MEDITATIONS OF INSTRUCTION, OF EXHORTATION, OF reproof:  
INDEAVOURING THE edification and reparation of the house of God.  1. PET. 4. 10. As every man hath received the gift, so minister the same one to another, as good disposers of the manifold grace of God. 
LONDON, Printed by I. L. for George Gibbs and Francis Constable. 1616.   

TO THE RIGHT NOBLE, THE SONS of the most High, his blessed Brethren by the best, that is, the second Birth.  
TRuly Honourable, whose Father is God, and whose Inheritance a Kingdom; the divers sparks of holy fire, which have issued from the Spirit that baptizeth with fire, I have gathered together; by their united heat, to kindle a flame where is none, or to increase it, where it is already kindled. This blessing must come from God, and therefore of God have I desired it. And surely the best, as ye well know, have turns of winter, even upon their hottest zeal, and then woe to him that is alone, for how should he have heat? Therefore if in the time of cooling, some spiritual work be joined to the heart, it may be warmth will grow between them. So have I often from Elisha applied, even some Prophet of God, received life; and I wish, that some quickening may proceed also from this work; which in all writings is more or less, as the Spirit therein more or less speaketh.  
These Meditations are indeed divers in their matter, being diversly borne, both in regard of time and occasion; yet tend they to one end, and this profit often comes from variety, that some one thing among many, fitteth every one, and gives an answer to the particular question of his heart. The glory of God by your benefit, is that which I seek, desiring also to be helped by you, both in prayer and exhortation. As for an idle name, made up still, of perishing, and often of corrupt breaths, I leave it to them for an end, to whom God is not an end sufficient. But let our chief joy and glory be to glorify God, and by being written in heaven, to be admitted unto the beholding of his glory. To that mark, my beloved, let us steadily aim, and sending our hearts before unto Christ, let us go on lustily to overtake them. Let us draw hard up the hill toward heaven: and though the flesh press down, the world and Satan draw back; yet strengthened by the Spirit, encouraged by the word, and fortified with the mutual and united force of mighty love, let us carry the Ark of God, even the soul (wherein Gods Image dwells, and his will is written) from the Country of the Philistims, to the Land of promise. And though here our fleshly brethren, Ishmael and his heirs, mock and despise us, though Esau with his four hundred men look big upon us: yet are we sure that their time is short, and but for life; whereas we have an inheritance eternally glorious. Thither the sons of the flesh, though with long pedigrees, and large treasures, can never enter; but sitting without, where is weeping and gnashing of teeth, they shallsee despised holiness, triumph upon magnificent and powerful wickedness. God our strength, whose cloud and pillar guided Israel to Canaan, guide us to the heavenly jerusalem, by the grace of his Spirit. This I humbly desire through Christ his first borne, the purchaser of our inheritance and door of all the mercy that issueth from God unto man.  
One of your least worthy brethren, but a great lover of you, and your peace. F. R.   

1  
THe main faultiness of these Times, is a Disproportion, between Knowledge and Action; or rather a mere resting in knowledge short of Action. So are we come from no knowledge, to knowledge alone, which will not lessen, but increase our judgement; and from the overualuing of works, to the Neglect of them. Surely the error of works without knowledge, is less dangerous than the error of knowledge without works: But this is the best of it, it is the doctrine of our Nature, not of our Divinity. For while it is taught, that works deserve not, some are content to think they are useless; others being truly persuaded of their use, yet slothful to goodness, lie down in knowledge, and will not go on to the labour of action. But as hereafter the pain will follow the fault, so now let the shame: for certainly it is a great shame, that so much knowledge should be idle, and that skilful men should sleep in this Midday light; for the light was made for walking and working, not for idleness. The Father showeth his will, because he will have it done; we are called to be sons, because we should do the will of our Father: and Nabuchadnezzar gives the greatest title, when he calls the three children the servants of the most high God. In the Spirit wherein is Life, is also Activeness: If we nourish not the activity of it, we decay the Life, & so kill ourselves with eternal Death. Christ hath no dead or unprofitable Limbs, they all bear fruit, or are not his; and Faith which our sloth would magnify, by resting in her, thrusts us on for her life to action; for she lives only when she is active. If then faith not working, be dead, and dead faith quickens not; the unactive believer may speedily with a Heathen see himself without life. As these things may drive us, so the value of works may draw us: for by Christ who worketh them in us, they are accepted of God, and have a valuation stamped upon them, by his Grace for Grace. And first, though works justify not us, they justify our Faith, & in the day of justice they shall go so far toward justifying us, that they shall declare us just. In the mean time, they please and glorify God, the giver of such gifts unto men, and then even the least of them shall have a reward of glory, which they shall set as a crown on their heads that wrought them. Let us not therefore be wanting to this glory belonging to God from us, and issuing from God to us. Besides, if we will consider what works are in themselves, we shall find that they are streams of the Deity, their fountain, and sparks of that heavenly and eternal fire. Accordingly they present and express something that is Divine, and supernaturally excellent; whence it was that a Reverend Ancient well said: The deeds and conversation of the Primitive Christians, had in them a perfume and sweetness, wherewith they exceedingly delighted those with whom they conversed. And how can it otherwise be, for when he that is blessedness, and excellence, poureth virtue from himself into these works; they must needs have a resemblance & partaking of their original. And surely there are two things in them, which as they are the most pleasant of all other, so they most resemble, and approach to the Creator. One of these is Light, and the other is Love; both which put life and soul into every good work. God is Light, and God is Love▪ and it is a pleasant thing to behold the Light; and Love is as the precious ointment which was powered on the head of Aaron. Wherefore good works being a Divine & heavenly offspring, let them be highly respected and carefully cherished by us. Again, works are to us strong evidences of the Spirit of Life, and therefore as sure as we would be of our salvation, so careful let us be of good works: shameful it were for them who are so scrupulous and eager for security concerning temporal things, not to be more eager for the ensuing of their Election. Lastly, they are excellent in regard of the benefit they do to mankind, which also is manifold. They do good by the work wrought, and so they are as the dew of Heaven, which refresheth and nourisheth the dry and thirsty land. Surely to a good Christian there is nothing more pleasant then to do good. For as he especially delighteth therein, to please his Maker, so he exceedingly rejoiceth, thereby to profit his neighbour. They do good also by example, for they come before men as patterns; their sound goes forth and tells mankind what should be done, what may be done; and so they palpably persuade men to be followers of them, that are followers of Christ. Again, works do good unto men, while they are moved by them, to lift up their hearts and eyes unto the heavenly Father, to glorify him that giveth such gifts to earthen and corrupted vessels. And whensoever God is glorified by man, man that glorifies him shall be blessed of God; whensoever glory is given to God on high, peace and good will shall be bestowed on Men below. If these things will not yet move us, at least, let us prevent the taking away of our candlestick & the removing of it, to a nation that will bring forth more fruit. Let us prevent the scandal and shame, which we purchase to ourselves from the enemies of our Religion. Let us prevent the upbraiding of Chorazin and Bethsaida, Finally let us prevent that fearful sentence: I know ye not, depart from me all ye workers of iniquity. This shall we do, if we become right Christians in whom faith worketh by love: For the soul that is rooted in Christ, hath from this root, the life of Love, Divine, and human, which expresseth itself outwardly in the fruit of good actions.   

2  
It is a great unhappiness to many, that they mistake good nature for grace: For so doing they set up their rest in it, thinking they are gone far enough towards God, because they wish all well, & no hurt to any. But it must be known that good nature at the best is not grace, yea it is full of enmities that fight against Grace. For though it be somewhat apt and appliable to the second Table, yet it is ever far short of the first, not having in it that true knowledge & love of God, nor that inward pureness which therein is required. So the observing of the second Table, is faulty, for want of the first; for if a man do never so many seeming good works, if they proceed not from a heart truly sanctified by God, they are glittering sins issuing from a corrupt fountain, and tending to the sea of death. For nature is exceedingly blind toward God, neither beholding, nor worshipping him as god, yea it is perverted from God, & against God, & chooseth many things to itself in stead of God. Now that which is blind cannot lead us the right way, and that which strayeth, leadeth us a false way, even a way from life. Therefore letus employ our judgements upon our own estates, that we may know whether there be in us something more than Nature, and by which Nature itself may be rectified and directed to the true scope and mark, which is God. If there be in us this godly and immortal seed, let us water it, let us cherish it, as the life of our life; if it be not in us, let us violently knock at the door of heaven with groans, with panting desires, with vehement supplications, until there be an opening to our knocking, a giving to our ask; and until they that thirst may drink freely of the waters of life. Otherwise if in a lazy contentedness, we lie along upon the stream of Nature, suffering it to carry us whither it listeth; certainly it slideth along to death, and all the benefit we can pick out of it is this, that we go thither pleasantly.   

3  
The goodness of any worldly thing which so much pleaseth and moveth us, is but a spark of infinite goodness, which dwells in God, the author of it. If then we love these small and transitory things with so great an affection, proportionably should we raise our affection (if it were possible) toward God, as much above it, as God is above his creature. At least, let the creature when it giveth us any comfort, be a remembrancer unto us of God, pointing to him as the Author of every good thing, and our sovereign Good.   

4  
Having undertaken the profession of Christians, and considering in our own thoughts, the persecutions and temptations that may befall us, or conferring of them with others, let us not promise to ourselves or others overmuch strength or constancy; let us not promise over confidently what we will do, lest with Peter, we perform nothing of that which we promise. For the strength which must do this work of resisting and overcoming temptation is not our own but Gods: and how canst thou promise that which is another's? That which is ours, is only the strength of flesh and blood; now flesh and blood, be it never so lusty, is no match for temptations and persecutions. Indeed the spirits of men in prosperity are prompt and forward, their imaginations of themselves are high, and they dare boast of great things. But let us know that the devil overcame man at the best, and what may we not doubt of ourselves, the weak issue of man fallen to the worst? Let us therefore rather mistrust our own strength, confessing it to be weakness; and in humility and confession of our weakness, run to God, & call him our Rock and our strength. Let us say: By my God I can break through an host, and by him I can leap over a wall of temptations. And that we may obtain God to be our strength, let us instantly beg of him that Spirit of Fire, which makes men strongly to endure the fiery trial. Let us pray to him that he will continue to do in us, what he hath been accustomed to do in others, even in infirmity to make his strength plain and evident. And that we may be fully capable of the grace we pray for, let us present ourselves, as vessels empty, and altogether void, that of fullness we may receive fullness. In sum, let us so speak, let us so think of ourselves as holy Paul: In us, that is in our flesh, there is no goodness, but we hope and desire to do all things through Christ that strengthens us, even to be more than conquerors, through Christ that loveth us.   

5  
All sorts of men propose to themselves a happiness & having proposed it, they seek it with all their might, neglecting all things in coparison of it. The happiness of the Gentiles is this world; and therefore they strive toward it with all their strength, neglecting the kingdom of heaven in regard of the world. But the happiness of a Christian is the kingdom of God, and setting his heart thereon, he despiseth the world in comparison of it, and endeavours wholly for faith and regeneration, the means to attain it. Now the Christians have great advantages of the Heathen: For besides that our happiness is eternal, theirs transitory; ours increaseth a man, theirs addeth nothing to man: we have even their happiness for an advantage, though not for an happiness. For this world was made for the next, & whosoever have a right to the next, they only have a right to this, and a promise that so much of this world shall be added to them, as is necessary for them, in their way to the next. He that sets us in a journey, will give us food in the journey as he did Manna to the Israelites travailing to Canaan, & bread and drink to Elias, when he was to go the great journey to the Mount of God. Surely if the Creator give himself to us, how shall he not give his creatures with himself? Therefore as we avoid the love of the Gentiles, so let us avoid their fear: as we love not the world, as our chief good, so let us not fear the loss of the world, as a chief evil; especially since we have a sure, steadfast, and unmovable word, God will not fail us, nor forsake us. Surely they that know thy name will trust in thee O Lord; for they have seen and felt that thou hast not failed them that seek thee.   

6  
The Sun of the soul is God: while she is here therefore without God, she hath but her own light, which is but as the light of the eye without the Sun, & is little more than blindness. Let us therefore still aspire to that high and perfect light, where the soul looking out with open sight, shall behold a Sun infinitely more passing this Sun, than the soul doth the eye. In the mean time let us be far from setting our content on this dungeon, where the soul dwelleth in darkness; but in a godly discontent let us strive here, to get some ray of that purest light, which may guide us through this darkness, and from it, unto that glorious city, wherein God is the Sun.   

7  
The nature of man being subject to passions, is very apt to amend one vice with another, and to run from one extremity, just as far as another. The civil and spiritual powers are two, that may and would well live together, in mutual comfort and unity. But in the first times after Christ, the civil power mightily destroyed, and diminished the spiritual, hunting the possessors thereof as partridges on the mountains. After this the clergy having gotten power enough at least to right themselves, advanced toward the limits of the temporalty, and at length invaded the very sword and sceptre thereof. This being the disease of the clergy, it was mightily purged, and now it concerns the Laity, whose turn is next to be faulty, to look to itself, that it continue not these circular evils. Likewise the Papists digged down the foundation, to build up the walls, they took from Christ to magnify works. Now let us take heed that we make not all foundation, and so indeed make no foundation; for Christ is not a foundation to them that build not upon him. The Popish Clergy covered their people with blindness, and then gave them a line, which they willingly followed; ours desireth to guide and fill us with light: now far be it from us, so to hate blindness, that we do nothing but stare on the light. Light on earth is a guide to light in heaven, but it is no guide to them that do not follow it; yea to such in the day of darkness it shall become an accuser. But though darkness should bring forth more works then light, yet Hagar may not boast against Sara, nor ignorance against knowledge. For first, these works of ignorance are the children of the bondwoman, even of our natural corruption; & therefore shall not inherit with the children of grace, the free-woman, neither shall they obtain any reward. Secondly, nature spreads over all mankind, but true sanctifying grace comes into few. Now superstition is rooted in nature, and so is general with nature; and therefore it is no wonder if that which is general, bring forth more general, and common fruits: neither if grace which dwells but in the few that enter in at the narrow gate, makes the less muster, and outward appearance.   

8  
A Christian man hath as much need of Christ's Spirit to be a Christian, and to live eternally, as a natural man hath of a Spirit to be a man, and to live temporally. For as the soul and the body are a man, so Christ's Spirit and man are a Christian, which is a holy, eternal and happy thing.   

9  
When a Christian hath committed some notable sin, there presently open before him two dangerous gulfs ready to swallow him; one of them is Despair, the other, Presumption. He is tempted to believe, that he cannot be forgiven, or that he is very easily forgiven; and so God's mercy is too much assumed or refused. But against presumption, should be set as a counterpoise, the Majesty and justice of the great God that is offended, the foulness and deformity of sin in the sight of that God, the breach of the Covenant made with God, both at the outward, and inward Baptism; the grieving of the Spirit, with which we are sealed unto redemption: and finally, the temporal punishments, wherewith God chastiseth his transgressing servants, especially, not judging, humbling, or chastising themselves. Surely God is infinite in Majesty, the heaven of heavens cannot contain him, the Angels cannot fully behold him, the Sun and Stars are not pure in comparison of him. The same God, is a just & jealous God, visiting sin and iniquity: for sin is more loathsome in his sight, than the most abhorred filthiness, or foulest sores, are in the eyes of men. As for thy Covenant, thou hast mightily broken it: thou gavest thyself to God in general, and now thou takest thyself from him in particulars: thou madest an agreement with him to be his servant, if he would be thy God; he is become thy God, and thou failest in thy promised service. Besides, thou grievest the Spirit, that comforts thee: thou art a great vexation to him, who is thy chief consolation: thou frettest that which is thy life eternal, and goest about to quench him, who would quicken thee unto glory everlasting. Lastly, that the punishments of sin may come within thy consideration, remember David, for whose adultery and murder, his child of adultery died; his wives were polluted with incest, and himself by his own bowels, was driven from his palace into the fields of the wilderness. Remember Hezekiah, for the lifting up of whose heart, the Treasures must be carried into Babylon. Remember the Corinthians, of whom many were sick and many slept, because they had sinned, and slept in their sins. Wherefore make haste, run to God right early, acknowledge thy sin against thyself, and humble thyself under the mighty hand of God, that in due time he may exalt thee. That is the only right exaltation which is done by God, and humiliation of thyself is the only way to it: but an exaltation of thyself without God, will turn to an humiliation by God, if not a confusion. But if thou washest away the pleasure of sin, by the sorrow of repentance, if thou washest away the pollution and deformity of sin, by cleanness of heart, and rightness of Spirit, then mayst thou lay hold on the satisfaction of Christ to wash away the guilt of thy sin, and so thou art wholly made clean. As God will not have his mercy to be made an encouragement to sin, so he will not have his justice to be a discouragement to them that turn from their sins: but justice belongs to the presumptuous to humble them, and mercy to the humble and broken hearted to refresh them. Come therefore thou that art heavy laden, which feelest thy sins as a burden intolerable, take the refreshing which belongeth to thee; and look not on the terror of justice any longer, which belongeth to the presumptuous, and not to thee. God will not that the reed bruised by the Law, should be utterly broken, but that it be healed by the Gospel. God's aim in thy humbling is not despair, but Faith, Hope and Love; his end is thy amendment, and not thy torment. But if thou doubtest that so great a sin hath cut thee off from Christ, and therefore thou darest not to make use of his merits, know this, that by thy faith, which made a general surrender of thee unto Christ, thou wast engrafted into Christ; Christ was thine, and thou wert his. Now this Union is indissoluble, nothing can put asunder what God hath thus put together. Besides, Christ in his Union with thee, did not wholly take away thy wild nature, but pouring in a godly nature, left also some remainder of thy former wildness. If then this wild nature bring forth the fruit of the wild olive, it is no wonder; for it is so left, that sometimes when God hideth his face, it may lead us away captive unto the execution of sin. Yet the Spirit of Christ even then liveth in us, though in bondage, for the time; and grace is then not put to death, but only made prisoner. The seed of Christ remains immortal, he is still in thee, though sometimes thou bearest thy own fruit and not his. A general dominion of sin, excludeth a general dominion of Christ: but a particular sin may yet leave a general dominion to Christ. Thou mislikest thyself because thou art not holy in all things: thou dost well to love and desire perfection; yet though thou offendest in some thing, do not despair, for God hath not given any man in this life so much grace, as may give him a general rest from sin; he leaveth this world as a place of battle and combat, and referreth perfect rest unto the world to come. Now the same God, though in justice he requires a full obedience, yet in mercy he accepteth according to that we have; & he knows we have nothing, but what we have received, and we have received only so much grace, as may exclude the dominion of sin, but not abolish the being of it. Let us therefore not so much busy ourselves in superfluous and unprofitable vexation of our own souls, as in the study of purging ourselves from our sins, that we may bring forth more fruit. This is it which God especially looks for after sin, and so doing we shall undeniably prove to ourselves, that we are still the lively branches of Christ. A man's servant doth sometimes his own work, yet if he presently return to the work of his Master, and makes that his chief and main employment, he ceaseth not to be his servant, since most he serveth him. So and much more is it between Christ and us; We are his, though sometimes serving ourselves especially being held by him, out of whose hand nothing can take us. Therefore thou distressed soul, go thy ways, and endeavour to sin no more, and then thy faith shall make thee whole.   

10  
The devil hath put the world out of frame, & that in two overspreading confusions; One is sin, the other misery. Now Christ came to unloose the works of the devil, and performs it both in himself and in his members. His own part he hath fully perfected in himself, and now it remains that we join with him to perform that part, which is to be done by Christ in us. Therefore against sin, wherein the world blindly walketh, let us oppose sanctification, seeking to place it in the stead thereof, both in ourselves and others. Against misery let us employ the inward & outward consolations which God hath given us, relieving refreshing, and encouraging all distressed patients. This must we do, yet we may not expect that the work shall be perfected until the great day come. Then only shall be a pure separation of things now confounded. Then only shall the sin and misery which now cleave to the Saints, fully be wiped away; and then shall a kingdom come, wherein holiness, and happiness, lifted up far above sin and misery, shall eternally dwell together. In the mean time we must patiently behold many crooked things which no man can make straight, and yet we must strive to reform the crookedness that may be made straight. Blessed are we if when our Lord cometh he shall find us so doing; we shall have our part in the sentence of blessing, and our works of mercy & righteousness shall praise us in the gates of heaven. And the same Christ who hath here wrought mightily in us unto the perfecting and advancing of his kingdom, shall there work marvelously for us unto the advancing of us in his kingdom.   

11  
There is great reason, though it breed but little practice, that we should put the love of the creature far below the love of the Creator, the love of things perishing below the love of things enduring for ever, the love of things made for us, below the love of him that made us, & for whom we were made. With this reason, there is joined great reward, for at last things transitory will part from us, and the love placed on them; but God continues for ever, even after the other have forsaken us, and then rewards the love built on him with an everlasting love: and on this love attend joys unspeakable, and a crown of glory Immarcessible.   

12  
Our knowledge in this world▪ is little and imperfect, but they that have Christ by union with him, have a perfect wisdom, and are in him perfectly wise. Let us therefore esteem ourselves, & others more or less wise, as we are more or less partakers of that high and infinite wisdom; and therein especially let us strive for Supereminence. If in this little and narrow knowledge of man we only excel others, it may be a just ground of contempt against ourselves, rather than a reason of that pride which is commonly assumed, and employed in despising others. For those whom this human wisdom despiseth, may have an assured Right in the Divine wisdom; which in the foolishness thereof is wiser than the wisest of men: and which being wise, approves her children for the most wise, for justifying of her; and which finally shall raise up her meanest children in so true an image of God, that in regard of their new understanding, the Schoole-taught knowledge even of old Doctors, shall be ashamed of the name of knowledge, and shall appear to be but as the rudiments of children. Let Christ therefore be the wisdom, by which mankind should be especially measured, and valued; so shall the judging of them be according to truth, not outward appearance, we shall judge the judgement of God and not of man.   

13  
If any man have done some excellent work, by wit, learning or valour, we ascend presently from the excellency of the work, to the excellency of the worker, imagining him to be a fountain whereof his work is but a stream, and we earnestly desire to see the more excellent cause, of so excellent an effect. This is the ordinary course of natural Men; yet is there a most notable and incomprehensible work, the work that containeth all human works, yea man himself, and this work is daily seen; but few ascend from the work to consider the worker, and much fewer desire to see him, and fewest of all wonder that they do not desire. Surely to a rectified soul, it is a great wonder, that for Achievements small in comparison of this great one, we should look up with love & admiration to their cause; but for this huge work, we should not lift up our eyes and desires, to the cause thereof, which indeed comprehendeth, & causeth all other causes. But again the same soul ceaseth to wonder when it looks on the fall of man; for therein it sees man's chiefest corruption was in that fleshly wisdom which hath blinded us to the Creator, & makes us broad-sighted to the creature; which hath put the head of a beast into the heart of a man, and makes him look downward with the beasts, from the maker to things made. But it is our part to unhood ourselves as much as we may from this vizard of wisdom, and to judge of things according to clear truth, not blind opinion. Let us pursue truth as long as it lasteth, not so long only as our muffled understanding doth naturally and easily follow and apprehend it. In this course of outgoing nature, yet let us set our first foot in her own path: So on her ground we fasten this, that the Author is more excellent than the work, the cause then the effect, and therefore if it be pleasant or glorious to see and know the work and effect, it is far more pleasant & glorious, to see the cause and author himself. But whereas grovelling nature applies this rule only to these lower things, we knowing that the truth thereof proceeds further, yea reacheth especially to the cause of causes: let us outstrip nature, and follow this truth, until it lead us into an amazing wonder, a fervent love, a longing desire, to see that great producer of all excellent works; that infinite being, from whom all this mass of Creation hath his Being, and who as far exceedeth in wisdom, power, and glory, the created wisdom, power, and glory, as an infinite and indeterminable cause, may effects finite and determined.   

14  
If God have revealed a truth to us, which hath been long concealed, let us not seek to have ourselves proclaimed as the fountains of that truth, nor draw followers to ourselves, but to it, and by it to God. For God is the Author and fountain of all truth, and of the revelation of truth; and so the truth found is Gods, and the finding of the truth, appertains to the grace of God. Therefore let us desire to get glory to him, to whom the glory indeed belongs. And humbly thanking God, that among many of his excellent servants, he hath vouchsafed to use us in the revealing of it; let us steal away our own names if we may from the honour thereof, leaving the whole glory to the name of God, whose work it is. If thus we draw men to the truth, & by the truth unto God; not to Paul or Cephas, but unto Christ; this seeking of gods glory with the loss of our own, will God reward with infinite glory: whereas the setting up of ourselves in God's stead, the jealous God will punish with extreme torments, as most odious idolatry. Yet even in this life to such humble seers doth honour belong, though not the honour of fountains, yet the honour of cisterns, even the honour due to such as God honours, by committing to them his oracles and secrets. And even to their humility belongeth honour, for humility is God's way to preferment; which though it takes away the value of ourselves to ourselves, yet as an excellent grace it ought to increase the same value, in the sight of others as it doth in the sight of God.   

15  
When there comes any pleasure to be lost, or pain to be suffered for God's sake, let us set up a balance in our hearts: in one scale, let us set the temporal pleasure we lose, and in the other, the eternal pleasure we gain by this loss; and we shall see the weight of this latter to be infinitely exceeding. So likewise for pain, let us set the temporal pain in one balance, and the eternal in the other; and we shall see there also the weight of eternal pain far to exceed that of the temporal. Now if we use but our ordinary judgement, of good things to choose the greatest, and of evils to choose the least, we shall presently consent with the loss of temporal pleasure, to procure eternal joy, and with the enduring of temporal pain, to avoid pain eternal; especially, since with the avoiding of that eternal torment, the exceeding weight of joy, is jointly procured.   

