THE EXCELLENCY OF A Gracious Spirit. DELIVERED IN A TREATISE upon the 14. of Numbers, Verse 24. By IER. BURROUGHES Minister of God's Word. PROV. 17. 27. A man of understanding is of an excellent spirit. LONDON, Printed by M. F. for R. Dawlman, and L. Fawn, at the Brazen Serpent in Paul's Churchyard 1639. TO THE RIGHT HONOURABLE EDWARD, Viscount MANDEVILLE. Right Honourable, THere is a common slander that hath been raised, and vile aspersion that hath been, and still is cast upon the ways of godliness; That they dis-ennoble men's spirits, (which Salvian complained of eleven hundred Sal. l. 4 de Gab. 1. Dei. years ago, Si quis ex nobilitate converti ad Deum coeperit, statim honorem nobilitatis amittit; o quantus in Christiano populo honor Christi est, ubi Religio ignobilem facit!) That they make men rigid, melancholy, sour, uncivil; That they dull their parts; That they take them off from the delights of the things in the world; That if men take up the power and strictness of them, they must resolve never, to keep any correspondence with their friends who are of rank and quality in the world; and therefore although those who have little of the world, and little to do in the world, may live strict lives; yet it is not for such who are borne to great things, whose fortunes are raised higher than other men's, who have references to many of quality & place; it cannot be expected that they should be so strict; this must needs hinder them in their outward accomplishments; if they begin to take such a course, it is impossible they should be complete every way, as beseems such as they are: and thus many are compelled to be evil, lest they should be esteemed vile, as Salvian complains of his time; Mali coguntur esse ne viles habeantur: a notable speech of his, fully suitable to our times. The first observance (that I remember) I had of this place in Salvian, was from your Lordship's ownhands, showing it to me in him, as an expression that your Lordship was much affected with. But these men do not consider how much they speak against themselves; were this true, it were a snare, a judgement to be raised in outward excellencies above others. No; it is not honour, they are not riches, parts, dignities that hinder godliness; it is the baseness and corruption of men's spirits, in the enjoyment of these that hinders; godliness raiseth the excellencies of them, it draws out the chief good in them, and puts a higher beauty and glory upon them. God hath raised up your Honour, to convince the world of the falseness, malice, impiety there is in this evil report that is brought up, upon the good and blessed ways of godliness. Malice itself cannot but acknowledge, that godliness in the strictness of it, & natural excellencies in the eminency of them, have a blessed conjunction in your Honour; Godliness as the enameling of Pearls in those golden natural endowments with which God hath mercifully & plentifully enriched you: and were it but for this service only to God and his Church, in convincing the world of the vileness of this slander; I may speak without suspicion of flattery, happy that ever you were borne; and I know, that those who know your Lordship, will justify me in that I say. In this God hath honoured your lordship exceedingly; were there no other end for which you still live in such a generation, as you do, but only this; yet in this you have great cause to bless yourself in God, and in this great honour he hath put upon you, to make you so public and worthy an instrument of his. Who is it that looks upon you, and sees your ways, but must needs confess, Now I see that strictness and power of Religion, may stand with a most noble, generous, sweet, amiable, courteous demeanour; I see it raiseth and ennobleth parts; and though it banisheth base and sordid pleasures, which are beneath the dignity of a man, much more of true Nobility and generousness; yet it knows how to make use of the delights that God affords in this world, and orders and guides them so, as by it they are enjoyed with a double sweetness, far above that which others find. And yet further, there are two more blessed conjuctures which add much honour to you; the one is a facile yeeldablenes of spirit to any (though much inferior) in anything, where good may be done; and yet a strong, unmoveable, sledfast, resolute spirit against that which is evil. It was the high commendation that Nazianzen gave of Athanasius, that he was Magnes, & Nazian. in Encom. Athanas. Adamas, A Loadstone in his sweet, gentle, drawing nature; and yet an Adamant in his resolute slout carriage against those who were evil. The other is this (which makes all beautiful and lovely indeed) though God hath raised you high in birth, in abilities, in the esteem of men both good and bad; yet the lustre of the humility of your spirit shines beautifully thorough all, manifesting itself in much gentleness and meekness; and this is the height of all true excellency. A man of understanding is of an excellent spirit, saith Solomon, Prov. 17. 27. the word in the Original, is, A cool spirit. In also posito non altum sapere difficile est, & omnino inusitatum; sed quanto inusitatius, tanto gloriosius, saith Bernard, ep. 42. The Lord carry on your truly noble and generous spirit, that you may long hold forth the power, beauty and excellency of his grace. Let the height of all your designs be, to list up the Name of the great God. 2 Cor. 5. 9 We labour, saith the Apostle, whether present orabsent to be accepted of him: the word translated, Labour, loseth the elegancy of it, it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉; we love the honour of it; it is such a labour as we account it our honour and glory: We are ambitious; to have high designs for God is a holy and a blessed ambition; whereas the ambition of other men is low, & base: Infoelix prorsus ambitio, quae ambire magna non novit, saith Bernard. Account yourself blessed Bern. pag. 1010. when your God is blessed. It was the blessing of Shem, Gen. 9 26. Blessed be the Lord God of Shem; the chief of Shems' blessing was, that his Lord God was blessed. That which I seek, is to engage your Lordship for God, and to stir you up to answer fully the esteem, the expectations that men have of you, whose eyes are upon you as a public blessing, & an ornament to the procession of the truth. And yet this I desire your Lordship would consider, (as I know you do) that Religion is a greater honour, and ornament to you, than you are to it; it doth and will more honour you, than you ever did, or can honour it's Your birth made you honourable, but oh how honourable have you been, since you have been precious in God's eyes! Esay 43. 4. Your parts were always hopeful, but how apparently have they been raised since grace hath sanctified them? Although God takes it well at the hands of those whom he hath raised in the things of the world higher than others, when he seeth them forward in setting out his praise; yet he would not have them think that he is beholding to them, as if the honour of God depended so upon them, as it would fail, did not they put to their help. No, God can raise his honour by other means, he can glorify himself, and get himself a great name, by low, mean, and contemptible things: It is not because God hath need of honour from you, but because he delights to honour you, that he is pleased to use you in his service; It is an advancement to whatsoever greatness you have in the world, to be employed for God, were it but in the meanest service he hath to do. Where the heart is right, even in that, it glorieth more than in all the dignity that earth can put upon it; But yet the greater Instruments the Lord raiseth up for his glory, the greater services he calls them unto, the greater things may we hope he intends for his Church. When S. John saw the Elders casting down their crowns before the Throne, saying; Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory, and honour, and power, Apoc. 4. 10. soon after S. John heard every creature in heaven, and on earth, and sea, saying, Blessing, honour, glory, and power, be unto him that sitteth upon the Throne, and unto the Lamb for evermore, cha. 5. 13. And soon after that, he saw Christ with his Crown upon him, going forth conquering, and to conquer Chap. 6. 2. What great mercies might we expect, did we see God raising up truly noble and generous spirits, more generally in the great ones of the earth? did we see the Elders and Nobles, casting down their Crowns before the Throne of the Lamb, willing to deny all their glory, and excellencies, and estates, for the raising up the glory of jesus Christ? Certainly, God hath great things to do in this latter age of the world, and he is a God with whom there is as great abundance of spirit as ever, when his time comes, how soon will such a thing be, as the raising men's spirits to higher and more noble designs, than now we can imagine? The observing the frame and work of your most precious noble spirit (Right Honourable) put me upon the thought of this Argument; The chiefest book that I made use of, for the enlarging 〈◊〉 Meditations in it (next the Scripture was that which I joyfully beheld in you 〈…〉 self, and your Noble and much honorred Lady; highly honoured and lov 〈…〉 and that deservedly, in the esteem, and hearts of all who know her and the truth, John Ep. 2. ver. 1. Such gracious principles appeared in your spirits, such divine rules by which ye were guided, those high and noble employments in which ye delighted, those blessed qualifications, which as so many Diamonds in their lustre, and beauty, sparkled that light, that freeness, that strength, that publicness, that holiness, etc. Those comsorts of a higher nature than the common drossy comforts of the world, that ye chose to yourselves, to satisfy your spirits in, and found contentment in the enjoyment of; that caused the dilating of my thoughts about these things, and now making known themselves publicly, they crave patronage from your Lordship, who have been the original from whence they came. And here I humbly present them to your Honour, and to your virtuous and noble Lady, as a glass wherein yourselves and others may see the frame and workings of your spirits; I dare say, that all who know you, and know that I had the happiness to be so near unto you, and to have excited to look about thee, if false. Art thou endued with such a spirit as here thou mayst find? nothing in the world, in hell, or in thy flesh, shall be able to conquer thee; as Christ himself, thou shalt endure such crosses and contradiction of sinners, as these times are big with; thou shalt despise the shame, and be able to resist to blood, if God should call thee to that honour. What excellency of spirit was in S. Paul, when Act. 21. 13 he took it ill that they dissuaded him from going up to Jerusalem, where he was to meet with sharp afflictions; What mean you to weep and break my heart, saith he, for I am ready not to be bound only, but also to die at Jerusalem for the Name of the Lord Jesus. Moses refuses to be called the son of Pharaohs daughter; though himself, or some of his posterity might happily have come to the Kingdom by it, and chooses afflictions rather with the people of God, etc. He would not become an Egyptian, though of Heb. 11. the Royal Stem; but abide an Hebrew, who were abomination to the Egyptians: He knew, that the reproach of the Members did redound to the Head, and would be well recompensed by him; and therefore he will suffer afflictions, and esteem the reproaches of Christ above all the treasures of Egypt, a greater patrimony, saith Ambrose. So base are many spirits in this age, that they had rather censure than trace his practice. Scaliger tells of a Tree, to which when ●xer●it. 18● §. 27, 28. a man cometh, Ramos constringit; but when he departs, ramos p●dit: Too many are like this tree; when any Ministers or Christians, that have the reproach of Christ upon them, come near them, and have to deal with them; let relations, promises, engagements be what they will, they shrink up themselves, are troubled, sadded, and perplexed, thinking it disgrace unto them to have to do with such; but when they are gone, than their hearts dilate again, & their faces grow pleasant: such an adulterous generation there is, that are ashamed, of Christ in any of his poor, reproached, despised Members; & not only ashamed, but like that Plant called the Tartarean Lamb, which in shape and proportion answers the Lamb, but grazeth and eateth up the grass round about it, suffering no green thing to be near: and these men are Lambs in shape, but eating up every green thing that is near unto them. Psa. 14. 4. They eat up my people as bread; they are the food their malice feeds upon. It is observed, the Pope was so busy and hot against Luther, that he neglected to look to all Christendom against the Turk; such baseness was in a Pope's breast, that he could easier have digested Mahumetism; than Lutherdnisme; & may we not think the Alcoran would be welcome to those Confessors, who have enjoined their burdened in conscience to burn their Bibles for Pennance; this, some living know to be a truth. There is much baseness in the spirits of men, and upon little occasion it vents itself: 1 Sam. 12. Doeg haead 〈◊〉 malicious murderous spirit in him, & spared not those that ware the Linen Ephod. The rich man, Luk. 12. 19 was all for earth, & nothing for heaven. A great man finding his sickness increasing, caused his bed to be made between, or upon his Coffers, where he had much gold; a Lord came to him, and wished him to go to his Chamber, and not lie there; his answer was, I am well where I am, so long as I can tarry, for I am near unto my friends, meaning his Coffers and his gold. What drossy corporal souls have such men? The Gadarens drove Christ out of their Country; they esteemed their Swine above a Saviour: Demas embraceth the present world; Ananias and Saphyra reserve a portion for themselves: such spirits ever have been, and will be in the world. Spirits they are as much beneath common reason, as those mentioned in this work are above it. It is choice, not common spirits, that will honour God in stormy times. Had not a choice and excellent spirit been in Nehemiah, the plots and practices of enemies would have daunted ●eh. 6. 11. him; but take a view of his spirit; Should such a man as I am flee? and who is there, that being as I am, would go into the Temple to save his life? I will not go in. He had a good cause, a good conscience, Ve. s 13. 17 a good God, which advanced his spirit to such resolvedness, that he would not take Sanctuary, and disparage either of them by his fear or faintheartedness; when he saw the Sabbath profaned, he hid not his eyes from it, but contended with the Nobles about it. What Divine spirits were in the three Children? Could Nebuchanezars' greatness, mandates, threats of Dan. 3. 18. the fiery Furnace, force their spirits to false worship? Be it known unto thee, O King, that we will not serve thy gods. Here they did obediently disobey, * As Groasthead Bishop of Lincoln once answered the Pope. knowing that nothing pleases God, but what he hath commanded in his Word: they would not deliberate in this case, We are not careful to answer thee, say they. When any enticements come to draw us from the pure worship of God, we should stop our ears, charm the Charmers never so wisely. Charles the Emperor, and two great persons in this Kingdom, soliciting King Edward the sixth to allow his sister the Lady Mary to have ●●asse, would not listen, but bade them be conce●●t, for he would spend his life, and all he had, rather than agree, and grant to that he See Act. and Mon. 2 Vol. p. 553. knew certainly to be against the truth; the suit being yet pressed, he burst out into bitter weeping, and sobbing, desiring them to desist. The motioners seeing his zeal, and constancy, wept as fast as he, and told one, he had more Divinity in his little finger, than they had in all their bodies. What a choice spirit was in that young Lord Harrington, who was a man of prayer: he prayed twice a day in secret; twice with his servants in his chamber, and joined at appointed times with the family in prayer: he would never be idle, but always well, if not religiously employed; he meditated on 4. or 5. Sermons every day, retaining five or six in his memory always; he kept an exact account of his life every day, very conscientious of honouring God to purpose, in public and private; on the Lord's day he would repeat both the Sermons with his servants before supper, and write them down in his night book before he slept, and on the morning of that day, he would as he made him ready, repeat those Sermons he had heard the Lords day before; and for the Sacrament, he received it very frequently, and always fasted the Saturday before, spending the whole day in Stock See in his funeral Sermons. examination; prayer and humbling himself, that so he might be fitted to feast with Christ: he gave away the tenth of his estate unto the poor, & pious uses, besides his occasional charity when he was abroad: Here was a choice spirit, beautified with variety of graces, not unfit for great & mean to propound for their pattern. Daniel in Babylon would not defile himself with the portion of the King's meat, nor with the wine which he drank; he had rather eat pulse than defile his conscience. When the writing was signed, the Lion's den threatened, did he mussle up his Religion, and shrink up his spirit? he would not shut up his window, nor diminish his prayers, but thrice a day prayed, and gave thanks unto his God, as he did afore time; here was a spirit for God and his ways, and not for the times. Happily some temporising politician will charge Daniel of indiscretion: no, it was the excellency of his spirit, that in case of danger, and that of life, he would not separate external profession from inward faith, when God should lose by it: And what, dost thou charge him with indiscretion, whom the Scripture commends for his wisdom? It was a proverbial speech, Wiser than Daniel, Ezek. 32. 3. and his heart did not accuse him for that indiscretion, when he was in the Lion's den; for he saith, Innocency was found in him; he was not ashamed of his godliness; that had raised him and he would maintain the honour of it. Such spirits have true excellency in them, & are not shy of the ways or servants of God, when the floods of iniquity overflow, & threaten to bear down all. Fearfulness to appear in God's cause is a part of the old man, & when God puts into his, another, a new spirit, that wastes thy fearfulness; the more thou hast of God's Spirit, the more thy old timorous cowardly spirit is abated. Mat. 9 16. That is put in to fill up, takes from the garment; and when grace fills up a man, it takes away from the old man, the old baseness, fear, and dastardliness in the cause of God, and a holy undaunted resolution is begotten in thee to justify wisdom, although thou damnify thyself. Dan. 6. 10. According to the fullness of men's spirits are their carriages, with more or less confidence in their undertake; If Satan have filled the heart, men will boldly serve him, Acts 5. 3. Why hath Satan filled thy heart to lie unto the Holy Ghost? Satan had filled his heart, and therefore he feared not to lie unto God himself. Dieu saith upon the place, Implere cor alterius est audacem eum reddere, & he cities that place, Hest. 7. 5. Quis hic est, qui implevit cor suum ad faciendum sic? Who is he that hath filled his heart; in our Translations, That durst presume in his heart to do so? Hamans' heart was filled with malice, and that made him bold to attempt the destruction of all the Jews: And where godliness fills the heart, there will be as venturous & bold attempts for God. Paul being filled with the Holy Ghost set his eyes on Elymas, and so Acts 13. 9 10. thundered and lightened against him, that presently his proud malicious spirit was blasted. When the heart of a man is filled with divine truths, it is not the presence of men in highest place can daunt it. Elisha had a double portion of the spirit of Elijah; and did the greatness, or wickedness of jehoram daunt him? There appeared a Deity in his very speech and spirit, 2 Kings 3. 14. As the Lord of Hosts liveth before whom I stand, surely were it not that I regard the presence of jehosaphat, the King of judah, I would not look towards thee, nor see thee. He had a fullness of God's Spirit in him, that could speak thus to one of the gods on earth. When a man's heart is filled with divine influence, he fears not the enemies of goodness, neither is ashamed of aught accompanies godliness, 2 Tim. 1. 7, 8. God hath given us the spirit of power, of love, and of a sound mind; be not thou therefore ashamed of the testimony, etc. When the power of God is in a man's spirit, he will not be ashamed of the Cross, nor refuse to share in the afflictions of the Gospel. It is the honour of Religion, to have such Disciples as will own her, and stand for her at all times, and that with an undaunted courage, Acts 4. 8, 9, 10, 11, 12. Peter was filled with the Holy Ghost, and said; Be it known unto you all, and all the people of Israel, that by the Name of jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead, even by him doth this man here stand before you whole; this is the stone which was set at nought of you builders, etc. And after when he and john were commanded silence; what said they? Whether it be right in the sight of God, to hearken unto you more than God, judge ye; for we cannot but speak the things we have seen and heard. It is a brand upon Nicodemus that he came to Christ by night; and so of the chief Rulers that believed on him, but because of the Pharisees did not confess him, lest they should be put out of the Synagogues: but it was Nicodemus praise, for that he had got boldness to speak for Christ, when vilified, though himself suffered reproach for it: this showed some excellency and growth in his spirit, that he could both speak and suffer for Christ. So joseph of Arimathea was timorous at joh. 19 38. but being filled with grace, He went in boldly to Pilate and craved the body of jesus, Mark. 15. 43. With what holy boldness did those men march through reproaches, afflictions, and persecutions for the truth's sake. Reader, swallow thou this Book (as Ezekiel did his roll) and thou shalt be enabled to do as much. Principle and fill thy spirit with the precious truths contained in this little Treatise, and thou shalt find thy drooping spirit to receive, a heavenly warmth to come upon thee, and a holy boldness thrusting thee forward for God and godliness. Wickedness is too bold, and godliness too shamefast; it hath lost and suffered much through men's cowardliness. Read, meditate, and feast thy spirit with what thou herein findest, and thou mayst walk bold as a Lion through the midst of a crooked and perverse generation; thou shalt daunt wickedness itself, and make Religion truly beautiful, and honourable. If thou shouldest say, This book might have been kept in, there are too many already; I answer thee, There be many, but few to purpose. The Sea is full of water, yet God adds daily to it by rivers, and showers. Many would read little, if new books were not set forth daily Books do quicken up a drowsy age to the best purpose. New books are like new fashions, taken up at first with affection. Notwithstanding all the Munition of the Kingdom, there is new made daily. Books are more needful than Arms, the one defends the body, the other the soul. If thy spirit be choice and right, thou wilt acknowledge this work, solid, spiritual, and such as hitherto thou hast not met with many like it. If trees be known by their fruit; what other sentence may be passed upon the Composer of it, but that he hath profited in the School of Christ above thousands; hath had a large operation of God's Spirit in his own soul, attained to a choiceness and excellency of spirit himself, & that he hath clearly differenced between precious and base spirits. I shall appeal to thyself, Christian Reader, when thou hast perused this Book, whether thou wouldst have had it buried in the dark. If he deserves a curse that withholds corn, Prov. 11. 26. thou wilt bless God for this corn the Author hath sent to market. God made him a fountain not to be sealed up, but to slow for common good. Veritatem celare est aurum sepelire. In a fountain sealed, and treasures hid, Aug conf. l. 11. the Author knew was little profit. He hath let out himself to advantage thee, taken this off from his own spirit, to put upon thine. Do thine endeavour to better thyself by it, and if thou gettest any good, give unto God glory; if none, suspect thy spirit, and spare thy censures: The Authors spirit is above them, and counts it a very small thing to be judged of man's judgement. My prayers are, that thou mayest profit much, attain true excellency of spirit, and follow God fully all thy days, that so thy end may be comfortable, and glorious. Thy Christian friend, W. Gr. A GRACIOUS Cap. 1. SPIRIT, A CHOICE and a precious SPIRIT. Numb. 14. 24. But my servant Caleb, because he had an other spirit with him, and hath followed me fully, him will I bring into the land, wherein he went; and his seed shall possess it. CAP. I. What that other spirit is, which a godly man hath differing from the world. IN these words we have God's approbation of Caleb, accepting his faithful service in the testimony he gave of the good Land; encouraging the hearts of his people to go into it: As for the other that were sent, God determines against them, they shall never see that good Land; But my servant Caleb, etc. First, God's commendation of Caleb. Secondly, his blessing upon him. Obs. For the first he says three things of him. 1 He is my servant. 2 He hath another spirit. 3 He hath followed me fully. He is my servant:] It is a great honour to be the servant of the blessed God, and to be acknowledged so by God himself: We should not look at our services to God only as duties enjoined, but as high privileges, as dignities put upon us; we should glory in his service. It was a great part of that glorious reward of those who came out of great tribulation, who washed their Robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb, that they should be before the Lord, and serve him night and day. Apoc. 7. 14, 15. [My servant] He hath showed himself to be my servant indeed; I will for ever own him; what ever others did, he continued faithful with me. To be a servant unto the Lord, is an honour; but to be acknowledged faithful, that higher: I have obtained mercy to be faithful, saith Saint Paul. To be faithful in service, is, not only a means of obtaining 1 Cor. 7. 25 mercy, but it is a great obtained mercy. [My servant Caleb:] Caleb is only mentioned here, and so in the former Chap. verse 31. Why is not joshua mentioned likewise, Quest. for surely he followed the Lord fully, as well as Caleb? 1 Some think that joshuah at the first Answ. Abulensis 〈◊〉. 54, 55. did conceal himself, although after he did declare himself fully; but certainly this had been a very great sin of his, to conceal himself in such a Cause of God, to have stood as Neuter, for the saving himself; he would not have passed without some signification of God's displeasure against him for this: But Verse 30. God promises joshua, that he shall enter into the Land together with Caleb. Others therefore think, that at the first Caleb was the more forward of the two in speaking, because he was of the more honourable Tribe, one of the chief of the Tribe of judah; and joshua was of Ephraim: And beside; joshua being Moses Minister to attend on him, it might be the more suspected that he might speak to gratify Moses, against whom the people now murmured, because of the straits they were brought into by him. And beside, others think, that Moses here Scrarius l. 1 Ios. c. 8. q. 6 relates this by joshua, That joshua was used in the penning of this relation, and therefore the less is said concerning joshua. Another spirit: The spirits of the rest were base and cowardly, poor, dead, unworthy spirits; but he had another spirit, went not that way. There is a strange conceit some of the Jewish Interpreters have of this other spirit; that is, say they, Caleb and joshua, Lorinus in Numb. 14. 24. when they were in the Land, and in their journey; they said as the rest of the Spies did, and concealed their purpose of declaring any other opinion they had of the Land, than the others had, and this they did for fear of their lives; but when they came before Moses, and the children of Israel, than they had another spirit, and spoke plainly what they thought. Many such chaffy interpretations of Scriptute we find amongst them, God having given them over to the spirit of blindness. He sollowed me fully. The words are, He fufilled to follow Implevit sequi. me: Nothing could take him off from me, what ever therefore becomes of the rest, he shall possess the Land, and his seed with him. I intent only to handle the two latter commendations of Caleb. First, that he was a man of another 1 spirit. Secondly, that he followed God fully. 1 And herein, first, severally; secondly, in the reference of the one to the other. For the first, the Point is; It is the excellency of godly men to be men of other spirits, of choice spirits, differing from the common spirits of the world, 1 Cor. 2. 12. We have not received the spirit of the world, says the Apostle, but the spirit which is of God: There is a great deal of difference between our spirits and the common spirits of the world. There is a vile spirit ruling in the world; As, Eph. 2. 2. A spirit that works strongly and actively in the children of 〈…〉 disohedience. But of the godly it may be said, as it was of Daniel, Chap. 6. 3. An excellent spirit was found in him; so surely an excellent spirit is found in them. Herein, first, what this other spirit is. Secondly, wherein the excellency of it lies. Thirdly, apply it. For the first; it is, first, a spirit that hath other principles, a better principled 1 spirit than the spirit of the world. The spirits of worldly men have base corrupt principles, by which they judge of things, by which they are led, according to which they favour & relish whatsoever is propounded to them. The vileness and power of these, appears in the ways of the world; but the spirits of the godly are acted by Divine, heavenly, holy principles, that carry them to God, to divine and heavenly things; they carry them by a kind of natural instinct; the frame of their spirits is so principled, that by as it were a natural instinct, (natural, I mean the new nature) they savour of spiritual and heavenly things; their hearts work after them, close with them, unite themselves to them, find much sweet and contentment in them, are fastened and settled unto them. What is the reason the same truths propounded, set before diverse spirits, whose natural parts are equal; one sees much excellency in them, receives them, relishes them; the other looks on them as mean and foolish things, wonders what men see and find in them, they are unsavoury to them, their hearts turn away from them? This is from their diverse principles. Where the spirit is well principled, it is carried on sweetly and strongly in God's ways; though the natural parts be weak, though objections against them many, pretences for evil ways fair; yet these divine principles are as a pondus, a weight upon these spirits, that carries on the soul still towards God: when all is said that can be against God's ways, and for sinful ways, it will, it cannot but, hold the conclusion, Surely Gods ways are good. As that blessed Martyr said, I cannot dispute for the truth, but I can dye for the truth. These principles cause, if Sapida ●●i●●tia. not a disputative knowledge, yet a savoury knowledge. Persuade a man by most subtle arguments, eloquent orations, that what he tastes sweet, is bitter, perhaps he cannot answer all you say; but yet he knows the thing is sweet: So the Spirit principled right with grace, having the savour of the knowledge, as the Apostle speaks: though many subtle wiles of Satan, and cloquent persuasions from the wisdom of the flesh be brought to persuade to the contrary, yet still it says, It is good to walk in the ways of godliness. Every life hath principles according to the nature of it, receiving to itself things suitable, or turning from things disagreeable to it; the vegetative life according to the nature of it, so the sensitive, and the rational life, and the life of grace according to it. Most men's spirits are led by the principles of a sensitive life, few live so high as rational principles reach to. There is a death of the soul in this respect; only God puts in by a common work of his Spirit, some common notions, which appear in some, which give but a glimmering light, and are very weak; but where the life of grace is in any soul, there are principles of an higher nature, full of light and beauty, carrying the soul to high, spiritual, supernatural things, for the attaining to, and enjoyment of the highest good. Other creatures under the rational, are made for the enjoyment of no higher good, than is within the compass of their own natures; & therefore their principles are only to receive in such good things as are suitable to those natures, and in them they rest satisfied; for they are capable of enjoyment of no higher; I say, they cannot enjoy any higher: indeed they are of use to, and were made for that end, that they might be serviceable to some higher good than themselves; but this they enjoy not. The destruction of their natures, is the highest use that creatures which are above them, have of them. But the rational creature was made for a higher good than is within the compass of its own nature, and was to enjoy this; and the fuller it doth enjoy it, the more perfected it is. Now then, there are required principles of life accordingly to carry these creatures higher than their own natures, to have the fruition of that good they were made for, and to be blessed in the enjoyment of it. Now these are the principles of Grace, with which this other spirit is endued, higher above the principles of reason, than the principles of reason are above the principles of sense; and thus it is another spirit. Secondly, it works by another rule: every thing is guided to its end by some rule, which is a beam of God's wisdom; no creature under the reasonable, knows either its end or rule, but is acted by God to that it was made for: but the reasonable creature is of such a nature, as is capable of the knowledge of both, and therefore cannot be happy without the knowledge of both, and working accordingly. Now it is a great mercy not to mistake in the rule that leads to eternal life, to see it, and act by it; most of the world mistake here, their spirits are led by false rules, they go according to sense, according to their own carnal apprehension of things, accordings to their own wills, would have the rule of their actions from their own spirits, or else according to the common course of the world, as Eph. 2. 2. That which men bless themselves in, that they go according to the common course, is one of the most apparent arguments that is, that yet they are strangers from the way of life; but the godly they make the Word their rule, they look up to the mind of God, to see the beam of Divine wisdom let down from heaven, to guide them in their way; they look to it for direction, give up themselves to it, dare venture their comforts, estates, safeties, souls upon it: Thou shalt guide me by thy counsel, says David, and so bring me Philo judaeus in his book entitled Om nis probus liber, t●ls of the Py●● agereans, that inter Sacrata praecepta, this was a principal Per viam publicam ne ingredere. Arguments tur●issimis 〈◊〉 turba, says Seneca. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. to thy glory, Psalm. 73. 24. A godly man thinks it a most dishonourable thing to make the examples of men his rules; it is for beasts to follow the Herd: Examples of men cannot satisfy his conscience. A godly man works for eternity: and therefore is careful to work by rule; as a man when he works in a work that concerns his life, erects a frame that must be for continuance; he makes sure of his rule, lays often his rule to his work. When God erected the frame of the world, which was to last but for a sew years, he made all by weight and measure: The frame of man's actions here, must be for eternity; and therefore a godly man dares venture upon no other rule but that which is divine; he looks at the Word, not only at the notions of it, and that excellency and beauty he sees in it, shining a great way off; but as a light to his feet, a Lantern to his steps; holds it close to his feet, to guide him in his going; knowing, that every step he goes, is either to hell or to heaven; and this doing, he may look up with comfort for that blessing of God upon his servants: 1 Sam. 2. 9 He keeps the feet of his Saints: His way is like the way of the Mariner, guided by the heavens. Eadem ratione hanc vita viam quaeri oportet, qua in altoiter navibus quaeritur; nisi aliquid cali lumen observent incertis cursibus vagantur; quisquis rectum iter vitae tenere nititur, non terr'd debet aspicere sed coelu●●; & ut a●ertius loquar, on hominem debet sequi, sed Deum. Lactant. l. 6. c. 8. 3. Thirdly, another spirit. that is, employed about other things; it is not for mean, base services; but set on work about high and honourable employments. As men of place and dignity have, or aught to have other spirits differing from ordinary spirits; they cannot endure to be employed in mean and dishonourable works: no, those fit for mean, base spirits. While other men's spirits are busied about low, poor things, and are content in these, minding nothing higher; they are busied about great affairs of State, the high things of the Kingdom, consultations about, and transactions of the great businesses of the Commonwealth. It was the baseness, and dishonour of Domitian's spirit, who though a great Emperor, yet busied himself and spent great part of his time in catching of flies; and so of Artaxerxes his spirit, who spent a great deal of time in making hafts of knives of Box. Thus godly men account it too mean a thing, for their spirits to be busied about low base employments; while the spirits of other men are busied about meat, drink, clothes, play, money, lust, and are taken up in these poor things; the spirits of the godly are taken up in contemplation of the glory of the blessed God, the beauty and high excellency of Jesus Christ, the great Counsels of God, in the greatest work that ever he did, the work of man's Redemption, the great mysteries of the Gospel, the glorious things of the Kingdom of Jesus Christ, the great things of eternity, the interest they have in all the good in God, Christ, Heaven, about the setting out the glory of the blessed God in the World, lifting up his Name, working together with God in glorifying himself, observing Gods ways in his glorious works of Creation, and Providence, preparing and fitting themselves for the glorious appearing of the great God; joining with those blessed creatures, the Angels and Saints in heaven, magnifying, praising, worshipping, and adoring the Lord of all; these are things fit for the spirits of the godly, they are not suitable to the spirits of the world, as Psal. 92. 6. A brutish man knows not, neither doth a fool understand this. A godly man sometimes may be busied in mean low things, but his spirit not contented, not taken up, not satisfied in those things, as adequate objects for him, as the spirits of the world are, they are objects adequate to any principles they have: A man sometimes that is understanding, may condescend to sport with children in low things, but these take not up his spirit, as adequate objects to what he hath in him; if indeed he should take content and satisfaction in such things, it would argue a childish spirit in him; So here. Fourthly, this spirit is carried to other 4 ends; the spirit of the world looks at ease, pleasure, honour, gain, and Self in all; it is a low spirit in an ill sense, subjecteth not only ordinary actions, but the best things it doth, even the duties of God's worship to base, low, unworthy ends: At the highest, the most excellent of the Heathen, who had the most brave spirits the World had in their time, aimed no higher than to work according to reason, to satisfy the dictates of rational principles, and a natural conscience; knew not what it was to honour God; to aim at God in all they did: but the spirit of the godly is a raised spirit, looks at God and eternity in all it doth, carries things up to the highest good, restless till it gets through all creatures, and closes with God; it accounts the excellency of what it is, and what it hath, to be in order to God, and directs what it doth to him, and in this comes as near the working of God himself, works as like him, as may be; it is the glory of God to be the first cause, and last end; and to work from himself, and for himself; No creature can work from itself, but as it hath his principle from God, so it works for him, giving him the glory, as the first cause, and last end: and this is the great worship that God hath from his creature, both in this world and eternally in heaven. We speak much of honouring God, and serving God, and worshipping of him; we do nothing except we do this; God made the world that he might have some creatures to work thus, to make him the highest and last end of all; many who have excellent natural parts, are often busied about deeper things than other men, but their spirits being corrupt, not carried to God in that they do, they dive deep, but all comes to nothing; are like children diving deep in the water, and bring up nothing but shells and gravel. Now where the spirit is carried to 1 God as the last end, there first, the beauty, excellency, glory of what ever it hath or doth, is judged according to the reference it hath to God; It's true, I have these mercies, I do such and such things; but is God honoured by all? all things are as dead to this spirit, where it sees not Gods Name lifted up: and so the excellency and beauty of what others have or do, if God is not honoured by them, it looks on them as dead things. Secondly, all it hath, is, or doth, lies in an absolute subjection under God, to be at his dispose; all things are absolutely subject to the last end. Thirdly, where God is aimed at, as the highest end, there God's glory is willed infinitely; no limits, no bounds set to the desires, or endeavours of the soul after it. Fiftly, thjs spirit hath other qualifications; the spirits of the godly are 5 glorious within: As, 1. it is an enlightened 1 spirit; the light of the glory of God, in the face of jesus Christ, hath shined into it, and transformed it into the same image. Dan. 5. 11. They 2 Cor. 4. ●. said he was a man in whom the spirit of the holy Gods was, because light, and understanding, and wisdom was found in him; surely, the spirit of the living God is here; for light, understanding, wisdom is found here; this is the true light, the light of life, that hath a quickening power, and influence of life in it. There is a great difference between the light of the Sun shining in a garden, and the light of torches; there is the influence of an inlivening power in the one, not in the other; such difference there is between the light in the spirits of wicked men, and the light in the spirits of the godly: it is the knowledge of the holy, that is true understanding, Prov. 9 10. And a man of such understanding, is of an excellent spirit indeed, Prov. 17. 27. This is that which the Holy Ghost calls Spiritual understanding, Col. 1. 9 to distinguish it from that understanding there is in natural men; they see into Spiritual things after another manner than other men; they see the reality, beauty, excellency, glory of them, which are hidden from drossy vile spirits: the Gospel is said to be a mystery, revealed to the Saints, Col. 1. 26. The Law and Testimonies are sealed and bound up amongst the disciples, Esay 2. 16. The Lord delights to reveal himself, to men of excellent spirits, who are only fit to close with divine and spiritual truths. As none can teach so as God teacheth, job 30. 22. so none knows the things of God so as the godly do; they behold them as with open face, they walk on in the light of the face of God, Psal. 89. 15. their spirits elevated by such a light as is suitable to that light there is in God himself, and that lustre of his Image, that shines in the face of jesus Christ: but the spirit of the world, is a spirit of darkness; even that light which is in them is darkness. Secondly, it is a free spirit, Psa. 51. 12. Establish me with thy free Spirit, and this freedom makes it indeed, a true, royal princely spirit; for so the word signifies that is translated in that place, a free spirit. The words are, Establish me with thy royal princely spirit. 1. A free disengaged spirit, not entangled, nor ensnared with base, earthly engagements like the spirits of the world; but a spirit that is at liberty, Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty, 2 Cor. 3. 17. How do the engagements of worldly spirits miserably enthrall them, that notwithstanding convictions of conscience, notwithstanding much unquietness of their hearts in their way, many checks, secret wounds of spirit, sinking damps, and fears, yet they cannot get off their hearts from those engagements they are so miserably, so dangerously entangled in; this is a woeful bondage. Those who are godly can remember a time, since their hearts were thus ensnared; but it was the blessed work of the Lord to set them at liberty, and now they have ease, now sweer quiet, and rest to their spirits. 2. Free from the bondage of sin, not under the power and command of it; it hath command over itself, over its own passions; not in a base slavery to Satan, not in servile subjection to men, not brought under the power of any creature. It was a notable free expression of two blessed Martyrs, Surgius and Bacchus, who were two great Courtiers, being accused for Christians, and commanded to offer unto the Idols, they refused to go to the Temple, and gave this answer unto the Emperor; We, o Emperor, are bound Nos, Imperator, so a terrena militia tibi obstricti sumus; in animas nullum tibi jus est; illarum Deminus est solus Deus Coutzen. aul● speculum pag 47. unto you, only in an earthly warfare; you have no right over our souls; God only is the Lord of them. It will not be forced to any thing that is base; God leaves the body and estates of his servants to the power of men oft times but their spirits are free: It is to base a disposition of a servant of GOD, to plead necessity of sinning; no creature can compel another to sin. Tertullia● hath an excellent expression to this purpose; Non admittit status sidei allegati onem neces sitatis delivouendi, quibus una est necessitas non delinquendi Tertul. de Cor militis. cap. 11. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. Rom. 8. 15 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 T 〈…〉. 1. 7. The state of faith doth not admit, the alleging a necessity of sinning in those, to whom the only necessity is not to offend. 3. It's free in regard of slavish fear it's able to look upon the face of God with joy, job 22. 6. Thou shalt have delight in the Almighty, and shalt li 〈…〉 up thy face to God. The Scripture speaks of a spirit of fear, and a spirit of bondage from both which, this spirit is set a liberty; it can look upon the power sovereignty, justice, holiness of God, and rejoice in them; glad that God is so holy and just, and that it hath to deal with such a God; It hath access to his presence with boldness and liberty of speech, Ephes. 3. 12. as the word signifies there. It hath sweet and blessed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. freedom in the performance of holy duties, is not forced and haled to them, doth not take them up as tiresome burdens; Gods Commandments are not grievous, they are not as fetters of iron, but as chains of gold, for beauty and ornament; there is a readiness of spirit to what ever is good; they are vessels of honour, ready prepared to every good work, 2. Tim. 2. 21. It is written in the volume of thy book, I should do thy will, and ●o I come, psalm. 40. 7, 8. There is a suitableness between the law and the spirit; the law is written in it; never so in its element, as when it is in the ways of obedience; there is not that straightness of spirit as in others; but here the heart sweetly enlarges itself, as the flower that opens itself to the shining of the Sun. Thirdly, a sublime spirit, raised high, by spiritual, heavenly influences, not 3 swelling by pride; a spirit that hath all earthly things under feet, as the Holy Ghost sets out the Church, Revel. 12. 1. Things received with admiration by other spirits, it looks on with contempt, as things infinitely inferior to it; a godly man's feet are where other men's heads; their heads, that is, the pitch and height of all their aims, is upon things that are on the earth; but the Saints have these things under their feet. When Valence sent to offer Basil great preferments, to tell him what a great man he might be; Basil answers, Offer these things to children, not to Christians. When some bade, stop Luther's mouth with preferment, one of his adversaries answered, It is in vain, Him Germ ma illa bestia non 〈◊〉 aurum. Melchior ●d●m in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. he cares not for gold; his spirit was too noble and high, to be tempted with gold; base, low spirits would have been taken with such things; such a spirit as Demas, who forsook Paul to embrace this present world, but a spirit raised by God is above them. How was S. Paul's spirit above money? when he speaks of lucre, he calls it, silthy lucre, 1 Tim. 3. 3. A godly man's spirit is suitable to the high dignities put upon it, and privileges it hath. Saul when made a King, had another spirit put upon him, contemning former things, highly esteemed of: a man raised on high, looks on things below, and they appear small things to him; so here, Reason may raise Nemo est dignus namine hominis qui unum diem v●lit esse in voluptate lib. 2 de sinibus. the spirits of men above the common sort: a rational man looks at many sins as too mean and base for him, scorns to stain his excellency with them, as the sins of sensuality, and Platonis Phoedo p. 81. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. 〈…〉 or sum et ad majora naturquàm ut mancipium sim corporis mei. Sen. 〈◊〉. 66. filthy lusts. Tully thinks him not worthy the name of a man, that spends a whole day in the pleasures of the flesh; and Socrates had such a vile esteem of sin, as he thinks, it shall be one of the greatest torments of men in another life, to be tied and bound to the sins they most delighted in here. Seneca hath a notable expression to this purpose; I am too great, and borne to greater things, than that I should be a slave to my body: But if Reason raises the spirit so high, how high then doth Grace raise it? This spirit cannot be satisfied with small low things; as it is reported of Luther, when great gifts were sent to him, he refused them, with this most brave and excellent speech; I did earnestly protest, that God should not put me off Valde protesta tus sum, me nolle sic sa●iari ab co. Melchier Adam in vita juth. with these things; meaning that he would not be satisfied with anything that was here below. All the things in the world are far from being able to satisfy this spirit; it accounts all, yea, if they were a thousand times more than they are, but a poor pittance for the portion of an immortal soul; If God should make more worlds for it, yet if he give not himself to it, it would not be satisfied; nothing but a God, an infinite, universal, eternal Good, can fill up the desires of this spirit. Thou hast Feci●●i nos Domine prote, & ●●qu etum est ●or n 〈…〉 do 〈…〉 veniat adte. made us, O Lord, for thyself, says Saint Austin, and our hearts are unquiet till they come unto thee. It is the work of a base drossy spirit, to think, If I had but so much, or so much yearly, I should have enough: how base the spirit of that rich man, blessing himself in his goods! Soul Luke 12. 19 take thine ease, thou hast goods laid up for many years; what were all those to his soul, to the happiness of his soul? These are spirits that have higher designs than so, their designs no less than a Kingdom, yea, than God himself, Rom. 2. 7. They seek for glory, honour, immortality, eternal life: Though they can be content with little of the world for their use. yet they cannot be content without that Good & Happiness that is infinitely higher, and better than all the world, for their portion. As Abraham said concerning his child, when God promised him a great reward, Gen. 15. 2. Lord what will thou give me, so long as I go childless? Lord what is all the reward I can have, except I have this mercy, except I have a child? because the Messias was to come out of his joins; So the soul here, if God should promise it never such great things, yet Lord what are all these things to me, if I have not thyself? All the gifts that God can give to this spirit, will not satisfy it, except he gives himself to it. As God is not pleased with what we tender to him, except we give ourselves to him: So a godly heart is not contented with all that God gives to it, except he gives himself to it. Thus Bernard exceeding sweetly, As what Hern. de amore 〈◊〉. Sicut mea ●on tibi placent oblata nisi mecum; sic bon rum tuorum contempt 〈…〉 io resi●●t nos s 〈…〉 non sat: at, nestle cum. I have, if offered to thee, pleaseth not thee, O Lord, without myself; so thy good things we have from thee, though they may refresh us, yet they satisfy us not without thyself. Yea further, the enjoyment of God is not enough, except they may have a full enjoyment of him; they are not satisfied, except they be filled with the fullness, yea, with all the fullness of God, Ephes. 3. 19 See a notable example of this in Moses, Exod. 33. 