MOSES HIS SELF-DENIAL.  
Delivered In a Treatise upon Hebrews 11. the 24. verse. BY JEREMY BURROUGHS.  LUKE 9 24. He that loseth his life for my sake, shall save it. Aug. de Civit. Dei. lib. 5. Non magnanimitatis est magnos petere honores, sed contemnere. 
LONDON: Printed by T. Paine, and are to be sold by H. Overton and T. Nichols, at their Shops in Popes-head Alley. 1641.   

HONORATISSIMO DOMINO, EDVARDO, DOMINO MANDEVILL, VICE-COMITI HEROI SUMMI CANDORIS, PIETATIS AC LITERARUM FAUTORI.  
LIBELLUM HUNC IN PERPETUAE OBSERVANTIAE TESTIMONIUM, D.D.D.  
JER. BURROUGHS.   

TO THE CHRISTIAN READER.  
THe corruption of Nature is exceeding great; it appears sundry ways, in none more than in selvishnesse: he which at first was made altogether for God, is now altogether for himself. The disease is Catholic, and spreads to the ends of the earth. Phil. 2. 21. All seek their own. The people flocked after Christ by Sea and Land, here was great seeming self-denial, Christ they must see, Christ they must hear, a Christ they must have, but this Christ-seeking was altogether self-seeking; Christ tells them that it was not himself, his Doctrine or Miracles that drew them, it was the loaves, they found more virtue in that bread, then in the bread of life. 
Gen. 11. 7.   
It was selvishnesse that made Laban change Jacob's wages ten times, and become a deceiver. This made Naball churlishly deny relief to David and his, in their distress. This made Gehezi run after Naaman, and take talents of silver, and change of garments. 
2 King. 5.  Elishaes' excellency appeared in his self-denial, and Gehezies' baseness in his self-seeking. This humour is in all, and predominant in most parties.  
Some great pretenders of holiness are polluted and poisoned with this venom. You may see it in the Jesuits Maxims & practice: They say there is not a mixture in every congregation, their Society is without spot or wrinkle, they have all living, and no dead members. 
Augustini Ardingelli paradoxa Jesuitica.  And again, their Society exceeds all others in this, that they have Antidotes and Spices, which will preserve them from corruption, so that there is no danger of their degenerating after some Centuries of years, as other orders have done: Happy men, if their sayings and Societies were the same. When they deal with Princes and Potentates, they tell them not of their faults, 
Secreta instructio societatis Jesus.  but those opinions Qua liberiorem faciunt conscientiam.  
Thus they do to advance themselves and their cause, that they may be thought the Non-suches of the world; they boast of their grace, and say the Monks come short of them, they can dally with the fairest women without danger. Paul himself was not so perfect in that kind as they are. Here is self-seeking with a witness, they throw down an Apostle to lift up themselves; they care not who fall, so they may rise; they blast all others to beautify themselves: But God in justice hath made them odious even among Papists as well as Protestants.  
Great selfe-seekers in a Church or State ever gain great hatred. If men will pollute God's worship with their devices, he will make their names to stink. Nothing makes us more honourable in the eyes of God and man, than the advancing of his worship, and preserving it unmixed. If temporals come in place of eternals, and that which is man's, instead of that which is Gods, God will make the Authors of such evil contemptible before all the people, Mal. 2. 8, 9 It is not unknown how divine providence proceeded against the Danish Prelates; Had they denied themselves, maintained the pure Worship of God, sought the public good of Prince and people, they might have stood to this day; but because they were shamefully wicked, and sought themselves too much, they were wholly cast out by Prince and people, 
Chryteus' Chron. Saxon.  in the year 1537: Self-seeking is self-undoing; Absolom and Adoniah, whilst they sought themselves, they lost their lives.  
The argument of this Book is self-denial, a hard, yet a safe lesson; it is no other than Christ taught and practised; If any man will be my Disciple, let him deny himself and follow me, Matth. 16. 24. there's the doctrine, see his practice, joh. 6. 15. when they would make him a King, he withdraws; the greatness and glory that was in royal Majesty, could nothing prevail with his spirit; He did not his own will, but the will of his Father. It liked not him to have his works blown abroad; his whole life & death was an absolute self-denial. This way would he have all his to go, and it is a way wherein is no death. He that doth most deny himself, he lives most free from sin. Take a true selfe-denying man, and passion is a stranger to him; he sins not with anger, because he rejoices in his wrongs; he swells not with pride, because he is content to be contemned; he frets not at afflictions, because he deems himself worthy of all punishments. Self-denial breeds great joy, and brings great ease. It unburthens a man of himself, his sinful self: What joy, what ease was it to Joseph to be rid of his enticing Mistress? he let go his coat, and saved his innocence. And let a Christian rid himself of his sinful self, and his joy and ease will exceed joseph's; if he let go his Flesh, he shall advance his Spirit.  
Would it not be another Heaven to be rid of our sinful opinions, sinful wills and affections? deny thyself, and this Heaven is thine. A selfe-seeker only makes himself miserable; he is an absolute Tyrant, his self-love turns charity out of doors, & eats up all the love that God & man should have; neither others good, nor God's glory are dear to him, he is a clod of the earth that sucks the sap of his soul only to himself. It is the selfe-denying man that is the man for God and public good. Such a one was Moses, Heaven and Earth have been honoured by him; such a one will venture even where danger & difficulty is, self shall not hinder public good. A selfe-denying man will stand by God's cause and people, when others shrink for fear and shame. 
History of Church of Scots.  One Dowglas a Scottish Knight having heard Master Whiscart preach, said, I know the Governor and Cardinal shall hear of it, but say unto them, I will avow it, and not only maintain the Doctrine, but also the person of the teacher, to the uttermost of my power. Had he minded his credit with great ones, his estate or liberty, he would not have appeared for a persecuted truth and man; self-denial had stripped him of private respects. Antoninus Pius, when he undertook the Title of Emperor, said he did then forgo the property and interest of a private person; and when we take the name of Christ upon us, we should then forgo all selvish and domestic respects.  
It is the honour of a Christian to be like unto his Master Christ; he denied himself throughly, and was acted altogether by the Father; let us do the like, and be acted wholly by Christ. I live not, says Paul, but Christ lives in me; his judgement, will, affection, life, were transformed into Christ's: here was no halving, himself was fully laid down, and Christ was all in all, and he gained enough by it; there is no better way then to deny ourselves, and to do it fully. It is a failing, and that a great one in many, they will deny themselves in some things, in many things, but not in all; if they mortify most lusts, yet to some one they will show mercy. This mercy to thy lust, is cruelty to thyself. Iron fetters thou knockest off with indignation, but pleadest for golden shackles, some petty beloved corruption. Why dost thou deny thyself in part, and not altogether? Curvis jam pluribus rescissis manere in parvo ligatus. Limitations here, will prove thy lamentations; deny thyself wholly, or not at all: if there be not through- self-denial, ere long there will be God-denyall. Hast thou loved thyself too much heretofore, nunc opus est odisse, now hate thyself: hast thou leaned upon thy own wisdom too much, now despise it, acknowledge God in all thy ways. The further off thou art from thyself, the nearer thou art to God. Self-seeking sets us at the borders of Hell, and self-denial sets us at the gate of Heaven.  
Reader, wouldst thou have two Heavens, live in Heaven on Earth, and go to Heaven at death, study this Book of Self-denial. Vergerius, by reading of Luther was taken off from Popery; and Pighius, by reading Calvin, was brought to be of his mind in point of Justification. Who knoweth but thou mayest by reading this learned Treatise of Self-denial, be brought off from all thy selfe-love and self-seeking. This Author would pull from thee that which would ruin thee. If thou wilt let the Physic purge out ill humours, take away ill blood, to save thy life, be not unwilling that a grave and godly Divine should purge out thy self-love, and take away sinful humours, to save thy soul. It is his aim to do thee good, follow his counsel, and thou shalt never be troubled with soule-sicknesse. It is our sinful self-seeking, that breeds all the distempers of our spirits. Let us deny ourselves, and then we are as God would have us to be; we shall make high account of God, and find great sweetness in the things of God. They that fast most, find the greatest sweetness in their meat: And those that are the greatest selfe-denyers, find the greatest content in God, and most blessings from God. They are ever in the valley of Berachah, 
2 Chron. 20. 26.  in the place of blessings and rest: And what the Prophet crownes true fasting withal, the same will God crown self-denial withal, joy, gladness, and cheerful feasting. 
Zach. 8. 19   
Thy friend in Christ, W. GREENHILL.   

The Authors Advertisement to the Reader.  
Christian Reader,  
Much of this treatise was preached before an auditory suitable to the subject, especially the former part of it. But many things are added, especially exemplifications of History and quotations It is not my manner to fill Sermons, either with histories or quotations. But I may have leave to put them with my notes, and so you have them here. It may be they may draw some to the reading of some things that may stick by them, which otherwise the very title of the treatise would have caused them to reject. What you find suitable to you, take for your profit, and thank God: what there is else, be not offended at it, but leave it to others who may perhaps gain something by it.  
I. B.   

CHristan Reader by reason of the author's absence divers faults have escaped, especially this one, in many places the person is changed, the first is put in for the second and third; It may seem harsh and strange that when there is speaking to those of high rank the author should speak in the first person we and ours, but the copy was otherwise. p. 9 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p▪ 59 partaker▪ part p. 31. f. us r. you etc.   

MOSES HIS SELFE-DENIALL.  HEB. 11. 24. By Faith Moses, when he was come to years, refused to be called the son of Pharaohs Daughter. 
IN this Chapter we have a divine record, 
The sense and meaning of the words cleared, & Doctrines raised.  a famous catalogue of the worthies of the Lord, manifesting the power and life of that blessed grace of faith in the glorious effects of it; amongst whom Moses is one of the most choice & eminent, holding forth unto us the glory & efficacy of his faith, in divers wonderful blessed fruits of it, both actively & passively, in what he did, & in what he suffered; his wonderful self-denial, his strange choice, his fixed eye upon Heaven, his undaunted courage, his glorious constancy, his clear sight of the invisible God.  
The first is his selfe-deniall, which the Holy Ghost here records, as a high commendation, as a most famous testimony of the preciousness of his faith; and indeed so it is, faith above all graces fills the heart with the fullness of God, but most empties it of its self, raises the heart the highest in communion with God, but keeps it down the lowest in selfe-abasement. By faith Moses, when he was come to years refused to be called the son of Pharaohs daughter.  
[He refused] not a bare willingness, & contentedness to be without that honour, but, when he was put upon it, he denied it, so the word is: Yea, horruit, aver satus est, says chrysostom upon that place, he trembled, he was astonished at such a thought, that he should embrace the honours of the Court, rather than to own the people of God in their most afflicted, distressed condition: He abhorred, he detested the entertaining such a thought in his heart & therefore turned away from it with disdain. We never read that he refused, or denied in words, that ever he said to Pharaohs daughter, or any other to this effect, that he would not be her heir, or be called her son, but actions have as loud a voice as words. When Moses came down from the Mount, his face shined so gloriously, as the people were not able to behold it; here his faith raiseth him higher than the Mount, and puts an unexpressible lustre & glory up on him. Here is a Worthy of the Lord indeed, bright and glorious in the shining beauty of his faith, set out unto us in the full expressions of it by the Holy Ghost himself.  