16  
There is a great craft of Satan, which passeth too much unmarked, or unresisted, and this it is; That he seeks by all means to keep his own kingdom whole and undivided, and to divide by schisms and contentions, the kingdom and body of Christ; that by the malice of such contentions, the flock of Christ may bite one another, and consequently devour one another, and so do Satan's business for him. But it behoveth Christians to note this his cunning, and with detestation to beware, that they be not Satan's in struments, nor become those mad members which fight and strike one at another, and seek to tear that asunder, which God hath unseparably joined together. And lamentable indeed is this madness and folly: for the main business of Christ, effected by a bloody death, and bitter passion, is, to set in unity and peace, the things in heaven and earth. Besides, he hath left as a legacy to his Church, the preservation and continuance of the unity which himself began; As I have loved you, so love ye one another. Again, Christ hath prayed to his Father, that we may be one, as he and his Father is one. Now cursed is he that goes about to break this threefold cord, and endeavours to frustrate the death of Christ, the commandment of Christ, and the prayer of Christ. But thou wilt say, I divide myself from him, and oppose myself against him, because he opposeth himself against Christ in some uncurable error. But take thou heed that this error separate him from Christ, and remove the foundation, else thou canst not hate him. For when men agree in the saving foundation, they become one body and one building, united upon that foundation, and unto it. Now when men acknowledge Christ, in whom is the Trinity united to man, to be happiness, and the only means of happiness, even the Door, the Way, and the Life; and to this Christ wholly resign and surrender themselves, to be justified, to be sanctified by him; these have received into themselves, the root of Life; they are one with Christ, and one among themselves. But that these united members, because one received this faith of Paul, another of Peter; because one believeth something more, another something less in matters not absolutely necessary to salvation, nor directly overthrowing the foundation; should mutually hate and revile one another, should shun mutual conversation, should prosecute and persecute one another with envenomed tongues, is most unreasonable and lamentable. Is not the solid union between them a more cause of love, than the slight difference a cause of hate? Nay, will Christ allow, that there is any cause sufficient, to make his members hate one another, whom he hath tied in the bond of peace, by such mighty knots? Especially right loathsome is it to him, to have his name used for a pretence of such hatred, which above all names, is the name of love and peace. Surely Christ knows, that when men in this kind pretend to serve Christ, they indeed serve Satan. He knows that unity is the preservation of his kingdom, and division, the destruction of all kingdoms. Therefore if thou wilt please Christ, preserve his Kingdom by preserving unity; it pleaseth not the head, to have his member, bruised, bitten, or hurt. He allows not the member of greater knowledge, to be proud over a member of less knowledge, much less to make their difference of knowledge, a ground of hatred. He himself forgives this ignorance and error, for which thou hatest thy brother, and offers up his blood to the Father that he may be forgiven. Yea he loveth this brother notwithstanding his error, and what art thou then to hate one whom Christ loveth? Even thyself also (though perchance thou think it not) art by Christ, borne with, and forgiven for greater errors and ignorances; for of thee and us still, Christ knows this to be true, that yet we know but in part. Therefore thou that pretendest to please thy Head, be truly conformable to him, and thou shalt indeed please him. Love where he loves, and bear with him with whom he beareth. Obey that new commandment of his, That ye love one another. Express this love in instructing thy brother, if he be ignorant; and hate him not, though he be so weak, that he cannot receive thy instruction. He is yet grounded on Christ, he is yet a living member of Christ, he is still a soldier for Christ; therefore still join with him, and comfort him in the battles of the Lord. Take heed thou quench not that which smoketh, nor beat down the weak hands, which should be lifted up against Satan, and that thou diminish not one of Christ's Band. But assemble rather, encourage, and unite the army of God, persuading them to grow strong by growing on; that so being mutually strengthened by union, we may be more victorious in our fight for God; and overcoming, may be admitted to eat of the Manna which is hid, and to reign with Christ for evermore. Let us be glad of company in this our pilgrimage to heaven, and far be it from us to lessen it by division. But let us rejoice when any saith, though in some infirmity, Let us go up to the house of the Lord, to the City of the living God.   

17  
God is one and immutable, so may we as certainly know what he will be hereafter, as what he hath been already. Heretofore if men feared him, they might be without all other fear, for he was their Father, Defender and Maintainer. This having been tried, we say it is certain, and with as much certainty may we pronounce of the time to come, that if we fear him, he will also to us be a merciful God. Let us not therefore doubt any change in him, but in ourselves; and striving by all holy contention, prayer, fasting and watching, to keep ourselves steadfast toward him, let us assure ourselves, that he is the Rock immovable, whom we shall ever find in one and the same place.   

18  
If God commands us to do a thing, and all worldly profits and pleasures mustering themselves together, like the kingdoms of the world before Christ, persuade the contrary, we must then wink with the eye of flesh, and so not see, or at least, not regard any of them. But then looking wide open with the eye of faith, let us steadfastly behold God and his glory, remembering our duty to him, our covenant with him, our happiness in him. If thus we can guide the eye of our soul, that it look on the things eternal which are not seen, and not upon the things temporal, which may be seen, we shall be alured forward toward that Kingdom of rest, where our hope is fixed, and we shall pass along as pilgrims, through this world of lusts, unhurt and unhindered by them.   

19  
Christ as he took flesh of the Virgin, so was he the son of Adam, which he was, to be subject to the Law laid on Adam; that by subjection to it, he might fulfil and satisfy it. But Christ as he was begotten of God, and one with the second person, so was he an Adam himself, even a father of mankind, by a new kind of generation; and the first Adam from whom Christ came, must by Christ be begotten if he will live in the new world, even the new heavens, and the new earth. Thus we see two roots of generation, one carnal another spiritual, one engendering to bondage and death, another to life and happiness. We must pray to the great Husbandman, that he will cut us off from the first root, and engraff us into the second; for he that cometh after, is preferred before, for he was before. Then are we translated from death to life, then are we Citizens of the new jerusalem, we are passed from the old things which must be blotted out, and are come into the new world, which abideth for ever. Where be now these pedigrees from Adam, and the sons of Adam with their swelling glory? They often come forth to amate God's children of low degree, yet are these the pedigrees of death, they prove their owners to be the glorious sons of sin and mortality. But, O the infinite happiness, and privilege of the sons of God, borne of the best Father, in the best image, to the best inheritance! God their Father begets them to his own image, and becomes their inheritance, in whom is the fullness of glory, beyond whom is nothing, and therefore nothing to be sought beyond him. Let us in comparison of this new birth and life, despise the glory of earthly birth, and earthly life, not as if we had neither eminence of birth, nor pleasures of life, (which perchance was a reason to Philosophers, but must not be to Christians and to many it needs not) but because they are gross, miserable, and base in respect of the other. For this cause let us especially dote on our heavenly pedigree, and celestial happiness, growing still stronger in love with heaven, as we grow nearer unto it. Let us refuse to be called the sons of Pharaohs daughter, in respect of being the sons of Pharaohs Creator. And though this descent and inheritance be invisible, yet therefore are they the better; for that which may be seen, shall vanish away, but that which may not be seen endures for ever; that which may be seen, is gross, but that which may not be seen is pure and glorious, and only discernible by a glorified sight.   

20  
Gods time and our time are often different; but surely he that is wisest, appointeth the fittest times. Accordingly, God who is wisdom, giveth both meat and all things in due season. Let us therefore with patience surrender ourselves up to him in all our necessities, suffering willingly his time, to be ours. For he will come though he seem to tarry, and that in the fittest time, (Luk. 18.) his coming being quick enough in his judgement, when sometimes it seems slow to ours.   

21  
The children of Anak and Achitophel, out of the acknowledgement of their own strength, and cunning, think that if God would have any servants, he would choose such able men as themselves, and not the meaner sort whom they despise with the pharisees, saying; Doth any of the pharisees believe in him, but this base people which is accursed? Again, they are persuaded, that if God would not find out them, they could find out God, sooner than the simple swain, that believes, as they think, only out of a low spirited fear. But let them know, that the more earthen the vessel is, the more is the glory of him, that doth great works in it. For the baseness of the vessel puts away all the glory from itself, unto God. Therefore according to God's speech of Gideons' army; They are too many for me, to overcome Midian by them, we may say of these jolly men: They are too good for God to work his glory by them: yet humility acknowledging all sufficiency to be from God, and to be nothing without him, might take them down, and so make them fit for God. But as for the finding of God in Christ without his own light, surely they may as well find the Sun in the night, and the secrets of the spirit of man, when the man himself is silent. God must shine, if he will be seen; he must both tell his secrets, and give an understanding to conceive them, if man shall receive them. As no man can see God & live, so no natural man can see Christ who is God, as long as he lives a mere natural man. He must die; and especially to his own wisdom; and his very sight, which he magnifies, for clearness, must be acknowledged for blindness, and be brought to be cured by the lightsome Spirit of Christ, which then will show him from whom itself proceeded.   

22  
We are gods, and not our own; so are our children, by creation, if not by sealing. Why should we doubt that God will not provide for his own, and in this doubt seek to piece out his providence, with a distrustful providence of our own, which indeed at the best, is but a shrid of his. Surely ourselves and our children, being more his then ours, and his love to his own, being purer, and wiser than ours, we might rest well contented with that portion which is granted by him, to our lawful endeavours. For the heavenly Father, giveth good, yea the best gifts though the earthly fathers would feign sometimes give greater once. But the greatness which the earthly desire, is earthly, but the good (which also is great) that the heavenly gives, is heavenvly; And this God knows to be a substantial blessing, for it is blessedness itself, stretching beyond time, & reaching in place above moth and rust. Be we then thankesgivers, & not murmurers, when we or our children, have store of grace, though with little wealth; for we are then very rich in the true treasure, though not in the vanishing; and our Father hath provided for us many cities, and a large inheritance (Luk. 19 17.) in the land of the living.   

23  
The Scripture hath authority, & selfe-upholding in itself, because it is the word of God; and this it hath, and is, whether men receive it or not. Truth is as much truth when it is not acknowledged, as when it is. But the true manner of receiving it is this. At first the Church enlightened by God's Spirit, saw & beheld in it the truth of God, received it, and commended it to all to be believed. Now the learners of Christianity, receive it first on this commendation of the Church, before by it they receive the Spirit to discern it; As children believe rules given by their Masters upon trust, before that by the rules, they come to the knowledge that they are right rules. But after having been enlightened by the Spirit, they receive it then, upon their own knowledge, as the first Church did. And thus proceeding they come at last to judge the Church itself, by that word, which before they received from the Church. So while I am a natural man, I receive the word of men; but when I become a spiritual man, which discerneth all things, I then discern it to be the word by the Spirit. And the belief which comes from this spiritual discerning, is truly and only faith, the former is only credence and trust; the one hath the very word for the object thereof, the other, the persons of men. Now miserable is the estate of that Church that hedgeth in men within that trust, and never doth suffer them, or at least encourage them to proceed to faith. Where it is taught that it is sufficient to believe the Church, there man's mind is persuaded to rest in that belief, and careth not to believe the word for itself. Such a persuasion fasteneth the eye on men, and turneth it from the word of light which giveth light to the simple, and might, and would be seen itself. Indeed it is an excellent cover for a bad Religion, for it keeps men within the pale of security since they must ask their teachers only whether their teachers be deceived. By the same rule may the Alcoran also be established, or any the most pestilent Heresy, if men must be bounded by their teachers, and not look beyond their teaching. But far more blessed are they, if they be also blessed with thankfulness, who may look Divine truth in the face, and love it for the beauty which themselves behold in it. And as men have happiness hereby, so hath God his glory, who scorneth that his word should have men to give their word for it. It is a word that standeth by itself, it approveth itself. And lest men should say, that the former trust helps the weakness of men, and not of the word; they should know, that God hath taken course himself, that man should not still continue in such a weakness, that still might need such help. For as he gives the word to shine from without, so he gives his Spirit to shine within, that the light of the Spirit might apprehend the light of the word. Let us not therefore forsake this invincible rock of Christian religion, even a self-approving, and selfe-establishing authority of the word. For as hreby it is strong in it own strength, & so beareth itself unmovable, against all exception, so herein it excelleth all errors and heresies, since none of them can stand in their own power. Be this then the privilege of the word, never to be lost.   

24  
There are in man naturally, three knowledges of good and evil: one of reason, which is true, as far as reason guides it. Another of instinct, imprinted into the nature of man at his creation; such a knowledge thinks it good to love our children, to relieve the distressed, and thinks the contrary evil. Hereto is joined that natural affection, which Paul commends, Rom. 1. but in this sometimes is excess, sometimes defect; and therefore it must be advanced or lessened, as the measure of reason requires. A third is of lust, and sometimes called by us humour, which esteems things good or evil, out of some blind affection, not for any reason or just cause. So some love killing, and hate mercy, some love trouble, and hate quietness, some love nothing but wealth, some utterly neglect it, some think fame to be good, and honesty foolishness. This came with the fall, and hereof we must take heed in all our actions: for this is that darkness, which brings forth the works of darkness, and leads to eternal darkness.   

25  
The things of the next world, are as certain as these here: for the same word that said, Let these be, and they were; saith also, There are such incomprehensible things prepared for them that love God. They are as certainly known by faith, as these by sight; as truly, though not so largely. For Moses saw them certainly; else perchance for them would he not have forsaken the certain pleasures of sin. And the Word saith, that his faith truly saw God; and no one true thing, is more true, than another. Again, the things invisible, are certainly better than the visible: for holy men have ever despised the present for those to come. The heart can conceive temporal things, but not eternal; and that which is of God, is infinitely inferior to God himself. But what is the reason then that we choose them not, being certainly known, and far better? The reason is, because our station is natural, elementary and gross, and likeness makes love only to like. Therefore also the things above being supernatural and pure, must have a mind of like temper to love them. There must be a new station, a second work, even stinting and crossing nature. Yea, we must have a mind lifted above nature, to love things above nature, we must be raised above flesh into an heavenly knowledge, to see heavenly truth, not sinking with beasts into the low region of seeing, touching, and tasting. Thus lifted up and made spiritual, we shall discern and approve spiritual things, as the natural man doth the objects of nature. Therefore let us importune God, the Father of this better nature, that he will distill into us some drops of that heavenvly dew, which may give us heavenly minds, and make us to love the things of heaven, as much as flesh and blood doth things of earth. Surely until then, the wise Naturalist, thinks happiness folly; and then the spiritual man demonstrably seethe and proveth all present things to be vain vanity. Until than we are but great children, or brute beasts concluded under the senses; and we then only are men, when we get the image of God our Father, which both knows him, and is known of him. Such were they whom God made at first, & such are they whom God now makes again.   

26  
If every thing be desirable according to the benefit thereof, than either prosperity or adversity may be loved, and neither determinately hated or condemned. For either is very profitable to a man, and most commonly, adversity. Let us therefore cease to despise it in others, or impatiently to bear it in ourselves, since adversity hath whipped many to heaven, when prosperity hath coached more to hell. Let us leave off, with children only to desire pleasant things, and grown into men in Christ, let us desire wholesome things. It is better in good sadness to be saved, then in good fellowship to be damned.   

27  
The Church truly and rightly calleth God her salvation. By God is not one person only meant, but the whole three persons. For God the Father, through his Son, by the holy Ghost, saveth us. God the Father, principally out of a fundamental love elected us, appointed & gave the means, by which this election might produce salvation. God the Son principally did put himself into the very work of our salvation, and became the main matter, means and treasury thereof. God the holy Ghost principally distributeth and imparteth by particular gift and application, the salvation, which was foreordained by the Father, and is treasured up in the Son. So the whole Trinity joineth together in this our happiness, it being absolutely necessary toward our salvation, that there should be an election and appointment of the means, an actual exhibition of the means appointed, and an actual application of the means exhibited. Therefore when we say, we are saved by Christ, we mean not, that we are saved by the second person only, and the human nature united to him: but with Saint Paul we mean, that whole God was in Christ, and reconciled the world to himself. Accordingly in our due thanksgivings, when we praise God for his gifts toward the new life, we ascribe glory to him for our Election, for our justification, for our Regeneration, which are the main works of our salvation, and are the joint-workes of the undivided Trinity. But yet we can follow this truth no farther, than it goes before us. Therefore when we come to regeneration, there must we stop and look no further for salvation, for therein is our salvation accomplished, and all the parts thereof perfected. If after we will go on to works as to further causes of our salvation, we go beyond the truth, being past the Godhead, and come unto man. For though it may be said, that God worketh these works in man, yet man joineth therein with God. Now the salvation of man is derived into man from God alone, and is then absolute and full in parts, when Election, justification, and Regeneration, the absolute and only works of the Trinity, have wrought upon him. For regeneration having put into man, the seed of God which is the seed of life; Man is then translated from death to life; and having begotten him the Son of God, he is then the heir of promised glory and eternity. Indeed works coming after the state and right of life and glory, their goodness, as it comes from God, so it shall be rewarded by God, increasing the degrees of that glory, wherein before we had an undeniable property, and title. Therefore works add not a new part of salvation but only increase the issues, and fruit of a part formerly possessed. Accordingly doth the Divine song of that ravished soul, orderly declare Gods saving of us from our enemies to go before our serving of God, in holiness all the days of our life: So works themselves are placed, as fruits of our salvation, and therefore the glory given to works, is but as the fruit of the fruit of salvation. But why then shall it be said; Come ye blessed, for ye fed me; and blessed are they that keep the commandments, that their right may be in the tree of Life; So that good works seem to justify and save in the day of judgement. Herein comparisons may enlighten, though not prove. If a man have a wife of a suspected life, whose many children when the dying husband calleth before him, he saith to those that lively represent him; Come to me the true sons of Me your Father, you truly resemble me, therefore to you shall be given the inheritance of your Father. Here for their countenance and proportion is the inheritance adjudged to them, yet is it not for that indeed given them, but because thereby they are judged to be sons, for which Sonship, the inheritance is verily given them. So doth God in his great judgement, he will judge men to be his sons by their good works, it being impossible that good works can come from any cause but Regeneration, and for the regenerate sons, was the kingdom of glory long agone prepared even by that election which was before the world. So the word, For, doth not still imply the cause itself, but sometimes an inseparable sign annexed to the cause, as if it should be said: My sons are heirs of my kingdom, & those which are my sons, and they only bring forth the works of love; these works have I seen in you, therefore do I acknowledge you to be my sons, enter into your Father's joy.   

28  
There are two things without in the word, which witness it to be excellent above nature; A supernatural truth, and a supernatural holiness; There are also two supernatural things within a Christian, which join their inward witnessing to the outward; A supernatural enlightening, to acknowledge, and believe this truth; and a supernatural virtue changing the will into a conformity with this holiness. So in the mouth of many witnesses standeth firm the truth of divine truth.   

29  
Man and the earth are grown wild by the fall of Adam, both bring forth weeds of their own nature. But as the earth is cured by husbandry & good seed, so by the regeneration of Christ the chief husbandman, and the seed of the word, man is brought into a fruitful nature, and hath a remedy for the first Adam by the last. Blessed be the word which is God, and reverenced and desired be the word of that Word which is of God, for of them is our life and health.   

30  
As a man in his first conversion yielded himself into a general submission unto the spirit, so must he do in every particular action; and then most resolutely when sin tempteth most strongly ourselves. We made our covenant at first for the whole, and continually we must perform the parts of the promised whole. When we gave ourselves to the spirit, of dead branches to be made lively branches, withal inclusively, we gave ourselves to bring forth the continual fruit of living branches; which is done by a continual sucking of life from the spirit which quickeneth us. Now if we rest contented only with our first engrafting, though the Almightiness of him whose seed is immortal, and who will not fail of his end, may preserve us alive, yet do we what we may to kill ourselves, and to falsify our covenant with him: who therefore being offended will chastise us with temporal judgements, and desertions, and will show that when he is angry he is a consuming fire. But let the true sons keep near to their father, let them keep close to his spirit, moving at every motion of it, and filling the wants in their Lamps with the continual oil thereof; for this spirit is our very life and the witness thereof; By our general resignation this life entered, and by particular resignation this life increaseth; so the more we sow to this spirit, the more we shall reap of life eternal. Again, as a man in his great & main conversion from a sinner & guilty, to a sanctified and justified man, goeth over himself in general with that judgement of the Law, whereby finding himself a man of death, he flieth unto Christ, who baptizeth him from his guilt, and sinfulness by his Blood and Spirit; giving both his actual righteousness; and the spirits habitual righteousness; so after the committing of every particular sin, we should go over it with a particular judgement of the Law, whereby acknowledging it to be a work of death, we should fly to a particular application of the great Baptism: that so putting away the particular guilt of that sin by the washing of Christ's blood, and the particular uncleanness of that sin by the washing of Christ's Spirit, we which before were generally cleansed and justified, may also have a particular and continual cleansing and justification. For our inward and outward Baptism though at once performed, is of continual use, and daily we must have a recourse thereto (to wit by the outward remembering and passing to the inward) that the stock of justification, and sanctification at first imparted may be daily applied, and distributed to our particular necessities. And though being in Christ we have in him justification and sanctification, yet God expecteth we shall not let either of them shift for itself, and to work on us, not working therewith. But he looketh that daily sinning against him, we should daily offer up to him the justification of Christ to purge away the guilt of sin; and daily request of him the Spirit of sanctification, and the increase thereof to purge away the defiling of sin. Thus doing we keep ourselves in continual pureness, and to be pure we must do thus; And because the latter is most painful but absolutely necessary, we must give great heed thereto. For all sin leaving on us guilt, and a stain, the guilt is not ordinarily forgiven except the stain be taken away; therefore as oft as we would be forgiven of the guilt by Christ's blood, let us ask Christ's Spirit to wash away the spot contracted by sin. When David will hopefully pray to be delivered from blood-guiltiness, he must pray also, Create in me a clean heart, and renew a right spirit in me. Thus must the sons and daughters of God put away every uncleanness from among them, being perfect in their purposes and endeavours, as their heavenly Father is perfect. And when they entreat this Spirit to cleanse the blemish of their soul, they must do it with a submission to the spirit, to be wholly guided & changed thereby, and particularly to have that very sin slain, which before defiled them; that the spirit may be as it were revenged on the sin which grieved it, and that it may be restored to the true place and power thereof, even of reigning & dominion over us and our sinful lusts; from which it was degraded by that rebellious sinner, which therefore must now be subjecteth and cast down under it.   

31  
Death in respect of this life seemeth to be a great evil, because it is an end of life, and of all the pleasures thereof. But the same death is rather a most excellent benefit which putteth us out of this life subject to evil, and whose natural happiness is in the creature, into an eternal life beyond the reach of evil, whose happiness is the enjoying of the infinite fullness of the Creator, in whom the goodness of the creature is also included. Therefore death is a gate, whose near side, though it seem covered with blackness, yet the inner side is covered with shining gold, and the purest light hath her dwelling there. Let us therefore with the holy men of God by faith, look to the farther side of this partition, let us pierce beyond darkness unto light, beyond the shade unto glory, not sticking altogether with the blind multitude on the darkness, which is on this side, as bounded therewith. Then with Paul shall we cry to be dissolved to be with Christ, we shall so admire the inside, that we shall despise the outside; we shall with the holy Martyrs & Saints push at this gate, saying, Open the everlasting doors, that we may enter in unto the King of glory. Besides, if we will look from ourselves to other creatures, worms, birds and cattle die for the profit of men, yea for their pleasure; yet man created them not, neither can claim any right to this power of their lives, but by gift. But God by creation hath a right to man, and for his glory hath appointed man to die, which oweth infinitely more to God, than the creatures to man: yet man is loath to do that for God, which without feeling he will have the beasts do for him. But, O man, yield to thy Maker, be thou for him, who hath made the beasts for thee, and therefore himself. Break not this appointed order: thou hast this addition of comfort, thou goest to happiness when thou diest, and so God doth not kill thee, but call for thee. He takes thee not from being, but altars thy being, and makes it better; follow him gladly therefore, removing thee to bliss: and the Law which thou willingly allowest on the creature to his extinguishment, allow also upon thyself for thy advantage. But if thou wilt not yet away, thou must, thou mayst lose the benefit which might be made of it, but escape thou canst not; the decree of heaven must stand in despite of thee; and to conform ourselves to it, is our chief wisdom and ease.   

32  
Many things are troublesome and full of work; one thing is easy, ready and mannageable. Many things can tend no farther than this world, which tendeth but to vanity and corruption; one thing tendeth to eternity, and to happiness in eternity. Again, these many things leading to vanity, hinder much that one thing which leadeth to eternal felicity. Let men therefore choose that one which is easy, and rewardeth with happiness, rather than the many which cumber us, only for vanity. But especially let them beware, that with those many things of vanity they cumber and hinder not that one thing of felicity. Let them beware, that with temporal trouble, they purchase not trouble eternal; and so take pains never to be out of trouble. Many there are, who have a smoking flax of religion in them, and ambition or covetousness allureth them to put into their hearts, the many things which are cumbersome, thinking still to retain room for that one thing which is necessary. But by little and little the many things so possess the heart, that the one thing is thronged out, and the smoke which might have been a fire, is no longer a smoke. Thus do they kill the spiritual life which began in them, and with many cares buy death eternal. But pity yourselves, O ye sons of Adam; know your strength, and take heed you sell not your souls for the whole world. Some indeed have a greater force and dispatch to turn over many worldly businesses, but take heed thou overlay it not. Some are weak, and a little overthroweth them. Let not a horse undertake the burden of a Camel, and let neither go beyond his strength: the surest way is, to be faulty (if on any side) on the best, and surest side; therefore be sure thou allow enough to that one thing which is necessary, though thou abridge and lessen those many things, which are troublesome and transitory. But if thou fillest and ladest thyself with care, thou becomest indeed a Camel, even a beast of burden, thou canst not go through the eye of the needle, thou hast too much about thee, to go in at the strait gate of the Kingdom of heaven.   

33  
Mankind hath rooted in it a faculty, or rather an impotency of desiring, which cleaveth fast to him through his whole life. Whatsoever outward changes befall, or whatsoever prosperity without change, there is a root of lust and desire in man, which still will bud forth; and if it fasten on nothing to be desired, it is in pain, and desireth earnestly to desire something. The reason of this, is the saying of Christ, That which is born of flesh is flesh: to wit, that which is borne of fleshly lust, is lustful flesh, the effect is like the cause. Hence are those endless desires, which are ever reaching, though without need, with out use. Hence it is, that the man who is ignorant of his own nature, so often deceiveth himself, while as often he telleth himself, that such a thing had, he will leave desiring. For even after that had, he desires afresh, and on that very thing ofttimes whereby he thought to bond the old, he raiseth a new desire: the whiles he perceiveth not, that himself is still the cause of his desires, and not the objects; so that whiles he is himself, he shall still desire: Indeed when a thing desired is enjoyed, the desire seemeth to cease, and then man thinks he will desire no more. But that is but one single desire, which ceaseth by the obtaining of that his object, the power of desiring still remaineth unslain, and is no more taken away, than a root by the breaking of a single branch; therefore it still newly buddeth out, and makes endless work, upon the end of one desire, sending forth a new. But what remedy is there to this evil? Surely we must not run so much to objects thereby to satisfy and quiet desires, which is endless; as to ourselves, to kill them all in the root. But this evil cleaveth so fast to man, that except man can be untwined from himself (which is also very hard) it seems impossible to be cleared. And this very thing that is impossible to man, is possible to God, and done by God. He by regeneration putteth a new man into us, which eateth out the old man corrupt through these deceivable lusts. This new man teacheth and moveth us to deny the lusts which fight against the soul. It changeth us and our nature, and makes us dead unto lusts, and alive unto truth and reason. Therefore if we will be at rest in ourselves, and keep a perpetual Sabbath in our souls, let us pray for this godly nature unto God the father of it, which may free us from this slavery of lust, (that like the Egyptian bondage still sends us about to seek work for ourselves) and may put into us holy, reasonable, and measured desires. Let us give ourselves wholly to be led by the light and motion thereof, taking no care to fulfil the unlimited lusts of the flesh; And surely this world of vanity is not worth a long or large desire, neither is the lustful desire of any thing, more than a sickness & labour of the mind, and no help to the thing desired.   

34  
As a man Regenerate hath two natures in him, so have temporal evils which fall on him, two natures and effects instilled into them from the former two. For first by the old man they have a taste wholly bitter put upon them; they are to it proposed and beheld as punishments, even the strokes of God hating and afflicting. This made many holy men cry out in their agonies that God hated them, that he did set them as Marks, that they were borne unto sorrow and darkness. But the godly nature which we have from Christ, touching these afflictions when they touch us, turns them as the waters of Marah into wholesome sustenance, yea into medicines; For Christ is active even upon his passions, both in himself and his members. And as all such troubles are sanctified by the touch thereof, so doth the same nature inwardly teach us that these chastisements are the strokes of a loving Father: & withal it so comforteth and assuageth our souls with the oils thereof, that we rejoice amid tribulations: & among the complaints of the old man, there often break forth pangs of joy sent from this holy and blessed nature, as we find in the writings of the Prophets. Let us therefore in our sufferings not so much look to the outward show of temporal evils, but go inwardly into that temple of ours where the holy Spirit dwelleth, and there let us ask advice of it, & inquire what they are; This Spirit will answer us with comfort, that they are blessings, that they are blessed to us, that they cure us, being heavenly exercises imposed to suppress our corruption, to keep our new man active and able, & to make him bring forth the fruit of patience, and righteousness. And if we hearken with belief and rest to the spirit thus informing us, we shall see the promised effects, even increase of sanctification and glorification.   