12. and so on: The Lord had done great things for Moses many ways; but besides all he had done for him, he told him that he knew him by name, and that he had sound favour in his sight; one would have thought this might have satisfied him: No, Moses must have more, Verse 13. I pray thee, if I have found grace in thy sight, show me thy way, that 〈◊〉 know thee, and that I may find grace in thy sight. God grants him this, and rels him, Verse 14. that his presence shall go with him, and he will give him rest; surely, this will satisfy him: No, Verse 16, Moses must have yet more, he must have such a presence; as the world may know, that God doth go with him, and that he and his people are a separated people, from all the people that are upon the face of the earth: and Verse 17. The Lord saith to him, I will give thee this thing also that thou hast spoken. Surely this will satisfy him: No, Moses is not satisfied yet: Verse 18. I beseech thee show me thy glory. He must have more of God yet; God grants him this also, Verse 19 I will make all my goodness pass before thee: And so the Lord passes by him, and proclaims his great and glorious Name before him: He shows him so much of his glory, as he was able to behold. Surely Moses hath enough now: No, not yet, Chap. 34. 9 God must pardon the sin of his people too, and take him and them for his inheritance: He must have this fruit of God's favour, as a higher than all the rest. See how, as we may so say with holy reverence, he incroaches as it were, upon God, as one that could never have enough; and yet this, God liked exceeding well. Here's a spirit indeed, that is not satisfied with mean, and ordinary things. In a spiritual sense the godly do seek great things for themselves, and it is their glory so to do. God delights to have the spirits of his children thus raised; he would not have them to be of such sordid spirits, as to mind no higher things than the base drudges of the world 〈◊〉. de amore Dei c. 8. Habet enim sa 〈…〉 a et sai generis superbiam. do; as a Prince or Nobleman delights to see the spirit of his child raised to higher designs, than the ordinary sort of men. Fourthly, a firm strong spirit: 4 Esay 11. 2. The spirit of Christ is a spirit of might. First, strong to resist strong temptations. Secondly, strong to overcome strong corruptions. Thirdly, strong to bear strong afflictions. For the first, it is not every temptation that can prevail with these; little things will draw weak childish spirits; but such temptations as others know not how to resist, these can stand before them, and go on in their way, without any alteration of spirit by them; though they live in the midst of temptations, yet they are able to keep themselves unspotted; like the three Children, who walked in the fire, and yet the smell of the fire came not upon them, nor their garments; or like the children of Israel, walking on the dry land safely, and the seas on each side of them: they are ashamed to complain of temptations to excuse themselves by their temptations; for wherefore hath the work of God been so mighty upon their spirits, but to strengthen them against temptations? many temptations which others think to be strong, they scarce take notice of; so far are their spirits above them. Luther was so far above the sin of covetousness, as he saith of himself, he found no temptations to that sin, though his spirit was much pestered with temptations in other kinds. The Devil will not set upon such with ordinary temptations, he knows it is in vain; when he comes upon them, it is with temptations of a higher nature, of stronger efficacy; as some men's bodies are of such strong constitutions, as that which will work mightily upon others, will not stir them: So it is with men's spirits, the devil need not trouble himself much about many; the poorest, sleightest temptations are enough to draw them to what he would have: yea, and such who account themselves to be of brave, of more than ordinary spirits too, who can stand out strongly against GOD, and his truth, against the strongest arguments; the drawing motives, the powerful persuasions of the Word, they move them not at all; but every poor temptation of the Devil draws them any way; they have no power to resist, but are led as the Ox to the slaughter, and as the fool to the stocks. The godly man is strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might, Ephes. 6. 10. Other men are strong in their lusts, and in the power of them against the Lord and his truth. Secondly, they can overcome strong corruptions: temptations from without have not such power, as corruptions that are within; yet when these rise up like a flood, This spirit of the Lord in them, sets up a standard against them, Esay 59 19 Yea, by a contrary stream opposeth and overcomes them. The more suitable any corruption is to the natural disposition, the more powerfully it hath heretofore prevailed, the more strongly it would now put forth itself, the more doth this spirit keep it under above all others. Every ordinary spirit can oppose, and be able to resist some mean, contemptible sin, which brings little pleasure, or profit with it: when sin is, as it were, weakened and benummned by afflictions; then they can cast it off: when the strength of it is abated for want of fuel, for want of opportunities of acting, for want of bodily strength to put it forth; then they can leave their sin: as Simeon and Levi came upon the Sichemites when they were sore, and overcame them; so they can come upon their sin, in times of affliction, and overcome it; & this they think to be repentance, which is a mistake. But this spirit can oppose sin, when it is in the vigour and strength, and activity of it, and overcome it then. Let God put this Spirit into one who is young & strong, whose bones are full of marrow who hath the world smile on him, and may have opportunities to the full to enjoy his lust; yet now he shall be able to overcome his corruption, & prevail against the strongest lust. As it is said of Moses, Hebr. 11. 25. When he was of full years, he then could deny himself, and refnse the pleasures of the flesh. The word in the Original, When he was great, when 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. he was grown up to ripeness, when he might have enjoyed his pleasure to the full; yet now he was able to overcome himself, & the world; and this requires strength of spirit indeed. Thirdly, it is strong to bear strong afflictions, as a strong bodied man 3 can endure cold and hard weather, which others dare scarce put out their heads into; such difference is there in the spirits of men, in regard of their bearing of afflictions; some are always complaining, murmuring, Invalidum am ni naturâ 〈◊〉 rulum whining at every little affliction; their hearts fret, vex and rage under it; like some men's flesh, if their skin be but razed with a pin, it presently festers and rankles: job 23. 2. He saith, that his stroke was heavier than his groaning, but these men's groan are heavier than their strokes: like rotten boughs of trees, if a little weight be hung on them, they presently break. A little thing will break the spirits of these men, a little thing will cause them to sink and pine away, and in a desperate sullenness to make away themselves. If thou faintest in adversity, thy strength is small, saith Solomon, Prov. 24. 10. What poor things are they, that many men's spirits are not able to bear? Not a frown from a great man, not a conceit of the least disparagement that they suffer in any thing, that is but a toy and trifle, which a man of an excellent spirit would scorn to bestow a thought about; the loss of a little money: as I have read of one who hung himself, only upon a dream that he had, that he had lost his money. Others, if they meet but with a little disturbance in their family, from husbands or wives; if their parents do but cross them, if their hopes be frustrated in things of no great moment, they cannot bear it, but they sink down in such desperate discouragements, as their lives are bitter unto them, they are weary of them, and they seek to ease themselves by putting an end to them. Impatient sinking desperateness, ever proceeds from base weakness of spirit. Despair is a sin exceeding vile and contemptible. Gulielmus Parisiensis O verbum sempiterni opprobrii & confusionis, atque ●gnomini● ind●lebilis, scili et despero; victorem enim esse Diabolum praedicat: & utinam videres Diabolum coronari victorem, cui tam turpiter succ●b 〈…〉. speaking of despair, hath this expression; I despair! Oh word of eternal reproach and confusion, of dishonour never to be blotted out! it publisheth the Devil to be the Conqueror: and would thou didst see the devil crowned as a Conqueror, to whom thou dost so shamefully lie under. These sinking sullen-spirited people may please themselves in the froward, sullen distempers of their hearts, and conceit as if they were fruits of humility: but let them know that the devil is the most sullen spirit that is, and yet the most proud. Though in thy frowardness thou fliest from God, and lettest thy spirit sink down, even as low as the bottom of the Sea, yet even there the wrath of God will follow thee. As, Amos 9 3. Though they hide themselves in the bottom of the sea, I will command the Serpent to bite them. Thus those, whose spirits are sunk into the bottom of the sea of desperation, they shall have no ease there, even there the Lord will command the Serpent to bite them; the devil shall vex and torment them there. Many while in their prosperity, while the world smiles on them, they seem to be of brave and stout spirits; to be sure, they are scornful, proud, and high enough; they are all for mirth and jollity, they are so afraid of sadness, as they banish all seriousness: But when affliction comes upon these, when God toucheth them with sickness, what poor spirited men are they then? how do their hearts sink like lead? how disconsolate? how dejected are they then? none more. Manasseh was of a bold presumptuous spirit, and exceeding scornful in time of his prosperity; he went on with a high hand against God, as if he meant to contest with heaven itself: but mark in the 2 Chron. 33. 11. when he was brought into trouble, what a poor, base spirit he had: he runs amongst the thorns, he hides himself in the bushes, and from thence he is taken, and bound in Fetters. As it was said of Alexander, it was nothing for him to carry himself bravely, because he always conquered; but for Caesar to behave himself wisely, and to uphold his spirit when he was conquered, and others fainted; this was an high praise unto him. You talk of merry hearts and joyful spirits, but can you be joyful in affliction? will your spirits hold out in tribulation? Can you rejoice in the greatest troubles? Will your comforts hold out in sore and grievous distresses? this were a sign of strength of spirit indeed. The spirit of a man can sustain his infirmity, saith Solomon. This is the strength of a man's spirit, to be able to carry itself bravely, undauntedly in the midst of greatest afflictions; your spirits can bear nothing, they are childish, poor weak spirits, not to be accounted the spirits of men. Lactantius boasts of the braveness Nostri (ut de viris taccam) pueri & mulierculie tortores suos taciti vincunt, & expromere illis gemitum nec ignis potest, Lib. 5. cap. 13. of the spirits of the Martyrs in his time, in this respect; Our children and women (not to speak of men) do in silence overcome their tormentors and the fire cannot fetch so much as a sigh from them. Fiftly, they are generous spirits: as, 5 1 They are not mercenary, they 1 will not indent with God for what they do; so much as they may get by their service, so much service, and no more: No, they go on in their work, and leave themselves to God: let the benefit of that they do, be what it will, they lose not their end if they be employed for God; men do very ill for themselves, in indenting with God for any service; for their straight spirits cannot imagine, or desire that latitude of good, that the infinite bounty of God would give, if they left themselves wholly to it. Seneca reproves the opinion of such, who said a man should choose a friend that he might have one, who might relieve him in his want, who might visit him in his sickness, etc. No, saith he, this is mercenary; but I will choose a friend, that I may have one, to show love unto, to visit if he be sick, to help if he be in want: So for men to choose a God unto themselves, that they may be helped out of troubles, that they may have their estates blessed, that they may get such and such things by, to make this the highest end is mercenary, and too low for a true, gracious, generous spirit; but to choose a God, to be my God, that I may honour, love, fear, worship him for ever, this is true Christian generousness. 2 A true generous spirit, cannot endure basely to subject itself to any; that is, to flatter, and fawn, and to be serviceable to men's lusts, and base humours for advantage sake. It knows how to lie under the feet of any to do them good, where God may have honour: but to be serviceable to any man's lusts whatsoever, it cannot endure: As we read of Dionysius his flatterers, who were so gross in their flatteries, that when he did spit, they licked up his spittle, and said, it was sweeter than Nectar and Ambrosia. It is reported likewise of Cambyses, who falling in Purcas Pilg. pag. 354. love with his sister, he asked the judges whether it were lawful for him to marry her? they answered, That they had no such law, but they had another, that the King might do whatsoever liked him; whereupon he married her. Such base-spiritednesse, cannot stand with Christian generousness. 3 A true generous spirit is not ready to take advantages against those that are under it; Men of these spirits, love to pity and relieve those whom they have at advantage, as Elisha, 2 King. 6. 22. when he had the Syrians in the midst of Samaria, and the king of Israel asked him, Shall Quo quisque est major, magis est placabilis ●rae, Et saciles molus mens generosa capit. Corpora magnanimo satis est prostrasse ●●oni, Pugna suum finem, cum jacet hostis, habet: At lupus et tristes instant morientibus ur si, ●t quaecunqu● minor nobilitate f●r 〈…〉 I smite them? shall I smite them? He answered, Thou shalt not smite them; set bread and water before them that they may eat, and drink, and go to their Master: and he prepared great provision for them, and when they had eaten and drunk, he sent them away. As is reported of the Lion, it spares those things that fall down and submit to it; but the Wolf, Bear, Dog, rend and tear what they get hold of. To be able to do one hurt and not to do it, that is truly noble. It is the glory of a King, yea of God himself to pass by an offence. To show mercy, saith S. chrysostom, is a more Posse et nolle nobile. Chrys. hom. ad pop. 36. & 51. glorious thing than to raise from the dead, and a greater work than to build most magnificent Temples. Many base-spirited men, who will crouch low enough to those who are above them, yet they are imperious, cruel, hard-hearted, rugged, fierce towards those that are under them, & they think it the braveness & greatness of their spirits that they can insult over them, and revenge themselves upon them, but there is Nec judicandum est aliquid iram ad magnitudinem animi confer. Non est illa magnitudo, tumour est. Senec. de ira. lib. 1. cap. 16. nothing great in these men but pride, and self love: this is the greatest baseness of spirit that can be, and the more these men formerly did discover their baseness, in their sordid crouchings unto others that were above them, the more do they now discover the vileness of their spirits, in their cruel insultings over those that are under them; And this they think a goodly and brave thing that they can trample upon others, whereas the kindness of a man is the goodliness, and beauty, and excellency of a man's spirit. That word in Esay. 40. 6. that is translated, The 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 goodliness of the flower, is the same word which signifies Kindness. We read Revel. 9 The Locusts that came out of the smoking pit, They had faces as the faces of men, and they had hair, as the hair of women; They had fair countenances, they could look smiling, and flattering upon men, for their own ends, but their teeth were the teeth of Lions, and they had tails like Scorpions, to tear and sting those that they had at an advantage. An insulting spirit over those that we have at advantage, is far from true generousness, howsoever men may bless themselves in it. Rehoboam was a man of an exceeding imperious, insulting disposition; My little finger, saith he, shall be thicker than my father's loins; My father put a heavy yoke upon you, but I will put more to your yoke; my father chastised you with whips, but I will chastise you with Scorpions: O, what a spirit was here! Surely he, and those who put him on, rejoiced in this as a brave commanding spirit indeed; But the holy Ghost saith of Rehoboam, that he was a poor, weak, childish-spirited man; yea, he calls him a child, though he was above forty years old, 2 Chron. 13. 7. he was young, the word is a child, and tender-hearted, that is, of a poor, soft, effeminate spirit. True generousness and cruelty are exceeding opposite, one destroys the other. When David's spirit was distempered, when he had lost much of his generousness, by that sin of uncleanness, as appears in the 51. Psalm, where he prays to God for his free spirit, which word signifies, a royal Princely spirit, as you heard before, much of the royal princeliness of his spirit, was lost by that sin, and David was never so rigid as he was at this time, which appears out of the 2 Sam. 12. 30, 31. where he commanded the people whom he had overcome, to be brought forth, and put them under saws; and under harrows of iron, and made them pass thorough the brick-kilne, and thus did he unto all the Cities of the children of Ammon. This was exceeding harsh and rigid; we never read of him, that ever he dealt thus with any before; now this is observable, that this act of his, was at that time, wherein he lay in his sin: for joab had besieged that City before David saw Bathsheba, and it was at that siege, that Vriah was slain: And although this fact be related after nathan's coming to him, and after Solomon's birth, yet it is probable it was before, even while he lay in his sin, for two reasons; 1. Because it is not probable that the siege continued; not only till the child conceived in adultery was borne, but after the birth of Solomon too, as it here stands in the story. 2. Neither is it like, that David newly receiving such mercy from God, as he did in the pardon of his sin, and when his heart was so broken as it was, that he should then show such rigid severity, only for the abuse of his Messengers. The reason why this is set after, is, because in the time of the siege David committed the adultery; and so the whole story concerning David and Bathsheba is first related, and then he comes to the story of the war again. 4. A generous spirit is studious, and diligent to return good, as well as desirous to receive good, as David, Psal. 116. 12. What shall I render unto the Lord? saith he: he speaks, as a man pressed in his spirit, troubled until he did return something; he accounts favours received, as great obligations, as any debts in the world. It is infinite baseness in spirit to be so for ones self, as if ones own turn be served, than neither God nor man is regarded. How many men will crouch, and yield to any thing, till they have got their own turns served; but then they grow proud, and regardless of those, yea, oftentimes spiteful against those, to whom (when time was) they crouched for favours, and from whom they received many, by which they are come to that which now they are. A notable example of this, we have in Benhaded, 1 King. 20. 32. compared with Chap. 22. 31. In the former place, he caused his servants to gird themselves with sackcloth on their loins, and put ropes on their heads, and to come to the King of Israel and say, Thy servant▪ Benhadad saith, I pray thee let me live, and he was content to yield to any terms, when the King of Israel had him at advantage, as verse 34. The Cities which my father took from thy father, I will restore, and thou shalt make streets for thee in Damascus: but after that he was got out of his hands; Ahab was fain to go to war with him to get those Cities, Cap. 22. 3. And observe the baseness of the spirit of Benhadad, he, who before had so crouched to Ahab for his life, he now commands his Captains, to fight neither with small nor great, save only with the King of Israel: see with what malice he seeks the life of him, who before had saved his. 5 A generous spirit loves to be 5 abundant in service; it is not satisfied in doing mean and ordinary things, as before they were sublime in that receiving of ordinary things from God would not satisfy them, but they must have great things from him; so now it is their generousness, that they will not be quieted in doing ordinary things for God, but they must do great things for him: they prise their service as well as their wages, as joh. 17. 4. Christ saith He hath finished the work that his Father gave him to do; he accounts his work a gift. Thus those who have the Spirit of Christ, account their services to be gifts from God: to live unserviceable they would account to be the greatest burden in the world to them; they had rather have less comforts and more service, than Quid prodest esse, quod esse non predest? Tertul. de ●●di 〈…〉. more comforts and less service; they had rather be straitened in comforts than in duties. To what purpose do we live, if we be of no use? It is the baseness of men's spirits (which a truly godly man abhors) who desire to receive great things, but are content in doing little; they put off God with ordinary, flight services; but the spirits of the Saints are more generous than so, if it were possible they would be infinite in service to God, they never think they have done enough for him: I will yet praise thee more and more, saith David, Psal. 71. 14. I will add to thy praise, so the words are in the Original; as if he should say, God hath had some praise in the world already, I would fain add something for my part, I would come in withmy share, that he might have some more praise for me, and this not an ordinary praise, but endeavoures to have the high praises of God in heart and mouth, Psal. 149. 6. desires to make the praise of God glorious, Psal. 66. 2. he would fain be eminent in good works, Tit. 3. 14. Let ours also learn to maintain good 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. works, the words are, let them learn to be eminent in good works above others; there is a holy ambition in them; to get above others in godliness; this is, indeed, to walk circumspectly, that the Apostle exhorts to in the 5. Eph. 15. the word there translated 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. Circunspectly, signifies To get up to the top of godliness, to perfect holiness in the fear of God, & therefore he sets the highest pitch of the rule before him, would not have the rule come down to him, but endeavours to get up to the rule, sets before him the highest examples he can; he is not willing to offer that to God which cost him nothing, but if any thing more choice, more excellent, better than others, it shall be for God; he loves to be abundant in duty, he would not scant God, to give only that which he must of necessity, but loves to be fruitful in all good works. The reasonings of many men's spirits, shows much baseness in them; Why are we bound to do this? is it absolutely necessary? cannot a man be saved except he do thus? may not such a thing be lawfully done? If thou hadst a raised, generous spirit for God, it were enough to thee, that such a thing is good, is commendable, it may be, serviceable; Vestrum est, 〈◊〉 solum attend●re quid praecipiat Deus, sed quid velit, quae sit vulu 〈…〉 Dei bona, bene placens, & pers●cta. B 〈…〉. de vita solitaria ad fratres de mont● Dei, p. 1020. God may have glory by it, I may do good by it; and such a thing hath no excellency in it, God shall have no glory by it: This were enough to cause the soul greedily and delightfully to embrace the one, and freely and strongly to reject the other. A generous spirit strives to be abundant in doing good, and leaves itself with God, let God do with him what seems good in his eyes; it doth not maintain jealous, suspicious thoughts of God, as if it were best to provide for itself, and not dare to venture upon God: Base unworthy spirits discover themselves much in this; they will part with nothing, but first will see what they shall have; they must have present pay, be sure of it in the hand; they are jealous and suspicious of every one, they are conscious to themselves of baseness this way, and therefore look upon all others, as if there were only for themselves too: but a generous spirit finds in itself a disposition ready to do good to others, though they can do little for him; yet if they need, and he able, he finds he can freely, and readily do it; and this makes him to venture upon others, that they will likewise out of freedom and generousness, be helpful to him, if occasion, if need serve, though they should not receive recompense from him: and therefore he is not ready to entertain jealous & suspicious thoughts, as other base spirits do. Thus in respect of God, he knows God is infinitely good, and blessed in himself; and that he out of his own infinite goodness is ready to do good, and help those in want, who are able to do little again in way of requital; but that he for his Names sake, shows mercy and loving-kindness to his poor creatures, because Mercy pleases him; and therefore he can venture himself upon God. Base spirits, as they are very jealous in regard of trust, so they are very suspicious of love; and think, because themselves are conscious to themselves of unworthiness, and that they themselves love only for their own ends, therefore they think they cannot be truly beloved of others, but so far as they are useful to them. But one of a generous spirit knows in himself, that he can love others, not only because he receives good from them, but that he may do good to them; and therefore sees this to be infinitely more in God, and therefore can rely upon God's love in sense of his own unworthiness. Though the Lord can receive no good from me, yet he can do good unto me; and this I believe is the glorious excellency of the Lord, and therefore my spirit shall not give way to suspicious thoughts of his love: As David, 2 Sam. 23. 5. Although (says he) my house be not so with God, yet he hath made with me an everlasting Covenant ordered in all things, and sure: for this is all my salvation, and all my desire, although he maketh not to grow. And this is observable, that it is said of him in Vers. 1. that when he spoke this, he was a man who was raised up on high. It is true even in this sense, that that expression of his in Verse 5. was an argument of a man whose spirit was truly raised on high; and the rather doth a generous spirit abandon base, jealous, suspicious thoughts of God's faithfulness and his love, because it knows in itself that it hath not such a vile disposition, as to abuse this gracious & blessed nature that it apprehends of God, so as to be the more secure and loose; to give liberty to itself in any evil, because of this: Oh no, God forbid; this, far from a true generous spirit; this, the spirit of baseness; this, a sordid disposition indeed, that it loathes, it abhors the thought of it; it finds in itself, that the sight of this grace of God, this blessed nature of God draws it most sweetly to him, to close with him, to delight in him: it is the strongest Motive to draw it up to holiness; yea, To perfect holiness in the fear of God, 2 Cor. 7. 1. And therefore it casts out jealous & suspicious thoughts of the goodness, and love of the blessed God, as fruits of baseness of spirit. Sixthly, though sublime & raised 6 As Nazianzen said of Athanasius, he was, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He was high in worth, and humble in heart. as before, yet withal it is an humble, broken, and contrite spirit, one who is poor in spirit; this, a blessed conjunction indeed; though it thinks itself too good for any lust, yet not too good to be subject to the least Commandment; though will not be under the power of any creature, yet will lie flat and trembling under the least word of the Lord, Esa. 66. 2. Though not satisfied with mean things, yet accounts itself less than the least of all God's Mercies. How sublime was Paul's spirit, when he accounted all things dung, yet himself could be contented to be accounted an offscouring for Christ? the sublimity of his spirit was not a greater glory to him in the one, than the humility of it was in the other. Though a godly man minds high things above others, yet can be well contented to be used in the meanest services for the good of others; though he be raised above the world, yet judges himself less than the least of the Saints: Though he aims at the highest pitch of godliness, yet bless God for, and makes much of the least breathe of his Spirit; and such a heart is precious indeed in God's eyes: this, O Lord, thou canst not despise, Psa. 51. 17. so the words are. God can despise Kings and Emperors, God can despise the glory and lustre of the world; but a humble broken spirit, the Lord cannot despise. There is no object that God accounts worth the looking at in the world, but such a one: Esa. 66. 2. To him will I look, says God. The highest heavens, and the lowest heart, are the two places of Gods most glorious residence. Seventhly, it is a public spirit, enlarged for public good; not a narrow, 7 base, straightened spirit. Godliness doth mightily enlarge the heart of a man: The Lord persuade japhet to dwell in the Tents of Shem; the words signify, The Lord enlarge the heart of japhet. When a man is converted, his heart is enlarged; and it must needs be so, for now the spirit makes after the enjoyment of God, an infinite universal good: now it opens itself to receive and embrace a God, in whom it expects all good; before it followed after some poor drops of good in the creature; but now finds all is to be enjoyed in God himself; and being thus enlarged to receive an universal good, it desires to enlarge itself, as much as it can, to be an universal good, but that is proper to God: yet a public good it may be, and therefore spreads itself as far as it can. Now it loves good as good, not upon particular private grounds; and therefore the more good, the more beloved. It minds good, as in reference to God; and therefore where God may be most honoured, there the heart most solicitous, most industrious: it is willing therefore to empty itself of its private good, that the public may be furthered. If Nature will venture it's own particular good, for the general, (as heavy things will ascend contrary to their natures, to keep out vacuity, and so to preserve the Universe) much more than will Grace. Every godly man, one way or other, according to the abilities he hath, is a public blessing to the place where he lives. The Saints of God are compared to a cloud, Heb. 12. 1. the comparision is true in this respect; a Cloud waters the earth as a common blessing, so are they; not as water-pots, that water but a few spots of ground in a garden. And this publicness of spirit is then right, and truly gracious; First, when it is content to do public good, where itself shall be taken little notice of; as, many times the Engine that doth all in great works, is (inward, hidden) not taken notice of. Secondly, when he can be glad, that any public good work goes on, and prospers, though others be used in it, and not himself, to the eclipsing of his light. Thirdly, when he is willing to be used in any service, though but to prepare work for others, which they, not he, shall have the glory of after he is gone. As Luther, writing to Melancthon, encouraging him against the strong opposition that they met with in the cause of God; Potens est Deus causam suam labentem servare, lapsam erigere; si nos digni non erimus, fiat per alios. Melchior Adam. in vit. Luth. 8 God (says he) is able to preserve his own cause falling, and to raise it fallen; if we be not worthy, let it be done by others. Such a public spirit as this is, is an excellent spirit indeed. Eighthly, it is a sanctified spirit: 1 Thess. 4. 8, He hath made us partakers of his holy spirit: Chap. 5, 23. I pray God sanctify you throughout, your whole spirit and soul. Sanctified, that is, 1 Not such a mixed spirit, as the 1 common spirit of the world, hath not that mixture of filth and dross in it, but is pure; purity consists in freedom from mixture with that which is of a base nature, if mixed with that which is of a superior nature, that doth not make the thing impure; as when silver is mixed with gold, but when it is mixed with lead or dross. The spirits of the godly are mixed with grace, but that makes them more excellent and pure; such mixture of spiritual excellency that is above the excellency of the soul, their spirits close with: but if there come any mixture with that which is base, beneath the excellency of the spirit, this defiles, and this their spirits cannot close with, but are sensible of the evil of it, and never leave working till they have purged it out from them. 2 Sanctified, that is, God hath 2 set them apart for himself; as Psal. 4. 3. Know that the Lord hath set apart him that is godly for himself, and they have devoted, dedicated, and consecrated themselves, to and for God; they are spirits resigned, given up to the Lord. 3 All the parts, abilities, common gifts of this Spirit are sanctified, 3 a higher excellency is put upon them than they have in the spirits of other men; weak, natural parts in these, are more excellent than the strongest not sanctified: As the consecration of Wood, and Leather, and mean things, put greater excellency upon them, than Gold and Silver had, that were not so consecrated; yet the larger the natural parts are of a sanctified spirit, the more excellent it is. 4 It is able to make a sanctified use of what it meddles withal, of 4 what it hath to deal in; of all the works and ways of God, it makes all to be holy to the Lord. Ninthly, It is a true heroical spirit; none have such brave heroical spirits as God's servants have; it is not discouraged by difficulties, it will set upon things a sluggish spirit thinks impossible; it will go through that which such a one thinks can never be; it breaks through armies of difficulties, that it might go on in its way, and accomplish its work, not discouraged as the sluggish spirit, who cries out, there is a Lion in the way. Non quia dura, sed quia molles patimur. It is not the difficulty of the work, but the baseness of our spirits, that ordinarily hinders us in our way; some difficulties that others count great hindrances, it slights and contemns; Nil magnum in rebus human is nisi animus magna despiciens: s● magnanimus sueris nunquam juditabis tibi contumel am sieri. Sen de quatuor virtue. as reproach and scorn in the ways of God; it can contemn contemners, and vilify those who account the ways of God as vile; this, the true spirit of jesus Christ, of whom it is said, Hebr. 12. 2. He endured the Cross, and despised the shame, the shame whereby others despised him, was despised of him, not accounting it a thing worthy for his spirit to be troubled at; no more is a true godly spirit hindered in his way by this, than one riding on with strength in his journey, hindered by the barking of whappets at his horse heels, he rides on and minds them not; and as for railings, and revile at the ways of God, by which many are discouraged, the spirit of a godly man can shake them off, as St. Paul the Viper that hung upon his hand, and feel no hurt; it bears off many hardships, that are like to be very grievous to flesh and blood, that it is like to meet with, which discourages the hearts of many, both from beginning to enter upon God's ways, and from continuance in them after some entrance made; as the other Spies that were sent with Caleb and joshua, their hearts fainted, they tell of great difficulties are like to be met with; The land indeed is good, but there are children of Anak there, and walls that reach up to Heaven; but this was the brave heroical spirit of Caleb and joshua, their spirits were undaunted, they would go up and possess the Land, let what ever could be stand in their way. Thus many have convictions of conscience that the ways of God indeed are good, but the great hardships that they are like to suffer in those ways, keep them off; But a true godly spirit, is willing to embrace Religion, with all the hard terms annexed unto it; it is a poor, mean spirit that must indent with God a forehand: If I were sure to hold out, to have at last that which I desire, than I would venture upon the ways of godliness; but I am afraid it will never be: and so sinks, and hath no mind to set upon the work. But this spirit will set upon the work with all the hazards, as Ester, If I perish, I perish; this was a brave spirit indeed. If she had had such a base cowardly spirit as many, to think, Alas what good shall I do? I may hazard myself, and bring myself into trouble, but no likelihood of any good will come of it: she is content to venture all, upon a mere possibility of good; To break thorough armies of difficulties, as David's Worthies showed the excellency of their spirits, in breaking thorough an Host to gratify their Lord. If the Worthies of God in former times, had stood upon every difficulty, what had been done in God's cause? No, this spirit sets upon that which God calls it to, doth what it can, and leaves itself, and the issue of its work to God, as joab 2 Sam. 10. 12. Let us play the men for our people, and for the Cities of our God, and the Lord do that which seemeth him good: It was a brave speech of him, that showed an excellent brave spirit in him. A poor low spirit, thinks every difficulty an impossibility; but this spirit will not easily entertain thoughts of impossibility in services that are noble and worthy of choice spirits; it will rather think with itself; Was there never any such thing done before? or was there never any thing that had as much difficulty as this in it? that was as unlikely as this, to come to a good issue and yet was at last accomplished? why may not this then be done? and so sets about it, without any more objectings against it, with this resolution; quicksands quid sieri potuit, potest; That which hath been done, may be done. Such a spirit as this is ashamed to see and hear, & read what great things have been done by others, and what poor things it hath all this while been employed in. Suetonius reports of julius Caesar, that seeing Alexander's Statue, he fetched a deep sigh, because he at that age had done so little. Yea, so far is a true heroical spirit from being discouraged by difficulties, as it's raised by difficulties; thus it's said of a true godly man, that he stirs up himself against the hypocrite, that he holds on his way, and grows stronger and stronger, job 17. 8, 9 When a difficulty, when any opposition, or danger comes in God's ways, now it sees an opportunity offered of showing so much the more love to jesus Christ, so much the more sincerity, and power of grace, to bring so much the more honour to God and his cause, and in this it rejoices; this was the reason why the Apostles and Martyrs, rejoiced so much in their sufferings for Christ. When Ignatius felt his flesh and bones begin to be ground betwixt the teeth of wild beasts, now says he, I begin to be a Christian. When Alexander saw an apparent great danger near him, his spirit works I am periculum par animo Alexandri. on this manner; Now says he, here's a danger fit for the mind of Alexander to encounter withal. When David at first heard of being the King's son in law, he was troubled at it. 1 Sam. 18. 22. But when he knew, what a difficult and hazardable service he was to undertake for it, then says the Text in the 26, Verse It pleased David well to be the King's son in law: that which would have discouraged others, who would gladly have had the preferment, that raised the spirit of David, and made him like the offer the better; and surely this was not an ordinary, common spirit; it was the true magnanimity of the spirit of David. Tenthly, A solid, serious spirit; 10 other spirits are sleight, empty, vain, frothy, rash spirits, which are exceeding great evils in the spirits of men; sleightness of spirit, makes men almost uncapable of any good; what ever judge meant the Lord lays upon me in this world, yet the Lord deliver me from a vain, sleight, frothy spirit: how do the blessed glorious truths of God, which are of infinite consequence, pass by such, and are never minded; nothing sticks by them, nothing abides with them that may be useful for their everlasting good: but this spirit is put into a serious, solid frame; it examines the ground of actions, compares one thing with another, looks much at the issue of things; & this must needs be, because the fear of the great God, and the fear of eternity is fallen upon it, Esay 11. 2. These are joined together, the spirit of knowledge, wisdom, the spirit of counsel and the fear of the Lord; it converses so much with serious things of high and infinite consequence, that it must needs be put in a serious frame. Eleventhy, It is an active, lively 11 spirit, serious but not sullen, not heavy, dull; solid but not stupid, 1 Pet. 2. 5. The godly are called lively stones; stones, because of their solidness; lively, because of their activeness; God is himself a pure act, and these spirits have some likeness to him, and nearness with him; the higher things are, the more active; water more than earth, air more than water, fire more than all; these spirits are raised to the highest excellencies of any creature in this world. They are of quick understanding, as Esay 11. 3. And ready prepared to every good work, as 2 Tim. 2. 21. The most noble, excellent activeness is from life, and the more noble & excellent the life, the more noble and excellent activeness; as sense more than the plants, and the rational life more than the sense, and grace more than that, and glory more than all; the more spiritual, the more active; the more power the form hath over the matter, the more active the thing is; and the more the form is sunk, as it were into the matter, there the less activeness, as in the earth, and all heavy bodies; now where life is, there the form hath most power, and the higher the life, the greater the power; Godly spirits therefore are not melancholy, for melancholy makes dull, but they are active and lively, though they may be heavy and sad, if put to some employment not suitable to their spirits; but put them upon spiritual employments, and then you shall find them lively and active; when they have to deal with God, when drawing near unto him in spiritual exercises, than they are full of life, they are fervent in spirit, serving the Lord, as Rom. 12. 11. Boiling in spirit, (so the word signifies) when serving the lord The effectual fervent prayer of the righteous avails much, saith S. james 5. Chapter 16. verse; The working prayer, so the word signifies, and such a working, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ‑ 〈◊〉. that notes the most liveliest activity that can be. Birds, whose motion is on high, fly swiftly when they are got up, but slutter when they are below; so the spirits of the godly, when they are got up on high to God, in spiritual exercises, than they move lively: but when they are busied in inferior things, they are ofttimes dull and heavy. Twelfthly, the spirits of the godly 12 are faithful spirits, faithful to God and men, such as will certainly stick to, and will be true to their principles; you may know where to find them, if you know their principles, which are sound & good, as before. The righteous is as an everlasting foundation, Prov. 10. 25. you may build upon him; there is an evenness in all his ways, a constancy, an universality of truth and faithfulness; for it proceeds from the holiness of their spirits; as the faithfulness of God proceeds from his holiness: and therefore those mercies that are called the sure mercies of David, Esay 55. 3. they are called the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. holy sure things of David, Acts 13. 34. God's holiness makes them sure, being once promised. There may be a particular faithfulness in some things, between man and man, where but some common gifts, and the spirit not this choice spirit, but that faithfulness comes not from a holy frame; and therefore there is not an universality in it. These are the special qualifications of this other spirit, these are the bright glistering Pearls, with which a godly soul, the King's daughter, the Spouse of jesus Christ, is beautiful within, and enlightened, free, royal, sublime, humble, sanctified, public, heroical, serious, active, faithful spirit; this is another spirit indeed, not the common ordinary spirit. Sixtly, another spirit, it feeds upon 6 other comforts, differing from those that common spirits feed upon: Every life draws to it things suitable to the nature of it, and finds some kind of content and comfort in the enjoyment of such things. We account life no life, except it hath the fillings of it, with things suitable, from whence it may have comfort, according to the variety of several principles, whereby every creature that hath life, lives; such is the variety of comforts in the world: So the life of this spirit must have comforts suitable to it, and because it differs from the life of other spirits, therefore the comforts of it are different, it lives upon other comforts. The life of a Dog is maintained by carrion, of a Swine by swill, of a Toad by poison; but what doth a man care for these? though Carrion lie in the ditch, though Swill be in the kennel, though poison cast upon the dunghill, he cares not for them; for his life is maintained by, and he feeds upon other comforts. Thus though the men of the world living by sense and lust, have no other comforts to feed upon, but such as are suitable to them; but the godly having a life that hath higher and more noble principles, they feed upon higher and more noble comforts. While Nabuchadnezzar lived the life of a beast, he fed on grass; but after, when he was restored to his Kingdom, and began to live the life of a King, he had other comforts to feed upon, and delight himself in. The joy of the spirits of the godly are like the light of the Sun, fed by heavenly influence; but the joys of other men, are as the light of a Candle, fed by base and stinking matter: for so Solomon, makes the comparison, Prov. 4. 18. The righteous is as the Sun, that shines more and more unto the perfect day; and the joys of the wicked he compares to a Candle, Prov. 24. 20. The Candle of the wicked shall be put out. The men of the world have seduced spirits, they seed upon ashes, Esa. 44. 20. The curse of the Serpent is upon them, upon their bellies they go, dust they eat, while they feed upon their Swill and Husks: the spirits of the Saints find bread in their father's house; their comforts are inward: A good man is satisfied from himself, Prov. 13. 14. he hath a spring within in his own breast, he need not shark abroad: Godliness with contentment is great gain, saith the Apostle, 1 Tim. 6. 6. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Godliness with selfe-sufficiency, so the word signifies. When Oecolampadius lay sick, his friends asked him, whether the light Oecolampadius. did not offend him? he clapped his hand on his breast, and said, Hic sat lucis, Here is light enough; this is soirituall comfort, that which arises from a right frame of spirit. Hence the word in Saint james chap. 5. 13, translated merry, is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, the rectitude of the mind; noting that all true mirth must come from the right frame of the mind. As for other mirth, I have said of laughter, it is mad, and of mirth, What dost thou? As when the humours of the body are all in a right temper, there is a sweet sensitive delight in the body; much more in the spirit, when the faculties and the frame of it are in a right temper. Spiritual comforts are such as are above the soul, and therefore put an excellency upon it; the comforts that are in things beneath the faculty, cannot but be mean, and do debase it. How much beneath the excellency of the spirit of a man, is the flesh of beasts, the juice of the Grape, or any vain sports, or whatsoever may give content to the sensitive part? but there are comforts that are above the soul, spiritual, heavenly, divine things, and these this spirit feeds upon; they are comforts that the spirit rejoices in before the Lord: That a sweet and blessed joy indeed, that is enjoyed before the Lord; and when the Lord most present, most enjoyed. Other vain sensual spirits have joy, but not before the Lord; the apprehension of the presence of the Lord damps all: and therefore they desire not to have mention made of the Name of the Lord, Amos 6. 10. So to rejoice, as to be able to bless God for our joy; so to rejoice, as to make the presence of God the chief matter of 〈…〉 joy indeed, this, 〈…〉, for the spirit to feed upon such comforts, is a choice blessing indeed. They are spiritual comforts, for they are administered to the soul by a special work of the Holy Ghost: it is the office that the Holy Ghost is designed to, by the Father and the Son, to be the Comforter, to bring in suitable comforts to the spirits of his setvants; and surely the holy Ghost will not be failing in this work of his, as the Father and the Son have been full and glorious in all their works, so is the Holy Ghost in his; and therefore such must be the comforts of the spirits of God's servants, as must manifest a glorious work of the Holy Ghost, in the discharge of that he is sent to do by the Father and the Son. No marvel then though the Apostle called this joy, unspeakable and glorious. Consider what a difference must there needs be between the comfort that a little meat and drink, and vain sports afford, and the comforts of the Holy Ghost, which he conveys into the souls of the godly, by the appointment of the Father and the Son? Surely these must needs be soule-satisfying, soul-ravishing consolations: God is the God of all consolation, & therefore here are all consolations. There is surely infinite good & sweetness, treasures of all excellency in God, and what are they all for, but to be comforts for the spirits of his servants to rejoice in? these are not for common ordinary spirits, they have meat the world knows not of; a stranger shall not intermeddle in these joys: men of rank & quality, as they are in higher condition than others, so their comforts and delights are much different from the delights of ordinary people. As God hath raised the condition of his people higher than other men, so he hath raised their comforts; children's bread from the Lords own table, is provided for them, while husks and swill serves worldly spirits. Their comforts such, as are the delights of God himself, & of jesus Christ; they partake with them in their joys: and surely, such joys as they come and join with them in, must needs be sweet and glorious indeed. I and my Father (says Christ) will come and sup with them, and they shall sup with me. They have dainties which their spirits feed upon, that are savoury even to the Father and the Lord jesus Christ. Surely, the world mistakes, who thinks the life of godliness not to be a comfortable life; as if the most excellent and highest life should have the worst and lowest condition: surely, it is a gross mistake, to think that the spirits of the Saints should be the most sad and melancholy spirits: God's Spirit witnesses of them, that they are the children Spiritus Calvimanus est spiritus 〈…〉 cousin. of the Light, yea, that they are light. If they be sad, it is because they meddle too much with things below; it is when their spirits are down; when they get up their spirits to heavenly things, than they can rejoice and sweetly delight themselves; their hearts are enlarged, their souls are filled with joy. The Birds do not use to sing when they are on the ground, but when got up into the air, when on the top of trees, than they sing sweetly. If they be sad and melancholy, it is because they differ no more from the world than they do, because they retain so much likeness to your spirits, still in them; were they freed altogether from the likeness there remains in them to your spirits, they would never be sad more, but their spirits would be filled with everlasting joy: For the present they joy in things suitable to them, and suitableness is the thing that causes comfort in any creature. If the Swine could express itself, it would tell you, that no such comfort as in Swill and Dung, and wonders that any other creature can take comfort in any other thing like to this, because this is the most suitable to their natures: Thus worldly brutish spirits, because these low vile things are so suitable to them, they think there can be no such comfort in any other thing; these things they rejoice in, for they know no better: but if their natures were changed, their greatest comfort would be in the despising and vilifying such comforts. S. Augustine before his conversion, quam suave istis suavitatibas career. could not tell how he should want those delights he found so much contentment in; but after, when his nature was changed, when he had another spirit put into him, than he says, O how sweet is it to be without those former sweet delights! You think we have no comforts, or at least not like yours; know, we can taste natural comforts as well as you, if the poison of sin be not mixed with them; and God gives us leave to rejoice in them: God hath made these outward comforts for his setvants. Surely God hath not made the flowers for Spiders and Frogs, but rather for the Bee to suck honey out of them: we can taste another manner of sweetness in them, than you can; for we can taste the love of God through them; we can taste them as the comforts that flow from that God, in whom all comfort is; we can taste them as forerunners of eternal comforts. A Bee can suck her honey out of a flower, that a Fly cannot do. But besides these, there are other conveyances of comforts, through which our spirits find comforts to feed on; namely, the Ordinances, where the Lord lets out himself in a blessed sweet manner, to the souls of his servants; and yet beside, God communicates many comforts immediately, 2 Thess. 2. 