'd to allow that there was a just matter of joy in such an extraordinary power , yet bade them not to rejoyce so much in this , that those spirits were subject unto them ; but rather , says he , rejoyce that your names are written in the book of life . . it is indeed insinuated by a late very learned critick , as if this were not that clement of whom we are now discoursing , and whose epistle to the corinthians i have here subjoyn'd . but besides that , he himself confesses , that the person of whom s. paul there speaks was a roman ; both eusebius and epiphanius , and s. hierome expresly tell us that the clement there meant , was the same that was afterwards bishop of rome : nor do we read of any other to whom either the character there mentioned , of being the fellow-labourer of that apostle , or the elogy given of having his name written in the book of life , could so properly belong as to him ; and whom therefore the generality of learned men both of the ancient and present times , without scruple conclude to have been referr'd to in that passage . . i shall not say any thing of what is reported by some concerning his noble birth and family ; of his studies at athens ; and of the occasion and manner of his conversion to christianity ; which they tell us , was wrought by s. peter , whom he met with barnabas at caesarea ; and who there first declared to him the doctrine of christ , and inclined him to a good opinion of it . all which is very uncertain , and justly doubted of by many . i shall chuse rather to observe that whatever his condition was before he became a christian , he was held in no small reputation after : but merited such a character from the ancient fathers , as is hardly given to any , besides the apostles . nay some of them doubt not in plain terms to call him an apostle ; and tho s. hierome durst not go so far as that , yet he gives him another title but little short of it ; he tells us that he was an apostolical man , and as ruffinus adds almost an apostle . . to declare more particularly how he spent the first part of his life after his conversion is neither necessary to the design i have now in hand , nor can any certain account be given of it . only as we are told in the general , that he was s. peter's disciple , so it may not be improbable that for some time he attended his motions , and was subject to his direction . . but whatever he was , or where-ever he laboured before , in this i think antiquity is absolutely agreed , that he at last came to be bishop of rome ; and was placed in that see by the express direction of one , or both the apostles , s. peter and s. paul : tho' whom he succeeded , or at what time to fix his entrance on that great charge , is a point that i suppose will never be agreed upon among learned men. if any could have settled this matter beyond dispute , it had without question been done by those of our own nation , who as they have the latest searched with all possible diligence into it , so never were there any better qualified for the determination of it . but as their mutual disagreement , after all their endeavours to fix this point , shews that one of them must have been mistaken ; so i doubt not but it will sufficiently satisfie all such as shall consider the high character they have so justly obtain'd both by their learning and judgment in these kind of disquisitions , that they are points not to be determined ; and that he who shall do the best upon them , may only be said to have made a good guess , in a subject too hard for any at this distance to decide . . nor is there any less controversie among learned men concerning the death of s. clement , than there has been about the order and time of his succession to his bishoprick . that he lived in expectation of martyrdom , and was ready to have undergone it , should it have pleased god to have called him to it , the epistle we are now speaking of , sufficiently shews us . but that he did glorifie god by those particular sufferings which some have pretended , is i confess to me a matter of some doubt . for , first ; it must be acknowledged that ruffinus is one of the first authors we have that speaks of him as a martyr . neither eusebius , ( who is usually very exact in his observation of such things ; ) nor any of the fathers yet nearer his time , as irenaeus , clemens alexandrinus , tertullian , &c. take any notice of it . and for the account which some others have yet more lately given us of the manner of his death , besides that in some parts of it it is altogether fabulous ; it is not improbable , but that as our learned mr. dodwell has observed the first rise of it may have been owing to their confounding flavius clemens the roman consul , with clement bishop of rome : who did indeed suffer martyrdom for the faith about the time of which they speak ; and some other parts of whose character , such as his relation to the emperour , and banishment into pontus , they manifestly ascribe to him . . however seeing eusebius refers his death to the third year of trajan famous for the persecution of the church , and may thereby seem to insinuate that clement also then suffered among the rest ; and that simeon metaphrastes has given a long and particular account of his condemnation to the mines first , and then of his death following thereupon : as i shall not determine any thing against it , so they who are desirous to know what is usually said concerning the passion of this holy man , may abundantly satisfie their curiosity in this particular , from the accurate collection of dr. cave in the life of this saint ; and which is too long to be transcribed into the present discourse . . and this may suffice to have been observed in short concerning s. clement himself : as for the epistle we are now speaking of to the corinthians , i have already taken notice how great a value was put upon it in the most primitive ages of the church , and what a mighty commendation has been left us of it , by the writers of those times . nor indeed does it at all come short of the highest praises which they have given to it ; being a piece composed with such an admirable spirit of love and charity ; of zeal towards god , and of concern for the church of christ ; of the most excellent exhortations deliver'd with the greatest plainness and simplicity of speech , and yet pressed many times with such moving eloquence too ; that i cannot imagine what could have been desired in such an epistle more proper for the end for which it was composed ; what could have been written more becoming an apostolical age , and the pen of one of the most eminent bishops of it . . but that it may be the better understood by those who shall now think fit to peruse it ; there are a few things which it will be necessary for me in this place to observe concerning it . . and the first is , the occasion that was given for the writing of this epistle . for however we have no particular account what it was , yet may we from the subject of it , give a very probable guess at it . when st. paul wrote his first epistle to the corinthians , the two great things that seem'd to have especially called for it were the divisions of that church upon the account of their teachers , and of their vain conceit of their own spiritual gifts ; and the great mistake that was getting in among them concerning the nature of the future resurrection . but tho' the apostle therefore by his writing and authority did for the present put a stop to the one , and set them right as to the other ; yet it seems after his death , they began again to fall not only into the same contentions , but into the same errour too , that had given them so much trouble before . . now this gave occasion to st. clement to write the present epistle to them : in which having first taken notice of the rise of those new seditions that were broke out among them , and exhorted them to a christian composure of them ; he in the next place goes on by many arguments to establish the undoubted truth and certainty of the future resurrection ; which was the other thing in which st. paul had before observed them to have been greatly and dangerously mistaken . . this then was the occasion , and is the main subject and design of the following epistle . but now what time it was written , it is not so easie to determine . junius supposes it was written by st. clement in the name of the church of rome , about two years before his martyrdom ; and that from the place of his banishment : which also seems to have been the opinion of our learned mr. burton in his notes on this epistle . baronius places it some six or seven years sooner , about the twelfth year of domitian : and with him cotelerius agrees ; only he supposes the persecution was then drawing towards an end ; it being otherwise unlikely that such an embassy could have been sent from rome with the epistle , as by the close of it we find there was . but mr. dodwell with much greater probability , thinks it to have been written yet sooner ; viz. immediately after the end of nero's persecution : and to that refers those troubles complain'd of by st. clement in the very beginning of his epistle , and in which he elsewhere speaks of st. peter and st. paul , as some of the latest instances of any that had died for the sake of their religion . . now that which seems yet more to countenance this opinion is , that st. clement in another part of his epistle speaks of the temple service not only as still continuing , but as being in such a state as necessarily supposes all things to be yet in peace and quiet at jerusalem . and from whence that learned man with great reason concludes , that this epistle must have been written somewhat before the xii . year of nero , in which the jewish wars first brake out . let us add to this , that in the close of this epistle we find mention made of fortunatus as the person whom the church of corinth had probably sent to rome with an account of their disasters ; and by whom together with the four delegates of their own , the roman church returned this epistle to the corinthians . now fortunatus is expresly said by st. paul to have been an old disciple in his time ; insomuch that he tells us he was the first fruits of achaia , cor. xvi . . and therefore we must conclude that this epistle could not have been written so late as some would have it , seeing this man was not only still alive , but in a condition of undertaking so great a journey as from corinth to rome : for from thence it is most likely he was sent with the letter of that church to rome ; and so became the bearer of this epistle , which was written in the name of the church of rome in answer to it . . i conclude then that this epistle was written shortly after the end of the persecution under nero , about the lxiv . year of christ : and that , as the learned defender of this period supposes , in the vacancy of the see of rome ; before the promotion of st. clement to the government of it . . but this is not yet all : there is still a difficulty remaining , and that of much greater consequence than any i have hitherto mentioned ; namely , whether the epistle we now have be , after all , the genuine epistle of st. clement , so much applauded by the ancients ; so long look'd upon as lost to us ; and so lately discover'd in the present age ? and this i mention , not that i think there is any real occasion offer'd to incline us to doubt of it ; but because i find there are some who would seem still to make a question of it . . and here , i would in the first place ask these wary men , what marks they can propose whereby to distinguish the true work of any ancient writer , from a false and supposititious , that do's not occur in the present piece ? . that st. clement wrote an epistle to the corinthians ▪ that he wrote it on the same occasion that we find expressed in this we now have ; that this epistle was of great reputation , so as to be publickly read in the churches heretofore ; all this the authority of the ancient fathers will not suffer us to doubt . that the copy we now have of this epistle was taken from the end of a manuscript of the new testament , written as is supposed about the time of the first general council of nice , within little more than two hundred years after st. clement's death ; and at the very time that it was yet wont to be so read in the churches ; both the learned editor of it assures us , and the manuscript its self sufficiently declares . now how can it be supposed , that an epistle so famous in those days ; so well known to every christian at that time , when the very copy was written , which we at this day have of it ; should have been alone concealed from the transcriber of this manuscript bible , and a spurious piece started up to supply the place of it ? . nor is this yet all : for if we have not now the true copy of this epistle , it is manifest that then neither had the ancient fathers of those first ages , a true copy of it . for the passages which they have quoted are the same in our epistle ; and so they too were imposed upon , no less than we are , in this matter . and can this be rationally supposed ? can we think that those great men , and diligent searchers into antiquity , were ignorant of an epistle , not only in every bodies hand , but almost in every bodies memory through their constant reading and hearing of it ? . yet farther : let me ask those who call in question the credit of this excellent piece ; what do they find in it either unworthy of st. clement , or disagreeable to those times in which we pretend it to have been written ? certainly , if this be a counterfeit piece , it was not only exceedingly well done ; but without any design to serve any party or interest in it : there being nothing in the whole epistle that might not have become as excellent an age , and as holy a man , as that age , and that man were , in which we have all the reason in the world to believe it was composed . ▪ but what then is it that makes these learned men so unwilling to own this epistle to be the genuine work of that holy bishop to whom we ascribe it ? it is in short this ; that the author of this epistle , in proof of the possibility of a future resurrection , asserts the story of the phoenix's reviving out of its own ashes ; which is not only a thing false in its self , but unworthy of such a person as st. clement to mention . . now not to say any thing as to this matter , ( st . ) that photius a severe critick of the ancient fathers , who first started it as a fault in st. clement that he made use of this as a true observation , which it seems the other look'd upon as a meer fable , yet did not think it any objection against the authority of this epistle , which he nevertheless acknowledg'd to be st. clements : to pass by , ( dly ; ) that the generality of the ancient fathers have made use of the very same instance , in proof of the same point ; as the learned junius has particularly shewn in his notes upon this passage ; and the authority of whose works no one yet ever called in question upon that account : i would only ask , ( dly ; ) what if st. clement really believed the account which he here gives us of this matter ? that there was such a bird ; and that he did revive out of the cinders of the body before burnt ? where was the great harm either in giving credit to such a wonder ; or believing it , to make such a use , as he here do's , of it ? . the truth is , whosoever shall consider both the general credit which this story had in those days ; and the particular accident which fell out not long before the time that this epistle was written to confirm their belief of it , ( and of which one of the most judicious of all the roman historians has given us a large account ; ) i mean of the phoenix that was said to have come into egypt a little after the death of christ , and to have given occasion , of much discourse to the most learned men , both of the greeks and romans , concerning the very miracle of which st. clement here speaks ; will find it to have been no such strange thing in this holy man to have suffer'd himself to be led away with the common opinion ; and to have believed what so many learned men did among the jews and gentiles , no less than among the christians , viz. that god was pleased to give to the world this great earnest and type of a future resurrection ; and to silence thereby the cavils of such as should pretend , what we know the generality of the wise men of the world did , that it was impossible for god to effect such a restitution . . but i insist too long on so trifling an objection ▪ however magnified by some men ; and may , i think , from what i have already said conclude ; that if this be indeed , as they confess it is , the greatest ground they have to call in question the credit of this epistle ; there is then nothing that ought to move any considering man to entertain the least doubt or scruple concerning it . . there are indeed two other exceptions which photius has made against st. clement upon the account of the epistle before us , which yet he look'd upon as unquestionably his ; the one for that he speaks in it of the worlds beyond the ocean ; the other , in that he seems not to have written so honourably as was sitting , of the divinity of our blessed saviour . but as the latter of these is but a meer cavil against this holy man , who in his other epistle expresly asserts his divine nature , and even in this speaks in such a manner of him , as shews him to be much more than a meer creature : so in the former he said nothing but what was agreeable both to the notions and language of the times in which he lived ; when it was common to call our british isles another world ; or as st. clement here stiles them the worlds beyond the ocean . . and these i think are the chief exceptions that have been at any time raised against the following epistle ; and which however insisted upon in these latter days , yet did not hinder the first and best ages of the church , when men were less curious , but much more pious , from putting a very great value upon it . nor will they i suppose have any more weight with any serious and ingenuous mind now : or hinder him from esteeming it a very great blessing to our present times , that a work so highly esteemed among the ancient fathers , but so long , and as it was justly feared , irrecoverably lost to these latter ages , was at last so happily found out , for the encrease and confirmation both of our faith and piety . . now the manner of its discovery and publication was this . it happen'd about the beginning of the present age , that cyril patriarch of alexandria being removed from thence to constantinople , brought along with him a great treasure of books to that place . among the rest he had a very ancient manuscript copy both of the septuagint old , and of the new greek testament ; written but little more than three hundred years after christ. this he sent , as the most valuable present that he was master of , to our late royal sovereign king charles the first , by sir thomas roe , his majesty's ambassadour at that time at the port. being thus brought into england , and placed in the royal library at st. james's , mr. patrick young the learned keeper of the king's library at that time , discover'd this epistle , with part of another , at the end of the new testament ; and was thereupon commanded by his majesty to publish it for the benefit of the world. this he accordingly did , with a latin translation , and notes at oxford , anno : it was not long after that a very learned man , and a great master of the greek tongue , mr. william burton , translated it into english , and publish'd it very accurately , and with new annotations of his own upon it . this i had not seen till the first sheets of the present edition were sent to the press ; nor had i any other knowledge either of that or of the author , than what i found in the accounts given by our reverend dr. cave , and the late monsieur colomesius of the one , and by our laborious antiquary mr. a. wood of the other ; in his useful collection of the lives and writings of our modern authors . and though i believe whosoever shall take the pains to compare the two translations together , will find them generally agreeing as to the sense ; yet there will otherwise appear such manifest differences between them , as may abundantly satisfie any indifferent person , that i have tuly translated it from the original greek , and not revised only mr. burton's edition of it . chap. iii. of the epistle of st. polycarp to the philippians . of the time when st. polycarp wrote this epistle . the reason of its being placed before the epistles of ignatius . that st. polycarp wrote several other pieces : yet nothing of his now remaining but only this epistle . whether this epistle has been interpolated , as those of ignatius were ? the latter part of it vindicated against the exceptions of monsieur daillé , and some others . of the translation of it into our own language by dr. cave ; and of the present edition of it . . the next piece that follows in the present collection , is the epistle of st. polycarp to the philippians . in placing of which i have follow'd the example , not so much of our most reverend archbishop vsher , as of st. polycarp himself : though in the order of time the epistles of ignatius ought to have had the precedence ; st. polycarp not writing this letter to the philippians till about the time that that glorious martyr suffer'd for the faith of christ ; as from several passages in the epistle it self may plainly be made appear . . for first ; having in his ix th chapter exhorted the philippians to obey the word of righteousness , and to exercise all patience after the examples of those holy men whom they had seen among them ; he particularly instances in ignatius as one of them . now the acts of the martyrdom of that holy martyr tell us , that the time when they beheld his patience set forth before their eyes was , when he passed by them in chains to rome in order to his being cast to the wild beasts , according to the sentence pronounced upon him by the emperour trajan : by consequence that this epistle must have been written some time after his condemnation . . but st. polycarp goes yet farther ; and in the next words supposes , that ignatius might have been dead at the time that he wrote to them . for enforcing his exhortation to them to follow the examples of ignatius , and the rest of those excellent men whom he there names , he subjoyns ; being confident of this , that all these have not run in vain , but in faith and righteousness , and are gone to the place that was due to them from the lord , with whom also they suffered . for they loved not this present world , but him who died , and was raised again by god for us . in which words he evidently implies that ignatius too , as well as the rest of those whom he there mentions was by this time gone to the place that was due to him from the lord , upon the account of his sufferings ; and by consequence had finished his martyrdom . . it was then about the time of ignatius's death that s. polycarp wrote this epistle to the philippians . and yet that if this holy man had suffer'd , it was but a very little time that he had done so , is clear from another passage of the same epistle : where he desires the philippians to send him word what they had heard with any certainty concerning ignatius , and those that went to rome with him . and from whence it appears , that though he supposed that ignatius by that time might have suffer'd , yet he had not received any certain account of it , but was still to learn the manner and circumstances of his passion . . now this will lead us to a yet more exact conjecture of the time of st. polycarp's writing the following epistle ; viz. that it must have been just about the time of st. ignatius's death : it being no way probable that had ignatius been any long time dead , so great a bishop , and so dear a friend of his as st. polycarp was , should have been still to learn the certainty of it . . and this may serve , by the way , not only to fix the time when this epistle was written ; but also to shew how groundless the exception of those men is against the authority of it , who pretend to find out a contradiction between the two passages i have now mentioned : and would from thence infer either the utter falseness of this whole epistle ; or at least conclude that this latter part of it is none of polycarp's , but added by some latter hand to give the greater credit to the epistles of st. ignatius , which they are resolved by all means to reject as none of his . for indeed were not men willing to be contentious , where is the contradiction they so much boast of between the two places i have before alledged ? is it that in the former of them he sets before them the sufferings of st. ignatius , and exhorts them to follow the example of his patience ? but 't is evident the sufferings he there speaks of were those which the philippians had seen in him . the weight of his chains ; the hardships of his journey ; the rudeness of the souldiers that guarded him ; and of which the blessed martyr himself complains in one of his epistles ; and to add no more , the expectation of that cruel death he was suddainly to undergo . . but i suppose the contradiction lies in what follows ; that in one place he speaks of him as if he had already suffered ; and yet in the other desires the philippians to send him word what they heard of him . now what is there in all this that does not very well agree together ? st. polycarp , either by the computation of the arrival of ignatius at rome ; or by the consideration of the solemn festival that was wont at that time to be held there ; and at which it was usual to exhibit such kind of spectacles to the people ; or it may be , lastly , from the accounts which he had received of the holy martyr from some of those that were with him ; did suppose , nay if you will , did not doubt but that ignatius was dead when he wrote his epistle to the philippians . yet having not hitherto received any certain account of it , and being not sure whether he had suffered or no ; or if he had , how he had been treated by his enemies , and how he had behaved himself in his last encounter with the beasts ; desires the philippians , who were much nearer to rome than he was , and might therefore very probably have heard much later from thence than he had done , to send him a certain account of what they knew as to this matter . what is there in this , i do not say that looks like a contradiction , but that is not very natural : and particularly most becoming the love and friendship of the blessed polycarp towards him concerning whom he so diligently enquired ? i am sure photius who not only had read this epistle , but transcribed this last passage out of it , tho' as severe a critick as any that have ever perused it since , saw no contradiction in it to any thing that went before . since if he had , he was not of a humour to have let it pass , without making some reflection or other upon it . . let me add yet more , that neither could those see the contradiction here pretended , who in our present times would have been as forward as any to have made use of it to the disadvantage of this epistle , had they had but the least grounds so to do . i shall instance only in two ; the first , the late learned divine of leyden , monsieur le moyne : who tho' he judged the passage relating to st. ignatius's epistles , which was wanting in his manuscript , to be abrupt , and would from thence argue against the authority of it ; yet has made no reflection on the words immediately following , and in which those others will have the contradiction to lie . . the other that i shall mention in opposition to this pretence , is a yet later writer , ernestus tentzelius ; who tho' no great friend to this epistle , which he supposes to have been corrupted , no less than those of ignatius were in the antient editions of them ; yet utterly refuses to comply with this objection , as not apprehending that there was the least ground for it . . but to return from this digression , in answer to the exception of two of the most learned adversaries of this epistle , against the credit of it : tho' as i have now shewn , st. polycarp wrote not to the philippians till after the death of st. ignatius , and consequently this epistle in order of time ought to have been placed after those which the other wrote immediately before it : yet was it fit to give this the precedency in the following collection , both as containing a most proper introduction to the epistles of ignatius ; and as having in all probability been first sent in the same order , by st. polycarp to the philippians . . for thus we find that holy man speaking to them in the close of his letter : the epistles of ignatius which he wrote unto us , together with what others of his have come to our hands , we have sent unto you according to your order ; which are subjoyn'd to this epistle . so both eusebius transcribed it out of the original greek ; and so we find it in our antient latin version , which is all that remains of that part of this epistle . and from whence our learned arch-bishop usher with great reason concludes , that st. polycarp caused the copies of st. ignatius's epistles to be immediately added at the end of his own ; and sent them to the philippians together with it . . and this perhaps may have been one great means of preserving this epistle of st. polycarp from the fate that has attended all the rest of his writings . for being wont to be transcribed together with those of ignatius , and commonly placed at the front of them ; they mutually help'd to secure one another : whilst the rest of his epistles , for want of being thus collected together , have for a long time been so utterly lost to the world , that neither photius , nor st hierome , nor eusebius , nor even irenaeus himself , the disciple of st. polycarp , seems to have had any particular catalogue of them . . indeed for what concerns the last of these , i mean irenaeus ; he tells us that this great man did write several epistles , not only to the neighbouring churches , to confirm them in the faith ; but even to particular persons , for their instruction and admonition . but what they were , or to whom they were sent , neither does he say , nor does eusebius , where he speaks of the writings of st. polycarp , mention any more , than that epistle to the philippians , of which we are now discoursing . and tho' a few later authors pretend to give us the very titles of some other of his works ; yet have we reason to doubt from this silence of those who lived the nearest to his time , that their authority is but small ; nor can we say that even the pieces which they name , are any where to be found at this day . . nor shall i except here those fragments lately published by fevardentius out of victor capuanus ; and reprinted by bishop usher in his appendix to ignatius . in which as there are some things which neither father halloix , nor our learned vsher could approve of , as written by st. polycarp ; so the distance of him who was the first collector of them from the time of that blessed martyr ; and the manifest proofs he has on other occasions given of his little care and judgment in distinguishing the works of the antient fathers who lived any long time before him ; not to say any thing of the passages themselves ascribed to st. polycarp , but little agreeable to the apostolical age : all these considerations have justly restrained learned men from giving any great credit to these fragments , or from receiving them as belonging in any wise to so antient an author . . but whatever becomes of these fragments , certain it is that the epistle which i have here subjoyn'd is the genuine work of this holy man ; and worthy of that great character which antiquity has given of it . even monsieur daillé himself confesses that excepting only the close of it , against which it was necessary for him to declare himself ; there is nothing in it that either ought to offend any , or that may be thought unworthy of polycarp . but le moyne goes yet farther ; he declares that he does not see how any one can entertain the lest suspicion against it : that there is not perhaps any work extant , that has more certain evidences of its being genuine , than this : in short , that if it shall be lawful to doubt of this , there will be no monument of antiquity left which we may not as well call in question , and reject as spurious . . indeed so general is the reception which learned men on all sides have given to this epistle , that i might well omit any further discourse in confirmation of the credit and authority of it . but yet seing there have been two things started by some of late , if not utterly to destroy , yet at least to lessen the reputation of this piece ; i will consider in short what may fairly be replied to both their exceptions . . now the first is that of tentzelius , in his exercitation upon this epistle : who tho' he allows it to be undoubtedly genuine , yet supposes it to have been corrupted by the same hand that we confess did corrupt the epistles of ignatius , about dc years after christ. but to this i reply ; st . that it is allow'd that there is nothing in this epistle that may give any just grounds for the suspicion of any such fraud as this : it being acknowledged even by mons r daillé himself , one of the greatest adversaries of it , to be an epistle in all respects worthy of st. polycarp , excepting only in the close of it , which i shall more particularly consider by and by . so that either we have then this epistle pure and uncorrupted as it was first written ; or at least we have it so little prejudiced by any alterations that may have been made in it , that there is nothing in the epistle , as it now is , dangerous in point either of faith or manners ; or that might not have well enough been written by st. polycarp . but now this was not the case with the epistles of st. ignatius ; which not only laboured under many impertinencies unbecoming the character of that great man , but was fraught with many things that were altogether fabulous : nay if we may credit arch-bishop usher , had some passages in them that tended to corrupt the very faith of christ , in one of the most considerable points of it . . but secondly , that the epistles of st. ignatius had been corrupted , was evident from disagreement of the copies which we usually had of them , from the quotations of the ancient fathers of the first five centuries out of them . now this was a most unquestionable demonstration of their having been changed from what they were in those first ages in which those fathers lived : and accordingly proved to be so , when the old latin version of bishop vsher first , and then the florentine greek edition of the learned isaac vossius , came to be compared with those editions that had before been extant of them but neither does this exception appear against the present epistle , which agrees with what is quoted both by eusebius and others out of it ; and thereby clearly shews our present copy to be sincere and un-corrupted . . seeing then there is nothing but a mere conjecture for the depravation of this epistle , and such just reason to conclude that there is no good foundation for it ; to be sure none that may compare with the arguments we have against it : i think we may conclude , that for any thing yet appears to the contrary , we not only have the genuine epistle of st. polycarp , but that epistle free from any designed corruptions or depravations of it . . nor is there any more , that i do not say there is much less weight , in the other supposal of monsieur daillé , continued and abetted by his learned defender monsieur larroque , tho' without any more weight of reason than what had been before fully answer'd by our most learned and judicious bishop pearson : namely ; that this epistle originally ended at the doxology which we meet with chapter the xii th , and that what follows concerning the epistles of st. ignatius , has been added to it by some latter hand . but now , what proof do they offer of this ? what authority have they to support such a supposition ? this they pretend not to : all they have to say is , that the doxology which we find there seems to imply that the epistle originally went no farther ; and that in what follows there is a flat contradiction to what went before ; the close of the epistle speaking of ignatius as if he were still alive , whom the true popolycarp had before set forth to the philippians as having suffer'd , and been gone to the place that was prepared for him . . as for what concerns the latter of these suggestions , i have already fully shewn how vain and groundless it is . nor can we reasonably suppose that any one who designed to serve a turn by corrupting such an epistle as this , would have been either so negligent as not once to read over the piece he was about to make so considerable an addition to ; or having read it , would have been so foolish , as to have , without any need , subjoyn'd a request to the philippians , directly contrary to what the true polycarp had told them before ; and which by consequence would be sure to discover the fraud , and frustrate the design of it . . so little appearance of reason is there in this suggestion , which yet these learned men insist upon , as their main argument against the latter part of this epistle . as for the other objection which they bring against it , viz. that st. polycarp must have concluded at the xii th chapter , because of the vow which he there makes for these to whom he wrote ; i reply , first : that this is at the best but a very uncertain guess ; seeing it is notorious to all that have ever read the epistles either of the apostles , or those that followed after , that nothing is more common than to meet with such kind of conclusions , not only in the end , but in the beginning , and middle ; in short , in all the parts of their epistles . to look no farther than the epistle , with which we have begun this collection , of st. clement to the corinthians : how many of these sort of stops may we find in the progress of it ? i am sure there are not less than seven or eight of them . but i suppose he would be thought very ridiculous who should therefore reject all that follow'd the first of these , as none of st. clement's , but pieced on to the end of his epistle by some other hand , merely because the doxology seem'd to imply his having concluded there . . but to lay aside conjectures , and proceed to that , which will put a final end to this difficulty ; i observe , dly , that this passage which these men deny to be st. polycarps , and suppose to have been added to it by some latter hand , is expresly quoted by eusebius in his ecclesiastical history , as a part of this epistle . if therefore it be the addition of some other hand , 't is evident it was made to it before eusebius's time , that is to say , within two hundred years after the time of st. polycarp's writing of it ; and whether this be probable we will now more particulary enquire . . for the better clearing of which i must observe , that this epistle of st. polycarp , like that of st. clement foregoing , was for several hundreds of years wont to be publickly read in the churches of asia : so st. jerome expresly assures us ; or as his interpreter sophronius renders him , in the synod or convention of asia . by which a learned man supposes we are to understand some common meetings of the christians in those parts , answerable to the like assemblies of the gentiles there ; and that in these this epistle was wont to be read to them . . hence irenaeus speaks of it as an epistle that was in every bodies hand ; and obvious to be read by any , for the benefit of their faith and manners . which being so , it can hardly be supposed but that so inquisitive a searcher into antiquity as eusebius was , must needs have been very well acquainted with it ; and doubtless have had a true and genuine copy of it . seeing then he produces this passage as a part of that epistle which was generally received as authentick in his days ; and that the epistle its self being spread into all hands , and publickly read in the eastern churches immediately after the death of its great author , could not have been corrupted or alter'd , but the cheat must needs have been discover'd ; of which yet we have not the least intimation in all antiquity : i think it cannot be doubted but that this , as well as the rest of that epistle , was written by st. polycarp himself ; and not added to his epistle by some latter hand , as is suggested , not only without all ground , but against such plain and un-answerable evidence to the contrary . . having said thus much in vindication of this epistle , and to clear it from those prejudices that have of late been raised against it ; it remains only for me to observe , that though the following translation was truly made from the greek and latin copies of it , set out by bishop vsher first , and since reprinted by cotelerius in his collection of the apostolical fathers ; yet is not this the first time that this epistle has appear'd in our language . for our most diligent and learned country-man dr. cave , having a just respect to the worth of a piece so highly applauded among the ancients , and so well deserving the esteem of all good men ; thought it would be no unuseful digression to present to his reader so venerable a monument of the primitive church : and therefore subjoyn'd it intirely to his account of the life of st. polycarp , in a most accurate english translation of it . . it would no doubt have been more to the readers satisfaction , to have met with that translation of this epistle here , than to find another which he may have just reason to suppose can never equal that which was finish'd by so great a hand . and indeed i could have been glad to have render'd the following collection more considerable , by the reputation of a translation made by so eminent an author . but however , as it now is , i hope it may not be unacceptable to the pious peruser of it : who , whatever other defects he may find in it , may yet , i am pretty confident , depend upon the exactness of the translation ; seeing i perceive by an after collation of it , that it does not differ in any thing that is material , from that of the judicious and worthy dr. cave . chap. iv. of the epistles of st. ignatius . of the different editions of st. ignatius's epistles : which are here translated from that of isaac vossius , and according to the enumeration made by eusebius of them . the authority of these epistles vindicated , against the objections raised of late against them . the epistle to st. polycarp one of those mentioned by eusebius : the exception against it taken from the substance of the epistle its self answer'd . a short account of the following translation of all of them . . before i enter upon that account which it will be fitting for me to give of the epistles of st. ignatius , ( the next that follow in the present collection ; ) it will be necessary for me to observe , that there have been considerable differences in the editions of the epistles of this holy man , no less than in the judgment of our latter criticks concerning them . to pass by the first , and most imperfect of them ; the best that for a long time was extant , contained not only a great number of epistles falsly ascribed to this author , but even those that were genuine so alter'd and corrupted , that it was hard to find out the true ignatius in them . . the first that began to remedy this confusion , and to restore this great writer to his primitive simplicity , was our most reverend and learned arch-bishop usher , in his edition of them at oxford , anno . but still we wanted a correct copy of the original greek ; the epistles set out by him , though exceedingly more sincere than any we had seen before , yet consisting only of the old latin translations of them . now this was in great measure perform'd by the learned isaac vossius , in the edition published by him at amsterdam , anno : and presenting us from the florentine manuscript with six of the epistles of this holy martyr mentioned by eusebius , in their ancient and pure greek ; and the seventh so happily amended , that there is but little doubt to be made of the integrity of that too . and concerning these epistles of st. ignatius , enumerated by eusebius , and set out according to their primitive purity by these two great men , and from them translated into the following collection ; there are two things to be consider'd and proved by me in this place : first , that st. ignatius did write such epistles as those we have here translated : and secondly ; that those epistles we here have , are the very epistles that he wrote . . that ignatius did , in general , write some epistles to the churches about him , however it has been deny'd by some , is yet i think now universally allow'd even by those who are the greatest opposers of those epistles which we affirm to be his . that he wrote to those particular churches to which the epistles here subjoyn'd are addressed , we have both st. polycarp and eusebius to assure us . for , first ; st. polycarp , in the close of his epistle , ( which i am now to look upon as sufficiently proved to be his ) speaking to the philippians of this holy man , tells them ; that he had sent them all such epistles of his , as ignatius had either written to himself , or to his church at smyrna , or as had hitherto come to his hands . so that here then we have a plain account of two of those epistles which we affirm ignatius to have written ; one to st. polycarp himself , another to the church of smyrna . . but eusebius will enable us to carry this testimony yet farther : whilst assuring us , that he wrote four epistles from smyrna ; namely to the churches of ephesus , magnesia , tralles and rome ; he gives us just grounds to conclude that these also must have been part of st. polycarp's collection ; and have been some of those others , besides the two before mentioned , which he tells us he sent to the philippians . unless we should suppose that either he knew not of ignatius's writing , though every day , almost every hour , with him at the time that he wrote them : or else that knowing of it , he took no care to preserve the copies of his epistles ; which yet we see he put the highest value , that can well be imagined , upon . seeing therefore we cannot with any reason suppose , either that st. polycarp did not know of ignatius's writing to these churches ; nor is it probable , that being present with him at the writing of them , and acquainted with it , he should not have kept any copies of his letters to them : seeing lastly ; he himself tells us that he had copies of more of the epistles of this great saint , besides those that were sent to smyrna , and that what he had , he sent to the philippians ; neither can we reasonably doubt but that these also were in his hands , and sent by him to the church at phillipi . . and thus have we i think upon very good grounds concluded that six of the seven epistles , which we affirm to have been written by st. ignatius , were collected by st. polycarp ; and sent , together with his own epistle , to the philippians . let me add yet farther , that neither can we reasonably question but that the seventh too was at that time in the hands of st. polycarp ; and by consequence , that what we now have is no other collection , than what he made , and by that means help'd to preserve to after ages , of the epistles of this holy martyr . now this i conclude not only from the nearness of the church of philadelphia , to which it was written , to that of symrna in which st. polycarp presided ; and from the great respect which all the neighbouring churches payd to him , as a kind of universal bishop of the whole lesser asia ; but from the conclusion of the epistle its self : which tells us that it was sent by ignatius to the philadelphians , not only from the same place , and at the same time , that he wrote to st. polycarp himself , and to his church of smyrna ; but also by the same person that carried the other two ; and that person st. polycarps own deacon , whom he had sent with ignatius to troas , and by whom ignatius wrote back that epistle . . st. polycarp then certainly knew of ignatius's writing to the philadelphians ; and very probably sent on burrhus his deacon from smyrna to philadelphia , with his letter . and then i think we may very reasonably conclude , that he brought back with him the copy of it ; and so that st. polycarp had that epistle too in his hands , when he wrote to the philippians . . such good grounds have we to believe , that the collection we now have of st. ignatius's epistles , was no other than what st. polycarp himself made ; and refer'd to in that passage of his own epistle to the philippians , which i have before shewn to be truly his , and not the addition of any latter hand . and the same is the account which eusebius himself has given us of this matter . he tells us that as ignatius was on his way to rome , where he was to be cast to the wild beasts ; he not only confirm'd the churches that were in the places through which he passed , by his exhortations , but wrote to the chiefest of those others that were near , such epistles as these of which we are now speaking . and that , as he goes on , in this following order . first , from smyrna , where he tarried some time with his old acquaintance and fellow-disciple st. polycarp , he wrote to the ephesians , magnesians , trallians and romans : and being gone farther on his way to troas , he from thence wrote to the philadelphians , and smyrneans ; 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , and a particular letter to polycarp , the bishop of smyrna . . i say nothing to the testimony of st. hierome as to this matter , who as he exactly agrees with eusebius in all this , so i make no question but that he transcribed his account out of him . it is i think sufficiently evident from what has been already observed , not only that st. ignatius did in general write some epistles which even mounsieur daillé himself thinks ought not to be any question ; but that he wrote to those particular churches to which the epistles we now have , are directed ; and of which i am perswaded there ought to be as little doubt . . as for the other point proposed , and in which the foregoing also will be yet more fully confirmed ; namely , that those epistles we now have are the same that ignatius wrote : two things there are that seem to determine our belief of it . first ; that there is nothing in these epistles , as we now have them , either unworthy of the spirit of ignatius , or the character that antiquity has given us of them : nothing disagreeing to the time in which he wrote , or that should seem to speak them to have been the work of any latter author ; which hardly ever fails to appear in such pieces as are falsly imposed upon ancient authors ; and which not appearing in these epistles , inclines us the more readily to conclude that they were undoubtedly written by him whose they are said to be . . but this is only a presumptive argument in favour of these epistles ; and which though it may serve to dispose us the more readily to receive them as true and genuine , yet is not alone sufficient to prove them so to be . the other argument i have now to offer is positive and convincing ; namely , that we find these epistles , as they now are , exactly agreeing both with the descriptions which st. polycarp and eusebius have left us of those which they took to be the authentick epistles of this holy man ; and with the numerous quotations which the ancient fathers have taken out of them ; and which all occur in the same words , in our present copies of them , that they are cited in their writings . . this has been so fully shewn by our most learned bishop pearson , and indeed was so manifest of its self to any one that had ever made any comparisons of this kind ; that monsieur daillé himself could not deny but that we have the same epistles now , that eusebius , athanasius , st. jerome , theodoret and gelasius had heretofore . so that the only question then to be consider'd by us is ; whether those which eusebius , &c. had , were not counterfeit , but the true epistles of this great martyr . . and here , first , it is evident , that if those epistles which eusebius first , and then the rest of those great men i before mentioned , took for the genuine epistles of st. ignatius , were none of his ; the true epistles , which i have just now shewn , and which it is confes'd were written by him , must before that time have been utterly lost , or otherwise destroyed out of the world : it being very improbable that had the true epistles been still remaining , neither so inquisitive a searcher into antiquity as eusebius should have heard of them , nor such great and learned men as those that followed after , have had any suspition of such a deceit . but now whether this be probable ; whether it can be supposed that such epistles as these , directed to so many great and eminent churches , collected by so venerable a man as st. polycarp , and written by so glorious a martyr as st. ignatius , should within so little time be utterly lost out of the church ; i shall leave it to any one , who considers how great a reverence the primitive christians had for every thing that came from the hands of such holy and excellent men , and such glorious martyrs of christ , to determine . . we read in the acts of the martyrdom of this blessed saint , with what a mighty care those who went with him to rome , and were the eye-witnesses of his sufferings , gathered up the few hard bones of his body which the lions had left ; and how they brought them back in a kind of triumph to his church at antioch . and we are told with what pomp they were many ages after taken up from the place where they were first buried , and carried by the command of the younger theodosius within the city : insomuch that as our historians observe , there was a festival solemnity established upon that occasion ; and annually observed to the very time in which they wrote , in remembrance of it . but was the church then so careful of a few dead bones of such a saint as this , and did they esteem them as so great a treasure ; and yet had they so little regard to his writings , the last testimonies of his affection to the churches to which he wrote , as to suffer them within two hundred years to be so utterly lost , as not to be once known or heard of , by the greatest and most curious searchers into antiquity ? this is , i confess , to me so very improbable , that i could almost as easily believe the holy scriptures themselves to have been upon a suddain changed into some other epistles than what st. peter or st. paul wrote ; as that such epistles as these could be so totally defaced , as some pretend , and new ones set out in the room of them , and yet no body know any thing of the doing of it . but such impossibilties as these must learned men be content to please themselves , and impose upon others withall , who resolve to be wiser than any that went before them ; and to be able to know better at fiftteen hundred years distance what ignatius wrote , than those who lived within two generations of him . . for to press our argument yet more closely : since it is allow'd that ignatius did write some epistles , and i think sufficiently evident that st. polycarp did make a collection of them , and send them together with his own to the philippians ; i presume it will not be question'd but that he most certainly had the genuine writings of that holy martyr , his dear friend and fellow-disciple . now st. polycarp suffer'd not according to the earliest computation of our accurate bishop pearson till the year of our saviour . and others suppose it to have been yet later . hitherto therefore it is certain that the true epistles of ignatius continued in the church : it being by no means probable that they should have been changed whilst the men lived to whom ignatius wrote ; whilst polycarp was living who collected them together ; and whilst those of the church of philippi remained , to whom he sent them . . to st. polycarp let us add his scholar and admirer , irenaeus ; and as himself professes a most diligent collector of whatever fell from that holy man. that he had the epistles of st. ignatius , eusebius assures us ; who particularly takes notice of his quoting several passages out of them . and one of his quotations he mentions out of the works of irenaeus which still remain : and of which though the greek be lost , yet the old latine version , as well as the greek of eusebius , shews us , that it was taken out of the epistle of ignatius to the romans , where it still occurs in our present copy of it . and it must be allow'd that the other passages of which eusebius speaks , were also to have been found the epistles as he had them : because otherwise , the difference between what the one quoted , and the other read in his copy of those epistles , would presently have discovered the fraud ; and shewn that his epistles were not the same with those which irenaeus mentioned . . and this puts the matter yet more out of doubt : for if eusebius had the same epistles that irenaeus had , we must allow one of these two things ; either that he had a genuine copy of them , as we affirm ; or that irenaeus , the disciple and contemporary of st. polycarp had not ; which we think it very unreasonable to suppose . . for not to say any thing as to this matter , that irenaeus lived too near the time both in which ignatius wrote , and st. polycarp collected his epistles , to have been imposed upon in this particular : seeing he himself tells us how careful he was to gather up whatever came from the hand of the blessed polycarp , and that he not only had the epistles of ignatius , as appears by his citing of them ; but , as himself declares , had also the epistle of polycarp to the philippians ; at the end of which the epistles of ignatius were subjoyned : what can we conclude , but that the copy he had of both was taken from that of his master polycarp ; which being to be sure authentick , it must remain that irenaeus's was so too . . were it needful to add any thing yet farther to shew that eusebius , who is confessed to have had the same copy of st. ignatius that we have now , had no other than that of st. polycarp so often mentioned ; i might to the testimony of irenaeus , before alledged , add that of origen , who began to live some time before the other died . now this father has not only spoken of these epistles , but has left us two quotations to this day out of them ; and both to be found in our copies which we suppose to be true and authentick . and from him to eusebius was not above half a century ; too little a while for so great an alteration to have been made in writings spread up and down into so many hands ; read by all the learned and pious men of those days ; and upon all these accounts utterly uncapable of such a change , as is without the authority of one single writer , only upon i know not what conjectures , supposed to have been made in them . . but i enlarge my self too much in so plain a matter ; and which i should hardly have thought worth the examining thus distinctly , had it not engaged the pens of so many learned men of the reformed religion , that it might have seem'd too great an omission in such a discourse as this , not to have given some account of it . as for what we find a late learned man advancing in opposition to the authority of these epistles , that our copies , though exceedingly more perfect than any that were ever extant before that those great men bishop usher and isaac vossius set out the one , the old latin versions ; the other , the original greek , from the manuscript which he found in the florentine library of it ; yet there may be reason still to suspect that they are not so free from all corruptions as were to be wish'd : i reply ; that if he means that the same has happen'd to these epistles as has done to all other ancient writings , that letters , or words have been mistaken , and perhaps even the pieces of some sentences corrupted , either by the carelesness or ignorance of the transcribers ; i see no reason why we should deny that to have befallen these epistles , which has been the misfortune of all other pieces of the like antiquity . this therefore , it has been often declared , that neither do we contend about ; nor can any one , who reads the best copies we have of them with any care or judgment , make any doubt of it . but as for any larger interpolations , such as were those of the copies before extant ; for any changes or mistakes that may call in question either the credit or authority of these epistles as we now have them ; we utterly deny that there are any such in these last editions of them ; nor has that learned man offer'd any thing to induce us to believe that there are . . and here i should have concluded these reflections , but that there is yet one thing more to be taken notice of , and which must by no means be passed by ; namely , that our most learned archbishop usher himself , though he agrees with us as to the authority of the other six epistles here translated , yet doubts whether the seventh , written to st. polycarp , be genuine or no. nor do's isaac vossius himself deny but that there are some things in it that may seem to render it suspicious ; though more to prove it to be authentick . for st , st. polycarp expresly assures us that ignatius had written to him ; so both eusebius and s. hierome teach us to understand his expression ; they mention the epistle to polycarp , as distinct from that to the church of smyrna : and dly , the ancient fathers quote it as ignatius's no less than the rest : and from all which it seems to be very plain , that this also has the same evidence of being written by ignatius that any of the rest have ; and therefore that he who allows it as sufficient for them , ought not to refuse it for this . . as for that which seems to be the most difficult to account for in it , namely his writing after such a manner to so great a bishop , and so old a man , as he do's to polycarp ; chap. v , vi. it is rightly observed by vossius in his annotations on those chapters , that he speaks in them not to st. polycarp ; but by a usual change of person , shews what he would have polycarp say to his church : and whosoever shall consider in what manner he brings in what he there delivers ; say to my sisters , &c. and again , exhort my brethren , &c. will presently see , how those instructions are to be understood . . and now it remains only that i give some short account of the following translation of these epistles . the copies from which i did it were those of isaac vossius and bishop usher ; comparing both as i had occasion with the late edition of cotelerius . in the salutation of the epistle to the romans i have departed from all of them , and follow'd the correction of that judicious man , whose name i mention in the margent of it . i thought my self the more at liberty to do this , because that this epistle was not found in the florentine manuscript ; but made up in some measure from the latin versions , by the conjectures of learned men : among whom i think i shall offend none , if in judging of these kind of things , and especially of this author , i shall allow bishop pearson the first place . for the rest i have kept as strictly to the text of vossius , as the sense would permit me to do : only where a place was manifestly imperfect i have sometimes taken the liberty to express my own conjectures , though differing from those of others , with whom nevertheless i pretend not to compare my self . but then i seldome do this without taking notice of it , and telling my reader to whom he may recur for a somewhat different opinion . if after all there shall appear some faults in my translation ; though i may modestly say i have taken what care my little acquaintance in these matters would enable me to do , to avoid them ; i desire it may be consider'd that i had a difficult author , and an imperfect copy to deal with ; and i shall be very ready thankfully to amend any error , that any more discerning person shall think fit to advertise me of , if ever this collection should be thought worthy to come to a second edition . chap. v. of the martyrdom of st. ignatius ; and of the following relation of it , written by those who were present at his sufferings . of the life of st. ignatius ; whence he was called theophorus ? that he never saw christ ; but was converted to christianity by the apostles : and by them made bishop of antioch . how he behaved himself in that station ? of his death : why he was sent from antioch to rome , in order to his suffering there ? metaphrastes account of the effect which his death wrought upon the emperour trajan , rejected . how the persecution of the christians came to be mitigated about the time that he suffered ? an enquiry into the time of his martyrdom . . in the foregoing chapter i have given such an account of the epistles of st. ignatius as seem'd necessary to vindicate the authority of them , and to remove those prejudices which some had of late endeavour'd to raise against them . i am now to pass from the writings of this holy man , to his truly great and heroical sufferings : an account whereof is in the next place subjoyn'd , in the relation of those who accompanied him from antioch to rome ; and were there the eye-witnesses of his martyrdom . . but before i come to the consideration of this last and noblest part of his life , i cannot but think it will be expected from me to give some account of the foregoing passages of it : that so we may here have at once a full view of this great saint ; and perceive by what steps he prepared himself for so constant and glorious a death . . and here it will be necessary for me in the first place to consider the character which he gives of himself in the beginning of all his epistles , and which he constantly asserted before the emperour at his examination , namely , that of theophôrus . now this according to the different pronunciation of it , may be expounded after a very different manner ; and signifie either a person carried by god , or else a divine person ; one who carries god in his breast . and in both these significations we find this name to have been given to this holy man. . for st . as to the former signification , we are told by some of the writers of his life , that st. ignatius was the child whom our blessed saviour took in his arms , and set before his disciples as a pattern of humility , when he told them , that unless they should be converted , and become as little children , they should in no wise enter into the kingdom of god : and that from thence he took the name of theophorus ; one who was born , or carried by god. and thus not only metaphrastes and nicephorus among the greeks ; but as our learned bishop usher tells us , some syriac writers more ancient than they , both interpret this name , and give an account of its being attributed to this blessed martyr . . but as stories of this kind seldom lose in the relation , so we find the latines making a farther improvement of the present fable . for having confirm'd the truth of what these men had before observed , of st. ignatius's being taken up by our saviour into his arms ; they add , that for this reason the apostles , when they made him bishop of antioch , durst not lay their hands upon him ; he having been before both commended by our saviour christ , and sanctified by his touching of him . . there is so much of romance in all the latter part of this story , and so little grounds for the former , that i shall not need to spend any time in the confuting of either . it is enough that st. chrysostome has assured us , that this holy man never saw the lord ; and that all the other ancient writers are silent as to this particular . which makes me the rather wonder at the endeavour of a late learned writer of our own country , to give countenance to such a fable ; and which if not destitute of all probability , yet at least wants any good authority to support it : and as our learned bishop pearson very reasonably conjectures , was first started about the time of the viii th general council , by the party of that ignatius who was then set up in opposition to photius ; and from thence derived both to anastasius among the latines , and to metaphrastes among the greeks . . to pass then from this fabulous account of this title , let us come to the consideration of the true import of it . now for that as we cannot have any better , so neither need we desire any other account , than what this holy man himself gave the emperour of that name . when being asked by him , who was theophorus ? he replied , he who has christ in his breast . and in this sense was this name commonly used among the ancients ; as has been shewn in a multitude of examples by bishop pearson , in his elaborate vindication of ignatius's epistles . i shall offer only one of them , that of st. cyrill ; who anathematizes those who should call our saviour christ , theophorus ; lest , says he , he should thereby be understood to have been no other than one of the saints . . it remains then that ignatius was called theophorus upon no other account , than as any other divine or excellent person might have been so called ; namely , upon the account of his admirable piety : because his soul was full of the love of god , and sanctified with an extraordinary portion of the divine grace ; as both his life shewed , and the earnest desire he had to be dissolved and to be with christ ; and his joy when he saw himself approaching towards it ; and ( to mention no more , ) his constancy in his last , and most terrible conflict with the wild beasts , will not suffer us to doubt . . but tho' the story then of our saviour's taking st. ignatius into his arms be of no credit ; yet thus much st. chrysostome tells us , that he was intimately acquainted with the holy apostles , and instructed by them in the full knowledg of all the mysteries of the gospel . what was the country that gave birth to this blessed saint , or who his parents , we cannot tell . indeed as to the former of these , his country ; a late author has endeavoured from a passage in abulfaragius , set out by our incomparable dr. pocock , to fix it at nora in sardinia ; a place which still retains its anicent name with very little variation . this is certain , that growing eminent both in the knowledg of the doctrine of christ , and in a life exactly framed according to the strictest rules of it ; he was upon the death of evodius chosen , by the apostles that were still living , to be bishop of antioch , the metropolis of syria ; and whatever anastasius pretends , received imposition of hands from them . . how he behaved himself in this great station , tho' we have no particular account left to us , yet may we easily conclude from that short hint that is given us of it , in the relation of his martyrdom . where we are told that he was a man in all things like unto the apostles ; that as a good governour , by the helm of prayer and fasting , by the constancy of his doctrine and spiritual labour , he opposed himself to the floods of the adversary : that he was like a divine lamp illuminating the hearts of the faithful by his exposition of the holy scriptures ; and lastly , that to preserve his church , he doubted not freely and of his own accord , to expose himself to the most bitter death . this is in general the character of his behaviour in his church of antioch ; and a greater than which can hardly be given to any man. nor indeed can we doubt but that he who , as eusebius tells us , and as his epistles still remaining abundantly testifie , was so careful of all the other churches , to confirm them in a sound faith , and in a constant adherence to their holy religion ; was certainly much more vigilant to promote the interests of piety within his own diocese , which was bless'd with his government above forty years . . hence we may observe , what a tender concern he expresses in all his epistles for his church at antioch : with what affection he recommends it to the prayers of those to whom he wrote ? and especially to the care of his dear friend , and fellow-disciple st. polycarp . and when he heard at troas of the ceasing of the persecution there , how did he rejoyce at it ? and require all the neighbouring churches to rejoyce with him ; and to send their messengers and letters thither , to congratulate with them upon that account ? . such was his affection towards his own church , and his care of all the others round about him : and by which he became in such an extraordinary favour with them , that they thought nothing could be sufficient to express their respect towards him . and therefore we are told , that when he was carried from antioch to rome , in order to his suffering there ; all the churches every where sent messengers on the way to attend him , and to communicate to his wants . and what is yet more , they were generally their bishops themselves that came to meet him ; and thought it a singular happiness to receive some spiritual exhortations from him . and when he was dead , they paid such an honour to his memory , as to account the few bones that were left of him by the wild beasts , more precious than the richest jewels : insomuch that we are told they were several ages after taken up from the place where they were first deposited , as not honourable enough for them to lie in ; and that being brought within the city where he once was bishop , there was instituted a yearly festival in memory of him . . as for what concerns the circumstances of his death , they are so particularly recounted in the relation i have here subjoyn'd of it , that there need nothing further to be added , to what is there deliver'd of this matter . yet one remark i cannot but make on that particular of his story which has puzzled so many learned men to account for ; but may easily be resolved , and i believe most truly too , into the over-ruling hand of the divine providence . and that is ; of the sending of this holy man from antioch as far as rome to suffer . for whatever the design of the emperour may have been in it ; whether he intended to increase his sufferings by a journey so wearisom , and attended with so many bitter circumstances as that must needs have been to a person very probably at that time fourscore years of age : or whether he hoped by this means to have overcome his constancy , and have drawn him away from his faith : or lastly , whether , as metaphrastes tells us , upon his consulting with those of the senate who were with him , he was advised not to let him suffer at antioch , least thereby he should raise his esteem the more among the people there , and render him the more dear and desirable to them : we cannot but doubt , that god hereby designed to present to all the nations through which he was to pass , a glorious instance of the power of his religion , that could enable this blessed martyr with so much constancy to despise all the violence of his enemies ; and to be impatient after those tryals which they hoped should have affrighted him into a base and degenerous complyance with their desires . . this was indeed a triumph worthy of the christian religion : nor was it any small advantage to the churches at such a critical time , to have their zeal awaken'd , and their courage confirm'd , both by the example and exhortations of this great man , from antioch even to rome it self . and we are accordingly told with what mighty comfort and satisfaction they received his instructions ; and as the authors of his acts express it , rejoyced to partake in his spiritual gift . . nay but if we may believe metaphrastes as to the effect which the sufferings of this holy man had upon the mind of the emperour , the church received yet greater benefit by his death . for trajan , says he , hearing of what had been done to ignatius , and how undauntedly he had undergone the sentence that was pronounced against him ; and being inform'd that the christians were a sort of men that did nothing contrary to the laws , nor were guilty of any impieties ; but worshipped christ as the son of god , and exercised all temperance both in meat and drink , nor medled with any thing that was forbidden : he began to repent of what he had done , and commanded that the christians should indeed be searched out , but that being discover'd they should not be put to death ; only they should not be admitted into any offices , nor be suffer'd to meddle with any publick employs . thus was not only the life of ignatius of great use to the church ; but his very death the means of procuring much good to it . and what metaphrastes here tells us , we find in effect deliver'd by another author of his acts not yet set forth ; and from whom he seems to have taken his story , only with the addition of some farther circumstances of his own , to make it the more complete . . but tho' i should be far from envying any thing that might make for the honour of this blessed martyr ; yet are there many circumstances in the story which metaphrastes has here put together , that make me justly call in question the truth of it . for first , it is evident beyond all doubt , that the persecution was abated at antioch before ignatius suffer'd , nay before he was yet gone out of the lesser asia . insomuch that in his three last epistles which he wrote from troas , to the philadelphians , the smyrnaeans , and to polycarp himself ; he particularly takes notice of the peace of the church of antioch , and exhorts them to send congratulatory messages thither upon the account of it . . nor was this suspension of the persecution granted upon ignatius's account , but upon the remonstances which his own officers made to him both of the numbers of those that died for the christian faith , and of the innocency of their lives ; and lastly of the readiness with which they not only suffer'd when taken , but voluntarily came and presented themselves before them . two of these epistles relating to this very persecution we have still remaining ; the one written by tiberianus president of palaestina prima , the other of pliny the younger pro-praetor of bythinia . and the answer of trajan to the latter of which we find to have been in the same words that jo. malela tells us he replied to the other ; viz. that the christians should not be sought after ; but if they were brought before them and convicted , should be punish'd , unless they abjured . . and the same is the account which not only eusebius from tertullian gives us of the emperour's order , as to this matter ; but which suidas after both , has left us of it . which makes it the more strange to find such a different relation both in bishop ushers manuscript author , and in metaphrastes's acts of ignatius before mentioned . it is true that notwithstanding these rescripts of the emperour , the persecution still continued ; nor was it so soon over in other places as it was at antioch . this is plain not only from the history of this time left us by eusebius , but may in general be concluded from the prayer which this holy saint made at his martyrdom : where , say our acts , he intreated the son of god in behalf of the churches , that he would put a stop to the persecution ; and restore peace and quiet to them . but these were only local persecutions , as eusebius calls them , and proceeded rather from the fury of the people , and the perverseness of some particular governours , than from the design or command of the emperour . . as for the time of ignatius's suffering , we are only told in his acts that it was when syria and synecius were consuls ; nor are learned men yet agreed in what year to fix it . eusebius in his chronicle places it in the year of christ cx . marianus scotus cxii . bishop usher yet sooner in the year cvii . and lastly to name no more , our most exact bishop lloyd , follow'd therein by the late critick upon baronius antonius pagi , yet later than any ; to wit , in the year that the great earthquake fell out at antioch , and from which trajan himself hardly escaped : which as jo. malela accounts it , and is follow'd therein by bishop usher in his computation , was in the year cxvi . . and this may suffice to have been observed concerning the most eminent passages that occur in the acts of the martyrdom of st. ignatius . i shall need say nothing of the authority of the relation its self ; which as it is written with all sincerity , and void of those additions which latter writers have made to these kind of histories , so we are told in the close of it , that it was compiled by those who went with him from antioch , and were the eye-witnesses of his encounters . this account was first publish'd from two very ancient manuscripts by our most reverend arch-bishop usher , in the appendix to his edition of ignatius , ao . and is now i suppose the first time translated into our own language . i cannot tell whether it be worth the observing , that in the collection made by the late learned cotelerius of the writings of the apostolical fathers , there is instead of these genuine acts , inserted the account which metaphrastes put together of his sufferings , several ages after . it would perhaps have made a more agreeable history to the vulgar reader , had i translated that relation , rather than this , which is much shorter , and wants many notable passages that are to be found in that other . but as i should then have departed from my design of setting out nothing but what i thought to be of an apostolical antiquity ; so to those who love the naked truth , these plain acts will be much more satisfactory , than a relation filled up with the uncertain , and too often fabulous circumstances of latter ages . chap. vi. of the martyrdom of st. polycarp , and of the epistle written by the church of smyrna concerning it . that there were heretofore several called by the name of polycarp : both the country , and parentage of st. polycarp uncertain . what he was before his conversion ; and by whom converted ? he is made bishop of smyrna by the apostles . how he behaved himself in that office ? the great veneration which the christians had for him . of his journey to rome , and what he did there ? the testimony of st. john concerning him , rev. ii . . of the time of st. polycarp's martyrdom : what persecutions the church then labour'd under ? of the epistle of the church of smyrna concerning his sufferings ; and the value which the antients put upon it . of the miracles that hapned at his death . what his age was when he suffered ? what the day of his suffering ? in what place he was put to death ? of the authority of the present epistle ; and its translation into our own language . . the epistle of the church of smyrna , the next piece that follows in the present collection ; however it makes mention of some others that suffered , at the same time with st. polycarp , for the faith of christ ; yet insisting chiefly upon the particulars of his passion , and being design'd by that church to communicate to all the world the glorious end of their beloved bishop , and most worthy and constant martyr of christ : i shall observe the same method in treating of this , that i did in discoursing of the acts of st. ignatius before ; and speak somewhat of the life of st. polycarp first , before i come to consider the account that is here given us of his death . . that there were several of the name of polycarp heretofore , and who must therefore carefully be distinguish'd from him of whom we are now to discourse , has been evidently shewn , by the late learned editor of his epistle . as for our polycarp the disciple of st. john , and the great subject of the present martyrologie ; we have little account , either what was his country , or who his parents ? in general we are told that he was born somewhere in the east ; as le moyne thinks not far from antioch ; and perhaps in smyrna its self , says our learned dr. cave . being sold in his childhood , he was bought by a certain noble matron whose name was calisto ; and bred up by her , and at her death made heir to all her estate ; which tho' very considerable , he soon spent in works of charity and mercy . . his christianity he received in his younger years from bucolus bishop of smyrna ; by whom being made deacon and catechist of that church , and discharging those offices with great approbation ; he was upon the death of bucolus made bishop of smyrna by the apostles , and particularly by st. john , whose disciple , together with ignatius , he had before been . . how considerable a reputation he gain'd by his wise administration of this great office , we may in some measure conclude from that character which his very enemies gave of him at his death : when crying out that he should be thrown to the lyons , they laid this to him as his crime , but which was indeed his chiefest honour ; this , say they , is the doctor of asia , the father of the christians , and the over-turner of our gods ; and when he was burnt , they persuaded the governour not to suffer his friends to carry away any of his remains , least , say they , the christians forsaking him that was crucified , should begin to worship polycarp . . nor was it any small testimony of the respect that was paid to him , that ( as we are told in this epistle ) the christians would not suffer him to pull off his own cloaths , but strove who should be the most forward to do him service ; thinking themselves happy if they could but come to touch his flesh. for , says the epistle , even before he had grey hairs , he was adorn'd with such a good conversation , as made all men pay a more than ordinary respect to him . . hence st. hierome calls him the prince of all asia , sophronius the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 · or chief ruler ; perhaps , says a learned man in opposition to the asiarchae of the heathens spoken of in this epistle : signifying thereby , that as they were among the gentiles , the heads of their sacred rites , and presided in the common assemblies and spectacles of asia ; so was polycarp among the christians a kind of universal bishop ; the prince and head of the churches in those parts . . nor was his care of the church confined within the bounds of the lesser asia , but extended even unto rome its self : whither we are told he went upon the occasion of the quarto-deciman controversie then on foot between the eastern and western churches , and which he hoped to have put a stop to , by his timely interposition with those of rome . but tho' anicetus and he could not agree upon that point , each pretending apostolical tradition to warrant them in their practice : yet that did not hinder but that he was received with all possible respect there ; and officiated in their churches in presence of the bishop , and communicated with him in the most sacred mysteries of religion . . while he was at rome he remitted nothing of his concern for the interests of the church ; but employed his time partly in confirming those who were sound in the faith , but especially in drawing over those who were not , from their errours . in which work how successful he was , his own scholar irenaeus particularly recounts to us . . what he did after his return , and how he discharged his pastoral office to the time of his martyrdom we have little farther account : nor shall i trouble my self with the stories which pionius without any good grounds has recorded of the life of this holy man. but that he still continued with all diligence to watch over the flock of christ , we have all the reason in the world to believe : and that not only from what has been already observed , but from one particular more which ought not to be omitted ; namely , that when ignatius was hurried away from his church of antioch to his martyrdom , he knew none so proper to commend the care of it to , as to this excellent man ; or to supply by his own letters , what the other had not time to write , to all the other churches round about . . but i shall close up this part of the life of this holy saint , with the testimony which st. john has given to him , revel . ii . . and which as it affords us a sufficient evidence of the excellency of his life , so do's it open the way to what we are next to consider , viz. his death and passion ; unto the angel of the church in smyrna , write : these things saith the first and the last , which was dead and is alive . i know thy works , and tribulation , and poverty ( but thou art rich ; ) and i know the blasphemy of them that say they are jews , and are not , but are the synagogue of satan . fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer : behold the devil shall cast some of you into prison , that ye may be tried , and ye shall have tribulation ten days : be thou faithful unto death , and i will give thee a crown of life . . and this brings me to that which i am chiefly to insist upon , namely the death of this blessed martyr ; the subject of that epistle which is here subjoyn'd from the church of smyrna concerning it . and here i shall in the first place take for granted what our learned bishop pearson seems to have proved beyond contradiction ; that st. polycarp suffer'd , not as is commonly supposed , about the year of christ clxvii . or as bishop usher has stated it yet later clxix . much less as petit still later clxxv . but under the emperour antoninus pius , in the year of our lord cxlvii . now that the christians about that time , and especially those of asia , lay under some severe prosecutions is evident from the apology which justin martyr about this very time presented to the emperour in order to a mitigation of it . and which however baronius , and after him valesius places two or three years later ; yet is their opinion much more probable who put it about the beginning of that emperour's reign : as both eusebius among the ancients ; and his learned editor scaliger , not to mention any others , of latter times , have done . . what the effect of this apology was we cannot certainly tell ; but that the persecution was not presently put to an end , not only the second apology of the same father ; but that which eusebius tells us was afterwards presented to his successor marcus aurelius , by melito bishop of sardis , plainly makes appear . in which he complains , that the christians were still informed against by wicked men , greedy of what they had ; and prosecuted notwithstanding the several orders that his father had given , and the letters he had written to the contrary . it is true , eusebius tells us that the emperour antoninus pius had set out an effectual edict in favour of the christians ; and that particularly addressed to the common council of asia , not long before the time in which we affirm st. polycarp to have suffered . and this seems to leave it under some doubt how a persecution could have been again revived against the church , within so short a time , and after such a vigourous edict of an emperour still living to the contrary . but it is evident eusebius must have mistook the emperour , and have set down that for the rescript of antoninus pius , which was indeed set out by marcus aurelius immediately after his death ; as both the inscription shews , and valesius and others have evidently made it appear to be . . it was then in one of these topical persecutions , so frequent in the lesser asia ; that the storm happening to fall in a particular manner upon the church of smyrna , carried off this holy martyr among the rest . what the particular circumstances of his passion were it would be impertinent for me to relate in this place , seeing they are so fully and exactly described in the epistle of which we are now discoursing . a piece so excellently composed , that eusebius thought it worthy to be almost intirely transcribed into his ecclesiastical history . and of which a very great man of the present age profess'd , that he knew not any thing in all ecclesiastical antiquity , that was more wont to affect his mind ; insomuch that he seem'd to be no longer himself when he read it : and believed that no good christian could be satisfied with reading often enough this , and the like accounts , of the sufferings of those blessed martyrs , who in the primitive times laid down their lives for the faith. . nor did the ancients put any less value upon this piece , which as gregory of tours tells us was even to his time read publickly in the gallican churches ; and no doubt made a part of that annual remembrance , which the churches of asia kept of his martyrdome . . but tho' i think it needless to mention here any thing of what the following epistle relates concerning the passion of this holy man ; yet one circumstance there is which both eusebius and ruffinus having omitted , is also pass'd by in the following translation , tho' found in the acts as set out from the barrochian manuscript by arch-bishop usher . and that is this ; that the souldier or officer having struck his launce into the side of the saint , there came forth a pigeon , together with a great quantity of blood , as is express'd in the following epistle . now tho' there may seem to have been something of a foundation for such a miracle in the railery of lucian , upon the death of peregrinus the philosopher ; who burnt himself about the same time that st. polycarp suffered , and from whose funeral pile he makes a vulture to ascend , in opposition , it may be , to st. polycarp's pigeon ; if indeed he design'd ( as a learned man has conjectured ) under the story of that philosopher , to ridicule the life and sufferings of polycarp : yet i confess i am so little a friend to such kind of miracles , that i thought it better with eusebius to omit that circumstance , than to mention it from bishop usher's manuscript . and indeed besides the strangeness of such an adventure , i cannot think , had any such thing truly happen'd at his death ; that not only eusebius should have been ignorant of it , but that neither st. hierome , nor ruffinus , nor the menaea of the greek church , should have made the least mention of it . either therefore there must have been some interpolation in the manuscript set forth by that learned man ; or because that does not appear , perhaps it may be better accounted for by the mistake of a single letter in the original ; and which will bring it to no more than what eusebius has in effect said , that there came out of his left side a great quantity of blood. . as for what concerns the time of his martyrdome , i have before shewn the different computations which learned men have made of it . nor are they less at variance about the age of this holy martyr when he suffered , than about the year of his suffering . for tho' st. polycarp expresly told the pro-consul , as we read in the following epistle , that he had served christ eighty and six years ; yet some interpret this of the number of years since his conversion ; others of those of his whole life . but however thus much is evident , that which soever of the two be in the right , they will either of them make good what irenaeus has told us of him , that he was very old when he died ; and from which therefore nothing can be concluded either for the former of these opinions , or against the latter . . but the following acts of his martyrdome go yet farther : they tell us that he not only suffer'd at so great an age ; but upon the great sabbath , the second day of the month xanticus , before the seventh kalend of may , about viii . a clock . what is meant by this great sabbath is another point much debated , but never like to be agreed among learned men : whose opinions are examined at large by bishop usher , valesius , le moyne , bishop pearson , and others upon this occasion . but if we were right before in assigning the year of his suffering , as i think we were ; then we must conclude the great sabbath to have been the same here , that is usually called by that name among ecclesiastical writers , namely , the saturday in the holy week ; and to which all the other characters here assigned are exactly correspondent . and then according to this computation , st. polycarp will have suffer'd in the year of christ cxlvii . being march . the saturday before easter , about viii . a clock . . the place in which he suffer'd was a large amphitheatre in which the common assemblies of asia were wont to be kept : and as we are told by those who have travelled into those parts , is in some measure still remaining ; and shewn as the place of st. polycarp's martyrdom . i say nothing , to that which some have observed upon this occasion of the calamities which not long after fell upon the city of smyrna ; and which may seem to have been the effect of the divine vengeance , punishing them for their cruelty towards this excellent man , and the rest of his companions that suffered together with him . but this is without the bounds of my present design ; which leads me only to consider what concerns the epistle of the church of smyrna , and to which that which follow'd the death of polycarp has no relation . . and now having pass'd through the chief parts of the following relation , and which seem'd most to require our animadversion ; it is time for me to observe concerning the epistle it self , which is here subjoyn'd , that it is a piece of most unquestionable credit and antiquity . as for the main body of it , we find it preserved in the ecclesiastical history of eusebius ; who lived not above an age and a half after the writing of it . and even the manuscript it self , made use of by bishop vsher , is so well attested ; that we need not any farther assurance of the truth of it . the sum of the account which we have given us of it is this ; that gaius an acquaintance of st. irenaeus the disciple of polycarp , transcribed it from the copy of that father : and socrates , the corinthian from gaius ; and from socrates's copy was transcribed that manuscript which we still have of it . . twice has this epistle been been put into our own language , as far as the history of eusebius has given occasion for the translation of it . what those editions are i cannot tell , having never perused either of them . but i suppose it is now the first time joyn'd in an intire piece together , and so communicated to the english reader . in my translation of it i have strictly follow'd the edition of our most reverend primate , from which cotelerius's is but a copy : nor have i , that i know of , departed in the least circumstance from it , except in that one for which i have before accounted . so that i may venture to say , i have here truly set forth the epistle of the church of smyrna ; as near as our language would serve to express the sense , if not to come up to the beauty and vigour of the original . chap. vii . of the catholick epistle of st. barnabas . why the pieces that follow , are put in a second part , separate from the foregoing ? the history of st. barnabas , chiefly from the acts of the apostles . of his name , education , and travels ; especially with st. paul. how he came to be separated from that apostle . what he did afterwards ? of his death : and the invention of his relicks ; and of the cyprian priviledges establish'd on that account . of the present epistle ; and that it was truly written by st. barnabas . the principal objections against it answer'd . an apology for its allegorical interpretations of scripture . the latter part of it , originally belonging to this epistle . that it was written after the destruction of jerusalem . the design and usefulness of it . . when i first enter'd upon the design of publishing the following collection , i intended to have here put an end to it : the following pieces under the names of barnabas and hermas , together with the second epistle of st. clement ; however undoubtedly very ancient , and confess'd by all to come but little , if any thing , short of the apostolical times ; having yet been neither so highly esteem'd among the ancients , nor so generally receiv'd by many of the present times , as those i have already mention'd . but when i consider'd the deference which others among the primitive fathers have paid to them , and the value which is still put upon them by many , not inferior either in learning or piety to those who speak against them ; i thought i could not better satisfie all , than by adding them in a second part to the fore-going epistles : that so both they who have a just esteem for them , might not complain of being defrauded of any part of what remains of the apostolical writings ; and those who are otherwise minded might look upon them as standing in a second rank , and not taking place , ( which otherwise they must have done , ) of those undoubtedly genuine and admirable discourses , that make up the former part of this work. . and here the first piece that occurs , is the catholick eplistle of st. barnabas , the companion of st. paul , and disciple of our saviour christ : being generally esteem'd to have been one of the lxx . that were chose by him ; however our country-man bede , upon i know not what grounds , calls the verdict of antiquity in question as to this matter ; and of whom the holy spirit of god , has left us by st. luke this character , acts xi . . that he was a good man , full of faith , and of the holy ghost . . it is not my design to enter on any long account of the life of a person so largely spoken of in the holy scriptures ; and of whom little certain can be written , besides what is there recorded . his country was cyprus , a famous island in the mediterranean sea ; where there inhabited in those days so great a number of jews , that in the time of trajan they conspired against the gentiles there , and slew of them two hundred and forty thousand men. upon which being cast out of the isle , they were never suffer'd upon any account to set foot again in it , upon pain of death . . his name was at first joses , but by the apostles changed into barnabas ; which being interpreted , says st. luke , is the son of consolation : and as we may conjecture from the place where it is first mentioned , was given him by the apostles as an honourable acknowledgment of his charity , in selling his whole estate for the relief of the poor christians ; and upon the account of that consolation which they received thereby . . his first education , says metaphrastes , was at the feet of gamaliel ; by whom he was instructed , together with st. paul : which perhaps moved that great apostle upon his conversion to apply himself to him , as the properest person to introduce him into the acquaintance of the other apostles ; and afterwards to embrace him as his chief friend and fellow-labourer in the work of the gospel . . how they travell'd together , and what they did in the discharge of their ministry , is at large set down both by st. luke in the acts of the apostles , and by st. paul himself in his epistle to the galatians : and in which we have the history of men truly concerned for the propagation of the gospel ; and despising not only their own ease , but their very lives themselves in comparison of it . many a weary journey did they take , and danger did they run : they preach'd in the day , and when they had so done , with their own hands they wrought in the night for their subsistence ; that so they might not be burthensom to any , nor seem to seek their own advantage , but the profit of those to whom they tender'd the gospel . . among other countries to which they went , we are told that one of the first was cyprus , the native island of st. barnabas : and that not of their own motion , but by the express order and appointment of the holy ghost . how they prevail'd there , and by what miracles they made way for the conversion of it , first at salamis , and then at paphos , we are at large inform'd by st. luke , acts xiii . from thence they fetch'd a pretty large compass through the lesser asia : and having with various success preached to several cities of it , after about three years travel they again return'd to antioch in syria , the place from which they first set out . . here they tarried a considerable space , in a sedulous discharge of their ministry : till some controversies arising between the jewish and the gentile converts , they were obliged for the better composing of them , to go up to jerusalem ; where a final end was put to them by a synodical decree of the apostles and elders assembled together for that purpose . . with joy they return'd to their disciples at antioch , and brought the determination of that divine synod unto them . but it was not long ' ere st. peter coming down after them , a little abated their satisfaction : whilst to please the jewish converts he dissembled his christian liberty ; and as st. paul complains , led barnabas also into the same dissimulation with him . . and here st. paul had occasion first of all to reprove st. barnabas ; which he did with great freedom , for his unseasonable complyance . but it was not very long before he had another occasion offer'd for a yet worser contention with him . for the next year these two holy men having agreed to take a new progress together , and to visit the churches which they had planted in asia some years before ; barnabas was for taking his cousin mark again with them , but st. paul would not consent to it ; because that in their former travels he had consulted too much his own ease and safety , and left them at pamphilia in the midst of their journey . . being both resolute in their opinions , the one to take his kinsman with him , the other not to yield to it ; they not only came to some sharp words with one another about it , but went their several ways , barnabas with mark to cyprus ; and paul with silas , into syria and cilicia . thus after a joynt labour in their ministry for almost fourteen years , were these two excellent men , by a small punctilio , separated from one another : the holy spirit of god intending hereby to shew us , that the best christians are still subject to the same infirmities with other men ; and therefore ought not to be either too much exalted in their own piety , or to despise others whom they suppose to be less perfect than themselves , . nor was it a small benefit which from hence accrued not only to the church , which thereby enjoyed the benefit of these two great men much more in their separate labours , than if they had continued still together ; but particularly to st. mark : who being by the severity of st. paul brought to a deep sense of his former indifference in the work of the gospel , and yet not left by st. barnabas to give way to any desperate resolutions thereupon ; became afterwards a most useful minister of christ , and deserved not only to be made again the companion of st. paul , but to receive a very high testimony of his zeal from him . so well does the wisdom of god know how to turn the infirmities of men to his own glory , and to the good of those who serve him with an honest and upright heart . . what became of st. barnabas after this , and whither he went , is very uncertain . some tell us , that from cyprus he went on to rome , and preached the gospel there , even before st. peter came thither . but tho' baronius can by no means allow this , yet is he content that barnabas should be thought to have come thither after him . at least this he pretends to be without dispute , that st. barnabas came into italy , and preach'd the gospel in liguria ; where he founded the ancient church of milan , as from many ancient monuments and writers , says he , might be made appear ; tho' at the same time he produces not one testimony in proof of it . i shall therefore conclude , till i am better inform'd , that st. barnabas spent the remains of his life in converting his own country-men the jews ; of which as i have before observed , there were such vast numbers in that island , and for whom we cannot but think he must have had a very tender regard . or if we shall suppose him to have gone any farther , i presume it was only into the neighbouring parts of the lesser asia , and judaea , where he had before preach'd ; or at farthest into aegypt , where some tell us he went , and consecrated his nephew st. mark the first bishop of the christian church at alexandria . . and in this opinion i am the rather confirm'd from the consideration of his epistle which i have here subjoyn'd : which seems manifestly to have been design'd for the benefit of the jews ; and to shew how all the parts of it had a farther spiritual meaning than what at first sight appear'd , and were design'd to lead them to the faith and piety of the gospel . . in this exercise therefore he most likely spent his life ; and if we may credit the relation of the monk in surius , who writes the acts of this holy evangelist , at last suffer'd martyrdom in the prosecution of it : being at the instigation of certain jews that came from syria to salamis , shut up in a synagogue where he was disputing with them , and at night stoned by them . what truth there is in this story i cannot tell ; but this i must observe , which even baronius himself is forced to acknowledg , that there is nothing of this kind to be met with in any ancient author ; nor does either eusebius or st. jerome , where they treat expresly of this holy man , so much as once give the title of martyr to him . . but whatever were the manner of st. barnabas's death , yet famous is the story of the invention of his reliques , deliver'd by the same monk ; and who , as baronius tells us , lived at the same time under zeno the emperour ; and confirm'd by the concurrent testimonies of theodorus , nicephorus , cedrenus , sigebert , marianus scotus , and others . with what ceremony this was perform'd , and how this blessed saint appear'd twice to anthemius , then bishop of salamis , in order to the discovery of his own reliques ; and how the emperour commanded a stately church to be built over the place of his burial ; i shall leave it to those who are fond of such stories , to read at large in baronius , and the monk whom i before mentioned . it will be of more concern to take notice that nilus doxapater tells us , that this very thing was the ground of the cyprian privileges : where speaking of certain provinces that depended not upon any of the greater patriarchats , he instances first of all in cyprus ; which , says he , continues free , and is subject to none of the patriarchs , because of the apostle barnabas being found in it . and the same is the account which nicephorus also gives us of it ; and which was assign'd before both in the notitia ascrib'd to leo , as i find it quoted by monsieur le moyne , in his preface to his late collection of several ancient pieces relating to ecclesiastical antiquity . . together with his body , was found , says alexander , the gospel of st. matthew written in the hebrew tongue , lying upon his breast ; but nilus says , that of his kinsman s. mark. which of the two it was , or whether any thing of all this were more than a mere story , contriv'd by anthemius to get the better of peter patriarch of antioch , i shall not undertake to determine . it is enough that we are assured that by this means he not only preserved his priviledges against peter , but got his see confirm'd by the emperour , as an independent see ; which was also afterwards again done by justinian , at the instigation of the empress theodora , who was her self a cyprian . . but to return to that which is more properly the business of these reflections . it do's not appear that st. barnabas left any more in writing than the epistle i have here subjoyn'd . indeed there were some heretofore who thought that the epistle to the hebrews was written by him . tertullian confidently quotes it as his : nor do's st. hierome censure him for it , but leaves it as a doubt whether it should be ascribed to him , or to st. luke , st. clement , or st. paul ; tho' he seems rather to incline to st. paul. as for the present epistle , i do not know that it is deny'd by any of the ancients to have been written by st. barnabas . clemens alexandrinus both mentions and commends it as his . origen calls it , the catholick epistle of barnabas . eusebius , and st. jerome , tho' they place it among the apochryphal books , that is to say among such as were of doubtful authority , and not admitted into the canon of the church ; for so valesius shews we are there to understand them ; yet make no question but that barnabas was the author of it , any more than that the epistles of st. james , st. jude , the second epistle of st. peter , and the second and third of st. john , together with his revelations ; which eusebius places in the same rank ; were written by those whose names they bear . . which being so , i cannot but wonder at some in our own times , who upon such weak grounds peremptorily pronounce it to be none of st. barnabas's ; which , says our learned bishop pearson , none of all the ancients pretended to doubt of . and of this cotelerius seems to have been sensible ; who tho' he did not care to ascribe it to the blessed evangelist of whom we are now discoursing , yet was forced to suppose that some other barnabas wrote it , and without which he saw there could be no way of answering the concurrent verdict of all antiquity , which has universally agreed in barnabas as the author of it . but now who this other barnabas was , or that in those times there was any such person , he pretends not to tell us ; and they who ascribe it to barnabas , expresly speak of him as the same of whom i have hitherto been discoursing . . but of all others , most unaccountable is the fancy of monsieur le moyne concerning the author of this epistle . he had observed that in several manuscripts it was immediately continued on with that of st. polycarp : and from this ignorance or negligence of a few transcribers has this learned man concluded the two epistles to have been both written by st. polycarp ; in which as he had none to go before him , so i believe he will scarcely meet with any to follow him . . nor are the arguments which they bring against the authority of it , of such moment as to overthrow the constant testimonies of the ancients on its behalf . they tell us first ; that it is evident from the xvi th chapter of this epistle , that it was written after the destruction of jerusalem . but why may not barnabas have been then living , as well as we are sure st. john , and several others of the companions of the apostles were ? and if he may have been living after it ; why shall not we suppose that he was , as well as they , that he was not ? seeing it does not appear from the testimony of any antient writers when he died . . but dly , they argue yet farther against it : for if this , say they , be the genuine epistle of st. barnabas , how comes it to pass that it is not received as canonical ? certainly had the primitive christians believed it to have been written by such a man , they would without controversie have plac'd it among the sacred writings ; and not have censured it as of doubtful authority . this is indeed a very specious pretence , but which being a little examined will be found to have no strength in it : it being certain that the primitive fathers did own this for st. barnabas's epistle , and yet not receive it into their canon ; and therefore that it do's not follow , that had they believed it to have been his , they must have esteem'd it canonical . . what rules they had , or by what measure they proceeded in those first times in judging of the canonical scriptures of the new testament , it is not necessary for me here to enquire . it is enough that we know what books the church did at last agree in as coming under that character : and for the rest , as we cannot doubt but that there was a due care taken in examining into a matter of such importance , and that those primitive fathers did not without very good reason distinguish what were written by divine inspiration , from what were not ; so we are very sure that all was not admitted by them into the rank of canonical scripture that was written by any apostolical man ; and therefore that it can be no good argument , that barnabas was not the author of this epistle , because it is not placed among the sacred writings of the new testament . . but there is yet one objection more , and that much insisted upon by those who are enemies to this epistle . they tell us it is full of a strange sort of allegorical interpretations of holy scripture ; and therefore unworthy to be father'd upon so evangelical an author . and yet notwithstanding this , we find clemens alexandrinus and origen , eusebius and st. jerome , some of the greatest and most learned criticks of those ages that were the nearest to the time in which it was written , not doubting to ascribe it to st. barnabas , and to think it worthy too of such an author . . i need not say how general a way this was of interpreting scripture , in the time that st. barnabas lived . to omit origen , who has generally been noted as excessive in it ; and for whom yet a learned man has very lately made a reasonable apology : who has ever shewn a more diffusive knowledg , than clemens alexandrinus has done in all his composures ? and yet in his works we find the very same method taken of interpreting the holy scriptures , and that without any reproach either to his learning , or to his judgment . what author has there been more generally applauded for his admirable piety than the other clement , whose epistle to the corinthians i have here inserted ? and yet even in that plain piece , we meet with more than one instance of the same kind of interpretation ; which was never the less admired by the best and most primitive christians . . even st. paul himself in his epistles received by us as canonical , affords us not a few instances of this which is so much found fault with in st. barnabas : as i might easily make appear from a multitude of passages out of them , were it needful for me to enlarge my self on a point , which every one who has read the scriptures with any care , cannot chuse but have observed . . now that which makes it the less to be wonder'd at in st. barnabas is , that the jews , of which number he was himself originally one , and to whom he wrote , had of a long time been wholly addicted to this way of interpreting the law ; and taught men to search out a spiritual meaning for almost all the ritual commands and ceremonies of it . this is plain from the account which aristeas has left us of the rules which eleazar the high priest , to whom ptolomy sent for a copy of the mosaical law , gave him for the understanding of it . when it being objected to him , that their legislator seem'd to have been too curious in little matters ; such as the prohibitions of meats and drinks , and the like , for which there appeared no just reason : he shew'd him at large , that there was a farther , hidden design , in it than what at first sight appear'd ; and that these outward ordinances were but as so many cautions to them against such vices , as were principally meant to be forbidden by them . and then goes on to explain this part of the law , after the same manner that barnabas has done , in the following epistle . . but this is not all ; eusebius gives us yet another instance to confirm this to us ; viz. of aristobulus , who lived at the same time , and gave the same account of the spiritual meaning of the law , that eleazar had done before . and that this was still continued among the hellenistical jews , is evident from the account that is left us by one of them , who was con-temporary with st. barnabas , and than whom none has been more famous for this way of writing , i mean , philo in his description of the theraputae : whether the same whom in the beginning of his book he calls by the name of essenes , as scaliger supposes ; or a particular sect of jews , as valesius will have it ; or lastly , a kind of monkish converts from judaism to christianity , as eusebius heretofore described them , and as some other learned men , seem rather to conjecture . but whatever becomes of this , herein they all agree , that they were originally jews ; and therefore we may be sure they follow'd the same method of interpreting scripture , that the alexandrian jews were wont to do . . now the account which eusebius , from philo , gives us of them , is this . their leaders , says he , left them many ancient writings of their notions , clothed in allegories . and again ; they interpret the holy scriptures , viz. of the old testament , allegorically . for you must know , continues he , that they liken the law to an animal ; the words of which make up the body , but the hidden sense which lies under them , and is not seen , that they think to be the soul of it . and this was that which a late learned author supposes render'd their conversion to christianity the more easie . for being wont to seek out the spiritual meaning of the law , they more readily embraced the gospel , than those who looked no farther than the outward letter ; and were therefore the harder to be persuaded to come over to so spiritual an institution . . and , i suppose , it was from hence that the most early hereticks were so wedded to their mystical interpretations of scripture , and so much valued themselves upon the account of them . and against whose false and impure doctrines , our late great critick , dr. hammond , supposes st ▪ barnabas to have principally design'd his epistle : and therefore that being to deal with men who valu'd nothing but such kind of expositions , he was forced to confute them in their own way ; both as most suitable to their manners , and as most proper either to convince them of their errors , or at least to prevent others , especially the jewish converts , from falling into them . . but whether this were so or no , thus much is evident from what has been said ; that the hellenistical jews , to whom it is most probable st. barnabas address'd his epistle , were altogether used to this way of interpreting the holy scriptures : and therefore that howsoever it may appear to others , who are so utterly unaccustomed to it , yet we ought not to wonder that st. barnabas , who was himself a jew , should at such a time , and upon such an occasion as this , make use of it ; or suppose it at all unworthy of him so to do . . nor indeed were they the jews only that led the holy men in those days into these mystical expositions of the sacred scriptures . even the gentile philosophers too conduced towards it : whilst the better to cover over the fabulous stories of their gods , and which they saw were too ridiculous to be maintain'd ; they explain'd the whole system of their idolatry by allegorical analogies , and shew'd all the poetical accounts of them to be only the out-side shadows of a sort of natural theology included under those fictions . thus heraclides of pontus wrote a whole book of the allegories of homer : and metrodorus of lampsacus is fallen foul upon by tatian , in his oration against the greeks , for pretending that neither juno , nor minerva , nor jupiter were what those imagin'd who built temples and altars to them , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . nay so far went this last author in his allegories , as to turn all the trojan and graecian hero's into mere fictions : and to make hector , and achilles , and agamemnon , and even helena her self , nothing less than what one would think they were , and what the common people ignorantly imagin'd them to be . . and for the influence which this had upon the ancient fathers who from philosophers became christians ; the writings both of justin martyr and clemens alexandrinus sufficiently shew . and if we may believe porphery , an enemy , in the case of origen ; he tells us in the same place in which he complains of him , for turning those things that were clearly deliver'd by moses into mystical significations , not only that he did this in imitation of the graecians ; but that it was his frequent conversation with numenius and cronius , moderatus , nichomachus , and others among the pythagoreans ; and with chaeremon and cornutus among the stoics ; that he had learnt his allegorical way of expounding the holy scriptures , and applied that to his religion , which they were wont to do to their superstition . . from all which it appears , that this way of writing in matters of religion , was in those days generally used not only among the jews , but among the wiser and more philosophical of the gentiles too : and from both came to be almost universally practised among the primitive christians . which being so , we ought to be far from censuring of st. barnabas for his mystical application of what god prescribed to the jews in the old testament , to the spiritual accomplishment of it in the new. much less should we ever the more call in question either the truth , or credit , of his epistle upon this account . . having said thus much either in vindication of the allegorical expositions of this epistle , or at least by way of apology for them ; i shall add but little more concerning the epistle it self . i have before observed as to the time of its writing , that it was somewhat after the destruction of jerusalem ; and as we may conjecture from the subject of it , ( for title at present it has none , nor do's it appear that ever it had any ) was address'd to the jews , to draw them off from the letter of the law , to a spiritual understanding of it ; and by that means dispose them to embrace the gospel . whether he had besides this a farther design in it , as dr. hammond supposes , to confute the errours of the gnostick hereticks , and to prevent the jewish converts from falling into them , it is not certain ; but may from the chief points insisted upon by him be probably enough supposed . if any one shall think it strange , that disputing against the jews for the truth of the gospel , he should not have urged any of those passages relating to the messiah , which seem to us the most apposite to such a purpose ; such as the oracle of jacob concerning the time that shiloh was to come ; the lxx weeks of daniel ; the prophecies of haggai and malachi , of his coming while the second temple stood ; and which was now destroyed when he wrote this epistle , and the like : monsieur le moyne will give him a ready answer ; viz. that these passages relate chiefly to the time of christ's appearing , and that this was no controversie in those days ; the jews not only confessing it , but being ready at every turn through this persuasion to set up some or other for their messiah , to their shame and confusion . it was therefore then but little necessary to use those arguments against them , which now appear to be the most proper and convincing ; since the state of the question is alter'd , and the jews either deny that their messiah is come ; or that it was necessary for him to have come about that time , that our saviour christ appeared in the flesh. . but tho' the chief design of this epistle was to convince the jews of the truth of our religion , yet are there not wanting in the latter part of it , many excellent rules , to render it still very useful to the pious reader . indeed some have doubted whether this did originally belong to this epistle ; or whether it has not since been added to it . but seeing we find this part quoted by the fathers , as belonging to st. barnabas , no less than the other ; and that the measure assign'd to it in the ancient stichometries , can hardly be well accounted for without it : i do not see but that we ought to conclude , that our author did divide his epistle into the two parts , in which we now have it ; and that this latter , aswell as the former , was written by him . . as for the translation which i have here given of it ; i have made it up out of what remains of the original greek , and of the old latin version ; and of each of which , tho' a part be lost , yet it has so fallen out , that between them we not