35  
Most rightly doth the wisdom & grace of God inform us against lust, which is the main root of sin, a mistress of folly, & an inventor of torments. It is still begetting of sin, for still it setteth us either against God, or holdeth us from him, by committing evil, and omitting good; it wrappeth us in continual folly, for itself is blindness and possessing the understanding neither seethe itself, neither suffers it to see. Accordingly it employs man in many endless, unprofitable yea impossible projects, which condemn the man that laboureth in them of a dark and deceived judgement, and withal punisheth him for it; It filleth our life with torments, for whereas enjoying, is the comfort & chief portion out of this life, lusts never suffer men to enjoy, or at least not long, but sets him still on new work, and spurs him unto new travails. It tells the mind that which thou hast is nothing, except thou have some other addition & increase: that which thou art is nothing, except thou some way increase it thyself. So is the soul still driven from her rest, & made a Lackey to trudge on the businesses of lust; Amidst which travails she meets with many crosses, fears, griefs, which like thieves and wild beasts stand ready for them which go that dangerous way; how much better were it for the soul to cut itself off by divine circumcision from this accursed lust, and to join itself to grace, the contrary and remedy thereof? For grace will draw us nearer to God our happiness, it will make us to rest in God, and by conforming us to him will both please him and bless us: it will be a light to our souls, even a day-star in our hearts, showing us ways right profitable and possible; it will ease us from many harsh and laborious services, teaching us to believe, that it is far better to walk in the sight of the eye, then in the lusts of the flesh.   

36  
There are many considerations which would allay the swelling of Ambition, if they were as duly applied to it by reason as glorious objects are to it by corrupted nature. Now since with natural men, natural thoughts fit best, let us talk with them in their own language. It is a confessed thing by all that understand this life, that enjoying is the height & utmost of life, and the more solid and hearty enjoying, the higher is that height. This being chiefest, to that should the mind chiefly aspire; for if it go to that which seems higher, but is not, it sells substance for shadow, and being, for seeming. Now if we inquire in what estate this enjoying is greatest, we shall find in that wherein natural, and as we term them, kindly affections, and desires, have most satisfaction. For indeed what comparison is their between the imagination of being pointed at for greatness, and the solid sweetness of being loved of a wise and honest friend? What comparison between the officious and heartless compliments of seruice-offring-flatterers, and the obsequious love of a chaste wife, and dutiful children? what equality between the delicate invitations of a dainty feast unto a cloyed stomach, and the sweetness of plain fare to a natural appetite, which desireth it not▪ being desired of it. If these be the better comforts of life, and that life is better which hath most of them, then in a mean degree and not still in the greater is the best portion of life. Therefore it is not amiss for men sometimes to aspire downwards even to the conditions of an estate beneath themselves. This I set forth not as persuading an universal privateness (which as man's overspreading ambition will ever make impossible, so it needeth not) but only in a public fortune to carry a private mind not swilling in too general and large desires, but bounded within natural, and becoming affections. And this, not to make a heaven of it on earth, as the Philosopher in vain assayed, in a world so thoroughly tempered and seasoned with misery; but to draw men upon profitable and advantageable terms into the most quiet and orderly compass of life; that the order and quietness thereof might allow room for the practice of some course profitable to the Commonwealth, and especially to the contemplation of a better life. For these are too much put out of mind by swollen Ambition; that oft so takes up the whole heart, that it thrusts this present life, the country wherein life was received, and that country where only true life and happiness shall be, beyond all care and remembrance.   

37  
The pleasures of this world after they are passed, (and after they begin they are going to be passed) are as much nothing as if they had not been. Therefore when sinful pleasures tempt us, let us think, that if we by Religion put them not from being, they will even by being put themselves from being. Wherefore let us much rather choose, that grace should make them to be nothing, and to perform an acceptable work to God, which shall have his reward, then give them leave by their own nature to bring themselves to the same nothing, and yet to leave guilt behind, and obligation to punishment. But if the mind will needs dote on dying pleasantness, let the same mind at that same time know and believe the pleasure of seeing God's face, infinitely to exceed this both in quantity and in quality, and that it shall as certainly appear to us hereafter, as these do now, if we refuse these for it. There is no odds that may dissuade us, but presentness of the one, and futurenesse of the other; which being again unmeasurablely overwaied by advantage of excellency and eternity, should so mainly carry us, that we should despise the presentness of all sinful pleasures, much more than jacob his next present seven years liberty for Rachel; or one that proveth masteries his present ease and pleasure for a corruptible crown.   

38  
The affections of man are useful and commendable, meeting with fit occasions, and limited by due measure. But they are commonly inordinate among us, and lay hold on wrong objects, or on true in wrong measure. joy is good, yea necessary, when God's love is beheld and considered. And joy is good, when God's blessings are powered upon us, for even that joy is the gift of God: but joy oft transgresseth; for it rejoiceth more in the blessings, then in God; and it is too lively in temporal things, and too dull in eternal. Yea, it rejoiceth sometimes in sin, our own or others, which is a joy in the place of sorrow. For sorrow, though hated, is also very profitable, and excellently meet for the sinful and miserable estate of man. Sin, when it hath mired the soul, by repentant sorrow hath the filth, (though not guilt) washed away, and indeed the guilt is not washed away by Christ, until the filth be washed away by spiritual sorrow. For as long as the dregs of sin lie on the soul unbathed in repentance: so long the blood of Christ, as it were, loatheth to come near it. Again, sorrow fitteth excellently the, estate of vanity and misery, that our look being sad, our heart may be made better; and that grief may stir us up to apply our hearts to wisdom, whereby we may escape through vanity and misery, into immortality and happiness. But sorrow is often faulty, when it sorrows more for losses, then for sins; which in effect is more for losses of this life, then of life eternal. It is faulty also, when it is stubborn against spiritual joy, and will not let the heart rejoice in the mercy of God, though he bid it rejoice continually; yea hatred itself is good, yet in one only cause, when it is against men that hate God; for than may we hate both their wickedness, and them as our utter enemies. Yet we must beware we hate not men for some single sin, who otherwise strive to live uprightly; for in many things we offend all, and have need ourselves in such cases often to be spared. To such belongs the Spirit of meekness to restore them; and if David say, I have sinned against God, the Prophet must say, Thy sin is also forgiven thee. But the habitual and greedy sinner, that putteth God far from him, and in defiance saith, Who is the Lord; this man is odious, and jehosaphat shall be bitterly chidden if he love them; yet the bond of charity may still hold on, which must watch that our hatred be for God's sake only, and not our own (for man ought not to hate man in his own behalf.) Beside this, charity must pray for the amendment of him; for charity to man desireth the preservation, not the destruction of man, as far as it may, without▪ offending the charity of God. But summarily to bring all affections into their true use and proportion, let us find out both their use and measure in the word of light, kindling or quenching them, lengthening or shortening them, according to the direction and line thereof.   

39  
The best knowledge hath been anciently thought to be man's knowledge of himself: but the best knowledge indeed being the knowledge of the best, which is God, the knowledge of man comes next in worth, who is the next best in this lower world, and whom God known, teacheth and commandeth to know himself, and who by knowing himself shall the better know God. Now the immediate use of this knowledge being to better the knower, he that will make most use thereof, must learn to know himself most in those parts and faculties, which are of most use and excellence. Therefore on the soul, let the soul of man especially fasten her eyes, that knowing herself with a right and true knowledge, she may find what is right in her, to continue and confirm it; and which is crooked and corrupted, to avoid & amend it. But to do this clearly, she hath need of some light above her own; for it is hard for the blind soul to see her own blindness. Therefore begging for that eyesalve of the greatest Light, and so having obtained it, let her go on to a true search and inquiry of herself. In this inquiry, let her generally compare the resolutions of her understanding, and the inclinations of her will, with the laws of her Maker. For seeing the soul did, and should bear the Image of God, which Image, the laws of God truly and unchangeably express: it is a certain truth, that wherein the soul differeth and boweth from these laws, in understanding or will; therein, and in so much, the soul differeth from God, and hath abated and altered his Image. And this is indeed a chief and most worthy employment of man's time on earth, when the soul looks into God's love, as into a glass, and thereby trimmeth and fitteth herself for her Maker, against the day of her appearance before his glorious Self, who cannot abide to see any thing near him that is unlike him. Now there are some parcels and remnants of this Law, yet remaining of the first writing in the nature of man: but if we will read profitably therein, we must take heed we follow it not too far, but still compare it with the Law written, because there are but small broken and corrupted pieces thereof. While we are in this search, as generality and custom are great binder's of the soul unto error and corruption, so a suspicion that a general estimation of things may proceed from the understanding deceived, or the will corrupted, may be a great help to bring the soul into her place and true estate. For to suspect deceit, is a first and excellent degree toward being undeceived; & unto this suspicion of men's wisest and most esteemed opinions, the word of truth giveth us a good foundation, while it says, that many things which are highly esteemed among men, are abominable in the sight of God. And of this again, there is an unfallible reason, even the corruptness of the soul by the fall of man. For this depravation mightily possessing the understanding, makes it in the best judgement thereof, to think deceitfully of things, and withal to think these deceived thoughts wise, because it knoweth nothing beyond them. But let the soul that prepareth herself for God, untie herself from herself, as from a thing corrupted, and from the world, as from a multitude of such things as herself is; equally blinded, and walking in the same darkness, though among themselves they be agreed to call it light. Thus putting off her own corruption and that of the world, she is fit and ready to be new stamped with the image of her Creator, and to be enlightened with truth in her understanding, and to put on rightness in her will, which let her learn from the law, and desire to have engraven in her by grace. In this course there will be many Rubs, the glorious folly of the world will mock thy particular and desolate wisdom, it will dissuade thee from singularity and desire, or provoke thee to err with company; it will ask thee whether the rulers do believe as thou dost; yea thine own corruption will sometime strike thee into astonishment, and make thee muse and wonder whether thou art in a right mind and purpose. But go on unchanged, knowing that thou seekest not what is usual, but what is right, and the pattern to which thou art fitting thyself is not man but God; even a pattern of perfection beyond all exception. This is also their duty if they considered it. Therefore let them that would turn thee, return to thee, Return not thou to them. When thou shalt present thyself before God, the more holy and unblamable thou art, the more acceptable shalt thou be to him, who will not ask what company came with thee, but will know and acknowledge his sons by their likeness to him, and accordingly reward them as that is more or less; & then shall it be no sorrow of heart to thee, that thou hast gone out of thyself, and the world, to pass through somewhat more unsociably into happiness.   

40  
God is the judge of the world, and judgeth it generally by two kinds of judgement. The first is by Deputies, and so by Kings, Magistrates and judges, he judgeth mankind. It is the judgement of God which is committed to them, and they are his mouth to the people▪ How wicked and false are they then, that out of the mouth of God give not the judgement of God, but of their own corruption! that seek not what God judgeth of the case, but what themselves may judge, corruptly, if covertly. These are in the rank of the old false Prophets, which said the Lord saith, when he speaketh not by them. Thou standest o corrupt man, in the place of God, to represent him, but thou actest this part ill favouredly, and instead of representing the pure, and by-bribes-unflexible Lord of the world, thou playest the part of a base and rotten-harted slave; so dost thou express thy own vice not his justice, and we receive that judgement of money, not of God. Yet is that indeed thy God, and tells thee what sentence thou shalt give; and all this is wisdom if concealed from the eyes of men. But even for that point also know this, that though thou art only in that place deputed to judge, yet many others, particulars being heard, can & do judge as well as thyself: these see & feel when the bias of covetousness, and corruptions, carry thee from the strait line of justice; they feel when the judge is some way allied to the cause, & hath some feeling of it, because he or his have felt some thing for it; yea generally they talk of it, though out of hearing; for corruptness though it have no other goodness, hath yet some modesty, and is ashamed to hear itself spoken of, for it knoweth itself to be a vice: yet this is one more vice of that vice, to rage's more against others that reveal it, then against the owner of it, that did such a thing which might justly shame the Author of it, if revealed. Let such a one be rather angry with himself for doing ill, then with another, for speaking truth. But because through this net of human justice and deputative judgement, many guilty, if profitable offenders break out and escape, God hath another greater net which he casts without these, wherein he takes both the escapers, and the givers of leave to escape; This is the great and general judgement, wherein God in person will sit as judge, and will examine the judges themselves and the judged. Then the righteous judge of the world, shall justify the judges that have judged righteously in this world; But there they, that now are wrongfully justified shall justly be condemned, and the movable judges that miss their part, and changing judgement, spoke from themselves, when they should have spoken from God, shall have their faults repeated unto them, if unrepeated; and by the just mouth of God himself, shall with their faults be delivered to Satan the jailer, who shall carry them to the dungeon, where the worm dieth not, nor the fire goeth out. But because such men do fortify their consciences, against the terrors of the Lord, and his fearefully-great judgement, and put the evil day either wholly or far from them; that they be not utterly without fear in this world, God doth many times by particular judgements strike, either them, their issue, or those whom they have justified in offences; by which particular strokes on some among many, he puts them in mind that he which now judgeth some, shall hereafter judge all sin, being equally odious in all, and equally liable to judgement. He strikes not all, yet, because general justice is reserved for the general judgement; But he strikes some, that their judgement might to all be an earnest of a general judgement, and might in the mean time terrify men from wickedness by present plagues, who fear not the future.   

41  
Moreover; it is a great motive from sin, the shortness of the time between sin and punishment: there is nothing but life between them; & howsoever we lengthen it in our imagination to keep us from fear of punishment, yet if we consider it by the most earnest and most trusted judgement, which is that of the worldly wise, it is thereby valued but at seven years or thereabout; yet if it be (as it is but with some) a continuance of thirty or forty years, after thou comest to thy full age of wickedness, ask the worldling what he thinketh of himself when he hath such a term in a living. He will by no means think himself a settled man, he will not much build upon it, for he holds it but a short time, and is continually troubled that it wears so fast & is so near an end. Surely the devil hath a great advantage upon us by this deceit of our flesh, that it can tell us truths in many things when their use and end is earthly, but tells us falsehoods in the same things when their use is heavenly; it makes us wise for matters of this generation, but not for those of the Regeneration. But let us, where there is such a truth so found, take the line from the worldly things, and lay it on the spiritual, then shall we find that grossly to appear, which before was not perceived, and so may we deceive the Devil himself, his advantage being made ours. Accordingly let us take that life, wherewith the wisdom of the world doth measure life for worldly purposes, and lay it on the same life for our spiritual use: then shall we find that the sinful pleasures of life, are but pleasures for a season, & that a short one, and that there is but the same short season between pleasant sin and eternal punishments.   

42  
He that will find a good friend let him seek a good Christian. For a Christian is more than a man, and hath the strength of God added to the strength of man: Christ the Rock is his foundation, and he will stand the billows, and beat back the tempests, for he is founded on a Rock. But the Moralist, and the Roman of these times, are but flesh and blood, sand and dust; therefore floods and tempests wash him, and blow him away. Wonder not therefore my soul with the world, neither take up the usual complaints of the deceivable uncertainty of friends. Those that were once true friends are still so, those that are not, never were. If they had been of us, they would have continued with us. If they had been truly Christian, love would have grown in them, not decayed▪ For it is a special business of a Christian in this life to grow up unto Christ in love: but their not continuing with us, shows they were not of us: so they do us not wrong, but right by departing from us; for they rid us of ill company, and tell our judgement the truth, which before was deceived in them. Yet that we deceive ourselves no more, let us fasten on such no expectation: let us try the spirits, and if by true experience we find a spirit begotten of God, let us take him for that friend, which is better than a mere brother. Thy heart and his are one, and they will agree in spite of the devil; though he come against them accompanied with the flesh and the world; yea if such two should be stirred as Barnabas and Paul even unto parting, being parted, they would meet in love, and do the offices of friendship each to other, upon any occasion. The heavenly loadstone, even Christ's Spirit of love hath touched them, therefore though stirred, they return to their point, and still rest in love.   

43  
When Adam was created, there was no corrupt lust: when there was no such lust, there was no shame; generation was clean, and merely pure: and when generation was pure, than the nearest kindred could not defile themselves with it, for pure things defile not. Therefore rightly God, who had abundance of Spirit, made but one male and female, who could have made many more: for though there were enforced thereby an intermarriage between brethren and sisters, yet thereby was enforced no incest; for when marriage and generation were pure and without shame, than the brother discovered not the shame of his sister, which is the wickedness and unlawfulness of incest. And thus might the state of generation have continued in all posterities, if the state of the creation had continued: But man by his fall brought in lust, and thereby shame, and by both a necessity of incest, which was not before. For God made only a necessity, that brethren and sisters should purely and holily marry together: but man turned this necessitated marriage into incest. For a brother and a sister being one flesh, it is a ground of nature, that the same flesh should cover the shame of the same flesh; which he that doth not, goes so far toward incest, as he goes from this covering. Now the children of Adam, being brought by Adam into this necessity, were suffered by the patience of the God of long suffering, who might still require his first course well instituted, that now by manis corrupted. After that some of the Fathers may be thought to have done the like by a spiritual necessity, that they might marry within the Church, and not with the daughters of men; or by divine indulgence and dispensation, God being the Lord of nature, and so able to change the laws of it, to give what laws he list unto it, much more to require the law in which first he created man. But for us who neither are forced by a natural necessity, the world being filled with multitude; nor with a spiritual, the multitude having in them, though fewest, seven thousand that bow not to Baal; nor any dispensation from God for it, but a law of God against it: this near intermarriage is a loathsome abomination in the eyes of God. It is a sin against nature, and so abominable even to man's first and natural apprehension.   

44  
The course of the children of God through this world unto heaven, is the very course of the Israelites from Egypt to Canaan. Israel is born in Egypt under the service of Pharaoh, and brought from under him by a mighty and outstretched Arm, escaping the death of Egypt by the blood of the Lamb. God's children are begotten in the Kingdom of Satan, and drawn from his subjection by his mighty power, who can only bind the strong man, and take away his goods. By the blood of the Lamb, Christ jesus, they also escape that death which is due to them, by being borne in the kingdom of Satan. The Israelites by the red Sea were cleared from the prosecution and danger of Egypt, and through it found a path toward the land of promise. The true Israelites by spiritual and inward baptism are dead unto sin and the kingdom of Satan, and by that death escape from them; having also a way painted out by the sanctification thereof to the Kingdom of blessedness. Forty years long after their manhood did the Israelites wander in the wilderness, until they came into Canaan: and forty years are the usual time appointed to the children of God to travel in this world, before they come to rest. And in this forty years, the only ordinary food of Israel that gave them life and comfort was Manna from heaven: and the chief food of the regenerate is the Spirit of Christ, which dwelleth in them, and is their life and comfort. Slender and light did that Manna seem to the Israelites, yet sufficed to bring them to the land of Promise: and small doth the life and comfort appear of this Spirit to fleshly reason, even of the regenerate; but it will serve to bring them to heaven, and to comfort and strengthen them by the way. Manna showed, that man liveth not by bread only, but by every word which proceedeth from the mouth of God; to teach us, that by this Spirit which proceedeth from the breath of God, we have as certain a life, as we have by bread. But as at first there was an host to fetch Israel back into bondage, and at last there were hosts, giants, & gates of brass to keep them from the possession of the Land of Promise. Accordingly when Christians are escaped from the kingdom of Satan by regeneration, and walking to jerusalem which is above, Legions and armies of wicked spirits, the gates of hell, yea Og the King of Basan, the huge Prince of hell, and the Principalities of darkness fight against them, and seek to turn back, and stop their progress unto rest. But unto Israel their enemies were as bread, even a prey and a triumph; and to us the God of peace will tread Satan under our feet, the gates of hell shall not prevail against us, but their temptations shall be our advancements, and their resistance shall give us the title of conquerors. And that we may make full benefit of this example, let us especially be careful to walk like those Israelites, which continued and perfected their course from Egypt to Canaan; the chief resemblances among the Israelites of the true Christians among us. Let us avoid the sins of them, who fell by the way: let us make great reckoning of the Manna of the Spirit, feeding, comforting, and contenting ourselves in all estates therewith; in all estates, trials, and changes. For this small dram of our new birth, though it seem to melt sometimes before the heat of tentation, and the bread thereof tastes not so strong as the onions and flesh pots of natural lust and pleasures: yet it is of the womb of the morning, it comes from the dayspring on high, it hath life eternal in it; and this little seed shall raise us up in the glorious image of the incorruptible and everliving sons of God. For the weak things of God are ever strong enough to accomplish their appointed end, they are backed with omnipotence, and if they wanted any thing in themselves, yet from that shall they draw perfect sufficiency.   

45  
The sanctified soul in this world is a widow; Christ is her husband, and he is absent from her; The senses have their pleasant objects to delight them, the flesh hath gross matter enough to satisfy the lusts thereof. But the soul beholdeth not an object for her pure joy, for he whom the soul loveth and should only love, is gone to a far country; yet is her heart towards him, she thinks still upon him though a pilgrim in a strange land; she breaketh out into longing passions and inquireth of the shepherds for him: she looks by a chink, with the eye of spiritual light into heaven, and so hath a glimpse of him for whom she is sick of love; for he stands behind a wall, this earth of ours is a partition betwixt us and him, and he looks through it but by a little grate; yet still is she his only, as he is hers, she rejoiceth in him, and remembers his love more than wine; she entreats him to draw her that she may run after him; to set her as a seal on his heart, and as a signet on his arm, for her Love is as strong as death. She fitteth herself for him by being all glorious within, and chastened reserves herself unto him as a garden enclosed, and a spring shut up. She is decked with fruitfulness, even with fullness of all sweet fruits, trees of incense & all sweet spices. Thus loving, thus glorious, thus chaste, thus holy, thus fruitful in goodness, she waiteth for his return until the eternal day break, and the earthly shadows fly away. This is a sanctified soul, go thou and do the like.   

46  
Herein is that in expressible height of God's mercy to his elect much expressed, that the most wise and laborious men in moral goodness, yet not having grace, pass under the Law, and their very goodness is condemned to be sin. For such indeed it is, not coming from him who is the only Author of goodness, nor returning to him who is the true end of all things. Yet weak and sinful souls, though laden with great infirmities, by the mercy of God are taken from the Law into grace, & so their many sins are forgiven them; that weak and frail men, if striving against sin, though often falling into it, might yet comfort themselves in that high mercy, which laid hold on them, and singled them out for its own sake, and not for theirs; and that no flesh might rejoice in itself; for the glory of flesh without the mercy of God, is but shame to itself, and matter for justice. As therefore we have an infinite benefit freely bestowed, let us thankfully glorify the giver, who gave it us chiefly for his own glory: and withal let us take heed that though there be so great mercy with God, yet we make not work for mercy, lest mercy tempted, turn into judgement.   

47  
The obedience of insensible, and brute creatures unto the will of God, is a great check and reproof unto the disobedience of man; Man is the chiefest of creatures, and they the lowest, yet do they as far exceed him in obedience, as he doth them in natural eminence. The will of God is a strait and fixed line, to which all things created by the same will, should so fit and fashion themselves, that they should not bow from it in any degree; This do the base things, steadfastly following the imprinted light & law of their first Creation. So the stork and swallow know their appointed times, the ox knows his owner, and the Ass his master's crib; the sea moveth in settled and unmooving course; the stars fit their many changes to a steady rule, answerable to the will of him that never changeth. But man that had a burning Lamp, even a fountain of light in his soul (whereas brute beasts have but a light determined and certain; and lifeless things have no light of reason, but an orderly influence and moving power fixed into them) this reasonable man is wholly gone astray from his rule, and not only runneth from it but against it. Thus is he far worse than things worse than himself, and openly shows, that he hath fallen and not they. What now remains, but that as this abased Lord of creatures, hath been checked and reproved by the creatures his vassals, so he should also be instructed by them? Therefore o thou man go willingly hereafter to the Ox and Ass to learn thy duty. There is in them, as in the Ass of Balaam, that which may instruct thee. Be ashamed of thy corruption and fall, but be not ashamed by any thing not fallen, to bring thyself back to the place from whence thou fellest: when thou seest creatures obedient to thee, thence know that obedience is also due to God from thee, who is infinitely more above thee, than thou above them. When thou seest mutual love between creatures of one kind, learn thence Charity to thy own kind: In sum, when thou seest any creature continuing the steady & appointed course of his kind, call thereby to mind, that there is a certain and appointed course to thee also, wherein thou shouldest as certainly satisfy the will of thy Creator, who requireth a conformity of all things in their place and order, and the chiefest of the chiefest.   

48  
It hath been an often policy of Satan, when he could not pull down good things with evil, to pull them down by setting them together by the ears between themselves. Not to mention the toomuch opposition between the reformed Christians, I can example it in the quarrels which have been between faith and works, prayer & preaching, and the commendation of the learned works of some, in a comparative despite of as profitable works of others. But this is an unkindly debate, and issueth by no means out of the nature of the things themselves, but from man's contentiousness, want of judgement, or over-prising our own apprehensions. Each virtue hath her several place, and in that place she excelleth & hath commendation, and thrusteth out no other virtue either from place or worth. The place of faith is first in the understanding, but working downward on the will and affections, it joins us to Christ; so is it the hand of the ingraffer, it sets the eye of the soul ever on God in Christ: it is excellent for union, & for all the benefits and fruits coming from that union, whereof works are a part. The place of works is chiefly in the will and affections, yet grounded in the understanding, & springing forth at the members: They express the virtue of the union, they praise and glorify him that bestowed this union; they are excellent as fruits, but they have both being & excellence from him whom faith apprehendeth. Preaching delivers words of knowledge, of reproach, of comfort, of exhortation, to our ignorance, to our sinfulness, to our despair, to our deadness of heart: yea it teacheth us how to pray, it persuadeth us to pray; prayer fetcheth down grace from the Author of grace, by which, preaching itself is made profitable, and life is put into the dead letter; it provides us for hearing, and makes us able to do what we hear. In sum, it procures help in all things from him, without whom we can do nothing. Thus it seems both faith and works, prayer and preaching, be of kin, mutual embracers, and far from that contention which is fastened to them: each desire that their fellows may have appointed time and place, because in their prosperity themselves do Horish. Now for the last kind of debate, which hath been set between excellent writers, discretion and charity might serve for a full remedy. If any one be in any thing good and profitable, charity and wisdom will rather commend that worth of his, then obscure it by comparisons: if another be more learned, it may be the less learned doth more edify; and sure it, is that such contention doth not edify at all. The Schoolmen are excellent in subtleties, they search how things are, they dig for the root; and in sum, if sifted from errors, and clearly conceived, they may give great light to the understanding. Another Divine goeth more plainly to work, he sets forth the matter without curious search of the manner, herather shows that it is, then how it is; yet he shows enough for salvation, he shows enough for the most general capacity, and withal he moves the will, and stirs up the affections to receive life, & refuse death. The first make a few men excellent, but find not often a fit great audience; they are good teachers of teachers. The later doth generally profit, he goeth into the will & affections, & unlocks the heart for God, the seat where he delights to dwell. Of this kind hath this age most need of, of which prophecies foretold, that the love of many should now wax cold, that men should love their pleasures more than God: and of which experience tells us, that knowledge hath far outrun obedience, which should follow close at the heels of it; and therefore of the two, lacks most nourishment, and encouragement. Generally, let them that build the house of God, if they hold a sword in one hand, yet hold it against the enemy, not one against another: much less let the bystanders take their swords out of their hands, and fight for them, when they will not themselves. The building is not promoted by this means, but hindered, yea, pulled down.   