By faith [Moses] Moses a man complete every way, for his parts admirable, the Holy Ghost witnesses of him, that he was learned in all the learning of the Egyptians: so Act. 7. 22. Philo judaeus in vita Mosis says, that there were sent for learned men at exceeding great charge out of foreign parts, to instruct him in the liberal arts, and out of Caldaea, such as might instruct him in Astrology, besides the most learned of Egypt; 
Lib. 9 de praepar.  and Eusebius citys another, affirming that Moses was not only learned in the learning of the Egyptians, 
Evan. c. ult.  but that he taught the Egyptians the use of letters; and therefore was honoured of them by the name of Mercurius. 
Stromat. lib. 1.  And Clemens Alexandrinus citys one, saying, that Moses taught the Israelites letters, and from the jews he says the Phoenicians had them, and from the Phoenicians the Grecians.  
For the beauty of his body it was incomparable, 
2.  when he was borne he was exceeding fair: so Act. 7. 20. The words in the Greek have a greater emphasis with them than our English expression hath; 
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉  fine, elegant, so as citizens are when they are trimmed up in their bravery, upon days of festivity, that is the propriety of the word, and this is said to be exceeding, in the text, it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 fair to God, divinely beautiful, a kind of divine beauty was upon him, a beauty beyond humane beauty, such beauty as in his very face a divine lustre appeared. The Scripture useth this phrase to signify the highest degree of a thing, as jonah 3. a very great city, it is in the Hebrew magna Deo: so here, exceeding fair, venusta Deo. 
joseph. lib. 2. cap. 5.  josephus reports of him, that by that time he was three years old, God added an admirable grace to his countenance, so that there was none, but was amazed at the beauty of Moses, and would leave their serious business, to feed their eyes with Moses his incomparable beauty, & their eyes were held with it, that they could not tell how to look enough upon him; and he says that they never went from him but unwillingly.  
And for the sweet temper & disposition of his spirit, 
3.  that was exceeding amiable: the Scripture says that he was the meekest man upon earth. 
Josph. lib. 4. cap. ult.  Numb. 12. 3. And Josephus in his fourth book, and last chapter, says he was so free from passions, that he knew no such thing in his own soul; he only knew the names of such things, and saw them in others rather then in himself.  
And fourthly, 
4.  for honour in the world, he was very eminent, the adopted son of Pharaohs daughter; the name of this Pharaohs daughter, 
joseph. lib. 2, cap. 5.  josephus tells us, was Thermuthis: he says likewise she was the only child Pharaoh had, Pharaoh had no son to inherit the kingdom, and that this his daughter Thermuthis had no child, and therefore having found Moses, she set her heart upon him, and feigned herself to be with child, and kept Moses hid, until such a time as it might be thought to be her own child, to that end, that he might inherit her father's crown.  
And further he tells us, that this daughter of Pharaoh was much beloved of her father, and that, in respect to her, he loved Moses also, which appears in this relation that he hath. He saith that when Moses was a little one, Pharaohs daughter brought him to her father, & put him into his arms, & he, to gratify his daughter, took off his own diadem, and set it upon Moses head. There were likewise divers prognostications that Moses should hereafter do great things. josephus saith, that Amram, Moses his father, had a special revelation concerning this child, that he should be delivered from the danger of being slain, and that he should be a deliverer of his people. He tells us likewise, that when Pharaoh put his diadem upon his head, he, though but a little child, took it off, and stamped it under his feet; whereupon some of his Magicians would have had him put to death, saying that it was a sign, that this child in time would cast down Pharaohs Crown.  
And one Gualmyn a later writer, 
Gualmyn de vita Mosis. p. 1. 2. 10. 11.  writing of the life of Moses, hath this relation; that when Moses was three years old, Pharaoh made a great feast, and his Queen holding him by the right hand, and his daughter together with Moses by the left, his Nobles being bid to sit before him, Moses before them all took Pharaohs crown from his head, and set it upon his own, whereupon all being amazed, one Balaam a Magician, put Pharaoh in mind of a dream he had had, which was this: There stood before him an old man, having a pair of scales in his hand, and in one of the scales there appeared to him as if all Egypt, the children and women had been in it, in the other scale he saw only one child, which downe-weighed the whole Kingdom, and all that was in the other scale. This is Moses, whose faith, whose selfe-deniall is set down unto us thus glorious in this Scripture, one who might have lived a most brave life in the enjoyment of the highest honours, the sweetest pleasures, the choicest delights that heart could wish, & yet this Moses refused to be called the son of Pharaohs daughter. This Moses chooses rather to suffer afflictions with the people of God: this Moses is contented to be scorned and contemned for Christ, he ventures upon the wrath of the King and endures it all.  
In this excellent argument of the self denial of such a worthy of the Lord, 
1.  we are to consider: First, what he refuses, namely, to be accounted the son of Pharaohs daughter: for Moses was generally reputed to be her own son, and honoured as her own son, but he thought it a greater honour, to be a son of Abraham, to come of the promised seed, to have his pedigree from God's people, this he accounts more noble, and this he will rather glory in, though he does prejudice himself in great preferments, dignities, and riches, and all kind of outward glory that otherwise he might have enjoyed: from whence the point is:  
That nobility of birth, 
Doct.  and court honours, and all outward delights are to be denied for Christ.  
Secondly, 
2.  we are to consider the time when this was, it was when he was of full years: the words in the original are, 
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉.  when he came to be great, and the observation from this is:  
That it is then truly honourable indeed, 
Doct.  to deny honours and pleasures, when we have opportunity to enjoy them to the full, in the very prime of our time.  
Thirdly, 
3.  we are to consider the principle which carried him on, which was faith; and from thence the point is:  
That faith is the principle, 
Doct.  that must carry through, and make honourable all a Christians sufferings. For the first.  

CHAP. I.  

SECT. 1.  
That nobility of birth, 
Point. 1.  and all honours and delights whatsoever, are to be denied for Christ.  
IT must be granted, that nobility of birth in itself is a blessing of God: The children of nobles have an honourable mention in Scripture, Eccle. 10. 7. Blessed art thou O land, when thy King is the son of Nobles. The chief, the nobles in Israel, are called the renowned in the congregation, Numb. 1. 16. and Isay 5. 13. that which is translated honourable men, is in the original their glory, and so by Arias Montanus, gloria ejus. The Nobility are the glory of a kingdom, and jude. 8. where some are said to speak evil of dignities, the word is glories, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. Men in eminent places are, or should be, the glory of those places, and of the whole country where they live. Soule-nobility is the chief, yet I will not say the sole nobility; natural nobility must have its due respect. It was a speech of Jonadab to Amnon, 2 Sam. 13. 4. Why art thou, being a King's son, soleane from day to day? As if to be a King's son, were enough to allay any sorrow, to make any condition full of joy & content: seemeth it a small matter (says David) 1. Sam. 18. 13. to be a King's son in law? but to be borne of the Kings of the earth is accounted more, this is the highest nobility; that which is under it, birth from other great men of the earth is honourable likewise.  
This puts great thoughts into men's hearts, this is a honour in which men do much glory, 
Mihi Deorum immortalium munus & primum videtur & maximum in lucem statim faelicem venire. Panegyr. Const.  yet this Moses might have had in the account of the world, but he refuseth it; for God even this is to be denied. It was too high an expression, savouring of flattery, that an orator making an oration, in the praise of Constantine the great, had, the first and greatest gift of heaven, was to be borne happy, & as soon to be in the lists of felicity as of nature, meaning the happiness of a noble birth: but though this be too much, yet we acknowledge it amongst outward privileges, not to be one of the meanest, but yet not so great, but that there is infinite reason it should be denied in the cause of Christ.  
For first, 
1.  though there be something in it, yet there is not much, not so much as any should think it too great a thing to lay down for God.  
For first, 
Reas. 1.  it is no such thing, but that the greatest enemies of God, hated of him, and cast out for ever from him have had it as well as others; what a succession of Princes and Dukes came from the loins of Esau? there reigned eight Kings in Edom, before there was a King over the children of Israel; yea before the government of Moses, and they flourished till the days of Obadiah, no less than twelve hundred years, yea they lived to see the ruin of the second Temple, as we find it related by Josephus: 
joseph. de belle judaico. lib. 7. cap. 22.  whatsoever is common to wicked men, Gods enemies, surely it hath no great excellency in it, neither should it be in high esteem with us. That is observable that we find, Deut. 2. 12. and ver. 22. 23. where the Lord would teach Israel not to insult upon their outward conquests: he gives this reason, because they were such as he had given to others before them, who were wicked. In Seir, says the text, The Horims dwelled before time, and the sons of Esau possessed them, and destroyed them from before them, and dwelled in their stead, as Israel did unto the land of his possession: [as Israel did] Israel had not yet possessed, but this is spoke prophetically, as it was afterwards in the days of joshua; as if God should say, This is a favour indeed towards you, to make you conquerors over your enemies, to give their countries into your possession, this is an honour put upon you, but it is no other favour, no higher honour, then wicked profane Esau hath had before you, therefore you have no great cause to be puffed up with it. That which the Lord saith here of conquest, is true of parentage, of riches, of honour, of all outward excellencies, they are indeed favours of the Lord, but no such excellent things, but that they have been made common to the enemies of the Lord; and therefore there is great reason that our hearts should not be puffed up with them, but sit loose from them.  
Secondly, 
Reas. 2.  there is no such great matter in it, because the birth of the greatest is defiled with sin, in the guilt and uncleanness of it, as well as the birth of the meanest: the most noble blood upon earth is tainted with high treason against the God of Heaven: whatsoever your birth be from men, yet you are borne a child of wrath, an enemy to God, loathsome and abominable before him, an heir of hell. When God would humble the jews who gloried much in their birth, he shows them the uncleanness, 
De parentibus illis venio qui ante me fecerunt damnatam quam natum Bern. in Medit. cap. 2.  the baseness of it, in that expression, Ezek. 16. your father is an Amorite, and your mother an Hittite. I come of those parents, says Bernard, by whom I was a damned creature before I was borne: your birth is such, what ever it be in regard of outward greatness, as if there be not a second birth, it had been better for you that you had never been borne, or rather that you had been of the generation of Dragons, or the offspring of Vipers.  
Thirdly, suppose it were not defiled, 
Reas. 3.  yet it is an exceeding poor and mean thing in the eyes of God: it may be something before men, but before God it is nothing, for God is no respecter of persons: so much a man is worth, 
Tantus quisque est, quantus est apud Deum▪  as he is worth in God's esteem: when you come to appear before God, you must stand amongst the rest without any note of distinction of what house you came. That which Pelicane a Germane Divine said concerning his learning, 
Melchior Adam in vita ejus.  may be said of all honour of birth. When I appear before God, says he, I shall not appear as a Doctor, but as an ordinary christian: so you shall not appear as noble men when you come before God, but as other ordinary men. I pray tell me, 
Dic quaeso quid genus est? nihil aliud certe quam verbi sonitus ab omni re destitutus quod in extremo illo die probe scietis. Chrys. in Mat. 18. Hom. 59  says chrysostom, what is kindred? 