only have the whole epistle , but that too free of those interpolations which vossius tells us some had endeavour'd to make in this , as well as in ignatius's epistles . in both i have endeavour'd to attain to the sense of my author , and to make him as plain and easie as i was able . if in any thing i shall have chanced to mistake him , i have only this to say for my self ; that he must be better acquainted with the road , than i pretend to be , who will undertake to travel so long a journey in the dark , and never to miss his way . chap. viii . of the shepherd of st. hermas ; and of the second epistle of st. clement to the corinthians . that the hermas mention'd by st. paul , rom. xvi . . was the author of that book which is here subjoyn'd under his name . there is little remaining of his life , more than what is taken out of his own book . of his death ; uncertain whether he died a martyr . the ancient fathers divided in their opinions of this book : nor are our later criticks less . that there are many useful things in it . of the second epistle of st. clement : that it is not of equal reputation with the former . by some deny'd to be st. clements . it is most probable that it was written by st. clement ; and has many excellent things , and worthy of that holy man , in it . these two pieces now the first time translated into our own language . . there is not a greater difference between the learned men of the present times concerning the epistle of st. barnabas , than there was among the ancient fathers heretofore , concerning the authority of that book , which next follows , under the name of hermas . who this hermas was , what he did , and what he suffer'd for the faiths sake , is in great measure unknown to us . that there was one of that name at rome when st. paul wrote his epistle to the church there , his remembrance of him rom. xvi . . will not suffer us to doubt . nor is it improbable but that it was the same hermas who afterwards wrote this book : and who appears not only still to have continued his relation to the church of rome , but to have written at such a time as may well agree to one of st. paul's acquaintance . the former of these may be collected from his second vision , which he seems to have had at the same time that clement was bishop of rome , and to whom therefore he is commanded to carry a copy of it . and for the latter , if the conjectures of two of our greatest criticks may be allow'd , in applying the great affliction of which he speaks in another of his visions , to the destruction of jerusalem then at hand ; it is evident that this book must have been written within xl. years after the death of christ , and by consequence by some author who lived at the very time , that the hermas of whom st. paul speaks , most certainly did . . hence origen in his homily upon that place of st. paul before mentioned , delivers it as his opinion , that it was the hermas there spoken of who wrote this book . but eusebius do's more ; he tells us that it was the received opinion in those days , that it was composed by him . and that it continued to be so in the age after , st. hierome witnesses ; who speaks yet more positively than eusebius to that purpose . and from all which we may conclude what is to be judg'd of that mistake which our latter writers have fallen into , by their too credulous following the author of the poem against marcion under the name of tertullian , viz. that it was written by hermes brother to pope pius ; and in which not only the authors of the pontifical ascribed to pope damascus , and of the pretended decretal epistles of the ancient bishops of rome , but the martyrologists of the middle ages , bede , ado , &c. have generally been involved . . it is true , cardinal baronius has endeavour'd to make up this difference , by supposing that the hermes spoken of by st. paul , was brother to pope pius , and so all parties may be in the right . but besides , that this book was written by hermas , not the hermes of whom st. paul there speaks ; the difference of the time renders it altogether incredible , that a person of some considerable age at st. paul's writing his epistle , should have lived so long as that pope's brother is said to have done : whom the cardinal himself observes to have been living clxiv . years after christ ; that is to say , cvii . years after the writing of st. paul's epistle to the romans . and this his epitomator spondanus was aware of : and therefore tho' he seems to have allow'd of the conjecture , yet could not chuse but add this reflection of his own upon it ; that according to this reckoning , hermas must have been cxxx years old when he died , and in all probability a great deal more . . what the condition of this hermas was before his conversion , we cannot tell ; but that he was a man of some consideration , we may conclude from what we read of him in his third vision : where he is said to have been formerly unprofitable to the lord upon the account of those riches , which after he became a christian , he seems to have dispensed in works of charity and beneficence . . nor have we any more knowledg how he was converted , than what his condition was before : it is probable from several passages in his book , that he was brought over to christianity himself , before his family ; who continued yet in the practice of many and great impieties . during this while , hermas was not only very kind to them , but seems to have been so indulgent towards them , as to permit them rather to go on in their sins , than he would take any rough measures with them , to draw them off from them . . but this was not all ; he not only patiently bore with them , but was himself disturb'd with many anxious cares , to supply them in their extravagances , and often times did not behave himself so well as he ought upon that account . but however , being of an honest and upright disposition , and having a great sincerity in his religion ; it pleased god at last not only to convince him of his faults , in thus neglecting his family , but to give them grace to hearken to his admonitions , and to embrace at once both the christian faith , and a practice also suitable thereunto . . what he did after this we have no account ; but that he lived a very strict life , we may reasonably conjecture , in that it pleased god to vouchsafe such extraordinary revelations to him ; and to employ him in several messages to his church , both to correct their manners , and to warn them of the tryals that were about to come upon them . . this was so singular a grace , even in those times of miracles , that we find some other christians , not so humble as they ought to be , became enemies to him upon the account of them . however this did not hinder , but that god still continu'd to make use of his ministry in admonishing sinners ; and he as readily and faithfully went on , both in warning them of their danger , and in exhorting them to repent and save their souls . . this then was the business of this holy man , in which he spent his life ; and if we may believe the roman martyrologie , his death was not unsuitable to it : where we read , that being illustrious for his miracles , he at last offer'd himself a worthy sacrifice unto god. but upon what grounds this is establish'd baronius himself could not tell us : insomuch that in his annals he durst not once mention the manner of his death , but is content to say , that having undergone many labours and troubles in the time of the persecution under aurelius , ( and that too without any authority ) he at last rested in the lord , july xxvi . and which is therefore observed in commemoration of him . and here is indeed a pleasant mistake , and worthy the roman martyrologie . for this author , from the book of which we are now discoursing , being sometimes called by the title of pastor , or shepherd , the martyrologist has very gravely divided the good man into two saints : and they observe the memorial of hermas , may ix th , and of pastor , july xxvi th . unless we shall rather say that this was indeed the cardinal's blunder , and the martyrologie in the right , to make two distinct persons of st. hermas rembembred by st. paul , and the brother of pope pius , to whom the passages mention'd july xxvi . do manifestly belong : and erred only in applying the character of pastor to the latter , which , with the treatise of which we are now discoursing , ought , as the cardinal has truly observed , to have been ascribed to the former . . but not to insist any longer on the author of this book : as for the work it self , we find both the ancient fathers , and the learned men of our own times , not a little divided in their judgments concerning it . some there are , and those the nearest to the time when this book was written , that treat it almost with the same respect that they would do the canonical scriptures . irenaeus quotes it under the very name of the scripture . origen , tho' he sometimes moderates his opinion of it , upon the account of some who did not , it seems , pay the same respect with himself to it ; yet speaking of hermas being the author of this book in his comments on the epistle to the romans , gives us this character of it , that he thought it to be a most useful writing ; and was , as he believed , divinely inspired . eusebius tells us , that tho' being doubted of by some , it was not esteem'd canonical , yet was it by others judged a most necessary book , and as such read publickly in the churches . and st. hierom having in like manner observed that it was read in some churches , makes this remark upon it , that it was indeed a very profitable book ; and whose testimony was often quoted by the greek fathers . athanasius places it in the same rank with the books of scripture , and calls it a most useful treatise : and in another place tells us , that tho' it was not strictly canonical ; yet was it reckon'd among those books which the fathers appointed to be read to such as were to be instructed in the faith , and desired to be directed in the way of piety . . hence we may observe , as a farther evidence of that respect which was paid to this book heretofore , that it was not only openly read in the churches , but in some of the most ancient manuscripts of the new testament , is joyned together with the other books of the holy scriptures . an instance of this cotelerius offers us in that of the monastry of st. germans in france , in which it is continued on at the end of st. paul's epistles . and in several of the old stichometries , it is put in the same catalogue with the inspired writings . as may be seen in that which the same author has published out of a manuscript in the king's library , in his observations upon st. barnabas ; and in which st. barnabas's epistle is placed immediately before the revelations , as the acts of the apostles , and hermas's shepherd are immediately after it . . and yet after all this , we find this same book not only doubted of by others among the ancient fathers , but slighted even by some of those , who upon other occasions have spoken thus highly in its favour . thus st. jerome in his comments exposes the folly of that apochryphal book , as he calls it , which in his catalogue of writers he had so highly applauded . tertullian , who spake if not honourably yet calmly of it whilst a catholick , being become montanist , rejected it , even with scorn . and most of the other fathers who have spoken the highest of it themselves , yet plainly enough insinuate , that there were those who did not put the same value upon it . thus origen mentions some who not only deny'd , but despis'd its authority . and cassian having made use of it in the point of free-will , prosper without more ado rejected it as a testimony of no value . and what the judgment of the latter ages was as to this matter , especially after pope gelasius had ranked it among the apochryphal books , may be seen at large in the observations of antonius augustinus upon that decree . . how far this has influenced the learned men of our present times in their censures upon this work , is evident from what many on all sides have freely spoken concerning it : who not only deny it to have been written by hermas the companion of st. paul , but utterly cast it off , as a piece of no worth , but rather full of error and folly. thus baronius himself , tho' he delivers not his own judgment concerning it , yet plainly enough shews that he ran in with the severest censures of the ancients against it : and in effect charges it with favouring the arrians , tho' upon a mistaken authority of st. athanasius , and which by no means proves any such errour to be in it . but cardinal bellarmine is more free : he tells us that it has many hurtful things in it , and particularly that it favours the novatian heresie ; which yet i think a very little equity in interpreting of some passages that look that way , by others that are directly contrary thereunto , would serve to acquit it of . others are yet more severe : they censure it as full of heresies and fables : tho' this labbe would be thought to excuse , by telling us that they have been foisted into it by some later interpolations , and ought not to be imputed to hermas , the author of this book . . nor have many of those of the reform'd churches been any whit more favourable in their censures of the present treatise . but then as the chiefest of the most ancient fathers heretofore , tho' they admitted it not into the canon of holy scripture , yet otherwise paid a very great deference to it ; so the more moderate part of the learned men of our present times , esteem it as a piece worthy of all respect , and clear of those faults which are too lightly charged by some persons upon it . thus petavius , none of the most favourable critics upon the ancient fathers , yet acknowledges , as to the present book , that it was never censured by any of the ancients as guilty of any false doctrine or heresie ; and especially as to the point of the holy trinity . cotelerius , one of the latest editors of it , esteems it as an ecclesiastical work of good note , and a great defence of the catholick faith against the errors of montanism : whose judgment is not only follow'd by their late historian natalis alexander , but is made good too in the defence of it against those objections , which some have brought to lessen its reputation . and for those of our own communion , i shall mention only two , but they such as will serve instead of many to all judicious persons , who have at large justified it against the chief of those exceptions that have been taken at it ; the one , the most excellent bishop pearson in his vindication of st. ignatius ; the other the learned dr. bull , in his defence of the nicene faith , in the point of our blessed saviour's divinity ; and which he largely shews our present author to have been far from doing any prejudice unto . . such then have been the different judgments of learned men , both heretofore , and in our present times , concerning this book . it would be too great a presumption for me to pretend to determine any thing as to this matter ; and having subjoyn'd the work it self in our common language , every one may be able to satisfie himself what value he ought to put upon it . that there are many useful things to be found in it , but especially in the second , and i think , the best part of it , cannot be deny'd . and for the other two , it must be considered , that tho' such visions as we there read of , being no longer continu'd to these latter ages , may warrantably be despised in the pretenders of the present days ; yet we cannot doubt but that at the time when this book was written , the extraordinary gifts of the holy ghost were very frequent ; and we need not question but that such revelations too among the rest , were communicated to holy men for the benefit of the church . . but i shall not pursue this subject any farther : nor will i add very much to what i have before said with relation to st. clement and his first epistle , concerning that part which still remains of a second under his name , and which concludes the following collection . . that this second epistle was not of so great a reputation among the primitive fathers , as the foregoing , eusebius not only plainly tells us , but gives us this testimony of it , that he could not find it quoted , as the other was , by any of them . but st. jerome is more severe ; he represents it to us as rejected by them : and photius after him , calls it a spurious piece . and not to mention any more ; our most reverend bishop usher not only concurs in the same censure , but offers several arguments too in proof of it . . and yet , when all is done , it do's not appear but that st. clement was indeed the author of this , as well as of the other epistle , before spoken of ; tho' it was not so much esteem'd , nor by consequence so generally known to the ancients as that . in the manuscript of st. thecla we find this set forth under the same title with the other . and in all the other catalogues of the ancients , wherever one is spoken of , the other is for the most part set together with it : as may particularly be observed in the apostolical canons , one of the most early collections of this kind . . nor does eusebius deny this epistle to be st. clement's , but only says that it was not so celebrated as the other . and true it is , we do not find it either so often , or so expresly mention'd , as that . but yet if the conjecture of wendeline , approved by a very , learned man of our own country may be admitted ; eusebius himself will afford us an instance of one who not only spake of it , but spake of it as wont to be publickly read in the church of corinth . for discoursing of the epistles of dionysius , bishop of that see ; he tells us , that in one of them which he wrote to the romans , he took notice of st. clement's epistle in these words : today have we kept the lord 's day with all holiness ; in which we have read your epistle , as we shall always continue to read it for our instruction , together with the former written to us by clement . what that epistle was , that dionysius here speaks of , as written by the church of rome to that of corinth , and publickly read in the congregation there , it do's not appear ; nor can we give any account of it , unless it was that which st. clement wrote to them in the name of the church of rome , and which eusebius tells us was publickly read in that church in those days . but then if this be so , as i think it most likely that it is ; we must conclude that the epistle of which we are now speaking , was indeed the first written to them , however called his second epistle ; and wont to be read , together with that other which he sent in the name of the roman church to them , in their assemblies . . now that which yet more favours this opinion is , that it seems by many arguments to appear , that this letter which he wrote in his own name ( tho' as being sent from a particular person , and not in it self so considerable as the other , it was usually set after that which he wrote by the order of the church , and in their name , to the corinthians ) was yet indeed the first written . and for being read in the churches , epiphanius expresly tells us , that this epistle , no less than the foregoing , was in his time wont to be publickly read in the congregation . and tho' st. jerome and photius indeed speak but meanly of it in those places where they seem to deliver the judgment of eusebius rather than their own opinion ; yet upon other occasions , they make no exception against the authority of it , but equally ascribe it to st. clement with the other , of which there is no doubt . . it were an easie matter to shew that the same was the opinion of the other ecclesiastical writers of those times : but this having been done at large by wendeline first , and since by cotelerius , and his perpetual transcriber natalis alexander , i shall forbear ; and conclude with this , that it is an epistle , tho' not of equal value with the other , yet of good use , and which if it were not written by st. clement , as i make no doubt but it was , has yet nothing in it that is in the least unworthy of him . . and now having said thus much concerning these two last pieces , and with which the present collection is concluded ; i have but this to add , that they are both of them now first of all put into our own language ; and presented to the perusal of the english reader : the former from the old latin version , which is by some much complained of , tho' by others as stifly defended : the latter from the original greek , as it was publish'd by mr. patrick young from the alexandrian manuscript , the only copy that , for ought appears , do's at this day remain of it . . if any one shall ask how it came to pass that our learned country-man mr. burton , when he set out the former epistle of st. clement in english , did not subjoyn this to it ; the answer which himself warrants us to return is this : that taking what has been said by the antients before mentioned , in the strictest sense , he looked upon this epistle as a spurious piece : and which tho' it carried the name of st. clement , was yet truly no more his , than those constitutions and recognitions , which are also publish'd under the same name ; but are generally acknowledged to be none of his , as in the prosecution of this discourse i shall take occasion more particularly to shew . . as for the epistle it self , i have concluded it somewhat sooner , than the greek , which yet remains of it , do's . but that which i have omitted being only an imperfect piece of a sentence , and which would have made the conclusion much more abrupt than it is now ; i chose rather to add what follow'd here , than to continue it there . and to make the reader the better amends for this liberty , i have not only subjoyn'd what remains of st. clement , but have endeavour'd to make out the sense of what is wanting in our copy from the other clement , who seems to have follow'd this original . for the lord himself being asked by a certain person , when his kingdom should come ; answer'd , when two shall be one , and that which is without as that which is within ; and the male with the female , neither male nor female . now two are one , when we speak the truth to each other ; and there is , ( without hypocrisie , ) one soul in two bodies . and that which is without , as that which is within ; he means this ; he calls the soul that which is within , and the body that which is without . as therefore thy body appears , so let thy soul be seen by its good works . and the male with the female , neither male nor female ; — he means this ; he calls our anger the male , our concupiscence the female . when therefore a man is come to such a pass , that he is subject neither to the one or other of these ; both of which through the prevalence of custom , and an evil education , cloud and darken the reason ; but rather having dispell'd the mist arising from them , and being full of shame , shall by repentance have united both his soul and spirit in the obedience of reason ; then as paul , says , there is in us neither male nor female . chap. ix . that the pieces here put together are all that remain of the most primitive and apostolical antiquity . that there are several other treatises pretended to have been written within the compass of this period ; but none such as truly come up to it . of the epistle of our saviour christ to abgarus , and the occasion of it : that it is not probable that any such letter was written by him . the epistles ascribed to the virgin mary , spurious . so is the epistle pretended to have been written by st. paul to the laodiceans . of the acts , the gospel , the preaching and revelations of st. peter . of the liturgy attributed to st. matthew : and the discourse said to have been written by him concerning the nativity of the blessed virgin. of the liturgies ascribed to st. peter , st. mark , and st. james . of the gospels attributed to several of the apostles . of the apostles creed ; and the canons called apostolical . of the other pieces under the names of st. clement and st. ignatius : and particularly of the recognitions and epitome of clement . of the history of the life , miracles , and assumption of st. john , pretended to have been written by prochorus , one of the seven deacons . of the histories of st. peter and st. paul , ascribed to linus bishop of rome . of the lives of the apostles attributed to abdias bishop of babylon . of the epistles of st. martial . of the passion of st. andrew , written by the presbyters of achaja . of the works ascribed to dionysius the areopagite . that , upon the whole , the pieces here put together , are all that remain of the apostolical times , after the books of the holy scripture . . and now having said thus much concerning the several pieces here put together , and the authors of them ; it is time to go on to the other part of this discourse , and consider what may be fit to be observed concerning them all together , and as they are now first of all set forth , in our own language , in the following collection . . now the first thing that may be fit to be here taken notice of is , that the following collection is truly what the title pretends it to be , a full and perfect collection of all the genuine writings that remain to us of the apostolical fathers : and carries on the antiquity of the church from the time of the holy scriptures of the new testament , to about an hundred and fifty years after christ. . to make this the more evident , it will be necessary for me to consider , what those other writings are which some have endeavoured to raise up into the rank of apostolical antiquity ; and shew , that they are indeed writings either of no credit nor authority at all , or at least , not of such as they are falsly pretended to be . and to the end i may proceed the more clearly in this enquiry , i will divide the several pieces now to be examined into the three following ranks : the , first , of those which are antecedent to any i have here collected ; as being pretended to have been written either by our saviour christ himself , or by the virgin mary , or by the apostles . the , second , of such other tracts as are ascribed to some of those fathers , whose genuine remains i have here put together . and the , third , of such pieces as are said to have been written by some other authors who lived in the apostolical times ; and wrote , if we will believe some men , several books much more considerable than any i have here collected . . of the first of these kinds is that pretended letter of our blessed saviour to abgarus king of edessa , a little city of arabia , a part of which country was subject to him . now this may seem to be of so much the better credit , in that eusebius tells us he had himself faithfully translated it out of the syriac language , as he found it in the archives of edessa . nor was it very long after , that ephraem , a deacon of that church , made mention of this communication between our saviour and abgarus , as the occasion of the first conversion of that place ; and exhorted his people upon that account , the rather to hold fast to their holy profession , and to live worthy of it . evagrius who wrote about two hundred years after this , not only confirmed all that had been said by both these , but added , from procopius , several other circumstances , unknown , for ought appears , to either of them . and particularly , that of the impression which our saviour had made of his face upon a napkin , and sent to that prince ; and which , he tells us , was of no small advantage to them in the defence of their town against chosdroes king of persia , who by this means was hindred from taking of it . . and now , since the addition of this new story , to the old account of this matter ; it is not to be wondred if the patrons of images among the greeks , from henceforth contended with all earnestness for the truth of both . insomuch that we find they instituted a particular festival in memory of it , august the xvi th ; and transcribed at large the whole history of this adventure into their menaeon , and recited it upon it . . and upon the same account i suppose it is , that some of our late authors , tho' they do not care to assert the truth of this story , are yet unwilling to deny all credit to it . baronius reports both the relation and the epistle from eusebius , but will not answer for the truth of either . spondanus delivers the same from the cardinal , that he had done from eusebius ; and passes no censure either one way or other upon it : only in his margent he observes that gretser the jesuit in his discourse of images , &c. had vindicated the authority of our saviour's epistle to abgarus , from the exceptions of casaubon in his exercitations upon baronius against it . gerard vossius in his scholia upon the testament of st. ephraem , contents himself to refer us to the authority of the ancients for the truth of this relation ; who , he pretends , did without controversie look upon it to be authentick . and valesius himself , tho' he do's not go about to confute this story , but rather endeavours to rectifie those errors that seem'd the most considerable in it ; yet plainly enough shews that he was not out of all doubt concerning the truth of it . . but others , even of the church of rome , have not observed so much caution in this particular . they roundly stand by the censure of pope gelasius who pronounced this epistle of our saviours to be apochryphal : and not only shew by many probable arguments the falseness of it ; but what is yet more , pass the same censure upon the story of the image too that casaubon had done , notwithstanding all that gretser could say in favour of it . natalis alexander delivers this conclusion concerning it : the epistle of abgarus to our saviour , and his answer to it , are supposititious and apochryphal ; and at large answers all that is usually urged in favour of them . and du pin after him , yet more solidly convinces it of such manifest errors , as may serve to satisfie all considering persons , that eusebius and ephraem were too easie of belief in this particular : and did not sufficiently examin into it , when they deliver'd that as a certain truth , which in several circumstances shews it self to be evidently otherwise . . i shall not need to say any thing of the opinions of the learned men of the reformed religion as to this matter ; which generally agree in the same censure . but yet seeing both eusebius and st. ephraem have spoken with such confidence of this story , and whose authority ought not to be lightly esteemed ; i shall chuse rather with the middle sort , to leave it to every one to judg as he pleases , than determine any thing in this case . and that they may the better do it , i will subjoyn at length the two epistles , as they are rendered by eusebius from the original syriac into greek ; and from him translated into our own tongue . the epistle of abgarus to our blessed saviour . . abgarus prince of edessa , to jesus the good saviour , who has appeared in the country about jerusalem , health . i have received an account of thee , and thy cures ; how without any medicines or herbs they are done by thee . for report says , that thou makest the blind to see , the lame to walk ; that thou cleansest the lepers , and castest out unclean spirits and devils , and healest those who have laboured under long diseases , and raisest up the dead . and having heard all this concerning thee , i have concluded with my self one of these two things ; either that thou art god , and that being come down from heaven , thou doest all these mighty works ; or that thou art the son of god , seeing thou art able to perform such things . wherefore by this present letter i intreat thee to come unto me , and to cure me of the infirmity that lies upon me . for i have also heard that the jews murmure against thee , and seek to do thee mischief . but i have tho' but a small , yet a very pretty city which may be sufficient both for thee and me . the answer of our saviour to abgarus . . abgarus , thou art blessed , in that tho' thou hast not seen me , thou hast yet believed in me . for it is written concerning me , that those who have seen me should not believe in me ; that so they who have not seen me , might believe and live . as for what thou hast written unto me , that i should come to thee ; it is necessary that all those things for which i was sent , should be fulfilled by me in this place : and that having fulfilled them , i should be received up to him that sent me . when therefore i shall be received into heaven , i will send unto thee some one of my disciples , who shall both heal thy distemper , and give life to thee , and to those that are with thee . . having said thus much concerning this pretended entercourse between our saviour christ and this prince ; i should in the next place mention the letters ascribed to his mother , the blessed virgin mary , but that there is not the least shadow of truth to give credit to them ; nor any arguments brought in favour of them , that may deserve a refutation . i shall therefore say nothing to these , but pass on without any more ado , to those pieces which have been attributed either to some particular apostle or evangelist ; or else are pretended to have been composed by the whole colledge of the apostles together . . of the former kind is the epistle of st. paul to the laodiceans , set out by hutter in his polyglott new testament , and inserted by sixtus senensis into his bibliotheque , together with the other epistles that are in the like manner pretended , tho' without any just ground , to have pass'd between the same apostle , and seneca the philosopher . now that which gave occasion to the forging of such an epistle , was ; that st. paul himself seems to speak , coloss. iv . . as if he had written an epistle to that church . for having commanded the colossians when they should have read the epistle which he wrote to them , to cause it to be read in the church of the laodiceans ; he adds , that they likewise should read the epistle from laodicea . but whoever shall examin the true import of those words , will find that st. paul do's not there speak of an epistle sent to the laodiceans ; but either of some epistle that had been written from thence , ( as theophylact thinks his first epistle to timothy ; ) or of some epistle which the apostle had written to some other church , but order'd to be sent on to them : as the epistle to the corinthians was directed not only to that one place , but to all the churches of achaja , cor. i. . and as in the very passage under debate , the epistle to the colossians is order'd to be communicated to the church of the laodiceans , and to be read in it . and then taking this to have been the meaning of that expression , it will not be improbable but that by the epistle from laodicea he may have meant his epistle to the ephesians ; and which tertullian tells us was wont in those days to be sometimes called by that name . . now that which favours this conjecture is , that ephesus was in those days looked upon , even in the civil account of the empire , as the chief city and metropolis of the lesser asia . here it was that the emperours order'd their edicts relating to that province to be publish'd ; ( in like manner , as we find in several laws of the theodosian code , that they were wont to be proposed at rome for italy , and at carthage for africa . ) here the common-councils of asia assembled : and to name no more , here the publick sports and sacred rites , &c. that concerned the whole community of that province , were usually transacted . . and much greater was the respect which it had with relation to ecclesiastical matters ; both as it was a church founded by st. paul , and as it was the seat of the beloved disciple st. john , who continued there to the very time of trajan , above years after christ. hence tertullian directing those who were desirous to know what the true faith of christ was , to enquire among the chiefest churches in every part , what had been deliver'd to them , and was the faith received and taught amongst them ; bids them if they were in italy go to rome , if in achaja to corinth ; if in macedonia , to philippi ; if in asia , to ephesus : insomuch that , as evagrius tells us , the bishop of ephesus had a patriarchal power within the diocese of asia till the time of the fourth general council . and long after that , theodorus bishop of this see , subscribing to the acts of the sixth general council , calls himself bishop of ephesus , the metroplis of the province of asia . and even in the times of which we are now discoursing , st. john writing to the seven churches of asia , ( of which laodicea was one , ) places ephesus at the head of them , as that which had the precedence of all the rest in those parts . . seeing then such was the prerogative , which the church of ephesus had , from the beginning , over all the other churches of the asian diocese ; and that st. paul himself had first planted christianity there : and seeing it appears from the command which he gave to the colossians , chap. iv . . to cause the epistle which he had written to them , to be read in the church of the laodiceans , that he was wont to order the epistles which he wrote to one church to be sent to , and be read in the others that we renear unto it : seeing , lastly , we are told both by tertullian and epiphanius , that the epistle to the ephesians , was anciently called by some the epistle to the laodiceans ; i think it may not be improbable , but that by the epistle from laodicea , he may have meant the epistle which he wrote to the ephesians , at the same time , and by the same person , that he wrote to the colossians ; and which being from them communicated to the laodiceans , might be ordered by st. paul to be sent on to the colossians , who were a neighbour church to laodicea , and afterwards subject to it as their metropolitane . . but whatever becomes of this conjecture : whether by the epistle from laodicea we are to understand some epistle written from that place , and that either by st. paul to some other church or person , or by the laodiceans to him ; or whether we are to understand by it some epistle that was to be communicated from thence to the colossians , which seems to me the more probable , and particularly that which he wrote by tychicus to the ephesians , at the same time that he wrote by him to the colossians : certain it is that the epistle now extant under that title is none of st. paul's ; nor do's his expression in that place to the colossians , before mentioned , any more prove there was ever any such , than that other in cor. v. . proves a third epistle to the corinthians , which some also have pretended , as sixtus sinensis , and others observe . . it would be endless to insist upon all the other spurious pieces of the like kind that have been attributed to this great apostle . it is sufficient to observe , that neither eusebius , nor st. jerome , knew any thing more of his writing than what we have in those epistles that are still extant in our bibles under his name ; except it were the epistle to the hebrews , and which tho' doubted of by some in the primitive church , is yet ascribed to him by eusebius , who expresly accounts xiv . of his epistles , and speaks of that to the hebrews as his ; tho' he adds , that being not received by the church of rome , it was by some suspected whether it were indeed the true epistle of st. paul. . but much greater is the authority of those supposititious pieces which the same eusebius tells us were , even in those days , attributed to that other great apostle st. peter , viz. the acts , the gosple , the preaching , and the revelations of st. peter . nevertheless , seeing he at the same time declares that they were never look'd upon as catholick , but rather as set out by some hereticks of those times , ( as many other pieces of the like kind were , ) under the venerable name of that apostle , the better to gain thereby credit to their doctrine ; how ancient soever they may otherwise be , yet they will not fall within the compass of the present collection : nor indeed is there any thing of them remaining to us , except the names ; and perhaps a few fragments , scatter'd up and down in the quotations that have been made by ecclesiastical writers out of them . . to these let me add in the third place , the discourses attributed to st. matthew , the first writer of the new testament . two books there are still remaining under his name ; a liturgy pretended to have been composed be him , and a discourse concerning the nativity of the blessed virgin : but both rejected by learned men , as the works of some impostor , many ages after the death of that holy apostle . . and the same must be said of the liturgies ascribed in like manner to st. peter , st. mark , st. james , and others ; and of the falsity of which all the learned world seems now to be universally agreed . which makes it the more to be admir'd that such great men as cardinal bona and leo allatius were , should be so far prejudiced in their favour , as to think at least the liturgy of st. james to have been truly composed by that apostle ; and only corrupted and interpolated by some other hand in the following ages . . nor may we judg any otherwise of the gospels set out under the names of several of the apostles , and others who were contemporary with them : and of which however some were very ancient ; yet is it generally agreed among the most judicious of all sides , that they were not only not written by those whose names they carry , but were for the most part set out by suspected persons , and for ill ends , after their deaths . . as for the writings of the whole colledge of apostles ; two pieces there are , besides the synodical letter spoken of by st. luke , acts xv . . which not only go under their names , but have been by some ascribed to them , as the authors of them . and those are , first the creed , and secondly the canons of the apostles . . for the former of these , the apostles creed , it has been thought by many that it was so called , not only as being a summary of the apostles doctrine , but because it was really composed by them . and that either in their first assembly after our lord's resurrection , acts i. or else immediately before their dispersion , upon the breaking out of herod's persecution , acts xii . which baronius and others esteem the more probable . it is not my intention to enter on any particular examination of this matter , which has been so fully handled , not only by the late criticks of the church of rome , natalis alexander , du pin , &c. but yet more especially by arch-bishop usher , gerard vossius , suicer , spanhemius , tentzelius , and sam. basnage , among the protestants . it shall suffice to say , that as it is not likely , that had any such thing as this been done by the apostles , st. luke would have pass'd it by , without taking the least notice of it : so the diversity of creeds in the ancient church ; and that not only in expression , but in some whole articles too , sufficiently shew's ; that the creed which we call by that name , was not compos'd by the apostles ; nor probably reduced into that form in which it now is , for some hundreds of years after their deaths . . nor is it any more probable that the canons now extant under their name were truly compiled by them ; but rather as our pious and learned dr. beverege has shewn , were a collection of the canons made by the councils of the first ages , put together at several times ; and finished , as we now see them , within ccc years after christ , before the assembling of the first general council of nice . this is the earliest date that is now ascribed to them by the most judicious writers of the roman communion , as well as of the reformed religion ; and some there are who will by no means allow them to be so ancient , as even this opinion supposes them to be . . it is evident then , that except the holy scriptures , there is nothing remaining of the truly genuine christian antiquity , more early than what is here put together . nor have the authors , whose tracts i have now set forth , any other pieces yet remaining , besides those that appear in the following collection . indeed for what concerns two of the fathers here mentioned , st. clement , and st. ignatius ; several treatises there are , and some that may seem much more considerable than any i have subjoyn'd , that have been sent abroad under the authority of their names ; but which are at present universally exploded by all learned men. such are the constitutions , and recognitions of st. clement . the collection called from the same father , the clementines . the epitome of clement , and the epistles ascribed to ignatius , besides the vii . here set out ; and which alone were either mention'd by eusebius , or known to the church for some ages after . . i shall not here enter upon any particular enquiry when these several pieces were first sent abroad into the world ; or how it came to pass that some even among the ancients themselves receiv'd them for the genuine writings of these holy men ; only corrupted , as many others were , by the hereticks of those first times , the better to give some colour to their errours . i will only observe , that the recognitions of st. clement ; not only the most learned , but the most ancient too of any of these , as near as we can guess , were not set forth till about the middle of the second century ; and are rejected by eusebius as none of his , but as one of those many impostures which were even then publish'd under his name . and for the rest , tho' some of them have been ancient too , yet it is evident that none of them come up to the period of which i am now speaking ; nor even to the age of the recognitions before mentioned . . as for the epitomé of st. clement , cotelerius esteems it to have been yet later than any of the rest . perhaps it was collected by metaphrastes , whom i take to have been the author of the martyrdom of that holy man , set out by surius and allatius , and reprinted by cotelerius at the end of the works ascribed to st. clement . this is certain , that it was composed in some of the latter ages ; as was also the account of the miracle pretended to have been wrought at his martyrdom , which goe's under the name of ephraem , archbishop of cherson , and where ( as du pin well observes ) there never was any . and this cotelerius seems to have been aware of ; and therefore in his annotations upon this relation , calls him archbishop or bishop of cherson . now that there was such a bishop appears both from the ancient notitiae of the province of europe under the patriarch of constantinople ; and from the subscription which peter bishop of this place made to the council of chalcedon , for cyriacus archbishop of heraclea , in whose province that see lay . . there is then nothing in any of those pieces which make up the rest of cotelerius's collection , and are indeed all that still remain under the names of those fathers of which we are now speaking , that can with any good grounds be relied upon as the genuine products of those holy men. let us see , in the last place ; whether any of those discourses which have been sent abroad under the names of some others of the apostolical fathers , may deserve to be received by us , as coming truly from them . . and here i shall in the first place take it for granted , that what those who are usually the most fond of such spurious pieces ; i mean , the writers of the church of rome , have yet almost unanimously rejected as false and counterfeit , may securely be laid aside by us , without any further enquiry into the condition of them . such are , the history of the life , miracles , and assumption of st. john ; pretended to have been written by prochorus his disciple , and one of the seven deacons , chosen by the church of jerusalem , acts vi . the histories of st. peter and st. paul , said to have been written by linus one of the first bishops of rome . the lives of the apostles , ascribed to abdias bishop of babylon , and supposed to have been written by him in the hebrew tongue . the epistles of st. martial ; who is said to have been one of the lxx disciples appointed by our saviour , and one of the first preachers of the gospel in france . these are all so evidently spurious , that even natalis alexander himself was ashamed to undertake the defence of them : and not only he , but all the other writers of the same church , baronius , bellarmine , sixtus senensis , possevine , espencaeus , bisciola , labbe , &c. have freely acknowledged the little credit that is to be given to them . . but two pieces there are which alexander is still unwilling to part with ; tho' he cannot deny but that the most learned men , even of his own communion , have at last agreed in the rejecting of them . and those are , the passion of st. andrew , written , ( as is pretended , ) by the presbyters of achaja ; and the works set out under the name of dionysius the areopagite . . as for the former of these , i confess there have not been wanting many from the viii th century downwards , who have undertaken the defence of it . etherius mention'd it about the year dcc . lxxx.viii . remigius after : peter damian , lanfranc , and st. bernard , still later . and in this last age baronius , bellarmine , labbe , and a few others , have yet more endeavour'd to establish it's authority . but then as du pin well observes , it is certain that the ancients knew nothing of it ; nor are the acts we now have quoted by any before the time of etherius before-mentioned . and yet how they could have escaped the search of the primitive fathers , had they been extant in their days , it is hard to imagin . . but much less is the credit that ought to be given to the pretended works of dionysius the areopagite : which as alexander confesses , two very great criticks of his own communion , to have deny'd to have been written by that holy man ; so has a third very lately given such reasons to shew that the writings , now extant under his name , could not have been composed by him , as ought to satisfie every considering man of their imposture . for not to say any thing of what occurs every where in those discourses , utterly disagreeable to the state of the church in the time that that dionysius lived : can it be imagin'd , that had such considerable books as these been written by him , none of the ancients of the first iv centuries should have heard any thing of them . or shall we say that they did know of them ; as well as the fathers that lived after , and yet made no mention of them , tho' they had so often occasion to have done it , as eusebius , and st. jerome , not to name any others , had ? . in short , one of the first times that we hear of them , is in the dispute between the severians and catholicks about the year d. xxx.ii . when the former produced them in favour of their errours , and the latter rejected them as books utterly unknown to all antiquity , and therefore not worthy to be received by them . . it is therefore much to be wondered , that after so many arguments as have been brought to prove how little right these treatises have to such a primitive antiquity ; nevertheless , not only natalis alexander , but a man of much better judgment , i mean emanuel schelstrat , the late learned keeper of the vatican library , should still undertake the defence of them . when they were written , or by what author , is very uncertain : but as bishop pearson supposes them to have been first set forth about the latter end of eusebius's life ; so dr. cave conjectures , that the elder apollinarius may very probably have been the author of them . others there are who place them yet later , and suspect pope gregory the great to have had a hand in the forgery . and indeed the arguments which our very learned mr. dodwell brings to prove that they were originally written by one of the roman church , are not without their just weight . but whatever becomes of this , thus much is certain , that these books were not written before the middle of the iv th century , and therefore are without the compass of the present undertaking . . and now having taken such a view as was necessary for the present design , of all those other pieces which have been obtruded upon the world for apostolical writings , besides what is either here collected , or has been before publish'd in the sacred books of the new testament ; i suppose i may with good grounds conclude , that the little i have now put together is all that can with any certainty be depended upon , of the most primitive fathers : and therefore that from these , next to the holy scriptures , we must be content to draw the best account we can of the doctrine and discipline of the church , for the first hundred years after the death of christ. chap. x. of the authority of the following treatises , and the deference that ought to be paid to them upon the account of it . this is shewn from the following considerations : st , that the authors of them were contemporary with the apostles , and instructed by them . dly , they were men of an eminent character in the church ; and therefore to be sure such as could not be ignorant of what was taught in it . dly , they were very careful to preserve the doctrine of christ in its purity , and to oppose such as went about to corrupt it . thly , they were men not only of a perfect piety , but of great courage and constancy ; and therefore such as cannot be suspected to have had any design to prevaricate in this matter . thly , they were endued with a large portion of the holy spirit , and as such , could hardly err in what they deliver'd as the gospel of christ. and thly , their writings were approved by the church in those days , which could not be mistaken in its approbation of them . but , secondly , and to proceed yet farther : the following collection pretends to a just esteem , not only upon the account of its perfection , as it is an entire collection of what remains to us of the apostolical fathers ; but yet much more , from the respect that is due to the authors themselves , whose writings are here put together . . if , first , we consider them as the contemporaries of the holy apostles ; some of them bred up under our saviour christ himself , and the rest instructed by those great men whom he commissioned to go forth and preach to all the world , and endued with an extraordinary assistance of his blessed spirit for the doing of it : we cannot doubt but that what they deliver to us , must be , without controversie , the pure doctrine of the gospel ; what christ and his apostles taught , and what they had themselves received from their own mouths . this is the least deference we can pay to them , to look upon them as faithful deliverers of the doctrine and practice of the church in those most early times : when heresies were not as yet so openly broke out in it , nor the true faith so dangerously corrupted with the mixture of those erroneous opinions , which afterwards more fatally infected the minds of men , and divided the church into so many parties and factions . so that here then we may read with security , and , let me add , with respect too : and not doubt but what these holy men deliver to us , is as certainly the true doctrine of christ , as if we had received it , like them , from our saviour and his apostles . . but , secondly , the authors of the following pieces had not only the advantage of living in the apostolical times , and of hearing the holy apostles , and conversing with them , but they were of a very eminent character in the church too ; men raised up to the highest pitch of honour and authority in some of the most famous churches of the world ; chosen by the apostles to preside in their own proper sees ; at rome , at antioch , at smyrna ; one of them set apart , by the express command of the holy ghost , to be the companion of the great st. paul in his work of the ministry ; and the rest for the most part commended for their rare endowments , in the inspired writings of the holy scriptures delivered to us . and therefore we may be sure that such men as these must needs have been very carefully instructed in the mystery of the gospel , and have had a most perfect and comprehensive knowledg of the faith , as it is in jesus . . had they been some ordinary and obscure writers , even of the apostolical times , men of no note , no authority in the church ; tho' still whilst we had a good account of their integrity , the very advantage of the age wherein they lived would have rendered their discourses justly venerable to us ; yet should we not perhaps have been obliged to pay such a deference to their writings , as not to make allowance for some little defects or mistakes that might have happen'd to them . but now having to do with men , not only instructed in common by the apostles , with the other christians of those days , but particularly bred up , and instituted by them : having here the writings of men who had attained to such a perfect knowledg in the mystery of godliness , and were judg'd to have been so well grounded and setled in it , as to deserve to be raised up by the apostles themselves to the government of such eminent churches , as those over which these holy men were over-seers : it is plain that we cannot with any reason doubt of what they deliver to us , as the gospel of christ ; but ought to receive it , if not with equal veneration , yet but with a little less respect , than we do the sacred writings of those who were their masters and instructers . . yet farther , thirdly : the following authors , were not only such eminent men , and bred up under such mighty advantages , and so well instructed in the knowledg of the gospel , as i have now observed ; but they were moreover persons of a consummated piety , adorn'd with all those christian virtues they so affectionately recommend to us . but especially , they were zealous watchmen over their churches ; careful to instruct them in the true faith and doctrine of christ , and no less careful to preserve them against the contagion of those heresies , which even in their days began to corrupt the purity of it . hence we read with what earnestness that blessed martyr ignatius first , and then his fellow-disciple st. polycarp , set themselves against those who would insinuate some other doctrines into the minds of their people , than what the apostles had deliver'd unto them . what wise directions they gave them for the discovery of such false teachers ; and how earnestly they exhorted them by keeping firm to their respective bishops and presbyters , and to the apostolical doctrine delivered by them , to prevent their gaining any advantage against them . . with what assurance do they deliver the doctrine which they had received ? how confidently do they declare it to be the true doctrine of christ ? and exhort the churches to whom they write , not to give any heed to such as would insinuate any other doctrine into their minds ? and how did they themselves shew them by their own examples , how they should avoid such persons ? insomuch that irenaeus tells us , that if st. polycarp at any time chanced to hear any one deliver any other doctrine than what he had been taught , he did not only not give any countenance to such an one ; but was wont to stop his ears at him , and cry out with astonishment and grief , good god! to what times hast thou reserved me , that i should endure this ? nay he would not tarry in the same place with such a person , but would leave the house , if he knew that any hereticks were in it . . but of the care which these holy men had to keep close in every the least circumstance to the doctrine and practice of the apostles , we cannot , i think , desire a fairer instance to convince us , than what eusebius has recorded of the same blessed martyr . how that hearing of the difference between the eastern and western churches about the time of keeping easter , he thought it worthy his pains , at an extreme old age , to take a journey as far as rome for the composing of it . and notwithstanding all that anicetus , who was then bishop of that church , could say to move him from his practice ; yet having this ground for it , that st. john was wont to keep easter as he did ; the good man held close to it , and would not hear of changing a custom which that blessed apostle had deliver'd to him . . and when such was the care which these holy writers had of holding fast , even to the least particular , of what they received from the apostles , that they would not comply with the rest of the church in such an indifferent matter , only because by so doing they should depart from the practice of one of them ; surely we may with confidence depend upon the doctrine which they deliver , as most pure and genuine ; what our saviour taught his apostles , and his apostles them . and what irenaeus once said of his master polycarp , we may with equal truth and assurance apply to all the rest of those fathers , whose treatises i have here put together ; that they taught evermore what they had received from the apostles , which also they deliver'd to the church , and which only is the true doctrine of christ. . to this general piety of their lives , and care for the truth and purity of their religion ; let me add , fourthly , their courage and constancy in the maintaining of it . how great this was i have already shewn , in the particular accounts which i have given of the several fathers whose writings are here subjoyn'd . it shall suffice in this place to observe , that the most of them after having spent their lives in a careful administration of the great charges to which they were called , were at last made perfect by martyrdom ; and underwent the most exquisite cruelties with a courage and constancy , worthy both of the religion they profess'd , and of the eminent characters which they had obtained in the church . . now tho' this do's not immediately argue the purity of their doctrine , yet being added to what i have before observed , will give us a new ground to rely upon the truth of what they deliver . for since we cannot reasonably doubt but that such persons as these , must needs have known what the doctrine of the apostles was ; and have been perfectly instructed in that religion which they were esteem'd able and worthy to preach to others : we have in this a clear demonstration of their integrity both in their teaching and writing of it ; and must conclude , that they who liv'd such excellent lives , and took so much pains in the ministry of the gospel ; that stuck with such firmness to it , notwithstanding all the endeavours of their enemies to the contrary ; and chose rather to undergo the most bitter deaths , than they would in any wise depart from it ; have doubtless dealt most uprightly in this matter , and deliver'd nothing to us but what they took for the true doctrine of christ , and what therefore we may conclude , undoubtedly was so . . such good reason then have we upon all these accounts to look upon the writings of these holy men , as containing the pure and uncorrupted doctrine of our blessed saviour and his apostles . but now , fifthly , and to advance yet higher : these writers were not only thus qualified by these ordinary means to deliver the gospel of christ to us , but in all probability were endued with the extraordinary assistance of the holy spirit too . so that what they teach us , it not to be look'd upon as a mere traditionary relation of what had been deliver'd to them , but rather , as an authoritative declaration of the gospel of christ to us ; tho' indeed as much inferior to that of the apostles and evangelists , as their gifts and assistances were less than theirs . . for , ( st . ) that the extraordinary gifts of the holy spirit with which the apostles were endued , and which the holy scriptures themselves tell us were in those days distributed to other believers , as well as unto them , continu'd still in the church after their departure ; we have the express assurance of justin martyr , one of the most ancient writers , after those i have here subjoyn'd , to assure us . they were communicated not only to men but women : and that we may be sure he spake nothing in this matter but what he could undeniably have made out , we find him boasting of it against trypho the jew , and urging it as an unanswerable argument in the behalf of christianity , and against the jews , from whom these gifts had a long time been departed . and even in the fathers , whose writings are here put together , there appear sufficient indications of the continuance of these extraordinary powers . . this st. clement manifestly declares in his first epistle to the corinthians . he tells us that some in that church not only had such gifts , but were even proud and conceited upon the account of them . let a man , says he , have faith , i. e. such a faith by which he is able to work miracles ; let him be powerful to utter mystical knowledg ; ( for to that his expression manifestly refers ; ) let him be wise in discerning of speeches ; another gift common in those times : but still , says he , by how much the more he seems to excel others , viz. upon the account of these extraordinary endowments , by so much the more will it behove him to be humble-minded , and to seek what is profitable to all men , and not to his own advantage . and st. ignatius not only supposes that such gifts might be in others , but plainly intimates , that he himself was endued with a large portion of them . . which being so , we cannot doubt ( dly . ) but that , as it was most reasonable , both the apostles were careful to set those in the chiefest places of honour and authority in their several churches , who were the most eminent for their gifts ; and that god was also pleased to grant to such persons a more than ordinary portion of the holy spirit , for the better discharge of those eminent places to which they were called . . concerning the former of these , we are told by st. paul , acts vi . that when the apostles thought it necessary to establish a new order of ministers in the church , that might take care of those things , which they , who were of a higher rank , could not find leisure to attend to ; tho' their ministry were of the lowest nature , and which required much lesser capacities in those who were to discharge it , than theirs whose business it was to govern and instruct the church of christ ; yet they particularly laid it down to the brethren , as one of the qualifications that was to be required in those whom they chose for that purpose , that they should be men well approved of , full of the holy spirit and of wisdom , vers. . and of one of them , viz. st. stephen , it is particularly observed , vers. . that he was full of faith and power , and did signs and great wonders among the people . and when the jews disputed against him , we read vers. . that they were not able to stand against the wisdom and spirit by which he spake . . now if such were the care which they took in the choice of those who were to be admitted into the lowest ministry of the church ; we cannot doubt but that they were certainly much more careful not to admit any into the highest rank of honour and authority in it , but what were in a yet more eminent manner endued with the same gifts . hence st. clement tells us , that the apostles did prove by the spirit the first fruits of their conversions , and out of them set bishops and pastors over such as should believe . and by which we must understand one of these two things , and very probably they were both meant by it : either that the apostles made use of their own extraordinary gift of the spirit ( one use of which was to discern and try the spirits of others ) in chusing persons fitly qualified for the work of the ministry ; or else , that by the extraordinary gifts of those whom they pitch'd upon , they perceiv'd that they were worthy of such an employ , and therefore chose them out for it . and the other clement yet more plainly speaks the same thing : that st. john being returned from his banishment in patmos , went about the country near unto ephesus , both to form and settle churches , where he saw occasion ; and to admit into the order of the clergy , such as were mark'd out to him by the spirit . . and then for the other thing observed ; it is clear that the very imposition of hands , did in those days confer the holy spirit , in an extraordinary manner , upon those who were ordain'd to the ministry of the gospel . this st. paul intimates in his first epistle to timothy , ch. iv . . where he exhorts him to stir up , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , the gift , i. e. the extraordinary power of the holy spirit , which , says he , is in thee by the imposition of my hands . tim. i. . and would you know how this ceremony of setting him apart for such a service came to endue him with such an extraordinary power ; the same apostle will tell you , tim. iv . . that it was given unto him by prophecy ; with , or through the imposition of hands upon him . that is to say ; god , who by his prophets had before design'd and mark'd him out for that great office , tim. i. . upon the actual admission of him into it by the outward rite of laying on of hands , and upon the solemn prayers that were then withal made for him , did bestow the gifts of his blessed spirit , in an extraordinary manner upon him . . now this as will it afford us just cause to conclude that those holy men , whose writings we have here collected , were doubtless endued with a very large portion of the extraordinary gifts of the holy ghost : whether we consider the frequency of those endowments in the age in which they lived ; or the extraordinary strictness and piety of their lives ; or the greatness of those stations to which they were called in the church ; or lastly , the judgment which the apostles , who called them to those high offices , were by the spirit enabled to make of them ; so , ( dly ) if we look to those accounts which still remain to us of them ; they will plainly shew us that they were endued , and that in a very singular manner , with this power and gift of the blessed spirit . . of barnabas , the holy scripture it self bears witness , that he was a good man , full of the holy ghost , and of faith , acts xi . . hermas is another of whom st. paul himself makes mention , rom. xvi . . as an early convert to christianity : and what extraordinary revelations he had , and how he foretold the troubles that were to come upon the church , his following visions sufficiently declare . clement is not only spoken of by the same apostle , but with this advantageous character too , that he was the fellow-labourer of that great man , and had his name written in the book of life , phil. iv . . and when we shall consider to how much lesser and worser men these gifts were usually communicated at that time ; we can hardly think that so excellent a man , and the companion of so great an apostle ; employed first in the planting of the gospel with him , and then set to govern one of the most considerable churches in the world , should have been destitute of it . . as for st. ignatius , i have before observed that he had this gift ; and by the help of it , warned the philadelphians against falling into those divisions , which he fore-saw were about to rise up amonst them . . polycarp not only prophecy'd of his own death , but spake often times of things that were to come : and has this witness from the whole church of smyrna , that nothing of all that he foretold ever failed of coming to pass according to his prediction . . it remains then that the holy men whose writings are here subjoyn'd , were not only instructed by such as were inspir'd , but were themselves inspir'd too . and therefore we must conclude , that they have not only not mistaken the mind of the apostles , in what they deliver to us as the gospel of christ , but were not capable of doing of it . by consequence , that we ought to look upon their writings , tho' not of equal authority with those which we call in a singular manner the holy scriptures ; ( because neither were the authors of them called in so extraordinary a way to the writing of them , nor endued with so eminent a portion of the gifts of the blessed spirit for the doing of it ; nor have their writings been judg'd by the common consent of the church in those inspir'd ages of it , when they were so much better qualified , than we are now , to judge of the divine authority of those kind of writings , to be of equal dignity with those of the apostles and evangelists ; ) yet worthy of a much greater respect than any composures that have been made since ; however men may seem to have afterwards written with more art , and to have shewn a much greater stock of humane learning , than what is to be found , not only in the following pieces , but even in the sacred books of the new testament it self . . i shall add but one consideration more , the better to shew the true deference that ought to be paid to the treatises here collected , and that is , sixthly : that they were not only written by such men as i have said , instructed by the apostles , and judg'd worthy by them both for their knowledg and their integrity , to govern some of the most eminent churches in the world ; and lastly , endued with the extraordinary gift of the holy ghost ; and upon all these accounts to be much respected by us : but were moreover received by the church in those first ages , as pieces of a very great value , which could not be mistaken in its judgment of them . . the epistle of st. clement was a long time read publickly with the other scriptures in the congregations of the faithful ; made a part of their bible , and was numbred among the sacred writings , however finally separated from them . and not only the apostolical canons , but our most ancient alexandrian manuscript , gives the same place to the second , that it do's to the first of them : and epiphanius after both , tells us , that they were both of them wont to be read in the church in his time . . the epistle of st. polycarp , with that of the church of smyrna , were not only very highly approved of by particular persons , but like those of st. clement , were read publickly too in the assemblies of the faithful . and for those of ignatius , besides that we find a mighty value put upon them by the christians of those times , they are sealed to us by this character of st. polycarp ; that they are such epistles , by which we may be greatly profited ; for , says he , they treat of faith and patience , and of all things that pertain to edification in the lord . . the epistle of barnabas is not only quoted with great honour by those of the next age to him , but as i have before shewn , is expresly called catholick and canonical . and in the ancient stichometry of cotelerius , we find it placed the very next to the epistle of st. jude , and no difference put between the authority of the one and of the other . . and for the book of hermas , both eusebius and st. jerome tell us , that it was also used to be read in the churches . in the same stichometry , i before mentioned , it is placed in the very next rank to the acts of the holy apostles : and in some of the most ancient manuscripts of the new testament , we find it written in the same volume with the books of the apostles and evangelists , as if it had been esteem'd of the same value and authority with them . . so that now then we must either say that the church in those days was so little careful of what was taught in it , as to allow such books to be publickly read in its congregations , the doctrine whereof it did not approve ; or we must confess , that the following pieces are deliver'd to us , not only by the learned men of the first ages of the church , but by the whole body of the faithful , as containing the pure doctrine of christ ; and must be look'd upon to have nothing in them , but what was then thought worthy of all acceptation . . now how much this adds to the authority of these discourses , may easily be concluded from what i have before observed . for since it is certain that in those times the extraordinary gifts of the holy ghost were bestowed , not only upon the bishops and pastors of the church , ( tho' upon them in a more eminent degree ) but also upon a great many of the common christians too : since one particular design of these gifts was for the discerning of prophecies , to judg of what was proposed by any to the church , or written for the use and benefit of it : we cannot doubt but what was universally approved of and allow'd , not by a few learned men , but by the whole church in those days ; what was permitted to be publickly read to the faithful for their comfort and instruction ; must by this means have received a more than humane approbation ; and ought to be look'd upon by us , tho' not of equal authority with those books which they have deliver'd to us as strictly canonical , yet as standing in the first rank of ecclesiastical writings , and as containing the true and pure faith of christ , without the least error intermix'd with it . chap. xi . of the subject of the following discourses ; and of the use that is to be made of them. that in the following treatises , there is deliver'd to us a good account , both of the doctrine and discipline of the church , in the apostolical times . this shewn in several particulars . what they taught concerning god the father , our saviour christ , and the holy ghost . of angels and spirits . of the rest of the articles of the apostles creed . concerning the two sacraments of baptism , and the lord's supper . of the holy scriptures , and the divine authority of them . what we meet with in these treatises concerning the government of the church . of the necessity of communicating with the bishops and pastors of it . of schismaticks , hereticks , and apostates . of their publick assembling for the service of god , and what was done by them in those meetings . of several other instances of their discipline ; particularly , of their fasting and confession of sins . of the care which their bishops had of the whole church . of the respect that was paid to them . of their martyrs ; and the veneration which they thought due to them . of their practical instructions , and how severe their morality was ; shewn in several particulars . that upon the whole , we may here see what the state of christianity then was , and still ought to be . . and now having shewn in the foregoing chapter , what deference we ought to pay to the authority of those holy men , whose writings i have here collected ; it may not be amiss , in the third place to enquire , what it is which they deliver to us ; what account we find in them , of the doctrine , and discipline of the church , in those times in which they lived . . it would be endless for me to go about to make a just catalogue of all the particulars of this kind that occur in the following pieces ; and i have already in a great measure perform'd it , in the index which i have for that purpose subjoyn'd to them . i shall therefore here consider only a few particulars , in such points as may seem most worthy to be remarked ; and by them ( as by a short specimen shew ) how the judicious reader may himself improve it , into a more particular history of the faith and practice of the church , in the best and most ancient state of it . . and ( st . ) for what concerns the doctrines of those times ; there is hardly any point that is necessary to be believed or known by us , that is not very plainly delivered in some or other of the following pieces . . here we may read what we are to believe concerning the first article of all of our creed , god the father . that he is one , almighty , invisible ; the creator and maker of all things . that he is omniscient , immense ; neither to be comprehended within any bounds , nor so much as to be perfectly conceived by us . that his providence is over all things : and that we can none of us flee from him , or escape his knowledg . that we are to believe in him , to fear him , to love him ; and fearing him , to abstain from all evil. . if from thence we go on to the next person of the blessed trinity , our saviour jesus christ ; here we shall find all that either our creed teaches us to profess concerning him , or that any christian need to believe . that he existed not only before he came into the world , but from all eternity . that he is not only the son of god , but is himself also god. that in the fulness of time he took upon him our nature , and became man : was born of the virgin mary , was crucified under pontius pilate ; that he suffer'd for our salvation , and was raised again from the dead , not only by the power of the father , but by his own also . that he is our high-priest and protectour now , and shall come again at the end of the world , to judge the whole race of mankind . that there is no coming unto god but by him : insomuch that even the ancient fathers , who died before his appearing , are yet saved by the same means that we are now . . as for what concerns the holy spirit , the third person in the glorious godhead ; he is here set out to us not only as a person , but as distinct from the father and the son. and to shew what kind of spirit he is ; we may here see him joyn'd together in the same worship with the father , and our saviour jesus christ. . and now i am mentioning the holy spirit ; let me add , that we may here see what is needful to be known , concerning all the other spirits of an inferiour nature . how the holy angels minister unto us ; but especially then , when we have most need of them , at the time of our death . and that tho' the devil may attacque us , and use all his arts to draw us away from our duty ; yet it must be our own faults if we are overcome by him , and therefore that we ought not to be afraid of him . . but to return to our creed , and the articles of it : here we may farther see , both what a great obligation there lies upon us to keep up a communion of saints in the unity of the church on earth , and what is that true fellowship that we ought to have with those , who are gone before us to heaven . that it consists not in the worship of any , tho' never so gloriously exalted by god ; but in love and remembrance ; in thanksgiving to god for their excellencies , and in our prayers to him , joyn'd with hearty endeavours of our own , to imitate their perfections . . and whilst we do this , we are here assured of the forgiveness of our sins too , through the merits and satisfaction of jesus christ. and that not only of those which we committed before our baptism ; but of all such as we shall chance to fall into after , if we truly repent of them . . as for the next point , the resurrection of the body ; it is not only asserted , but at large proved too , in the following discourses . there we may see , not only that there shall be a future resurrection ; but that we shall be raised in the very same bodies in which we go down into the grave . and that being raised , we shall be judged by christ according to our works ; and be either unspeakably rewarded , or exceedingly punished , and that to all eternity . . if from the articles of our creed , we go on to the sacraments of the church : here we have set out to us the great benefit of our baptism , and of what a mighty concern it is to us in the business of our salvation . and for the other sacrament ; here we are taught , that the elements of bread and wine are the same ( as to their substance ) after consecration , that they were before ; and are only in a spiritual sense , the flesh and blood of our saviour christ. . and , lastly ; for that great , comprehensive point of our religion , the foundation of our faith , the holy scriptures : here we may see what opinion these holy men had of the divine inspiration of them ; what deferences they paid to them , and how they looked upon them to contain the true words of the holy ghost . . such is the doctrine of faith , that is here delivered to us . if from thence we pass ; dly , to what concerns the publick order and government of the church , in the first establishment of it : here we may see by what persons it was directed ; and how exactly our own church do's in this particular resemble the primitive , perhaps beyond any other at this day in the world , in the apostolical orders , of bishops , priests , and deacons . . how necessarily they esteem'd it their duty , to keep up a strict communion with these governours , and how little they thought the very name of a church could belong to those who separated from them , we are here likewise taught . and how light soever some may make of the business of schism now , yet it is plain these holy men had a very different apprehension of it , and hardly thought that such could be saved as continued in it . . and the same , or rather much worse , was their opinion of hereticks and apostates . to the latter of which , as they seem even to have deny'd repentance ; so 't is manifest that without it , they thought the others must perish . and in the mean time , they declare , that we ought not to have any communication with them : only we must pray for them , that they may be converted , which yet they supposed would be very hard . . as for those who continued in the doctrine and communion of the church ; here we may see how zealous they were in attending all the publick offices of it . how constantly they assembled together for the worship of god , notwithstanding all the malice and fury of their enemies against them upon the account of it . here we may see , how from the beginning they had their set times and places of worship : and how they look'd upon such offertories , both as more acceptable unto god , and more prevalent with him , than any private addresses that they could make to him . . in these assemblies , they not only put up their prayers to god , but received also the holy sacrament of the lords supper . and in that part of their service , none officiated but either the bishop himself , or he who was appointed , or allow'd , by him . . for this purpose they had in every such place of their assembling , one table or altar , at which they perform'd this service . and they communicated after the same manner , that our saviour christ had set them the example ; of one common loaf , which was broken and distributed to them , not of little separate and unbroken wafers , as some now do . . nor was this yet all : in these assemblies , the holy scriptures were read to them ; and ( as i have before shewn ) some of the very treatises i have here subjoyn'd , together with them . and the bishop besides , himself instructed the people , and expounded the doctrine of christ to them . . by the bishop were the christians blessed , and joyn'd together in the holy state of matrimony . and indeed without him was nothing done of all that pertain'd unto religion . . in those times the clergy were marry'd , as well as laity ; nor do we find it esteem'd the least scandal for them so to be . . here we may see , what the ancient manner of fasting was ; and what was thought requisite to render such exercises acceptable to god , and profitable to our own souls . . in short , here we may perceive what their opinion was of repentance for sins ; and how hardly they thought of those who were still repenting , and yet still continuing to sin on , notwithstanding their frequent repentance . but especially , here we are told that we must finish our repentance before we die ; for that there is no place for repentance after . . and tho' they prescribe confession , as one act of repentance , and necessary to be perform'd in order to our forgiveness ; yet we find them advising it to be done to god only , and intimate to us that that alone was sufficient . . but the care of their bishops in those first times was not confin'd within the narrow bounds of their own churches , but extended to all the faithful , wheresoever they were . and they were still ready to look to those who were at the greatest distance from them , whenever they thought their advice or authority might be either useful to them , or for the honour and benefit of their religion . . from this , and from the general piety and excellence of their lives , joyn'd to the greatness of their character in the church , came that mighty respect , that was shewn to the bishops in those days : and which how great it was , the following treatises abundantly shew . . but much greater was their veneration for those , who not only govern'd well , and adorn'd their holy profession by an exemplary life , but confirm'd the truth of it with their blood. they were indeed of opinion that no man ought causelesly to expose himself unto suffering : but if god called a man to it , they doubted not but that our saviour christ would both support him in his conflicts , and most gloriously reward him for the enduring of them . hence was it their opinion , that martyrdom blotted out all sins : that they who suffer'd for the faith , should have a degree of glory peculiar to themselves , above all other saints in god's kingdom . and when god shew'd such regard for them , they concluded that they could never almost do enough , to testifie their respect to them . . to this we must ascribe the care they took to gather up their remains , the honour which they gave to them , and the solemnities with which they deposited them into the earth . hence came their custom , which we here find , of writing down the particulars of their conflicts ; and sending them abroad to the churches round about . hence their anniversary meetings at their tombs and monuments , where they recited the acts of their martyrdoms , and sometimes made express discourses in praise of their martyrs , and to exhort one another to the like constancy . . but not to insist any longer on these particulars : there is yet a ( d. ) sort of matters contain'd in these discourses , and those of no less use to us , than either of the foregoing ; and that is , the practical rules of life , that are here deliver'd to us . . here we may see what care we are to take , not only not to sin our selves , but , as far as in us lies , not to let any that belong to us continue in sin ; least we also become partakers of their evil doings . . here we are taught not only to have a care of our words and actions , but of our very thoughts and desires : which must not only not be indulged in any instances of sin , but not be suffer'd , if it be possible , to wander on any thing that is in the least measure wanton or irregular . . if we will hearken to these holy men ; we must learn not only to do the will of god , ( but if it be his pleasure ) to endure patiently whatever he shall send upon us . we must consider , that troubles and afflictions are not only sent upon us to punish us for our sins ; but as monitors too , to draw us off from them . . to convince us the more effectually of this ; we are here shewn the mighty danger of riches , especially where mens hearts are in any degree set upon them ; and how very hardly such persons shall be saved . we are taught what use we should make of our abundance , that so it may not prove a snare to us . but especially , we are shewn the great advantage of alms-giving to this end ; and what mighty engagements there lie upon us to the practice of it . . and then , as for our lives ; we are here told , that a christian must not only be good , but exemplary : he must shew the truth of his profession by a suitable conversation ; and be known by his actions , rather than by his words . . he must pray for all men , even for his very enemies ; nay , for the very enemies of the church ; for hereticks and schismaticks ; for those of whom there is but little hope that they will ever come to repentance , or that god will give them grace so to do . . he must be kind and charitable to all men ; free from envy and contention : he must neither raise any differences among his brethren , nor follow any in the doing of it . to this end , he must carefully observe those duties which relate to his neighbour , as well as those he is to pay to god. he must obey magistrates ; must respect the aged ; must have a due regard to all men. is he a husband , a parent , or a child ? he must then be sure to exercise himself in the several duties becoming those several relations . in short ; in the following writings we may see in all the parts of our duty towards god , our neighbour , and our selves , what we are to do , and what to avoid : and are assured , that god both sees all our actions now , and will reward or punish us for them hereafter to all eternity . . and thus have i given a short prospect , of what is more largely contain'd in the following collection . i need not say either how useful a variety of matter it is , or how worthy to be known by all of us . but sure i am , whosoever shall take the pains impartially to compare what is here found , with the sacred writings of the new testament ; may be able both with clearness and certainty to understand whatever is requisite to his eternal salvation : and that with much more satisfaction and security too , than from many volumes of our later writers ; who for the most part spend a great deal of time , and take much pains , to obscure rather than explain , the most easie and intelligible points of our religion . chap. xii . of the manner after which these discourses are written ; and the simplicity of stile used in them . that the writers of those times used no affectation of humane eloquence ; but deliver'd themselves with the greatest plainness that they were able . this manner of writing the best and most proper for instruction . a short account of the occasion of the present collection , and the translation that is here made of the following treatises . . there is yet one thing to be observed by me , with reference to the discourses here subjoyn'd ; and that is , fourthly , concerning the manner after which they are written , and that true primitive simplicity , which appears in all the parts of them . . it is one property of truth , that as it do's not need any disguises , so neither does it seek any vain ornaments of humane eloquence , to recommend it self to the approbation of those to whom it is tender'd . when the apostles preach'd the gospel to the world , they did it not with excellency of speech , nor with enticing words of mans wisdom ; but in the demonstration of spirit and of power . they gave such convincing proofs of their divine mission , as forced all indifferent persons to acknowledg their authority : and they thought it after that , too mean a thing to endeavour to catch mens ears , when without any such arts they had before captivated their reason , and forced them to confess the truth of what they deliver'd . . and the same was the method of those holy fathers who succeeded them . they knew the excellency of their doctrine , and the mighty influence which the revelations it made of the future state , would be sure to have upon the minds of all considering men : and therefore they contented themselves to lay these things before them in a plain and simple manner ; and with such an affected sincerity , as is beyond all the highest rhetorick in the world. . let not then the reader be surprised , if in the following discourses he meets with none of those ornaments , that are wont to recommend the writings of others to his perusal . but rather let him consider , that he has here to do with men who were above such a care. their business was to instruct not to please ; to speak to mens hearts and consciences , not to their fancies : and they knew that this is evermore best done by a plain and unaffected discourse ; by solid rules and substantial motives , not by vain words ; which if they satisfie a man at the present , yet seldom leave any lasting impression behind them . . but of the authors of the following treatises , and of the discourses themselves i have said enough , perhaps too much : tho' yet i think no more than what was necessary to prepare the english reader , for whom i am now chiefly concern'd , to a useful perusal of them . as for the present collection , i shall only say thus much ; that it is the first of this kind that was ever set forth in our own language ; nor were the greatest part of the following pieces , ever ( that i know of ) before translated into it . . i confess , when i consider the great usefulness of such a work , and the high esteem , which not only the ancient fathers , but the most learned of all ages have had of the treatises here collected together ; i have sometimes wondered , that among so many things as have of late been brought into the english tongue , none has yet hitherto undertaken such a task as this . but when i came to the tryal , i soon found out what may perhaps have been one reason of it : since , could i have foreseen the difficulty of the work , i much question whether i should ever have been persuaded to go about it . and this i say , not to magnifie any thing that i have done , which i have too much reason to fear will be far from deserving any great commendation ; but to suggest an apology for whatever defects those of greater leisure , more health , and better abilities , shall chance to find in it , notwithstanding all the care i have taken to guess aright at the intention of my authors , and to deliver what upon the best examination i could make , i then took to be their meaning . . i need not say any thing to convince those who are at all acquainted with these matters , and who are alone the competent judges of the present performance , how hard oftentimes it is , with the help of the best copies , to hit upon the true meaning of an author that lived so many ages since , as those i have here collected . and what great defects in many places there are , in the copies i have here been forced to make use of , is not unknown to them . had i whilst i was about this work , been in another place , where i could have had recourse to the assistance of a very learned friend ; than whom none could have afforded me a better help in this particular , or would more readily have done it ; i should have had much less reason to apprehend any defects in it . but however , as it is , i am not aware of any great errors that i have committed ; and am in some hope that i have no where very much , nor at all very dangerously , mistaken the meaning of those holy men , whose sense i have undertaken to represent . . this i am sure of , that my design in this whole undertaking , was to minister the best i could to the interests of truth and piety : and i thought my self at this time , the rather obliged to do it from the press , in that it has pleased god in some measure to take me off , from the ability of doing it , from the pulpit . . if it shall be ask'd how i came to chuse the drudgery of a translator , rather than the more ingenuous part of publishing somewhat of my own composing , it was in short this ; because i hop'd that such writings as these would find a more general and unprejudiced acceptance with all sorts of men , than any thing that could be written by any one now living : who , if esteem'd by some , is yet in danger of being despis'd by more ; whose prejudice to his person will not suffer them to reap any benefit , by any thing , tho' never so useful , that can come from him ; whilst such tracts as these may possibly receive a general respect from all sorts of persons ; and meet not only with an entertainment , but an esteem too from all. . these were the motives that first induced me to set about this work ; and in the reasonableness of which should i chance to be mistaken , yet i cannot but persuade my self that the honesty of my intentions , shall excuse me to all indifferent persons . let others then , to whom god has given better opportunities , and greater abilities , serve the church in better and higher performances . it shall suffice me in any way to minister to the souls of men. and if by this present undertaking i shall but in any measure have contributed to the reviving a true sense of piety and devotion among us ; but especially to the disposing of any number of men to consider more seriously the fatal consequences of our present divisions , and to labour what in them lies to the composing of them ; i shall heartily bless god , both that he first prompted me to undertake this troublesome task , and has since enabled me , tho' amidst many infirmities , to go through with it . the first epistle of st. clement to the corinthians . the contents . ch. i , ii. he commends them for their excellent order and piety in christ , before their schism brake out . iii. how their divisions began ? iv , v , vi. envy and emulation the original of all strife and disorder . examples of the mischiefs they have occasion'd . vii , viii . he exhorts them to look up to the rules of their religion , and repent of their divisions , and they shall be forgiven . ix , x. to encourage them whereunto , he sets before them the examples of holy men , whose piety is recorded in the scriptures . xi , xii . and particularly such as have been eminent for their kindness and charity to their neighbours . xiii . what rules our religion has le●t us to this purpose ? xiv , xv. which he applies to the case of the corinthians ; exhorting them to put an end to their contentions , so contrary to their duty . xvi , xvii , xviii . in order to this , he advises them to be humble ; and that from the examples of our saviour , and of holy men in all ages . xix , xx. he returns to the business of their divisions ; which he by more arguments persuades them to compose . xxi . he exhorts them to obedience , from the consideration of the goodness of god , and of his presence in every place . xxiii , xxiv . of faith : and particularly what we are to believe as to the future resurrection . xxiv , &c. to xxvii . this article at large proved . xxviii . he again exhorts them to obedience : that it is impossible to escape the vengeance of god , if we continue in sin. xxix . this farther enforced from the consideration of their relation to god , as his elect. xxx . how we must live that we may please god ? xxxii . we are justified by faith. xxxiii . ●et this must not lessen our care to live well ; nor our pleasure in it . xxxiv . this enforc'd from the examples of the holy angels , and from the exceeding greatness of that reward which god has prepared for us . xxxv , xxxvi . we must attain unto this reward by faith and obedience . xxxvii . which we must carry on in an orderly pursuing of the duties of our several stations , without envying or contention . xxxviii . the necessity of different orders among men. we have none of us any thing but what we received of god ; whom therefore we ought in every condition thankfully to obey . xxxix , &c. from whence he exhorts them to do every thing orderly in the church , as the only way to please god. xlii . the orders of ministers in christ's church establish'd by the apostles , according to christ's command . xliii . and after the example of moses . xliv . therefore they who have been duly placed in the ministry according to their order , cannot without great sin be put out of it . xlv , &c. he exhorts them to peace from examples out of the holy scriptures . xlvii . particularly from st. paul's exhortation to them . xlix . the value which god puts upon love and unity : the effects of a true charity . l. which is the gift of god , and must be obtain'd by prayer . li. he exhorts such as have been concern'd in these divisions to repent , and return to their unity , confessing their sin to god. liii . which he infers from the example of moses : lv. nay of many among the heathen ; and of judith , and esther among the jews . lvi . the benefit of mutual advice and correction . lvii . he entreats them to follow that which is here given to them . lviii . recommends them to god. lix . desires speedily to hear that this epistle had had a good effect upon them . lx. and so concludes . the epistle of st. clement to the corinthians . the church of god which is * at rome , to the church of god which * is at corinth , * elect , sanctified , † by the will of god , through jesus christ our lord : grace be to you ; and peace from the almighty god by jesus christ be multiplied . * the * suddain and unexpected dangers and calamities that have fallen upon us , beloved brethren , have , we fear , made us the more slow in our consideration of those things which you * proposed to us : † as also of that wicked and detestable sedition , so unbecoming the elect of god , which a few heady and self-will'd men have fomented to such a degree , that your venerable and renowned name , so worthy of all men to be beloved , is greatly blasphemed thereby . for who that has ever been among you , has not experimented † the firmness of your faith , and its fruitfulness in all good works ? and admired the temper and moderation of your religion in christ ? and publish'd abroad the magnificence of your hospitality ? and thought you happy in your perfect and certain knowledge of the gospel . for ye did all things without respect of persons ; and walked † according to the laws of god : being subject to those who had the rule over you ; and giving the honour that was fitting , to such as were the aged among you . the young men ye commanded to think those things that were modest and grave . the women ye exhorted , to do all things with an unblameable , and seemly and pure conscience : loving their own husbands , as was fitting : and that keeping themselves within the limits of a due obedience , they should * order their houses gravely with all discretion . ii. ye were all of you humble minded , not * boasting of any thing : desiring rather to be subject than to govern , to give than to receive , being content with the portion god had dispensed to you : and hearkning diligently to his word , ye * received it into your hearts , having his ‖ precepts always before your eyes . thus a firm , and blessed and profitable peace was given unto you ; and an unsatiable desire of doing good ; and a plentiful effusion of the holy ghost was upon all of you . and being full of * good desires , ye did with a great readiness , and with a religious confidence stretch forth your hands to god almighty ; beseeching him to be merciful unto you , if in any thing ye had unwillingly sinn'd against him. ye contended day and night for the whole brotherhood ; that through the mercy of god , and a good conscience , the number of his elect might be saved . ye were sincere , and without offence towards each other ; not mindful of injuries : all sedition and schism was an abomination unto you . ye bewailed every one his neighbours sins , esteeming their defects your own. ye were kind one to another without grudging ; being ready to every good work. and being thus adorn'd with a conversation altogether virtuous and religious , ye did all things in the fear of god ; whose commandments were written upon the tables of your hearts . iii. all honour and enlargement was given unto you ; and so was fulfill'd that which is written ; my beloved did eat and drink , he was enlarged and waxed fat , and he kicked . from hence came envy , and strife , and sedition ; persecution and disorder , war and captivity . so they who were of no renown , lifted up themselves against the honourable ; those of no reputation , against those that were in respect ; the foolish , against the wise ; the young men against the aged . therefore righteousness and peace are departed from you , because every one hath forsaken the fear of the lord ; and is grown blind in his faith ; nor walketh by the rule of gods commandments , nor liveth as is fitting in christ : but every one follows his own wicked lusts , having taken up an ungodly and unjust envy , by which death first entred into the world. iv. for so it is written ; and in process of time it came to pass , that cain brought of the fruit of the ground an offering unto the lord . and abel he also brought of the firstlings of his flock and of the fat thereof : and the lord had respect unto abel and to his offering . but unto cain and unto his offering he had not respect . and cain was very wroth , and his countenance fell . and the lord said unto cain , why art thou wroth ? and why is thy countenance fallen ? * if thou shalt offer aright , but not divide aright , hast thou not sinned ? hold thy peace : vnto thee shall be his desire , and thou shalt rule over him. and cain said unto abel his brother , let us go down into the field . and it came to pass as they were in the field , that cain rose up against abel his brother , and slew him . ye see brethren , how envy and emulation wrought * the death of a brother . for this our father jacob fled from the face of his brother esau. it was this that caused joseph to be persecuted even unto death , and bondage . it was this that forced moses to flee from the face of pharaoh king of egypt , when he heard his own country-man ask him , who made thee a prince and a judge over us ? wilt thou kill me as thou didst the egyptian yesterday ? for this aaron and miriam were shut out of the camp , from the rest of the congregation seven days . emulation sent dathan and abiram quick into * the grave , because they raised up a sedition against moses the servant of god. for this david was not only hated of strangers , but was persecuted even by saul the king of israel . v. but not to insist upon antient examples , let us come to those worthies that have been nearest to us ; and take the brave examples of our own age. through zeal and envy , the most faithful , and righteous pillars of the church , have been persecuted even to the most bitter deaths . let us set before our eyes the holy apostles : peter by unjust envy underwent not one or two , but many sufferings ; till at last being martyr'd , he went to the place of glory that was due unto him. for the same cause , did paul in like manner receive the reward of his patience : seven times he was in bonds ; he was whipp'd , was stoned ; he preach'd both in the east and in the west ; leaving behind him the glorious report of his faith : and so having taught the whole world righteousness , and for that end travell'd even to the utmost bounds of the west ; he at last suffer'd martyrdom by the command of the governours , and departed out of the world , and went unto his holy place ; being become a most eminent pattern of patience unto all ages . vi. to these holy apostles we may add , a very great number of others , who having through envy undergone in like manner many pains and torments , have left a glorious example to us . for this not only men but even women have been persecuted : * and having suffer'd very grievous and cruel punishments , have finish'd the course of their faith with firmness ; and though weak in body , yet received a glorious reward . * this has alienated the minds even of women from their husbands ; and changed what was once said by our father adam ; this is now bone of my bone , and flesh of my flesh. in a word , envy and strife , have overturn'd whole cities , and rooted out great nations from off the earth . vii . these things , beloved , we write unto you not only * for your instruction , but also for our own remembrance . for we are all in the same ‖ field , and the same combat is prepared for us all . wherefore let us lay aside all vain and empty cares ; and let us come up to the glorious and venerable rule of our holy calling . let us consider what is good , and acceptable , and well-pleasing in the sight of him that made us. let us look stedfastly to the bloud of christ , and see how precious his bloud is in the sight of god : which being shed for our salvation , * has obtain'd the grace of repentance for all the world. let us search into the ages that have gone before us ; and let us learn that our lord has in every one of them still given place for repentance to all such as would * turn to him . noah preach'd repentance ; and as many as hearkened to him were saved . jonah denounced destruction against the ninivites : howbeit they repenting of their sins , appeased god by their prayers , and * were saved , tho' they were strangers to the covenant of god. viii . hence we find how all the ministers of the grace of god have spoken by the holy spirit of repentance . and even the lord of all has himself declared with an oath concerning it ; as i live , saith the lord , i desire not the death of a sinner , but that he should repent . adding this farther assurance ; turn from your iniquity o house of israel . say unto the children of my people , tho' your sins should reach from earth to heaven ; and tho' they should be redder than scarlet , and blacker than sackcloth : yet if ye shall turn to me with all your heart , and shall call me father , i will hearken to you , as to a holy people . and in another place he saith on this wise : wash ye , make you clean ; put away the evil of your doings from before mine eyes ; cease to do evil , learn to do well ; seek judgment ; relieve the oppressed , judge the fatherless , plead for the widow . come now and let us reason together , saith the lord : tho' your sins be as scarlet they shall be as white as snow ; tho' they be red as crimson , they shall be as wooll . if ye be willing and obedient ye shall eat the good of the land : but if ye refuse and rebell ye shall be devoured with the sword ; for the mouth of the lord hath spoken it . these things has god establish'd by his almighty will , desiring that all his beloved should come to repentance . ix . wherefore let us obey his excellent and glorious will ; and imploring his mercy and goodness , let us fall down upon our faces before him , and * cast our selves upon his mercy : laying aside all ‖ vanity , and contention , and envy which leads unto death . let us look up to those who have the most perfectly ministred to his excellent glory . let us take enoch for our example , who being found righteous in obedience , was translated , and his death was not known . noah being proved to be faithful , did by his ministry preach regeneration to the world , and the lord saved by him all the living creatures , that went with one accord together into the ark. x. so also abraham who was called gods friend , was in like manner found faithful ; in as much as he obeyed the commands of god. by obedience he went out of his own country , and from his own kindred , and from his fathers house ; that so forsaking a small country , and a weak affinity , and a little house , he might inherit the promises of god. for thus god said unto him : get thee out of thy country , and from thy kindred , and from thy fathers house , unto a land that i will shew thee . and i will make thee a great nation , and i will bless thee , and make thy name great , and thou shalt be blessed . and i will bless them that bless thee , and curse them that curse thee ; and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed . and again when he separated himself from lot , god said unto him : lift up now thine eyes , and look from the place where thou art , northward and southward , and eastward and * westward : for all the land which thou seest to thee will i give it , and to thy seed for ever . and i will make thy seed as the dust of the earth , so that if a man can number the dust of the earth , then shall thy seed also be numbred . and again he saith ; and god brought forth abraham and said unto him , look now towards heaven and tell the stars ; if thou be able to number them : so shall thy seed be . and abraham believed god , and it was counted to him for righteousness . through faith and hospitality , * he had a son given him in his old age ; and through obedience he offer'd him up in sacrifice to god , upon one of the mountains which god shew'd unto him. xi . by hospitality and godliness was lot saved out of sodom , when all the country round about was * destroy'd by fire and brimstone . the lord thereby making it manifest , that he will not forsake those that trust in him ; but will bring the disobedient to punishment and correction . for his wife who went out with him , being of a different mind , and * not continuing in the same obedience , was for that very reason set forth for an example , being turn'd into a pillar of salt unto this day . that so all men may know , that those who are double minded , and distrustful of the power of god , are prepared for condemnation , and to be a sign to all succeeding ages . xii . by faith and hospitality was rahab the harlot saved . for when the spies were sent by joshua the son of nun to search out jericho , and the king of jericho knew that they were come to spy out his country ; he order'd them to be taken , that so they might be put to death . rahab therefore , being hospitable , received them , and hid them under the stalks of flax , on the top of her house . and when the messengers that were sent by the king came unto her , and asked her saying , there came men unto thee to spy out the land , bring them forth , for so hath the king commanded : she answered , the two men whom ye seek came unto me but presently they departed , and are gone : shewing them withall a contrary way . then she said to the spies , i know that the lord your god has given this city into your hands ; for the fear of you is fallen upon all that dwell therein . when therefore ye shall have taken it , ye shall save me and my fathers house . and they answered her saying , it shall be as thou hast spoken unto vs. therefore when thou shalt know that we are near , thou shalt gather all thy family together upon the house top , and they shall be saved : but all that shall be found without thy house , shall be destroyed . and they gave her moreover a sign ; that she should hang out of her house a scarlet rope : shewing thereby , that by the blood of our lord , there should be redemption to all that believe and hope in god. ye see , beloved , how there was not only faith , but prophesie too in this woman . xiii . let us therefore humble our selves , brethren , laying aside all pride , and boasting , and foolishness , and anger : and let us do as it is written , for thus saith the holy spirit , let not the wise man glory in his wisdom , nor the strong man in his strength , nor the rich man in his riches ; but let him that glorieth , glory in the lord , to seek him , and to do judgment and justice . above all , remembring the words of the lord jesus , which he spake * concerning equity and long-suffering , ‖ saying , be ye merciful , and ye shall obtain mercy ; forgive and ye shall be forgiven ; as ye do so shall it be done unto you ; as ye give so shall it be given unto you ; as ye judge so shall ye be judged ; as ye are kind to others , so shall god be kind to you ; with what measure ye meet , with the same shall it be measured to you again . by this command , and by these rules , let us establish our selves , that so we may always walk obediently to his holy words ; being humble minded : for so says * the holy scripture ; vpon whom shall i look , even upon him that is poor and of a contrite spirit , and that trembles at my word . xiv . it is therefore just and * righteous , men and brethren , that we should become obedient unto god , rather than follow such as * through pride and disorder , have made themselves the ring-leaders of a detestable emulation . for it is not an ordinary harm that we shall do our selves , but rather a very great danger that we shall run , if we shall rashly give up our selves to the wills of men , who * promote strife and seditions , to turn us aside from what is fitting . but let us be kind to one another , according to the compassion , and sweetness of him that made us . for it is written , the merciful shall inherit the earth ; and they that are without evil shall be left upon it : but the transgressors shall perish from off the face of it . and again he saith , i have seen the wicked in great power , and spreading himself like the cedars of libanus . i passed by , and lo he was not ; i sought his place , but it could not be found . keep innocency , and do the thing that is right , for there shall be a remnant to the peaceable man. xv. let us therefore hold fast to those who * religiously follow peace ; and not to such as ‖ only pretend to desire it . for he saith in a certain place , this people honoureth me with their lips , but their heart is far from me . and again , they * bless with their mouth , but † curse in their heart . and again he saith , they loved him with their mouth , and with their tongue they lied to him. for their heart was not right with him , neither were they faithful in his covenant . the lord shall cut off all flattering lips , and the tongue that speaketh proud things . who have said , with our tongue will we prevail , our lips are our own , who is lord over us ? for the oppression of the poor , for the sighing of the needy , now will i arise saith the lord ; i will set him in safety , i will deal confidently with him . xvi . for christ is theirs who are humble , and not who exalt themselves over his flock . the scepter of the majesty of god our lord jesus christ , came not in the * shew of pride , and arrogance , tho' he could have done so ; but with humility , as the holy ghost had before spoken concerning him . for thus he saith , lord , who hath believed our report , and to whom is the arm of the lord revealed ? for he shall grow up before him as a tender plant , and as a root out of a dry ground . he hath no form nor comeliness , and when we shall see him , there is no beauty that we should desire him. he is despised and rejected of men ; a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief . and we hid , as it were , our faces from him ; he was despised , and we esteemed him not . surely he hath borne our griefs , and carried our sorrows ; yet we did esteem him stricken , smitten of god and afflicted . but he was wounded for our transgressions , he was bruised for our iniquities ; the chastisement of our peace was upon him ; and with his stripes we are healed . all we like sheep have gone astray ; we have turned every one to his own way , and the lord hath laid on him the iniquity of vs all . he was oppressed and he was afflicted , yet he opened not his mouth : he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter ; and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb , so he openeth not his mouth . he was taken from prison and from judgment ; and who shall declare his generation ? for he was cut off out of the land of the living : for the transgression of my people was he stricken . and he made his grave with the wicked , and with the rich in his death , because he had done no violence , neither was any deceit in his mouth . yet it pleased the lord to bruise him , he hath put him to grief : when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin , he shall see his seed , he shall prolong his days ; and the pleasure of the lord shall prosper in his hand . he shall see of the travail of his soul and shall be satisfied ; by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justifie many : for he shall bear their iniquities . therefore will i divide him a portion with the great , and he shall divide the spoil with the strong ; because he hath poured out his soul unto death : and he was numbred with the transgressors , and he bare the sin of many , and made intercession for the transgressors . and again he himself saith , i am a worm and no man , a reproach of men , and despised of the people . all they that see me laugh me to scorn ; they shout out their lips , they shake their head saying ; he trusted in the lord that he would deliver him , let him deliver him seeing he delighted in him. ye see , beloved , what the pattern is that has been given to us. for if the lord thus humbled himself , what should we do who are come under the yoak of his grace ? xvii . let us be followers of those who went about in goat-skins and sheep-skins ; preaching the coming of christ. * such were elias , and elisaeus and ezekiel the prophets . † and let us add to these , such others as have received the like testimony . abraham has been greatly witnessed of ; having been called the friend of god. and yet he stedfastly beholding the glory of god says with all humility , i am dust and ashes . again , of job it is thus written , that he was just and without blame , true ; one that served god and abstained from all evil. yet he despising himself , says , no man is free from pollution , no not tho' he should live but one day . moses was called faithful in all gods house ; and by his * conduct god determined to deliver the israelites from their stripes and pains . and yet even this man , tho' thus greatly honoured , spake not greatly of himself ; but when the oracle of god was delivered to him out of the bush , he said , who am i , that thou dost send me ? i am of a slender voice , and a slow tongue . and again he saith , i am as the smoak of the pot. xviii . and what shall we say of david , so highly testified of in the holy scriptures ? to whom god said , i have found a man after my own heart , david the son of jesse , with my holy oil have i anointed him. but yet he himself saith unto god , have mercy upon me o god , according to thy loving kindness ; according unto the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions . wash me throughly from mine iniquity , and cleanse me from my sin. for i acknowledge my transgressions , and my sin is ever before me. against thee only have i sinned , and done this evil in thy sight , that thou mightest be justified when thou speakest , and be clear when thou judgest . behold i was shapen in iniquity , and in sin did my mother conceive me . behold , thou desirest truth in the inward parts ; and in the hidden part thou shalt make me to know wisdom . purge me with hysop and i shall be clean , wash me and i shall be whiter than snow . make me to hear joy and gladness , that the bones which thou hast broken may rejoyce . hide thy face from my sins , and blot out all mine iniquities . create in me a clean heart o god ; and renew a right spirit within me. cast me not away from thy presence , and take not thy holy spirit from me. restore unto me the joy of thy salvation , and uphold me with thy free spirit . then will i teach transgressors thy ways , and sinners shall be converted unto thee . deliver me from blood-guiltiness o god , thou god of my salvation , and my tongue shall sing aloud of thy righteousness . o lord open thou my lips , and my mouth shall shew forth thy praise . for thou desirest not sacrifice , else would i give it ; thou delightest not in burnt-offerings . the sacrifices of god are a broken spirit , a broken and a contrite heart o god thou wilt not despise . xix . thus has the humility and * godly fear of these ‖ great and excellent men , † recorded in the scriptures , through obedience made not only us but also the generations before us better ; even as many as have received his holy oracles * with fear and truth . having therefore so many , and such great and glorious examples , ‖ let us return to that peace , which was the mark that from the beginning was set before us : let us look up to the father and creator of the whole world ; and let us hold fast to his glorious and exceeding gifts and benefits which are of peace . let us † consider and behold with the eyes of our ‖ understandings his long-suffering will ; and think how gentle and patient he is towards his whole creation . xx. the heavens * holding fast to his appointment , are subject to him in peace . day and night accomplish the courses that he has allotted unto them , not disturbing one another . the sun and moon , and all the several † companies and constellations of the stars , run the * courses that he has appointed to them in concord , without departing in the least from them . the fruitful earth yields its food plentifully in due season both to man and beast , and to all that is upon it according to his will ; not * disputing , nor altering any thing of