16. Now our Lord jesus Christ himself, and GOD even our Father, which hath loved us, and hath given us everlasting consolation. Do you think we have no comforts? What, did jesus Christ come into the world, suffer so many sorrows and miseries, die such a painful death, and all to bring us to a more sorrowful estate than we had before? Let us alone with our comforts, we envy not yours. As Tertullian says, in his Apology against the Gentiles, Wherein do we offend you? If we believe there are other pleasures, Cap. 2. Quo vos ossendimus▪ si alias praesumimus voluptates, si oblectari nolumus nostra injuria e 〈…〉 reprobamus quae placent vobis, nec vosnestra a delectant. if we will not delight in ourselves, it is our own wrong; we reject those things that please you, and you are not delighted with ours. CAP. 11. Wherein the excellency of this gracious spirit appears. THus they are men of another spirit, and this is their excellency: A spirit thus differenced from the world, where all this is found, is an excellent spirit indeed. Here is true worth, all the bravery and glory of the world not worthy to be mentioned with this. The soul is the excellency of a man, and this is the excellency of the soul: a man's self is his soul. Hence, whereas in Matth. 16. 26. it is said, What shall it profit a man if he gain the whole world, and lose his soul? it is said in another Evangelist, Luke 9 25. What shall it prosit a man if he gain the world, and lose himself? Surely, spiritual excellencies are the highest excellencies; as, First, these spiritual excellencies have this propriety in them, they 1 make a man a better man, wheresoever they are, which bodily excellencies do not, nor all the riches nor honours in the world: A man is not the better man because he hath money, clothes, honours, better diet than others; these are but outward things added to him, no intrinsical excellencies. Secondly, these spiritual excellencies are the beginnings of eternal 2 lise, the same life we shall have in heaven: and hence the work of God's Spirit in the soul, is called, The Earnest of the Spirit; not a pawn, but an Earnest: for a pawn is to be returned again, but an Earnest is part of the whole sum that is to follow. That which we have of God's Spirit, is part of the same glory we shall have fully in heaven; it is not only an evidence unto us that there is glory coming, but it is a beginning of the glory, the fullness whereof is to come afterward. Such a spirit as hath this life, lives a life far above the common life of the world, even the life of heaven, the same life that Angels and Saints do live in heaven, the life of those blessed spirirs there. We mistake if we think eternal life is only in heaven; eternal life is in this world, in the excellent frame of the spirits of God's servants, 1 john 3. 15. Life is the chief excellency communicated to the Creature, and the highest life, the highest excellency. There is more distance between the excellency of the meanest, weakest godly man in the world, and the most eminent man for parts & common gifts only, than between the meanest and weakest godly soul, and the most eminent glorified Saint in the highest heavens; the weakest godly man excels him that is most eminent in common gifts, more than the most eminent Saint in heaven excels him: for the glorified Saint is only higher in some degrees in the same excellency, which in the principles, yea, and in some lustre, the meanest Saint on earth hath; he hath that which will at last grow up to heaven's glory: but the distance between him, and the man who only hath the excellencies of parts, learning, common gifts, it is essential: All parts and common gifts in the world can never grow up to this. Thirdly, yea, this is not only the life of Angels, the life of heaven, but 3 the life of God himself; for so it is called by God himself, Ephes. 4. 11. Ratio nihil aliudest, quam in corpits huma▪ 〈◊〉 pars divim 〈◊〉 meisa Epist●7 ●7. Seneca says of Reason, that it is part of the Divine Spirit in man's body, it is much more true of Grace, it enables the soul in some resemblance to come the nearest that can be, to live as God lives, to work as God works; it represents God in his highest glory, and therefore it is called, The lineage of God: This shows more to the world what God is, than all the frame of God's creation beside. It is not as an Image, which hath only the dead lineaments drawn, though there be some beauty in this; but as the Image in a glass, which presents the motion as well as the lineaments: yea, and not only so, but as the son that bears the Image of the father; and this represents the life: or as if a glass had life in it, and so could enjoy the sweetness, the good of that Image it represents unto itself. This Spirit is such a living glass of the blessed God, that it enjoys the good and sweetness of that Image of God it hath in it: Yea, one degree higher, it is called the very Divine Nature, 2 Pet. 1. 4. as if it were nothing else but a sparkle of the Deity itself. Seneca has a strong speech concerning man's soul, What can we call the soul Quid aliud voces animum, quam Deum in corepore humano ●o 〈◊〉 〈…〉 tem. Sencea. (says he) but God abiding in an humane body? If a soul that hath only natural excellencies, comes so near God, how near then comes it to him, when raised by those spiritual and supernatural excellencies we have spoke of. Yea, yet there is an higher degree than this; It is called the glory of the Lord, Rom. 〈◊〉. 3. yea, a higher degree than all the former; the excellency of this spirit is such, as it is one spirit with God himself, 2 Cor. 6. 17. He that is joined to the Lord, is one spirit. It was the excellency of joshua, that he had the spirit of Moses upon him; of Elisha, that he had the spirit of Eliah; what is it then to have the Spirit of God himself? yea to be one spirit with him. Put all these then together, godliness by which this other spirit is raised higher than common spirits, it is the life of God, the Image of God, the divine Nature, the glory of God, yea one spirit with God; and is not here an high and glorious excellency? Fourthly, this makes him, wheresoever 4 it is, fit to glorify God in the world, and so the soul thus endued, is not only a glass to represent, a living glass to enjoy the comfort of what it doth represent; but as a glass to reflect upon the face of God himself, the glory of his own Image, and that by a principle within itself. Other glasses can reflect upon the thing whose image it hath, if acted by a hand externally; but this by an inward living principle, and so gives God his glory actively, which no other creature can do, but Angels, and men's souls, who have these spiritual excellencies in them. Were it not for a few of these spirits, what glory would God have in the world? how little would he be minded, or regarded? But these are they who have high thoughts of God, who have trembling frames before him, who do reverence, fear, adore, love, cleave to, trust in, magnify the Name of the great God in the world; these sanctify his Name in his worship, they worship him as a God, they worship him in spirit and truth, and such worshippers God seeks, joh. 4. 23. as these he highly esteems of, and much rejoices in; these take notice of him in all his creatures, in the ways of his providence, and use the creatures for him, from whom they are; the glory of God is dear and precious to these; this is the excellency of their spirits, they are not sunk in the dregs of the world, but being kept in some measure in their purity, they work up to God, do as it were naturally flow to God, as to their Centre. Fiftly, these are such as are fit to stand before the Lord, to have converse, 5 and enjoy communion with him. Dan. 1. 4. we read, that those that were judged fit to stand in the King's palace, before King Nebuchadaezzar, they must have no blemish, they must be well-favoured, and skilful in all wisdom, and cunning in knowledge, & understanding science, and taught the learning, and the tongue of the Chaldeans. Every spirit is not fit to stand before the King of heaven, to have converse with him; none but the reasonable creature is capable of any such thing as communion with God, and it must be the reasonable creature thus raised, they must be men of other spirits. A man of an excellent spirit, cannot endure converse with base sordid spirits; much less can God, who is that blessed holy Spirit. No creature can have communion with another, but such as live the same life; hence the beast cannot have communion, with man, because man's proper life is rational; these are the spirits who being partakers of the life of God, are fitted for converse and communion with him: Likeness is the ground of all liking in communion, it is the likeness they have to God, that makes God to delight in communion with them; God loves to dwell with these, and that in a special manner. 2 Corin. 6. 16. As God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them, I will be their God, and they shall be my people; the words are very significant in the Original; I will in-dwell in them, so the words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. are. There are two in's in the Original, as if God could never have near enough communion with them, Psal. 4 1. 12. He sets them before his face for ever, as loving to look upon them. Now how great, how inconceiveable a dignity is this, for the poor creature to have this near communion with God? Cursed be that man, says that noble marquis, Marcus Galeaceus, that prizes all the gold and silver in the world, worth one days enjoyment of communion with jesus Christ; he was a man of another spirit, who spoke from his own experience, of that sweet he had found of communion with Christ, who had parted with much honour and riches for him. Enoch and Noah, who were men of other spirits in their generations, are said to walk with God: God took them up even in this world to walk with him; many a sweet turn have these spirits with their God; God delights to have them near him, that he might reveal and communicate himself to them; these know much of God's mind; the secrets of the Lord are with these, and to them he reveals his Covenant, God doth not love to hide his face from these. That hidden wisdom which the Princes of the World knew not, which eye hath not seen, ear heard, neither hath entered into the hearts of men to conceive, yet hath the Lord revealed them to us by his Spirit, saith the Apostle, 1 Corin. 2. 10. even by that Spirit, that searches the deep things of God, and by virtue of this communion, these can prevail much with God; As it is said of jacob, Gen. 32. 28. as a Prince he had power with God and prevailed. Hence S. Bernard in his meditatiös, giving diverse rules of strictness, of purging the heart, of being humble & Et cum talis fueris, inemento mei. Bern. meditat. devoti●●. cap 5. holy, and when thou art thus, saith he, then remember me; as knowing the prayers of such a one would much prevail with God for blessing. Sixtly, this spirit is fit for any service, any employment God calls it 6 to; it is a vessel of mercy, sitted for the Master's use; Many honourable services God hath to be done in the world; men of ordinary common spirits, are not sit for them; if they should be set about them, they would spoil the work, and dishonour God in it. If a man have a choice piece of work, he will not employ one that hath not ability to reach to it; he knows the work would fail, and it would be his disgrace. When God would employ some about building his Tabernacle, he fills them first with his Spirit, so he saith of Bezaliel, and Aholiab. If a man be employed in government, he had need be a man in whom the Spirit of God is, as Pharaoh said concerning joseph, Gen. 4 1. 3 8. When God chose Saul for government, he gave him another spirit, so that he was another man: When God had a piece of work to do of high esteem, beyond Saul's reach, he looks out for another, who had a more excellent spirit than Saul, and saith, I have found a man according to mine own heart, who shall fulfil all my will. The excellency of a thing is in the use of it: What can it do? The excellency of the Angels is, in that they are ministering spirits; and the excellency of man is to be serviceable; his excellency is not, that he can eat, and drink, and sport, and go fine, but that he is of use, fitted for what service God hath to do in the world, that he can further Gods ends in his works, that God may say of him, I have found a man according to mine own heart, that is prepared to fulfil all my will. When Esay Chap. 6. had his spirit purged, signified by that sign of one of the Cherubims, touching his tongue with a coal from the Altar, he presently shows the excellency of his spirit in this, that when God had a choice piece of work to do, and asks whom he shall send, The Prophet readily and cheerfully answers, Lord here am I, send me: do but set the truth of God before these, it is enough; their spirits being gracious close with it, yield to it, obey it, set about the work it shows they should do; but when men's spirits are corrupt and unsavoury, there is such a stir to convince them of God's mind, in that which is not agreeable to them; so much a do to prevail with them to the practice, though convinced, that it would grieve a man to have to deal with them. The excellency of the spirits of God's people, is set out to us very sweetly in that expression of the Psalmist, Psalm. 18. 44, As soon as they hear, they shall obey me. There is a wilingnesse of spirit to their work, what God would have, what ever it be; if they apprehend it above their reach, they cast not off their work but seek to God for supply of ability, knowing that there is spirit enough in God, that God hath ways enough to enable the spirits of his servants unto, and carry them on in any work he sets them about; they know that God will never put any man, upon any services, but by one means or other, he will fit his spirit for them: for it is the great delight of God, to have men in service, to be of spirits fitted for service. When the Devil himself hath any work to do, he chooseth men who have spirits fitted for his work, and in them he delights; If the work requires boldness and impudence, he hath men of daring spirits, who will set upon it, and go thorough with it; If it requires subtlety, he chooseth men of more moderate spirits, who can keep in their passions, and secretly, and insensibly work their own ends. We read, Revel. 12. the Devil there opposeth God's Saints in fiery and open violence, as a Dragon; but afterward, Chap. 13. he gives his power to the Beast who had seven heads, who would work with more subtlety, to draw the world after him; and as we read, Hos. 7. 4, 6, 7, verses, those who laboured to set up the Calves in Dan, and Bethel, were as hot as an Oven in their purposes, intentions, and desires; but because they saw the best way to have the work succeed, was not to carry it on at first by open violence, therefore they were content to stay; As the Baker ceaseth from Cornel. à Lapide in locum. raising after he hath kneaded the dough until it be leavened, and when it is once leavened, than he puts it into the Oven; so they were content to forbear a while, until they had sent fit instruments abroad amongst the people to leaven them, to prepare them, by persuading them, that if such a thing were done, it were no great matter; they should still worship the true God; the difference was but the circumstance of the place; and thus when they were leavened, than they were fit for the Oven; that is, for the purposes and intentions, of those who desired to set up the Calves, which were as hot as an Oven. According to any service the Devil hath for men, he hath devices to raise their spirits to that height of wickedness, as shall fit them for it. We have a notable relation of Hospinian concerning this. When the Jesuits have made choice of an Instrument, for that King-killing service, that they intent to set Hospinian hist. jesuit. p. 225. him about, they do not put him upon it until they have first raised, and sitted his spirit for the service by these means. 1. They bring him to a very private place, in a Chapel or Oratory, where the knife lies wrapped up in a cloth, with an Ivory sheath, with diverse characters, and Agnus Dei upon it; they draw the knife, and bedew it with holy water, and hang on the haft of it some Beads consecrated with this Indulgence, That so many blows, as he gives in the kill the King, so many souls he shall save out of Purgatory: then they give the knife to him, commending it to him in these words; O thou chosen son of God, take to thee the sword of jephte, Samson, David, Gideon, judith, of Machaheus, of julius the second, who defended himself from the Princes by his sword: go and be wisely courageous, and GOD strengthen thy hand; then they all fall upon their knees with this prayer; Be present, O ye Cherubins and Seraphins; be present ye Thrones, Powers, holy Angels, fill this holy vessel with glory, give him the crown of all the holy Martyrs; he is no longer ours but your companion; and thou, O God, strengthen his arm, that he may do thy will; give him thyhelmet and wings, to fly from his enemies; give him thy comforting beams, which may joy him in the midst of all his sorrows; Then they bring him to the Altar, where the picture of jacobus Clemens is, who killed Henry the third of France, the Angels protecting of him, and then they show him a crown of glory, and say, Lord respect this thy arm, and executioner of thy justice; then four jesuits are appointed privately to speak with him; they tell him that they see a divine lustre in his face, which moves them to fall down and kiss his feet, and now he is no more a mortal man; they envy his happiness, every one sighing and saying, Would to God I were in your room, that I might escape Purgatory, and go immediately into Paradise; but if they perceive him to shrink and be troubled after all this, they will sometimes affright him with terrible apparitions in the night, and sometimes have the Virgin Mary, and the Angels appear before him, etc. Thus you see, how the Devil will have men's spirits fit for their work, and when they are fit, than he uses them, and not before; much more will God look to have the spirits of his servants fit for their employments, and then only he delights to use them, and those are the spirits who are higly accounted of, who are exceedingly honourable in the sight of God, who are fitted for his own service. Seventhly, this puts a lustre of Majesty and beautic upon a man. Wisdom 7 (much more all the excellencies of this Spirit) makes a man's face to shine; as the light of a Lantern puts a lustre upon the Lantern, so the brightness of these spirits puts a lustre upon the men in whom they are. Men of such spirits as these are, have a daunting presence in the eyes of those who behold them. It is reported of Basil, that such was the Majesty & lustre of hisspirit, appearing Gregor. crat. de landibus Basil●i. in his very countenance, that when the Emperor Valens came unto him, while he was in holy exercises, that it struck such a terror into him, that he reeled, and had sallen, had he not been upheld by those that were with him. When the Officers came to take Christ, he did but say, I am he, and let out a beam of the Majesty of his Deity, it struck such a fear in them, as made them all fall backward: This Spirit hath a beam of this Majesty, and somewhat of the daunting power of it: how unable are wicked men to converse with men of such spirits? They often go from their company convinced, self-condemned; their consciencestroubled, and their hearts daunted in them. Eighthly, this spirit makes men fit for any condition that God shall put 8 them into; they know how to yield to God, to finde out God's meaning, to carry themselves in every condition, so as to work out that which God would have by it; which men of ordinary spirits cannot do. S. Paul was a man of a most admirable sweet spirit, and he shows it much in this; I know (says he) how to want and how to abound; how to be full, and how to be empty. He could go through good report and evil report, and keep his way still, and carry his work before him. It is the weakness and vanity of our spirits that makes us think, that if we were in such and such a condition, than we could do thus or thus; this is a temptation to hinder us from the duties of the present condition, by putting our thoughts upon another. It is the excellency of ones spirit, if the present condition be not suitable to the mind, to make the mind suitable to the condition, that the present which God calls to, may go on. When a joint in the body is set right, it enables not only to move one way without pain, but to move any way according to the use of the member; so where one's spirit is set right, it doth not only enable to go on with some comfort in one condition, but in any condition that God calls unto, to carry on the work of that condition with joy: and hence the recovering of the spirit from a distempered condition to a right frame, is compared to the setting of a member in joint: As, Gal. 6. 1. If a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such a one in the spirit of meekness: the word signifies, Put him into joint again. And here you have had the discovery, as of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. what this other spirit is, so wherein the excellency of this other spirit lies; now then let us make Applicaon of all. CAP. III. Cap. 3. A discovery to the men of the world, whereby they may see that their spirits are not like the spirits of godly men. HEnce let the men of the world see, there is a great difference between their spirits, & the spirits of the godly. There are men indeed of excellent spirits, God hath such in the world, in whom he delights, with whom he converses, whom he employs in high and excellent services: but you are of base, sordid, unclean spirits; the spirit of whoredom, of lying, stubbornness, vanity, folly is in you; your spirits drossy, sensual, froward, malicious, profane, sleight, empty, unsavoury, unfaithful, perverse: What delight can the Lord, who is an infinite, holy, glorious Spirit, take in such? How far are these from any communion with God? No marvel though nothing of God, or any spiritual thing be savoury to them. Oh the corrupt principles that men's spirits are possessed with, the corrupt rules they go by, and corrupt ends they have in what they do! the base employments they put their spirits to, the noisome distempers of them, and base comforts they feed upon! The heart of the wicked is little worth, says the Scripture, Pro. 10. 20. Perhaps your Lands, your houses may be something worth, but what are your hearts worth? they are worth nothing, full of chaff and dross; like children's pockets, full of stones and dirt, while the spirits of the godly are Storehouses of most choice and precious treasures. When Grace is gone from the soul, the excellency is departed from it; as it was said of Reuben, his excellency was departed, in respect of that sin of his. How many a man or woman, who have fair comely bodies, good complexion, beautifully dressed up; but within, spirit's most ugly and horrid; spirits full of filth, full of venom & loathsome distempers; spirits full of wounds and putrified sores, breeding filthiness continually; nothing else but filth and corruption issuing out from them: Men of corrupt minds, as the Apostle speaks? How unsavoury to any who have the least of God in them? If the Lord should give men but a view of the horrid deformedness, and filthiness of their spirits, it would amaze them, and sink their hearts in woeful horror; they could not but abhor themselves, as loathsome creatures, fit to be cast out from the Lord, as an everlasting curse: especially, if together with the filth of their own spirits, they had a sight of the infinite brightness, and glory of the holiness of God, who is an infinite, pure, glorious Spirit. God abhors not any other filthiness, but the filth of spirits. The Devils are abhorred of God, because they are unclean spirits. There is no other object of God's hatred, but the corruption of spirits. God made man's soul at first, a most excellent creature, the very glass of his own infinite wisdom and holiness; but now, what an ugly, base, loathsome creature is it, where it is not renewed? If men's bodies were deformed, and ran with loathsome issues, and putrified sores, how dejected would they be in their own thoughts? But certainly this spirit-defilement is incomparably worse. If men's bodies were so putrefied, that they bred vermin continually (as it is reported of Maximinus) how grievous would it be to them? Their spirits have these loathsome diseases upon them, by which they are infinitely more miserable. If they had such a distemper of body, as their excrements came from them, when they knew not of it; this would be accounted a grievous evil: but their spirits so corrupt, that much filth comes from them, and they know not of it. Many are so deeply putrified in their spirits, that they usually swear and speak filthily, and know not of it; and think this a sufficient excuse, that they did not think of it. It is a rule in nature, that the corruption of the best thing, is always the worst; as a stain in fine Cambric worse than in a courser cloth: So by how much the spirit of a man is more excellent naturally, than the body which is the brutish part; by so much the corruption of the spirit is a greater evil than any the body is capable of. The reason why the Devils are so vile and miserable now, is because sin seized upon natures which by Creation were most excellent. When diseases seize on the natural spirits in the body, they are the most dangerous & deadly. Soul-diseases, of all diseases are the greatest evils, and usually prove deadly; yea, the least spirit-corruption would most certainly prove deadly, were it not for the application of that blood that is more precious than ten thousand worlds. Spirit-defilement is such a defilement as defiles every thing you meddle with; as, Tit. 1. 15. To the impure all things are impure. Of what use are men whose spirits are so vile? many make no other use of their spirits, but to be, as the Philosopher said of the sensitive soul of the Swine, it served for no other use, but to be as salt to keep the flesh from stinking. How are many men's spirits employed about nothing else but to make provision for the flesh, and the filthy lusts of it? O that an immortal spirit capable of eternal communion with the blessed God, and to be employed in such high and heavenly exercises, as for which it was made, should now come to be so far degenerated and debased! Especially, how vile is this, that men who in regard of estates and place, are raised above others, and be trusted with large and blessed opportunities of worthy services for God and the Church; but they mind nothing but satisfying their lusts, to have their sports; let the cause of God, Church, or Commonwealth lie bleeding, they regard not. What a lamentable thing is it, to have the weight of great businesses of consequence, to depend upon such weak-spirited men, who mind nothing but vanity and baseness? they have no worthy enterprise in their thoughts, their spirits so effeminated, that they will do or suffer any thing for the satisfying of their lusts? Others there are, who have remaining in them many excellent parts, precious natural endowments; but of what use are they, but to enlarge their spirits to be capable of more wickedness than the spirits of other men are, wise to do evil, the fittest instruments for Satan's depths? Who such enemies to Christ; as the Scribes and pharisees, men of the strongest parts? Who such enemies to S. Paul when he came to Athens, as the Philosophers there? and no Church was founded at Athens, which was the place of the greatest learning in the world. And thus it hath been in other succeeding Ages. CAP. IU. Cap. 4. The Reason why the men of the world, and the Godly can never agree. HEnce we see the Reason why the men of the world, and the godly can never agree; they are men of another spirit. Where there is difference of spirits, there can be no agreement. Water and oil cannot mingle; no agreement between light and darkness: they look at them, as men, whose lives are after another fashion. That Apocryphal Author in that book of Wisdom, hath an excellent expression to this purpose, Chap. 2. 12. he brings in wicked men saying of the godly, He is clean contrary to our doings, he is grievous unto us to behold; his life is not like other men's, his ways are of another fashion; we are esteemed of him, as counterfeits; he abstaineth from our ways, as from filthiness; he commendeth greatly the latter end of the just, Verse 19 Let us examine him with rebukes and torments, etc. Let the relation, and the engagements be what they will, yet so long as of different spirits, they cannot close. What a different spirit was there between jacob and Esau, who lay in the same womb at the same time 〈◊〉 There may be outward peace foe 〈…〉 while between God's people, and some wicked men; but inward closing of spirit there can never be: The spirit that is in you, the world cannot receive, says our Saviour, john 14. 17. Antipathies are irreconcilable; no arguments, no means ever used can cause an accord, except there be a change in nature. Nothing in the world puts men's spirits in such a distance, as Grace when that comes; and therefore where the most eminent grace, there the greatest disagreement between them and wicked men. How many wicked men cannot but be convinced of some godly who live with them, that they are better than themselves, that they are conscientious men, whose Principles Cap. 5. are truly godly, and that they walk close to them? they are not able to charge them with any ill carriage towards them; they seek to do them all the good they can, and yet their spirits cannot close: but as they were wont to say in former times, Caius Seius was a good man, but he was a Christian; so now, such are Caius Seius ho●us vir, sed Christianus. good men, but they are too strict, & this enough to keep a perpetual breach between them. CAP. V. Learn to have a right esteem of such precious spirited men. IF the godly be of such excellent spirits, learn we then hence to have a right esteem of them; they surely are worthy of precious account, of most honourable esteem, who are men of such excellent spirits: Let them be what they will, in regard of their outward condition, though never so mean and poor. No matter what the Ring be, if the Pearl in it be precious. Many most precious spirits have very mean outsides. The Tabernacle was beaten Gold within, but the out side covered with badger's skines. If the treasure be rich, what though the vessel be earthen? Surely, these are the excellency of the earth, the very light and beauty of the world, the glory of God's Creation; they give a lustre to the places where they live, to the families in which they are; especially if they walk close and faithfully with God indeed, manifesting the excellency of their spirits in their ways; so that when they are taken away, the very places where they lived, are darkened. This other spirit of the godly makes a job scraping his sores on the dunghill, and a jeremy sticking in the miry dungeon, more glorious than Kings and Princes sitting crowned upon their Thrones: these are glorious within. God is a Spirit, and he looks on men, to see what they are in their spirits; and he esteems accordingly of them; and so should we. What doth brave clothing, what doth money, what do titles of honour raise the dignity? what? are these to the excellency of man's nature? No certainly; the excellency of man must be that which mustmake the most excellent and noble part truly excellent, which is the spirit of a man. If a man would know the excellency of any thing, as of a sword, or of any other instrument, he judges it not by the Hilt, or the inferour part; but by what excellency the principle part hath. There is a spirit in man, and the inspiration is from the Almighty; a spirit inspired by the Almighty, and beautified with his heavenly graces; this innobles a man indeed; it is the ornament of the hidden man of the heart, the glorious clothing of that which makes truly beautiful and glorious. How did many of the Heathen highly prise those, in whom they saw any natural excellency of spirit, differing from other men? Those amongst the Romans, who were called the Curii, and ●abritii, they lived very poorly and meanly, yet being perceived to have more excellent spirits than other men, they were taken from their dinner of Turnips and Watercresses, to lead the Roman Army: How much more should we honour men in whom we may see Divine spirits, the lustre of heavenly graces shining in them? But to show more particularly that godly men are to be highly prized in regard of this other spirit; as they have received a spirit differing from other men, so they are to have esteem and honour differing from other men; not to be looked at as common men for, First, this difference of their spirits from other men, is a certain 1 sign of the eternal love of God unto them; it comes from the treasure of God's everlasting love, of that choice special love of God, from the bowels of God's deepest mercies: it is a most infallible argument, that God hath set his heart upon them for good; as for other favours, a man may have them more than other men, yet they are no such but may stand with God's hatred, and with his eternal wrath: and this is a great difference between spiritual mercies and outward mercies, which sets an exceeding high prize upon spiritual mercies above all others: these are the distinguishing mercies, which others are not. But, Secondly, the spirit receiving 2 these spiritual excellencies from God's choice everlasting love, receives likewise all other mercies from the same fountain; though in their own nature they be common mercies, yet where this other spirit is, there they are received from another Fountain than other men receive them, which adds much sweetness and excellency to the mercies we have; they come as fruits of the common bounty and general goodness of God to ordinary men; but to men thus differenced from others, they come out the spring of the rich treasures of God's grace, tending to the furtherance of eternal mercies. Thirdly, The Lord hath an especial eye upon and delight to dwell 3 with these, who are of choice and excellent spirits; He will dwell with the contrite heart, to revive the spirit of the humble, Esay 57-15. He hath a special care of these spirits, that they do not fail before him; he puts under his hand, to support, comfort, revive them. When we beat ordinary spices, we heed not so much every dust, but some flies out and falls on the ground; But if Bezar-stone, or some special choice costly spice be beaten, then there is care had of every dust, that the least be not lost; So though God may afflict the choicest spirits of his servants, yet he is very careful that their spirits fail not before him; as for other common ordinary spirits, he cares not much to let them fail, and sink in their affliction, but this is the merciful care of God over those spirits, whom he highly esteems of. Fourthly, The excellencies of this spirit, are eternal excellencies, 4 they shall abide for ever, not vanish, not be taken away as common gifts and other mercies shall, as, Ezech. 46. 17. If a Prince give of his inheritance to one of his servants, it is to be his but for a time, and to return unto the Prince again; but his inheritance shall be to his sons, for them for ever: So when God gives any thing to common men, who are but his servants at best, it must return again; GOD will call for all his mercies from them again; but these soule-mercies of his children, shall be their inheritance for ever. Hence God calls his Church, an eternal Excellency, Esay 60. 15. But fifthly, and principally, these other spirits are most honourable 5 creatures indeed, because they are reserved for other mercies; GOD gives common mercies to common spirits, but he reserves his choice mercies for choice spirits. With the pure, thou wilt show thyself pure, saith David, in the 2 Sam. 22. 27. The words are, with the choice thou Electis. wilt show thyself choice. Abraham gave Ishmael and Hagar a bottle of water and a few raisins, and sent them away; but the inheritance was reserved for Isaac. So God gives to other men a few ordinary mercies, but his glorious mercies he reserves for these peculiar ones: and, as it is said of jehosaphat, 2 Chron. 21. 3. he gave his other sons great gifts of silver, gold, precious things, fenced Cities, but the Kingdom he gave to jehoram, because he was the first borne: So God gives these outward mercies to other men, but the mercies of his Kingdom, are reserved for these men of choice spirits, who are the first borne, the chief and most excellent of all God's creatures in this world. Now we are the sons of God, saith S. john, but it appears not what we shall be; there is more to come hereafter, they have not spirits that will be satisfied with the things of this world, and therefore are not as ordinary men, who have their portion in the things of this world. God delights to fill the capacities of all his creatures with suitable good; now these other spirits, by that choice excellency of them, are made capable of far higher mercies than the world can afford; they must be the good things of another world that can fill them, and those are reserved for them. The bodies of the Saints, because they are joined to such precious souls, shall be like the glory of the Sun, yea, excel in glory. How glorious then shall their souls be, for whose sake their bodies shall be thus glorious? We look upon great heirs, who have great inheritances to come, with high esteem, though they have little for the present: These are the great heirs of heaven, Coheires with jesus Christ himself; these they are, who are delivered from the wrath to come and to be made partakers of the glory that is to be revealed. The Lord gives them no great matters in comparison now, because he hath reserved so much for them afterwards. As nature is not very exquisite in her work in inferior things, where she intends some higher excellency; So the God of Nature, intending such high and glorious things hereafter for his Saints, doth no so much regard to give them these inferior things for the present. But what are those reserved mercies you speak of, that God hath for these? Not intending a Treatise of that glory, that God hath for his choice ones, only take these five generals. First, These mercies are prepared mercies, prepared before the foundations 1 of the world were laid, and again prepared by jesus Christ, who is gone before to heaven to that end, as he tells us himself, To prepare Mansions for us, john 14. 1. Now this is spoken after the manner of men, who do not use to make long and great preparations but for some great work in hand: Surely, these mercies must needs be great, which the wisdom, power, and mercy of God, hath been from all eternity preparing. Secondly, They are other mercies, than Adam, than Mankind 2 should have had, than they could have attained unto, if he had stood in his innocence. Man indeed should then have been for ever happy, but not according to that height of happiness, and glory that now is provided for those, who are the beloved of the Lord. Thirdly, These reserved mercies, are such as must set out God's Magnanimity, 3 that God may show to Angels, and all his creatures what his infinite wisdom, power, and goodness can do for poor creatures, to raise their conditions to a height of glory; surely that glory must needs be high, that is raised for that end. If a King should do any thing of purpose to show his magnificence, it must needs be some great thing; it is not a common ordinary thing, that can set forth the Magnificence of a King; much less that can set forth the Magnificence of the great God. When Ahasbuerus would make a feast, and Nabuchadnezzar would build a Palace, to show to their people their greatness, they were great things; so surely here, that which must show the greatness of the great God, must needs be great indeed. Fourthly, These mercies must be such, as may show to Angels and all 4 the world, how infinitely well pleased God the Father is with the obedience of his Son, in giving himself up to death, for the purchase of, mercy: Surely that mercy thus purchased must needs be great. If there had been no higher good for man, but to eat and drink, and to have pleasure to the flesh, certainly Christ would never have died, to have purchased this; but there were higher things than these which Christ looked at, these are but poor things for God to show by them how infinitely he is well pleased with the obedience of his son to the death; that which must demonstrate this, cannot but be very great what ever it be, and that, yea the fullness of that, is the mercy reserved for these choice ones. Fiftly, Other mercies (in some respect higher) then the very blessed 5 Angels themselves have; For, 1 Man's nature is more highly advanced than theirs, being hypostatically united to the Divine Nature. 2 The righteousness whereby the Saints come to glory, is a higher righteousness, a more excellent righteousness than that of the Angels; though theirs be perfect in its kind, theirs is the righteousness but of mere creatures, but the righteousness of the Saints, is the righteousness of that Person, which is both God and man. 3 The sonship of the Saints, is founded in a higher right, then that of the Angels, namely in the Sonship of the second Person in Trinity. 4 They are the members of Jesus Christ, and so in a nearer union with him then any other creature. 5 They are the Spouse of the Lamb, whereas the Angels are but ministering spirits, as the servants of the Bridegroom, but the Saints are the Bride. Surely then, the mercies reserved for these choice spirits, are choice and glorious, not only other mercies than others have, or they themselves have now, but other mercies than they are able to imagine; these therefore we are to look upon, as most blessed and honourable creatures. CAP. VI Cap. 6. A Rebuke to this vile world, who have vile conceits of this spirit, and abusemen of such excellent spirits. IF the spirits of godly men be thus precious, how vile then is this base world, which hath such irrational absurd conceits of this spirit? and which so scorns and abuses men of such excellent spirits? There are two branches of this use: In the first, the vile conceits that men of this world have of this spirit, are rebuked; For, 1 they think godliness befools men. 2 They think it makes them cowards, to be men of no metal and valour, poor spirited men. 3 They think this spirit to be a turbulent spirit, as Ahab said of Elijah, Art thou he that troubles Irael? Luther was called the trumpet Tu 〈…〉 rebellioni●. of rebellion. 4 And lastly, They think them to be factious spirits. For the first of these; What more ordinary, than to cast this aspersion upon Godliness, that it makes men to be dull, heavy, stupid fools, not sit for the great and high things of the world, and therefore they labour to stifle any beginnings of godliness in their children, or in any near to them, for fear it should ●inder their parts, and take away the quickness of their wits, and braveness of their spirits; Except you think that to be the only braveness of spirit, to venture upon any thing that may further your own ends, not to fear sin, nor the displeasure of an infinite God, to let out your hearts to the utmost, to the satisfying your own desires, to examine nothing by rule, but to do whatsoever is good in your own eyes, to rejoice in the ways of sin, and to bless yourself in the proud swellings of your own heart, to be able to scorn at conscience, humiliation for sin, strictness in God's ways, as too mean a thing for men of such quality, of such birth as you are, of such estates, hopes, preferments, and designs as you have, things fitter for poor snakes, meaner people, contemptible silly souls to look after; If this be the excellency of your spirits, then, godliness debases them indeed, yea, it debases them as low as hell itself; it casts shame in the faces of, and breaks in pieces such haughty, swollen spirits as these are, it brings them down to lie at God's feet, as poor contemptible creatures in their own eyes, loathing and abhorring themselves, as there is infinite cause they should, and judging themselves worthy to be destroyed; but as for any true natural excellency of spirit, godliness doth not quench it, but raises it, and beautifies it, and perfects it; It is either gross ignorance, or desperate malice, that causes these conceits of the work of godliness in the spirits of men, yea, there is much blasphemy in them. What? shall the work of God's grace, wherein the glory of God consists, which is the life of God, the Image of God, the Divine Nature, as hath been shown; shall it be the debasing, the besotting, the befooling of men's spirits? What? doth holiness, that makes God glorious, make man contemptible and vile? doth that which makes God so honourable in the eyes of the blessed Angels and Saints, make man a sot, and a fool in the eyes of men? Oh! that ever there should be such malice in the hearts of men, against the grace of God, ever to have such vile conceits of it; pray, if it be possible, that this thought of thy hart may be forgiven thee. Did not malice blind men, they might see that the Lord hath had, and still hath, some of his Saints as eminent in any outward true excellency, as any in the world; as great Scholars, as brave Courtiers as any living; as deep in policy, as profound in learning, as complete every way as any whosoever. Who more eminent in learning than Moses, who was learned in all the learning of the Egyptians? who ever had a higher strain of eloquence than Esay? who ever more profound than S. Paul? And in later times, yea, even in our days, the Church hath not wanted worthy and glorious lights, who have been exceedingly eminent in all, that natural excellency could make them, even their enemies being Judges. What braver Courtiers ever lived, than joseph, Nehemiah, and Daniel? Could godliness in the power and life of it, in the strictness of it, stand with braveness of spirit, & natural excellencies, then? and can it not do so now? Though God chooseth ofttimes the poor in the world, to be rich in faith; the foolish things in the world, to confound the wise; and weak things of the world to confound the strong; and base things, and things despised, etc. 1 Cor. 1. 26, 27. Yet when men are godly, their parts are not by their godliness debased, but raised; many poor weak men, who before were of mean natural abilities, yet put them now upon spiritual things, and what strength of parts do they show, in prayer, in conference about the mysteries of God, in discerning the subtleties and wiles of Satan, in finding out the corruptions of their own hearts, in wisely ordering their affairs for God, and the furtherance of their own eternal good? Wise in the right choice of the highest end, and prudent in the right disposing of the best means tending thereunto; These things are not the works of fools, of poor silly, simple men; they require quickness of understanding, depth of judgement. There are five reasons why godliness must needs raise a man's parts: 1 Because it purges from many lusts, that darken and besot men in their parts. 2 It employs men in conversing with high, spiritual, and heavenly things. 3 It makes men serious, and so strengthens their judgements, in the apprehension of things. 4 It makes men make conscience to improve their time, in the use of all means and helps they can, to enable and fit themselves for service. Fifthly, it causeth to employ their parts faithfully, and so they come to have the blessing of God upon them, for the increase of them, according to his promise, To him that hath, it shall be given. Again, Godliness 〈◊〉▪ doth not make men cowards, surely, it hinders not spiritual valour; who ever were greater soldiers, more eminent in true valour and fortitude, than joshua, David, Gideon, Barak, & others, who through faith subdued Kingdoms? Hebr. 11. 32, 33. That is baseness of spirit, and want of valour that makes a man a slave to sin, and the Devil; so a slave, as he hath no heart to any worthy service, to free himself from it; but lies down under it, and carries the fetters and yoke of his bondage about with him, whithersoever he goes. That is cowardly baseness that brings conscience into a servile subjection, that cowardly baseness that will suffer the cause of God to be betrayed, rather than venture any thing for it; what greater argument that men want true spirit, than this? Godliness puts a spirit of fortitude into men, that will not suffer them to be thus debased: and where appears the like courage in any, as in these, when they are called to stand for the truth? Though all the Tiles of the houses in the City of Worms, were Devils, yet thither would I go to testify to the truth, saith Luther. Again, it is not a turbulent spirit; 3. for turbulence of spirit makes men cruel and malicious; this spirit causes men to love their enemies, to do all the good they can to them: turbulent spirits seek only their own ends, they care not what becomes of others; so it be that they may but warm themselves, they care not what house be on fire: They are boisterous in things that concern themselves. But the Saints of God, in whom this other spirit rules, they are meek and gentle, and yeeldable in their own cause, ready to put up wrong in all quietness: take them in things that only concern themselves, and you shall find none so readily, so freely, so cheerfully denying themselves, as they. And again, turbulent spirits do not love to examine things by rule, to call things to account, but follow their own fiery humour, and set upon their own will with violence: but godliness takes off men from this ruggedness and turbulence of spirit, & makes them gentle and peaceable: let them be never so active, never so forward, never so zealous in any thing, yet if you will call them to examine things by rule, they will meekly and patiently hear you; yea, a child shall lead them, Esay 11. 6. And yet further; turbulent they are not, for none more obedient to authority than they; none see that Majesty of God in Authority, as they do; none obey Authority out of conscience so as they do. If the will of men in authority, rather than authority, shall require any thing that the authority of Heaven forbids, that they do not; because they cannot obey, for conscience sake: And so sacred do they account Authority, that they would have no obedience performed to it, but obedience for conscience sake. Blind obedience the Church of God hath long ago exploded, as too servile for Christian spirits: this were more servile than selling men's bodies in the Market for slaves, which Christianity abhors. It were too uncharitable a conceit of Christian Magistrates, to think that they should require of, or expect from any, other obedience, than in, and for the Lord; and in this obedience, those who are godly, are so forward, as they are judged turbulent, for being overforward to maintain the honour of Authority, as some think; when according to their places they promote the execution of laws made by authority, and that of those laws which are of the highest consequence for the furtherance of Piety and Peace. Again, factious spirits they are not, because they seek above all 4 things to keep to the maintenance of, & obedience to the Primitive truth; that is faction that sides against that. Tertullian hath a notable expression in his Apology for the Christians against the Gentiles, to clear God's people from being men of factious spirits: it seems that aspersion was cast upon them then, which was about Cum boni, cum probicocun● cum ●ii, cum casti congregantur, ●●n est factia dicenda, sed 〈◊〉; et econtrario, illis nomen facticnisa● 〈◊〉 da●dum est, qui in 〈◊〉 ●onor●m et proborum conspirant. Tertull. Apol. advers. Gentes, cap. 39, num. 520. 1400 years ago, his expression was this, When good men, when honest men meet together, when godly men are gathered together, it is not to be called a faction, but a Court; and on the contrary, the name of faction, says he, is to be applied to them, who conspire to the hatred of good and honest men. And thus much of the first branch of the Use, which was the reprehension of the vile conceits that men had of this other spirit; Now the second follows, which is the rebuking of the men of the world, for the ill use they give to men who are of such excellent spirits. The excellencies of the spirits of the godly, do challenge all the good use that can be, but it is little they meet withal; they are for the most part abused by the men of this vile world, as if they were the vilest scurf and filth of the earth: yea, so indeed they account them; so saith S. Paul. 1. Cor. 4. 13. We are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 made as the filth of the world, and are the offscouring of all things unto this day. Why? what was S. Paul, and what were those that were with him, who was so accounted of, were they not men of most excellent and admirable spirits? S. Paul was one of the most excellent spirited men that ever lived upon the earth, and did as much service for God, as ever any mere man did since the beginning of the world; and yet how vilely was he thought of? how contemptibly was he used? put into stocks, and whipped; wanted clothes and victuals? And for the others that were with S. Paul, they were men of whom the Holy Ghost gives this witness, that they were the very glory of Jesus Christ, 2 Cor. 8. 23. Oh unworthy world, that ever they should have such men live amongst them! Those who are the delight of Angels, yea, of God himself, how are they abused in this wicked world, as if they were dogs, or the basest scum and filth of the earth? What scorn and contempt is cast upon them? the most abject of men think themselves good enough to reproach and abuse them. Were it not a grievous sight to see some base drudge to have power over the body of some noble Prince, to abuse it by stripes, or any other contumelious sordid manner? but a more grievous thing it is to see the vile and base spirits of the world, who are nothing but sinks of filth themselves, to abuse men of such noble and excellent spirits, as if they were more vile than dirt? It was the bitter complaint of jeremy Lament. 4. 