Dic quaeso quid genus est? nihil aliud certe quam verbi sonitus ab omni re destitutus quod in extremo illo die probè scietis. Chry. in Mat. 18 Hom. 59  it is nothing but the sound of a word, an empty thing, which in the last day you shall know very well. That is observable which we have, Exod. 30. 15. when God requires a price for the ransom of the souls of his people, all must give half a shekel, the rich shall not give more, and the poor shall not give less: when they give an offering to the Lord, to make an atonement for their souls, God doth not value the rich more than the poor, nor the noble more than the man of mean birth.  
Fourthly, 
4.  it is not much in the esteem of men neither, who are wise, and rational: hence it is observed by some, that we never read of any in scripture but three, who solemnised their birth days, 
Nam genus & proavos et quae non secimus ipsi vix ea nostra voco.  and they were Pharaoh, Jeroboam, and Herod, by which they gather how little the glory that came from parentage was esteemed; he that boasts of his pedigree boasts of another's. Seneca in his four and fortieth Epistle writing to a knight of Rome who was preferred for his valour, but yet of mean parentage, for which he seemed to be troubled, Seneca citys him a notable speech of Plato: 
Nemivem regem non ex servis esse oriundum, neminem servii non ex regibu● omnia ista longa varietas miscuit & sursum deorsum fortuna versavit. Sen. Epist. 44.  there is no King but is raised from those which were servants; there is no servant but had some of his ancestors Kings. Rehoboam was of a foolish childish spirit, though above forty years old, and yet he came from Solomon the wisest upon the earth. Nabal, whose name was a fool, whose disposition was accordingly, who was of a sordid churlish spirit, yet he came from Caleb, a man of a most choice & excellent spirit: 1 Sam. 25. 3. Jonathan that was that idol Priest we read of, Jud. 18. 30. yet he was Moses his grandchild, Cershoms son. Honour is but a shadow, and therefore it need be of something that is our own; riches, places of dignity, titles of honour put upon ancestors by Princes are accounted now the greatest nobility, and this descends to the honour of children; but that nobility which these things now put upon men, heretofore Martyrdom was esteemed to do: and therefore amongst Christians, in the primitive times, children were wont to glory in their parentage as noble, if they had been Martyrs: 
Alius, patrem, inquit, habeo Martyrem; Alij suae familie viros obijciunt: frigida sunt ista verba. Nihil nobis aliorum virtus prodesse valet. Aristippus.  but yet chrysostom in his third sermon upon Lazarus labours to take off men from glorying in this, because it was not their own; he says it is a frigid, empty, vain boasting to boast of this, and gives this reason; for the virtue of others cannot perfect us. It is not from whence a man comes, that is his true glory, but what he is, and what good he does. It was the expression of a heathen, that he regarded no more his wicked children that came from him, than he would vermin that came from his body: if we be wicked, we may be a disgrace to our ancestors, they can be no honour to us. Augustus Caesar had three daughters, who were lewd, 
Tres vomi ca● & carcinomata. utinam coelebs vixissem, aut orb●s perissem.  and he used to call them his three ulcers and cankers, and was wont to cry out, oh that I had lived unmarried, or had died without children. Although gold comes from the earth none despiseth it, and although though dross and rust comes from the gold, none regards it; the virtuous coming from mean parentage are honourable, and the vicious coming from noble parentage are contemptible. This is the first argument, that there is not much in nobility of birth, that it should be counted too great a thing to be laid down for God.  
But secondly, 
2.  suppose there be some great matter in it, yet God is infinitely worthy that it should be laid down for his honour: if there were ten thousand times more honour in it then indeed there is, yet the denying of all were not a sufficient testimony of that respect you owe to the great and glorious God. God is worthy that all the Kings, Princes, Potentates, great ones of the earth, should come and bow, and lie down flat before him, abased in his presence, that they should all bring their Crowns, and pomp, and dignities, and cast them down at his feet, as Revel. 4. 10, 11. the four and twenty Elders fell down before him who sat upon the throne, and worshipped him that liveth for ever, and cast their crowns before the throne, saying, Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory, and honour, and power, etc. Such infinite distance there is betwixt the excellency and greatness of the Lord, and all the nobles of the world, that it is a wonderful favour of God to them, that if he do but appear to them, they may live before him; it is their honour that their lives may be preserved when God makes known his glory, 
3.  as Exod. 24. 10, 11. And they saw the God of Israel, etc. and upon the nobles of the children of Israel he laid not his hand, that is, to destroy them, but they were suffered to live in his sight.  
Thirdly, as God is worthy in regard of his infinite excellency, so it is due to him; because whatsoever excellency & honour there is in the nobility of your birth, 
* Longelateque dilatata est magnificentia vestra supraterram, sed audite consilium, studete quod in vobis est hanc gloriam ad illum referre à quo est, si non vultis eam perdere, aut certè perdi ab ea. Ber. Epist. 207.  it is he that hath made the difference between men: the rainbow is but a common vapour, it is the sun that gilds it, that enamels it with so many colours; we are but a vapour, it is the Lord that hath shined upon us and our father's house, and hath put more beauty, more lustre upon us, then upon other vapours. I may say in this respect, as Saint Paul saith in another case; who makes thee to differ? was not the lump of all mankind in the hand of the Lord, as the clay in the hand of the Potter, to make one to this outward honour, and another to meanness & baseness as he pleaseth: he might have so ordered things, as we might have been, not only of the most beggarly, and miserable brood, but might have been begotten a toad, or a serpent, or any other the vilest creature that liveth upon the earth: that honour we have, God hath put upon us, and therefore it is his, the glory of it is infinitely due unto him.  
Fourthly, there is no such way to add glory to your nobility, as to be willing to use it or deny it for God. This proceeds from a noble principle indeed, wheresoever it is. It is nature that causes the one kind of nobility, but it is the grace of God, a sparkle of the divine nature, a ray of the very glory of God himself, shining into the soul, that is the cause of the other. 
Gratius ei fuit nomen pietatis quam potestatis. Tertull. Apol. advers. gentes. c. 34.  Tertullian says of Augustus, that the name of piety was more esteemed of him, than the name of power: and jerom writing the praise of Marcelia a noble woman, says of her; that he will not make mention of her family, nor the honour of her blood, 
Non praedicabo illustrem familiam, alti sanguinis decus, & stemmata per Proconsules et praefectos decurrentia: nihil in illa laudabo nisi quod proprium est, & eò nobilius, quòd opibus & nobilitate contempta facta est paupertate & humilitate nobilior. Epist. ad Principiam virginem. Mircellae Epitaph.  what proconsuls, and other great men she had to her ancestors; he says he will praise nothing but what was her own, and especially he commends her in this, that she was so much the more noble, in as much, as riches and nobility being contemned, she was made the more noble in her poverty and humility.  
Fifthly, Christ was the glory of his father, the lustre of his glory, the character & engraven form of his image, the only begotten Son of the Father from all eternity: he thought it no robbery to be equal with God, he was God blessed for ever, and yet how did he empty himself? he was made a scorn, he was called the carpenters son, as one that was contemptible: he made himself of no reputation, he came in the form of a servant, yea of an evil servant that was to be beaten: yea he was made a curse, as if he had been the vilest of men: and yet this was the glory of Christ himself, because it was all for God, and good of souls: who is he then, that knows any thing of jesus Christ, that shall think much to lay down all the honour of nobility of birth, or any outward dignity under heaven for him? It is a notable expression that Bernard in a sermon upon the birth of Christ hath: 
Quid magis indignum, quid detestandum amplius, quid gravius puniendum, quam ut videns Deum parvulum factum homo se magnificet. Intolerabilis impudentia est, ut ubi sese exinanivit majestas, vermiculus infletur & intumescat. Bern. ser. 1. de nativ.  what can be more unworthy? what more detestable? what deserving more grievous punishments then that a man should magnify himself after he hath seen God humbled? it is intolerable impudence, that where majesty hath emptied itself, a worm should be puffed up and swell.  
Sixtly, 
6.  if we be godly God hath honoured us with a higher birth than what we have by blood from our ancestors; God hath given us a birth from above, he hath begotten us of the immortal seed of his Word, to be sons and daughters to him, heirs, and coheires with jesus Christ: we are borne of God, and the glory of this birth should darken the other in our eyes: what great matter is it though the glory of the other be lost, seeing God hath so highly honoured you with this? 
Nunquam humana opera mirabitur quisquis se cognovexit filium Dei: deijcit se de culmine generositatis qui admirari aliquid post Deum potest. Cypr. lib. de specta●.  This birth hath great efficacy to raise the heart to high and worthy actions: whosoever knows himself to be the son of God, never wonders more at what is humane: 
Noli degenerare a praecelsis cogitationibus filiorum Dei.  says Cyprian, he debases himself from the height of true generousness, who admires at any thing now besides God himself. This birth you may glory in, and it must not be denied; for those who are thus borne again, if they shall be afraid or ashamed to appear in the ways of godliness, to manifest themselves what they are, they fall to a degree of selfe-deniall (if I may so call it) beyond this of Moses, but it is a cursed selfe-deniall. Moses refuses or denies to be called the son of Pharaohs daughter, they refuse and deny to be called and accounted the sons of the everliving God.    

CHAP. II.  
How external Honour and Nobility is to be denied.  
WHerein must those who are higher than others in their nobility of birth deny themselves, 
Quest.  and refuse the honour of it?  
First, 
Ans. 1.  by being willing to be employed in any, even the meanest service that God calls them to; we must think no work of God too mean for us, but willingly submit to it, though it darken our honours never so much in the eyes of the world. Thus Jerome writes to Pamachius, 
Caecorum oculus sis, manus debilium, pes claudorum: ipse aquam ports, ligna concid●●, focum extruas, ubi vincula, ubi alapa, ubi sputa, ubi flagella, ubi patibulum, ubi mors. Ep. ad Pammach.  a godly young noble man, he would have him be eyes to the blind, hands to the weak, feet to the lame, yea if need were to carry water, and cut wood, etc. And what are all these (says he) to buffet, to spittings, to whip, and to death. Constantinus, Valantinianus, Theodosius, three Emperors called themselves the vassals of jesus Christ, 
Vasallos Christi.  as Socrates reports of them. Theodosius did manifest it indeed in the work of his humiliation for his sin, in the whole Church, casting himself down upon the pavement, weeping, and lamenting for his sin in the face of the whole congregation, which many haughty spirits, though much inferior to him, would have scorned to do. Mean offices, 
Deo servire, regnare est.  if in service to Princes, are accounted honourable: the master of the horse, the groom of the stool, they esteem these offices an honourable addition to their nobility, the chiefest of the nobility of a kingdom think themselves not disgraced but honoured by them: shall any service then, performed in obedience to, for the honour of the high and blessed God, be accounted dishonourable, too lowfor the highest on earth?  