what was order'd by him. so also the untrodden and unsearchable floods of the deep are kept in by his command : ‖ and the * conflux of the vast sea being brought together at the creation into its several collections , passes not the bounds that he has set to it ; but as he then † appointed it , so it remains . for he said , hitherto shalt thou come , and thy flouds shall be broken within thee . the ocean , unpassable to mankind , and the worlds that are beyond it , are govern'd by the same commands of their great master . spring and summer , autumn and winter , give place peaceably to each other . the several * quarters of the winds , fulfil their ‖ work in their seasons , without offending one another . the ever-flowing fountains , made both for pleasure and health , never fail to reach out their breasts , to support the life of men. even the smallest creatures * live together in peace and concord with each other . all these has the great creator and lord of all , commanded to observe peace and concord ; being good to all : but especially to us who flee to his mercy through our lord jesus christ , to whom be glory and majesty for ever and ever , amen . xxi . take heed , beloved , that his many blessings be not to † us to condemnation ; except we shall walk worthy of him , doing with ‖ one consent what is good and pleasing in his sight . the spirit of the lord is a candle , searching all the inward parts of the belly . let us therefore consider how near he is to us ; and how that none of our thoughts are * hid from him ; nor any of our conversation which we have with one another . it is therefore just that we should not forsake our rank , by doing contrary to his will. let us chuse to offend a few foolish and inconsiderate men , lifted up and glorying ‖ in their own pride , rather than god. let us reverence our lord jesus christ whose bloud was given for us . let us honour those who are set over us ; let us respect the aged that are amongst us ; and let us instruct the younger men , in the discipline and fear of the lord . our wives let us * direct in doing that which is good. let them shew forth a lovely habit of purity in all their conversation ; with a sincere affection of meekness : let the government of their tongues † be made manifest by their silence : let their charity be without respect of persons , alike towards all such as truly fear god. let your children ‖ be bred up in the instruction of the lord : and especially let them learn how great a power humility has with god ; how much a pure and holy charity avails with him ; how excellent and great his fear is , and how it will † save all such as turn to him with holiness in a pure mind . for he is the searcher of the thoughts and desires of the heart ; whose breath is in us , and when he pleases he can take it from us. xxii . but all these things ‖ must be confirm'd by the faith which is in christ , for so he himself bespeaks us by the holy ghost . come ye children and harken unto me , and i will teach you the fear of the lord . what man is there that desireth life , and loveth to see good days ? keep thy tongue from evil , and thy lips that they speak no guile . depart from evil and do good ; seek peace and ensue it . the eyes of the lord are upon the righteous , and his ears are open unto their prayers . but the face of the lord is against them that do evil , to cut off the remembrance of them from the earth . the righteous cried , and the lord heard him , and deliver'd him out of all his troubles . many are the troubles of the wicked , but they that trust in the lord , mercy shall encompass them about . xxiii . our all-merciful and beneficent father hath bowels of compassion towards them that fear him ; and kindly and lovingly bestows his graces upon all such as come to him with a simple mind . wherefore let us not ‖ waver , neither let us have any doubt in our hearts , of his excellent and glorious gifts . † let that be far from us which is written , miserable are the double-minded , and those who are doubtful in their hearts . who say , these things have we heard , and our fathers have told us these things . but behold we are grown old , and none of them has happened unto vs. o ye fools ! * consider the trees ; take the vine for an example . first it sheds its leaves ; then it buds ; after that it spreads its leaves ; then it flowers ; then come the sower grapes ; and after them follows the ripe fruit. ye see how in a little time the fruit of the trees comes to maturity . of a truth , yet a little while and his will shall suddainly be accomplish'd . the holy scripture it self bearing witness , that the lord shall suddainly come to his temple , even the holy one whom ye look for . xxiv . let us consider , beloved , how the lord does continually shew us , that there shall be a future resurrection ; of which he has made our lord jesus christ the first-fruits , raising him from the dead . let us ‖ contemplate , beloved , the resurrection that is continually made before our eyes . day and night manifest a resurrection to us. the night lies down , and the day arises : again the day departs and the night comes on . let us behold the fruits of the earth . every one sees how the seed is sown . the sower * goes forth , and casts it upon the earth ; and the seed which when it was sown fell upon the earth dry and naked , in time dissolves : and from the dissolution , the great power of the providence of the lord raises it again ; and of one seed many arise , and bring forth fruit. xxv . let us consider that wonderful ‖ type of the resurrection , which is seen in the eastern countries ; that is to say in arabia . there is a certain bird called a phaenix : of this there is never but one at a time ; and that lives five hundred years . and when the time of its dissolution draws near that it must die ; it makes it self a nest of frankincense , and myrrhe , and other spices , into which when its time is fulfilled it enters and dies . but its flesh putrifying breeds a certain worm , which being nourished with the juice of the dead * bird brings ●orth feathers ; and when it is grown to † a perfect state , it takes up the nest in which the bones of its ‖ parent lie , and carries it from arabia into egypt , to a city called heliopolis : and flying in open day in the sight of all men , lays it upon the altar of the sun , and so returns from whence it came . the priests then search into the records of the time ; and find that it return'd precisely at the end of five hundred years . xxvi . and ‖ shall we then think it to be any very great and strange thing , for the lord of all to raise up those that religiously serve him in the assurance of a good faith , when even by a bird he shews us the greatness of his power to fulfil his promise ? for he says in a certain place , thou shalt raise me up and i shall confess unto thee . and again , i laid me down and slept , and awaked , because thou art with me . and again job says , thou shalt raise up this flesh of mine , that has suffered all these things . xxvii . having therefore this hope , let us * hold fast to him who is faithful in all his promises , and righteous in all his judgments . who has commanded us not to lye , how much more shall he not himself lye ? for nothing is impossible with god , but to lye. let his faith then be stirred up again in us ; and let us consider that all things are nigh unto him. by the word of his ‖ power he made all things ; and by the same word he is able , when ever he will , to destroy them . who shall say unto him , what dost thou ? or who shall resist the power of his strength ? when , and as he pleased he made all things ; and nothing shall pass away of all that has been appointed by him. all things are open before him ; nor can any thing be hid from his counsell . * the heavens declare the glory of god , and the firmament sheweth his handy work . day unto day uttereth speech , and night unto night sheweth knowledge . there is no speech nor language where their voice is not heard . xxviii . seeing then all things are seen and heard by god ; let us fear him , and let us lay aside our corrupt desires of wicked works ; that through his mercy we may be ‖ delivered from the † condemnation to come . for whither can any of us flee from his mighty hand ? or what world shall receive any of those who run away from him ? for thus saith the scripture in a certain place , whither shall i flee [ from thy spirit ] or whither shall i flee from thy presence ? if i ascend up into heaven , thou art there : if i shall go to the utmost parts of the earth , there is thy right hand : if i shall make my bed in the deep , thy spirit is there . whither then shall any one go ; or whither shall he run from him that comprehends all things ? xxix . let us therefore come to him with holiness of † heart , lifting up chast and undefiled hands unto him : loving our gracious and merciful father , who has made us † to partake of his election . for so it is written , when the most high divided the nations , when he separated the sons of adam , he set the bounds of the nations , according to the number of his angels : his people jacob became the portion of the lord , and israel the lot of his inheritance . and in another place he saith , behold the lord taketh unto himself a nation , out of the midst of the nations , as a man taketh the first-fruits of his flour ; and the most holy shall come out of that nation . xxx . wherefore we being a part of the holy one ; let us do all those things that pertain unto holyness : fleeing all evil-speaking against one another ; all filthy and impure embraces , together with all drunkenness , love of innovation , abominable concupiscences , detestable adultery , and execrable pride . for god resisteth the proud , but giveth grace to the humble . let us therefore hold fast to those to whom ‖ god has given his grace . and let us put on concord , being humble , temperate ; free from all whispering and detraction ; and justified by our † actions , not our words . for he saith , * doth he that speaketh and heareth many things , and that is of a ready tongue , suppose that he is righteous ? blessed is he that is born of a woman , that liveth but a few days : ‖ vse not therefore much speech . let our praise be of god , not of our selves ; for god hateth those that † commend themselves . let the witness of our good actions be given to us of others , as it was given to the holy men that went before us . rashness , and arrogance , and confidence , be to them who are accursed of god : but equity , and humility , and mildness , to such as are blessed by him . xxxi . let us then hold fast to his blessing , and let us † consider what are the ways by which we may attain unto it . let us ‖ look back upon those things that have happened from the beginning . for what was our father abraham blessed ? was it not because that through faith he wrought righteousness and truth ? isaac being * fully perswaded of what he knew was to come , chearfully yielded himself up for a sacrifice . jacob with humility departed out of his own country , fleeing from his brother , and went unto laban and served him : and so the scepter of the twelve tribes of israel , was given unto him . xxxii . now what the greatness of ‖ this gift was , will plainly appear , if we shall take the pains distinctly to consider all the parts of it . for from him came the priests and levites ; who all ministred at the altar of god. from him came our lord jesus christ , according to the flesh. from him came the kings and princes , and rulers in judah . nor were the rest of his † tribes in any small glory : god having promis'd that thy seed , [ says he , ] shall be as the stars of heaven . they were all therefore * greatly glorified , not for their own sake , or for their own works , or for the righteousness that they themselves wrought ; but through his will. and we also being called by the same will in christ jesus , are not justified by our selves , neither by our own wisdom , or knowledge , or piety , or the works which we have done ‖ in the holiness of our hearts : but by that faith by which god almighty has justified those also who were from the beginning ; to whom be glory for ever and ever , amen . xxxiii . what shall we do therefore , brethren ? shall we be sloathful in well-doing , and lay aside our charity ? god forbid that any such thing should be done by us . but rather let us hasten with all earnestness and readiness of mind , to perfect every good work. for even the creator and lord of all things , rejoyces in his own works . by his ‖ almighty power he fixed the heavens , and by his incomprehensible wisdom he adorned them . he also divided the earth from the water , with which it is encompassed ; and fixed it as a secure tower , upon the foundation of his own will. he also by his appointment , commanded all the beasts that are upon it , to exist . so likewise the sea , and all the creatures that are in it ; having first created them , he enclosed them therein by his power . and above all , he with his holy and pure hands , formed man , the most excellent , and as to his understanding , truly the greatest of all other creatures , the character of his own image . for so god says , let us make man in our image , after our owon likeness : so god created man , male and female created he them . and having thus finished all these things , he commended all that he had made , and blessed them , and said ; encrease and multiply : we see therefore , how all righteous men have been adorn'd with good works : and not only so , but even the lord himself , having adorn'd himself with his works , rejoyced . having therefore ‖ such an example , let us without delay , † fulfill his will , and with all our strength , work the work of righteousness . xxxiv . the good workman with confidence receives the bread of his * labour ; but the sluggish and lazy , cannot endure to behold him that set him on work . we must therefore be ready and forward in well-doing : for from him are all things . and thus he foretells us , behold the lord cometh , and his reward is with him , even before his face , to render to every one according to his works . he warns us therefore beforehand , with all his heart , to this end , that we should not be sloathful and negligent in † well-doing . let our boasting therefore , and our confidence be in * god : let us submit our selves to his will. let us consider the vast multitude of his angels , how ready they stand to minister unto * it ? as saith the scripture , thousands of thousands stood before him , and ten thousand times ten thousand ministred unto him . and they cry'd saying , holy , holy , holy , is the lord of hosts : the whole earth is full of his glory . wherefore let us also , being gathered together in love and concord with one another ; with † one mind as well as one mouth , cry earnestly unto him , that he would make us partakers of his great and glorious promises . for he saith eye hath not seen , nor ear heard , neither have entred into the heart of man , the things which god has prepared for them that wait for him . xxxv . how blessed and wonderful , beloved , are the gifts of god ? life in immortality ! brightness in righteousness ! truth in full assurance ! faith in conviction ! temperance in holiness ! and all this has ‖ god subjected to our understandings : what therefore shall those things be which he has prepared for them that wait for him ? the creator and father of * all things , the most holy ; he only knows both the ‖ greatness and beauty of them . let us therefore strive with all earnestness , that we may be found in the number of those that wait for him ; that so we may receive the † reward which he has promised . but how beloved , shall † we do this ? we must fix our minds by faith towards god , and seek those things that are pleasing and acceptable unto him. we must * act conformably to his holy will ; and follow the way of truth , casting off all unrighteousness and iniquity , together with all covetousness , strife , evil manners , deceit , whispering , detractions ; all hatred of god , pride and boasting ; vain-glory and ambition : for they that do these things , are odious to god ; and not only they that do them , but also all such as approve of those that do them . for thus saith the scripture , but unto the wicked god said , what hast thou to do to declare my statutes , or that thou shouldst take my covenant in thy mouth ? seeing thou hatest instruction , and castest my words behind thee . when thou samest a thief , then thou consentedst with him ; and hast been partaker with adulterers . thou givest thy mouth to evil , and thy tongue frameth deceit . thou sittest and speakest against thy brother ; thou slanderest thine own mothers son. these things hast thou done and i kept silence ; thou thoughtedst that i was altogether such a one as thy self : but i will reprove thee , and set them in order before thine eyes . now consider this ye that forget god , lest i tear you in pieces , and there be none to deliver . whoso offereth praise , glorifieth me : and to him that disposeth his way aright , will i shew the salvation of god. xxxvi . this is the way , beloved , in which we may find ‖ our saviour , even jesus christ , the high priest of all our offerings , the defender and helper of our weakness . by him we look up to the † highest heavens , and behold as in a glass , his spotless and most excellent visage . by him are the eyes of our hearts opened ; by him is our foolish and darkned understanding enabled to behold his wonderful light. by him would god have us to taste the knowledge of immortality , who being the brightness of his glory , is by so much greater than the angels , as he has by inheritance obtain'd a more excellent name than they . for so it is written , who maketh his angels spirits , and his ministers a flame of fire . but to the son , thus saith the lord , thou art my son , to day have i begotten thee . ask of me , and i will give thee the heathen for thine inheritance , and the utmost parts of the earth for thy possession . and again he saith unto him , sit thou on my right hand , untill i make thine enemies thy footstool . but who are his enemies ? even the wicked ? and such who oppose their own wills , to the will of god. xxxvii . let us therefore † go on , men and brethren , with all earnestness in his holy laws . let us consider those who fight under our earthly governours : how orderly how readily , and with what exact obedience they perform those things that are commanded them ? all are not * generals , nor ‖ colonels , nor † captains , nor * inferior officers : but every one in his respective rank does what is commanded him by the king , and those who have the authority over him. they who are great , cannot yet subsist without those that are little ; nor the little without the great . but there must be a mixture in all things , and then there will be use and profit too . let us , for example , take our body : the head without the feet is nothing , neither the feet without the head. and even the smallest members of our body , are yet both necessary and useful to the whole body . but all conspire together , and ‖ are subject to one common use , namely , the preservation of the whole . xxxviii . let therefore our whole body be saved in christ jesus : and let every one be subject to another , † according to the order in which he is placed by the * gift of god. let not the strong man neglect to take care of the weak ; and let the weak see that he reverence the strong . let the rich man distribute to the necessity of the poor : and let the poor bless god , that he has given one unto him , by whom his want may be supplied . let the wise man shew forth his wisdom , not in words , but in good works . let him that is humble , not bear witness to himself , but let him leave it to another to bear witness of him . let him that is pure in the flesh , not grow proud of it , knowing that it was † from another that he received the gift of continence . let us consider therefore , brethren , † whereof we are made ; who , and what kind of men we came into the world , as it were out of a sepulchre , and from outer darkness . he that made us and formed us , brought us into his own world ; having ‖ prevented us with his benefits , even before we were born. wherefore , having received all these things from him , we ought upon all occasions , to give thanks unto him : to whom be glory for ever and ever , amen . xxxix . foolish and unwise men , † who have neither prudence nor learning , may perhaps mock and deride us ; being willing to set up themselves in their own conceits : † but what can a mortal man do ? or what strength is there in him that is made out of the dust ? for it is written , there was no shape before mine eyes ; only i heard a ‖ sound and a voice . for what ? shall man be pure before the lord ? shall he be blameless in his works ? behold , he trusteth not in his servants ; and his angels he charged with folly. yea , the heaven is not clean in his sight , how much less they that dwell in houses of clay ; of which also we our selves were made ? he smote them as a moth ; and from morning even unto the evening they endure not . because they were not able to help themselves they perish'd : he breath'd upon them and they dy'd , because they had no wisdom call now if there be any that will answer thee ; and to which of the angels wilt thou look ? for wrath killeth the foolish man , and envy slayeth him that is in error . i have seen the foolish taking root , but lo their habitation was presently consumed . their children were far from safety , they † perished at the gates of those who were lesser than themselves ; and there was no man to ‖ help them . for what was prepared for them , the righteous * did eat : and they shall not be delivered from evil. xl. seeing then these things are manifest unto us , it will behove us , to take care that looking into the depths of the divine knowledge , we do all things in order , whatsoever our lord has commanded us to do . and particularly , that we perform our offerings and service to god , at their appointed seasons : for these he has commanded to be done , not † rashly and disorderly , but at certain determinate times and hours . and therefore he has ordained by his supreme will and authority , both where , and by what persons they are to be perform'd : that so all things being piously done unto all well-pleasing , they may be acceptable unto † him . they therefore who make their offerings at the appointed seasons , are happy , and accepted : because that obeying the commandments of the lord , they are free from sin. and the same care must be had of the persons that minister unto him . for the chief priest has his proper services ; and to the priests their proper place is appointed ; and to the levites appertain their proper ministries : and the lay-man is confined within the bounds of what is commanded to lay-men . xli . let every one of you therefore , brethren , bless god in his proper station with ‖ a good conscience , and with all gravity , not exceeding the rule of his service that is appointed to him . the daily sacrifices † were not offer'd every where , nor the peace-offerings , nor the sacrifices appointed for sins and transgressions , but only at jerusalem : nor might they be offer'd in any place there neither , but only at the altar before the temple ; being first diligently examin'd by the high-priest and the other ministers we before mentioned . they therefore who * did any thing besides what * was agreeable to his will , * were punished with death . † consider , brethren , by how much the better knowledge god has vouchsafed unto us , by so much the greater danger are we exposed to . xlii . the apostles have preached to us from our lord jesus christ : jesus christ from god. christ therefore was sent by god , the apostles by christ : so both their offices were orderly fulfill'd , according to the will of god. for having received their command , and being fully assured by the resurrection of our lord jesus christ ; and convinced by the word of god , and the ‖ evidence of the holy spirit , they went abroad , publishing , that the kingdom of god was at hand . and thus preaching through countries and cities , and proving by the spirit , the first fruits of their conversions , they appointed out of them bishops and ministers over such as should afterwards believe . nor was this any new thing : seeing that long before it was written concerning bishops and deacons . for thus saith the scripture , in a certain place ; i will appoint their * overseers in righteousness , and their * ministers in faith. xliii . and what wonder if they to whom such a work was committed by god in christ , establish'd such officers as we before mentioned ; when even that blessed and faithful servant in all his house , moses , ‖ set down in the holy scriptures all things that were commanded him. whom also all the rest of the prophets follow'd , bearing witness with one consent to those things that were appointed by him . for he , perceiving an * emulation to arise among the tribes concerning the priesthood , and that there was a strife about it , which of them should be adorned with that glorious title ; commanded their twelve captains to bring to him twelve rods ; every tribe being * noted upon its rod according to its name . and he took them and bound them together , and sealed them with the seals of the twelve princes of the tribes ; and laid them up in the tabernacle of witness , upon the table of god. and when he had shut the door of the tabernacle , he sealed up the keys of it , in like manner ‖ as he had done the rods ; and said unto them , men and brethren ; which soever tribe shall have its rod blossom , that tribe has god chosen to himself , * to minister unto him in holy things . and when morning was come , he called together all israel , six hundred thousand men ; and shew'd to their princes the seals ; and opened the tabernacle of witness ; and brought forth the rods. and the rod of aaron was found not only to have blossom'd , but also to have fruit upon it . what think you , beloved ? did not moses before know ‖ what should happen ? yes verily : but to the end there might be no division nor tumult in israel , he did in this manner , that the name of the true and only god might be glorified : to him be honour for ever and ever , amen . xliv . so likewise our apostles knew by our lord jesus christ , that there should contentions arise * upon the account of the ministry . and therefore having a perfect fore-knowledge of this , they appointed persons , as we have before said , and then gave direction , ‖ how when they should die , other chosen and approved men should succeed in their ministry . wherefore we cannot think that those may justly be thrown out of their ministry , who were either appointed by them , or afterwards chosen by eminent men with the consent of the whole church , and have with all lowliness and innocency ministred to the flock of christ , in peace , and without self-interest , and for a long time commended by all . for it would be no small sin in us , should we cast off those from their ‖ ministry , who holily and without blame * fulfil the duties of it . blessed are those priests , who having finish'd their course before these times , have obtain'd a fruitful and perfect dissolution : for they have no fear , lest any one should turn them out of the place in which they are now establish'd . but we see how you have put out some , who lived excellently among you , from the ministry , with which they were * rightly and innocently adorn'd . xlv . ye are contentious , brethren , and zealous for things that pertain not unto salvation . look into the holy scriptures , which are the true words of the holy ghost . ye know that there is nothing unjust or spurious ‖ in them . there you shall not find that just men were ever cast off by such as were good themselves . † they were persecuted 't is true , but it was by the wicked and ungodly . they were cast into prison , but they were cast in by those that were unholy . they were stoned , but it was by sinners and transgressors . they were killed , but by accursed men , and such as had taken up an unjust envy against them . * and all these things they underwent gloriously . for what shall we say , brethren ? was daniel cast into the ‖ den of lyons , by men fearing god ? ananias , azarias and misael , were they † cast into the * fiery furnace by men ‖ professing the excellent and glorious worship of the most high ? god forbid . what kind of persons then were they that did these things ? they were men abominable , full of all wickedness , who were incensed to so great a degree , as to bring those into sufferings , who with a holy and unblamable purpose of mind worshipped god : not knowing that the most high is the protector and defender of all such as in a pure conscience serve his * holy name : to whom be glory for ever and ever , amen . but they who with a full perswasion have endured to the end , ‖ are now made partakers of glory and honour : and * are exalted and lifted up by god in their memorial throughout all ages , amen . xlvi . wherefore it will behove us also , brethren , * to follow such examples as these ; for it is written , ‖ hold fast to such as are holy ; for they that do so shall be sanctified . and again in another place he saith , with the pure thou shalt be pure , but with the perverse man thou shalt be * perverse . let us therefore keep our selves firm to the innocent and righteous ; for such are * chosen of god. wherefore are there strifes and anger , and divisions and schisms and wars among us ? have we not all one god , and one christ ? is not one spirit of grace poured out upon us all ? have we not one calling in christ ? why then do we rent and tear in pieces the members of christ ; and raise seditions against our own body ? and are come to such a heighth of madness , as to forget that we were members one of another ? remember the words of the lord jesus , * how he said , wo to that man , [ by whom offences come ] it were better for him that he had never been born , than that he should have offended one of my elect. it were better for him , that a mill-stone should be tyed about his neck , and he should be cast into the sea , than that he should offend one of my little ones . your schism has perverted many , has discouraged many : it has raised doubts in many , and grief in us all. and yet your sedition continues still . xlvii . take the epistle of the blessed paul the apostle into your hands ; what was it that he wrote to you in the very beginning of his * instructions to you ? verily he did ‖ by the spirit admonish you concerning himself , and cephas , and apollos , forasmuch as even then ye had begun to fall into † parties and factions . nevertheless your inclinations then led you into a much less sin : forasmuch as ye * placed your affections on apostles , men of ‖ eminent reputation in the church , and on another who was greatly try'd and approved of among you . but consider we pray you , who are they that have now led you astray ▪ and lessen'd the * reputation of that brotherly love that was once * so eminent among you ? 't is a shame , my beloved , yea a very great shame , and unworthy of your christian ‖ profession , to hear , that the most firm and antient church of the corinthians should by one or two persons , be led into a sedition against its priests . and this report is come not only to us , but to those also that † are without . insomuch that the name of the lord is blasphemed through your folly ; and even ye your selves are brought into danger by it . xlviii . let us therefore with all hast * put an end to this sedition ; and let us fall down before the lord , and beseech him with tears that he would ‖ be favourably reconciled to us , and restore us again to a * seemly and holy course of brotherly love. for this is the gate of righteousness , opening unto life : as it is written , open unto me the gates of righteousness ; i will go in unto them and will praise the lord . this is the gate of the lord , the righteous shall enter into it . although therefore there are many gates that are opened , yet this gate of righteousness is that gate in christ , at which blessed are all they that enter in , and direct their way in holiness and righteousness , doing all things without disorder . let a man be faithful , let him be powerful in the utterance of knowledge ; let him be wise in making an exact judgment of words ; let him be pure in all his actions . but still by how much the more he seems to be ‖ above others , by reason of these things , by so much the more will it behove him to be humble-minded ; and to seek what is profitable to all men , and not his own advantage . xlix . he that has the love that is in christ , let him keep the commandments of christ. for who is able to express the * obligation of the love of god ? what man is sufficient to declare , as is fitting , the excellency of its beauty ? the heighth to which charity leads , is inexpressible . charity * unites us to god : * charity covers the multitude of sins : ‖ charity endures all things , is long-suffering in all things . there is nothing base and sordid in charity : charity lifts not it self up above others ; admits of no divisions ; is not seditious ; but does all things in peace and concord . by charity were all the elect of god made perfect : without it nothing is pleasing and acceptable in the sight of god. through charity did the lord * joyn us unto himself ; whilst for the love that he bore towards us , our lord jesus christ gave his own bloud for us by the will of god ; his flesh for our flesh ; his soul for our souls . l. ye see , beloved , how great and wonderful a thing love is ; and how that no expressions are sufficient to declare its perfection . but who is fit to be found in it ? even such only as god shall vouchsafe to make so . let us therefore pray to him , and beseech him , that we may be worthy of it ; that so we may live in charity ; being unblamable ▪ and without any humane affections to one more than another . all the ages of the world , from the beginning of it , even unto this time , are passed away : but they who have been made perfect in love , have by the grace of god obtain'd a place among the just , and shall be made manifest in the * judgment of the kingdom of christ. for it is written , enter into thy chambers for a little space , till my anger and indignation shall pass away : and i will remember the good day , and will raise you up out of your graves . happy * then shall we be , beloved , if we shall have fulfilled the commandments of god , in the unity of love ; that so , through love , our sins may be forgiven us . for so it is written , blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven , and whose sins are covered . blessed is the man to whom the lord imputeth no sin , and in whose mouth there is no guile . now this blessing is fulfilled in those who are chosen by god , through jesus christ our lord , to whom be glory for ever and ever , amen . li. let us therefore , as many as have transgressed by any of the * suggestions of the adversary , beg god's forgiveness . and as for those who have been the ‖ heads of the sedition and faction among you , † let them look to the common end of our hope . for as many as are * endued with fear and charity , would rather they themselves should fall into tryals than their neighbours : and chuse to be themselves condemn'd , rather than that the excellent and just charity delivered to us , should suffer . for it is good for a man to confess wherein he has transgressed ; * and not to harden his heart , as the hearts of those were hardened , who raised up sedition against moses the servant of god : whose punishment was manifest unto all men ; for they went down alive into the grave , death swallowed them up . pharaoh and his host , and all the rulers of egypt , their chariots also and their horse-men , were for no other cause drowned in the bottom of the red sea , and perish'd ; but because they hardened their foolish hearts , after so many signs done in the land of egypt by moses the servant of god. lii . beloved , god is not indigent of any thing ; nor does he demand any thing of us , but that we should confess our sins unto him. for so says the * holy david , i will confess unto the lord , and it shall please him better than a bullock that hath horns and hoofs . let the poor see it and be glad . and again he saith , offer unto god the sacrifice of praise , and pay thy vows unto the most highest . and call upon me in the day of trouble , and i will deliver thee , and thou shalt glorifie me . the sacrifice of god is a broken spirit . liii . ye know , beloved , ye know full-well the holy scriptures ; and have thoroughly search'd into the oracles of god : call them therefore to your remembrance . for when moses went up into the mount , and tarried there forty days and forty nights in fasting and humility ; god said unto him , get thee down quickly from hence ; for thy people whom thou broughtest out of the land of egypt : has committed wickedness . they have soon transgressed the way that i commanded them , and have made to themselves graven images . and the lord said unto him , i have spoken unto thee * several times , saying , i have seen this people , and behold it is a stiff-necked people : let me therefore destroy them , and put out their name from under heaven . and i will make unto thee a great and a wonderful nation , that shall be much * larger than this . but moses said , not so lord : forgive now this people their sin : or if thou wilt not , blot me also out of the book of the living . o admirable charity ! o insuperable perfection ! the servant speaks freely to his lord ; he beseeches him either to forgive the people , or to ‖ destroy him together with them . liv. who is there among you that is generous ? who that is compassionate ? who that has any charity ? let him say , if this sedition , this contention , these schisms are upon my account , i am ready to depart ; to go away whithersoever ye please ; and do whatsoever † ye shall desire of me ; only let the flock of christ be in peace , with the priests that are set over it . he that shall do this , shall get to himself a very great honour in the lord ; and ‖ there is no place but what will be ready to receive him : for the earth is the lord's , and the fullness thereof . these things they who have their conversation towards god not to be repented of , both have done , and will always be ready to do . lv. * nay and even the gentiles themselves have given us examples of this kind . for we read , how many kings and princes , in times of pestilence , being warned by their oracles , have given up themselves unto death , that by their own bloud , they might deliver their ‖ country-men from destruction . † others have forsaken their cities , that so they might put an end to the seditions of them . we know how many among our selves , have given up themselves unto bonds , that thereby they might free others from them . others have hired out themselves to the most servile employments , that with the wages of them they might feed † their brethen . and even women themselves , being strengthned by the grace of god , have done many glorious and manly things on such occasions . the blessed judith , when her city was besieged , desired the elders , that they would suffer her to go into the camp of * their enemies : and she went out exposing her self to danger , for the love she bare to her country and her people that were besieged ; and the lord delivered holofernes into the hands of a woman . nor did esther , being perfect in faith , expose her self to any less hazard , for the delivery of the twelve tribes of israel , in danger of being destroyed . for by fasting and humbling her self , she intreated the great maker of all things , the god of ages ; * so that beholding the humility of her soul , he delivered the people , for whose sake she was in peril . lvi . wherefore let us also pray for all such as fall into any trouble or distress ; that being endued with humility and moderaration , they may submit not unto us , but to the will of god. for by this means * they shall obtain a fruitful and perfect remembrance , with mercy , both at the hands of god , and of his saints . let us receive correction , at which no man ought to repine . beloved , the reproof and the correction which we exercise towards one another , is good , and exceeding profitable : for it unites us the more closely to the will of god. for so says the holy scripture , the lord corrected me , but he did not deliver me over unto death . for whom the lord loveth he chastneth , and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth . the righteous , saith he , shall instruct me in mercy and reprove me ; but the oyl of sinners shall not make fat my head. and again he saith , happy is the man whom god correcteth ; therefore despise not thou the chastning of the almighty . for he maketh sore and bindeth up ; he woundeth and his hands make whole . he shall deliver thee in six troubles ; yea in seven there shall no evil touch thee . in famine he shall redeem thee from death ; and in war from the power of the sword. thou shalt be hid from the scourge of the tongue ; neither shalt thou be afraid of destruction when it cometh . thou shalt laugh at the wicked and sinners ; neither shalt thou be afraid of the beasts of the earth . the wild beasts shall be at peace with thee . then shalt thou know that thy house shall be in peace ; and the habitation of thy tabernacle shall not err . thou shalt know also that thy seed shall be great , and thy off-spring as the grass of the earth . thou shalt come to thy grave as the ripe corn , that is taken in due time ; like as a shock of corn cometh in , in his season . ye see , beloved , how there shall be a defence to those that are corrected of the lord. for being a good instructor , he is willing to admonish us by his holy discipline . lvii . do ye therefore who laid the first foundation of this sedition , submit your selves to your priests ; and be instructed unto repentance , bending the knees of your hearts . learn to be subject , laying aside all proud and arrogant boasting of your tongues . for it is better for you to be found little and of good reputation in the sheepfold of christ , than to seem to your selves better than others , and be cast out of his fold . for thus speaks the excellent and all-vertuous wisdom , behold i will pour out the word of my spirit upon you , i will make known my speech unto you . because i called and ye would not hear , i stretched out my words and ye regarded not . but ye have set at nought all my counsel , and would none of my reproof . i will also laugh at your calamity , and mock when your fear cometh . when your fear cometh as desolation , and your destruction as a whirlwind , when distress and anguish cometh upon you . then shall ye call upon me , but i will not hear you : the wicked shall seek me , but they shall not find me . for that they hated knowledge , and did not seek the fear of the lord. they would not hearken unto my counsel : they despised all my reproof . therefore shall they eat of the fruit of their own ways ; and be filled with their own wickedness . lviii . now god , the inspector of all things , the * father of spirits , and the lord of all flesh , who hath chosen our lord jesus christ , and us by him , to be his peculiar people ; grant to every soul of man that calleth upon his glorious and holy name , faith , fear , peace , long-suffering , patience , temperance , holiness and wisdom , unto all well-pleasing * in his sight ; through our high priest and protector jesus christ , by whom be glory , and majesty , and honour unto him now and for ever more , amen . lix . the messengers whom we have sent unto you , claudius and ephebus , and valerius , and bito with fortunatus , send back to us again with all speed in peace and with joy , that they may the sooner acquaint us with your peace and concord , so much pray'd for and desired by us : and that we may rejoyce in your good order . lx. the grace of our lord jesus christ be with you , and with all others that are any where called by god and through him : to whom be honour and glory , and might , and majesty , and dominion , by * christ jesus , from everlasting to everlasting , amen . the epistle of st. polycarp to the philippians . the contents . after the salutation : . he commends the philippians for their respect to those who suffer'd for the gospel ; and for their own faith and piety . numb . i. . he exhorts them to continue in both : and that particularly from the consideration of the resurrection and judgment to come . n. ii. for their better accomplishing whereof , he , . advises them to call to mind the doctrine which st. paul had taught them whilst he was in person among them ; and after wrote to them in his epistle . n. iii. the summ of all which he now goes on particularly to set before them. i. as to practical duties . . faith , hope , charity . n. iii. . against covetousness . n. iv. . the duties of husbands , wives , widows . ib. . of deacons , young men , virgins . n. v. . of presbyters . n. vi. all which he again inforces with the consideration of that account we must one day give to god of all our actions . ii. as to matters of faith. . what we are to believe concerning our saviour christ : his nature and sufferings . n. vii . . of the future resurrection and judgment . ib. which being thus set forth , he finally exhorts them , . to prayer . n. vii . . to stedfastness in their faith. n. viii . inforced from the examples of the patience and constancy . — of our saviour christ. ib. — of his apostles and saints . n. ix . . to carefulness in all well-doing . n. x. and more particularly yet , from the miscarriage of valens , who had been a presbyter among them : he exhorts them , . to beware of covetousness . n. xi . . not to be too severe towards such persons , either in their censures of them , or behaviour towards them . n. xii . he prays for them ; and then exhorts them , . to pray for all others . ib. and having thus done with what was instructive of his epistle : he advises them of his sending ignatius's epistles to them . n. xiii . and desires an account of him from them. n. xiv . and lastly : he recommends crescens , by whom he wrote this epistle , together with his sister , to their favour and assistance . ib. the epistle of st. polycarp to the philippians . polycarp , and the presbyters that are with him , to the church of god which * is at philippi ; mercy unto you and peace from god almighty , and the lord jesus christ , our saviour , be multiplied . i. i rejoyced greatly with you in our lord jesus christ , that ye received the images of a true love , and accompanied , as it behoved you , those who were in bonds , becoming saints ; which are the crowns of such as are truly chosen by god and our lord : as also that the root of the faith which was preach'd from antient times , remains firm in you to this day ; and brings forth fruit to our lord jesus christ , who suffer'd himself to be brought even to the death for our sins . whom god hath raised up , having loosed the pains of death . whom having not seen , ye love ; in whom though now ye see him not , yet believing , ye rejoyce with joy unspeakable and full of glory : into which many desire to enter , knowing that by grace ye are saved ; not by works , but by the will of god through jesus christ. ii. wherefore girding up the loyns of your mind ; serve the lord with fear and in truth : laying aside all empty and vain speech , and the error of many ; believing in him that raised up our lord jesus christ from the dead , and hath given him glory and a throne at his right hand . to whom all things are made subject , both that are in heaven , and that are in earth ; whom every * creature shall worship ; who shall come to be the judge of the quick and dead : whose bloud god shall require of them that believe not in him , but are disobedient to him . but he that raised up ‖ christ from the dead , shall also raise up us in like manner , if we do his will , and walk * according to his commandments ; and love that which he hath loved : abstaining from all ‖ vnrighteousness ; * inordinate affection , and love of money ; from evil-speaking ; false witness ; not rendring evil for evil , or railing for railing , or striking for striking , or cursing for cursing : but remembring what the lord has * taught us saying , judge not and ye shall not be judged ; forgive and ye shall be forgiven ; be ye merciful , and ye shall obtain mercy ; for with the same measure that ye meet withall , it shall be measured to you again . and again that blessed are the poor , and they that are persecuted for righteousness sake , for theirs is the kingdom of god. iii. these things my brethren i took not the liberty of my self to write unto you concerning righteousness , but you your selves before encouraged me to it . for neither can i , nor any other such as i am , come up to the wisdom of the blessed and renowned paul ; who being himself in person with those who then lived , did with all exactness and soundness teach the word of truth ; and being gone from you wrote an * epistle to you : into which if you look , you will be able to edifie your selves in the faith that has been delivered unto you ; which is the mother of us all ; being followed with hope , and led on by a general love , both towards god and towards christ , and towards our neighbour . for if any man * has these things , he has fulfilled the law of righteousness : for he that has charity is fa● from all sin. iv. but the love of money is the ‖ root of all evil. knowing therefore that as we brought nothing into this world , so neither may we carry any thing out ; let us † arm our selves with the armour of righteousness : and teach our selves first to walk according to the commandments of the lord ; and then your wives to walk likewise ‖ according to the faith that is given to them ; in * charity and in purity ; loving their own husbands with all ‖ sincerity , and all others alike with all temperance ; and to bring up their children in the instruction † and fear of the lord. the widows likewise teach that they be sober and discreet as to what concerns the faith of the lord : praying always for all men ; being far from all detraction , evil speaking , false witness ; from covetousness and from all evil : knowing that they are the altars of god ‖ who sees all things , and from whom nothing is hid ; who searches out the very reasonings , and thoughts , and secrets of our hearts . v. knowing therefore that god is not mocked , we ought to walk worthy both of his command and of his glory . also the deacons must be blameless before ‖ him , as the ministers of god in christ , and not of men. not false accusers ; not double-tongued ; not lovers of money ; but † moderate in all things ; compassionate , careful ; walking according to the truth of the lord , who was the servant of all : whom if we please in this present world , we shall also be made partakers of that which is to come , according as he has promised to us , that he will raise us from the dead ; and that if we shall walk worthy of him , we shall also reign together with him , if we believe . in like manner the younger men must be unblamable in all things : above all , taking care of their purity , and to restrain themselves from all evil. for it is good to be cut off from the lusts that are in the world ; because every such lust warreth against the spirit : and neither fornicators , nor effeminate , nor abusers of themselves with mankind , shall inherit the kingdom of god ; nor they who do such things as are foolish and unreasonable . wherefore ye must abstain from all these things ; being subject to the priests and deacons , as unto god and christ. the virgins admonish to walk in a spotless and pure conscience . vi. and let the ‖ elders be compassionate and merciful towards all ; turning them from their errors ; seeking out those that are weak ; not forgetting the widows , the fatherless and the poor ; but always providing what is good both in the sight of god and man. abstaining from all wrath , respect of persons , and unrighteous judgment : and especially being free from all covetousness . not * easie to believe any thing against any ; not severe in judgment ; knowing that we are all debtors in point of sin. if therefore we pray to the lord that he would forgive us , we ought also to forgive others : for we are all in the sight of our lord and god ; and must all stand before the judgment seat of christ ; and every one give an account ‖ of himself . let us therefore serve him in fear , and with all reverence as both himself commanded ; and as the apostles and prophets have preach'd to us , who have foretold the coming of our lord : being zealous of what is good ; abstaining from all offence , and from all false brethren ; and from all that bear the name of christ in hypocrisie ; who deceive vain men. vii . for whosoever does not confess that jesus christ is come in the flesh , he is antichrist : and whoever does not confess ‖ his suffering upon the cross , is from the devil . and whosoever perverts the oracles of the lord to his own lusts ; and says that there shall neither be any resurrection nor judgment , he is the first born of satan . wherefore leaving the vanity of many , and their false doctrines ; let us ‖ hold fast to the word that was delivered to us from the beginning ; watching unto prayer ; and persevering in fasting : beseeching with all supplication the all-seeing god not to lead us into temptation ; as the lord hath said , the spirit truly is willing , but the flesh is weak . viii . let us therefore without ceasing keep stedfastly to him who is our hope , and the earnest of our righteousness , even jesus christ ; who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree : who did no sin , neither was guile found in his mouth . but suffered all for us that we might live † through him. let us therefore imitate his patience : and if we suffer for his name , let us glorifie him ; for this example he has given us by himself , and so have we believed . ix . wherefore i exhort all of you that ye obey the word of righteousness , and exercise all patience ; which ye have seen set forth before your eyes , not only in the blessed ignatius , and zozimus , and rufus , but in others that have been among you ; and in paul himself , and the rest of the apostles . being ‖ confident of this , that all these have not run in vain ; but in faith and righteousness , and are gone to the place that was due to them from the lord ; with whom also they suffered . for they loved not this present world ; but him who died , and was raised again by god for us . x. stand therefore in these things , and follow the example of the lord ; being firm and immutable in the faith , lovers of the brotherhood , lovers of one another : ‖ companions together in the truth , being kind and gentle towards each other , despising none . when it is in your power to do good defer it not , for charity delivereth from death . be all of you subject one to another , having your conversation honest among the gentiles ; that by your good works , both ye your selves may receive praise , and the lord may not be blasphemed through you . but woe be to him by whom the name of the lord is blasphemed . therefore teach all men sobriety ; in which do ye also exercise your selves . xi . i am greatly afflicted for valens , who was once a presbyter among you ; that he should so little understand the place that was given to him in the church . wherefore i admonish you that ye abstain from covetousness ; and that ye be chast , and true of speech . keep your selves from all evil. for he that in these things cannot govern himself , how shall he be able to prescribe them to another ? if a man does not keep himself from covetousness , he shall be polluted with idolatry , and be judged as if he were a gentile . but who of you are ignorant of the judgment of god ? do we not know that the saints shall judge the world ? as paul teaches . but i have neither perceived nor heard any thing of this kind in you , among whom the blessed paul laboured ; and whom he mentions with so much honour in the beginning of his epistle . for he glories of you in all the churches who then only knew god ; for we did not then know him. wherefore , my brethren , i am exceedingly sorry both for him and for his wife ; to whom god grant a true repentance . and be ye also moderate on this occasion ; and look not upon such as enemies , but call them back as suffering and erring members , that ye may save your whole body : for by so doing , ye shall edifie your own selves . xii . for i trust that ye are well exercised in the holy scriptures , and that nothing is hid from you ; but at present this is not granted unto me : as it is written , be angry and sin not ; and again , let not the sun go down upon your wrath. blessed is he that believeth and remembreth these things ; which also i trust you do . now the god and father of our lord jesus christ ; and he himself who is our everlasting high priest , the son of god , even jesus christ , build you up in faith and in truth , and in all meekness and lenity ; in patience and long-suffering , and chastity : and grant unto you that you may have your lot and portion among his saints ; and that we also may be together with you , and all that are under the heavens , who shall believe in our lord jesus christ , and in his father who raised him from the dead . pray for all the saints : pray also for kings , and ‖ all that are in authority ; and for those who persecute you , and hate you , and are the enemies of the cross : that your fruit may be manifest in all things ; and that ye may be perfect in ‖ christ. xiii . ye wrote to me , both ye and also ignatius , that if any one went from hence into syria , he should bring your letters with him ; which also i will take care of , as soon as i shall have a convenient opportunity ; either by my self , or him whom i shall send upon your account . the epistles of ignatius which he wrote unto us , together with what others of his have come to our hands , we have sent to you , according to your order ; which are subjoyned to this epistle : by which ye may be greatly profited ; for they treat of faith and patience , and of all things that pertain to edification in † the lord jesus . xiv . what you know certainly of ignatius , and those that are with him , signifie unto us . these things have i written unto you by crescens , whom by this present epistle i have recommended to you , and do now again commend . for he has had his conversation without blame among us ; and i suppose also with you . ye will also have regard unto his sister when she shall come unto you . be ye safe in the lord jesus christ ; and in ‖ favour with all yours . amen . the genuine epistles of st. ignativs . i. to the ephesians . the contents . after the salutation : chap. i. he thanks them for sending onesimus their bishop to him : whom he greatly commends ; and expresses his joy to receive from him so good a character of them . ii. he mentions the rest of their members who were sent with onesimus to him : and exhorts them to unity by a due subjection to their bishop and presbyters . iii. he excuses the liberty he takes of admonishing them , and so returns to his advice to them . iv. which is still the same ; namely , by a due subjection to their bishop , to preserve vnity among themselves . v. the benefit of which he particularly sets out to them . vi. that they ought not to respect their bishop the less ; because he is not forward in exacting it from them : but should rather honour him the more ; which he also commends them for doing . vii . he warns them against hereticks ; bidding them stick to their master jesus christ : whose divine and humane nature he declares to them. viii . ix . he commends them for their care to keep themselves from false teachers ; and shews them the way to god. x. he exhorts them to prayer ; and to behave themselves unblameably towards those that are without . xi.xii. to be careful of their salvation ; to pray for himself ; whose own worth he much lessens in comparison of theirs . especially , xiii . xiv . to be frequent in publick devotion : to live in unity , in faith , and in charity . and , xv. to shew forth the truth of their profession by their works . xvi . xvii . to have a care that the gospel of christ be not corrupted . xviii . vpon which occasion , he treats particularly of the three great mysteries of christianity , viz. the virginity of mary : and the incarnation and death of christ : which he says were hid from the devil . xix . how the birth of christ was in a most extraordinary manner reveal'd to the world. xx. xxi . of all which he promises to write more largely in a second epistle . and then finally undertakes for their salvation ; if they continued , as he had exhorted them , to pursue it , by unity among themselves , and piety towards god. the epistle of st. ignativs to the ephesians . ignatius , who is also called theophorus , to the church which is at ephesus in asia ; most deservedly happy ; being blessed ‖ through the greatness and fullness * of god the father , and predestinated before the world began , that it should be always unto an enduring and unchangeable glory ; being united and chosen ‖ through his true passion , ‖ according to the will of the father , and jesus christ our god ; all * happiness , by jesus christ , and ‖ his undefiled grace . i. i have ‖ heard of your name much beloved in god ; which ye have * very justly attain'd by a † habit of righteousness , according to the faith and love which is in jesus christ our saviour : how that being * followers of god , and stirring up your selves by the blood of christ , ye have perfectly accomplished the work that was natural to you . for hearing that i came bound from syria , for the common name and hope , trusting through your prayers to sight with beasts at rome ; that so by ‖ suffering i may become indeed the disciple of him who gave himself to god , an offering and sacrifice for us , [ ye hastned to see me . ] * i understood therefore how great a multitude there was among you in the name of god by onesimus , who * if we consider his charity is beyond all expression , but who is according to the flesh your bishop : whom i beseech you , by jesus christ , to love , and that you would all strive to be like unto him. and blessed be god , who has granted unto you , who are so worthy of him , to ‖ enjoy such an excellent bishop . ii. for what concerns my fellow-servant burrhus , and your ‖ most blessed deacon , in things pertaining to god ; i intreat you that he may tarry longer , both for yours and your bishops honour . and crocus also worthy both of god and you , whom i have received as the pattern of your love , has in all things refresh'd me , as the father of our lord jesus christ shall also refresh him ; together with onesimus , and burrhus , and euplus , and fronto , * in whom i have , as to your charity , seen all of you . and may i always ‖ have joy of you , if i shall be worthy of it . it is therefore fitting that * by all means ‖ you should glorifie jesus christ who hath glorified you : that by a † uniform obedience * ye may be perfectly joyned together in the same mind , and in the same judgment ; and may all speak the same things ‖ : and that being subject to † your bishop , and his presbytery , ye may be wholly and thoroughly sanctified . iii. these things i * prescribe to you , not as if i were some body extraordinary : for tho' i am bound ‖ for his name , i am not yet perfect in christ jesus . † but now i begin to learn , and i speak to you as fellow-disciples together with me. for i ought to have been stirred up by you in faith , in admonition , in patience , in long-suffering . but forasmuch as charity suffers me not to be silent * towards you , i have first taken upon me to exhort you , that ye would all run together according to the will of god. for jesus christ , our inseparable life , is the ‖ mind of the father ; as the bishops appointed even unto the utmost bounds of the earth , are the mind of jesus christ. iv. * wherefore it will become you to run together according to the will of your bishop , as also ye do . for your ‖ famous presbytery , worthy of god , is fitted as exactly to its bishop , as the strings are to their harp. therefore in your concord , and agreeing charity , jesus christ is sung ; and every single person among you makes up the chorus : that so being all consonant in * love , and taking up the song of god , ye may with one voice , and in a perfect unity sing to the father by jesus christ ; to the end that by this means he may both hear you , and perceive by your works , that ye are indeed the members of his son. wherefore it is profitable for you to live in an unblameable unity , that so ye may always ‖ have a fellowship with god. v. for if i in this little time have had such a familiarity with your bishop , i mean not a carnal , but spiritual acquaintance with him ; how much more must i think you happy who are so joyn'd to him , as the church is to jesus christ , and jesus christ to the father ; that so all things may agree in the same unity ? let no man deceive himself ; if a man be not within the altar , he is deprived of the bread of god. for if the prayer of one or two be of such force , as we are told ; how much more powerful shall that of the bishop and the whole church be ? he therefore that does not come together into the same place with it , is * proud , and has already ‖ condemned himself . for it is written , god resisteth the proud. let us take heed therefore , that we do not set our selves against the bishop , that we may be * the servants of god. vi. * the more any one sees his bishop silent , the more let him reverence him . for whomsoever the master of the house sends unto his own houshold , we ought in like manner to receive him , as we would do him that sent him. it is therefore evident that we ought to look upon the bishop , even as we would do upon the lord ‖ jesus . and indeed onesimus himself does greatly commend your good order in god : that you all live according to the truth , and that no heresie dwells among you . for neither do ye hearken to any one * so much , as to jesus christ speaking to you in truth . vii . for some there are who * carry about the name of christ ‖ in deceitfulness , but do many things unworthy of god ; whom ye must † flee , as ye would do so many wild beasts . for they are ravening wolves , who * devour secretly : against whom ye must guard your selves , as men hardly to be cured . there is one physician , both fleshly and spiritual ; made and not made ; god incarnate ; true life in death ; both of mary and of god : first passible , then impassible [ * even jesus christ our lord. ] viii . wherefore let no man deceive you ; as indeed neither are ye deceived , being wholly the servants of god. for inasmuch as there is no contention nor strife among you , * to trouble you , † ye must needs live according to gods will. ‖ my soul be for yours ; and i my self the expiatory offering for your church of ephesus , so famous † throughout the world. they that are of the flesh cannot do the works of the spirit ; neither they that are of the spirit the works of the flesh. ‖ as he that has faith , cannot be an infidel ; nor he that is an infidel have faith. but even those things which ye do according to the flesh are spiritual ; forasmuch as ye do all things in jesus christ. ix . nevertheless i have * heard of some who have ‖ gone to you , having perverse doctrine : whom ye did not suffer to sow † among you ; but stopp'd your ears , that ye might not receive those things that were sown by them. as * being the stones of the temple of the father , prepared for † his building ; and drawn up on high by the cross of christ , * as by an engine ; using the holy ghost as the rope by which to ascend : your faith being your support , and your charity the way that leads unto god. ye are therefore , with all your companions in the same journey , full of god , his spiritual temples , full of christ , full of holinss : adorn'd in all things with the commands of christ ; through whom also i triumph , in that i have been thought worthy by * this present epistle to converse , and rejoyce together with you , that having regard to the other life , ye love nothing but god only . x. ye do also pray without ceasing for all men : for there is hope of repentance in them , that they may attain unto god. let them therefore at least be instructed by your works , if they will be no other way . be ye mild at their anger ; humble at their boasting : to their blasphemies , return your payers ; to their error , your * firmness in the faith : when they are cruel , be ye gentle ; not endeavouring to imitate their ways . let us be their brethren in all kindness and moderation , but let us be followers of the lord : ‖ if any one be more than other either injured , or defrauded , or despised ; that so no herb of the devil may be found in you , but ye may remain in all holiness and sobriety † both of body and spirit , in christ jesus . xi . the last times * are come upon us : let us therefore be very reverent , and fear the long-suffering of god , that it be not to us unto condemnation . for let us either fear the wrath that is to come , or let us love the grace ‖ that we at present enjoy : that † by the one or other of these we may be found in christ jesus , unto true life . * besides him , let nothing † be worthy of you ; ‖ for whom also i bear about these bonds , those spiritual jewels , in which i would to god , that through your prayers , i might arise : of which i intreat you to make me always partaker , that i may be found in the lot of the christians of ephesus , who have always * agreed with the apostles , † through the power of jesus christ. xii . i know both who i am , and to whom i write : i , a person condemn'd ; ye , such as have obtain'd mercy : i , exposed to danger ; ye , confirm'd against danger . ye are the passage of those that are kill'd for god ; the companions of paul in the mysteries of the gospel ; the holy , the martyr , the deservedly most happy paul ; at whose feet may i be found , when i shall have attain'd unto god ; who * throughout all his epistle makes mention of you in christ jesus . xiii . let it be your care therefore to come oftner together , to the praise and glory of god. for when ye meet often together in the same place , the powers of the devil are destroy'd , and his * mischief is dissolved by the ‖ unity of your faith. and indeed , nothing is better than peace ; by which all war both † spiritual and earthly , is abolish'd . xiv . of all which nothing is hid from you , if ye have perfect faith and charity in christ jesus , which are the beginning and end of life . for the beginning is faith ; the end charity . and these two * joyned together , are of god : but all other things are the followers of piety . no man professing a true faith , sinneth ; neither does he who has charity , hate any . the tree is made manifest by its fruit ; so they who profess themselves to be christians , * are known by what they do . for christianity is not the work of an outward profession ; but shews it self in the power of faith , if a man be found faithful unto the end. xv. it is better for a man to hold his peace , and be ; than ‖ to say , he is a christian , and not to be . it is good to teach ; * if what he says , he does likewise . there is therefore one master who spake , and it was done ; and even those things which he did without speaking , are worthy of the father . he that possesses the word of jesus , is truly able to hear his very silence , that he may be perfect ; ‖ and both do according to what he speaks , and be known by those things of which he is silent . there is nothing hid from god , but even our secrets are nigh unto him. let us therefore do all things , as becomes those who have † god dwelling in them ; that we may be his temples and he may be our god : as also he is , and will manifest himself before our faces by those things † for which we justly love him. xvi . be not deceived , brethren : those that * corrupt and defile themselves with others , shall not inherit the kingdom of god. if therefore they who do this according to the flesh , ‖ have suffered death ; how much more shall he dye , who by his wicked doctrine corrupts the faith of god , for which christ was crucified ? * he that is thus defiled , shall depart into unquenchable fire , and so also shall he that ‖ hearkens to him . xvii . for this cause did the lord * suffer the oyntment to be poured on his head ; that he might breath the breath of immortality unto his church . be not ye therefore anointed with the evil savour of the doctrine of the prince of this world : let him not take you captive from the life that is set before you . and why are we not all wise ; seeing we have received the knowledge of god , which is jesus christ ? why ‖ do we suffer our selves foolishly to perish ; † not considering the gift which the lord has truly sent to us ? xviii . my soul be the surety of all such as trust in the cross ; which is indeed a scandal to the unbelievers , but to us is salvation and life eternal . where is the wise man ? where is the disputer ? where is the boasting of those who are called wise ? for our god jesus christ , was according to the dispensation of god , * conceived in the womb of mary , of the seed of david , by the holy ghost : ‖ was born , and baptized , that through his passion , he might purifie water , to the washing away of sin. xix . now the virginity of mary , and her delivery , was kept in secret from the prince of this world ; as was also the death of our lord : three of the * most notable mysteries of the gospel , yet done in ‖ secret by god. how then was our saviour manifested to the world ? a star shone in heaven beyond all the other stars , and its light was inexpressible , and its novelty struck terror into mens minds . all the rest of the stars , together with the sun and moon , were the chorus to this star : but that sent out its light exceedingly above them all. and men * began to be troubled to think whence this ‖ new star came so unlike to † all the others . hence all the power of magick became dissolved ; and every bond of wickedness was * destroy'd ; mens ignorance was taken away ; and the old kingdom abolished ; god himself ‖ appearing in the form of a man , for the renewal of eternal life . but the † authority which he received was what god had allotted to him. from thenceforth things were disturbed ; forasmuch as he design'd to abolish death . xx. but if jesus christ shall give me grace through your prayers , and it be his will , i purpose in a second epistle which i will suddenly write unto you to manifest to you more fully the dispensation of which i have now begun to speak , unto the new man , which is jesus christ ; both in his faith , and charity , in his suffering and in his resurrection : especially if the lord shall * make known unto me ; that ye all by name come together in common in one faith , and in one jesus christ , who was of the race of david according to the flesh ; the son of man , and son of god ; * obeying your bishop and the presbytery with an intire ‖ affection ; breaking one and the same bread , which is the medicine of immortality ; our antidote that we should not die , but live for ever in christ jesus . xxi . my soul be for yours , and theirs whom ye have sent , to the glory of god ; even unto smyrna , from whence also i write to you ; giving thanks unto the lord , and loving polycarp even as i do you . remember me , as jesus christ does remember you . pray for the church which is in syria , from whence i am carried bound to rome , being the least of all the faithful which are there , as i have been thought worthy to be found to the glory of god. fare ye well in god the father , and in jesus christ , our common hope ▪ amen . to the ephesians . the epistle of st. ignativs to the magnesians . the contents . after the salutation : he declares , chap. i. the occasion of his writing to them and to the other churches that were about them : and then mentions , ii. the arrival of damas their bishop , and of the rest whom they had sent unto him. iii. he exhorts them to all due reverence and subjection to their bishop ; notwithstanding * he was but a young man , and had not long been in that great office among them . iv. which also they must do , if they will be christians indeed . v. that we must all ' ere long die ; and then be for ever either happy or miserable . vi. he exhorts them therefore to live orderly ; and to maintain a unity among each other . vii . and that especially by a due subjection to their bishop and presbyters . viii . ix.x . he cautions them against false opinions : especially those of * ebion and the judaizing christians . xi . he apologizes for this advice ; which he gave not to reprove , but to fore-warn them. xii . whose faith and piety he here greatly commends : and xiii . exhorts them to go on , and increase in both. xiv . he desires their prayers both for himself and his church at antioch . xv. and then concludes all with the salutations of those who were present with him at the writing of this epistle . the epistle of st. ignativs to the magnesians . ignatius who is also called theophorus ; to the blessed [ * church ] ‖ by the grace of god the father in jesus christ our saviour : in whom i salute the church which is at magnesia near the maeander ; and wish it all joy , in god the father , and in jesus christ. i. when i heard of your well-order'd love and charity * in god , being full of joy , i determined forthwith to speak unto you in the faith of jesus christ. for having ‖ been thought worthy to obtain a most excellent name ; * in the bonds which i carry about , i † salute the churches ; wishing in them a union both of the body and spirit of jesus christ , our eternal life : as also of faith and charity , to which nothing is preferred ; but especially of jesus and the father , in whom * if we undergo and escape all the injuries of the prince of this present world , we shall enjoy god. ii. seeing then i have been judged worthy to see you , by damas your ‖ most excellent bishop ; and by your very worthy presbyters bassus and apollonius , and by my fellow servant sotio your deacon ; in whom * i rejoyce , forasmuch as he is subject unto his bishop as to the grace of god , and to the presbytery as to the law of jesus christ ; † i determined to write unto you . iii. wherefore it will become you also not * to take advantage of the youth of your bishop , but to yield all reverence to him according to the power of god the father : as also i perceive that your holy presbyters do ; not considering his ‖ age , which indeed to appearance is young ; but as becomes those who are prudent in god , submitting to him , or rather not to him , but to the father of our lord jesus christ the bishop of us all. it will therefore † behove you , * with all sincerity to obey your bishop , in honour of him , † whose pleasure it is that ye should do so . because he that does not do so , deceives not the bishop whom he sees , but * affronts him that is invisible . for whatsoever of this kind is done , it reflects not upon ‖ man , but upon god who knows the secrets of our hearts . iv. it is therefore fitting , that we should not only be called christians , but be so . as some call indeed their governour , bishop ; but yet do all things without him. but i can never think that such as these have a good conscience , seeing they are not gather'd together * thoroughly according to gods commandment . v. seeing then all things have an end , there are these two ‖ indifferently set before us , death and life : and every one shall dedepart unto his proper place . for as there are two sorts of coins , the one of god , the other of the world , and each of these has its proper † inscription engraven upon it ; so also is it here : the unbelievers are of this world , but the faithful through charity have the character of god the father by jesus christ : by whom if we are not readily disposed to die unto his passion , his life is not in us. vi. forasmuch therefore as i have in the persons before mentioned , seen * all of you in faith and charity ; i exhort you that ye study to do all things in a ‖ divine concord : your bishop presiding in the place of god ; your presbyters in the place of the council of the apostles ; and your deacons most * dear to me , being intrusted with the ministry of jesus christ , who was with the father before all ages , and appeared in the ‖ end to us . wherefore taking up the same † holy course , see that ye all reverence one another : and let no one look upon his neighbour after the flesh ; but do ye all mutually love each other in jesus christ. let there be nothing that may be able to make a division among you ; but be ye united to your bishop and those who preside over you , to be your pattern and direction in the way to immortality . vii . as therefore the lord did nothing without the father , being united to him , neither by himself nor yet by his apostles ; so neither do ye do any thing without your bishop and presbyters : neither endeavour to let any thing appear rational to your selves apart ; but being come together into the same place , have one common prayer ; one supplication ; one mind ; one hope ; in charity and in joy undefiled . there is one lord jesus christ , than whom nothing is better . wherefore * come ye all together as unto one temple of god ; as to one altar , as to one jesus christ , who proceeded from one father ; and exists in one , and is return'd to one. viii . be not deceived with * strange doctrines ; nor with old fables which are unprofitable . for if we still continue to live according to the jewish law , we do confess our selves not to have received grace . for even the most ‖ holy prophets lived according to christ jesus . and for this cause were they persecuted , being inspired by his grace , * to convince the unbelievers and disobedient that there is one god who has manifested himself by jesus christ his son ; who is his eternal word , not coming forth from silence , who in all things pleased him that sent him. ix . wherefore if they who were conversant in those antient things , are nevertheless come to the newness of hope ; no longer observing sabbaths , but living according to the * commands of the lord , in which also our life is sprung up by him , and through his death , whom yet some deny : by which mystery we have * been brought to believe , and therefore wait that we may be found the disciples of jesus christ , our only master : how shall we be able to live * different from him ; whose disciples the very prophets themselves being , did by the spirit expect him as their master . and therefore he whom they justly waited for , being come , raised them up from the dead . x. let us not then be insensible of his goodness ; for should he * have dealt with us according to our works , we had not now had a being . wherefore being become his disciples , let us learn to live according to the rules of christianity : for whosoever is called by any other name ‖ besides this , he is not of god. lay aside therefore the old , and sower , and evil leaven , and be ye changed into the new leaven , which is jesus christ. be ye salted in him , lest any one among you should be corrupted ; for by your smell ye shall be * judged . it is absurd to call your selves by the name of jesus christ , and to judaize . for the christian religion did not * embrace the jewish , but the jewish the christian ; that so every tongue that believed might be gathered together unto god. xi . these things , my beloved , i write unto you ; not that i know of any among you that * lye under this error : but as ‖ one of the least among you , i am desirous to forewarn you that ye fall not into the * snares of vain doctrine : but that ye be fully instructed in the birth , and suffering , and resurrection of jesus christ , our hope ; which was done in the time of the government of pontius pilate , and that most truly and † certainly ; and from which god forbid that any among you should be turn'd aside . xii . may i therefore have joy of you in all things , if i shall be worthy of it . for though i am bound , yet am i not worthy to be compared to one of you that are at liberty . i know that ye are not puffed up ; for ye have jesus christ * in your hearts . and especially when i commend you , i know that ye are ashamed , as it is written , the just man condemneth himself . xiii . study therefore to be confirm'd in the doctrine of our lord and of his apostles ; that so whatsoever ye do , ye may prosper both in body and spirit ; in faith and charity ; in the son , and in the father , and in the holy spirit ; in the beginning , and in the end : together with your most worthy bishop , and the * well-wrought spiritual crown of your presbytery ; and your deacons which are according to god. be subject to your bishop , and to one another , as jesus christ to the father according to the flesh ; and the apostles both to christ , and to the father , and to the holy ghost ; that so ye may * be united both in body and spirit . xiv . knowing you to be full of god , i have the more briefly exhorted you : be mindful of me in your prayers , that i may † attain unto god. and forget not the church that is in syria , from * which i am not worthy to be called . for i stand in need of your joynt-prayers in god , and of your charity , that the church which is in syria may be thought worthy to be * nourish'd by your church . xv. the ephesians from smyrna salute you , from which place i write unto you ; ( being present here to the glory of god , in like manner as you are , ) who have in all things refresh'd me ; together with polycarp the bishop of the smyrnaeans . the rest of the churches , in the honour of jesus christ , salute you . * farewel , and be ye strengthned in the concord of god ; † enjoying his inseparable spirit , which is jesus christ. to the magnesians . the epistle of st. ignativs to the trallians . the contents . the salutation . chap. i. he acknowledges the coming of their bishop , and his receit of their charity by him. ii. he commends them for their orderly subjection to their bishop , priests , and deacons ; and exhorts them to continue in it . iii. he inforces the same exhortation , commends their bishop , and excuses his not writing more fully to them of this matter . iv. which he does not , least he should seem to take too much upon him ; and be too much exalted in his own conceit , which would be very dangerous to him : who is afraid even of his over-great desire to suffer , least it should be prejudicial to him. v. another reason why he did not write more largely to them is , that at present they are not able to bear it . vi. he warns them against hereticks , who poison the sound word of christ : and vii . exhorts them by humility of mind , and unity with the church , to guard themselves against them. viii . and this he does , not that he knows of any present need they had of this advice ; but to prevent any mischief from falling upon them . ix . to which end , he briefly sets before them the true doctrine concerning christ. x. and particularly exposes the error of some , who taught that he seemed only to die , but did not really suffer . xi . from these he would have them flee . xii . he returns again to his exhortation of them to unity : and desires their prayers , of which he was much in need . xiii . which also he begs for his church at antioch : and having given them the salutations of those who were with him , and once more exhorted them to due submission to their bishop , &c. he concludes . the epistle of st. ignativs to the trallians . ignatius , who is also called theophorus , to the beloved ‖ of god the father of jesus christ , the holy church which is at tralles in asia ; elect , and worthy of god ; having peace * through the flesh , and bloud , and passion of jesus christ our hope ; in the resurrection which is ‖ by him : which also i salute in the fullness of the * apostolical character ; wishing all joy and happiness unto it . i. i have † heard of your blameless and * constant disposition through patience , which † not only appears in your outward conversation , but is habitually rooted and grounded in you : in like manner as polybius your bishop has declared unto me ; who came to me to smyrna , by the will of god and jesus christ , and so rejoyced together with me ‖ in my bonds for jesus christ , that in effect i saw your whole * church in him. having therefore received the † testimony of your good will towards me * for gods sake , by him ; ‖ i rejoyced to find you , as also i knew that ye were , the † followers of god. ii. for * whereas ye are subject to your bishop as to jesus christ , ye appear to me to live not after the manner of men , but according to jesus christ , who died for us , that so believing in his death , we might * escape death . it is therefore necessary , that as ye do , so without your bishop , you should do nothing : also be ye subject to your presbyters , as to the apostles of jesus christ our hope , in whom if we walk , we shall be found in him. the deacons also , being the ministers of the mysteries of jesus christ , must by all means study to please all . for they are not the * ministers of meat and drink , but of the church of god. wherefore they must avoid all offences , as they would do fire . iii. in like manner let all reverence the deacons as jesus christ ; and the bishop as the father ; and the presbyters as the sanhedrim of god , and colledge of the apostles . without these there is no * church . concerning all which i am perswaded that ye think after the very same manner : for i have received , and even now have with me the pattern of your love , in your bishop . whose very * look is instructive ; and whose mildness † powerful : whom i am perswaded , the very atheists themselves cannot but reverence . but because i have a love towards you , i will not write any more sharply unto you about this matter , though i very well might , and did once design to have done ; least being a condemn'd man , i should seem to prescribe to you as an apostle . iv. i have * great knowledge in god ; but i † refrain my self , least i should perish in my boasting . for now i ought the more to fear ; and not hearken to those that would puff me up . for they that speak to me , chasten me . for i indeed * desire to suffer , but i cannot tell whether i am worthy so to do . ‖ and this desire , though to others it does not appear , yet to my self it is for that very reason the more violent . i have therefore need of * moderation ; by which the prince of this world may ‖ be destroy'd . v. am i not able to write to you of heavenly things ? but i fear least i should harm you , who are yet but babes in christ : ( excuse me this care ; ) and least perchance being not able to receive them , ye should be choaked with them . for even i my self , although i am in bonds , yet am not therefore able to understand heavenly things : as the description of the places of the angels , and the several companies of them , under their respective princes ; things visible and invisible ; but in these i am yet a learner . for many things are wanting to us , that we come not short of god. vi. i exhort you therefore , or rather not i , but the love of jesus christ ; that ye use none but christian nourishment ; abstaining from pasture which is of another kind , i mean heresie . * for they that are hereticks , confound together the doctrine of jesus christ ; with their own poison ; whilst they seem worthy of belief : as men give a deadly potion mix'd with sweet wine ; which he who is ignorant of , does with the treacherous pleasure sweetly drink in his own death . vii . wherefore guard your selves against such persons . and that you will do if you are not puffed up ; but continue inseparable from jesus christ our god , and from your bishop ; and from the commands of the apostles . he that is within the altar is pure : but he that is without , that is , does any thing without the bishop , and presbyters , and deacons , is not pure in his conscience . viii . not that i know there is any thing of this nature among you ; but i fore-arm you , as being greatly beloved by me , fore-seeing the snares of the devil . wherefore putting on meekness , renew your selves in faith , which is the flesh of the lord ; and in charity , which is the blood of jesus christ. let no man have * any grudge against his neighbour . give no occasion to the gentiles ; least by means of a few foolish men , the whole company that is in god be evil spoken of . for woe to that man , through whose vanity my name is blasphemed by any . ix . stop your ears therefore , as often as any one shall speak * contrary to jesus christ ; of the race of david by the virgin mary . who was truly born , and did eat and drink ; was truly persecuted under pontius pilate ; was truly crucified and dead ; both the things in heaven , and the things on earth , and the things under the earth * being conscious of it . who was also truly raised from the dead ‖ by his father , after the same manner as * he will also raise up us who believe in him , by christ jesus ; without whom we have no true life . x. but if as some who are atheists , that is to say infidels , pretend , that he only seem'd to suffer : ( they themselves only seeming to exist ) why then am i bound ? why do i desire to fight with beasts ? therefore do i die in vain . nay , but i speak nothing that is false of the lord. xi . flee therefore these evil * branches which bring forth deadly fruit ; of which if any one taste , he shall presently dye . for these are not the plants of the father : seeing if they were , they would appear to be the branches of the cross , and their fruit would be incorruptible : by which he invites you through his passion , who are members of him . for the head cannot be without its members , god having promised a union , that is himself . xii . i salute you from smyrna , together with the churches of god that are present with me ; who have refresh'd me in all things , both in the flesh and in the spirit . my bonds , which i carry about me for the sake of christ , ( beseeching him that i may attain unto god ) exhort you , that you continue in * concord among your selves , and in prayer with one another . for it becomes every one of you , especially the presbyters , to refresh your bishop , to the honour of the father , of jesus christ , and of the apostles . i beseech you that you hearken to me in love ; that i may not * by those things which i write , rise up in witness against you . pray also for me ; who through the mercy of god stand in need of your prayers , that i may be worthy of the portion which i am about to obtain , that i be not found a reprobate . xiii . the love of those who are at smyrna and ephesus salute you . remember in your prayers the church of syria , from which i am not worthy to be called , being one of the least of * it . fare ye well in jesus christ ; being subject to your bishop as to the command of god ; and so likewise to the presbytery . love every one his brother with an * unfeigned heart . ‖ my soul be your expiation , not only now , but when i shall have attain'd unto god : for i am yet under danger . but the father is faithful in jesus christ , to fulfil both mine and your petition : in whom may ye be found unblameable . to the trallians . the epistle of st. ignativs to the romans . the contents . the salutation . chap. i. he testifies his desire to come unto them ; and his hopes of suffering for christ , unless they prevent it . ii. which he earnestly intreats them not to do : iii. but rather to pray for him , that god would strengthen him to the combat unto which he had called him. iv. he expresses the great desire he had to suffer martyrdom . v.vi. and the mighty advantage it would be to him so to do . vii . viii . and therefore again intreats them that they would not do any thing to prevent it . ix . he desires their prayers for his church at antioch ; and expresses the kindness of the christians to him on his way to them. x. and then concludes , with his recommendations of those who came from syria with him , and were gone before to rome , to their favourable acceptance . the epistle of st. ignativs to the romans . ignatius , who is also called theophorus ; to the church which has obtained mercy * from the majesty of the most high father , and his only begotten son jesus christ ; beloved , and illuminated * through the will of him who willeth all things which are according to the love of jesus christ our god ; which also presides in the * place of the region of the romans ; and which i salute in the name of jesus christ , as being united both in flesh and spirit to all his commands , and filled with the grace of god ; all joy in jesus christ our god. i. i have at last * obtained of god , through my earnest prayers , to see your ‖ faces , which i have much desired to do . for being bound in christ jesus , i hope e're long to salute you , if it shall be the pleasure of god to grant me to attain unto the end i hope for . for the beginning is well-disposed , if i shall but * be so happy , as without hindrance , to receive ‖ what is appointed for me . but i fear your love , least it do me an injury . for it is easie for you to do what you please ; but it * will be hard for me to attain unto god , unless you spare me . ii. but i would not that ye should please men , but god ; * whom also ye do please . for neither shall i ever hereafter have such an opportunity ‖ of going unto god ; nor will you , if ye shall now be silent , ever be intituled to a better work. for if you shall be silent † in my behalf , i shall become partaker of god. but if you shall love my * body , i shall have my course again to run . wherefore a greater kindness ye cannot do me , than to suffer me to be sacrificed unto god , now that the altar is already prepared : that ‖ when ye shall be gather'd together in love , ye may * give thanks to the father in christ jesus ; that he has vouchsafed † to bring a bishop of syria unto you , being sent from the east even unto the west . for it is good for me to set from the world , unto god ; that i may rise again unto him. iii. ye have never envied me in any thing ; ye have taught others . i would therefore that ye * should now do those things your selves , which in your instructions you have ‖ prescribed to others . only pray for me , that god would give me strength , that i may not only be called a christian , but may also be found one . for if i shall be found a christian , i may then deservedly be called one : and be thought faithful , when i shall no longer appear to the world. nothing is good , that is seen . for even our * lord jesus christ , now that he is in the father , does so much the more appear . to be a true christian is not a work of ‖ opinion ; but of greatness of mind ; especially when he is hated by the world. iv. i write to the churches , and † signifie to them all , that i am willing to die for god , unless you * hinder me . i beseech you that you ‖ shew not an unseasonable good will towards me . suffer me to be food to the wild beasts ; † by which means i shall go unto god. for i am the wheat of god ; and i shall be ground by the teeth of the wild beasts , that i may be found the pure bread * of christ. rather ‖ encourage the beasts , that they may become my sepulchre ; and may leave nothing of my body ; that being dead , i may not be troublesome to any . then shall i be the true disciple of jesus christ , when the world shall not see so much as my body . pray therefore unto christ for me , that by these instruments i may be made the sacrifice of god. i do not as peter and paul , command you . they were apostles , i a condemned man ; they were free , i am even to this day a servant : but if i shall suffer , i shall then become the freeman of jesus christ and shall rise free. and now , being in bonds , i learn , not to desire any thing . v. from syria even unto rome , i fight with beasts both by sea and land ; both night and day : being bound to ten leopards , that is to say , to such a band of souldiers ; who though treated with all manner of kindness , are but the worse for it . but i am the more instructed by their injuries ; yet am i not therefore justified . may i enjoy the wild beasts that are * prepared for me ; which also i wish may ‖ exercise all their fierceness upon me : and whom for that end i will † encourage , that they may be sure to devour me , and not serve me as they have done some , whom out of fear they have not touched . but and if they will not do it willingly , i will provoke them to it . pardon me in this matter ; i know what is profitable for me . now i begin to be a disciple : nor * shall any thing move me , whether visible or invisible , that i may attain to christ jesus . let fire , and the cross ; let the companies of wild beasts ; let breakin gs of bones , and tearing of members ; let the ‖ shattering in pieces of the whole body , and all † the torments of the devil come upon me ; only let * me enjoy jesus christ. vi. all the * compass of the world , and the kingdoms ‖ of it , will profit me nothing : it is better for me to die for jesus christ , than to rule to the utmost ends of the earth . him i seek who died for us : him i desire , that rose again from the dead for us . he is the gain that is laid up for me . pardon me , my brethren , ye shall not hinder me from living : † nor seeing i desire to go to god , may you separate me from him , for the sake of this world , nor seduce me by any of the * desires of it . suffer me to ‖ enter into pure light : where being come , i shall be indeed the servant of * god. permit me to imitate the passion of my god. if any one has him within himself , let him consider what i desire ; and let him have compassion on me , as knowing † how i am streightned . vii . the prince of this world would fain carry me away , and corrupt my * resolution towards my god. let none of you ‖ therefore help † him : rather do ye joyn with me , that is , with god. do not speak with jesus christ , and yet cover the world. let not any envy dwell with you : no not though even i my self when i shall be come unto you , should exhort you to it , yet do not ye hearken to me ; but rather believe what i now write to you . for though i am alive at the writing this , yet my desire is to die. my love is crucified ; and the * fire that is within me does not desire any water : but being alive and ‖ speaking within me , says , come to the father . i take no pleasure in the food of corruption , nor in the pleasures of this life . i desire the bread of god , which is the flesh of jesus christ , of the seed of david ; and the drink that i long for is his blood , which is uncorruptible love. viii . i have no desire to live any longer after the manner of men ; * neither shall i , if you consent . be ye therefore willing , that ye your selves also may be † pleasing to god. i ‖ exhort you † in a few words , i pray you believe me . jesus christ will shew you that i speak truly : my mouth is without deceit , and the father hath truly spoken * by it . pray therefore for me , that i may accomplish what i desire . i have not written to you after the flesh , but according to the will of god. if i shall suffer , ye have loved me : but if i shall be rejected , ye have hated me . ix . remember in your prayers the church of syria , which now enjoys god for its shepherd instead of me : ‖ let jesus christ only oversee it , and your charity . but i am even ashamed to be reckon'd as one of them : for neither am i worthy , being the least among them , and as one born out of due season . but through mercy i have obtain'd to be somebody , if i shall get unto god. my spirit salutes you ; and the charity of the churches that have received me in the name of jesus christ , not as a stranger . for even they that have not accompanied me in my journy * , have yet been ready in every city to receive me x. these things i write to you from smyrna , by the most worthy of the church of ephesus . there is now with me , together with many others , crocus , most beloved of me . as for those which * came with me from syria , and are gone before me to rome , to the glory of god , i suppose you are not ignorant of them . ye shall therefore signifie to them that i draw near , for they are all worthy both of god and of you : whom it is fit that you refresh in all things . this have i written to you , the day before the ninth of the calends of september . be strong unto the end , in the patience of jesus christ. to the romans . the epistle of st. ignativs to the philadelphians . the contents . the salutation . chap. i. he begins with a very great commendation of their bishop , whom they had sent unto him. ii. he warns them against divisions ; and to stick close to their bishop , as the best means to avoid falling into errors and false doctrines . iii.iv. which exhortation he again enforces ; and shews them the danger of following any persons , to the making of a schism in the church . v. he excuses the length of this advice ; which proceeded from his love towards them : desires their prayers ; and shews how the holy men under the law , as well as since under the gospel , were all united in christ. vi. yet this must not prompt them to receive their doctrine , who would tempt them to judaize . vii . he declares what his own conduct had been whilst he was amongst them. viii . ix . and exhorts them , after his example , to maintain a pure doctrine , in unity with one another . x. he accounts to them how he had heard that the persecution was stopp'd in his church at antioch : and directs them to send some messenger thither , to congratulate with them thereupon . xi . he tells them what persons were still with him ; and thanks them for the kind entertainment they gave to some of them : and so concludes with the common salutation of those who were present at his writing of this epistle to them. the epistle of st. ignativs to the philadelphians . ignatius , who is also called theophorus , to the church of god the father and our lord jesus christ which is at philadelphia in asia ; which has obtained mercy , being fix'd in the concord of god , and rejoycing ‖ evermore in the passion of our lord , and being fulfilled in all mercy through his resurrection : which also i salute in the bloud of jesus christ , * who is our eternal and undefiled joy ; especially if they are at unity with the bishop and presbyters who are with him , and the deacons appointed ‖ according to the mind of jesus christ ; whom he has setled according to his own will in all firmness by his holy spirit . i. which bishop i know obtain'd * that great ministry among you , not of himself , neither by men , nor out of vain glory ; but in the love of god the father and our lord jesus christ : whose mildness ‖ i admire , who by his silence is able to do more , than † others with all their vain talk. for he is fitted to the commands , as the harp to its strings . wherefore my soul esteems his mind towards god most happy , knowing it to be fruitful in all vertue , and perfect ; full of constancy ; free from passion , ‖ and according to all the moderation of the living god. ii. wherefore as becomes the children both of the light and of truth ; flee divisions and false doctrines : but where your shepherd is , there do ye , as sheep , follow after . for there are many wolves * who seem worthy of belief , that with a ‖ false pleasure lead captive those that run in the course of god : but in your concord , they shall find no place . iii. abstain therefore from those evil herbs which jesus christ does not dress ; because such are not the plantation of the father . not that i have found any division among you , but rather all manner of purity . for as many as are of jesus christ , are also with their bishop . and as many as shall with repentance return into the unity of the church , even these shall also be the servants of god , that they may live according to jesus christ. be not deceived , brethren : if any one follows him that makes a schism in the church , he shall not inherit the kingdom of god. if any one walks after any other's opinion , he agrees not with the passion of christ. iv. wherefore let it be your endeavour to partake all of the same holy eucharist . for there is but one flesh of our lord jesus christ ; and one cup , unto the unity of his bloud ; one altar ; as also there is one bishop , together with his presbytery , and the deacons my fellow-servants : that so whatsoever ye do , ye may do it according to the will of god. v. my brethren , the love i have towards you makes me the * more large ; and having a great joy in you , i endeavour to secure you against danger : or rather not i , but jesus christ , in whom being bound i the more fear , as being yet only ‖ on the way to suffering . but your prayer to god shall make me perfect , that i may attain to that portion , which by god's mercy is allotted to me : fleeing to the gospel as to the flesh of christ ; and to the apostles as to the great presbytery of the church . let us also love the prophets , for as much as they also have by their doctrine led us to the gospel , and to hope in * christ , and to expect him. in whom also believing they were saved ; in the unity of jesus christ , being holy men , worthy to be loved , and had in wonder ; who have received testimony from jesus christ , and are reckon'd in the gospel of our common hope . vi. but if any one shall preach the jewish law unto you , hearken not unto him : for it is better to receive the doctrine of christ from one that has been circumcised , than judaism from one that has not . but if either the one or other do not speak concerning christ jesus ; they seem to me to be but as monuments and sepulchres of the dead , upon which are written only the names of men. flee therefore the wicked arts and snares of the prince of this world ; lest at any time being oppressed by his * cunning , ye grow cold in your charity . but come all-together into the same place , with an undivided heart . and , i bless my god that i have a good conscience towards you , and that no one among you has whereof to boast either openly or privately , that i have been burthensome to him in much or little . and i beseech all among whom i have conversed , that they make not use of that for a testimony of it . vii . for although some would have deceived me according to the flesh ; yet the spirit , being from god , is not deceived : for it knows both whence it comes , and whither it goes , and reproves the secrets of the heart . i cried whilst i was among you ; i spake with a loud voice ; attend to the bishop , and to the presbytery , and to the deacons . now some supposed that i spake this as foreseeing the division * that should come among you . but he is my witness for whose sake i am in bonds that i knew nothing from any * man. but the spirit spake , saying on this wise ; do nothing without the bishop : keep your * bodies as the temples of god : love unity : flee divisions : be the followers of christ , as he was of his father . viii . i therefore did as became me , as a man composed to unity . for where there is division , and wrath , god dwelleth not . but the lord forgives all that repent , if they * return to the unity of god , and to the council of the bishop . for i trust in the grace of jesus christ ‖ that he will free you from every bond. nevertheless i exhort you that you do nothing out of strife , but according to the instruction of christ. because i have heard of some who say ; unless i find it written in some other † antient monuments , i will not believe the gospel . and when i answer'd them , it is written : they replied , that it does not appear . but to me jesus christ is instead of all the antient monuments in the world : together with those * undefiled monuments , his cross , and death , and resurrection , and the faith which is by him : by which i desire , through your prayers , to be justified . ix . the priests indeed are good : but much better is the high priest to whom the holy of holies has been committed ; and who alone has been intrusted with the secrets of god. he is the door of the father ; by which abraham , and isaac , and jacob , and all the prophets enter in ; as well as the apostles and the church . and all these things tend to the unity which is of god. howbeit the gospel has somewhat in it far above all other dispensations ; namely , the appearance of our saviour , the lord jesus christ , his passion and resurrection . for the beloved prophets refer'd to him : but the gospel is the perfection of incorruption . all therefore together are good , if ye believe with charity . x. now as concerning the church of antioch which is in syria , seeing i am told that through your prayers , and the bowels which ye have towards it in jesus christ , it is in peace ; it will become you , as the church of god , to ordain some ‖ deacon to go to them thither as the embassador of god ; that he may rejoyce with them when they meet together , and glorifie gods name . blessed be that man in jesus christ , who shall be found worthy of such a ministry ; and ye your selves also shall be glorified . now if ye be willing , it is not impossible for you to do this for the sake of god ; as also the other neighbouring churches have sent them some bishops , some priests and deacons . xi . as concerning philo the deacon of cilicia , a most worthy * man , he still ministers unto me in the word of god ; together with rheus ‖ of agathopolis a singular good person , who has follow'd me even from syria , not regarding his life : these also bear witness unto you . and i my self give thanks to god for you , that ye received them , as the lord shall receive you . but for those that dishonour'd them , may they be forgiven through the grace of jesus christ. the charity of the brethren that are at troas salutes you : from whence also i now write by burrhus who was sent together with me by those of ephesus and smyrna , for respect sake . may our lord jesus christ honour them ; in whom they hope , both in flesh , and soul , and spirit ; in faith , in love , in unity . farewel in christ jesus our common hope . the epistle of st. ignativs to the smyrneans . the contents . the salutation . chap. i. he declares the joy he had to hear of their firmness in the gospel : the substance of which , as to what concerns the person of christ , he briefly repeats to them. ii. and this against such as pretended , that christ suffer'd only in shew , and not really . against these , iii. he assures them , that he knew christ was a true man , even after his resurrection ; and did give manifest proofs to his disciples of his being such . iv. he exhorts them therefore , to have nothing to do with those hereticks whom he here opposes : nor believe that he would suffer so so much for the faith of christ , unless he were very sure of the truth of it . v. he shews them , farther , the danger of the doctrine before mentioned : and how they who held it did , in effect , deny christ. vi. how dangerous this is ? and how different those who maintain this doctrine are , in all other respects from the church of christ ? vii . that it will therefore become them , to guard themselves against such persons . viii . to this end ; he exhorts them to follow their bishop and pastors : but especially their bishop . ix . he thanks them for their kindness to himself : x. and to those that were with him ; which god will reward . xi . he acquaints them with the ceasing of the persecution at antioch : and exhorts them to send a messenger unto them , to congratulate with them on this occasion . xii . he concludes with his own salutation , and the remembrances of those that were with him , to them all in general , and to several in particular . the epistle of st. ignativs to the smyrneans . ignatius , who is also called theophorus , to the church of god the father , and of the beloved jesus christ ; which god hath * blessed with every good gift ; being filled with faith and charity , so that it is wanting in no gift : to the most worthy of god and fruitful in saints , the church which is at smyrna in asia ; all joy , through his immaculate spirit , and through the word of god. i. i glorifie god , even jesus christ , who has thus filled you with all wisdom . for i have understood how that you are settled in an immoveable faith , as if you were nailed to the cross of our lord jesus christ both in the flesh and in the spirit ; and are confirm'd in love through the bloud of christ ; being fully perswaded of those things which relate * unto our lord : who truly was of the race of david according to the flesh , but the son of god according to the will and power of god : truly born of the virgin , and baptized of john ; that so all righteousness might be fulfilled by him . he was also truly crucified by pontius pilate , and herod the tetrarch , for us in the flesh ; by the fruits of which we are saved , even by his most blessed passion , that he might set † up a sure token and earnest of hope , for all following ages through his resurrection , to all his holy and faithful servants , whether they be jews or gentiles , in one body of his church . ii. now all these things he suffer'd for us , that we might be saved . and he suffer'd truly , as he also truly raised up himself : and not as some unbelievers say , that he only seemed to suffer , they themselves only seeming to be . and as they believe so shall it happen unto them ; when they shall become * spiritual and incorporeal . iii. but i know that even after his resurrection he was in the flesh ; and i believe that he was so . and when he came to those who were with peter , he said unto them , take , handle me and see that i am not an incorporeal daemon . and straightway they felt him and believed ; being convinced both by his flesh and spirit . for this cause they despised death , and were found to be above * it . but after his resurrection he did eat and drink with them , as he was flesh ; although as to his spirit he was united to the father . iv. now these things , beloved , i ‖ put you in mind of , not questioning but that you your selves also † believe that they are so . but i arm you before-hand against certain beasts in the shape of men ; whom you must not only not receive , but if it be possible must not meet with . only you must pray for them , that if it be the will of god they may repent ; which yet will be very hard . but of this our lord jesus christ has the power , who is our true life . for if all these things were done only in shew by our lord , then do i also only seem to be bound : and why have i given up my self to death , to the fire , to the sword , to wild beasts ? but now the nearer i am to the sword , the nearer am i to god : what is between me and the beasts , is between me and god. only in the name of jesus christ , who was a perfect man , and by his assistance , am i ready to suffer all things together with him. v. whom some , not knowing , do deny ; or rather have been denied by him , being the advocates of death , rather than of the truth . whom neither the prophecies , nor the law of moses have perswaded ; nor the gospel it self even to this day , nor all our sufferings . for they think also the same things of us . for what does a man profit me , if he shall praise me , and blaspheme my lord ; not confessing that he * was truly made man ? now he that says this , does in effect deny him , and is in death . but for the names of such as do this , they being unbelievers , i thought it not fitting to write them unto you . nay , god forbid that i should make any mention of them , till they shall repent to a true belief of christ's passion , which is our resurrection . vi. let no man deceive himself ; both the things which are in heaven , and the glory of angels , and principalities , whether visible or invisible , if they believe not in the bloud of christ , † it shall be to them to condemnation . he that is able to receive this , let him receive it . let no man's * place or state in the world puff him up : that which is worth all is faith and charity , to which nothing is to be preferred . but then consider those who defend a different opinion from us , as to what concerns the grace of god which is come unto us , how contrary they are to the mind of god ? they have no regard to charity ; no care of the widow , the fatherless , and the oppressed ; of the bound or free , of the hungry or thirsty . vii . they abstain from * the publick offices and from the holy eucharist ; because they confess ‖ it not to be the flesh of our saviour jesus christ , which suffered for our sins , and which the father , of his goodness , raised again from the dead . and for this cause contradicting the gift of god , they die in their disputes : * but much better would it be for them to love it , that they might one day rise through it . it will therefore become you to abstain from such persons ; and not to speak with them neither in private , nor in publick . but to hearken to the prophets , and especially to the gospel , in which both christ's passion is manifested unto us , and his resurrection perfectly declared . but flee all divisions , as the beginning of evils . viii . follow your bishop , as jesus christ , the father : and the presbytery , as the apostles . as for the deacons , reverence them as the command of god. let no man do any thing of what belongs to the church without the bishop . let that eucharist be look'd upon as firm and just , which is either offer'd by the bishop , or by him to whom the bishop has given his consent . wheresoever the bishop shall appear , there let the * people also be : as where jesus christ is , there is the catholick church . it is not lawful without the bishop , neither to baptise , nor * to celebrate the holy communion : but whatsoever he shall approve of , that is also pleasing unto god ; that so whatever is done , may be secure and well done . ix . for what remains , it is very reasonable that we should ‖ repent , whilst there is yet time to return unto god. it is a good thing to have a due regard both to god and to the bishop : he that honours the bishop , shall be honoured of god. but he that does any thing without his knowledge , † ministers unto the devil . let all things therefore abound to you in charity ; seeing ye are worthy . ye have refresh'd me in all things ; so shall jesus christ you . ye have loved me both when i was present with you , and now being absent , ye cease not to do so . may god be your reward , for whom whilst ye undergo all things ye shall attain unto him. x. ye have done well in that ye have received philo , and rheus , and * agathopus , as the deacons of christ our lord : who also give thanks unto the lord for you , forasmuch as ye have refreshed them in all * things . ‖ nor shall any thing that you have done , be lost to you . my † soul be for yours , and my bonds which ye have not despised , nor been ashamed of . wherefore neither shall jesus christ , our perfect faith , be ashamed of you . xi . your prayer is come to the church of antioch which is in syria . from whence being sent bound with chains becoming god , i salute the churches ; being not worthy to be called from thence , as being the least among them . nevertheless by the will of god i have been thought worthy of this honour ; not for that i think i have deserved it , but by the grace of god : which i wish may be perfect to the end , that through your prayers i may attain unto god. and therefore that your work may be fully accomplish'd both upon earth and in heaven ; it will be fitting * that your church appoint some one to the honour of god , who being come as far as syria , may rejoyce together with them that they are in peace ; and that they are again restored to their former greatness , and have again received their proper body . wherefore i should think it a worthy action to send some one from you with an epistle , to congratulate with them their peace in god ; and that through your prayers , they have now gotten to their harbor . for in as much as ye are perfect your selves , you ought to think those things that are perfect . for when you are desirous to do well , god is ready to do well to you . xii . the love of the brethren that are at troas salutes you ; from whence i write to you by burrhus whom ye sent with me , together with the ephesians your brethren ; and who has in all things refresh'd me . and i would to god that all would imitate him , as being an exemplar of the ministry of god. may his grace fully reward him. i salute your very worthy bishop , and your venerable presbytery ; and your deacons , my fellow-servants ; and all of you in general , and every one in particular , in the name of jesus christ , and in his flesh and blood ; in his passion and resurrection both fleshly and spiritually ; and in * the unity of god with you . grace be with you , and mercy , and peace , and patience , for ever-more . xiii . i salute the families of my brethren , with their wives and children ; and the * virgins that are called widows . be strong in the power of the holy ghost . philo , who is present with me salutes you . i salute the house of tavias , and pray that it may be strengthned in faith and charity , both of flesh and spirit . i salute alcé my well-beloved , * together with the very excellent daphnus , and eutychus , and all by name . farewel in the grace of god. to the smyrnaeans from troas . the epistle of st. ignativs to st. polycarp . the contents . the salutation . chap. i. he blesses god for the firm establishment of polycarp in all piety : and gives him many particular directions for his improvement in it . ii. but especially with relation to the church , over which he was bishop . iii. iv. he continues his advice to him : and v. then teaches him , what advice he should give to others . vi. in which he continues ; and especially inforces unity among themselves , and subjection to their bishop . vii he accounts to polycarp the peace of his church in syria ; and directs him to appoint some messenger to go to antioch ; to rejoyce with them on that occasion . viii . he desires polycarp to write to the same effect to the neighbouring churches ; which he had not himself time to do . and then concludes all with his salutation both to polycarp , and to several of the church of smyrna , by name . the epistle of st. ignativs to st. polycarp , ignatius who is also called theophorus , to polycarp bishop of the church which is at smyrna ; their overseer , but rather himself overlook'd by god the father , and the lord jesus christ ; all happiness . i. having known that thy will towards god , is fix'd as it were upon an immoveable rock ; i exceedingly give thanks , that i have been thought worthy to behold thy * blessed face , in which may i always rejoyce in god. wherefore i beseech thee by the grace of god with which thou art cloathed , to press forward in thy course , and to exhort all others that they may be saved . maintain thy place , with all care ‖ both of flesh and spirit : make it thy endeavour to preserve unity in thy church , than which nothing is better . bear with all men , even as the lord with thee . support all in love , as also thou dost . † pray without ceasing : ask more understanding than what thou already hast . be watchful , having thy spirit always awake . speak to every one * according as god shall enable thee . bear the ‖ infirmities of all , as a perfect combatant ; where the labour is great , the gain is so too . ii. if thou shalt love the good disciples , what thank is it ? but rather do thou subject to thee those that are infected , in meekness . every wound is not healed with the same plaister : if the accessions of the disease be vehement , molifie them with * soft remedies ; be in all things , wise as a serpent , but harmless as a dove . for this cause thou art composed of flesh and spirit ; that