49  
The evils of this life are great and many, whereof some are immediately from the hand of God, others from the wickedness of men, others from the malice of Satan; and of these also God hath the command. These evils are by men diversly received, some entertain them only with passion, and these cure one vexation with another, and add sorrow to sorrow. Some by reasons moral or natural, seek to preserve their own quietness, and these obtain not often what they seek; and if they do, they have but a fading and transitory rest, which being passed, is all one with sorrow past; for than they are both like vanity and nothing. But a third sort of receivers are they, that receive them with faith, even a believing soul, whose object is God in Christ, and which looking up to God, both sees him, and in him sees what he sees in these evils: this is the going into the Sanctuary, where the evils of this life are only truly discerned, and so thereby conquered. For looking up to God, we see him our merciful Father, unchangeable Saviour, and our steadfast happiness: we see that the evils which he sends, or directs to us, are rods of love, and their stripes are healers; they punish the flesh, and that but temporally, that the spirit may live eternally. And for the wicked, who are sometimes gods executioners, he tells us, that he beholds their wicked actions, that they stand in the slippery place of a transitory and dying life, and that they and their works shall come to judgement; and then their wrongs shall turn into eternal torments to them, & to us into eternal glory. And evils thus received are comfortable evils, for by faith, we see affliction to be a treasure everlasting, far better than treasures of Egypt; they are edifying evils, for they build us up; being beaten down in the body of sin, we are built up in grace and truth. So these believers only make benefit of evils, and in stead of being vexed by them, or receiving no advantage of them, they turn them into spiritual nourishment; therefore let us go still armed with this faith, which only overcometh the world, and makes it serviceable. It is the only strength and support of a Christian in this vale of miseries, and that which keeps him from being oppressed of them, and that helps him to suppress and use them. As much faith as we have, so much strength we have; and if we lack strength, we lack faith. If then evils pursue thee, and thou faintest under them, know that thou wantest faith, as surely as Peter did, when he began to sink. For how can the believing soul be overcome, which beholdeth the Almighty on her side, even when ten thousand hem her in? yea, which then beholdeth these evils short and transitory, yet by transitory lightness working eternal glory. Believest thou these things, and yet art thou afraid? it cannot be that thou shouldest be afraid of happiness, though entered into through affliction; but that thou dost not verily behold and apprehend it. Therefore henceforth in thy troubles go out of thy flesh, and consider not therewith; for flesh and blood will add weight unto them: but go into the Spirit, where the Comforter dwells by his anointing, working faith in thy soul; there shalt thou find wherewith to conquer, there shalt thou find wherewith to comfort, yea to better thyself by evils.   

50  
If it be asked who is the greatest fool, it may be answered, The worldly wisest man. For true wisdom is that only which finds out true happiness, and agreeth with the highest wisdom the begotten of God; proportionably, that is the greatest folly which is most laborious, curious, and effectual in seeking vanity instead of happiness: and the whilst goeth astray with all the might thereof from him, who only is the sovereign good. Therefore when thou seest a man by wicked craft gathering about him thick clay, and settling his hope and heart thereon, know him to be the great spiritual fool, and his good success therein, to be but prosperity in folly. For his deceived heart feedeth on dust and vanity; he hath forsaken the fountain of living waters, and hath hath made cisterns for waters that fail: this the end will make evident; for than it will appear even to the fool himself, that the foundation can no longer stand, than the thing on which it was founded. But in the end the earth shall melt away, & the elements shall consume with heat; and therefore the hopes built on earth, and earthly things must needs fall down, and wholly be ruined. But that infinite and eternal happiness, whose name is, I am, he is for ever. The hopes built on him cannot be shaken, the heart fixed on him, cannot be overthrown; that foundation remaineth sure, and the building thereon is Mount Zion, which cannot be moved; he will be left after all things, to receive and crown thee. Be wise therefore, O ye Princes, yea be wise, O ye wise men of the earth. Kiss the Son, even that eternal wisdom, be ye instructed by him, and then ye shall be truly wise; his Spirit will teach you that truest wisdom to lay your out money, & that for food of eternal life; to forsake these dry cisterns which contain those fading and dying pleasures, and to seek the fountain of living waters, even the God of Gods, in whose presence only is the fullness of joy, and with whom only are the pleasures for evermore.   

51  
A great burden of this Island is blasphemy, & the profanation of the name of God: a heavy, yet unprofitable sin it is, by which God is dishonoured, and man damned at a very low rate. So doth this people sell himself for nothing, and as seekers of death, rather than they will not die, they will anger God of set purpose, and without profit procure their own destruction. Surely, as it hath been well observed, this sin hath a more pure corruption and venom in it, than most of his fellows; for other sins have commonly some sensible profit or pleasure to Midwife them into the world: but this in itself is neither pleasing nor profitable, but issueth out of the mere profaneness of heart, even of a carelessness and contempt of God. For how can it be, but God is exceedingly despised and neglected, when his name is used to make up idle places of a hollow or unfilled sentence, or to vent or utter with some grace & force the choler & malice of a displeased man: But be it known to thee, O man, of what sort or degree soever thou be, that God made thee to serve him, and in part of service to fear and sanctify his name; & indeed thou art not of thyself worthy to serve, or to name him: How then darest thou to make him and his name to serve thee, thy profane discourse, & thy rash and untempered anger? It was written anciently, Holiness to the Lord; and surely where God is, holiness is about him; where God will bring any to him, he puts holiness upon them; and where his very name is, he will have holiness applied and appropriated to it. Therefore his name must be brought forth only in holy uses, and an extremely unfit match it is, to join the holiest name with the unpurest and profanest passions and speeches. If thou wearest but the vizard of a Christian, and a man should ask whether thou canst say the Lord's Prayer, and the ten Commandments, thou wilt extremely scorn the question. But assure thyself, that God infinitely more scorneth, that in that prayer, one should offer up a petition to him, that God's name should be hallowed, who cares not whether he have his petition granted or not, yea many times takes pains to make it void. And much he scorns that any should say his commandments, that care not to do them; and that the same tongue which says, Thou shalt not take the name of God in vain, should presently take the same name in vain, and so be contrary to itself, give the lie to itself, and dishonour the name which it falsely pretended to reverence. But if thou wilt needs love this sin more than God, the same God who now endures thy blasphemies with a limited patience, will one day when that patience is come to the full bounds thereof, ransom his name from thy unhallowed throat; and he who is a consuming fire shall make every touch of his name to burn in thy bowels. Then it shall be felt, though not now believed, that God is still active, and either sanctifies or consumes wheresoever he is; and if he have been in thee much but not sanctifying, he shall be in thee much also, but consuming. He is too strong for us, and so cannot suffer of us; and though he seem to do it by being taken at will into our licentious mouths, yet it is but as the taking of a coal or hook, which burn, and bite, & take the takers: so thy own wicked words shall fret into thee and become thy snare and consumption. But that every one may know his part and interest in this sin, and the judgement of it, the different degrees thereof do readily appear. There is one sort of profaners that keep open house of blasphemies, and the name of that God which dwells not in their hearts, yet issueth still at their mouths: these are in the depth of Satan, and be the eldest sons of hell. And it is to be wondered if they believe not that there is a God, how they speak so oft of him; and if they believe God to be, how they fear not to dishonour him: who if he be, must needs be just to himself, and take his own part against those that thus abuse his name. Another sort there is of them that leaving the name of God, yet use other names and words in stead thereof, and so by an evil idolatry, translate the honour of God to creatures or imaginations of their own. A third sort is of such as in every idle exclamation or admiration, at any unusual or odd matter, take up the name of God, altogether unprofitably and unseasonably: who is not to be named but with reverence, and for the bettering of ourselves or others. For as oft as we are not the better for naming him, we are the worse. These will sometimes say, if thou admonish them, that they mean no ill; but they must neither mean ill, nor do ill; and because by carelessness & unwatchfulnesse of speech this often happeneth, let those that fear God, watch their mouth, that they offend not with their tongue. And generally let all those whom God hath moved to glorify him, and to speak good of his name, teach the same to their children, that we may leave a godly seed behind us in our room; it being a complaint of this time, that children too much learn to speak English and oaths together, and so to blaspheme God almost as soon as he hath made them.   

52  
Custom of evil hath sundry great evils belonging to it; one that itself is a long succession of wickedness, and offence against God: Another, that growing into familiarity with men, at length it comes to the reputation of no vice, if not of a virtue. A third, that it takes root and establishment by continuance, and grows so stiff and immovable, that it is like the laws of the Medes and Persians which may not be altered. This course and sway it hath both in the lives of particular men, and great Churches, and that to so great a conquest of men's judgements, as well as their actions, that they have enacted a law, that an evil well settled ought not to be removed. This the Church of Rome practiseth; but as we see in the thing itself, that it is a wisdom which ascendeth from below, and is devilish and sensual: so by the consequence of it we see it is temporally dangerous to them that hold it; For this position brought that Church to this present weakness. Ambitious and commodious errors had crept into that Church, to which, time had given such strength and estimation, that it was a very especial wisdom to hold them untouched and unmoved. But they that deny just things, often provoke to the taking away of them and more; as tyranny often hath driven away kingdoms. And somewhat accordingly, while they would keep their errors, they have provoked men to take from them that which once was held lawful, though as things now stand, they may seem to have lost edification. So with their supremacy, they have lost Patriarchy, & the ten tribes are rend from that Rehoboam which would not ease the burden of his fathers. This may serve for an example even to our Churches, whereby they may learn, not to establish themselves by establishing any sinful corruption, if any such shall appear: for that very corruption by which men shall think to strengthen themselves, is likely to prove their canker and destruction. This was the justice of God of old against the Calves of jeroboam, and of late against the whoredom of Rome. Therefore according to wise Solomon, be not wise in your own eyes, but fear the Lord, and departed from evil; Let all your wise policies be grounded, or at least subordinate to true piety. Do not by defending a known sin, give a handle to a rough amender, who taking a Church by the blemishes thereof, may perchance pull out them and the sound flesh which hangeth to them. The Ancients knew the corruptness of mankind, that it still brought forth tars among wheat; and therefore appointed general and particular Synods for the rooting up of them; our age is latter, and therefore worse: if we grow in diseases, let us not abate in the remedies. If we cannot have general Counsels, let us make true use of our national synods by serious examining in them, not so much what evil customs it might seem policy to maintain, as what customary dross it were true and spiritual wisdom to refine. In like sort, a remedy of evil customs is needful to every member of the Church; If thou hast done evil, amend that which is passed by future goodness, and add not to thy vomits, returning. But let all especially shun and kill the beginnings of such wicked customs; for the more they continue in them, the stronger they make a chain for themselves: so that at last they are mightily enthralled thereby, and are still further from escaping.   

53  
The root of all obedience and fulfilling the law, is the love of God: if we love God truly, we keep the first Table, and we will do what we can to keep the second. For how loveth any man God whom he hath not seen, who loveth not his brother whom he hath seen? And who loveth God that will not please him & keep his commandments? That this work of love which of itself is pleasant, & whose yoke is light, may by us pleasantly and easily to be performed, let us consider partly, (for we cannot fully) wherefore God is be loved. God is to be loved first for himself. For he only is the fullness of happiness, and all sufficiency, since in him only is Being, Light, Life, Wisdom, Glory, Power, Goodness. Other things which carry these things names, have them not indeed; for nothing created hath any of these of their own, but in him and his they have all that they have, and they be that which they be. So God is, and there is nothing beside him. Secondly, God is to be loved for the love which he hath expressed to us; for love deserveth love, and chiefly a great love deserveth a little love; but most chiefly that greatest love of the Creator, deserves the greatest love (which at greatest is but little in comparison of the other) of the creature. Now if I should go about to show the love of God to man, I should labour to bring infiniteness within measure, and to bound within the knowledge of man a law incomprehensible. This in sum may be conceived: That God loved us when he had but foreknown and foreappointed our being, when we were not at all, but only in his purpose: Then he loved us with a love that marked and sealed us to eternal happiness. This love produced our Creation in an excellent image, & this love to man fallen from that created image, gave him the greatest gift that is or may be, even his own Son to clear him from the guilt of his fall by a bitter satisfaction; and to imprint a begotten image steadfast and permanent, instead of the created image movable and decayed, by a precious regeneration. Thus from God the Father with the gift of the Son, have we also the holy Ghost: so is the whole Trinity imparted to us, and what more can he do for his beloved? Yet his love ceaseth not, but proceeds to guide, to purge, to increase, to defend, to cherish, as a father nurtureth his son, and as an Eagle stirreth over her young. Much is our weakness, & much he strengtheneth us; many are our falls, and he forgiveth us much: many are our dangers, and troubles, and the Lord delivers us out of all. Let us therefore love the Lord our strength, let us love him much who forgiveth us much: Let us love the Lord because he receiveth our Prayers, and delivers us in the time of trouble. Let us love him first for that which he is, for he only is worthy of love; his courts only are truly delectable, and his presence amiable: There only dwelleth the fullness of joy, & the pleasures of eternity. Next, let us love God for his love to us, and be glad that so great a love will be contented with a love so narrow and scant. Let our love be raised to the highest, and let us fit it to him as much as we may, that the narrowness may be caused rather by the lowness of our condition and being, than the straightness of our will: so let it be with all the soul, and all the strength. Again, since our love is chiefly expressed in pleasing him, and he is chiefly pleased in keeping his commandments: Let us as much as we love him so much desire to please him, in a proportionable observation of his commandments. If this we do, we shall have comfortable assurance of enjoying him whom we love, and then are we happy above our fellows: the oil of gladness is powered upon us, and according to Saint Paul, we may rejoice continually. For if we be assured to see and enjoy God our perfect happiness, what sorrow can overway this joy, what loss can countervail this gain? Surely we may be contented with whatsoever we have, for godliness hath brought us, the chiefest and most incomparable gain. If we shall have the greatest happiness, how can any temporal thing make us miserable? If then we grieve much, we esteem not this happiness as we should, or we turn our eyes from the assurance thereof. But thereon our eyes being fixed, and not on any thing between us and it, let us go on courageously, loving God, pleasing God, and rejoicing in God; in whom we may continually and constantly through all changes behold as ours, perfect joy and absolute felicity.   

54  
In a Christian when he becomes a son of God, the form and character of a Christian and of a son is created in him. This character is the root of him, from whence floweth whatsoever fruit of goodworks issueth from him. Being thus animated, the Spirit which hath animated us, doth not then leave us, but seconds this his first work, with a continual supply of strength and increase of grace, until we appear before God in Zion. For this root is rooted in Christ, from whose Spirit it sucketh still new strength. So we are not as Adam, left to ourselves; for than we should prove accidents without a substance, and perish into nothing. But being grounded in Christ, the Rock and the Life, we cannot perish, or be annihilated; and herein is our excellency above Adam. Indeed sometimes Christ draws in his Spirit, and doth not water us with fresh grace; and then the soul dry and withering, cries as forsaken, Cast me not away from thy presence, and take not thy holy Spirit from me. In all this is matter for humility against presumption, and for comfort against desperation. Thy goodness is altogether of God, he first powered it into thee, when he new begat thee Again, the continuance and continual increase thereof is from God. So what hast thou of thine own, or what hast thou, that thou hast not received of God? Therefore be humble, as a thing which in itself hath no goodness; and if thou wilt not, know farther, that God will take this goodness from thee for a time, in which thou gloriest as thine own: and by the lamentable experience of that time, will plainly show thee thy own weakness and corruption. For when he takes his from thee, thine is only left, and that will loathsomely appear to thee to be nothing but dregs of sin and corruption. Then shalt thou be humbled by misery, which wouldst not by bounty; and thy own deadness, which before thou wouldst not see, now thou shalt feel. Yet is here also matter for consolation; for being rooted in Christ, though he draw in his breath, and leave us so far, that we feel not the power thereof, yet our union still remaineth with him, and we are not parted from Christ, though his virtue somewhat departed from us; we are grounded on the Rock, and hell gates cannot prevail against us; we are one with life, and life cannot wholly forsake us. Yea after desertions, when God hath drawn us to give him the glory, which is his own, and so instructed and bettered us by his chastisements (for punish us merely he will not because we are his sons) he addeth to this benefit another, even an increase of grace beyond the old bounds. So that though out of ourselves, he gives us humiliation; yet from our union with him, he giveth us exaltation, that he which glorieth, may glory in the Lord; and that he which wanteth, may seek him only, who only filleth the hungry with goodness.   

55  
Death, at the devils first bringing in of it, was a fearful punishment, cutting off man from all joy and comfort: But when God in his mercy annexed infinite and everlasting joys unto death, death became then advantage, and that an especial one, as being the gate of eternal happiness. But the natural man seeing only with natural eyes, beholdeth therefore only the sensible and visible comforts of this life, not knowing the second joys; wherefore his desire being bounded with his knowledge, resteth only in them, and accordingly he accounts death a chief miserable & fearful thing, by which he must be deprived of such joys. But the spiritual man by the spiritual eye of faith (which the other hath not) discerning spiritual things, beholdeth evidently the infinite & endless joys which are in the glorious presence of the highest happiness, even God the Creator: and valuing them according to the odds of their worth, he longeth after them, he thirsteth to enjoy them, he accounteth death that which it is, even a great advantage; as that which doth not take away life altogether from a Christian man, but most happily changeth it, turning a life frail, miserable and sinful, into a life mortal, secure, holy and happy. And as that which doth not take away joy, but changeth it, turning the impure narrow and the interrupted joys, which here we take in the creatures, into a pure, unbounded, & incessant joys in God the Creator. Now herein is the great difference between a natural man and a Christian. The natural man is in bondage while he liveth for fear of death; he goes on, casting an eye still on this vizard, as a thing of terror & affrightment; he is troubled with the darkness of not being, the fearful shadow of death. But the true Christian is bold as a Lion, he treadeth upon death, as having lost the sting, by which it may kill unto a second death: he gladly makes use of it, willingly giving himself to it as to a messenger of God, which comes to fetch him from earth to heaven, from misery to felicity, from the works of the six days which could not bless their days, to that blessed rest of the Maker of those works, which rest blessed the seventh day; it being indeed blessedness itself, and there being no other blessedness but itself. Be it therefore the high privilege of the Christian, to enjoy death, to rejoice in it, & to account it the door of felicity. And that every Christian may make use of this privilege, this must also be the practice of a Christian; even often with the eye of faith cleared by prayer and meditation, to behold the joys which are at the right hand of God, even the glory of the new jerusalem, whereof God is the Sun. For as much as we see it, so much shall we see it to surmount all worldly joy; and as much as we see it to surmount, so much shall our desire to it, surmount our desire to the world, and finally so much greater shall be our love of death, as our desire to that joy is greater. Wherefore if thou lovest death but a little, thy sight of that joy is but little; but see it more, & thy affection to death shall be more. If nature run to the eye and ear, to draw thee to life, run thou to the word & spirit to draw thee to heaven. These will show thee more reason why to desire God, than flesh can why to love this life. But thou likest, as thou sayst, the bargain well, and dost account it gainful exchange: but thou likest not the means; death is painful, and thou art not contented to be happy by pain. Surely sickness is pain, but death absolutely in itself seems not to be pain. For the setting of a joint is many times more pain, than death by a consumption. The convulsions which appear, are commonly from the strife of nature with diseases; but death followeth usually after nature is overcome, and then life goes out gently like a consumed taper. But if it must be confessed, that there is pain in the sickness of death, or in death itself, get thou again into the spirit, & yet shalt thou see, that death is advantage. All the sufferings of this life, are not worthy of the glory that shall be revealed. For the weight of that joy is an exceeding weight, and overweyes far all temporal and momentany affliction. Therefore if by lesser weight of temporal grief, thou purchase the exceeding weight of eternal joy, thou art yet a great gainer, thou hast made a most profitable exchange, thou mayst yet rejoice, and go gladly through pain unto a surpassing happiness. Go thou therefore, and follow the pattern of our faith Christ jesus, who for the joy set before him, endured the cross, & despised the shame. Fellow the servants of Christ, who rejoiced in tribulations, and went joyfully through all persecutions, scourge, stonings, burnings, and death itself, unto that glory which is above. Yea, let us say with the servants of God, If God commanded us yet a greathing, should we not do it? for the end shall abundantly recompense the way; the end which is happiness, the way which is grief, and the way passeth away, but the end is endless, & endures for ever. Let us go on therefore hopefully and cheerfully, through all sorrows & bitternesses, limited & transitory, unto happiness large without end or bound; solid without lightness, & continuing without cessation: let the sight of this felicity counterpoise, yea overwey with comfort, the trouble imparted by the feeling of grief.   

56  
A main cause of much of the grief and folly of men is this; That men resolve to make something of this world. They raise great plots upon it, and intent to bring it into a Method; and out of things so ordered to draw some great happiness and contentment. But God hath resolved the contrary; to make nothing of the world, but to turn it into vanity of vanities: he hath set it forth as a thing to be shaken, to be removed, to resolve with the lost fire, and only to be a school and nursery for the next world. Therefore doth he suffer things in this world of vanity to run without difference, yea often without present justice, and often to perish, to be overthrown and to undergo great desolations. Now man's mind being prepared to receive comfort from the world fitted unto itself, & God's mind being to let the world run into many changes, destructions, and finally unto vanity itself; it must needs be that men oftentimes have their purposes crossed by the purpose of God, & their courses overthrown by the overruling destiny of God. One hath gotten him a good wife, a good house, and a good demeans, and is, as they call it, well settled to live; he taketh comfort in the course which he is entering into, and he hath bespoken his heart to be merry and rejoice. But behold, suddenly the disease of the world lays hold on his estate, on him or his wife; and then the plot is marred, the joy is lost, for the foundation thereof is overthrown. Then what weeping, what wailing, what sorrow & breaking of hearts? hope is turned into grief, and the more the hope was, the more is the grief. But the only way to prevent this, is, that the purpose of man agree to the purpose of God, and accordingly that man expect no more from the world than God alloweth the world to give. Therefore let him persuade himself, that whatsoever part of this world he hath gotten into his use, that part is subject to the law of the whole, which is bound under change, perishing, and vanity. And consequently let him expect no other certainty from it, than such as may be from a state of uncertainty. If he have a house well fitted, a wife well conditioned, a large demeans, beautiful and towardly children; let him know his house may burn, his wife may die, his land may be taken from him, by public, or private enemies; his children may by sickness put on ashes for beauty, and become the children of death, yea of Belial. Let him therefore build his hopes on these things, as men use to build scaffolds for spectacles, even with a certain expectation of taking down when the spectacle is ended. Let him use the world as if he used it not, or as ready not to use it; because the form of the world passeth away. When God's providence calls, we must look for their departure; and if thus expected to departed, they fall from us ripe, and are not pulled from us as green; but if not expected, they depart as things glued to the heart, which tears away some of the heart at parting. Thus not using this world as a place of certainty and rest (which it is not) yet let us use it as a Nursery and School for heaven, which it is. Let us learn here of the Spirit, of the word, of the sacraments, of affliction, and even of the general condition of the world itself; For since the world is so full of misery, incertainty, and vanity, it teacheth us to set our affections on another world, even that continuing City which is above, heavenly jerusalem, where is stability, perpetuity, and glory incoprehensible. Let us pray, let us strive in this world to be fitted, to be trimmed, for that world, as abride for the wedding-chamber, though through a thousand changes, a thousand crosses; for if we become inwardly fair, the King of heaven will have pleasure in our beauty; we shall be crowned with a crown of joy immarcessible, we shall be filled with the glory of God, and the blessedness of his presence, which is perfect happiness.   

57  
Consisting of eight parts.  

I. Part.  
There is one (otherwise wise enough for a son of the old Adam) takes upon him to measure the Ocean of God's wisdom flowing in the mystery of man's salvation, with the cockelshell of his own wit, and accordingly with his judgement he walks over the length and breadth thereof, laying his high and mighty censure upon it. The honesty of Divines he debaseth, and preferreth that of the Philosopher: the religion of Palestine he condemns, but commends the Christian religion as a thing well contrived. Yet his commendations seem not to be hearty, since under them there pass from him certain undermining sentences, which strike at the main Pillars of that which he commends. The odious comparison of the Christistian and Mahumetane religions, because the Mahumetane succeed the Christian, in the pretence of a greater perfection, as the Christian doth the judaical, may pass the more unresisted because it is apt of itself to fall. For it easily appears that therein the devil was less than Christ's Ape, mentioning only and not performing an imitation. For Christ hath really outgone the Law: First, he hath justly abolished the types and shadows thereof, by bringing in the substance and things themselves. Secondly he hath taken away the ignorance under the Law, by giving such a knowledge, that the least in his kingdom is greater than the greatest under the Law: and thirdly, he hath amended the weakness of the Law, by giving strength to his servants to perform what the Law before could only teach. But in which of these points hath Mahomet made any probable progress beyond Christ? Types and shadows of future things he cannot take away; for there are none in the Christian Religion. Ignorance, he is so far from amending, that he is the very man that darkeneth counsel by words without knowledge; we hear of fables and unlikely visions, but in sum, he forbiddeth knowledge, hateth the light, & all examination of his religion. Lastly, instead of strengthening men in the accomplishing of the Law, he weakeneth them, by giving them the satisfaction of lust in polygamy; and impossible it is he can go beyond Christ in any precept of holiness, who commands us to love and serve God with all our soul and all our strength, and more than all can no man give. So doth Mahomet only speak of perfection, but performeth it not.   

2. Part.  
But with two points especially he seems to wound the Christian Religion, though like a Parthian looking another way: One is while he judgeth it a loathsome thing that God should be satisfied and appeased with blood: which though it seem mainly to be bend against common sacrifices, yet being spoken without exception (as it is there) it striketh at the very sacrifice of Christ performed in blood; and that there was such a meaning this also addeth probability, because in his directions of Piety while he speaketh of sacrifices, he adviseth not his pious or godly man to make himself acceptable to his Creator, by the commemoration of any such bloody sacrifice, but being altogether silent in that point, he saith, the most absolute sacrifice is a pure, true and humble heart. A second is while he judgeth it a strange thing that the Spirit of God should be in frail, weak, and unperfect men. Yea he seemeth to exclude him from all men: for he saith, where the spirit is, it would produce some strange effects, as the removing of mountains; it would appear in the whole course of man, and nothing in the world could shake us.   

3. Part.  
To answer these things first in the root: The very root of this kind of sayings and misbeleefes, is the natural wisdom of man, which is indeed folly. For itself thinking wisely of it self, and making itself the measure of all things, yea of the Divinity itself, it contracteth or disposeth, that, and all other things according to its own measure and judgement. But herein are two faults; The one is: Because the wisdom of man, at the best is narrow and shallow, in regard of the wisdom of God, and cannot pierce unto the depth, or comprehend the breadth of that which is deeper and larger than itself: yea in familiar and daily things, our wisdom lieth down, being dazzled and amazed. So that if God please to set forth any deep judgement or wisdom of his, it is beyond & without our judgements; therefore can they see nothing therein, but rather are offended with it. Then the truly wise man crieth out with Saint Paul: O the depth of the judgements of God and so leaveth with admiration; and then the foolish wise man saith, That which he comprehendeth not, is not, but that the very wisdom of God is foolishness: Another fault is, because our wisdom besides the shallowness and narrowness thereof, is corrupted and perverted: The flesh lieth on the soul, as a finger upon the strings of a Lute, and makes it to sound, speak & to be wise, according to the nature of that which stoppeth it. Now the flesh hath this corruption in it, that it is averted from God our true sovereign good, & turneth to the creature, setting her happiness thereon: This it soundeth still unto the understanding on which it lieth; this way it turneth stiffly the will, so that the wisdom of God, which teacheth the contrary is loathsome to it, it is hated and condemned of it. And overcome with these two infirmities, it seems this man hath by them examined these great mysteries of God: Whereas by strong mortification of this fleshly wisdom, and the help of the Spirit obtained by earnest Prayer, hunger and thirst, the flesh being made quiet & unmooving, and the Spirit opening the blind eyes of his, and our souls, he and we might perceive a high wisdom in these matters of God, yea and we shall perceive the reason why we could not before perceive them.   