Secondly, 
2.  they must deny themselves in being willing to join with those of lower degree in any way of honouring God. Thus S. Paul, Rom. 12. 16. exhorts to condescend to men of low degree: 
Aequeris p●uperibus inopum cellas dignanter introeas.  Saint jerom, in his former Epistle to Pammachius, would have him equal himself with the poor, and vouchsafe to go into the cells of the needy: the thoughts of nobility and dignity must be laid down, they must be refused, where God may be honoured, and spiritual good attained, in joining with those that are of an inferior rank, who it may be were in Christ before us, and their ancestors were more godly than ours, who are far more honourable in the eyes of God, and his saints, than we: where greater graces sit below us, let us acknowledge their inward dignity, as their inferiority does acknowledge our outward eminency.  
And when we are willing to do thus, know that reason, and religion, teacheth those with whom we have to deal, to know and acknowledge that distance, that God hath put between us and them, never a whit the less to give us our due honours and respects, because we are willing to lay them down, and deny ourselves in them; they will look on us with that respect that Jerom expresses himself concerning Paula a virgin (who by her father was descended of Aeneas, and the noble house of the Gracchis, 
Genere nobilis, sanctitate nobilior.  and by her mother of Agamemnon) saying she was by birth noble, but by grace more noble; but let it be accounted injustice, that outward worth should be respected which is the meaner, and that we should not acknowledge inward worth, which is the better.  
Thirdly, 
3.  we must deny ourselves, by being willing to suffer the most disgraceful thing that can be put upon us for the cause of Christ: though we should have all our kindred frown upon us, and cast us off, and scorn, and account us as a disgrace unto them, we must be willing to be deprived of titles of honour, of all our estates, of all that glory we have, that we are borne unto, to be imprisoned, to endure any kind of torture, or death that God shall call us unto for his name's sake: Romanus that blessed Martyr was of noble birth, and yet endured extreme tortures for Christ, when they whipped his body with cords that had leads at the end of them, so as they tore his flesh, that his very bowels were seen, yet he cried out to his tormentors, that they should not spare him for his noble birth. 
Theod. lib. 5. cap. 39  Theodoret reports of Hormisda a noble man in the King of Persia his Court, because he would not deny Christ, he was put into ragged clothes, deprived of his honours, and set to keep the Camels; after a long time, the King seeing of him in that base condition he was, and remembering his former fortunes, he pitied him, & caused him to be brought into the palace, and to be clothed again like a noble man, and then persuades him to deny Christ; he presently rends his silken clothes, and says, If for these you think to have me deny my faith, take them again: and so with scorn he was cast out.  
It is reported likewise of one Sames a noble man, 
Hist. Trip. lib. 10. cap. 32.  who had and maintained a thousand servants of his own, yet was deprived of all his estate by the King of Persia, and was compelled to serve one of the most abject and base of his own servants, to whom the King gave his wife, that by this means he might cause him to deny the faith; but he not at all moved, kept his faith entire, willingly suffering all this wrong and indignity for Christ; we have divers later examples of men of noble birth, who have been willing to suffer great things for jesus Christ, and in this have shown the true greatness of their spirits.  
As that truly noble marquis of Vico, Marcus Galeacius, whose story is famous, and will make him honourable in all succeeding ages; He was a Courtier to the Emperor Charles the fifth, Nephew to Pope Paul the fourth marquis of Vico, which is one of the paradises of Naples, Naples the paradise of Italy, and Italy of Europe, & Europe of the earth; his father was not only a marquis, but was so in favour with the Emperor, as he was joined equally in commission with the viceroy of Naples, to sway the Sceptre of that Kingdom; his mother was of honourable parentage, her brother was Paul the fourth, his Lady was the daughter to the Duke of Niceria, one of the principal Peers of Italy: yet being brought to hear a Sermon of Peter Martyrs, God pleased so to work upon his spirit, that he began to enter into serious thoughts, whether his way were right or not, then to take up a constant exercise of reading the Scriptures, then to change his former company, and to make choice of better: his father was moved against him with sharpness, his lady wrought what she could by tears, complaints, entreaties, to take him off from that way: the most part of the noble men, in, and about Naples, being either his kindred or familiar friends, they continually resorted to him, to take him off to follow their old pleasures together, yet at last having further light let into his soul, to see not only the necessity of some truths that he understood not before, but likewise of delivering himself from that idolatry that he apprehended himself defiled with; therefore his resolutions were strong to leave court, and father, and honours, and inheritance, to join himself to a true Church of God; and according to this his resolution he went away: much means were used to call him back, great offers of riches and preferments to draw him; his children hung about him with doleful cries, his friends standing by with watery eyes, which so wrought upon his tender heart (he being of a most loving and sweet disposition) that, as he hath often said, he thought that all his bowels rolled about within him, and that his heart would have burst presently, and he should there instantly have died: but he denied himself in all, and chose rather to live in a mean condition where he might enjoy God, and the peace of his conscience, then to have the riches, glory, pleasures of Italy, and of the Emperor's Court.  
The History of the Lord Cobham, that we have in the book of Martyrs, is famous in this kind: he was a man of great birth, and in great favour with King Henry the fifth, so as the Archbishop Thomas Arundel durst not meddle with him till he knew the King's mind: the King when he heard of it, bade them have respect to his noble stock, and promised to deal with him himself; & after he privately sent for him, admonishing him secretly between themselves, to submit to his holy mother the Church: unto whom he made this answer; Most worthy Prince, I am always prompt, and ready to obey, for as much as I know you an appointed minister of God; unto you (next my eternal God) I owe my whole obedience, and submit thereunto as I have done, ever ready at all times to fulfil whatsoever you shall in the Lord command me; but as touching the Pope and his spirituality, I owe them neither suit, nor service, for as much as I know him by the Scripture to be the great Antichrist, the son of perdition, the open adversary of God, and the abomination standing in the holy place.  
This was in the darkness of Popery, above two hundred years ago. The bloodthirsty Papists never left till they got his blood, prevailing with the King to consent to his condemnation, and when the sentence of his condemnation was read, the story saith, that this worthy noble man with a cheerful countenance spoke after this manner: Though ye judge my body, which is but a wretched thing, yet am I certain and sure, that you can do no harm to my soul, no more than could Satan to the soul of Job; here were truly noble spirits indeed, showing their nobility by refusing of it, by being willing to deny it for jesus Christ. Oh that God would raise up many noble spirits that shall be thus willing to deny themselves. As judg. 5. 9 My heart is toward the governor's of the people, that offered themselves willingly among the people: bless ye the Lord; the eyes and hearts of God's people are after you the nobles and governor's, if ye offer yourselves willingly, how shall our hearts be enlarged, and our members opened to bess the Lord. As Ignatius said concerning Christ; 
Antiquitas mea, Jesus Christus, nobilitas nostra, jesus Christus.  my antiquity is jesus Christ: so let us say of him; our nobility is jesus Christ, showing this, that we indeed are of the royal seed, that we are of truly noble blood, that we have the blood of jesus Christ running in our veins, that raises our spirits far above whatsoever honour our natural births have raised us unto.  
It were a blessed thing, if those who are of noble parentage, yet in the cause of God, they would not look at what nature hath advanced them unto; But wherein it is that they are begotten again by the almighty work of the grace of God, by that heavenly principle, the sparkle of that divine nature that is put into them? That in the cause of God it were with them, as it is said of Levi, he must not know father or mother. We must not say as those jews, Mat. 3. 9 We have Abraham to our father, we are borne of noble parents; but as john to them, so I say to you, bring forth fruit, or else the axe is laid to the root of the tree: stand not so much upon the blood we have, as upon the good we do. If we would glory in our parentage, especially glory in our ancestors, who have been godly, who have made themselves noble indeed by the worthy things they have done for God and his people; and let it be our honour, to continue this honour to our family, rather resolve to lose our life, then to let this honour of our family die in us; that it may not be said, how did Religion flourish in such a noble family, for two or three or more successions? but now all is gone, ever since such a son's time all is gone, and things are turned another way. It is a blessed thing to have the glorious name of God kept up in succession in a family, Psal. 72. 17. we have a prophecy that the name of Christ shall continue from generation to generation: the words are, filiabitur nomen ejus, it shall be childed, it shall be begotten from one to another; the lineal descent of Christ's name, is more honourable than the lineal descent of noble blood. 
Plin. lib. 7. cap. 41.  Pliny tells us that it was accounted a great honour, even the height of felicity, that in one house & race of the Curios, there were known to be three excellent Orators, one after another, by descent from the father to the son, & that the Fabii afforded three precedents of the Senate in course, one immediately succeeding the other: if this succession be so honourable, so happy, how honourable, how happy doth the succession of religion make families to be? 
Melius est ut inte glorientur parents, quamuttuin parentibus glorieris.  We glory in our ancestors, let our ancestors be made glorious in us: It is better, says chrysostom, that our parents should glory in us, 
Chrys. in Mat. 4.  then that we should glory in our parents: we should do nothing unworthy of our ancestors.  
It is reported of Boleslaus the fourth, King of Poland, that he used to have the picture of his father hanging about his neck, in a plate of gold, and when he was to speak, or do any thing of importance, he took this picture, and kissing it said; Dear father I wish I may not do any thing remissely, unworthy of thy name. Oh that many of our nobility, whose ancestors have been famous for godliness, would often have such thoughts as these; that they would often consider how unworthy of the name of their noble ancestors those ways are, in which now they walk! Certainly our parentage is a mighty engagement unto us for noble and virtuous actions. I see nothing in nobility to be desired, says Jerome, but that noble men are constrained, 
Nihil aliud video innobilitate appetendum, nisi quod nobiles quadam necessitate constringuntur ne ab ●utiquorum probitate degenerent. Hieron. in Epist.  by a kind of necessity, not to degenerate from the goodness of their ancestors. It is the happiness of godly parents when they die, to see hope of their godliness to live in their children, to preserve the lives of their godly parents in themselves. Ambrose in his funeral Oration upon Theodosius says, 
Theodosius tantus Imperator recessit à nobis, sed non totus recessit, reliquit enim nobis liberos suos in quibus debemus eum agnoscere.  that though Theodosius be gone, yet he is not wholly gone, for he hath left Honorius with other of his children in whom Theodosius still lives. Oh that it might be said of many of our ancient religious nobility, that although they be gone, yet they are not wholly gone, for they have left their religious truly noble children in whom still they live! 
Ambros. in obit.  but woe unto us, 
Theod.  how many of them are gone, yea they are wholly gone, nothing of their true nobility is left remaining in their family, but only empty titles.  