2. that the precious sons of Zion, comparable to fine gold, were esteemed as earthen pitchers. Such as blessed spirits would honour, if they had them with them, yet here they are cast out as filth. What grief sufficient to lament the seeing of such filthy swine to trample under their feet such precious pearls? in all ages thus it hath been. Those who were indeed the true honourable upon the earth, such precious and excellent spirited men, as of whom the world was not worthy; and yet they have been most vilely abused, and are so still by this wretched world, who know not wherein true worth and excellency consists. Matth. 5. 12. Christ telling his Disciples how ill the world would use them, he tells them, they have as good use from it, as the Prophets had before them. How was Micaiah (a man of a very sweet and excellent spirit) contumeliously used? he was struck on the mouth, shut up in prison to be fed with water & bread; yea, with the water and bread of affliction, while 430 false Prophets, most base spirited men, were fed delicately at jesabels' table. How was jeremiah used? he was thrown into the dungeon, stuck up almost to the ears in the mire; the Word of the Lord was made a reproach unto him daily. David before them, (a man in whom God's soul delighted, yet he) complains of himself, that he was a reproach of men, and despised of the people: all that saw him, laughed him to scorn; they shot out the lip, and shook their head at him, Psal. 22. 6, 7. and job before him, he was made a byword of the people, and as a Tabret unto them; as he says of himself, Chap. 17. 6. The same use had the blessed Apostles, who were filled with the Spirit of God; none more scorned, persecuted, contemned, than they. The most worthy and famous men in the Primitive times, found no better use than these. It were infinite to instance in particulars. Ignatius, Polycarpus, Athanasius, chrysostom, Salvian complains, than in his time, which was in the fifth Century, Homines coguntur esle mali, ne viles habeantur. Basil, and the rest, reproached, banished from their people; persecuted, and exceedingly contumeliously used. In later times, the more excellent the spirits of men were, the worse use did they ever find from the world: We might instance in Wickliff, Hus, Luther, Zwinglius, Musculus, etc. I cannot pass by that sad example of Musculus, who was a Melc●●lor Adamus in vita Musculi. man of as brave a spirit, as any lived in his time, and a very learned and godly man; yet after he had much laboured in the work of the Lord, in his public Ministry, was so ill used of the world, that he was fain to get into a Weavers house, and learn to wove, that by it he might get himself and his family bread, and within a while he was accounted unworthy of that preferment, and was thrust out of the house by his Master the Weaver, and then was forced to go to the common ditch of the Town, and work with his spade; to get his living. Whose heart bleeds not to hear of these former examples, and diverse others, men of most precious spirits thus ill used by this unworthy world, even such in whom Christ rejoices that ever he shed his blood for them? Esay 53. 11. such as he will glory in, before his Father, and the blessed Angels; yet thus are they abused by this wicked world: The more eminently the spirit of Christ appears in any, the more is the rage of evil men against them. As it is reported of Tigers, that they rage when they smell the fragrancy of Spices; the fragrancy of the Graces of God's spirit in his people, which are delightful to God & his Saints, puts wicked men into a rage; when as base spirited men have the world smile on them according to their hearts desire. Oh the providence of God, who suffers such indignities to be offered to his most precious and choice servants! but by this means the excellency of their spirits appears in greater brightness, their graces shine in the more clear lustre. All Gods servants have his spirit in them, but when any of them suffer reproach and ill use of the world, than the Spirit of God, and glory rests on them, than the glorious Spirit of God is upon them, according to the promise of God unto them, 1 Pèt. 4. 14. and they may in part perceive, even while they are using them ill, that they are men not of common, not of ordinary spirits, who are thus ill used by them: they may see in that meekness, that patience, that humility, self-denial, faith, holy carriage, requiting good for evil, praying for, doing all the good they can to those who use them worst; that constancy, spiritual cheerfulness, sweet contentedness; that holy boldness, humble courage, heavenly magnanimity, that it is a wonder their conscience should not misgive them, even while they are abusing of them; that their conscience doth not tell them, Surely these men we do mistake in, they are led by other principles than we know of; they have something within that doth support them, we understand not. It is a wonder men are not afraid to abuse them as they do. As Num. 1. 2. 8. The Lord said to Miriam and Aaron, concerning Moses, when they spoke against him, Were you not afraid to speak against my servant Moses? The words are very emphatical in the Hebrew, they are thus, Were ye not afraid to speak against my servant, against Moses? Were he only my servant, though he were not Moses, were you not afraid? but when my servant, and Moses, that is such an eminent servant of mine, in whom so much of my Spirit appeared, were you not afraid to speak against him? Certainly, the Lord will not always suffer precious choice-spirited men to be trampled under feet; he looks upon them in their lowest estate as his Jewels, even while they are in the dirt; but time will come when he will make up his Jewels; as, Malac. 3. 17. and then there shall be seen a difference between the righteous and the wicked; between him that serveth God, and him that serveth him not, verse 18. God will own the excellency of the spirits of his servants, to be the Image of himself; and what confusion will this be to the ungodly of the world, when the Lord before men and Angels shall own that, for the lustre and beauty of his own excellency, which they, when time was, made matter of their scorn, objects of their hatred? when God shall come to them, as Gideon to Zeba and Zalmana, judges 8. 18. What manner of men were they, says Gideon to them, whom ye slew at Tabor? They answered, As thou art, so were they; each one resembled the Children of a King. Then he said, They were my brethren, the sons of my mother: as the Lord liveth, if you had saved them alive, I would not have slain you; but now he says to jether his first borne, Up and slay them. So shall God hereafter say to the men of the world, What were those men, and what did they, whom ye so hated and abused? what? were they some vile-spirited men? how did they carry themselves? Your consciences shall be forced then to answer; O Lord, we must confess, They were those who kept themselves from the common pollutions of the world, they lived strictly in their ways, they walked unblameable in their course; they were very forward in the duties of the worship and service of God. The Lord shall then answer; What? these men they were my Saints, this was my holiness, my image, my glory; these were not common ordinary men, these were my choice ones; men precious in my eyes, separated from the common sort of the world for my praise: If you had loved them, prized them, and honoured them as the choice of the earth; if if you had followed their example, I had not slain you; but now you shall perish everlastingly. CAP: VII. Cap. 7. No dishonour to be singular Seven notes to discover that godly men's differing from other men proceeds not from proud humourous singularity, but from the choiceness and excellency of their spirits. IF godly men be men of another spirit, and this be their commendation; why then should any account it to be a dishonour to be singular from the world? Singularity is cast upon God's servants as their disgrace, but certainly it is their glory; they are singular, and their ways are singular, it is true, and they avouch it, they rejoice in it, and bless God for it; it is impossible but that it should be so, for they are of another spirit, a peculiar people, separated from the world, set apart for God, their separation is a wonderful separation, Exod. 33. 16. So shall we be separated, says Moses, I and thy people, from all the people that are upon the face of the earth; the word is in the Original, We shall be wonderfully separated; No marvel then, though their singularity be such, as the world, who knows not their principles, wonder at it. Their ways are different from other men; I, that is true indeed, who can think otherwise? Their principles, their estates, their dignities, their hopes are raised higher than other men's. Would Saul have been offended, if his former acquaintance had complained; Oh, now, Saul, he minds other things, goes on in other ways, lives after another fashion than we do; I, that is true indeed, for his condition is altered, his estate is raised higher than yours, he hath an other spirit: To complain of God's servants, that they are singular from others, is all one, as if you should complain of Pearls, that they are more glistering than dirt and gravel. Their way, their lives are singular; Why? how would you have them live? would you have them live according to the common course of the world? they cannot, for they have not received the spirit of the world, but another spirit. When the Spirit of God would set out, the greatest misery of men, when they are the children of wrath, without God in the world, without hope, it is, that they lived according to the common course of the world, Ephes. 2. 2. And those two are joined together, living according to the common couse of the world, and according to that spirit, that rules in the children of disobedience: So long as they were acted by that spirit they did live so, but now there is another spirit, that they are acted by, and would you have them live so still as they did before? Certainly it cannot be; You cry out of dissimulation, and that justly; But what is dissimulation, if this be not? where there is not a suitableness between the inward principles, the inward frame, and disposition of the spirit, and the outward actions: Now if God's people should not live singular lives, certainly their outward actions would not be agreeable to the inward principles, frames, and dispositions of their spirits, for they are singular, differing from other men's. As there may be dissembling, for a man to seem better than he is; so there may be dissembling, to seem worse than we are; Is there not as much evil in a life differing from the spirit, as in a spirit differing from the life? If a man seems to be godly, and is not, it is an argument the man is vile, who will thus play the hypocrite; but it is a commendation to godliness, that men will account the very seeming of it to be honourable; but if a man hath godliness in his heart, and yet his life be no other than other men's, this would argue that a man were ashamed of godliness itself; here godliness itself would suffer; as if it were such a dishonourable thing, as would bring shame to a man, if it did appear; as if though indeed it must be reserved in the heart, for necessity sake, yet it must be kept down, not suffered to appear in the life, for fear it be a disgrace to men. Is not here then as great an evil, in this way of dissimulation as in the other? Better all the men of the world had shame cast upon them, than that godliness should have the least stain. Surely then, where the spirits of men be other spirits, singular choice spirits, their lives ought, and must needs be other lives, singular from other men. Their conscience witness to them, that their spirits are changed, that they are other from that they were; yea, and witnesses for them, that their lives are other lives, singular from other men; and in this witness their souls rejoice. But is there not a proud fantastical singularity? may not pride, sullenness, and fancy, carry men on in singular ways, differing from other men, conceiting themselves to be wiser than others, loving to satisfy some odd humours of their own? If it were any choiceness, or excellency of their spirits, it were another matter, we would not speak against them; but it is this proud, hypocritical, humorous singularity, we speak against. To this I answer; If you indeed should do as they do, if you should live after a different manner from the common course of the world, having no other principles than those you have, it would certainly be singularity, pride, hypocrisy, and humour in you; and thus your consciences would tell you, and that because you had not principles to carry you out in this way, you have not spirits suitable to it; and you judging of others, by that you seel in yourselves, this makes you to think, the different ways of God's servants, is only from pride, and humourous singularity; yea, and they themselves know, that there was a time indeed, where in if they should have done, as now they do, it would have been no other in them, then that you now accuse them of namely, when their spirits were, as other men's spirits are; but now they know, they have other principles, other qualifications of spirit then formerly they had. But surely, you do not think indeed, that their different lives do come from proud, and humourous singularity; for if you did, why do your consciences so well approve of them, when you lie on your sick beds? when you apprehend yourselves going before the great God, than you could wish it were with you as it is with them. But what say you? if you thought it were not from this pride, and conceitedness you speak of, than you would think it were well; than you would join in justifying of them, if you were sure it were from a choice, excellent spirit in them. Well then, let God's servants rejoice in this, that they know it is not from pride, that it is not from humour, that they run not into excess of riot as others do, but from the work of God upon their spirits, and this witness they have for themselves, this they have to encourage themselves in, that if the men of the world did but know their principles from whence they work, as they know them themselves, even they would justify both them and their ways. But further, we must know there is a way of God that is real, that tends to life; what ever way it be, this is certain, it must be different from the common course of the world; and if this be not it, in which Gods people do walk, tell us what is that way, and we will walk in it. The Scripture tells us, the way to life is narrow, and that few walk in it; and the other way is broad that tends to death; we cannot therefore but fear, when we see the mark of a way that leads to death. Christ's flock is but a little flock, Luke 12. 32. Fear not little flock: there are two diminutives in the Original, the word translated, flock, signifies a little flock; but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that the exceeding littleness of it might appear, Christ adds another word, so the words are, Fear not little flock. And S. john 1 Epist. 5. 19 saith, the whole world lies in wickedness, but we know that we are of God. What a singularity was this in S. john? how doth he difference a few odd contemptible people from the whole world? We are of God, and yet the whole world lies in wickedness, and the world surely is not grown better since. But that you may see, that the way of the godly is not from singularity, or humour, take these Evidences, and judge according as conscience shall tell you is truth. First, Where humour and conceited 1 singularity prevails with men, there is no evenness, no constancy in their ways, no porportion of one thing with another in their course; they are singular and humourous in some odd foolish things; but in other things where they have as much reason to be singular, they do as others do; But in God's people you shall see an evenness, constancy, and proportion in the course of their lives; that which makes them singular in one thing, makes them so in all other of the same nature; They are not as humourous people who have their fits, and take them out of their fits, they are other men, they are as different from themselves, as they are from other men; But where the Spirit of God guides, though there be more difference from other men, yet there is less difference from themselves. Secondly, Those who do things 2 out of singularity, they care less for such things they do out of that principle, when they come to be common, than they did before; But it is not so here in the ways of godliness; the more common they grow, the better they are, the more doth God's people rejoice and bless themselves in them, they are the more lovely, and amiable in their eyes. Thirdly, Humourous singular men differ exceedingly one from 3 another, one will be singular in one thing, and another in another; but God's people go all the same way, they have the same course with such as they never saw; Observe the spirits and ways of godly men in all places of the world, though their education, their constitution, their employments, their former principles be exceeding different, yet now for the main, they are the same, they favour and relish the same things, they delight in the same way of holiness, which evidently shows, they are led, acted, by one and the same spirit; though they may differ in some things of lesser moment one from another, yet they differ very little amongst themselves, in things wherein their difference from the world principally lies; in those things for which the world dislikes them and their ways, there is a general agreement in the spirits of all godly men in such things; As in searing of the least sin, as a greater evil than any outward misery; in loving the strictest ways of holiness; in labouring to keep themselves pure, as much as they can, from the sins of the times, and places where they live. etc. In these and such like things, which are most proper to godliness, and for which they are judged singular, there is a general agreement of all the spirits of the godly throughout the world. Fourthly, proud, conceited singularity acts itself especially in things 4 that are taken notice of by others; if others look not after them, and will not vouchsafe to take notice of them, they quickly grow weary of that they do, and this is the best way to deal with such people, to neglect them; Let them perceive no body thinks them worthy of regarding, of once minding them, and this makes them sooner weary than all the opposing of them that can be: The end of singularity is, that it might be observed; this is the humour of these people, they would fain be taken notice of for something, let it be what it will be; observance is the thing that feeds this humour; where this is not, it soon grows weary of itself; and hence when these people are alone, when none can observe them, they do but as other men do. But now the special work of godliness, wherein God's people differ from other men, in which their souls most delight, and are most fully exercised in, it is in secret things, not subject to the view of the world, The King's daughter is all glorious within; If there be a little godliness outwardly, there is much more inward, as where there is a little wickedness without, there is abundance in the heart; Godly men are most eminently godly in inward things; The countenance and voice of the Church, is most sweet and comely in secret places, Cant. 2. 14. My Dove that art in the holes of the rock, in the secret places of the stairs, show me thy sight, let me hear thy voice, for thy voice is sweet, and thy sight is comely: Godly men dare not indeed, but be godly before men, for so Christ commands them, Let your light shine before men, that others may see your good works; but it is one thing to do that which may be seen, and another, to do it to that end that it may be seen, and to make that the highest end. If they make their end, that the light may be seen, and not that themselves may be seen; and that their Father in heaven may be glorified, and not themselves glorified, it is no other than Christ would have. But between God and their own souls, there is the chief work of godliness; there the souls of God's servants do most expatiate themselves, there they are most themselves, there is their most proper Element; wherefore surely it is not a humour of singularity. Fiftly, If it were humourous singularity, it would not bring them so 5 much sweet peace, and heavenly joy when they are upon their sick beds, and deathbeds, and when they have to deal with God in a special manner; when they are to appear before the great God, to receive the sentence of their eternal doom, when they are to enter upon eternity; how many than bless God that ever he put it into their hearts to go another way, not according to the common course of the world? Though humour and conceitedness may please, and give content for a while, yet it can never bring such peace, and joy in sickness, and death, and when the soul sees it hath to deal with such an infinite, holy God, such a dreadful Majesty; none apprehend the glory and Majesty of God, so as the godly do; none understand what eternity means so as they do; the sight of these things would shake men out of an humour: it is not humour that can stand before God, and the eternal misery, or happiness of the creature rightly apprehended; it is time now to lay aside humours, and conceits; and yet then when these things are most clearly, most powerfully apprehended by God's servants, even than they are most for the ways of God, in which they differed from the world, than ever they were before; it is now their greatest grief, that they have no more differed from them than they have, and if they were to begin again, they would differ far more than ever they did. Sixtly, Surely it is not humourous conceited singularity, because most men who have enlightened consciences, when they are most serious in their best moods, are of this mind. If you will needs go by multitudes, we dare venture upon this, yea we dare challenge upon this argument, only with these two Cautions; 1 That the men you bring in, be men of enlightened consciences, for what have we to do with others, Nihil ad nos at 〈…〉 quid judic●●t stulti, quid ●omu●cul● s 〈…〉. L●stan. 〈◊〉. instit. 〈◊〉. who are blind and ignorant? though there were never so many thousands of them, they can add nothing at all to the cause. 2 Let the judgements of men be taken when they are most serious, when they are best able to judge, do not take them when they are in passion, when their lusts are up, but when their spirits are calmed, and in the best temper, when conscience hath the most liberty to speak indeed what it thinks; and of such men, in such times, we shall have the most on our side; and therefore surely it is not a humour of singularity, that acts the in the way of godliness. Seventhly, It is not singularity, for we have the Prophets, Apostles, Martyrs, Saints of God before us, clouds of witnesses, thousand thousands of them, and every one of them worth ten thousands of others, as S. chrysostom hath an expression in one Chrys. hom. 26. ad pop. Antioch. of his Sermons, to the people of Antioch, It is better to have one precious stone, than to have many halfpenies; so one godly man is better than multitudes of others. And S. Cyprian hath the like expression in one of his Epistles; Do not attend to the number of them, says he; for one that fears God, is better than a Cypr. l. 1. ●p.. 3. Non attendas numerum illorum, melior est enim unus timens quam mill● filii impii. thousand wicked. It is safe to follow the way of good men, according to that in the Proverbs, 2. 20. Walk thou in the ways of good men, and keep the ways of the righteous. Now then, let neither the ways of godliness, or godly men ever be blamed for their singularity; other spirits must needs lead into other ways. It was laid to Luther's charge, that he was an Apostate; he confesses Confitetur se esse apostatam, sed beatum & sanctum, qui fidem diabolo datam nonservavit. himself to be one, but a blessed and a holy Apostate, one that had fallen off from the devil. So we confess, this is singularity, but a blessed, and a holy singularity, which differences Gods servants from this vile wicked world in which they live, whereby they live as men of another world, as indeed they are. CAP. VIII. Cap. 8. Bless God for making this difference between your spirit, and the vile spirits of the men of the world. SEeing this other spirit is so excellent and blessed, then do you, to whom God hath given other spirits, learn to bless GOD for them; the mercies of GOD to men's spirits are the greatest mercies; though your conditions be meaner than others, in other respects, yet if your spirits be raised to an higher excellency than others, you have infinite cause to bless the Lord, as S. Paul, Ephes. 1. 3. Blessed be the Lord, which hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly things, in Christ. What though God hath not abounded to you in outward honours, estates, delights, yet if he hath abounded to you in wisdom, holiness, faith, humility, etc. you have no cause to complain: Where God gives his Spirit, in the gifts and graces of it, there he gives all good things; hence whereas S. Matthew says, Chap. 7. 11. How much more shall your Father in heaven, give good things to them that ask him? S. Luke 11. 13. bringing in Christ speaking upon the same occasion, says, How much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Ghost to them that ask him? as if all one to give his Spirit, and to give all good things: Spiritual blessings make all outward crosses light and easy, as Prov. 18. 14. The spirit of a man will sustain his infirmities. Spiritual blessings have this excellency in them, they cause a man to feel no need of many outward things, which others know not how to want; and it is as good to be in such an estate, to have no need of a thing, as to enjoy it when we want it. And further, it is the excellency of spiritual blessings, to keep down the body, and to carry the spirit above the body. It was the excellency and glory of the Martyrs, that their spirits were so satisfied with mercies they had, that they so little regarded their bodies, when they suffered grievous torments, as if they had not been their own; Thus Zozomen reports of them. Spiritual blessings are such, as enable men to improve all other blessings they enjoy: without these, the greatest of other blessings would prove to be the greatest curses to us; and yet further: These blessings upon our spirits, cost God infinitely more, than other blessings do. Other blessings God can give at a lower rate, but these cost the dearest heart blood of his own Son, and therefore above all let God have the praise of these. Outward bodily mercies we are unworthy of, but when we consider of these, let us say as David, Psal. 66. 14. Come and hearken all ye that fear God, I will tell you what he hath done to my soul: There God hath magnified his mercies toward me indeed. You may remember how base your spirits once were, how blind, foolish, drossy, sensual, and it may be, malicious. This S. Paul calls to mind, to stir up himself and others, to praise God for that blessed change he had wrought in his, and in their spirits: Tit. 3. 3. For we ourselves also were in times past (saith he) unwise, disobedient, deceived, serving diverse lusts, living in maliciousness and envy; hateful, and hating one another: but when the bountifulness and love of God our Saviour appeared, etc. But if your spirits have not been so vile as some others, if they have been fair and ingenuous, if you have been of sweet natures, and tractable dispositions, you have cause to bless God in some respects so much the more, for the change he hath wrought in them, for his mercy towards you, that you did not rest in those natural excellencies, and mistake them for saving graces, as many do with much danger to their souls: and when you see the base corrupt spirits of other men, as those who have any thing to do in the world, shall meet with exceeding vile corrupt spirits; Cap. 9 not only in the worst sort of men, but in those who seem to be fair, in whom a man would never have thought to have met with such base workings of spirit, that would make a man wonder. Oh Lord, what are the spirits of men? Then, I say, when you see this, bless the Lord, let your spirits, and all that is within them, bless his name, who hath put such difference between your spirits and theirs; as you cannot but acknowledge, except you should be exceedingly injurious to the grace of God in you. Cap. IX. Communion and converse with men of such excellent spirits, is a most blessed thing. IF the godly be of such excellent spirits, than converse and communion with them is a most blessed thing; no greater heaven upon earth than this; for here you may see the beauty and lustre of God's graces shining, the brightness of which darkens all the beauty and glory of the world to a spiritual eye. Seneca saw so much excellency, that Morality put upon a man, that he says, that the very look of a good man Ipse aspectus boni viri delectat. delights one: The very sight of such servants of God, who walk close with God, who are careful to keep their spirits clear and shining; truly, it is very delightful, it hath much quickening in it; the uprightness, holiness, spiritual enlightenings, that their souls have, will guide them to advise for God in safe and good ways. The advice of godly men, in things concerning God, is much to be prized. It was a good speech of Shechaniah to Ezra, Chap. 10. 3. Now therefore let us make a Covenant with our God, etc. according to the counsel of the Lord, and of those that fear the Commandment of our GOD. It was good to follow their counsel. The spirits of these are favory in their discourse, in their duties, in all their carriage; their example exceeding powerful and profitable. The blessing of Abigail upon David, was, The Lord bind up his soul in the bundle of life. Enjoyment of communion with God's people, is the binding up of our souls in the bundle of life, for every one of them hath life in him. Doctor Taylor the Martyr, rejoiced that ever he came into prison, because he came there to have acquaintance with that Angel of God john Bradford, as he calls him. If the society of one sweet heavenly spirited man, be enough to make a prison cheerful, what a blessing than is the enjoyment of communion with many? All my delight (saith David) is in the Saints, in them that excel in the earth. It is the blessing of the Gospel, to come to the spirits of just men made perfect, Heb. 12. 23. when we are amongst them, we may in the beholding the work of their spirits, come to see many failings in our own, that we saw not before; and so be humbled for them, and be put on to seek help: We may see the same graces shining in them, that we feel in our own hearts, and so be strengthened and encouraged in them, and stirred up to bless God for them; and the suitableness between their spirits and ours, if ours be right, will cause such a closing and mingling, as from thence there will arise an unspeakable delight, and incomparable sweetness: No society under heaven hath that pleasantness & sweetness in it, as the society of the Saints; no men's spirits close so fully one with another, as theirs; no men's spirits bound so firmly by such indissoluble bonds together, as theirs; they know the excellency of one another's spirits, so as they can freely open themselves, Gregory Nazianzen says of himself, and Basil, that one soul in 〈…〉 rner was in two bodies. In Orat. Fun. Basi●●i. The same is said of Minutius Fa●ix, and Octautus. unbosom their hearts one to another, and venture their lives one upon another: and it is the most honourable society in the world; for it is the association of the most excellent and glorious creatures; God himself delights to join himself with them, to be amongst them: as; 2 Cor. 6. 16. I will dwell among them (saith the Lord) and walk there, and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. But the words are more significant in the Original, they express 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. God's delight, not only to dwell among them, and walk with them, but to dwell in them, and walk in them. And hence that expression of Tertullian, that we made use of before in another case is very pertinent for our purpose here likewise; When good men meet, (says he) when godly men are gathered together, this is not to be called a faction, but a Court. What place is accounted so honourable, and excels in more delights than the Courts of Princes? The society of God's Saints, communion with God's people, hath more honour, is filled with more delights than any Court in the world, where this is wanting: the society of the wicked, that is unsavoury and tedious, because their spirits are so vile and corrupt, like the slime and filth there is congealed, when many Toads and venomous filthy creatures do join together; How abominable is their breathe together to a gracious spirit? how loathsome is the mixture of their spirits? Zach. 13. 2. we have a promise, that God will in his due time take away the unclean spirit out of the Land, and oh what a blessed time will that be! How happy would Gods servants think themselves, if they might be delivered from the noisomeness of corrupt unclean spirits? Let us keep ourselves what we can now, from mingling with them; we shall within a while be for ever delivered from them. CAP. X. Cap. 10. That all those whose spirits God hath thus differenced, should improve this Mercy, by walking not as other men. IF God hath been merciful to you, in giving you another spirit, improve this mercy; show in all your ways that you are acted by another spirit: let the renewed spirit guide you, let the beauty and excellency of it appear: If we live in the spirit, let us walk in the spirit, says the Apostle, Gal. 5. 25. The works of the flesh are manifest, Gal. 5. 19 Why should not the works of the spirit be so too? God hath beautified your spirits with his own Image, in this he hath honoured you, that you might honour him, in holding forth the beauty and excellency of his Image; he hath made you a peculiar people, to that end that you might show forth the virtues of him, who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light, 1 Pet. 2. 9 It is a dishonour to a parent, or any special friend, to hang his picture in some dark hole, in some obscure contemptible place; it is expected we should make it conspicuous, that we should hang it in some eminent place, so as to manifest that we rejoice in it, as an ornament to us. It is a great evil to obscure the Graces of God's Spirit, to keep in the work of God upon our spirits, in which he hath set out the glory of his own Image, to that end, that he might be glorified in us before men & Angels. Every man delights in the expression of that, wherein he esteems his excellency to consist, be it Eloquence, Wisdom, or any Art, wherein he hath attained any eminency; yea, if he accounts his excellency to consist in his riches, in his honour, in his beauty, he loves to make them appear before others; as the Prophet in another case, Esa. 60. 1. Arise and shine, for the light is come, and the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee. If God hath shined upon your spirits by his grace, let your lights shine before men, that the world may see, there are men of other spirits, who can do such things as they cannot. Oh what beautiful, convincing conversations would men live, if they were only acted by this renewed spirit! As it was said of Steven, they could not resist the Spirit by which he spoke; so it would be true here, men could not resist that spirit by which you live. What do you more than other men? says Christ to his Disciples, Matt. 5. 47. Men of other spirits must manifest in their lives, that they can do more than other men. Let me in the name of the Lord plead with you for more honour and service for the Lord, than he hath from others. First, your birth is from him, you are borne of God in another manner 1 than others are, and therefore it must not be with you as it is with others. Men of high birth will not live as other men do. Hence we read of a custom amongst the Heathen, they were wont to derive the pedigree of their valiant men from their gods; to this end, though the thing were not true, yet they believing themselves to be a Divine offspring, they might upon confidence there of, undertake higher attempts than others, with the more boldness: Much higher things should those endeavour after, who are indeed borne of God. Secondly, God hath put forth an other manner of power out upon 2 your spirits, than upon other men; other men have but a general common influence of God's power let into their spirits: but he hath manifested the exceeding greatness of his power in you; as, Eph. 1. 19 observe the gradation there; the Apostle speaking of the power of God, put forth upon those that do believe, expresses it in a sixfold gradation. 1 It is his power; only the power of a God could do it. 2 It is the greatness of his power. 3 It is the exceeding greatness of his power. 4 It is the working of his power. 5 It is the working of his mighty power. 6 It is the same power by which he raised Christ from the dead, and set him at his right hand in the Heavens, far above all Principality, and Power, and might. Now God doth not use to put forth great power, but for great purposes; he uses not his extraordinary power, for ordinary things: when supernatural power is put forth, it is, that it might raise to supernatural operations. 3 Again, God doth put other abilities 3 into you, that others have not: that grace with which he hath endued your spirits, is a spark of his own divine nature; as you have heard, it hath a divine power with it, and a divine activity in it; that is expected from you, that none can do by an inferior power, as by the strength of parts, education, moral principles: if your lives be not beyond the highest of those who have none other principles than Vniuscu jusque casus, tanto majoris est crimin●s, quanto priusquam caderet majoris crat virtutis. Be●n. de inter. domo. c. 50. such to raise them; you dishonour God, and his grace, and your holy profession. Fourthly, your spirits have been made acquainted with more truths; God hath revealed to you the secrets of his Counsels, of his Kingdom; 4 he hath shown you himself, his Glory, his Majesty, Soveraingty, Holiness; he hath shown you the reality, beauty, excellency, equity of his blessed ways: He hath made known to you the certainty, the infinite consequence of the things of eternity; the vileness, pollution, poison, danger of sin: he hath given you experiences of the things of heaven, the sweetness of his ways, the distress of conscience for sin. Fifthly, he hath separated you for himself, he hath taken you into a near 5 communion unto himself; though God is to be feared by all, yet more especially in a higher degree, he is to be feared in the assembly of his Saints, and to be had in reverence of them that are about him, Psa. 89. 7. Sixthly, God hath put other dignities 6 upon you, that he hath not put upon other men; he hath made you Citizens of the new jerusalem, favourites of heaven, heirs, coheirs with the Lord Jesus Christ. God hath raised you above the condition of men; and therefore you must not walk as men. The Apostle, 1 Cor. 3. 3. blamed the Corinthians that they did walk as men: He hath redeemed you from the earth, Revel● 4. 3. Therefore you must not walk as the men of the earth: God hath not dealt thus with other people, they know not what these things mean. Therefore well may the Lord expect from you other manner of service and honour, than he hath from other men. Seventhly, more depends upon you, 7 than upon others; the weight of many services depends all upon you, which are no ways expected to be performed by others: What shall become of God's Name, his Glory, the fulfilling his will in the world, if men whose spirits are fitted for his service, should not live in a higher way of holiness, and do more for him, than others? God expects great things from you, Esay 63. 8. I said, surely they will not lie: When others are base, unfaithful and vile in their ways, yet God rejoiceth in this, that he hath a generation in the world; a choice company of other spirits, precious & excellent spirits, and he shall have other dealings from them. Eighthly, your sins go nearer to the heart of God than others: Other 8 men may provoke God to anger, but you grieve his Holy Spirit. God took it very ill at Salomon's hand, that he dealt ill with him after he had appeared twice to him, 1 King. 11. 9 How often hath God appeared to your souls? What gracious visitations have your spirits had from him? It is a shameful thing indeed for you to fall as other men do: It was an aggravation of the fall of Saul, 2 Sam. 1, 21. That the shield of the mighty was cast down, the shield of Saul, as though he had not been anointed with oil; for you to fall, as though you had not been anointed, as others which have no such ointment poured upon them; this is a great and sore evil. Ninthly, the eyes of many are 9 upon you; the Name of God, the cause of God is engaged in you. Tenthly, you are appointed by God to be the Judges of other men; 10 1 Cor. 6. 2. Do you not know that the Saints shall judge the world? yea, Verse 3. Know you not that we shall judge the Angels? God will bring your lives and ways before all the world to judge the world by, and therefore they had need to be very exact, and to have something in them more than ordinary. It is a shameful way of reasoning, for any man to reason for sin, by examples; as it like a thief, he would fain scape in the crowd; but much more shameful is it, that any godly man should be found to argue for sin this way, for this is an aggravation of sin, not a lessening of it, as if I should say, God hath dishonour by such and such, and therefore why may he not have some more by me? Sin is a striking at God, and every sinner strikes at him, and thou comest running for thy stroke too. What? wilt thou have thy blow also at him? and, what thou? for whom the Lord hath done such great things? as Caesar said to Brutus, when 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. in the Senate-house, though Senators had wounded him, with many sore wounds, and Brutus he comes also for his stroke, whereupon Caesar looks on him, and says to him; What? and thou my son Brutus too? Conceive as if thou sawest the Lord looking on thee, and saying thus to thee, when thou ventrest upon any sinful way upon the example of others. But in what particulars should we manifest this choicenes of our spirits, in ways differing from others? Answ. In these especially: 1 In self denial: show that you can deny your opinions, your desires, your wills, though you have a strong mind to a thing, though you have fit opportunities to enjoy your desires, yet if you see God may have more honour any other way, you can freely & readily without disturbance, without vexing yield; and do not deceive yourselves in this, be easily convinced in particulars, which are for God against yourselves; the excellency of a man's spirit is much seen in this. Many conceit an excellency of spirit to be in selfe-willednesse, in being passionate, froward, and boisterous; Certainly this comes from weakness of spirit, no excellency is required for this, every fool can be thus; but that is excellency, to be able to ovenrcome, to rule one's spirit, to have command of ones spirit, to subdue and bring in order passions, and violent stir of spirits; this is precious and honourable in the eyes of God and man: this is a well tempered spirit indeed, that can be strong, zealous, full of courage, unyeeldable in the cause of God and the Church; but meek, quiet, yeeldable, selfedeniable in its own cause: those who usually are the most boisterous, and passionate for themselves, are the poorest spirited men, and the most basely yielding, when it comes to the cause of God. 2 Show the excellency of your spirits enabling you to do that which others cannot do, by loving your enemies, praying for them; doing them all the good you can; this is the special thing our Saviour commands to his Disciples in that 5. Mat. when he would have them do more than others do. 3 Fear the least sin, more than the greatest suffering; Morality raises the spirit highest next to Grace, and yet a mere moral man, accounts it foolishness, to be so nice as not to yield in little things, for the avoiding of great sufferings; but a gracious spirit thinks the least truth of God worthy to be witnessed to, by the loss of his dearest comforts, It was a brave spirit of Zwinglius expressing itself thus, in his 3. Epist. Q●as non oportet mortes praeetigere, quod non supplicium putius far, into inquam prosundim inferni ab●stum non incrare, quam contra conscientiam attestari? and suffering the greatest evils; yea, he accounts suffering for small things the most honourable sufferings of all, as testifying the greatest love; as David's Worthies showed their dearest love to him, in venturing their lives to get him a little water. 4 Prize opportunities of service more than all outward contentments in the world; a gracious heart thinks it honour enough, that God's imploys it; he is not only willing to go on in his work, though outward contentments come not in, but increase of service for God, he esteems so great a good, as he accounts the want of outward things made up in it; Though I get not so much by that I do as others, yet I bless God, I can go on in my work as cheerfully as others, for contentment is made up to me in this, that God will employ me in his service more than others. 5 Make conscience of time; this felv do; few regard the fillings up of their time, their spirits having no excellency in them, they cannot make use of their time in any worthy employments for God, to themselves, or others; but a man of an excellent spirit knows how to employ himself in things that are excellent, and therefore prizes the time he hath to work in, and is conscientious in the spending of it. 6 Make conscience of thoughts, and secret workings of heart, of secret sins to avoid them, and secret duties to perform them; a man that hath a precious spirit, doth not like to have it run waste in extravagant thoughts, and affections; the thoughts of his mind are precious, the affections of his heart are precious, as his spirit is precious: We let water run waist, because we put no price upon it; we think it little worth, and therefore we let it run to no use; but if it were some precious liquor, some precious oil, compounded of dear ingredients, we would not do so, but would be careful to save every drop; this is a precious spirited man indeed, who knows how to lay out his thoughts, and his affections at the best advantage, and will not lavish them our to no purpose. 7 Make conscience of the manner 7 of performing holy duties, as well as of the doing of them, and look after them, what becomes of them when they are done; this is not according to the common spirits of the world, who think to put off God with flat, poor, and dead services; A gracious spirit hath much of the excellency of his spirit acting in holy duties, and therefore he doth much mind them, and looks much after them; but others have little of their spirits acting in them, and therefore they are little regarded, little looked after by them. 8 Rejoice in the good of others, 8 though it eclipses thy light, though it makes thy parts, thy abilities, thy excellencies dimmer in the eyes of others; were it not for the eminency of some above thee, thy parts perhaps would shine bright, and be of high esteem; yet to rejoice in this from the heart, from the soul to bless God, for his gifts and graces in others, that his Name may be glorified more by others, than I can glorify it myself, to be able truly to say, Though I can do little, yet blessed be God, there are some who can do more for God than I, and in this I do, and will rejoice; this is indeed to be able to do much more than others, this shows a great eminency of spirit: All the parts, gifts, abilities, that any man in the world hath, where this is not, come far short of this excellency; to be able to do this, is more than to be able to excel others in any excellency whatsoever, if this be wanting: If God hath given thee this, he hath given thee that which is a thousand times more worth than strong parts, and abilities, in which thou mightst have been far more eminent, than thou now art, or than others are. 9 If thou wilt show the excellency 9 of this spirit in some choice thing, then labour to keep the heart low in prosperity, and man heavenly cheerfulness in adversity; not only contented, but joyful, in a quiet, sweet, delightful frame: In the greatest difficulties and straits, when you are put upon hard things, go on in your way with what strength you can, without vexing, distracting thoughts, let your spirits be stayed on God quietly, & meekly committing yourselves and cause to him, as the people of God in the 26. Esay 8. They profess their willingness in all quietness to wait upon God, in the ways of his judgements; and they give the reason, because the desire of their soul is to his Name, and to the remembrance of him. If in the times of our troubles, the desires of our souls were to God's Name, and to the remembrance of him, and not unto our own names, and to the remembrance of ourselves, we should not have such sinking, discouraged, disquiet, vexing spirits as we have. The spirits of most men, if any difficult thing befall them, they are presently in a hurry, so disquiet and tumultuous, that all the peace and sweetness of them is lost, and they hinder themselves exceedingly, both in the business they are about, adding much to the difficulty of it, and in all other businesses that concern them. This notes much distemper of spirit, like distempered flesh of a man's body, if it be but touched with the finger, or the least air come to it, it presently festers and ranekies. 10 Be more careful to know the 10 fountain from whence all your mercies come, & to have a sanctified use of them when you enjoy them, than to have the possession of them, or delight in them: An ordinary spirit looks at nothing, but only to have the thing it desires, is not solicitous about the fountain from whence they spring, nor careful to attain any sanctified end, to which they tend, looks not at them as from God, neither uses them for GOD; but where all these are, here is the work of a choice precious spirit indeed, the peculiar work of it; this is to do more than others, and thus God's servants must do, or else they can never live convincing lives. While Pharaoh and his Magicians saw, that Moses did no more than they could do, they were not convinced; but when Moses did that which they could not do; then they acknowledged the finger of God: So it is here, while wicked men see those that are religious, do only such things as they could do if they would, as going to Sermons, speaking of good things, they are never convinced by them; but when they fee them do some thing, which their consciences tell them they cannot do, than they are forced to acknowledge, that there is a real excellency in godliness which they have not, as Christ said once, If I had not done those things that no man did, they had not had sin, joh. 15. 