thou mayst molifie those things that appear before thy face : but as for those that are not seen , pray to god that he would reveal them unto thee , that so thou mayst be wanting in nothing , but may'st abound in every gift . the times demand thee , as the mariner the winds , and he that is toss'd in a tempest , the haven where he would be ; that thou may'st attain unto god. be sober , as the combatant of god : the * crown proposed to thee is immortality , and life eternal ; concerning which thou art fully perswaded . i will be thy surety in all things , and my bonds , which thou hast loved . iii. let not those that appear to be faithful , but teach other doctrines , ‖ disturb thee . stand firm and immovable , as an anvil when it is beaten upon . it is the part of a brave combatant indeed , to be * wounded , and yet overcome . and especially we ought to endure all things for gods sake , that he may bear with us . be every day † better than other : consider the times ; and expect him , who is above all time , eternal , invisible , though for our sakes made visible : impalpible , and impassible , yet for us subjected to sufferings ; enduring all manner of ways for our salvation . iv. let not the widows be neglected : be thou after god , their guardian . let nothing be done but with thy knowledge and consent : neither do thou any thing but according to the will of god , as also thou dost , ‖ with all constancy . let your assemblies be more frequent : inquire into all by name . overlook not the men and maid servants ; neither let them be puffed up ; but rather let them be more subject , to the glory of god ; that they may obtain from him a better liberty . let them not desire to * be set free from their present service , that they be not slaves to their own lusts. v. flee evil * arts : or rather , make not any mention of them . say to my sisters , that they love the lord ; and be satisfied with their own husbands , both in the flesh and spirit . † in like manner , exhort my brethren in the name of jesus christ , that they love their wives , even as the lord the church . if any man can remain in a virgin state , ‖ to the honour of christ , let him remain without boasting : but if he boast , he is undone . and if he thinks that he knows more than the bishop ; he is ruined . but it becomes all such as are marryed , whether men or women , to come together with the consent of the bishop ; that so their marriage may be according to godliness , and not in lust. let all things be done to the honour of god. vi. hearken unto the bishop , that god also may hearken unto you . my soul be security for them that submit to their bishop , with their presbyters and deacons . and may my portion be together with theirs in god. labour with one another ; contend together , run together , suffer together ; sleep together , and rise together ; as the stewards , and assessors , and ministers of god. please him under whom ye war ; and from whom ye receive your wages . let none of you be found a deserter ; but let your baptism remain , as your arms ; your faith , as your helmet ; your charity , as your spear ; your patience , as your whole armour . let your works be your ‖ charge , that so you may receive a suitable reward . be long-suffering therefore towards each other in meekness ; as god is towards you . let me have joy of you in all things . vii . now forasmuch as the church of antioch in syria is , as i am told , in peace through your prayers ; i also have been the more comforted in † their security ; if so be that by suffering , i shall attain unto god ; that through your prayer i may be found a faithful disciple . it will be very fit , o most worthy polycarp , to call a * select council , and chuse some one whom ye particularly love , and who is patient of labour ; that he may be the messenger of god : and that going unto syria , he may glorifie your incessant love , to the praise of god. a christian has not the power of himself ; but must be always at leisure for god's service . now this work , is both gods and yours ; when ye shall have perfected it . for i trust in your favour , that ye are ready to do all the good work that is fitting for you in the lord . knowing therefore your earnest affection to the truth , i have exhorted you by this short epistle . viii . but forasmuch as i have not been able to write to all the churches , because i must suddainly sail from troas to neapolis ; for so is the command of those to whose pleasure i am subject ; do you write to the churches that are near you , as being instructed in the will of god , that they also may do in like manner . let those that are able send * messengers ; and let the rest send their letters by those who shall be sent by you : that you may be glorified † to all eternity , of which you are worthy . i salute all by name ; particularly the wife of epitropus , with all her house , and children . i salute attalus my well-beloved . i salute him , who shall be sent by you into syria . let my grace be ever with him , ‖ and with polycarp who sends him . i wish you all happiness in our god , jesus christ ; in whom continue in the unity , and protection of god. i salute alcé my well-beloved . farewell in the lord . to polycarp . the martyrdom's of st. ignatius & st. polycarp : written by those who were present at their suffering . a relation of the martyrdom of st. ignativs . i. it was but a little while after trajans advancement to the roman empire ; that ignatius , the disciple of st. john the apostle and evangelist , a man in all things * like unto the apostles , govern'd the church of antioch . who being scarcely able to mitigate the storms of many persecutions , before under domitian ; as a good governour , by the helm of prayer and fasting , by the constancy of his doctrine , and spiritual * labour , opposed himself to the flouds of the adversary ; fearing lest he should happen to overthrow any of those who either wanted courage , or † were not so strong in the faith , as was necessary at such a time . ii. wherefore the persecution being at present somewhat abated , he rejoiced greatly at the firmness of his church : yet doubted ‖ within himself , that he had not attain'd to a true love of christ , nor was come up to the * pitch of a perfect disciple . for he thought , that the confession which is made by martyrdom , would bring him † to a yet more close and intimate union with the lord . wherefore continuing a few years longer with the church , and after the manner of a divine * lamp , illuminating the † hearts of the faithful , by the exposition of the holy scriptures ; he attain'd to what he had so long and earnestly desired . iii. for trajan after the ‖ ninth year of his empire , being lifted up with his victory over the scythians and dacians , and many * other nations ; and thinking that the church of the christians worshipping the true god , were yet wanting in an entire obedience to him , unless he compelled them † after the manner of all other people , to embrace the service of devils : he obliged all such as were the ‖ servants of the true god , with the threats of persecution , either to sacrifice to the heathen deities , or to die. wherefore our * brave souldier of christ , being in fear for the church of antioch ; was voluntarily brought before trajan , who was at that time there , on his way to armenia , and the parthians , against whom he was hastning . iv. being come into the presence of the emperor trajan ; the emperor ask'd him , saying : what a ‖ wicked wretch art thou , thus to hasten to transgress our commands , and to perswade others also to do likewise , to their destruction ? ignatius answered ; no one ought to call theophorus * after such a manner : forasmuch as all wicked spirits are departed far from the servants of god. but if because i am a trouble to those evil-spirits , you call me wicked , with reference to them , i confess the charge : for having within me christ the heavenly king , i dissolve all the snares † of the devil . v. trajan reply'd : ] and who is theophorus ? ignat. ] he who has christ in his breast . trajan . ] and do not we then seem to thee to have the gods ‖ within us , who fight for us against our enemies ? ignat. ] you err , in that you call the evil-spirits of the heathens gods ; for there is but one god , who made heaven and earth , and the sea , and all that are in them : and one jesus christ his only begotten son ; whose favour may i enjoy . vi. trajan ] his favour you say who was crucified und●r pontius pilate . ignat. ] his who crucified sin , with the inventor of it ; and has put all the * power and malice of the devil under their feet , who from their hearts believe in him. trajan . ] dost thou then carry christ within thee ? ignat. ] i do : for it is written , * i will dwell in them , and walk in them . then trajan pronounced this sentence against him ; forasmuch as ignatius has confess'd , that he carries about within himself him that was crucified , we command that he be carried bound by souldiers to the great rome , there to be thrown to the beasts , for the ‖ entertainment of the people . vii . when the holy martyr heard this sentence , he cry'd out with joy , i thank thee o lord , that thou hast vouchsafed to honour me with a perfect love towards thee ; and hast made me to be put in iron bonds with thy apostle paul having said this , he with joy put his bonds about him : and having pray'd for the church , and commended it with tears unto the lord ; he was hurried away , like a stout ram , the leader of a good flock , by the bruitish soldiers , in order to his being carried to rome , there to be devoured by the * savage beasts . viii . wherefore with much readiness and joy , out of his desire to suffer , he left antioch , and came to seleucia ; from whence he was to sail towards rome . and after a great deal of toil , being come to smyrna , he hastned with all possible gladness to see the holy polycarp his fellow-scholar , who was bishop there ; for they had both of them been formerly the disciples of st. john. ix . being brought to him , and communicating with him in spiritual gifts , ‖ but especially rejoycing in his bonds : he intreated first of all the whole church ( for the churches and cities of asia honour'd this holy man by their bishops and priests , and deacons , all hastning to him , if by any means they might † receive some part of his spiritual gift : ) but more particularly polycarp , * to contend with god in his behalf ; that ‖ being the more suddainly taken by the beasts from the world , he might appear † before the face of christ. x. from smyrna , he came to troas : and being carried from thence to neapolis , he passed by philippi , through macedonia on foot , and came to epidamnus ; where having got a ship , he sail'd cross the adriatick sea , and from thence going higher into the tyrrhone , and passing by several islands and cities , at length he came to puteoli . which being shew'd to the holy man , he pressed by all means to land there , being desirous to walk from thence , after the example of the apostle paul. but a violent wind arising , and † driving on the ship , they would not suffer him so to do : wherefore wishing all happiness to the charity of the brethren in that place , he sail'd forward . xi . and the wind continuing favourable to us , in one day and a night , we indeed were unwillingly hurried on , as sorrowing to think of the separation from this holy martyr : but with reference to him it happened justly , according to his wish , that he might go the sooner out of the world , and attain unto the lord whom he loved . wherefore sailing into the roman port , that the vain glory of the world might have an end , the soldiers began to be offended at our slowness ; but the bishop with great joy complied with their hastiness . xii . being therefore soon forced away from the port , we forthwith met the brethren ; ( for the report of what concern'd the holy martyr was spread abroad ) who were full of fear and joy : for they rejoyced in that god had vouchsafed them the company of theophorus ; but were afraid , when they consider'd , that such an one was brought thither to die . now some of these he commanded to hold their peace , who were ‖ the most zealous for his safety , and said ; * that the people ought to be appeased , that they should not desire the destruction of the just. whom presently knowing by the spirit , and saluting all of them , he desired them that they would shew a true love to him ; disputing yet more with them than he had done in his epistle , and perswading them not to envy him who was hastning unto the lord . and so , all the brethren kneeling down , he pray'd to the son of god in behalf of the churches ; that he would put a stop to the persecution , and increase the love of the brethren towards each other : which being done , he was with all haste led into the amphi-theatre , and there according to the command of coesar before given , ‖ thrown to the wild beasts , that so their boastings might come to an end. for it was then a very solemn day , call'd in the roman tongue the xiii th of the calends of january upon which the people were more than ordinarily wont to be gather'd together . xiii . in this manner was he deliver'd to the beasts by wicked men : that so the desire of the holy martyr ignatius might be accomplish'd , which * he mention'd before-hand in his epistle ; as it is written , the desire of the righteous is acceptable ; namely , that he might not be burthensome to any of the brethren , for the gathering together of his remains ; but * might be wholly devoured by them . for only the greater and harder of his holy bones remain'd ; which were carried to antioch ; and there put up in a case , as an inestimable ‖ treasure . xiv . now these things were done the day before the xiii th of the calends of january ; syria and synecius being the second time consuls . of which we our selves were eye-witnessess with tears : and being the whole night following in watching , praying to god with our bended knees , that he would give us weak men some assurance of what had been before done ; it happened , that falling into a slumber , some of us on the suddain saw the blessed ignatius standing by us and embracing us ▪ others beheld him as it were sweating , as if he were just come from his great labour ; and standing by the lord with much assurance , and in unspeakable glory . xv. which when we saw , being filled with joy , and glorifying god , the giver of all good things ; and ‖ assured of the blessedness of the saint ; we * thought fit to manifest unto you both the day and the time : that being assembled together according to the time of his martyrdom , we may communicate with the combatant , and most valiant martyr of christ ; who trod under foot the devil , and bare down his snares even unto the end ; glorifying our lord jesus christ in his venerable and holy memory : to whom , and with whom , all glory and power be to the father , with the blessed spirit in the holy church for ever and ever , amen . the circular epistle of the church of smyrna concerning the martyrdom of st. polycarp . the church of god which is at smyrna , to the church of god which is at * philadelphia ; and to all the other ‖ assemblies of the holy catholick church , in every place ; peace , and love from god the father , and our lord jesus christ , be multiplied . i. we have written to you , brethren , both of what concerns the other martyrs , but especially the blessed polycarp , who by his † sufferings put an end to the persecution ; setting as it were , his seal to it . for almost all things that went before , were done , that the lord might shew us from above , a martyrdom truly such as became the gospel . for he expected to be deliver'd to the persecution ; even as the lord also do's , that we should become the followers of ‖ his example : considering not only what is profitable for our selves , but also for our neighbours advantage . for it is the part of a true and perfect charity , to desire , not only that a mans self should be saved , but also all the brethren , together with him . ii. the † sufferings then of all the other martyrs , were blessed and generous ; which they underwent according to the will of god. for so it * becomes us , who are more religious than others , to refer the power and ordering of all things unto him. and indeed who can chuse but admire the greatness of their mind , and that admirable patience , and love of their master ; which then appeared in them ? who when they were so flea'd with whipping , that the frame and structure of their bodies were laid open to their very inward veins and arteries ; nevertheless endured it . and when all that beheld them pitied and lamented them ; yet shew'd so great a generosity of mind , that not one of them let so much as a sigh or a groan escape them : † plainly shewing , that those holy martyrs of christ , at the very same time that they were thus tormented , were absent from the body ; or rather , that the lord stood by them , and conversed with them . wherefore being supported by the grace of christ , they despised all the torments of the world ; by the sufferings of an hour , redeeming themselves from everlasting punishment . for this cause , even the fire of their cruel and barbarous executioners seemed cold to them ; ‖ whilst they hoped hereby to escape that fire which is eternal , and shall never be extinguish'd ; and beheld with the eyes of faith , those good things which are reserved for them that endure to the end ; which neither ear has heard , nor eye seen , nor have they entred into the heart of man. but to them they were now * revealed by the lord ; as who were no longer men , but already become angels . in like manner , those who were condemned to the beasts , being kept a long time in prison , underwent many cruel torments : being forced to lie upon † sharp spikes laid under their bodies ; and tormented with divers other sorts of punishments ; that so if it were possible , the tyrant by the length of their sufferings , might have brought them to deny christ. iii. for indeed , the devil did invent many things against them : but thanks be to god , he was not able to prevail over all. for the brave germanicus strengthen'd * those that fear'd , by his patience ; and fought gloriously with the beasts . and when the proconsul would have perswaded him , telling him , that he should consider his age , and spare himself ; he pull'd the wild beast to him , and provoked him , being desirous the more quickly to be deliver'd from a wicked and unjust ‖ world. upon this , the whole multitude wondring at the courage of the holy and pious race of christians ; cryed out , take away those wicked wretches , let polycarp be look'd out . iv. then one named quintus a phrygian , being newly come from thence , seeing the beasts , was afraid . this was he who forced himself and some others , to present themselves of their own accord , to the trial. him therefore the proconsul perswaded with many promises , to swear and sacrifice . for which cause , brethren , we do not commend those who offer themselves to persecution ; and especially seeing the gospel teaches no such thing . v. but the most admirable polycarp , when he first heard that he was called for , was not at all concern'd at it ; but resolved to tarry in the city . nevertheless , he was at the last perswaded , at the desire of many , to go out of it . he departed therefore into a little village , not far distant from the city , and there ●arried with a few about him ; doing nothing night nor day , but praying for all men , and for the churches which were in all the world , according to his usual custom . and as he was praying , he saw a vision three days before he was taken ; and behold , the pillow under his head seem'd to him on fire . whereupon , turning to those that were with him , he said prophetically ; * that he should be burnt alive . vi. now when those who were to take him drew near , he departed into another village ; and immediately they who sought him , came thither . and when they found him not , they seized upon two young men that were there ; one of which , being tormented , confess'd . for it was impossible the holy man should be concealed ; forasmuch as they who betray'd him , were his own domestic's . so the officer , who is also called ‖ cleronomus , herod by name ; hastned to bring him into the lists : that so polycarp might receive his proper portion , being made partaker of christ ; and they that betray'd him , undergo the punishment of judas . vii . the serjeants therefore and horsemen taking the young lad along with them , departed about supper-time , being friday ; with their usual arms , as it were against a thief or a robber . and being come to the place where he was , about the close of the evening , they found him lying down , in a little upper room ; from whence he could easily have escaped into another place , but he would not , saying , the will of the lord be done . wherefore when he heard that they were come to the house , he went down , and † deliver'd himself unto them . and as they all wonder'd at his age and constancy ; some of them began to say ; * was there need of all this care to take such an old man ? then presently he order'd , that the same hour there should be somewhat got ready for them , that they might eat and drink their fill : desiring them withall , that they would give him one hours liberty the while , to pray ‖ without disturbance . and when they had permitted him , he stood praying , being full of the grace of god ; so that he ceased not for two whole hours , to the admiration of all that heard him : insomuch , that many of the souldiers began to repent , that they were come out against so holy an old man. viii . as soon as he had done his prayer , in which he remember'd all men , whether little or great , honourable or obscure , that had at any time * been acquainted with him ; and with them the whole catholick church , over all the world ; the time being come that he was to depart , the guards set him up upon an ass , and so brought him into the city , being the day of the great sabbath . but herod the chief officer , with his father nicetes , met him in a chariot . and having taken him up to them , and set him by them , they began to persuade him saying , what harm is there in it , to say , lord caesar and sacrifice ( with the rest that is usually said on such occasions ) and so be safe ? but polycarp , at first , answered them not : whereupon they continuing to urge him , he answered , i shall not do what you would perswade me to . so being out of all hope of prevailing with him ; they began first ‖ to rail at him ; and then with violence threw him out of the chariot ; insomuch that he hurt his thigh with † the fall . but he without being the least moved at it , went on readily with all diligence , as if he had received no harm at all ; and so was brought to the lists , where there was so great a tumult , that no body could be heard . ix . as he was going into the lists , there came a voice from heaven to him ; be strong , polycarp , and quit thy self like a man. now no man saw who it was that spake to him ; but for the voice , several of our brethren that were present , heard it . and as he was brought in , there was a great disturbance when they heard how that polycarp was taken . for the rest , being come near , the proconsul asked him , whether he was polycarp ? who confessing that he was ; he persuaded him to deny the faith , saying , reverence thy old age , with many other things of the like nature , as their custom is ; concluding thus , swear by caesar 's fortune . repent , and say ; take away the wicked . then polycarp , looking with a stern countenance upon the whole multitude , that was gathered together , of wicked gentiles ; and shaking his hand at them , looked up to heaven , and groaning , said , take away the wicked . but the proconsul , insisting and saying , swear , and i will set thee at liberty ; reproach christ. polycarp replied , eighty and six years have i now served christ , and he has never done me the least wrong : how then can i blaspheme my king and my saviour ? x. and when the proconsul nevertheless still insisted , saying , swear by the genius of caesar. he answered , seeing thou art so vainly urgent with me that i should swear , as thou call'st it , by the genius of caesar , seeming as if thou didst not know what i am ; hear me freely professing it to thee , that i am a christian. but if thou farther desirest an account what christianity is ; appoint a day , and thou shalt hear it . the proconsul replied , persuade the people . polycarp answered , to thee have i offered to give a reason of my faith : for so are we taught to pay all due honour , such only excepted as would be hurtful to our selves , to the powers and authorities which are ordained of god. but for the people , i esteem them not worthy , that i should give any account of my faith to them . xi . the proconsul continued , and said unto him , i have wild beasts ready , to those i will cast thee except thou repent . he answered , call for them , then : for i am not at all disposed to † repent from good to evil. but it is honourable to turn from those things that are dishonest , to what is just and good. the proconsul added ; seeing thou despisest the wild beasts , i will cause thee to be devoured by fire , unless thou shalt repent . polycarp answered , thou threatnest me with fire which burns for an hour , and so is extinguished ; but knowest not the fire of the future judgment ; and of that eternal punishment , which is reserved for the vngodly . but why tarriest thou ? bring forth what thou wilt . xii . having said this , and many other things of the like nature , he was filled with confidence and joy , insomuch that his very countenance † shone with grace : so that he did not only not let it fall ‖ with any confusion at what was spoken to him ; but on the contrary , the proconsul was struck with astonishment ; and sent his cryer into the middle of the lists , to proclaim three several times ; polycarp has confessed himself to be a christian . which being done by the cryer , the whole multitude both of the gentiles and of the jews which dwelt at smyrna , being full of fury , cry'd out with a loud voice ; this is the doctor of * asia ; the father of the christians , and the overthrower of our gods. he that has taught so many not to sacrifice , nor pay any worship to the gods. and saying this , they cryed out , and desired philip the † asiarch , that he would let loose a lion against polycarp . but philip replied , that it was not lawful for him to do so , because that kind of spectacles was already over . then it pleased them to cry out with one consent , that polycarp should be burnt alive . for so it was necessary that the vision should be fulfilled which was made manifest unto him by his pillow , when seeing it on fire as he was praying , he turned about and said prophetically to the faithful that were with him ; i must be burnt alive . xiii . this therefore was done with greater speed than it was spoke ; the whole multitude instantly gathering together wood and faggots out of the shops and baths : the jews especially , according to their custom , with all readiness assisting them in it . when the fewel was ready polycarp laying aside all his upper garments , and undoing his girdle , tryed also to pull off his shoes , which aforetime he was not wont to do ; forasmuch as still every one of the christians that was about him contended who should soonest touch his flesh. † for he was truly adorn'd by his good conversation with * all kind of pity , even before his martyrdom . this being done , they presently put about him such ‖ things as were necessary to prepare him for the † fire . but when they would have nailed him to the stake , he said ; let me alone as i am : for he who has given me strength to endure the fire , will also enable me without your securing me by nails to stand without moving in it . xiv . wherefore they did not nail him , but only tied him to it . but he having put his hands behind him , and being bound as a ram chosen out of a great flock , for an offering , and prepared to be a burnt sacrifice , acceptable unto god : look'd up to heaven and said ; o lord god almighty , the father of thy well-beloved , and blessed son jesus christ , by whom we have recived the knowledge of thee ; the god of angels and powers , and of every creature , and especially of the whole race of just men who live in thy presence ! i give thee hearty thanks that thou hast vouchafed to bring me to this day , and to this hour ; that i should have a part in the number of thy martyrs , and in the cup of thy son christ , to the resurrection of eternal life , both of soul and body , in the incorruption of the holy ghost . among which may i be accepted this day before thee , as a fat and acceptable sacrifice ; as thou the true god , with whom is no falshood , hast both before ordained , and manifested unto me , and also hast now fulfilled it . for this , and for all things else , i praise thee , i bless thee , i glorifie thee ‖ with the eternal , and heavenly jesus christ thy beloved son ; with whom to thee and the holy ghost , be glory both now , and to all succeeding ages , amen . xv. he had no sooner pronounced aloud , amen , and finish'd his prayer , but they who were appointed to be his executioners , lighted the fire . and when the flame began to blaze to a very great heighth , behold a wonderful miracle appear'd , to us who had the happiness to see it ; and who were reserved by heaven , to report to others what had happen'd . for the flame making a kind of arch , like the sail of a ship against a full wind , encompassed as in a circle the body of the holy martyr . who stood in the midst of it , not as if his flesh were burnt , but as bread that is baked , or as gold or silver ▪ glowing in the furnace . moreover , so sweet a smell came from it , as if frankinsense , or some rich spices had been smoaking there . xvi . at length when those wicked men saw that his body could not be consumed by the fire , they commanded the ‖ executioner to go near to him and stick his dagger in him : which being accordingly done there came forth † so great a quantity of blood , as even extinguish'd the fire ; and raised an admiration in all the people , to consider what a difference there was between the infidels and the elect. one of which this great martyr polycarp most certainly was ; being in our times a truly apostolical and prophetical teacher ; and bishop of the catholick church which is at smyrna . for every word that went out of his mouth either has been already fulfill'd , or in its due time will be accomplished . xvii . but when the emulous , and envious , and wicked adversary of the race of the just , saw the greatness of his martyrdom ; and consider'd how irreprehensible his conversation had been from the beginning ; and how he was now crown'd with the crown of immortality , having without all controversy received his reward : he took all possible care that not the least remainder of his body should be taken away by us ; although many desired to do it , and to be made partakers of his holy flesh. and to that end he suggested it to nicetas the father of herod and brother of alcé to go to the governour , and hinder him from giving us his body to be buried . least , says he , forsaking him that was crucified , they should begin to worship this polycarp . and this he said at the suggestion and instance of the jews ; who also watch'd us , that we should not take any part of him out of the fire : not ‖ considering , that neither is it possible for us ever to forsake christ , who suffer'd for the salvation of all such as shall be saved throughout the whole world , the righteous , for the vngodly ; nor worship any other besides him . for him indeed , as being the son of god , we do adore : but for the martyrs , we worthily love them , as the disciples and * followers of our lord , and upon the account of their exceeding great affection towards † their master , and their king. of whom may we also be made companions , and fellow-disciples . xviii . the centurion therefore seeing the contention of the jews , put his body into the midst of the fire , and so consum'd it . after which we taking up his bones more precious than the richest jewels , and try'd above gold , disposed of them where it was fitting . where being gather'd together as we have opportunity , with joy and gladness , the lord shall grant unto us to celebrate the anniversary of his martyrdom , both in memory of what he suffer'd , and for the exercise and preparation of those that may hereafter suffer . xix . such was the passion of the blessed polycarp ; who tho' he was the twelfth of those who together with those of philadelphia suffered martyrdom , is yet alone chiefly had in memory of all men : insomuch that he is spoken of , by the very gentiles themselves in every place ; as having been not only an eminent teacher , but also a glorious martyr . whose † death all desire to imitate , as having been every way conformable to the gospel of christ. for having by patience overcome the unjust governour , and so received the crown of immortality ; he now together with the apostles and all other righteous men , who have gone before , with great triumph , glorifies god even the father ; and blesses our lord the governor both of our ‖ souls and bodies ; and shepherd of the catholick church which is over all the earth . xx. whereas therefore ye desired that we would at large declare to you what was done ; we have by this present epistle given you a summary account of it by our brother marcus : having therefore your selves read this epistle , you may do well to send it forward to the brethren that are farther off ; that they also may glorifie god who makes such choice of his own servants : and is able to bring all of us by his grace and help to his eternal kingdom , through his only begotten son jesus christ ; to whom be glory , and honour , and power , and majesty , for ever and ever , amen . salute all the saints ; they that are with us salute you : with evaristus , who wrote this epistle , and his whole house . xxi . now the suffering of polycarp was the second day of the month xanthicus ; viz. before the vii th of the calends of † may ; being the great sabbath about viii a clock . he was taken by herod , philip the trallian , being * high-priest ; statius quadratus proconsul ; but our saviour christ reigning for evermore : to him be honour , glory , majesty , and an eternal throne , from generation to generation , amen . xxii . we wish you , brethren , all happiness ; by living according to the rule of the gospel of jesus christ : with whom , glory be to god the father , and the holy spirit , for the salvation of his chosen saints . ‖ after whose example the blessed polycarp suffer'd ; at whose feet may we be found in the kingdom of jesus christ. an advertisement relating to the foregoing epistle this epistle was transcribed by caius out of the copy of irenaeus the disciple of polycarp ; who also lived and conversed with ireneaeus . and i socrates transcrib'd it at corinth , out of the copy of the said caius . grace be with all. after which i pionius again wrote it from the copy before mentioned ; having search'd it out by the revelation of polycarp , who directed me to it ; as also i shall declare in what follows : having gather'd these things together , now almost corrupted through process of time ; that jesus christ our lord may also gather me togethe● with his elect : to whom with the father , and the holy ghost , be glory for ever and ever , amen . the genuine remains of the apostolical fathers . part ii. in which are comprised . the epistle of st. barnabas . . the shepherd of hermas . and , . the second epistle of st. clement to the corinthians . london , printed for r. sare at grays-inn gate in holborn , . the catholick epistle of st. barnabas . the contents . numb . i. the salutation , and preface to the following epistle . ii.iii. that god has abolish'd the legal sacrifices , to introduce the spiritual righteousness of the gospel . iv. the prophecies of daniel concerning the ten kings ; and the coming of christ. v , vi. that christ was to suffer ; proved from the prophecies concerning him . vii . the scape-goat , an evident type of this. viii . the red-heifer , another type of christ. ix . of the circumcision of the ears : and how in the first institution of that ceremony , abraham mystically foretold christ by name . x. that the commands of moses concerning clean and unclean beasts , &c. were all designed for a spiritual signification . xi , xii . baptism and the cross of christ , foretold in figures under the law. xiii . the promise of god not made to the jews only , but to the gentiles also . xiv . and fulfilled to us by jesus christ. xv. that the sabbath of the jews , was but a figure of a more glorious sabbath to come . xvi . their temple , of the spiritual temples of god. xvii . the conclusion of the former part of this epistle . xviii . he goes on to the other part , that which relates to practice : which he divides into two considerations ; the former , of the way of light ; the latter , of the way of darkness . xix . of the way of light ; being a summary of what a christian is to do , that he may be happy for ever . xx. of the way of darkness ; that is , what kind of persons shall be for ever cast out of the kingdom of god ? xxi . the close of all : being an earnest exhortation to them to live so that they may be blessed to all eternity . the catholick epistle of st. barnabas . all happiness to you my sons and daughters , in the name of our lord jesus christ , who loved us in peace . i. having perceived a large abundance of the great and ‖ excellent † righteousness of god to be in you , i exceedingly rejoyced in your blessed and admirable ‖ temper , that ye had so worthily received the grace that was * given to you . for which cause i am full of joy , hoping to be shortly set at liberty ; in as much as i truly see a spirit infused into you , from the ‖ blessed fountain of god. wherefore having this perswasion , and being fully convinced that since i have begun to speak unto you , i have had a more than ordinary good success in the way of † righteousness , which is in christ ; i also , * brethren , suppose my self to love you above my own ‖ soul : because the greatness of faith and charity dwelleth in him , as also the hope of that life which is to come . wherefore considering this , that if i shall take care to communicate to you a part of what i have received , it shall turn to my reward , that i have served such as you are in spiritual things : i gave diligence to write in a few words unto you ; that together with your faith , your knowledge also may be perfect . there are therefore three ‖ sorts of things to be considered in what relates to the lord ; the hope of life ; the beginning , and the completion of it . for the lord has both declared unto us , by the prophets , those things that have been done ; and † open'd to us the beginnings of those that were to come . wherefore , it will behove us , as he has spoken , to come * with all readiness , and as is fitting to his altar . i therefore not as a teacher , but as one of you , will endeavour to lay a few things before you , by which you may ‖ on many accounts become the more joyful . ii. seeing then the days are exceeding evil , and the adversary has got the power of this present † world ; we ought to give the more diligence to enquire into the * just ways of the lord . now the assistants of our faith are fear and patience ; our fellow-combatants , long-suffering and continence . whilst these remain pure in what relates unto the lord , wisdom , and knowledge , and prudence , and understanding , rejoyce together with them . for god has manifested to us by all the prophets , that he has no occasion for our sacrifices , or burnt-offerings or oblations ; saying : to what purpose is the multitude of your sacrifices unto me saith the lord . i am full of the burnt offerings of rams , and the fat of fed beasts ; and i delight not in the bloud of bullocks , or of lambs , or of he-goats . when ye come to appear before me ; who hath required this at your hand to tread my courts ? bring no more vain oblations , incense is an abomination unto me : your new moons and sabbaths , the calling of assemblies i cannot away with , it is iniquity , even the solemn meeting : your new moons and your appointed feasts , my soul hateth . these things therefore hath god abolished , that the new law of our lord jesus christ , which is without the yoak of any such necessity , might have an offering becoming men. for so the lord saith again to those heretofore ; did i at all command your fathers when they came out of the land of egypt concerning burnt offerings or sacrifices ? but this i commanded them , saying , let none of you imagine evil in your hearts against his neighbour , and love no false-oath , forasmuch then as we are not without understanding , we ought to apprehend the design ‖ of our merciful father . for he speaks to us , being willing to seek out us who are in error , and shew us how we may come to him . and therefore he thus bespeaks us , the sacrifice of god [ is a broken spirit , ] a broken and contrite heart god will not despise . wherefore , brethren , we ought the more diligently to enquire after those things that belong to our salvation , that the adversary may not have any entrance into us , and turn us aside from the way of life . iii. wherefore he again speaketh to them , concerning these things : ye shall not fast as ye do this day , to make your voice to be heard on high. is it such a fast that i have chosen ? a day for a man to afflict his soul ? is it to bow down his head like a bulrush , and to spread sackcloath and ashes under him ? wilt thou call this a fast and an acceptable day to the lord ? but to us he saith on this wise . is not this the fast that i have chosen , to loose the bands of wickedness , to undo the heavy burdens , and to let the oppressed go free ; and that ye break every yoke ? is it not to deal thy bread to the hungry , and that thou bring the poor that are cast out to thy house ? when thou seest the naked that thou cover him , and that thou hide not not thy self from thine own flesh ? then shall thy light break forth as the morning , and thy health shall spring forth speedily ; and thy righteousness shall go before thee , the glory of the lord shall be thy rere-ward . then shalt thou call and the lord shall answer ; thou shalt cry and he shall say , here i am : if thou put away from the midst of thee the yoke , the putting forth of the finger , and speaking vanity . and if thou draw out thy soul to the hungry ; and satisfie the afflicted soul. in this therefore , brethren , god has manifested his † fore-knowledge and mercy to us ; because the people which he has purchased to his beloved son were to believe in ‖ sincerity ; and therefore he has shewn these things to all of us , that we should not run as proselytes to * the jewish law. iv. wherefore it is necessary that searching diligently into these † matters we should write to you what may serve to keep you whole . to which end let us flee from every evil work , and hate the errors of the present time , that we may be ‖ happy in that which is to come . let us not give our selves the liberty of disputing with the wicked and sinners ; least we should chance in time to become like unto them . for the consummation of sin is come , as the prophet daniel says ; and for this end saith the lord , are the times and the days shortned ; and the lord will suddainly come to his temple . for so the prophet speaks ; there shall ten kings reign in the earth , and there shall rise last of all another , and he shall humble three kings . and again daniel speaks in like manner concerning the kingdoms ; and i saw the fourth beast dreadful and terrible , and strong exceedingly ; and it had ten horns . i considered the horns , and behold there came up among them another little horn , before which were three of the first horns pluckt up by the roots . we ought therefore to consider these things : and i beseech you , as one of your own brethren , loving you all beyond my own life , that you look well to your selves : and be not like to those who ‖ add sin to sin , and say ; that their covenant is ours also . nay , but it is ours only ; for they have for ever lost that which moses received . for thus saith the scripture ; and moses continued fasting forty days and forty nights in the mount ; and he received the covenant from the lord , even two tables of stone written by the hand of god. but having turn'd themselves to idols they lost it ; as the lord also said to moses ; moses , go down quickly , for thy people which thou hast brought forth out of egypt , have corrupted themselves , and turn'd aside from the way which i commanded them . and moses cast the two tables of stone out of his hands ; and their covenant was broken ; that the love of jesus might be sealed in your hearts , unto the hope of his faith. wherefore let us give heed unto the last times . for the time past of our life , and our faith will profit us nothing ; unless we continue also to hate what is evil , and to withstand the future temptations . so the son of god tells us ; let us resist all iniquity and hate it . wherefore consider the works of the evil way . do not deceive your selves ‖ with your own private thoughts , as if you were already justified ; but coming all together into one place , enquire what is agreeable to , and profitable for the beloved of god. for the scripture saith ; wo unto them that are wise in their own eyes , and prudent in their own sight . let us become spiritual , a perfect temple to god. as much as in us lies let us meditate upon the fear of the † lord ; and strive to the utmost of our power to keep his commandments ; that we may rejoyce in his righteous judgments . for god will judge the world without respect of persons ; and receive every one according to his works . if a man shall be good , his righteousness shall go before him : if wicked , the reward of his wickedness shall follow him . take heed therefore , least sitting still now that we are called , we fall asleep in our sins ; and the wicked one getting the dominion over us , raise us up , and shut us out of the kingdom of the lord . but especially consider the great signs and wonders which ye have seen among the people of the jews , and how thus the lord forsook them . beware therefore , least it happen to us ; as it is written , there be many called , but few chosen . v. for this cause did our lord vouchsafe to give to up his body to destruction , that through the forgiveness of our sins we might be sanctified ; that is , by the sprinkling of his bloud . now for what concerns the things that are written about him , some belong to the people of the jews , and some to us . for thus saith the scripture ; he was wounded for our transgressions , he was bruised for our iniquities , and by his bloud we are healed . he was led as a lamb to the slaughter , and as a sheep before his shearers is dumb , so he opened not his mouth . wherefore we ought the more to give thanks unto god , for that he hath both declared unto us what is passed , † and not suffer'd us to be without understanding even of those things that are to come . and therefore he saith ; the nets are not unjustly spread for the birds . this he spake , because a man will justly perish , if having the knowledge of the way of truth , he shall nevertheless not refrain himself from the way of darkness . and for this cause the lord was content to suffer for our souls , although he be the lord of the whole earth ; to whom god said before the beginning of the world ; let us make man after our own image and likeness . now how he suffered for us , seeing it was by men that he underwent it ; ‖ i will shew you . the prophets , having received from him the gift of prophecy , spake before concerning him : but he , that he might abolish death , and make known the resurrection from the dead , was content , as it was necessary , to appear in the flesh , that he might make good the promise before given to our fathers , and preparing himself a new people , might demonstrate to them whilst he was upon earth , that after the resurrection he would judge the world. and thus teaching the people of israel , and doing many wonders and signs among them , he preached to them , and shewed the exceeding great love which he bare towards them . and when he chose his apostles , which were afterwards to publish his gospel , he took men who had been very great sinners ; that thereby he might plainly shew , that he came not to call the righteous , but sinners to repentance . then he clearly manifested himself to be the son of god. for had he not come in the flesh , how could men have been able to look upon him , that they might be saved ? seeing if we behold only the sun , which was the work of his hands , and shall hereafter cease to be , we are not able to endure stedfastly to look against the rays of it . wherefore the son of god came in the flesh for this cause , that he might fill up the measure of their iniquity , who have persecuted his prophts unto death : and for the same reason also he suffered ; * for saith god , by the stripes of his flesh we are healed . and again , another prophet , when i shall smite the shepherd the sheep of the flock shall be scatter'd . nevertheless , he would suffer in this manner : because it behoved him to suffer upon the cross. for thus one saith , prophecying concerning him ; deliver my soul from the sword. and again , they pierced my hands and my feet . and again , the congregation of wicked doers rose up against me . and again , he saith , i gave my back to the smiters , and my cheeks to be buffeted , ‖ and my face i set as an hard rock . vi. and when he had fulfilled the commandment of god , what says he ? who will contend with me ? let him stand against me : or who is he that will implead me ? let him draw near to the servant of the lord . wo be to you ! because ye shall all wax old as a garment , the moth shall eat you up . and again the prophet adds : he is put for a stone of stumbling . behold i lay in zion for a foundation , a precious stone , a choice corner-stone ; an honourable stone . and what follows ? and he that hopeth in him shall live for ever . what then ? is our hope built upon a stone ? god forbid . but because the lord hath put his flesh in strength , he saith this of it . as it is written ; i have placed my self as a sure rock . and again the prophet adds ; the stone which the builders refused is become the head of the corner . and again he saith ; this is the great and wonderful day which the lord hath made . [ * i write these things the more plainly to you that ye may understand : ] † for indeed i could be content even to die for your sakes . but what saith the prophet : the counsel of the wicked encompassed me about . they came about me , as bees about the hive : and ; vpon my vesture they cast lots . forasmuch then as our saviour was to appear in the flesh , and suffer ; his passion was hereby foretold . for thus again saith the prophet against israel : wo be to their soul , because they have taken wicked counsel against themseves , saying ; let us lay snares for the righteous , because he is unprofitable to us . moses also in like manner speaketh to them : behold thus saith the lord god ; enter ye into the good land of which the lord hath sworn to abraham , and isaac , and jacob , that he would give it you , and possess it ; a land flowing with milk and hony now what the spiritual meaning of this is , learn ; † it is as if it had been said ; put your trust in jesus , who shall be manifested to you in the flesh. for man is the earth which suffers : forasmuch as out of the substance of the earth adam was formed . what therefore do's he mean when he says , into a good land flowing with milk and honey ? blessed be our lord , who has given us wisdom , and a heart to understand his secrets . for so says the prophet , who shall understand the hard sayings of the lord ? but he that is wise , and intelligent , and that loves his lord . seeing therefore he has renewed us by the remission of our sins , he has given us another form , that we should have our souls * like the soul of a child ; even as he himself has form'd us ‖ by the spirit . for thus the scripture saith concerning us , where it introduceth the father speaking to the son ; let us make man in our image , after our likeness : and let him have dominion over the beasts of the earth , and over the fowls of the air , and over the fish of the sea. and when the lord saw the man which he had form'd , that behold he was very good ; he said , encrease , and multiply , and replenish the earth . and this he spake to his son. i will now shew you , how he made us into a second form , in the latter days : as also he saith ; behold i will make the last as the first . wherefore the prophet thus foretold it ; ‖ enter into the land flowing with milk and hony , and rule in it . wherefore ye see how we are again formed anew ; as also he speaks by another prophet : behold , saith the lord , i will take from them , that is , from those whom the spirit of the lord foresaw , their hearts of stone , and i will put into them hearts of flesh. because he was about to be made manifest in the flesh , and to dwell in us . for , my brethren , the habitation of our heart is a † holy temple unto the lord . as he again saith ; wherewithal shall i appear before the lord my god , and be glorified ? he answers , i will confess unto thee in the congregation in the midst of my brethren ; and will sing unto thee in the church of the saints . wherefore we are they whom he has brought into that good land. † but what signifies the milk and hony ? because as the child is nourish'd first with milk , and then with hony ; so we being kept alive with the belief of his promises , and the word of his gospel , shall live and have dominion over the land. for so he foretold above , saying , encrease , and multiply , and have dominion over the fishes , &c. but who is there that is now able to have this dominion over the wild beasts , or fishes , or fowls of the air ? for you know that to rule is to have power , that a man should be lord over what he rules . but forasmuch as this we have not now , he tells us when we shall have it : namely ; when he shall become perfect , that so we may be made inheritors of the covenant of the lord . vii . understand then , my beloved children , that the good god hath before manifested all things unto us , that we might know to whom we ought always to give thanks . if therefore the son of god , who is the lord of all , and shall come to judge both the quick and dead , hath suffer'd ; that by his stripes we might live : let us believe that the son of god could not have suffer'd but for us but , being crucified , they gave him gall and vinegar to drink . hear therefore how the priests of the temple did foreshew this also : ‖ the lord by his command which was written , declar'd that whosoever did not fast the appointed fast † should die the death : because he also was one day to offer his body for our sins ; and so the type of what was done in * isaac be fulfill'd , who was offer'd upon the altar . what therefore is it that he says by the prophet ? ‖ and let them eat of the goat which is offer'd in the day of the fast for all their sins . harken diligently , my brethren , and all the priests , and they only shall eat the inwards , not washed , with vinegar . and why so ? because * i know that when i shall hereafter offer my flesh for the sins of a new people , ye will give me vinegar to drink mixed with gall ; therefore do ye only eat , the people fasting the while , and lamenting in sackcloath and ashes . that by this he might fore-shew , that he was to suffer by them . but , hear then , how he appointed it ? † take , says he , two goats , fair and alike , and offer them ; and let the high priest take one of them for a burnt offering . and what must be done with the other ? let it be accursed . consider how exactly this appears to have been a type of jesus . * and let all the congregation spit upon it , and prick it ; and put the scarlet wool about its head : and thus let it be carried forth into the wilderness . and this being done , he that was appointed to convey the goat , led it into the wilderness , ‖ and took away the scarlet wool , and put it upon a thorn-bush , whose † young sprouts when we find them in the field we are wont to eat : so the fruit of that thorn only is sweet . and to what end was this ceremony ? consider ; one was offered upon the altar , the other was accursed . and why was that which was accursed , crown'd ? because they shall see christ in that day having a scarlet garment about his body ; and shall say : is not this he whom heretofore we crucified ; having despised him , pierced him , mocked him ? certainly this is he , who then said , that he was the son of god. as therefore he shall be then like to what he was on earth , so were the jews heretotore commanded , to take two goats , fair and equal . that when they shall see our saviour hereafter coming in the clouds of heaven , they may be amazed at the likeness of the goats . wherefore ‖ ye here again see a type of jesus who was to suffer for us . but what then signifies this , that the wool was to be put into the midst of the thorns ? this also is a figure of jesus , set out to the church . for as he who would take away the scarlet wool must undergo many difficulties , because that thorn was very sharp , and with difficulty get it : so they , says christ , that will see me , and come to my kingdom , must through many afflictions and troubles attain unto me . viii . but what type do ye suppose it to have been , where it is commanded † in the law ; that certain men who had been guilty of many sins , should offer a heifer , and kill it and burn it . and the young men should take up the ashes and put them in vessels ; and tie a piece of scarlet wool and hyssop upon a stick , and so the young men should sprinkle every one of the people , and they should be clear from their sins ? consider how all these things are delivered in a ‖ figure to us . this heifer is jesus christ ; the wicked men that were to offer it , are those sinners who brought him to death : who now are no longer men ; there is no more any glory of those sinners remaining . the young men that sprinkled them , signifie to us those who preach the forgiveness of sins , and the purification of the heart , to whom our lord gave authority to preach his gospel : being at the beginning twelve , for a witness of the tribes , because there were twelve tribes of israel . but why were there three young men , that were appointed to sprinkle the sinners ? in testimony of abraham , and isaac , and jacob , that they were great before god. and why was the wool put upon a * stick ? because the kingdom of jesus was founded upon the * cross ; and therefore they that put their trust in him shall live for ever . but why was the wool and hyssop put together ? to signifie that in the kingdom of christ there shall be evil and base days , in which we shall be saved . and † because he that has any disease in the flesh is by hyssop purged from the pollution of it . wherefore these things being thus done , to us indeed are evident , but to the jews they are obscure ; because they hearkned not unto the voice of the lord . ix . and therefore the scripture again speaks concerning our ears , that god has circumcised them , together with our hearts . for thus saith the lord in the holy prophet : by the hearing of the ear they obeyed me . and again , they who are afar off , shall hear what things i have done , and shall understand . and again , circumcise your hearts , saith the lord . and again he saith , hear o israel ! thus saith the lord thy god. and again the spirit of god prophesieth , saying ; who is there that would live for ever , let him hear the voice of my son. and again , hear o heaven , and give ear o earth ! because the lord has spoken these things for a witness . and again he saith , hear the word of the lord , ye princes of the people . and again , hear o children ! the voice of one crying in the wilderness . wherefore he has circumcised our ears , that we should hear his word , and believe . but as for that circumcision , in which the jews trust , it is abolished . for the circumcision of which god spake , was not of the flesh : but they have transgressed his commands , because the evil † one hath deceived them . for thus god bespeaks them ; thus saith the lord your god , here you may find the new command ; sow not upon thorns ; be circumcised to the lord your god. and what do's he mean by this ? * hearken unto your lord , and circumcise the hardness of your heart , and harden not your neck . and again , behold , saith the lord , all the nations are uncircumcised , they have not lost their fore-skin ; but this people is not circumcised in heart . but you will say ; the jews were circumcised for a sign . * and so are all the syrians , and arabians , and all the priests of their idols : but are they therefore of the covenant of israel ? and even the egyptians themselves are circumcised . understand therefore , children , these things more fully , that abraham , who was the first that gave circumcision in the spirit , looking forward to jesus , circumcised , taking the mystery of three letters . for the scripture says that abraham circumcised three hundred and eighteen men of his house . † but what therefore was the mystery that was made known unto him ? i will tell you : it consists first in the eighteen , and next in the three hundred . for the numeral letters of ten and eight ; are i h. and these denote jesus . and because the cross was that by which we were to find grace ; therefore he adds , three hundred ; the note of which is t [ the figure of his cross. ] wherefore by two letters , he signified jesus , and by one his cross. he who has put the natural gift of his doctrin within in us , knows , that i never shew'd to any one a more genuine truth : but i trust that ye are worthy of it . x. but why did moses say ; ‖ ye shall not eat of the swine , neither the eagle , nor the hawk ; nor the crow ; nor any fish that has not a scale upon him ? i answer , that under this outside figure , he comprehended three spiritual doctrins , that were to be † gathered from thence . besides which he says to them in the book of deutronomy , and i will give my statutes unto this people . wherefore it is not the command of god that they should not eat ; but moses , in the spirit spake unto them . now the sow he forbad them to eat ; meaning thus much ; thou shalt not join thy self to such persons as are like unto swine who whilst they live in pleasure , forget their god ; but when any want pinches them , then they know the lord : as the sow , when she is full , knows not her master ; but when she is hungry , she makes a noise ; and being again fed , is silent . neither , says he , shalt thou eat the eagle , nor the hawk , nor the kite , nor the crow ; that is , thou shalt not keep company with such kind of men as know not how by their labour , and sweat to get themselves food : but injuriosly ravish away the things of others ; and watch how to lay snares for them ; when at the same time they appear to live in perfect innocence . [ * so these birds alone seek not food for themselves , but ] sitting idle seek how they may eat of the flesh which others have provided ; being destructive through their wickedness . neither , says he , shalt thou eat the lampry , nor the polypus , nor the cuttle-fish ; that is , thou shalt not be like such men , by using to converse with them : who are † altogether wicked and adjudged to death . for so those fishes are alone accursed , and wallow in the mire , nor swim as other fishes , but tumble in the dirt at the bottom of the deep . but he adds , * neither shalt thou eat of the hare . to what end ? to signifie this to us ; thou shalt not be an adulterer ; nor liken thy self to such persons . for the hare every year multiplies ‖ the places of its conception ; and as many years as it lives , so many † it has . neither shalt thou eat of the hyena . that is , again , be not an adulterer , nor a corrupter of others , neither be like to such . and wherefore so ? * because that creature every year changes its kind , and is sometimes male and sometimes female . for which cause also he justly hated the weesel ; to the end that they should not be like such persons who with their mouths commit wickedness , by reason of their uncleanness ; nor joyn themselves with those impure women , who with their mouths commit wickedness . † because that animal conceives with its mouth . moses therefore speaking as concerning meats , deliver'd indeed three great precepts to them in the spiritual signification of those commands . but they according to the desires of the flesh , understood him as if he had only meant it of meats . and therefore david took aright the knowledge of his threefold command , saying in like manner ; blessed is the man that hath not walked in the counsel of the vngodly ; as the fishes before mentioned in the bottom of the deep in darkness : nor stood in the way of sinners ; as they who seem to fear the lord , but yet sin , as the sow . and hath not sat in the seat of the scorners ; as those birds who sit and watch that they may devour . here ye have this matter perfectly set forth , and according to the true knowledge of it . but says moses , ‖ ye shall eat all that divideth the hoof , and cheweth the cud. signifying thereby such an one as having taken his food , knows him that nourisheth him ; and resting upon him , rejoyceth in him . and in this he spake well , having respect to the commandment . * what therefore is it that he says ? that we should hold fast to them that fear the lord ; with those who meditate on the portion of the word which they have received , in their heart ; with those that declare the righteousness of the lord ; and keep his commandments ; in short , with those who know that to meditate is a work of pleasure , and therefore † exercise themselves in the word of the lord . but why might they eat those that clave the hoof ? because the righteous liveth in this present world ; but his expectation is fixed upon the other . see , brethren , how admirably moses commanded these things . but how should we thus know all this , and understand it ? we therefore understanding aright the commandments , speak as the lord would have us . wherefore he has circumcised our ears and our hearts , that we might know these things . xi . let us now enquire whether the lord took care to manifest any thing beforehand concerning water and the cross . now for the former of these , it is written to the people of israel how they shall not receive that baptism which brings to forgiveness of sins ; but shall institute another to themselves , that cannot . for thus saith the prophet : be astonish'd o heaven ! and let the earth tremble at it , because this people have done two great and wicked things . they have left me , the fountain of living water , and have digged for themselves broken cisterns , that can hold no water . is my holy mountain * zion a desolate wilderness ? for ye shall be as a young bird when its nest is taken away . and again the prophet saith , i will go before thee , and will make plain the mountains , and will break the gates of brass , and will snap in sund●r the bars of iron : and will give thee dark and hidden , and invisible treasures , that they may know i am the lord god. and again ; he shall dwell in the high den of the strong rock . and then , what follows ‖ concerning the son ? his water is faithful : ye shall see the king with glory , and your soul shall learn the fear of the lord . and again he saith in another prophet ; he that do's these things ; shall be like a tree planted by the currents of water , which shall give its fruit in its season . it s leaf also shall not wither , and whatsoever he doth it shall prosper . as for the wicked it is not so with them ; but they are as the dust which the wind scattereth away from the face of the earth . therefore the vngodly shall not stand in the judgment , neither the sinners in the council of the righteous . for the lord knoweth the way of the righteous , and the way of the vngodly shall perish . consider how he has join'd both the cross and the water together . for this he saith ; blessed are they who putting their trust in the cross , descend into the water ; for they shall have their reward in due time : then , saith he , will i give it them . but as concerning the present time , he saith , their leaves shall not fall . meaning thereby , that every word that shall go out of your mouth , shall through faith and charity be to the conversion and hope of many . in like manner do's another prophet speak . and the land of jacob was the praise of all the earth ; that is , the vessel of his spirit , which he there magnifies . and what follows ? and there was a river running on the right hand , and beautiful trees grew up by it ; and he that shall eat of them shall live for ever . the signification of which is this : that we go down into the water full of sins and pollutions ; but come up again bringing forth fruit ; having in our hearts the fear and hope which is in jesus . and whosoever shall eat of them shall live for ever . that is , whosoever shall hearken to those who call them , and shall believe , shall live for ever . xii . in like manner he determins concerning the cross in ‖ another prophet , saying ; and when shall these things be fulfilled ? the lord answers ; when the tree that is fallen shall rise , and when bloud shall drop down from the tree . here you have again mention made , both of the cross and of him that was to be crucified upon it . ‖ and yet farther he saith in one of the books of moses ; where when israel was beaten by a strange people ; to the end that god might remember * them , how that for their sins they were deliver'd unto death ; the holy spirit put it into the heart of moses to represent both the sign of the cross , and of him that was to suffer . that so they might know that if they did not believe in him , they should be overcome for ever . moses therefore † piled up armour upon armour in the middle of a rising ground , and standing up high above all of them stretched forth his arms , and so israel again conquer'd . but no sooner did he let down his hands , but they were again slain . and why so ? to the end they might know , that except they trust in him they cannot be saved . and in another prophet he saith , i have stretched out my hands all the day long to a people disobedient , and speaking against my righteous way . and again moses makes a ‖ type of jesus , to shew that he was to die , and then that he , whom they thought to be dead , was to give life to others ; in the sign of † those that fell in israel . for god caused all sorts of serpents to bite them , and they died ; forasmuch as by a serpent transgression began in eve ; that so he might convince them that for their transgressions they shall be delivered into the pain of death . moses then himself , who had commanded them , saying , ye shall not make to your selves any graven or molten image to be your god ; yet now did so himself , that he might represent to them the figure of the lord jesus . for he made a brazen serpent , and set it up on high , and called the people together to an assembly : where being come , they intreated moses that he would make an attonement for them , and pray that they might be healed . then moses spake unto them , saying ; when any one among you shall be bitten , let him come unto the serpent that is set upon the pole ; and let him assuredly trust in him , that though he be dead , yet he is able to give life , and presently he shall be saved ; and so they did . see therefore how here also you have in this the glory of jesus ; and that in him and to him are all things . again ; what says moses to jesus the son of nun , when he gave that name unto him , as being a prophet , that all the people might understand that the father did manifest all things concerning his son jesus in ‖ jesus the son of nun ? moses therefore gave him that name when he sent him to spy out the land of canaan ; * and said ; take a book in thine hands , and write what the lord saith : forasmuch as jesus the son of god , shall in the last days cut off by the roots all the house of amaleck . see here again jesus , not the son of man , but the son of god , made manifest in a type and in the flesh. but because it might hereafter be said , that christ was the son of david ; * therefore david fearing and well-knowing the errors of the wicked , saith ; the lord said unto my lord , sit thou on my right hand until i make thine enemies thy footstool . and again isaiah speaketh on this wise , the lord said unto ‖ christ my lord , i have laid hold on his right hand , that the nations should obey before him , and i will break the strength of kings . behold , how both † david and isaiah call him lord , and the son of god. xiii . but let us go yet farther , and enquire whether this people be the heir or the former ; and whether the covenant be with us or with them . and first as concerning the people hear what the scripture saith . isaac prayed for his wife rebeckah , because she was barren ; and she conceived . afterwards rebeckah went forth to enquire of the lord . and the lord said unto her , there are two nations in thy womb , and two people shall come from thee ; and the one shall have power over the other , and the greater shall serve the lesser . understand here who was isaac ; who rebeckah , and of whom it was foretold , that this people should be greater than that . and in another prophecy jacob speaketh more clearly to his son joseph saying ; behold the lord hath not taken me from thy face , bring me thy sons that i may bless them . and he brought unto his father ‖ manasseh and ephraim , desiring that he should bless manasseh , because he was the elder . therefore joseph brought him to the right hand of his father jacob. but jacob by the spirit foresaw the figure of the people that was to come . and what saith the scripture ? and jacob crossed his hands , and put his right hand upon ephraim his second , and the younger son , and blessed him . and joseph said unto jacob : put thy right hand upon the head of manasseh , for he is my first-born son. and jacob said unto joseph ; i know it , my son , i know it ; but the greater shall serve the lesser ; though he also shall be blessed . ye see of whom he appointed it , that they should be the first people , and heirs of the covenant . if therefore god shall have yet farther taken notice of this by abraham too ; our understanding of it will then be perfectly established . what then saith the scripture to abraham , when he believed , and it was imputed unto him for righteousness ? behold i have made thee a father of the nations , which without circumcision believe in the lord . xiv . let us therefore now enquire , whether god has fulfilled the covenant , which he sware to our fathers , that he would give this people ? yes verily , he gave it : but they were not worthy to receive it by reason of their sins . for thus saith the prophet : and moses continued fasting in mount sinai , to receive the covenant of the lord with the people , forty days and forty nights . and he received of the lord two tables written with the finger of the lord's hand in the spirit : and moses when he had received them brought them down that he might deliver them to the people . and the lord said unto moses ; moses , moses , get thee down quickly , for the people which thou broughtest out of the land of egypt have done wickedly . and moses understeod that they had again set up a molten image ; and he cast the two tables out of his hands ; and the tables of the covenant of the lord were broken . moses therefore received them , but they were not worthy . now then learn how we have received them . moses , being a servant took them ; but the lord himself has given them unto us , that we might be the people of his inheritance , having suffered all things for us . and it was therefore made manifest ; that they should fill up the measure of their sins , and that we ‖ being made heirs by him , should receive the covenant of the lord jesus . and again the prophet saith , behold , i have set thee for a light unto the gentiles , to be † the saviour of all the ends of the earth , saith the lord the god who hath redeemed thee . who for that very end was prepared , that by his own appearing he might redeem our hearts , already devoured by death , and delivered over to the irregularity of error , from darkness ; and establish a covenant with us by his word . for so it is written , that the father commanded him , by delivering of us from darkness , to prepare unto himself a holy people . wherefore the prophet saith , i the lord thy god have called thee in righteousness , and i will take thee by the hand and will strenghthen thee . and give thee for a covenant of the people , for a light of the gentiles . to open the eyes of the blind , to bring out the prisoners from the prison , and them that sit in darkness out of the prison-house . consider therefore from whence we have been redeemed . and again the prophet saith ; the spirit of the lord is upon me , because he hath anointed me ; he hath sent me to preach glad tidings to the lowly ; to heal the broken in heart ; to preach remission to the captives , and sight unto the blind : to proclaim the acceptable year of the lord , and the day of restitution ; to comfort all that mourn . xv. furthermore it is written concerning the sabbath in the ten commandments , which god spake in the mount sinai to moses , face to face ; sanctifie the sabbath of the lord with pure hands , and with a clean heart . and elsewhere he saith , if thy children shall keep my sabbaths , then will i put my mercy upon them . and even in the beginning of the creation he makes mention of the sabbath . and god made in six days the works of his hands ; and he finished them on the ‖ seventh day , and he rested the seventh day and sanctified it . consider , my children , what that signifies , he finish'd them in six days . the meaning of it is this ; that in † six thousand years the lord god will bring all things to an end. for with him one day is a thousand years : as himself testifieth , saying , behold this day shall be as a thousand years . therefore , children , in six days , that is , in six thousand years shall ‖ all things be accomplished . and rested the seventh day : he meaneth this ; that when his son shall come , and abolish the season of the * wicked one , and jugde the ungodly ; and shall change the sun , and the moon and the stars ; then he shall gloriously rest in that seventh day . he adds lastly ; thou shalt sanctifie it with clean hands and a pure heart . wherefore we are greatly deceived if we imagin that any one can now sanctifie that day which god has made holy , without having a heart pure in all things . he will therefore then truly sanctifie it with blessed rest , when we ( having received the righteous promise , when iniquity shall be no more , all things being renewed by the lord ) shall be able to sanctifie it , being our selves first made holy. lastly , he saith unto them ; your new moons and your sabbaths i cannot bear them . consider what he means by it ; the sabbaths , says he , which ye now keep are not acceptable unto me , but those which i have made ; when resting from all things i shall begin ‖ the eighth day , that is the beginning of the other world. for which cause we observe the eighth day with gladness , in which jesus both rose from the dead ; and manifested himself to his disciples ; and so ascended into heaven . xvi . it remains yet that we speak to you concerning the temple : how those miserable men being deceived have put their trust in the † house , and not in god himself who made them ; as if it were the habitation of god. much after the same manner as the gentiles have consecrated him in * their temples . but learn therefore how the lord speaketh , rendring the temple vain : who has measured the heaven with a span , and the earth with his hand ? is it not i ? thus saith the lord ; heaven is my throne , and the earth is my footstool . what is the house that ye will build me ? or what is the place of my rest ? know therefore that all their hope is vain . and again he speaketh after this manner ; behold they that destroy this temple , even they shall build another . and so it came to pass ; for through their wars it is now destroy'd by their enemies ; and the servants of their enemies build it up . farthermore , it has been made manifest how both the city , and the temple , and the people of israel should be given up . for the scripture saith ; and it shall come to pass in the last days , that the lord will deliver up the sheep of his pasture ; and their fold , and their tower unto destruction . and it has come to pass , as the lord hath spoken . let us enquire therefore , whether there be any temple of god ? yes there is : and that there where himself declares that he would both make and establish it . for it is written ; and it shall be that as soon as the week shall be compleated the temple of the lord shall be gloriously built in the name of the lord . i find therefore that there is a temple . but how shall it be built in the name of the lord ? i will shew you . before that we belived in god , the habitation of our heart , was corruptible and feeble , as a temple truly built with hands . for it was a house full of idolatry , a house of devils ; inasmuch as there was done in it whatsoever was contrary unto god. but it shall be built in the name of the lord . consider , how that the temple of the lord shall be very gloriously built . and by what means that shall be , learn. having received remission of our sins , and trusting in the name of the lord , we are become renew'd , being again created from the beginning . wherefore god truly dwells in our house , that is , in us . but how do's he dwell in us ? the word of his faith , the calling of his promise , the wisdom of his righteous judgments , the commands of his doctrine ; he himself prophecies within us , he himself dwelleth in us , and openeth to us who were in bondage the gate of ‖ our temple , that is , ‖ the mouth of wisdom , having given repentance to us ; and by this means has brought us into his incorruptible temple . he therefore that desires to be saved looketh ‖ not unto the man , but unto him that dwelleth in him , and speaketh by him ; being struck with wonder , forasmuch as he never either heard him speaking such words out of his mouth , nor ever desired to hear them . this is that spiritual temple that is built unto the lord . xvii . and thus i trust , i have declared to you as much , and with as great simplicity as i could , those things which make for your salvation , so as not to have omitted any thing that might be requisite thereunto . for should i speak farther of the things that ‖ now are , and of those that are to come , you would not yet understand them , seeing they lie in parables . this therefore shall suffice as to these things . xviii . let us now go on to the other kind of knowledge and doctrine . there are two ways of doctrine and power ; the one of light , the other of darkness . but there is a great deal of difference between these two ways : for over one are appointed the † angels of god , the leaders of the way of light ; over the others the angels of satan . and the one is the lord from everlasting to everlasting ; the other is the prince of the time of unrighteousness . xix . now the way of light is this ; if any one desires to attain to the place that is appointed for him , and will hasten thither by his works . and the knowledge that has been given to us of walking in it ; to this effect . * thou shalt love him that made thee : * thou shalt glorifie him that hath redeemed thee from death . * thou shalt be simple in heart , and * rich in the spirit . * thou shalt not cleave to those that walk in the way of death . * thou shalt hate to do any thing that is not pleasing unto god. * thou shalt abhor all dissimulation . * thou shalt not neglect any of the commands of the lord . * thou shalt not exalt thy self , but shalt be humble . * thou shalt not take honour to thy self . * thou shalt not enter into any wicked counsel against thy neighbour . * thou shalt not be confident in thy heart . * thou shalt not commit * fornication ; nor * adultery . neither shalt thou * corrupt thy self with mankind . * thou shalt not make use of the speech which god has given thee , to any impurity . * thou shalt not accept any mans person , when thou reprovest any ones faults . * thou shalt be gentle. * thou shalt be quiet . * thou shalt tremble at the words which thou hast heard . * thou shalt not keep any hatred in thy heart against thy brother . * thou shalt not entertain any doubt whether it shall be , or not . * thou shalt not take the name of the lord in vain . * thou shalt love thy neighbour above thy own soul. * thou shalt not destroy thy conceptions before they are brought forth ; nor kill them after they are born . * thou shalt not take off thy hand from thy son , or from thy daughter ; but shalt teach them from their youth the fear of the lord . * thou shalt not covet thy neighbours goods ; neither shalt thou be an extortioner . * neither shall thy heart be joined to proud men ; but thou shalt be numbred among the righteous and the lowly . * whatever troubles shall happen unto thee , thou shalt receive them as good . * thou shalt not be double-minded , or double-tongu'd ; for a double tongue is the snare of death . * thou shalt be subject unto the lord and to inferior masters as to the images of god , in fear and reverence . * thou shalt not be bitter in thy commands towards any of thy servants that trust in god ; least thou chance not to fear him who is over both ; because he came not to call any with respect of persons , but whomsoever his spirit had prepared . * thou shalt communicate to thy neighbour of all thou hast ; thou shalt not call any thing thine own : for if ye partake in such things as are incorruptible , how much more should ye do it in those that are corruptible ? * thou shalt not be forward to speak ; for the mouth is the snare of death . * as far as thou art able , ‖ keep thy self pure . * reach not out thine hand to receive , and with-hold it not when thou shouldst give . * thou shalt love , as the apple of thine eye , every one that speaketh unto thee the word of the lord . * call to thy remembrance day and night , the future judgment . * thou shalt seek out every day the persons of the righteous . * and both seek by thy speech and go forth to exhort ; and meditate how thou maiest save thine own soul. * thou shalt also labour with thy hands that thy sins may be forgiven thee . * thou shalt not deliberate whether thou shouldst give ; * nor having given , murmur at it . * give to every one that asks ; so shalt thou know who is the good rewarder of thy gifts . * keep what thou hast received ; thou shalt neither add to it , or take from it . * let the wicked be always thy aversion . * thou shalt judge righteous judgment . * thou shalt never cause divisions ; but shalt make peace between those that are at variance , and bring them together . * thou shalt confess thy sins ; * and not come to thy prayer with an evil-conscience . this is the way of light. xx. but the way of darkness is crooked , and full of cursing . for it is the way of eternal death with punishment ; in which they that walk , meet those things that destroy their own souls . such are ; idolatry , confidence , pride of power , hypocrisie , double-mindedness , adultery , murder , rapine , pride , transgression , deceit , malice , arrogance , witchcraft , covetousness , and the want of the fear of god. in this walk those who are the persecutors of them that are good ; haters of truth ; lovers of lies ; who know not the reward of righteousness , nor cleave to any thing that is good . who administer not righteous judgment to the widdow and orphan ; who watch for wickedness , and not for the fear of the lord ; from whom gentleness , and patience are far off ; who love vanity , and follow after rewards ; having no compassion upon the poor ; nor take any pains for such as are heavy laden and opressed : ready to evil speaking , not knowing him that made them : murderers of children ; corrupters of the creature of god ; that turn away from the needy ; oppress the afflicted ; the adorers of the rich , but unjust judges of the poor ; being altogether sinners . xxi . it is therefore fitting that learning the just commands of the lord , which we have before mentioned , we should walk in them . for he that do's such things shall be glorified in the kingdom of god. but he that chuses the other part , shall be destroyed together with his works . for this cause there shall be both a resurrection and a retribution . i beseech those that are excellent among you , if so be you will take the counsel which with a good intention i offer to you ; you have those with you towards whom you may do good ; do not forsake them . for the day is at hand in which all things shall be destroyed , together with the wicked one. the lord is near , and his reward is with him . i beseech you therefore again and again ; be as good law-givers to one another ; continue faithful counsellors to each other ; remove from among you all hypocrisie . and may god , the lord of all the world , give you wisdom , knowledge , understanding ; and a true apprehension of his judgments in patience . be ye taught of god ; seeking what it is the lord requires of you , and doing it ; that ye may be saved in the day of judgment . and if there be among you any remembrance of what is good ; think of me , meditating upon these things , that both your desire and your watching may turn to some good account . i beseech you ; i ask it as a favour of you ; whilst you are in this beautiful † tabernacle of the body be wanting in none of these things ; but without ceasing seek them , and fulfill every command ; for these things are fitting and worthy to be done . wherefore i have given the more diligence to write unto you , according to my ability , that you might rejoice . farewel , children of love and peace . the lord of glory and of all grace , be with your spirit . amen . the end of the epistle of barnabas the apostle and companion of st. paul the apostle . the shepherd of st. hermas . the contents . the first book . vision i. against filthy and proud thoughts : also the correction of hermas for his neglect of his sons . ii. again of his neglect in correcting his talkative wife ; and of his lewd sons ; and of his own manners . iii of the building of the church-triumphant : and of the several orders of reprobates . iv. of the tryal and tribulation , that is about to come upon men. the second book . an introduction to the following commands . command i. of believing in one god. ii. that we must avoid detraction ; and do our alms-deeds with simplicity . iii. of avoiding lying : and the repentance of hermas for his dissimulation . iv. of putting away ones wife for adultery . v. of the sadness of the heart ; and of patience . vi. that every man has two angels ; and of the suggestions of both . vii . that we must fear god , but not the devil . viii . that we must flee from evil , and do good. ix . that we must ask of god daily , and without doubting . x. of the sadness of the heart ; and that we must take heed not to grieve the spirit of god that is in us . xi . that the spirits and prophets are to be tried by their works ; and of a two-fold spirit . xii . of a two-fold desire : that the commands of god are not impossible : and that the devil is not to be feared by them that believe . the third book . similitude i. that seeing we have no abiding city in this world ; we ought to look after that which is to come . ii. as the vine is supported by the elm , so is the rich-man help'd by the prayers of the poor . iii. as the green trees in the winter cannot be distinguish'd from the dry ; so neither can the righteous from the wicked in this present world. iv. as in summer the living trees are distinguish'd from the dry by their fruit and green leaves ; so in the world to come the righteous shall be distinguish'd from the unrighteous by their happiness . v. of a true fast , and the reward of it : also of the cleanness of the body . vi. of two sorts of voluptuous men ; and of their death , defection , and of the continuance of their pains . vii . that they who repent , must bring forth fruits worthy of repentance . viii . that there are many kinds of elect , and of repenting sinners : and how all of them shall receive a reward proportionable to the measure of their repentance and good works . ix . the greatest mysteries of the militant and triumphant church which is to be built . x. of repentance and alms-deeds . the first book of st. hermas , which is called his visions . the first vision . against filthy and proud thoughts : also the correction of hermas for his neglect of his sons . i. he who had bred me up sold a certain young maid at rome : whom when i saw many years after , i remembred her , and began to love her as a sister . it happen'd some time afterwards , that i saw her wash'd in the river tyber ; and i reach'd out my hand unto her , and help'd her out of the river . and when i saw her , i thought with my self , saying , that i should be happy had i fortun'd to have met with a wife like unto her both for her beauty and manners . this i thought with my self ; nor did i think any thing more . but not long after , as i was walking and musing on these thoughts , i began to honor the creature of god , thinking with my self how noble and beautiful it is . and when i had walk'd a little , i fell asleep . and the spirit caught me away , and carried me through a certain place towards the right-hand , through which no man could pass . it was a place among rocks , very steep , and unpassable for water . when i was past this place i came into a plain ; and there falling down upon my knees , i began to pray unto the lord , and to confess my sins . and as i was praying , the heaven was opened , and i saw the woman which i had coveted , saluting me from heaven , and saying , hermas , hail ! and i looking upon her , answered , lady , what dost thou do here ? she answered me , i am taken up hither to convince thee of sin unto the lord . lady , said i , wilt thou convince me ? no , said she : but hear the words which i am about to speak unto thee . god who dwelleth in heaven , and hath made all things out of nothing , and has multiplied them for his holy churches sake , is angry with thee , because thou hast sinned against me . and i answering said unto her , lady , if i have sinned against thee , tell me where , or in what place , or when did i ever speak an unseemly or dishonest word unto thee ? have i not always esteemed thee as a lady ? have i not always reverenced thee as a sister ? why then dost thou imagine these wicked things against me ? then she , smiling upon me , said , the desire of naughtiness has risen up in thy heart . does it not seem to thee * to be an ill thing for a righteous man to have an evil desire rise up in his heart ? it is indeed a sin , and that a very great one , to such a man : for a righteous man thinketh what is righteous . and whilst he does so , and walketh uprightly , he shall have the lord in heaven favourable unto him in all his works . but as for those who think wickedly in their hearts , they take to themselves death and captivity : and especially those who love this present world , and glory in their riches , and regard not the good things that are to come ; their souls wander up and down , and know not where to fix . now this is the case of such as are doubtful , who trust not in the lord , and despise and neglect their own life . but do thou pray unto the lord , and he will heal thy sins , and the sins of thy whole house , and of all his saints . ii. as soon as she had spoken these words the heavens were shut , and i remained utterly swallowed up in sadness and fear ; and said within my self , if this be laid against me for sin , how can i ever be saved ? or how shall i ever be able to intreat the lord for my many and great sins ? with what words shall i beseech him to be merciful unto me ? as i was thinking over these things , and meditating in my self upon them , behold a chair set over against me of the whitest wool , as bright as snow . and there came an old woman in a bright garment , having a book in her hand , and sate alone , and saluted me , saying , hermas , hail ! and i being full of sorrow , and weeping , answered , hail , lady ! and she said unto me , why art thou sad , hermas , who wert wont to be patient , and modest , and always cheerful ? i answered , and said to her , lady , a reproach has been objected to me by an excellent woman , who tells me that i have sinned against her . she replied , far be any such thing from the servant of god. but it may be the desire of her has risen up in thy heart ? for indeed there is such a thought even in the servants of god , leading unto sin. nor ought such a detestable thought to be in the servant of god ; nor should a spirit that is approved desire that which is evil ; nor especially hermas , who contains himself from all wicked appetites , and is full of all simplicity , and of great innocence . iii. nevertheless the lord is not angry with thee for thine own sake , but upon the account of thy house , which has committed wickedness against the lord , and against their parents . and that act of thy fondness towards thy sons ; in that thou hast not admonished them , but hast permitted them to live wickedly ; and for this cause the lord is angry with thee : but he will heal all the evils that are done before thee in thy house . for through their sins and iniquities , thou art wholly consumed in secular affairs . but now the mercy of god hath taken compassion upon thee , and upon thine house , and hath * greatly comforted thee ; only as for thee , do not wander , but be of an even mind , and comfort thy house . as the workman bringing forth his work , offers it to whomsoever he pleases ; so shalt thou by teaching every day what is just , cut off a great sin . wherefore cease not to admonish thy sons , for the lord knows that they will repent with all their heart , and he will write thee in the book of life . and when she had said this , she added unto me ; wilt thou hear me read ? i answer'd her , lady , i will. hear then , said she ; and opening the book she read , gloriously , greatly , and wonderfully , such things as i could not keep in my memory . for they were terrible words , such as no man could bear . howbeit i committed her last words to my remembrance ; for they were but few , and of great use . behold the mighty lord , who by his invincible power , and with his excellent wisdom made the world , and by his glorious counsel encompassed the beauty of his creature , and with the word of his strength fix'd the heaven , and founded the earth upon the waters ; and by his powerful vertue establish'd his holy church , which he hath blessed : behold , he will remove the heavens , and the mountains , the hills and the seas ; and all things shall be made plain for his elect ; that he may render unto them the promise which he has promised with much honor and joy ; if so be that they shall keep the commandments of god , which they have received with great faith. iv. and when she had made an end of reading , she rose out of the chair ; and behold four young-men came , and carried the chair to the east . and she called me unto her , and touch'd my breast , and said unto me , did my reading please thee ? i answered , lady , these last things please me ; but what went before was severe and hard . she said unto me , these last things are for † the righteous , but the foregoing for the revolters and heathen . and as she was talking with me , two more appeared , and took her up on their shoulders , and went to the east , where the chair was . and she went chearfully away ; and as she was going , said unto me , hermas , be of good chear . vision ii. again , of his neglect in correcting his talkative wife ; and of his lewd sons ; and of his own manners . i. as i was on the way to cumae , about the same time that i had been the last year , i began to call to mind the vision i formerly had . and again the spirit carried me away , and brought me into the same place , in which i had been the year before . and when i was come into the place , i fell down upon my knees , and began to pray unto the lord , and to honour his name , that he had esteemed me worthy , and had manifested unto me my former sins . and when i arose from prayer , behold i saw over against me the old woman whom i had seen the last year , walking and reading in a certain book . and she said unto me , can'st thou tell these things to the elect of god ? i answered and said unto her , lady , i cannot retain such great things in my memory , but give me the book , and i will write them down . take it , says she , and see that thou restore it again to me . as soon as i had receiv'd it , i went aside into a certain place of the field , and transcribed every letter , for i found no syllables . and as soon as i had finished what was written in the book , the book was suddenly caught out of my hands , but by whom i saw not . ii. after fifteen days , when i had fasted , and intreated the lord with all earnestness , the knowledge of the writing was revealed unto me . now the writing was this : thy seed , o hermas ! hath sinned against the lord , and have betrayed their parents , through their great wickedness . and they have been called the betrayers of their parents , and have gone on in their treachery . and now have they added lewdness to their other sins , and the pollutions of naughtiness ; thus have they fill'd up the measure of their iniquities . but do thou upbraid thy sons with all these words ; and thy wife , which shall be thy sister . and let her learn to refrain her tongue , with which she calumniates . for when she shall hear these things , she will refrain her self , and shall obtain mercy . and ‖ they shall be instructed , when thou shalt have reproach'd them with these words , which the lord has commanded to be revealed unto thee . then shall their sins be forgiven which they have heretofore committed , and the sins of all the saints , who have sinned even unto this day ; if they shall repent with all their hearts , and remove all doubts out of their hearts . for the lord hath sworn by his glory concerning his elect , having determined the certain day , that if any one shall even now sin , he shall not be saved . for the repentance of the righteous has its end. the days of repentance are fulfilled to all the saints ; but to the heathen , there is repentance even unto the last day . thou shalt therefore say to those who are over the church , that they order their ways in righteousness ; that they may fully receive the promise with much glory . stand fast therefore ye that work righteousness ; and continue to do it , that your departure may be with the holy angels . happy are ye , as many as shall endure the great tryal that is at hand , and whosoever shall not deny his life . for the lord hath sworn by his son , that who so denieth his son and him , being afraid of his life ; he will also deny him in the ‖ world that is to come . but those who shall never deny him , he will of his exceeding great mercy be favourable unto them . iii. but thou , o hermas ! remember not the evils which thy sons have done , neither neglect thy sister , but take care that they amend of their former sins . for they will be instructed by this doctrine , if thou shalt not be mindful of what they have done wickedly . for the remembrance of evils worketh death ; but the forgetting of them , life eternal . but thou , o hermas ! hast undergone a great many wordly troubles for the offences of thy house ; because thou hast neglected them , as things that did not belong unto thee ; and thou art wholly taken up with thy great business . nevertheless , for this cause shalt thou be saved , that thou hast not departed from the living god ; and thy simplicity , and singular continency shall preserve thee , if thou shalt continue in them . yea , they shall save all such as do such things ; and walk in innocence and simplicity . they who are of this kind , shall prevail against all impiety , and continue unto life eternal . happy are all they that do righteousness , they shall not be consumed for ever . but thou wilt say ; behold there is a great tryal coming . if it seems good to thee , deny him again . the lord is nigh to them that turn to him , as it is written in the books of heldam and modal , who prophecy'd to the israelites in the wilderness . iv. moreover , brethren , it was reavealed to me , as i was sleeping , by a very goodly young man , saying unto me ; what thinkest thou of that old woman from whom thou receivedst the book ; who is she ? i answered , a sybil. thou art mistaken , said he , she is not . i reply'd , who is she then , sir ? he answered me , it is the church of god. and i said unto him , why then do's she appear old ? she is therefore , said he , an old woman , because she was the first of all the creation , and the world was made for her . after this i saw a vision at home in my own house , and the old woman whom i had seen before , came to me and ask'd me , whether i had yet deliver'd the book which she had given me to the elders of the church ? and i answered , that i had not yet . she reply'd , thou hast well done , for i have certain words more to tell thee . but when i shall have finished all the words , they shall be clearly understood by the elect. and thou shalt write two books , and send one to clement , and one to grapté . for clement shall send it to the foreign cities , because it is permitted to him so to do . but grapté shall admonish the widows and orphans . but thou shalt read it to the elders that are over the church . vision iii. of the building of the church-triumphant ; and of the several orders of reprobates . i. the vision which i saw , brethren , was this . when i had often fasted and pray'd unto the lord , that he would manifest unto me the revelation which he had promised by the old woman to shew unto me : the same night she appear'd unto me , and said unto me ; because thou dost thus afflict thy self , and art so desirous to know all things , come into the field , where thou wilt , and about the sixth hour , i will appear unto thee , and shew thee what thou must see . i ask'd her , saying ; lady , into what part of the field ? she answered , wherever thou wilt , only chuse a good and a private place . and before i could begin to speak and tell her the place , she said unto me ; i will come where thou wilt . i was therefore , brethren , in the field , and i observed the hours , and came into the place where i had appointed to go . and i beheld a bench placed ; it was a linnen pillow , and over it spread a covering of fine linnen . when i saw these things order'd in this manner , and that there was no body in the place , i began to be astonish'd , and my hair stood on end , and a kind of horror seiz'd me , for i was alone . but being come to my self , and calling to mind the glory of god , and taking courage , i fell down upon my knees , and began again to confess my sins as before . and whilst i was doing this , the old woman came thither with the six young men whom i had seen before , and stood behind me as i was praying and confessing my sins unto the lord . and touching me , she said ; leave off now to pray only for thy sins ; pray also for righteousness , that thou maist receive a part from her in thy house . and she lifted me up from the place , and took me by the hand , and brought me to the seat ; and said to the young men , go , and build . as soon as they were departed , and we were alone , she said unto me ; sit here . i answered her ; lady , let those who are elder sit first . she reply'd , sit down as i bid you . and when i would have sate on the right side , she suffered me not , but made a sign to me with her hand , that i should sit on the left . as i was therefore musing , and full of sorrow , that she would not suffer me to sit on the right side , she said unto me , hermas , why art thou sad ? the place which is on the right hand is theirs who have already attain'd unto god , and have suffered for his name sake . but there is yet a great deal remaining unto thee , before thou canst sit with them . but continue , as thou dost in thy sincerity , and thou shalt sit with them ; as all others shall that do their works , and shall bear what they have born . ii. i said unto her ; lady , i would know what it is that they have suffered ? hear then , said she : wild beasts , scourgings , imprisonments , and crosses for his name sake . for this cause the right hand of holiness belongs to them , and to all others as many as shall suffer for the name of god ; but the left belongs to the rest . howbeit the gifts and the promises belong to both ; to them , and to those on the left hand ; only that sitting on the right hand they have some glory above the others . but thou art desirous to sit on the right hand with them ; and thy defects are many . but thou shalt be purg'd from thy defects : as also all who doubt not , shall be cleansed from all the sins which they have committed unto this day . and when she had said this she would have departed ; wherefore falling down before her feet , i began to intreat her , for the lord's sake , that she would shew me the vision which she had promised . then she again took me by the hand , and lifted me up , and made me sit upon the seat on the left side ; and holding up a certain bright wand , said unto me ; seest thou that great thing ? i reply'd ; lady , i see nothing . she answered ; dost thou not see over against thee a great tower , which is built upon the water with bright square stones ? for the tower was built upon a square by those six young men that came with her . and thousands of other men brought stones : some drew them out of the deep ; others carried them from the ground , and gave them to the six young men. and they took them , and built . as for those stones which were drawn out of the deep , they put them all into the building ; for they were polish'd , and their squares exactly answered one another , and so one was joyn'd in such wise to the other , that there was no space to be seen where they joyn'd . insomuch that the whole tower appear'd to be built as it were of one stone . but as for the other stones that were taken off from the ground , some of them they rejected , others they fitted into the building . others they cut out , and cast at a distance from the tower. moreover there were many other stones , which lay round about the tower , which they made no use of in the building . some of these were rough , others had clefts in them ; others were white and round , not proper for the building of the tower. besides these , i saw other stones cast afar off from the tower , and falling into the high-way , but not continuing in the way , but were rolled from the way into a desert place . others i saw falling into the fire and burning : others were glowing hot just by the water , yet could not roll themselves into it , though very desirous to fall into the water . iii. and when she had shew'd me these things she would have departed . but i said unto her , lady , what do's it profit me to see these things , and not understand what they mean ? she answer'd and said unto me , you are very cunning , in that you are desirous to know those things which ‖ relate to the tower. yea , said i , lady , that i may declare them unto the brethren ; and they may rejoyce , and hearing these things may glorifie god with great honour . then she said ; many indeed shall hear them , and when they shall have heard them , some shall rejoyce , and others weep . and yet even these , if they shall repent , shall rejoyce too . hear therefore what i shall say concerning the parable of the tower , and after this be no longer importunate with me about the revelation . for these revelations have an end , seeing they are fulfilled . but thou dost not leave off to desire revelations ; for thou art very † urgent . as for the tower which thou seest built , it is i my self , namely the church , which have appeared to thee both now , and heretofore . wherefore ask what thou wilt concerning the tower , and i will reveal it unto thee , that thou mayst rejoyce with the saints . i said unto her , lady , because thou hast thought me once worthy to receive from thee the revelation of all these things , declare them unto me . she answer'd me ; whatsoever is fit to be revealed unto thee , shall be revealed : * only let thy heart be with the lord , and doubt not , whatsoever thou shalt see . i ask'd her , lady , why is the tower built upon the water ? she replied ; i said before to thee that thou wert very wise to enquire diligently concerning the building ! therefore thou shalt find the truth . hear therefore why the tower is built upon the water : because your life is and shall be saved by water . for it is founded by the word of the almighty and honourable name ; and is supported by the invisible power and virtue of god. iv. and i answering said unto her ; these things are very admirable : but lady , who are those six young men that build ? they are , said she , the angels of god , which were first appointed , and to whom the lord has deliver'd all his creatures , to build them up , and to rule over . for by these the building of the tower shall be finish'd . and who are the rest who bring them stones ? they also are the holy angels of the lord ; but the other are more excellent than these . wherefore when the whole building of the tower shall be finished , they shall all feast together besides the tower , and shall glorifie god , because the structure of the tower is finish'd . i ask'd her , saying ; i would know the condition of the stones , and the meaning of them , what it is ? she answering said unto me ; art thou better than all others , that this should be revealed unto thee ? for others are both before thee , and better than thou art , to whom these visions should be made manifest : nevertheless that the name of god may be honour'd , it has been , and shall be reveal'd unto thee , for the sake of those who are doubtful , and think in their hearts whether these things are so or not ? tell them that all these things are true ; and that there is nothing in them that is not true ; but all are firm , and truly established . v. hear now then concerning the stones that are in the building . the square and white stones , which agree exactly in their joynts ; are the apostles , and bishops , and doctors , and ministers who through the mercy of god have come in , and govern'd , and taught , and ministred holily and modestly to the elect of god , both that are fallen asleep , and which yet remain ; and have always agreed with them , and have had peace within themselves and with each other . for which cause their joints exactly meet together in the building of the tower. they which are drawn out of the deep and put into the building , and whose joynts agree with the other stones which are already built , are those which are already fallen asleep , and have suffered for the sake of the lord's name . and what are the other stones , lady , that are brought from the earth ; i would know what they are ? she answer'd , they which lie upon the ground and are not polished , are those which god has approved because they have walked in the law of the lord , and directed their ways in his commandments . they which are put in the building of the tower , are the young in faith and the faithful . and these are admonish'd by the angels to do well , because that iniquity is not found in them . but who are those whom they rejected , and laid besides the tower ? they are such as have sinn'd , and are willing to repent ; for which cause they are not cast far from the tower , because they will be useful in the building if they shall repent . they therefore that are yet to repent , if they shall repent shall become strong in the faith ; that is , if they repent now , whilst the tower is building . for if the building shall be finish'd , there will then be no place for them to be put in , but they shall be rejected ; for he only has this priviledge , who shall now be put to the tower. vi. but would you know who they are that were cut out and cast afar off from the tower ? ‖ lady , said i , i desire it . they are the children of iniquity , who believed only in hypocrisie , and departed not from their evil ways : for this cause they are not saved , because they are not of any use in the building by reason of their sins . wherefore they are cut out , and cast afar off , because of the anger of the lord , and because they have provoked him to anger against them . as for the great number of other stones which thou hast seen placed about the tower , but not put into the building ; those which are rugged , are they who have known the truth , but have not continued in it , nor been joyn'd to the saints ; and therefore are unprofitable . those that have clefts in them , are they who keep up discord in their hearts against each other , and live not in peace ; that are friendly when present with their brethren , but as soon as they are departed from one another , their wickedness still continues in their hearts . these are the clefts which are seen in those stones . those that are maim'd and short are they who have believed indeed ; but still are in great measure full of wickedness ; for this cause are they maim'd and not whole . but what are the white and round stones , lady , and which are not proper for the building of the tower ? she answering said unto me ; how long wilt thou continue foolish and without understanding ; asking every thing and discerning nothing ? they are such as have faith indeed ; but have withal the riches of this present world. when therefore any troubles arise , for the sake of their riches they deny the lord . i answering said unto her ; when therefore will they be profitable to the lord ? when their riches shall be cut away , says she , in which they take delight , then they will be profitable unto the lord for his building . for as a round stone , unless he be cut away , and cast somewhat oft of its bulk cannot be made square ; so they who are rich in this world , unless their riches be pared off , cannot be made profitable unto the lord . learn this from thy own experience : when thou wert rich , thou wast unprofitable ; but now thou art profitable , and fit for the life which thou hast undertaken ; for thou also once wast one of those stones . vii . as for the rest of the stones which thou sawest cast afar off from the tower , and running in the way ; and tumbled out of the way into desert places ; they are such as have believed indeed , but through their doubting have forsaken their true way , thinking that they could find a better . but they wander and are miserable ; going into desolate ways . then for those stones which fell into the fire , and were burnt ; they are those who have for ever departed from the living god ; nor has it ever come into their hearts to repent , by reason of the affection which they bear to their lusts and wickednesses which they commit . and what are the rest which fell by the water , and could not roll into the water ? they are such as have heard the word ; and were willing to be baptized in the name of the lord ; but considering the great holiness which the truth requires , have withdrawn themselves , and walk'd again after their wicked lusts. thus she finish'd the explication of the tower. but i being still urgent , ask'd her : is there repentance allow'd to all those stones which are thus cast away and were not suitable to the building of the tower ; and shall they find place in this tower ? they may repent , said she , but they cannot come into this tower ; but they shall be placed in a much lower rank ; and this after that they shall have been afflicted , and fulfill'd the days of their sins . and for this cause they shall be removed , because they have received the word of righteousness . and then they shall be translated from their afflictions , if they shall have a true sense in their hearts of what they have done amiss . but if they shall not have this sense in their hearts , they shall not be saved , by reason of the hardness of their hearts . viii . when therefore i had done asking her concerning all these things , she said unto me ; wilt thou see somewhat else ? and i being desirous of seeing it , i became very chearful of countenance . she therefore looing back upon me , and smiling a little , said unto me : seest thou seven women about the tower ? lady , said i , i see them . this tower , replied she , is supported by them , according to the command of the lord : hear therefore the effects of them . the first of them which holds her hand fast , is called faith ; by her the elect shall be saved . the next which is girt up , and looks manly , is named abstinence : she is the daughter of faith. whosoever therefore shall follow her shall be happy in all his life ; because he shall abstain from all evil works , believing that if he shall contain himself from all concupiscence , he shall be the heir of eternal life . and what lady , said i , are the other five ? they are , reply'd she , the daughters of one another . one of them is called simplicity ; the next innocence ; the third modesty ; then discipline , and the last of all is charity . when therefore thou shalt have observed the works of their mother , thou shalt be able to observe all things . lady , said i , i would know what particular virtue every one of these has . hear then , replied she ; they have equal vertues ; and their vertues are knit together , and follow one another as they were born . from faith proceeds abstinence ; from abstinence , simplicity ; from simplicity , innocence ; from innocence , modesty ; from modesty , discipline and charity . therefore the works of these are holy and chast , and right . whosoever therefore shall serve these , and hold fast to their works , he shall have his dwelling in the tower with the saints of god. then i ask'd her concerning the times , whether the end were now at hand ? but she cry'd out with a loud voice , saying ; o foolish man ! dost thou not see the tower that it is always building ? when therefore the tower shall be finish'd , and built , it shall have an end ; and indeed it shall soon be accomplished . but do not ask me any more questions . what has been said may suffice for thee and for all the saints ; with the renewal of your spirits . for these things have not been revealed to thee only , but that thou mayst make them manifest unto all . for therefore , o hermas , after three days thou must understand these words which i begin to speak unto thee , that thou mayst speak them in the ears of the saints ; that when they shall have heard and done them , they may be cleansed from their iniquities , and thou together with them . ix . hear me therefore , o my sons ! i have bred you up in much simplicity , and modesty , and innocency ; for the mercy of god , which has dropp'd down upon you in righteousness ; that you should be sanctified , and justified from all sin and wickedness : but ye will not cease from your evil doings . now therefore hearken unto me , and have peace one with another , and visit one another , and receive one another , and do not enjoy the creatures of god alone . give freely to them that are in need . for some by too free feeding contract an infirmity in their flesh , and do injury to their bodies ; whilst the flesh of others , who have not food , withers away , because they want sufficient nourishment , and their bodies are consum'd . wherefore this intemperance is hurtful to you , who have , and do not communicate to them that want . prepare for the judgment that is about to come upon you . ye that are the more eminent search out them that are hungry , whilst the tower is yet unfinish'd . for when the tower shall be finish'd , ye shall be willing to do good , and shall not find any place for it . see therefore , ye that glory in your riches , least perhaps they groan who are in want ; and their sighing come up unto god , and ye be shut out with your goods without the gate of the tower. behold i now warn you who are set over the church , and love the highest seats ; be not ye like unto those that work mischief . and they indeed carry about their poison in boxes ; but ye contain your poison and medicines in your hearts ; and will not purge them , and mix your sense with a pure heart , that ye may find mercy with the great king. take heed , my children , that your dissentions deprive you not of your lives . how will ye instruct the elect of god , when ye your selves want correction ? wherefore admonish one another , and be at peace among your selves ; that i standing before your father , may give an account for you unto the lord . x. and when she had made an end of talking with me , the six young men that built came and carried her to the tower ; and four others took up the seat on which she sate , and went away again , they also , to the tower. i saw not the faces of these , for their backs were towards me . as she was going along i asked her , that she would reveal to me what concern'd the three forms in which she had appear'd unto me . but she answering said unto me ; concerning these things thou must ask some other , that they may be revealed unto thee . now , brethren , in the first vision the last year , she appeared unto me exceeding old , and sitting in a chair . in another vision , she had indeed a youthful face , but her flesh and hair were old ; and she talked with me standing , and was more chearful than the first time . in the third vision , she was in all respects much younger , and comely to the eye ; only she had the hair of an aged person : yet she looked chearful , and sate upon a seat. i was therefore very sad concerning these things , until i might understand the vision . wherefore i saw the same old woman in a vision of the night saying unto me ; all prayer needeth humility . fast therefore , and thou shalt learn from the lord that which thou dost ask . i fasted therefore one day . the same night a young man appear'd to me and said ; why dost thou thus often desire revelations in thy prayers ? take heed that by asking many things , thou hurt not thy body . let these revelations suffice thee ; canst thou see more notable revelations than those which thou hast already received ? i answered and said unto him ; sir , i only ask this one thing upon the account of the three figures of the old woman that appeared to me , that the revelation may be compleat . he answer'd me ; you are not without understanding , but your doubts make you so ; forasmuch as you have not your heart with the lord . i replyed and said ; but i shall learn these things more carefully from you . xi . hear then , says he , concerning the figures , about which you enquire . and first , in the first vision she appear'd to thee in the shape of an old woman ; because your ancient spirit was decay'd , and without strength , by reason of your infirmities , and the doubtfulness of your heart . for as they who are old have no hope of renewing themselves , nor expect any thing but their departure : so you being weakned through your worldly affairs gave your self up to sloath , and cast not away your sollicitude from your self upon the lord ; and your sense was confused , and you grew old in your sadness . but sir , i would know why she sate upon a chair ? he answered ; because