If meanness of parentage be a dishonour to a child, 
Mihi dedecori sunt parents, tu vero parentibus▪  what dishonour then is the wickedness of children to noble parentage. It was the speech of one being contemned for his mean birth, To me, saith he, my parents are made a disgrace; but we are a disgrace unto our parents, and which in our consciences do we think to be most eligible? It is better, 
Melius est de contemptibili clarum fieri, quam de claro genere contemptibilem esse. Chrys. in Mat. 4.  says chrysostom, to be famous from a contemptible family, then to be contemptible from a famous family: This is the privilege of a truly noble virtuous life, that we shall not only have those worthies, 
Omnes bi majores tui sunt, si te illis geris dignum Sen. Ep. 44.  from whom we have come by a natural line, to be our ancestors, but all the worthies of the Lord, whose virtues and noble services for God survive in us, shall be accounted our ancestors.  
What abundance of service might be done for God, and his truth, if the nobles and the great ones of the earth, did give up themselves and their honours to the service of the blessed God: if they did encourage the hearts of their brethren in joining with them, 
Minime Deus est acceptor per sonarun, nescio tamen quo pacto virtus in nobili plus placet, forte quia plus claret.  in doing or suffering whatsoever God calls for; I say their brethren, for so we have it, Nehem. 10. 29. Certainly Christ will take it exceedingly well at their hands; God is no acepter of persons, yet I know not how, says Bernard, virtue in a noble man does more please, 
Bernard. ad Sophian Virgin.  it may be, because it is more conspicuous. It is an observation of jerom, that Saint John who was the beloved disciple was of noblestocke, and therefore the rather beloved, in which regard he says he was so known to the high▪ Priest, and did not fear the jews, so as the other disciples did; He could bring Peter into the Hall, and he alone of all the Disciples could stand before Christ at the Cross, and receive to him the mother of our Saviour.  
Wherefore let us add Christian nobility to our natural, and then to our Coronets we shall have added a crown of life, a crown of glory; to our costly garments, the glorious shining robe of a Saviour's righteousness, to our jewels and ornaments, the graces of that blessed Spirit, more precious than Rubies; to our chains of gold, the golden chain of salvation, the links whereof are described, Rom. 8. We have vassals under us now, the whole frame of creation shall then be under us, and serviceable to us; to our attendance shall be added the Angels, who shall be our guard, pitching their tents about us, ministering spirits unto us. Certainly there will be no honour lost that is ventured for Christ.  
Moses who was content to deny himself in this honour he might have had, lost no honour by it, for God raised him to the greatest honour that ever any man was raised to before him or in his time. He who was content to deny the title of the son of Pharaohs daughter, had after that great and high titles put upon him even by God himself, to be called Pharaohs God, Exod. 7. 1. because of that fear of him, that was struck into Pharaohs heart, and the power he had to execute judgements upon Pharaoh and his people: God spoke with him face to face, as a man speaks to his friend, God wrought wonderful things by him, and made him the Prince and leader of his people, and that was a greater honour than any he could have had in Pharaohs Court.  
Oh therefore let it not be said of you, when God hath any special service to do, as it was of those Nobles in Nehem. 3. 5. But the nobles put not their necks to the work of the Lord. It is true, the Scripture says, that there are not many rich, not many noble that are called, and every generation finds the experience of it, but the more rare the more honourable, 
Quid faciunt sordes animorum in splendore natalium Cassiod. l. 4. ver. 19  in those who do give up themselves to the honour of God, upon whom they, their honours, and all their goods depend. Do not stain the nobleness of your birth with the filthiness of sin: It was a speech of Theodorick a King; What does filthiness of mind do in splendour of noble birth: what benefit is it for a river to come from a clear spring, if it be muddy? ye are the children of nobles, and therefore honourable; so were the children of Israel, but God regarded not their birth, when their lives were wicked: he speaks this in dishonour of them, Amos 9 7. are ye not as children of Ethiopians unto me, O children of Israel? what? children of Israel to be as the children of Ethiopians? what a debasement is this? you are noble, be not as the children of the vilest of the earth before the Lord and his people, lay not a foundation of dishonour to your posterity, Isay 14. 20. The seed of the wicked shall not be renowned; they shall not be noble, for it is the same word that, Numb. 1. 16. is used for nobility.  
God forbid that any of you should have a thought that the service of God should be a disgrace unto you, that it should be too low a thing for you, that it should be counted a disparagement to you to stoop unto it, that it should be thought a stain to your honours: oh no, it is sin only that spots and stains your honours. Take heed of being ashamed of jesus Christ in any service of his; his service in the meanest works of it, is a greater honour to you, than you can be to it. It is the unhappiness of many who are of birth and quality, they lose much spiritual good that they might have in communion with God's servants in their gifts and graces, because of that distance that is between them; and although some duties of religion are taken up by them▪ which may in their own thoughts stand with their honours, and correspond with their friends of quality, yet other duties are looked at as too low, as praying in their families when other help is wanting, instructing servants, leaving unnecessary occasions and sports, to attend upon the preaching of the word, calling over what of God's mind hath been made known to them. The Holy Ghost sets it out as an addition to the honour of those noble men of Berea, Acts 17. 11. that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the Scriptures after they had heard Paul preach, to examine what had been delivered to them: After Oswald, King of Northumberland, was converted by one Aidan a Bishop, 
Beda. Hist. lib. 3. Cap. 3. 6▪  it is reported of him, that he disdained not to preach and expound to his subjects and nobles in the English tongue, that which Aidan preached to the Saxons in the Scottish tongue.  
It still remains the glory and renown of that young truly noble Lord Harrington in the blessed memory of him, that he was so diligent & so constant in those duties of religion which now are accounted so mean and low by many great ones. It is recorded in his life, that he prayed not only twice a day in secret, but twice with his servants likewise in his chamber, besides the joining at the appointed times of prayer in the family: he meditated of three or four sermons that he had lately heard every day; every Lord's day morning he would repeat the sermons that he had heard the Lords day before, and at night those he heard that day. There is no disproportion between such exercises as those, and the dignity of nobility, if things be judged according to righteous judgement: there is in truth no denial of the honour of true nobleness in these, but because of the perverse judgement of the world, there is need of much selfe-deniall to submit to them.  
The conclusion of this point is this: if you would be indeed honourable, as your famous and religious ancestors have been, be as they were. Religion says to us, as God to Eli, 1 Sam. 2. 30. them who honour me I will honour. I have read of the Lacedæmonians, that for the stirring up of the spirits of young men to noble and heroical enterprises, they used to have the Statues in marble or brass of their most famous worthies set up in their Senate house, with this Epigram graven in golden characters underneath, si fueritis sicut high: if you will be like these, that is, in virtue and famous actions, eritis sicut illi, you shall be like them in glory and renown. Thus the memory of the succeeding generations after worthy ancestors hath lifted them up in their due honour and their deserved high esteem, with this Motto upon them, si fueritis sicut high, eritis sicut illi: be we like them in holy desires, for the honour of religion, and the good of our country; and we shall be now, and in the succeeding generations like them, in a blessed and glorious memorial of us.  
Honour likewise, and all pleasures and delights that we enjoy, are to be denied for Christ. It is true, they are the blessings of God in themselves: many of God's servants have enjoyed them, and made much use of▪ them for God and his people; as Joseph, Ester, Mordecai, Obadiah, Ezra, Nehemiah, Daniel, the Lord deputy of Cyprus, Acts 13. 2. the great Lord Treasurer of the Queen of the Ethiopians, Acts 8. 27. So it is said, that he had the charge of all her treasure; and those that were of Caesar's household, Phil. 4. 22. And so in after times. Church Histories relate unto us many worthies of the Lord who lived in the Courts of the greatest persecuters of Christian religion, and yet they kept their faith entire, and their consciences unspotted. As Flavianus in Vespasianus his Court, Dorotheus in Dioclesian's, Terentius in Valentinians, and multitude of others might be named in all succeeding generations. Court-honours are to be denied for Christ, for they are his, it is he that hath raised us in these, higher than others.  
And though they be blessings, yet not so great, that we should grudge jesus Christ the having the honour of them; the least of his honour hath more excellency in it, than all these in the height of them, and ten thousand times more than these: for there is a vanity in them all: we know Solomon, who had the highest of them that ever were, yet he saw, and had the experience of vanity, yea exceeding vanity, and vexation of spirit to be in them: observe his expression; First vanity, not vain only, but vanity itself. Secondly excessive vanity, for it is vanity of vanity. Thirdly a heap of vanities, for it is in the plural number, vanity of vanities. Fourthly, all is vanity. Fifthly, he adds his name to that he saith; says the Preacher, Choeleth, the word signifies the soul that hath gathered wisdom, or the soul that is gathered to the Church, as some.  
When Daniel, chap. 4. had the vision of the estate of the four great Mornarchies of the world; the Persian, Chaldaean, Grecian, and Roman, it was set out unto him by the four winds: what are all the Empires, all the dignities of the world, but as wind? There is no reality in these brave Court things, which are so admired and magnified by the most. When Agrippa and Bernice came in great pomp to the judgement seat, Acts 25. 23. it was all but a mere fancy, 
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉.  for so the words are in the original: they came with much fancy. Honour is but a shadow, and when it comes from these outward things, it hath not the dignity to be so much as the shadow of a substance; for all these outward things are as shadows, Prov. 8. 20. 21. wisdom there says, that she leads in the paths of righteousness, and in the midst of the paths of judgement, that she may cause those that love her to inherit substance: the word substance is translated by some id quod est, that which is, that which hath a being, as if nothing had a being, as if nothing could be called a substance, but that which wisdom (that is, grace and godliness) gives to inherit. The fashion of this world passeth away, says the Holy Ghost: 
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉.  the word in the original signifies the surface, the outside, as if all the things of the world were a mere surface, & avaine outside. The shadow of a man may be longer or shorter, 
Nemo istorum quos divitiae & honores in alto fastigio ponunt magnus est, sed ideo magnus videdetur quia illum cum basi sua metiris.  but the man remains the same still, it adds nothing to the man: honours & preferments may be more or less, but the man remains the same he did before. No man, says Seneca, whom riches and honours set high, is therefore great, he only seems so, because we measure him with his Basis; but set a dwarf upon a mountain, he is not higher, and set a mighty high statue in a pit, 
Pumilio magnus non est, licet in monte constiterit colossus magnitudinem suam servabit, etiamsi ste●erit in puteo. Se●. Ep. 77.  it is not the less. When gold is raised from twenty shillings to two & twenty, the gold was as good before as it is now, it is the same piece still that than it was, the raising of it is only in the estimation of men. It is said of Eliakim, Isaiah, chap. 22. v. 24. They shall hang the honour of his father's house upon him; honour is but an external additament, there is no internal excellency in it. Great letters in a word set out with gays, take up more room than others, make a greater show in the word than other letters, but they add no more to the sense of the word than others do: so men enjoying great honours in the world, they carry a greater port with them, they make a greater show than others, but the men are not the better for them. Notwithstanding all the outward honours of Antiochus Epiphanes, yet still the scripture calls him a vile person, as Daniel chap. 11. 21. all these things are a mere fable. 