24. It aggravated the sin of the Jews, that they did not believe in Christ, notwithstanding he did those works amongst them that no man ever did. So, if godly men did manifest the choiceness of their spirits amongst the men of the world, in doing such as none other can do, this if it did not convert them, and bring them in love with God's ways, it would certainly much aggravate their sin, and increase their condemnation. It is therefore a most shameful thing, that those who make a great show and profession of godliness, should in their lives be no more than equal unto, yea be lower than others, who are merely Moral; lower than a Socrates, than a Fabritius, than others of the Heathen. How many civil moral men go● beyond them who would be taken for godly? they are more meek, and patient, more courteous, more faithful and trusty, more liberal and helpful, more ingenuous and candid. Many servants who would seem godly, are not so obedient, so diligent, so humble, and submissive, so conscionable in their work, as others, whom they judge merely carnal: So, many wives, not behaving themselves with that quietness, respectiveness, love, and obedience to their husbands, as others, whom they themselves judge to be only civil: In like manner, many husbands, and masters of families, who profess godliness, yet in their houses are more froward, more dogged, more churlish, cruel, and bitter to wife and servants, than others, whom they esteem only carnal: So, many children more stout to their parents, and parents more negligent in the care they ought to have of their children, than others. What a shame is it, says S. Hierom, that faith should not be able to do Vt non prastet sides, quod prastitit infide 〈…〉 as. that, that infidelity hath done? What? not better fruit in the garden, in the vineyard of the Lord, then in the wilderness? What? not better fruit grow upon the tree of life, than upon the root of nature? Cap. 11. Where lies the power of godliness? If it carries, not men beyond these, what is it to live godly in Christ Jesus? in the virtue, in the power, and life of Christ Jesus, if it doth not enable to go beyond others? There needs no such virtue, power, life of Christ Jesus, to enable one to dof that, which others can do. What? is godliness but a notion, but a conceit, that it will not carry men beyond the light of nature? CAP. XI. An Exhortation to labour to get this excellent spirit. IT is an use of Exhortation; let us labour to get this other spirit; Every one desires to be eminent, to be above others in estate, in esteem, in natural excellencies; if we would fain be eminent, let us labour to be eminent in spiritual blessings, in getting our souls endued with higher spiritual excellencies than others have. It is commendable to strive to be as eminent here as we can, especially you whom God hath raised higher than your brethren in other things; in the Nobility of your births, the eminency of your places, the greatness of your estates: Do you labour to be as high above others in the excellencies of your spirits; that as your birth is other, your places other, your estate other than common men's, so your spirits may be other spirits? What an excellent thing is it, to have a spirit suitable to one's condition? A great Alagnus' an● mu● mag●am fortu 〈…〉 am decet. mind becomes a great fortune, says Seneca. He means greatness of mind in the exercise of virtue, which only gives a true greatness to the mind. I know this is a powerful argument with you, to make grace lovely & desirable in your eyes, to tell you that it will raise your spirits, that it will put beauty and glory upon them, that it will add greatness and excellency to them. The world is much for brave and Noble spirits; we desire your spirits may be so: only mistake not the true Nobleness, the true excellency of spirit; certainly it is inthat which may bring you nearest to God, the highest excellency: You can no way be so honourable, as by the raising of your spirits by grace: Wisdom with an inheritance is good, wisdom with birth and eminency of place is a great blessing indeed; to be rich in goods, and rich in goodness, is a happy connexion. You would account it a great disgrace not to have education somewhat suitable to your birth and quality; what can be said more dishonourable of a man than this, He hath left him indeed a great estate, and is of a great house, but he hath no breeding? What? is a competent measure of knowledge, in tongues, and Divitiae non faciunt insignes, nisiquos possunt bonis operibus facere clariores. Lactant. lib. 5. cap. 16. Arts, and other things suitable to your births and estates, accounted a beauty and ornament to them, and is not grace and godliness much more? Do these add an excellency to your quality, and put an honour upon your dignities, and will not godliness much more? Shall Sea and Land be traveled over with much hazard, soule-hazard, and bodilyhazard, with great expense of estate, to get knowledge of fashions, and a Gentile behaviour, because you think they will be Ornaments to your great estates you are borne to; and shall no labour be undertaken to get godliness, to get your spirits raised by grace, as an ornament to the greatness of your birth, and eminency of your estate? How is this, to slight the very glory of God himself, and to contemn the highest dignity men or Angels are capable of? Are any places so fit for wisdom, as the high places of the City? Prov. 9 1, 3. Wisdom hath builded her house, she hath hewn out her seven Pillars, she cryeth upon the highest places of the City. How honourable doth godliness make those, whose birth, whose place is honourable in the eyes of God, his Saints, blessed Angels, and in the consciences of all? How well doth grace suit with the highest dignity, as a bright shining Diamond in a golden Ring? as the world is drawn more conspicuous and full in a large Map, than in a small; so the beauty and excellency of grace and godliness, appears more conspicuous and glorious in great men and honourable, than in those who are of a meaner rank. First, you had need of other spirits; more need than others for the improvement of those great mercies that you have above others. As some fowl that have great wings, yet can fly but little; so many men have great estates, but not having spirits to improve them, they are of little use. Know, that your estates are either mercies or miseries, blessings or cursings to you, according as you have hearts to improve them: if they be improved for God, as advantages to honour God by, to do good withal; they are then great blessings indeed: and that is as great an argument of the truth of grace, as any, to be as earnest with God for an heart to improve an estate, or a place of dignity for God, as to rejoice that Divites sunt, non qui divitias habent, sed qui utuntur illis ad opera justitiae. Lactant. lib. 5. cap. 16. you have such an estate for yourselves, or that you are in such an eminent place, whereby you may get honour to yourselves. Where God gives not a more excellent spirit than others, as well as an higher condition than others; there an eminent estate is made but as fuel for a nourisher and maintainer of all manner of evil, to afford opportunities for acting of sin; and is not this the excellency that many account to be in their estates, in that it is higher than others, in that they can have their wills, and satisfy their lusts more than others? Secondly, you had need of other spirits, for the improving of the large 2 opportunities of service for God and his Church, that you have more than others; these are as great blessings, as your estates, or any dignities you have above others. God betrusts you with much, in giving you such large opportunities of service, for the honour of his great Name. If your birth be high, your estates high, and your spirits endued with excellency from on high, how fit then are you to be used by God in high and honourable services? Hence the conversion of a great man is of exceeding great consequence; whereupon Saint Paul was so loath to lose the Conversion of the Deputy Sergius Paulus, who began to listen to his preaching; of whom we read Acts 13. verse 7. and so on: Therefore when Elymas withstood him in this work, seeking to turn away the Deputy from the Faith, the spirit of S. Paul rose against him with much indignation; and being filled with the Holy Ghost, he set his eyes on him, and said, O full of all subtlety and all mischief, thou child of the devil thou enemy of righteousness, wilt thou not cease to pervert the right ways of the Lord? And now behold the hand of the Lord is upon thee, and thou shalt be blind. As if S. Paul should have said, What? will you hinder me in such a great work as this, wherein God may have so much honour in the conversion of this Nobleman, this man of public and eminent place? this indeed is to be full of all mischief, to be an enemy of all righteousness. Thus you see how his spirit was stirred when he was put in fear of being hindered in such a notable prize as this: As a man when likely to have a great draught, there comes in one and disturbs him, and is like to hinder him of it. Surely, S. Paul saw that it was a wonderful great blessing to the Church, to have great men to be brought in, to the obedience of the faith, and to be added to it. And further it is observed, that God going along with S. Paul, and finishing the work of the conversion of this great man; that upon this Saint Paul had his name Paul given him, being changed from Saul, and called Paulus, from that notable work of the conversion of this Paulus Sergius. As many great Captains amongst the Heathen were wont to have their names changed upon their success in some noble enterprise, and great victories; as Scipio Africanus, he was called Africanus from his Conquest of Africa. 3 You who are in high and eminent 3 dignities, you are the earnest prayers of God's servants in all places, that God would raise you up with truly noble, excellent, and gracious spirits, that you may be instruments of his glory: How blessed you, if God fulfils the prayers of his servants upon you! What great pity is it, that such blessed opportunities of service, of honouring God, themselves, and families, as you have, should be lost for want of spirits? Were it not more honourable to you, and your houses, to be employed as public blessings to Church and Commonwealth, to have thousands of souls bless you, and bless God for you, than for you to go finer than others, to have your tables better furnished than others, to sport and game more than others, to spend more than others? 4 Again, you had need of other 4 Tutum est peccare aut●ribu● istis. spirits, for your example is looked at more than others, either in good or evil; as Christ said of himself in another case, If I be lifted up, I will draw all men after me: so I may say, If godliness be lifted up in the examples of great ones, it will draw all men after it. What ever evil is seen in you, is not only followed by others, but used as a plea to maintain and encourage that which is evil in many others. Charles the fifth was wont to say, that as the Eclipse of the Sun is a foretoken of great commotions; so the errors and oversights of great men, bring with them great perturbations to the places where they live. 5 Their sin is worse than others, 5 for it doth more hurt, and therefore their punishment will be greater than others; as their actions are exemplary, so will their punishments. Hence that place, Mich. 6. 5. O my people, remember from Shittim unto ●ilgal; at Shittim the Lord destroyed the Heads of the people, Num. 25. 4. The destruction of great ones is to be for ever remembered. 6 And yet further, you have need of other spirits, because you have temptations greater and stronger than others; therefore if you have not the more excellent spirits, you are in greater danger than others. The high estate of great outward dignity, is a very dangerous estate, if God gives not an extraordinary spirit. There is a notable story of Pius Quintus, that Pope, who excommunicated Queen Elizabeth; my Author of the story is a Jesuit, Cornelius à Lapide; one highly esteemed amongst the Papists, and therefore the truth of it is to be the less suspected: the story is this; he says, that this Pope Pius Quintus was wont to say of himself, that When I was first in religious Orders (that is, without any further Ecclesiastical dignity) I had a very good hope of the salvation of my soul; Cornelius' 〈◊〉 Lapide in his Comment upon Numb. 11. verse 11. Cum essem Religiosus, sperabam benè de salute animae meae, Cardinalis factus, extimui; Ponti ex creatus, penè despero. but being made a Cardinal, I began to be much afraid; but now bein Pope, I do even despair. So, says Cornelius, did Clement the eight, that followed after him, think of himself. Thus by this example we see what a dangerous thing it is, to be raised in outward honour, and yet still the spirit to continue base and vile. 7 Above all, you who are honourable and great in the world, you had need labour to be gracious, because sin is more unsuitable to your condition, than to others. It was the complaint of the Church, Lam. 4. 5. that those who were brought up in Scarlet, did embrace the dung: How unsuitable was this, to have the highest places, and the lowest spirits? Bernard writing to a noble Virgin, who was godly, he says, that others were clothed with purple and silk, but their consciences were poor & beggarly; they glisteren with their jewels, but were base in their manners; but you (says he) without, are meanly clad, but within shine exceeding beautiful, not to Sedes prima vitâimâ. Bern. Indu untur purpurâ & Bys●●, & subin de conscientia pannosa jacet; fulgent monilibus, moribus sordent, è contra tu foris pann●sa, intus spectosa resplendes divinis aspectibus, non humanis. Bern. ep. 113. ad Sophiam virginem nobilem. Plutarch. humane, but to Divine eyes. How unsuitable was the one, but how comely and suitable the other? It is reported of Scipio Asricanus, that when he took new Carthage, he took a young Gentlewoman prisoner who was so fair that she ravished all men's eyes; this Scipio then said, If I were but a common soldier, I would enjoy this Damsel, but being Commander of an Army, I will not meddle with her: and so preserving her entire, restored her to her friends. Thus he, though a Heathen, thought wickedness too mean for, and unsuitable to greatness. Sin is uncomely any where, much more uncomely amongst great ones; and grace is comely where ever it is, much more to the great ones of the earth. As Aeneas Silvius was wont to say concerning learning, I may say the same concerning godliness; Popular men should esteem learning as silver, Noble men should account it like Gold, and Princes should prise it like Pearls. Thus if godliness be as silver to ordinary men, it is to be accounted as gold and pearls to you. The Scripture compares beauty in a woman without wisdom, to a Pearl-in a Swine's snour, Pro. 11. 22. as a thing unsuitable: Thus are all outward excellencies where there is not grace. 8 And would it not be a grievous thing to you, to see poor, inferior, mean men and women to be lifted up to glory, & yourselves cast out, an eternal curse? have not many of them most excellent precious spirits? do they not do God far more service than you? do they not bring more honour to his Name, than ever you did? Think then with yourselves, Why should God put those who are of such choice precious spirits, into such a low condition, and raise me to such an high? Is it not because he intends to give me my portion in this life, but reserves better mercies for them afterwards? It would be very grievous indeed if it should prove so. 9 The hopes we have of the continuance of our peace in the happy enjoyment of those precious liberties of the Gospel, that in so great mercy have been continued unto us, depends much upon the work of God's grace upon your souls: If God takes off your spirits from common vanities, the pleasures of the flesh, from the poor low things of the world, from your own private ends, and causes the fear of his great Name to fall upon them, and raiseth them to the love of, and delight in the great things of godliness, to be given up wholly to him, to lift up his great Name; we shall then look upon you as the joyful hopes of our souls, that God still doth & will delight in the blessing, peace & prosperity of his people: But if we see darkness upon your spirits, than a dismal night of darkness is upon us. As when we see it wax dark in the valleys, we say, it is towards night; if it begins to be dark upon the hills, it is nigh night; but if it be dark in the sky, it is night indeed: So where we see the works of darkness amongst the people, it is a sign that a night is coming; but where we see them in those of a higher rank, in the Gentry, it makes us fear that the night is nearer; but if in the Nobility, and the great men, than it is a dismal night indeed. Wherefore be you exhorted in the Name of the Lord, to labour much that you may have more gracious and holy spirits than others, together with your dignities, whereby you are lifted up above others. We envy not your honours, we desire that they may be raised higher by grace. Grace may well stand with the enjoyment of all your dignities, yea, grace is the only thing that blesseth them, and advanceth them. And you whose spirits God hath raised above others, in the excellencies of your parts, and many excellent endowments of learning you have, who are men of larger understandings, of higher apprehensions than others, and can look upon ordinary men as low and mean in respect of the difference between your parts and theirs: Do you labour yet to raise your spirits higher by grace and godliness, that as you differ from them in natural excellencies, so you may differ from them much more in spiritual and divine? How eminent would you be in grace, if those parts and abilities of learning you have, were sanctified for God? What blessed instruments might you be of glory to God, of comfort and encouragement to his people? but otherwise your parts and gifts are poisoned; a sinful wicked heart will poison all. It may be said of many, as it was of Pope Eugenius the second, he was a man of great Learning, and great Eloquence, with a mixture of great hypocrisy: If it may be thus said of any, He is a man indeed of excellent parts, very learned, of strong abilities, but he hath a corrupt spirit; he is a man of a corrupt mind; surely these parts are all poisoned; no marvel then, though such men swell so much by reason of them. Parts unsanctified do exceedingly enlarge men's spirits, to be so much the more capable of spiritual wickedness, more than others of meaner and lower parts can be; your parts will aggravate all your sins, and increase your damnation: It is a lamentable thing that such excellent parts and abilities as many have, which might be of so great use, for God and his Church, yet that they should vanish into froth. It was the great complaint of one Robertus Gallus, a famous man, an opposer of the corruptions of those times in which he lived, which was in the 13. Century: He compared the Schoole-Doctors to one having bread and good wine hanging on both his sides; yet notwithstanding, he was gnawing hungerly on a flintstone. Thus they, leaving the wholesome food in the Scriptures, busied themselves with subtle questions, wherein there was no edification, or comfort to the soul; thus their excellent parts did all vanish into nothing. Now if it be so grievous a thing, for parts and learning to be employed about mean and unworthy things, how much more grievous is it, when they are employed against God? Oh, what great cause have we then to pray for these men, whose spirits are raised by natural parts? and how great cause have they themselves to seek God, and to use all means, that their spirits might be likewise raised by grace, that, that great blessing of parts, and learning might be blessed to them, by Gods bestowing upon them this other spirit? Oh consider, what an opprobrious thing it is to you, that God should have more fear, honour, service, from men of lower, far meaner, weaker abilities; That their hearts should close more with the ways of godliness; That their hearts should be more enlarged towards God than yours; That they should enjoy more heavenly, spiritual communion with God than you, Quam innumerabilis ex●stant & semper extiterint, qui sint aut suerint sine ulla doctrna boni, ex philosophis autem perraro fuerit qui aliquid in vit● laude dignum secerit. Lact. li. 3. cap. 15. E● lib. 5. cap. 1. Nutant plurimi, & maximè qui literarum aliquid attigerint. yea, such communion with God, as you are altogether unacquainted withal; And that at length their souls should be saved, and for ever blessed, when yours shall be cast out as filth, and an everlasting abhorring from the presence of the Lord: What a grievous thing will it be to you, when it shall appear, that your parts shall serve for no other and than to enlarge your souls to be more capable of the wrath of God, than other men? for be you assured, that none are so filled with God's wrath as knowing men. It was the grievous complaint of S. Austin in his time; The unlearned, Surgunt indocti, & rapiunt coelum, & nos cum doctrinis nostri● de rudimur in ge●en ●am. says he, rise up, and take heaven by force, and we with all our learning, are thrust down into hell. It is a speech well known to Scholars; of how great use might it be, if God did settle it upon their hearts? And S. Bernard hath a speech somewhat to the like purpose; Let the wise of the world, says he, who mind high things, and yet feeding upon the earth, let them Smite sapientes hujus saeculi alta sapientes & terram lingentes, sapienter desc●ndera in In 〈…〉 rnum. Bern. de vita solitaria ad frat●● de Monte Dei. with their wisdom go down into hell. And Luther hath a notable story, which may be very useful for this purpose. It is in his writings upon the fourth Commandment, which he makes the third; It is to show, how the holiness of the spirits of mean and unlearned men, shall confound great understanding learned men, where there is not the like godliness. In the time of the Council of Constance, he tells us, There were two Cardinals riding to the Council, and in their journey they saw a shepherd in the field weeping; one of them pitying him, says, that he could not pass by, but he must needs go to yonder man and comfort him; and coming near to him, he asked him, why he wept? he was loath to tell him at first; but being urged, he told him, saying; I looking upon this Toad, considered that I had never praised God as I ought, for making me such an excellent creature as a man, comely and reasonable; I have not blessed him, that he made not me such a deformed Toad as this. When the Cardinal heard this, he was struck with it, considering that he had received greater mercies than this poor man; and he was so struck, as he fell down presently dead from his Mule; his servants lifting him up, and bringing him to the City, he came to life again, and then cried out; Oh Saint Austin, how truly didst thou say; The unlearned rise, and they take heaven, and we with all our learning, wallow in flesh and blood! You therefore, whom God hath honoured with excellent parts, that you may not be thus confounded another day, before the Lord and his blessed Angels, and Saints, be you restless in your spirits, till you find God hath added a further beauty to them, even the beauty of holiness, the sanctifying graces of his Holy Spirit, that may make you lovely in his eyes, truly honourable before him, and for ever blessed of him. Take heed you rest not either in gifts of learning, or in gifts of morality; the gifts of morality are yet a further ornament to men's spirits, but yet they come short of those divine excellencies of spirit, that will make it blessed for ever. We read of many, who were very eminent in moral excellencies, and yet altogether strangers from the life of grace. As for example, josephus lib. 15. c. 8. reports of Herod the King, that which would make one think, he was raised to very high moral excellencies: once making a speech to his Army, amongst other passages he hath this; Perhaps some men will say, that right and equity is on our side, but that the greater number of men, and means are with the other; but this their speech is unworthy of my followers: for with those with whom justice is, with those also God is, and where God is, there neither wants multitude, nor fortitude. And Cap. 12. he reports of him, that in the time of a famine, he caused all his vessels of gold and silver to be melted, to buy corn withal for the relief of the poor. That Herod likewise which S. Luke speaks of in the 12. Acts 23. who was smote by the Angel, and eaten of worms, yet even this man had many excellent moral gifts: josephus reports of him, That he was a man of a most mild joseph. lib. 19 cap. 7. disposition, ready to help those which were in adversity, free from outward gross defilements, and that there was no day past him, in which he did not offer Sacrifice; and for a testimony of his mild & gentle temper, he tells a notable story of him, that when one Simon a Lawyer, in his absence, had scandalised him with many grievous accusations before the people; As that he was a profane man, and that upon just cause he was forbidden to enter the Temple: when Herod was certified of these things, and came to the Theatre, he commanded that this Simon should be brought to him, and would have him sit down next to him, and in peaceable and kind manner he spoke thus to him, Tell me, I prithee, what thing thou seest fault-worthy, or contrary to the Law in me? This Simon not having any thing to answer, besought him to pardon him; the King grew friends with him, and dismissed him, bestowing gifts on him. What a shame is this example to many Christians? and yet we would all be loath to be in this man's condition. It is reported likewise of Titus, whom God made a grievous scourge to the Jews, yet he was so meek, so liberal, so merciful, of so mild and sweet a nature, that he was usually called, The love and delights of Am●r & deliciae humam generis. mankind: If he had done no good in any day, he would use to say, I have lost this day. Suetonius tells of him, that he was wont to use this speech, That none should go away sad from speaking with a Prince. Excellent things are likewise reported of Trajan, he was accounted a pattern of upright dealing, in as much as when a new Emperor was afterwards elected, the people were wont to wish him The good success of Augustus, and the uprightness of Trajanus: and yet the persecution of Christians under him was very grievous. It is likewise said of Antoninus Philosophus, that he was of such a sweet temper, that he was never much puffed up in prosperity, nor cast down in adversity. Thus we see, men may have excellent gifts of morality, and yet all these but as the flowers that grow on brambles, far different from those graces of this other spirit that we speak of, which only grows upon the tree of life: As many a fair flower may grow out of a stinking root, so many sweet dispositions, and fair actions may be, where there is only the corrupt root of nature. It is true, learning and morality are lovely, they are pearls highly to be esteemed, they are great blessings of God; but there is a pearl of price that is beyond them all, which the true wise Merchant will labour to get, and will be content to sell all to obtain, as Matth. 13. 45, 46. And this pearl of price is that, by which this other spirit comes to be so excellent above all that learning and morality, or any common gifts can make it. It is said in that place of S. Matthew, That the wise merchant sought other goodly pearls: common gifts are to be sought after, as things that have much excellency in their kind; but it was that one pearl of great price that he sold all for: It is that grace of God in Christ, that raises the spirit above all other excellencies, and is to be prized and sought after above all things whatsoever. And that you may know, that there is a great deal of difference between natural endowments, moral virtues, and true spiritual excellencies; that this other spirit is far beyond the excellencies of these, take these notes of difference. 1 This other spirit is a renewed spirit; A new spirit will I give ya, 1 saith the Lord, in 11. Ezek: 19 It doth not arise out of principles bid up with us; the Lord makes the spirit sensible of its natural corruption and weakness, and of the Almighty work of his grace upon it. It 〈◊〉 made another spirit, by a high and supernatural work of God upon the soul, working a mighty change in it, creating new principles, new habits. Examine what change have you found in your spirits; if they be no other than ever have been, yea; if the change be only gradual, not essential, if it be only the raising of some natural principles, so as to enable you to live in somewhat a fairer way than you did; if it be not the work of God breaking your spirits in pieces, and making of them anew, if it be not a new creation in you; surely then, yet, your spirits are void of that true blessed excellency, that this other spirit hath. 2 This other spirit works from 2 God, and for God; it is sensible of the need it hath of continual influence from heaven, & it draws virtue and efficacy from God, conveying his grace to the soul, through that blessed covenant that he hath made with the children of men in Jesus Christ; & receiving thus grace from on high, it is acted up to God himself, it looks at God in what it doth, it is carried out of love to him, with unfeigned desires to lift up his great Name. Moral virtues are wrought by that reasonableness the soul sees in such virtuous actions, and the highest pitch they reach to is, the love to that equity which appears in them to a man's reason; and therefore the spirit of a man, that is raised no higher than these, blesseth itself rather then God in the exercise of them; It is far from drawing any virtue from God, in a way of covenant of grace, or from denying itself, and returning all the praise, and honour to God. Seneca was a man of as brave a spirit for Morality, almost as ever lived, and yet see how far he was from working from God, and for God; observe a strange expression of his in one of his Epistles: The cause Beata vitaecausa et firmamentum est sibi fidere; turpe est Deo; satigare▪ Quidvotis opus est: f●● te soelicem: bonam mentem stultum est opta re, cum possis à te impetr●re: ●●tio recta et con summata falicitatem ●o●●nis implevit. and foundation of a blessed life, is to trust one's self, to be confident in one's self; it is a shameful thing to weary God, saith he, in prayer for it. What needs prayer? Make thyself happy. It's a foolish thing to desire a good mind, when thou mayest have it from thyself: right reason is enough to fill up the happiness of a man. 3 Where true spiritual excellency is, there is a connexion of all spiritual 3 excellencies, of all graces, Ephes. 5. 9 The fruit of the spirit is in all goodness, and righteousness, and truth, and the reason is, because all are united in one root, namely in love to God, and holiness: The beauty and comeliness, that God puts upon the spirit in the work of grace, is a perfect beauty and comeliness, Ezech. 16. 14. There is no grace wanting, there is all true spiritual blessings, Ephes. 1. 3. Blessed be God, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings; so the words are in your books, but in the Original, blessings is in the singular number, with all spiritual blessing; there is all, and yet but one blessing; to note, that spiritual blessings are so knit together, that they all make up but one blessing: and therefore where there is one truly, there none can be wanting; there is such grace as in the growth of it, it springs up to eternal life: There is such a perfection as wants only the ripening, and it would be the same with the life in heaven; but where there wants any essential part, though it be ripened never so much, let it grow up never so fast, it will never come to be perfect. Thus if there be any work of grace wanting, if there be any defect in the principle, though that, that be there, grow up never so fast, yet it would never attain unto eternal life; Therefore in the work of sanctification, where it is true, though it be never so weak, yet there is this perfection, that there are all graces in it; but where there is only a sweet nature, where there is only some moral work upon the spirit, there are only some particular excellencies; The most Moral man that ever lived, hath had some way of evil, that his spirit hath run out unto. 4 Where there are true spiritual 4 excellencies, there is an impulse of heart, a strong bent of spirit, in following after the Lord; there is such a powerful impression of divine truths upon the soul, as presses it on with strength in God's ways, so that it cannot easily be hindered, as the Prophet saith, Esay 8 11. That the Lord spoke to him with a strong hand, that he should not walk in the way of the people; such a spirit hath not only some desires, and some wishes, to that which is good; but goes on bound in the spirit, as S. Paul says of himself; The love of Christ constrains him; there is a power of godliness where it is true. When Eliah had cast his Mantle upon Elisha, the spirit of Elisha was pressed to follow him, 1 King. 19 19, 20. so that when Elisha desired leave of him to go to his father and mother to take his leave of them, and said, that then he would follow him, Eliah answershim, What have I done to thee? Eliah indeed did nothing in outward appearance, to draw him after him; for what was the casting of his Mantle upon him, to work such an effect in him? but together with the casting of his Mantle, there went a spirit into Eliah, that he could not but follow him: Such a powerful work is there in the sanctifying graces of God's Spirit, as with strength to cause the soul to follow him; there is a law of the mind that hath power and command in it, as before there was a law of sin. But where there are only sweet natures, there men are easily drawn one way, and as easily drawn the other way; they join with those that are good in good actions, but their hearts are not so set on that they do, but that they may be easily taken off, and carried another way. Fifthly, where there are only 5 moral principles, there the soul sees not into, is not sensible of, turns not from the evil of sin, as the greatest evil; it sees not such evil in it, as to make it subscribe to the righteousness of God in all those dreadful things that are threatened against it, but thinks they are too hard; Surely, God is not so severe a God; God forbid things should be so as those we read of in the Gospel. When Christ spoke that Parable concerning those who smote the servants of the Lord of the Vineyard, Luke 20. 16. and told them, that the Lord should come & destroy those Husbandmen, and give his Vineyard to others: It is said, When they heard that, they said, God forbid: So many when they hear the dreadful wrath of God denounced against sin, they say, God forbid; they think indeed, that sin ought not to be committed; but they do not think it so great an evil, as to procure so great miseries; but if their spirits were right, they would apprehend sin, as opposite to an infinite good, and so having a kind of infiniteness of evil in it; they would not only yield to the Justice of God revealed, but acknowledge, that there are greater and more fearful miseries due to it than can be conceived: yea, they would see cause, that if God should bring those evils upon them for their sin, that there is infinite equity that they should lay their hands upon their mouths, and take shame to themselves, and acknowledge the Lord to be righteous for ever. Sixthly, where there are only natural and moral excellencies, they 6 do not raise the soul to a love of the strictest ways of God; they think of accurateness and exactness in God's ways to be but niceness and too much preciseness; lukewarmeness is the only temper suitable to them; they think wisdom consists in the remission of godliness, not in the improvement of it; & what is beyond their temper, they judge as weakness and folly; and it must needs be that moral men must have such thoughts of the strictness of the ways of God, because that good they have is such as arises from the principles of natural reason, and makes a natural good its end; and therefore all their virtue and goodness must be such as must not stretch nature, but must be subserviet to that natural good they frame to themselves. Now the observing of some Rules and Duties of Religion, will suit well with this; and so far they approve and like well of Religion: and here they stick, and think any thing that is further than this, is folly, and more than needs. The work of godliness in the power of it, must needs be distasteful to them, because it seeks to empty a man of himself, to cause him to deny himself; to fetch all from principles beyond himself, & to be for a higher good than himself is, which is an infinite good: and therefore, if it were possible, it would work infinitely towards it, but howsoever, it will set no limits to itself. Seventhly, where there is only nature or morality, there is no sense 7 of the breathe of God's Spirit in his Ordinances; the Ordinances are dead and flat things to them: a mere moral man can like well enough of presenting himself in the Ordinances, but he feels no virtue in them, no impression that they work upon him, that abides on his spirit after the Ordinances are done; he knows not what it is to enjoy God in them, he knows not what it is to stir up himself to take hold on God in the exercise of them; those excellencies that he hath, are not drawn out, maintained or increased by spiritual objects and duties; but it is otherwise where true spiritual excellencies are; such a one goes to Ordinances and holy duties with expectation to meet with the Lord there: He can discern and feel the gracious presence of the Lord; he finds the Spirit of the Lord breathing graciously upon his spirit, and rofreshing his soul with much quickening, and life and sweetness; he finds his spirit drawn out by them, his heart much enlarged, his graces much increased in the use of them; or if at some times he wants this, than he is sensible of the want of it, of that difference that now he feels between that which sometimes he hath had, and that which now he wants; but the other is sensible of no such want, all times are alike with him. Thus you see how you may examine your spirits, whether the excellencies of them be natural, whether they be only moral, or truly spiritual. By these Notes you may see, that to be true of yourselves, that our Saviour said to his Disciples in another case; You know not of what spirit you are. Though God hath given you many excellent blessings, beautified your spirits with many excellents endowments, which are in themselves lovely & desirable; yet he hath not raised your spirits to that true spiritual excellency that he useth to raise the spirits of his people unto, even in this world. There are yet other higher excellencies to be attained to, to be sought after, without which all the other you have will vanish, and never bring up your souls to the enjoyment of God as yours in Christ. But what should be done that we Quest. may get another spirit? Work what you can upon your Ans. hearts what ever truth may further 1 convince you, of the difference of spirits; that you may be throughly convinced, that there is indeed a vast essential difference, and that you may see into the evil of your spirits, and be sensible of the want of this true spiritual excellency, and lie down before God dejected, and humbled in the sight thereof. Secondly, be much in the company 2 of the godly. When Saul was among the Prophets, the Spirit of God came upon him, & he began to prophesy too. Elijah told Elisha, that if he were with him when he was taken up, than he should have his spirit come upon him; wherefore Elisha kept close to him, & would by no means leave his company. By being much in the company of the godly, you will come to see some beams of the excellency of their spirits shine out to you, whereby you will see that your spirits are not like theirs; that they are in a happier condition than you; that they are men in a nearer reference to God than you; you will soon discern, that surely the world is mistaken in these men. Thirdly, frequent the Ordinances 3 of God, where the Spirit uses to breath; set your souls before the work of God's Spirit: The Spirit breathes where it listeth, therefore it must be attended upon in those ways which itself chooseth. Though your spirits be never so dead, and polluted, who knows but that at length in the attending upon God in his way, the Spirit of God may breathe upon you, may breathe in you the breath of life? it hath breathed upon as dead, polluted spirits as yours, and it hath cleansed them, sanctified them, it hath filled them full of spiritual and glorious excellencies. Fourthly, nourish and make good use of those common works of 4 God's Spirit you have already; they have much excellency in them; & if they be not rested in, but improved, they may be very serviceable for the work of God's grace; but as Christ says of the riches of the world, If you be not faithful in them, who will trust you with the true riches; so if you be not careful to make use of the common works of God's Spirit, how can it be expected that the Lord should bless you with further mercy this way? Be sure you do not wilfully go against the rules of right reason you are convinced of; do not darken that light of reason that God hath set up in you; do not extinguish those sparks in natural conscience that God hath kindled there; do not dead those principles you have received in your education; use that strength of reason, resolution, and natural conscience you have, to keep in your spirits, that they be not let out to feed upon sinful delights. With what face can you complain of weakness, and yet feed your distempers? There is little hope of such as have extinguished the light of their common principles, which once they had in an eminent manner; their light of reason once was at least as a fair Candle-light, but now it is like the snuff in a socket, almost drowned & quenched with their filthy lusts. How just with God were it, that these men should be left to die and perish for ever in their filth? Fifthly, seek earnestly from God to renew, to sanctify your spirits; it is 5 he that is the Father of spirits, and the spirit of man is under no other power, but the power of God himself; and he hath the command of all, and with him there is abundance of spirit, and he is willing; yea, he hath promised to give his Spirit to them that ask it, Luke 11. 13. But you will say, how can I pray Quest. without the Spirit? I answer, put thyself upon prayer, and who knows but assistance and Ans. blessing may come? present thyself before the Lord, tell him what thou apprehendest of the vileness, of the filthiness of thy spirit; what convictions thou hast of the necessity of the renewing of it, of the excellency thou seest in the spirits of his servants; tell him of those desires thou hast to be blessed with such a spirit: O Lord, thou hast given me many bodily blessings, great blessings of my estate more than others, many excellent gifts; but Lord there are other mercies my soul wants; Oh that thou wouldst give me another spirit! As this Caleb, joshua 15. 19 gave his daughter Aohsah a blessing, namely, the upper springs, and the neither spring, so do thou seek of God, that as he hath given thee the blessing of the neither springs, so he may give thee the blessing of the upper; namely, that he may bless thy soul with true spiritual blessings. Sixtly, be sure thou lookest up to 6 God in Christ, to seek this mercy in him; look on him as anointed by the Father with the fullness of the Spirit; look to him in whom all the fullness of the Godhead dwells bodily, that out of this fullness, spiritual blessings may be conveyed to thee; for otherwise whatsoever thou seekest for of God, and not in this way, thou seekest but in a natural way. Seventhly, be careful to observe 7 the beginnings of those special stir of God's Spirit in thee, those gales that sometimes thou mayest feel, and then put on what possibly thou canst; then sollow the work of God's grace, make much of such beginnings, give up thyself to the power of them; turn the motions of God's Spirit into purposes, and those purposes into endeavours, and those endeavours into performances, and seek that those performances may be established. We do not know what we lose, when at any time we lose the stir of God's Spirit in our hearts. Who knows but that thy eternal estate may depend upon those sparks that he is now kindling in thee? It is a great wickedness to stifle the child in the womb, when it is new conceived; and is it not a great wickedness to stifle those blessed motions that are conceived by the work of the Holy Ghost? And for a conclusion of this point, let thy spirit be for ever restless until thou feelest God graciously coming in unto thee; let no mercy satisfy thee, till God gives thee soule-mercies, and blesses thee with his choice spiritual blessings, such as are peculiar to those who are good in his eyes. A GRACIOUS Cap. 1. SPIRIT FOLLOWS GOD FULLY. The second Part. Numb. 14. 24. And hath followed me fully, him will I bring into the land, wherein he went; and his seed shall possess it. CAP. 1. 〈…〉 t is for a man to follow God fully. THe second Doctrine follows, which is this; It Doct. 2. is the high praise of servants that they follow God fully: This is their commendation, that they have their hearts come fully off in the ways of obedience, to fulfil the good will of the Lord; this is that perfect heart which God so often calls for in Scripture, and for which so many of God's servants are commended in the Word; as, Gen. 17. 1. Walk before me, saith God to Abraham, and be thou perfect. Deut. 18. 13. Thou shalt be perfect with the Lord thy God. This Noah is commended for, Gen. 6. 9 He was a just man, and perfect in his generations: so job, Chap. 1. 1. He was perfect and upright. The want of this was the stain and blot upon Solomon, 1 King. 11. 6. the Text there says, he went not fully after the Lord, as did David his father: This likewise was the stain of the Church of Sardis, Revel. 3. 2. I have not found thy ways perfect; the wo●ds are, I have not found thy ways 〈…〉 thou hast not filled up thy 〈…〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. following me; something ind 〈…〉 ou haste done, but thou hast not followed me fully. To have a heart full of goodness, as S. Paul testifies of the Romans, Chap. 15. verse. 14. and to have a life full of good works, as, Acts 9 33. is witnessed of Tabytha. This is the excellency of a godly man, this is the true declaration of the excellency of that spirit, wherein this glory doth consist. In this Argument we shall first show, what it is to follow God fully, 1 or what the frame of the spirit is in the following the Lord fully. Secondly, wherein the true excellency 2 of this lies. Thirdly, apply it. For the first, take this Caution premised; 3 When we speak of a fullness in following the Lord, we do not mean a legal fullness, such a fullness wherein there is no want or imperfection: not to sin, is here only our law, in heaven it shall be our reward. Bu●●here is a true following of the 〈…〉, that is even in this life to b●●●●a●ned unto, an Evangelicall fullness, and that is the fullness that we are to speak of. The Gospel requires perfection as well as the Law, though in a different manner: and this is, First, a fullness of all graces; though not the degree of all graces, yet the truth of every grace: There is no grace wanting, where this Evangelicall fullness is. Secondly, there is no want, no not of any degree, wherein the soul rests; there is such a perfection as the soul takes no liberty to itself to fail in any thing. Thirdly, there are sincere aims, as in the sight of God, to attain to the highest perfection, the full measure of holiness; and, Fourthly, there is that uprightness of the soul, as it doth not only desire and endeavoure to attain, but doth indeed attain to the truth of that I shall deliver. First, the heart is fully set and resolved for God, there is fuln 〈…〉 of 1 resolution; so the Septuag 〈…〉 slates that place in joshuah 14. vers. 8 where Caleb speaks of his following of God fully; they turn it thus, I decreed, I determined to follow him: The heart is fully taken off from shift, from hankerings after other 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. things, from the engagements that before it had; from dispute reasonings for the ways of the flesh: it doth not hang between two, as unsettled, irresolved, wavering; but is truly and fully taken off, and the resolutions are fully set upon, and for the ways of God. Many have some convictions, some stir, some make towards the ways of God, some approbation of them; thinking with themselves, it were well, if we could do thus: Surely, they are the best men who can do thus; but still some engagement holds them fast; they have thoughts flitting up and down; they would and they would not; they could like well, were it not for this thing and that thing; this inco 〈…〉 ience and the other trouble w 〈…〉 follow; and so they delay and put off, and think, it may be they may hereafter do better; their good desires and inclinations they hope, may serve turn for the present. And thus they stand baffling with God and their own souls: they are, as Seneca speaks of some, always about Semper victuri. to live: But this soul who fully follows God, is fully broken off from former ways, the thoughts of it are come to a determinate issue; it is resolved against them whatsoever becomes of it; resolved to listen no more after the reasonings of flesh and blood, as S. Paul says of himself, Gal. 1. 15, 16. that after it pleased God to call him by his grace, and to reveal his Son in him, immediately he conferred not with flesh and blood. Many are a great while before they be thus fully taken off; they are as Agrippa, Acts 26. 28. almost persuaded to become Christians; the truths of God do move them, They do suadere, but not persuadere. but not throughly persuade them; they strive with them, but d● not throughly vanquish them. The spirit of God leaves some in the very birth, that there is never strength to bring forth; but it is a most blessed thing, when the heart comes off kindly and fully; now it is not so ready to raise objections against the ways of God, nor to hearken to objections raised by others, as it was before: When the fire is fully kindled; there is little smoke, at the first the smoke rises thick, that we can see no fire: The reason of so many arguings, and objections of the flesh, is because the heart is not fully taken off. Tertullian hath a notable expression to this purpose: How wise an quam sapiens Argum●ntatrix ●●bi videtur arroga 〈…〉 h 〈…〉 na▪ 〈◊〉 praesertim cum aliquid de gaud●is saec 〈…〉 me●uit am●●tere! Tertul. de spect●c. cap. 2. Arguer, says he, doth the pride of man seem to itself, when it is afraid to lose some of worldly joys! It is the engagement of man's heart to his lust, that makes him think there is any strength in those objections and reasonings, that he hath in his heart against God's ways; when the heart is taken off, they vanish of themsel 〈…〉▪ 2 There is a fullness of all the faculties of the soul working after 2 God; full apprehensions, full affections; the soul is filled with the will of God, as Col. 4. 12. That ye may stand perfect, and full in all the will of God, as the sails silled with the wind; My soul and all that is within me praise the Lord, saith David. As it is in giving men full possession of a house; they give up the keys of every room; so here the soul gives up every faculty to God; the whole soul opens itself, to receive the Lord and his truth. There is a loving the Lord with all the mind, with all the heart, and with all the soul; there is a spiritual life, quickening every faculty; there is a sanctification throughout every faculty, though no faculty be throughly sanctified. 3 The soul follows God fully, in regard of the true endeavours of 3 it, to put forth what strength it hath in following the Lord; all the faculties work, and it is not satisfied, that they should work remissely, 〈…〉 it would have them work ferv 〈…〉 y, and powerfully, as David, Psal. 63. 8 My soul follows hard after thee: there is a panting of the heart, a gasping of the spirit after the Lord; As the Hart panteth after the water brooks, so panteth my soul after thee, O God, saith David, Ps. 42. 1. My heart breaketh for the longing it hath unto thy judgements, Psal. 119. 20. The spirit boils in fervour while it is serving the Lord, Rom. 12. 11. Fervent in spirit, serving the Lord. Esay 26. 9 With my soul, saith the Prophet, I have desired thee, and with my spirit within me will I seek thee. This soul doth not only love God, with all the mind, and with all the heart, but with all the strength too; there is no strength reserved for any thing else, but the Lord. 4 The soul that fully follows 4 the Lord, follows him without delay, in the use of all means, and in all the ways of his Commandments; the delaying and putting off, is an argument of remissness. david's▪ soul followed hard after the Lord, as you heard before in the 63. Psalm: and this made him seek the Lord early, Verse 1. O God, thou art my God, early will I seek thee, saith lie; the present time is the fullness of time with such a soul. We read of Haman, Ester 3. 5. that he was full of wrath, and hence he procures, that the Posts should be hastened about his work in destroying the Jews, Verse 15. And it sets upon all means, what way soever it may be brought near to God, either by ordinary means, or else by extraordinary; useth all ordinances conscionably in their season, will abstain from all occasions of evil, avoids all hindrances, in that which is good; if he knows any thing may further him in the bringing of his heart nearer to God, he readily and thankfully embraces it, and makes use of it; he useth all means, and yet resteth not in any means. 5 Again, a soul that follows 5 God fully, follows him in all the ways of his Commandments is the Lord saith of David, Act. 13. 22. That he had found a man 〈◊〉 would sul●ll 〈◊〉 has will; in the Original, the word is in the plural number; That would fulfil all his wills. There are many reasons that many give, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 why David was called, A man after Gods own heart: Some think, because he was so broken a hearted man: Others, because he had such a thankful heart; but this Scripture resolves us, for God says, That he had found a man after his own heart, and gives that reason of it, because he would fulfil all his wills. This soul desires to fulfil all righteousness, as Christ saith of himself, It became him to fulfil all righteousness. It desires to yield obedience to God, and to be holy in all manner of conversation, as the Apostle speaks, in 1 Pet. 1. 15. Then shall not I be ashamed, saith David, when I have respect unto all thy Commandments, Psal. 119. 6. We have a notable place for this universality of obedience in the 1. Coloss. 9, 10, 11. We pray, saith the Apostle, that ye might be fulfilled in all knowledge of his will, in all wisdom, that ye might walk worthy of the Lord, and please him in all things, being fruitful in all good works, strengthened with all might, through his glorious power, to all patience: there are six all's together in this Scripture. A heart that is fully for God, is for all God's ways, in all things; it is not willing to balk any way of God. Zachariah and Elizabeth were two choice spirits indeed, and this was their honour, that they walked with God in all the Commandments, and Ordinances of the Lord blameless, Luke 1. vers. 6. 1 It is willing to follow the Lord 1 in difficult duties, when it must put the flesh to it, in duties that require pains, much labour, that cannot be done without some hard things attending on them. God hath some hard pieces of services to put his people upon, to try the uprightness of their hearts, the sincerity and power of their loves to him in; and God takes it exceeding well when they will follow him in such duties; As that hard piece of service he put Abraham upon, in offering his son, when Abraham was willing to follow him in that, Now, saith he, I know thou lovest me: It is nothing to follow God in such duties, as will so suit with us, wherein we need put ourselves to no trouble; many are well content with such duties, and seem to yield to God in them; but go beyond those, and put them upon further, and they stir not; but as the rusty hand of a Dial, if you come at that time of the day, wherein the hour falls out the same, at which the hand stands, it seems to go right, but if you pass that time, the hand stands yet still, it goes no further than it did, and so shows the Dial not to be good: So here, when it falls out so, that a duty is enjoined, which is suitable to a man's mind, and ends, he will readily yield to it, and seem as if he made conscience of obedience to God in it; but if you put him on further, in duties that are not so suitable to him, there he stirs not, because of the difficulty which he sees in them, and in this he shows the falseness of his heart, that he doth not follow God fully. 