4. Part.  
But particularly to answer the branches: For the first, there is no reason why God should be imagined without justice, and why justice should be considered without a will of punishing faults, and why the punishment of faults committed against God the chiefest essence, should not be a chief punishment even of blood and death, which is allowed for offences against men. And proportionably believing mercy to be in the same God, we may reasonably believe that mercy may take the punishment of one for another, this other being united to that one, and so consequently, the punishment being one the same, they both being made one. Again if there may be such a sacrifice of one for another, why should not the blood of beasts, serve to teach men that sacrifice unto their eternal preservation, aswell as be daily shed for their temporal nourishment, man being their end, & God their Creator, who therefore may appoint this use of them, unto man as well as the other? Now for the second branch, that the Spirit of God would show wonderful effects: First who hath tied God to give such a measure of his Spirit as this man listeth? But it is still in the hands of God to dispose his gifts in his own measure. If it please him he may separate the gift of sanctification from the gift of miracles, giving one & not the other: yea in very sanctification he may kindle us sometimes as flax that doth but smoke: and shall I say then, that except I see the flame I will not believe that there is any fire? Yet his graces in many are so strong, that they are plainly apparent, and cry out loudly, the power of God, & not of man. For is it not a power evidently supernatural, that men truly possessed of their wits, seeing and willing, fight, subdue and forsake their own dearest affections, and sweetest pleasures, which they see and feel; yea, leave the world, and life itself, to please God whom they see not, to serve him, to obtain him: where as the general world, yea, and the wisest of them doth clean contrary? Doth not this show they are moved with a spirit different from the spirit of the world, yea, & contrary to it, which is a divine Spirit? For nothing but God can turn man's heart unto God, being naturally fixed and nailed to the world.   

Part. 5.  
But true it is, that God hath so disposed of this grace, that he leaveth in us infirmity still to combat with it, and sometimes to quail it for a time. The reasons hereof are divers: first, he will get glory by our weakness; for we being in a fight with our nearest flesh, and the next world, and the devil, the Prince of this world; strong, mighty and overmatching enemies; the glory must needs be his, if we that are too weak for them, overcome them. And again, the less power he performs the victory withal, the more is his glory; for thereby it appeareth, that the weakness of God is stronger than the strength of Satan. Again, this world is a place appointed by him to be blotted out, and accordingly it is to man a place of unrest, of fight, of striving; his rest is above, his victory is above. Therefore God setteth us not here in a steady, victorious, and glorious grace, lest with Peter we should desire to build Tabernacles here, where the foundations must be removed: but he keepeth rest, triumph, and glory for us in the world to come, wherein is the perfect rest, even the pure Sabbath of God. Then shall it apparently be his glory, that he hath made so small a seed of grace, to bring forth such a harvest of glory; and that with Manna, which to carnal men seemeth a light bread, he bringeth men to Canaan, even the land of rest and happiness.   

6. Part.  
Now to return him some traffic for his observations, three notes and marks I will here set upon carnal wise men, each of them being an imperfection, which spoils their discoursing of Divinity, and Christ the chief part thereof; even the ignorance of three things, which few of them have the knowledge to see, consider, and confess, yet are they certainly true, and truly showed in the doctrine of Christ, and therefore commends this doctrine above all other. One is the story of man's fall, a true and unmovable ground of Christian Religion, and whereon Christ necessarily is to be brought in to satisfy for the faults, and to rectify the crookedness thereof. Now this is manifest to us, only by the word of life, yet it is necessarily enforced on any clear understanding. For it may be easily seen and believed, that a creature so wicked, so blind, so subject to every passion and vice, was never let out, as he now is, from the hands of a most wise, and powerful essence; and that to govern a great world, whereof he is not worthy, as he is, to be a party, he being so extremely vicious and corrupt, and most creatures being more orderly than himself.   

7. Part.  
Again, another folly and blindness of theirs is, that they see not the resurrection: it is impossible, that the end of man's body should be this present life. For than might we say with these Author, that there might be some pleasure taken above in the torments here below. For what generally do we see here but miseries, pains, oppression, divers tortures, divers deaths, divers heartbreakings, care within, and labour without: a few only living in some ease, of which again but a few scape a great taste of misery. Indeed, were there no life but this, we might verily think that man was appointed to be borne, to live and die in a jail, wherein he is tied and bound up to misery; and that this world was set forth for a spectacle of torments & massacres: wherein we should infinitely wrong the infinite wisdom and goodness of the great cause of all things. But as we have learned of God our own fall and present misery, so withal we have learned a remedy for our fall, and a way out of this misery into felicity. We know and believe, that the body dying, returns into that which it was, and that is dust; and if being dust at first, it was then quickened; we know he that quickened dust at first, can quicken dust at last, he being the same for ever; yea, we know that small portion of his Spirit which is in us, is abundantly able to perform it. We doubt not, but a little power included in an acorn, is able to raise out of it a mighty Oak, because we see it; and we may as easily believe, that this Spirit which now shows a far greater power in our sanctification, may also raise out of our dust, a heavenly and glorious body. To him that hath done so great works daily seen, there wanteth no power to do as great things yet unseen. For God hath not bounded his power by his works, but if his will be to work more, his power is still sufficient to proceed in working. Now that it is his will, his word doth plainly show: blessed be he, who hath both willed it, and showed it; and God, the Author of these and all other good gifts, establish us which belong to him, in the knowledge and embracement of this his saving truth, that living and dying therein, we may pass from this life, which is worse than death, unto a true life of bliss and happiness.   

Part. 8.  
Another thing which flesh and blood hath not fully discovered, and which hath been the author both of our fall and misery, and implieth a necessity of a preserver and redeemer; is a State, body politic, and kingdom of evil spirits, which effectual in craft, mighty in power, diligent in watchfulness: and having all these their powers employed and moved by an endless and great malice towards mankind, go still about seeking the mischief and ruin of weak & silly man, unable of himself to stand against this Leviathan; and therefore necessarily wanting the help of a preserver and redeemer. Without a preserver we cannot prevent the evils to come; for against so mighty enemies, we must be hedged about with a providence mightier than the force of our enemies; else can we not be safe from our enemies, but should be continually devoured by them. And we need a redeemer, for the evils already by these enemies brought upon us: for these evils we ourselves can by no means take from ourselves, nor free ourselves from the tyranny which Satan hath already brought upon us. Therefore this strong man must be bound by some stronger than himself, and so we which were before his possession, may be made free from that bondage. Now the highest power only is master of this power of darkness; and therefore he only must perform this work. Some short and small views of some outward, bodily and dissembled workings of these Principalities, the Heathen have observed in their stories of witchcrafts, oracles, and apparitions; which witness against themselves; that there are such a people, and that at times they are very mischievous and malicious; but the craft of this kingdom is so great, & the ignorance of man so gross, that sometimes under the show of doing good, as cures and the like, and sometimes by foretelling future events (so hiding still their principal malice, which was to the soul and eternal life of man) they have won silly men to take them for gods, who are their sworn and most fierce enemies: so far are men from knowing, they are a kingdom combined against mankind. But Christ by his doctrine, and the doctrine of his servants the Apostles, hath described them by name, hath showed their nature, hath set forth their malice and rage against man, which begun with the first man, and continuing from thence increase now towards the last of men. He hath also set forth a remedy against all his hurt and power, and that is even in this flesh which in the first man the Devil conquered. For God will show to his own glory, and the utter confusion of this proud & malicious Prince, that by that very weak creature, which no way heretofore was not able to match with him, God is able to break his head, if he do but unite and join himself therewith. And that of these men which thus were in the first man foiled and overcome, he is able to set up a kingdom mighty and durable, which shall stand invincible in this world against the powerful kingdom of Satan, and the unprevailing gates of hell, and shall at last (overcoming these mighty enemies) pass victorious unto glory and life everlasting. Even this perform in us O Lord thy weak servants: weak in ourselves, but strong in thee. Let thy power in us, overcome that power, which without thee, would overcome us. And let us being strengthened by thee, march valiantly against our enemies, being assured of conquest, through that mighty one who loveth and supporteth us.    

58  
The end seems to us to be caused by the means, and so at last it is; but the end is indeed first, and most chiefly the cause of the means: for God proposing his end, this end caleth out such means, as shall accomplish itself, so that it causeth that to be, which causeth itself. So in the Scripture, when divers things happened, it is said, that they happened, that it might be fulfilled, which God had before purposed: so that God's purpose was the cause of the being of those actions which fulfilled his purpose. Therefore if we go to the root of the matter, we may perceive that foolishly we reason, when we are discontented with the means, saying, If this means had not been, this action had not come to pass; whereas we should reason this, If this action had not been appointed to come to pass, these effectual means had not fallen out. Then run we to see the true cause of things, even to God's providence and purpose, which to the godly is a sure rest and refuge, since thereby all events must turn to the best to God's children, though effected by the malice and wickedness of men. For this purpose of God is rooted in Love, and love purposeth all for the good of that which it loveth: so through whatsoever kind of actions it passeth, it still remaineth one & unchangeable, bringing forth steadfastly fruit proportionable to the root of love. God's purpose cannot be hindered or altered by men, but passeth along conquering and prevailing, unchanged itself and changing all things, to itself, and it own goodness: So Shimei his cursing might produce a blessing to David, and judas treason did procure the salvation of mankind.   

59  
Consisting of Parts.  

1. Part.  
It is a strange thing that in this broad day light, any man should stumble at the Pope's supremacy in spiritual, much less in temporal matters. If with the Apostles we will but testify what we see, we on whom the truth clearly shineth cannot choose but see that this supremacy is a thing much younger than the Christian Religion; which prospered before it was, and that much better than since Religion was put out to nurse unto it. If we will begin with Christ, Christ equally endoweth his Apostles with power of binding and losing; and equally appoints all nations unto them. If Christ should have said, That on Peter he would build his Church (which he speaketh of him only who only is the Rock, 1. Cor. 10.) yet Peter answering for all, should receive this in the behalf of all, for whom he answered. For since it was forbidden to all of them to tell who Christ was, it seems all joined with Peter in the knowledge and confession of Christ, and so all had interest in the benefit of that knowledge and confession. Again, if at that time it should only have been spoken only to Peter, we have another Scripture which equalleth the other Apostles with him, even in the building of the Church; while it sayeth, the Church is built upon the foundation of the Apostles: so that the Apostles are joined together promiscuously, not differently, towards the making up of the foundation. Besides, Paul plainly answereth that he is not a whit inferior to the chiefest of the Apostles; that he had of Peter the right hand of fellowship, not of inferiority: & which most cuts off the Pope from claiming us who are Gentiles by Peter, and turns him over to fetch his especial claim by Paul, Paul saith that the Apostleship of the circumcision or jews was committed to Peter, and of the Gentiles especially to him: To this Eusebius gives his testimony, saying, that Peter though coming among the Gentiles, yet preached only to the jews, & withal brings forth his first Epistle, as that which was directed particularly to his own charge the jews. And this indeed best fitteth with the History, which reporteth, that Peter and Paul exercised their Apostleships together at Rome, which might most orderly be performed, if the one taught there the Circumcision; the other the Gentiles. Therefore let the Pope take heed how he robs Paul, to give unto Peter; for he robs his best title, to give to his worse; but hereafter let him find some new exposition of building the Church so upon Peter; that Paul also may have a great part in the foundation whereon the Church is built. Now if we descend from the Apostles (between whom if there be any odds in right to us, it appears to be on Paul's side) to examine whether any such supremacy descended from among them, to the succeeding ages, we shall find none in divers hundred years. The church of Rome indeed was a famous Church, founded by the Apostles, flourishing with godly Bishops and Martyrs, and full of Saints; and therefore by many holy men, great and large titles were given to her, and her Bishops, in letters and writings. So might she for the eminency thereof, be called the first Church or the chiefest Church, and the Bishops, the Bishops of the chiefest Church; but a mean understanding knows there is great odds, between being first in order, and a head in government. And this the practice of those times plainly declared; for though they had given never so many good words to the Bishops and Church of Rome, yet as soon as the Bishop of Rome intermeddled with their government, they presently rose up against him: so did Cyprian; yea a council of African Bishops, and among them Saint Austin, walled up their country from the command of the Roman Bishops. Even in the very matter of excommunication, wherein is the pretended eminence of their power, Irenaeus a Bishop of France & the Pope's neighbour, reproved Victor, a Bishop of Rome for excommunicating the Churches of Asia upon the observation of Easter. And when Constantinus unjustly checked Liberius the Bishop of Rome for maintaining the cause of Athanasius with these words, How great a part of the world art thou, that thou alone shouldest justify a wicked man, and trouble the peace of the world? neither Constantinus acknowledged any supremacy in Liberius: neither did Liberius in his answer (though he had occasion given to tell how great and Catholic a head he was) thereby justify his doings. To conclude, (for particulars are infinite, and this matter is commonly handled;) at length by a council, Christendom was committed to five patriarchs; of Rome, Constantinople, Alexandria, Antioch, and jerusalem: of which Rome was the first, but had no more authority over the rest, than the second had over the third; the authority of no one being subaltern, or subject to other. And the proportionable practice of divers of these patriarchs yet standing, giveth hereunto confirmation. But the same corruption of man's nature, which in a clown stirreth up an ambitious desire to be a gentleman, of a gentleman to become a nobleman, and of a nobleman to become a king; being in a Pope as much as in other men, hath wrought the same effect in him, that it hath in others. And so from being a Patriarch he hath laboured to be the head of the patriarchs, that is, an universal Patriarch; and from being and universal Patriarch, to be an universal Emperor. So Ambition still ascends, making one degree of honour, but a stair whereon to mount itself up to another; and by this means at length he is come to that all-comprehending top wherein he meets just with the title prepared for him by Saint Paul: As God, in the temple of God, above all that is called God. But he must remember that thereunto are annexed these two other titles, the man of sin, and the son of perdition.   

2. Part.  
These things being so evident, most lamentable it is that there should be plotted and devised an ignorance so gross that it seethe them not; that there should be miracles by the devil wrought or forged to stand between the eyes of men, and this revealed Antichrist: that there should be distinctions coined subtle enough for less subtle souls, to distinguish to the manifest Antichrist from itself. Yet all these things are provided by the servants of this son of perdition, and so powerful, that it is God's election only which mainly preserves those that stand and withstands this Mystery of Satan. And indeed how can that ignorance, which is enjoined to the disciples of Rome, be broken through by them, which are bound thereunto by a solemn vow, and under fearful penalties? They must know but what deceiveth them, until they be so thoroughly deceived, that it is almost impossible to be undeceived again. But this let them take with it, that the same ignorance will serve to breed up a man in any religion, be it never so gross; and at this day it equally serves the devils turn to nurse two of his goodliest children, the erroneous doctrines of Mahomet and the Pope. Yet lest ignorance should fail, and perchance a glimpse of light might shine in upon the seeled eyes, there are miracles daily provided to set before the sight of men. These draw them to say, that Simon Magus is the great power of God: but we are taught to go from these signs to the Law, to the Testimony, to the Word; and this Word telleth us, that miracles in the latter times, shall be fixed and unseparable companions of the man of sin. So in stead of converting us, they are acknowledged by us, to be the badge of Satan, fastened on antichrist's sleeve, and they tell us to whom he belongs. We need no miracles now, but to reveal Antichrist; for we believe the doctrine of Christ once fully confirmed by his own miracles. Lastly, if yet some greater light dazzle the eyes, which neither ignorance can keep out, nor miracles employ in drawing the eyes wholly to themselves; then are there provided subtle, nice, and sublimated distinctions and reasons, whose office is to confound and entangle the understanding rather than to enlighten it. Falsehoods are purified and refined, and made as like truths, as possibly they may, that the undistinguishing mind may equally accept them, and so led by a little mistaking unto a gross error. And hereof at this time is there a steady forge in the Church of Rome, which doth but expect what the Pope and his Privy Council say, and instantly they are ready with their excellent inventions, to prove it the voice of God, and not of man. Surely the wit of man is a powerful thing in regard of man; but in regard of the Spirit which made it, alas weak it is, and the effect cannot strive with his cause, which is mightier than he. Therefore this Babel of man's wit built up against the Lord, must needs be destroyed by the Spirit of his mouth. In the mean time until this victory of Christ upon Antichrist be fully performed, let us pray unto God, that he will add easily unto the Church, those who belong unto him; and that they may plainly see, that he who seeketh earthly things more than heavenly, is of the earth, earthly, and far from being the Deputy of the Lord of heaven.    

60  
The second resurrection needs not to seem very strange, if we consider the first, already done in us; for whereas there is naturally in us but a carnal wisdom, that seethe and alloweth only present & visible things for happiness, we have in our regeneration, a wisdom placed in us, which blotting out the former wisdom, and the happiness thereof, beholdeth God which is invisible, as our only true happiness. We have also in stead of our fleshly will, which only savoureth fleshly objects, a will directly contrary thereunto planted in stead of it, which hateth the former will, and the sinful pleasures wherein that will chief delighted; and loveth even the persecutions of Christ, which the natural will especially hated. Thus by the new birth, light being created in darkness out of no former creature, & a rightness of will being framed, where was nothing but crookedness, and such a light and will, that they altar the affections, actions, & whole course of man; why may not the same new birth have also another power with it, even to change the mortality of the body into immortality, as it hath to change the corruption of the soul and body into purity & incorruption? it being alike easy to go to give life unto death, as light unto darkness, and good to evil.   

61  
Because we see not God, or at lest we do not see how he seethe us, we rather think that he sees us not, or are careless of his seeing: So our blindness toward God, casteth the likeness of itself, on God towards us, and imagineth him to be unto us, as we are to him. Herein men are to God, as some birds are to men, who hiding their heads from seeing men, think that men the whilst do not see them. But since the knowledge of God is the cause of men, the being of men can reach no farther, than the knowledge of God. So whosoever takes the knowledge of God from him, takes from himself his own being; for where the knowledge of God ceaseth to know him, there he ceaseth to be; otherwise should man, who is but the effect of God's knowledge go farther than his cause, which cannot be. But surely God that made man by his knowledge, knoweth the man that he hath made; he hath not placed him out of his own reach; but as at first after he made his creatures, he saw even through them, that they were thoroughly good; so for ever, he vieweth and pierceth them, searching all things by that very wisdom which made them. Since than we are manifest and naked, before our glorious God, who both seethe, and hateth all uncleanness, but beholdeth with pleasure, holiness and pureness; let us take heed to our hearts, yea, our whole selves, that no filthiness appear to him, lest we be shut out from the City into which no unclean thing may enter: But that God seeing us to be pure in heart, even in soul & body, may at length be called up to see God, who is the fullness and perfection of all felicity.   

62  
The very being as well as the discoursing of our natural reason may well prove, that man was not made only for this world. For if first it be granted, that a great and excellent wisdom created this Universe which the curious subtlety of the parts and frame thereof will enforce upon us; it must also be believed, that wisdom doth all things wisely, both in regard of order, and end, every thing bringing forth his like: now the beasts having a more easy and uninterrupted enjoying of the world, as not tilling, or reaping, neither building Barnes nor filling them; not foreapprehending griefs, nor long retaining them? what doth this reasonable soul in man (I speak of the general) if his bound be this world, but teach him how to labour, how to vex himself, and how to grieve, and consequently how to be more miserable than the beasts themselves? But a soul more excellent than the beasts cannot be imagined to be given for this use by so perfect a wisdom, it being extremely contrary unto wisdom, that the beasts should serve a creature more base and miserable than themselves; that man should be both above them, and below them: and that man should have reason, thereby to be worse than he should be without it. Therefore it strongly followeth, that this advantage of reason was given by wisdom to man, for some advantage of man. And if beasts enjoy the world as much as man, and yet man hath a soul more excellent than they; that this soul hath some happiness above the world, which is the especial end and mark thereof. To this happiness therefore, let our soul lift itself up that it may verily tend toward the end thereof, that it be not a mere drudge unto labour and misery, sinking down below the beasts, but that reaching beyond them, it lay hold on that blessed refreshing which is to come, and comfort itself amid all the base employments, labours and toils of the six days, in the view of the happy Sabbath and rest of God, the true aim of her desires, and the chief solace that swallows and sweetens all her temporal vexations.   

63  
The devil usually raiseth temptations out of the state which is present, and therefore though we be passed one danger, into a calm and quietness, yet even then look that out of that calm, also some tentation will arise. He is more cunningly and industriously mischievous, than his scholar the Papist: One Treason being passed we may not think it the last, but one among the rest, and so look for his fellows; if we have scaped, we must pray, hope, and endeavour to scape again. Our life is a warfare, which is not a single battle, but a continuance of many. If the devil have lost, he is the more angry for losing, and surely in this last time of the world as he is more choleric and fierce then ever, so is he more cunning. He hath man at his finger's ends, and this his increased knowledge, he sets on work by an increased malice, desiring because his time is short, to get in breadth what he cannot in length. It concerns us therefore proportionably to increase our resistance; and if we mean to overcome, by prayer, watchfulness, and industry, so to advance ourselves in the power of Christ, that we may overmatch the power of Satan; that the house of David growing stronger, and the house of Saul weaker, the kingdom of Christ the Son of David may be thoroughly and firmly established in us, and we in it.   

64  
A dissembler & hypocrite, is a thing most odious to God, and so should he be to men, especially to himself, who next to God knows best how wicked himself is. First, he is a perpetual liar, & his outward profession, is nothing but a continual publisher, and persuader of untruth. It tells every one the man is honest that shows it, and lies all the while. This lying in deeds, is at least as wicked as lying in words, & accordingly should be hated. Again the dissembler is an idolater, for he sets man in the place of God, and God in the place of man. His best side he shows to man, & that is his outside; and the worst side, he turns to God, and that is his heart: Accursed man that seekest to please him who is but thy fellow, and neglectest him who made both thee and him, even the Almighty, Lord of all things. That God who is jealous and will not give his honour to another, cannot but be highly offended with thee, for preferring man before him; and to him shalt thou give an account for this corruption and withdrawing of thy heart, God's chiefest part. Thirdly, the dissembler is an idol, for he being nothing in the world stands up to be worshipped. By his outward show he calls in the country to reverence him for the goodness which is not in him, he sets himself up on horseback as Haman would have done, his hollow profession crying before him; This is the man, whom God will honour. But this man, the while is the very man whom God especially hateth, and whom with Dagon he will cast down on the threshold of hell gates, breaking him in pieces, when none shall deliver him. And this fits well with him, for now he is not a whole man; but pieces of two men tied together, the outward piece is a piece of an honest man; the other and that the greater piece, is a piece of a Reprobate, or rather of a devil. Lastly, he is a very fool, for of that which is good he chooseth only to have the appearance, and of that which is nought to have, a full and whole possession. Thou fool, if the show of goodness be so good, is not the thing itself much more good? & if the show of wickedness be odious, is not the wickedness itself much more odious? But thou unwisely art contented to be rotten, corrupt, and filthy, so the world see nothing in thee, but an outward painting of purity, and cleanness; so thou mayst be to them a perfume, thou wilt be to thyself a kennel. But rather turn from thy wickedness, and live; get the real possession of that, whereof the very appearance is so beautiful and pleasant; let the show make thee in love with the thing, & get a root to thy branches. Otherwise thy vizard shall be pulled from thee, and thou shalt be stripped of thy shows, & be condemned for that which thou art. Thou shalt be far away from these whom thou representest, and shalt be placed among such as thou art indeed: there shall be taken from thee, that which it seems thou hast, and thou shalt be cast into utter darkness. Surely if to men the looking asquint of the eyes, be ill favoured and unpleasant, much more ugly unto God is this squinting of the soul while it casts the eye on goodness, but the sight on wickedness: Therefore reconcile thyself to thyself, become one man and differ not in thyself: for if thou agree with thyself, bringing thy inside to be one with thy outside, then will God agree with thee, and this saying shall concern thee aswell as others: Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God. But if thou plough on with thy ox and ass together, thou goest on in that, which is an abomination to the Lord, thou heapest up wrath against the day of wrath; thou hast no portion in the blessednesses which belong to the right eous, but in the many woes denounced against the Scribes & pharisees Hypocrites.   

65  
That image & Character which every man bears in this life, the same also shall he bear in the resurrection. He that in this life beareth the image of God, shall in the resurrection appear in that image; & he that bears only the image of darkness & corruption, even the likeness of the old Adam, in the same loathsome and deformed shape shall he appear before God sitting in judgement. For God doth regenerate and new create man only in this world. They that be not changed here, and made like unto Christ, do let pass the time of Regeneration, and so they have the stamp of sin in their foreheads unremooveable for ever. Now in that great and terrible day, what difference shall there be in the twofold appearance of these different sorts? The son of God new made by his Spirit, shall appear in the image and likeness of God his Father, with light in his understanding, righteousness in his will, and holiness in his affections: To him it shall be said, Blessed is the pure in heart, he shall see God; for God delighteth to see him, even his own likeness in him. But the son of flesh shall appear, foul and blemished in his understanding, corrupt and froward in his will and affections; and in stead of representing he shall be contrary and cross unto God, and ugly in his contrariety. And then is his very presence loathsome to the judge of purest eyes, he is a toad or serpent made and taken to be destroyed. His ugliness kindleth the wrath of God against him, which burneth and driveth into the bottom of hell; Lord, when thou raisest us up, thou shalt make their Image despised. Therefore while it is to day, while it is the accepted time, let the son of man make haste to become the son of God; Let him put off the goat which he is, and put on the sheep that he should be; let him get a clean heart, and a right spirit within him. And because this only cometh of God, let us seek only to him; and because God hath told us by his Son that he will be overcome by importunity, let us seek importunately still begging, following, and undeniably soliciting him, until he give the holy Ghost to them that ask him. Then shall we with simeon, be full of peace at our departure, being assured to see salvation; there shall we with Paul, be always bold even at our removing, being certain of a better tabernacle in heaven; then shall we comfortably approach to the Throne of God, who we know will acknowledge us for sons by his mark in our foreheads, and will call us in unto the Supper of the Lamb. But then they that appear in the shape of dogs, their place shall be without from the presence of God and the Lamb for evermore, where their worm dieth not, and their fire quencheth not. They that are the kindreds of the earth, and not of heaven, shall wail before God, and theirs shall be eternal weeping and gnashing of teeth. The goats shall be set on the left hand, God will behold them scornfully, and afar off; they shall be called cursed, and they shall be driven from God into everlasting fire, there to accompany the devil and his Angels, whom in this life they have associated and resembled.   

66  
The hard things, are often most excellent, for our business in this world is to strive against flesh & blood, which is not a matter of ease. Among divers combats therewith, they have not the least, who are in the stead of a father and mother. The hardness hereof is, that such standing in the place of natural parents, should do that right to the child in cold reason, which the other would do in the heat of affection. Now men sail with affection, but row hard with reason, yet the worth and reward countervail the labour. It must needs be a matter of excellent worth: for God is the God of the fatherless, and he joineth with God that helpeth them; he is God's instrument, and hath a deputiship under God; as for the reward, mercy procureth mercy, temporal, eternal. Thou mayst well hope, that God who is pleased with thy goodness to the children of others, will raise up the goodness of others to help thy children; and himself will become a father unto thee and thine. But if thou liftest up thy hand against those, whom God hath taken into his protection, fear thou the judgement without mercy, for showing no mercy; and that while thou art a very father in law to others, God will be a father in law to thee and thine, which makes men of all others the most miserable Orphans.   