An non personam meam in hac mundi fabula satis commode egisse videor? valete ergo, & plaudite.  When Augustus Caesar was near to death, who had been Emperor fifty years, and living in much glory & pomp, commanding almost all the known world, yet when he was to die, he saw all that he had enjoyed to be but a mere fable; for thus he expresses himself to them that were about him, 
Sueton. in Aug.  Have not I seemed to have acted my part sufficiently in this fable of the world? 
Pleasures to be denied for Christ.   
But if there be no reality in honour, yet it may be there is something in pleasures, men feel something, they think there is such a reality in them, that in comparison of them, all other excellencies that are spoken of, are judged by them but mere imaginations: but if the excellency of these may pass, according to the judgement of the Holy Ghost, if that sentence that he hath passed upon them may stand, there is nothing in these neither; which appears by the comparing of two places of scripture. In the sixth chap. of the Prophecy of Amos, & the fourth verse, he charges the Courtiers of riotousness; for it appears, that though before he was a herdsman, yet now he is a Preacher to the Court, Amos 7. 13. that riotousness which he charges them withal, he expresses thus; That lie upon beds of ivory, & stretch themselves upon their couches, and eat the lambs out of the flock, and calves out of the midst of the stall: They would have the best of every thing whatsoever it cost them; calves in the midst of the stall were the best. They chanted to the sound of the viol, and invented to themselves instruments of music like David; that is, most curious and exquisite instruments, not like David's instruments to praise the Lord by, but as David intended the best instruments he could to serve God by; so they invented the best that could be got, and laid out much charge for them, that they might more fully serve their lusts by them. They drink wine in bowls, and anoint themselves with the chief ointments, and these they give up themselves unto, so as they mind nothing else; they care not what becomes of any thing, so be it they may freely enjoy the pleasures of their lusts: They are not grieved for the affliction of joseph.  
This their life might seem to some a most brave and desirable life, but mark what the Holy Ghost says of it in the same chapter, verse thirteen, Ye which rejoice in a thing of nought, all these pleasures put together were in a true judgement but a thing of nought; Res nihili, they had nothing in them; when we feed upon those, we do but feed upon ashes, and a seduced heart hath deceived us, Isay 44. 20. that we cannot say, is there not a lie in our right hand? they do most certainly put a lie into our right hand, that is, they make us to use our chiefest strength for that which is nothing else but a mere lie, and yet they do so ensnare us, and so grossly seduce us, that we cannot say, is there not a lie in my right hand? we cannot so much as question with ourselves: Are these the things that we were borne for? are these the chief good of those that are raised to such an high estate? are there not other things that God requires of us to look after? we cannot thus say in our own thoughts, Is there not a lie in our right hand? such is the evil & unreasonableness of our way, that if we did but say thus in our own heart, we would soon be ashamed of it, confounded in it, and our hearts would quickly turn away from it.  
But by the favours of the court, 
Riches to be denied for Christ.  a man may raise his estate so, as to make him, and his, that follow after, great; there is some reality in riches, is there not? No, not in riches neither, for so says Solomon, Prov. 23. 5. wilt thou set thine eyes upon that which is not: for riches certainly make themselves wings, they fly away as an Eagle. Observe first, the Holy Ghost says that riches are not, are nothing: those things that make men great in the eye of the world, are nothing in the eyes of God: a cipher is nothing in its self, yet put a figure to it, and it is something. Secondly observe, the Holy Ghost would not have us so much as set our eyes upon riches, they are not objects worth the looking on. Thirdly observe, with what indignation he speaks against those that will set their eyes upon them; wilt thou set thine eyes upon that which is not? as if he should say, what a vain, unreasonable, sottish, senseless thing is it? Fourthly observe, that he says their parting from us is by way of flight, that is, a sudden, a swift, and irrecoverable motion. Fifthly, observe that this flight is by the wings of an Eagle, which is the most sudden, the most swift, and irrecoverable motion. Sixtly observe, none need put wings upon them to fly away, for so says the text, they make to themselves wings, there is matter enough in themselves to work their own corruption, and to put themselves into a flight.  
We think when we are called to deny such riches, pleasures, and honours, that then we are called to deny some great thing; but the truth is, had we an eye to discern the vanity of them, we should see that we are called to deny nothing but a mere fancy, a thing of nought, and that which is not. Oh that the glory of the world were darkened in our eyes, as one day it shall be, that it might not be so dear unto us, as to think it such a great matter to part●●● with any thing in it, in the cause of jesus Christ. Riches are too mean things for a truly noble spirit to be taken withal: if generousness of spirit cannot raise above money, where is the glory of it. Luther professeth that the sin of covetousness, he saw so base and vile, and his spirit was so above it, that he was not so much as tempted with it.  
That which is observed of Joshua, makes him a glorious example to all great men. He was the divider of the land to Israel, & left none to himself, & that portion that was given him, and he contented with all, was but a mean one in the barren mountains. This Jerome notes in his Epistle upon Paula, 
Mirata est quod distributor possessionum sibi montana & aspera delegasset.  he says she visited the Sepulchre of joshua, and marvelled very much, that the divider of the possessions had the hilly and craggy places for himself.  
And yet further know, as there is a vanity and emptiness of good, so there is a mixture of much evil; they are as water in the bottom of pits exceeding muddy; the water is not much, but the mud causes it to be unuseful. If things be so mixed with trouble and cumberance, that the evil of them will not answer the good expected in them, we reject them as things unprofitable. You will deny yourselves many times in forty, in a hundred things, to get your mind in some one, and it may be when you have it, it is not worth the while, such a thing as a true noble generous spirit would cast off with scorn; you get honours, pleasures, and riches, but consider whether all be not muddy water, whether there be not much evil in the getting, and in the enjoyment of them, what fears and suspicions? what undermining one another? what disappointments? what vexations? what a clutter of business crossing one the other? what snares and temptations lie in your way at every hand? you walk all the day long upon snares, as job. 18. 8. upon dangerous snares that bring much sin and guilt, and will bring much sorrow & misery: how little do you enjoy yourselves for the present, nor any thing you have to yourselves?  
Hence some give the reason, why joseph, although he had power to have advanced his brethren in the Court, yet he would not have them live there, but by themselves in Goshen, tending their sheep; he had an extraordinary call to be there, but he knew the encumbrance and snares of it, that he sought it not for his brethren. If a thing that is cold, have some heat added to it, and then as much cold as that heat was, the thing is not hotter than it was before; so you, though you may have much honour, and pleasure, and riches added to your estate, though the world who look upon these think you happy, yet you yourselves knowing that there is as much evil likewise added to your condition, as the good of those come unto, your condition is not at all more happy than it was before.  
Again further, consider the uncertainty that is in all; indeed the comforts that nature affords are chiefly to be had with you; but even nature itself is but a wheel, all at uncertainties: 
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉.  as James 3. 6. The tongue is said to set the whole course of nature on fire: the word in the original is the wheel of nature. You know the story of Sesostris King of Egypt, who would have his chariot drawn with four Kings, and one of them had his eyes continually upon the wheel; whereupon Sesostris asked him what he meant by it? he answered, that it put him in mind of the mutability of all earthly things; for I see, saith he, that part of the wheel which is now up on high, is presently down beneath, and that part which is now below, is presently up on high: whereupon Sesostris being moved, considering what mutability might be in his own estate, he would never have his Chariot drawn after that manner any more. The relation of this story, was a means to bring down the stoutness and pride of another great Prince: For when Mauritius sent Theodorus his Physician ambassador to Chaianus Prince of the Huns, who perceiving the stoutness and arrogancy of the Prince, related unto him the story of the King of Egypt; Chaianus being moved by it, his spirit yielded, and he was content to come to conditions of peace with the Emperor Mauritius.  
All men in worldly honours are like an hourglass, now this end is uppermost, by and by this is down, and the other is up, and this part of it is full, and by and by it is empty, and the other that was before empty is full, what is become of all the great ones of the earth that lived and ruled in the earth but a while ago? their glory is buried in the dust, Ps. 76. 12. The Lord cuts off the spirit of Princes: the word is, he slips off, as one should slip off a flower between ones fingers, or as one should slip off a bunch of grapes from a vine, so soon is it done. How great uncertainty have many great ones, by their miserable experience, found in their outward glory, and worldly felicity? what a change hath a little time made in all their honours, riches, and delights?  
That victorious Emperor Henry the fourth, who had fought two and fifty pitched battles, fell to that poverty before he died, as he was forced to petition to be a Prebend in the Church of Spier, to maintain him in his old age. And Procopius reports of King Gillimer, who was a potent King of the Vandals, who was so low brought, as to entreat his friend to send him a sponge, a loaf of bread, and a harp; a sponge to dry up his tears, a loaf of bread to maintain his life, and a harp to solace himself in his misery. Philip de Comines reports of a Duke of Exeter, who though he had married Edward the fourth's sister, yet he saw him in the Low-countries begging barefoot. Bellisarius the only man living in his time, having his eyes put out, 
Date obolum Bellisurio.  was led at last in a string, crying, give a halfpenny to Bellisarius.  
These are the uncertainties, and mutabilities of all worldly honours: mighty Potentates of the world have been ludibria fortunae, 
Ludibria fortunae.  the very scorn of fortune: all the choice things that the world affords, are as water in broken cisterns, not having any spring to feed them, & the cistern being broken will let out all; they are but as a thing without a foundation, which cannot stand long. That is observable that we find in the Epistle to the Hebrews, chap. 11. v. 10. It is said of Abraham, that he sought a city that had a foundation: noting thereby, that all other cities though never so glorious, and by consequence all other worldly things, have no foundation to uphold them. Hence Plutarch tells us that the ancient nobility of Rome and Arcadia, 
Plut. de quaest.  were accustomed to wear moons upon their shoes, 
Rom. 9 76.  that they might have always the mutability of their prosperity before their eyes. That which Saint Paul says of riches, 1 Tim. 6. 17. is true of all worldly things; Trust not in uncertain riches: so it may be said, trust not in uncertain honours, nor in uncertain pleasures.  
Hence it was that Solon, when he saw Croesus puffed up with his great riches, and outward glory, thinking himself the happiest man that lived, he said unto him, none was to be counted happy before death: intending hereby to admonish him of the uncertainty of those riches, in which he blest himself so much, and would have him consider, that before the end of his days there might be a great change in his condition: but he while he enjoyed his outward prosperity, minded not at all what Solon had said unto him, until he came by his miserable experience to find the uncertainty of his riches, and all that worldly glory that he had, and then he could remember Solon's speech unto him; for when he was taken by King Cyrus, and condemned to be burnt, and saw the fire preparing for him, than he cried out, O Solon, Solon: Cyrus ask him the cause of that outcry, he answered; that now he remembered what Solon had told him in his prosperity, that none was to be accounted happy before death.  
Thus we have many, who hear much of the uncertainty, and vanity of their outward honours, sensual pleasures, great estates and riches they have in the world, but while they enjoy the sweet of them, they little mind what is said, till they come upon their sick beds, and death beds, and then they cry out most lamentably of the vanity of all worldly things, than they can remember what hath been said unto them heretofore, concerning the vanity and short continuance of all those things they took so much delight in.  