2 Again, one that follows God 2 fully, will follow him in discountenanced duties. Some duties are liked well enough of in the world, for reason tells every man, God must have some service; and some general way of serving of God, all rational men approve of; and if God would require a man to follow him, in no other duties but these, it were fine; but there are some others that will make him to be observed; some, in which if he follows the Lord, he shall be reckoned amongst such kind of men, of whose number he doth not like to be accounted one; he knows they are discountenanced, and despised, and this he cannot bear, and therefore those are duties he hath no mind unto, and then thinketh with himself, Why may not my obedience in other things serve the turn? 3 And yet further, one that is willing 3 to follow God fully in all duties, he will follow him in those where he sees no reason, but the ●are command of God; it is enough to him, that they are commanded of God; it is not for the Lord to give account of his ways, to his creatures; Audaciam existimo de bono divini praecepti disputare, n●● quia bonum est auscultare d 〈…〉 mus, sed quia Deus praec●pit Tertul. de poenit. it is enough for us, that he bids us follow him; absolute obedience is that which is our duty; there is always reason enough in God's will; but whether we see it, or see it not, if we can but see the Commandment, it is enough for us; we take too much upon us, to dispute about the reason of things with God, we must not be Judges of the Law, but doers of it. Saul could see no reason, why he might not spare the best of the cattle, especially when he did it to keep them for sacrifice, but it cost him his Kingdom; God rejected him for it, and told him, Obedience was better than sacrifice. Luther Mallem obedire quam miracula sacere. saith, He had rather obey than work miracles. And Cassianus reports of one johannes Abbas, who when he was young, was willing for a whole Cassianus l. 4. cap. 24. year together, to fetch water every day near two miles, to water a dry stick, because he was commanded so to do; he thought it reason enough to do things unreasonable, to show his obedience unto man, whose will is many times unreasonable; how much more reason is there then that we should show our obedience to God, in duties, where through our weakness we cannot see the reason, when we may be sure that there is always reason enough, if we were able to see it? Fourthly, and yet further, the soul that is willing to follow God 4 in all duties, will follow him in Commandments that are accounted little Commandments: God expects faithfulness in little things; God prizes every tittle of his Law more worth than heaven and earth, howsoever we may slight many things in it, and think them too small to put any great bond upon us. Christ saith, that, Heaven and earth shall pass away, but not one jot or tittle of his Word. As if he should say, If Heaven and earth were in one balance, and any jot or tittle of my Word in another, and if one of them must needs perish, I had rather that Heaven and earth should perish, than that one jot or tittle of my Word should fail: The Authority of Heaven puts weight on things, that are never so little in themselves. If man's authority do this, how much more Divine? Man cannot bear disobedience in little things; though the things be very small in themselves, yet if commanded by Authority, it is justly expected that they should be much regarded. Shall man's authority make small things to be accounted great, and shall God's Authority do nothing? Obedience in small things is due to Magistrates, much more to God: Give to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are Gods, Matth, 22. 21. It is observable in that place, the Article is twice repeated in the Greek Text, when he speaks of God, more than when he speaks of Caesar: showing, that our especial 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. care should be to give God his due. Fiftly and lastly, not to instance in more particulars, the soul that follows God fully in all duties, is willing 5 to follow him in duties wherein it must go alone; it is willing to follow God in folitary paths. Many men, were it that they might have company in the way, in following the Lord, they would be content; but to go all alone in such solitary ways, wherein they can see none go before them, wherein they can have none along with them, few or none are like to follow after them; this is tedious. But a child of God thinks he hath enough, in that he hath God with him, that he walks along with God; this is company enough, let the way be what it will be: As David, Psal. 23. 4. Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, yet thou art with me. God promises that he will go before his people; that is enough, though there be none else. It is true, company in God's ways is delightful, and it is a sad thing, that there is so little a tract in God's paths. It was the complaint of God's people, Lam. 1. 4. that the ways of Zion did mourn, because none came in them. But if company cannot be had, it is enough we have the Lord. 2 Tim. 4. 16. At my first answer, saith S. Paul, no man stood with me, but all men forsook me, notwithstanding the Lord stood with me. Elijah thought he was left alone, he could see no man go that way he did; yet he continues in his fervour and zeal, following the Lord. Indeed we should the rather follow the Lord, because we see so few follow him: What? shall he have none to follow him? as Christ said to his Disciples, when many forsook him, Will you also forsake me? Thus you see by these several instances in difficult duties, in discountenanced duties, in duties wherein we can see no reason, but a bare command, in duties that seem to be small and little, and in duties, wherein if we follow God we must follow him alone; that the soul that follows God fully, will follow him in these, and so by the same reason in all other duties that God shall require, to follow him in: And this is that precious choice spirit we spoke of before, which shows it in this, that it is thus willing to follow God fully. You know it is required of us to be perfect, as God himself is perfect, to be holy as God is holy; yea, this the Gospel requires of us; but how can that be? Yes, thus; Gods perfection and holiness is made known to us in his will, in his Commandments; now look how large they are set forth to us in these, so large must our obedience be: though we cannot attain to the degree, yet our hearts must enlarge themselves to the things, to what ever part of God's will, God makes known his perfection and holiness by. Thy Commandment is very broad, saith David, yet godliness enlargeth the heart to every duty it calls for: there is a grace within the soul suitable to every duty the law requires. It may be this is indeed, may some think, in those who are eminent in grace, upon whom God hath bestowed a great measure of his Spirit; but is this in every one that hath any truth? Wherefore for answer let us know, there is this perfection, or else there is no truth at all; only remember, I do not speak now of the perfection of degrees; in this consists the right straightness of a man's heart. A strait line will touch with another strait line in every point, but a crooked line will not, it toucheth but only here & there in some: so strait hearts will join with God's law in every part, but crooked and perverse hearts, only in some, only so far as may serve their own turns. In this consists the true plainness of a man's spirit: you know, plain things will join likewise in every point one with another, but round and rugged things will not: so proud, sowlne hearts, and rugged spirits will not close fully with God's truths; but where there is plainness of spirit, there is a full closing, a thorough union. There is a great dangerous mistake about this point, which yet is a general mistake; multitudes of people miscarry everlastingly upon this mistake; they think because we cannot in this life attain to the perfection of holiness in the degrees, therefore there is no perfection at all necessary, but that they may be saved without it: they think therefore that if they do some good things, if they obey some Commandments, it is sufficient, though they take liberty to themselves in other things; they find they can yield in something; yet other things of Gods will are exceedingly unsuitable unto them. Be convinced of your mistake herein: a godly man indeed is weak, and cannot attain to the performance of every part of God's will, but the frame of his heart is to every part; every part is suitable to his spirit: He esteems all the Precepts of God concerning all things to be right, and he hates every false way. He finds the Law of God in the latitude of it, Psal. 119. 128. written in his heart; there is no command of God that is not dearer to him than all the world. Mark that place in job, Chap. 8. verse 20. God will not cast away the perfect man, neither will he help the evil doers: The perfect man is opposed to the evil doers, who shall be cast away. If you be not perfect in this sense that hath been spoken of, than you are an evil doer, who must be cast away, how glorious soever many of your actions may seem to be. That place in Ezechiel, Chap. 18. verse 21. that is usually taken for the place of the greatest mercy in all the Scripture, & by many is exceedingly abused; yet see what that requires of men in their repentance: the words are usually taken up thus, At what time soever a sinner reputes him of his sin, I will blot out all his iniquities, saith the Lord. There are not those very words in any place of Scripture, but there are to the like effect, which are in this place of Ezechiel: And in no other place is God's mercy to a sinner, more fully revealed: There is no Text in Scripture comes nearer to that which men ordinarily take up, than that verse and the 27. 28. verses in the same Chapter: and see what of God's mind we have made known there; the words of the Scripture are thus, If the wicked will turn from all his sins that he hath committed, and keep all mystatutes, and do that which is lawful and right, he shall surely live: and again, Verse 28. Because he considereth, and turns from all his transgressions. Thus you see, that God in the largest promises of his mercy to those who have the least measure of grace, he requires the turning from all sins, and the keeping of all his Statutes: and this God brings to show the infinite equity of his ways towards sinners. As if he should say, Except this be, no man's conscience in the world but must acknowledge it to be infinitely just and equal, that he should perish everlastingly; if there be any way of wickedness reserved, if any statute of mine be neglected, if he thinks to have mercy without an universal turning from his sin, without an universal obedience; his conscience will tell him, that it is an unequal and unreasonable thing, that he should ever expect it. And yet further, because you think that this universality of obedience should be expected only from some who are eminent in grace, who have attained to a great measure of godliness; consider what is required of poor widows, 1 Tim. 5. 10. They must diligently follow every good work. First, they must not only have good desires, but good works. Secondly, they must follow good works. Thirdly, they must diligently follow them. Fourthly, they must diligently follow every good work. And fifthly, they must so follow, as they must be well reported of for it. Yea, sixthly, they must do all this, or else they must not be received into the Church. Surely, than it is a shame for any man, especially of parts and abilities, to plead weakness, when so much is required of poor women; certainly it is not weakness, but falseness of heart, that is contrary to universality of obedience, to the following of the Lord fully in this respect. The Vessel of honour is distinguished from the vessel of dishonour, 2 Tim. 2. 21. by this Character, that it is one that is sanctified and prepared for every good work. You know what S. james saith, Chap. 1. verse 26. If any man seem to be religious, and bridle not his tongue, but deceives his own heart, this man's religion is in vain. It is an heavy censure, that all a man's religion is in vain for one fault, and that but for a fault in the tongue; and yet this is the censure of the Holy Ghost. No question, such men who were guilty herein, would reason thus with themselves, We cannot be perfect in this life, we do perform many duties of religion; & therefore we hope though we fail in this one thing, that yet we shall do well enough, God will accept of us. No, saith S. james, he deceives his own heart; such a one shall never be accepted. To the like effect is that of our Saviour, john 5. 44. How can you believe on me, which receive honour one of another? This was enough to keep than off for ever from Christ; and yet this was but an inward sin, no outward gross crying sin in the esteem of the world. Let a man be never so glorious in never so many duties of Religion, yet certainly the giving liberty to himself in any one lust, is enough to keep him off for ever from God, from partaking of good in him. As if a wife be never so officious to her husband, yielding to him in never so many things, seeking to give him content in his desires never so many ways, yet if she entertains any other lover besides himself, it is enough to alienate his spirit from her for ever. That which God says to Solomon, 1 King. 9 4. is very observable to our purpose: After Solomon had finished that glorious Temple, for the honour of the Lord, after he had assembled all the Elders of Israel, all the heads of the Tribes, the chief of the Fathers of the children of Israel, to bring up the Ark of the Lord with all solemnity, to that Temple he had made for it, after he had made such an excellent prayer before all the people; and when that was done, that he might show his further respect unto the Lord, he offered to the Lord two and twenty thousand Oxen, and one hundred and twenty thousand sheep, and in his rejoicing in this great work, he made a great feast to the people seven days, and to them he added seven days more, and sent away the people with joyful and glad hearts: Here were great things done in honour to God, yet all this would not serve Salomon's turn, but Chap. 9 4. After all this, God says to him, If thou wil● walk before me, as David thy father walked, in integrity of heart and uprightness, to do according to all that I have commanded thee, than I will establish the Throne of thy Kingdom: As if he should have said, Do not think to put me off with any thing thou hast done; though the things be great things, yet I expect walking according to all that I have commanded thee, or else all is nothing; And therefore, as before you heard, he was charged by God, Chap. 11. 6. that he did not go fully after the Lord: One would have thought those glorious actions that he did, had been enough to have got him the commendation of going fully after God; but we see it would not be: there must be beside these, a walking according to all that God commands, a keeping his Statutes, and his judgements, yea, and that is observable that we have in the 6. verse of this 9 Chapter, where God says after all this, That if you shall at all turn from following me, you, or your children, etc. then will I cut off Israel. We must take heed of the least failing in our following the Lord. God threatens Solomon, after he had done so much, that if he did at all turn from following him, he would cut him off. It is not our forwardness in some good things, it is not our serviceablenes in some public and worthy employments, that will serve our turns, if we make not conscience of every duty, of secret duties, and that constantly. God hath so connexed the duties of his Law one to another, that if so be there be not a conscionable care to walk according to all, it is accounted as the breach of all, according to that of S. james, Chap. 2. 10. Whosoever shall keep the whole Law, and yet offend in one point, is guilty of all; The bond of all is broken, the authority of all is slighted; and that evil disposition that causeth a man to venture upon the breach of one, might the breach of others serve for his own ends as well as that, it would make him venture upon the breach of any. To draw to a conclusion of this Argument, let us know, that if the heart be right, it is willing to be cast into the mould of the Word, to receive whatsoever print the Word will put upon it, to be in whatsoever form the Word will have it: as Metals that are cast into a mould, they receive the print of the mould, print for print in every part; and this is the heart that doth indeed follow God fully. This is S. Paul's expression, Rom. 6. 17. You have obeyed from the heart, that form of doctrine unto which you were delivered; so the words are in the Original: The 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. form of doctrine is compared to the Mould, & the sincere obeyers from the heart, are compared to the Metal delivered into this Mould, which takes impression from it, in one part as well as in another. No sincere obedience from the heart, no true following of God fully without this. I have been the larger in this particular, because the mistake is so general and dangerous. 5 Then doth the heart fully follow 5 after the Lord, when it is indeed willing to search fully into every truth, that yet it doth not fully know, with a readiness to lie under the power of it: Such a man is not afraid of any truth of God, lest it should put him upon that he hath no mind to, as Ahab was afraid to inquire of Michaiah what the mind of God was, because he was never wont to prophesy good unto him; but that man who follows the Lord fully, doth always account the word of the Lord to be good to him, as Mic. 2. 7. Do not my words do good to him that walks uprightly? He saith to the Lord as Elihu, job 34. 32. That which I see not, teach thou me: if I have done iniquitiy, I will do no more. Lord, that which I know not, do thou teach me; and wherein I have failed, I shall conscionably endeavour to reform. Oh! let the Word of God be glorified for ever, whatsoever becomes of me; let it come in the full latitude of it, my soul shall yield to it; my heart is prepared to submit to whatsoever truth God shall make known to me. I remember, I have read in one of the Epistles written to Oecolampadius, of a notable expression, of one Baldassar a Minister in Germany writing to him; Let the word of the Lord Veniat, venial verbum Domini, et submittemu● illi, sexcenta si nobis essent c●l●a. come, let it come, saith he, and we will submit to it, if we had many hundred necks to put under: This is a degree further than the other; for there are many who dare not go against known truths, for then conscience would fly in their faces; but there are some truths which they are afraid to know, which they are secretly willing to put off, lest they should come to know them, which is an argument that their hearts are not fully after the Lord: when men are not convinced of many truths, not because there is not light enough to convince them, but because they are not willing to be convinced, they strive to keep out the power of the truth from their hearts; they are not willing, that such truths that are not for their turns, should come into their judgements; they seek to shift them off: when the truth stands and pleads for entrance, they seek one shift or other to put it off withal, Heb. 12. 25. See that ye refuse not him that speaketh: The words are, See that ye shift not him off that speaketh. In the propriety of that word as it is in the Original, we have thus much signified to us: Christ in his truths 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. comes to ask entrance, and we must ●ake heed that we do not put him off. And if the truth have got into our judgement, we must take heed, we do not strive to get conscience off from it; and if conscience hath closed with it, take heed we strive nor to get it out of conscience again, and then think it a sufficient plea, to satisfy ourselves and others in the actions we do, that now our judgements are better informed; whereas the truth indeed is, our lusts are more satisfied, the corruptions of our hearts are more increased. Oh take heed for ever of labouring to blind our understandings, of withholding the truth in unrighteousness, of imprisoning it, to keep it from working with power upon our hearts. This distemper of heart, is exceedingly opposite to the following of the Lord fully. 6 To follow God fully, is to follow him so, as to be willing to venture 6 the loss of all for him, willing to decline from & cast off whatsoever comes in the way, though never so dear unto us; to follow him close whatsoever comes in competition with him; when we cannot follow him without parting with much for him, when our following him will cost us the loss of our formerly most dear comforts and contentments; to follow the Lamb wheresoever he goes, thorough all afflictions, thorough all straits, knowing that his way though it be a way of blood, yet it leads to the throne; To follow Christ to mount Calvery where he is to suffer, as well as to that Mount that we read of Esay 25. 6. where the Lord makes to his people, A feast of fat things, a feast of wines, a feast of fat things full of marrow. It is nothing to follow him, when our comforts, peace, ease, honour goes along together with him; it cannot then be known whether we follow him or no, or whether it be our own ends that we follow: As when a Servingman follows two Gentlemen, we know not which of these two he follows till they part, but than you shall see which was his Master: So here, when Christ and our own ends part one from another, then is the trial which was followed before. We must love the truth, not only when we can live upon it, when we can get advantage by it; but then also, when it must live upon us, when it must have our estates, our peace, our names, our liberties, our lives to live upon, and to be maintained by: we must follow him when we must deny ourselves, and take up our cross, when we must throughly deny ourselves; for the word in the Original is a compound, noting more than a single, more than an ordinary 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. Mat 16 24. Abneget omnino neget. self denial; when we must take up our Cross, not choose what Cross we are willing to meet with; to think, if it were such an affliction that such a man hath, I could bear it, but I know not how to bear this: but it must be our Cross, and willingly took up, and that daily too; We must be willing to follow him thorough the wilderness. Cant. 8. 5. Who is this that cometh from the wilderness, leaning on her beloved? The wilderness is the troubles and afflictions of the Church, she comes thorough them with her Beloved, resting Zach. 13 9 herself upon her Beloved. If the Lord will lead us thorough the fire, and thorough the water, yet we must follow him there; if he will lead us where fiery Serpents and Scorpions are; yet we must follow him there. Deut. 18. 15. josephus' writing of the times of Christ, says, There was one Jesus a wise man in those josoph. lib. 18. cap. 4. times, if it be lawful to call him a man, for he did diverse admirable works, yet he was condemned to the cross; but notwithstanding this, those who followed him from the beginning, did not forbear to love him, because of the ignominy of his death, but followed him still. To follow a crucified Christ, a contemned Christ, to sollow him in the bloody paths of his sufferings, this is to follow him fully indeed. When one came and told Christ that he would follow him wheresoever he went, Mat. 8. 19 Jesus saith unto him, The Foxes have holes, and the birds of the air have nests, but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head. As if he should have said, You must not expect great matter in following me, but you must be content to suffer hard things. Christ ●els the young man that came running to him to know what he should do for eternal life, that if he would be perfect, he must sell all; and then come and follow him; if he would follow him fully, he must be content to part with all for Christ; to sell all, as the wise Merchant sold all for the Pearl. If there be any thing in the world that you are not willing to part withal, if any thing that you are not willing to suffer, you cannot follow me fully. In this consists the uprightness of heart, to go in a right line to God; what soever comes between God and us, yet not to fetch a compass, but to go thorough it; for if we fetch a compass, the line is not right: we must therefore strike thorough all troubles and hazards we meet withal, still keep our way, not break the hedge of any Commandment to avoid any piece of foul way. Many think they desire to follow God, but when they meet with some trouble in their way, than they would fetch compass to balk that, and yet hope to come to God well enough at last; they would be loath not to be accounted followers of God: But let such know that this fetching compass, which they think to be their wisdom, it is the declining from uprightness. Many follow God, as the Dog follows his Master, till he comes by a Carrion, and then he lets his Master go, and turns aside to it. Thus many seem to be forward in profession of Religion, till they meet with some opportunity of satisfying their lusts, than they leave off, and turn aside to the enjoyment of them: But the heart that fully follows God, is not only willing to part with any lust for Christ, but it gives up itself to the dispose of God, to become of his estate, credit, liberty, comforts, life, what God pleases; it is not solicitous about these things; the business that it hath to do, is to follow the Lord; it knows that it is the work of the Lord to take care for it about these things, while it is in following of him. It is said of Amaziah, 2 Chron. 25. 2. That he did that indeed which was right in the sight of the Lord, but not with a perfect heart; he did many good things, but he had not a heart to follow God fully: and this was one Argument of it, which we have, Verse 9 that he was so solicitous about his money; for when the Man of God came to him, and told him the mind of God, that he must not have the Army of Israel go with him, because he had hired the Army with an hundred Talents; he was very solicitous what he should do for his money; for so he saith, But what shall we do for the hundred Talents which I have given to the Army of Israel? Whereas if his heart had been right and full in following God, as it should have been, it had been enough for him to have known the command of God, let become of the hundred Talents what they will. Seventhly, to follow God fully, is 7 to follow him only, so as to be willing to dedicate, to devote whatsoever God lets us still to enjoy, to God alone: If we have any gifts, any estate, any esteem in the world, all shall be employed for God alone, all shall be laid out for him. As we must be willing to lose all things for him, when he calls for them, (of which before) so we must endeavour to use all things for him, while we do enjoy them. To sollow God fully, is to follow him as the highest good, as the only good, as the All-sufficient good, as the Fountain of all good, as the Rule of all good; to follow him so, as to follow nothing else but God; not only to follow God chiefly, that is more than to follow any thing else, but to follow him only. But how is that? I mean thus; we must follow God in our following any thing else, we must follow all for God, in reference to God, in subordination under God, and then we cannot be said to follow the creature, but it is God that is followed in it. As when God is followed in reference and subordination to any good in the creature, it is not then God, but the creature that we sollow; so when the creature is followed in subordination to God, it is God, and not the creature that is followed. As thus; when David was in the dry Wilderness, no question, he desired water; yet, Psalm. 63. 1. I thirst after thee, O Lord, in a dry and barren Wilderness, where no water is: He doth not say, I thirst after water, but after thee; be cause he sought all in reference to God; and so it was God alone that he thirsted for. When we desire nothing, when we seek after nothing, when we let out our hearts to nothing,, use, enjoy nothing, but in order to God; when all the good, comfort, sweetness, desireableness in any creature is in the reference it hath to God, so far as God is in it, as God is honoured, or enjoyed by it; when God alone is lifted up in the heart, in the use of every creature, this is to follow God fully. Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve; thou shalt follow the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou follow. Christ chargeth the Jews, in john 5. 44. that they did not seek the honour that came from God only; and this was that which kept them off from believing: this is enough to keep us off from God for ever. If we would have our hearts come up fully to God, it is not enough to seek the honour that comes from God, but we must seek the honour that comes from God only: and this is the true singleness of heart which the Scripture speaks of, when it singles out this object, and eyes it alone. The doubleness of a man's heart consists not so much in that it is otherwise within, than that it appears outward, but in that it is divided to diverse objects; it doth not fix upon God as the only object: and as double-minded men have double objects, so they have double motions: as the Planets that are carried in their motion one way by the Heavens, but have beside a private motion of their own; so, many are carried to God by some external, yea, it may be, internal Motives; but yet they have a private motion of their own another way to other things; God alone is not the Centre of their hearts. Eighthly, the soul than follows 8 God fully, when it carries thorough the work it undertakes, against all discouragements and hindrances: As a Ship coming with full sail, bears all down before it. It doth not only work, but works thoroughly, works out that it doth. As Phil. 2. 12. Work out your salvation; work till you get the work thorough: This 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 soul works after God in his ways, and that with power; though it finds no good comes in by them for the present, though it hath wrought a long time, and yet sees nothing coming in; yet it murmurs not, it repines not, it reputes not of any thing it hath done for God; it complains not with those Hypocrites, Esay 58. 3. Wherefore have we fasted, and thou seest not, and wherefore have we afflicted our souls, and thou regardest not? Nor with those in Malach. 1. 13. who say, What a weariness is this? and, Chap. 3. 14. who say, It is in vain to serve the Lord, and what profit is there that we have kept his Ordinances, and that we have walked mournfully before the Lord of Hosts? But this soul that follows God fully, makes no such complaints, but goes on still in the way of God; though the flesh be weary and tired, it goes on still. As Gideon and those three hundred men that were with him, judges 8. 4. though they were faint, yet they went on pursuing; so here, though there may be much faintness and weakness, yet the soul doth not think of turning back again, but goes on still, pursuing in that way it hath begun; it is glad it hath done any thing for God, and it resolves still to do more, how ever God pleases to deal with it. Though he may be weary in his following the Lord, yet he is is not weary of following the Lord. Many follow the Lord, as a beggar follows a man, only in expectation of Alms, he follows him a furlong or two, begging; but if he sees the man goes still from him, he leaves off, and lets him go: so many will pray, and hear, and seek after God for a while; but if they feel not that come in, which they did expect, they grow weary, and leave off. Duties that bring present comfort with them, many can be content to be exercised in, but if they find nothing coming in by them, than their hearts sink in discouragement, they have no heart to do anything. As it is said of Ephraim, Hos. 10. 11. Ephraim is as an Heifer, that loves to tread out the Corn: Ephraim loved to tread out the Corn, but not to Blow: The Heifer while it was treading out the Corn, did feed upon the Corn, and so had present delight in that work it did; but the Heifer that ploughed, did labour, and spend its strength, but had no refreshment till after the work was done: Thus it is with many; that work, that hath present joy, that hath present refreshment in it, while they are about it, they can take content in it; but if they must work and tyre the flesh, and yet have no present refreshing, but must continue working a great while, and stay till the accomplishment of the work, before any benefit comes by it, this they like not: But one that follows the Lord fully, resolves to follow him, though he hides himself; as David, Psal. 101. 2. I will behave myself wisely, in a perfect way; oh when wilt thou come unto me? I will walk within my house with a perfect heart. As if David should have said, I am resolved to walk before thee in a perfect way, and yet I have not thy gracious presence with me; oh when wilt thou come unto me? but still whatsoever becomes of me, I am determined to continue walking within my house with a perfect heart. The like place we have, Psal. 119. 8. I will keep thy statutes, oh forsake me not utterly. As if he should have said, O Lord, thou hast in some degree forsaken me, thou seemest as if thou wouldst forsake me; yet Lord, I am determined that I will keep thy Statutes. Thus the upright heart resolves, Though I should perish Cypr. upon that voice that came from Heaven, This is my beloved Son, hear him. Loquere Magister bone, libenter te audio, & cum adversaris mihi, audio to cum i●asceris. everlastingly, yet I will perish following the Lord; and if I cannot follow him, I will cry after him; and if I cannot cry after him, I will look towards him; yea, though he appears to be angry, yet will I follow him: as ●ob, Though he kills me, yet will I trust in him. Though there be much guiltiness upon the spirit, so that the devil, and an unbelieving sullen heart would much discourage from following after the Lord; yet still it will not leave off, but it labours to encourage itself, as Samuel did the people, 1 Sam. 12. 20, 21. Samuel said unto the people, Fear not; ye have done all this wickedness, yet turn not aside from following the Lord, but serve the Lord with all your heart, and turn you not aside: for than should you go after vain things, which cannot prosit nor deliver, for they are vain. Thus the soul that follows the Lord, reasons with itself; Though it is true I have sinned, mine iniquities are great, God may justly be provoked, and for ever reject me, yet I will not turn aside from following him: I know there is no good to be got elsewhere: though I be unworthy of mercy, yet God is worthy of honour, and therefore what ever I can do, I will, that God may have honour, though I perish; yea this soul though it receives many a repulse, yet still it will follow. As the woman of Canaan, though Christ called her Dog, yet she leaves not off; she acknowledgeth herself to be a Dog, yet still she seeks. Yea, though God seems to go cross ways, quite contrary to that the soul expected, yet still this soul will follow him even in those ways. As when the Lord called Abraham to follow him into a Land that should flow with milk and honey, Gen. 12. 1. Abraham was content to leave his own country, his father's house, his kindred, and all his friends; and notwithstanding as soon as he came into that Land, he found there was a famine in the land, Verse 10. so that he was forced to get into Egypt, and that with the peril of his life, or else he must have starved. Flesh and blood would have murmured much at this, and have said, What? is this that Land that God said he would show me? is this that fruitful Land for which I must leave my Country and all my friends? and now as soon as I come into it, I am ready to starve in it: and yet Abraham followed God still in all the ways he was pleased to lead him in. Again, when God promised to multiply his Seed as the Stars of heaven; yet for twenty years after this, Sarah was barren; God seemed to neglect his promise: and after when he had a child, in whom all the Nations of the earth were to be blessed; yet this Child Abraham must kill: And here God seems to go cross to his Promise, yet Abraham follows God still. One who follows God fully indeed, looks up to the goodness of God in himself, and in his Promise; not to it as it appears to sense: he sees more good in the Promise, then in all the things in the world; though he sees nothing, though he seeles nothing in himself, nor in any creature for the present; and what work he follows the Lord in, he will not leave imperfect; he will not give over, till he sees something come of it: if he follows God for a broken heart, he will pray and meditate, and pray and meditate again, and again, if it were a thousand times, and a thousand times over again, till the work comes to some effect: And so for power over a corruption, and strength in any grace; where there is truth of grace, there will be working, like fire that never leaves working till it breaks forth, and gets the victory. Hence that place of our Saviour Matth. 12. 20. where he says, he will not quench the smoking flax, nor break the bruised Reed, till he send forth Judgement into victory. If we observe the place of the Prophet from whence this is taken, which is Esay 42. 3, the words are, He shall bring forth judgement unto truth: noting that wheresoever there is truth, there will be victory: Christ will nourish the smoking flax, that is, the least work of grace, till Judgement, that is, this work of sanctification be brought into victory, and overcome what opposeth it. If he brings any beginnings of grace to truth, the victory is already gotten. It is reported of Master Bradford, that he would never leave off when he was in holy duties, till he found something coming in; as in confession of sin, till he found his heart melt and break for sin; in seeking pardon, till he found some quieting of his spirit, in some intimation from God of his love; and so for grace, till he found his heart warmed and quickened. It is an excellent thing indeed, to resolve to follow the Lord in duty howsoever, though nothing should come in by it to ourselves: but yet the heart that is right, will never be satisfied in the performance of a duty, till it find some manifestation of God's presence in it; some work of God put forth upon it, by it; it will not rest in duty performed; it is not satisfied in good inclinations, in good desires it hath, nor in gifts it receives, nor in comforts it finds in the creature, nor in enlargements and more inward joys, but it must have grace, and God; it must have some impression of God upon it, to carry with it as a Seal of that presence of God it did enjoy in the duty: it so strives with the Lord, as it resolves not to let him go, till it hath got a blessing. It is a very full expression that S. Bernard hath to this purpose, in two or three words; Oh what a mercy were it, continually to enjoy that Nunquam ab● te, ab 〈…〉 te re●●do, Bern. ep. 116. which he saith! Oh Lord, saith he, I never go away from thee without thee: he means, he never leaves off duty, till he gets the presence of God, and so carries the Lord along with him. Oh how often do we go from God without God we think it enough that we have been before him in holy duties, though indeed we still abide strangers to him & he to us. How often doth God send us empty away from his presence, which we should account a sore and grievous affliction? But here's the misery, we are not sensible of this; if we have our desires in the creature, we are quieted and satisfied: whereas if our hearts were fully after the Lord as they ought, when we are before him, we should cry to him, as Moses in another case, Exod. 33. Except thy presence go with me, Lord send me not hence. 9 One that follows. God fully, is willing to engage and bind himself 9 to God, by the most full, and strong bonds, and engagements that can be; his spirit is at the greatest liberty, when he is most strongly bound to the Lord. That place in the 2 Chron. 15. 12, is very observable for this; Asa and his people enter into a Covenant to seek the Lord God of their fathers, with all their heart, and with all their soul; yea so, as whosoever would not seek the Lord God, should be put to death, whether small or great, man or woman, and they swore unto the Lord with shoutings, and with trumpets, and with cornets: But were they not afterwards troubled, that they had so tied and bound themselves? would they not have thought it better to have been at more liberty? No surely, for Verse 15. the Text says, that all judah rejoiced at the oath; and this reason is given, Because they had sworn with all their heart, and sought him with their whole soul. When any seek God with their whole heart, with their whole soul, they are not only willing to engage themselves to God, but they rejoice in their engagements: Thus Nehemiah whose heart was fully set for God, did himself, and got the Princes, the Priests, Levites, and People to make a sure covenant, to write it, to seal it, Chap. 9 38. And as if this were not engagement enough, they further enter into a curse, and into an oath, to walk in God's Law, to observe and do all the Commandments of the Lord, and his Judgements, and his Statutes. Thus David discovers the fullness of his spirit in following after the Lord, in that he not only promises, but swears he will keep the righteous Judgements of the Lord, Psal. 119. 106. It is a sign that men's hearts are not fully taken off from their sin, when they do not fully come off in the Covenant of the Lord. No, may some say, it is because we often covenant with God, and find we are overcome again, and do break covenant with him, and therefore we are afraid to enter into covenant any more. Is it not better not to covenant, than not to perform? I answer, It is true, if men covenant and wilfully neglect, they were better not covenant at all; but if when we enter into covenant, we have the testimony of our consciences, that we labour as in the sight of God, to fulfil our covenants we make, and it is the burden of our souls that we sail in them, than I say, that we are still to go on, and engage ourselves further; our covenants do not aggravate our sin, but in time they will help us against our sin; this is one way that God hath appointed to strengthen us; and therefore, we must not complain of weakness, and yet neglect any way appointed by GOD, to get strength by. 10 To follow God fully, is to abide 10 in all these constant to the end of our days; That is, we must be constant in God's ways, not think it enough to enter into them by fits and starts, but the ways of God must be our ordinary tract, Prov. 16. 17. The high way of the upright is to depart from evil; It is his common road, and constant course: and we must continue faithful before the Lord unto the death. It is the commendation of Hezechiah 2 King. 8. 6. He clavae unto the Lord and departed not. And David, Psal. 119. 112. he saith, He hath inclined his heart to perform God's statutes always; but as if that expression were not enough to signify his continuance, he adds, even unto the end. job 17. 9 The righteous holds on his way. A heart that hath given up itself fully to God, doth never forsake him. There is no Apostate in the world, but if we could trace him along in his ways, to his very beginning, we might find, that in the entrance of his profession, there was not a full giving up himself to God, there was not an absolute surrender made, of all that he was, and had, unto the Lord. It may be said of him as it was of Amaziah, That though he did that which was right in the sight of the Lord, yet he did it not with a perfect heart. There are three Reasons why it must needs be, that, that man which follows God fully, must needs follow him constantly and for ever. First, because where ever the Lord 1 brings any to follow him fully, he causeth such a perfect breach between sin and that soul, as there is no possibility that ever there should be a reconciliation made, that the breach should be made up again. An unsound heart so falls out with his sin, as there is a possibility of reconcilement, and therefore when such a one finds trouble in God's service, he is willing to enter into parley again, upon terms of agreement with his sin; but it is not so with a truly godly heart; there is such a breach made, as there is no hope of reconciliation. It was Achitophel's policy to get Absalon to stick to him, so as never to leave him. To take away the fear that there might be, lest Absalon in time might be reconciled to his father, and so leave him, therefore he sought to make such a breach between him and his father, as there should never be any hope of reconciliation, and so he might be the surer to keep constant to him, and the people that joined with him, and therefore he advised, that Absalon should go in to his father's Concubines upon the house top, in the sight of all the people, 2 Sam. 16. 21, 22. It is the wisdom of God, that he may have followers never to leave him; to make such breaches between sin and their souls at first, so as there may never be hope of peace between them again. As the Devil when he would draw one to be his for ever, he seeks to make great breaches between God and him, that if he should have ever any thoughts of returning, he may discourage and sink his spirit with thoughts of despair, telling him there is no hope of good in returning that way, and therefore it were better for him to continue as he is, as jer. 2. 25. Thou saidst, there is no hope; No, for I have loved strangers, and after them will I go. When the Devil gets one who hath been forward in the profession of religion to Apostatise, he labours to make such a breach between him and his former course, as not only to fall off from it, but to hate it, and to persecure it, and to turn deadly enemy to it, and then both the devil and wicked men think, they are sure of him for ever: and indeed it is very seldom that ever such a one returns. Bishop Latimer in a Sermon before King Edward, tells of one who fell away from the known truth, and after fell to mocking and scorning it, and yet was after touched in conscience for it; beware of this sin, says Latimer; for I have known no more but this one man, that ever fell from the truth, and afterwards repent; I have known many fall, but never any but this repent. Now the breach between sin and the soul in conversion, is as great as between God and the soul in Apostasy; yea, greater; for there is a possibility of reconciliation in the one, but never in the other: and therefore as the one, because of this great breach between God and his soul, doth follow the Devil, and his destruction for ever; so the other, because of the breach between sin and the soul, doth follow the Lord, and his salvation for ever: as in the one, the gifts of God's Spirit are so cast out as usually they never return again; so in the other, the unclean spirit is so cast out, as it never comes back again. 2 A second Reason, why that man 2 that follows the Lord fully, must needs follow him for ever, is, because at the first giving up himself to God, he was content to let go all other holds, and all other hopes in all creature-comforts whatsoever, and so to venture himself upon God, is to be content to be miserable for ever, if he find not enough in God to make him happy: he hath so let all other things go, as if he should fail here, he hath nowhither to retire, he hath reserved no way, no means for to help himself by, if he should miscarry here; he hath laid all the weight of all his comforts, of all his hopes, of all his happiness upon the Lord; he hath no other prop that he doth or can expect any support by: there is a blessed necessity upon him to follow the Lord for ever, and this necessity the soul is glad of: and this is the reason why God in his first bringing a soul home to himself, useth so much means to take it off from all other things; namely, that it might follow him for ever. As it is reported of William the Conqueror, when he came to invade England, and had landed his Soldiers, he sent back his ships, that so they might have no hope of retreating back again, and so they were put upon a necessity of fight it out to the utmost. Thus the Lord takes off the soul from all its former hopes and props, that it may have no linger after any thing but himself, but thoroughly sighed the good fight of faith, & with resolution hold on its course to the end. But it is otherwise with a false, unfound heart; though such a one may follow God in many glorious performances, yet it secretly reserves something in case of failing here; when it enters upon God's ways, it is enlightened so far, as it thinks some good may be had here: yea, it hath a taste, it may be, of much sweetness in these ways, but dares not venture all upon them; he would be glad to have some thing to retire to, in case he should fail here; he reserves a back door, that he might turn another way, if this way should prove troublesome and dangerous; he enters upon God's ways, not without some suspicions and jealousies, that possibly he may meet with such inconveniences as may make him to wish he had been more wise, and not put himself in too far; he sees many others, who being deeply engaged, and gone on so far in those ways, wherein they meet with much trouble, many sore and heavy afflictions; and he thinks they do, or at least may repent themselves, and wish they had not ventured themselves so far, as that now they know not how to go back again; and if they were to begin again, he thinks they would be wiser, and hearken to grave advise for more moderation. The King of Navarre told Beza, Pelago se nonita come 〈…〉 ssarus esset quin quando liberet, pedem refer posset. he would launch no further into the Sea, than he might be sure to return safe unto the Haven; though he showed some countenance to Religion, yet he would be sure to save himself. Many think it wisdom not to venture all in one bottom. It was once the speech of a deep politician, that it was good to follow the truth, but not to follow it too near at the heels, lest it dashed out his brains. Ananias and Saphira would be Christians, they would join with the Apostles, they saw great things were done by them; their possessions must be sold, and the money laid at the Apostles feet; but something must be reserved, in case they should want afterwards, and then repent them they had gone so far, when it should be too late; and this is the very root of Apostasy. But it is otherwise with a sincere heart that follows God fully; in such a one there is a holy kind of desperateness, so to cast itself upon God, and his ways, as never to expect any comfort, any good, but there; and therefore this is that it must rest to for ever, and follow after for ever. 3 The soul that follows God fully, will follow him for ever, because 3 in the full following of the Lord, it finds so much ease, peace, joy, satisfaction, as it is for ever settled and confirmed in this way; there is never ●ase, sweetness, and full contentment in God's ways, until the heart comes off fully; till than it is distracted with jealousies, fears, doubts, linger after some other way, many temprations pestering the spirit continually: but when it is fully come off, than it goes on with ease; it is satisfied, and blesseth itself in the way wherein it is; temptations 〈…〉 u 〈…〉 oars vivimus, si tot●m Deodamus; non autem nos ill ex part & nobis ex parte commi●timus. Aug. de ono perseverant. c. 6. vanish, the soul is freed from much distraction and trouble: As the ship that is part in the mud and part in the water, is battered up and down, and beats up and down, so as in a little time it beats itself all in pieces; but if it be taken off from the mud, and be put into the full stream, it goes with ease and safety. Thus it is with a man's heart, while it sticks partly in the mud of the World, or filth of any lust, and conviction of conscience strives to raise it, but it is not fully taken off, there is nothing but vexation and trouble in that soul: but when it is taken off, and gives up itself fully to God in his blessed and holy ways; Oh that sweet and blessed ease that now it finds! When a man halts, the way is tedious to him, he is soon weary, and gives over; but when he is sound, the way is easy, he holds on his way to the end: so when there is falseness in men's hearts, they do but halt in the ways of God, they quickly Cap. 2. find them tedious; but others who are of sound spirits, they find them delightful, and go on with strength, and hold on to the end. The reason that Philosophers give why the heavens are incorruptible, is, because the form of them is so excellent, as it wholly fills up the utmost capacity of the matter; so the reason of the holding on of the upright heart, is, the full satisfaction of it, the filling up the full capacity of it, with contentment and delight in God's ways. Thus you have heard what it is to follow God fully. CAP. II. The excellency of this frame of spirit, in four things. THe second thing propounded in the point, was, to 2 show wherein the excellency of such a kind of frame of spirit lies, take it in these four things. First this is truly to honour God 1 as a God; except God be honoured as infinite, he is not honoured as God; now it is the full following him that only honours him as infinite; where God is followed and not thus, he is followed no otherwise than a creature may be followed; this is not therefore to honour him as a God, but rather it is a dishonour to that infinite excellency & blessedness of his, whereby he is infinitely above all that creatures are, or that they are any way capable of. The great thing that God aimed at in the creating of the heavens and earth, was, that he might by Angels, and men, be honoured as a GOD, and therefore that which gives him this, hath true and much excellency in it. Secondly, this full following of God, doth much honour the work of 2 Grace, and the profession of godliness; it shows a reality; power, excellency and beauty in it; it shows that it proceeds out of the fullness of Jesus Christ, such as hath high and heavenly principles; when there is power, proportion, and constancy in a man's ways, there must needs be much beauty in them; there is a forcing of conviction from the consciences of evil men by them: this takes away all pretences from men that they know not how to speak evil of the ways of godliness; they know not how to oppose and persecute them; when they can see no flaw, when, though they watch what they can, yet they can see nothing unsuitable to their principles. The principles of godliness for the most part are acknowledged by the consciences of the worst, who have any light in them; & therefore when all a man's ways are suitable to these, it puts wicked men to a stand; they know not what to say against such men, nor against their way; but their own thoughts tell them, that surely there is something in these men, that hath reality, and power, and divine excellency in it, that is from none other but from God himself. Thirdly, this hath such excellency in it, as that God himself boasts 3 of such as these are; as they glory in the Lord, and bless themselves in the Lord; so the Lord seems to glory in them, and to account his name blessed by them; as you may see how God rejoices in, and makes his boast of job, Chap. 1. vers. 8. Hast thou considered my servant job, that there is none like him in the earth, a perfect, and an upright man? And so of David, I have found a man after mine own heart, which shall fulfil all my will: So of those we read of in Revel. 