every one that is weak sitteth upon a chair by reason of his infirmity ; that his weakness may be upheld : see therefore the figure of the first vision . xii . in the second vision you saw her standing , and having a youthful face , and more chearful than her former ; but her flesh and her hair were ancient . hear , said he , this parable also . when any one grows old , he despairs of himself by reason of his infirmity and poverty ; and expects nothing but the last day of his life . but on the suddain an inheritance is left to him ; and he hears of it , and rises ; and being become chearful , he puts on new strength ; and now he no longer lies along , but stands ; and is deliver'd from his former sorrow ; and sits not , but acts manfully . so you , having heard the revelation which god revealed unto you ; because god had compassion upon you , and renew'd your spirit ; both laid aside your infirmities , and strength came to you , and you grew strong in the faith ; and god seeing your strength rejoyced . for this cause he shewed you the building of the tower ; and will shew other things unto you , if you shall have peace with all your heart among each other . xiii . but in the third vision you saw her yet younger ; fair and chearful , and of a serene countenance . for as if some good news comes to one that is sad , he straightway forgets his sadness , and regards nothing else but the good news which he has heard ; and for the rest he is comforted , and his spirit is renew'd through the joy which he has received : even so you have been renew'd in your spirit , by seeing these good things . and for that you saw her sitting upon a bench , it denotes a strong position ; because a bench has four feet , and stands strongly . and even the world its self is kept up by the four elements . they therefore that repent perfectly , shall be young ; and they that turn from their sins with their whole heart , shall be establish'd . and now you have the revelation fully ; ask no more to have any thing farther revealed unto you . but if any thing be to be revealed , it shall be made manifest unto you . vision iv. of the tryal and tribulation that is about to come upon men. i. i saw a vision , brethren , twenty days after the former vision ; a figure of the tribulation that is at hand . i was walking in the field way : now from the publick way to the mannour whither i went is about ten furlongs . it is a way very little frequented : and as i was walking alone , i entreated the lord that he would confirm the revelations which he had shew'd unto me by his holy church : and would grant repentance to all his servants , who had been offended , that his great and honourable name might be glorified ; and because he thought me worthy to whom he might shew his wonders ; and that i might honour him , and give thanks unto him . and behold somewhat like a voice answer'd me ; doubt not , hermas . wherefore i began to think , and say within my self ; why should i doubt , seeing i am thus setled by the lord , and have seen such glorious things ? i had gone but a little farther , brethren , when behold i saw a dust rise up to heaven . i began to say within my self ; is there a drove of cattle coming , that raises such a dust ? it was about a furlong off from me . and behold i saw the dust rise more and more , insomuch that i began to suspect that there was somewhat extraordinary in it . and the sun shone a little ; and behold i saw a great beast , as it were a whale ; and fiery locusts came out of his mouth . the heigth of the beast was about a hundred feet ; and he had a head like a ‖ large earthen vessel . i began to weep , and to pray unto the lord , that he would deliver me from it . then i call'd to mind the word which i had heard ; doubt not , hermas . wherefore , brethren , putting on the faith of god , and remembring who it was that had taught me great things , i deliver'd my self boldly unto the beast . now the beast came on in such a manner , as if it could with one blast have devour'd a city . i came near unto it ; and the beast extended its whole bulk upon the ground ; and put forth nothing but its tongue , nor once moved its self , till i had quite pass'd by it . now the beast had upon its head four colours , first black , then a red , and bloudy colour , then a golden ; and then a white . ii. after that i had pass'd by it , and was gon forward about thirty foot ; behold there met me a certain virgin well-adorn'd , as if she had been just come out of her bride-chamber , all in white , having on white shoes , and a vail down her face ; and cover'd with shining hair. now i know by my former visions that it was the church ; and thereupon grew the more chearful . and she saluted me saying , hail o man ! i return'd the salutation , saying , lady , hail ! she answering said unto me , did nothing meet you , o man ! i replyed ; lady , there met me such a beast , as seem'd able to devour a whole people : but by the power of god , and through his singular mercy i escap'd it . thou didst escape it well , said she ; because thou didst cast thy whole care upon god ; and open'dst thy heart unto him ; believing that thou couldst be safe by no other , than by his great and honourable name . for this cause the lord sent his angel , who is over the beasts , whose name is hegrin , and stopp'd his mouth , that he should not devour thee . thou hast escap'd a great tryal by means of thy faith ; and because thou , didst not doubt for such a terrible beast . go therefore , and relate to the elect of god , the great things that he hath done for thee . and thou shalt say unto them , that this beast is the figure of the tryal that is about to come . if therefore ye shall have prepared your selves , ye may escape it , if your heart be pure and without spot ; and if ye shall serve god all the rest of your days without complaint . cast all your cares upon the lord , and he will direct them . believe in god , ye doubtful , because he can do all things ; he can both turn away his wrath from you , and send you help and security . wo to the double-minded , to those who shall hear these words , and shall despise them ; it had been better for them that they had not been born . iii. then i ask'd her concerning the four colours which the beast had upon its head. but she answer'd me , saying ; again art thou curious in that thou askest concerning these things . and i said unto her , lady ; shew me what they are ? hear , said she : the black which thou sawest , denotes the world in which you dwell . the fiery and bloudy colour , signifies , that this age must be destroyed by fire and bloud . the golden part are ye , who have escaped out of it . for as gold is try'd by the fire , and is made profitable ; so are ye also in like manner try'd who dwell among the men of this world. they therefore that shall endure to the end , and be proved by them , shall be purged . and as gold , by this tryal is cleansed and loses it dross ; so shall ye also cast away all sorrow , and trouble ; and be made pure for the building of the tower. but the white colour , denotes the time of the world which is to come , in which the elect of god shall inhabit : because the elect of god shall be pure and without spot unto life eternal . wherefore do not thou cease to speake these things in the ears of the saints . here ye have the figure of the great tribulation that is about to come ; which if you please , shall be nothing to you . keep therefore in mind the things which i have said unto you . when she had spoken thus much , she departed : but i saw not whither she went. but suddainly i heard a noise , and i turn'd back , being afraid ; for i thought that the beast was coming toward me . the second book of st. hermas which is called his commands . the introduction . when i had pray'd at home , and was sate down upon the bed ; a certain man came in to me with a reverend look , in the habit of a shepherd cloath'd with a white cloak , having his bag upon his back , and his staff in his hand , and saluted me . i return'd his salutation ; and immediately he sate down by me , and said unto me ; i am sent by that venerable messenger , that i should dwell with thee all the remaining days of thy life . but i thought that he was come to try me , and said unto him , who are you ? for i know to whom i am delivered . he said unto me , do you not know me ? i answer'd , no. i am , said he , that shepherd , to whose care you are delivered . whilst he was yet speaking his shape was changed ; and when i knew that it was he to whom i was committed , i was asham'd , and a suddain fear came upon me , and i was utterly overcome with sadness , because i had spoken so foolishly unto him . but he said unto me , be not asham'd , but stir up vertue in thy mind , through the commands which i am about to deliver unto thee . for , said he , i am sent to shew unto thee all those things again , which thou hast seen before ; and especially such of them as may be of most use unto you . and first of all write my commands and similitudes , that by often reading of them , you may the more easily ‖ keep them in memory . whereupon i wrote his commands and similitudes , as he bad me . which things if when you have heard , ye shall observe to do them ; and shall exercise your selves in them , and walk according to them with a pure mind ; ye shall receive from the lord those things which he has promised unto you . but if having heard them ye shall not repent , but shall still go on to add to your sins ; ye shall be punish'd by him . all these things that shepherd , the angel of repentance , commanded me to write . the first command . of believing in one god. first of all believe that there is one god who created and finished all things ; and made all things out of nothing . he comprehends all things , and is only immense , not to be comprehended by any . who can neither be defined by any words , nor conceived by the mind . therefore believe in him , and fear him ; and fearing him abstain from all evil. keep these things , and cast all iniquity far from thee ; and put on righteousness ; and thou shalt live to god , if thou shalt keep this commandment . the second command . that we must avoid detraction ; and do our alms-deeds with simplicity . i. he said unto me ; be innocent and ‖ without disguise ; so shalt thou be like an infant who knows no malice , which destroys the life of man. and especially see that thou speak evil of none ; nor willingly hear any one speak evil of any . for if thou shalt hear them , thou shalt be partaker of the sin of him that speaketh evil ; and by believing such a one thou also shalt have sin ; because thou believedst him that spake evil of thy brother . * detraction is a pernicious thing ; an inconstant † evil spirit ; that never continues in peace , but is always in discord . wherefore refrain thy self from it ; and keep peace evermore with thy brother . put on a holy constancy , in which there are no sins ; but all is full of joy : and do good of thy labours . ‖ give * without distinction to all that are in want ; not doubting to whom thou givest . but give to all ; for god will have us give to all of † the goods which he dispenses to us . they therefore that receive shall give an account to god , both wherefore they received , and for what end. and they that receive without a real need , shall give an account for it ; but he that gives shall be innocent : for he has fulfill'd his duty as he received it from god ; not making any choice to whom he should give , and to whom not . and this service he did with simplicity , and ‖ to the glory of god. keep therefore this command according as i have deliver'd it unto thee ; that thy repentance may be found to be sincere ; and that good may come to thy house ; and have a pure heart . the third command . of avoiding lying and the repentance of hermas for his dissimulation . ‖ moreover he said unto me ; love truth ; and let all the speech be true which proceeds out of thy mouth ; that the spirit which the lord hath appointed in thy flesh may be found true towards all men ; and the lord be magnified , who hath given such a spirit unto thee : because god is true in all his words , and there is no lie found in him . but they that lie , deny the lord ; * not rendring to god what they received from him . for they received the spirit without a lie : if therefore they make that a lyar , they defile the commandment of the lord , and become deceivers . and when i heard this , i wept bitterly . and when he saw me weeping he said unto me ; why weepest thou ? and i said ; because , sir , i doubt whether i can be saved ? he ask'd me , wherefore ? i reply'd ; because , sir , i never spake a true word in my life ; but always lived in dissimulation ; and affirm'd a lie for truth to all men ; and no man contradicted me , but all gave credit to my words . how then can i live , seeing i have done in this manner ? and he said unto me ; thou thinkest well , and truly . for thou oughtest , as the servant of god , to have walked in the truth , and not have joyn'd an evil conscience with the spirit of truth ; nor have grieved the holy and true spirit of god. and i reply'd unto him ; sir , i never before hearkned so diligently to these things . he answer'd ; now thou hearest them : take care from henceforth , that even those things which thou hast formerly spoken falsly for the sake of thy business , may by thy present truth , receive credit . for even those things may be credited , if for the time to come thou shalt speak the truth : and † by so doing thou mayst attain unto life . and whosoever shall hearken unto this command , and do it ; and shall depart from all lying , he shall live unto god. the fourth command . of putting away ones wife for adultery . i. furthermore , said he , i command thee , that thou keep ‖ thy self chast ; and that thou suffer not any thought † of any other marriage , or of fornification , to enter into thy heart ; for such a thought produces a great sin. but be thou at all times mindful of the lord , and thou shalt never sin . for if such an evil thought should arise in thy heart , thou wouldst be guilty of a great sin ; and they who do such things , follow the way of death . look therefore to thy self , and keep thy self from such a thought : for where chastity remains in the heart of a righteous man , there an evil thought ought never to arise . and i said unto him , sir , suffer me to speak a little with you . he bad me , say on . and i answer'd , sir , if a man shall have a wife that is faithful in the lord , and shall catch her in adultery ; shall a man sin that continues to live still with her ? and he said unto me ; as long as he is ignorant of her sin , he commits no fault in living with her : but if a man shall know his wife to have offended ; and she shall not repent of her sin , but go on still in her fornication , and a man shall continue nevertheless to live with her , he shall become guilty of her sin , and partake with her in her adultery . and i said unto him ; what therefore is to be done if the woman continues on in her sin ? he answered ; let her husband put her away , and let him continue by himself . but if he shall put away his wife , and marry another , he also shall commit adultery . and i said ; what if the woman that is so put away shall repent , and be willing to return to her husband , shall she not be received by him ? he said unto me , yes ; and if her husband shall not receive her , he will sin ; and commit a great offence against himself : but he ought to receive her though an offender , if she repents ; only not often . for to the servants of god there is but one repentance . and for this cause a man that putteth away his wife ought not to take another , because she may repent . this act is alike both in the man and in the woman . now they commit adultery , not only who pollute their flesh , but who also make an image . ‖ if therefore a woman perseveres in any thing of this kind , and repents not ; depart from her , and live not with her : otherwise thou also shalt be partaker of her sin. but it is therefore commanded that both the man and woman should remain unmarried , because such persons may repent . nor do i in this administer any occasion for the doing of these things so ; but rather that whoso has offended should not offend any more . but for their former sins , god who has the power of healing will give a remedy : for it is he who can do all things . ii. i asked him again , and said ; seeing my lord has thought me worthy with whom to dwell continually ; speak a few words unto me , because i understand nothing and my heart is hardned through my former conversation ; and open my † understanding because i am very dull , and apprehend nothing at all . and he answering said unto me ; i am the ‖ minister of repentance , and give † understanding to all that repent . do's it not seem to thee to be * a very wise thing to repent ? because he that do's so gets a great † feeling : for he † feels himself to have sinn'd and done wickedly in the sight of the lord ; and he remembers ‖ within himself that he has offended , and repents and do's no more wickedly ; but do's that which is good , and humbles his soul , and afflicts it , because he has offended . you see therefore that repentance is a deep sense . and i said unto him ; for this cause , sir , i enquire diligently into all things , because i am a sinner , that i may know what i must do that i may live ; and because my sins are many . and he said unto me ; thou shalt live if thou shalt keep these my commandments . and whosoever shall hear and do these commands , shall live unto god. iii. and i said unto him ; i have even now heard from certain teachers that there is no other repentance besides that of baptism ; when we go down into the water , and receive the forgiveness of our sins : and that after that , we must sin no more , but live in * purity . and he said unto me , thou hast † been rightly inform'd . nevertheless seeing now thou enquirest diligently into all things , i will manifest this also unto thee ; yet not so as to give any occasion of sinning either to those who shall hereafter believe , or who have already believ'd in the lord . for neither they who have already believed , or who shall hereafter believe have any repentance of sins , but forgiveness of them . but as to those who are already called , the lord before ‖ that time appointed repentance : because god knoweth the thoughts of all mens hearts , and their infirmities ; and the manifold wickedness of the devil , who is always contriving something against the servants of god ; and maliciously lays snares for them . therefore our merciful lord had compassion towards his creature , and appointed that repentance , and gave unto me the power of it . and therefore i say unto thee , if any one after that great and holy calling shall be tempted by the devil and sin , he has but one * repentance . but if he shall often sin and repent ; it shall not profit such a one ; for he shall hardly live unto god. and i said , sir , i am restored again to life since i have thus diligently hearken'd to these commands . for i perceive , that if i shall not hereafter add any more to my sins , i shall be saved . and he said , thou shalt be saved ; and so shall all others , as many as shall observe these commandments . iv. and again i said unto him ; sir , seeing thou hearest me patiently , shew me yet one thing more . tell me , saith he , what it is . and i said ; if a husband or wife die , and the party which survives marry again , do's he sin in so doing ? ‖ he that marries ( says he ) sins not : howbeit if he shall remain single , he shall thereby gain to himself great honour with the lord . keep therefore thy chastity , and modesty ; and thou shalt live unto god. observe from henceforth those things which i speak with thee , and command thee to observe ; from the time that i have been deliver'd unto thee , and dwell in thy house . so shall thy former sins be forgiven , if thou shalt keep these my commandments . and in like manner shall all others be forgiven , who shall observe these my commandments . the fifth command . of the sadness of the heart : and of patience . i. be patient , says he , and of an even-mind ; so shalt thou have dominion over all wicked works , and shalt fulfil all righteousness . for if thou shalt be patient , the holy spirit which dwelleth in thee shall be pure ; and not be darkned by any other evil spirit ; but being full of joy shall be enlarged , and feast in the † body in which it dwells , and shall appear before the lord with joy , and in great peace . but if any †† anger shall over-take thee , presently the holy spirit which is in thee will be straightned and seek to depart from thee . for he is choaked by the evil spirit ; and has not the ‖ liberty of appearing before the lord as he would . for he is grieved by †† anger . * when therefore both these spirits dwell together , it is destructive to a man. as if one should take a little wormwood , and put it into a vessel of honey , the whole honey would be spoiled ; and a great quantity of honey is corrupted by a very little wormwood , and loses the sweetness of honey , and has no longer any favour with its lord ; because the whole honey is made bitter , and loses its use. but if no wormwood be put into the honey it is sweet and profitable to its lord. thus is an equality of mind sweeter than honey , and profitable to the lord , who dwelleth in it . but †† anger is unprofitable . if therefore †† anger shall be mixed with equanimity , the soul is distress'd , and its prayer is not profitable ‖ with god. and i said unto him ; sir , i would know the sinfulness of †† anger , that i may keep my self from it . and he said unto me , thou shalt know it ; and if thou shalt not keep thy self from it , thou shalt lose thy hope with all thy house . wherefore depart from it . for i the * messenger of righteousness am with thee ; and all that depart from it , as many as shall repent with all their hearts , shall live unto god ; and i will be with them , and will keep them all . for all such as have repented , have been justified , by the * messenger which bringeth salvation . ii. and now , says he , hear the wickedness of †† anger ; how evil and hurtful it is , and how it overthrows the servants of god. for nothing can hurt those that are full of faith , because the ‖ power of god is with them . but he overthrows the doubtful , and those that are destitute of faith : but as often as he sees the other sort , he will cast himself into their hearts . let not therefore any man or woman be in bitterness for any thing ; whether for such things as they have occasion for here ; or for sustenance ; or for any vain word , if any should chance to fall in ; or by reason of any friend ; or for any debt ; or for any superfluous things of the like nature . for these things are foolish , and superfluous , and vain to the servants of god. but equanimity is strong , and forcible ; and of great power , and sitteth in great enlargement ; is chearful , rejocing in peace ; and glorifying god at all times with meekness . and this equality of mind dwells with those that are full of faith. but †† anger is foolish , and light , and empty . now bitterness is bred through folly ; by bitterness , †† anger ; by †† anger , fury . and this fury arising from many evil principles , worketh a great and uncurable sin. for when all these things are in the same * man in which the holy spirit dwells ; the vessel cannot contain them , but runs over : and because the tender spirit cannot tarry with the evil-one ; it departs and dwells with him that is mild . when therefore it is departed from the man in whom it dwelt ; that man becomes destitute of the holy spirit , and is afterwards filled with wicked spirits , and is blinded with evil thoughts . thus do's it happen to all angry men. wherefore depart thou from anger , and put on equanimity , and resist wrath ; and thou shalt be found with modesty and chastity by god. take good heed therefore that thou neglect not this commandment . for if thou shalt obey this command , then shalt thou also be able to observe the other commandments which i shall command thee . wherefore strengthen thy self now in these commands , that thou mayst live unto god. and whosoever shall observe these commandments shall live unto god. the sixth command . that every man has two * angels , and of the suggestions of both . i commanded thee , said he , in my first commandment , that thou shouldst keep faith , and fear , and repentance . yes , sir , said i. he continued ; but now i will shew thee the vertues of these commands , that thou mayst know their effects ; how they are † prescribed alike to the just and unjust . do thou therefore believe the righteous , but give no credit to the unrighteous . for righteousness keepeth the right way , but unrighteousness the wicked way . do thou therefore keep the right way , and leave that which is evil. for the evil way has not a good end , but hath many stumbling-blocks ; it is rugged and full of thorns , and leads to destruction , and is hurtful to all such as walk in it . but they who go in the right way , walk with evenness , and without offence ; because it is not rough , nor thorny . thou seest therefore , how it is best to walk in this way . thou shalt therefore go , says he , and all others as many as believe in god with all their heart shall go through it . and now , says he ; ‖ understand first of all what belongs to faith. there are two angels with man ; one of righteousness , the other of iniquity . and i said unto him ; sir , how shall i know that there are two such angels with man ? hear , says he , and understand . the angel of righteousness , is mild , and modest , and gentle , and quiet . when therefore he gets into thy heart , immediately he talks with thee of righteousness , of modesty , of chastity , of bountifulness , of forgiveness , of charity , and piety . when all these things come into thy heart , know then that the angel of righteousness is with thee . wherefore hearken to this angel and to his works . learn also the works of the angel of iniquity . he is first of all bitter , and angry , and foolish ; and his works are pernicious , and overthrow the servants of god. when therefore these things come into thy heart ; thou shalt know him by his works , that it is the angel of iniquity . and i said unto him ; sir , how shall i understand these things ? hear , says he , and understand . when anger overtakes thee , or bitterness , know that he is in thee : as also , when the desire of many * things , and of the best meats , and of drunkenness ; when the love of what belongs to others ; of pride , and of much speech , of ambition ; and of the like things , come upon thee . when therefore these things arise in thy heart , know that the angel of iniquity is with thee . seeing therefore thou knowest his works , depart from them all , and give no credit to him : because his works are evil , and agree not to the servants of god. here therefore thou hast the works of both these angels . know now and believe the angel of righteousness , because his instruction is good. for let a man be never so happy ; yet if the thoughts of the other angel arise in his heart , that man or woman must needs sin . but let a man or woman be never so wicked , and the works of the angel of righteousness come into his heart , that man or woman must needs do some good. thou seest therefore how it is good to follow the angel of righteousness . if therefore thou shalt follow him , and believe in his works , thou shalt live unto god. and as many as shall believe in his works , shall live also unto god. the seventh command . that we must fear god , but not the devil . ‖ fear god , says he , and keep his commandments . for if thou keepest his commandments thou shalt be powerful in every work , and all thy counsel shall be excellent . for by fearing god , thou shalt do every thing well . this is that fear with which thou must be affected , that thou mayst be saved . but fear not the devil : for if thou fearest the lord thou shalt have dominion over him ; because there is no power in him . now if there be no power in him , then neither is he to be feared . but he in whom power is excellent , he is also to be feared . for every one that has power is to be feared . but he that has no power is despised by every one . fear the works of the devil because they are evil. for by fearing the lord , thou wilt fear and not do the works of the devil , but keep thy self from them . for there is a twofold fear ; for if whilst thou fearest the lord thou wilt do that which is evil , thou shalt not do even that . but if thou wilt do good , the fear of the lord is strong , and great , and glorious . wherefore , fear god and thou shalt live . and whosoever shall fear him , and keep his commandments , their life is with the lord . but they who keep them not , neither is life in them . the eighth command . that we must flee from evil , and do good. i have told thee , said he , that there are two kinds of creatures of the lord , and that there is a two-fold * abstinence . from some therefore thou must abstain , and from others not . i answered , tell me , sir , from what i must abstain , and from what not . hearken , said he . keep thy self from evil , and do it not . but abstain not from good , but do it . for if thou shalt abstain from what is good , and not do it ; thou shalt sin . abstain therefore from all evil , and thou shalt know all righteousness . i said ; what evil things are they from which i must abstain ? hearken , said he ; from adultery ; from drunkenness ; from wicked riots ; from excess of eating ; from daintiness and dishonesty ; from pride ; from denials ; from lying ; from detraction ; from feigned wickedness ; from remembrance of injuries ; and from evil reports . for these are ‖ all the works of iniquity ; from which the servant of god must abstain . for he that cannot keep himself from these things , cannot live unto god. but hear , said he , what follows of these kind of things . and indeed many more there are from which the servant of god must abstain . from theft , and cheating ; from false-witness ; from covetousness ; from boasting ; and all other things of the like nature . do these things seem to thee to be evil or not ? indeed they are very evil to the servants of god. wherefore every such person must abstain from all these * works . keep thy self therefore from them , that thou mayst live unto god , and be written among those that abstain from them . and thus have i shewn thee what things thou must avoid : now learn from what thou must not abstain . abstain not from any good works , but do them . hear , said he , what the vertue of those good works is which thou must do , that thou mayst be saved . the first of all is faith ; the fear of the lord ; charity ; concord ; piety ; equity ; truth ; patience ; chastity . there is nothing better than these things in the life of man ; who shall keep and do these things in their life . hear next what follow these . to minister to the widows ; not to despise the fatherless and poor ; to redeem the servants of god from necessity ; to be hospitable ; for in hospitality there is sometimes great fruit. not to be contentious , but be quiet ; to be humble above all men ; to reverence the aged ; to labour to be righteous ; to keep up brotherhood ; to bear affronts ; to be equal minded ; not to cast away those that have fallen from the faith ; but to make them gentle ; to admonish sinners ; not to oppress those that are our debtors ; and all other things of alike kind . do these things seem to thee to be good , or not ? and i said , what can be better than these words ? live , then said he , in these commandments , and do not depart from them . for if thou shalt keep all these commandments , thou shalt live unto god. and all they that shall keep these commandments shall live unto god. the ninth command . that we must ask of god daily ; and without doubting . again he said unto me ; ‖ remove from thee all doubting ; and question nothing at all . when thou askest any thing of the lord , say not within thy self ; how shall i be able to ask any thing of the lord and receive it , seeing i am so great a sinner against him ? do not think thus , but turn unto the lord with all thy heart . ask without doubting , and thou shalt know the mercy of the lord ; how that he will not forsake thee , but will fulfil the request of thy soul. for god is not as men , mindful of the injuries he has received ; but he forgets injuries , and has compassion upon his creature . wherefore purifie thy heart from all the vices of this present world ; and observe the commands i have before deliver'd unto thee from god ; and thou shalt receive whatsoever good things thou shalt ask , and nothing shall be wanting unto thee of all thy petitions ; if thou shalt ask of the lord without doubting . but they that are not such , shall obtain none of those things which they ask . for they that are full of faith , ask with confidence , and receive from the lord , because they ask without doubting . but he that doubts ; shall hardly live unto god , except he repent . wherefore purifie thy heart from doubting , and put on faith ; and trust in god ; and thou shalt receive all that thou shalt ask . but and if thou shouldst chance to ask somewhat and not receive it , yet do not therefore doubt , because thou hast not presently received the petition of thy soul. for it may be thou shalt not yet receive it for thy tryal , or else for some sin which thou knowest not . but do not thou leave off to ask , † and then thou shalt receive . else if thou shalt cease to ask , thou must complain of thy self , and not of god , that he has not given unto thee what thou didst desire . consider therefore this doubting how cruel and pernicious it is ; and how it utterly roots out many from the faith , who were very faithful and firm . for this doubting is the daughter of the devil ; and deals very wickedly with its servants . despise it therefore , and thou shalt rule over it ‖ on every occasion . put on a firm and powerful faith. for faith promises all things , and perfects all things . but doubting will not believe , that it shall obtain any thing , by all that it can do . thou seest therefore , says he , how faith cometh from above , from god ; and has great power . but doubting is an earthly spirit , and proceedeth from the devil , and has no strēgth . do thou therefore keep the vertue of faith , and depart from doubting , in which is no vertue , and thou shalt live unto god. and all shall live unto god , as many as shall do these things . the tenth command . of the sadness of the heart ; and that we must take heed not to grieve the spirit of god that is in us . i. put all sadness far from thee ; for it is the sister of doubting and of anger . how , sir , said i , is it the sister of these ? for sadness , and anger , and doubting , seem to me to be very different from one another . and he answered ; ‖ art thou without sense that thou dost not understand it ? for sadness is the most mischievous of all spirits , and the worst to the servants of god : it destroys the spirits of all men , and torments the holy spirit ; and again it saves . sir , said i , i am very foolish , and understand not these † things . i cannot apprehend how it can torment , and yet save ? hear , said he , and understand . they who never sought out the truth , nor enquired concerning the majesty of god ; but only believed , are involved in the affairs of the heathen . and there is another * lying prophet , that destroys the senses of the servants of god ; that is , of those that are doubtful , not of those that fully trust in the lord . now those doubtful persons come to him , as to a divine spirit , and enquire of him , what shall befal them . and this lying prophet , having no power in him of the divine spirit , answers them according to their demands ; and fills their souls with promises according as they desire . howbeit that prophet is vain , and answers vain things to those who are themselves vain . and whatsoever is asked of him by vain men , he answers them vainly . nevertheless he speaketh some things truly . for the devil fills him with his spirit , that he may overthrow some of the righteous . ii. whosoever therefore are strong in the faith of the lord , and have put on the truth ; they are not joyned to such spirits , but depart from them . but those that are doubtful , and often repenting ; like the heathens , consult them , and heap up to themselves great sin , serving idols . as many therefore as are such , enquire of them upon every occasion ; worship idols , and are foolish , and void of the truth . for every spirit that is given from god is not asked ; but having the power of the divinity speaks all things of its self ; because it comes from above from the power of the holy spirit . but he that being ask'd speaks according to mens desires , and concerning many other affairs of this present world , understands not the things which relate unto god. for these spirits are darkned through such affairs , and corrupted , and broken . as good vines if they are neglected , are oppress'd with weeds and thorns , and at last kill'd by them ; so are the men who believe such spirits : they fall into many actions and businesses , and are void of sense , and when they think of things pertaining unto god , they understand nothing at all . but if at any time they chance to hear any thing concerning the lord , their † thoughts are upon their business : but they that have the fear of the lord , and search out the truth concerning god , have all their thoughts with the lord . they apprehend whatsoever is said to them , and forthwith they understand it , because they have the fear of the lord in them . for where the spirit of the lord dwells , there is also a great sense added . wherefore joyn thy self to the lord , and thou shalt understand and apprehend all things . iii. learn now , o unwise man ! how sadness grieves the holy spirit , and how it saves . when a man that is doubtful is engaged in any affair , and do's not accomplish it by reason of his doubting ; this sadness enters into him , and grieves the holy spirit , and makes him sad . again , anger when it overtakes any man for any business , he is greatly moved ; and anger possesses his heart ; and he is disturb'd in his work which he is about , and afterwards repents , because he did amiss . thus both doubting and sadness hurt the holy spirit . doubting , because his work did not succeed ; and sadness , because he angr'd the holy spirit . ‖ remove therefore sadness from thy self ; and offend not the holy spirit which dwelleth in thee ; least he ask the lord , and depart from thee . for the spirit of the lord which is given to us in the flesh , endures not sadness . wherefore cloath thy self with chearfulness , which has always favour with the lord , and thou shalt rejoyce in it . for every chearful man do's well , and relishes those things that are good , and despises unrighteousness . but the sad man do's wickedly , because he grieves the holy spirit , which is given to the chearful man. and again he do's ill , because he prays with sadness unto the lord , except he first makes a thankful acknowledgment unto him of former mercies ; and obtains not of god what he asks . for the prayer of a sad man has not always efficacy to come up to the altar of god. and i said unto him , sir , why has not the prayer of a sad man vertue to come up to the altar of god ? because , said he , that sadness remaineth in his heart . when therefore a man's prayer shall be accompanied with sadness , it will not suffer his requests to ascend pure to the altar of god. for as wine when it is mingled with vinegar , has not the sweetness it had before ; so sadness being mix'd with the holy spirit , suffers not a man's prayer to be pure , as it would be otherwise . wherefore purifie thy self from sadness , which is evil , and thou shalt live unto god. and all others shall live unto god , as many as shall lay aside sadness , and put on chearfulness . the eleventh command . that the spirits and prophets are to be tried by their works ; and of a two-fold spirit . he shew'd me certain men sitting upon benches , and one sitting in a chair : and he said unto me ; seest thou those who sit upon the benches ? sir , said i , i see them . he answer'd ; they are the faithful ; and he who sits in the chair , is an earthly spirit . for he cometh not into the church ‖ with the faithful , but avoids it . but he joyns himself to the doubtful and empty ; and prophecies to them in hidden places and corners ; and pleases them by speaking according to all the desires of their hearts . for that which is fitted to empty vessels is not broken , but the one agrees to the other . but when such a one comes into the company of just men , who have the spirit of god , and they pray unto the lord ; that man is emptied , because that earthly spirit flies from him , and he is dumb , and cannot speak any thing . as if in a store-house you shall stop up wine or oyl ; and among those vessels shall place an empty jar ; and shall afterwards come to open it , you shall find it empty as you stopp'd it up : so those empty prophets , when they come among the spirits of the just , are found to be such as they came . thus you see the life of each of these kind of prophets . wherefore prove that man by his life and works , who says that he hath the holy spirit . and believe the spirit which comes from god , and has power as such . but believe not the earthly spirit , in whom there is no trust nor vertue , but he is empty ; because he is from the devil . hear now the similitude which i am about to speak unto thee . take a stone , and throw it up towards heaven ; or take a spout of water , and mount it up thither-ward ; and see if thou canst reach unto heaven . sir , said i ; how can this be done ? for neither of those things , which you have mentioned , are possible to be done . and he answer'd ; therefore as these things cannot be done , so is the earthly spirit without vertue , and without effect . understand yet farther the power of the other , in this similitude . the grains of hail that drop down are exceeding small ; and yet when they fall upon the head of a man , how do they cause pain to it ? and again ; consider the droppings of a house ; how the little drops falling upon the earth , work a hollow in the stones . so in like manner the least things which come from above , and fall upon the earth , have great force . wherefore join thy self to this spirit , which has power ; and depart from the other which is empty . the twelfth command . of a two-fold desire : that the commands of god are not impossible : and that the devil is not to be feared by them that believe . i. again he said unto me ; * remove from thee all evil desires , and put on all good and holy desires . for having put on a good desire , thou shalt hate that which is evil , and bridle it as thou wilt . but an evil desire is dreadful , and hard to be appeas'd . it is very horrible and wild ; and by its wildness consumes men. and especially if the servant of god shall chance to fall into it , except he be very wise , he shall be ruined by it . for it destroys those who have not the garment of a good desire ; and engages them in the affairs of this present world , and delivers them unto death . sir , said i , what are the works of an evil desire , which shall bring men unto death ? shew them to me , that i may depart from them . hear , said he , in what works an evil desire shall bring the servants of god unto death . the spirit of all men is earthly , and light , and has no vertue , and speaks much . i said ; how then shall a man be able to discern them ? consider what i am going to say concerning both kinds of † men ; and as i speak unto thee so shalt thou prove the prophet of god , and the false prophet . and first , try the man who hath the spirit of god ; because the spirit , which is from above , is humble , and quiet , and departs from all wickedness , and from the vain desires of the present world ; and makes himself more humble than all men ; and answers to none when he is ask'd ; nor to every one singly ; neither do's the spirit of god speak to a man when he will ; but speaks when god pleases . when therefore a man who has the spirit of god shall come into the church of the righteous , who have the faith of god , and they pray unto the lord ; then the holy angel of god fills that man with the blessed spirit , and he speaks in the congregation as he is moved by god. thus therefore is the spirit of god known , because whosoever speaks by the spirit of god , speaketh as the lord will. ii. hear now concerning the earthly spirit which is empty and foolish , and without vertue . and first of all the man , who may be supposed to have this spirit exalteth himself , and desires to have the first seat , and is wicked and full of words ; and spends his time in pleasure , and in all manner of voluptuousness ; and receives the reward of his divination . which if he receives not , he do's not divine . although the spirit of god may receive reward , and divine : but it becomes not the prophet of god so to do . but it is an evil desire to covet another mans wife ; or for a woman to covet anothers husband ; as also to desire the dainties of riches ; and multitude of superfluous meats ; and drunkenness ; and many delights . for in much delicacy there is folly ; and many pleasures are needless to the servants of god. such lusting therefore is evil and pernicious , which brings to death the servants of god. for all such lusting is from the devil . whosoever therefore shall depart from all evil desires , shall live unto god : but they that are subject unto them shall die for ever . for this evil lusting is deadly . do thou therefore put on the desire of righteousness , and being armed with the fear of the lord resist all wicked lusting . for fear dwelleth in good desires ; and when evil coveting shall see thee arm'd with the fear of the lord , and resisting it ; it will flie far from thee , and not appear before thee , but be afraid of thy armour ; and thou shalt have the victory , and be crown'd for it ; and shalt attain unto that desire which is good ; and shalt give the victory which thou hast obtain'd unto god , and shalt serve him in doing what thou thy self wouldst do . for if thou shalt be subject to good desires , and follow them ; thou shalt be able to get the dominion over thy wicked lustings ; and they shall be subject to thee as thou wilt . iii. and i said ; sir , i would know how i ought to serve that desire which is good ? hearken , said he , fear god , and put thy trust in him ; and love truth , and righteousness ; and do that which is good . if thou shalt do these things , thou shalt be an approved servant of god ; and shalt serve him . and when he had fulfilled these twelve commands , he said unto me ; thou hast now these commands , walk in them ; and exhort those that hear them that they repent ; and that they keep their repentance pure all the remaining days of their life . and fulfil diligently this service which i commit to thee , and thou shalt receive great advantage by it , and shalt find favour with all such as shall repent , and shall believe thy words . for i am with thee , and will force them to believe . and i said unto him ; sir , these commands are great and excellent , and able to chear the heart of that man that shall be able to keep them . but sir , i cannot tell , whether they can be observed by any man ? he answer'd ; thou shalt easily keep these commands , and they shall not be hard : howbeit if thou shalt suffer it once to enter into thy heart that they cannot be kept by any one , thou shalt not fulfil them . but now i say unto thee ; if thou shalt not observe these commands , but shalt dissemble , thou shalt not be saved , nor thy children , nor thy house : because thou hast judged that these commands cannot be kept by man. iv. these things he spake very angrily unto me , insomuch that he greatly affrighted me . for he changed his countenance , so that a man could not bear his anger . and when he saw me altogether troubled and confounded , he began to speak more moderately and chearfully saying ; o foolish , and without understanding ! unconstant , not knowing the majesty of god , how great , but withal how merciful he is ; who created the world for man ; and hath made every creature subject unto him , and given him all power , that he should be able to overcome all these commands . he is able , said he , to overcome all these commands , who has the lord in his heart : but they who have the lord only in their mouths , and their heart is hardned , are far from the lord . to such persons these commands are hard and difficult . put therefore ye that are empty and light in the faith , the lord your god , and keep him in your hearts ; and ye shall understand how that nothing is more easie then these commands , nor more pleasant , nor more gentle and holy : and turn your selves to the lord your god , and forsake the devil and his pleasures , because they are evil , and bitter , and impure . and fear not the devil , because he has no power over you . for i am with you , the * messenger of repentance , who have the dominion over him . the devil do's indeed affright men ; but his terror is vain . wherefore fear him not , and he will flee from you . v. and i said unto him ; sir , hear me speak a few words unto you . he answer'd , say on : a man indeed desires to keep the commandments of god ; and there is no one but what prays unto god , that he may be able to keep his commandments . but the devil is hard , and by his power rules over the servants of god. and he said ; he cannot rule over the servants of god , who believe in him with all their hearts . the devil may strive , but he cannot overcome them . for if ye resist him , he will flee away with shame from you . but they that are not full in the faith , fear the devil , as if he had some great power . for the devil tries the servants of god , and if he finds them empty , he destroys them . for as a man , when he fills up vessels with good wine , † and among them puts a few vessels half full , and comes to try and tast of the vessels , do's not try those that are full , because he knows that they are good ; but tasts those that are half full , least they should grow sowre ; for vessels half full soon grow sowre , and lose the tast of wine : so the devil comes to the servants of god to try them . they that are full of faith resist him stoutly , and he departs from them , because he finds no place where to enter into them ; then he go's to those that are not full of faith , and because he has place of entrance he goes into them and do's what he will with them , and they become his servants . vi. but i , the ‖ messenger of repentance , say unto you , fear not the devil . for i am sent unto you , that i may be with you , as many as shall repent with your whole heart , and that i may confirm you in the faith. ‖ believe therefore ye who by reason of your transgressions have forgot god , and who company your salvation with your sins , lead your lives in trouble ; that if ye shall turn to the lord with your whole hearts , and shall serve him according to his will ; he will give a remedy to your souls , notwithstanding your former sins , and ye shall have dominion over all the works of the devil . be not then afraid in the least of his threatnings ; for they are without force ; as the sinews of a dead man. but hearken unto me , and fear the lord almighty who is able to save and to destroy you ; and keep his commands , that ye may live unto god. and i said unto him ; sir , i am now confirm'd in all the commands of the lord whilst that you are with me ; and i know that you will break all the power of the devil . and we also shall overcome him , if we shall be able , through the help of the lord , to keep these commands which you have delivered . thou shalt keep them , said he , if thou shalt purifie thy heart towards the lord . and all they also shall keep them who shall cleanse their hearts from the vain desires of the present world , and shall live unto god. the third book of st. hermas which is called his similitudes . the first similitude . that seeing we have no abiding city in this world ; we ought to look after that which is to come . and he said unto me ; ‖ ye know that ye who are the servants of the lord , live here as in a pilgrimage . for your city is far off from this city . if therefore ye know your city in which ye are to dwell , why do ye here buy estates , and provide your selves with delicacies , and stately buildings , and superfluous houses ? for he that provides himself these things in this city , do's not think of returning into his own city . o foolish , and doubtful , and wretched man ! who understandest not that all these things are other mens , and under the power of another ! for the lord of this city saith unto thee , either obey my laws , or depart out of my city . what therefore shalt thou do who art subject to a law in thine own city ? canst thou for thy estate , or for any of those things which thou hast provided , deny thy law ? but if thou shalt deny it , and wilt afterwards return into thy own city , thou shalt not be received , but shalt be excluded thence . see therefore that like a man in another country , thou procure no more to thy self than what is necessary , and sufficient for thee ; and be ready , that when the god or lord of this city shall drive thee out of it , thou mayst oppose his law , and go into thine own city ; where thou mayst with all chearfulness live according to thine own law without wrong . take heed then ye that serve god , and have him in your hearts ; work ye the works of god , being mindful both of his commands and of his promises , which he has promised ; and be assured that he will make them good unto you ; if ye shall keep his commandments . instead therefore of the possessions that ye would otherwise purchase , redeem ‖ those that are in want from their necessities , as every one is able ; justifie the widows ; judge the cause of the fatherless ; and spend your riches and your wealth in such works as these . for , for this end has god enriched you , that ye might fulfil these kind of services . it is much better to do this , than to buy lands or houses ; because all such things shall perish with this present time. but what ye shall do for the name of the lord , ye shall find in your city , and shall have joy without sadness or fear . wherefore covet not the riches of the heathen ; for they are destructive to the servants of god. but of your own abundance which you have , do those things by which ye may attain unto joy. and do not commit adultery , nor touch any other mans wife ; nor desire her : but covet that which is thy own business , and thou shalt be saved . the second similitude . as the vine is supported by the elm , so is the rich-man help'd by the prayers of the poor . as i was walking into the field , and consider'd the elm and the vine , and thought with my self of their fruits ; an angel appear'd unto me , and said unto me ; what is it that thou thinkest upon thus long within thy self ? and i said unto him ; sir , i think of this vine and this elm , because their fruits are fair . and he said unto me ; ‖ these two trees are set for a pattern to the servants of god. and i said unto him ; sir , i would know what the pattern is for which these trees are set . hearken , saith he ; seest thou this vine and this elm ? sir , said i , i see them . this vine , saith he , is fruitful , but the elm is a tree without fruit. nevertheless this vine unless it were set by this elm , and supported by it , would not bear much fruit ; but lying along upon the ground , would bear ill fruit , because it did not hang upon the elm : whereas now being supported upon the elm , it bears fruit both for its self and for that . see therefore how the elm gives no less , but rather more fruit than the vine . how , sir , said i , do's it bear more fruit than the vine ? because , said he , the vine being supported upon the elm gives both much and good fruit : whereas if it lay along upon the ground it would bear but little , and that very ill too . this similitude therefore is set forth to the servants of god ; and it represents the rich and poor man. i answer'd , sir , make this manifest unto me . hear , said he : the rich man has wealth ; howbeit towards the lord he is poor : for he is taken up about his riches , and prays but little to the lord ; and the prayers which he makes are lazy and without force . when therefore the rich man reaches out to the poor those things which he wants , the poor man prays unto the lord for the rich ; and god grants unto the rich man all good things ; because the poor man is rich in prayer ; and his requests have great power with the lord . then the rich man ministers all things to the poor , because he perceives that he is heard by the lord ; and he the more willingly , and without doubting affords him what he wants , and takes care that nothing be lacking to him . and the poor man gives thanks unto the lord for the rich ; because he do's this work to him from the lord . with men therefore the elm is not thought to give any fruit ; and they know not , neither understand that its company being added to the vine , the vine bears a double encrease , both for its self and for the elm. even so the poor praying unto the lord for the rich , are heard by him ; and their riches are encreased , because they minister to the poor of their wealth . they are therefore both made partakers of each others good works . whosoever therefore shall do these things , he shall not be forsaken by the lord , but shall be written in the book of life . happy are they who are rich , and perceive themselves to be encreased : for he that is sensible of this , will be able to minister somewhat to others . the third similitude . as the green trees in the winter cannot be distinguish'd from the dry ; so neither can the righteous from the wicked in this present world. again he shewed me many trees whose leaves were shed , and which seemed to me to be wither'd ; for they were all alike . and he said unto me , seest thou these trees ? i said , sir , i see that they look like dry trees . he answering said unto me ; these trees are like unto the men who live in this present world. i reply'd ; sir , why are they like unto dryed trees ? because , said he , neither the righteous nor unrighteous are known from one another ; but are all alike in this present world. for this world is as the winter to the righteous men , because they are not known , but dwell among sinners . as in the winter all the trees , having lost their leaves , are like dry trees ; nor can it be said which are dry and which are green : so in this present world neither the righteous nor wicked are discern'd from each other , but they are all alike . the fourth similitude . as in summer the living trees are distinguish'd from the dry by their fruit and green leaves ; so in the world to come the righteous shall be distinguish'd from the unrighteous by their happiness . again he shewed me many other trees , of which some had leaves , and others appear'd dry and wither'd . and he said unto me , seest thou these trees ? i answer'd , sir , i see them ; and some are dry , and others full of leaves . these trees , saith he , which are green are the righteous , who shall possess the world to come . for the world to come , is the summer to the righteous ; but to sinners it is the winter . when therefore the mercy of the lord shall shine forth , then they who serve god shall be made manifest , and plain unto all . for as in the summer the fruit of every tree is shewn and made manifest , so also the works of the righteous shall be declared and made manifest , and they shall all be restored in that world merry and joyful . for the other † kind of men , namely wicked , like the trees which thou sawest dry , shall as such be found dry and without fruit in that other world ; and like dry wood shall be burnt , and it shall be made manifest that they have done evil in the time of their life ; and they shall be burnt because they have sinned , and have not repented of their sins . and also all the other nations shall be burnt , because they have not acknowledged god their creator . do thou therefore bring forth good fruit , that in the summer thy fruit may be known ; and keep thy self from much business , and thou shalt not offend . for they that are involved in much business , sin much ; because they are taken up with their affairs , and neglect to serve god. and how can a man that do's not serve god , ask any thing of god , and receive it ? but they who serve him , ask and receive what they desire . but if a man has only one thing to follow , he may serve god , because his mind is not thereby taken off from god , but he serves him with a pure mind . if therefore thou shalt do thus , thou shalt have fruit in the world to come ; and all , as many as shall do in like manner , shall bring forth fruit. the fifth similitude . of a true fast , and the rewards of it : also of the cleanness of the body . i. as i was fasting , and sitting down in a certain mountain , and giving thanks unto god for all the things that he had done ‖ unto me ; behold i saw the shepherd , who was wont to converse with me , sitting by me , and saying unto me : what has brought thee hither thus early in the morning ? i answer'd , sir , to day i keep a * station . he answer'd , what is a station ? i reply'd ; it is a fast. he said ; what is that fast ? i answer'd , i fast , as i have been wont to do . ye know not , said he , what it is to fast unto god ; nor is this a fast which ye fast , profiting nothing with god. sir , said i , what makes you speak thus ? he reply'd ; i speak it , because this is not the true fast which you think that you fast ; but i will shew you what that is which is a † compleat fast , and acceptable unto god. hearken , said he , the lord do's not desire such a needless fast : for by fasting in this manner , thou advancest nothing in righteousness . but the true fast is this ; do nothing wickedly in thy life ; but serve god with a pure mind ; and keep his commandments , and walk according to his precepts , nor suffer any wicked desire to dwell in thy mind . and trust in the lord ; that if thou dost these things , and fearest him , and abstainest from every evil work , thou shalt live unto god. if thou shalt do this , thou shalt perfect a great fast , and an acceptable one unto the lord . ii. hearken unto the similitude which i am about to propose unto thee , as to this matter . a certain man having a farm , and many servants , planted a vineyard in a certain part of his estate for his posterity : and taking a journey into a far country chose one of his servants which he thought the most faithful and approved , and deliver'd the vineyard into his care ; commanding him that he should stake up his vines . which if he did , and fulfilled his command , he promised to give him his liberty . nor did he command him to do any thing more ; and so went into a far country . after then that that servant had taken that charge upon him ; he did whatsoever his lord commanded him . and when he had staked the vineyard , and found it to be full of weeds , he began to think with himself , saying ; i have done what my lord commanded me ; i will now dig this vineyard , and when it is digg'd it will be more beautiful ; and the weeds being pull'd up it will bring forth more fruit , and not be choak'd by the weeds . so setting about his work he digg'd it , and pluck'd up all the weeds that were in it : and by that means the vineyard became very beautiful and prosperous , and not over-run and choak'd with weeds . after some time the lord of the vineyard comes and goes into the vineyard , and when he saw that it was handsomely stak'd , and digg'd , and the weeds pluck'd up that were in it , and the vines flourishing , he rejoyced greatly at the care of his servant . and calling his son whom he loved , and who was to be his heir ; and his friends with whom he was wont to consult , he tells them what he had commanded his servant to do , and what his servant had done more : and they immediately congratulated that servant , that he had received so full a testimony from his lord. then he said unto them ; i indeed promised this servant his liberty , if he observed the command which i gave him ; and he observed it , and besides has done a good work to my vineyard , which has exceedingly pleased me . wherefore for this work which he hath done , i will make him my heir together with my son ; because that when he saw what was good , he dissembled it not , but did it . this design of the lord , both his son and his friends approved , namely , that this servant should be heir together with his son. not long after this , the master of the family calling together his friends , sent from his supper several kinds of food to that servant . which when he had received , he took so much of them as was sufficient for himself , and divided the rest among his fellow servants . which when they had received , they rejoyced ; and wish'd that he might find yet greater favour with his lord , for what he had done to them . when his lord heard all these things , he was again fill'd with great joy ; and calling again his friends and his son together , he related to them what his servant had done with the meats which he had sent unto him . they therefore so much the more assented to the master of the houshold ; that he ought to make that servant his heir together with his son. iii. i said unto him ; sir , i know not these similitudes , neither can i understand them , unless you expound them unto me . i will , says he , expound all things unto thee whatsoever i have talk'd with thee , or shewn unto thee . keep the commandments of the lord and thou shalt be approved , and shalt be written in the number of those that keep his commandments . but if besides those things which the lord hath commanded , thou shalt add some good thing ; thou shalt purchase to thy self a greater dignity , and be in more favour with the lord than thou shouldst otherwise have been . if therefore thou shalt keep the commandments of the lord , and shalt add to them these stations , thou shalt rejoyce ; but especially if thou shalt keep them according to my commands . i said unto him ; sir , whatsoever thou shalt command me , i will observe ; for i know that thou wilt be with me . i will , said he , be with thee , who hast taken up such a resolution ; and i will be with all those who purpose in like manner . this fast , saith he , whilst thou dost also observe the commandments of the lord , is exceeding good . thus therefore shalt thou keep it . first of all , take heed to thy self , and keep thy self from every wicked act , and from every filthy word , and from every hurtful desire ; and purifie thy sense from all the vanity of this present world. if thou shalt observe these things , this fast shall be such as it ought to be . thus therefore do . having perform'd what is before written , that day on which thou fastest thou shalt taste nothing at all but * bread and water † and computing the quantity of food which thou art wont to eat upon other days , thou shalt * lay aside the expence which thou shouldst have made that day , and give it unto the widow , the fatherless and the poor . * and thus thou shalt perfect the humility of thy soul ; that he who receives of it may satisfie his soul , and his prayer come up to the lord god for thee . if therefore thou shalt thus accomplish thy fast , as i command thee ; thy sacrifice shall be acceptable uto the lord , and thy fast shall be written in his book . this station thus perform'd is good , and pleasing , and acceptable unto the lord . these things if thou shalt observe with thy children , and with all thy house , thou shalt be happy . and whosoever , when they hear these things , shall do them ; they also shall be happy , and whatsoever they shall ask of the lord they shall receive it . iv. and i pray'd him that he would expound unto me the similitude of the farm , and the lord ; and of the vineyard and of the servant that had staked the vine-yard ; and of the weeds that were pluck'd out of the vineyard ; and of his son and his friends which he took into counsel with him . for i understood that that was the similitude . he said unto me ; thou art very ready in asking : howbeit thou oughst not to ask any thing , for if it be fitting to shew it unto thee , it shall be shewed . i answer'd him ; sir , whatsoever thou shalt shew , without explaining it unto me , i shall in vain see it : and what similitudes thou shalt propose , and not expound them , i shall in vain hear them . he answered me again , saying , whosoever is the servant of god , and has the lord in his heart , desires understanding of him , and receives it ; and he explains every similitude , and understands the words of the lord which need an enquiry . but they that are lazy , and slow to pray ; doubt to seek from the lord , although the lord be of such an extraordinary goodness , that without ceasing he giveth all things to them that ask of him . thou therefore who art strengthened by that venerable messenger , and hast received such a powerful gift of prayer ; seeing thou art not sloathful , why dost thou not now ask understanding of the lord and receive it ? i said unto him ; seeing i have thee present , it is necessary that i should seek it of thee , and ask thee ; for thou shewest all things unto me , and speakest to me when thou art present . but if i should see or hear these things when thou wert not present , i would then ask the lord that he would shew them unto me . v. and he reply'd ; i said a little before that thou wert subtle and bold , and that thou askest the meaning of these similitudes . but because thou still persistest ; i will unfold to thee the parable which thou desirest , that thou mayst make it known unto all men. hear therefore , said he , and understand . the farm before mention'd denotes the whole earth : the lord of the farm is he , who created and finished all things ; and gave vertue unto them . his son is the holy ‖ spirit ; the servant is the son of god. the vineyard is the people whom he saves . the stakes are the * messengers which are set over them by the lord , to support his people . the weeds that are pluckt up out of the vineyard , are the sins which the servants of god had committed . the food which he sent him from his supper , are the commands which he gave to his people by his son. the friends whom he call'd to counsel with him , are the holy angels whom he first created . the absence of the master of the houshold is the time that remains unto his coming . i said unto him ; sir , all these things are very excellent , and wonderful , and good . but , continued i , could i or any other man besides , though never so wise , have understood these things ? wherefore now sir , tell me what i ask . he replied , ask me what thou wilt . why , said i , is the son of god in this parable , put in the place of a servant ? vi. hearken , said he ; the son of god is not put in the condition of a servant , but in great power and authority . and i answer'd , how , sir ? i understood it not . because said he , the son set his * messengers over those whom the father deliver'd unto him , to keep every one of them ; but he himself labour'd very much , and suffer'd much , that he might blot out their offences . for no vineyard can be digg'd without much labour and pains . wherefore having blotted out the sins of his people , he shew'd to them the paths of life , giving them the law which he had received of the father . you see , said he , that he is the lord of his people , having received all power from his father . but why did the lord take into counsel his son , concerning dividing the inheritance , and the good angels ? hear : because that messenger hearkned to the holy ghost , which was first of all infused into the body in which god should dwell . for his understanding placed him in the body , as it seem'd good to him . this body therefore into which the holy spirit was brought , served that spirit , walking rightly and purely in modesty ; nor ever defiled that spirit . seeing therefore the body at all times obeyed the holy spirit , and labour'd rightly and chastly with him ; nor falter'd at any time ; that body being wearied conversed indeed servily , but being stoutly approved with the holy spirit , was accepted by god. for such a powerful course pleased god , because he was not defiled in the earth , keeping the holy spirit in council with him . he called therefore his son , and the good angels , that there might be some place of standing given to this body which had served the holy spirit without complaint ; least it should seem to have lost the reward of its service . for every pure body , shall receive its reward ; that is found without spot , in which the holy spirit has been appointed to dwell . and thus you have now the exposition of this parable also . vii . sir , said i , i now understand your meaning , since i have heard this exposition . hearken farther , said he : keep this thy body clean and pure ; that the spirit which shall dwell in it may bear witness unto it , and be judged to have been with thee . also take heed that it be not instill'd into thy mind that this body perishes , and thou abuse it to any lust. for if thou shalt defile thy body ; thou shalt also at the same time defile the holy spirit ; and if thou shalt defile the holy spirit , thou shalt not live . and i said ; what if through ignorance this should have been already committed , before a man heard these words ; how can he attain unto salvation , who has thus defiled his body ? he reply'd ; as for mens former actions , which through ignorance they have committed , god only can afford a remedy unto them ; for all power belongeth unto him . but now guard thy self ; and seeing god is almighty and merciful , he will grant a remedy to what thou hast formerly done amiss , if for the time to come thou shalt not defile thy body and spirit : for they are companions together , and the one cannot be defiled but the other will be so too . keep therefore both of them pure , and thou shalt live unto god. the sixth similitude . of two sorts of voluptuous men , and of their death , defection , and of the continuance of their pains . i. as i was sitting at home , and praising god for all the things which i had seen ; and was thinking concerning the commands , that they were exceeding good and great , and honest , and pleasant ; and such as would certainly bring a man to salvation ; i said thus within my self : i shall be happy if i shall walk according to these commands , and whosoever shall walk in them shall live unto god. whilst i was meditating on this wise , i saw him whom i had before been wont to see , sitting by me ; and he spake thus unto me . what doubtest thou concerning the commands which i have delivered unto thee ? doubt not whether they are good , but trust in the lord and thou shalt walk in them . for i will give thee strength ‖ to fulfil them . these commands are profitable to those who shall repent of those sins which they have formerly committed ; if for the time to come they shall not continue in them . whosoever therefore ye be that repent , cast away from you the naughtiness of the present world. and put on all vertue , and all righteousness , and so shall ye be able to keep these commands ; neither sin from henceforth any more . for if ye shall keep your selves from sin for the time to come , ye shall cut off a great deal of your former sins . walk in my commands , and ye shall live unto god : these things have i spoken unto you . and when he had said this , he added ; let us go into the field , and i will shew thee shepherds of sheep . i reply'd , sir , let us go . and we came into a certain field , and there he shew'd me a young shepherd , * finely array'd , with his garments of a purple colour . and he fed large flocks ; and his sheep were full of pleasure , and in much delight and chearfulness ; and they ran here and there , as it were rejoicing . and the shepherd took very great satisfaction in his flock ; and the countenance of that shepherd was chearful , running up and down among his flock . ii. then the angel said unto me ; see'st thou this shepherd ? i answer'd , sir , i see him . he said unto me ; this is the † messenger of delight and pleasure . he therefore corrupts the minds of the servants of god , and turns them from the truth , delighting them with many pleasures , and they perish . for they forget the commands of the living god , and live in luxury and in vain satisfactions ; and are corrupted by this evil-angel , some of them unto death ; and others even to a falling off from the truth . i replied ; i understand not what you mean , by being corrupted unto death , and so falling away . hear , says he : all those sheep which thou sawest exceeding fair and joyful , are such as have for ever departed from god , and given themselves up to the desires of this present time. to these therefore there is no return , by repentance , unto life ; because that to their other sins they have added this , that they have blasphemed the name of the lord . these kind of men are ordained unto death . but those sheep which thou sawest not leaping for joy , but feeding in one place ; are such as have indeed given themselves up to pleasures and delights ; but have not spoken any thing wickedly against the lord . these have not departed from the truth , and therefore have yet hope laid up for them in repentance . for such a defection has some hope still left of a renewal ; but they that are dead , are utterly gone for ever . again we went a little farther forward ; and he shew'd me a great shepherd , who had as it were a wild figure ; clad with a white goats skin , having his bag upon his shoulder , and in his hand a stick full of knots , and very hard , and a whip in his other hand ; and his countenance was stern and sour ; enough to affright a man ; such was his look . he took from that young shepherd such sheep as lived in pleasures , but did not skip up and down ; and drove them into a certain steep craggy place , full of thorns and briars , insomuch that they could not get themselves free from them ; but being entangled in them , fed upon thorns and briars , and were grievously tormented with his whipping . for he still drove them on , nor afforded them any place or time to stand still . iii. when therefore i saw them so cruelly whipp'd and afflicted , i was grieved for them , because they were greatly tormented , nor had they any rest afforded them . and i said unto the shepherd that was with me ; sir , who is this cruel and implacable shepherd , who is moved with no compassion towards these sheep ? he answer'd , * this shepherd is indeed the ‖ messenger of the righteous , but is set over them for their punishment . to him therefore are deliver'd those who have erred from god , and follow'd the desires and pleasures of this world , and served them . for this cause he punishes them every one according to their deserts with cruel and various kind of pains . sir , said i , i would know , what kind of pains they are which every one undergoes ? hearken , said he ; the several pains and torments are those which men every day undergo in their present lives . for some suffer losses ; others poverty ; others divers sicknesses . some are unconstant ; others suffer injuries from those that are unworthy ; others fall under many other tryals and inconveniences . many with an unsetled design aim at many things , and it profiteth them not , and they say that they have not success in their undertakings . these things call to their mind what they have done amiss , and they complain of the lord . when therefore they shall have undergon all kind of vexation and inconveniencie ; then they are deliver'd over to me for good instruction , and are confirm'd in the faith of the lord , and serve the lord all the rest of their life with a pure mind . and when they begin to repent of their sins , then they call to mind their works which they have done amiss , and give honour to god , saying , that he is a just judge , and that they have deservedly suffer'd all things according to their deeds . and for what remains of their lives they serve god with a pure mind , and have success in all their undertakings , and receive from the lord whatever they desire . and then they give thanks unto the lord that they were deliver'd unto me ; nor do they suffer any more cruelty . iv. i said unto him ; sir , i intreat you now to shew me one thing . what , said he , dost thou desire ? i said unto him ; are they who depart from the fear of god tormented for the same time that they enjoy'd their false delight and pleasures ? he answer'd me ; they are tormented for the same time. and i said unto him , they are then tormented but little ; whereas they who enjoy their pleasures so as to forget god , ought to endure seven times as much punishment . he answer'd me ; thou art foolish ; neither understandest thou the efficacy of this kind of punishment . i said unto him , sir , if i understood it , i would not desire you to tell me . hearken , said he , and learn what the force of both is , both of the pleasure and of the punishment . an hour of pleasure is terminated within its own space : but one hour of punishment has the efficacy of thirty days . * whosoever therefore enjoys his false pleasure for one day , and is one day tormented , that one day of punishment is equivalent to a whole years space . thus look how many days any one pursues his pleasures , so many years is he punish'd for it . you see therefore , how that the time of worldly enjoyments is but short , but that of pain and torments , a great deal more . v. i reply'd , sir ; forasmuch as i do not understand all these times of pleasure and pain ; i intreat you that you would explain your self more clearly concerning them . he answer'd me saying ; thy foolishness still sticks inseparably unto thee . shouldst thou not rather purifie thy mind , and serve god ? take heed , least when thy time is fulfill'd , thou shalt be found still unwise . hear then , as thou desirest , that thou mayst the more easily understand . he that gives himself up one day to his pleasures and delights ; and do's whatsoever his soul desires ; is full of great folly , nor understands what he do's , but the day following forgets what he did the day before . for sweetness and worldly pleasure have no memory by reason of the folly that is rooted in them . but when pain and torment befal a man a day , he is in effect troubled the whole year after ; because his punishment continues firm in his memory . wherefore he remembers it with sorrow the whole year ; and then calls to mind his vain pleasure and delight , and perceives that for the sake of that he was punished . whosoever therefore have deliver'd themselves over to such pleasures , are thus punished ; because that when they had life , they rendred themselves liable to death . i said unto him ; sir , and what pleasures are hurtful ? he answer'd , that is pleasure to every man which he do's willingly . for the angry man , gratifying his passion perceives pleasure in it ; and so the adulterer , and drunkard ; the detractor , and lyar , and covetous man , and the deceiver ; and whosoever commits any thing like unto these , because he gratifies his infirmities , he receives a satisfaction in the doing of it . all these pleasures and delights are hurtful to the servants of god. for these therefore they are tormented and suffer punishment . there are also pleasures that bring salvation unto men. for many , when they do what is good , find pleasure in it , and are attracted by the delights of it . now this pleasure is profitable to the servants of god , and brings life to such men : but those hurtful pleasures , which were before mention'd , bring torments and punishment . and whosoever shall continue in them , and shall not repent of what they have done , shall gain death unto themselves . the seventh similitude . that they who repent , must bring forth fruits worthy of repentance . after a few days i saw the same person that before talked with me , in the same field , in which i had before seen the shepherds . and he said unto me ; what seekest thou ? sir , said i , i came to intreat you , that you would command the shepherd who is the minister of punishment , to depart out of my house , because he greatly afflicts me . and he answer'd ; it is necessary for thee to endure inconveniencies and vexations ; for so that good angel hath commanded concerning thee , because he would try thee . sir , said i ; what so great offence have i committed , that i should be deliver'd to this ‖ messenger ? hearken , said he : thou art indeed guilty of many sins , yet not so many that thou shouldst be delivered to this ‖ messenger : but thy house hath committed many sins and offences , and therefore that good ‖ messenger being grieved at their doings commanded that for some time thou shouldst suffer affliction , that they may both repent of what they have done , and may wash themselves from all desires of this present world. when therefore they shall have repented , and be purified , then that messenger which is appointed over thy punishment , shall depart from thee . i said unto him ; sir , if they have behaved themselves so as to anger that good angel , yet what have i done ? he answer'd ; they cannot otherwise be afflicted , unless thou , who art the head of the family , suffer . for whatsoever thou shalt suffer , they must needs feel it : but as long as thou shalt stand well establish'd , they cannot experience any vexation . i replyed ; but , sir , behold they also now repent with all their hearts . i know , says he , that they repent with all their hearts ; but dost thou therefore think that their offences who repent are immediately blotted out ? no , they are not presently ; but he that repents must afflict his soul , and shew himself humble in all his affairs , and undergo many and divers vexations . and when he shall have suffer'd all things that were appointed for him ; then perhaps he that made him and all things besides will be moved with compassion towards him , and afford him some remedy ; and especially if he shall perceive his heart who repents , to be pure from every evil work. but at present it is expedient for thee and for thy house to be grieved ; and it is needful that thou shouldst endure much vexation ; as the angel of the lord who committed thee unto me , has commanded . rather give thanks unto the lord , that knowing what was to come , he thought thee worthy to whom he should foretel that trouble was coming upon those that were able to bear it . i said unto him ; sir , be but thou also with me , and i shall easily undergo any trouble . i will , said he , be with thee ; and i will ask the messenger who is set over thy punishment , that he would moderate his afflictions towards thee . and moreover thou shalt suffer adversity but for a little time ; and then thou shalt again be restored to thy former place ; only continue on in the humility of thy mind . obey the lord with a pure heart ; thou and thy house , and thy children ; and walk in the commands which i have delivered unto thee . and then thy repentance may be firm and pure . and if thou shalt keep these things with thy house , all inconveniencies shall depart from thee . and all vexation shall in like manner depart from all those , whosoever shall walk according to these commands . the eighth similitude . that there are many kinds of elect , and of repenting sinners : and how all of them shall receive a reward proportionable to the measure of their repentance and good works . i. again he shew'd me a willow which covered the fields and the mountains , under whose shadow came all such as were called by the name of the lord . and by that willow stood the angel of the lord very excellent and lofty ; and did cut down boughs from that willow with a great hook ; and reach'd out to the people that were under the shadow of that willow little rods , as it were about a foot long . and when all of them had taken them , he laid aside his hook , and the tree continued intire , as i had before seen it . at which i wondred , and mused within my self . then that shepherd said unto me ; forbear to wonder that that tree continues whole , notwithstanding so many boughs have been cut off from it : but attend ; for now it shall be shewn thee , what that angel means , who gave those rods to the people . so he again demanded the rods of them ; and in the same order that every one had received them , was he call'd to him , and restored his rod : which when he had received , he examin'd them . from some he received them dry and rotten , and as it were touch'd with the moth ; those he commanded to be separated from the rest , and placed by themselves . others gave him their rods dry indeed , but not touch'd with the moth ; these also he order'd to be set by themselves . others gave in their rods half dry ; these also were set apart . others gave in their rods half dry , and cleft ; these too were set by themselves . others brought in their rods , half dry and half green ; and were in like manner placed by themselves . others deliver'd up their rods two parts green , and the third dry ; and they too were set apart . others brought their rods two parts dry and the third green ; and were also placed by themselves . others deliver'd up their rods yet less dry , for there was but a very little , to wit , their tops dry ; but they had clefts , and these were set in like manner by themselves . in the rods of others there was but a little green , and the rest dry ; and these were set aside by themselves . others came , and brought their rods green as they had received them , and the greatest part brought their rods thus , and these also were put apart by themselves . others brought their rods not only green , but full of branches ; and these were set aside ; being received by the angel with great joy. others brought their rods green with branches , and those also full of fruit. they who had such rods were very chearful ; and the angel himself took great joy at them ; nor was the shepherd that stood with me less pleased with them . ii. then the angel of the lord commanded crowns to be brought : and the crowns were brought made of palms ; and the angel crown'd those men in whose rods he found the young branches with fruit ; and commanded them to go into the tower. he also sent those into the tower in whose rods he found branches without fruit , giving his seal unto them . for they had the same garment , that is , one white as snow , with which he had them go into the tower. and so he did to those who return'd their rods green as they received them , giving them a white garment ; and so sent them away to go into the tower. having done this , he said to the shepherd that was with me ; i go my way ; but do thou send these within the walls , every one into the place in which he has deserved to dwell , examining first their rods ; but examine them diligently that no one deceive thee . but and if any one shall escape thee , i will try them upon the altar . having said this to the shepherd he departed . after he was gone , the shepherd said unto me ; let us take the rods from them all , and plant them ; if perchance they may grow green again . i said unto him , sir , how can those dry rods ever grow green again ? he answer'd me ; that tree is a willow , and always loves to live . if therefore these rods shall be planted , and receive a little moisture , many of them will recover themselves . wherefore i will try , and will pour water upon them , and if any of them can live , i will rejoyce with him : but if not , at least by this means i shall be found not to have neglected my part . and they all came unto him , every one in the rank in which he stood , and gave him their rods ; which having received , he planted every one of them in their several orders . and after he had planted them all , he poured much water upon them , insomuch that they were covered with water , and did not appear above it . and when he had water'd them , he said unto me ; let us depart , and after a little time we will return and visit them . for he who created this tree , would have all those live that received rods from it . and i hope , now that these rods are thus watered , many of them , receiving in the moisture , will recover . iii. i said unto him , sir ; tell me what this tree denotes ? for i am greatly moved , that after so many branches have been cut off , it seems still to be whole ; nor do's there any thing the less of it appear to remain , which greatly amazes me . he answer'd , hearken . this great tree which covers the plains and the mountains , and all the earth , is the law of god , publish'd throughout the whole world. now by this law the son of god is preach'd to all the ends of the earth . the people that stand under its shadow , are those which have heard his preaching , and believed . the great and good angel which you saw , was michael , who has the power over this people , and governs them . for he has planted the law in the hearts of those who have believed . and therefore he visits them to whom he has given the law , to see if they have kept it . and he examines every ones rod ; and of those , many that are weakned . for those rods are the law of the lord . then he discerns all those who have not kept the law , knowing the place of every one of them . i said unto him ; sir , why did he send away some to the tower , and left others here to you ? he reply'd ; those who have transgress'd the law , which they receiv'd from him , are left in my power , that they may repent of their sins : but they who satisfied the law and kept it , are under his power . but who then , said i , are those , who went into the tower crowned ? he reply'd ; all such as having striven with the devil , have overcome him , are crown'd . and they are those , who have suffer'd injuries , that they might keep the law. but they who gave up their rods green , and with young branches , but without fruit , have indeed endured trouble for the same law , but have not suffer'd death ; but neither have they deny'd their holy law : they who deliver'd up their rods green as they received them ; are those who were modest and just , and have lived with a very pure mind , and kept the commandments of god. the rest thou shalt know , when i shall have consider'd those rods which i have planted and watered . iv. after a few days we return'd , and in the same place stood that great angel , and i stood by him . then he said unto me ; gird thy self with a ‖ napkin , and serve me . and i girded my self with a clean towel , which was made of coarse cloath . and when he saw me girded , and ready to minister unto him , he said ; call those men whose rods have been planted every one in his order as they gave them . and he brought me into the field , and i called them all , and they all stood ready in their several ranks . then he said unto them , let every one pluck up his rod and bring it unto me . and first they deliver'd theirs , whose rods were dry and rotten . and those whose rods still continued so , he commanded to stand apart . then they came whose rods were dry but not rotten . some of these deliver'd in their rods green ; others dry and rotten , as if they had been touch'd by the moth. those who gave them up green , he commanded to stand apart : but those whose rods were dry and rotten , he caused to stand with the first sort . then came they whose rods were half dry , and cleft : many of these gave up their rods green , but still cleft . others delivered them up green with branches , and fruit upon the branches , like unto theirs who went crown'd into the tower. others deliver'd them up dry and rotten : and some as they were before , half dry , and cleft . every one of these he order'd to stand apart , some by themselves , others in their respective ranks . v. then came they whose rods were for the most part green ; but cleft . these deliver'd their rods altogether green , and stood in their own order . and the shepherd rejoiced at these , because they were all even and free from their clefts . then they gave in their rods , who had half green and half dry. of these some were found wholly green , others half dry ; others green , with young shoots . and all these were sent away , every one to his proper rank . then they gave up their rods , who had two parts green , and the rest dry : many of these gave in their rods green ; many half dry ; the rest dry but not rotten . so these were sent away , each to his proper place . then came they who had their rods two parts dry and the third green ; many of these delivered up their rods half dry ; others dry and rotten ; others half dry and cleft ; but few green. and all these were set every one in his own rank . then they reach'd in their rods , who had them before a third part green , and the rest dry ; their rods were for the most part found green , having little boughs , with fruit upon them ; and the rest altogether green. and the shepherd upon sight of these rejoiced exceedingly , because he had sound them thus . and they also went to their proper orders . vi. now after he had examin'd all their rods , he said unto me ; i told thee that this tree loved life : thou seest how many have repented , and attain'd unto salvation . sir , said i , i see it . that thou mightest know , saith he , that the goodness and mercy of the lord is great and to be had in honour ; who gave his spirit to them that were worthy of repentance . i answer'd , sir , why then did not all of them repent ? he reply'd ; those whose minds the lord foresaw would be pure , and that they would serve him with all their hearts , to them he gave repentance . but for those whose deceit and wickedness he beheld , and perceived that they would not truly return unto him ; to them he deny'd any return unto repentance , least they should again blaspheme his law with wicked words . i said unto him ; now sir , make known unto me , what is the place of every one of those , who have given up their rods , and what their ‖ portion ; that when they who have not kept their seal entire , but have cast away the seal which they received , shall hear and believe these things , they may acknowledge their evil-deeds and repent ; and receiving again their seal from you , may give glory to god , that he was moved with compassion towards them , and sent you to renew their spirits . hearken , said he : they whose rods have been found dry and rotten , and as it were touch'd with the moth ; are the deserters , and the betrayers of the church . who with the rest of their crimes , have also blasphemed the lord , and deny'd his name which was called upon them . therefore all these are dead unto god ; and thou seest that none of them have repented , although they have heard my commands which thou hast delivered unto them . from these men therefore life is far distant . and they also who have deliver'd up their rods dry but not rotten , have not been far from them . for they have been counterfeits , and brought in evil-doctrines ; and have perverted the servants of god ; and especially those who had sinn'd , not suffering them to return unto repentance ; but keeping them back by their false doctrines . these therefore have hope ; and thou seest that many of them have repented , since the time that thou hast laid my commands before them ; and many more will yet repent . but they that shall not repent ; both they have lost patience , and shall lose their life . but they that have repented , their place is begun to be within the first walls , and some of them are even gone into the tower. thou seest therefore , said he , that in the repentance of sinners there is life ; but that for them who repent not , death is prepared . vii . hear now concerning those who gave in their rods half dry , and full of clefts . they whose rods were only half-dry , are the doubtful ; for they are neither living nor dead . but they who deliver'd in their rods not only half-dry , but also full of clefts , are both doubtful and evil-speakers ; who detract from those that are absent , and have never peace among themselves ; and that envy one another . howbeit to these there is yet lest space for repentance ; for thou seest that some of these also have repented . now all those of this kind who have quickly repented , shall have a place in the tower ; but they who have been more slow in their repentance , shall dwell within the walls : but they that shall not repent , but shall continue on in their wicked doings , shall die the death . as for those who had their rods green , but yet cleft ; they are such as were always faithful and good ; but who had some envy and strife among themselves concerning dignity and preheminence . now all such are vain and without understanding , as contend with one another about these things . nevertheless seeing they are otherwise good , if when they shall hear these commands they shall amend themselves , and shall at my perswasion suddainly repent ; they shall forthwith begin to dwell in the tower , as they who have truly and worthily repented . but if any one shall again return to his dissention , he shall be shut out from the tower , and shall lose his life . for the life of those who keep the commandments of the lord , consists in doing what they are commanded ; not in principality , or in any other dignity . for by patience and humility of mind men shall attain unto life ; but by seditions , and contempt of the law , they shall purchase death unto themselves . viii . they who in their rods had half green and half dry , are those who are engag'd in many affairs ; nor are wholly applied to holy things . for which cause half of them liveth , and half is dead . wherefore many of these since the time that they have heard my commands , have repented ; and begun to live in the tower. but some of them have wholly fallen away ; to these there is no more place for repentance . for by reason of their present interests , they have blasphemed and denied god : and for this wickedness have lost life . and of these many are still in doubt ; these may yet return ; and if they shall quickly repent , they shall have a place in the tower ; but if they shall be more slow , they shall dwell within the walls ; but if they shall not repent , they shall die . as for those who had two parts of their rods green , and the third dry ; they have deny'd the lord , by their manifold sins . of these many have repented , and found a place in the tower ; and many have altogether departed from god. these have utterly lost their lives . and some being in a doubtful state , have raised up dissentions : these may yet return , if they shall suddainly repent , and not be with-held by their pleasures ; but if they shall continue in their evil-doings they shall die. ix . they who gave in their rods two parts dry , and the other green ; are those who have indeed been faithful , but withall rich , and full of good things ; and thereupon have desired to be famous ‖ among those without , and have thereby fallen into great pride , and began to aim at high matters , and to forsake the truth : nor did they hold fast to the righteous , but lived ‖ with strangers ; and this life seem'd the more pleasant to them . howbeit they departed not from god , but continued in the faith ; only they did not exercise the works of faith. many therefore of these repented ; and began to dwell in the tower. yet others still living among strange people , and being lifted up with their vanities , have utterly fallen away from god ; and follow'd the works , and wickednesses of the heathen . these kind of men therefore are reckon'd among strangers to the gospel . others of these became doubtful minded ; despairing by reason of their wicked doings ever to attain unto salvation : others being dubious , stirr'd up dissentions . to these therefore , and to those who by reason of their doings are become doubtful , there is still hopes of return ; but they must repent quickly , that their place may be in the tower. but they that repent not , but continue still in their pleasures ; are nigh unto death . x. as for those who gave in their rods green , excepting their tops , which only were dry , and had clefts ; these were always good , and faithful , and approved towards ●od : nevertheless they sinn'd a little , by reason of their empty pleasures , and little disputes which they had among themselves . wherefore many of them when they heard my words , repented forthwith ; and began to dwell in the tower. nevertheless some grew doubtful , and others to their doubtful minds added dissentions . to these therefore there is still hope of return , because they were always good ; but they shall hardly be moved . as for those lastly , who gave in their rods dry , their tops only excepted , which alone were green ; they are such as have believed indeed in god , but have lived in wickedness ; yet without departing from god : having always willingly born the name of the lord ; and readily received into their houses the servants of god. wherefore hearing these things , they return'd , and without delay repented , and lived in all righteousness . and some of them suffered death ; others readily underwent many trials , being mindful of their evil-doings . xi . and when he had ended his explications of all the rods , he said unto me ; go , and say unto all men that they repent , and they shall live unto god : because the lord being moved with great clemency hath sent me to preach repentance unto all ; even to those who by reason of their evil-doings , deserve not to attain unto salvation . but the lord will be patient , and keep the invitation that was made by his son. i said unto him ; sir , i hope that all when they shall hear these things will repent . for i trust that every one acknowledging his crimes , and taking up the fear of the lord , will return unto repentance . he said unto me ; whosoever shall repent with all their hearts , and cleanse themselves from all the evils that i have before mentioned ; and not add any thing more to their sins , shall receive from the lord the cure of their former iniquities ; if they shall not make any doubt of my commands , and shall live unto god. but they that shall continue to add to their transgressions , and shall still converse with the lusts of this present world , shall condemn themselves unto death . but do thou walk in these commands , and thou shalt live unto god. and whosoever shall walk in these , and exercise them rightly , shall live unto god. and having shew'd me all these things , he said : i will shew thee the rest in a few days . the ninth similitude . the greatest mysteries of the militant and triumphant church which is to be built . i. after i had written the commands and similitudes of the shepherd , the angel of repentance ; he came unto me , and said to me ; i will shew thee all those things which the ‖ spirit spake with thee under the figure of the church . for that spirit is the son of god. and because thou wert weak in body , it was not declared unto thee by the angel , until thou wert strengthened by the spirit , and encreased in force , that thou mightest also see the angel. for then indeed the building of the tower was gloriously shewn unto thee by the church ; nevertheless thou sawest all things shewn unto thee as it were by a virgin. but now thou art enlightned by the angel , but indeed by the same spirit . but thou must consider all things diligently ; for therefore am i sent into thine house by that venerable * messenger , that when thou shalt have seen all things powerfully , thou mayst not be afraid as before . and he led me to the top of a mountain of arcadia , and we sate upon its top. and he shew'd me a great plain , and about it twelve mountains in different figures . the first was black as soot . the second was smooth , without grass . the third was full of thorns and thistles . the fourth had grass half dryed ; of which the upper part was green , but that next the root was dry ; and some of the herbs , when the sun grew hot , were dry . the fifth mountain was very rugged ; but yet had green grass . the sixth mountain was full of clefts , some lesser , and some greater ; and in those clefts grew grass , not flourishing , but which seem'd to be withering . the seventh mountain had delightful pasture ; and was wholly fruitful ; and all kinds of cattle , and of the birds of heaven , fed upon it ; and the more they fed of it , the more and better did the grass grow . the eighth mountain was full of fountains , and from those fountains were water'd all kinds of the creatures of god. the ninth mountain had no water at all , but was wholly destitute of it ; and nourish'd deadly serpents , and destructive to men. the tenth mountain was full of tall trees , and altogether shady ; and under the shade of them lay cattle resting and chewing the cud. the eleventh mountain was full of the thickest trees ; and those trees seem'd to be loaded with several sorts of fruits ; that whosoever saw them could not chuse but desire to eat of their fruit. the twelfth mountain was altogether white , and of a most pleasant aspect , and its self gave a most excellent beauty to its self . ii. in the middle of the ‖ plain he shew'd me a huge white rock , which rose out of the plain , and the rock was higher than those mountains , and was square ; so that it seem'd capable of supporting the whole world. it look'd to me to be old , yet had in it a new gate , which seem'd to have been newly hewn out in it . now that gate was bright beyond the sun its self ; insomuch that i greatly admired at its light. about that gate stood twelve virgins ; of which four that stood at the corners of the gate , seem'd to me to be the chiefest ; although the rest also were of worth , and they stood in the four parts of the gate . it added also to the grace of those virgins , that they stood in pairs , cloathed with linnen garments , and decently girded , their right arms being at liberty , as if they were about to lift up a hook , for so they were adorn'd ; and were exceeding chearful and ready . when i saw this , i wonder'd with my self to see such great and noble things . and again i admir'd upon the account of those virgins , that they were so handsom and delicate ; and stood with such firmness and constancy , as if they would carry the whole heaven . and as i was thinking thus within my self ; the shepherd said unto me ; what thinkest thou within thy self , and art disquieted , and fillest thy self with care ? do not seem to consider as if thou wert wise what thou dost not understand , but pray unto the lord , that thou mayst have ability to understand it : what is to come thou canst not understand , but s●●st that which is before thee . be not therefore disquieted at those things which thou canst not see ; but get the understanding of those which thou seest . forbear to be curious : and i will shew thee all things that i ought to declare unto thee ; but first consider what yet remains . iii. and when he had said this unto me , i looked up , and behold i saw six tall and venerable men coming ; their countenances were all alike ; and they call'd a certain multitude of men ; and they who came at their call were also tall and stout . and those six commanded them to build a certain tower over that gate . and immediately there began to be a great noise of those men running here and there about the gate , who were come together to build the tower. now those virgins which stood about the gate perceived that the building of the tower was to be hastned on by them . and they stretched out their hands , as if they were about to receive somewhat from them . then those six men commanded , that they should lift up stones out of a certain deep place , and prepare them for the building of the tower. and there were lifted up ten white stones , square , and † not cut round . then those six men called the virgins to them , and commanded them to carry all the stones that were to be put into the building ; and having carried them through the gate to deliver them to those that were about to build that tower. immediately the virgins began to lift up all of them together those stones , that were before taken out of the deep . iv. and they also who stood about the gate did carry stones in such a manner , that those stones which seem'd to be the strongest were laid at the corners , the rest were put into the sides ; and thus they carried all the stones , and bringing them through the gate , deliver'd them to the builders , as they had been commanded . now they receiving them at their hands built with them . the building was made upon that great rock , and over the gate ; and by these the whole tower was supported . but the building of the ten stones fill'd the whole gate , which began to be made at the foundation of that tower. after those ten stones were five and twenty others lifted up out of the deep ; and these were placed in the building of the same tower ; being lifted up by those virgins , as the others had been before . after these were five and thirty others lifted up ; and these were also in like manner fitted into the same work. then forty other stones were brought up , and all these were added unto the building of that tower. so there began to be four ranks in the foundation of that tower ; and the stones began to cease to be drawn out of the deep ; and they also which built rested a little . again , those six men commanded the multitude , that they should bring stones out of those twelve mountains to the building of the same tower. so they cut out of all the mountains stones of divers colours , and brought them , and gave them to the virgins ; which when they had received they reach'd them up , and carried them into the building of the tower. in which when they were built they became white , and different from what they were before ; for they were all alike , and did change their former colours . and some were reach'd up by the men themselves , which when they came into the building , continued such as they were put in . these neither became white , nor different from what they were before ; because they were not carried by the virgins through the gate . wherefore these stones were disagreeable in the building ; which when those six men perceived , they commanded them to be removed , and put again in the place from which they were brought . and they said to those who brought those stones : do not ye reach up to us any stones for this building ; but lay them down by the tower , that these virgins may take them up and reach them to us . for unless they shall be carried by these virgins through this gate , they cannot change their colours : therefore do not labour in vain . v. so the building that day was ended , howbeit the tower was not finish'd ; for it was afterwards to be built , therefore now also there was some delay made of it . and those six men commanded those that built to depart , and as it were to rest for some time ; but they order'd those virgins that they should not depart from the tower : now they seem'd to me to be left for the guarding of it . when all were departed , i said unto that shepherd ; sir , why is not the building of the tower finish'd ? because it cannot , said he , be finish'd until its lord comes , and approves of the building ; that if he shall find any stones in it that are not good they may be changed ; for this tower is built according to his will. sir , said i , i would know , what the building of this tower signifies ; as also i would be inform'd concerning this rock , and this gate , and concerning the mountains , and the virgins , and the stones that were drawn out of the deep , and not cut , but put into the building just as they came forth ; and why the ten stones were first laid in the foundation ; then the twenty five ; then thirty five ; then forty ? also concerning those stones that were put into the building , and again taken out , and carried back into their place ? fulfil , i pray , the desire of my soul as to all these things , and manifest all unto me . and he said unto me ; if thou shalt not be dull , thou shalt know all , and shalt see all the other things that are about to happen in this tower ; and shalt understand diligently all these similitudes . and after a few days we came into the same place where we had sate before ; and he said unto me , let us go unto the tower ; for the lord of it will come and examine it . so we came thither , and found none but those virgins there . and he asked them , whether the lord of that tower was come thither ? and they reply'd , that he would be there presently , to examine the building . vi. after a very little while i saw a great multitude of men coming , and in the middle of them a man so tall , that he surpassed the tower in bigness . and about him were those six , who before commanded in the building , and all the rest of those who had built that tower , and many others of great dignity : and the virgins that kept the tower ran to meet him , and kissed him , and began to walk near unto him . but he examined the building with so much care that he handled every stone ; and strook every one with a rod which he held in his hand ; of which some being so struck turn'd black as soot ; others were rough ; some looked as if they had cracks in them ; others seem'd maimed ; some neither black nor white ; some look'd sharp , and agreed not with the other stones , and others were full of spots . these were the several kinds of these stones which were not found proper in the building : all which the lord commanded to be taken out of the tower , and laid near it , and other stones to be brought , and put in their places . and they that built , ask'd him from which of the mountains he would have stones brought to put in the place of those that were laid aside : but he forbad them to bring any from the mountains , and commanded that they should take them out of a certain field that was near : so they digged in that field , and found many bright square stones , and some also that were round . howbeit all that were found in that field were taken away , and carried through the gate by those virgins ; and those of them that were square were fitted and put into the places of those that were pulled out . but the round ones were not put into the building , because they were hard , and it would have required too much time to ●ut them ; but they were placed about the tower , as if they should hereafter be cut square , and put into the building ; for they were very white . vii . when he who was chief in dignity , and lord of the whole tower saw this , he called to him the shepherd that was with me , and gave him the stones that were rejected and laid about the tower , and said unto him ; cleanse these stones with all care , and fit them into the building of the tower , that they may agree with the rest ; but those that will not suit with the rest , cast away afar from off from the tower. when he had thus commanded him , he departed , with all those that came with him to the tower : but those virgins still stood about the tower to keep it . and i said unto that shepherd ; how can these stones , seeing they have been rejected , return into the building of this tower ? he reply'd ; i will cut off the greatest part from these stones , and will add them to the building , and they will agree with the rest . and i said , sir , how will they be able to fill the same place , when they shall be so much cut away ? he answer'd ; they that shall be found too little shall be put into the middle of the building , and the greater shall be placed without , and keep them in . when he had said thus unto me , he added ; let us go , and after three days we will return , and i will put these stones , being cleansed , into the tower : for all these that are about the tower must be cleansed , least the master of the house chance to come upon the suddain , and find those which are about the tower , unclean , and so shall despise them ; and these stones shall not be put into this building , and i shall be look'd upon to have been negligent . when therefore we came after three days to the tower , he said unto me ; let us examin all these stones , and let us see which of them may go into the building . i answer'd , sir , let us see . viii . and first of all we began to consider those which had been black ; for they were found just such as they were when they were pull'd out of the tower : wherefore he commanded them to be removed from the tower , and put by themselves . then he examined those which had been rough ; and commanded many of those to be cut round , and to be fitted by the virgins into the building of the tower : so they took them , and fitted them into the middle of the building ; and he commanded the rest to be laid by with the black ones , for they also were become black. next he considered those which were full of cracks ; and many of those also he order'd to be pared away , and so to be added to the rest of the building , by the same virgins : these were placed without , because they were found entire ; but the residue through the multitude of their cracks could not be reform'd , and therefore were cast away from the building of the tower. then he consider'd those that were maimed ; many of these had cracks , and were become black : others had large clefts : these he commanded to be placed with those that were rejected ; but the rest being cleansed and reform'd , he commanded to be put into the building : these therefore those virgins took up , and fitted into the middle of the building ; because they were but weak . after these he examined those which were found half white and half black ; and many of those were now black ; these also he order'd to be laid among those that were cast away . the rest were found altogether white ; those were taken up by the virgins , and fitted into the same tower : ‖ and these were put in the outside , because they were found entire ; that so they might keep in those that were placed in the middle ; for nothing was cut off from them . next he look'd upon those which were hard and sharp ; but few of these were made use of , because they could not be cut : for they were found very hard ; but the rest were form'd , and fitted by the virgins into the middle of the building , because they were more weak . then he consider'd those which had spots ; of these a few were found black , and these were carried to their fellows . the rest were white and entire ; and they were fitted by the virgins into the building , and placed in the outside , by reason of their strength . ix . after this he came to consider those stones which were white and round ; and he said unto me , what shall we do with these stones ? i answer'd , sir , i cannot tell . he reply'd , canst thou think of nothing then for these ? i answer'd , sir , i understand not this art ; neither am i a stone-cutter , nor can i tell any thing . and he said , seest thou not that they are very round ? now to make them square , i must cut off a great deal from them ; howbeit it is necessary that some of these should go into the building of the tower : i answer'd ; if it be necessary , why do you perplex your self , and not rather chuse , if you have any choice among them , and fit them into the building ? upon this he chose out the largest and brightest , and squared them ; which when he had done the virgins took them up , and placed them in the outside of the building . and the rest that remained , were carried back into the same field from which they were taken : howbeit they were not cast away ; because , said he , there is yet a little wanting to this tower , which is to be built ; and perhaps the lord will have these stones fitted into this building , because they are exceeding white . then were there called twelve very stately women , cloath'd with a black garment , girded , and their shoulders free , and their hair loose . these seem'd to me to be country women . and the shepherd commanded them to take up those stones which were cast out of the building , and carry them back to the mountains out of which they were taken . and they took them up joyfully , and carried them back to their places from whence they had been taken . when not one stone remain'd about the tower , he said unto me ; let us go about this tower , and see that nothing be wanting to it . we began therefore to go round it ; and when he saw that it was handsomely built , he began to be very glad : for it was so beautifully framed , that any one that had seen it must have been in love with the building : for it seem'd to be all but one stone , nor did a joynt any where appear ; but it look'd as if it had all been cut out of one rock . x. and when i diligently consider'd what a tower it was , i was extremely pleased ; and he said unto me , bring hither some lime and little shells , that i may fill up the spaces of those stones that were taken out of the building , and put in again ; for all things about the tower , must be made even . and i did as he commanded me , and brought them unto him ; and he said unto me , be ready to help me , and this work will quickly be finish'd . he therefore filled up the spaces of those stones , and commanded the place about the tower to be cleansed . then those virgins took beasoms , and cleansed all the place around , and took away all the rubbish , and threw on water . which being done , the place became delightful , and the tower beauteous . then he said unto me ; all is now clean : if the lord should come to finish the tower , he will find nothing whereby to complain of us . when he had said this he would have departed . but i laid hold on his bag , and began to entreat him for the lord's sake , that he would explain to me all things that he had shewn me . he said unto me , i have at present a little business ; but i will suddainly explain all things unto thee . tarry here for me till i come . i said unto him ; sir , what shall i do here alone ? he answer'd , thou art not alone , seeing all these virgins are with thee . i said ; sir , deliver me then unto them . then he called them , and said unto them ; i commend this man unto you till i shall come . so i remain'd with those virgins ; now they were chearful and courteous unto me ; especially the four , which seem'd to be the chiefest among them . xi . then those virgins said unto me ; that shepherd will not return hither to day . i said unto them ; what then shall i do ? they answer'd , tarry for him till the evening , if perhaps he may come and speak with thee ; but if not , yet thou shalt continue with us till he do's come . i said unto them , i will tarry for him till evening ; but if he comes not by that time i will go home , and return hither again the next morning . they answered me ; thou art deliver'd unto us , thou mayst not depart from us . i said , where shall i tarry ? they replied ; thou shalt sleep with us as a brother , not as a husband : for thou art our brother , and we are ready from henceforth to dwell with thee ; for thou art very dear to us . howbeit i was ashamed to continue with them . but she that seem'd to be the chiefest amongst them , embraced me , and began to kiss me . and the rest when they saw that i was kissed by her , began also to kiss me as a brother ; and led me about the tower , and play'd with me . some of them also sung psalms , others made up the chorus with them . but i walked about the tower with them , rejoycing silently and seeming to my self to be grown young again . and when the evening came on , i would forthwith have gone home , but they with-held me , and suffer'd me not to depart . wherefore i continued with them that night near the same tower. so they spread their linnen garments upon the ground ; and placed me in the middle , nor did they any thing else but pray . i also pray'd with them without ceasing , no less than they . who when they saw me pray in that manner , rejoyced greatly ; and i continued there with them till the next day . and when we had worship'd god , then the shepherd came and said unto them ; you have done no injury to this man. they answer'd , ask him . i said unto him , sir , i have received a great deal of satisfaction in that i have remained with them . and he said unto me , how didst thou sup ? i answered , sir , i feasted the whole night upon the words of the lord . they received thee well then , said he ? i said , sir , very well . he answer'd , wilt thou now learn what thou didst desire ? i reply'd , sir , i will : and first i pray thee that thou shouldst shew me all things in the order that i asked them . he answer'd . i will do all as thou wouldst have me , nor will i hide any thing from thee . xii . first of all sir , said i , tell me , what this rock and this gate denote ? hearken said he ; this rock , and this gate are the son of god. i reply'd , sir , how can that be ; seeing the rock is old , but the gate new ? hear , said he , o foolish man ! and understand . the son of god is indeed more antient than any creature ; insomuch that he was in council with his father at the creation of all things . but the gate is therefore new , because he appear'd in the last days at the fulness of time ; that they who shall attain unto salvation , may by it enter into the kingdom of god. you have seen , said he , those stones which were carried through the gate , how they were placed in the building of the tower ; but that those which were not carried through the gate , were sent away into their own places ? i answer'd , sir , i saw it . thus , said he , no man shall enter into the kingdom of god , but he who shall take upon him the name of the son of god. for if you would enter into any city , and that city should be encompassed with a wall , and had only one gate , could you enter into that city except by the gate which it has ? i answer'd , sir , how could i do otherwise ? as therefore , said he , there would be no other way of entring into that city but by its gate , so neither can any one enter into the kingdom of god , but only by the name of the son of god , who is most dear unto him . and he said unto me , didst thou see the multitude that built that tower ? sir , said i , i saw it . he answer'd , all those are the angels , venerable in their dignity . with these is the lord encompassed as with a wall ; but the gate is the son of god ; who is the only way of coming unto god. for no man shall enter into the kingdom of god by any other way , but only by his son. thou sawest also , said he , the six men , and in the middle of them that tall , great man , who walk'd about the tower , and rejected the stones out of the tower ? sir , said i , i saw them . he answer'd , that man was the glorious son of god ; and those six were his angels of most eminent dignity , which stand about him on the right hand and on the left. of these excellent angels none comes in unto god without him . he added ; whosoever therefore shall not take upon him his name , he shall not enter into the kingdom of god. xiii . then he said , what is this tower ? this said he , is the church . and what , sir , are these virgins ? he said unto me , these are the holy spirits ; for no man can enter into the kingdom of god except these cloath him with their garment . for it will avail thee nothing to take up the name of the son of god , unless thou shalt also receive their garment from them . for these virgins are the powers of the son of god. so shall a man in vain carry his name , unless he shall also carry his powers . and he said unto me ; sawest thou those stones that were cast away ? they carried indeed the name , but put not on their garment . i said , sir , what is their garment ? ‖ their very names , said he , are their garment . therefore whosoever carries the name of the son of god , ought to carry their names also ; for the son of god also himself carrieth their names . as for those stones , continued he , which being deliver'd by their hands , thou sawest remain in the building , they were cloathed with their power ; for which cause thou seest the whole tower of the same † colour with the rock , and made as it were of one stone . so also those who have believed in god by his son , have put on this spirit . behold there shall be one spirit , and one body , and one colour of their garments : and all they shall attain this , who shall carry the names of these virgins . and i said , sir , why then were those stones cast away which were rejected ; seeing they also were carried through the gate ; and delivered by the hands of these virgins into the building of this tower ? seeing , said he , thou takest care to enquire diligently into all things ; hear also concerning those stones which were rejected . all these received the name of the son of god , and with that the power of these virgins . having therefore received these spirits they were perfected , and brought into the number of the servants of god ; and they began to be one body , and to have one garment ; for they were sensible of the same righteousness , which they alike exercised . but after that they beheld those women which thou sawest cloathed with a black garment , with their shoulders at liberty and their hair loose ; they fix'd their desires upon them , being tempted with their beauty ; and were cloathed with their power , and cast off the cloathing of the virgins . therefore were they cast off from the house of god , and delivered to those women . but they that were not corrupted with their beauty , remained in the house of god. this , said he , is the signification of those stones which were rejected . xiv . and i said : sir , what if any of these men shall repent , and cast away their desire of those women , and be converted , and return to these virgins , and put on again their vertue ; shall they not enter into the house of god ? they shall enter , said he , if they shall lay aside all the works of those women , and shall resume the power of these virgins , and shall walk in their works . and for this cause there is a stop in the building , that if they shall repent , they may be added to the building of this tower ; but if they shall not repent , that others may be built in their places , and they be utterly cast away . for all these things i gave thanks unto the lord , that being moved with mercy towards all those upon whom his name is called , he sent to us the angel of repentance to preside over us who have sinned against him ; and that he has renew'd our spirits which were almost gone , and who had no hope of salvation , but are now refreshed to the renewal of life . then i said ; shew me now sir , why this tower is not built upon the ground , but upon a rock , and upon the gate ? he replied ; thou art yet foolish and without understanding , seeing thou askest this . and i said ; sir , i must needs ask all things of you , because i understand nothing . for all your answers are great and excellent ; and which a man can hardly understand . hear , said he : the name of the son of god is great and without bounds , and the whole world is supported by it . if therefore , said i , every creature of god be sustain'd by his son ; why do's he not support those also who have been invited by him , and who carry his name , and walk in his commandments ? seest thou not , said he , that he do's support them , who with all their heart carry his name ? he therefore is their foundation , and gladly supports those who do not deny his name , but willingly bear it . xv. and i said : sir , tell me , the names of these virgins ; and of those women that were cloathed with the black garment . hear , said he , the names of those virgins which are the more powerful , and stand at the corners of the gate . these are their names : the first is called ‖ faith ; the second , abstinence ; the third , power ; the fourth , patience ; the rest which stand beneath these are , simplicity ; innocence ; chastity ; chearfulness ; truth ; understanding ; concord ; and charity . whosoever therefore carry these names , and the name of the son god , shall enter into the kingdom of god. hear now , said he , the names of those women , which were cloathed with the black garment . of these , four are the principal ; the first is perfidiousness ; the second , intemperance ; the third , infidelity ; the fourth , pleasure . and the rest which follow are called thus , sadness ; malice ; lust ; anger ; lying ; foolishness ; pride , and hatred . the servant of god which carries these spirits , shall see indeed the kingdom of god , but he shall not enter into it . but sir , what are those stones which were taken out of the deep and fitted into the building ? then ten , said he , which were placed at the foundation , are the first age ; the following five and twenty , the second , of righteous men. the next thirty five , are the prophets and ministers of the lord . and the forty , are the apostles and doctors of the preaching of the son of god. and i said , sir , why did the virgins carry even these stones also through the gate , and so put them into the building ? and he said , because these first spirits carried them ; and they departed not one from the other , neither the men from the spirits , nor the spirits from the men ; but the spirits were joyned to those men even to the day of their death ; who if they had not had these spirits with them they could not have been useful to the building of this tower. xvi . and i said ; sir , shew me this farther . he answer'd , what do'st thou demand ? why did these stones come out of the deep , and were placed into the building of this tower , seeing that they long ago carried their just spirits ? † it was necessary , said he , for them to ascend by water , and so to be at rest . for they could not otherwise enter into the kingdom of god , but by laying aside the mortality of their former life . they therefore being dead , were nevertheless sealed with the seal of the son of god , and so entred into the kingdom of god. for before a man receives the name of the son of god , he is ordained unto death ; but when he receives the seal he is freed from death , and delivered unto life . now that seal is water , into which men go down under the obligation unto death , but come up appointed unto life . wherefore to those also was this seal ‖ preached , and they made use of it , that they might enter into the kingdom of god. and i said ; why then , sir , did these forty stones also ascend with them out of the deep , having already received that seal ? he answered ; * because these apostles and teachers , who preached the name of the son of god , dying after they had received his faith and power , preached to them who were dead before ; and they gave this seal to them . they went down therefore into the water with them , and again came up . but these went down alive ; whereas those , who were before dead , went down dead , but came up alive . through these therefore they received life and knew the son of god : for which cause they came up with them , and agreed in the building of the tower ; and were not cut , but put in intire ; because they dyed in great purity being full of righteousness ; only this seal was wanting to them . thus you have the explication of these things . xvii . i answer'd : sir , tell me now what concerns those mountains , why they are so different ; some of one form , and some of another . hear , said he : these twelve mountains which thou seest , are twelve nations , which make up the whole world. wherefore the son of god is preached to them , by those whom he sent unto them . but why , said i , are they different , and every one of a several figure ? he replied ; hearken . those twelve nations which possess the whole world , are twelve peoples : and as thou hast beheld these mountains different , so are they . i will therefore open to thee the meaning , and actions of every mountain . but first , sir , said i , shew me this : seeing these mountains are so different , how have they agreed into the building of this tower ; and are no less bright than those which came out of the deep ? because , reply'd he , all the nations under heaven , that have heard and believed , have been called in the same one name of the son of god. wherefore having received his seal , they have all been made partakers of the same prudence and * knowledge ; and their faith and charity have been the same ; and they have carried the spirits of these virgins with his name . and therefore the building of this tower seemed of the same colour , and did shine like the brightness of the sun. howbeit after that they were thus perswaded , and that there began to be one body of them all , some among them polluted themselves , and were cast off from the generation of the righteous , and again return'd to their former state , and became even worse than they were before . xviii . how , said i , sir , were they worse who knew the lord ? he answer'd ; if he who knows not the lord liveth wickedly , the punishment of his wickedness attends him . but he who has known the lord , ought to abstain altogether from all wickedness , and more and more be the servant of righteousness . and do's not he then seem to thee to sin more who ought to follow goodness , if he shall prefer the part of sin ; than he who offends without knowing the vertue of god ? wherefore these are indeed ordain'd unto death ; but they who have known the lord , and have seen his wonderful works , if they shall live wickedly , they shall be doubly punish'd , and shall die for ever . as therefore thou hast seen that after the stones were cast out of the tower , which had been rejected ; they were deliver'd to wicked and cruel spirits ; and thou beheldst the tower so cleansed , as if it had all been made of one stone : ‖ so the church of god , when it shall be purified ; ( the wicked and counterfeits , the mischeivous and doubtful , and all that have behaved themselves wickedly in it , and committed divers kinds of sin , being cast out ; ) shall become one body , and there shall be one understanding , one opinion , one faith , and the same charity . then shall the son of god rejoice among them ; and shall receive his people with a pure will. and i said ; sir , all these things are great and honourable : but now shew unto me the effect and force of every mountain ; that every soul which trusteth in the lord , when it shall hear these things , many honour his great , and wonderful , and holy name . hear , said he , the variety of these mountains , that is , of the twelve nations . xix . they who have believed of the first mountain , which is black , are those who have revolted from the faith ; and spoken wicked things against the lord ; and betray'd the servants of god. to these death is proposed , but there is no repentance for them : and therefore they are black , because their kind is wicked . of the second mountain which was smooth , are the † hypocrites , who have believed , and the teachers of naughtiness : and these are next to the foregoing , which have not in them the fruit of righteousness . for as their mountain is barren , and without fruit ; so also such kind of men have indeed the name of christians , but are empty of faith ; nor is there any fruit of the truth in them . nevertheless there is room left to them for repentance , if they shall suddainly pursue it : but if they shall delay , they also shall be partakers of death with the foregoing kind . i said , sir , why is there room left to those for repentance , and not to the foregoing kind , seeing their sins are well nigh the same ? there is therefore , said he , to these a return unto life , because they have not blasphemed their lord , nor betray'd the servants of god : but by their desire of gain have deceived men , leading them according to the desires of sinners ; wherefore they shall suffer for this thing . howbeit there is still left them room for repentance , because they have not spoken any thing wickedly against their lord . xx. they who are of the third mountain which had thorns and brambles , are those who believed , but were some of them rich , others taken up with many affairs : the brambles are their riches ; the thorns , those affairs in which they were engaged . now they who are entangled in much business , and in diversity of affairs , joyn not themselves to the servants of god , but wander , being called away by those affairs with which they are choaked . and so they which are rich , with difficulty yield themselves to the * conversation of the servants of god ; fearing least any thing should be ask'd of them . these therefore shall hardly enter into the kingdom of god. for as men walk with difficulty bare-foot over thorns ; even so these kind of men , shall scarcely enter into the kingdom of god. nevertheless there is afforded to all these a return unto repentance ; if so be they shall quickly return to it ; that because in their former days they have neglected to work , in the time that is to come they may do some good. if therefore having repented they shall do the works of righteousness , they shall live : but if they shall continue in their evil courses , they shall be deliver'd to those women that will take away their life . xxi as for the fourth mountain , which had much grass , the upper part of which is green , but the rest dry , and some of which being touch'd with the heat of the sun , is wither'd ; it denotes the doubtful , who have believed , and some others who carry the lord in their tongues , but have him not in their heart : therefore their grass is dry , and without root ; because they live only in words , but their works are dead . these therefore are neither dead nor living , and withal are doubtful . for the doubtful are neither green nor dry , that is , neither dead nor alive . for as their grass dries away at the sight of the sun ; so the doubtful as soon as they hear of persecution , and fear inconveniences , return to their idols , and again serve them , and are ashamed to bear the name of their lord . this kind of men then is neither dead nor alive ; nevertheless these also may live , if they shall presently repent : but if not , they shall be delivered to those women , who shall take away their life . xxii . as concerning the fifth mountain that is craggy , and yet has green grass : they are of this kind who have believed , and are faithful indeed , but believe with difficulty ; and are bold , and self-conceited ; that would be thought to know all things , but really know nothing . wherefore by reason of this confidence knowledge is departed from them , and a rash presumption is entred into them . but they carry themselves high , and as prudent men ; and though they are fools , yet would seem to be teachers . now by reason of this folly many of them whilst they magnifie themselves , are become vain and empty . for boldness and vain confidence is a great seducer . wherefore many of these are cast away : but others acknowledging their error , have repented , and submitted themselves to those who are knowing : and to all the rest of this kind there is repentance allow'd ; forasmuch as they were not so much wicked as foolish , and void of understanding . if these therefore shall repent , they shall live unto god ; but if not , they shall dwell with those women , who shall exercise their wickedness upon them . xxiii . for what concerns the sixth mountain having greater and lesser clefts , they are such as have believed ; but those in which were the lesser clefts are they who have had controversies among themselves ; and by reason of their quarrels languish in the faith : nevertheless many of these have repented , and so will the rest when they shall hear my commands ; for their controversies are but small , and they will easily return unto repentance . but those who have the greater clefts , will be as stiff stones , mindful of grudges and offences , and practising anger among themselves . these therefore are cast from the tower , and rejected to be put into its building ; therefore this kind of men shall hardly live . our god and lord , who ruleth over all things , and has power over all his creatures , will not remember our offences , but is easily appeased by those who confess their sins : but man being languid , mortal , infirm , and full of sins , perseveres in his anger against man ; as if it were in his power to save or to destroy him . but i , as the angel who am set over your repentance , admonish you , that whosoever among you has any such purpose he would lay it aside , and return unto repentance ; and the lord will provide remedies for your former sins , if you shall purge your selves from this evil spirit ; but if you shall not do it , ye shall be delivered to him unto death . xxiv . as for the seventh mountain in which the grass was green and flourishing , and the whole mountain fruitful ; and all kind of cattel fed upon the grass of it ; and the more the grass was eaten , so much the more it flourished ; they are such as believed , and were always good and upright ; and without any differences among themselves , but still rejoyced in all the servants of god , having put on the spirit of these virgins ; and been always ready to shew mercy to all men , and easily giving to all men of their labours without upbraiding , and without deliberation . wherefore the lord seeing their simplicity and ‖ innocence , has encreased them in the works of their hands , and given them grace in all their works . but i , who am appointed over your repentance exhort you , that as many as are of this kind would continue in the same purpose , that your seed may not be rooted out for ever . for the lord hath try'd you , and written you into our number ; and all your seed shall dwell with the son of god ; for ye are all of his spirit . xxv . as concerning the eighth mountain in which were a great many springs , by which every kind of all the creatures of god was watered ; they are such as have believed the apostles which the lord sent into all the world to preach ; and some teachers who have preached and taught purely and sincerely , and have not in the least yielded to any evil desires , but have constantly walked in righteousness and truth . these therefore have their conversation among the angels . xxvi . again ; as for what concerns the ninth mountain which was desert , and full of serpents ; they are such as have believed , but had many stains : these are such ministers as discharge their ministry amiss ; ravishing away the goods of the widows and fatherless ; and serve themselves , not others , out of those things which they have received . these , if they continue in this covetousness , shall deliver themselves unto death , nor shall there be any hope of life for them . but if they shall be converted , and shall discharge their ministry sincerely , they may live . as for those which were found rough ; they are such as have deny'd the name of the lord , and not return'd again to the lord , but have become savage , and wild ; not applying themselves to the servants of god ; but being separated from them , have for the sake of a little anxiety lost their lives . for as a vine that is forsaken in a hedge , and never dress'd , perishes and is choaked by the weeds , and in time becomes wild ; and ceases to be useful to its lord . so this kind of men despairing of themselves , and being made sour , have begun to be unprofitable to their lord . howbeit to these there is at last repentance allow'd , if they shall not be found from their hearts to have denied christ : but if any of these shall be found to have denied him from his heart , i cannot tell whether such a one can attain unto life . and i say therefore , that if in these days any one has denied , he should return unto repentance ; for it cannot be that any one who now denies the lord , can afterwards attain unto salvation : nevertheless repentance is proposed unto them , who have formerly deny'd . but he who will repent must hasten on his repentance , before the building of this tower is finished : or if not , he shall be delivered by those women unto death . but they that are maimed , are the deceitful ; and those who mix one with another : these are the serpents that you saw in that mountain . for as the poyson of serpents is deadly unto men ; so the words of such persons infect and destroy men. they are therefore maimed in their faith , by reason of that kind of life in which they lead . howbeit some of them , having repented , have been saved ; and so shall others of the same kind be saved , if they shall repent ; but if not , they shall die by those women whose power and force they enjoy . xxvii . for what concerns the tenth mountain , in which were the trees covering the cattle , they are such as have believed ; and some of them been bishops , that is , governours of the churches . others , are such stones , as have not feignedly , but with a chearful mind entertain'd the servants of god. then such as have been set over inferior ministries ; and have protected the poor and the widows ; and have always kept a chast conversation ; therefore they also are protected by the lord . whosoever shall do on this wise , are honour'd with the lord ; and their place is among the angels , if they shall continue to obey the lord even unto the end. xxviii . as to the eleventh mountain in which were trees loaded with several sorts of fruits ; they are such as have believed , and suffered death for the name of the lord ; and have endured with a ready mind , and have given up their lives with all their hearts . and i said , why then sir , have all these fruit ; but some fairer than others ? hearken , said he : whosoever have suffered for the name of the lord are esteemed honourable by the lord ; and all their offences are blotted out , because they have suffered death for the name of the son of god. hear now , why their fruits are different , and some of them excel others . they who being brought before magistrates , and being ask'd , deny'd not the lord , but suffered with a ready mind ; these are more honourable with the lord . the fruits therefore that are the most fair are these . but they who were fearful and doubtful ; and have deliberated with themselves whether they should confess or deny christ ; and yet have suffered ; their fruits are smaller , because that this thought came into their hearts : for it is a wicked and evil thought for a servant to deliberate whether he should deny his master . take heed therefore ye who have such thoughts , that this mind continue not in you , and ye die unto god. but ye who suffer death for his name sake , ought to honour the lord , that he has esteem'd you worthy to bear his name ; and that you should be delivered from all your sins . and why therefore do you not rather esteem your selves happy ? why do you not think that if any one among you suffer , he performs a great work ? for the lord giveth you life , and ye understand it not . for your offences did oppress you ; and had you not suffer'd for his names sake ye had now been dead unto the lord . wherefore i speak this unto you who deliberate whether ye should confess or deny him : confess that ye have the lord for your god ; least at any time denying him , ye be delivered over into bonds . for if all nations punish their servants which deny their masters ; what think you that the lord will do unto you , who has the power of all things ? remove therefore out of your hearts these doubts ; that ye may live for ever unto god. xxix . as for the twelfth mountain , which was white , they are such as have believed like sincere children , into whose thoughts there never came any malice ; nor have they ever known what sin was , but have always continued in their integrity . wherefore this kind of men shall without all doubt inherit the kingdom of god ; because they have never in any thing defiled the commandments of god , but have continued with sincerity in the same condition all the days of their life . whosoever therefore , said he , shall continue as children without malice ; shall be more honourable than all those of whom i have yet spoken : for all such children are honour'd by the lord , and esteemed the first of all . happy therefore are ye who have removed all malice from you , and put on innocence ; because ye shall first see the lord . and after he had thus ended his explication of all the mountains , i said unto him ; sir , shew me now also what concerns the stones that were brought out of the plain , and put into the tower in the room of those that were rejected ; as also concerning those round stones which were added into the building of the tower ; and also of those who still continued round . xxx . hear now , says he , concerning those stones which were brought out of the plain into the building of the tower , and placed in the room of those that were rejected : they are the roots of that white mountain . wherefore because those who have believed of that mountain , were very innocent ; the lord of this tower commanded that they which were of the roots of this mountain should be placed into the building . for he knew that if they were put into this building they would continue bright ; nor would any of them any more be made black . but if he had added on this manner from the rest of the mountains , he would ‖ have needed again to visit this tower and to cleanse it . now all these white stones , are the young men who have , and shall believe ; for they are all of the same kind . happy is this kind , because it is innocent . hear now also concerning those round and bright stones . all these are of this white mountain . but they are therefore found round , because their riches have a little darkned them from the truth , and dazzled their eyes : howbeit they have never departed from the lord , nor has any wicked word proceeded out of their mouths ; but all righteousness , and vertue , and truth . when therefore the lord saw their mind , and that they might adorn the truth ; he commanded that they should continue good , and that their riches should be pared away : for he would not have them taken wholly away , to the end they might do some good with that which was left , and live unto god ; because they also are of a good kind : therefore they were a little cut away , and so put into the building of this tower. xxxi . as for the rest which continu'd still round , and were not found fit for the building , because they have not yet received the seal , they were carried back to their place ; because they were found very round . but this present world must be cut away from them , and the vanities of their riches ; and then they will be fit for the kingdom of god. for they must enter into the kingdom of god , because god has blessed this innocent kind . of this kind therefore none shall fall away ; for though any of them being tempted by the devil should offend , he shall soon return to his lord god. i the angel of repentance esteem you happy , whosoever are innocent as little children , because your part is good and honourable with the lord . and i say unto all you who have received this seal ; keep simplicity , and remember not affronts , nor continue in malice ; neither suffer bitterness to grow in your spirits through the memory of any offences that you have received ; but provide remedies for these evil rents , and remove them from you ; that the lord of the sheep may rejoyce in you ; ‖ for he will rejoyce , if he shall find all whole . but if any of these sheep shall be found scatter'd away , wo shall be to the shepherds : and if the shepherds themselves shall be scattered , how will they answer to god for the sheep ? will they say that they were troubled by the sheep ? but they shall not be believed . for it is not to be believed , that the shepherd should suffer by his flock ; and he shall be the more punished for his lie. now i am the shepherd ; and i especially must give an account of you . xxxii . wherefore provide for your selves whilst the tower is yet building . the lord dwells in those that love peace ; for true peace is dear ; but he is far off from the contentious , and those who are overtaken with malice . wherefore restore unto him the spirit intire , as ye received it . † for if thou shalt give unto a fuller a new garment whole , thou wilt expect to receive it whole again : if therefore the fuller shall restore it unto thee torn , wouldst thou receive it ? wouldst thou not presently be angry ; and reproach him , saying ; i gave my garment to thee whole , why hast thou rent it , and made it useless to me ? now it is of no use to me , by reason of the rent which thou hast made in it . wouldst thou not say all this to a fuller , for the rent which he made in thy garment ? if therefore thou wouldst be concern'd for thy garment , and complain that thou hadst not received it whole , what thinkest thou that the lord will do , who gave his spirit to thee intire , and thou hast render'd him altogether unprofitable ? so that he can be of no use unto his lord ? for being corrupted by thee , he is no longer profitable to him . will not therefore the lord do the same concerning his spirit , by reason of thy sin ? undoubtedly , said i , he will do the same to all those whom he shall find to continue in the remembrance of injuries . tread not then under foot , said he , his mercy ; but rather honour him , because he is so patient with respect to your offences , and not like one of you ; but repent , for that will be profitable for you . xxxiii . all these things which are above written , i the angel of repentance have shewn and spoken to the servants of god. if therefore ye shall believe and hearken to these words , and shall walk in them , and shall correct your ways , ye shall live . but if ye shall continue in your wickedness , and in the remembrance of injuries , no such sinners shall live unto god. all these things which were to be deliver'd by me , i have thus spoken unto thee . then the shepherd said unto me , hast thou ask'd all things of me ? i answered , sir , i have . why then , said he , hast thou not ask'd concerning the form of these stones that were put in the building , that i may explain that also unto thee ? i answer'd , sir , i forgot it . hear then , said he , concerning those also . they are those who have heard these commands , and have repented with all their hearts : and when the lord saw that their repentance was good and pure , and that they could continue in it , he commanded their former sins to be blotted out . for these forms were their sins , and they are therefore made even that their sins might not appear . the tenth similitude . of repentance and alms-deeds . i. after that i had written this book , the angel which had deliver'd me to that shepherd , came into the house where i was , and sate upon the bed , and that shepherd stood at his right hand . then he called me and said unto me ; i deliver'd thee and thy house to this shepherd , that thou mightest be protected by him . i said , yes lord . if therefore , said he , thou wilt be protected from all vexation , and from all cruelty , and have success in every good word and work ; and all vertue and righteousness ; walk in those commands which he has given thee ; and thou shalt have dominion over all sin. for if thou keepest those commands , all the desire and pleasure of this present world shall be subject to thee ; and success shall follow thee in every good undertaking . take therefore his gravity and modesty upon thee , and say unto all , that he is in great honour and renown with god , and is , a ‖ prince of great authority , and powerful in his office . to him only is the power of repentance committed throughout the whole world. do's he not seem to thee to be of great authority ? but ye despise his goodness , and the modesty which he shews towards you . ii. i said unto him ; sir , ask him since the time that he came into my house , whether i have done any thing disorderly , or have offended him in any thing ? i know , said he , that thou hast done nothing disorderly , neither wilt thou hereafter do any thing ; and therefore i speak these things with thee that thou mayst persevere ; for he has given me a good account concerning thee . but thou shalt speak these things to others , that they who either have repented , or shall repent , may be of the same opinion with thee ; and he may give me as good an account of them also , and i may do the same unto the lord . i answer'd , sir , i declare to all men the wonderful works of god : and i hope that all who love them and have before sinned , when they shall hear these things will willingly repent , and so recover life . continue therefore , said he , in this ministry , and perfect it . and whosoever shall fulfil the commands of this shepherd , shall live ; and shall have great honour both here , and with the lord . but they that shall not keep his commands , flee from their life , and are adversaries unto it . and they that follow not his commands , shall deliver themselves unto death ; and every one shall be guilty of his own bloud . but i say unto thee , keep these commandments , and thou shalt find a cure for all thy sins . iii. moreover i have sent these virgins to dwell with thee , for i have seen that they are very kind to thee . thou shalt therefore have them for thy helpers , that thou mayst the better keep the commands which have been given thee ; for these commands cannot be kept without these virgins . and thou seest how they are willing to be with thee ; and i will also command them that they shall not at all depart from thy house . only do thou purifie thy house ; for they will readily dwell in a clean house . for they are clean , and chast , and industrious ; and all of them have grace with the lord . if therefore thou shalt have thy house pure , they will abide with thee . but if it shall be never so little polluted , they will immediately depart from thy house ; for these virgins cannot endure any manner of pollution . i said unto him ; sir , i hope that i shall so please them , that they shall always delight to dwell in my house . and as he to whom you have committed me makes no complaint of me ; so neither shall they complain . then he said to that shepherd ; i see that the servant of god will live and keep these commandments ; and place these virgins in a pure habitation . when he had said this he delivered me again to that shepherd , and called the virgins , and said unto them ; forasmuch as i see that ye will readily dwell in this mans house , i commend him and his house to you ; that ye may not at all depart from his house . and they willingly heard these words . iv. then he said unto me , go on manfully in thy ministry ; declare to all men the great things of god , and thou shalt find grace in this ministry . and whosoever shall walk in these commands shall live , and be happy in his life . but he that shall neglect them , shall not live , and shall be unhappy in his life . say unto all , that whosoever can do what is right , cease not to exercise themselves in good works . for i would that all men should be delivered from the inconveniences they lie under . for he that wants and suffers inconveniences in his daily life , is in great torment and necessity . whosoever therefore delivers such a soul from necessity , gets great joy unto himself . for he that is grieved with such inconveniences , is equally tormented , as if he were in chains . and many upon the account of such calamities , being not able to bear them , have chosen even to destroy themselves . he therefore that knows the calamity of such a man , and do's not free him from it , commits a great sin , and is guilty of his bloud . wherefore exercise your selves in good works , as many as have received ability from the lord ; least whilst ye delay to do them the building of the tower be finish'd ; because for your sakes the building is stopp'd . except therefore ye shall make haste to do well , the tower shall be finish'd , and ye shall have no place in it . and after he had thus spoken with me , he rose up from the bed , and departed , taking the shepherd and virgins with him . howbeit he said unto me , that he would send back the shepherd and virgins unto my house , amen . the second epistle of st. clement to the corinthians . the contents . chap. i. that we ought to entertain a worthy opinion of our salvation : and to do the utmost of what in us lies to express the value we put upon it , by a sincere obedience to our saviour christ , and his gospel . ii. that god had before prophecy'd by isaiah , that the gentiles should be saved . iii , iv. that this ought to engage such especially to be very careful to live well ; without which they will still miscarry . v. that whilst we secure to our selves the favour of god , and the reward of the other world ; we need not fear what can befal us in this . vi. that we cannot serve god and mammon : nor if we follow the interests of this present world , is it possible for us to escape the punishment of the other . vii . the consideration of which ought to bring us to repentance and holiness . viii . and that presently ; knowing that now , whilst we are in this world , is the only time for repentance . ix . we shall rise , and be judged in those bodies in which we now are ; therefore we must live well in them . x. that we ought , as we value our own interests , to live well ; however few seem to mind what really is for their advantage . xi . and not deceive our selves with any vain imaginations , as if no punishment should remain for us if we do evil ; or good happen to us hereafter , if we behave our selves as we ought to do : seeing god will certainly judge us , and render to all of us according to our works , and how soon this may be we can none of us tell . the second epistle of st. clement to the corinthians . i. bretrhen , we ought so to think of jesus christ as of god ; as of the judge of the living and the dead . nor should we think * any less of our salvation . for if we think * meanly of it , we shall hope only to receive * some small benefit by it . and if we shall † do so ; we shall sin ; not ‖ considering from whence we have been called , and by whom , and to what place ; and how much jesus christ vouchsafed to suffer for our sakes . what recompense then shall we render unto him ? or what fruit that may be worthy of what he has given to us ? for indeed † how great are those advantages which we owe to him in relation to our holiness ? he has illuminated us ; as a father , he has called us his children ; he has saved us who were lost and undone . what praise shall we ascribe to him ? or what reward that may be answerable to those things which we have received ? we were defective in our understandings ; worshiping stones and wood ; gold , and silver , and brass , the works of mens hands , and our whole life was nothing else but death . wherefore being encompassed with darkness , and having such a mist before our eyes , we have look'd up ; and through his will have laid aside the cloud wherewith we were surrounded . for he had compassion upon us , and being moved in his bowels towards us , he saved us ; having beheld in us much deceit , and destruction ; and seen that we had no hope of salvation but only by him . therefore he called us , who were not ; and was pleased from nothing to give us a being . ii. rejoice thou barren that barest not , break forth and cry thou that travailest not ; for she that is desolate hath many more children , than she that hath an husband . in that he said , rejoice thou barren that bearest not , he spake of us : for our church was barren , before that children were given unto it . and again ; when he said , cry thou that travailest not ; he implied thus much : that after the manner of women in travail , we should not cease to put up our prayers unto god † only . and for what remains , because she that is desolate hath more children than she that hath an husband ; it was therefore added , because our people which seem'd to have been forsaken by god , now believing in him , are become more than they who seem'd to have god. and another scripture saith , i came not to call the righteous but sinners to repentance . the meaning of which is this ; that those who were lost , must be saved . for that is indeed truly great and wonderful , not to confirm those things that are yet standing , but those which are falling . even so did it seem good to christ to save what was lost ; and when he came into the world he saved many , and called us who were already perishing . iii. seeing then he has shew'd so great mercy towards us ; and chiefly for that we who are alive do now no longer sacrifice to dead gods , nor pay any worship to them , but have by him been brought to the knowledge of the father of truth ; ‖ whereby shall we shew that we do indeed know him , but by not denying him by whom we have come to the knowledge of him ? for even he himself saith , whosoever shall confess me before men , him will i confess before my father . this therefore is our reward , that if we confess him we shall be saved by him . but wherein must we confess him ? namely , in doing those things which he saith , and not disobeying his commandments : by worshiping him not with our lips only , but with all our heart , and with all our mind . for he saith in isaiah ; this people honoureth me with their lips , but their heart is far from me . iv. let us not then only call him lord ; for that will not save us . for he saith ; not every one that saith unto me lord , lord , shall be saved , but he that doth righteousness . wherefore , brethren , let us confess him by our works ; by loving one another , in not committing adultery , not speaking evil against each other , not envying one another ; but by being temperate , merciful , and good. let us also have a mutual sense of one anothers sufferings ; and not be covetous of mony : but let us by our good works confess god , and not by those that are otherwise . also let us not fear men ; but rather god. for this cause , * and to the end that we should do thus , hath the lord said ; though ye should be joyn'd unto me , even in my very bosom , and not keep my commandments , i would cast you off , and say unto you ; depart from me ; i know not whence you are , ye workers of iniquity . v. wherefore , brethren , laying aside our sojourning in this present world , let us do the will of him who has called us , and not fear to depart out of this world. for the lord saith , ye shall be as sheep in the midst of wolves . peter answered and said , what if the wolves shall tear in pieces the sheep ? jesus said unto peter ; let not the sheep fear the wolves after death : and ye also fear not those that kill you , and after that have no more that they can do unto you , but fear him who after you are dead , has power to cast both soul and body into hell fire . for consider , brethren , that the sojourning of this flesh , in the present world , is but little , and of a short continuance ; but the promise of christ is great and wonderful , even the rest of the kingdom that is to come , and of eternal life . but what then must we do that we attain unto it ? we must be converted to a divine and just course of life ; and look upon all the things of this world , as none of ours ; and not desire them . for if we shall desire to possess them , we are fallen from the way of righteousness . vi. for thus saith the lord , no servant can serve two masters . if therefore we shall desire to serve god and mammon , it will be without profit to us . for what will it profit us , if we shall gain the whole world , and lose our own souls ? now this world , and that to come , are two enemies . this calls us to adultery and corruption , to covetousness and to deceit ; but that commands us to renounce these things . we cannot therefore be the friends of both ; but we must resolve by forsaking one , to enjoy the other . and we think that it is better to hate the present things , as little , short-lived , and corruptible ; and to love those which are to come , which are truly good , and incorruptible . for if we do the will of christ , we shall find rest : but if not , nothing shall deliver us from eternal punishment , if we shall disobey his commands . for even thus saith the scripture , in the prophet ezekiel ; if noah , job and daniel should rise up , they shall not deliver their children in captivity . wherefore if such righteous men , are not able by their righteousness to deliver their children ; how can we hope to enter into the kingdom of god , except we keep our baptism holy and undefiled ? or who shall be our advocate , unless we shall be found to have done what is holy and just ? vii . let us therefore , my brethren , contend with all earnestness , knowing that ‖ we are now called to the combat ; and that many go long voyages to corruptible encounters , in which all are not concern'd , but they only that labour much , and strive gloriously . let us therefore so contend , that we may all of us be crown'd . let us run in the straight road , the race that is incorruptible : and let us in great numbers pass unto it , and strive , that we may receive the crown . but and if we cannot all be crown'd , let us come as near to it as we are able . moreover we must consider , that he who contends in a corruptible combat ; if he be found doing any thing that is not fair , is taken away and scourged , and cast out of the lists . what think ye then that he shall suffer , who do's any thing that is not fitting in the combat of immortality ? thus speaks the prophet concerning those who keep not their seal ; their worm shall not die , and their fire shall not be quenched ; and they shall be for a spectacle unto all flesh. viii . let us therefore repent whilst we are yet upon the earth : for we are as clay in the hand of the artificer . for as the potter if he make a vessel , and it be distorted in his hands , or broken , again forms it anew ; but if he have gone so far as to throw it into the furnace of fire , he can no more bring any remedy to it : so we , whilst we are in this world † should repent with our whole heart for whatsoever evil we have done in the flesh , while we have yet the time of repentance , that we may be saved by the lord . for after we shall have departed out of this world , we shall no longer be able either to confess our sins , or repent ‖ in the other . wherefore , brethren , let us doing the will of the father , and keeping our flesh pure , and observing the commandments of the lord , secure to our selves eternal life . for the lord saith in the gospel . if ye have not kept that which was little , who will give you that which is great ? for i say unto you , he that is faithful in that which is least , is faithful also in much . this therefore is what he saith ; keep your bodies pure , and your soul without spot , that ye may receive eternal life . ix . and let not any one among you say , that this very flesh is not judged , neither raised up . consider , in what were ye saved , in what did ye look up , if not whilst ye were in this flesh ? we must therefore keep our flesh as the temple of god. for in like manner as ye were called in the flesh , ye shall also come in the flesh. even our lord jesus christ , who has saved us , being first a spirit , was made flesh , and so called us . wherefore we also shall in this flesh receive the reward . let us therefore love one another , that we may all attain unto the kingdom of god. whilst we are in a condition of being healed , let us deliver up our selve● to god our physician , giving our reward unto him . and what reward shall we give ? repentance out of a pure heart . for he knows all things before-hand , and searches out our very hearts . let us therefore give praise unto him ; and that not only with our mouths , but with all our souls ; that he may receive us as the children of god. for so the lord hath said , they are my brethren , who do the will of my father . x. wherefore , my brethren , let us do the will of our father , who hath call'd us , that we may live . let us pursue vertue , and forsake wickedness , as the forerunner of our punishment ; and let us ●lee all ungodliness that evils overtake us not . for if we shall do our diligence to live well , peace shall follow us . ‖ and yet how hard is it to find a man that do's this ? for almost all are led by human fears , chusing rather the present enjoyments , than the future promise . for they know not how great a torment the present enjoyments bring with them ; nor what delights the promise of what is to come . and did they themselves only do this , it might the more easily be endured ; but now they go on to infect innocent souls with their evil doctrins ; not knowing that both themselves , and those that hear them , shall receive a double condemnation . xi . let us therefore serve god with a pure heart , and we shall be righteous : but if we shall not serve him , nor believe in the promise of god , we shall be miserable . for thus saith the prophet ; miserable are the double minded , who doubt in their heart , and say , these things have we heard , and our fathers have told them unto us , but we have seen none of them , though we have expected them from day to day . o ye fools ! consider the trees , take the vine for an example : first it sheds its leaves , then it buds , then come the sour grapes , then the ripe fruit. even so my people has born its disorders and afflictions , but shall hereafter receive good things . wherefore my brethren , let us not doubt in our minds , but let us expect with hope , that we may receive our reward : for he is faithful who has promised , that he will render to every one a reward according to his works . if therefore we shall do what is just in the sight of god , we shall enter into his kingdom , and shall receive the promises ; which neither eye has seen , nor ear hard , nor have entred into the heart of man. xii . wherefore let us every hour expect the kingdom of god in love and righteousness ; because we know not the day of god's appearing . finis . an index of the principal matters contain'd in the foregoing treatises . a. alms-giving . how we ought to give . pag. , . angels . attend the death of good men. . every man has two angels . . apostates . no repentance allow'd to them . , . they cannot be saved . , . b. baptism . forgives all sins . , . it s necessity . . bishops , in the primitive church the same , as now with us . , , , , , , , , , , , , . the reverence due to them . . that we ought to adhere to the bishops . . the holy sacrament of the lord's supper not to be given but by the bishop , or such as he appoints . , . marriage not to be made without his knowledg and consent . . a bishop ought to instruct as well as govern his church . . exhortations proper for a bishop . vid. unity . , &c. business . much business a hindrance to religion . , . c. calamities . god sends them upon us to bring us to repentance . , . charity . what true charity is ? . the praise of it . , . exhortations to it . , . christ. his divinity shewn . , , , . , , , , , , , his pre-existence . , , , . his eternity . , , . his two natures . , , , . of his birth , &c. , , . he is our high-priest and protectour . . no coming to god but by him . , , . the ancient fathers saved by him . , . so are we . . he suffer'd for our salvation . , , , &c. . he truly suffer'd . . he was raised from the dead by the father . , . by himself . . he shall judge the world. . christian. a christian is not to be judg'd by his outward profession , but by his true piety . . commands . god's commands possible to be observed . . confession , to be made to god. , . contentment , recommended . , . d. death . while we do well , we need not be afraid to die . vid. angels . . devil . we ought not to fear him . . he cannot overcome us if we strive against him . , . devotion . the benefit of frequent publick devotion . , . differ . how we ought to behave our selves towards those that differ from us ? . we must not give scandal to them . , . e. envy . the mischiefs of it . , &c. evil. we must abstain from evil , as well as do good . eucharist . vid. sacrament . . example . that we should imitate the examples of christ and his saints . , &c. f. fast. what a true fast is ? and how we may render our fasting acceptable unto god ? , . fear . we must fear god , and not be afraid of the devil . . future happiness . the greatness of it . , , , . future iudgment . there shall be a final judgment . , . christ shall be the judg. vid. christ. g. god. his attributes . . omniscient . , . almighty . . there is but one god. . there is no flying from him . , . the nature of god ; and our duty to him . . his praescience . . he searcheth the heart . ibid. good. what good we must do ? . h. happiness . vid. future . hereticks . heresie . we must avoid hereticks . , , , , , , . the danger of them . , . yet we must pray for them . . we must arm our selves against falling into heresie . , , , . i. image . wherein the image of god consists ? . iudge . iudgment . vid. future . christ the judge of the world. , . iustification . by faith. . we are justified by the same faith that holy men were from the beginning . . l. lying . against lying . . m. marriage , not to be made without the bishop's knowledg and consent . vid. bishop and priest. martyr . martyrdom . the anniversaries of the martyrs wont to be observed in the primitive church . , . the respect which the christians had for them . . martyrs shall have a more than ordinary degree of glory hereafter . , , . martyrdom blots out all sins . , , . it is therefore to be esteem'd a happiness to suffer . . mind . against trouble and anxiety of mind . . ministers , anciently chosen by the church . . o. obedience , recommended . . the necessity of it . . p. peace . exhortations to peace and unity . , , , , , , . prayer . we must pray with faith , not doubting . . publick prayer . vid. devotion and worship . priests . married in the primitive church . . promise . god is faithful in his promises , therefore we ought not to doubt of them . , . prophets . the ancient prophets inspir'd by christ. . providence . god's providence is over all things . . punishment . the punishment of sinners in the other world shall be eternal . . r. reliques . what respect the ancient christians paid to the remains of their martyrs ? , . repentance . god allows repentance to sinners . , , , , , . apostates only excepted . vid. apostates . no repentance after death . , , . the benefit of repentance purchas'd for us by christ. . men are not presently pardon'd , as soon as they begin to repent , till it appears that their repentance is sincere . . resurrection . that there shall be a future resurrection . , to , , . we shall rise in the same bodies . . riches . the danger of riches : what use we ought to make of them ? , . rule . particular rules of life . , , , , . s. sacrament . the holy sacrament of the lord's supper not to be administred but by the bishop , or by him whom the bishop appoints . . sadness . the mischief of it . . salvation . we are saved by the bloud of christ. . god desires that all christians should be saved . . no man can be saved without piety . , . exhortation to strive after our salvation . . scandal . we must take heed that we do not give scandal to the enemies of our religion . , . schism . the danger of it . , . scriptures . the holy scriptures written by divine inspiration . , . sin. we must answer to god for the sins of those who belong unto us . , . we must take care that we do not partake in other mens sins . , . speech . against evil-speaking . . suffer . christ supports all such as suffer for him . vid. christ. . t. transubstantiation . against it . , , . compare . . trinity . see for it . , . v. uirginity , recommended . . unity . vid. peace . unity with the bishop , the best means to secure our selves against falling into heresie . . w. world. we live in this world as in a pilgrimage . . we cannot serve this world and the next . . worship . appointed times of publick worship . . appointed persons for the performing of it . . setled by the apostles . , . finis . notes, typically marginal, from the original text notes for div a -e euseb. hist. eccles. lib. iii. cap. . idem , lib. iii. cap. . canon . apostol . can. ult . ms. alexan. grot. annot. in phil. iv . . euseb. hist. eccles. lib. iii. cap. epiph. lib. i. adv. carpo●r . hieronim . de script . eccles. et comment . in loc . item lib. i. adv . jovin . photii cod. ●mem . , &c. vid. eucher . lugd. de contempt . mundi ▪ & chron. al●ert . stad . inter testimonia à ●unio citat● . clem. alex. strom. lib. iv. hieron . in isaiam , c. . de adulterat . lib. originis . pearson dissert . de success . prim . rr. pp . cum append. hen. dodwel●i . pearson . dissert . posthum . cap. v. num. . dodwelli dissert . singul . cap. xv. pag. . dodwell . dissert . singul . cap. xi . p. . clem. epistle to the corinth . num. vii . p. . de adulterat . lib. orig. hist. eccles. lib. iii. c. . dodwel addit . ad cap. vi. dissert . posthum . pearson . num. . pag. . vid. euseb. chron. an o . et in euseb. annot. scalig. p. . b. euseb. hist. eccles. lib iii. cap. . euseb. hist. eccles. lib iii. cap. . apud coteler . patr. apostol . tom. i. vid. in annot . in epist. clem. in princip . annot. . p. . baron . annal. ad ann. xcv . num. . coteler . no● . in clem. epist. pag. ● . dodwell . append. ad cap. vi. dissert . . pearson , pag . num. . epistle , c i. p. . ibid. c. v. p. . chap. xli . p. , . dodwel . loc . supr . cit . epist. chap. lix . pag . dodwel . loc . supr . cit . add. cave hist. literar . in clement . pag. . callovius bibl. illustr . n. t. to. . exam. prae● . grot. in cor. p. . voetius paralip . p. , &c. vid. tentzel . exercit . select . exerc. . de phoenice . vid. callov . oper. socin . to. pag. . vid. jun. praefat. in epist . clem. vid. baron . annal. anno· . num. iii. & ● . ten●zelius dissert . select . de phoeni●e . p. ● . et num. xvi pag . photii biblioth . tmem . cxxvi . p. . tertullian . origen . cyril . hierosolym . euseb. greg. naz. epiphanius , synesius , hieronym . lactantius , &c. jun. notae in clem pag. . tacitus annal . libr. vi . num . . vid. annot. edit . oxon. in loc . bochartus hierozöic . in phoenice , &c. apud tentzel ▪ p. , . vid. ed. oxon. loc . cit . adde annot. schotti in photium , tmem . cxxvi . pag. ●● . aliis argumentis , tum hoc impr●mis . t●nt●el . 〈◊〉 . cit . pag. . photii bibl. vid. praefat. jun. in edit . oxon. . anno . lond. to . edit . colomesii lectori , cave . hist. literar . in clem. edit . colomesii lectori , cave . hist. literar . in clem. athenae oxon. part ▪ pag. , ▪ edit . polycarp . & ignat. oxon. anno . epist. of polycarp , numb . ix . pag. . ma●● . of ig● . numb . x. pag. . epist of polycarp , numb . xiv . pag. . dallaeus in pseudepigr . cap. xxxii . pa. . larroque observat. in pearson , p. . ignat. epist. to the romans , cap. v. p. . vid. dallaeum & larroque loc . cit . photius bibl. tmem . cxxvi . pag. . proleg . ad var. sacr. in polycarp . exercit. select . exerc. iv. num . . pag. . polycarp . epist . num . xiii . p. . euseb. hist. eccles. lib. iii. cap. . apud usser . p. . dissert . de ignat. epist. cap. ii . photii bibl tmem . cxxvi . p. ● . de scripr eccles. in polycarp . euseb. hist. eccles. lib. iv c. ● iren. epist. ad florin . apud euseb. hist. eccles . lib. v. c. . s. maximus prolog . in dionys areop . su●da● in polycarp . &c. vid. usserii dis●ert . de script . ign. p. . . ●e●●zel . exerc. select . de polyc. num . xxxvi , xxxvii . ad lib. iii. c. . irenaei . lond. . p. . u●serius annot . loc . cit . p. , . u●serius annot . loc . cit . p. ▪ . victor 〈…〉 he lived anno . cave hist. liter . in polyc. pag. . le moyné prol. ad var. sacr. tenzel . exercit. select . iv. de polyc. num . xlix . du pin. bibl. eccl. in polycarp . &c. de scriptis ignatian . cap , xxxii . prol. a● var. sacr. tom. i. in polycarp . vid. apud tentzel . de polycarp . dissert . iv. num . . pag. . exercit. select . exerc. iv. num . , &c. . usserius dissert . de epist. ignat. cap. vi. pag. . vid. dissert . usser . c. x , xi . p. , &c. ibid. c. xv. p. ● ▪ . 〈…〉 p. . euseb. hist. eccles. lib. iii. c. . photius bibl. tmem . cxxvi . p. . vid. larroque observ. in vind. pears . p. , . see tim. i. . ephes. iii. . rom. xv . . euseb. hist. eccles. lib. iii. c. . hieron . de script . in polycarp . le moyne prolegom . ad var. sacr. apud euseb. hist. eccles. lib. iv . cap. . dr. cave 's lives of the apostolical fathers in st. polycarp . vid. vossii praefat. in ignat ad lectorem . vid. vindic. pearson in proëm . p. . polycarp . epist . numb . xiii . pag. . annot. cotel . in loc . polycarp . p. . b. hist. eccles. lib. iii. cap. . vid. chrys. orat. ad antiochen . libr. de script . illustr . cap. xvi . apud pearson , vindic. ignat. prolegom . pag. . pearson vind. ignat. par . i. cap. . pag. . ibid. cap. ii . pag. . pearson ibid. pag. ad . comp. testim . cotelerii de ignat. et usser . dissert . ignat. apud pearson vind. ignat . proaem . pag. . et vind. par . i. pag. . see below , p. . evagrius lib. i. cap. . nicephor . lib. xiv . cap. . pearson dissert . chron. ii . cap. xiv ad xx . usher . anno . euseb. & in eum vales . . petitus . &c. see below . euseb. hist. eccles. lib. v. cap. . ibid. lib. iii. cap. . irenaeus , lib. iii. cap. . apud euseb. epist. ad florin . hist. eccles . lib. v. cap. . orig. homil. vi . in luc. et in cantic . proleg . ernest tentzel . ex●●●● . select 〈◊〉 , pag ●● . vossi● annot. passim . pea●son vind . ignat. proleg . p . dissert . de ignat. cap. iii. annot. in ignat. epist. pag , . polycarp . epist . num . x●ii . pag. . hist. eccles. lib. iii. c. . hieronym . de viris illustr . in ignat. vid. isaac . vess . annot. loc . supr . cit . pag. . see below , pag. . acts of ignatius , numb . iv , v. pag. , . mat. xviii . . metaphrast . apud coteler . p. . niceph. hist. eccl. lib. ii. cap. . usher . annot. in act. mart. ignat. num. iv . vid. annot. in concil . oeco● ▪ viii conc●● . 〈◊〉 tom. viii . p. . d. homil. in s. ignat. to. i. fevardent . p. , b. c. mountac . origin . eccles. to. ii. p. , . vind. ignat. part. ii. c. xii . p. . acts of ignat. num. v. p. . vind. ignat. part. ii. p. . homil. in ignat . pag. . to. i. fevardent . ernest. tentzel . exercit. select . iii num . ii . p. . vid. chrysost . orat. in laud ignat. theodoret. to. iv. p. . dial. i comp. usser . annot. in epist. ad antioch . pag. . pearson . vind. ignat. part . ii. p. . acts of ignat. num . i , ii , iii. p. , , . hist. eccles. lib. iii. cap. . euseb. chron. ab anno ad . alii ad . vid. infr . see his epistles to the philadelph . smyrn . and to st. polycarp . vid. ignat epist. & spe●●atim . ad rom. num . ix . p. . add. act. ignat. num . ix . p. . vid. act. ignat . num . xiii . . vid. usserii ann. in act. ignat. num . . vid. scalig. in euseb. ad ann. . vid. usser . not. in act ignat . num . ix . p. . . tentzel . exerc. iii. p. . mart. apud coteler . acts of ignat . num . ix . p. . mart. ignat. apud coteler . p. ● . vid. usser . annot. in act. ignat. p. . apud usser . annot. in epist . ad philadelph . not. . et in append. p. . plin. secand . epist. lib. x. epist. . ibid. epist. . hist. eccles. lib. iii. c. . apologet. cap. ii. in voce 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . lib. iii. c. hist. eccles. acta mart. ignat. num . xii . p. . euseb. ibid. annot. in act. martyr . ignat. not . . vid. ant. pagi critic . in baron . ad ann. . apud usser . loc . supr . cit. le moyne prol. ad var. sac● . ibid. life of s. polycarp , p. . so the roman martyrologie . le moyne , cave , &c. ibid. irenaeus lib. iii. cap. . euseb. hist. eccles. lib. iv. cap. . vid. tentzel . exerc . select . de polyc. iii. §. . tertul. de praeser . haeret. c. . hieron . de script . in polycarp . vid. martyrol . rom. jan. xxvi . epistle of the church of smyrna , numb . xii . p. . ibid. numb . xvii . p. . see below , pag . de script . in polycarp . sophron . interp. graec. le moyne prol. ad var. sacr. euseb. hist. eccles ▪ lib. i● . cap. . vid. val●s annot. ad euseb . eccl. hist. lib iv . cap. . te●zel . exercit . de polycarp . §. ix . l● m●yne prolego● . ad var. sacr. apud 〈…〉 . apud tentzel . exercit. select . iv. p. , &c. dissert . chron. part . ii. à cap. . ad . euseb. chron. not. in epist. smyrn . , . comp. tentz. exercit . de polycarp . §. xxi . vid. cave hist. eccles. in polycarp . ad an. . comp. spond . epitom . ibid. annot. in euseb. lib. iv. c . euseb. chron. ann . . scalig. annot . in euseb. p. . petav. in epiphan haeres . xlvi . anton. pagi in baron . ad ann . . num . iii. herman . contract . marian. scot. &c. hist. eccles. lib. iv. c. . hist. eccles. lib. iv. c. . ib. lib. iv. c. . vales. in lib. iv. c. . euseb . & infr . in c. . p. . add. ant. pagi critic . in baron . ad ann . . num . iv . euseb. hist. eccles. lib. iv. c. . p. . scalig. an●●●adv . in euseb . pag. . num . ● . de glor. mart. cap. lxxxvi . vid. usser . annot. in act. polyc. num . . vid. usser . annot. in act. polyc. num . . num. xvi . p. . de morte peregrini , p. . le moyne var. sacr . prol. ad tom. i. so le moyne corrects it , prol. ad varia sacra : reading for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . vid. tentzel . exercit. select . de polycarp . §. xxxiv . num. ix . p. . vid. praef. usser . ad act. ignat. & polycarp . pag. ult . comp. tentzel . disp . iv. de polyc. § iii , iv . pearson dissert . chron. part . ii. c. . iren. contr . haeres . lib. iii. c. . in act. polyc . num . , . annot. in euseb. p. . a proleg . ad var. sacr . dissert . chron. par . ii. c. . ant. pagi critic . in baron . ad ann. . tentzel . exerc. select . de polyc. § xxv . xxxi , &c. smith epist. de vii . asiae eccles. tavernier , wheeler , &c. vid. tentzel . exercit . select . iv. §. xxxii , xxxiii . lib. iv. c. . see below , p. . clem. alex. strom. lib. ii. p. . euseb. hist. eccles. lib. i. cap. . & lib. ii. cap. . in act. iv. euseb. chron. ad ann . cxvii . dion . lib. lxviii . xiphiline , &c. acts iv . , . apud baron . annal. ad ann . xxxiv num . . comp. dr. cave in his life , numb . . acts ix . . galat. ii . usher . chronol . ann . . . pearson . annal . paulin. ad ann . . acts xv . comp. galat. ii . galat. ii . , . acts xv . . ann. christi l. pearson . liii . usserius . acts xiii . . acts xv . , . colos. iv . . tim. iv . . recognit . clem. apud baron . annal. ad ann . li. num . , . et not . ad mar● . rom. jun. xi . ibid. annal. num . . vid. in vit. ejus edit . oxon . epist. p. . alexandr . monach. encom . barnabae . baron . annal. ann . li. num . . hieron . de script . in barnab . baron . annal . ann . . id. annot. ad martyrol . rom. jun. xi . annal. ann . . apud surium . jun. xi . to. iii. apud le moyne var. sacr. tom. l. p. . hist. eccles. lib. xvi c. . see le moyne prolegom . ad var. sacr. alex. monach . loc . citat . so theodorus lector collect. lib. ii. p. . nilus doxap . inter var. sacr. p. . baron annal. loc . supr . citar . tertull. de pudicit . c. . de script . eccles. in s. paulo . passim . vid. testim . coteleril . contra celsum lib. i. hist. eccles. lib. iii. c. . de scriptor . in barnab . annot. in euseb. lib. iii. c. . hist eccles. lib. iii c. . lection in act. ii . num . . p. . cotel . not. in barnab . p. . b. c. vid. clem. alex hieron . &c. inter testim . coteler . proleg . in var. sacr. in polycarpo ▪ vid. tentzel . exercit. select . de polyc. § , . praef. usser . in edit . oxon. s. barnab . p. v. coteler . not. in barnab . p. . c. natal . alex . hist. eccles . tom. i. §. i. p. . le moyne proleg . ad var. sacr. coteler . not. in barn. p. , . natal . alex. ibid. le moyne prolegom . ad var. sacr. vid. coteler . not. in barnab . p. . e. . a. cotel . not. ad barnab . p. . d. natal . alex . hist. eccles saec. i. to. i. p. . le moyne prol. ad var. sacr . huetius origen lib. ii . quaest. . p. , &c. vid. annot· vossii in barnab . p. . see cor. x. , . galat. iv . . ephes. v. . hebr. ix . , ▪ . x. , &c. see hist. crit. du v. t. liv. iii. chap. vi . apud euseb. praeparat . evan ● . lib. viii . cap . praepar . evang . lib. viii . c. . p. . apud euseb. hist. eccles. lib. ii. c. . de vit. contempl p. . 〈…〉 ●●mnor . lib. v. vales. annot. in euseb. lib. ii. c. . p. , . hist. eccles. lib. ii. c. . p. , a. b. & p. . a. b. bruno de therapeut . dissert . p. , &c. euseb. hist. eccles. loc . cit . p. . b. ibid. p. . b. c. bruno de therap . p. dissert . de antichristo , c. vii . tatian . contr . graec. p. . b. c. tatian . contr . graec. p. . b. c. 〈◊〉 hist. crit. du v. t. l●v. iii. chap. viii . apud euseb. hist. eccles. lib. vi. c. . p. . ibid. p. . vid. annot. vales. p. , . dissert . de antichristo , cap. vii . proleg . ad var. sacr . praefat. usser . ad edit . oxon. p. . &c. is. vossius annot. in barnab . p. . vid. baron . annot. ad martyrol . rom. maii ix . vis. second , num . iv . dr. hammond , & mr. dodwell . vid. cave hist. liter . in herm. vision iv §. . hom. in rom. lib. x. c. . hist. eccles. lib. iii. c. . hieron . de script . in herm. lib. iii. in vit. pii papae . epist. i. attrib . pio pp . p. . edit . blondell . see bellarm. de script . §. i. p. . in herm. annal. eccl. in fine anni spondan . epitom . annal. baron . ad ann. . vision iii. num . vi. below , p. . vision i. num . . vis. ii. num . , . see below , p. . annot. ad ma●● . rom. ma●● ix . pa on . annal . e●cl●s . ad ann . ●●● vid. martyrol . rom. ad ma●i ix . & jul. xxvi . comp. martyrol . rom. jul. xxvi . with baron . annal. a o , , . martyol . rom. jul. xxvi . annot. b. ad martyrol . rom. maii ix . lib. iv. advers . haeres . & apud euseb. hist. eccles. lib. iv. c. . origen enarrat . in epist . ad rom. p. . d. hist. eccles. lib. iii. c. . catalog . script . in herm. de incarnat . verb. tom. i. p. . d. epist. pasch. tom. ii. p. , . annot. ad herm. p. . annot. in barnab . p. , . comment . in habac. i. . ●ol . . d. de orat. cap. xii . de pudiciti● , cap. x. vid. testimon . in edit . coteler . p. , &c. philocal . c. i. cassian . collar . xiii . c. . contr. collator . c. xxx . decret . gratian. dist. xv. de emend . gratiani dial. vi. p. , . see postev . apparat. tom. ii. titul . pastor . baron annal. ann . clix. num . , . epist. ad afros apud theodoret . hist. eccles. lib. i. cap. . script . eccles . centur. i. in herm. jo. m. brasichellan . apud labbaeum de script . to. i. p. . de script . in herm. tom. i. p. . rivet . critic . sacr. lib. i. c. . hoernbeck . theol pp . to. i. miscellan . sacr. p. . scultel . medulla pp . pag daillé de script . ignat. larroque observ . in vind. ignat part. i. p. . add. c●ve hist. liter . p. , &c. praefat. in to. ii. dogm . theol. c. . §. . notae in herm. p. . c. alex. natal . §. i. tom. i. p. , . vind. ignat. part . i. c. . defens . fid. nicaen . §. i. c. ● . p. . hist. eccles. lib. iii. c. . de script . in clemente . phot. cod. , . dissert . de script . ignat. cap. x. vid. catal. bevereg . codex canon . vindicat. . canon . lxxxv . hist. eccles. lib. iii. c. ●● divinat . de epist. clem. beverege cod. canon . vindic. lib. ii. c. . §. . p. . euseb. hist. eccles. lib. iv. c. . see divinat . wendelin . ad secund epist. clem. add. coteler . annot . ad pp . apostol . p. . haeres . xxvii . num . . see hieron . adv . jovin . tom. iii. fol. . photius cod. . in clem. wendel . dio. de clem. epist . notae ad clem. p. , . natal . alex. dissert . hist. §. i. tom. i. in clem. barthius apud coteler . not. in herm. p. . cotelerius ibid. burton notes on s. clement . p. . clem. rom. ex ms regio . ex clem. alexandrin . vid. annot. valesii in euseb . p. , . hist. eccles. lib. i. c. . testam . s. ephraem inter oper. p. . evagrii hist. eccles. lib. iv. cap. . annal. eccl. ann . xxxi . num . . epitom . annal . baron . ann. xxxi . num . . annot. ad oper . ephraem . ●yr . p. . annot. in euseb. hist. eccles. p. . a. apud gratian . dist. xv. c. . simon hist. crit. du n. t. ch . iii. p. . exercit. in baron . xiii . §. . p. . saecul . i. vol. i. p. . nouvelle bibl. vol. i. p. . vid. apud basnaginm exercit . hist. crit. in baron . ad ann . xliii . num . . pag. . casaubon . exerc. in baron . xiii . p. . montacutius orig. eccles . tom. i. part . . p. . cave hist. literaria , §. i. p. . in jesu christo. bibl. sanct. lib. ii. in paulo . add. frasseniun● disq. biblic . p. , &c. so chrysost. theodoret , &c. theophylact . in loc . tertull. adv . marcion . lib. v. cap. xi . p. . vid. euseb. eccles. hist. lib. iv. c. . vid. annot. vales. in euseb . p. . a. tertull. de prescript . cap xxxvi . pag. ▪ hist. eccles. lib. iii. c. vi . p. . rev. i . ii. . tertull. adv . marcion lib. v. c. xvi● . p. . epiphan . haeres . xlii . num . xii . vid. l'histoire critique de monsieur simon sur le n. t. c. xv . p. . frassenius disq. biblic . p. , . sixt. sinens . bibl. sanct . lib. ii. in st. paulo . euseb. hist. eccles. lib. iii. c. . hieron . de script . eccles. in st. paulo . euseb. hist. eccles. lib. iii. c. xxx . comp. hieron . in catal . script . eccles . in s. petro. vid. cave hist. literar . p . natal . alex . §. i. vol. i. p. . du pin. bibl. vol. i. p. . cave . natal ▪ alex. du pin. ib. hoornb . theol. pp . p. . rivet . critic . sacr. lib. i. c. lii . bona de reb. liturgic . lib. i. c. . leo allatius dissert . de sym. part . i. p. . nat. alex. § i. vol. i. p. , &c. du pin , biblioth . eccles. vol. i. p. , &c. diatrib . de symb. voss. dissert . de tribus symbolis . suicer . thesaur . eccles. to. ii. voce 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , p. ● . &c. spanhem . introd ad hist eccles. § ●i . c. . ernest tentzel . exercit. select . exercit. i. sam. basnage exercit. hist. crit. a● ann. xliv . num . , . annot. in pandect . canon . oxon. to. ii. p. . id. codex can. vindicat . c. , &c. vid. albaspin . obs. lib. i. c. . p. . de marca apud bevereg . annot. in pandect . p. . num . xii . coteler . not. in patr. apostol . p. , . du pin bibl. eccles. tom. i. p. . natal . alex. §. i. vol. ii. p. . daillé de pseudep . apostol . lib. iii. larroque observat. in . bevereg . hoornbeck theolog. patr. p. , &c. see this discuss'd at large by bishop usher , dissert . ad ignat . cap. v , vi , xix . p. . epiphan . haeres . xxx . ruffinus de adulterat . libr. origen . tract . xxxv . in matthaeum . author oper. imperfect . in math. inter oper. chrysost . ad mat. x. & xxiv . vid. coteler . not. in script . pp . apost . p. . natal . alex. §. i. tom. i. p. du pin bibl. vol. i. p. , . coteler . annot . in script . pp . apost . p. . a. . d. . a. . c. d. sixt. senens . biblioth . lib. ii. in clement . pos●evin . apparat. p. . bellarm. de script . §. i. in clement . natal alex. §. i. tom. i. p. . id. ibid. cap. de st. ignat. p. . du pin. biblioth . p. , , , &c. notae in script . pp . apost . p. . c. d. surius ad nov. xxiii . allarius in diatrib . de symeonum scriptis . du pin ●iblioth . tom. i. p. . r. vid. geogr. sacr . à s. paulo , p. , . ibid. p. . in chersoneso . eccles. hist. §. i. to. i. p. , . vid. natal . alex. §. i. to. i. p. . labbe de script . eccles . to. i. p. , &c. nouvelle biblioth . to. i. p. , . natal . alex. §. i. vol. i. p. . labbe de script . tom. i. in dionysio . he might have added several others : see bellarm. de script . p. . du pin-nouvelle biblioth . to. i. p. . vid. cave hist. liter . §. iv. p. . vindic. ignat . part . i. c. . loc. supr . cit . daillé apud pearson . loc . supr . cit . dodwell de sacerdot . laicor . cap. viii . §. iii. p. . mat. xxviii . . mark xvi . . luke xxiv . . acts i. . acts ii . euseb. hist. eccles. lib. iii. c. . epist. ad flor. in num . apud euseb. hist. eccles. lib. v. c. . euseb. hist ▪ eccles. lib. v. c. ● iren. adv . haeres . lib. iii. c. . see cor. iv . . ephes. i. , &c. acts viii . , . xix. , &c. vid. euseb. hist. eccles. lib. iv. c. . just. mart. dial. cum tryph. p. . ibid. p. . s●e below , c ▪ xlviii . p . see his salutation to the smyrnaans , p. , . epist. to the philadelph § vii . p. . to the trallians . sect. v. p. . clem. epist. num . xlii . p. . num . xliv . p. . cor. xii . . heb. iv . . clem. alex. de divit . salv. num . xlii . euseb . hist. eccles . lib. iii. c. . epist. to the philadelphians , ch . vii . p. , . add the martyrdom of ignatius , num . xii . p. . vid. dodwell . dissert . in iren. praefat . & dissert . . epiphan . haeres . xxx . num . . annot. in epist. in barnab . p. , . see the index , god. see ibid. in christ. see ibid. trinity . see the index , angel , devil . see ib. peace , unity , martyrs , reliques , &c. see repentance . see ibid. resurrection . ibid. punishment . see ibid. sacrament , baptism , &c. see ib. transubstantiation . see ibid. see bishops , ibid. ibid. ibid. see schism . ibid. heretick , apostate . see index , worship , &c. see ibid. sacrament , bishop . see below , p. , , . see below , p. . see the index , marriage , bishop . ib. see priest. ibid. fast. ibid. repentance . ibid. confession . see ignatius 's epistles and martyrdom , &c. see the index , bishop . ibid. martyrs , and below , p. . see index , suffer . ibid. see reliques , martyrs . see ibid. sin. see below , p. , &c. see index , riches , alms-giving , &c. ibid. christian . notes for div a -e * sojourneth . * called . see dr. hammond on matt. . c. * called . see dr. hammond on matt. . c. † gr. in . * see bishop pearson's note on this place . ed. colomes●● , p. . * see bishop pearson 's note on this place . ed. colomes●● , p. . * gr. sought of vs. † and. gr. strange to . gr. lodg'd as a stranger . † your firm and fruitful faith in all good works , &c. † in . presbyters . canon , rule . * themselves do their own business . vid. not. junii in loc . temperance , sob●iety . pet. v. . * proud. acts xx . . tim. vi . . * embraced it in your very bowels ‖ see junii not. in loc . gr. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ▪ gr. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ▪ * holy counsel , or purpose , or will. gr. good. with mercy and conscience . ye were without repentance in all well-doing titus iii. . prov. vii . . deut. xxxii . . confusion , tumults , &c. walketh after . gen. iv . . &c. * this is according to the lxx. * fra●ricide . envy . gen. . gen. . & . exod. ii . . envy . gen. . exod. ii . . envy . gen. . made to lodge out . numb . xii . , . brought . * ●ades . envy . gen. . had or underwent the hatred , not only , &c. to cease from . combatants , wrestlers . the faithful and most righteous . good. labours . and so . by envy . having born seven times bonds , &c. he received the &c. vid. pearson de success . c. viii . § . men who have lived godly , is gathered together . become an excellent example among u. envy . * the names of danae and dirce i omit . see junius annot . in loc . cursed afflictions or torments . * envy or emulation . gen. ii . . great . send . * instructing you but also remembring , &c. ‖ place of encounter . imposed upon us all . tim. v. . * afforded or given to . look diligently to . from age to age. * be turned . peter ii . . gen. vii . jon. lii . * received salvation . spoken . ezek. xxxiii . so much as his repentance . good sentence . repent from . ezek. xviii . , . jer. iii. . . isaiah . . becoming suppliants of , &c. * turn our selves to his mercy . ‖ vain labour . gen. v. . found . being found . gen. vi . vil.viii . in vnity . james ii . . isaiah xli . . words . this man. gen. xii . . gen. xiii . . * towards the sea. gen. xv . . * a son was given unto him. gen. xix . pet. ii . . jude . * see not. junii in loc . but those that turn another way , he puts , &c. * not in concord . put for a sign . become . jos. ii . , &c. he sent men that should take them , that being taken , &c. therefore hospitable rahab . men being sent by the king and saying . ver. . ver. , . men. ver. . given you this city . ver. . ver. , . ver. jer. ix . ● . * teaching us . ‖ for thus he saith . luke vi . . * holy word . isaiah lxvi . . * holy. * in . * prick on to . see junius ann. psal. xxxvii . . prov. ii . . psal. xxxvii . * with religion or godliness . ‖ with hypocrisie will it . isaiah xxix . . psal. lxii . . * blessed . † cursed . psal. lxxvili . — ● . psal. xxix . . psal. xii . . * boasting . isaiah liii . psal. xxii . ver. . * we say . † to these , those also that have been witnessed of . gen. xviii . . job i. . job xiv . . * ministry . exod. iii. . — iv . . psal. lxxxlx . psal. li. to ver. . * fearfulness . ‖ so great and such kind of men. † witnessed of , or celebrated . * in . ‖ let us return to the mark of peace given to us from the beginning . † see him with our vnderstanding . ‖ soul. * not starting from his administration . † chorus's . * bounds . * doubting . ‖ vid. edit . comes . p. . * hollow or depth . † commanded , so it does . job xxxviii . * stations . ‖ service . * mix together . † all of vs. ‖ with concord . prov. xx . . * that nothing is hid to him of our thoughts . ‖ in the pride of their own speech or reason . * correct or amend . † let them manifest . ‖ partake of . † saving . ‖ the faith confirms . psal. xxxiv . . psal. xxxii . . ‖ be double minded . † let the writing be far from us . james i. . pet. iii. . * compare your selves into a tree . malach. iii. . ‖ see. * went forth , and so in the rest . ‖ sign . * animal † st●ong . ‖ progenitor . ‖ do. psal. iii. . job xix . . * let our minds be fastned . ‖ majesty . * if the , &c. psal. xix . . ‖ cover'd . † judgments . psal. cxxx●x . . † mind . † a part . deut. xxxii . , . lxx . deut. iv . . num. xxvii . prov. iii. . ‖ the grace of god has been given . † works . * he that speaketh many things shall also hear , &c. job xi . , . lxx. ‖ be not much in words . † are praised of . † see what are the ways of his blessing . ‖ vnroll . * with full perswasion , foreknowing what was to be , pleasingly became a sacrifice . ‖ the gifts that were given by him , were , he shall know , whosoever will one by one , carefully and distinctly consider them . † scepters : see jun. annot. gen. xxvii . . * glorified and magnified . ‖ in holiness of heart . ‖ all-greatest . gen. i. , . gen. i. . ‖ this. † come to . * work. isaiah . xl. ● ▪ lxii. . † every good work. * him. * his will. dan. vii . . isa. vi . . † with conscience . isa. lxiv . . cor. ii . . ‖ he. * ages . ‖ quantity . † gifts . † if we shall . * perform those things that are agreeable . rom. i. . pal. l. . &c. ‖ that which has the power to save us . † heigths of heaven . heb. i. . heb. i. . psal. civ . . heb. . . heb. i. . comp. psal. ii . , . heb. i. . psal. cx . . † war. * prefects . ‖ commanders of a thousand . † centurions . * commanders of , and so on . cor. xii . . ‖ vse one common subjection . † as also he has been placed . * his gift . † another that gave him . † of what matter . ‖ prepared for us . † and imprudent and without instruction . † for. ‖ air. job iv . . &c. job iv . . &c. † were crushed upon . ‖ deliver . * eat . † by chance . † to his will. ‖ being in a good conscience . † are. * do : is : are : &c. * do : is : are : &c. * do : is : are : &c. † ye see . thess. ● . ● . ‖ with the full assurance . * bishops , deacons . isaiah lx . . * bishops , deacons . ‖ signified . * an emulation ●appening . numb . xvii . * written . ‖ and the rods. * to exercise the office of the priesthood , and to minister , &c. ‖ that this should be so . * about the name of the bishoprick . ‖ that . ‖ bishoprick . * offer the gifts . * without blame ‖ written . † just men. * suffering these things they underwent them gloriously . ‖ dan. vi . . † shut into . * dan. iii. . ‖ worshipping the worship . * full of vertue . ‖ have inherited . * have been exalted . * to be glue'd to . ‖ psal. xvii● . . psal. xvii . . * turn aside . * the elect. eph. iv . . cor. xii . rom. xii . . * for he said . luke xvii . * gospel . ‖ spiritually send to you . cor. i. . † inclinations [ for one above another . ] * inclined . ‖ witnessed of . * gravity . * so much spoken of . ‖ institution . † differ from us . * take away . ‖ becoming favourable . * grave : venerable . psalm cxviii . , . ‖ greater . * bond. * glues . * pet. iv . . ‖ cor. xiil. , &c. * take us up . * animadversion , or visitation . isa. xxvi . . * are we . psal. xxxii . * see junius in loc . ‖ chief leaders . † they ought . * walk according to : live in ▪ * rather tha● . * chosen . psal. lxix . . psal. l. . — li. . exod. xxxii . deutr. ix . * once and twice· * more , great● ▪ ‖ bl●t ou● ▪ † the multitude . ‖ every place . psalm xxiv . * but that we may bring the examples of heathens . ‖ citizens . † many . † others . judith viii , ix , x , xiii . * the strangers esther vii , vii ▪ * who ▪ * there shall be to them . psal. cxviii . . prov. iii. . psal. cxli. . job v. , &c. see junius in loc . prov. i. , &c. * master . * to his name . * him. notes for div a -e * sojourneth . acts ii . . pet. i. . eph. ii . . pet. i. . psal. ii . . pet. . . phil. ii . . * breath . ‖ him. * in. ‖ injustice . * eph. iv . . colos. iii. . pet. iii. . * said to us , teaching . luke vi . . matt. vii . . matt. v. . ▪ luke vi . . * epistles . vid. annot. cot●ler . in loc . * be within . ‖ beginning . tim. . . † be arm'd . ‖ in. * love. ‖ truth . † of the. ‖ and that he. ‖ his righteousness . † continent . pet. . . cor. vi . , . ‖ presbyters . rom. xii . . * swiftly believing . matt. xii . . rom. xiv . . cor. v. . ‖ for. john iv . . ‖ the martyrdom or witness of the cross. ‖ turn our selves pet. iv . . matt. vi . . matt. xxvi . . pet. ii . , . † in : pet. iii. , &c. ‖ perswaded . ‖ associated in truth . tobit xii . . pet. ii . . rom. ii . . titus ii . . thess. v. . eph. v. . coloss. iii. . cor. vi . . phil. i. psal. iv . . eph. iv . . gal. i. . tim. ii . , . ‖ powers and princes . ‖ him. † our lord. ‖ grace . notes for div a -e ‖ in. * see eph. iii. ‖ in. ‖ in. * health , joy. ‖ in. ‖ received . vid. epist. interp. * vid. coteler . in loc . comp. gal. iv . . † pearson . vind. ign. par . . cap. . * imitators . ‖ martyrdom . eph. v. . [ see the old lat. ed. of bishop vsher. ] * when * in. ‖ possess . ‖ blessed in all things . * by. ‖ see philem. . wis● . xxx . . * in all manner of ways . ‖ to glorifie . † in one . * cor. i. . ‖ concerning the same . † the. * command you . ‖ in. † for. * concerning . ‖ will , counsel , opinion , &c. * whence . ‖ worthy to be named . * concord . ‖ partake of . matt. xviii . . * is already proud and has , &c ‖ judged , or separated . james iv . . pet. v. . * subject to god. * and the. ‖ himself . * more than to . * accustom themselves to carry . ‖ in wicked deceit . † avoid . * bite . * see bishop usher . vossius in annot. in loc . p. . * which can . † without doubt ye li●e . ‖ vid. voss. annot. in loc . pearson . vind. ign. par . . p. , . † to ages . ‖ as neither is faith the things of infidelity , nor infidelity the things of faith. * known . ‖ passed thither . † vpon . * comp. eph. ii● ▪ , , . pet. ii . . † the building of god the father . * by the engine of the cross , &c. pearson . ib. part . cap. . * these things i write . * 〈◊〉 ye firm . ‖ why has been more , &c. † in jesus christ both bodily and spiritually . c●r . vii . . * remain : or , for ●●●●main● . ‖ i● present . † one of the two , only that we may be found , &c. * without him . † be●●me you . ‖ in. * assented to . † in. * vid. cotele● in loc . pears . vind. ign. par. cap. . * destruction . ‖ concord . † of things in heaven , and of things on earth . * being in vnity . matt xii . . * shall be seen , or made manifest . ‖ speaking , not to be . * if he who 〈◊〉 ▪ does . ‖ that he ma● . † him. † out of . * the corrupt●●s of 〈◊〉 . cor. vi , ● . ‖ cor x. * such a one being become defiled . ‖ hears him . * receive oyntment . psal. xliv . .cxxxii. . ‖ are we foolishly destroy'd ? † not knowing . cor. i. , , . cor. i. . * carrie● ‖ who was . * mysteri●● 〈◊〉 noise . ‖ silence , 〈◊〉 quietness . 〈◊〉 rom. xvi . ● ▪ * the●e wa●● disorder . ‖ . † * disappeared . ‖ being made manifest . † he received authority , that which was perfect from god. * reveal . * that ye may obey . ‖ mind . notes for div a -e * vid. annot. coteler . in loc . * pearson , vind. ign. par . . cap. * vid. interpr . lat. epist. interpol . ‖ in. * according to . ‖ been vouchsafed a name carrying a great deal of divinity in it . * see bishop pearson . vind. ign. par . . cap. . p. . † sing , commend . * vndergoing , and escaping . ‖ worthy of god. * whom may i enjoy . † apud vet. lat. interpr . glorificato deum pat●em d. nostri jesu christi . * vid. voss. annot. in loc . pearson praef. ad vind. ignat. ‖ seeming youthful state. † it is becoming . * without any hypocrisie . † who willeth it . * deludes . ‖ flesh. vid. epist. interp . ad loc . * firmly . ‖ together . † character set . * your whole multitude . ‖ the concord of god. * sweet . ‖ was made manifest . hebr. ix . . † habit of god. john x. .xiv. , . xvii. , . eph. iv . , , , . * run . john xvi . . * heterodox . ‖ most divine . * fully to satisfie john i. ▪ * life . * received . * without . * vid. annot. voss. in loc . ‖ more than . * convicted , overthrown . * believe . * have your selves so . ‖ lesser than you . * hooks . † firmly . * in your selves . prov. xviii . . sept. * worthily complicated . * there may be a vnion both fleshly and spiritual . eph. iii. . † find , enjoy . * whence . * bedew'd . vid. epist. interp . in loc . * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . † possessing . notes for div a -e ‖ to : in. * in. ‖ vnto . * vid. interpr . lat. epist. interpolat . † known . * inseparable mind . † which you have not according to use , but according to possession . ‖ who am bound . * multitude . † your benevolence . * according to god. ‖ vid. vossium in loc . seem'd . † imitators . * when. * flee from . vid. vossium in loc . * deacons . vossius in loc . vid. aliter cotelerium . * a church is not called . * habit of body is great instruction . † power . vid. vossium & usserium in loc . * i understand many things . † measure . * love. ‖ vid. annot. vossii in loc . * mildness . ‖ is. * vid. de hoc loco conjecturas vossii , cotelerii , & junil apud usserium . comp. epist. interpol in loc . et voss. annot. in epist. ad phil. p. . vid. usserii obs marg. comp. coteler . ib. * any thing . isaiah lii . . * without . * seeing , or looking on . ‖ his father raising him . * the father . * plants . * the concord of you . * be a testimony among you , writing . * them. * vndivided . ‖ vid. annot. vossii in loc . notes for div a -e vid. pearson . vind. ignat. par. . ch . . p. . * in. * in. * type of the 〈◊〉 , i. e. the ●hu●ch of the ●●mans . see 〈◊〉 . annot. in 〈◊〉 . * vid. voss. annot. in loc . ‖ worthy of god. * have grace . ‖ my lot. * is. * as. ‖ enjoying . † from me . * flesh. ‖ being become a chorus . * sing . † that a bishop of syria should be found . * that those things also should be firm . ‖ commanded . vid. annot. usserii in loc . n. , . * god. ‖ perswasion . † vid. usser . ann. n. . * forbid me . ‖ be not . † by whom i may . * vid. lat. vet. interpr . et annot. usser . n. . ‖ flatter . cor. iv . . * ready . ‖ vid. voss. in loc . usser . annot. n. . † usser . annot. n. . luke xlv . . * vid. coteler . in loc . rom. viii . , ‖ vid. usser . annot. n. . † ib. n. . * that i may enjoy . * ends. ‖ of this age. † vid. voss. correct p. . * by matter . ‖ take : lay hold on . * vid. annot. voss. in loc . † what things constrain me * mind : will. ‖ who are present . † vid. voss. annot ▪ in loc ▪ * cotelerius aliter explicat . annot. in loc . usser . n. . ‖ voss. in loc . contr. coteler . q. v. * and that shall be . † willed . ‖ vid. annot. voss. in loc . † by a short letter . * in. ‖ vid. vet. interpr . lat. cor. xv . . * according to the flesh * vid. vet. interpr . lat. notes for div a -e ‖ inseperably . * vid. vet. interp . lat. ‖ in. * ministry belonging to the publick . ‖ has struck me with wonder . † those that speak vain things . ‖ in. * vid. voss. annot . in loc . ‖ evil. * very much poured out . ‖ vid. voss. in loc . * vid. voss. in loc . * opinion : council . * of some . * flesh. * flesh. * repent . ‖ who will loose from you . † vid. voss. annot . in loc . * vntouch'd . ‖ messenger or minister . * vossius . a martyr , or confessor . vid. annot. in loe . ‖ vid. vossius annot. in ep. ad smyrn . p. . notes for div a -e * comp. cor. vii . . * vnto the lord. mat. iii. . † vid. voss. annot. in loc . * incorp●real and 〈◊〉 . luke xxiv . john xx . . * death . ‖ admonish . † have so . * had true flesh. † it is . matt. xix . . * vid. epist. interp. * vid. annot. coteler . in loc . ‖ the eucharist . * vid coteler . annot. * the multitude * make a love-feast . ‖ return to a sound mind . † does worship . * vid. voss. annot. in loc . * ways . ‖ vid. epist. interpol . † spirit . * * vid. voss. annot . in loc . * vid. voss. annot . in loc . * see for the reason of this name . voss. annot . in loc . add. coteler . ib. * see voss. annot . ex epist. interpol . notes for div a -e * innocent . ‖ vid. cor. vii . . † be at leisure to , &c. * vid. voss. in loc . aliter vet. lat. interpr . ‖ the diseases . * superfusions . mat. x. . * vid. voss. annot. in loc . collat. cum coteler . ib. ‖ amaze thee . * beaten † more studious , diligent . ‖ being well-setled . * vid. annot. coteler . in loc . * or , trades . † note , that in what follows , ignatius speaks not to polycarp , but as in his name to the people . ‖ vid. annot. vossii coteler . in loc . ‖ that which is committed to your custody , to keep secure . † the security of god. * most becoming god. * footmen . † vid. voss. in loc . in the eternal work. ‖ ex vet. interpr . vid. voss. in annot. notes for div a -e * apostolical . * compare the cotton ms. † magis simplices . in ms. cotton : infirmum . ‖ as to himself . * order . † more to a familiarity of the lord. * candle . † every mans heart . ‖ see the cotton ms. comp annot . usser . n. * many and diverse . † to enter into the worship of devils , with all nations . ‖ worshippers . * manly . ‖ devil : vid. pears . vind. ign. part . cap. . * devil . † of those . ‖ in our breast : so ms. cotton . to have an understanding of the gods : or , the gods according to vnderstanding . so the other of a. b. usher . metaphrastes joyns both together . vid. annot . usser n . * vid gra●● metaphr n. * cor. vi . ▪ ‖ spectacle . * beasts eating raw flesh . co. auditor . ‖ and. † partake of his spiritual blessing . ms. cotton . hear his discourses : metaphrast . * to contend to his purpose . ‖ that the more suddainly disappearing to the world. † to. acts xxviii . , . † the ship being repell'd from the forepart , would not permit . ‖ hot. * quietare plebem ad non expetere perdere justum . ‖ see another conjecture of bishop vsher : annot. n. . * comp. graec. metaphrast . apud coteler . prov. x. . * according to what , praeoccupying in his epistle , he desires to be made his proper fruition . ‖ and buried . vid. annot. usser . in act. ignat. n. . ‖ bratificantes sanctum , pronouncing him blessed . * having manifested or made known . * philom●iia . vid. annot. uss. n. . comp. vet. lat . interpr . & euseb. hist. eccles. l.iv. c. ‖ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . † martyrdom . ‖ him. † martyrdoms . * vid. corre●● . coteler . & v●●lei . in anno● . euseb. l.iv. ● . . p. . † shewing to all of us . ‖ for they had before their eyes to escape . cor. ii . . * shewn . † see bishop vsher's annot. n. . euseb. l. ●v . c. . & ●n eum annot. valesii p. . d. * their fearfulness . ‖ life of them . * i must be . ‖ justice of the peace . vid. usser . in loc . num . , . vales. in euseb . p. . d ▪ † discoursed . * why was all this diligence . vid annot. usser . in loc . ‖ freely . * comp. euseb. l.iv. c. . p. . b. edit . vales. & annot. vales. p. . c. ‖ they spake bitter words . † getting out of the chariot . † change my mind . vid. vales . annot. in euseb. p. . c. d. † was filled . ‖ as troubled or disturbed . * so eusebius ruffin . vet. interpr . lat. &c. vid. usser . not. . † who was president of the spectacles ; the chief priest for that year . see usser . annot. num. . vales. in euseb. p. ▪ † vid. aliter apud euseb. l. iv . c. . et ●n eum vales. annot. p. . * with every thing that was good . ‖ instruments . † the pile that was to burn him , see vales. in euseb. p. ● . b. ‖ by euseb. & vet. lat. interpr . ‖ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . vid. annot. usser . num . . vales. understands by it one of the launce-men that were set to kill the beasts , if they grew unruly , at these kind of spectacles , vid. in euseb. p. . c. † so eusebius . ‖ knowing . * imitators . † own proper . † martyrdom . ‖ vid. coteler . in marg. & vet. lat. interpr . † rather of april : see annot . usser . n. . & pears . on chron. diss. . c. . n. . — * asiarch . ‖ as the blessed , &c. ad finem exempl . usser . p. . notes for div a -e ‖ honestarum . † aequitatum . ‖ spiritibus . * natural . ‖ honest. † equity of the lord. * vid. annot. voss. in loc . ‖ life : see below : chap. iv . pag. . ‖ constitutions of the lord. † given us to know . * the more honestly and deeply . ‖ in many things . † age. * equities . comp. graec. clem. alex. isaiah i. . — . — . — . jer. vii . . — . zach. viii . . ‖ of the mercy of our fathe● . psal. l. . isaiah lviii . . — . — . — . — . — . — . † providence . ‖ simpli●ity . * their. † voss. in loc . p. . edit . oxon. p. . b. et annot. d. bernard p. . ‖ beloved . dan. ix . mat. xxiv . . mal. iii. . comp. ed. oxon. p. . dan. vii . — . — . ‖ heap up sins . exod. xxxi , xxxiv . exod. xxxii . . deutr. ix . . ‖ separately vid. gr. clem. alex. isa. v. . † god. mat. xii . . isaiah liii . , . † vid. edi● oxon. p. . prov. i. . gen. i. . ‖ learn ▪ mat. ix . . * vid. coteler . in loc . aliter vet. int. lat. comp. ed. oxon. isa. liii . . zach. xiii . . psal. xxi . . — . isa. l. , . ‖ lxx . septuag . inter. isa. v●ii . . — xxviii . . isa. l. . psal. . . — . clem. alex. strom. v. * this is not in the old lat. vers. † vid. edit . oxon. p. . a. psal. xxi . . — cxvii . . — xxi . . isa. iii. . exod xxxiii . . † vid. coteler . annot. marg. ex clem. alex. isaiah xl . . prov. i. . eccl. i. . * vid. edit . ● oxon p. ● . b. ‖ vid. vet. lat. interp. gen. i. . comp. coloss. iii. . — . ezek. xxxvi . mat. xx . . ‖ comp. hebr. iii. ezek. xi . . — xxxvi . . † so st. paul cor. i●i . , — vi . . psal. xli . . psal. xxi , . † comp. hier. in jer. xxxii . . et in jer. xi . . add. pet. ii . . ‖ see this applied after the same manner , hebr. ix . † levit. xxiii . . * gen. xxv . ‖ numb . xxix , &c. vid. coteler . in marg. et annot. in loc. comp. observ. edit . oxon. * vid. annot. cotel . in loc . † levit. xvi . vid. maimon . tract . de die exp. edit . du veil . pag. . add. annot. cotel . & ed. oxon. in loc * vid. edit . oxon. p. . a. . b. ‖ vid. maim . ibid. pag. . comp. annot. edit . oxon. in loc . † vid. annot. isaac voss. in loc . ‖ vid. lat. ver. see acts xiv . . numb . x●x . † israel . that this was also a type of christ , see hebr. ix . . ‖ vid. vet. lat. interpr . * wood. * wood. † vid. coteler . in annot. septuag . psal. xvii . . isa. xxxiii . . jer. iv . . jer. vii . . psal. xxxiii . isaiah i. . — . — xi . . † angel. jer. iv . , . * vid. lat. interp . vet. jer. vii . . jer. ix . , . * vid. coteler . in loc . confer . orig. ad rom. cap. ii . . † that many others of the antient fathers have concurred with him in this : see coteler . in loc . add. eund . pag. , . ibid. edit . oxon. in loc . an instance of the like kind , see rev. xiii . , . add. annot. d. bernard . edit . oxon. p . ‖ that in this he goes on the received opinions of the rr. vid. annot. coteler . & ed. oxon. in loc . levitic . xi . deutr. xiv . add. ainsworth . on lev. xi . . and again on deut. xiv . . † in the vnderstanding . deutr. iv . * vid. antiq. lat. vers. † wicked to the end . * see coteler . annot. in loc . ‖ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . † 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . * so several naturalists have affirmed , the others denyed : see annot . coteler . in loc . † vid. arist. apud euseb. praep. evang. l. viii . cap. . add. coteler . in loc . psal. i. . ‖ see edit . oxon. p. . a. so iren. adv . her. l.v. c. . * comp. clem. alex. l.iii. paedag. c. , et simil . orig. theod. &c. coteler . annot. in loc . † ruminate upon . jer. ii. . * vid. annot. cotel . & edit . oxon. in loc . isa. xvi . , . — xlv . . — xxxiii . , . ‖ in. vid. edit . coteler . p. . psal. i. zeph iii. . ‖ vid. conject . edit . oxon. comp. iv . esdr. v. . et obs. cotel . in loc . ‖ see st. hier. in like manner annot. d. bernard . p. . edit . oxon. exod. xvii . * that were so beaten . † again set them in array , being armed . lat. vers . isa. lxv . . ‖ so irenaeus , just mart. st. chrysost. &c. vid. edi● . oxon. p. . a. † israel falling . deutr. xxvii . ● rom. xi . . ‖ so the other fathers . just. mart. &c. vid. edit . oxon. pag. . * vid. interp. vet. lat. exod. xvli . . * comp. vet. lat. interp. psal. cix . . ‖ vid. annot. coteler . in loc . edit . oxon. p. . c. isa. xlv . . † comp. vet. lat. interp. gen. xxv . . compar . st. paul. rom. ix . just. mart. tert. &c. vid. ed. oxon. p. . a. gen. xlviii . ‖ vid. lat. interp. vet. gen. xv . . so st. paul himself applies this . rom. iv . . exod. xxiv . deutr. ix . . exod. xxxi . ● exod. xxxii . deutr. ix . . ‖ vid. lat. interp. vet. isa. xlix . . † for salvation unto . isa. xlii . . — isa. lxi. , . comp. luke iv . . exod. xx . . jer. xvii . . gen. ii. . exod. xx . . xxxi . . ‖ vid. cotel . annot. in loc . † how general this tradition then was , see coteler . annot. in loc . edit . oxon. p. . a. psal. lxxxix . . ‖ that is , to the time of the gospel , says , dr. bernard . q. v. annot. p. . ed. oxon. * so the lat. vers. isa. i. . ‖ so the other fathers , q. v. apud coteler . annot. in loc . pag. . † vid. edit . oxon. & vet. lat. interp. * the temple . isa. xl . . isa. lxvi . . isa. xlix . . jer xxv . isa. v. dan. . haggai ii . ‖ vid. lat. vet. interp. ‖ vid. lat. vet. interp. ‖ vid. lat. vet. interp. ‖ so the old lat. interp. † vid. coteler . in loc . et basil. in psal. i. ‖ vid. cotel . in loc . † vessel . notes for div a -e * edit . oxon. aliter 〈◊〉 . vid. hieron . in hosoam . vii . . * in glory . — edit . oxon. hath preserved thee in glory . † edit . oxon. clem. alex. strom. vi . ‖ so coteler . edit . oxon. and she , &c. ‖ days that are coming . numb . xi . , . origen . philocal . cap. . ‖ are abou● . † edit . oxon. * clem. alex. strom. xii . baptism . ‖ vid. edit . oxon. ‖ vas ur●ale . ‖ observe them . irenaeus lib. . c. . origen . de princ. l. . c. . euseb. hist. eccles. l. v. c. . athanas . de incarn . verb. &c. ‖ simple . * vid. antioch . hom. xxix . † daemon . ‖ vid. antioch . hom. xcviii . * simply . † his own . ‖ gloriously to god. ‖ antioch . hom. lxvi . * see below , book lii . si● . x chap. . † if thou shalt keep the truth ‖ chastity . † another mans. ‖ see cor. vii . ▪ † sense . ‖ praepositus : see below , chap. iii. † sense . * great wisdom . † sense . † sense . ‖ in his vnderstanding . * chastity . † rightly hear● ‖ those days . * vid. annot. coteler . in loc . pag. , . ‖ vid. not. coteler . in loc . p. . b. c. rom. vii . . comp. cor. vii . † the vessel . †† disposition to anger : and so in what follows . ‖ place . †† disposition to anger : and so in what follows . * vid. antioch . hom. ●x . †† disposition to anger : and so in what follows . †† disposition to anger : and so in what follows . ‖ to. †† disposition to anger : and so in what follows . * angel. * angel. †† angriness . ‖ vertue . †† angriness : disposition to anger . see above . †† angriness : disposition to anger . see above . †† angriness : disposition to anger . see above . * vessel . * vid coteler . annot. in loc . pag. . . comp. edit . oxon. p. . not. a. † placed . ‖ vid antioch hom. lxi . comp orig. l. lii . de princip . et in l●c. hom xxxv . * works . ‖ vid. antioch . hom. cxxvii . * antioch . hom. lxxix . ‖ of all iniquities . * vid. coteler . in loc . ‖ vid. antioch . hom. lxxxiii . † asking the petition of thy soul. ‖ in every thing . ‖ without sense thou dost not understand it . † questions . * vid. edit . oxon. p. . b. comp. cor. vii . . † senses . ‖ antioch . hom. xxv . ‖ of men. * vid. antioch . hom. lxxiv. † vessels . * angel. † origen . in matth. xxiv . . ‖ angel. ‖ vid. antioch . hom. lxxvii . ‖ antioch . hom. xv . ‖ soule . ‖ vid. origen . in jos. hom. x. † nations . ‖ with me . * vid. not. coteler . in loc . pag. , . † coteler . ibid. * vid. not. cotelerli . pag. . a. b. c. † vid. antioch . hom. vii . * vid. not. cotelerli . pag. . a. b. c. * vid. not. cotelerli . pag. . a. b. c. ‖ vid. edit . oxon. annot. a. p. . * angels . * angels . ‖ in them . * vid. annot. coteler . in loc . † angel. * vid. origen . in psal. xxxvii . hom. . ‖ angel. * origen . in num. hom. viii . ‖ angel. ‖ angel. ‖ angel. ‖ vid. edit . oxon. p. not . d. ‖ sea● . ‖ with foreign nations . ‖ with foreign nations . ‖ see above book i. * angel. ‖ origen . hom. iii. in ezech. † so cotelerius in loc . ‖ vid. ms. lamb. edit . oxon , p. ● . ‖ vid. annot. edit . oxon. p. . d. † vid. origen . philocal . c. viii . ‖ origen . hom. in ezek. † vid. edit . oxon. p. . b. ‖ vid. coteler . annot. in loc . pag. , . comp. pet. iii. . * vid. clem. alex. strom. ii . et vi . * sense . ‖ vid. orig. philocal . c. viii . † feigned . * vid. edit . oxon. p. . not. b. ‖ infancy . ‖ not. ‖ vid. antioch . hom. cxxii . † antioch . hom xciv . ‖ president . notes for div a -e * little things , or meanly . * little things , or meanly . * little things , or meanly . † hear as of little things . ‖ knowing . † how great holy things do we owe unto him . isai. liv . . † simply . mat. ix . . ‖ what is the knowledge which is towards him . mat. x. . isa. xxix . . mat. vii . . * wherefore we doing these things . mat. vii . . luke xiii . . mat. x. . luke xii . , . luke xvi . . mat. xvi . . ezek. xiv . , . ‖ the combat ●s before us . isa. lxvi . . † let us repen● ‖ there . luke xvi . ● , . mat. xii . . ‖ 〈◊〉 for this cause we cannot find a man aliter 〈…〉 q v. see above the st epistle , chap. xxiii . pag , . warnings to the unclean in a discourse from rev. xxi. . preacht at springfield lecture, august th. . at the execution of sarah smith. by mr. john williams pastor of the church at deerfield. williams, john, - . approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page images. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; oxford (uk) : - (eebo-tcp phase ). a wing w estc w this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons . universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase , no. a ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, - ; : ) warnings to the unclean in a discourse from rev. xxi. . preacht at springfield lecture, august th. . at the execution of sarah smith. by mr. john williams pastor of the church at deerfield. williams, john, - . p. printed by b. green, and j. allen, for michael perry, at his shop over-against the town-house, boston : . copy has print show-through. reproduction of the original in the british library. created by converting tcp files to tei p using tcp tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the universities of michigan and oxford and the publisher proquest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by proquest via their early english books online (eebo) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). the general aim of eebo-tcp is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic english-language title published between and available in eebo. eebo-tcp aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the text encoding initiative (http://www.tei-c.org). the eebo-tcp project was divided into two phases. the , texts created during phase of the project have been released into the public domain as of january . anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source. users should be aware of the process of creating the tcp texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data. text selection was based on the new cambridge bibliography of english literature (ncbel). if an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in ncbel, then their works are eligible for inclusion. selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. in general, first editions of a works in english were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably latin and welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so. image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in oxford and michigan. % (or pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet qa standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. after proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of instances per text. any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of tcp data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a tcp editor. the texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level of the tei in libraries guidelines. copies of the texts have been issued variously as sgml (tcp schema; ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf- unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p , characters represented either as utf- unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng smith, sarah, d. -- early works to . repentance -- early works to . christian literature -- early works to . executions and executioners -- massachusetts -- early works to . - tcp assigned for keying and markup - spi global keyed and coded from proquest page images - melanie sanders sampled and proofread - melanie sanders text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion warnings to the unclean : in a discourse from rev. xxi . . preacht at springfield lecture , august th . . at the execution of sarah smith . by mr. john williams pastor of the church at deerfield . boston , printed by b. green , and j. allen , for michael perry , at his shop over-against the town-house . . the tree of knowledge henry stevens of vermont , fsa , &c. trafalgar square , london . to the reader . although in the popish sense we m●y allow no sin to be venial ; ( for the wages of every sin is death ) yet there are doubtless degrees in sin , some are in their nature & circumstances more peculiarly aggravated , and expose to a much sorer condemnation : among which may be reckoned those which are not only violations of positive precepts , but of the very dictates and law of nature ; in such sins there is both a contempt of the divine authority , and a great deal of violence offered to conscience , which would restrain from the commission of them , and is a plain demonstration of prevailing atheism of the heart , and mighty power and love of sin in it , to over-bear the light they have ; but that such sins should be committed under the clear light of the gospel , shews men to be wholly without excuse : it therefore is , and ought to be for a lamentation , that though we live in such an age of the world , wherein the light of the gospel shines with greater clearness probably then it ever did since the first revelation of it ; yea , in days too , wherein the wrath of god is revealed from heaven against the unrighteousness of men . that in such days there should be found so many sad instances of these horrid and unnatural sins of murther and uncleanness ; but especially of this latter , that there is ground to fear , that it hath been one of the things for which god hath so long had a controversie with the land : as for what is obvious to men of this nature , we have reason to hope , that the land is free from the guilt of it , by the vigilance and faithfulness of those to whom god hath committed the sword of justice ; but there are many things of this nature secret , which the method of god in his judgments seems directly to point at . it is noted among the procuring causes of israels miseries , king. . . that the children of israel did secretly those things that were not right in the sight of the lord ; probably this may re●err to what we read , in king. . . there were sodomites in the land : however that be , it 's certain the prophets reckon up the sins of whoredom and adultery among the black catalogue of their abominations , and the causes of their calamities , jer. . . they assembled themselves by troops in harlots houses ; and hos. . . whor●dom and wine take away the heart ; these are such things as defile the land , where-ever they are committed , and will certainly procure an increase of judgments , unless repentance prevents ; & whensoever god in his just wrath leaves any to be monuments of shame & ignominy before the world , it is a loud call to all who lye under such guilt , to be speedy and thorough in repentance . god both requires and expects it should be so . deut. . . all israel shall hear and fear , and do no more presumptuously , on which account it seems very sutable to accompany such sad instances with solemn warnings , that those who are under the like guilt , may be awakened , and others may be awed ; and it is especially needful , that persons be put in remembrance of the dreadful consequence of these things in the world to come ; in comparison of which , the greatest shame , and severe penalties here , are as nothing ; and as the judgment of god is more severe , so it is more certain , he hath positively declared , heb. . . whoremongers and adulterers god will judge ; these works of darkness may escape the notice , so the judgment of men , but there will be no escaping the judgment of god ; there is no darkness or shadow of death where the workers of iniquity may hide themselves ; the eye of god follows men into their darkest recesses , and he will surely have a day to bring to light the hidden things of darkness . to promote these ends , it is that many of the hearers of the following sollid and seasonable warning delivered just before the execution of a person convicted of these horrid sins of murther and adultery , have desired the publication of it ; to which the author hath consented , being desirous to further the right improvement of such a sad example , to deter others from the like abominations . as for the person executed for these sins , she is an awful instance of the infatuating , hardening and stupifying power of this bruitish sin of uncleanness , her love to , & frequent practice of it , having occasioned her stifling many convictions , & contracted a fearful stupidity and sottishness upon her , near the approaches of death . it is earnestly to be wished , that such warnings and examples might not be in vain ; that all would so improve them , that we might see no more such examples . to conclude therefore , let me perswade all to consider , the heinous nature , and dreadful effects of these sins ; the apostle gives a particular account hereof , cor. . , , , , , . it s a sin against a mans own body , it is a defiling of that which should be the temple of god ; it is a sin loathsome in it self , and makes those who are guilty of it , loathsome to god , and to men too , when it is discovered ; it is a sin that is ordinarily the punishment of other sins , prov. . . a whore is a deep ditch , and a narrow pit , the abhorred of the lord shall fall therein . it is a sin that dreadfully hardens and besots those who are guilty of it . prov. . . 't is said of the harlot , n●ne that go in unto her return again , neither take they hold of the path of life . ( . ) that persons would more carefully avoid the inducements to this sin which are too common : such are , over cos●ly , light garish attire , impudent and immodest carriages , filthy communications , idleness , intemperance , by which the body is inflamed , and modesty banished ; the command that forbids the acts of uncleanness , forbids also the occasions and tendencies to it ; and unless there be a tenderness and watchfulness to avoid these , there will be little hopes , that gross pollutions will be avoided . thus commending the following warnings to the blessing of god , and to the serious consideration of the rising generation . i am your souls well-wisher . w. williams . warnings to all unclean persons . rev xxi . . but the fearful , and unbelieving , and the abominable , and murderers , and whoremongers , and sorcerers , and idolaters , and all liars , shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire & brimstone : which is the second death . sinners promise themselves a great deal of pleasure , satisfaction and delight in the ways of disobedience , to the holy commands of god ; but the destinations and appointments of god to them are far otherwise . they say they shall sollace themselves with love , and take their fill of love . but in these words you see what god appoints them too , not to a bed deckt with coverings of tapistry , with carved works , with fine linnen of egypt , perfumed with myrrh , aloes and cinnamon ; but to a lake burning with fire and brimstone ; a righteous allotment from god , to all them that burn in their filthy lusts here . in these words by an elegant antithesis , we have represented to us the differing frame of the wicked from the godly ; and the differing portion of these from the godly ; the godly in the foregoing verse are described from their constancy , and perseverance in opposing whatever was contrary to the holy nature , or holy law of god : and happiness in its full complement , or perfection is promised them of god : the ungodly spoken of in these words , are such as are for pre●ent ease , and endless sorrow , and pain are threatned to them . in which words , we have as it were a catalogue of those that are appointed to wrath , or a very severe commination , or threatning , &c. with the subjects thereof . . the commination or threatning , shall have their part , &c. an absolute peremptory threatning , ( shall have ) not that its probable , or who can tell but it may be so , they are in danger , its very much to be feared it will be ●o ; but they shall have their part . part ] share or portion , so much as hath been demerited by their sins , and is appointed them of god : who will give to every man , according to the fruit of his doings . lake ] figuratively put for the place of tor●ent ; hell , wherein the reprobate shall be ●ormented . burns with fire and brimstone ] denoting the ●xtream torments of hell ; when 't is said they ●hall have their part , &c. 