All things then wisely and duly considered, these honours, pleasures, and riches are not such great things, that we should be so hardly brought to deny ourselves in them: a wise understanding heart would quickly cast dirt in the face of them all, a true noble great spirit would trample them as dirt under feet, 
Non magnanimitatis est magnos petere honores, sed contemnere. Aug. de civet. Dei▪ lib. 5.  when once they come in competition with jesus Christ. It is an excellent speech of Saint Augustine; It is not an argument of a great mind, to seek for great honours, but rather to contemn them: and indeed (considering all, at least in the cause of religion) they are to be accounted as contemptible and vile things. They are like a candle, which while it is light it hath some lustre, and hath no ill savour, but when it is out it stinks: so all outward excellencies, while they are as it were enlightened with grace added to them, and a holy use of them, they have some lustre, and are desirable, but take this away, howsoever they may appear to a carnal eye, yet they are indeed but as a contemptible snuff, unsavoury themselves, and making those who have them unsavoury in the nostrils of God.  
And consider yet further, what jesus Christ hath denied for us, if ever we be saved by him. He came from the bosom of his Father, and from that infinite glory he had with him, before the world was; for so he prays, Joh. 17. that the Father would glorify him with that glory he had with him, before the world was: He left the riches and pleasures of heaven, and that honour which he might have had from Angels and men, and all to save poor, wretched, sinful creatures.  
And lastly, God hath greater preferments for us, than all these things here below can afford, if we have hearts to deny these for him: we need take no care for dignities, delights, and riches, or whatsoever may make us happy and glorious; there are infinite treasures of all with the Lord, and he delights in the communication of them to the children of men. Heathens accounted the honour that learning put upon men as great a glory as that which came by places of dignity, as Seneca says of Socrates; 
Patricius Socrates non fuit, Cleanthes aquam traxit; Platonem non accepit nobilem philosophia, sed fecit. Sen. Epist. 44.  Patricius Socrates non fuit: Socrates, he was not of the race of the Senators, and yet honourable. Cleanthes drew water. Philosophy did not find, but made Plato Noble. What? shall they account learning to put honour enough upon men to satisfy them, and shall not Christians think that godliness and the honour which that brings, is sufficient to make them glorious? Surely we know not that nearness that godliness hath to God himself, that infinite glorious first being, from whom the lustre of all true glory proceeds; surely we know not, how high and great the thoughts of God are towards his people, what honour he hath, what he will put upon them everlastingly, if this be not enough to satisfy our hearts for ever.   

CHAP. III.  
How Honours, Riches, and all delights whatsoever, are to be denied for Christ.  
WE are to deny these for Christ. First, by going on in the ways of godliness in the strictness and power of them, though all these be hazarded; keep we on our way, and pass not for them, trust God with them; if we do still enjoy them, so it is; but if not, yet maintain a constant strong resolution of keeping on in the ways of God's fear. Thus did Daniel, when the Princes and Nobles watched him, in the matter of the Lord his God, yet he abated not one whit, he went on in his course, notwithstanding all the hazard he was in: the constant course of godliness in communion with his God, was more sweet and precious to him a thousand fouled, than all his Court preferments and pleasures that he did, or might further enjoy. How resolutely did Nehemiah go on in the work of the Lord, notwithstanding that opposition he had? such conspiring against him, such complaints, such letters sent to inform against him. And David professeth, Psal. 119. 23. That he did meditate in God's Law, though Princes spoke against him.  
Secondly, 
2.  appear for God and his cause, his truth and his people, though the issue may seem to be dangerous, when none else will: As Ester did, with that brave resolution of hers, If I perish, I perish: And Nehemiah, who though he was something afraid at first to speak to that Heathenish King in the behalf of his Religion and his people, yet having lift up his heart to God, he spoke freely unto him. Let not a public good cause be dashed and blasted, and none have a heart to appear for it, for fear of the loss of their own pomp, and carnal delights, and profits; know that the venturing for a public good, is a greater honour than the enjoyment of any private. Camerarius in his Historical Meditations, hath a famous story of the chief Courtiers, in the time of Lewis the eleventh, whom when they saw to intend to establish unjust Edicts, they understanding his drift, went all to him in red Gowns; the King asked them, what they would: The Precedent La-Vacqueri answers, We are come with a full purpose to lose our lives every one of us, rather than by our connivency any unjust ordinance should take place: The King being amazed at this answer, and at the constancy and resolution of these Peers, gave them gracious entertainment, and commanded that all the former Edicts should be canceled in his presence.  
There is a notable relation that we find in Josephus, concerning Agrippa, that upon a time he invited Caius the Emperor to a supper, 
Josephus lib. 18. cap. 11.  and gave the Emperor great content in his entertainment; whereupon the Emperor said unto him, let me gratify thee by giving thee what thou wilt: Agrippa asked (although it were with the venture of the loss of all he had) as followeth; Dread Prince, since it is your good pleasure to think me worthy to be honoured by your presence, I beseech you to give commandment, that the Statue which you have charged Petronius to erect in the Temple of the Jews may never be advanced there; this he did, although he knew it was as much as his life was worth, to ask any thing of Caius that was not answerable to his humour. Many Christians would hardly go so far in venturing themselves, either for Church or country, as he here did for the Jews. Theodoret likewise tells us of a Noble Spirit in one Terentius, 
Theo. lib. 4. cap. 32.  a Captain of the Emperor Valens, who being returned out of Armenia with a great victory, the Emperor bade him ask a reward; he asked only that he would be pleased to grant to those of the Orthodox Religion, one public Church in Antioch: and although the Emperor were angry, and tore his Petition, and bade him ask something else, yet he persisted in this, and refused any other reward for all the service he had done.  
And Eusebius relates a Noble example of a great Noble man Vetius Epagathus, 
Euseb. lib. 5. cap. 1.  appearing in the cause of the Christians, not being able to bear the unjust dealings he saw against the Christians, he demanded that he might be heard in defence of the Brethren, but all that sat at the Tribunal being against it, because he was a Noble man, the Precedent ask him if he were a Christian, he plainly and publicly confessed it, and so was taken in amongst the Martyrs, being afterwards called, The Advocate of Christians: Where have we Noble men now of such free and disengaged spirits, to venture themselves in any public cause for God, and their people? who should be free to speak, if not you? Gallasius upon Exod. 22. 28. 
In liberal civitate liberas esse linguas oportere.  says of Augustus, that he was wont to say, that in a free City Tongues ought to be free: Where should tongues or hearts be free, if not in your honourable Assemblies? If you would show your Noble minds, show the liberty of your spirits, 
Chrysost. in Mat. 18. Hom. 59  says Saint chrysostom; Liberty, I say, the same that that blessed Saint John had, 
Libertatem mihi animi oftende, libertatem dico eam quam ille vir beatus habe●at, à quo iterum atque iterum Herodes audivit, non ●icet tibi fratris tui Philippi uxorem habere: quam is quoque habuit ante ipsum, qui dicebat Ahab; non ego, sed tu & domus patris tui Israelem pervertis, etc.  from whom Herod heard again, and again, It is not lawful for you to take your brother Philip's wife: That liberty also that before him he had, that said to Ahab, It is not I, but you and your Father's house that troubles Israel.  
Wherefore seek to get that Nobility of mind which the Prophets had, and Apostles had, which such as serve riches cannot have; for nothing takes away the liberty of the spirit so much as the desire of worldly things: thus chrysostom. It is beneath true Nobleness of spirit, to aim at no higher pitch in your desires and endeavours, then to provide for your own ease and safety, when public causes for God and his people call you out to venture yourselves. 
a Seneca epist. 104. Magnanimos nos natura produxit, nobis gloriosum & excelsum spiritum dedit quaerentem ubi honestissime, non ubi tutissime vivat.  Seneca in one of his Epistles, speaking of a true raised excellent spirit, describes it to be such a one as seeks, where it may live most honestly, and not most safely. Nature hath brought us forth magnanimous, says he, it hath given us a glorious and lofty spirit; what is that? seeking where it may live best, not where it may be most secure. What though you should suffer something; it will be your honour, that while you suffer, the Church and your Country prospers. It was the honour of the Fabii, and the Fabritii, that they being poor themselves, they made the Commonwealth rich: Venture you yourselves for God, and his people, and trust God with your honours, estates and posterities, do not say, you are alone, you know not how many you may have to cleave to you, if you have a heart to appear; 
Solatium non perdit desolata justitia, tui consortium Deus omni celebritate festivior. Hiero. ad Virg. in exil. missam. Inveniar sane superbus, avarus, adulter, homicida anti-Papa, & omnium vitiorum reus, modo impii silentii non arguar, dum Dominus pa●itur. Luth. ep. ad Staupit.  howsoever desolate righteousness, saith Jerome, loseth not her comfort, which hath God to be with it, that is more than all.  
It was a brave resolution of Luther, which we find in one of his Epistles to Staupitius, wherein he professeth, that he had rather be accounted any thing, then be accused of wicked silence in God's cause: Let me be accounted, says he, proud, covetous, yea a murderer, yea, guilty of all vices, so I be not proved to be guilty of wicked silence, while the Lord and his cause do suffer. And know, that the more dishonoured, and trampled upon, any cause of God is, the more he expects that you should appear for it. I have read, that among the Persians, the left hand is accounted the more honourable place. Xenophon reports of Cyrus, that those whom he honoured most, he placed at his left hand, upon this ground, because it was most subject to danger, he would have those who were most honourable, to stand by him there where he was most weak and liable to danger.  
Thus where the cause of God is most opposed, and most like to suffer, there God would have the most noble spirits to stand, and to appear in that; and to do this is truly honourable indeed. Who knows whether you be raised for such a time as this? who knows whether you have been preserved from such and such dangers that you have been in, that you might be reserved as a public blessing for the Church of God and your Country? I have read of Philip King of Spain going from the Low-countries into Spain by Sea, there fell a grievous storm, in which almost all the Fleet was wracked, many men lost, and himself hardly escaped, he said he was delivered by the singular providence of God, that he might live to root out Lutheranism, which he presently began to do: this evil use he made of his great deliverance: Some of you have been delivered from great dangers, but for a better purpose, that you might now be of use, to root out profaneness, Atheism, and superstition; and happy are you, and happy shall we be in you, if it may appear that you are reserved for this work of the Lord.  
Thirdly, 
3.  let all go, rather than be brought to commit any sin; we had better have all the world cast shame in our faces, and upbraid us, then that our consciences should cast dirt in them: It is better to endure all the frowns and anger of the greatest of the earth▪ then to have an angry conscience within our breast: it is better to want all the pleasures that earth can afford, then to lose the delights that a good conscience will bring in. Oh let the bird in the breast always be kept singing, whatsoever we suffer for it▪ it is better to lose all we have, then to make shipwreck of a good conscience. In this case you must be willing to lose all, or else you are lost in the enjoyment of all. If your greatness be enlarged, and you will not be willing to lose it when God will have you, 
Dilata est magni●icentia, etc. si non vultis eam perdere certi perdi ab ea. Ber. epi. 207. Baron. ultimo anno Domit.  says Bernard, you shall be lost by it. We have many examples of brave spirits, manifesting themselves in this thing; the example of Flavianus Clemens is famous in this, he was a Courtier in Domitian's Court, with whom the Emperor was exceeding familiar, and delighted much in him, he was so dear unto him, as he intended to make his son to be his successor in his Empire; but this blessed Flavianus, rather than he would break the peace of his conscience in the matter of his religion, he was content to bear the turning of the great love of the Emperor into as great hatred, so as he hated him unto death, and oppressed his whole house. 