14. These are they which were not defiled; and again, These are they which follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth; and again in the same verse, These were redeemed from among men, being the first fruits unto God, and to the Lamb, and in their mouth was found no guile. Fourthly, this following of the Lord fully, doth ever attain its end; 4 it prospers in that it works for: in Cap. 3. whatsoever thing any soul follows the Lord fully, it shall be sure to accomplish that it aims at, and to be satisfied in that it would have: As Hos. 6. 3. Then shall we know, if we follow on to know the Lord: Thus David, in Psal. 63. where his soul thirsted after God, his flesh longed for him, his soul followed hard after him; he saith himself in the same Psalm, that God's right hand did now uphold him, and that his soul should be satisfied, as with marrow and fatness; and his mouth should praise the Lord with joyful lips; and the King shall rejoice in God. CAP. III. Rebuke to diverse sorts, whose spirits are not full in following after the Lord. IF thus to follow the Lord fully, be so excellent, if this fullness of spirit be such an honour unto God's people, then justly are those rebuked, whose spirits are not full in following the Lord, who acknowledge the Lord worthy to be followed, but their spirits are slight and vain, their hearts are straitened in the ways of the Lord; they do not fill up this blessed work of following after the Lord; their hearts do most basely fall, and most miserably vanish in it. As first, some are convinced, their judgements and consciences are for 1 God, but their lusts carry them violently another way: Oh the miserable torment of these men's spirits, while their consciences draw one way, and their lusts another! it is not so great an evil to have wild Horses tied to the members of one's body, tearing of them by drawing contrary ways. Secondly, others rest in their good inclinations, their good desires; 2 they say they would fain do better, and they hope God will accept the will for the deed; they like of God's ways, and speak well of good men, and therefore they think their hearts are for God: but these desires and good motions, are but as little buds and sprigs that come out of the roots of trees, or from the middle of their body, which come to nothing, they never grow up to bear any fruit; these are yet far from following the Lord fully and savingly; for, 1 Their judgements are not yet enlightened, not throughly convinced 1 of the poison and infinite evil there is in sin; of that absolute infinite necessity there is in the holy ways of God; they see not the dreadful Authority of God in every truth; they think it were well if things were amended, it were good if more were done than this; God help us, we have all our infirmities: and though they do not as others do, yet they hope their hearts are good towards God; were it not for some inconveniences they are like to meet withal, they could be content to do more than they do. But what is this, to that mighty work of God upon this spirit, convincing of the infinite necessity, equity, beauty of his blessed ways? What is this to that sight of God's infinite, dreadful authority? Those whose hearts the Lord takes off from other things, to work fully after himself, he begins thus with them, in the powerful enlightening, and convincing of their judgements. 2 These never were made sensible 2 of their inability to have holy desires after God, so as to see any need of any special work of the Holy Ghost, to raise such desires in their hearts. Those who are not sensible of their inability to holy desires, though they may have many flashes like unto holy desires, yet they are wholly strangers to those desires after God, which are truly holy. 3 These prize not the means of grace, they long not after them, they 3 will not labour, they will not be at charge, they will not endure hardship to attain them, they are not conscionable in the use of them in any power; they use not all means; if one way will not bring their desires to effect, they try not other ways; they are not solicitous about the success of means, they look not much after them, but rest themselves in the bare use of them, not examining, not searching their hearts, to see what is in them that hinders the blessing, not bemoaning their unprofitableness under means. 4 Their desires are not strong, 4 unsatiable; other contentments quiet their hearts; Time wears away the strength of their desires, though they be as far from the enjoyment of the things that were desired, as they were at the first. 5 Their endeavours are not powerful, they are not working constant 5 endeavours; they do not dedicate, devote, give up themselves, whatever they are, or have, to the seeking after the Lord; their consciences cannot but tell them, that the strength of their hearts, and endeavours, is after other things: David in the 119. Psalm. 48. vers. saith, That he would lift up his hands unto God's Commandments, which he had loved; and he would meditate in his Statutes: He did not think it enough to have a love to, to have some wishes and desires, to keep God's Commandments, but he would lift up his hands to them, he would set himself on work in labouring to obey them; he would meditate, set his mind and thoughts, to plot and contrive, how he might best come to the fulfilling of them, Psal. 27. 4. One thing have I desired, and that will I seek after. Certainly those slight, vain Grace cannot be had with doing nothing. Nemo casu sit sapient. Senec. ep. 77. desires, and wishes that there are in many people's hearts, are not the following this blessed God fully; they are but the dallyings, and triflings with God and their own souls; they are so far from bringing them unto God, as they prove to be their destruction; The desire of the slothful killeth him, for his hands refuse to labour, Prov. 21. 15. Thirdly, others have good resolutions 3 now and then in some good moods; the truths of God come darting in with some power, as they cannot but yield to them, and then they are resolved that they will do better, that it shall not be with them as it hath been; they will set upon a new course of life, things shall be reform, and their lives shall be changed; but yet these vanish too, they follow not God fully; They are as those in the 5. Deut. 27. who seemed to have strong resolutions to walk in God's ways; Go thou near, say they to Moses, and hear all that the Lord our God shall say, and speak thou unto us all that the Lord our God shall speak unto thee, and we will hear it, and do it: But as the Lord said there, concerning them, Verse 29. So I may say of these, Oh that there were such a heart in them; How far are they from having yet a heart to follow God fully? For, 1 Their resolutions are not fruits of their deep humiliation, for their former neglect of God, and the former sinfulness of their ways; They are only to procure peace unto themselves for the present, their hearts being stirred by the power of the truth darted in. 2 They arise not from changed principles, from a renewed nature, from out of love to the Lord, & his blessed ways; hence they vanish, and they never bring them up unto the Lord. Fourthly, others have strong, sudden affections, they feel sometimes 4 some melt, in sorrow for sin, in hearing the blessed truths of God revealed to them; they feel some sweetness in the working of truths upon their hearts, they are sensible of some joys in good things, they have a taste of the powers of the world to come: When they hear Christ preached, or see his body broken, or his blood shed in the Sacrament, they think with themselves; Oh that Jesus Christ, should come from heaven, to save such poor wretches as we are, that he should shed his precious blood, that he should die for such vile sinners! yet these are a great way off from following the Lord fully: For, 1 these affections are sudden, 1 and flashing; the truths of God pass by them, leaving a little glimmering behind them, or as water passeth thorough a Conduit, & leaves a dew; but they soak not into the heart, as the water soaks into the earth to make it fruitful. 2 These are stirred with the pardoning, 2 comforting, saving mercies of God, but not with the humbling, renewing, sanctifying mercies: when the word puts them upon any hard thing to flesh and blood, it is unsavoury to them, their hearts turn from it; If the word urgeth to strict examination of themselves, if it puts them upon the finding out of the deceits of their spirits, their secret corruptions, and would strain them to higher duties than their principles reach unto, than their spirits fly off; they seek to bless themselves in that they have already, and think that these things trouble people more than needs & if God should not be merciful to such who find such affections, such stir of heart as we do, than Lord, what shall become of us? 3 These flashy affections do not arise from spiritual judgement, apprehending the spiritual excellencies of godliness, after a spiritual manner; their apprehensions of spiritual and heavenly things, are too too carnal and sensitive: Hence afterwards when they come to find the good things of the ways of God to be spiritual, and heavenly, not suitable to those apprehensions they had of them, their hearts are then taken off, as those we read of in the 6. of john 34. verse; When Christ told them, That the bread of God is he which cometh down from heaven, and giveth life unto the world, Oh say they, Lord ever give us this bread; their hearts were up & exceedingly stirred; Well, as if Christ should have said, You shall have it, I am the bread of life; he that cometh to me shall never hunger, he that believeth in me shall never thirst; as if he should have said; This must be done by faith, you must feed upon my flesh by faith, and drink of my blood by faith. But now they having apprehended a strange kind of bread from heaven before, and afterwards hearing of no other, but coming to Christ, and believing in Christ, they were deceived of their expectations, and so were offended, and now their affections fall; for verse 41. they begin to murmur at him, and verse 60. they said, It was an hard saying, who could hear it? and ver. 66. From that time many of them went back, and walked no more with him. The like example we find in the Galathians, at the first they would have plucked out their eyes for S. Paul, their affections were so stirred by his Ministry, they apprehended some great matters in the message of the Gospel that S. Paul brought, but afterwards, finding that those great and excellent things that the Gospel spoke of, were only spiritual, which their carnal hearts had little skill of, and could not relish, their affections were soon cooled, & they fell off from S. Paul. Take heed therefore of resting to these flashy affections, for if you do, when these are gone, your hearts will be left in darkness. Many examples are known of such, who have proved to be most vile Apostates; yet time was, wherein they have had many melt, much sudden strong joy, so as they have professed that the joy they have found hath been so great, that if it had continued but a while, they could not have lived, but their spirits would have expired. A solid work of the soul proceeding from an humble broken heart, casting itself upon the faithfulness, and freeness of the grace of God in the promise, for pardoning, and sanctifying mercy, and there resting, so as willing to venture itself there for ever, though it hath no present sense of joy, yet it is far more to be prized than the strongest of these sudden flashes of affection. These flashy affections which have not principles to maintain them, are like to Conduits in the City, running with wine at the Coronation of Princes, or some other great triumph, but it will not hold: they are like Land-floods, which seem to be a great sea, but come to nothing in a day or two; As there may be flashes of terror, and yet no true fear of God. The Israelites were terrified when the Law was given, and yet God saith, Deut. 5. 29. Oh that there were a heart that they would fear me: So there may be flashes of joy, desire, sorrow, and yet no true sanctified joy, desire, or sorrow at all. There is much deceit in men's affections; Affections not well principled, not well grounded, soon vanish; time will wear them away. The people of Israel at the giving of the Law, had their affections much stirred, so that one would have thought, they had been engaged unto the Lord for ever; and yet within forty days, their hearts were so taken off from God, and his Law, as if God had never made himself known unto them; they call to Aaron to make them gods to go before them, and say to the Molten Calf, These be thy gods, O Israel, which brought thee out of the land of Egypt. Another notable example we have of people whose affections are strong for the present, and yet worn away in a little time, in the 13. of Hosea 1. When Ephraim spoke, trembling, he exalted himself in Israel; but when he offended in Baal, he died: When Ephraim spoke, that is, when jeroboam who Sanctius in Hosea 13. was of the Tribe of Ephraim, declared his purpose to alter the worship of God, the people at the first were exceedingly affected with it, & they stood all trembling at such a strange thing as that was; the very thought of it made their hearts to shake, because they knew how jealous a God the Lord was; But jeroboam exalted himself in Israel, he went on resolutely in his way, and would bring his purpose to effect; then the people in a little time, were brought to offend in Baal, and then they died, and they became a dead, sottish, heartless people, fit to receive, or do any thing though never so vile. Fifthly, others follow the Lord, 5 but they follow him in a dull, heavy manner; there is no spirit, no heat, no life in their following of him, & therefore they do not follow him fully: They rest themselves in a middle temper, in a lukewarm course; they like well of Religion, and profession, but what need men go so far, what need they do so much? As Pharaoh said to the Israelites, Exod. 8. 28. I will let you go, only you shall not go far away. The judgement of these men is for a middle way; they are mixed spirited men, like Ephraim, Hosea 7. 8. mixed with the people, as a cake not turned, half baked and half dough; they go on in an ordinary tract of performing the duties of Religion without any growth, or any sensibleness of the want of growth; they set upon some fair way of Religion, which they persuade themselves is enough, and that they mean to hold to; they are content to make use of Christ, and the profession of Religion, so far as may serve their own turns; but to entertain Christ, and his truth, as an absolute Lord to rule them, that their spirits cannot bear; in their converse there is no ribaldry, no filthiness; so there is no warmth, no heat to refresh and quicken any gracious spirit, that hath to deal with them; in all the Duties of Religion that they perform, they take no pains with their hearts, to work them to God. Luther calls such kind Cainislae sunt, of serentes non per ●●nam, sed of us ●e● sonae. I uther. decl●●at. in D●cal. of men, Cainists, that is, such as Cain, who offered to God the work done, but do not offer themselves to God; they content themselues with general hopes of God's mercy upon weak, and unexamined grounds; they never trouble themselves in calling things into question, about their conditions and their eternal estates; they never lay to heart the miseries of God's Church; and the public cause of God is not dear unto them; they have not heat enough to cause a melting spirit, for the dishonour that God hath by themselves; much more is that heat wanting, that should keep their hearts melting for that dishonour which God hath from others. Now this temper is so far from following the Lord fully, as it is loathsome and abominable to the Lord; so loathsome, as he threatens to spew such out of his mouth. It is Revel. 3. 16, observable, that of all the seven Churches we read of in the Revelation, there is some good said, every one is commended for something; only this Church of Laodicea excepted which was a lukewarm Church; and of this there is no good at all said; and yet none of the Churches had that high esteem of itself as this had; none of them conceited themselves 1 to be rich, and increased with goods, and to have need of nothing, as this did. No people doth so bless themselves in their way, as lukewarm people do; and yet no people more abominable to God than they. What a dishonour is this lukewarm temper to God, as if God were such a God, as such flat, sleight, dead-hearted formal services, as are performed by them, were sufficient to honour his holy, great, dreadful and infinite Majesty? God pronouneeth a curse in Malac. 1. verse 14. against those who do not offer the best that possibly they can, in sacrifice to him; and gives this Reason of it, Because my Name is dreadful, and I am a great King, saith the Lord: As if he should say, Therefore only the most high and excellent things that can be performed by the creature, are fit for to be tendered up to me. This lukewarm temper wrongs jesus Christ exceedingly, as if there were no other life and virtue in jesus Christ, than to enable a man to do as they do. What? hath Christ laid down his life, & shed his precious blood for the renewing of God's Image in man, and is it nothing but this? if Christ had never come into the world, men might have done as much as this comes to. It is a wrong to the Holy Spirit likewise, for it is the special office of the Holy Ghost, for to be a Sanctifier, to frame the heart to God, to quick the soul with the life of grace, and holiness; and is this all it doth? this were a poor work, if there were no other but this. It dishonours holiness, which is the most glorious thing in the world; the life of God, the Divine Nature; this makes it as if it were nothing but a moral, liveless, dead-hearted, empty thing; this puts holiness in subjection to humane reason, to carnal wisdom; it must bow to their discretion, to the opinions and ways of men; and in truth, to their base lusts, though it be in a more cleanly way, than in others. Be convinced then, that this is not that following the Lord fully, which is the honour of God's people in his eyes. Sixthly, some go beyond this dull lukewarm temper, they are very 6 forward in some things, but in other things their hearts stick; they come not off fully in them. Agrippa saith of himself, that Paul had almost persuaded him; the words are, Thou persuadest me a little. The hearts of these men are divided, as it is said of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. those in Hosea 10. 2. they will not let go their profession, but will keep their corruption too. As Camden reports of Redwald King of the East Saxons, the first Prince of his Nation that was baptised, yet in the same Church had one Altar for Christian Religion, and another for Sacrifices unto Devils: Thus these men join Religion and their lust together. If they let out their hearts inordinately to any contentment, and take liberty sometimes in satisfying some lusts, they think to make up all again by some forwardness and earnest devotion in some other thing; as many who get surfeits think they can sweat and purge them out again. This division of heart the Lord cannot endure, and therefore it follows in that place of Hosea, They shall be found faulty; or as the words are read by some, Now shall they be made desolate: for in the Hebrew, the word signifies both to be guilty, and to be desolate. It is too much boldness and presumptuousness in men, to venture to take liberty to themselves, to choose wherein they will yield to God in some things; but in others presume to satisfy themselves; this is not to cast down our souls before the Lord, as poor, condemned, vile creatures, to lie at his mercy in an humble, faithful resignation of ourselves up to him, in all we are, or have, which is that honour that God expects from us, and is infinitely due unto him. While our hearts are thus divided between God and other things; God doth not account himself obeyed, or honoured at all in any thing; all that we seem to do, in truth, is nothing at all. Hence in jerem. 32. 23. the Prophet chargeth the people with this, that they neither walked in God's Law, and that they had done nothing of all that God had commanded them to do; and Ver. 30. he saith, they had only done evil: and in 2 Kings 17. the people are said to fear the Lord, and serve their own gods, Verse 33. and yet in Verse 34. the Text says, that they feared not the Lord: showing unto us, that where the heart is divided between God and other things, there God hath not the heart at all, God is not feared, he is not honoured at all. If we join the counsels of the flesh with the spirit, we frustrate all. Seventhly, there are others who cannot be so easily convinced in 7 what particulars they forsake God in any of his ways; they seem to have a general forwardness in that which is good, but the truth is, they follow themselves, and not God in all; they rise no higher than Self in all they do; which their own consciences, upon search made, will tell them; the Commandment of God may be made the pretence, but Self is the chief Engine, Selse is the great mover in all. As Physicians putting in many operative ingredients into their Physic, and they are the things that work; but beside, they put in something to give a colour, or a little taste, which neither doth good nor hurt, that hath no operation at all: Thus it is in many men's Religion; selfe-ends are the operative ingredients in that they do, and the show of obedience to God, is but that which gives the colour, that that which they do may have the better appearance. It is impossible, that a man which seeks himself, should come up to this fullness of spirit that is required in this following of the Lord. Hos. 10. 1. it is said, That Israel is an empty Vine; Why so? he bringeth forth fruit unto himself; he brings forth fruit, but yet is empty, because he bringeth it forth unto himself. Where selfe-ends are the chief movers, Fructus adaequatus est ei; so the old Latin. there is no further latitude or degree of godliness minded, but such as may be serviceable unto them: Now they cannot but be low, straight, narrow, in comparison of those who lift up God in all they do; and therefore their profession must needs be empty and scant; not full and powerful, as it is in the other. A self-seeking heart is always an empty heart, but a gracious heart is fruitful in all manner of pleasant fruits, new and old: And what is the reason? I have laid them up for thee, O my beloved Cant. 7. v. last. Observe the difference, Israel is an empty Vine, he brings forth fruit to himself; but the Church here brings forth all manner of pleasant fruit; for she lays them up for her Beloved; she brings them not forth for herself, as Israel did. Eightly, others follow the Lord 8 earnestly a while, but afterwards they forsake him, they turn Apostates, they do not fill up their work they have begun, but undo all again; of whom it may be said, as Lament. 4. 8. They were whiter than Milk, they were as Rubies and polished Saphires in regard of their glorious profession; but now they are blacker than a Coal. God may justly complain of them, as he did of his people, Micah 2. 8. They who were my people yesterday, are now risen up against me, as an enemy: it was far otherwise with them very lately, than now it is. Many are very hopeful at the first, yet they prove exceeding vile afterwards; yea, the more forward in good at first, the more vile after: As water that hath once been heat, and grows cold again, is colder than ever it was. It is reported of Nero, who proved the very Monster of men for wickedness, yet in the first five years of his reign, he behaved himself exceeding well, so that it was used as a Proverb to express the good beginnings of men, Nero's five first Nero●●s Quin. quennium. years: So Caligula, who proved afterwards exceedingly wicked, yet josephus reports of him, that when he joseph. Antiq. lib. 18. cap. 8, 9 was young he traveled very diligently in good disciplines, he was of a sweet conversation, and modest, and he governed the Empire the first two years of his reign, with most noble directions, behaving himself graciously towards all men: yea, julian himself, who proved such a cursed Apostate, yet when he was young, was very forward and hopeful; he was a public Reader of holy Scriptures in the Church; he seemed to glory in nothing more than in Religion; he was of a very temperate dyet, content with mean food, without much preparation; he used Petri Mart. Morentini praesatione in julia. 〈◊〉 M●sapogo 〈◊〉. to lie hard in mean bedding, to watch much a nights, spend his time in study; he was very chaste, clear from the least suspicion of lust; those Officers that were about him, that served for nothing but to maintain 〈…〉 linus, lib. 22. delicacy and luxury, he banished from him; he took no delight in public shows, when he came to them, he came rather of necessity, than for any pleasure he took in them: he saith of himself, that when he was on the Theatre, he was more like a derester of their Plays, than a spectator of them, and was present at them with trouble and disdain, and was joyful when he went from them: he loved learning exceeding much; hearing of a Philosopher that came to him out of Asia, he leaps out of the door, and goes to meet him, and kisses him, and entertains him with much honour. In an Epist. of his to one Eodicius a Governor of Egypt, he hath this notable expression; Some (saith he) delight in horses, others in birds, others in beasts, Quidam equis, h 〈…〉 avibus, nonnulli seris de●ect 〈…〉 ur, ego vero n●e usq 〈◊〉 à pueritia l 〈…〉 cupiditate arsi. but I from my very childhood, have burnt with desire after books. He had an honourable esteem of man's soul, looking upon the body as vile in comparison of it. There is this notable expression reported of him, concerning this; It is a shameful thing for any wise man, seeing he hath a soul, ●urpe est saptenti, cum, ab●at animum captare ●audes ex corpore. to seek for praises from any thing that belongs to his body. He seemed to have much uprightness in the course of Justice; he would not condemn upon accusations without proof; there is this expression of his concerning this reported of him; when one Delphidius accused one before him, of a crime, of which he could not bring sufficient proof; the party accused denied the fact; this Delphidius answers, If it be sufficient to deny that which is laid to one's charge, who shall be found guilty? Then julian answers, And if it be sufficient to be accused, who can be innocent? Etquis innocens esse poterit, si accusasse sufficiet. Many other notable things are reported of him; but these I have related more fully, because in this example we may see how far a man may go in much seeming good; what hopeful beginnings he may have, and yet what a vile cursed Monster he may prove, if he looks not to it. Let none then rest themselves in their good beginnings; but as they have made entrance upon this work, in following the Lord, so let them labour to fill it up: & as for those who heretofore have seemed to be forward and hopeful, while they lived in good families, and under the care and watchful eye of able and godly men, and yet have now forsaken the Lord, and his ways; let such (I say) know, that it is an evil, and a bitter thing, to forsake the blessed God; to turn from him to follow after vanities that cannot profit; so great an evil is it, that God himself calls the heavens to be astonished at this, jer. 2. 12, 13. Be astonished, O ye heavens, at this, and be horribly afraid, be ye very desolate, saith the Lord: For my people have committed two evils, they have forsaken me the Fountain of living waters, and hewed them out Cisterns, broken Cisterns, that can hold no water. The evil of this forsaking the Lord, were great, if this were all. First, that all your labour in Religion, that all that you have done, is 1 lost: In Hosea 8. 2. Israel shall cry to me, My God we know thee; but verse 3. Israel hath cast off the thing that is good; therefore, verse 7. it is said that They have sown the wind, and shall reap the whirlwind: It is but a sowing to the wind, to follow God in some things, and not to hold on in our way. In the 2 Epist. of St. john and the 8. verse, Look to yourselves, saith S. john. that we lose not those things that we have wrought: It is an evil thing, to lose all that we have wrought for; but this is not all. Secondly, if you leave off from following the Lord, all the good that ever you have done, and made profession of, shall serve only to aggravate your sin, and increase your torment. Thirdly, this leaving off from following Blasphemiam iagerit Relig 〈…〉 quam co 〈…〉 quod consit●tur non ante omnes impleverit. Cypr. de sing. Cleri 〈…〉. the Lord, is a great dishonour to God and his ways; an upbraiding of them, as if they were not good enough to draw the heart constantly after them; as if there were not that in them, that they make show for. Hence the Lord pleads with his people, jerem. 2. 5. who had forsaken him, What iniquity have your Fathers found in me, that they are gone far from me, and have walked after vanity? As if he should have said, The world may think my ways are unequal, men may think that I have not shown myself a God, ready to do good, and to reward those who follow me. The forsaking of the truth, the profession whereof we have once taken up, it is to put Christ to open shame, Heb. 6. 6. Fourthly, such men as these, do much mischief in the world; they are grievous scandals; they make the good ways of God to be evil spoken of; they harden men's hearts against them, and the profession of them; many in hell curse them, as the cause of their ruin: if a man were borne to do mischief, he could not do greater any way, than this. So much hurt is done by them, they cause such blemishes, such sports to be upon the profession of godliness, as we should be glad if we could wash them off with our dearest heartblood, and account it well bestowed: but woe be to them by whom these offences come. The greatest part of all the scorn, contempt of, and opposition against the ways of God, and godly men, shall be charged upon these men, as the causers of it; for were it not for such as these, wicked men could not tell what to say for themselves, in their opposition of those ways of godliness, which in themselves are so equal, and good, and blessed; woe be to them, by whom such offences come. Fifthly, These men shall have their spirits filled with horror; they did 5 not fill up their work in following the Lord; but God and conscience shall follow them, with anguish, and horror, and fill up their spirits with them. It may be, once they had some flashy comforts in the performance of some duties; but they shall be all taken from them, and dismal horror, and hideous amazement of spirit shall possess them, Pro. 14. 14. The backslider in heart shall be filled with his own ways; Much more than, the backslider in heart and life too, he shall be filled, he shall have enough of them. Conscience one day will upbraid, fly in the face, and tear the heart. Oh wretched creature what hast thou done? whom hast thou forsaken? is it not the God of life, and peace, and comfort, and all good, that thou hast forsaken? are they not the blessed ways of holiness, the ways of eternal rest and peace that thou hast left? God hath likewise forsaken thee, and all good and comfort begins to withdraw itself from thee; thou art like to be left in horrid dismal darkness; Just it is that thou shouldst be left as a forsaken, forlorn, miserable wretch, who hast thus wretchedly and vilely forsaken God, and his truth, for the enjoyment of such poor, base things as thy heart is turned aside unto. How wilt thou be able to look upon the faces of those, with whom thou hast formerly joined in holy duties, and hast had communion with? But how canst thou look upon the face of the blessed God, when he shall appear in his glory unto thee? What anguish will it be to thee when thou shalt see others, who have continued in their way following the Lord, to be for ever blessed in that God, whom their souls have followed, and cleaved constantly unto? but thyself, because thy base unbelieving heart dared not venture all upon him, now thou art cast out for ever, as an eternal curse: Oh what rack of conscience will it be, when thou shalt see in what a fair way once thou wert, but for want of coming off fully, and constantly in such and such particulars, thou art now for ever lost? Lastly, these men are hateful both to God and Men; they are 6 hateful to Men, because they go so far; and to God, because they go no further, as Hebr. 10. 38. If any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him. Oh what a happy thing were it, if God would trouble the ways of these poor creatures, if he would make them bitter and grievous to them, if he would magnify his mercy, and his power in turning their hearts again towards him, if he would deal with them as he did with his people, Hosea 2. 6. 7. Hedge up their ways with thorns, make a wall that they should not find their paths, that so they might at length, come to that blessed resolution we find there; I will go and return to my Husband, for than it was better with me than now; So I will go and return to my former ways, and follow after the Lord again, from whom I have wretchedly departed, for than it was better with me than it is now; then I had more comfort, more peace, more safety, more blessing than I have now; And let such know, that though it were just with God, for ever to reject them who have forsaken him; just to say, that vanity should be their portion, who have turned after lying vanities; and many of the Ancients have made the case Clemens Alex. quoted by Sympson in his history of the Church in the second century of such exceeding doubtful, especially if after conviction they have forsaken God again and again; as Clemens Alexandrinus thought, that God might give such the first and second Tert. thought their case desperate, especially who fell into the sin of uncleanness. Lib. de pudicit. speaking of that place, Heb. 6. 6. It is impossible that they who were once enlightened, etc. He says, that this Author knew no second repentance promised to the Adulterer and Fornicator. Nunquam moecho & fornicatori secundam poenitentiam promissam ab Apostolis. repentance, but if they fell oftener, there was no renewing them by repentance. And Origen seemed likewise to be of the same mind, in his 5. Homily upon Leviticus, Chap. 25. So Tertullian in his Book of repentance: God grants (saith he) a second repentance, but no further. Thus we see the strictness of these Ancient times. But though these leave these men exceeding comfortless, yet let them know, that the Lord calls them to return again unto himself: For though it be (saith the Lord) that if a wife have played the harlot, and she be put away, and become another man's, her husband will not receive her again; yet saith the Lord, jer. 3. 1. Thou hast played the harlot with many lovers, but yet return to me: and verse 22. Return ye back-sliding children, and I will heal your back-slidings: Oh that your hearts would answer, as theirs there did; Oh that this gracious offer of the Lord, might have the same effect upon your hearts as it had upon theirs: Behold, say they, we come unto thee, for thou art the Lord our God; truly in vain is salvation hoped for from the hills, etc. We see, we see, we have been utterly deceived; the ways that we have chosen, have not been good; shame hath devoured our labour, we have bestowed our labour in shameful things, we lie down in our shame, and our confusion covereth us, for we have sinned against the Lord our God. As when a man goeth from the Sun, yet the Sunbeams follow him, shine on him, warm him; so though thou hast departed from the Lord, yet the beams of God's mercy this day follow thee, they shine on thee; Oh that they might so warm thy heart, as to cause thee to return. Cap. 4. CAP. IU. Comfort, and encouragement to those who follow the Lord fully. IF this following of the Lord fully, be the honour of the Saints before the Lord; then here is comfort, and encouragement to those whose conscience doth witness, that their hearts, and ways are fully after the Lord. What ever others do, yet there are a generation of men in the world, who do fully follow the Lord; Blessed are you of the Lord, you are honourable in the eyes of God and man, you make up in part that hurt that is done to Religion by others; you bind up the wounds of Jesus Christ, and do in part heal his scars: If you be content to give up all to God, to betrust God with all, know that there are many blessed promises, full of mercy, and encouragement for you, that God will make good to the full unto you; yea, they shall come to you fuller of goodness, and blessing than you can imagine. Caleb challenged this promise of God to him made in this place, upon this ground, joshuah 14. 8. five and forty years after it was made; for he was but forty years old when he went to spy out the Land, and when he challenged this promise in this place, be saith verse 10. I am this day fourscore and five years old. Though God may seem to defer a while the fulfilling of his promise; yet be encouraged to follow him still, for the eye of God is upon you, to make good his word unto you, and the longer it stays, the more full with good and blessing it will come. God seemed to defer a long time that promise he made to Abraham, That he would make his seed as the stars of heaven; for two hundred and fifteen years after this promise was made, there were but seventy souls that came out of Abraham's loins, namely, when jacob went down into Egypt; which if we compute the time, we shall find to be just two hundred and fifteen years: for Abraham was seventy and five years old when the promise was made; he was an hundred years old when Isaac was borne; Isaac was forty years old before he married, and he continued twenty years without a child; and jacob was one hundred and thirty years old when he went into Egypt; so that the time falls to be just two hundred and fifteen years, which was just half the time, from the promise till the people of Israel's coming out of Egypt, which S. Paul saith, Gal. 3. 17. was four hundred and thirty years. Now observe, that whereas God half this time did but little for Abraham, in the fulfilling of this his promise, yet because Abraham followed him fully, ventured himself wholly upon the faithfulness of the Lord, see how fully God came in with his mercy at the last; for, in the second two hundred and fifteen years, he so increased his seed, that from seventy souls, they were grown up to be six hundred thousand, and three thousand, and five hundred and fifty, Num. 1. 45, 46. and these only from twenty years old and upward, such men as were able to go to war; there was thus many of these, besides all children and women, which it is like were far the greater number; yea, and the Tribe of Levy was not numbered amongst this number; there were two and twenty thousand and upwards of them beside. Thus you see, how fully God comes in at the last in his mercy, and making good his word of promise to such who follow him fully. Be you as full as you can in following the Lord, the Lord will be as full towards you, in doing good unto you; God's mercy shall be every as full, as your obedience can be, 2 Sam. 22. 26. with the upright thou wilt show thyself uprigh: The words are in the Original, With the strong and perfect, thou wilt show thyself strong and perfect. God will go on strongly to his perfection of mercy towards them, who do go on strongly in their perfection of obedience towards him. Psal. 11. 7. The Lord loveth righteousness, and his countenance doth behold the upright: The words translated word for word are thus, The Lord loveth righteousnesses, and his faces shall behold the upright. Righteousnesses, that is, when all the duties of righteousness are together. And his faces shall behold; that is, all the several kinds, and manners of the blessed comfortable manifestations of his love the upright shall have. The great difficulties thou meetest with in God's ways, (if thou be'st not discouraged, but goest thorough them) they shall turn to thy greatest comforts: As Caleb, who was not discouraged by the Anakims those great Giants, and the strong places they lived in, which so much discouraged the rest; Therefore Hebron, the place of the Giants, was given unto him for a possession, josuah 14. 12, 13, 14, and 15, verses. God certainly will remember the kindness of those who are willing to follow him through the wilderness of difficulties and discouragements, jerem. 2. 2. You who do thus, shall die without stain, without any blur, which few do; your memories shall be sweet, and blessed, when you are dead and gone: You shall have an entrance ministered unto you abundantly, into the everlasting Kingdom of our Lord and Saviour jesus Christ, 2 Pet. 1. 11. This is promised, not only to those that are godly, but abound in it, as verse 8. They shall be as a ship coming gloriously into the Haven with full sail: Thus S. Paul, 2 Tim. 4. 7, 8. with much confidence and full assurance concludes, That seeing he had fought the good fight, and finished his course, and kept the faith, henceforth there was laid up for him, a crown of righteousness, which the righteous judge should give him at that day: he challengeth it upon the righteousness of God. When the souls of these who have followed God fully, are to enter into heaven, the everlasting doors shall stand wide open for them; as when great men come to a house, the great gates are set open for their entrance; and in Heaven, oh how full a reward shall there be there for them, as 2 Ep. joh. 8. verse. There is fullness of joy at God's right hand, Psalm 16. ult. So full as Ibi non gustabunt quam suavis sit Deus, sed implebuntus, & satiabuntur dulcedi●e mirifica. Cypr. de Assent. shall be more than can enter into them; they must enter into it, because it cannot enter into them; there they shall not taste of joy and happiness, but shall be filled up with them. This, Christ encouraged his Disciples withal, Luke 22. 28, 29. Ye are they which have continued with me in my temptations, and I appoint unto you a Kingdom, as my Father hath appointed unto me. With this, S. Paul encouraged himself, in all his afflictions he met withal, while he was following the Lord, 2 Cor. 4. ver. 17. For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding eternal weight of glory. First, it is glory, and this word alone implies that there is exceeding 1 much in it; but further, it is a weight of glory, yea, an eternal weight of glory; and more than that, an exceeding eternal weight of glory; as if yet it were not expressed fully enough, he adds further, a farre more exceeding eternal weight of glory; and what expression can be fuller than this? This was that likewise that encouraged Moses in his full following the Lord, forsaking the pleasures, the riches, the treasures of Egypt, that he might follow the Lord fully; For he had, saith the Text, a respect unto the recompense of reward, Hebrews, 11. 26. And you whose hearts and ways are fully after the Lord, have the more cause to rejoice in this your blessedness, because it it is the blessedness but of a few. Iniquity shall abound, saith Christ, and the love of many shall wax cold, but he that endures to the end, shall be saved: It is but a he, in the singular number, that endures to the end. Let these encouragements than fill your hearts with joy, and your spirits with renewed resolutions and vigour, to fill up your course; let them fill your sails, that you may go on with strength, and prosper, and be for ever blessed in your way. I conclude this Use with that of the Apostle, 2 Cor. 7. 1. Seeing we have these promises, (these encouragements) let us labour to perfect our holiness in the fear of God. And thus I pass to the last Use, which is of Exhortation. CAP. V. Cap. 5. An Exhortation to follow the Lord fully. NOw the Lord carry our hearts fully after himself: As the two blind men, Matth. 20. vers. last, as soon as their eyes were opened, they followed Christ; so were our eyes opened, we would certainly follow after the Lord; were they fully opened, our hearts would follow fully. Many of you have some convictions, some inclinations, stir of affections, good resolutions; you begin to have good thoughts of God's ways, you are almost persuaded: Oh that the work were throughly done! it is pity but that these beginnings should be improved. When Christ saw the good inclinations of the young man, when he came unto him, the Text saith, He looked upon him, and loved him: those beginnings are lovely; but how lovely then would the full work be, if these beginnings were brought to perfection? In this Use we shall show, first, the Motives which may draw our hearts to the following of the Lord fully. 2 What it is that hinders the soul in this work, that it may be prevented. 3 What it is that would bring off the heart fully indeed. For the first; there is infinite reason, 1 that our hearts should be fully after the Lord: for, 1 There is a fullness of all good in God; he is worthy; Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory, honour, and power, Revel. 4. 11. Thou art worthy to receive the highest honour that any of thy creatures can by any means give unto thee. The Heathen gods were honoured, as those who were only Authors of some particular good things; and therefore there were such a multiplicity of them: one was honoured as the Author of one good thing, and another as the author of another; and therefore particular honour was sufficient for them. There was no reason that that any of them should have the whole soul, working in the fullness of the operations of it after them; but our God is not so; he is an universal good, in whom there is all good, and from whom all good flows, and by whom all good is preserved in the being it hath; and therefore it is a most absolute, universal honour and service that is due to him; if we had thousands of souls, and if they were all of ten thousand times larger extent than they are; yet infinite reason there would be, that they should all in the full latitude, extent, & strength of them, work after this our God, to honour and magnify, and worship this God for ever. As that blessed Martyr once said, What, have I but john Ardley. one life to lay down for Christ? If I had as many lives, as there are hairs upon my head, they should all go for Jesus Christ: He saw Christ worthy of all he had, yea, of more than he had. This was Gods own Argument to Abraham, Walk before me, and be upright; be perfect, for I am God alsufficient, I have all perfection in me, and therefore be thou perfect before me. Secondly, consider God might 2 have had full glory in your destruction; let him not be a loser in his showing mercy to you. How much better is it for you, that he should have the fullness of his glory, in his mercy to you, than the fullness of it in his judgements upon you? This he might have had long ago: yea, and the fullness of his glory he will have; if you give it not to him, he will force it from you. Thirdly, Christ hath fully gone 3 thorough the great work of Redemption; he would never leave it till he had fully accomplished all, and said, It is finished. This was a mighty work, for the accomplishment whereof, he passed thorough more difficulties, than ever thou art like to do, in the fullest measure of following the Lord, that possibly can be. Fourthly, yea, God's mercies for 4 the present, are very full towards you; his pardoning mercies, and his supplying mercies, with all things needful; when he receives thee to mercy, he fully pardons all thy sins, he leaves nothing upon the score; he remits all thy punishments. This was David's Argument, Psal. 103. 1, 2, 3 Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless his Holy Name: and bless the Lord, O my soul, again; as if he should say, O let God be fully blessed by me: why? what was that, that raised and enlarged David's heart? It follows, Who forgiveth all thine iniquities, and heals all thy diseases; and vers. 4. He crownes thee with loving kindnesses; and vers. 5. He satisfies thy mouth with good things. God gives his servants a fullness in all they do enjoy; his grace exceedingly abounds towards them in every thing. That place in 2 Corinth. 9 8. is very remarkable for the setting out of the abounding of God's grace towards his people; And God is able (saith the Text) to make all grace abound towards you, that ye always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work. What ever God is able to do for us, by faith we make it as if it were done. And this power of God is set forth to the Corinthians, as a Motive to persuade them to full obedience, that they might abound to every good work; which if they did, they should have this power of God active, fully working for them, according to these large expressions we have of it in this Scripture. And observe the several expressions. 1 It is grace. 2 Then all grace. 3 Then all grace abounding. 4 A sufficiency. 5 An all-sufficiency. 6 An all-sufficiency in all things. And 7. always an all-sufficiency in all things. And is not here an Argument full enough, to cause them and us, and all God's people for ever, to abound in every good work. How often doth God fill our cup with mercy, and make it even run over; as Psal. 23. 5? If there shall be an All-sufficiency in all things, than there will be an all-sufficiency in our greatest straits, in our greatest afflictions, in our greatest sears: As it is said of the wicked, job 20. 22. in the fullness of his sufficiency, he shall be in straits; the contrary is true concerning God's people; in the fullness of their straits, they shall be in all-sufficiency. God causeth all his Attributes, and all the ways of his Providence, and all his creatures to work for the good of his people; All that is in God, all that God doth, and all that belongs to God, is for them; therefore infinite reason there is, that all they are, that all they do, that all they have, should work for his honour. First, all there is in God 1 is for 1 them, jerem. 32, 41. I will rejoice over them, to do them good, and I will plant them in this land assuredly, with my whole heart, and with my whole soul: God calls for no more from thee than he is willing to give unto thee; he would have thy whole heart, & thy whole soul for his honour, and he promiseth to give thee his whole heart, and his whole soul, for thy good. Again, all that God doth, is for thee; Psal. 25. 10. All the paths of the Lord are mercy and truth, unto such as keep his Covenant and his testimonies: The paths of the Lord, are the ways of God, in the passages of his Providence; not only some particular acts, but the tract of God in his ways, his paths: Now all these paths of God, that is, all the workings of God in the ways of his Providence, they are mercy unto such, they work mercifully for their good. And further observe, they are not only mercy, but mercy in truth: God hath engaged his truth, that they should thus work for them; God hath tied this mercy to them by his truth. See here the difference between God's mercy to his people, and his mercy to other men. First, some of God's paths may be mercy to other men, but not all; or some particular acts of God, rather than his paths: God doth not ordinarily go on in a tract and course of his mercies with them, as he doth with his people: As their obedience is only in some particular acts, and no continued course; so God's mercy to them, which comes from his general bounty, is manifested only in some particular acts of his, and not in any constant course. But it is otherwise in his dealings towards his people; they go on in a constant course of obedience; they make Gods Commandments their paths, and therefore God goes on in a constant course of loving kindness towards them, he makes his mercy to them the ordinary paths wherein he walks: As, Psalm. 36. 10. O continue thy loving kindness to them that know thee, and thy righteousness to the upright in heart. The word in the Original, is, Draw out thy loving kindness. God's mercies to his own, are a continued Series, they are drawn out from a constant Spring, they come forth from a never-failing Fountain; there is a connexion between one mercy and another; but as for others, God now and then only casts his favours on them. And observe a second difference; all God's paths are mercy to his people, not some few; there are none of God's dealings, but aim at good towards them; if God should cause one favour to follow another towards some wicked man, out of the fullness of his bounty; yet it cannot be said of any wicked man in the world, that all the paths of God are mercy towards him. God hath his paths of wrath and judgement, wherein he is coming towards him, though he be little aware of it: But this blessing of all the paths of God being mercy, is a peculiar blessing to such as follow the Lord fully, in the uprightness of their hearts, in all the paths of service and obedience. And thirdly, observe yet a greater 3 difference than the former: All the paths of God are not only mercy, but mercy and truth to his people: though God may show mercy to others, yet he hath not tied his mercy to them by his truth; they cannot challenge mercy from him by virtue of his truth; if they have mercy, it is more than they could have expected; they cannot be sure of the continuance of it one hour; they have nothing to show for their mercy; they do not hold their mercy upon that Tenor of God's truth which his people do. Nay, when God comes to make good his truth, to give his truth the glory of it, than there is an end put to their mercy; it is cut off from them; but there is a blessed connexion between Mercy & Truth in the good which God's people do enjoy; according to the like expression in the forenamed 36. Psa. 10. the loving kindness and the righteousness of God are put both together, as the portion of an upright heart. And hence the mercies they have, are no other than such as they may expect, as they may build upon, before they come; such as are made over to them by the truth of God; and when they are come they may be sure to hold them, because they hold them upon such a blessed Tenure as GOD'S own truth. And hence the Scripture calls them sure mercies. See how confident David was of holding Gods mercies, Psalm. 