67  
Marriage of all natural actions is of most consequence, yet is it the worst done of any other. For men do not commonly make marriages, but bargains, and the bargain being made, the marriage comes in upon the bargain. But it was not so from the beginning. In the first marriage, the woman was the principal part proposed to the man, and in her chief the Kingdom of God, and the righteousness thereof. So it should be still, the great matters of the Law should be preferred before Cummin and Mints, yet these need not altogether to be neglected: howsoever, that which is absolutely and only necessary, must be held whatsoever become of that which is but convenient. Examples of holy Scripture show us plentifully, the miserable issues of marriages made not in the Lord, which might be so many instructions to future times. In the first world, wicked wives, even the daughters of flesh and blood, corrupting the sons of God, brought in the Flood. Afterward, the most wise of only men, Solomon, by idolatrous wives, was bowed aside to the worship of Idols, from the service of the true God, who appeared to him twice: wherefore God did rend his kingdom from him, and gave it to his servant. But a spectacle of long misery, and as long wickedness, was that unhappy marriage between the son of jehosaphat, and the daughter of Ahab; thereby was jehosaphat himself drawn into danger and loss, and into the cause of them, worse than themselves, even to the love of them which hated God. Thereby the son of jehosaphat, yea his sons son became wicked and unhappy generations, this sentence waiting on their sins; for the one had the daughter of Ahab to wife, and the other was counseled by his mother to do wickedly. Let men therefore be afraid to infect themselves and their posterity, by becoming one flesh with wickedness; to marry unto a leprosy of the soul is worse than into that of the body. A woman is a needle to pierce into the heart and affections of man, and if she be wicked, the devil is the thread which follows after. This knows the tempter right well, therefore by Eve he got within Adam; by Dalilah he overcame Samson; by the daughters of Moab, he got power on the children of Israel, to inspire into them idolatry, one of his chiefest poisons. Therefore let no man for money take unto him a factor for the devil, lest thereby the devil attended with the curse of God, (which ever follows him) enter in upon him and his posterity. The remainder of flesh in the best regenerate, though but a part of him, is already too great a friend to our greatest enemy; let us not add to this fleshly part a whole body of flesh to increase the grief and encumbrance of the Spirit of God in us, and to increase the force of Satan, and of his temptations against us. But let them that do so, know, that they seek the ruin of their houses by the same means, by which they seek to raise them. For though Satan be a strong man able to keep a house in peace, yet there is a stronger than he, who often bindeth this strong man, and taketh his house from him; or if he leave it to him still to be maintained (as indeed he is allowed to be a kind of a Prince in this world) yet miserable is that standing, and worse than falling, which stands by Satan; for there comes a day wherein his principality itself shall fall and be overthrown, and all that it doth sustain. And in the mean time, what a bettering of an house is this, to increase the living, and to corrupt the livers? to grow outwardly in wealth, and to decay inwardly in grace and virtue? to lose in ourselves, & our posterity, that we may add to the estate of ourselves, and our posterity? The true pattern of marriages was the first, made by God himself; and therefore to be imitated by the children of God: therein God gave man a helper fit for him; fit she was to help him in spiritual things, even the service of God, & fit to help him in temporal things, even those of this life. Such is the wife described by Solomon, fit to do her husband good all the days of her life: good to his soul, good to his body; for she feareth the Lord, & therefore is praised. This pattern being followed, we may certainly believe, that he which allowed, and blessed the first, will also allow and bless all those which are like it. He will behold such a marriage with pleasure, while it is making; he will be present at it, for his good will was principally sought in it; and he will prosper it, that men shall have cause to say; Lo, thus shall the man be blessed, that feareth the Lord. But because goodness in any sex is over rare; and it may seem a hard matter to get one, that may fully equal the pattern; first, remember whose gift a good wife is, and seek to him, from whom cometh every good gift. Surely it is to be feared, that many have bestowed themselves ill, because they sought not to him, who only could have bestowed them well, or because they sought him more for outward advantages, then for inward graces. Secondly, if thou hast done this, and yet thou findest not that one among a thousand; and need so requires, that thou must proceed in thy purpose: when thou canst not get a burning lamp, get thee a smoking flax, if not one that is expert, and by long custom exercised and used to strong meat, yet one that desires the sincere milk of the Word to grow thereby. Take one that is likely to become a Temple for the holy Ghost, and this likelihood find not in thine own presumption, but in her disposition. That this may be really performed, let us first discern a mind teachable, and willing to learn. It is a first and chief step toward God, to hearken after God. Therefore wisdom ever gins her speech with this; Hear ye children, and incline your ears to wisdom, and, He that heareth is wise, and will increase in learning. Next, let her be humble and meek; for such a spirit is a fit receptacle for God, it is before God a thing much set by, and to such, God will reveal his secret mysteries. Now because man is weak, and his affections rob him of his judgement, making him to think that party excellent, to whom he hath an excessive affection: Let God be instantly sought to establish weak and deceivable man; let him be entreated, that he will not be wanting to that, which much concerneth his glory and service, and the good of his servants. And these things thus ordered, strong hope may be conceived, that he who heard Abraham's servant, when he entreated a wife for his Master's son, will give such a wife as she was to the sons of Abraham: and he who gave unto Ruth a mighty man of wealth, and one blessed of the Lord, because she resolved, that the God of Israel should be her God; will also give the like blessing unto the followers of Ruth. But while I sing the Songs of Zion in a strange land, the Chaldeans or wizards of this world understand not the language; the natural man perceiveth not the things of God, neither can Scripture by any means make him leave a good bargain. Therefore will he still in spite of heaven, marry his land to his neighbours great portion: I mean his Son, that would perchance be better than himself, to his neighbours daughter, which perchance will make him, if she can, worse than the father. These exchangers of money by bargains consummated in the Temple, since the Word (which forbiddeth the house of God to be made a den of thieves) cannot drive them thence, it may he a whip of cords will. And surely in every days experience, such a one is laid sound on many of their backs. And therein a twofold cord, that breaketh both bones and hearts is especially remarkable. One is the often dislike between such unhallowed, or at least, unequal parties. Religion is the truest and strongest bond of love; where that fails, nature is next, which is most corrupt. Nature delights in new lusts, and so runs after that which it hath not, neglecting what it hath. Hence hath that cursed speech issued from one of her followers: That he could love his wife above any other, if she were not his wife; making that a reason of hatred, which a Christian makes chief a reason of love. And when this loathing of the party possessed, hath brought forth the desire of another, and that desire, obtaining; what heart is then great enough to bear the vexing and tormenting thoughts that swell therein by this forsaking? if it be the wives part, as most often it is, she still beholdeth with indignation, the loathing of herself, the loss of her right in him for whom she forsook all others, and his giving of himself away to a stranger. These meditations eat up her heart, and then she curseth the time of her marriage, and all them that made it. When this news cometh home to the churl her father, he doubts at last his daughter is cast away; which he might probably have doubted before, and much more profitably, for than he could have helped it. And now when she sitteth as a Nun forsaken of the world, breaking her own heart, and somewhat her fathers; misery beateth into them, that instruction could not teach them; that marriages made without God, are words, not actions; since such a woman hath had much money bestowed on her to be called a wife, and yet she hath no husband. Another cord wherewith this kind of folly whippeth itself is, when the party which was taken into this match for the greatness of estate, by vices wasteth the estate which only made the match. This to the covetous father, is the worst divorce; for he married his daughter to the wealth, not to the man, and that wealth is separated from her. After this, the man is found, apprehended and condemned to be wicked, which he was indeed before, but his wealth gave his wickedness such a golden lustre, that covetousness could, or would not see what it saw: but now neglected wickedness begetting poverty makes him odious, whom wickedness could not, and the rob child is returnable to the parents wanting another portion for maintenance. In this case also, religion would have been a remedy, which takes men, though not distrustful and unbelieving, yet provident for their family. These be the stripes of graceless marriages, which afflict both the married parties and their parents, and would, if observed, teach wisdom good cheap to others, as they dearly and deeply have imprinted it into these. But this is the pity, that money is so pleasant and glorious a thing, that it casteth Sunbeams on every person that hath it, be he never so base; and the young woman's father hath his thoughts so cheered therewith, that he must needs hope the best of his son in law, though nothing but money give him such advice; wherefore it is yet to be feared, that many gazing & gaping on wealth, will follow it so close, that they shall stumble into the same ditches, wherein they have seen many of their neighbours wallowing. This makes sport for the devil, and thus is man most truly fayry-led, even led aside by the spirits of darkness into the wandering ways of Balaam the son of Beor, who made Israel to sin. But this makes bitter lamentation, even the mourning for sons and daughters in the Church of God; for hereby hath the Church lost many, both sons and daughters, some being turned from a good profession, others being altogether bred in Paganism, having no difference from heathen, but only in the saying of a Pater noster, a Creed, and it may be, the ten Commandments. Therefore the Church takes up her complaint, and in sorrow of heart cries out: The Nation is increased, but her joy is diminished, there are children borne but not to her; therefore as Rachel she prayeth, Give me children or else I die, or else with Rahel she weary and will not be comforted, because her children are not.   

68  
If a man thinks he hath some understanding he must thus employ it, else he hath not what he thinks he hath. First he must understand and know the great ignorance which is in man, and particularly of things Divine, above us; yea of natural things before us; God and the happiness in him is far from our Reach, and even in natural and created things we are suddenly stinted, our knowledge quickly stopping and resting in a confession of hidden and secret faculties. Therefore ignorance confessed is a great wisdom in us. Secondly he must know & acknowledge the great and general misery of mankind, which through sickness, oppression, misery, & folly reigns in the world; and he must know into what kind of world, he is borne and brought, that so he may learn on what conditions he doth live. Thirdly he must see the impotence and weakness of man, to lift himself above himself, and to add one cubit yea one finger to the height of his Being.: so that of himself he can get very little above the ignorance, or the misery under which his condition is to live. But this knowledge is not that we should sit down therein without use; for than it were but a Lamp unto misery. But that justly valuing ourselves, we should be both humble and patiented, as low and miserable creatures; but withal should lift our eyes (since ourselves we cannot) above this misery unto him, who is true wisdom, Almighty power, and perfect happiness: praying him by an addition of a new creation to the old, to raise us above ourselves increasing our knowledge, strengthening us, to ascend unto him, who is very Felicity; protecting and comforting us in this path of misery which leadeth unto him. And now having God, by the Spirit of his Son, from thenceforth in him we are wise, strong and happy, who to us is wisdom, protection, happiness, yea all things; and so we which before could not, may now rejoice; but in the Lord.   

69  
To perceive and find the truth of Christ, we must not look into ourselves, but into Christ and the doctrine wherein he is delivered, and which he delivereth. For if we look into ourselves, we can see nothing in ourselves, that may prove the gift of Christ unto us. We may verily see, that we need those effects, which by Christ are performed, even redemption, and regeneration; but that the Son of God should take upon him the nature of man to effect this, in ourselves we cannot find. For first, man was created without any need, or help of this incarnation; and therefore there was no instinct of such a mystery planted in him at his creation, as there was of the Deity. Again, man being fallen, he could not see any perfect way out of his misery, as appeareth at this day among the Heathen that know not Christ. Thirdly, were man never so intelligent, yet being but a creature, which cannot comprehend his Creator, how could man comprehend this mystery, which was a secret purpose flowing out of the unsearchable will of God, whose Spirit none knows but his own spirit? so that what issueth therefrom, is such as the eye hath not seen, the ear hath not heard, nor the heart of man conceived; and among these principal is this mystery of our salvation by Christ. Wherefore going out of ourselves, and not seeking Christ in our own wisdom, which comprehendeth him not, let us go to him and to his doctrine; and therein we shall find admirable wisdom, excellent justice, deep mercy, infinite power, perfect holiness, and in sum a mystery becoming God as the Author of it, and fitting above all other the misery of decayed and wretched man. If we look into this mystery, we shall see him restoring man, by whom man was made, and who better than he? we shall see man die for the sin of man, & how could Gods justice be otherwise satisfied, there having been a vow that man should die when he did eat? We shall see the Spirit of purity which first made man to God's image, renewing and sanctifying him above the first strength. We shall see a Law of perfect holiness taught and prescribed by Christ, fit for God to require, and for man to perform to his God. And finally Christ bringeth us to the presence of God our Sovereign good, defending us in the way from our over-mightie adversaries the devils and their servants, whom also at last he wholly suppresseth. These things are in the doctrine of Christ: Things necessary to be done for the salvation of man, but not done at all, if not done by Christ; for in no other we find them performed. And if we look into some circumstances of this doctrine, we shall find that Christ was prophesied of inparadise by God: in Egypt by jacob, in judea by the Prophets, the jews the enemies of Christ confirming it. Besides, the story of the fall we find fitly to agree with our present condition, and that is delivered only in that story wherein also Christ, the Remedy of the fall is promised. Wherefore one issuing from God, the other also hath the authority of the same reporter. And though Christ have no need of the devils acknowledgement, yet their testimony may serve against themselves; and it was from below if not from above, that the Sibyl cited by Virgil foretold of Christ: Christ being on earth, was confessed by the devils; and wicked spirits at this day trading with witches, seek to draw them from Christ to themselves. Lastly, the prophecies of Christ himself concerning jerusalem, concerning the succession of his own doctrine, of his disciples and believers, became true in the event, and as it was prophesied, to this religion and doctrine the devil opposed himself above all other by persecution; wherefore it was above all other, the chief doctrine that opposed him; in the opposition, overthrow, and undodoing of whom and his works standeth a main part of our redemption and salvation.   

70  
The devils preaching is clean contrary to Gods. God beginneth with the Law, and endeth with the Gospel: but the devil gins with the Gospel, and ends in the Law. God saith, When ye eat ye shall die▪ yet to man being dead giveth Christ to restore him. The devil saith, ye shall not die at all; yet when man (by his temptation being become mortal) should be restored by Christ, he goes about to kill that Christ which was to be the life of them, whom he had promised that they should not die at all. So continually before we sin he saith to every one of us, God is merciful, and Christ is a reconciliation for all our sins; but after we have sinned, he saith, whosoever sinneth is not borne of God; The soul that sins shall die. And to them that sin after grace received; There remains no more sacrifice for sin, but a fearful looking for of judgement. But we must cure ourselves by contraries. Therefore let us still use God's kind of preaching to ourselves; which is contrary to Satan's. Before we sin let us set the whole Law, even the terror of God before us, to affright us from sin, and having sinned, let us carry the yoke of the Law until we be truly humbled for our sins: But after due humiliation, let us take hold on the Gospel; which to all penitent Christians, is the true and rightful successor of the Law.   

71  
There are two sorts that read books, to make themselves better by them: One, that gathereth from them whatsoever addeth to their knowledge or virtue. The other would make itself better also, but it is in reputation, and glory; for by seeking of faults and errors, they desire to raise themselves above the writer. But I must borrow leave here to use the words of Christ, I tell you the Publican returns home justified rather than the Pharisie: The humble learner is more substantially increased, than the proud Scribe, and the ambitious disputer. The first gets into him an essential growth, the other raiseth himself only upon stiltes. The one, acquireth more solid matter, the other a greater swelling; the one increaseth in the inner man, the other in the old Adam. Surely the latter with Mary hath made the better choice, there being no comparison between the increase of life eternal, and the puffing up of vanishing and vain glory. Wherefore let us covet the best gifts, and though we need not put out our eyes, not to discern faults when we meet them▪ yet it is both needless, foolish, and sinful to use our eyes to that purpose only or chiefly. But the whole and chief aim of man in all things, being the kingdom of God and the righteousness thereof, let him in reading keep that still fixed before him, as his especial mark, fitting and leveling thereunto every thing that will serve to this end. If thou meetest with errors in doctrine, thou mayst warn thyself & others of them; but if only with slips of infirmity, cover them to thyself and others, considering that thou also art a man subject to the same if not greater frailty. And so shalt thou best advance the benefit of that work to thyself & others. For that which is read by an understanding sweetened and seasoned with humility and charity, discovers to such a reader the whole beauty, treasure and goodness it hath, and bestoweth all on him. But to the proud inquisitor, it hideth much of itself, being veiled and covered with an appearance of evil cast upon it by the evil mind that read it. Besides, when good things be found, and among them some faults though excusable, if the mind out of weakness or censoriousness dwell upon those faults, it is a great odds but upon so kind entertainment, they will make bold to persuade, that the good shall do no good, but that which is faulty shall give a distaste to that which is profitable. But as in the church so of the Church, let all things be done to Edification.   

72  
A settled and resolved purpose to be rich, is the fountain of infinite evils. For this resolution once being fixed, presently the eyes, and the ears are turned into mere intelligencers and suruaiors. They are wholly employed to seek & search whatsoever lieth fit, and whatsoever is profitable; And withal the heart greedily stands gaping to devour whatsoever of this fit and profitable comes within reach. The difference of things (as lawfulness & unlawfulness) is taken away; for the strength & eagerness of the desire digests all alike into nourishment, as a mighty Appetite doth meats both raw and roasted. It is a heartbreaking, not to add somewhat continually; and if Nabothes Vineyard come not, being called for, it is death to look upon it. What though the getting of it cost the death of the owner, yet the covetous man must save the life of his lust; and indeed his own life, which he says, profiteth him not, except he satisfy his lust. Hence it is so many widows groan toward heaven for the help which they cannot have on earth, so many fatherless children are ready to die in the streets for want of bread; and so many undermined, sacked, and ransacked families, being driven from their own homes wander up and down to seek a covering for their heads from rain and tempest. justly therefore that holy Apostle and out of divine inspiration pronounced this as an infallible and never failing position: They that will be rich, fall into temptation and snares, and into many foolish and noisome lusts which drown men in perdition and destruction. And how can it be otherwise? The end and mark being fixed, the eye is still aiming, & the hands are still working toward that end: And this end being riches, and not God (for a man cannot serve two masters) thither tend the whole endeavours of the hungry & covetous soul. If an unjust profit be offered, or rather unoffered may be hooked; the eye looks on riches, and not on God: and accordingly God & his will being neglected, riches are taken howsoever displeasing unto God. God must bear with him; for he must be rich. That plot must go forward, the resolution is fixed; God must give place, he doth not see it, or will perchance forgive it. But whiles thou not seeing, or at least not regarding God, thinkest God therefore seeth not thee; he sees thee verily, and will bring forth thy works of darkness into light even stark naked, and they shall be thy perdition and destruction. But rather break in pieces this thy resolution, O man of earth, whosoever thou art. Fasten not thy soul to riches which are not worthy of thy soul; neither make them thy mark and end, which were made for thee: know thou that God alone is thy end, and thou art made to serve him only, that God is thy happiness, and it is thy only felicity to enjoy him: that God is thy chiefest treasure, therefore fix thy heart resolvedly on him, removing it from riches. Change thy covetous, and be strongly covetous after God, and by godliness, even faith and a good conscience draw him more and more into thee: and so godliness shall be to thee the greatest gain, for it shall get thee the best treasure. As for riches, make no covenant with them, fasten not thy heart on them, lest withal thou fasten thy heart to many noisome lusts, to many cares, and finally, to perdition itself. The holy and most quiet way is to put contentedness in the place of covetousness, and then godliness will appear that which it is, even the greatest gain. This thou shalt the better do, if thou consider the end of thy creation, that man was created not to be rich, neither is that the business appointed him by his Creator: But the Creator himself is the end of man; neither hath the Creator made any necessity, that a man should be rich: for food and raiment, and satisfaction of natural necessities, is his chiefest drift and purpose of worldly things. Therefore in the last judgement when it shall be demanded of thee, how thou hast spent thy time in the world, and what thou hast done there; shalt thou not be ashamed then to say, I have there done all that I could do to be rich? For than shall that plainly appear, which now is true, though not appearing: The man hath mistaken his business, that only studieth riches; for than it shall be said to the covetous, That man was not made to be a gatherer of metal, nor a filler of bags, nor a joiner of hedge to hedge; much less to be a prowling vermin, a ravening wolf, or a roaring Lion to devour the weak, the distressed and the helpless. The employment of our natural abilities, as understanding, or strength, in lawful actions to procure maintenance for ourselves and our families, shall then be allowed. For this maintenance is the supportation of God's Church in this vale of necessities, and so tendeth to God. But a desire of riches for themselves, or for the outward glory of them, and that settled purpose to be rich, shall be condemned in the great and terrible day of the Lord; and then chiefest in condemnation, and of any of their rank next the devil in torment shall they be, that have made a prey of misery; and whereas misery is to goodness a ground of mercy and relief, these have made it a ground of oppression, so adding sorrow to affliction, making misery because it was somewhat wretched, perfectly miserable. To these shall also the perfection of misery be appointed for a portion, even pure and clear judgement, without the mixture of any mercy; and so their own measure for quality being returned to them, (but in a far greater quantity) they shall then taste how bitter the cup is, which they have given others to drink; and they shall by experience, but helpless and remediless, know the grievousness of their own works. And because this day is by such put far from them, and they comfort themselves in the delay of it, let them know also, that some sins are partly judged aforehand, even in this world: And among them, very commonly, the sin of oppression. For often is it seen, that the father's oppression, hath been powered out on his own son; and riches gotten wrongfully for posterity, have been wrongfully taken from them, for whom they were wrongfully gotten. Wherefore even for fear of present judgement, and in mere good husbandry, leave not the goods of wrong and robbery to your children. For vengeance and they are inseparably tied together; they will hardly be quiet till they be gone again, and the beam will cry to thereafter, the hedge to the field, This is not our place, let us every one return to our own home.   

73  
Consisting of 8. parts.  

Part. 1.  
The Church of God, and the Church of Satan, according to the first law of enmity enacted in Paradise, and followed with the continual practice of succeeding times, have endless wars and combats. The weapons of the whole Church are steadfast and the same, as the Word, Faith, Prayer, Patience, Christian wisdom, and the like. But the weapons of Satan are divers, as of a cunning engineer, that still inventeth new instruments, according to present occasions. Among divers other changes, he changeth his persecutions, a principal part of his battering ordinance. When God lets him lose, than he showeth the whole malice of his nature, he appears in the very shape of a Lion, and teareth, frieth, burneth men, made up in the likeness of torches. But when God muzles and binds him, that he cannot bite, nor tear with his teeth, and his claws, than he putting off the Lion, useth the craft and tongue of the Serpent; even malicious cunning, to fret into the Church of God, and undermine it by little and little. Accordingly at this time of outward peace, he sets his malignant soldiers among us newly on work, especially in three things, which though they are become somewhat fashionable, yet be they very mischievous to the Church of God. A first is to put contempt on the Ministry, which are God's Colony on earth to keep his subjects in obedience, and to beat off the enemies; the Salt that keeps men savoury and untainted of Satan; the shepherds which keep the sheep from the wolf: Surely if these may be contemned, discouraged, or taken away, how must not the Church of God become a prey? How near is Satan then to a full principality on earth? Yet these are diversly afflicted, debased and trodden down. I pass by their own mutual harms, which as grief wishes might never have been, that they might never have been spoken of; so now it desires to cover with silence. But the lay servants of Satan despite them divers ways. And first they let fly at the very calling itself, by turning the ministery into an ignominy and reproach. If a man be a Minister, he hath deserved at the next quarrel picked at him, to be called piled Priest. And when this is done, it is to be thought he hath been called worse than rescall, even as Paul saith, the very scum of the earth. But where live we the whilst▪ and among what people? It is thought among Christians. But are they Christians that thus tread down those messengers of Christ, which outwardly by Baptism make them such Christians, as they are, and inwardly by the word, make better Christians than they are yet? Are they Christians that being begotten by spiritual fathers, will rail on their fathers that begat them? surely it shows they were never truly begotten. A Christian honoureth Christ, by whom he beareth the name of Christian. He honoureth him so, that whosoever bringeth Christ to him, and him to Christ, he honoureth them also. Christ himself was a Preacher, and the founder of the ministery: if thou than despisest the ministery, thou despisest the very function of Christ, and the institution of Christ; yea, thou despisest Christ himself, and then without question thou despisest thy own salvation. Take heed therefore thou run not against this sacred Priesthood of the Gospel, for it is rocky; and whosoever runneth against it, breaketh himself in pieces. It is rocky, for Christ the rock is the foundation of it; and what is built on it, is rocky, as Peter from Petra. But some will say, They despise not the Ministers for their office, but their lives; and consequently not the good but the bad. Surely as this on the one side, prefers a petition to the reverend Fathers, to admit, or continue none of scandalous life, so otherwise it gives us this answer; that these are the more mannerly kind of men that so say; for there is a number, which if they see but a man in black, in their bravery come off presently, There goes a Priest; whereof the meaning is, There goes a man of contempt, per excellentiam. But if thou which excusest, despisest only the men, why castest thou a reflex of thy malice on the calling, by reviling him with the name of a Priest, as with a reproach? What is the chaff to the wheat? Is he evil? He can never defile that excellent calling, though he may scandal it; the evil is from himself, not from his ministery: yea, the ministery is good, though tied to an ill person; therefore is not the ministery of a good man any way within reproach for the faults of a bad one. Let his person bear his faults, and not the Ministry which is not the cause of them; Let him bear it himself, and not other righteous men with him, which hate his conditions honestly, as much as thou dost him maliciously.   

2. Part.  
Another notable sign of the contempt of the Ministry is, that gentlemen scorn to bestow their sons in that calling. If a man have a means, he is too good for God, and he is counted mad or base if he will turn Minister. But know, thou puff of flesh and blood whosoever thou art, that the service of God is the end of man, and there is no man good enough to deserve employment in his service much less to surmount it. Thy means are given thee for helps, and advancements in his service, not for discouragements; and he that made both them and thee, looks for glory to himself of both and that with all thy might, not ease and idleness only to thyself. If thou have gifts for such a service, and imployest them not therein, thou that wouldst not serve his mercy, shalt serve his justice, and the tree that would not bear fruit in his field, shall bear the fire in the place of torment. Why cumbereth it the ground? Hue it down and cast it into the lake that burneth for ever. It is a due, and necessary course for parents concerning their sons, and sons when they come to judgement concerning themselves, to weigh and consider wherein and in what way such sons are most fit and able to serve and glorify their Maker. In that way let them be placed, for it is a way of safety, protection & blessedness. Any way besides that, is a way of dragons, it is the broadway, and leadeth to destruction. If this were observed, God should have the due use of his own creatures. Many Alehouses, playhouses, yea many Gibbets would be empty that now are filled; mechanical souls should not so oft become Ministers, and excellent & able souls would not so oft turn Lawyers, merchants, yea earth worms, and Priests of Mammon. Yet blessed be God, that hath not given all times & places over to this high Treason & Infidelity; for even nobles who now too much behold this profession a far of, have ennobled themselves by serving a greater King than any they here serve; yea crouch and creep to serve Gentlemen of great possessions, whereof yet France is not without example, have honoured God with their substance, & employed it in the embassage of the most High. And no marvel, for if we plainly knew & saw, what a glorious King our god is; what a precious thing a soul is, what the truth, not the name of Christian were, we should account it a high dignity, to be employed by God in his business; a great gain to turn one soul to righteousness; & a right ready, & natural duty of a true Christian to resign himself over wholly to Christ to be bestowed by him in any function, since he is his, by covenant, redemption & mark, & not his own any longer. Be it therefore a law for ever to the upright of heart, that a good Minister is an honourable man, being an Ambassador of Christ, a successor of Christ, a factor for the King of heaven, to return souls the most precious jewels into his kingdom of glory; and howsoever, they are here covered with contemt, they shall break out in the days of glory shining like the Sun, as having turned many souls to righteousness. But that honour may continue safe to the ministery, God persuade them to bestow that labour in the word and doctrine, which deserveth double honour; to live as those that adorn the Gospel of Christ; and themselves to be humble, rather receiving honour, then snatching at it. For honour is best deserved, when it is least intended; to seek our own glory is no glory; and to honour ourselves, is no true honour.   