't is as much as though ●t had been said , they shall be adjudged to a most grievous damnation , by an irreversible sentence . second death ] eternal death , &c. damnation of soul and body in hell , concludes under it the separation of the whole man , soul and body from the glorious presence of god ; and the delivering of the sinner to endless pain and torment in hell. . the subjects of this doleful commination . fearful ] such as through fear of man , swerve from the holy profession , and practice of godliness ; comprehending all those who are afraid , from the encouragements of the gospel , to commit their souls to christ ; who dare not on gospel encouragements believe on christ. unbelieving ] all that remain in a christless and impenitent state , on whatever consideration , whether from sloth , love of sinful pleasures , or contempt of christ , and his glorious grace . abominable . ] those that are left to sin against nature , and such as are guilty of sodomy , and bea●tiality . murderers . ] those that unjustly take away the life of others , or do that which hath a tendency thereto ; those that offer violence to the blood and life of others . whoremongers . ] unclean persons , whether married , who are termed adulterers ; or unmarried , who are called fornicators . sorcerers ] witches , those that have familiar amity with evil spirits . idolaters ] idol worshippers , that use idols in religious worship : such also are all that put the creature in the room and stead of god. all lyars ] such as are deceitful , and dissembling , who speak otherwise then they think ; and do otherwise then they speak ; such as accustom themselves to speak falsly ; comprehend those that fall into heresie , and all practical lyars , as hypocrites , who profess that they know god , yet in works deny him ; any dying under the guilt of these sins , are the subjects of this commination : any living under the single guilt of any one of these heads of sin ; are at present under a sentence of death , and nothing but un●eigned repentance towards god , and faith in jesus christ , can prevent their being the subjects , of this threatning eternally . doctrine . murder and uncleanness , are sins that god punisheth men , and women dying under the guilt of ; with eternal damnation . or thus , that impenitent murderers , and unclean persons , will ●e made the subjects of hell torments . hell torments will be the portion of all impenitent and unclean persons . i have singled out these two , rather then the rest ; because god in his providence , calls me to ●ear testimony against these , and to warn one in a peculiar manner convicted of both these , and under a just sentence of death , speedily to repent , and get a pardon in the blood of christ. uncleanness and murder are sins that god punisheth not only in this life , but in the world to come ; when the natural life of these shall be expired , and that by divine appointment , worse sorrows then ever they endured here , shall seiz● upon , and apprehend them ; the sufferings of wrath here , and loss of li●e , by divine vengeance , will not expiate , guil●iness ; but divine wrath will pursue and abide on the guilty in the other world : one death will lead to another ; the first death makes way for the second . god don't punish the guilty only with damnation , but everlasting damnation : sinners dying under the guilt of these sins , shall not only be damned , but everlastingly damned . quest. how doth it appear , that god will punish them that dye under the guilt of these sins , with everlasting damnation ? . from scripture threatnings and comminations , god is not a man that he should lye , n●ither the son of man that he should repent , hath he said , and shall he not do i● ? or hath he spoken , and shall he not make it good ? god that said of old , that he would chastize , as their congregation had heard , god who is truth , and cannot l●e , who after he had threatned his imp●nitent people in ancient times for their apos●acy , warned them against flattering themselves with hopes of impunity , by saying , the lord have spoken it ; this god hath in his word threatned thus to deal with unclean sinners , & commanded them not to deceive themselves with hopes of a less punishment . cor. . , . gal. . . these exclusions from the kingdom of heaven , comprehend in them positive punishments , even the punishment of eternal damnation . if sinners hearing the curses and threatnings of gods word , embolden themselves with promising themselves happiness , they will find themselves in the issue , separated to all evil . deut. . , . for heaven and earth shall sooner pass away , than one jot or tittle of gods word fail of its accomplishment . . because these are transgressers of the holy law of god , and damnation is due to them on this account . rom. . . rom. . . every sin is a transgression of the holy law of god ; it s therefore a meet and a reasonable thing that they should have their due : hell and damnation are as really due to them , and deserved by them in this their last end , as ever wages were to a man , at the end of his days work . god is neglected & slighted , his holy law trampled upon , for a little present carnal satisfaction ; so that the justice of god is concerned thus to deal with them . . because these their sins are of a scarlet and crimson dye , aggravated iniquities filling up the measure of other sins ; not barely transgressions and violations of a holy law of god , but breaches of his law , with such aggravations , that ripen for damnation . . uncleanness is an aggravated iniquity , filling up the measure of other sins . prov. . . this appears , in that it is a sin that god leaves the abhorred of his soul , and reprobates to a wallowing and continuing in . eccles. . . prov. . . a sin that he leaves them to , that he never intends good to ; these are left of god , to go the way to hell ; and not escaping these sins , they may not think to escape damnation . prov. . . prov. . . these expressions that the abhorred of the lord shall fall therein , plainly intimates , that many previous and foregoing sinful courses , have provoked god to jealousie and hot displeasure ; and that he will leave them to this sin , to prepare them for a day of vengeance . . a sin that takes away the heart from god , and that which is good . hos. . . it alienates and estrangeth the heart from god , and the holy commandment ; it causeth sinners to disregard and slight promises and threatnings ; it takes away the heart from thinking , and meditating of god , and his word , from delighting in god and his commandments , from contriving and studying how to please god , and obey his voice ; so that they will not hearken to his voice , they will none of him ; when the heart is thus taken off from god , and that which is good , the measure of sin will be filled up apace . prov. . . . in that they are addicted and accustomed to this sin , are hardened persons , and seldome truly repent . prov. . . prov . . . the scripture speaks of these , as the most impudent and shameless sinners ; yea , as those that refuse to be ashamed ; many of these past feeling . eph. . , . now , when any are hardened from gods fear , they will fall into mischief , and the heart of those will be set in them to do evil . . a sin that hath ruined and made desolate nations and lands , guilty of it : it drowned the old world ; it brought down fire and brimstone on sodom and gomorrah , gen . . sodom had many other sins , as pride , idleness &c glu●tony ; but this sin of uncleanness made it a desolation ; and a sin that eternally ruins and undoes the soul. prov. . . . murder is an aggravated sin , filling up the mea●u●e of other sins ; other sins treasure up wrath against the day of wrath : this sin ripens for cutting down , finisheth the transgression , and brings forth death : this appears , in . that the cry of this sin , pierceth the very heavens , and brings down the curse of god. gen. , . he sinned in his wrath against his brother ; he finished that sin , in the murder of him . god admonished and warned him , for his passionateness , and angryness , but when he had committed this s●n , saith god , thou art cursed from the earth . . inasmuch as usually they are hardened against gods ●ear , and contemners of god , that are thus guilty . gen. . . he doth not fall down and cry out against himself , for his own guiltiness , but as though it were a light thing to break with god , he adds sin to sin ; he lies , to hide his murder , and takes up god disdai●fully , am i my brothers keeper ? a parent , a master , a prince , would account such language from a child , servant or subject , unallowable sawciness and contemp● . he speaks as though it was an affront to put such a question to him : and therefore after god denounced a curse on him , he doth not bewail the greatness of his sin , he doth not relent or manifest sorrow that he had sinned against god , as he had done ; only faith , my punishment is greater than i can bear ; and instead of busying his mind to get his sin pardoned , by building a city , he diverts his mind from contemplating on his guiltiness . . in that god will not permit murderers to li●e here , but causeth them to dy before their time ; blood thirsty men shall not live out half their days exod. . . flying to the horns of the altar , shall be no sanctuary or security to them . numb . . . there can be no compensation m●de for the expla●ing of guilt as to this life . god will have no man plead that the natural life of such a● one , may be spared . prov. . . . in that a whole land cannot be innocent , but polluted , that suffer innocent blood to cry against it , in neglecting the execution of justice , for such a transgression : in that a whole land shall smart for sparing a convicted murderers life : when murder is uncertain as to the author of it ; see what is incumbent on a people , for the preventing the wrath of god. deut. . . ●● ▪ . a people have no reason to expect that it will goe well with them , li● they neglect execution of judgment , for this sin . deut. . , , . numb . . . the conniving at , and suffering of such sins , greatly moved god to wrath against israel . jer. . . . in that the very light of nature , teacheth that god is not wont to suffer this sin to go unrevenged . acts . . the wrath of god is not only revealed from scripture light , against this sin ; but the barbarians by the light of nature , judge it too great an offence for the judge of the world to permit , long unrevenged here . use i. of information . . what great reason they have to be humbly thankful to god , that are restrained and kept from these sins . every one by nature , hath the seeds of all sin , and disobedience : its god that witholds all as well as ahimelech gen. . . religious education , our own wisdom and resolutions can't restrain even from such wickedness : its god that makes us to differ one from another , that keeps from such pollutions ; many of the wise and learned of the world , many that make a profession , have been guilty : we are not to be unthankful for restraining grac● ; we are humbly to acknowledg god , when he keeps back from presumptuous sins . . what great reason ministers , parents and heads of families , have to warn all under their charge against , and to restrain them from such sinful practices and courses . these sins will not only expose theirs to such calamities in this life , that will make the ears of them that hear , to tingle , but render them obnoxious to eternal damnation . . how they are to blame , who suffer and permit such things under their eye , and roof , that are leading occasions to such sins . they are to blame that suffer and allow their children and servants in the black and dark night , to be absent from the religious orders of their families , to be going the way to such houses ; they are to be reproved , who bring up their children and families in idleness , which doth occasion the abounding of sin , even this sin of uncleanness . idleness occasioned sod●ms being so vile . heads of families are to be reproved , that see young ones , children or servants wantonly toying & dallying one with another , foo●ishly sporting on beds before their eyes , unreproved . i● parents and heads of families countenance and wink at such things : i know no reason they have to exercise charity towards them , that they won't play the who●e , and be grosly unclean out of their sight ; they are to blame that know their children make themselves vile , and restrain them not . . that the case of some is exceeding hazzardous and full of danger , they have the astonishing guilt of these sins of uncleanness & murder upon their souls ; they have not only committed th●●● evils , but have not repented of them , have the guilt of these sins still lying upon their souls . if the consciences of the●e are a●l●ep , and they under security , yet they are in hazzard and great danger . it may be they s●id , when they were tempted to these sins , they would yield to them , it would be only repen●ing of them afterwards . oh they are but a few who addict themselves to such a way and course of sin , that un●eignedly repent and turn to god. prov. . . these had need to flie for refuge , to escape for their lives . . it s a thing much to be lamented , that any among us at this day should be left to such sins . it s sorrowful to hear that pagans and papists should be guilty in these respects : much more lamentable , when any among our selves , especially at this day , are walking on in these ways . god hath been hedging up our wayes with thorns , to stop us in ways of sin ; shall any in such a day when god is purging us , be thus unclean ? shall any contemn the justice of god , and flight his anger ? rivers of tears should run down our eyes . we should behold these transgressors and be grieved . use ii. of awakening to all that are guilty of these sins : know it , that for these things cometh the wrath of god upon the children of disobedience . there is reason that such sinners should tremble at the wrath of god ; hear what the text and doctrine saith to such as you . i would fain have charity , that there is but one in this assembly , that hath been guilty of murder in the highest degree of it ; yet i fear there are several that have murdered in their hearts , and some who have been guilty of interpretative murder , for hiding and concealing the uncleanness of which this poor condemned one was guilty , before she became guilty of murder , for which she is to dye . i fear the guilt of innocent blood lies also upon some that through a greedy desire to get gain , have made drunk the heathen , to the occasioning quarrels to death among themselves , and ploddings of death to others . oh consider of the words and truth of god to you this day , and labour to get a pardon for your blood-guiltiness . here also is certainly matter of awakening to all unclean sinners , adulterers or fornicators : it may be there are not many before god , that have before man been convicted of uncleanness , not many who have in the sight of man , had bastards laid to their charge ; yet to be feared , much uncleanness to be charged on several , who are whoremongers in the sight of god , and exposed to this wrath , that you hear determined from the lord god of hosts against the unclean . hear & tremble all you unclean ones , elder & younger who have not only been in heart , but actually unclean before the eye of your judge : how can you escape the wrath of god under the guilt of these ? this sin of uncleanness is one great cause why the land mourns this day , and is a sin for which many will despairngly mourn at last , unless they speedily repent . this evil is thought to be a prevailing , growing evil . i shall therefore more specially have a regard to the guilty of uncleanness in what remains . awakening , . to all those who can commit this sin with greediness , and without remorse ; these have got the mastery of their consciences , who can commit this sin without terror , the wounds that this sin makes , are not felt ; time was when the accusations of conscience made them tremble , fill'd them with inward horror ; time was , when they could not yield to lesser acts of uncleanness without much difficulty , from the arguing of a conscience informed from the word of god. but now they are greedy after the pleasures of sin , will and can argue for uncleanness , and promise themselves security . so the whorish woman spoken of in prov. . . she becomes an orator for it , useth all her eloquence , to inveigle a companion , doth not barely hint a desire of the commission of that sin , but useth much fair speaking : now they can watch for fit seasons , and for suitable companions . eph. . , . fear of hell , a religious education , fear of shame and reproach will do nothing to prevent the commission o● this sin. . to all those who are guilty of this sin just after sabbaths , & soon after they are com● from hearing the word of god. some ther● are , who before they sleep , or give themselve● rest in their beds , are unclean : it s much to b● feared , there are those who on the evenings a●ter sabbaths , are wanton and unclean ; who 〈◊〉 as though god had been giving them a dispensation to be vile ; rather than exhorting of them to holiness of life and conversation . how many who do in this way as it were bid defiance to god ? and say , they don't value his word , or like them , the word that hath been spoken to us in the name of the lord , we will not do it ; but we will certainly do whatever goeth forth out of our own mouth ; such are surely impudent . prov. . , . . to all those who descend from godly and religious parents , who to the grief , and against the godly warnings , and admonitions of their pious relations , are unclean . sam. . . those may boast themselves of their priviledges ; and say , they have abraham to their father ; but they are to god , as children of the ethiopians : hath not god in his word said of such as you ? if they forsake me , i will cast them off for ever ? prov. . . . to all those who break their covenant with god and man , for the fruition of adulterous pleasure . mal. . . prov. . , . fornication is not connived at by god ; but he is a swift witness against these . mal. . . those who sin with so many aggravating and heightening circumstances as these , can't be very long in filling up the measure of their sin for a judicial process ; they have before witness on earth , in the presence of god , promised chastity . . to all those who condemn it in others , and know that it hath brought down the wrath of god upon them , and yet live in it ; some that are guilty of this sin , cry out against others , and speak as though the sorest punishment that could be thought of , could not be too severe : so did judah , when his daughter-in-law , was guilty of whoredom , yet himself as deeply guilty . gen. . . surely these are inexcusably guilty , and in very great hazard and danger of being filled with the wrath of god. rom. . . rom. . , , ▪ these ●o as it were justifie those that have been guilty after god hath punished them , and slight the justice of god ; therefore you find god so sharply reproving these , and declaring these more abominable in his sight . ezek. . , . jer. . , . god is not wont to suffer such that harden their hearts against examples of wrath on others , to escape his wrath. dan. . . . to them that live in uncleanness ▪ whilst they make a high profession of godliness : they come , and sit at the table of the lord , and yet wallow in uncleanness . god that sees what they do in secret , sayes , shall not my soul be avenged of such as these ? oh! in what great danger are church member unclean persons . if god will answer them according to their abominations , who set up their idols in their hearts , and put the stumbling block of their iniquity befor● their face , when they come to enquire of a prophet ezek. . what will the end of these ●e 〈◊〉 these have had impressions made by the spiri● of god , from the word on their consciences and have been like the earth that drinketh i● the rain , that cometh oft upon it ; and i● they do after all this , continue to bring ●ort● briars , and thorns , may they not look upo● themselves nigh to cursing ? heb. . . to all those whom god hath suffered to escape long unpunished , in the pursuit of unclean delights , an awful symptome , and groun● of fear , that god intends to punish them eternally . oh! many are glad at heart , that they can sin unpunished , and not be brought to shame , and smart for it here : truly such have awful ground to fear , that god intends to damn them eternally . the letting of sinner● go unpunished is threatned , as one of the fores● calamities , inflicted in this world , for the preparing of the sinner for endless torment . hos● . , . let such read , rom. . , . and se● if they have any reason to account it any part of their happiness , that they are suffered of god , to escape long unpunished , in such a way of sinning . . to all those who cover their uncleannesses with lies , to the doubling of their guiltiness : these take a course to carry the guilt of their doings into another world with them . those that commit adultery , and walk in lies , will be as sodom to god. jer. . . prov. . . they are doubly an abomination to god : the text doth once and again threaten those persons . here 's nothing but matter of awakening and terrour to all unclean persons , older or younger . god saith that he will punish such as you are : he will take you into his own hands . heb. . . oh! what reason have you to tremble and be afraid ! your sin is damning . the damage it doth you , is not only in this life , and on your bodies , but it destroyes your souls , and that eternally . consider , that eternal separation from god , and every act of disobedience receiving a meet reward , will make you perfectly miserable . here consider , for your awakening . . that the pleasures of sin will be dear bought . you are now resolved to live a life of pleasure . you are doubly guilty of folly , as well as wickedness ; you make choice of pleasures : that lye in common with bruits , and refuse the joys of holiness , and communion with god. you chuse also those that you can enjoy but for a season : they will be but as the crackling of thorns under a pot ; and they will cost you the loss of all happiness , and the sustaining all misery : you live a jolly , jocund life now , but what will you do in the end thereof ? madness in your hearts whilst you live , and after that you go to the dead . . that god wont punish you for one sin only , or but for a few , but for all . he will remember all your iniquities , and visit all your sins . eccles. . . amos . . all your uncleanness , all your sabbath pollutions , all your sinful thoughts , words , and actions . oh! you will find it a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living god , under the guilt of innumerable sins : can your hands and hearts indure under this ? can you bear the wrath of god , for numberless transgressions ? god wont only bring you into misery , but the cup shall be full of wrath , without any mixture of mercy ; that he will make you take and drink down . wrath wont fall heavily only on one member of the body , but all ; not only on the body , but soul and body too : no friends to pitty you , pray for you ; no comforts of this life , to comfort you . rev. . . oh! how hard do afflictions sometimes come upon you now ; you say , you can't live long under them , if they are continued ; and yet you have many mercies mixt with your bitterest afflictions , many comforts : but then forsaken of all , nothing but wrath , not one single mercy . . god will have no regard to any thing you can devise , to alleviate your pain . he will take no notice of any of the prayers you made , or profession you made of religion . if you took lamps , and went forth to meet the bridgroom ; if you eat and drunk at his table : if in his name you cast out devils ; if you gave of your estate to charitable uses ; if your estate were laid out for the maintaining and upholding the ordinances of god worship ▪ and your natural or acquired parts and abilities , were improved for the good of gods church ; your wisdom and your courage improved many years , for the preservation and defence of gods people ; it would not be esteemed by god , to prevent your torment . matt. . , , . and matt. . . god wont regard the prayers of the most holy ministers and relations that prayed for you , to ease you of your pains . jer. . . ezek. . . god wont regard your earnest pleadings . matt. . , . dives can't get one drop of water , with all his pleadings . your descending from godly parents , and that you were the children of the covenant , won't procure any abatement of pain : the rich man crying out in torment , though he crys , father abraham , and is called son , yet hath no ease . luk. . . . god won't only rank your sins before your eyes , but he will make them manifest to your contempt , before the world . god will reprove you , and set your sins in order before your eyes , when he comes to execute vengeance , as matt. . psal. . , . he will also make known to the world , what manner of persons you were to your disgrace and reproach . psal. . , . luk. . , . all your secret sins , wicked thoughts , your hypocrisy , and apostacy , will all be proclaimed before all the world . you would be ashamed to be seen in any company , if the wickedness of your hearts , and thoughts ; if the wickedness committed by you in secret , were known to all ; oh! how do those that seemed to be without shame , hang down their heads ? how shy are they of any company , or society , when but a little of their sin is made known ? or but a few of their ungodly pranks brought to light : but now all shall be made manifest , to their everlasting disgrace . . god won't design any good to you in any , in all those sorrows , and torments that you shall indure . here when god chastens he aims at profit ; he puts into the furnace to puri●y : but then his wrath will be a confirming fire : reprobate silver shall they be called . god who was so long abused , slighted , and disregarded , will not have one thought , or intention to do you any good , or to prepare you by these miseries for his favour : he sentenceth to everlasting fire , prepared for devils . you will be separated from all those that god designs good to : the judgments of god will be to make you miserable . oh! consider of these things , you that forget god , least he tear you in pieces , and there be none to deliver you . it s an ease to the spirits of many a man and woman under afflictions , to have comfortable hopes and perswasions , that god is carrying on a design of love & grace to their souls , by such dispensations ; that by these he is preventing worse judgments . cor. . . but no ease can come to the damned from any such consideration . god never designs to bring them out of torment , but the smoke of their torment will ascend for ever and ever . use iii. of warning . to warn all to take heed of those sin ; and to warn them that are guilty of them , speedily to repent , and fly to christ for pardon and forgiveness . . to warn every one of you to take heed of these sins . . or god may justly suffer you to be punished in the same way that you abuse others , job . . god permits this many times by way of retaliation ? sam. . . hos. . . . they themselves had been unclean . you would be far from taking pleasure in having these sins paid back into your own botomes ; to have husbands or wives , to have children , sons or daughters left of god to uncleanness ; but it would be a righteous thing with god to permit you to be exercised after such a sort . . or you will take a course to bring an unremoveable reproach , blemish and spot on your selves . prov. . . if you get a pardon as to everlasting punishment , yet a spot will remain . king. . . solomon tells you , a good name is better than precious oyntment . i am sure , they justly forfeit the reputation of wisdom that will part with a good name , for the pleasures that are to be enjoyed in this way . . or the best that can be expected , is sorrow unspeakably greater than any pleasure you can reap in this way of sinning . sorrow from the judgments of god , and that will be sure to overtake you in this life , and rottenness of bones ; being brought to a morsel of bread . how many heart distressing troubles was david followed with , after he fell into these sins ? how was he punished in and from his own children , and how by his subjects revolting ? sorrows from the influences of gods spirit , in bringing to a sound repentance . he tells of broken bones , his moisture turned into the drought of summer , he lost the joy of gods salvation . oh how will conscience accuse and perplex ; who would undergo the horrors of conscience , that will fill the soul of such , to the causing of them to have a dreadful sound in their ears for all the delight that is this way to be enjoyed ? the psalmist , psal . acquaints us how such pleasures bite at the last . cain says , his punishment is greater then he can bear ; his guilty conscience makes him fear , that every one that meets him , is gods executioner . . or , it 's to be feared , that if once you yield , that you will hold on in such wayes till death overtake you : sinners are stupified , that are left to these wayes of sin : you have heard that few are recovered by unfeigned repentance . stollen waters are so sweet and pleasant to ignorant carnal men , who know not that the dead are there , and that her guests are in the depths of hell ; that they oftimes go on , till a dart strike thro' their liver , prov. . . the young man had so much conscience left him , that he would not yield , till with much fair speaking he was sollicited , and then he goes on till death ; these are oftimes so far besotted by their lusts , that reproofs will be slighted by them , hos. . . . they are sins that bring great wrath upon a land. hos. . . when the sons of eli had given themselves to these sins , god was wrath , and thirty four thousand men fell in the battle , and the ark of god was taken . the wrath of god distresseth a land where such iniquities abound ; wars , impoverishing dispensations , to many families and towns , are the effects of gods anger , stirred up 〈◊〉 kindled by such provocations . why should you rebel thus against the lord , and so provoke god to be wroth with the whole congregation . . or you may fear that god will destroy you for defiling his temple . cor. . . direction . don't disobey gods counsels and walk contrary to them , in refusing christ psal. . , . they take a direct course to fall into these abominations , to their everlasting contempt , that cast contempt upon the word of god , and on his son. a christless soul can have no assurance , that he shall not be left finally to the worst abominations . prov. . . ● prov. . , . . don't rely on your own wisdom to be security to you from these abominations ; but endeavour to have your ways such as may please god. eccl. . . some are ready to say , as hazael , are we doggs , that we should do such things , and yet both do them , and have pleasure in them that do them : yea though they know the judgments of god against them who do such things . solomons wisdom was no preventive ; grace it self is no preservative from foul acts of sin ; where persons are carnally confident of their own strength . peter after his boasts , is so scared by a sorry dams●l , that he denies christ , and curses and swears . see that your wayes are well pleasing to god , that you may be kept by the mighty power of god , through faith to salvation . . abstain from all appearance and leading causes to such sins ; don't come ●igh the door of her house , don't be out in evenings , & among foolish vain jolly company , when you should be in your closets , and on your knees before god. prov. . , . prov. . , ● . the young man spoken of , prov. . . was going the way to her house in the black and dark night ; he is insnared . prov. . , , . beware and take heed of idleness , as that which will occasion your sinning after this sort . usually unclean persons , are idle persons ; there was abundance of uncleanness in sodom , and that because there was abundance of idleness . ezek. . , beware of drinking away your precious time : drunkenness ushers in murder and adultery : drunkards are often unclean . . beware of giving way to other sins against the motions and strivings of gods spirit . so did this poor condemned woman , before she was left of god to this sin of murder ! for which she must dye : so did herod , and he imprisoned and murdered john the baptist. seven worse and more wicked spirits often enter into such , and so their last end is worse than their beginning , mat. . , . . consider that all your ways are before god , and the darkness hideth not from him . prov. . . . beware of indulging your selves in secret sins ; you must endeavour to be cleansed from secret faults , if you would not have presumptuous sins have dominion over you . . to warn them that have fallen into these sins , not to delay repentance ; to beware of doing any thing to the continuing of the guilt of these sins upon your souls , and consciences . oh hasten , escape for your lives ; fly for refuge to christ. look not back , with a desire after them . you have been antecedently guilty of many other sins , ripening you for these ; besides the guilt of these sins , you have the guilt of many other . . god will else tear you in pieces , and none shall deliver you . psal. . . . all your former righteousness , and religigiousness will be disowned , if you live impenitent under these sins . ezek. . . & , . . remember them against your selves so as to be heartily judging and condemning of your selves for them . if you would not have god to loath you , loath and abhor your selves for your violations of his holy law : if you would not have god remember against you former iniquities , you must remember them against your selves . your iniquities must be before you ; and you must be judging your selves , before god for them : so did ezra , chap. . . so did david , psal. . , . this we are counselled to . cor. . . thus did repenting ephraim . jer. . . , follow and trace the footsteeps of these your sins , till you find out your original sin , & your impure nature . psa. . . unless men come to see and know the plague of their own hearts , they will be partial and feigned in their repentance : they that dont turn with their whole hearts , will fall back again , when a suitable temptation and occasion is offered and presented . . beware that you dont flatter your selves as though you had repented before you have ; repentance is not a saying before god with tears , that you are sorry for your transgressions : many turn , but not to the most high. . see that christ as a sanctifier and justifier be sought after by you , in respect of the guilt you lie under : you had need improve christ as a justifier , and as an advocate . oh! then go to christ as to him who only can justify , acquit , and absolve you from the guilt of sin. joh. . , . joh. . . from the consideration of the power and dominion of sin : you have need of christ as your only sanctifier . your prayers , reformations , tears , won't justifie you : christ must be a satisfyer for you , or gods justice can't be satisfyed . and you have no way to get power against corruption , but by going to christ as your sanctification : your vows , promises , resolutions , fastings , won't mortifie and kill any one sin in you ; 't is christ must subdue your sin in you , and for you . . improve present influences from the spirit of god to draw you to christ. unless god by his spirit draw you , you will never come to the son : the number of your sins won't make you go to christ ; the greatness of your sins won't make you go to christ : natural desires of happiness , and escaping wrath & hell , won't bring you to christ ; these may cause you to play the hypocrite , but they won't bring you to christ : times of common calamity & judgment won't drive you to christ : thoughts and apprehensions of deaths drawing near and just at hand , ready to arrest you , won't prevail with you to go to christ. you that delay and put off your repentance when god is striving with you , take heed , you can't convert your selves when you will , without gods spirit . look upon this poor object before your eyes , and then consider whether any , or all the forementioned things , will make you fly to christ. improve the spirit while it is at work on your souls . . beware that you don't hearken to vain words and reasonings , tending to the lessening of your guiltiness , and your danger of gods wrath and judgment . eph. . . oh! know that for these things cometh the wrath of god upon the children of disobedience . and since the apostle hath cautioned thus , as to this sin ; i would particularly warn you , to take heed that you don't by vain reasonings prevent your speedy repenting , and turning to god : and shall in a few particulars shew you the vanity of such reasonings , as have a tendency to extenuate , and lessen your sin and danger , that you may not hearken to them , and deceive your own souls . . some are ready to reason away apprehensions of divine anger , because 't is so long since they were guilty of them ; if they had committed these sins to day , yesterday , or but a few weeks ago ; they should be afraid , and concerned to get them pardoned : but it s so long since , that they have almost forgotten them ; and if god had been much provoked he would not have born with them thus long . . consider . god remembers them all , as though committed but yesterday : they are sealed up among his hid treasures . god said , psal. . that he can set them in order before the sinners eyes . god won't only punish for a few of your latter sins only , but for all : if they were committed when you were young , he hau 't forgot them , for he sayes , he will bring you into judgment , for all your youthful sins . eccle. . . they that have gone to god aright , have gone for the pardon of former sins ; sins of youth , as well as latter transgressions . . god punisheth some men a long time after they have committed their sins . 't is true because sentence against an evil work is not speedily executed , that the hearts of the sons of men are set in them to do evil ; it s no argument that you shall escape punishment , because god hath not yet punished you . though god did not destroy the people in the wilderness presently , but bore with their evil manners for forty years , yet he wasted that generation . hear what god sayes , exod. . . god waited on , and warned his people for twenty three years by his prophet , and yet after all he destroyed them in his anger . jer. . , . jude verse . pet. . . . it may be you have been under a judicial process ever since . sinners are sometimes stupid and don 't observe the strokes of god upon them ; hear how unobservant they were that had been for so long a time under a course of judgment . jer. . . compared with ●●● . the judgments of god are sometimes more spiritual , and so more undiscorned ; god layes his plagues on some mens souls , when he layes them on other mens bodies ; he sends leanness into some mens souls , when he sends leanness on others estates . ha●'t god let you alone and poured upon you a spirit of deep sleep ? given you eyes , that you should not see , nor perceive , nor be converted to this day ? to be left of god to go on stupidly in impenitency , is a very great testimony of divine wrath. soul plagues are the forest plagues . . the longer ago your sins were committed , the more hazardous your unconcernedness about ●epenting of them , & getting a pardon of them : god wont be patient alwayes , though he is ●ometimes long suffering : if he waites on sinners till they bring forth briers and thornes , he would have them know , they are nigh to cursing . yea , such as are impenitent after much long suffering , may fear that they are vessels fitted to destruction , rom. . . god sayes , i come three years looking for fruit , and find none , cut it down why cumbereth it the ground . luk. . . ult . . some are ready to argue that their sins are but little ; if they had been left to gross acts of fornication or adultery , they acknowledge they should have had need to have haltened to chrst for a pardon ; but they were only guilty of some wanton dalliances , therefore they don't think god is very angry with them . . though some sins comparatively considered are little , yet no sins absolutely considered are little and small , because against an infinite god , and violations and transgressions of his holy laws , and commands . . such little sins , if your consciences were awakened and enlightned would fill you with great perplexity , and distress : as long as the commandment did not come , with convictions of its exactness , and spirituality on pauls conscience , he was alive and could do well enough ; but when such an exposition , as christ put upon the commandment came , sin revived , and ●e dyed ; he was slain , and could justifie himself no longer . . god finds stubbornness & rebellion which are as that sin of witchraft , where sinners can see only humane frailty and sins of infirmity , sam. . . saul saith , he had obeyed , the● he had a good end in varying from the command , or the people are to blame , but god tell● him of rebellion and stubbornness which were to him as witchcraft and idolatry : god tell● him that he had in so doing rejected the word of the lord. christ tells us , he that looks upon a woman to lust after her , hath committed adultery with her in his heart . hear what account god makes of that which you call a look , a cast o● the eye , a little thing . isa. . , . . the more madness to break with god , and expose your souls to hell torment for these things , that had but a little of pleasure to entice . ezek. . . . little sins make way for greater . one sin allowed , stupifies and makes way for great ones ; the greatest sinner began with that which you call little . eve first saw that the tree was good : cain was first wroth with abel , and then slew him . . some are arguing thus ; god is long-suffering and patient ; no hazzard of present danger . eccles. . . if god strike sinners dead presently , they should be afraid to put off repentance ; but god waits and forbears ; he waited long on the old world , on sodom , on many wicked men of old ; they don't doubt but god will yet wait on them , they see no appearance of wrath as yet : to this , consider , . is not this to despise the riches of gods grace and patience , to the treasuring up wrath against the day of wrath , rom. . , . can't you be content without a treasure of wrath ? that you can find in your heart thus to delay repentance . . god did not exercise any patience towards the fallen angels , and he is under no obligation to exercise any towards you . jude . pet. . . what reason can you give why god should wait any longer on you ? can you do him more services ? god is very arbitrary in his waiting , longer or shorter on sinners . . god doth not ordinarily wait so long on gospel sinners . rom. . no sinners ripen sooner for cutting down in vengeance than gospel sinners . god makes very quick work with some . acts . . how quick and sudden was god with ananias and saphira ? . god threatens to make quick work with them that harden themselves in sins , in hopes of long-suffering . ezek. . , . so that you have no security in putting off repentance ; it s very hazzardous . . some will reason thus with themselves . god is very gracious and merciful , and pardons great sins , and sinners . god pardoned manasseh , and mary magdalen , and other great sinners : if god had not proclaimed his name to be gracious and merciful , slow to anger , & forgiving iniquity , transgression and sin , they should be afraid of delaying repentance ; but inasmuch as god is so very merciful , they hope it will be no very hard thing to perswade him to pardon afterwards . to this consider , . that he is a just and righteous god too , and pardons no sinners but such as are penitent ; it 's true , god gives great sinners encouragement to turn to him ; and upon their repentance , he will forgive their iniquities , yea multiply to pardon ; but remember he is a just god too ; when he proclaims his name with so much encouragement to repenting sinners , he subjoyns that he will not at all acquit the guilty . nahum . . . as merciful as god is , he will not shew mercy and grace to the wronging and injuring of his justice . . you take a course to be shut out of all mercy , and to have god appear shutting up all bowels , and pitty from you . deut. . . such reasonings are to be abominated . rom. . . surely you turn the grace of god to wantonness ; when you improve it to encourage you on in ways of sin and rebellion . . some plead for themselves , that they are weak and ignorant ; god hath not given them muck knowledge as others ; wherefore their sin is not so provoking to god , as the sins of them that have more knowledge ; they hope god will pity their weakness , and not be so very severe with them . . one sin won't excuse you for another ; a gracious act presently after a sinful one , will not excuse you before god ; surely the pleading of that which is a sin , will be no security for a sin . it 's true , the more any sin against knowledge , the more aggravated is their sin ; but ignorance is no defence against gods anger ; especially in such as you that have had your education in new-england , under the plain convincing preaching of the gospel . you must of necessity have refused to attend to the word preached , that remain ignorant , as to the plain principles of religion ; you must have set at nought gods counsels , and closed and shut your own eyes . what excuse will it be for you ? if you are willingly ignorant ; you did not see , because you shut your eyes , and would not . . you know that such and such courses that you allow you selves in , are sins ; and so your sins are not from weakness , but wilfulness . you know that whoredom is a sin ; that prophaning gods sabbaths is a sin , that unbelief is a sin . you can't plead ignorance here . . god hath declared that your ignorance & weakness shall be no expiation of his wrath : isa. . . hos. . . . you say , you don't make such a profession of godliness as some others do ; if you made a very great profession , and did such things , you are ready to think , god would be very angry ; you do therefore condemn lesser evils in church members , and admire how they can be so insensible . . sin will damn them that don't make a profession , as well as others . god will damn heathen for their impenitency , as well as professors . . you do so far make a profession , that your sin will be aggravated . you pray in your families , come and joyn in prayer , and hearing the word of god. you do many things , tho' not all commanded duties ; you profess so high , that your sin will cast you down as low as hell , if you repent not . . by these things you incapacitate your selves from making a suitable profession . will saying that you lived in sins and wickedness , that rendered you unfit for respecting all gods commandments , prevent your being beaten with many stripes ? luk. . . . some will say , that it s not in their power to change their own hearts , and withstand temptation : if they had sinned after such a sort , & had a power to have resisted temptations ; they think god would have been very severe , but they can't change their own hearts . . because you can't do that which is not your work , and what you can't , won't you do what is your duty , and what you can ? though you can't change your hearts , you can reform your life . many that have no principle of grace , reform their lives . . 't is in your power not to run your selves into temptations , as you often do ; you may as well on an evening , go into your closet , and confess your sin , as go into bad company , and bad places . . 't is your sin and madness then to provoke god not to help you . can't you repent of your selves ? and will you run away from god , who only can ? will you sin away his help from you ? he bids you turn , and he will pour out his spirit : if you turn from him , and will not cherish the motions of his spirit , you take a course to dye in your sins . . 't is your grief and sorrow that you do sin . if you were not affected and sinned without remorse , you conclude , god would say , shall not my soul be avenged on such a sinner ? but you are sorry , you confess your sins with tears ; you can say you are grieved at heart for your sins , you hope god will not be so exact with you . . some are grieved and sorrowful , but 't is for the shame and punishment of their sins : they acted as though they had no shame in them , when their sins were hid from man , but when men know of them , they grieve and are sorrowful . shame and fear of punishment , not the violation of gods law is the moving cause of some men and womens grief and sorrow . . your grief and sorrow won't quench hell fire , nor wash away the stain of sin . if you cry night and day , and weep never so much ; yea , you cover the altar in this sense with tears , god won't regard : these are not the blood of christ , which only cleanseth from iniquity . . your sorrow and grief are but flattery & dissimulation , so long as you take no heed to reform . you read of the pharisees , that they appeared to men to be sorrowful : yea of those whose fasts god abhorred , though they made a very plausible show of sorrow , because they did not reform sayes god , will you call this a fast ? and an acceptable day to the lord ? isa. . ▪ . . you say , you were sollicited , drawn in , and over perswaded by others to these sins ; if you had enticed others , you had been very much to blame ; but for your part you had no intention , not a thought in your heart to do such wickedness ; but others would give you no quiet till you make one with them , and so you impute it to your being good natured and willing to gratifie others , rather than to the enmity of your heart against god. . could they that enticed you , do as much for you , or against you , as god could ? surely if you use this reasoning to be looked upon to be good natured persons , you lay your selves open to a just censure for folly : who that is wise will despise god , to please man ? . if you are so good natured , why don't you yield to god in his beseechings and entreaties ? you are stubborn , wilful and stout enough here : how earnestly hath god invited you to come to him ? he hath not failed in giving you suitable and proper encouragements ; god hath stood long entreating , many years called with al●earnestness , & sent by many to perswade you . . others could not make you yield , if sin within did not entice you , to a giving a consent , jam. . . the devil himself han't a power to make you yield ; it may be you say , the scripture seems to carry it in the favour of the young man , spoken of , in prov. . , that she forced him . to that i say ; you would do well to consider , that the scripture relates it , as preparing him for such wickedness , and how fully he yielded ; 't is said , he was one void of understanding , one that had refused christ as his prophet , that would not come to him for eye salve , and that he was out of his place , and idling away his time , seeking occasions of sin ; he was passing through the street , near her corner , and he went the way to her house ; and then that he goes after her straightway , or suddenly as it may be rendred ; she did not pull and drag him along , not forcibly drive him ; but he comes after , not make a stand , a stop , or turn back ; but goes after her straightway , and perseveres in the sin. . that god doth strike dead even such as these . prov. . . god don't only take vengeance on them that entice , but on them that are enticed . god gives you no reason by his dealings with such , to hope that you may escape unpunished . . you say the days are such days of apostacy , and the times so degenerate , that you should be a meer laughing stock if you did not sin ; you are ready to say , that you have found , that the end of such mirth is heaviness : conscience hath galled , accused & condemned you for them ; but if you did decline wanton expressions and gestures , you should make your selves a prey ; others would censure you as silly creatures , not fit for society ; if others would reform , you would be glad to reform ; but as things are circumstanced , you are afraid to reform . . better sinners laugh at you here , than god laugh at you for ever . god will be ashamed of them that are ashamed of him , before an adulterous and wicked generation : god will have them in derision : yea , he will laugh at their calamity , and mock when their fear cometh as desolation ; that on such pretences set at nought his counsel . prov. . . you are afraid sinners will laugh at you , and count you a silly creature : you take a direct course to be a fool for ever . . others have kept from sin under greater temptations . moses , joseph , lot , daniel , and the three children . . it would be no damage but a benefit to get rid of such company , whose favour you think to lose . the psalmist says , depart from me you wicked men , i will keep the commands of my god. moses counted the reproach of christ greater riches than all the pleasures and treasures of egypt . . it may be your conversion might be an occasion , not only of the reformation , but found conversion of many others . it may be your being so concerned for christ , may cause them to say , o thou fairest among women ! whither is thy beloved gone , that we may go and seek him with you ? cant. . . it may be you may make them ashamed , that falsly accuse your good conversation : you are not sure you shall be reproached by any . . your conversion to god will rejoyce many , god , christ , your godly relations , and ministers , will be glad and rejoyce . luk. . . joh. . & joh. . . you say you are not convinced that such and such things are sins , you see no great harm in them ; god prospers you in such wayes , if you really thought them to be sins , you would reform : you have heard such unclean words and gestures reproved in the pulpit , but you are not of the ministers mind : you have known others that have fled from such things , have been afflicted , and you have been prospered . . you don't bring your deeds to the light to know what they are , that it may be made manifest what they are ; you might have been convinced . your refusing to try your actions , renders it suspicious that you have a secret jealousy they are naught ; you would not willingly know them to be sins joh. . . . you have often from the ministry been warned of such courses , and have heard them condemned from scripture arguments ; your saying , you are not of the ministers mind , who cites scripture for what he layes down , whilst you refuse to search with the bereans , whether the things be so or no , will be no plea for you . . your own consciences have accused you for these things , when you have lookt upon death to be near ; when you are well , your love to your lusts , puts a new darkness upon your judgments , that were before corrupted by the fall . . outward prosperity is no argument that your ways are good . you can say by experience , that soul prosperity don't go along with such ways and courses . prov. . penult . others have been converted , and you blinded and hardened ; you have lost the things that have been wrought , and are gone backward . . you say your sins are secret from the eyes of the world , and you were never left above once to be actually and grosly unclean . if you had been an open sinner , one addicted to wayes of filthiness , you think god would be very angry : but you sinned but once , you hope god will over look that , and pa●s it by . . god that is to be your judge sees in secret , and will damn for secret sins : secret sins will damn you as well as open . christ denounced woes against scribes and pharisees , for secret sins . god will bring every secret thing into judgment . eccl. . . . adam by one act of disobedience was shut out of paradise : the angels thrust out of heaven . . one act of these sins may fill up the measure of other sins . ananias and saphira they fill'd up the measure of sin in lying : one of these sins don't go alone ; many other sins prepare and make way for them . . you say you have many good things as well as evil ; you hope your good may be set against your evil . you pray , hear , read , and do many good things ; you hope no present hazard , you should be afraid , were it not that you are religious in many things . . such have perish'd eternally . the pharisies could say as much as you in this respect : yea herod did many things gladly ; and the young man that came to christ , could say , all these have i kept from my youth up . . those things which you call good are an abomination to god , whilst you give your selves liberty to sin : see what god sayes to them isa. . . god threatens to make them as shiloah . jer. . . . by your impenitency you take a course to be openly wicked , and to lose your religiousness . though herod had a respect to john the baptist a while , by retaining his herodias , he is left first to imprison him who he had heard gladly , and then beheads him . . you say you have known several do such things , and yet when they come to dye they have made a very good end , you hope you shall too . . did you never know any that seemed to be as good and religious as they whilst sick , that after recovery were worse ? oh! do you think that all that were prophane in health and hypocrites in sickness recover ? and that they all go to heaven that are full of good expressions on a sick bed to death ? . it may be god may come upon you with a sudden destruction , that you may never come on a sick bed . who can tell what a morrow may produce ! when you think death farthest off , and promise your selves years , god may say , fools , this night shall your souls be required . . you say you saw religious and good men do such things , and therefore you apprehend no great harm in them , surely they would never have done such things , if there had been so much provocation , and therefore so much hazzard in them . . it may be they were only hypocrites that you saw act so : so was judas , so was demas , so the scribes and pharisees , that were had in such veneration for their sanctitie . . you are to follow none only wherein they follow christ. good men are not the rule you are to walk by . consider how the prophet was punished that was deluded , upon a prophets suggesting to him , that an angel had so spoken to him . king. . . i would conclude with a word of warning to you , that are the occasion of our being here this day before the lord , who are under a righteous sentence of death : to turn to the lord under the guilt of these sins , before the decree bring forth . you have stood before an earthly tribunal , and are found guilty ; how will you stand before the tribunal of christ ? to answer for all your sins ? your day of grace is almost gone , and within a few hours , you will either be in heaven or hell. oh! now turn to god , or you will never . i would offer some things to your consideration , for your conviction of guiltiness , and need you have to get your peace made with god. you are by nature , a child of wrath , and guilty of adams sin ; you brought a guilty , defiled soul into the world with you : you were shapen in iniquity , and in sin did your mother conceive you . you have long refused and slighted jesus christ , and would none of him as your prophet , your priests , and your king , and so are under a sentence of death , from the gospel , as well as the law ; by your unbelief you have sealed down , the wrath of god upon your own soul ; you have fallen also into great land-polluting moral evils , lying , stealing , adultery , and murder . you would not hearken to the voice of your eminently pious father-in law , warning of you . you have accustomed your self to these ways of sin , tho' you lived under the convincing preaching of the gospel . you closed your eyes , and would not see , tho' for many years you lived under an eminently soul-searching ministry ; & you have given up your self to these sins in the day that god was pleading his controversie , and hedging up your ways with thorns ; in the day of the lords anger , you have sinned more and more : when god had driven you out of one plantation , into another , by the enemy ; when god had taken away your first husband by death , and suffered your second to be carried into captivity ; when he was in bondage , you were wantonly doting on your lovers ; yea though you could not look out an your door , but the garrison and souldiers before your eyes proclaimed it to be a day of gods anger ; your sin is very great , in your violating your marriage covenant . you have relapsed after god filled your soul with horror for these abominations , and turned again as a sow that was washed , to her wallowing in the mire . you refused to be prevented from murder , by covering your adultery with lying , though so solemnly admonished and cautioned . you have unnaturally murdered the fruit of your own body , & what in you lay its soul ; have abused patience and long suffering exercised towards you of god ; multiplying lying , and hardening your heart , & have not feared god , being under a righteous condemnation , and sentence of death ; but to this day continued in lying . you have slighted the word of god , quenched the spirit of god , refused christ ; and have by these things filled up the measure of your sins ; so that you must dye , that the land be not guilty : none may stay you from death , and suffer you to live ; least the land be greatly polluted . and you are now enjoying your last opportunity in gods house ; you that have idled , slept away , yea whored away part of so many sabbaths and lectures , shall have no more . you that have disregarded gods counsels , how righteously might god say ? i will laugh at your calamity , and mock when your fear comes● . yet he sayes after all these things , turn , jer. . . for the life of your body , your case is hopeless . your sin is so heinous , that your life can't be saved without injustice . well then , since you can't live guiltless , labour to die penitent ; & since your body can't be saved alive , endeavour that your soul may be saved alive in death ; there is yet a possibility that your soul may be saved . see prov. . , , , . jesus christ the essential wisdom , calls after such an one as you , to come to him ; though you have been long sinning , lov'd , and delighted in sinning ; yea , tho' you have hated knowledge , you are called upon , & encouraged to come . god in christ is shewing how ready he is to show you mercy upon your repentance , and to help you in your repentance , he offers you the best help , and help suitable . oh then come away to jesus christ now ; left upon your refusal , the after verses be made good against your soul. direction . come away to christ now upon the call and encouragement of the gospel . stay away no longer : don't think your prayers , good promises , and others praying for you , will save you . but hasten away to christ : there is no other name given , whereby you can be saved . act. . . and no other way of being saved by christ , than by coming to him , or believing on him . you are called this day in an ordinance of christ to come for reconciliation . cor. . . christ came to save guilty sinners : it s a faithful saying and worthy of your acceptation , that christ came into the world to save sinners , chief of sinners . the greatest sinners have been justified in this way . cor. . . so manasseh that shed much innocent blood . consider , for your encouragement , that christ fully accepts of them that ran far from him , that refused to come as long as they could retain any hopes of being saved in any other way , upon their coming to him . luke . god won't upbraid you upon your coming . jam. . . yea , he that comes unto me i will in no wise cast out ; though he have been a great and an old sinner , though he have sinned away many convictions , yet if he come he shall have mercy . christ jesus calls you to come ; not to sell you pardon , but give you grace . matth. . . i will give you rest . christ aimes at your present gain , and not at his own : and therefore if you have no money , yet you may have the mercy you want . isa. . . consider . . that christ don't call you to come to him to be punished , but pardoned . christ in the gospel comes to you to save you , calls you to come to him , to be pardoned . it s true , if you refuse the calls of christ in this life , he will call you in the next life to be punished , and condemned . oh! christ calls you , and you need not be afraid to come to him now ; for he doth not call you to come to be punished for sins al●eady committed ; but that he may pardon and forgive them , blot o●t the hand-writing of ordinances that was against you . may you have a free and full pardon of so many and great sins upon coming ? then delay no longer . . jesus christ calls you to come , not to pass a sentence of death upon you ; but to take it off from you : there will be no condemnation against your soul , when once you are gotten into christ. rom. . . yea , christ says , such shall not enter into condemnation ; for they are passed from death to life ; there is a sentence of death gone out against you in the law , & 't is a holy and righteous sentence too ; now the gospel offers no mercy , to the repealing and taking off this sentence of condemnation without coming to christ. . christ calls you to come to him , not to shut you up in the prison of hell , but to set you at liberty . oh! christ would bring you out of the pit , wherein is no water ; for christ received a commission from the father , to proclaim liberty , and the opening of the prison doors , to them that are shut up , isa. . , . the prison and dungeon of hell is the place you will assuredly be shut up in , if you stay away from christ ; but the son will set you at liberty , if you come to him ; who don't chuse liberty and enlargement before prisons and dungeons ? . christ calls you not to feed you with the bread and water of affliction , but to feast you . rev. . . luk. . . here 's bread , which if you eat of you shall never hunger : is not bread to the hungry soul desireable ? why should you stay away , when you are ready to perish with hunger ? christ jesus will feast you , if you come to him . christ hath spiritual delicacies to entertain you withal . . jesus christ don't call you to cloath you with raggs , and bring you to shame and disgrace , but to cloath you with his righteousness . christ won't take away any thing that is good and desireable , and worth keeping , but to give you grace and glory : nor to speak angrily , but to speak comfortably to you ; not to put you to drudgery , and ignominious service for ever ; but to stand before him to do him service , in praising and glorifying his name . see what you are counsel'd to come to christ for . rev. . . . come to him for that which he came into the world for , to be your sanctifier ; to have sin taken away ; that he would give you repentance . christ is exalted at the right hand of the father , to give repentance unto israel , and remission of sins . god hath sent him to bless his people in turning them from their iniquities . his name is jesus , and he will save them that come unto him from their sins . you want christ for this , how can you else think of going into the holy heavens ? nothing that defiles enters there : without holiness you can't see god. oh! then let that be upon your soul , to have christ for sanctification . . come to him as a poor guilty , polluted creature : come therefore self condemned : they that come because they have made so many prayers , and have gotten something good , are not like to be accepted . remember the poor publican , that went down to his house justifyed ; he was one that smites upon his breast , the lord be merciful to me a sinner ; he don't say , be merciful to me , who was once a great sinner , but i have reformed my life , i have made many an affectionate prayer , i have taken a great deal of pains ; but he comes as guilty , sayes not a word to justify himself . so the prodigal , when he come home , he comes judging & condemnning himself for what he had done , that he was so guilty , that god might now justly put him by , he does not say , i did displease , but i have now done something to turn away thine anger , and to procure thy favour . see what he sayes . luk. . , , . and yet ●●e what wellcome he met with . verse ● . and don't you think to go because you have sorrowed , mourned , and kept from sinful co●●●es . see how david went to god. psal. . , . . come as a helpless , shi●tless , lost creature . oh! consider that in him the f●●●erless findeth mercy : as one that must have all ●●om christ. oh! go to him as one that is lost , and knows not what to do of your self . christ came to seek and save the lost . . justifie god in all his comminations , threatnings and curses against sin , and sinners . so did david , psal. . . . come to him from the encouragements of the gospel , from what encouragements christ gives you in his word ; nor because you have gotten a heart to ha●e sin , love god ; or because you are not quite so bad as you have been . come to him to be saved from the wickedness of your heart . oh that you may be saved from the unbelief , hypocrisie , worldliness , hardness and carnality of your heart . so did david , psal. . . create in me a c●ean heart . come to him with a desire to be put into his service , to do work for him ; so did the prodigal ; make me as one of thy hired servants . you will say , what work can i do ? that am just going out of the world . oh consider , that you may serve christ , in making confession of you sin , warning of others , justifying god ; oh come away , consider that christ will call to you from off the mercy seat no more after a few hours ; if you refuse now , how will you dare to make your appearance before the throne of justice ? if you are afraid to come to christ so affectionately calling you to come to him , where he is sitting on his throne of mercy , & holding forth the scepter of divine grace ? oh! come ; behold now , even now , is yet an accepted time . come , and give your self to jesus christ. oh! lift up your heart to god , to draw you , to turn you ; and we will lift up our hearts and desires to god with you , and for you , that he would draw and turn you . finis . armour of proof, or a soveraign antidote, against the contagion of evil company together with the skill, will, and industry of lewd ones; in tempting to sin, and drawing to perdition. being subjects of concernment for the younger sort. the second part. by r. younge of roxwel in essex, florilegus. younge, richard. this text is an enriched version of the tcp digital transcription a of text r in the english short title catalog (wing y ). textual changes and metadata enrichments aim at making the text more computationally tractable, easier to read, and suitable for network-based collaborative curation by amateur and professional end users from many walks of life. the text has been tokenized and linguistically annotated with morphadorner. the annotation includes standard spellings that support the display of a text in a standardized format that preserves archaic forms ('loveth', 'seekest'). textual changes aim at restoring the text the author or stationer meant to publish. this text has not been fully proofread approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page images. earlyprint project evanston,il, notre dame, in, st. louis, mo a wing y estc r this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons . universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase , no. a ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, - ; : ) armour of proof, or a soveraign antidote, against the contagion of evil company together with the skill, will, and industry of lewd ones; in tempting to sin, and drawing to perdition. being subjects of concernment for the younger sort. the second part. by r. younge of roxwel in essex, florilegus. younge, richard. [ ], , [ ] p. printed by j.m. for james crump, in little bartholomews well-yard, london : . gathered in 's. copy trimmed and tightly bound. reproduction of original in: new college (university of edinburgh). library. eng sin -- early works to . temptation -- early works to . christian literature -- early works to . a r (wing y ). civilwar no armour of proof, or a soveraign antidote, against the contagion of evil company. together with the skill, will, and industry of lewd ones; i younge, richard f the rate of defects per , words puts this text in the f category of texts with or more defects per , words. - tcp assigned for keying and markup - aptara keyed and coded from proquest page images - john latta sampled and proofread - john latta text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion armour of proof , or a soveraign antidote , against the contagion of evil company . together with the skill , will , and industry of lewd ones ; in tempting to sin , and drawing to perdition . being subjects of concernment for the younger sort . the second part . by r. younge of roxwel in essex , florilegus . my son , if sinners entise thee , consent thou not : walk thou not in the way with them ; refrain thy foot from their path . prov. , . . ●●ndon , printed by i. m. for iames crump , in little bartholomews well-yard , . to al young studients , in the universities and inn's of court apprentises of london , sons and servants in the whole nation . r. y. dedicates this small peece of his labours , and wisheth increase of all grace and happiness . armour of proof , against evil society , &c. the second part . sect. . and so much of the first part , touching the many advantages , that satants instruments have above gods servants , in winning , and keeping , and improving there converts : what men ought to do , that would not be overcome by there aluerments : and that of all the rest , we must refrayn the company of wicked men , and not dispute with them ; if we mean not to be infected by them , partake of there sins , nor be infeoffed in there punishments : together with the lawfulness of shunning all familier society , and converse with such . and now least what hath been said , should not be sufficient : see in this second part , some reasons to inforse men there unto ; which the godly wise propound to themselves , when they bid adue to there old associates in the broad way , and purpose to pledg them no more , in there wicked customs . reasons of breaking off society , with our vicious consorts . the reasons are principally . and they are weighty . . . . . . because their company would bereave us of comfort , which otherwise we should enjoy , being alone . that they may come to the sight of their errors .     we may not be infected by them , nor partake of their sinnes .     infeoffed in their punishments .     so farre as is possible we may be at peace with all men . first , that thereby they may come to the sight of their errors , and consequently be reclaimed , s. paul when he commands the corinthians to shut the incestuous person out of thelr society and fellowship , give this reason , that his spirit might be saved in the day of the lord , corintb . . . again , when he writ to timothy , that he had done the same ●ouching hymeneus and alexander , he yeeldeth this to be the reason , that they might learn not to blaspheme , timothy . . and in another place ▪ if any man obey not our saying , note him by a letter , and have no company with him , that he may be ashamed , thes. . . it was the practise of the primitive church , in her first love , that she might shine in beauty and fairness above all other synagogues , not to admit any scandalous person , or open offender into the communion of saints ; until their foule spots were carefully washt off , and taken away by the tears of repentance . the bread of the children was not given unto dogs ; neither , by an equall bounty , to the godly and the wicked , was there an equal encouragement to godlinesse and iniquity , but a separation was made between the sick and the whole ; and this separation had no other intent , but edification ; even an edification of the spirir , by the destruction of the flesh : so that men could find no fault with the dispensers of this power , having nothing to complain of , but that their lives thereby were sought to be amended , and their soules to be saved . i confesse , that was a separation of a higher nature , the power of the keyes being added , they were delivered up to sathan , shut out of heaven ; herein it is not so , but this serves to the same end , and is done only in cases of like fact . the cause was weighty , for which the gates of heaven , were to be locked ; great , in the thing done ; or great , in the wilfulness of the doer ; and this not without reason : for the doom was heavy , and fit for the back of a strong and mighty evil : it was a short damnation , a temporall hell , a shutting out of heaven upon earth , yea , heaven in heaven , even the joyes , and comforts of the spirit of consolation . neither could it be but an excellent remedy , for , besides that it was gods institution , the remedy was fitted to the disease : a degree of presumption , was encountered with a degree of despaire ; the scorpion was made a medicine , against the sting of the scorpion ; sathan was set on work , to take him down by terror unto salvation ; whom before he animated and puffed up to destruction ; he , that said at first , sin boldly , for ye shall not dye at all ; now he changeth his voyce , and saith , thy sin is greater then can be forgiven thee . but the wisdom of dispensation suffered this roring lion no longer to terrifie , but ●●til his terror did mollifie : he aimed indeed at despaire and destruction ; but the church aimed at humiliation , and conversion , yea , at consolation and salvation . and indeed humiliation for sin , is the only way to conversion from sin ; conversion from sin , the only way to the consolations of tht spirit ; and the comfortable spirit is both the guide and the way to life eternal : therefore , when the man is humbled , sathan is casheired ; the horseleech is taken away , when he hath sufficiently abated the vicious and superfluous blood . thus were men healed , by wounding ; exalted by humbling : o admirable use and command of sathan ! he is an enemy to god , and yet doth him ●●●ice ; he is an adversary to man , and yet helps him . a strange thing , that sathan should help the incestuous corinthian , to the destruction of his flesh , his concupiscense , and the edification of his soul . a strange thing that sathan should teach hymeneus and alexander not to blaspheme : he is the author of blasphemies , and yet he teacheth not to blaspheme . but is sathan contrary to himself , and is his kingdom divided in it self ? no surely : but one that is stronger then he both in wisdom and power , manageth both his craft and malice , to ends , which himself intendeth not . the divel is one and the same still , even purely malicious ; but god suffers him to go on in his temptations , just so farre as temptation is profitable , and no further : therefore while sathan is driving the offender to despaire , god stops his course , when the sinner is come to due humiliation : and then , as it was with christ in the wilderness , so is it with the humbled sinner , sathan is dismissed , and the angels come an● minister unto him . this was the nature , manner , and end of publike excommunication : private hath relation to it ; both touching canse and end . first , publike had respect to the cause ; that it was to be used , only in case of scandalous , open , and notorious impiety : so hath the private ; we do not break off society with any for weaknesses , and sins of infirmity . secondly , that did only aime at their amendment , conversion , and salvation : so doth this ; we desire only to have them look into themselves , where the fault lyes , and seek to amend their course : and certainly nothing will sooner make the adulteress or drunkard bethink themselves , then when they see , all that are honest and sober , even their neighbours and old associates , shun their company and despise them , as if they were not worthy of humane society : and if they have the least desire to be reputed honest and sober again , and admitted their familiar converse , ( without which , they are , as it were , banished into exile ) they will do what possibly lyes in them to redeem their credit , and merit their good opinion , by a more sober , honest , and holy demeanour : the disparity lyeth only in the power and severity of the agents ; we cannot , we dot not , we desire not to deliver them up to sathan ; but heartily pray that they may be delivered from him , and all evill . §. . secondly , that we may not be infected by them , nor partake of their sins . it is a true proverb , evil company corrupts good manners : and he that will not evill do , must keep from all that longs thereto . to be safe from evil works , is to avoid the occasions ; especially , he that will keep himself from iniquity , and have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness , must have no fellowship with wicked persons , the workers of darknesse : ioseph thought no weapon comparable , for the beating off his mistresses assaults , to running away . the first thing that god did , after he created heaven and earth , was , to separate light from darknesse ; probably to ●hew , that the good should first of all separate from the evill , if they meane not again to become evil . it is not more hard to find vertue in evil company , then to misse vice . they were mingled among the heathen ( saith the psalmist ) and what followes ? they learned their works , ps. . . peter had never denyed and forsworn his master if he had not been in company with christ's enemies : but then how soon was he changed ? now , saith one , if such a ce●ar fell , how shall i stand ? i will not therefore hazard the fraile potsheard ( my fleth ) upon the rock of evil company for any thing . david had never dissembled , if he had not been among the philistins : which made him after ( that he might wisely shun that occasion ) say , depart from m● all y● workers of iniquity , for i will keep the comman lements of my god , psal. . . intimating , that he could not otherwise : nay , how many thousands have confest at the gallowes , i had never come to this but for evil company , which drew me to these courses ? yea , the truth is , we can not come amongst these vipers , and not be stung by them ; for even to hear them speak , will make us either angry , or guilty ; and not to be imtempe●ate with them for company , is a great discourtesie , if not a quarrel . many a man had been good , that is not , if he had but kept good company . there is a pliable disposition in all men naturally to evill ; we follow it , as iron doth the loadstone , by a natural and hidden propensity : our corrupt nature is like fire , which , if there be any infection in the room , drawes it streight to it self : or like jet , which omits all precious objects , and attracts nothing but straws and dust : or , if a man hath both good and bad in his nature , either of them will fortifie , as they meet with their like ; or decline as they find a contrary : as sampson did in his strength , who , at first being hard enough for all the princes of the philistins , at last , by keeping dalilah company , they set a boy to lead him . yea , suppose a man stands indifferent ; his company , whether good or evil , will work him into a new nature ; and by continuance , he shall grow up to the same height with them , as the hop groweth to the end of the pole , be it never so high , and he himself shall do the like to others ; as one peece of iron , being rub'd with the loadstone , will draw another peece , even as if it were the loadstone it self . a good man in ill company is like a precious pearl , fallen into the mud ; which the longer it lies , the deeper still it sinks into it : for , if the force of custome , simple and separate be great ; the force of custome , copulate , and conjoyned , and collegiate , is far greater ; for their example teacheth , company comforteth , emulation quickneth , glory raiseth : so as in such places the force of custome , is in her exaltation : which made the mother of alexander , the twenty sixth emperor of rome , fo careful of her sons education , that she kept continually a guard of men to take heed , that no vicious persons came unto him , to corrupt him in ev●l . it was a good conceit of themistocles , and not triviall , when he set up a bill of an house , which he had to let , that he added , aye , and there be good neighbours too : for it ●hall go hard , but neighbourhood will somewhat mould the whole family into better or worse , as themselves are . the sore eye , we know , in●ecteth the so●ne : and they that sleep with dogs shall swarm with fleacs : yea , a mans posterity after him , shall gain , or loose by the bargain . it were happy , 〈◊〉 the injury of a wicked man could be consined to his own bosome ; that he 〈…〉 fare the worse for his sins ; that it were but self do , self have : but as his lewdness , like some odious ●ent , is diffused through the whole room , or place where he is , and reacheth to the times , upon which he is unhappily faln : so after generations are the worse by meanes of him . an ill president , is like goodwin sands , which not only swallowed up his patrimony , but still continues a dangerous place , where too many have miscarried ▪ he is a very mean● person , that drawes not some clyents after him : even thewdas and iudas had their four hundreds to accompany them . one man may kindle such a fire , as thousands are not able to quench : one plague sore may infect a whole nation : and all the venome of sin is not spent in the act . sin among men , like the murrain in cattel , or scab among sheep , is of a catching and infectious quality : and like the plague or l●prosie , will run along from one to another : our corrupt nature is like tinder , which is kindled with the least sparke : wherefore it behoves us to avoid all provoking objects : as a man that hath gunpowder in his house , keeps it ●afe from fire : and well were it for us , if lewd ones were forced to cry , as the leper in israel , i am unclean , i am un●lean . every thing labours to make the thing it meets with , like it self ; fire , converts all to fire ; aire , exiccates and drawes to it self ; water , moistens and resolveth what it meetes witha● ; earth , changeth all that we commit to it , to her own nature . every man will be busie in dispending that quality which is pr●dominant in him : we can converse with nothing , but will work upon us , and by the unperceived stealth of time , assimilate us to it self : one rotten aple will infect a whole floor : one putrid grape corrupts the whole sound cluster . the choice therefore of a mans company , is one of the most weighty actions of our lives ; for our future well or ill being , depends on that election : if we choose ill , every day inclines us to worse , we have a perpetual weight hanging on us , that is ever sinking us down to vice . antisthenes wondred at those which were curious in buying but an earthen dish , to see that it had no cracks , nor inconveniences , and yet would be careless in the choice of friends , and take them with the flawes of vice . what was the reason ( think we ) that our saviour would not suffer his weak disciple , in the gospel , to go and bury his dead father ? luk. . . it was not any aversenesse to civil , much lesse filial respect and duty to parents ; yea , he preferred mercy before sacrifice ; but he well knew , that when he once met with his carnal friends at the funeral , they would pervert him again , and quickly flout him out of his new masters service , and that the gospel should soon loose a preacher of him . the reason why the raven returned not into noahs arke , as the dove did , is given by some , because it met with a dead carkase by the way . a wise man will be wary , not only to shun sin in the action , but in the very occasion . how many , that meant not to sin , are won only by the opportunity ? for occasion and our nature are like two inordinate lovers , they seldom meet ▪ but they sin together , and every act of sin , tyes a new knot : if we keep them asunder , the harm is prevented : and it is easier to deny a guest at first , then to turn him out , having stayed a while : it is easier to keep fire from flax , then to quench it after it is on fire : a man may spit out a spark , but when once kindled , there is hardly any quenching of it . why do we pray , deliver us from evil , but that we imply , besides all other mischiefes , that there is an infectious power in it , to make us evil ? let us therefore do what we pray , and pray that we may do it : yea , o lord , free us both from speech and sight of these bauds and panders of vice , so far as is possible ; if not , at least from joyning in league , or dwelling in house with , or having dependency on such . o how many are there , that , like the pine-tree , with their very shadow , hinder all other plants from growing under them : or , like the great mountain radish , which , if it bee planted neer the vine , causeth it to starve and wither away ? alass ! it is nothing to be godly in abraham's house : but for a man to dwell in the tents of kedar , or to live in the court of sardanapalus ; and yet to keep himself upright , is a matter of great difficulty , especially , for him that is not well rooted by time and experience . a sore new skind will fret off again , with the least rubbing ; yea , the very sight of evill is dangerous , to such an one ; lusting , for the most part , followes looking ; as wee see in eve , gen. . . and david sam. . , . which makes salomon speaking of a strange woman , advise us to keep far from her , and not once come neer the door of her house , prov. . . it is a hard matter for that soul , not to fall into those vices , unto which the eyes and the eares are enured , not out of love , but custome , we fall into some offences . we read that persina , that ethiopian queen , in heliodorus , by seeing a faire picture of perseus and andromeda , was brought to ●ed of a faire white child ; whereas pope nicholas the third's concubine , by seeing of a beare , was brought to bed of a monster . i am sure this is true in the morall of it ; which should make us equally love good company , and hate evil . i know there be in every place whole troops of evil persons ; and where there are many pots boyling , there cannot but be much scum : so that a man shall find it , either impossible , or hard , never to be amongst them , or shift off their solicitations . wherefore if at any time ( as no flie is more importunate ) they ●hrust themselves into thy conversation , doe as those which must necessarily passe by a carrion in the way ; hold thy breath , be alone in a multitude , abhor to participate with them in their vices , and hasten to be out of their aire , as p●ter did out of the high priests hall , so soon as christ looked upon him : and if they yet follow thee , turn back to them , with the angels ●arewel , increpet 〈◊〉 dominus . and lastly , if by chance , with peter , thou hast taken the least soyl , or infection from these poysoned and pitchy links , be sure to scrape or brush it off thy soul again , by prayer , examination , and humiliation : as they that come out of infected houses , aire , or wash their garments , for the more safety , thus did peter , not without cause , not without benefit and commodity . §. . it is true , they will perswade us ; that instead of being infected , we may gain by their company ; and tell us , that true crystal may touch the toade without being poysoned ; that the diamond will lye in the fire , witho●t being consumed ; that fish may live in salt waters , and yet retain a fresh tast ; that though rust will fret into the hardest steel , yet it doth not eate into the eme●al● ; that though the load-stone draweth iron after it , yet it cannot stir gold , nor the jet steel , though it doth straw ; that though the sun hardens clay ▪ yet it so tens wax ; that if a ship hath a sure a●c●or , it may lye safe anywhere ▪ neither is it absolutely unlawfull for us to keep them company , seeing christ kept company with publicans and sinners of all sorts . answ. here are good words , but no security ; which therefore an experi●nced man gives the hearing of , but stands ( the while ) upon his own guard . no charity binds us to a trust of those whom we have found faithl●sse . credu●ity upon weak grounds , after palpable disappointments , is the daughter of fol● . he that hath once broken his faith , will not easily be t●usted . i know physitians may converse with leprous pe●sons , uninfected ; but then they must have stronger antidotes , then their natures give them , or else themselves shall stand in the same need , and of physitians become patients , and need physick : ●o that may be lawfull , in a sage and stayed person , which is unfit for an ungovern'd eye once to looke upon . we read , gen. . . that lot and his wife , were forbidden to look back at the destruction of so●om ; when to abraham it was left at large , and without restraint , he being a man of better ru●ed affections . again . i know the devil cannot hurt me , so long as god is with me : as the best load-stone cannot draw iron unto it , if the diamond be by : yea , the very fear of god , and thought that he looketh on , as one spake of grave cato , will keep a man from yeilding to their temptations , as it did ioseph , touching his mistrisses allurements : and that faith , as it is no coward , so it is ever victorious : what then ? though faith be confident , yet it is not impudent ; it knowes a guard of angels will keep us in all our wayes , but not in our wandrings : though it may be lawful to come among them , yet wisdom forbears some lawful things , because they may be occasions of things unlawful . he that abstaines from nothing that is l●wful , will soon be brought to ●lo that which is unlawful . the note which comes too neer in the ma●gent , will skip into the text , at the next impression . he that will go as ne●r the ditch as he can , will at some time or other fall in . he that will do all that he may , will sometimes do what he ought not . it is hard for the b●st man to say ●how far he will be tempted . if a man will put himself among philistins , hee cannot promise to come forth innocent ; or if he do , that soul which lives among thornes , shall hardly thrive in grace . how many have fallen into a fa●hion of swearing , scoffing , drinking , out of the usual practise of others : as ●hose that live in an ill ayre , are infected with disea●es ? a man may passe ●hrough ethiopia unchanged , but he cannot dwell there , and not be di●colou●ed . when once a man gives himself over to be the companion of vice , in the ●nd he becomes the very slave of vice . the oxe being tyed to the figg-tree , ●ooseth his strength . many strokes overthrow the strongest oke . many drops of raine , though never so soft , pierce the hardest marble , yea , even the slint ●one . and let graces be never so well fixt in a mans heart , yet ●e may ●oon ●ave them consumed and wasted this way , if he take not heed : as s●ow and ice ●annot be so hard congealed , but they will melt , if they come to the fire . and ●ttle do our peremptory resolvers in this case know , or confide , 〈◊〉 the insi●●●ative power of evil , or the treachery of t●●ir own hearts , in receiving it , or 〈◊〉 importunity of wicked deceivers , in ob●uding it : they are the worse 〈…〉 an egg covered with salt ( as philosophers teach ) hath the meate of it deleli consumed , whilst the shell is whole . and we reade of many towns , which hav●● in time been undermined , even with the most impotent and weake creatures● as one in spaine , with con●yes ; in thessalia with moles ; in france wit● frogs ; in africa with flies . many an one receives poyson , and knowes not when he took it . many breat● in this world , like men sleeping in a boate , are carried down the stream , even 〈◊〉 ●their 〈◊〉 , without waking , to think where they are . no man proves extreamly evil on the sudden : through many insensible d●●clinations do we fall from vertue . sathan's agents are still scattering his 〈◊〉 darts , among the army of israel ; and when they light upon wood , they kindle ; when upon fl●x , they flam● ; when upon gunpowder , they blow up all they therefore that lov● such intricate and perplexed walkes , had need of ●ron shoes . t●ue it is , that christ conve●sed and kept company with publicans and sinners ( as the physitian with the sick ) to heale their soules : neither did the● make him worse , but he made them better : but as true it is , that he was with●out the level or temptation ; and so is no gene●al war●nt . i will therefore no● only shun evil , but the means to come to i● ; an● to avoid hurt , i will 〈◊〉 my selt out of ●hot : n●ither will i presume , being but a man , to follow my master in that which he did as god . indeed , many are so presumptuous of their strength , that they think they can come in any company , and yet come of clear : but he which comes to save one drowning , must be stronger then the other , or else he will be drowned himself . pliny reports , that a family neare rome would go upon live coles withou● being burnt : had it hereupon been necessary for others to put the same in practise ? no , neither is it necessary for us to do that herein which our saviour did our min●s have not that ballast in them , which his ●ad , and so are sooner endangered , by the floods of wickedness . secondly , wher●as they object : that we may gaine by their company : i confesse it possible , for even t●e most venomous and ●a●nous things that are ▪ have their commodi●es , as well as their annoyances : and the cocke by scraping in a dungnill , did once find a jewel : virgil from enniu's dunge did gold extract : and apoth●caries of vipe s flesh can make an an●idote against poyson : an harlots tace may suggest 〈◊〉 : and a s●●ul sureset may prove an antidore for sin : yea , as external cold kindles the heate or the stomack : so we find it reco●ded in holy writ , that some , by a spiritual ant p●●ist●●sis , have grown horter in their z●ale , by being encompassed with the outward cold o● wicked and irreligious company : like roses and lillies , which flourish the more for being beset with t●●nes : and violets , which are the sweeter and more od●ri●erous ▪ for being beset with garlick and onie●s ; for as much as they suck and draw all the ill ●avours of the ground unto them . thus it fa●● with lot , who served god better among the beastly sod●●tes , then when he was separated ●●om them . and some others there are no doubt , who , as they owe not this ●● to themselves , so they are more for wonder , then imitation . for 〈…〉 found a guard in the lyons den , shall another thrust himself t●●reinto for ●●elter ? and if peter walkt upon the pavement of the water , did the rest of t●●●●sciples step forth and follow him ? no . ob. but say some . by keeping them company we may winne them , and hap●ily convert their soules . answ. i answer . hope not so much to convert them ; as fear that they will ●ervert thee , for vertue is not so alluring as vice : the one spreads it self , like ●oyson in a vessel ; the other is not half so dispersive . sin , and hagar , are more ●ruitful then vertue and sara● : fal●hood , more successeful then t●uth . the ●ore eye infecteth the sound : the sound will not mend the sore . vinegar will ●ar w●ne ; wine will not mend vinegar , infection is sp●eading and catching : ●ealth is not so . an hund●ed sound pe●sons shall sooner catch the plague , from one infected person ; then he receive his h●alth from them . salomon that wonder of wisdom , might think by joyning in affinity with his neighbour princes , and marrying their daughters , to win those heathens to the kingdom of god : but he was deceived , fo● he could do no good upon them ; they wrought him too much evil . and doth not experience teach us , that the good are sooner perverted by the bad , then the bad converted by the good ? even as a tainted ayre doth more easily infect a sound body , then an wholesome can clear the sick . we reade of certain magnetical , or adamantine rockes , in the iles of moni●le , which draw all ships u●to them , that have any iron pinnes , holding them so fast , that they are not able to sti● : evil society , are such rockes ; holy men , the ships ; naturall and inbred corruption , the iron pinnes : he that will be safe , let him ke●p far enough from such rocks . a good man , joyned in l●ague with one that is wicked ; is like a living man , bound to a dead corps , which will sooner suffocate him , then he revive that : or , like an i sickle , can endure the rough northern wind of persecution well enough , but melteth wi●● the heate of the s●n , swee● allurements of the world , and the flesh . the children of god are , as it were , dead 〈…〉 l●sts ; but if they should tempt god , by a too familiar society with the vicious ; who knowes , but as live coles will kindle dead ones ; so their evil speeches and actions may kindle and enflame them with the love and liking of 〈◊〉 ? indeed , as one said to his suppliant , make me a diviner , and i will make thee rich : so may a good man say to a vicious ; make me angelicall , that is , incapable of being seduced , and i 'le do my best to make thee a convert . §. . thirdly . our entirenesse with wicked men ●●osses us , not only in their sins , but oftentimes in their punishments also ; as it fared with the . men which were slain before aye , for achan's sake , ioshua . where we see the innocencie of so many thousand israchtes was not so prevalent , to expiate his one sin ; as his one sin was , to taint and bring judgment upon all israel . if the stork be taken damagefeceant with the cranes , ●he is enwrapped in the same net , and cannot complain that she is surprised . he that walketh with the wise ( saith salomon ) shall be wise ; but a companion of fools , shall be afflicted , pro. . . this augustine well observes , speaking of the religious , taken amongst the rest of the gothes , iure amara● vitam sentire , quia ●●cantibus amari esse nolu●runt . and hereupon moses separates israel from ●orah , dathan , and abiram , saying , depart from the tents of these wicked men , and touch nothing of theirs ; least ye perish with them ; num. . . and doth not god himself say to his people , touching babylon , go out of her , my people , that ye be not partaker of her sins , and that ye receive not of her plagues ? rev. . . where sin is let in , punishment will not be kept out . yea , if lot had stayed in sodom , he had been destroyed : if his sons would have gone out , they had every man escaped . indeed , we cannot be too far off from such company ; and it were happy if they were kept by themselves ; for so long as the infected person is shut up , his plague doth not spread . and besides the benefit of our safety , wickedness would soon be ashamed of it self , if it were not for the encouragement of companions . solitariness is the fittest antidote for spiritual infection . it were happy for the wicked man , if he would be separated from himself . antisthenes would often say , it was a great oversight , sithence they purged their wheat from darnel , and their warres from cowardly souldiers , that they purged not their common wealth from lewd and wicked people . or if our persons escape scot-free , yet we may suffer in our estates , and be crost in our most weighty designes and determinations , only for joyning in league or friendship with gods enemies . because thou hast joyned thy self with abaziah ( saith eleazar to iehosaphat ) the lord hath broken thy works , and the ships were broken , that they were not able to go to tarshish , chro. . . but admit they can not infeoffe us , eitheir in their sin or punishment : yet their society will be a shrewd vexation to us . as let a religious man fall into their company , as an honest man may fall into the hands of theeves , they will conspire how to afflict his eyes , with unchast visions ; his ears , with fearful oaths , his unwilling appetite , with drunken healths ; which even a civilized pagan would abhor . we read that clitemachus the wrestler ( though a great company keeper , yet ) if he had heard but one filthy word , would presently depart . how was just lot vexed with the uncleanly conversation of his wicked neighbou●s ? sodom was worse then a jaile to his righteous soule : and report lyes , if our jailes be not much like to sodom , the very dens of mischiefe , the scholes of wickednesse : a malefactor learns more vilany there , then ever he knew before : drunkenness and blasphemy , usurpe the place of mortification and humility . or lastly , if their society be not a vexation to our minds ; at least it will be a great disparagement to our names : every one will conclude , almost infallibly , such as our company is , such is our disposition . the common proverb is , like will to like . and , birds of a feather , will flock together . when iephthah was himself in banishment , there gathered to him idle follows , such as himself , iudges . . when david was in trouble , and vexed in minde himself , their flockt unto him all those that were in trouble , vexed in mind , or that were in debt , even four hundred of them , to the cave of adullam , sa. . . yea , our saviour meets no less then ten lepers in one knot . fellowship is that we all naturally affect , though it be in leprosie ; even lepers will flock to their fellows . where shall we find one spiritual leper alone ? drunkards , prophene persons , hereticks , will be sure to consort with their matches . and hereupon the lacedaemonians , when they would certainly be informed , what the disposition and behaviour of any one was , vvould vvisely inquire vvith vvhat persons , they vvere linked in fellowship . and indeed , he that makes himself a companion of all , sells his reputation very cheape : it being as great an indecorum , for a holy christian to be in the company of gracelesse persons , as it is for a reverend divine to sit upon the stage in a publike threator ; or an old man to dance with little children in the streets . base company ( saith one ) kills both our fame , and our soules : it gives us wounds , which will never admit of healing . how many have irrecoverably lost their good names , by keeping company with suspected persons ? and whether the report be true or false , it is no easie thing to disprove a slander , for like an unruly spirit once raised , 't is hard to conjure down again . a mans good name is much easier kept , then recovered . and thus you see , that evil company endangers our soules : or could our soules be free , yet our persons are in danger ; or could our soules and persons both be safe , yet our estates are in jeobardy , or could our souls , bodies and estates be secure , yet our fame would suffer , and our good name lye at the stake . wherefore , &c. §. . fourthly . but admit we could keep them company without harm ; yet this inconvenience would ensue , their company would bereave us of much good , which otherwise we should enjoy , being alone ; it faring with the godly wise , as with saint ambrose , who was wont to say , i am never lesse alone , then when i am all alone , for then i can enjoy the presence of my god without interruption . they are able to say , as dubartus , and ( before him ) scipio , i have never better company , then when i have no company , for then can i freely entertain my own thoughts , and converse with all the learned , which have been in former ages . antisthenes being asked what fruit he had reaped of all his study ? made answer , i have learned by it , both to live , and walk with my selfe . and alphonsus king of arragon being demanded , what company he liked best ? replyed , bookes , for these ( saith he ) without feare , or flattery , or any reward , tell me faithfully all that i desire to know . cicero was , and i am of his mind , and though i be no hermit , to sit away my daies in a dull cell , yet will i choose , rather to have no companion then a bad one . when cato utican , in vacation times , and at his best leasure , went to recreate himself in the country , he used to cary with him the best philosophers , and choisest bookes . algerius an italian martyr said , he had rather be in prison with cato , then with caesar in the senate house : so was it more comfortable , to be with philpot in his cole-house , then with bonner in the palace : boner's conscience made his palace a cole-house , and a dungeon ; whiles philpot's made the cole-house a palace . the state of grace is heaven upon earth ; and he that knows the sweetness of gods presence , will deem it more tollerable to be ever alone , then never able to be so . when i read of hiero the tyrant of syracusa , and other such , that gave over their kingdoms , to live a solitary life , i somewhat wonder : i should not , to hear of a religious and christian king that did so . it is impossible for the natural man to be so merry , in company ; as the believer alone ; yea , saith s. augustine , the teares of those that pray , are sweeter then the joy s of the theater . indeed , a witty j●st may make a man laugh more , and lowder : b●t he who hath an inheritance fallen to him , feeles a more solid joy within : so he that enjoyes his saviour , and hath the a●●ir●ance of heaven , is truly merry at the heart , and keepes hilary ●earme all his life . and indeed , nothing in the world is worth envie , besides the condition of a true ch●istian . but to what end doe i tell a blind man , how glorious and bright a creature the sun is ? or a poor man , what summes of money are in the kin●s exchequers ? to so many as are unrenewed i speake in parabl●s , revel. . . yea , this seemes to them a paradox , that the people of god should be a merry people : for contrariwise , they dream of nothing but solitarin●●●● , and melancholly : as the common people thought tulli to be most idle , when he stadied most : or as the husbandman in aesope objected idlenesse to the poe● : b●t as he replyed , i am never so idle as in thy company , so may the religious , we are ever so solitary , never so melancholly ; as when in society with you that are vicious . this was david's case , which maketh him cry out , wo is me , that i must remain in meseck , and dwell in the tents of kedar : he found it a heavy yoke to be yoked with irreligious companions . and a double reason may be given of it , though we fear not to saffer either in our persons , goods , or good names ( as before you have it . ) for fi●st , the soule that lives among thornes , shall hardly thrive , they are such backbva●●es to a godly life , that they will do what they can , to hinder our goodness to heaven , and the goodness of heaven to us ; they will wither all our good pa●●s and qualities which are in us ; like an evil north-wind , they blow upon the buds of our graces , and nip them . . secondly , it would make a mans heart to bleed , to hear and consider , how swearing , blaspheming , cursed speaking , railing , slandering , quarrelling , contending , jesting , mocking , scoffing , flattering , lying , dissembling , vain , corrupt , and filthy scolding , scurrilous , loose and idle talking , doth overflow with them in all places : so that such as fear god , had better be anywhere then in the company of most men . now i were mad if i should so affect company , as to live voluntarily where vexations shall daily salute me . indeed , a man is not rightly said to live , untill he hath abandoned wicked society . similis having lived seven yeers apart from the world , after a long time spent in a military life , he left this epitaph behind him , here lies old similis , yet one that lived but seeven yeers , this made frederick the third , elector palatine , when some such friends of his desired his company , to answer , i have lived enough to you ; let me now live to my self , and with my lord christ , yea , saint augustine , ten dayes before he dyed , desired none might come to him , that so , in that time , he might the better fit himself for god . and indeed that soule can never enjoy god , that is not sometimes retired . o that we could , in any reasonable time ; give a stop to our madding and ●traying fancies : that we could , after so long time spent in the lusts of the flesh , and pride of life , bring home our cogitations and intentions unto our selves , ●nake off these violent hold-fasts , bid our companions farewel , which have too ●ong engaged our soules , and estranged us from our selves . but when we are so we●ded , combined , and glewed to the world , it is no easie matter to make a safe retreat : it is a fleaing to some to be sundred ; thereby you pal away some 〈◊〉 of themselves . in this case , what we cannot do all at once , let us gain upon our selves by degrees ; go back step by step ; first , block up one passage , then another . will you know what course demostheness took in this case ? he , to the end that his 〈◊〉 and nearest friends might not ( by carying him abroad , according to their custome ) withdraw him from his study and books , caused the hair of his head to 〈…〉 ; and after took an order , that they should not peep out , 〈◊〉 he had shook off his consorts , by continually making them loose their 〈◊〉 . it were happy for our young stu●●ents , if they would a little imitate him ; if they were not overmuch affected and addicted to company keeping ; if they would but consider , that friends are the thieves of time , the most precious jewel they can part withall . §. . but here it will be objected . that we are melancholly persons , strayers from the drove of mankind , and whereas nature hath made us sociable creatures , in making us men , religion hath altered to a crazied disposition , whereby we are mispleasing to all , as all to us . to this is answered . suppose it were true ( but i shall in place more convenient prove , that the religious only enjoy true mirth , and that worldly mirth is more talked of then felt , spiritual joy more felt then talk'd of , though i may appeale to any mans conscience , that hath been softned with the unction of grace , and truly tasted the powers of the world to come ) yet they think it is better being a good christian , then a good fellow ; and hold it far better , in good sadnesse to be saved with a few , as noa● was in the a●ke , then in good fellowship , with the multitude , to be drowned in sin , and damned for company . we are content ( saith one ) to passe , through somewhat more unsociably , into happiness ; it suffi●●●th we shall meet with good company , at our journeys end , in the kingdom of heaven , even an innumerable company of saints and angels . the men of the world practise , what once a jester spake , who , when a great lord asked him , whether he would go to heaven or hell ? answered , to hell , for there ( quoth he ) i shall be sure to meet your lordship , and the greatest part of mine acquaintance . but it is not so with the true christian : he little loves christ , that will not follow him without company : and his zeale is cold to heaven , whom the example of numbers can turn another way . wherefore let us say , as much as peter said ; and do more , then peter did ; though all men shoul● forsake thee , yet will i not leave thee , o saviour : neither magnitude of princes , nor multitude of people , shall prevail with me . but the world wrongs religion , when they accuse it to be an enemy to good-fellowship : for she hath not a follower , which doth not say with david , psa. . . i am a companion to all them that feare thee , and keep thy precepts for the godly mans chief delight is in the saints , and such as excell in vertue psa. . . yea , and their fellowship is so good , profitable , and delectable , tha● as synesius was of opinion , that king hieron got more by simonides acquaintance , then siminides did by his ; and as we read that pharaoh , saul , and nebuchadnezzar were more pleasured by ioseph , david , and daniel , then daniel , david , and ioseph were by them : so i perswade my self , great persons would find themselves more then requited , if they would vouchsafe the company of some poor saints : for a wise and holy christian ( like his lord and master ) wheresoever he goes , makes better cheare then he finds , in an happy exchange of spiritual repast for bodily . yea , as plato accounted it one of the four great privilidges , for which he was especially bound to nature , that he lived in the time of socrates : so they should think it none of the least favours , for which they were bound to blesse god , that they enjoyed so religious and holy society . it is true indeed , there is supposed good fellowship , to which religion is an enemy ; because it is an enemy to this holy fellowship of the saints : and good reason , the one are to the other , as wolves are to the lambs : now is it any marvail if the lambs care not greatly for the company of the wolves ? the lambe would not willingly be alone ; yet it is far bette● when solitary , then in a wolvish society . generons minds will associate with their matches and equals , or none : as david being a king , when he was expulsed his own country , resorts to none but kings : for first he goeth to achis , king of gath ; then to the king of moab , sam. . . and sam. . . neither are our ding-thirsts , who lavish out their estates , and throw the house out at windowes ( as we use to say ) good fellowes , though they call themselves so : for good fellowes and evil men are incompatible ; ike simeon and levi , sworn brothers , but brethren in evill ; which is too evil a brotherhood , for an honest man to make one in , or ( indeed ) a wise man : for is not hee a fool , that will sell heaven for company , as a great many true drunkards doe ? for my own part , if i have good company , i will cherish them as lot did his angels , which were sent for guardians : if i have any bad , i will studie to loose them , least by keeping them , i loose my self in the end . §. . fiftly . another reason why we should separate our selves from their society is , that according to the apostles rule , so far as is possible , we may have peace with all men , which is no way obtainable , but by a separation . a wicked man ( saith salomon ) is abomination to the just : and he that is upright in his way , is abomination to the wicked , prov. . if so , either no communion , or no peace . believers , and such as are enemies to the crosse of christ , can never be reconciled , at least in heart . what communion can righteousness have with unrighteousness ? you may as well tye a sure knot between a cobweb and a cable as a true and fast love-knot , between the child of god and a wicked man . these two yoked together , agree like the harp and the harrow : they are as suitable , as a wooden legg , and a thigh of flesh : which makes the apostle rom. . . ●n enjoyning us to have peace with all men , to add , if it be possible : and in another place to say , be not unequally yoked with infidels , for as we should not be yoked with infidels ; so we should not be yoked with common drunkards , and swearers , nor with atheists , which are no better then infidels ; for that also is to be unequally yoked , unless we be atheists too . as the iews might not consort with the canaanites : so we may not consort with them , which are like canaanites . wise salomon chargeth us from god , that wee should not keep company with gluttons and drunkards , proverbs . . and the apostle enjoyneth us , not to have any fellowship , nor so much as eat with a runkar● , cor. . . and that we should have no fellowship with these unfruitful works of darknesse , or , if unwittingly and unwillingly we be thrust into any such society , we must not imitate , but reprove them , ephesians . . and wee professe our selves the servants of god : new they are bad servants , who will keep company with their masters enemies , especially , after he hath streightly charged them to the contrary . alasse ! what should we do in the presence of base persons , when even our seber ignorance , in ill courses , is more then di●teemed of the world ? yea , when it is not enough for them to be bad themselves , except they 〈◊〉 at the good ? when if there be one in a company , that abhors impious language , they will blaspheme on purpose to vex him ? when they will think themselves slighted , if they be not sent away drunk ? when to depart sober , is 〈◊〉 incivility ? and we cannot talk idly enough , nor do lewdly enough , to bear the● company ; we can neither say as they say , no● be silent when we see and hear 〈◊〉 ba●eness . as whom would it not stir , to hear oaths 〈◊〉 for number , with words ; scoffs , with oaths ; vain speeches , with both ? we love neither to bite , nor fawn 〈◊〉 we can not forbear to speak the naked truth ; which i● we do , will breed a quarrel . as for instance ; one j●sts 〈◊〉 with his maker ; another , makes himself sport with sc●ip●ure ; a third , sils his mouth with oaths of sound ; a fourth , 〈◊〉 at the religious ; one , speaks vi●lany ; another , laughs at it ; a third , de●ends it ; one , makes hims●l● a swine , another , a divell , now who , that is not all earth , can endu●e it ? yea , who , having grace , can hear such wickednesse , and ●eeleth not some sp●rk of holy in●ignation arise in him , while he thinks of it ? o who having no● lost his spiritual 〈◊〉 , can endure the ●avour of such noysome and ●●●king breath , as their rotten lungs send ●orth . well born children a●e touched to the quick , with the injuries of 〈◊〉 parents : and not thus to be moved , is to confess our s●lves bastards . indeed , men of steel stomacks can digest any discou●s● , though never so cours● ; but the g●acious know , that as they must render an ●c●ount for every idle wo●● , so likewise for their idle silence ; for in this case not to reprove them either by word , or gest●re , is to do the same things in judgment and conscience , which the other doth act●ally . every evil we see doth either v●x , or infect us . the very sight of sin makes a man either sad , or guilty : if we see it , and be not sorrowful , we are sinful . if lot had not been vexed with the beastly so●omites , god had been vexed with him : yea , in such a case not to be very angry , is to make god very angry . ely heard of his sons impiety , no doubt with grief enough , but not with anger enough ; therefore he is punished with hearing of their destruction , that was too remisse in hearing of their transgression . it is easie to be guilty of anothers wickednesse , even our very permission appropriates crimes to us : we need no more guiltine●s of any sin , then our willing tolleration . all sins which we give allowance to , being committed , or not hind●●●d by us , if we may , are ours , as if we committed them : fu●rt , commanders ; . abbettors ; . counsellors ; . consenters ; . commenders ; . connivers ; . concealers ; . not hinderers ; each of these will be found guilty before gods t●●bunal . what saith the prophet to king ichosaphat , wouldst thou help the wicked , and not only so , but wouldst thou love them that ha●e the lord ? therefore for this thing the wrath of the lord is upon thee , chron. . . we need do no more to bring the wrath of god upon us , then even to love and favour these which hate him . how much better then to oppose thy friend by rep●●ving him , then that god should reprove thee for being at one with him . but this is no friendly part : yes , the scripture affirms , that not to tell one● brother plainly of his fault , at least , if there be pr●bability of doing good , is to hate him in his heart , levit. . . and philosophy tels us , that is truly perfect love , which , to profit and do good , f●areth not to hurt or offend ; that admonitions and corrections are the chiefest offices of friendship . diogenes when they called him dog , for his sharp kind of rebuking , would answer , that other dogs used to bite their 〈◊〉 , but he his friends , for their greater good . and s●ipio , the elder , when his f●iends , for so doing , turned his enemies , was able to ●ay , i have given mine enemies as much cause to l●ve me , as my friends . ph●cion when a friend of his would have cast himself away , would not suffer him , saying , i was made thy friend for this purpose : and to king antipater , thou canst not have me both for thy friend and flatter . indeed , a flattering friend is a bitter enemy , yea ( as one swee●ly ) no enemy can be so mortal , as these officious clyents , whose flattery sothes a ma● up in wickedness ! for they are traytors to the soul , and by a pleasing violence kill the best part eternally . whence euripides exhorts men to get such friends , as would not spare to disple●se them , saying , friends are like wines , those that being new are hard and harsh , prove best ; the most pleasing , are least lasting : and indeed , he that loves not such a friend , hates himself . a wise man will say to his friend , love heartily , and then speak what thou wilt . and for a man not to chide his f●iend , least he should offend him , is as if ( when he were ready to be drowned ) he should fear to catch him by the hair of the head , lest he should loose a few of them . wherefore either let them abide thee no f●iend to their faults , or no friend to themselves . and what if admonition and reproof be as unwelcome to thy friend , as water into a ship ? what if it sound no better to him , then musick out of tune ; or tast no sweeter , then bitt●r pils , which sick men take with an unwilling willingnesse ? wilt thou neglect the office of a friend , to avoid the suspition of an enemy ? indeed , if thou meet with a contentious fool , thou shalt do wisely , in not answering whatsoever he objects : for it is more policy and discretion to gain a f●i●nd without trouble , then a foe with it : and our saviour saith , give ye not that which is holy to dogs , neither cast ye your pearl before swine ; least they tread them under their feet , and turning again all to rent you , matth. . . again , as in gods and their own behalf we are bound to reprove them : so in our neighbours also , to whom , in this case , we owe a duty : for , admit we are in company when , and where our brothers good name is taken away by false report ; it is our duty to defend the truth , in his behalf : we must neither backbite others , nor be willing to give eare unto backbiters of others . it was an honest speech of one ; as i will be my present friends self , so i 'le be my absent friends deputy , to say for him what he would , and cannot speak for himself . but thou wilt ask me . what need men trouble themselves with that which so little concerns them ? my answer shall be such another question . what needed moses to have afflicted himself with the afflictions of others , that he might work their deliverance , when himself was at ease and pleasure in the court of pharaoh ? what needed ionathan have purchased his fathers displeasure , and brought his own life in jeopardy , that he might justifie david in his uprightness , and save his life ? what needed calvin , in the yeer , when perin had conspired against the estate of geneva , have run into the midst of their naked swords , to appease the tumult ? what needs the hand cast it self betwixt a blow and the head , though it be cut off by this mean ? what needs the eye serve more to the use of the other members , in being watchfull rightly to direct th●m , then for it self ? a good heart cannot abide to be happy alone ; which is a religious answer , to a reasonable question unreasonably moved . yea , admit it were not a duty for one member to seek the good of another , or of the whole , and that god had not enjoyned us so to do : i am sure it is a pardonable fault , to do lesse good to our selves , that we may do more good to , and for others . but suppose we offend them not this way ; yet we shall another , if we keep them company . the naturall man conceits of himself , far beyond what another esteems him : and in ●ase he finds he is undervalued , will flye in your face , and perhaps do you more mischief , then can easily be repaired : as that was done in one quarter of an hour by our first parents , which tended to the ruin of them , and all mankind . it is usual with drunkards to kisse when they meet , and kill when they part . d●unken alexander killed clytus , for whom sober alexander would have killed himself . the danes and norwayes once purposing for england , fell drunk on shipboard , and so slasht one another , that there was an end of their voyage . out of their gallant disposition , you shall have one kill another , upon the interpretation of a word ; a manifest confession , that their life is not much worth , sith they will sell it so good cheap : yea , there are not wanting of them that resemble fimbria of rome , who meeting a citizen that he hated , gave him a deadly thrust into the body with his sword , and the next day entred an action against him , that he had received but part of his blad into his body and not all , as he meant it . yea , perhaps they may make you to do that which you never dreamt of : like herod , who cut off iohn baptist's head , only to answer the expectation of the standers by , matth. . . as for flattery it never wants welcome , while self-love , is at home : but the plain dealing man cannot live among these vipers , and not be stung by them : yea , he lives most in trouble , that most seeks to have peace with them by a familiarity . well then , if they are so offensive to the stomack of our company , that they will not let us be at peace ; our best way will be to spew them out , to deal with our old vicious con●orts , as the fox in the fable did by his flees : who wading backward into the water , by degre●s , drew them all into a lock of wooll , which he ●ad in his mouth , and then left it swimming ; even leave them , without taking leave of ●hem ; or if you like not to tear friendship asunder upon the sudden , you may unsow it by little and little . he that would not continue a friend , may 〈◊〉 neglect him , and have his aym . §. . o● . but i hear none boast so much of peace , as the ungodly ; nor none 〈◊〉 with contention , as the religious . 〈◊〉 . b●ast of it they may , but it is apparent that the way of peace they have not so much as known : indeed , they have some kind of agreement among 〈…〉 so have serpents , and beares , and wolves : it is a rare thi●g , to see one wolf devour , or fight with another : yea , they have made a covenant with death , and are at agreement with hell , isai. . . and yet : as ther● is no peace to the wicked , isa. . . so there is no peace among the 〈◊〉 , fo● every combination in evil , is rebellion , and not peace ; rather a conspira●y , 〈◊〉 a concord ; like the agreement of absalom and a●hitophel , 〈…〉 against david ; or of herod and pilate , conspiring against apostles , plotting against paul , so meeting in malice to do 〈…〉 dissention is better then such a wicke● peace . neither can any wonder , that wicked men do so conspire in evil , that there is such 〈◊〉 in the broachers & abbettors of it ; if he but take notice of those 〈◊〉 , which b●ing many in substance , were yet one in name , action , habitation , even a wh●le legion in one man , mark , . . all the praise of concord is in the 〈◊〉 ; if that be holy , the consent is angelicall ; if sinfull , develish ; true 〈…〉 with god , war with our lusts , rom. . . and . . . 