23. 6. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life. And further, all that God hath, is for their good; the heavens, and earth, and all Creatures are theirs, and work continually for them: Hosea 2. 21. 22. I will hear the heavens, and they shall hear the earth, and the earth shall hear the Corn, and the Wine, and the Oil, and they shall hear jezreel: 1 Cor. 3. 22, 23: The world, life, death, things present, things to come, all are yours, and ye are Christ's, and Christ is Gods: Rom. 8. 28. And we know that all things work together for good, to them that love God. This is a mystery that the world is not acquainted with, but we know it, saith the Apostle. The world may think, that things work against us; yea, all things in the world seem to work against us; but we know that all things do work for good, & they work together for good; though some particular things considered apart, may work for good to other men; yet take all together, and they work their ruin; but altogether works for good to us; although the good doth not seem yet to come forth, yet it is a working for us; stay but till the work be done, and it will appear: Good it will be, though it may be not the same good that we think of, yet a good that will be better for us; a greater good than we imagined or desired. Now then, if all that is Gods be for thee, and works thus fully for thee, is there not reason then, that all that is thine should be for God, and work as fully for him? Thine did I say? the truth is, there is nothing thine; for all is Gods; God hath a greater propriety in, and right to whatsoever thou art, and hast, than thyself; but God is pleased to let it be called thine, that thou mayst freely give it to him: and if it be his own, why should he not have it fully? If he thus enlargeth himself towards thee, how unequal is it, that thou shouldest be scant in thy service to him, and in thine honouring of him? Fifthly, wicked men do fully follow 5 after that which is evil; an infinite shame & confusion then would it be to us, an infinite dishonour likewise unto God, if we should not as fully follow the Lord in that which is good? Ecclesiastes 9 3. The heart of the sons of men is full of evil: and Chap. 8. 11. The heart of the sons of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. men is fully set in them to do evil: The Seventy translate this, The heart of man hath a plerophory to evil; it is set upon it without any doubt, or suspicion; there is a plerophory of boldness to sin in them; why should there not be a plerophory, (that is) a full persuasion of faith in God's servants to that which is good? Micah 7. 3. the Scripture saith, that wicked men do evil with both hands, earnestly: Esay 57 5. Idolaters there are said to inflame themselves with their Idols; and jeremy Chap. 8. 2. they are said, 1. To love their Idols: 2. To serve them: 3. To walk after them: 4 To seek them: 5. To worship them: all these 5. expressions together in one Verse, to set forth the earnestness and fullness of the spirit of Idolaters towards their Idols. Where have we five such expressions together, to set out the fullness of the work of men's spirits in following after the Lord? It was said of Ahab, that he sold himself to work wickedness; what a fullness of spirit was there in him, in doing wickedness? jer. 23. 10. It is said there of the people, that their course was evil, and their force was not right. That vis, that strength, and force that was in their spirits, was not right; it was not after God, but after the ways of sin. How many difficulties will men pass thorough for their lusts? what cost will they be at? how great things will they suffer? nothing is so dear unto them, but they will be content to part with it for, and bestow it upon their Idols. How soon did the people, Exodus 32. break off their golden Earrings from their Ears, to make an Idol withal? and shall not then our hearts and lives be more fully after the blessed God? We see wicked men stick close to their wicked principles; they are bold, they will not be daunted, they will go thorough with the work they have begun, what ever come of it; should not we much more stick to our principles, should not we much more be undaunted in our way, and go thorough with our work? I remember I have read a passage in Saint Cyprian, how he brings in the devil triumphing over Christ in this manner; As for my followers, I never died for them, as Christ did for his; I never promised them so great reward, as Christ hath done to his; and yet I have more followers than he, and they do more for me, than his doth for him. O let the thought of our giving the devil occasion thus to triumph over Christ in our slackness and negligence in following after him, cause shame and confusion to cover our faces: and yet to put on this Argument a little more close; It may be you yourselves heretofore, have followed sin fully, your hearts have been strong after evil, and your lives have been fruitful in it; it may be you have been forward in putting forth yourselves ringleaders in that which was evil; not only stout and perverse yourselves, but maintainers, encouragers of much evil in others; you gave up yours members, your estates, and what you had, to the service of sin; much time was spent, much sleep broke, in plotting and contriving wickedness, much pains taken in the execution of it, and now your hearts and ways seem to be for God; and is a poor, sleight, scant, dead-hearted service sufficient for him? Oh be ashamed and confounded in thy thoughts, let Conscience judge between God and his Creature. Dost thou thus requite the Lord? is this thy kindness to him? Is there not infinite reason, that as you have yielded your members servants to uncleanness, & to iniquity unto iniquity; even so you now should yield your members servants to righteousness unto holiness? Rom. 6. 19 Mark the opposition there; there are three to's in the expression of the service to sin, To uncleanness, To iniquity, Unto iniquity; but in the service of God there are only two, To righteousness, Unto holiness. It is true, in this life there will never be that fullness of spirit in following after God, as there was in following after sin; because there was nothing but sin in the soul before, no other stream to abate it; but now there is something else besides grace; a stream of corruption to oppose it: but yet we should be ashamed, that there should be such a difference; the thought of it should cause a dejection of heart within us, and we should judge it infinitely equal & reasonable, that we should endeavour to the utmost we are able, to follow God as fully now, as ever we followed sin before. Saint Paul, Acts 26. 11. confesseth, that in his former way he was mad in the persecution of God's servants; and when God turned the stream, others judged him as mad in the other way; 2 Corinth. 5. 13. For whether we be beside ourselves, it is to God; the love of Christ constraineth us. And hence we may observe, that the same word that signifies to persecute, he useth to set out his earnest pressing towards the Mark; Phil. 3. 14. I press towards the Mark, for the price of the high calling of God. The word that is there translated, press towards, it is this same that signifies to persecute, because 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the earnestness of his spirit, in pressing towards the mark now, is the same that it was in his persecution of those that pressed towards the mark before. Sixthly, the more fully we follow 6 God, the more full shall our present peace, and joy, and soul satisfying contentment be. Psal. 119. 130. The entrance of thy words giveth light; the beginning of following God, is sweet and good, but the further we do go on, the more sweet we shall find, as they who walked toward Zion, Psalm. 84. 7. They went from strength to strength: so they who walk after the Lord, they go from peace to peace, from joy to joy, from one degree of comfort unto another; for if the entrance into our way be so good and sweet, what will it be when we come into the midst of it? Prov. 8. 20. I lead in the way of righteousness, in the midst of the paths of judgement; mark what follows there, verse 21. That I might cause those that love me, to inherit substance, and I will fill their treasures. Then doth the soul inherit substance indeed, then are the treasures of it filled, when wisdom leads it, not only in the way of righteousness, but in the midst of the paths of judgement. The way of the just is compared to the shining of the light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day, Prov. 4. 18. The further he goes on his way, the more light he hath, the more glorious shine is upon him. Psal. 36. 8. They shall be abundantly satisfied, and they shall drink of the River of pleasures. Who are those that shall be thus abundantly satisfied, and shall have this River of pleasures? they are verse 10. the upright in heart. That soul that walks on before the Lord in the uprightness of it, shall not want satisfaction, shall not want pleasure. Psal. 119. 165. Great peace have they which love thy law. It is more to love God's law than to do the thing that is commanded in it. That soul which doth not only submit to the Law, but loves it, will be abundant in duty, for love is bountiful; & great peace hath such a soul, that thus loves Gods Law. Every good motion in the soul is as the bud of the Lord, and that is beautiful and glorious; but how excellent and glorious is the fruit of it then? the good beginnings which are as the budding of the Pomegranate, and the putting forth of the tender Vine, are delightful to God and to the soul; but how pleasant then is the fruit when it comes to ripeness? The more fully we follow on in God's ways, the more full will the testimony of the witnesses both in heaven and earth be, in witnessing our blessed estate unto us: Those three witnesses in heaven, the Father, Word, and Holy Ghost, and those three on earth, the spirit, water, and the blood, of which S. john in his 1 Epistle 5. 7, 8. they will all come with their full testimony, to that soul which follows God fully. By following the Lord fully, we keep our evidences clear; sin blots and blurs our evidences, that oftentimes we cannot read them; but when the heart keeps close to God, and walks fully with him, than all is kept fair. The Kingdom of God consists in righteousness, peace, and joy; the more fully we are brought into his Kingdom, the more fully we are under his government; as there will be the more righteousness, so the more peace, and joy. Es. 9 7. Of the increase of his government, and peace, there shall be no end, saith the Text. The more increase there is of Christ's government in the soul, the more full it is, the more peace will be there. Seventhly, there is great reason that we should walk fully after the 7 Lord, because the way that God calls us to walk in, is a most blessed and holy way: In the 21. Revelation, 21. verse; The streets of jerusalem, (that is, the ways of God's people in his Church, wherein they are to walk) they are said to be of pure gold, and as it were transparent glass; they are golden ways, they are bright shining ways. Prov. 3. 17. The ways of wisdom are the ways of pleasantness; and all her paths are peace. There is not any one Command of God, wherein he would have us to follow him, but it is very lovely, there is much good in it: God requires nothing of us, but that which is most just and holy: as God is holy in all his works, so he is holy in all his Commands; they are no other, but that which if our hearts were as they ought, we would choose to ourselves. A righteous man is a law to himself, he sees that good, that beauty, that equity in all God's Laws, as he would choose them to himself were he left at his own liberty. What one thing is there in God's Law that could be spared? What is there that thou couldst be glad to be exempted from? It may be in the strength of temptation, when some lust is up working, the flesh would fain have some liberty, but upon due serious thoughts, looking into the bottom of things, a gracious soul closeth with the Law, and loveth it as gold, yea, fine gold, and breaks for the longing it hath, not to the reward of obedience to God's Statutes, and Judgements, but to the Statutes and Judgements of God themselves, as David saith his soul did. Howsoever our path in following the Lord may seem rugged and hard to the flesh, in regard of the afflictions and troubles it meets withal in it; yet where there is a spiritual eye, the way of holiness appears to it exceeding lovely and beautiful. Though David Psa. 23. supposed the worst that might befall him in his way, as that he might walk through the valley of the shadow of death; yet he calls his way green pastures, and saith, Godwill lead him by the still waters. It is true, the ways of God are grievous to the wicked, but very good and delightful to the Saints, because they are the ways of holiness, as Esay 35. 8. And a highway shall be there, and it shall be called, the way of holiness; The unclean shall not pass over it. Eightly, the consideration of the end of our way, should be a strong 8 motive, to draw our hearts fully after the Lord in it; the entrance into it is sweet, the midst of it more, as before we have showed; but the end of it most sweet of all; there is that coming, that will fully recompense all. Consider of the sweetness of the end of our way; 1 In that period of it that will be at death, and 2, In that glorious reward we shall have in heaven. That sweet and blessed comfort, that the full following of the Lord brings at death, is enough to recompense all the trouble and hardship, that we meet withal in our way, while we are following of him: This hath caused many Saints of God to lie triumphing, when they have been upon their deathbeds, blessing the Lord that ever they knew his ways, that ever he drew their hearts to follow after him in them. When Hezekiah received the message of death, Esay 38. 2, 3, he turned his face to the wall, and said, Remember, O Lord, I beseech thee, how I have walked before thee in truth, and with a perfect heart, and have done that which is good in thy sight; and Hezechiah wept sore: O the sweetness that possessed the heart of Hezekiah, which did flow from the testimony of his conscience, that he had fully walked after the Lord with a perfect heart! the verb there, I have walked, It is in Hithpael. Continuoi●de sinenter ambulavi. is in that Mood in the Original, that adds to the signification of it; It signifies, I have continually without ceasing walked. Thus Luther, who was a man Osian hist. Eccle. cent. 16. l. b. 2 cap. 56. whose spirit was exceeding full in his love unto, and walking after the Lord Jesus Christ while he lived; and when he came to die, his spirit was as full of comfort, and joy, as before it was full of zeal, and courage; these expressions broke from him; O my heavenly Father, O God the Father of the Lord jesus Christ, the God of all comfort, I give thee thanks that thou hast revealed thy Son jesus Christ to me, whom I have believed, whom I have professed, whom I have loved, whom I have honoured, whom the Bishop of Rome, and the rest of the rout of wicked men have persecuted, and contemned; and now I beseech thee; O my Lord jesus Christ, receive my soul, my heavenly Father; although my body is to be laid down, yet I certainly know that I shall for ever remain with thee, neither can I by any be pulled out of thy hands. The grace of God's Spirit oftentimes appears most in the glory of it, when death approacheth, because grace and glory is then about to meet. That soul that hath followed God fully here, when it comes to depart out of the body, it only changeth the place, nor the company; which was the speech of a late reverend holy Divine of ours, a little before his death. I shall change my place, saith he, but not my company: meaning, that as he had conversed with God, and followed after the Lord here in this World, he was now going to converse with him, and to follow after him more fully in a better World. Death to such a soul, it is but Gods calling of it, from the lower gallery of this World, to the upper gallery of Heaven, to walk with him there. Here the converse that Jesus Christ hath with the souls of his people, is compared to that converse, that friends have one with another, in their walkings together in their galleries, Cant. 7. 5. The King is held in the galleries: he doth not only walk with his Beloved there, but is as it were bound, he is kept there by the bands of love, and when death comes, than the soul is called up, to the upper room, to heaven, there to follow the Lamb wheresoever he goeth. We read of a notable speech, that Hilarion had when he was to die; Go out, go out my soul, why dost Egredere, quid times? egredere anima mea, quid dubitas? septuagintaprope annis servisti Christo, et mortemtimes? Hicronym, in vit. ejus. thou fear, why dost thou doubt? almost these seventy years hast thou served Christ, and dost thou now fear death? And if the end of our way at death, hath so much good in it, how much good will there be in the end of our way, that we shall enjoy, when we come to heaven? As the consideration of the full reward in heaven, was made use of before, as an encouragement to those who do fully follow the Lord; so now we make use of it, as a strong motive to draw up our hearts to the full following after him. It was S. Paul's motive to the Corinthians, 1 Epistle 15. 58. persuading them to he steadfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord; forasmuch as they knew that their labour was not in vain in the Lord. We do not follow after shadows, and fancies, in following the Lord, but we seek for glory, honour, immortality; we follow after an incorruptible crown, a glorious kingdom, an eternal inheritance, the glory of heaven; the treasures of the riches of God himself are set before us, to draw up our hearts fully to him. It was the argument that S. Paul used to work upon his own spirit withal, Phil. 3. 14. I press toward the mark for the price of the high calling of God in Christ jesus. How full is the work of many men's spirits, in their working after some poor, little, scant good in this world? whereas if they had all the world, they had but an empty husk, in comparison of that glory that is set before us: They pant after the very dust; what cause is there then, that our hearts should pant in the strong workings of them, after those high and glorious things, that are reserved in heaven for us? It was the goodness of the land of Canaan, that was a strong motive to draw Caleb and joshuahs' heart fully after the Lord, through many difficulties. Canaan was but a dark Type of the glory of Heaven, which God hath promised to reward the full followers of himself withal. It was once a speech of Anselm, If a man should serve God zealously here a thousand years, yet should he not thereby deservedly merit to be one half day in heaven. Let us be as forward, let our hearts be as strong and zealous in God's ways as possibly they can be; yet I may say as Abigail did to David in that particular case, it shall not repent my Lord when he comes into his Kingdom; so it shall never repent you of any thing that ever you have done for the Lord, when you come into your Kingdom. But if it were possible there could be sorrow in heaven, you would be sorry that you did no more. It was a speech of one Gordius a Martyr, that the threats of his enemies were but as seeds, from which he should reap immortality, and eternal joys; so all the hardship and troubles that we meet with all in our way here, in following the Lord, are but increasers of that glory that is to be revealed: why then should any thing hinder us, or stop us in our way? And thus I pass to the second thing propounded in this Use, namely, to show what are the Causes that hinder men from following the Lord fully; and they are five especially; which I shall but name. First, low apprehensions that men 1 have of God; they see not God in his glory, in his greatness; surely, they know not God, and therefore it is that their hearts work so poorly after him: jer. 9 3. They are not valiant for the truth upon the earth: and what is the reason? For they know not me, saith the Lord. As if he should say, Did they know me, certainly they would be valiant for my trruth: They that know thy Name, saith the Psalmist, Psal. 9 10. they will put their trust in thee; so they that know God's Name, will love him, will fear him, will be zealous for, will fully follow after him. The knowledge of all truths, concerning Heaven, and hell, ven, and hell, or any other thing that can be known, can never raise, can never enlarge the hearts of men so after the Lord, as the knowledge of God himself; and therefore where God is little known, no marvel though he be so little followed. Secondly, unsound beginnings in 2 the profession of Religion, are the cause why men do not fully follow after the Lord; their hearts are not throughly broken, not deeply humbled, the truths of God not deeply rooted at first, their souls not well principled, the foundation not well laid: If men be not well principled at first, in their entrance into the ways of God, they are like to prove but shufflers and bunglers in Religion all their days. If cloth be not wrought well at the first, though it shows fair in the Loom, yet it will shrink when it comes to wetting: the cause why many do so shrink in the wetting, when they come to suffer any thing in the ways of Religion; it is, because their hearts were not well wrought at first. A third cause is the strength of engagements; their hearts are so wrapped 3 in them, so glued to them, as it is exceeding painful to get them loosened from them, they are so near and dear to a corrupt heart: As it is said of Esau, he looked on the Pottage, and it was so red; so they look upon their engagements, and they are so full of content; it is so grievous to be taken off from them, that they rather suffer their hearts to be taken off from God himself: when engagements have taken possession of the heart, then how hard is it to work any thing upon the judgements of men? it is hard to get the mind to view the truths of God, to get it to search into them, to consider of them; it is ready to close with the least objection against them, to catch hold of the least advantage to cast them off; and if truths be so clear as a man cannot but see them, as conscience for the present is over-powred with them, yet if the heart be not taken off from engagements, it will fetch about again, to see if something may not be gotten against those truths, to break the strength of them; but where the heart is taken off from engagements, how easily do the truths prevail? how soon is the heart brought fully to close with them? 2 Sam. 22. 33. God, saith David, maketh my way perfect: the word is, He frees my way, Solvit, so it is translated by some, He frees it from snares; and this is a great mercy. Hence, Psalm 18. 32. Where this thanksgiving of David is again repeated, there the word is translated Dedit, He hath given my way to be perfect; this is a good gift indeed, for God to make a man's ways free and clear before him, to take off the temptations that did engage and ensnare his spirit; and then, as Verse 34. of that place in Samuel, He maketh my feet as Hind's feet: O how swiftly and powerfully then may the soul run in God's ways, when it is thus freed! Psalm. 119. 44, 45. I shall keep thy Law continually, for ever and ever, and I will walk at liberty. When the heart is at liberty, than it goes on continually, for ever and ever, in following after the Lord: but if there be any secret engagement in it, it will be weary, and one time or other will leave off: a man that is fettered, can neither go apace, nor continue long. A fourth thing that hinders men 4 in following God fully, it is, going out in the strength of their own resolutions, not in any strength that they receive out of the fullness of Jesus Christ; they trust more to their own promises, than to Gods. Luther reports of Staupicius a German Divine, that he acknowledged of himself, that before he came to understand aright the free and powerful grace of Jesus Christ, that he vowed & resolved an hundred times against some particular sin, and never could get power over it; at last he saw the reason to be, the trusting to his own resolutions. A fifth cause, is the meeting with 5 more difficulties in God's ways than we made account of: when Christians think only of the good and sweet that they shall meet with in God's ways; but they do not cast in their thoughts, what the troubles are like to be, that they shall find in them; like joseph, who dreamt of his preferment and honour that he should have above his brethren, but dreamt not of his selling into Egypt, nor of his imprisonment there: Christians should at the first entrance into God's ways, expect the utmost difficulties; they should enter upon those terms, to encounter with great troubles, if they mean to sollow God fully in them. It is a shame for any Christian to account any trouble that he meets withal in God's ways, to be as a strange thing unto him. Because the Lord had taken S. Paul as a chosen vessel unto himself, and purposed to draw his heart fully after him; observe how God deals with him in his first entrance into his way, Acts 19 16. I will show him how great things he must suffer for my Names sake. But what then would take off the heart, and carry it fully after the Lord? These three things will do it. First, the real sight and thorough sense of sin, as the greatest evil. When God leads his people weeping, and with supplications, than he brings them into a strait way, wherein they shall not stumble, jer. 31. 9 and again, jer. 50. 4, 5. the Lord saith, that his people shall go weeping, and seek the Lord their God, they shall ask the way to Zion, with their faces thither-ward, saying, Come let us join ourselves to the Lord in a perpetual Covenant, that shall not be forgotten. When they are led weeping in the thorough sense of their sin, than their faces are set toward Zion, and then they are willing to join themselves to God, in a perpetual Covenant. The second thing that will take off the heart fully, is the clear sight of God in these two considerations. 1. In relation to ourselves, to see how there is all good in him for 1 us to enjoy fully, though we have nothing but him alone; what ever we would have in any creature, in any way so far as is good for us, it is to be had in him; when the soul is thoroughly convinced of this, it comes off sweetly, and flows fully after the Lord. 2. Consider God in relation to all other good; thus, that nothing 2 else hath any true goodness in it, but in reference and subordination to him. The third thing that will take off 3 the heart fully, is the fear of God, and the fear of eternity powerfully falling upon the soul, and deeply taking impression in it: For the fear of God, take that place, 2 Cor. 2. 1. Perfect your holiness in the fear of God. The fear of God is a great means to bring your holiness to perfection; and for the second, that place in Phil. 2. 12. Work out your salvation with fear and trembling. The fear of Cap. 6. the eternal salvation of the soul, of the infinite consequence of it, will cause us to labour to work it out. CAP. VI That it is the choiceness of a man's spirit that causes him to follow GOD fully. FRom the reference that this Doct. 3. following of God fully hath to the excellency of Calebs' spirit; The Doctrine that ariseth is this, That it is the choiceness and excellency of a man's spirit, that causeth him to follow God fully. As Comets that are called blazing stars do soon vanish, because of the baseness of the matter out of which they are; but Stars in the Firmament continue; because they are of an heavenly substance: so there are many blazing Professors of Religion, who rise high for a while, but at last they come to nothing, because their spirits are base and vile; but those who have heavenly and choice spirits, they god on in their way, & finish their course to the honour of God and his truth, Pro. 11. 5. The righteousness of the perfect shall direct his way: but the wicked shall fall. Ezec. 36. 26, 27. A new heart will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you, etc. And after it follows, And cause you to walk in my Statutes, and ye shall keep my judgements, and do them. This new spirit will cause a man to walk in God's Statutes; a man of such a spirit shall certainly keep his judgements, and do them even to the end. It is not strength of parts that will carry a man thorough, nor strength of Argument, nor strength of conviction, nor strength of natural conscience, nor strength of resolution, nor strength of common grace; it is only this choice excellent spirit; that other spirit, of which we have spoke so much before. In this point I shall follow these three things. 1 We shall show what there is in this spirit that doth carry on a man fully. 2 Why only this can do it. 3 Apply it. For the first, it is the choiceness of a man's spirit that causeth a man to go fully after God: for, 1 By this a man comes to have a more full presence of God with him, 1 than any other man can have; such a man is nearer unto God than others, he hath more of the nature of God, than others; is more capable of the presence of God, than others; and God delights to let out himself more to him than to others: These are filled with all the fullness of God, according to that expression of the Apostle, Ephes. 3. 19 Now this fullness of God in their spirits must needs carry them on, because it so satisfies them, as they feel no need of other things. Empty spirits are always sucking and drawing of comfort from the creatures that are about them, & hence it is that their hearts are taken off from God so much. Again, a spirit that is filled with God, is not so sensible of any evils that are without, so as empty spirits are; as it is in the body when it is filled with good nourishment, with good blood and spirits, it is not sensible of cold, and alteration of weather, as the body is that is empty, and filled only with wind. Secondly, the choiceness of a man's spirit raiseth it to converse with high 2 things, and so carries it above the rubs, the snares and hindrances that are below; and being above these, it goes on freely and fully in its course, and is not in that danger of miscarrying, as other poor spirits are, who converse so much with the things upon the earth: as Birds that fly high, are not catched by the Fowler, they are not taken by his Lime-twigs, by his Net or Pit fall so as others are, who are much below upon the ground. Broverb. 15. 24. The way of Life is above to the wise, that he may depart from hell beneath; It is the keeping in his way above, that delivers him from the dangers & snares that are laid for him below. Thunders and Lightnings, tempests and storms, make no alteration in the highest Region; so the threats and oppositions against the ways of godliness, and all the troubles that the world causeth, make no alterations in heavenly hearts, that keep above. When the tree grows low, it is subject to be bitten by the Beasts, but when it is grown up on high, it is out of danger: The lower the heart is, the nearer the earth, the more danger; but when it is got up on high, the danger is past; and now, what should hinder it from the growing up to the full measure of it in Christ. Thirdly, the choiceness of a man's 3 spirit changeth his end, and so carries him on fully after the Lord; for when the end is changed, all is changed; when there are but particular changes it is a certain argument, that the highest end is not changed; but when that is changed, there must of necessity be an universal change upon these two grounds. 1 Because the last end is always loved for itself, and therefore infinitely loved. 2 It is the rule of all other things that are under it; the good of all things under it is measured by it, and is subordinate to it. Fourthly, this choiceness of spirit causeth a suitableness, a sympathy 4 between the frame of the heart, and the ways of holiness: Now sympathies first, are always between the general natures of things, and not individuals, not particulars; as thus, where there is a sympathy between one creature and another, it is always between the whole kind of those creatures; wheresoever such Natures are found, there will be this agreement. We may see it more clearly in that which is contrary; that contrariety of nature which we call Antipathy, it is not between any particulars so much, as between the whole natures of things; as between the Wolf & the Sheep, there is such a contrariety: Now the nature of the Wolf is not contrary so much to any particular sheep, but to the whole nature of sheep, wheresoever the nature of it is found, and therefore to all sheep; Thus it is in the soul, where there is such a kind of opposition of it against sin, it is not against any particular sin so much, as against the whole nature of sin, wheresoever it is; so where there is such an agreement, which we call a sympathy, it is not so much with any particular way of holiness, or particular Act, but with the whole nature of holiness, wheresoever it is found, and therefore such a soul must needs follow God fully. Again, sympathies do always work without labour and pain, and therefore where there is such an agreement between the frame of the heart, and the ways of God, the heart must needs work fully, because it works delightfully: and yet further, this agreeableness of sympathy is deeply rooted in the very principles of the creature, it is founded in the very being of it, and therefore it must needs work strongly and constantly. Vain reasonings, carnal objections, subtle arguments, strong oppositions can never prevail against that soul, where there is this deep-rooted agreeableness between the frame of it, & the ways of holiness. But that you may see further what a wonderful agreeableness Grace makes between the spirits of the godly, and the Law of God, which is the rule of those ways wherein God would have the soul to follow him in: observe the several expressions by which the Scripture sets it out. First, it is written in the tables of their hearts. Secondly, it is their meditation day and night, Psal. 1. Thirdly, it is the joy of their souls, Psal. 119. 14, vers. and 47. verse. Fourthly, they love it above gold, above fine gold. Fifthly, their hearts break for the longing it hath after it. Sixthly, they lift up their hands to it, Psal. 119. 48. Seventhly, their mouths talk of it, Psal. 119. 13. ver. & 46. ver. Eighthly, their feet run in it, Psal. 119. 32. Ninthly, their soul keeps it. Psal. 119. 167. Tenthly, they will never forget it, Psal. 119. 16. Eleventhly, they give up their members as instruments of the righteousness of it, Rom. 6. 13. And lastly, to name no more, (though there be many more expressions in Scripture to set this out) they apply their hearts to it, to fulfil it always even to the end, Psal. 119. 103. Fifthly, This choiceness of spirit 5 causeth a man to look to his duty, and not to regard what may follow. The thing that hinders most in their following the Lord, it is want of this; it is not want of conviction what should be done, but the reasonings of their heart, about the hard and troublesome consequences that will follow, if the things be done: But a true gracious heart saith only, Let me know what is my duty, let the right be done, though heaven and earth meet together. Sixthly, The choiceness of a man's Fiat just●tia, etsi mundus ruat. 6 spirit causeth a man, that if he doth look at any consequences, that may follow upon his way, he looks only at the last issue of all, what his way will prove in his last conclusion; how things will go with him when he comes to the last trial, what will be the ultimate end of all: Will it then be peace? shall I then be glad of these ways I now walk in? Seventhly, The choiceness of a 7 man's spirit strengthens it against the impressions that sensitive objects use to leave upon soft and weak spirits. Most men have their spirits form, and fashioned according to sensitive objects; it is not what they apprehend in abstract notions, that works upon them, let them be what they will; yet, when they have to deal with sensitive things, the sweetness, desireableness, glory of them, works the most powerfully; their hearts are altered according to the impression that they leave upon them, and this is great weakness, and an effeminate softness of spirit: Hence the word translated Effeminate, 1 Cor. 6. 9 signifies 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. soft-spirited men. This distemper in the spirit, is like that in the flesh, when it is corrupted with the dropsy; the flesh is soft, and if you put your finger to it, the impression of your finger sticks in it, and pits the flesh; so the impression of sensitive objects, sticks in distempered, weak, soft spirits, as it was in the other Spies who were sent with Caleb and joshuah; the terrible things they saw in the land, stuck mightily in their hearts, they brought with them the impression of them fastened in their spirits: hence Numb. 13. 33. according to the translation of the Greek Translators, it is, They brought the fear of the land with them: But 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. this choiceness of spirit that was in Caleb, and is in those who are truly godly, keepeth from this: and there must be this firmness in the spirit of a man, or else it will never carry him after the Lord fully, 2 Sam. 22. 26. With the upright thou wilt show thyself upright; the word translated upright, signifies strong and perfect: There is required strength, and that more than ordinary too, to carry on the soul to perfection. Thus you see what there is in this choice spirit, that caries it on fully after the Lord: Now there must of necessity be this, or else this full following of the Lord will never be, nothing else will do it. And that; 1 Because the ways of God are supernatural, and therefore there must be something in the spirit of a man which is supernatural, that must reach to them; this which is supernatural in the spirits of godly men, we see it in the effects, and we know it is above reason, and all natural principles whatsoever. But what is, is very hard to express; and therefore men of parts in the World, are mad to think, that any should imagine, that those who are of weaker parts than themselves, should have any thing in them, to carry them on in other ways, than they walk in; which they do not understand, because they do not know, what that same thing is, which is called supernatural; they will rather think it a conceit and fancy, than any real excellency: because they can apprehend other things better than others, they think, why should they not apprehend this better than others, if there were any real excellency in it. 2 The ways of God are not only above nature, but contrary to nature, and therefore there must be needs, some special choycenesse of spirit, to carry a man on in them; there must be a contrary stream, to overpower the stream of nature, and this stream must be fed by some living fountain, or else there will never be a holding out. In following after the Lord, all natural abilities, and common grace will do no more but stop the stream of corrupt nature; they cannot so overpower it, as to carry the soul another way; but the work of grace in this choiceness of spirit will do it. 3 The stream of times, and examples of men, are exceeding strong, and it is not a little matter that will carry on the soul against them. The dead fish is carried down the stream, though the wind serves to blow it up: all natural abilities of the soul, will no more help a man against the stream of examples, than the wind can carry the dead fish up the stream; but if there were life put into the fish, it were able then to move against the wind and stream too. 4 There are so many strong alluring temptations, where in the wiles, subtleties, depths of Satan, are very powerful to draw the heart away from God, that except there be some special work of God's grace to give wisdom to discern the deceits of sin, to make the soul spiritually subtle, to find out the cunning devices of Satan, and to discern the danger of them, the soul most certainly could never hold on in the way of its following after the Lord. 5 There are so many troubles, oppositions, that it meets withal in this way, that most certainly would drive it out, were it not for some choice Work of God's grace in it; but this choycenesse of spirit, will carry a man through all them: It is God's promise, Esay 59 19 That when the enemy shall come in like a flood, the Spirit of the Lord shall lift up a standard against him. We made use of this Scripture before, for opposition of strong corruptions; but it is true here now, for the resisting of strong spiritual enemies, of strong oppositions; when they come in like a flood against the soul, to carry it out of God's ways, the Spirit of God in it doth lift up a standard against them, & were it not for this, it could not hold: It is this good and sound constitution of the soul that makes it endure those oppositions that it meets withal. An aguish heat may be greater, than that which ariseth from a good constitution, but it is not able to resist cold: so there may be a natural violence in a man's spirit for a while, in the profession of Religion, which may seem to be zeal, but not arising from the good constitution of the soul, when troubles come, it vanishes, giving no strength at all. 6 There are so many scandals and reproaches that rise against the ways of God, so many aspersions that are cast upon them, that if a man hath not more than an ordinary spirit, he most certainly will be offended: Blessed are they that are not offended in me, saith Christ. It is a great blessing when there falls out scandals, and when we see grievous aspersions cast upon God's ways, yet not to be offended; there needs be some more than ordinary light to discover to a man, the certainty of that good there is in the ways of God; he had need be sure of his principles, and know in whom he hath believed. 7 Yea, God many times hides himself from his servants, while they are following after him, and this oftentimes proves the sorest temptation of all, and a greater discouragement than all the rest: for as for oppositions, scandals, reproaches, these are things they make account of, and can often lightly pass them over; but when God hides his face, this puts them at a stand, now they are in the dark, and know not what to do; Christ was not much troubled at the reproaches of men, at the oppositions he met withal from them; for the Scripture saith, He despised the shame, and endured the Cross; but when his Father hid his face from him, than he was in an agony, than his spirit began to be amazed, than his soul was sorrowful to the death, than he falls grovelling upon the ground, than he sweats drops of water and blood, than he cries out, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? These spiritual desertions in their degree, God's servants often meet withal in their way, so as, if they had not choice spirits, some special work of God in their souls, they would certainly fall and sink in it. Now put all these together, and we see, it is not every ordinary spirit, that is like to go on fully after the Lord; it must needs be some thing extraordinary, that preserves a spark in the midst of waves, that preserves a candle light, in the midst of storms and tempests. Never wonder then, or be offended, to see so many to fall off from Use 1. God; few men have choice spirits; those who are godly expect no other from most professors, and therefore they are not troubled when they see this fall out; They went out from us, because they were not of us, saith the Apostle. Wicked men are offended, because they know not what the work of grace means; and hence, if they see a man make profession of Religion, they make no difference, as though there were as much to be expected from him, as from another; as though the cause of God fell when he fell; no such matter; If you see men's spirits proud, slight, earthly, sensual, or carried with a greater violence than their principles will bear; I do not mean, though their affections may sometimes go beyond their knowledge; but by principles I mean, the rooted graces of God in their hearts, as one may perceive in some, there are not graces rooted suitable to their expressions, & outward ways; and when you see not an evenness in the ways of men, than never expect from them any full following the Lord: and if they fall off, be not troubled, let it be no more than you made account of beforehand would be. Hence the world is mistaken, who Use 2. judge it stoutness, and stubbornness of spirit in God's servants, that will go on in the ways of godliness; they are a kind of inflexible people, there is no persuading of them, there is no dealing with them: No, it is no stubbornness; it is the choiceness of their spirits, that makes them to do as they do; you judge it stubbornness because you do not know the principles upon which they go. I confess, if I see a man stand constantly in his way, and will not be moved by the persuasions of others, if I do not understand the reasons upon which he goes, I cannot but think it stoutness, and this is your case; but if you did but know, what are their reasons, what are their powerful motives, that draw them on in the ways of God, you would not have such thoughts of them; Their spirits within them constrain them, as Elihu says of himself in another case, job 32. 18. Take these convincements that it is not stubbornness, but choiceness of spirit, that carries them on so unmoveable in their way. 1. In other things they are as yeeldable, as tractable, as easy to be persuaded as any men; it is only in the matter of the Lord their God they are thus. They can bear burdens upon their shoulders, and cry out, and resist as little as any; if you will compel them to go a mile, they will be content, if it may do good, to go two, yea, as far as the shoes of the preparation of the Gospel of peace will carry them; who can bear wrongs and injuries from men better than they? stubborne-spirited men cannot do thus. 2 Stubbornness is joined with desire of revenge; but in these dispositions, there is all pity and compassion; they pray for those who do oppose them; when they are reviled, they revile not again; If sometimes their corruptions should be stirred, they are ashamed and confounded, in their own thoughts, for that they have done, they mourn and lament in the bitterness of their spirits for it. Thirdly, stubborn dispositions are not contracted on a sudden; it is by degrees, and continuance of time that 3 altars nature; but this disposition of being unmoveable in God's ways comes many times even of a sudden, as soon as ever the heart is turned, which is an evidence of a new principle put into it. Fourthly, stubborn hearts do 4 not use to seek God to uphold them, to strengthen them, to bless them in that way; they do not bless God for being with them, helping of them to persist in their way, as God's servants do; they go to God to get strength to enable them to be immovable; they give God the glory of it, when they have found themselves enabled to withstand temptations. Fiftly, those who are of stubborn dispositions, do not use to be most 5 stubborn, when the heart is most broken with afflictions; stout hearts, though in their prosperity are unyeeldable, there is no dealing with them then; their hearts are presently up; if you move them to any thing they have no mind to, their words are stout, their answers are sierce; but let afflictions come, then, as Es. 29. 4. Their hearts are brought down, and they speak as one out of the ground, and their speech is low, as one out of the dust; then they are willing to hear what you say; As the young Gallant that Solomon speaks of in Proverbs 5. there was no speaking to him in his prosperity; but when his flesh and body were consumed, than he mourns at the last, and cries out, How have I hated instruction, and my heart despised reproof! I have not obeyed the voice of my Teachers, etc. But now, those that are godly, in their greatest afflictions, when their hearts are most broken, when God humbles them most, even than they are most settled and unmoveable in that way they walked in before, and it is then the greatest grief of their souls, that they walked no closer with God in it, than they did. Have other thoughts then of God's people, than you have had; do not accuse that of stubbornness, that you do not understand; think with yourselves, that there may be something in their spirits, more than you know of. Let those who have this excellent choice spirit, encourage themselves in use 3. this, that surely it will enable them to follow God fully; let them know, First, that though they be weak, if 1 their spirits be right, if of the right kind, they shall certainly hold out. That which Christ said for the comfort of the Church of Philadelphia, Revel. 3. 8, they may apply for theirs; Thou hast a little strength, saith Christ, and hast kept my Word, and hast not denied my Name. A little strength, if it be right, if it be the strength of a sound spirit, it will carry on the soul to keep God's Word, and enable, not to deny his Name. Secondly, therefore is Christ filled with all fullness of all grace, that out 2 of his fullness thou mayst receive grace for grace; that Spirit by which he is so plentifully anointed, it is for thee. But I am afraid my spirit is not this choice spirit, and therefore I shall not Object. hold out in following the Lord. First, is it a broken humble spirit in sense of thy weaknesses and Ans. wants? 1 Secondly, that which thou dost, though but weakly, is it upon divine 2 grounds, and hast thou divine ends? Thirdly, doth the sight of thy weakness make thee cling, and cleave unto 3 Jesus Christ? Fourthly, when thou losest God in following him, art thou sensible of 4 the want of his presence, and dost thou never leave crying and seeking till thou enjoyest him again? Certainly this is a true choice spirit, that will carry on fully in following the Lord, when thousands of glorious Hypocrites shall vanish and come to nothing. If it be this choiceness of spirit, Use 4. that is the only thing that will fully carry after the Lord, then let us learn to look to our spirits: Keep thy heart with all diligence, for out of it come the issues of life: Do not so much complain of temptations, oppositions, troubles you meet withal; but look to your spirits, & all is safe and well. If there be the spirit of love & of a sound mind, there will be the spirit of power; for these are joined together by the Apostle; there need not be 2 Tim. 1. 7. the spirit of fear; for the spirit of a sound mind, & the spirit of fear, are opposed one to another in the same place. But wherein should we look Object. Ans. to our spirits? First, take heed to your judgements, keep your judgements clear for God & his truth; as it is said, Es. 33 1 that wisdom and knowledge should Esay 33. 6. be the stability of those times; so, true wisdom and knowledge preserving the judgements of men right & sound, are the stability of men's hearts. Take heed your judgements come not to be altered, to think otherwise of God's ways, than you did before, to have other opinions of them. Though there may be many weaknesses, yet if the judgement be kept right, all may do well; but if the Leprosy be got into the head, than the soul is in a dangerous condition: as Leu. 13. 44. when the Priest shall look upon a Leprous man, and see the plague is got into his head, the Text saith, he shall pronounce him utterly unclean, for the Plague is in his head. The Priest was to pronounce none to be utterly unclean, but such who had the plague in their heads. Secondly, labour to keep conscience 2 clear, take heed of pollution there, take heed of a breach in thy spirit there, for that will weaken it much: conscience is the strong Tower of thy soul, if the Truth of God be got out there, the strength of the soul is gone. Thirdly, labour to keep thy heart low and humble; when the flesh swells, 3 it cannot bear any hard thing upon it: though a member grows bigger when it swells, yet it grows weaker; so it is with the soul. Fourthly, labour to keep the spirit 4 heavenly; mixture of dross will weaken it, convince thy soul, that a little of the Creature will serve turn, to carry thee thorough this thy Pilgrimage well enough. One told a Philosopher; If you will be content to please Dionysius, you need not feed upon green herbs: The Philosopher answers him, And if you will be content to feed upon green herbs, you need not please Dionysius. So if men would be content with a little in the World, to be in a low and mean condition, they need not flatter; those things that draw others from following after the Lord, would not move them at all. Fiftly, labour to keep thy spirit in a 5 continual trembling frame, abiding in the fear of the Lord all the day long; the fear of the Lord causeth men to depart from evil; meditate the fear of the Lord continually. Lastly, keep thy spirit continually working; many things have much power in them while they are in motion, but weak when the motion ceaseth; sin is very strong while it is in motion, but when affliction stops the motion, the truths of God have more power over it; so grace, while it is acting, it is strong, but if it grows dull, it grows weak, and is soon turned aside. Thus we looking to our spirits, we shall be able to follow the Lord fully, and finish our course in peace. FINIS.