3. Part.  
Another new engine of Satan is the impoverishing of the Ministry. The devil knows that the Minister hath a body, which must be maintained by bodily sustenance, and where this sustenance is not, there cannot the Minister continue. Heretofore when divinity was inspired, not studied: an Apostle though his spiritual work were worthy of his wages, might bestow his work without any wages, and get wages by the work of his hands; But now the study of divinity challengeth the whole time of a man, so that a Divine can hardly mingle any other calling with it, without injury unto it. Therefore having that only function, by that & for that he must be sufficiently sustained; so is there absolutely no hope of a continual Ministry, where there is not a continued maintenance. Then how many ways have these last times helped the devil to break off and discontinue the ministery? It is too well known that the bellies of the friars 1. began to rob both the back & the belly of the Ministry. And that when these thieves were arraigned & convicted, the goods were not restored to the former owners though known; so hereby many miles together have been turned into a spiritual wilderness, spoiled of the ordinary means of saving souls; lamentable and even a hart-breaking consideration it is, to them that have any fellow-feeling of the misery of those, who lie in the bondage of Satan, when they see many Churches, like lamps without lights, the oil of maintenance being taken from them. How can a man there preach, where there is scarce bread to maintain the strength of the voice? nor clothes to keep off the cold that would choke that voice? nor means to buy a very few books, to put matter and soul into the voices. And on the other side, how can the Eunuch understand, except there be some to expound? How can they believe without preaching? alas, the lives of such places too much testify, that a natural man is like a dog, and will hardly bite at a whole loaf; Yea that a man is so tasteless of spiritual things, that except he be taught to open his mouth, except his stomach be stirred up by continual provocations, he hath no appetite to the food of life; That a sinner is so heavily asleep in his sins, that unless he be pulled and startled, and his sin taken up before him, and the particular odiousness and ugliness thereof lively presented to his dull and unwilling eyes, he had rather die in his sleep, then awake unto life eternal.   

Part 4.  
But this disease being showed, what remedy is there for it? Surely the Lord of the harvest being first entreated in heaven, there seem two remedies on earth; one is Law, another, Conscience. But how shall there be any hope in Law, since it is Law that hath done the hurt? Surely as a Law begotten in the times of ignorance▪ hath hurt the Church, so a Law borne in the times of knowledge may heal it. Let us show our faith by our works, and shame the works which have been done without faith by exceeding them; if we have the light of the Gospel, let us make statutes of light, and not continue the laws of darkness. If we feel any comfort of light in ourselves, let us with our blessed Saviour pity them that sit in darkness, and in the shadow of death. I separate law from conscience; for though conscience be the truest fountain of laws, yet politic consideration is very often the cause of them. Now it is not the worst policy, but indeed the best, to lay a sure foundation of religion in the hearts of the people. For from true religion, groweth the strongest branch of obedience: true religion hath wherewithal to confute treason, though masked in a vizard of religion. It will allow the Pope few subjects in another man's Realm: It will keep them for the right owner. In sum, the end of kingdoms, being the Church, and the end of the Church, the glory of God by faith and holiness; how doth that kingdom pierce itself through with many darts, that suffereth this faith and holiness, the life and soul thereof, to be slain by wickedness and unbelief? Surely there is a fullness of sins, which is the greatest rebellion in the world, for it overthrows kingdoms, and let's out Vineyards to new husbandmen. This do jeroboam and Ahab now declare and bewail; jeroboam cursing the baseness of his new devised Priesthood, and Ahab defying the Statutes of men, it being a policy to destruction, to be politic against God. But if it be demanded whence such maintenance should be raised? Surely for worldly and temporal ends, the raising of huge sums by Parliament, are well impoposed, and contentedly received; & is there no way to raise one sum for the God of heaven? When Moses provided for the Tabernacle, there was offering even to abundance. When David provided for the Temple, there were many thousand Talents offered willingly, and with a perfect heart. Why should not we much more willingly contribute toward the building, not of Temples made of hands, but of the living Temple and Church of the everliving God? If a town be destroyed with fire, all men take pity on the ruin thereof, and from that pity issureth relief. When whole Towns and Parishes are besieged with hell fire, how do we not pity & secure such spiritual desolations? Then let that place which made the law of substraction, redeem it by making a law of retribution, and by some divine subsidy granted to the King of heaven, regain part, or all of the ancient inheritance of the Church, or procure some new sustentation in the stead thereof. But if men's hearts shall herein be generally hardened against God, against the souls of their brethren, yea, against their own salvation, and deny this just and necessary help: Let those that are merciful, and therefore shall obtain mercy, express this excellent virtue of him that dwelleth in them; let them bind up the wounds which the levites passed by, let them imitate him, who beheld even them in their blood & pollution, and said unto them, Live. Let conscience remedy what law doth not, the work of God being done without, by the working of God alone in men's hearts within. Accordingly should it be a sweet smelling Sacrifice, acceptably ascending before the presence of God; if those who are both spiritually and temporally rich, should out of their spiritual treasury, send forth that most precious charity, which might convert some of their temporal and transitory treasure to this soul-saving end. hereunto God through me doth beseech them, as inwardly no doubt he motion's the same unto them by his spirit. Obedience to God and his spirit is the most excellent offering, and a soul turned to God, is the joy of heaven; but proportionably quenching the spirit by disobedience, is a heavy sin; and too quiet suffering of the death of souls, where means would give hope of life, is the gall of bitterness, and the stone of the heart. Our Ancestors did set up both Churches, and Churchlivings, a great and a large work was performed by them; we are but to keep in reparation, that they have built. Indeed this over boisterous tempest hath overthrown a great piece of this building, yet but a piece, not by many degrees so great, as that work which they raised. If they have done all, it is a shame we should not do something; we should rather be glad (though not of the cause, yet of this effect) that there is matter left for our charity to express itself in this kind; and to let blind devotion know, that, if our ancestors had not founded such spiritual maintenance, it might and should yet have been done by us. There are many godly & devout persons, who have in these days of light, made and increase dwellings & portions for the bodies of the poor and needy. Excellent indeed is this work, it is a blessed thing to give, and blessed are they that feed the hungry, and cloth the naked. But yet of all Alms houses, the spiritual alms-house is the best, and Paul that willeth you to desire the best gifts, would have you use your gifts to the best advantage. Wherefore I show you a more excellent way. As the soul is infinitely better than the body, and life eternal, than life present, so the food of the soul is far better than that of the body, and the saving of the spiritual life better than the preservation of the temporal life. If thou givest to the body, thou dost well, but thou givest to that which shall die: but if thou give to the soul, thou dost better, for thou givest to that, which by thy gift may live for ever in happiness, and make the body live for ever in the same bliss with it. If thou give natural bread, thou dost well; but thou givest that which perisheth with the using: but thou most resemblest Christ thy head, and givest the best Alms, when thou givest the bread of heaven. What a comfortable and joyful thing to thy soul and heart will it be to see a whole Congregation fed on God's holy day with thy Alms? to see many souls receiving salvation as it were from thy hand, to hear many bless & glorify God for his gifts to thee, & thine to them? yea to bless thee therefore in the name of the Lord? Surely such joy is infinitely better, sounder, and fuller of weight, than the joy of money, corn, and oil; but the joy that God shall give thee in the great marriage day, in the day of the gladness of thy heart, in that day will again infinitely exceed this. Then shall Christ say unto thee, come thou blessed of my Father; for when I was hungry, naked and cold in the very soul of my little ones, thou didst buy Manna, long white robes & fire of the Altar, to feed, cloth & warm me; thou gavest the best gifts, and which most nearly and inwardly cherish me, therefore shalt thou have the best reward; come and sit nearest unto me. But if some backward & withdrawing hearts in whom God hath no delight, put this grace and glory from themselves, by a persuasion, that this business concerns them not, but that every horse should bear his own burden, and each congregation maintain a Preacher for themselves: Let them know, that natural men not used to instruction, for want of it, have no desire to it: Things not known are unsought, much less will a natural man part from things known for things unknown. It is the property of teaching to make men desire to be taught: expect not then this desire from them, which have not the means to attain it; the sweetness of the word must be first sounded in their ears, before they will love the sound thereof: it must teach them the worth of itself, before they will part from any of their worth for it. He must be partly or wholly a spiritual man, that hungers for spiritual food unto the loss of his temporal substance: and how shall many such be expected where the word, by which the spirit entereth, hath not been fitly opened unto them? Therefore if thou wilt have them do for themselves, do thou something first, though but a little for them whereby they may hear the word: And then it is likely the word heard will make way for itself, and persuade for increase of maintenance; for it persuades the truly sanctified to a far greater degree, even to fallen all, to give life & all, for the Treasure of happiness Christ jesus; whom lying more closely in the Cabinet of the word, preaching delivers unto us opened and displayed in full glory and Lustre. Yea it may be by the word so communicated by thee, there will be some provoked, to do that for others which thou hast done for them; and so a generation of goodness may be continued of which thou hast been the father; and a chain of good works may be lengthened, of which the first link framed by thee, is both the beginning and cause. Hereunto may be added this other reason of foreign help; That such places bear already as great a burden without the benefit of preaching as others do that have it. Wherefore that Saint Paul's rule of equity may be observed, which will not have some eased, to have others doubly grieved; and that rule of Charity, Bear ye one another's burden: it is fit that the burden of such places should be divided among many, so to take away the grief of surcharging by an equality, and to ease the weight of the burden by dividing it with others.   

5. Part.  
As these great blows of Satan have afflicted the Ministry in these latter times, so do daily buffets, & lesser pinch of the servants of Satan, follow and persecute continually the same ministery. His plot and his hatred still are one, though the limitation of his power, by God's overruling, suffer him not at all times to bring forth like effects: He is, God be praised, tied up somewhat from appropriating of spiritual livings, yet what he cannot get in a rent, he strives to obtain in a fine. The Patron that cannot have the yearly profit, must have a gross sum in consideration of it, and a scholar having spent much of his portion, spirits, and time in study to make himself worthy of a place in the Church, yet after must he study for sureties, or ready money to throw into the mouth of Cerberus, even of these porters of hell, that they stop not his way into the deserved Benefice. And this also is a virtue, if they will bestow it, in this kind of bestowing on a man able and sufficient; for if such a one be not very near as finable, as a mere dumb and unlearned fellow: sufficiency shall be bought out, & profitable ignorance shall be preferred before edifying knowledge. The great God Mammon must choose the Priest that fitteth him best, & the greatest & truest God whose Priest is thought them to be choosing, hath least to do in that choice. But o thou Merchant of hell & Factor for Satan, know that cursed is thy money with thee, thy money is the price of Souls even of spiritual blood, the life of spirits. Thou hast for that sum given over so many souls to Satan, thou hast given their throats to the Butcher, and thou hast done worse than slain them; for thou killest them with death eternal. Christ hath said, what shall a man give for his soul, yea to give a whole world and to lose his soul is a bad bargain: but what a beggarly and bloody bargain hast thou made which for little pieces and shrids of the world hast sold many souls? But to what end is it to speak to a man of clay, that hath no sense nor feeling of heaven? To what end is it to speak to a mule that hath no understanding? Such men are more dead, than the Altar which heard the word of the Lord. They are stony at the very heart, and nothing but money makes any sound by striking such a heart. Otherwise even to common reason it would grossly appear, that a lantern without a candle can give no light, that a man without sight cannot be a guide to the blind; & that men led by such guides, must needs fall with their guides into the pit of eternal destruction. But if it happen that a man of some sufficiency hath like the Centurion by a great sum obtained the freedom of this Benefice: then is the Patron ready to go into the Temple with the Pharisie, to give thanks that he is not like other men: There is a fit man in the place, and he hath taken no money for the Benefice but for the Aduowson, which a man may honestly do. But know thou Circumuenter of thy own soul: That if it were lawful to sell an Aduowson, thou shouldest sell it at the price of an Aduowson. To find out this, consider what either thou payest for the patronage, and so make some proportion by that, or what a lay-man would give for it, that would make no use of it, but the bestowing. For whatsoever is given beyond that which a man would give to have the mere naming of the Minister, is the price of the benefice, and not of the Aduowson; it pays for the profit of the living, & not for the particular appointment of the man. Mingle things as cunningly, and confusedly as thou canst, the judgement of God shall single them as perfectly, and the evil shall be taken out & showed thee by itself in the great & terrible day of the Lords displeasure. Yet neither do I commend the selling of Aduousons though at the easier rate; for a Patronage is an excellent privilege, a patron hath the power of a great and high work, even in the chiefest business of God. Why wilt thou for a little money let another do God acceptable service, when thou mayst do it thyself? Or why perchance dost thou suffer another to do God's service negligently and corruptly, when thou mayst do it faithfully? Take heed hereunto; for if by thy sale, the sheep be unfed, for whom Christ died, thou mayst go among the cursed to whom it shall be said, When I was an hungry thou hadst food in thy hand, and yet thou fedst me not.   

Part. 6.  
But after all this, is not the Minister fully escaped; having paid the Patron for his passage, he falls after into the hands of his Parish: then is he like a man rid of a Lion, & fallen among Wolves; every one (almost, if not wholly) rubs up his wit, and makes it a principal conquest, to deceive the Parson. Howsoever the Usurer have his ten of the hundred, the Lawyer his grossefee, and the workman his wages; the Minister, who lays out his stock for their salvation, shall not have his ten of the hundred, nay, but a lean fee for the most precious counsel; nor his full wages for his most excellent work. It is a special part of thrift, if we cannot conceal and defraud some tithes, yet to make a good bargain with the Minister, and to get somewhat by him; and if he will not be so wrought on, he must go for a covetous and hard man. But O thou overthriftie Tither, what thinkest thou, while thou dealest thus? hast thou a soul or not? If thou hast none, at least, if thou thinkest so, words will be useless, until thou feel one day by the torments of thy soul that thou hast one; and then they will also be useless. But if thou hast one, it is better than thy body, which is also better than thy goods. Thou gladly givest to the Physician to maintain the health of thy body, and to the Lawyers to preserve thy goods: how doth not thy hand willingly & chief stretch forth itself to him which saveth thy soul, which is infinitely better than these? It showeth too evidently, that thou valuest things backwards, since thou esteemest not thy soul, as thou dost thy goods and body, nor the eternal salvation thereof▪ as thy present preservation. But they that have had a glimpse of heavenly glory, despise earthly things in comparison thereof, and in disdain say, Is it a great matter to give carnal things for spiritual? such men know, they cannot give so good things to them, as they receive from them. Therefore they would even take out of their own bowels to do good to their teachers, at least they would thrust their right upon them, though ignorant of it; they would by all means desire, that they might live plentifully in this world, whose life is employed to make them live everlastingly in the next. far be it then from us to vex and discourage by robbery and impoverishing those, who are the guides unto heaven. Let divine love justify them in taking their right, yea, help them to it, and bring after them, what they have left of it. Let us entertain them as ambassadors of Christ with bountiful allowance, and not show our small regard of the Lord that sent them, by our ill rewarding of his messengers. Their estate is but for life, and natural affection towards their family, is commendable in them as in us; therefore a provident care, if without wrong, is not to be censured, but allowed in them; and a willing and a plentiful contribution is requisite in us. And herein I deserve speedier assent, because I am none of those I speak for.   

Part. 7.  
A third cunning of Satan is to make sanctification an odious thing, and to fasten on it some vile reproach, that men may be ashamed to serve God, and to be saved. And that this may work the more effectually, he suffers many to go so far in religion as they may, without losing them, that is, in a moral and civil profession thereof; but that degree, beyond which indeed is only the very life and power of sanctification, is very offensive to them, and appears to such to be but hypocrisy and scrupulosity. Hence it is, that among most of these civilians, regeneration and sanctification, which they attain not, is Puritanisme, and a true Saint is called a Puritan; which in their English, means a dissembling or scrupulous fellow. And this being the verdict of those, who account themselves for honest men, and their neighbours think the same (to whom these civil men are almost Puritans) like a kennel of dogs, they run away with the cry, and bark out this term against every honest man they meet. But a lamentable persecution of tongues is this the while, especially among Christians, that a man should be reviled for being a Christian; and that regeneration, the work of the holy Ghost, should be reproached. Cursed is he that despiteth the Spirit of grace, even that Spirit which gave his tongue that power, by which he is able to speak against the Spirit. Cursed is he that revileth the holy Ghost, and raileth on the power of the living God. Know that the time shall come, when thy words shall return upon thee, as so many Lions; yea, the devil, who now sets thee on work, shall come to work upon thee with torments: but especially that blessed Spirit, whom thou hast reviled, shall come against thee, and tear thee in pieces, and there shall be none to deliver thee. Thou seest in the whole course of such a man's life, a main current of honesty and goodness; and who would think that any should be so shameless to rail on goodness, and to oppose against it? For the very opposing against goodness, gives thee the title of wickedness, which alone is the enemy thereof. It shows thou art a soldier of the Dragon, who goes out to make war with that blessed seed, that keeps the commandment of God. But I do know thy usual defences: thou wilt say, that there are none worse, than such as make such a show of pureness, and withal thou art furnished with some merry tales, that show many mad tricks of these over holy brethren. Hear a little discretion and judgement in stead of salt, would be of very good use to amend the savour both of thy heart and tongue. For an upright judgement, as it findeth many truths, so toward the true discovery of this business, it findeth these. First, that whosoever is indeed good, shall and must also seem good; for his works will praise him, whether he will or no; his fruits will show what tree he is, they must shine before men, that men seeing them, may glorify God their heavenly Father. Hence first we conclude, that every one that seems good, is not an hypocrite, but contrarily he may be one of God's chiefest servants. Therefore thou canst not presently fall to thy nickname only for the show of goodness. Secondly, that there is indeed a dissembled holiness, worn for a cloak to wickedness, that the shape of an Angel of light some times covers a foul devil, yea, the foulest devils are they that most use, & need this cover. Now for this fellow, if thou findest him, puritan is too good a name for him; for the Scripture hath sharper names, as, generation of Vipers, Wolves in sheeps clothing, and painted sepulchres full of rotten bones. These be they, whereon the devil sets the one foot, when he kicks at true Christians with the other, justifying by these, his railings on those who especially hate these, as the devils chiefest servants. But now there needs some discretion to know these from the other, that thou call not good evil, nor evil good; nor a Christian Hypocrite, nor an Hypocrite, Christian. Toward this thou must look to the fruits of both, and that not a few particulars, but to the general. For a Godly man is subject to infirmity, & hath some falls; and an Hypocrite knows that to cover his wickedness he must show some goodness. But look to the continual course of both, and thou shalt find, one good generally, though sometimes frail; and the other often grossly transgressing, though much covering his rotten heart. The things wherein especially thou shalt try the difference, may be these. First a love to Christ: secondly, a love of Christ's voice: thirdly, a love of the members of Christ, and a rejoicing in them who excel in virtue. Now these things will again appear if for the love of Christ, the love of his word, and the love of his members, a man be ordinarily contented to lose sinful profits or pleasures, and with the steward to write 50. for an 100 This is the touchstone of a Christian, even the taking up of the Cross, forsaking all, and following Christ. But this the hypocrite cannot abide, he serves Christ, that Christ may serve him, to get pleasure and profit by him, not to lose by him.   

Part. 8.  
But now here come in the many stories, which condemn these purer men to be guilty against these duties, and so to be hypocrites. Yet run not away too fast with this neither, but even in the point of hearing reports, take also some discretion with you. For against good men very commonly, are bold and confident slanders raised, which by their stoutness might seem to be truth itself. But let not the wise believe them before examination. For most commonly in the very telling of them, will appear a venom and malice, the true issue of the old Serpent: and upon farther trial, falsehood and lying, the natural brother of the former, and a truly begotten son of the Accuser of the Brethren. He began the rule in Paradise, and will continue even to the new jerusalem; lie boldly, for some of it will stick fast for ever. And how can it be otherwise, since the laziness of men is such, that they will believe a report at the first telling, rather than trouble themselves to examine and find out the truth, which only should be believed; & withal their maliciousness is so great, that they are willing and ready to receive evil reports, yea, they delight in them. But the servants of Christ know, that the last judgement shall be by words, and that a rash and a bitter judge shall, though not rashly, yet severely be judged. Therefore according to the Psalmist, The good man is merciful, and guideth his words with discretion. He inclineth naturally to believe good rather than evil; yet avoiding to condemn the just, he also shuns to justify the wicked. Therefore that his judgement may be righteous, he searcheth both the matter how probable it is in itself; and next he examineth the re-reporters, whether they be those, in whom the truth dwelleth, and who themselves have a good report of the truth; not being like Pilate, ignorant, and yet to learn what is truth. For it is a kind of murder of our neighbour in his name and reputation (which is almost as his life) both to bear false witness, and to receive false witness against him. Lastly, a good man, if he may conveniently, will inquire of the party himself, or of some of his acquaintance, whether such things have been done by him; and if done, in what manner, and upon what occasion: for many times the manner of things wholly altars the matter, and the matter may be good, in the manner in which it was done, yet evil in the manner bestowed on it by the reporter. Again, the thing being true, yet the occasion and cause may, though not justify, yet excuse the fact; for many evil deeds are done by infirmity, which yet prove not the men evil that did them. It were pity that men should go to work this way with David, and only judge of him by his murder and adultery: but it rather becomus, to see whether his course of life being different from his fact, do not manifestly prove, that these sins were of infirmity; of sin cleaving to him, not reigning in sin. And in this point should every man be the milder; for as it is said commonly in other matters, it is every man's cause; this man's to day, and thine to morrow. And though thou swear with Peter, that if all the world deny Christ, thou wilt not deny him, yet I will never believe thee no more than Christ did Peter; for in many things we sin all, and as the Apostles said, We are also men, subject to the same infirmities.   

Part 9  
But if these cautions will not yet moderate the savages of this world, as indeed a fool, though brayed in a mortar, will not grow wise: Yet, O thou man of God, whosoever thou art, that sufferest for Christ's sake, bind this rebuke to thine head for a crown, and rejoice that thou art such a one as the devil and his followers hate; for he cannot be but good, whom the devil hateth. Rejoice when men speak all evil of thee falsely, and know thou art now a brother of Christ and his Saints in tribulation, and in the kingdom; for if thou suffer with him, thou shalt also be glorified with him. The spirit, whose shame now thou bearest, shall hereafter cause thee to bear his glory; and the more shame for his sake, the more glory. So shall these Balaams', whose hearts are so ready to curse the people of God, be the very means to procure a blessing unto them. For so many curses, so many blessings; therefore if there were no offence to God, nor hurt nor pity to themselves, we might well suffer them to curse apace, for they curse us as fast to glory.   

Part. 10.  
From Christ's time, place is approved by truth, not truth by place. He that freed true worship from being tied to jerusalem, and tied it to the service in spirit which may be in all places, gave true religion a large scope, even as large as the world itself. Therefore jerusalem being broken up, and true worship being set free into the whole world, let not Rome seek to captive her again, and tie her to the chain thereof: for they that worship in spirit and truth, have God pleased with them, though such worship be in places, that know not Rome to be on earth.    

74  
The Word of God is an undefiled Word, rightness itself; and therefore the most perfect rule. Let therefore sinful men frame their lives to it, not seek, as many do, to frame it to their lives, and so to sin by the authority of righteousness. And let frail and falling man, though many of them think they be the Church, not try this Word by themselves, whether it be right or not, but by the Word try whether they be right, even the right and true Church; which is known by this, that they hear Christ's voice, and walk according to this rule of Christ: Galathians 6. 16.   

75  
Silly and foolish is the pride, that any man takes in his service toward God. For first, the whole man being from God, we can give him out of man nothing but his own. Again, the whole man being due to God, there can return no good thing from man to God, but what is his due. Thirdly, it is Gods free choice, that vouchsafeth to use thy service, who refuseth the employment of many men, excellent in natural abilities. Certainly, we have seen many such of great hope turned into earth, before any, or small use of them. God all-sufficient, who can raise up servants of stones, thus often showeth, that men have need of God and his choice, to do him any good service; but he needeth not them. Therefore let us rather thank God, then boast before him, if he employ us in his service. Let us with humility readily perform it, as to that great Lord, who hath refused infinite better, to be served by us; and whom therefore to serve is a happiness & privilege of ours from him, not a benefit of ours to him   

76  
Many several women were made for many several men; if many had been allotted to one, there would have been fewer of the masculine sex; for even among herdsmen, this rule is observed. But now there is a kind of equality in number, that every one might have his mate dividedly, without dividing with another. And this which was indeed best was first; for then there being but one woman to one man, the sin which is now unlawful, was then unpossible. What bare necessity was to man by creation, let necessary obedience unto God be to the children of regeneration; whose special virtue, is to avoid the ill which may be done. Surely as running after lust beyond this one, is endless in regard of satisfaction, so hath it a bad end in regard of retribution, even tormented old age, that it can sin no more, and eternal death for having so much sinned.   

77  
When a man is possessed by any lust, be it of covetousness, concupiscence or the like, there is set up an image in him, though not a graven one, which is to him a God. This image wholly filleth his mind, to it he committeth idolatry, for he offereth his whole heart in sacrifice to it; and if he can obtain the thing therein represented, he accounteth himself happy, as in the obtaining of God. Such an image was there in Ahab of Naboths' vineyard, and such a one of Bathsheba in David. But let us take heed of this worship of images, for it is but a vain shadow which steppeth into to the place of God; It telleth us of happiness, but itself obtained goeth into nothing, & robs us of true happiness. Let us rub out therefore the print thereof with prayer and holy meditations, filling up our hearts with profitable and eternal truths, to keep out these dying and killing vanities, let nothing possess our hearts but God himself, who will one day glorify the place wherein he dwells, and make it look like a temple of God: And surely nothing but God is worthy of a man.   

78  
God is the cause of all under-causes and of all effects; in him is the fullness of all things, the spring of all beings. This world is a determinate measure of his effects. The natural life at the best is but a certain number of these effects, during a certain piece and limit of time. But the spiritual life caused by our union with God, is an everlasting and infinite enjoying of the infinite cause of all things. Hereby shall we find the Christian to be most perfectly happy, who possesseth all things in their cause, and beyond all things that are, shall enjoy the cause itself. Infinite is the difference between wisdom the cause, and wisdom the effect; light the cause, and light the effect; love the cause, love the effect. Therefore is earthly Paradise wiped out, and the Sun shall be taken away, and worldly pleasure eaten up by death. And from hence have we infinite comfort, for besides the blessed end which comforteth all labours, we have other comforts in our way thither. For if some temporal effects of God be now wanting, yet in God they are ready for us, and far more excellent things, when it shall be best for us: for God having communicated himself to us, we may certainly believe, he cannot deny things small in comparison of him, when they shall be for our good. Therefore when he withholds them, he doth it as not being good for us: yea we may rejoice in grief, knowing that a loving God and our God is the very cause of it, and that to our good. So while our flesh by nature is sad at the effect, our heart by grace may rejoice confidently in the cause. For God unchangeable, through all our changes aimeth unchangeably to this end, our good. Let all seek God with their whole heart; since himself is our exceeding great reward; since all things attend upon him ready to cast themselves upon them whom they see favoured by him: And since all things of what time soever that are cast on us, are turned into good by him who dwelleth in us.   