〈◊〉 with 〈◊〉 , war with vice : whereas they have peace and are at league with 〈…〉 but are at war wit● g●d , and good men all at once : but a just war is a 〈…〉 better , then such an ill conditioned peace ; yea , it no way deserves t●e name of peace , except we be at enmity with the serpent , at unity 〈…〉 so to be at peace with men , as that we do not war with god and his graces : peace must be followed with holinesse , heb ▪ . wherefore 〈◊〉 joyneth ●aith , peace , and truth together , zach. . . and st. paul , peace and righteousness , peace and edification , peace and joy in the holy ghost , rom. . . . . &c. thus the scripture sets us our bounds for peace , which we may not passe ; and shews that ungodly men are not guilty o● this grace ; that they do but talk of peace , not practise it . but suppose we could enjoy peace in their company ; ye● we can never expect to have 〈◊〉 loves : for d●unkards only love drunkards , and one wicked man another ; but care not a rush for any that are good : being like phalaris the tyrant , who would never grant any request , except it were to a dissolute woman , but such he never denied . likeness we know is the cause of love , and lov● the cause of likeness ; whereas the believer and the unbeliever are altogether unlike ; the one being crucified and dead to the world , gal. . . but mad● alive in christ , cor. . . the other being spiritnally dead , even while they alive . tim. . . we seldome see different dispositions entirely loving : for hence growes the height of friendship , when two similary souls do blend in their commixions , and hence it is , that two friends are said to come into vulcan's shop , to beg this boon of him : that he would either beate them on his anvile , or melt them in his fornace both into one , the which he granted . i'ts likeness that makes the true love knot of friendship : when we find another of our own disposition , it appears the same soul in a divided body . natu●e that makes us love our selves , makes us , with the same reason , love those that are like us . a friend is a more sacred name , then a brother , pro. . . for what availes it to have the bodies from the same original , when the souls within them differ ? and yet some ( r●hoboam-like ) passing over the religious , will joyn themselves with ungodly persons ; like as some put away honest wives , and go to harlots : wherein they deal as wisely , as if a man should cast away his fleshly leg , and set on another of wood . causa patrocinio non bona pejor crit . or admit thou shouldst enjoy a wicked mans love ; it is but mercenary , base , and inconstant , and so not worth the having . indeed , there was never such abject and servile prostitutions of presentations , as life , soul , devotion , adoration , servant , slave , &c. as there is now amongst our drunkards and roarers , and what love they expresse to one , they professe to all ; every one they know , or salute , is their friend : but friendship so distracted , like as the river ganges was by cyrus , into . brooks , both looses her name and nature : a lover of so many , never loves any . or , admit a drunkard do love thee : either he loves thee for his own sake , because he hath some pleasure , or profit , or credit by thee , ( as prosperity procureth friends , no lesse then adversity proveth them ) which is , with craterus , to love the king , rather , then with ephaestion , to l●ve alexander : now i do not hold him worthy thankes , that profes●eth mee kindnesse for his own ends . or secondly , he loves only thy body or natural parts , which is but the worst peece of thee ; and love to the body , is but the body of love ; the soule of love , is the love of the soule . neither doth he truly love , that loves the body more then the mind and soul , or common gifts before saving graces ; this love as it is never long liv'd , so it is of : but feigned ; as you shall have drunkards and dissembling polititians salute one anothe● , with god save you , at their meeting ; and wish one another hanged , at their parting ; italian-like , they will be glorious and complemental in their invitations , but if you accept of their offer , they will hate you for it ever after . a drinking f●iendship , is but a drunken friendship : and beleeve it , thou wilt find those friends firmest , that thy vertues purchase thee : these will love thee , when thy wealth is gone : whereas those that be won without desert , will also be lost without a cause : you need but be an arbitrator between two such friends to make them both your enemies : things that differ in their end , will surely part in their way : now thy end , is to gain him ; his end , to make a gain of thee : for let the passage of profit be stopt , his love is likewise at a stand : 〈◊〉 you deserved never so well from him , the deniall of one favour , nay , a● health , shall drown the memory of many fore-performed ones : which is all on● as if for the abortion of one child , a man should kill all the former issue whereas the good mans thanks for old favours , lives even in the blows of injury or can you not feed these vermine as you have done , away they go ; like a su● dial , you shall be no longer regarded , then you are shined on by prosperity yea , rats run not faster away from an house on fire ; nor lice from a dead body then they from poverty : and if ever it be your misery to stand in need of them look for no other requitall , then iob had of his friends , whom he compares to a deceitful brook , which in winter is hard frozen with cold , in summer dried up with heat ; between winter and summer passing away , alwayes deceitful , never of use , iob . . to . yea , a man may say of such friends , as a learned antiquary said of rumn●● marsh , bad in winter , hurtfull in summer , never good : nay , this comparison falls short , for thou hast sped well , if such friends prove not dangerously hurtfull , as well as helplesse . have i not known some of them resemble the snake , which when a kind husbandman had taken out of the cold , and cherished in his bosome , and she had recovered her lively heate , and was grown lusty , singled out him ungratfully to trie her first sting upon ? or a promotor , that in lent eats flesh at your table , and yet is the first that accuseth thee to the magistrate . if ziba be waxed great under mophiboseth , he will give him a lift fo●●ll he hath . a promoted begger hath not seldome renounced his advancer . and what else can be looked for from them ? they cannot make conscience of civill duties , who make none of divine . if a man have cast off his god , he will easily cast off his friend . they that have broken their faith with him , will keep no faith with us , when religion is once gone , humanity will not stay long after . i take leave of this point , with a caution . reveal to such men no secrets ; for he that now loves thee dearly , may come to hate thee deadly : nor beleeve a word that they say ; for they are like antigones , who never denied any sute , that was asked ; but withall , never performed any thing that he granted ; for what they promise when they are drunk , they forget when they are sober ; or like saul , who being perswaded of david's worth and loyalty , sweares , as the lord liveth he shall not die , sam. . . yet within four verses , for all his oath , he darts a speare at him , intending to nail him to the wall ; and in the next verse , hee sends messengers to his house to kill him ; or like the councell of constance , who made promise to iohn husse of a conduct and safe return ; yet , like forsworn persecuters , put him to death . §. . ob . but here some of them will reply . that we lay the saddle upon the wrong horse , when we tax them for want of peace , love , and friendship ; in that the religious only shew inconstancy , by bidding farewell to their old friends and acquaintance , so soon as they embrace religion . answ. to this is answered . first that constancy , except it be in the truth and in a good cause , is impudency : change in the vicious is as great a vertue , as constancy in the vertuous . the almaines were praised for changing their ●●stomes , which were found to be but bad before , as tacitus affirmeth . constan●●● in things ill , is so far from b●ing a vertue , that it is an abs●lute vice . of ●ings imperfect , change is the way to per●ect them . the gentiles became be●●evers , the iewes in●idels , zach●us turnes from the world , demas turns to ●e world , paul turns an apostl● , iudas an apostate : i would fain know , whe●her change in the gentiles , zacheus and paul , was not as great a vertue , 〈◊〉 it was a vice in the iewes , demas , and iudas ? saint paul was in constant indeed ; for to day ( as it were ) he breathed out ●reatnings and slaughter against the disciples of christ and to morrow he ●reacheth christ in the synagogue : what then ? will any ( not debauc●ed ) cen●ure him of ficklenes●e for it ? nay , wil not all wise men think it a great honour to ●im , and commend him forshaking hands with the high priests , and his fellow ●ursevants , when once hee heard that voice from heaven ? act. . . there is not any so near unto us , but i● he fall from god , wee may fall from ●im . it merits the name of wilfulnesse , when we will not admit of a lawful ●hang to the better . as philocrates sported with d●m●sthenes : you may not marvell atheni●ns , that d●mosthenes and i do differ , for he drinks water , and i drink wine : ● some laugh at us for being sober with rhenis ; and we as much pity them , or being drunk with canary . again , they censure us of inconstancy ; we them ●f impudency . now in this case ●hen that is reputed ridiculous by one , which ●s accounted sage by another as wise ; what shall we do , but make gods word the umpier ? wherefore , in all changes , i will have regard to these three things , god's approbation , mine own bene●●t , and the not harming of my neighbour ; ●nd then where the change is not a fault , i will never think it a disgrace , though the great exchange , the world , should judge it so . even modesty , in some , is a vi●e ; when out of a weak flexibility of nature , man hath not courage enough , to deny the request of a seeming friend . if a man never abandoneth evill , until he abandoneth evil company , it is ●igh time to take courage : yea , the longer wee have been with them , the more need have we to hasten out of them . if this satisfie not , as the emperor frade●ick said to certain of his minions , that we●e importunate to get into their ●ands the ancient demeasn of the empire , that he would rather be accounted of small liberallity , then p●rjured ! even so had we , in this case rather be ac●ounted inconstant , then b● unconscionable . to the second part of the objection , i answer . that true love and friend●hip is only among good men . the wicked may talk of it , and one drunkard ●ay professe to another that he loves him as well as himself ; and therein speake ●ruth , for , saith augustine most elegantly , to such an one , thou lov●st thy self , so as thou wilt destroy thy self ; and thou wilt destroy him whom thou lovest as ●hy self ; yea , better then themselves ; for you shall have one russian salute ano●her , with , god save you sir , but after some strange attestations , swear away ●imself with , god damn me sir : now how can any wise man think him a friend , ●hat is his own enemy ? hee that is evill to himself , to whom will he be good ? but see the depth of such a mans love , and whether it be not to damn thy bo●y and soul everlastingly . s. ambrose tels us of one , who solicited a godly woman to incontinency , saying , he infinitely loved her : she answers , if you lov● me so well as you seem , put one of your fingers into the flame , till your fles● be burnt off : he rep●ys , that was no part of love in her to require it : yes ▪ said she , if yours be love , to cause both my body and soul to be burnt in he●●fire , for ever , which by conseque●ce will follow , if i yeeld to your request , and take your counsel . oh that thou hadst the wit to answer the drunkard , when he tempts thee , thus . indeed there is a kind of agreement , which is st●engthened by sin it self : as if one ●ee the keeper of a wench , his secrecy is bought for ever . but all this while , if one call another , friend , it is but to give him a nick-name , whereof he is not guilty : for true friendship is so sacred , holy , and pure , that it will not be used in evill : which made pericles , when he was desired by a friend of his , to aide him with false witnesse , answe● , that he would b●friend him as far as the altar , meaning so far , as stood with piety and religion , or his duty to god , but no further ; and phocion refuse to help his son in law cariles in judgment , being accused for bribery , saying withall , that he had made him his frien● and alli● in just and reasonable matters , and in them only ; and this likewise made papini● an , a pagan , ( being commanded by the empe●or car●●alla , whose steward and familiar he was ) refuse to defend an unjust cause , ( as marcellinus records ) and thus it fares with all that are truly religious . there is not any one ( quoth the sincere christian ) either in blood , or otherwise so near unto me , but if he fall from god , i will fall from him : why ? our saviour christ hath taught me , both by precept and example , that i should acknowledg none ( so as to be led by them ) for my brother , sister , or mother , but such as do the will of my father , which is in heaven , matth. . . to . whereas on the contrary , in things lawfull , nothing rivits hearts so close , ●s religion : it unites them together as gl●ws doth 〈◊〉 together : it makes a knot , even between such as never saw one anothers face , that alexander can not cut : yea , tyrants will sooner want invention for torments , then they with tortures be made treacherous . how many have chosen rather to embrace the flams , then to reveal their companions , and b●ethren in christ ? there is no friendship like the friendship of faith . there is amor , among beasts ; dilectio , among men ; charitas , among christians , that is their peculiar : nature , makes husband and wi●● but one flesh ; grace makes them even one spirit : and it is a question , w●ether naturall parents are to be●loved above spiritual : we know that christ preferred his spiritua● kindred , to that of the flesh : and m●jor est connexio 〈◊〉 quà● sanginum , saith beza , why s●ould we love them more , that brought us into this sinfull and miserable world ; then those , that b●ing us into a better world , where is neither sin , nor misery ? why them , that live with us on earth but a while ; equall to them , that shall live with us in h●aven for ever ? but to go on . surely , as grace in her self is far above nature : so is she likewise in her effects ; and consequently , unites in a far more ●urable bond . christians hearts are joyned one to another , with so fast a gl●w , that no by respects can s●ver them : as you may see in that paire of friends , ionathan and david : non● had so much cause to disaffect david , as ionathan ; no●e in a●l israel , should be such a looser by david's successe , as he ; saul was sure enough setled for hi● time , only his successor should forgo all that which david should gain ; so a● none but david stands in ionathan's way to the crown ; and yet all this can , not abate one dram of his love . as also in ruth and naomy , whom nothing , but death , could part , ruth . . if you will see other examples , look rom. . . thes. . , . . galathians . , . act. . , . and . . luke . . kings . . . and . , . as grace is the greatest attractive of love ; so is it the surest bond ; it is like varnish , that makes ●eelings not only ●hine , but last . where god uniteth hearts , carnall respects are too weak to dis●ever them ; since that which breaks off affection , must needs be stronger then that which conjoyneth it , and why doth s. iohn use these words , once to the elect lady , iohn . . and again to gajus , iohn . whom i love in the truth , but to shew , that to love in the truth , is the only true love ? indeed , religion is the surest cement of all societies : the loser joynts of all naturall and civill relations , are compacted and confirmed by the sinews of grace and religion : and such a lose joynted friendship cannot hold long , which wants the nerves of religion . wherefore give me any foe , rather then a resolved christian : no friend unlesse a man truly honest §. . but here it will be objected . that we hate and contemn all , who are not like our selves : that we remember them so much to bee sinners , that , in the mean time , we forget them to be men and brethren . i answer . this were to dash the first table against the second ; whereas they are conscious of both alike . a charitable heart , even where it hates , there it wisheth that it might have cause to love : his anger and indignation against sin , is alwayes joyned with love and commiseration towards the sinner , as is lively set out , mark . . . and philippians . . where s. paul tells us of them ( weeping ) tha● are enemies to the crosse of christ : and mar. . . that our saviour , while he looked upon the pharisies angerly , mourned for the hardness of their hearts . zeale is a compounded affection of love and anger . when moses was angry with the israelites and chid them sharply ; at the same time he prayed for them heartily . and ionothan , when he was angry with his father , for vowing david's death ; did still retain the duty and love , both of a s●n to his father , and of a subject to his soveraign . a good man cannot speak of them without passion , and compassion : yea , they weep not so much for their own sins , as we doe , ( according to s. chrysostome's example ) o that our prayers and tea●es could but recover them . those that are truly gracious , know how to receive the blessings of god , without contempt of them who want ; and have learned to be thankful , without overliness ; knowing themselves have been , or may be , as wretched and ●ndeserving , as s. augustine speaks . a true christian can distinguish be●ween persons and vices ; offenders , and offences ; and have no peace with the ●ne , while he hath true peace with the other ; love them , as men , hate them , ●s evil men ; love , what they are , not what they do ; as god made them , not ●s they have made themselves ; not so hate , as to be a foe to goodnesse ; not so ●ove , as to foster iniquity . it is a question , whether is worst of the two , to be vices friend , or vertues enemy . now saith augustine , he is not angry with his brother , that is angry with the sin of his brother : yea , if we hate the vices of a wicked man , and love his person ; as the physitian , hateth the dis●ase , but loveth the pe●son of the diseased ; there is nothing more praise worthy , as saith the same father . and another , it is the honest mans commendation to contemn a vile person . and another , i know no grea●er argument of goodnesse , then the hatred of wickednesse , in whomsoever it resides : yea , david makes it a note of his integrity , psal. . . and . . . and . . . and in psa. . he is bold to ask the lord this question ; who s●al dwel in thy tabernacle , who shal rest in t●y holy mountain ? the answer he receives is this , . he that walketh uprightly , and worketh rightousness . . and speaketh the truth from his heart . . he that s●andereth not with his tongu● , nor doth evil to his neighbour , nor receiveth a false report against his neighbour . but the fourth is , hee , in whose eyes a vile person is contemne● , while hee honoureth them that fear the lor● : and he cannot be sincere who doth not honour vertue in rags , and loath 〈◊〉 , though in a robe of state . so that , as the prophet asked ichosophat chron. . . wouldst thou help the wicked , and love them that hate the lord ? it may be deman●ed ; ●hould christians be friends with them who are enemies to the cross of christ ? no , no . and yet to the men , separate from their manners , we have no quarrel , but with them better , then they either wish to us , or to themselves . indeed , it we should contemn them , as they think we do ; it were but a just recomp●nce of their folly and wickednesse : for as one speaking of the poverty of the pu●se , saith , that poverty is justly contemptible , which is purchased by following of vice : so may i , of the poverty of the mind ; that poverty of wit and g●ace is justly contemptible , which is purchased by a wilfull rebellion against god , and the great means of knowledg and grace which we enjoy . to concl●●e this point , we think it 's better to leave them , and be thought proud , wrong●ully ; then stay with them , and be known bad , certainly . §. . ag●in , some will alledg , we giv●offence to them that are without , which is contrary to the apostles precept , who saith , give none of●ence , neither to the jews , nor to the g●ecians , nor to the church of god , cor. . . as they will make a crooked staffe serve to beat a dog , when a streight 〈◊〉 ●●nnot be ●ound . nothing but ignorance is guilty of this scruple : for the offence is only taken , 〈◊〉 given : and herein they pervert the apostles words , touching offences , as pharaoh's se●vants did the same word , when they said unto their master conc●●ning moses , how long shall he be an offence unto us ? exodus . . . for 〈◊〉 meaneth in that place , only such offences as are contrary to the doctrine of the gosp●l , as he hath expounded his own meaning , rom. . . and if nothing might be done , whereat wicked men are offended , then the word of god must not be preacht , nor his holy and divine precepts walked in , yea , christ must not have come into the world to redeem it , for he was to the iews a stumbling block , and to the greeks foolishness , cor. . . but all which god hath commanded must be done ; and all which he hath left , indifferent , may be done , and none may , or ought to censure the doing of it . the precept is plain , one believeth that he may ●at of all things ; and another which is weak ●ateth herbs , saith the apostle , and what followes ? let not him that ●ateth , despise him that ●ateth not ; an● let not him that eateth not , condemn him that eateth ; for god hath received him , rom. . . . if i know the thing to be good , and that i do it to a good end , what care i for their idle misconstruction ? morally good actions must not be suspended , upon danger of causelesse scandall : in things indifferent and arbitrary , it is fit to be ove●-ruled by feare of offence : but if men will stumble in the plain ground of good ; let them fall without our regard , not without their own pe●ill . now that the cuckoe may acknowledg this for her own egg , notwithstanding the hath laid it in the doves nest ; let the men of the world know , that it is not an offence given by us , but taken by them ; yea , they first give an offence to us by their ungodliness , and after take the just reward of the same , namely , to be excluded our society for an offence , : wherein they imitate athanagoras , who ( as tully reporteth ) would alwayes complain of his punishment , but of his fault he would say nothing : or adam , who was ashamed of his nakednesse , but not of his sin : wicked men are neither sensible of doing injury , nor patient in suffering for it . it 's a rule of justice , that what men deserve , they should suffer : yea , in this particular case , gods rule is , if thou take away the precious from the vile , thou shalt be according to my word , icr. . . and we would have them suffer this exclusion no longer , then till they deserve it no more : let them return unto us , ( do as themisto●les , who being in his youth vicious and d●boyst , afterwards made the world amends , by his brave exploits ) and we will return unto them , keep them company , account them true friends , good men : otherwise we have an absolute prohibition from god himself , ier. . , let them return unto thee , but return not thou unto them . and good reason there is for it , in a musical instrument , the strings that be out of tune , are set up , or set down to the rest ; but the strings that be in tune , are n●ver stirred , nor medled with : though indeed i might have stopped their mouths with this very question , whether is better to obey god , or humour sensual men ? as our saviour christ stopt the high priests mouths , when they asked him , by what authority he cu●sed the fruitlesse fig-tree ; cast the buyers and sellers out of the temple , &c. by demanding of them , whether iohns baptisme was from heaven , or of men , mar. . . but in case they will not return unto us , we had rather offend each of them once , then our selves every day . it is pity that ever the water of baptisme was spilt upon his face , that cares more to discontent the world , then to wrong god . they are unjust and over partial , that will go about to exact from us , that which we owe not , with more rigor then they will exact from themselves , that which they owe . and so i have given you the reasons , why such as are , or desire to be conscionable and religious , break off company with them ; and vindicated the most usual exceptions against it . i will now make some use of the point ; and so leave it for them to chew upon . §. . . to sum up all in a word , or lay all these grounds and motives together if we endanger our selves , our lives , our estates , loose our credit , our peace , our time , by frequent associating with ungodly men , and can no way expect their love and friendship ; be sure you come not ( or at least stay not ) in their company . it is not safe venturing among them , in confidence of our own streng● ; no more then it is to consort with cheaters , in hope that they will not cozen us . dead fire , we know , being stird up , will burn a fresh : and 〈◊〉 , like a candle new put out , is soon kindled again ; if sathan but blow upon it , the own heat is enough to enflame it . no , venture not thy self , though thou hast once , or twise come off clear from them ; sampson could withstand his wives temptation seven dayes , but at length , by her importunity , she prevailed with him , iudg. . over many in this case are like to sick men , who when they have had a good day , or two , think themselves presently well again ; so they make bold to put off their kerchifes , to put on thinner garments , and to venture into the fre●h ayre ; whereupon follows unrecoverable relapses . wherefore take heed , or if thou dost keep them company , it is an argument , that thou art sick of their disease , idlenesse . and of this 〈◊〉 so much . . if wicked company are so insectious , that they will work a consumption in any mans vertues , that is dayly conversant with them , and waste them from an 〈◊〉 , to a dram ; from a dram , to a scruple , to a grain , to nothing , so that he may ●ay with christ in the croud , who hath touched me , for i feel vertue gone out of me ? let us be ( as seneca adviseth ) more circumspect , with whom we 〈◊〉 and drinke , then what we eate and drink . he that hath money , will beware of theeves : if you have any grace venture it not among these ri●●ers : 〈◊〉 , art thou inclined to pray ? they will tempt thee to play : wouldst thou go to a sermon ? by their perswasion , the tavern or theater stands in the way . but alasse ! if others tempt thee not , thou wilt tempt others : temptation needs not stan● like a tavern-bush , in thy way , for thou wilt invite thy self , hunt after temptation . . is every man busie in dispending that quality , which is predominant in him ? and can we converse with none but will work upon us , and by the unperceived stealth of time , assimilate us to their own customs ? will two friends , like two brands set each other on fire with good , or ill , when one alone will go out ? will a streight twig , if it be tied to a crooked bough , become crooked ; or a crooked twigh , become streight , if it be tied to a streight rule : as peter denied his master amongst the iews , whom hee con●est among the apostles ? then keep company , but let it be with such as may make thee better ; flie evill society , least their kind words so work upon thy yeelding nature , that thou knowest not how to deny : they are such as have taken the davils oath of allegiance ; and thou hast small hope to prevail with them to good . a certain king ( as st. augustin reports ) being hard favoured , and fearing least his queen should bring forth children like himself ; got many faire and beautiful pictures , which he caused her steadfastly to behold every day : go thou and do likewise , be conversant with good men , and in good things , and thou shalt do that unbidden , which others can scarce do compelled by the law , as aristotle speaks of the study of philosophy . o what an happy thing it is to converse with the vertuous ! their gracious words , or holy examples , will be sure to stir up the gifts of god in us ; they will either adde something to our zeale , or something to our knowledg : the society of prophets , is able to make even a saul prophesie . the sight of others falling heartily to their meate , brings on our stomacks : yea , if we have no gifts to stir up , their communion cannot but leave some tincture behind it , if not of piety , yet , at least , of a good profession , and some inclinableness . if saul ▪ had not had a good and discreet companion , when he went to seek his fathers asses , he had returned back as wise as he came : but now he is drawn into counsel with the man of god , and heares more then he hoped for , sam. . . the messengers of the same saul , when they lived in the court , were ( as is likely ) caried away with the swinge of the times , and did apply themselves to their masters ungodly practises , as appeareth in their going to apprehend david , that saul might kill him : yet were they no sooner in company with the prophets , in nayoth , but their minds were changed , and they likewise prophesied , sam. . . ob. but say some of bacchus his fooles . i keep company with brave fellows , that are generous , free , bountifull , &c. answ. alasse ! thou dost but slander him with these titles . he is a pround , ignorant , inconsiderate asse , that fears he is not loved , unlesse he be lose and scattering ; that strives so to be like a god in bounty , that he throws himself into the lowest estate of man . he that gives to , and spends upon all abundantly ( which is for none to do , but him that hath all ) he that had rather keep company with the dregs of men , then not be the best man : he that ravels our a spacious fortune upon flatterers ; he that out of vain glory will be worship't and kneed , to the spending of a fair inheritance , and then ends his dayes in lewdness and contempt ( as what is it , that ambition will not practise , rather then let her port decline ) he is a foolish steward , that thus showers away in one year , what his ancestors have been gathering twenty : yea , he is a mad man , that makes his kindness to others , prove cruelty to himself , and all his posterity . ob. again , others are all for mirth , they keep company at the tavern , with none but curious and quaint wits , eloquent poëts and orators ; now ask them , as manoah did sampson , is there never a companion for thee among thy brethren , the people of god , that thou must associate thy self with these of uncircumcised hearts and tongues ? they will answer . give me only these for my companions , for they please me . answ. can none please thee , but such as displease god ? dost thou not know , that who so will be a friend to such , makes himself the enemy of god ? iames , . . or art thou ignorant , that pleasant wits , viciated in accustomed lewdnesse , with sweet tunes entise men to destruction ; as is morald in that fiction of the sirens , they delight the sense , but slay the soul : and will any man poyson his body , to please his taste ? or go into an infected house , to fetch out a rich suite ? or put his finger into a firy crusible , to take out gold : it 's true , like jugglers and such as play trickes of legerdim●in , they will deceive us with a kind of pleasure and delight : but is it any priviledg for a man to be tickled to death , that so he may dye laughing ? their discourse may be resembled to the fruit that undid us all , which was fair in sight , smooth , in handling , sweet in ●aste , but deadly in effect : or to the clarian water , which made men eloquent , but withall ●hort liv'd : or the gifts , which those elfes called lamiae , used to present unto children which made so many as accepted of them loose their comlinesse for ever after . and he that much affects their company ( being an honest man ) is just like that free citizen , that so doted on a ●emale slave , that hee would needs marry her ; though by that match , he were sure , ●y the law , to become a slave with her . he overvalues the drunken and reeling love of these men , that buyes it with the ruine of himself , his estate , and family . wherefore , as in meats , we do not only stand upon pleasantness , but wholesomnesse : so let us regard wholesomnesse as well as pleasantness , in our discourse and company . a good man can lend nothing to the increase of mirth in wicked company : and he that will not lend , let him take heed of borrowing . §. . fo●rthly , if thou wouldst neither be intised nor enforced to pledg them , in any of their wicked custome●s , divorce thy self from all acquaintance and so , 〈◊〉 with the vicious , yea , entertain no parly with them . 〈◊〉 are some vices of that nature , that they cannot be vanquished but by avoiding ; such is fornication , flye fornication , saith the apostle , corinth . . . that is , flye the company of fornicators ; for to be in a lewd womans company , saith salomon , and depart innocent ; and to take fire in a mans bosome , and not singe his cloaths ; or go upon live coles , and his feet not be b●rnt , are equa●ly possible , prov. . . . such is the frailty of mans nature , that if the eye but see , or the ear hear , or the hand but touch a whorish woman , the heart will go nigh to catch , and take fire , verse . and thus it fares with this sin , bid a man conso●t a while with drunkards , and depart from them innocent , you may as well put a match to dry powder , and forbid it to take fire , except he be very well stayed , and of better governd affections then ordinary . it is not safe to commit a little wherry to the seas violence . a stick that hath once been in the fire , much mo●e a torch newly extinguisht , being forthwith put to the flame , will soon be kindled again . wherefore keep out of the reach of thy vicious acquaintance , and if they becken thee one way , be thou sure to take the contrary , at least ente●tain no parley with them . when castles once come to a parley , there is great fear they will yeeld : and gates that are alwayes open , will sometimes admit an enemy . no disputing with sathan , or his deputies : when our first parents fell to arguing the case with that old serpent , though in the state of innocencie , when they had wit at will , and their reason at command , they found him too hard for them : how much more too weak shall we find our selves , that now are as we are ? surely , we are like to lose all , if once we enter into disputation with that old sophister , and crafty fox , after the experience of six thousand years almost , and when our own flesh ( which is the greatest both deceiver and dissembler in the world ) is become his cunning solicitour . alasse ! he desires no more then to be heard speak ; for grant him but this , and he will perswade thee to believe , even contrary to thine own knowledg : as how easily did he perswade eve , by himself : and adam , by her , ( when they gave but ear to him , ) o believe what he spake , though they had heard god himself say the contrary , but a little before ? gen. . . and if in ocency found no means of resistance , what hope have we so extreamly degenerated ? and indeed , why do we pray not to be led into temptation , if we lead our selves into temptation ? if we will not keep our selves from the occasion ; god will not keep us from the sin : and if god do not keep us , we cannot be kept : we cannot , we will not choose but fall . wherefore 〈◊〉 the society of evil men , as ioseph shunned the society of his mistresse , and leave them that leave god , as noah did the old world , and that by gods commandement , gen. . . . and abraham the cana●ites , gen. . . and 〈◊〉 the sodomites , gen. . . and israel the egyptians , exod. . . . and m●ab and ammon , numb. . . . . . §. . but is it warrantable , may some say , to separate from our old acquaintance , ( being vicious ) and other the like company ? not totally ; for then we must go out of the world , cor. . . nor from any in all cases ; for then we must separate ●●om the publike assemblies : nor in regard of civil society , and necessary commerce ; for this were to unglue the whole worlds frame , which is cont●xted only by commerce and contracts , there be certain wise uses to be made of them , for our convenience or necessity , which need not , yea , must not be forborn : as wherefore serves discretion , but that ( as a glasse window ) it may let in the light , and keep out the winde ? neither can wicked men , in this ●ase , be avoided : but so long as we are in this world , we must converse with men of the world : and we know it is lawful enough , in tearms of civility , to deal with infidels , yea , even the savage cannibals may receive an answer of outward courtesie . if a very dog fawn upon us we stroke him on the head , and clap him on the back , much lesse is the common bond of humanity untyed by grace ; disparity in spiritual professions , is no warrant for ingratitude : yet a little friendship with such , is enough ; the lesse communion with any of gods enemies , the more safety : and sure i am , that those who affect a familiar entirenesse with such , bewray either too much bol●nesse , or to little cosncience . yea , we may not only converse with evil men , but communicate with them also without harm , so it be not in evil things : as in the sacrament the unworthy receiver eateth and drinketh damnation to himself , sibi , non tibi , to himself , not to thee . but as touching a familiar entirenesse , and leagues of amity , that they are unfit , unwarrantable , dangerous , is easie to prove . as what saith the holy ghost by s. paul . ? we● comman● you brethren , in the name of our lord iesus christ , that ye with draw your selves from every brother that walketh inordinately , and not after the instruction which ye received of us , thes. . . and again , speaking unto the converted ephesians , touching others among them who were whoremongers , unclean persons , covetous men , and idolaters , he saith , be not companions with them , ephesi . . . ● . and lastly , in that case of the incestuous corinthian , he doth not only excommunicate him , but makes a rule upon it , that if any one , which professeth himself a christian , shall live in any scandalous co●●se , that they shall not afford him so much as civil and familiar converse , corinth . . . if any man that is called a ●rother , saith he , he a fornicator , or covetous , or an idolater , or a railer , or a drunkard , or an extortioner , with such an on eat not . mark this all ye swinish drunkards and beastly livers , that god-dischargeth us your society . but to proceed . why was that law enacted , for the strict avoiding of leprous persons ? it was not the body only that was herein respected , by the god of spirits ; those that are spiritually contagious must be still and ever avoided , they must be separated from us , we from them ; they from us , by just censures ; or if not , we from them , by a voluntary declination of their familiar conversation : or if they can joyn our heart to theirs , they will disjoyn it from god ; to let passe saint pauls charge , corinthians . . come out from among them , and separate your selves : and that of the angel , revelation . . come out of her my people , which especially have relation to idolaters : see what hath been the practise of gods people since noah , lot , abraham , and israel , which have been alledged already . doth not david say , i have not sate with vain persons , neither kept company with the dissemblers . i have hated the assembly of evill doers , and will not company with the wicked , psal. . . . and was not ioseph , whom the holy ghost stilleth a just man , fully minded ( before the angell forbad him ) to put away mary , after he was betrothed unto her , when he but supposed her to be dishonest ? matthew . . and was not all this , to shew us what wee should doe in the like cases ? wherefore , let us tread in their steps , and say with a worthy divine , though i may have many bad acquaintance , yet i will have no ba● companions : for even the tame beasts will not keep with the wild ; nor the clean dwell with the leprous . but above all , let us keep no drunkards , nor swearers in our houses , psalme . , , , , . no , nor scoffers , ismael must be turned out of doors , when he once fals a jeering of isaac : and indeed if we do , it is a shrewd suspition we are not sincere our selves : for grace , as it is resembled to heat , so like heat , it gathereth together things of one kind , separateth things of a contrary nature , as drosse from gold . in fine , if they have forsaken all honesty and good conscience , it is time for us to forsaken them : if they depart from vs , in the foundation of faith and good works ; let us ( as justly wee may ) depart from them , in the building of brotherly fellowship : they build on the sand , let us build on the rock : yea , if they forsake the right way , we must forsake them , or christ will forsake us . but least all that hath been said , should not be sufficient to perswade thee ; behold heer the drunkard deliniated , and that will certainly aff●●ght thee from consorting with a fiend so foul and filthy , so ugly , and loathsom : which if it do , i hope some good man or other , will stick it upon every post : that all may be 〈◊〉 in amored , with this worst then beastly abomination . ●●e drun●●d is a ●●nge chi●●●a , more ●●●gious ●●●n any ●●ster ●●g . in visage a man , but a broth●us . heart , a swine . head , a cephalus . tongue , an aspe . belly , a lumpe . appetite , a leech . sloth , an ignavus .       a jer●●e . goate . siren . hyaena . panther . for excessive devouring . lust . flattery . subtilty . cruelty . in envying , a basiliske . antipathy to all good , a lexus . hindering others from good , a remora . life , a salamander . conscience , an ostrich . spirit a devil in surpassing in tempting in drawing others in sinne . to sinne . to perdition . even the most despicable peece of all humanity , and not worthy to be reckoned among the creatures which god made . and so much for defence against what they do , which may be avoided . if you would have as much against what they say . which must be endured . ●●ade a late treatise , called , the victory of patience . or if any would have the foregoing part of this soverain antedote : let ●●m inquire for sin stigmatized , or the drunkards character with which it ●ound , and in a larger letter . likewise at iames crumps , in little bartho●ewes well-yard : they may have several peeces , of sundry the most needfull ●ects , composed for the common good by the same author . finis a new years gift for a⁰ begg, alexander, fl. . approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page image. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; oxford (uk) : - (eebo-tcp phase ). a wing b a estc r this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons . universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase , no. a ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, - ; : ) a new years gift for a⁰ begg, alexander, fl. . sheet ([ ] p.) s.n.], [london : printed in the year, . verse - "who liveth in this mor-". signed at end: alexander begg. place of publication from wing cd-rom, . reproduction of original in the bodleian library, oxford, eng. created by converting tcp files to tei p using tcp tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the universities of michigan and oxford and the publisher proquest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by proquest via their early english books online (eebo) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). the general aim of eebo-tcp is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic english-language title published between and available in eebo. eebo-tcp aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the text encoding initiative (http://www.tei-c.org). the eebo-tcp project was divided into two phases. the , texts created during phase of the project have been released into the public domain as of january . anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source. users should be aware of the process of creating the tcp texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data. text selection was based on the new cambridge bibliography of english literature (ncbel). if an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in ncbel, then their works are eligible for inclusion. selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. in general, first editions of a works in english were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably latin and welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so. image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in oxford and michigan. % (or pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet qa standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. after proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of instances per text. any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of tcp data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a tcp editor. the texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level of the tei in libraries guidelines. copies of the texts have been issued variously as sgml (tcp schema; ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf- unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p , characters represented either as utf- unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng christian literature -- early works to . broadsides - tcp assigned for keying and markup - spi global keyed and coded from proquest page images - mona logarbo sampled and proofread - mona logarbo text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion a new years gift for a o . who liveth in this mortal life , that doth not understand , the mighty works that god hath done , and wrought with his right hand , the heavens and earth he did contrive , and brought thom to a frame , then let all souls that live on earth , give praise unto his name . then all the works that he had done , he saw that they were good , but woful wretched wicked man , from his obedience fled , and brought on his posterity , both sorrow , pain and grief , but he decreed most graciously , to send our souls relief . he chose a people on the earth , which was his whole delight , but oh how oft did they revolt ! and wrought him mikle spite , on sinai mount he gave a law , which they should well observe , but that did not keep them in aw , they from that law did swerve . full fourty years they did him grieve into the wilderness , but still his thought was to relieve . them from their sad distress , he brought them to the promis'd land , which he a promise made , even to the blessed patriachs , when they from egypt fled . it seems these times are now renew'd , which dayly we may see , when christians full sore pursue'd , must from great tyrants fly , and forc'd to shelter where they can , for to escape their rage , let any one think what he will , it is a sad presage . lord thou that sits in heaven above , and looketh down below , do thou revenge thy servants blood , that suffers overthrouw , reward these persecutors so , that they may dread and fear , when god's strong hand shall them ov'rtake , and them in pieces tear . we must not in gods secrets search , nor dive in his de●ree , for certainly this wicked world , shall sadly punish'd be , for faith and truth is fled away , but pride and greed remains , the poor opprest , the rich at rest , have all things to their minds . that wickedness and cruel vice , doth in those times abound ; for honesty will give no price , the world 's turn'd upside down ; for pure religion 's made a mock , which dayly we do see , and some do wear it for a cloak to hide their villanie . but christ , his true church will protect in spight of devils and men , their plotts shall never take effect , do wizzards what they can . though men and devils all combine to damp that glorious light , the lord will frustrate their design , when it is at the height . and as for conscience that poor wretch , it 's coat is so threed bare , it quakes and trembles when it thinks the truth for to declare . it never feels nor finds the smart ; because it wants the sting , there 's few men conscience take to heart , if it can profite bring . blest be the lord that hath now lent to us a good new year , and it may be , before it end with christ we shall appear . then shall poor conscience tremble sore , when christ shall it accuse , that willingly , and wittingly it did it self abuse , lord do thou bless this church & state , here where we have abode , give grace to mend our wicked lives , and still depend on god , and seek him till he can be found , and still implore his grace , that his good sprit may us conduct , into our heavenly place . how often hath the lord spoke home unto this congregation , by powerfull preachers of his word , and by good approbation . when they take pains to preach the word , for our eternal good , if we neglect and slight the means , they are free of our blood . the lord hath lent us many years , still waiting for our turn , oh! plant in us thy precious fear , that we for sin may mourn . that we may live a godly life , untill the day we dye . let every man be feard to sin , grant lord , that so may i. alexander begg . printed in the year , . a new primmer, wherein is demonstrated the new and living way held forth by way of question and answer, as from a child's enquiry after truth, to be informed by the father. here being divers particulars answer'd, and plainly opened, that may be profitable both in this present age, and ages to come. published for the benefit of all sorts of people, and may be very serviceable for every family, and of great use for young children to learn in, so soon as they can understand their language, that they in the fear of god may be instructed, and remember their creator in the dayes of their youth. for which i travel, enduring affliction for the truths sake, william smith. smith, william, d. . approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page images. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; oxford (uk) : - (eebo-tcp phase ). a wing s estc r this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons . universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase , no. a ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, - ; : ) a new primmer, wherein is demonstrated the new and living way held forth by way of question and answer, as from a child's enquiry after truth, to be informed by the father. here being divers particulars answer'd, and plainly opened, that may be profitable both in this present age, and ages to come. published for the benefit of all sorts of people, and may be very serviceable for every family, and of great use for young children to learn in, so soon as they can understand their language, that they in the fear of god may be instructed, and remember their creator in the dayes of their youth. for which i travel, enduring affliction for the truths sake, william smith. smith, william, d. . [ ], p. s.n.], [london : printed in the year, . date of publication suggested by wing. reproduction of the original at the bodleian library. created by converting tcp files to tei p using tcp tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the universities of michigan and oxford and the publisher proquest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by proquest via their early english books online (eebo) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). the general aim of eebo-tcp is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic english-language title published between and available in eebo. eebo-tcp aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the text encoding initiative (http://www.tei-c.org). the eebo-tcp project was divided into two phases. the , texts created during phase of the project have been released into the public domain as of january . anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source. users should be aware of the process of creating the tcp texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data. text selection was based on the new cambridge bibliography of english literature (ncbel). if an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in ncbel, then their works are eligible for inclusion. selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. in general, first editions of a works in english were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably latin and welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so. image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in oxford and michigan. % (or pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet qa standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. after proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of instances per text. any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of tcp data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a tcp editor. the texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level of the tei in libraries guidelines. copies of the texts have been issued variously as sgml (tcp schema; ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf- unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p , characters represented either as utf- unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng quakers -- early works to . christian literature -- early works to . - tcp assigned for keying and markup - spi global keyed and coded from proquest page images - john cords sampled and proofread - john cords text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion a new primmer , wherein is demonstrated the new and living way ; held forth by way of question and answer , as from a child's enquiry after truth , to be informed by the father . here being divers particulars answer'd , and plainly opened , that may be profitable both in this present age , and ages to come . published for the benefit of all sorts of people , and may be very serviceable for every family , and of great use for young children to learn in , so soon as they can understand their language , that they in the fear of god may be instructed , and remember their creator in the dayes of their youth . other foundations can no man lay than that which is laid , which is jesus christ. behold , i write unto you both old and young , that you may know the truth , and that the truth may make you free . for which i travel , enduring affliction for the truths sake , william smith . printed in the year , . there is also printed a new catechism , wherein many truths are plainly opened by way of question and answer , which may be a help and furtherance unto all tender hearted people , who are breathing after the lord , and waits for redemption and salvation by jesus christ. also , something concerning the foundation and principle of the poor afflicted people of god ( called quakers ) and of their faith and love towards god , and their good will unto men , being also plainly demonstrated by way of question and answer . given forth in the labour of love , and put to view for the service of this present generation , and also generations to come . william smith . the primer or catechism may be had either bound together , or a part . to the reader . reader , when the foundation is sure , there is more encouragement to begin to build , and to begin well , and persevere in well-doing , is the way to come into peace : therefore it is needfull that thou be plainly instructed in the first principle of the pure religion , that thou therein mayest begin in the spiritual travel , and continue faithful to the end , whereby everlasting rest thou wilt come to inherit : and for the same service is this little book given forth , and the title of it bears , a new primmer , because the testimony therein is unto jesus christ , who is the first principle of the pure religion , and the new and living way unto the father , and makes all new in his life and power , as he is believed in , and received . therefore , whether thou be old or young that reads this book , keep in the fear of god , that thou mayest feel gods witness in thy own conscience opening thy understanding , and making manifest unto thee the plain and simple truth of god , which in this book is moderately enquired after , and plainly answered ; and though in many answers there be but few words spoken , yet if thou readst it with a single eye , thou wilt meet with full satisfaction in it , as to the thing that is enquired ; therefore keep simply , and ▪ read without prejudice , and truth will open to thy understanding , and thouwilt come to know christ iesus , who was , and is , and is to come , the first and last , the beginning and ending , in whom is life , and the life is the light of men . and little children , when you come to learn reading in this book ▪ be not light in your minds , but mind the fear of god , and as you read , wait to understand what you read , that you out of sin and evil , may be kept ; that whilest you are yet young , you may remember your creator , and walk as obedient children unto him , and do those things that are well pleasing in his sight , that in him you may grow and encrease in vertue and godliness , and so honour the lord in your youth , not knowing whether or no you shall come to see old age . my desire is to do you any good , and my love is both to old and young . wocester county-goal , the second month , . w. s. a new primmer the child's question . father , i have a great desire to know god that made me , and to be acquainted with his way and truth , that i might walk therein . the fathers answer . that is a good desire child , and thou art worthy to be informed , because thou enquirest so innocently , and wouldest know the thing that is good , therefore my childe be still and diligent , and i shall inform thee , and plainly shew thee how thou mayest come to know god , his way , and truth . chi. i would be so informed father . father . why child , thou must wait to know something of god in thee , which in thy own conscience he maketh manifest ; and by minding and obeying of that , thou therein wilt come to know god , his way , and truth . c. but is there something of god in my own conscience , that will give me the knowledge of him ? f. yes : and there is not any thing else that can do it . c. what is it father ? let me know it that i may not neglect it , but give diligence to it , that i may know god ? f. it is the light of christ , with which thou art enlightened , and it i● made manifest in thy conscience , an● doth there let thee see whether thou art a follower of the thing that i● good , or the thing that is evil . c. but is it the light of christ with●in me ? f. yes child , it is within thee ▪ and there thou art to wait for it . c. from whence doth it come ? f. from god the father of lights . c. and doth god freely give it unto me ? f. yes : it is his good and perfect gift unto thee , that thou therein mightest profit . c. how may i know that it is the light of christ , and that it comes from god , & is given freely of god unto me ? f. because it is pure , and joyns to no evil , but in thy own conscience testifies against it , and reproves thee for it ; whereby thou mayst certainly know that it is the pure light of christ , and comes from the pure god , and that he gives it freely unto thee to convince thee of sin , and save thee from it . c. but is that the light of christ that lets me see my sin , and in my conscience reproves me for it ? f. yes child , that is the light of christ. c. but our ministers do not so teach us . f. that is , because they are not the ministers of christ , neither can teach his way in truth . c. but how shall i know that they are not christs ministers , for i would not hear or believe any that are not his ? f. thou mayest know them , child , by their fruits . c. why ? in what do they differ from christs ministers ? f. they differ both in doctrine and practice . c. how do they differ in doctrine ? f. why , their doctrine is traditional , and they teach for doctrine the traditions of men , and so speak things they know not , for filthy lucre-sake , building upon other mens labours , and running into other mens lines for their matter , which is not after christ , neither do his ministers so . c. how do they differ in practice ? f. in many things . c. i would be informed concerning them . f. to mention them all , would take up much time . c. name a few , if the whole be too tedious , that by understanding some of them , i may be aware of the rest . f. such as are not christs ministers , have their power and authority from man , and so have each man a place of settlement , which is called a parish ; and in that parish they have tythes allowed for their maintenance , and that is the tenth part of encrease : and they have a law made by man to compel it ; and if any for conscience sake cannot give it them , then by their law they sue them , and imprison them , and spoil their goods ; and these are wolves , child , that are let loose amongst the lambs , to rend and tear them ; and they have places builded in their several parishes , which they call churches : and they observe one day in a week for their worship , and a few hours in that day to perform it ; and they have an hour-glass ( many of them ) and that is their time of preaching ; and their eye will be oft towards the glass , to see when it is run , because it is a long hour to them ; and when the glass is run , they tell their people the time is now spent , or words to that purpose and what hath been spoken , that must suffice for that time ; and this is not the practice of christs ministers . c. but where , and in whom such things do appear , may i certainly know that they are not true ministers of christ ? f. yes : thou mayest certainly know them not to be true ministers of christ , nor of his sending forth ; for such fruits do plainly demonstrate them to be false . c. but if such be false , how may i know them that are true ? for i have an earnest desire in me to know the thing that is true . f. be patient child , and in due time thou mayest come to understand it , and thou mayest know the true ministers of christ by their fruits . c. what is their fruits ? and in what do they differ from the false ? f. they differ in every particular . c. inform me of some of them . f. the true ministers of christ , have their power and authority in god , and that is their foundation ; they take no tythes , nor sue any people at law for maintenance , nor cast any into prison ; they do not love filthy lucre , neither make their belly their god ; they preach the word faithfully , and do not limit the holy one , either to time , place or person ; they are meek and gentle and peaceable towards all men ; and these are christs ministers . c. here is a great difference father . f. yes child , there is so , even as much as is betwixt that which is true , and that which is false ; or betwixt light and darkness : for the false ministers are of the earthly wisdom , and the true ministers are endued with wisdom from above . c. but do they not all preach christ in words ? f. yes , the false can speak of the name of christ ( as the true do ) but they want his power . c. but how may i then know which is true , and which is false by their words , seeing words may be the same ? f. why , they that are false , preach christ without , and bid people believe in him , as he is in heaven above ; but they that are true ministers they preach christ within , and direct people to wait to feel him in themselves , and so to believe in him , as he makes himself manifest in them ; and this is true doctrine that brings people to mind that principle of god in their own consciences , which comes down from heaven , and goes thither again ; and such as are in the earthly wisdom , they do not know heaven above . c. this is a great difference in their doctrine , for one to preach christ without , and another preacheth him within . f. yes , it doth make a great difference , and hath no more fellowship together , than the east hath with the west . c. and is this an infallible tryal of them ? f. yes , and it vvill not deceive thee , but vvill certainly give thee an understanding , vvhereby thou maist discern them both ; and if thou waitest in the measure of the light of christ , thou wilt be able to try all things , and so come to chuse that vvhich is good . c. but must i not try all things by the scriptures ? f. nay , for the scriptures vvere given forth from the spirt , and it is the spirit that tryes vvhether the things be true or false , good or evil . c. but are not the scriptures given forth for a rule to walk by ? f. the scriptures are a true testimony of vvhat the saints were made vvitnesses of ; but the spirit is the rule from which the scriptures were given forth ; and it vvas the rule unto them that gave forth the scriptures , and they had the spirit before they spake the words ; and they spake the words as the spirit moved , so that the spirit was before the words , and was their rule that spake the words , and it changes not , but is the same for ever . c. what is the service of the scriptures if they be not a rule , and for tryal af things that are spoken ? f. they are of great service , child , and are to be read and believed ; and they become comfortable , when in the same spirit that gave them forth , they are fufilled , and truly understood . c. then the scriptures are to be owned and believed , as a true testimony of what the saints were made partakers of in that day . f. yes , they are to be owned and believed , and they that do not so , they are to be denied : but thou must take heed , child , of giving more unto the scriptures than unto them belongs , least in so doing thou diminish from the glory of christ , and so give it to another . and if thou look'st upon the scripture to be for a rule , and for trying , thou givest that unto them which belongs unto christ , for he is the rule , and leads his people , and he alone searches the heart , and tryes the reins , and not the scriptures . c. but how then must spirits be tryed if not by the scriptures ? must one spirit try another ? f. the spirit of god must try all spirits ; for it knows the spirits whether they be of god , and if not , it discerns them , and judgeth infallibly of them ; and if they be of god , it receives them , and embraces them with joy ; and this is not the spirit of a man , to try the spirit of a man , but the spirit of god that tryes all mens spirits . c. then i perceive it is the spirit alone that i am to mind in all things . f. yes , child , for by minding of the spirit alone in all things , thou wilt come to a good understanding in all things , and be able to discern and put a difference betwixt that which is true , and that which is false . c. i am sensible that there is something in my conscience , that lets me see my secret thoughts , and the intents of my heart ; but i have not known what it hath been , nor hitherto have much regarded it . f. that is the true light of christ that lets thee see thy thoughts , and the intents of thy heart ; and god hath freely given it unto thee , and requires thy obedience to it : therefore , child , for the time to come , be more diligent , and have more regard unto it ; and when it shews thee evil , and reproves thee for evil , obey it ; so it will rend the vail from off thee , that is spread over thee , and keeps thee from the knowledge of god. c. but if i should turn unto it , and obey it when it reproves me for sin , is there power in it to save me from sin , and to deliver me from all iniquity ? f. yes , child , all power in heaven and earth is in it , and it is made manifest not only to shew sin , but also to destroy it ; and if thou obeyest , and in it believest , thou wilt feel it condemn sin , and destroy the devil that begets it ; and it will draw thee near to god , and give thee the knowledg of his glory . c. that is the thing that i earnestly desire : but when i look within , i see nothing but a body of corruption . f. that which discovers to thee the body of corruption , that is the light of christ : and when thou first seest thy self in it , thou canst see nothing but corruption standing ; but by obeying , and believing in it , thou wilt feel it break the body of corruption , and set thee free out of that bondage . c. but is that the light of christ , that shews me my thoughts , and words , and deeds , and makes them manifest what they are ? f. yes , child , that is the light of christ , and with it are they all made manifest , and thou canst not hide any thing from it ; when thou art in secret , it is with thee , and there shews thee what thy thoughts are , it sorts thy words and deeds , and lets thee see whether they bee good or evil : if thy thoughts be after vanity , it discovers them , and reproves thee in thy own conscience for them ; and thy thoughts thou canst not hide from it ; if thou speakest vain words , or dost any evil deeds , it condemns thee in thy self , and thou canst not fly from the judgement of it ; and this is the pure light of christ in thy own conscience , child , and is alwayes near thee to reprove thee for the things that be evil . c. this is true , for i do feel something in me that lets me see evil , both in thought , word , and deed ; and i also feel many checks in my conscience when i am doing the thing that is evil . f. why that is the light of christ that lets thee see all that ever thou hast done , and also what is present with thee , and what thy life is in ; and what thy love is after : and if thou mindest , thou wilt see what ever riseth out of the darkness , and what the prince of darkness tempts thee to do ; so that thou wilt find that the light of christ will make manifest every evil in the appearance of it , and will call thee to abstain from it ; and if thou obeyst , it will keep thee from joyning to it . and i shall in one instance , plainly inform thee of it , when the devil temps thee to put forth thy hand to take any thing that is not thy own , the light of christ lets thee see it to be evil , and thou art sensible that it is not thine before thou touchest it ; and if thou dost not obey the light that discovers it , then the devil prevails and draws thee to do it , and so thou becomest a thief , for which the light reproves thee : or if thou be tempted to tell a lye , the light lets thee see it before thou speakest it , and thou art sensible that the thing thou art to speake is not true ; and if thou dost not obey the light that shews it , the devil prevails and draws thee to speak it , and thou becomest a lyar , for which the light reproves the. c. this is true ; but will the light deal thus plainly with me in all things ? f. yes , child , it will deal plainly with thee in all things , and will not deceive thee in any thing , but will make it manifest as it is : if it be a lye , it makes it manifest to be a lye , and that which makes manifest a lye , that is true , and will not deceive thee ; therefore minde it , and obey it , and it will devide aright : and what is of the flesh , it will let thee see to be flesh , and so for condemnation . c. father , shew me what the works of the flesh are , that i may know them ? f. thou art to mind the light , and it will shew thee , and give thee true knowledge of them : for if at any time thou livest to the flesh , and satisfies it with the affection and lust , the light will condemn thee , and the work that is brought forth by thee , by which thou mayest certainly know that it is a work of the flesh ; yet for thy information i shall mention some of them , and shew thee what they are , covetousness , drunkenness , witch-craft , hatred , variance , emulation , strife , debate , deceipt , anger , envie , malice , back-biting , whispring , pride , fornication , adultery , gluttony , swearing , lying , sporting , playing , carding , diceing , dancing , ringing , feasting , revelling , banqueting , with much more ; and they that live in such things , cannot inherit the kingdom of god. c. here is a great number , father ; but do all these , and more then these , lodge in people ? f. yes child , all these , and more than these , lodge in the heart that is deceitful , where they are generated by the subtilty of the serpent , which is the seed of the evil-doer ; and he forms them up into a body , which is the body of sin ; and where they are , and the life in them , they separate from god , and vails from beholding the brightness of his glory . c. but cannot i know god , his way and truth , and yet live in some of these things ? f. nay child , if thy life be in any of them , and thou walkest in them , thou livest in that which can neither know god , nor please him ; and the way and truth of god thou art out of , for , as far as the east is from the west , so far doth sin separate from god. c. but must i deny them all ? f. yes , child , for if thou livest to the flesh , thou must die . c. alas father , who then shall be saved ? f. why those that turn when the light reproves them for sin , and those that obey and believe therein ; for in the light the name of christ is known , in which is salvation : and he that believes , is saved . c. but may i come to witness those works of the flesh destroyed whilest i am in the body , seeing they separate me from god , his way , and truth ? f. yes , if thou believest in the light , it will arise in power , and destroy thy lusts that war against thy soul , and will subdue the evil concupiscence of the unclean nature , out of which proceeds all evil , and in which thou canst not please god. c. father , i am but a child , and want understanding , tell me therefore how i must get out from amongst these evils ? for i now see my selfe beset with them , and i would willingly deny them , and part with them for christ. f. why child , i shall briefly inform thee of this thing : when thou feelest thy mind inclining toward● any evil , and that the light discovers it to be evil , then do thou mind the light that discovers it , and stand thou still and joyn not to it , but deny thy selfe , though thou mayest feel ● strong inclination towards it ; and i● thou stand still , & waitst in the light● thou wilt receive power against it● and strength to overcome it , an● thou wilt feel the power of th● light to cross thy will in what i● would do , and in the power tho● wilt feel thy salvation : and so ● thou mindest the light , and in it believ'st thou wilt be kept from joynin● to the evil , and walk in the dail● cross to thy own will , whereb● the world will be crucified unt● thee , and thou wilt be crucifie● unto the world , and true judgement will be executed upon th● evil-doer , and death will come upon thy own life , and slay thy lust , that hath loved any thing more then god. c. i desire one particular instance to clear this thing to my understanding ? f. i shall give thee one instance , which by minding , thou mayest know all the rest : when thy heart is lifted up in pride , and thou standest exalted in thy own minde , and there hast high thoughts of thy selfe , and striving to adorn thy body with costly apparel , and to put on any thing more than is needfull for the service of the body ; the light of christ in thy conscience , will reach unto thee , and plainly shew thee , that the thing thou art exercised in , is an evil thing , so as thou mayest sensibly feel correction for it : now , if thou turnest to the light when it reproves thee , and corrects thee ▪ and yield unto it without resisting ; it will reach to the top of thy pride , and bring thy haughtiness down , and lay thy loftiness low , and will crucifie thy carnal affection with the lusts of it , and will bring death upon it ; so will thy life and pride be taken away , and humility wi●l spring and come into honour ; and in the power which is the cross , the old thou wilt feel put off , and the new will be put on , and thou wilt be made a new man in christ , who will revea● the father unto thee , and give the true knowledge of him , his way , an● truth . c. this is a strait gate , father , i● there not another way by which i may come to know god ? f. nay , child , there is not another way , for christ is the way and if thou desirest to come to walk in christ , thou must part with also for him , and deny thy selfe to follow him ; therefore doth the power stand in the gate , to keep out all that is unclean , and to crucifie it , before there can be an entrance : and that is the reason , child , why so few enter in at the strait gate ; but do not thou flye the crosse , but mind the light that leads in it , so wilt thou feel the regeneration wrought , and a birth born that is of god , and is heir of the kingdom . c. but must every work of the flesh , which the light reproves me for , be denyed and crucified after such a manner ? f. yes child , for in the self-denyal , and daily cross , thou wilt feel the enmity slain , and the power will work thy freedom out of the bondage wherein thou hast been held captive under the enemies power ; and if thou lyest down patiently , and bearest the judgment willingly , judgment will be brought forth unto victory . c. alas father , this is a hard saying ; and if there be not another way to come to the true knowledg of god , i begin to faint already , and do not see how i can be freed from the evil that daily attends me ? f. the saying is not hard , child , but unto that which reasons about it , that would keep a life in something that must be destroyed ; and there is no cause for thee to faint , child , though evil attend thee daily , but believe in the light , and it will work the work for thee , and remove thy burden from off thee ; for all things are possible with god , and there is nothing too hard for him : therefore reason not about it , but believe over it , and the lord god will not forsake thee untill he hath perfected his work , for his love is to that which breatheth in thee , and through judgement he will redeem thee , and shew thee his salvation . c. but must i be born again , father ? f. yes child , or else thou canst not enter into the kingdom of god. c. how may i come to know that , with the work of it ? f. by diligent waiting in the light , whereby thou wilt come to feel the effectual working of god's power , through which the old birth , with all the deeds of it , will die ; and thou wilt feel a new birth raised , which after god is created in righteousness and true holiness . c. and what shall i be when such a work is wrought , and the new brith raised ? f. why , thou wilt be made a new man in the immortal seed , and thou wilt have a new heart , out of which will proceed new thoughts , words , and deeds ; and then thou canst not live any longer in the evil , but in the good , into which thou art redeemed by the resurrection of life : and herein , child , is the lord god truly known , his way , and truth . c. oh father ! that i could feel this work effectually wrought in me , then surely i should be eased of much that now oppresses me ? f. why , do not hasten , child , but keep stayed in the light , and there thou wilt feel the hand that worketh , and know the power of it whereby thy redemption will be perfected and the seed immortal raised ; then thou wilt feel the oppressor broken , and thy burden taken off , which will give ease unto thee , and bring in joy for mourning . c. but if there be not another way to know god , then how is it with all those people that do not thus believe , and yet professe god , and truth , and scriptures ? f. why child , all that are faithful to god , in what he makes known unto them , they are not judged ; though unto the truth they be not yet clearly attained : and though there may be a difference in the profession , yet it is but one thing in all that breathes after god , which the lord brings through the dispensations and administrations of professions , to inherit life in the possession : and it is not a profession that makes a christian , though people in a profession may speak largely ( in words ) of the grace of god , and the love of god ; but they read in that book notionally , before they have passed through the judgement experimentally : and do not thou busie thy mind so much to look after others , but mind thy self , for thou must give an account of thy self to god. c. but i desire to enquire somewhat after this thing , that i may receive information concerning it ; seeing there are so many professions , and all seem to differ , and yet but one true way , that so i may chuse the true , and deny the false . f. why , child , for thy satisfaction , i shall a little open it unto thee whereby thou mayest see into the ground of all professions , and how they all come to differ ; for peopl● wanting the life and power of chri●● in themselves , they are betrayed int● the words , which from the life an● power were given forth ; and the● not understanding the scriptures they are , they put to their meaning● and when in their meanings the● cannot agree , then arises the diffe●ence ; and one cryes , lo here ; an● another cryes , lo there , according to their own meanings and conclusions ; and so being from the spirit of god in themselves , from which the holy men of god gave forth the scriptures , they do not understand the scripture , nor the power of god : and this is the reason , child , why there are so many professions and shews of religion . c. then is it not very dangerus to put meanings to the scriptures , and from thence to draw conclusions concerning religion , when there is not a measure of the same spirit felt from which the scriptures were given forth ? f. it is very dangerous , child , and it is the way of the old serpent , and such a profession never makes a christian , nor brings forth a pure religion , but forms up a shew of godliness out of the power . c. but amongst these several professions , there is something seemingly good in their practice ; for they profess a worship to god , and they have praying , and preaching , and singing ; and they use those things called ordinances ; as baptism , and bread and wine ? f. child , this observe ; that which seems to be , and is not the thing it seems , it deceives the beholder : and there may be something seeming good in all the professions , and yet not be so as it seems ; and in the darkness it is not to be discerned , the pharises had long prayers , and that was seemingly good , yet christ called them hypocrites : so to judge according to the appearance , is very dangerous ; for , therein are many deceived , taking ● thing to be that which it is not . c. but is not the worship of god , good thing ? f. yes , the worship of god is a good thing ; but if there be no more but a shew of worship , it is not the worship of god , nor is not so good as it seemes to be , but is a will-worship , and not the worship in the spirit , which is the true worship of god. c. is not that a true worship where there is praying , and preaching , and singing , with such like good things ? f. that is a true worship where there is praying , and preaching , and singing in the spirit ; but there may be such things done , and not in the spirit , but in mens own will , and that worship is vain . c. then inform me , father , of the true worship . f. why , child , i shall shew thee : when the mind is joyned to the spirit of god , and is acted by it , and subjected to it , then is the lord god truly worshipped ; and that is the worship in the spirit . c. and how is that worship performed ? and what is the practice in it ? f. it is performed according to the good pleasure of the spirit , that blows where it listeth ; and the practice is , as the spirit moves . if the spirit gives words to declare , they are declared faithfully : if it move unto prayer , it is performed in it : and so the things practised in the true worship , are performed in the spirit 's power , and according to its own pleasure . c. do not all people that professe a worship unto god , perform their service in the spirit ? f. nay , child , for they that are in the flesh , cannot perform a spiritual service . c. how do they then preach and pray , with other things they practise in their worship ? f. they do it in their own wills , and in the strength of the earthly wisdom , and not in the spirit . c. and do those called ministers perform their service in their own wills and wisdom ? f. yes , child , they do it in their own wills and wisdom , and in their own time . c. but how shall i know that they do so ? f. by their limitation , in binding up their worship unto a time , place , and person ; but the spirit of god is not limited . c. why , is not their time , and place , and persons right , seeing their time is upon that day called sunday , and their place , that which is called a church ; and the persons , such as are counted ministers of christ ? f. nay , the lord god of power is not limitted to any of them . and as for their sunday , the heathen named it ; and the pope named their church ; and their schools and colledges made their ministers . c. but do they not preach sound doctrine ? f. nay , their doctrine is after the tradition of men , and not after christ ; and they get their doctrine by their arts and languages that they have learned at schools and colledges , and then read it , or speak it forth in their own wills that are corrupted , and there is no soundness in it . c. but if it be so , there are many deceived , for they are looked upon to be able ministers . f. yea , many are deceived , who walk not in the light that discernes them ; but who walk in the light sees them , and their wolfish nature under their sheeps cloathing . and now is the lord making them manifest , that they may not deceive any longer , for they have kept people alwayes learning , and are unprofitable talkers , teaching for filthy lucre , and not of a ready mind . c. but is not their praying a service that is accepted of god ? f. nay , for they pray not with the spirit , nor with the understanding . and some of them cannot pray at all , but as they have prayers made by others , and have them set in a book to read , as in the book of common-prayer ; or else get words into their memory , or comprehend them into the notion , and then speak them forth as in a way of prayer , when the spirit is not felt ; so that neither their preaching nor praying is accepted of god. c. and is not their singing an acceptable service ? for they that can sing praises are in a good condition . f. who are come into that state , where a psalm is given in the spirit , they are in a good condition , and can sing praises , and make melody in their hearts unto the lord ; and they rightly understand what they sing ; and they sing with the spirit , and with the understanding : but none can sing after this manner , but who are redeemed from the earth . but they have david's words put into meeter by hopkins and sternhold , and given them forth as they were david's condition , and the drunkard , and swearer , and lya● sing together , who know nothing of david's condition ; and so they sing lyes in hypocrisie , which is no● a right service , nor accepted o● god. c. i would know , father , how it 〈◊〉 concerning those things called ord●nances , as baptism , and bread an● wine , which are much used in the● worship ? f. why , child , as to those thing they rose from the pope's inventio● who hath had power in the night o● apostacy , and hath set up his d●vices , which are yet continued in england , though he seemingly is denied , and the whole practice of those things , as they use them , had their institution by the pope , and were never so ordained of christ ; for he did not ordain sprinkling water in a childs face , or to make a sign of the cross in its fore-head , nor god-fathers and god-mothers to undertake for it : neither did he ordain bread and wine to be so used and received . and the wine is another of the pope's inventions , who knows not the cup of blessing , in which is the communion of the blood of christ : so hath invented a silver cup , and pours wine into it , and then the priest gives it to the people , and tells them , that is the blood of christ which is shed for them , when it is wine , and not blood : and gives them bread , and tells them , that is the body of christ that is broken for them ; when people neither discern the body nor the blood of christ , and so eat and drink damnation to themselves . and true baptism , child , is in the spirit , which baptizeth into one body : and the true meat and drink , is the body and blood of christ , which the worthy receiver feeds upon in his heart . so that these things be false , and not to be regarded by the true christians who are come to the spirit , and live in the spirit , which is the substance . c. but is not the place in which all these things are performed , a true church ? f. nay , the true church is in god the father of our lord jesus christ ; and christ is the head of it , and hath the preheminence in it : but the place in which such things are performed , is also of the pope's invention , and he counts himself to be the head of it , and he would have the preheminence ; and is a place made by men , and it is wood and stone which do decay and wax old , and come to nought : then they make levies , and gather mony to repair it again ; and if they do not so , it will fall and consume , and turn into mire and dirt : but the true church , of which christ is the head , is a living thing , and doth not decay , nor wax old , but is ingrafted into him , and there is neither spot nor blemish in it . c. but are not these the true christians that practise and perform such things ? f. they have got the christan's words , and so count themselves christians ; but they are not in the christian's life , neither is their way the christian's way ; so they are practising those things that god requires not at theis hands , neither doth he accept them : and who are true christians , child , they come into union with christ , by the effectual working of his power in them , through which they are translated and made new creatures , and the new creature is in christ , and is a true christian ; but the old is an apostate . c. there is also some other things that i would be informed in , because i stand something doubtful concerning them . f. what are they , child ? c. i observe that people make much to do one with another when they meet together , or part one from another , in putting off their hats , and bowing and cringing , and going backward , and scraping ; and i am doubtful whether this be the true honour , with which i am to honour all men . f. this doubt will be easily removed , and thou mayest be assured that it is not the true honour . c. how may i be assured of it ? f. why child , they that seek honour one of another , they do not believe in christ , the power of god , which is honourable in all men , and is to be honoured where it appears in any ; and this seeks not the honour below , or to have the hat put off , or the body to bow and cringe , or the feet to scrape ; it neither seeks such honour , nor can give such honour ; for it is a beggarly honour when it is compared with that honour that comes from god alone , and where it is sought and expected it is from below ; and that which answers the expectation is the same : and so men seek honour one of another , and they give it one to another with their hat and kee , and , your humble servant sir : and such are not in the power of god , but in the vain customs of the heathen ; and so it is got in a custom to put of the hat , and bow , and cringe , and scrape ; and women to curtisie and droop ; and this is sought for and expected one from another , and they receive it one of another : and these are the apostate christians , that are out of the power of god that is honourable , and so seek honour one of another , and are respecting one anothers person ; and the rich and the proud they get the honour ; and the poor and the needy they are not regarded . c. but is there not such an honour that belongs to magistrates and men in authority ? f. nay child , such honour doth not belong to them , neither are they honoured when in is done so unto them ; for true honour is from the heart , and not from the hat : and where any thing of god appears in magistrates and men in authority , that is honoured with the heart , and it doth not expect the hat : and this is true honour , child , and it is given unto whom it is due . c. but seeing such a thing is expected by men in authority , is it not better for me to give it to them , then to offend them ? f. thou must be careful , child , how thou reason'st about it , lest thou run'st into transgession ; for if thou respect'st persons , thou committest sin , and the law of god will convince thee of trangression : therefore mind the lord and his teachings ; and if men be offended because thou obey'st the lord , thou wilt not be guilty of the offence ; but the wo shall be unto that in them which would be honoured with thy hat , from whence the offence comes . c. and doth not the lord require any such thing to be done ? f. nay : the lord requires it not , but the pride of man's heart seeks it ; for the lord requires that thou shouldest honour all men in him ; and that is , to give honour unto whom it is due ; but unto a proud , heady , high-minded man , there , is no honour due , though he may be great in the world , and be in place to rule ; but in the power of god the pooor is as honourable as the rich , and the beggar as he that rules ; and the honour is given as due unto the power , and not unto any man's person . c. i would be informed of another thing , father , what language i am to speak unto a single person , whether thou , or you , be the true language unto a single person ? f. why child , a single person being one and no more , the true language is thou unto him , or her : and hath been the language spoken by all that have been guided by the spirit of god without respect of persons ; and we do not read of another that was spoken by the holy men of god unto any person , whether a king , or any in authority under him ; for the spirit of truth leads into all truth , and thou to one is the language of truth without respect , and the spirit of truth teaches to speak it , and not another . c. but how is it then that people use the word you to one another , when they speak one to one ? f. because in that thing they do not mind the spirit of god , and its teachings ; and so the false spirit acting , brings forth a false word : for you to one , is an apostate language , and through the v●in custom of it , is become seated in the pride of heart ; and when the true language is spoken , the pride cannot bear it ; but it is the true language , child , and was so in the beginning before the fall ; and god is turning it again unto his people in this day of restauration . c. and must i use the word thou to all sorts of people ? f. yes , when thou hast occasion to speak to one ; and do not respect the person of any man or woman ; for it is as true to the rich as to the poor ; and the spirit of truth will teach thee to speak it if thou mindest and obeyest it ; and if thou dost not , it will reprove thee . c. but is it not a thing that will become me , to use good manners ? and people do not take the word thou to be good manners , when i speak to my betters ; and they will not have their children taught to speak that language , because they say it is unmannerly . f. it is the evil words , child , that corrupts good manners , whether it be in a child , or elder people ; but true words is mannerly , and is spoken in the manner of truth , which is good manners : and thou must not mind what others say , or how they will have their children taught ; but mind thou the lord and his teachings , and he will teach thee to speak good words , and true words , which is good manners ; and it is the evil words that crrupts it : and people that know not the teachings of god , nor the truth of god , they know not the manner of it , and so are seeking how to honour one another , and to speak to one another , and after what manner to do it , which is not in the manner of truth , but in the false spirit , which corrupts their words and actions , and so corrupts good manners . c. and how must i do concerning oaths , seeing that swearing in many things is required ? as sometimes to give testimony to what i know ; and sometimes to testifie my submission unto a ruler ; and also in other things ? f. whatever men require of thee , child , thou must mind what the lord requires of thee ; and if men require that of thee which the lord forbids thee , thou must obey god : and christ jesus hath forbidden all oathes , and it is not lawful to swear upon any account , though men may require it ; because christ hath commanded , not to swear at all : and if thou lovest him , thou wilt keep his commandments , and not transgress against him , because men require thee to do otherwise ; but do thou mind the spirit of truth , and it will teach thee to speak truth in what thou art called unto , and thy yea in the truth , will bind thee to perform faithfully what thou testifieth or engageth to : and so in all things thou art called unto , speak the truth from thy heart , as in the sight of god , and let thy yea be yea ; and let there be no more in any wise : for what is more , comes of evil . c. but there is much said concerning the lawfulness of an oath in such needful matters , as to end striffe , or engage to a ruler , with other things : and there are many scriptures brought for it . f. they that bring scriptures to plead for swearing in this day , they do not understand the scriptures ; for he who is lord of all , saith , swear not at all , neither by heaven nor by earth , nor by any other thing ; but let your yea be yea , and your nay nay , for what is more comes of evil : and thou art to obey jesus christ whose doctrin is true , and who ends the dispensation of oaths where strife was ; and in that dispensation , when they did swear , and were not to forswear themselves , it was not an oath formed in words , and then imposed by the laying a hand upon the bible , and kising it , but was solemnly spoken from their own mouths , and what proceeded out of their mouths , that they were to perform unto the lord ; and this was the oath commanded in that dispensation , as thou mayest read , num. . if a man vow a vow unto the lord , or swear an oath to bind his soul with a bond , he shall not break his word , he shal do according to al that proceedeth out of his mouth : ( now mark child ) this was the thing the lord commanded in that dispensation , and it was no more but the word that was to proceed out of their own mouths , and were not to break , because it was the soul's bond ; therefore they were to do according to all that proceeded out of their mouths ; so that it was to proceed out of their own mouths , and not to be imposed in formed words , which binds not the soul : and there is no scripture that mentions any other way of swearing in that dispensation ; but now christ jesus , who ends all the changeable things , he saith , swear not at all ; but let your yea be yea ; and it is without exception , or putting any difference betwixt vain oaths , and solemne oaths : he saith , not at all , nor by any thing ; for , what is more than yea and nay , comes of evil : therefore , child , obey thou christ's doctrine , what ever men may require of thee ; and if thy yea will not be taken to the truth of thy word , let nothing else be done by thee , lest thou fall'st into condemnation . c. father , inform me concerning the observation of dayes , as those called holy-dayes , and that called sunday , which some call sabbath-day , and some the lord's-day , and whether the lord require that i should observe them ? f. if thou observest a day , child , observe it to the lord ; but he requires not the observing of particular dayes , for the seventh day was holy , in which he rested from all his work , and that was the jews sabbath , and they observed it to the lord as he commanded ; but christ jesus hath fulfilled it , and ended it : and those called holy dayes are set up in the apostasie , in which the saints have been killed and martyred , upon which dayes the apostates rejoyced and feasted ; and they are called feastifal dayes : and thou art to abominate the observing of them , because they were set up in the blood-thirsty spirit ; and for that called the lord's day or sabbath day , people do no● understand what they say ; for the sabbath is the seventh-day , and the observing of that is ended in christ ; and that called the lord's day , is the first day of the week : and the name sunday , is from the heathens , who celebrated that day unto the sun , and so called it sunday : but child , every day is the lord's day , and thou art to observe them all unto him , and walk in his fear , and in his dread every day and hour ; and who come to christ and believe in christ , come over the observation of dayes , into the one day of the lord , which is as a thousand years , and so walk with the lord in his day , and observe it to his glory and praise . c. i now feel my understanding pretty well informed and opened ; but will the light of christ , in my own conscience , let me see all these things , and teach me to understand them in truth ? f. yes ( child ) it will , if thou enclinest to its teachings , and stand'st single to obey , it will give thee a perfect understanding of god , his way and truth ; and will let thee see all the customs , and fashions , and traditions of the world to be vain for condemnation . and now , my child , receive instruction and be wise , and let not the counsel of thy father depart from thee , but treasure it up in thy heart , that thou mayest lay up for thy selfe a good foundation , and know the hand of the lord to build thee up : and now i exhort thee , child , to mind the fear of the lord , that thou mayest know the beginning of wisdom , and therein be made wise unto salvation ; and let not thy mind ( in any wise ) go after vanity : keep thy eyes from beholding vanity ; and as thou mindest the light of christ , thou wilt see it , and be kept from it . and now unto all sorts and sects of people , a few words i write . vnto the aged . thou that hast past over many years , and hast spent thy time in vanity , now wait to redeem it ; thou drawest nigh thy end , and the time that is past thou canst not call again ; thou must lay down thy earthly body , and how soon thou knowest not ; the world must pass away , and thou must leave it ; if thou hast gathered great riches , thou must not abide with them : what profit will there be in all these things , when thou must go hence and be no more seen ? and what will all thy professed religion do for thee in that day ? it will all forsake thee : therefore , whilst thou hast yet a day , turn and obey the lord and his living voice in thy conscience , that thou maist be gathered unto god , and know his salvation , before the day pass over . vnto the young men. thou that art in the strength of thy youth , spend it not in vain , nor satisfie thy hearts lusts , which many times provoke thee to do evil , thy dayes will end , and an account thou must give unto god ; therefore in time consider , before the evil day come upon thee , for thou knowst not how soon the lord may call for thee , and require an account of thee : therefore stand in aw and sin not , but walk in the fear of the lord , that it may go well with thee in the latter day . vnto little children . thou that art yet in thy young years , and art but like a plant springing up into strength , thou knowest not the day of thy cutting down : therefore whilst thy time is , mind the lord that made thee , and gives life and breath unto thee , and walk in fear before him , so will he teach thee the way wherein thou art to walk , and he will order thy conversation a right , and shew thee his salvation , and thou wilt be kept from the evil of the dayes that yet thou hast to pass through , and wilt know the power of god to pluck up the root of evil whilst thou art yet tender , and before it be too much grown in strength ; and thou wilt come to be grounded and rooted in the love of god , and in that spring up like a pleasant plant , so will thy dayes , which yet thou hast to pass through in this world , be joyful to thee ; and in the end , everlasting peace will be thy portion : therefore , little children , keep out of vanity ; lye not , swear not , envy not : be sober , be gentle , be peaceable , be tender , love one another ; be not proud in any wise ; put not on costly apparrel , take no thought after that ; be not curious in your meats and drinks , but having food and rayment , be therewith content . let not your apparrel be more than what is needful for your bodies , nor your food more then what is convenient for your refreshment : so will the lord adorn you with the beauty of holiness , and feed you with that meat that doth not perish . a few words concerning true discerning and judgment . now is salvation come from the most high , and the god of israel is over all ; he is confounding the wise men in their wisdom , and destroying the strong men in their strength , he is breaking the idols of silver , and the idols of gold , and every carved work he is throwing down , and his eye beholds the way of every man , and he sees their work of what sort it is ; he is the searcher of the heart , and he passeth by and beholds the intents thereof ; hidden things he brings to light , and by the gift of his own spirit he shews to every man his thoughts , this is his perfect gift to every man , a manifestation thereof all men have , that they thereby might profit ; and though a measure of this spirit hath a being in all , and makes its self manifest in all , and is the true light that doth enlighten all that come into the world , yet all do not receive it , nor come to be guided by it so walk in the flesh , and cannot please god , neither can perceive the things of god , and what is performed by such as a service or worship to god , he doth not require it at their hands ; and though they make many prayers he will not hear , for they have no union with his spirit ; and this tryes all people , and their works in a true discerning , and gives true judgment upon all according to their doings ; and who have not this spirit of christ they are none of his ; but all that receive it , and have union with it , they walk not in the flesh , but in the spirit , in which they see the shapes and forms of every image and likeness , and the ground from whence they do arise ; and no false birth can have a hiding-place , but from the least to the greatest they are discovered , and the fairest covering that any have cloathed themselves withal is seen through , and all the formed likenesses which appear this day amongst the sons of men in what they do profess of god , they are all seen to be of the flesh , and their root and principle is of that part and nature that is earthly , from which no good thing can arise ; and it brings forth a birth in its own likeness , and of its own nature , which by the spirit is truly discerned , and every work of the flesh is manifest to the spirit , for the spirit searcheth all things , & truly judges all things , for the spirit is truth : and though this may seem in many of your eyes to be rash judgment , and you may call it so , yet it will stand a witness against all that are satisfying the flesh . for there is not any thing so hardly received as that testimony that strikes at the life of another , and that which deals plainly and simply with all , and desires the good of all , that meets with the least entertainment in the hearts of people ; but that which flatters , and cryes peace when the bonds of iniquity stand , that is a pleasing thing unto the minds of all who walk in the flesh ; and that which coms to rip them up , and discover their nakedness to their shame , that , they kick against , and will not own nor receive it for truth ; for there is not any people would come to shame for what they do ; and that which opens secrets , and brings any thing to light , by which shame may come upon them , they turn against that and reject it , though the thing be really true which is witnessed against ; and so there is no work of the flesh that would come under the spirits judgment , though it be truly discerned and judged as it is , and the discerning and judgment stand in the truth ; but those concerned in it will not own it , but cry out , who made you a judge ? and why are you so rash to judge , as if all were to be condemned but your selves ? how do you know the hearts of people ? and why may not others be as right as you for what you know ? so every form and likeness would save its own life by putting off the judgment , as if none could discern it ; and no false birth that would have its nakedness to appear , lest it should come to shame thereby : and thus people harden themselves against the spirit 's testimony , which in it self is the searcher and tryer of hearts and reins , and none can hide their councel from it . ( mark ) is not this the judge that stands at the door and knocks ? doth not he discern when evil rises in your hearts ? and doth he not there reprove you ? what is it that you can hide that he finds not out ? what can you do in your secret chambers that he doth not know ? and what thought can you think ( amongst all your thoughts ) that he doth not discern ? and doth he not judge you in your own consciences , if you have thought any evil , or uttered vain words , or done any thing wickedly ? will you deny this to be a true discerner , and a righteous judge ? be sober , and there is a witness ( which you may feel in your selves ) to answer to the truth declared ; and all that have received the spirit , and are born of the spirit , they have an understanding given them , by which they are able to discern the flesh , & all the works of it , and give true judgment upon it without respect of persons ; not judging according to the flesh , but according to the spirit , and sees to the root and principle from which all things spring up and grow ; and they do not judge according to the outward appearance , but judge righteous judgement ; for such as discern no further than what outwardly appears , and then judge according to that , others from the same ground may draw as true a judgment against them : and here , people are not to judge , lest they be judged ; which is a place much alleadged against true judgment ; but whoso judges one of another , it is not in the spirit of truth which doth discern through all appearances ; but it is in the flesh which cannot perceive beyond what doth appear : and so all the false births give judgement one against another , and cannot bear the judgement of one another ; then they are provoked and angry one with another , and run into confusion and distraction , warring and fighting , and destroying one another about their formed religion ; none being come to the spirit that gives a discerning through what appears , and gives true judgment in the ground : but all born of the spirit have true union with it , and the flesh and the deeds of it , are subdued under it ; and they are no more in the flesh , but in the spirit ; and have received christ jesus the lord , and walk in him , and are spiritual , and the spiritual man judgeth all things , and he himself is judged of no man : and whether you can receive it or no , you are all truly tryed and judged not in the flesh , but in the spirit ; and your root and fovndation is seen and discerned , and is not found to be that which was in the beginning , but that which the subtility generated since the beginning , and so doth he rule over you , and blind your minds , that you cannot see , nor discern further than what appears ; and the mystery of the kingdom is hid from your eyes , and you run into the words with your carnal minds and earthly wisdom , and from what is written draw something to your selves , and form up a likeness in your conceivings , and bring that forth in the strength of your own wills ; and this is your foundation , and the first principle of your religion ; and so the harlot hath brought forth many children , which in her womb have all been conceived , and yet are not formed one like another , but all differ in their shape and likeness , and then strive one with another , and yet are all children of one house , and all of one kingdom ; but no love , nor unity found amongst them ; but envie , hatred and malice , and all one against another , and divided into heads and parties , which is an evident testimony of the ruine & fall of your house and kingdom ; for , a house divided against it self , cannot stand . therefore come out of it , lest it fall upon you , and utterly destroy you , and all come to that where peace and safety is ; for god hath prepared a sure refuge and resting place for all that will come : and he hath gathered many into unity , and perfect peace therein ; and they rest in his love , and are preserved in his power , and he alone is their strength and sure defence ; so hath the lord made his power known in this his day , and hath gathered a remnant to that which was in the beginning , which was ▪ the saints life , and from which the scriptures were declared , and of which they all testified , that is now made manifest which the false apostles ravened from , and many sons and daughters are come to glory in it ; and this is the spirit of truth , which leads into all truth , that cuts down transgression , and reigns over the head of the transgressor , and doth discover clearly all the deeds of darkness , which are come up since the dayes of the apostles , and are practised by such as are in the apostacy ; and this comprehends all , but cannot be comprehended of any ; it is pure , everlasting , unchangable , and no variableness there is in it : all that in it do believe , have found the author of eternal salvation , and are come to the wisdom and righteousness of god , and to the enjoyment of eternal life , which is in christ jesvs the lord , whose glory and majesty is spreading over the earth , and who is gathering a holy people to himself , that in them his praise may be shewed forth ; who alone is worthy , god of gods , and king of saints who by all his redeemed ones is over all , exalted , magnified , and praised for ever and ever . so the lord give you understanding in all things . something of truth manifested for the travelling birth to peruse and meditate . . man by transgression having lost his first estate of innocency , simplicity , and uprightness , he is altogether uncapable of recovering himselfe , and restoring himself into it again , which the wisdom of god beholding , his own compassion moved towards man , and in his wisdom he prepared a way in the light of his life , by which man might come again into the created state of uprightness and innocency ; and herein the love of god is universal , and is not bounded nor limited , whereby he doth appear to be a god gracious and merciful unto all mankinde , who by transgression is alienated from his loving kindness and mercy in the light of his life within every man , that man thereby might turn unto him , obey , and believe in him , that so by the light and power of his own life , he might redeem man out of all iniquity , transgression , and sin , and restore him into innocency , simplicity , and uprightness in his owne life , where his mercy and peace comes to be enjoyed according to the degrees of restitution . the love and mercy of god being thus held forth in his own compassion , and tendered in the day of his visitation unto all mankinde , it doth thereby appear that god would not have any to perish , but would have them turn to the light of his life , when by its testimony it doth reprove them in their own consciences , that so upon their obedience to the reproof , he might convert them , and heal them , and restore them . man thus considered in himself , as wholly uncapable of recovering himself , and restoring himself , then he is to cease in all things as to himself , and wait singly upon god in the light of his life to see his salvation come from him alone . when thy mind is thus turned to the light of christ jesus in thy own conscience , and that thou begin to yield unto it , and to obey its testimony , then in the light a holy thing is conceived , and by operation quickned , and being conceived and quickned in the life , it breatheth and thirsteth after life , and the life doth nourish it by giving more life unto it , and so prepares it for the day of its bringing forth , which in fulness of time doth come to pass ; and this is the birth which is born not of flesh , nor of blood , nor of the will of man , but of god. when thou art drawn towards ▪ god in the light of his life , and art quickned by the life to breath in tenderness after a larger measure of its fulness , then do thou wait to be preserved in the present measure which thou hast received ; for if after thy mind be turned to the light , and thou begin to behold something of the excellency and glory of the life , and of the kingdom , and to have some tasts of it ; and then start aside from the light , and begin to will and run out of it , and to compass to thy self the sight and spectacle which in the light is shewed thee , thou wilt run into great danger suddenly ; for that part which will run out of the light , and compass & gather that which in the light is seen , that part will enrich it self , & cloath it self with the work of its own hands , and thou wilt certainly find , that in such openings there will arise a ravishment and a joy in thee , thou being come to a sight of the glory of the life in the vision or prophesie , and if thou give way to that part which would be hunting and running out of the light , to fecth that in which in the light thou may behold , and so conclude thou hast attained it , and from thence satisfie thy self and create thy own peace in thy satisfaction , thou sits down satisfied in that which is polluted , though thou hast had the openings of that which in it selfe is true . when thou art come to the openings in the prophesie , and in the light beholds the glory of the kingdom , then in the light keep stayed , and wait to be guided by the drawings and leadings of it , that so by the light thou may'st be gathered into the life , and do not hasten in the forward part to catch & gather that , to thy self which is opened in propesie , for that part which in the forwardness doth catch and gather what is opened and seen in the prophesie , that part will work by imagination , and form a likeness in a false conception , and so will advance and set that up as if it were the true birth , and thereby thy mind will be lifted up in the apprehension of thy attainment , and antichrist will reign over thee , and destroy the holy thing which in life is conceived and quickned , and darkness will set up it self under a shew of an angel of light , and then thou wilt lose the sence and feeling of the life and its drawings , and miss the birth of the son whose glory thou hast beheld in the prophesie ; and where antichrist thus sets up himself by his deceivable working , he rules in spiritual wickedness in high places , and they that expect mercy and peace from god in such a state they deceive themselves , for mercy is with him that he may be feared , but that which exalts above him doth not feare him , so cannot partake of his mercy , but must be taken away by his judgment , and so there is a difference made between the pretious and the vile , and the mercy reaches the pretious , but the vile is judged . when thy mind comes to be exercised towards god in the light of his life , and thou art made , sensible that thy soul wants true peace , and that thy breathings goe to god in the pure earnest , then wait in the light to be preserved in patience , and keep thy eye to the leadings of the life , that darknes may not cast thee down by accusations , for if it cannot heighten thee , it will labour to cast thee down , and will not cease to present unto thee thy own unworthiness and weakness , & wil beget questionings in thee whether thou love cod fervently , or whether god will accept thee , and so the opposing spirit may cast thee down in thy youngness , whilest yet thou art not grown in strength to rebuke thy adversary , and that will cause feares and doubtings to enter thee , and griefe , and sorrow , and mourning to come upon thee . when thou feels that thy mind is disposed towards god in the light of his life , then do thou stand still and be watchful , that the light may keep thee in a true sence of thy own poverty , and the riches of gods mercy , and so preserve thee in a single dependency upon god alone , and then he will appear for thy help when thou hast need , and will succour thee in thy travail , and strengthen thee according to what he requires of thee , and every step thou setteth forward in obedience to his movings , thou wilt feel his hand to lift thee up , and his arme to draw thee on , and what hast thou to do for thy self , but to wait upon god to renew thy strength in thy travail , that thou maist follow him in his own way , and not depart from his counsel ; and if thou abide in the drawings of the life , he will not leave thee behinde him , but will enlarge thy heart to run the way of his commandments ; so thou that art travelling in the way of life , keep thy mind in the cool and meek spirit of god , for in that is life , and there thou wilt discern when any passion riseth , or any extream worketh , and when the life moves by operation , and raises thee up in the power of it self , and makes thee fresh and living with its own virtue , then yield thy self to be disposed by it , so will no false height ensnare thee , nor any accusation entangle thee , but the life will preserve thee in it self , and lead thee in the feeling of the love in which is the true temperance , that gives dominion over all inordinate affection ; and here thou wilt come to understand that it is god alone that worketh all thy works for thee , and so thou wilt be brought to cease from all thy own labour , and to wait upon god in a single dependency , to feel his movings , drawings and leadings , whereby thy way will be peace , and thy path pleasantness , and the lord thy god will give thee the refreshing mercy in his own love , by which thou wilt be comforted in thy travel , and be made strong to persevere unto the end , and then what thou hast seen afar off thou wilt come to inherit , and what thou hast breathed after thou wilt come to enjoy , and so thou wilt know that the life which quickned thee , the same will satisfie thee in the lot of thy inheritance , for mercy and peace is unto thee who art subjected to the wil of god ; and thus doth god alone bring to pass the councel of his heart for his seed sake ; therefore let all flesh be silent , and keep in silence , for time is with the lord , and his own time is the best time , who in time begins his work , in time prospers it , and in time perfects it and so in time quickning , in time nourishing , and in time bringing forth the birth of his life ; and this can no man do for himself with all his own labor , therefore feel thou the lord who art quickned by him , and cast all thy care upon him , for he careth for thee , and in humility he will exalt thee , in wants he will supply thee , in poverty he will enrich thee , in nothingness he will fill thee , in distress he will comfort thee , and in his love and life he will give thee all things freely , and so in innocency , simplicity and uprightness in the seed of god thou wilt walk with god in the paradice of his pleasure . now learn a parable , the vine is a tender plant , and all extreams are contrary to its nature ; therefore in winter it neither blossoms nor bears fruit , but the seed of its nature retires into its root , and there preserves it self in the extreamity of cold , and violent storm , but when the temperate spring comes the seed assendeth , and fills every branch with its virtue , whereby the branches shoots and spreads abroad , and the grapes they multiply & grow in clusters , and this comes to pass in the spring time , when the sons temperate heat breaks forth , and the clouds moderate dew and showers descend , even so is all born of god. so thou that art tender in the life , wait for thy growth in the same , and when the life moveth by its own power , do not quench it by reasoning , for though it work in its power , and may dispose thee by its power , yet is the moderation , temperance , and pure wisdom in it , and all extreams of passion are subdued by it , and so thou sitting in the life , thou sits over all deadness , and also over all unruliness , and in the pure temperance of the life , thou feelst gods presence , his vertue and goodness , by which thou art made fresh and green and fruitful , and in that state the lord hath pleasure in thee ; so it is a weighty matter to understand the true place of temperance , for it lyes beyond the comprehension of the deepest reason in the fall , and through faith is found in the life which reason cannot compass , for where it will it bloweth , and when it will it worketh , and by its working enliveneth , and so by its motion disposeth the mind in the pure temperance of its own nature and property , in which there is no contrariety by any composition , & therfore the motion of the life cannot be truly called a passion or an extream , though it may dispose the mind contrary or beyond what the wisdom below can fathom or comprehend . so every babe of life , hold fast that which in the life thou hast received , & what thou mayest further see in the prophesie unto which thou art not yet attained ; wait in patience and let patience have its perfect work in thee , and the life will draw thee and bring thee into its selfe in its own time , and what thou hast not yet seen , be not inquisitive to know , but live by faith in the measure of the life which thou hast received , and unto which thou art attained , and let not thy reason search into the secrets of god ; and being stedfast in the faith unto god , and holding fast that which thou hast received in the life , and in the drawings of the life keep thy way ; that which thou hast not yet received , god will give thee in his time , and what thou hast not yet seen god will reveal it unto thee , and so by the life thou wilt be preserved in the feeling of the life that is present with thee , and in the vertue of it thou wilt grow from one degree to another , and so in due time come to be perfect and intire therein , and in thy place where thou art travelling in a measure of the life , thou wilt feel perfect union with god , and with all the lambs and babes born of god in what degree soever they stand in the life , and thou wilt also feel union with every motion of the life , whether in babes , strong men or ancients , and the life will conform thee unto what is practised by its own motion , and so thou wilt hold the true form in unity as from the life it is moved , observed , and practised , which being less or more it is but one in all , and doth perfectly agree in it self both in ground and practice ; and what is formed by the life , and manifested from the life , that form is not without the power of the life , but is filled with the glorious presence of the love of god , and that manifestation is to be submitted unto in all humbleness of mind , as in the sight of god , and there every babe , lamb , and plant , will receive the heavenly nourishment , and so grow up as living members of a compleat body in christ the head . in the light of christ is the riches of the kingdom , and in the light are all things ministred that is good for food ; for the light gives the savor of the life , and the life is the souls nourishment , and this bread comes down from heaven , and hath life in it , and they that eat it live by it and do not die : therefore in the light all are to enter into the house of the lord , and wait at his table , where food is prepared , and the cup filled , and in all humility to receive what the father giveth , and covet no more , and then you will sit as a family at on table , and discern the lords body and feed upon it , and not be condemned , and herein god commends his love unto you , in that he furnishes his table for you , and gives you to drink of the river of his pleasure freely ; and this is the cup of the new testament in his blood , which is his life , and it doth not corrupt nor decay in it selfe , but is alwayes new and fresh , and living ; and so there is a time when the life opens and ministers , and there is a time to receive it , and a time to retain it , and a time to feed upon it , and a time to encrease in it , and a time when some may be spared , and a time to deal it ; and this is the son of wisdom that abides in the fathers house , and is alwayes in his presence , and knows the fathers time in giving , and observes the fathers time in disposing , and he neither carelesly hides his portion , nor prodically spends it , but in the fathers counsel is ordered aright : therefore every one know your own portion , and when ye meet together in one place , sit down at the lords table , eat his body , drink his cup , for that ●s your portion , and alwayes feel it new in the kingdom , and do not give your own por● unto any , until you have enough for your sel● and some to spare ; for when god commendeth love unto you , and that ye taste how good he is t● sinke down into it , that you may come more 〈◊〉 the fulness ; and what is given receive it as yo●● own portion , and feed upon it , and grow in 〈◊〉 and run not from the table with a taste , and pro●●gally spend it , for so you may give your own br●●● away , which god commends unto you for y●●● own use , and thereby lose your portion , whilest ●●● children of the kingdom sit at the table and s● together at the table , eating the bread of life , drinking the cup of blessing , and so inherit 〈◊〉 own portion , and increase in it , and then the 〈◊〉 overflows , and they can spare a little , and yet h●●● enough for themselves , and this is a safe state every one to keep at the table of the lord. notingham county goal , month. . this is given forth from the deep love of god for 〈◊〉 chosen , who breath in his life to do his will ; 〈◊〉 whom be everlasting peace . william sm●●● the end .