79  
If a good name be better than a small parcel of goods, than he that sits as judge of a man's good name ought to proceed to sentence upon as firm evidence, as the judge of a man's goods. If this were observed, men would hear sufficient witnesses before they fall to their censures: Surely it is a great fault of these times, that men are sooner condemned to be wholly nought, than a publicly accused-man, is to have stolen a sheep. The reason hereof is; There is a drop of the great Serpent's venom powered into our hearts, which breeds in us a willingness to hear evil of our neighbours. But let us thirst for the medicinable drops of grace, & suck them into our hearts, which will fill us with that love which rejoiceth not in evil. It is a pitiful thing that creatures of one form, of one condition, should delight in the blemishes and miseries of each other. But when the devil brought us to fall out with God, he also brought us to fall out among ourselves, that love the fulfilling of the Law might be perfectly broken. Yet they that are new made by Christ, must learn Christ's new commandment, which is love, and be slowly and unwillingly led to believe evil of their neighbour.   

80  
It is a good degree of happiness to have a nature inclining, yea in different to those ways to which the spirit bends itself, and would bend it. Thence it seems a great advantage when a man hath in his nature a coldness to Ambition, to the glory of this world, to the pleasures of the world, and when it draweth, and contracteth itself into a narrower content, being satisfied even with things necessary. For if we have not this naturally in us, we must strive to make it natural by custom, because there is an absolute necessity that we be such, or still strive to be such. For God must reign in us if we will reign with him; & how doth he reign in us, but by moderating & guiding the mind within the compass of reason, curbing and restraining wild and inordinate affections? And this it seems is much the end of afflictions on the men whom God loves, that there by taming, swaging, and cooling their nature, and as it were washing and taking away by a privation, the headstrong affections which it beareth to the world; the spirit may unresisted enter in, and quietly work his nature into the afflicted. And as for these natural virtues, though they be not Christian, nor in themselves acceptable to God, while they are merely moved by nature, to a natural man's ends; yet when nature is moved to do them by the spirit, from a right cause which is the love of God, unto the right end which is the glory of God; then the actions so done by the service of nature, are good & acceptable to God. As for those whose crooked, and more unmannagable nature, standeth stiff against the discipline of the spirit and their own desires; let them not therefore despair, because their evil ground bringeth forth less fruit, & more briars than the others. It pleaseth God indeed to make thee one of those to whom he appointeth more labour, for the promised penny; yet be not weary of well doing, for if thou faint not, thou shalt in due time receive thy wages. If thou strive hearty against thy evil and hate it, God is pleased with thy will and affection, as much as the others action. Therefore strive hopefully, according to the might which thou hast, praying for more; and his grace is sufficient for thee.   

81  
The wisdom of man and the wisdom of God are exceeding different, and no marvel: one being infinitely pure, and purely infinite; the other narrow, but great in corruption. As in all things therefore we should forsake our own wisdom, and lean unto Gods; so not with the least care in the matter of revenge; when thou hast suffered some evil, thine own wisdom bids thee return evil to the doer, but the wisdom of God bids thee to return him good notwithstanding this evil. Hereat thou wonder'st, and thy flesh finds no wisdom in this to return good for evil, to help him who hurts thee: yet is the counsel of thy wisdom, indeed folly, & this of Gods, excellently wise. For 1. in revenging thyself, thou dost foolishly; for God having taken to himself alone, the name & power of being judge of the world, thou steppest into this place and wilt be thy own judge. And God having delegated part of this power for a time unto Magistrates, thou intrudest into their place, and so art Rebellious both against God and man. And indeed, as thou hast made thyself a judge, so thou makest thyself an executioner, and art the hangman to execute the sentence of thy own malice: surely if a man had rob thee though with some blows, and were apprehended and condemned by the Magistrate, thou wouldst take it a great disgrace to be appointed for a hangman, or executioner of him, who thus offendeth thee; yet here is nothing but justice: but when thine own wrath usurping the place of judgement, condemns a man for a blow or a word to die, than it is a part of honour, to be the executioner of thy own unjust and unlawful sentence. Be not deceived, this latter is the worse hangman of the two. But to examine thy folly nearer, how art thou indeed avenged by this, which thou thinkest and callest revenge? By intruding into God's office, thou hast taken the matter out of God's hands into thine own: but so where before a God, and an offended God was thy enemy's judge, who in his wrath could cast both soul and body into hell fire; now a man hath undertaken him, who hath only power on the body, if yet he have so much: so instead of a revenger, thou hast done the part of a redeemer, and goest about to help him, whom thou thoughtest to hurt. Again, where God was before angry with him alone, now he is angry with thee also, and so hast thou lost thy advantage, which thou hadst upon him. Thou hadst the best friend in the world for thee, and against him: and now thou hast by thy revenge, lost him equally with the other. And lastly, him whom thou censurest to have done evil, thou goest about to imitate, and to make thyself as bad as he. And now that God's counsel to recompense good for evil, is excellently wise, it appears hereby: certain it is, and to the godly certainly known, that the eyes of God behold all things done on earth; and he which beholdeth all things certainly, shall as certainly judge all men, for all things done in their flesh. Therefore if a man wrong thee, know that this wrong is seen, that it is recorded, that it shall be judged. And if thou couldst now but see, or rightly imagine that terrible judgement, which shall be inflicted on those which touch Gods anointed, thou wouldst pity them, whom now thy vengeance would punish. Surely fire and brimstone, cries and torments, darkness and devils are their portion; though it be not present, yet it shall be present, and the weight of the pain shall recompense the stay. Again, the more good thou art, the more God will pity thee, the more God will plague him that wrongeth thee. For the more good, the dearer to God, and the more odious are those that offend thee. Therefore if thou wilt be revenged on thy enemy, be still doing of good as to all, so to him among all; and thy goodness shall bring God the avenger upon him, and shall heap coals of fire upon his head, in the day of the highest vengeance. Possess thy soul in goodness, in patience, and be not moved from thy place to do evil; then shalt thou dwell assuredly in happiness, and shalt see thy desire upon thy enemies; whatsoever the wicked do, thou knowest thy part; though he doth the works of a wicked man, thou still art to bring forth the fruits of a good man; he doth what belongs to a servant of his master: do thou what belongs to the service of thine, and at last thou shalt see his Lord and himself made the foot stool of thy Lord, and cast down into utter darkness, where shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. Then shall this thy Lord, who casteth him into hell, exalt thee into heaven: and as your ways in this life were divers, so shall they be in the next; and then shall it be no grief of mind to thee, when thou art in that glorious kingdom, that thy hand hath not shed blood, nor wickedly avenged thy wrongs.   

82  
The nature of man by the corruption thereof maketh a God of whatsoever it listeth. Therefore rightly is Idolatry by the Apostle, reckoned among the works of the flesh, it being a work to which the flesh is prone. This hath the wicked custom of mankind grossly declared, while some make their wealth a god; some have taken men for gods, as the Barbarians did Paul and Barnabas: and some have made gods for all occasions, as did the Romans. But among the rest, this corruption of the flesh, hath a special lust and desire of some glorious and fair image, to make to itself a God. And this it doth not, by believing the outward substance, as gold or wood, to be a God of itself, but that some divine spirit inhabiteth and possesseth it, and so maketh it divine by dwelling in it. This inclination and readiness of man to idolatry is expressed often in Scripture jeremy 10. Ezechiel 16. judges 2. Yea, it hath so far prevailed, that men have been inflamed with Idols, under every green tree, burning in lust toward them; yea they have adored and worshipped the very images of their friends which they kept as remembrances of them, Wisd. 13. 10. and more particularly, the image of the serpent which healed them, 2. King. 18. If this was the inclination of man's nature in former times, how can we but still look for the same fruits of the same root? The same corrupt nature, yea worse in these last times still dwelleth in us; it is as near kin to Idols as ever it was, and the devil rageth more than ever he did, knowing his time to be short. Therefore if an image was a stumbling block, and a teacher of lies, how do they teach the truth, that teach images? Where they are publicly proposed unto corrupt and frail mankind, yea where they are proposed to be worshipped with the honour due to the pattern, yea where they do or are said to do great and divine wonders, what can be looked for, but that the same mankind which worshipped images in old time, and by that worship were idolaters, will worship images with the same worship now, and now also become idolaters? The same man, the same image, and the same idolatry. But now they are taught not to worship them with divine worship. And then they were taught by the second commandment, not to worship them at all. Thy proposing of them doth draw men more to them, than thy teaching doth deter from them. Say what thou wilt, if thou put an image before a man of flesh. Flesh and the image will together commit idolatry. Wilt thou take thy fair wife, and leave her with a lustful man, and tell him he shall only pass the time with her in civil conference. The Lord of hosts, is as jealous of his spouse, as thou of thy wife; he will not have temptations set before her, and therefore forbids altogether the making of images for any worship. Besides the ignorant man understands not the difference between Dulia and Latria, but falls hearty to his business, and thinks he cannot do it amiss if he do it with all his heart. And if he did understand it, yet when it doth miracles, how can they not worship it? since even for that Israel worshipped the serpent, which their story told them to have been made of Brass. Therefore let men cease to lay stumbling blocks before the blind, though they hang up lanterns by their sides. Let them not join with the devil to make temptations: yea let them avoid even images of remembrances in the place of worship, since such have drawn worship aside from God unto them: And cursed is he that maketh the blind to go out of the way. Deut. 27.   

83  
The estates and functions in this world, considered alone, and not in order & respect to the next, meet altogether at the end of life in the same point of vanity, howsoever by the way different in the appearance of outward glory. And in this way, those that are gotten above necessity and misery, have so confused, unknown, & mixed a goodness, that they still turn our thoughts forcibly from themselves, and send them beyond themselves unto another kind of being, to find fullness and satisfaction. The higher estate, which is that of power and action, pleaseth itself in the pre-eminence thereof, and beholding itself a cause & mover of effects. But the end of a thing being the excellency & crown thereof, and the natural end of action, and motion being rest, it seems that the lower estates enjoying this most, enjoy most the chiefest, and have the advantage of the fruit, while the other hath the commendation of being an excellent root. Yet the greatest are most contented to be so, and the lesser might be contented, but they will not; and so is there a confusion herein: that imagination maketh some contented with labour, while more substantial rest, will not satisfy others. Besides this vexation of mind, there is another: That to be far above misery, is a misery: and desires prevented, partake much of the trouble of desires unsatisfied. For man being made of lust, it is a torment to him, not to lust; and so while men hunt after an excess of fullness, they hunt after their own torment: yet is there a great path beaten by these runners after extremities, who know not the sweet bound and point of enough, beyond which, their striving is labour for loss. Again, the supposed excellency, and highest perfection of mankind, being commonly imagined to be at the state and ripeness of manhood, yet in that indeed is man most miserable, as being then launched forth like a full built ship into the world, a sea of cares and sorrows; Then also knowledge increased, increaseth sorrow, giving man a more full taste of his own misery. But youth is free from care, and hath strong enjoy of small & easy things; for youth covers all things with its own pleasantness, whereas age is sad in spite of objects, colouring them also with it own deadness: Yet youth desireth manhood, and is tormented for lack of it, and after is punished with having it. If then the ripeness of man, even man's best, is a station of care; if he grow from pleasure as he groweth into manhood, and yet tendeth unto manhood as unto his perfection; it seems the very being and perfection of man is a being of care and trouble, and that man is verily borne to labour as the sparks fly upward. Now what is there left to be thought of man? but that he was not made only for vanity and misery, and that this misery hath a farther and a better end, even happiness itself. We are here brought into a state of trouble, and straightness, but it is, that serving God first in labour, we should after come to his rest; and that the consideration of this rest should be our comfort in the time of our labour. Let us therefore work on strongly in the work of God imposed upon us, knowing that after the six days labour, cometh rest of the seventh. And let our eyes be continually on the joys which follow, and not on the pain which is present: the joys beheld must needs encourage us, for their sight is comfortable, and especially because we are sure they are ours. The pain neglected and unregarded, cannot be very uncomfortable; the thought not being grieved with that which is not beheld by it. Thus did Christ look steadfastly on glory, and so despised the shame, and endured the cross; and so doth God himself, in the sufferings of his servants. The world indeed wonders who sees but half of the matter, when it beholds the sufferings of just and holy men. They wonder that God takes no more pity on them, but suffers the fire, the axe, and the tormenter to have power over them. But then God who beholds at once the whole estate of a Christian, sees both the torments present, and the glory following; and he judgeth the short and finite torments to be the gain & advantage of his servants, since they cause a great access of infinite glory. Therefore let us be so minded as God and his Christ are, and walk on valiantly in sanctified misery unto true felicity.   

84  
Most men in part, or in whole are Gadarens, or Capernaites. The Gadaren, if he lose any thing by Christ, desires him to departed out of his coasts, and will lose Christ, rather than his swine. The Capernaite follows Christ, but it is to be filled; so he seeks Christ for his belly, and makes his belly the end of Christ. These things are too usual among us, we are ready to shrink from Christ, as soon as our profits or pleasures shrink from us; because of Christ, we will not be saved ourselves, except we may have every thing else safe aswell as ourselves: we will be both Dives and Lazarus, we will have happiness both here and hereafter, which may not be: for this is to knit together, what God hath parted asunder. Equally wicked is their purpose, that intent▪ to make an occupation of Christ to get favour, riches, or preferment by him; that turn Christ from his, of being a Saviour, and use him as Merchandise: who take the ladder of jacob, by which we should ascend into heaven, and perverting the use of it, thereby climb downward to the things of this earth. But miserable and foolish man, thou both robbest & destroyest thyself with this thy policy. Christ would have done far greater things for thee, and thou wilt only have him help thee to the less: he would have given thee an everlasting Kingdom, a Treasure that is far above thieves and rust; but thou hadst rather receive less and worse things from him, transitory honour, and rusty treasure. Thou art a child in understanding; thou takest an apple, and refusest a jewel: But he that is verily Christ's Disciple, avoids these corruptions. He knows Christ to be such an inestimable Pearl and happiness, that if he have Christ, though with the loss of father or mother, wife or children, life or land, yea, with persecutions; yet the possession of him yields a hundred fold more comfort in this life, and in the life to come eternal felicity. He is still a gainer amid all his losses, yea he gains by his losses; for losses for Christ gain great comfort and assurance in this world, that the losers are accounted worthy to lose any thing for Christ; and hereafter in the next world, shall they gain an exceeding reward of glory. The same Disciple also out of the same estimation of Christ, highly disdaineth to make any other end of Christ, but Christ himself. Yea he so highly preferreth Christ above all things, that he accounts all things dung, so he may win Christ; Christ is the mark of his desires, he sees nothing beyond him, but all things far short of him: He knows Christ to be infinitely better than all things, and therefore useth the worse as helps to the better; but far it is from him, to propose the better only as a means unto the worse. So he passeth through all other things as a Pilgrim, but takes up his rest in Christ alone. He walks along treading on earth, and earthly things, with his eyes and heart fixed on his Saviour in heaven: To conclude, he is so far from selling Christ, to get any thing, that he will sell all things to obtain Christ: Now true love, the fruit of a true faith, makes this yoke easy, and this commandment light.   

85  
The natural man hath in him an inclination to be proud in the enjoying of such things as have any excellence, though himself be not the Author of that excellence, and sometimes though he have thereby no addition of worth to his own person. So in the first kind he is proud of a good wit, and in the second, is he proud of a proud horse, of a rich jewel, of an embroidered garment. And accordingly he attributeth more glory to himself, for possessing them, then to the Author and giver, for creating and giving them: yea commonly all the glory to himself, the standing pool, and none to the spring. But the true Christian, even the new borne son of God, rips up this swelling deceit, and strives to free his soul from it, and to bring her to a true and just discerning of things. To this end bending her eye to the contemplation of truth, she finds that chief and only glory belongeth to the giver, not to the receiver; to the Creator, not to the thing made. She sees no reason that she should boast of another's work, nor that she should be proud of what she hath received; but rather she seethe great reason, that the creature should give all glory to the Creator, and the receiver to the giver. For the borrower is a servant to the lender, his receiving is an implied subjection, and he oweth to him the thing lent, much more the glory of the thing. Accordingly▪ the sanctified cry out: Sing ye loud to the Lord all the earth; for the Lord is God, he hath made us, and not we ourselves: And, Thou art worthy o Lord to receive glory, honour, and power, for thou hast created all things. This if puffed up man would rightly consider, he would remember by the benefits of God, to glorify God his Benefactor, not himself, the almsman of God. And though knowledge by man's corruption is made an instrument of puffing up, yet knowledge pursued to this point by sanctification, would humble and abase. For it would show us that we must glory in our own, not in our debts. Rather thereby as borrowers and owners we should become humble acknowledgers of our own subjection and obligation to him who lends and bestows. But miserable and distracted man, how far dost thou wander from this duty? thou art proud of a chain borrowed of thy neighbour, howmuch more wilt thou be of a greater thing given thee of thy God? Rather break off thy sins by repentance, humble thy false swelling, & abate the wisdom of thy foolish flesh; yea let all glory which other give thee, reflect from thee to thy maker, who only is the true rest of glory. Then if thou glorify him, thou shalt be glorified by him, which is the glory thou especially shouldest seek for unto thyself; so mayst thou aspire by humility which is the only honour: yea most ready way of aspiring. But if thou do it not, know that pride is the especial bar of God's mercies; Pride keeps out God, and many might have been far more sanctified, if they had been far less proud. For God enters not into the soul that acknowledgeth not him nor his benefits; those that are far from beholding him, he beholdeth afar off. But into the humble soul, that giveth him abundance of glory; he enters with abundance of grace, sowing there, and there only plenty of grace, where he is assured to reap plenty of glory. Now let us beware that what God soweth for himself we reap not to ourselves, lest we be found robbers of God: but being as labourers in that harvest only for him, let us be content with our wages of labouring, which will be sufficient yea an exceeding great reward to us; for great glory shall be given to those in the next world, to whom God giveth grace to be humble in this world.   

86  
It is pity we have so wholly taken up our minds with the controversies, between us & the Pope, that we have much neglected the more immediate controversy between us & the devil. It is good that thou lay thy hand on this, and forget not the other. The chief superedification on Faith is Love, and this love tends to the fulfilling of the commandments. Herein are the children of God known, and the children of Satan. He that loveth is borne of God, and he that loveth not, hath not seen God, but the wrath of God abideth on him. But as love must be had, so must it be had to some purpose, it must be useful, & bring forth the natural & kindly fruit thereof, which is keeping the commandments. But the blackness of darkness is so thick on the soul of man by his fall, that he cannot see the good which he would do; and hence it is, that often love brings the children of good works to the birth, but there is no strength of knowledge to deliver them. Many there are who have consciences great with charity, yet in many things for want of knowledge, they either abstain from doing at all, because they know not what is right to be done, or sometimes mistake evil for good, and so offend God instead of pleasing him. Now lamentable it is to see zeal and devotion misspent, to see a good mind bring forth evil fruits, & the holy but divine soul to go clean contrary to that way it purposeth. And this though neglected, very much abateth the glory & prosperity of the light, and enlargeth the power and limits of the kingdom of darkness. And as much darkness as is left, so much room is there left for Satan, so much territory is there allowed to him; which as we should strive wholly to gain from him, so especially in those which belong not to him, but have given themselves to the God of light, to walk as children of the light. Be it therefore the precious & worthy labour of some Bezaleel or Aholiab, some one whose heart God hath touched and enlightened, to lighten and kindle many of the yet-dim-shining lamps which are in the house of God. Let them be eyes to the blind, and let them join with the spirit of God, saying in the voice thereof, This is the way, walk in it. Let them break abroad the commandments of God into their several branches of things forbidden, and commanded, that he which runneth may read, and he which readeth, may run aright. Then shall many a work of darkness be prevented, and the works of light shall spring in far greater abundance. Then shall the Prince of darkness be chased much farther from us, and the God of light shall dwell more powerfully and fully in us. Then shalt thou, whosover thou art, that turnest a soul from sinning, shine as the stars in heaven; the blessing of him that hath received instruction from thee, shall be upon thee, and thou shalt have an especial part in that welcome of Christ, in the day of Christ: Come thou blessed of my Father; for when I was hungry and imprisoned in my members, pining for want of knowledge, and fettered with ignorance, thou didst enlarge me, thou didst feed and increase me. But if the spiritual lawyers shall not be so diligent to search, and set forth Cases of Conscience, as the secular Lawyers are to publish Cases of transitory and temporal right, let them expect to have a chief part in that curse of Christ: Woe be to you Lawyers, for ye withhold the key of knowledge, ye either enter not yourselves, or you do not help those that would, to enter.   

87  
The man who intends deservedly to get the name of a Christian, hath undertaken a work called mortification, a denying of ungodly lusts, even a dying to sin, that he may live in the spirit of Christ. He that purposeth the end, must likewise intend the means, else his purpose is not effectual, and is not indeed a purpose of the end. Now if he seriously intent to use the means, a special part of that means will be a true search and notice of the lusts which he must deny, and chief of the chiefest; which excel in force, or in height of corruption. For this must he look into the nature of man in general, into the nature of the men of that country or place where he dwells, and into the custom (which is also a nature) of men at that time when he lives, and especially into the man, which is himself. This being done, let him take the rule of the law, & lay it on man thus distinctly considered; & he shall find both wherein lust hath bowed mankind in general from that rule, & wherein eminently & especially men of that country men of that time, and wherein his own heart. And this being found, he hath then his work before him, he sees what he must generally deny, and what parts of the general with his chiefest strength he must resist; and what he thinks fit to resist himself, let him also provoke others, to resist the same. If we make not this search at all, lust may come to our hearts not known to be lust, but in the shape of righteousness, or at least, covered by custom from appearing to be unrighteousness, and so may be admitted. If we make this search, and that but general, we may indeed find all vices and so may be moved to make a general resistance to al. But yet if we make not a different resistance, that is, more settled & strong against the stronger, (such as are those of our nation, time & person) by not matching them, we ourselves are overmatched, and so over mastered. This knowledge as it is in itself necessary, so it may be known to be such, because our merciful God, by a long succession of Prophets, taught and imparted it to man. He sent early and late his faithful messengers to tell jacob his sins, and Israel his transgressions, to dissuade the wicked that he turn from his wickedness, and live. And as those Watchmen of God, marked the access and inroade of sins, to give warning both to themselves and others, that they should not perish in the deluge of vices; so should there be a perpetual watch kept by the Saints and servants of God, over themselves and others, that they may not be ignorant of Satan's policies; that the Foxes be taken betimes, which destroy the Vineyard; and that all leaven of errors or maliciousness may be purged, as soon as mixed. And indeed what work doth more profitably employ the skilful master-builders and edifiers, than the finding and repairing of the ruins of the City of God? That is building indeed, to bring a stone into a decayed place, not to fill up that which is already full. That is most properly fortifying, which gives strength, to the place that needeth it, not to that which is already safe. wherefore let both Prophets and people labour herein, until time shall be no more, that the breaches of jerusalem may be both found and repaired; that the enemy be kept out at his places of advantage, that Satan may have no new engine, but that there may be a defence ready against it; until our Lord jesus, the founder and foundation of his Church appear. Who now building by the ministery of his Prophets, will then commend and exalt those that have been the wise and faithful builders, and will lift up the whole City once perfectly built into the safety and blessedness of his own presence, for ever and ever.  
The Spirit and the Bride say, Come, even so, come Lord jesus.   

AN ALPHABETICAL TABLE OF all the Meditations that are contained in this Book.  

A  
THe benefit of Adversity. 26  
Against Ambition. 36  
The true guiding of Affections. 38   

B  
MAn is to learn of Beasts. The excellence of new Birth, in respect of the old. 20  
A continual use of the outward and inward Baptism. 30   

C  
A Christians progress. 44  
Evil Customs to be abolished. 52  
Confutation of Chance. 58  
Proofs of Christian religion. 57 69  
Against Covetousness. 72  
Christ not to be loved for temporal ends. 84  
An exhortation to the writing of Cases of conscience. 86  
The Creature should direct us to the Creator. 3   

D  
AGainst Despair. 54. 9  
To love Death. 55. 31  
The Devil in the last times most to be resisted. 63  
Against Divisions and schisms. 16  
Against Distrustfulness. 22  
The cause of man's endless Desires. 33   

E  
TO avoid Extremities. 7   

F  
TRue friends. 42  
Duty to the Fatherless. 66  
The veriest fool, he that sets his wit and heart most on the world. 50   

G  
REason of the littleness of Grace in the elect. 57 5. Part  
The use of the Gospel. 70  
God, our All-sufficience. 78  
God, the light of the soul. 6  
Not to draw followers to ourselves, but to God. 14  
God one and unchangeable. 17  
God is the salvation of man.. 27. and not works.   

H  
AGainst Hypocrisy. 64  
Of Humility. 85. 4  
The excellence of a Christians Happiness. 5  
Heavenly things neglected because not seen, and how to see them. 25   

I  
Judges and judgement. 40  
The foulness of incest. 43  
Against spiritual Idolatry. 77  
Against Images. 82   

K  
The kingdom of Satan. 57 8. part.  
Knowledge increased should increase good works. 1  
divers knowledges of good and evil. 24  
The true knowledge of ourselves and the use thereof. 39   

L  
Shortness of life. 41  
The love of God. 53  
The use of the Law and the Gospel. 70  
To love God above all things. 11, 13  
Against lust. 35   

M  
THe right use of God's mercy. 46  
Mahometan religion far inferior to the Christian. 57 1 part.  
Man created for another world. 62  
Against wicked Marriages. 67  
Remedies of man's Misery. 68  
Contemt of the ministery, 73 1. part.  
Nobility makes not men unfit for the Ministry. 73. 2. p.  
The impoverishing of the Ministry. 73. 3. part.  
Remedies of the poverty of the ministery. 73. 4. part.  
Comfort against present Miseries. 83   

N  
Profanation of God's name. 51  
The right use of a good nature, and comfort to an evil nature. 80  
Not to rest in nature. 2   

O  
OPposition of holy duties and holy men, the devils policy. 48   

P  
PResumption. 54. 9  
The providence of God, the rest of man. 58  
Pope's supremacy. 59 1. part.  
And shifts. ib. 2. part.  
Purnesse of heart. 61  
The name Puritan. 73. 7  
Against spiritual pride. 75  
How to endure well the pain or the losses of pleasure. 15. 37   

R  
OF the Resurrection. 57 7. part. 60  
Of Regeneration, and unregeneration. 65  
How to read profitably. 71  
Resolution to be rich. 72  
Not to judge rashly. 73. 8. part. 79  
The rule and guide of a Christian. 74  
Against revenge. 81   

S  
A Sanctified Soul. 45  
Swearing. 51  
The approving of Sacrifices. 57 part. 4  
Against Simony. 73. part. 5  
Reasons why Superstition may bring forth many works. 7  
The Scripture upholdeth itself. 23  
divers witnesses which approve the Scripture. 28   

T  
TRoubles truly judged and borne only by faith and the Spirit. 49  
How to escape temptations. 18   

V  
THe praise of Unity. 16   

W  
TO make use of worldly wisdom. 41. 13  
How to use the world. 56  
The folly of man's wisdom. 57 part. 3  
Against whoredom. 76  
The chiefest wisdom, is to seek God the sovereign good. 50  
The excellence and necessity of good works. 1  
The world much confused and disorderly, but we must be are with it, and strive to amend it. 10  
How truly to judge a man wise. 12  
The weakness of man sets forth the glory of God. 21  
How we shall be judged by works. 27  
To beware of much intermeddling with worldly things. 32   
FINIS.