Ecce quid prodest plena bonis arca, si inanis fit conscientia, etc. August. de verbis Domini. Ser. 12.  Saint Augustine hath a good speech to this purpose, what doth it profit a man to have his chest full of goods, and his conscience empty?  
And now how happy we, if God would work men's spirits to this, who enjoy preferment, delights, and riches above other men: 
Pestifera vis est valere ad nocendum.  you have power to do much good, use not your power against God, but for God. O that you had but so much liberty to your spirits, as to bethink yourselves, wherefore God hath raised you above others: but reason and religion are usually drowned in these in their sensual lusts: they think they have enough in their honours, and in their pleasures, to commend them, and make them happy; but as for religion, that is for private men, who have nothing else to comfort themselves in▪ 
Sanctitas, pietas privata bona sunt. Sen. in Thyeste▪  Even Seneca a heathen had this complaint concerning their religion in their times: Holiness (says he) piety, and faith, are private good things: It seems that even then those that lived publicly in the world in their honours & delights, they thought their pomp and glory to be sufficient, and that they need not the help of virtue to commend them. It was likewise the complaint of Lucan; 
Exeat aula qui volet esse pius: virtus, & summa potestas non coeunt. Lucan. Lib. 8.  Let him go from the Court, that intends to be pious: virtue and great power cannot agree together. But is not opportunity of service for God, and his people, as great a good as any you can have? is not the excellency of any thing you have above others, in this especially, that you have opportunity to do more good than others? 
Clemens Alexan. paedag. l. 2. cap. 12. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉.  and what is a man's happiness, but his goodness?  
That which Clemens Alexandrinus says concerning dwelling in magnificent houses, is true of all other pomp and glory in the world. How much more glorious (says he) is it to do good to many, then to dwell magnificently? who knows what may be done in godly courses, if you will begin them? how may others be provoked likewise thereunto? how ever it falls out, it is no great matter that we hazard; what is my honour? my pleasure? my estate? my liberty? my life? so God may be glorified. There is more honour, and there ought to be more pleasure, and certainly there will be more pleasure, and certainly there will be more profit in the service of God, then in the enjoying all the world to myself and my posterity: If God's honour be not dear and precious in mine eyes, how can I think that my honours, and my comforts, and my estate, and my posterity should be dear and precious in his eyes? If the public good falls, 
Qui amissa republica, piscuinas suas fore salvas sperare videntur. Epist. 15. ad Attic. lib. 1.  shall I think to enjoy my ease and my peace, my estate and my honour upon good terms? Cicero laughed at the folly of those men, which in his time seemed to conceive such a windy hope, that their fish ponds, and places of delight should be safe, when the commonwealth was lost. In public calamities, if your person should escape (which you can have no security of) yet you cannot expect, that your honours, and riches should escape from being made a prey.  
Platina hath a notable story for this: when the citizens of Papia in Italy were at dissension by reason of the faction between the Guelphs, and the Gibellines, the Gibellines procured a favourer of theirs, called Facinus Caius, to assist them, covenanting that he should have the goods of the Guelphs for his labour; but he being once come into the city, and prevailing, he spared the goods of neither of them; whereupon the Gibellines complained, saying, that their goods also were spoilt: he answered them, that indeed they themselves were Gibellines, and should be safe, but their goods were Guelphs; so it may fall out to others, who have been unfaithful to God, to religion, though they themselves may prove to be Catholics, yet their goods and places of preferment may be counted to be Heretics: though they themselves may be accounted to be good quiet honest men, that cared not which way things went, sobeit they might live in ease and peace for their time, yet their estates and places of office are liable to be made a prey.  
Consider yet further; your example is much, many eyes are upon you, every one is ready to follow your way. Augustine in his confession saith that the devil drew men on cunningly to wickedness, 
Lib. 2. cap. 10.  by those poetical fictions, attributing filthy lusts and wicked uncleannesses to their supposed feigned gods, that those which did such things might bless themselves in this, they did not imitate base men, but the Celestial gods: thus the devil gets sin countenanced in the world, by the examples of the great ones, and think themselves safe if they have you for their pattern: God hath set you as stars in the firmament of honour, upon your influences depend the whole course of the inferior world: the people are as the sea, and you as the wind to raise or depress them, according to your motion. As in evil your examples do much hurt, so in good they would do much good: how might godliness be honoured if men saw you to prise it, so as to set it above all your honours? many are offended at the poverty and meanness of those that profess religion: you may in great part take away this offence.  
In the Annals we read in the history of Charles the great, that there was one Aygolandus a King of Africa, of the Mohometane sect, who had much war with Charles the great, and that he might better make peace with him, he told him that he desired to be a Christian. Charles being glad of that, took him with him to the Court, where this Aygolandus saw thirty poor people, in mean habits, lying on the ground, & eating without any cloth: he asked Charles what they were; who answered him, they are the servants of God. (For Charles was wont to nourish poor people at his Court, on purpose that he might have the object of poverty before him to behold, that thereby he might moderate his affections in his great fortunes) Aygolandus answered; and is it so that I see the servants of your God clothed in such filthy clothing, and your servants shining and clothed beautifully, I indeed desired that I might be baptised, and to give myself to the service of your God; but now I am far of another mind, when I see the servants of your God so ill entertained and provided for. This offence daily keeps off many, but the conversion of great ones would bring on not only multitudes of other people, but other great ones also,  
It is reported of Lucius King of England, who was the first King that ever by his authority established Christian religion in his Kingdom; 
Sabellicus in his Hist.  which is the honour of our country, it was the first Kingdom that ever had Christian Religion established by the supreme magistrate. In the first entrance into the Kingdom, he favovored Christian Religion, as an ancient historian, Gildas Albanius reports: but yet the Religion he was brought up in stuck so fast in him, that he could not be brought off wholly to embrace Christian Religion. And a great thing that hindered him, was the offence he took at the outward meanness and poverty of Christians; and especially he looked at the Romans, who were a glorious and victorious people, and the Emperor there, who lived in so great glory and prosperity; and he considered with himself, that they did not embrace Christian Religion, and wherefore then should he: But after he learned from the Ambassadors of Caesar, that some of the noble and chief of Rome, as by name Trebellius and Pertinax, and others, embraced the Religion of Christians; that the Emperor himself was moved with that miraculous Rain, that was caused by the prayers of the Christians; then Lucius attended more fully to understand what Christian Religion was, and was taken off from that which formerly hindered him. Whereupon he sent to Eleutherius, then Bishop of Rome, Elvanus and Medinus his Ambassadors, to send him some to instruct the Britons in the Doctrine of Christ, that he might establish Christian Religion in his Kingdom, and abolish Heathenism; this was in the year of Christ 179. Thus you see what a power Religion hath, when it is in great ones.  
And on the contrary, the more eminent you are in Honours, and in Greatness, if your examples be evil, they do the more mischief: 
Quanto illustriores homines in seculo scientia, & genere, tanto pluribus sunt perditionis exemplum. Ber. Epist. 109  Sin dressed up with a diamond, or covered with a scarlet robe, carries a brave show with it: Desinunt esse probri loco purpurata flagitia: If your ways be never so base and unworthy, the general course of people will follow after you; as Christ said, if the son of man be lifted up, all men will follow him: so if the most base wickedness in the world be lifted up in the examples of great ones, all men will follow after it; that way that they see to be a way of preferment, and to get the countenance of those that are great men, generally they will choose; yea how do we see many, that they may be like great ones in their way, and get a little petty preferment by them, they will subject themselves to most sordid things, that otherwise common humanity would loathe and abhor. There is a notable example for this in a relation that Contzen hath in his book that he entitles Aulae speculum, in the 156. page, 
Eutropius Eunuchus, apud Arcadium in pretio fuit, aulae rector, pudendus, avarus & crudelis, spadonibus ille favebat, plurimi mortalium & sibi & liberis virilitatem demere sustinuere ut illi commendarent, atque ad optatas dignitates eveherentur, plerique eorum exvulnere obierunt.  of one Eutropius, an Eunuch, he was the governor of the Court, and had in exceeding honour, but favoured and preferred only such which either were already, or were willing to make themselves eunuchs like himself; whereupon, says my Author, multitudes of men made themselves and their children eunuchs, that they might obtain the favour of Eutropius, and be raised to preferment by him, and many of them died of the wounds that were made in their body. Thus you see what the power of the countenance and favour of great ones is, which men seek, by being like them in any base ways. And have we not many still that would be content to prostitute themselves, their souls, and their bodies, in the most shameful ways that can be, to obtain the favour of those who are great, to get preferment by them, willing to let humanity, Religion, God, conscience, souls and all go, so they may be countenanced in the World.  
Lastly, remember the great and solemn account that you are to give before the Lord another day, of all the mercies you have received from God above others, which have been abundant, which cannot be reckoned: and if your receipts be so great, as you know not how to reckon them, how shall you be able then to reckon for them? Surely when you come to give an account of all you enjoy, you will have other manner of thoughts of all your outward glory, than you had when you conceived there was so much happiness in it. Consider now what will be peace to your souls, when you must bid an everlasting farewell to all those things which are so glorious in your eyes: Do you think that now you do improve all those mercies that God hath given you, so as when you come upon your death beds, and before the Lord, you shall be able to look back to your former time, and rejoice in it? The Lord will not regard how you have been magnified by men, but how you have magnified his great and glorious Name: Riches will not avail in the day of wrath, the remembrance of all sinful delights will be bitterer than gall to you, when the accounts of all your honours, riches, and pleasures shall be called for, how they have been improved for God: If you cannot then make your accounts even, either by showing how you have employed these talents, or by bringing in an acquittance, and pardon, bought with Christ's precious blood, and sealed to you by his holy Spirit, 
Quae hic honorant, ibi onerant.  you are undone for ever; so that now those things will prove your burdens, that here were your delights and honours: what will it then profit you to have been honourable and rich in the World, & have nothing left but guilt in your consciences, and Gods vile esteem of you? what good shall your passed pleasures bring to you, when they have abandoned you, and nothing remains but pollution and filth upon your souls, and the just wrath of God whom you have displeased, by pleasing yourselves in those pleasures? or what will it profit you to have gained the whole world, and to have lost your own souls?  
I have read of one Francisus Xaverius, who writing to John the third, King of Portugal, gave this wholesome counsel to him, that every day, for a quarter of an hour, he would meditate of that divine sentence, What shall it profit a man to win the whole world, and to lose his own soul? and that he would seek of God the right understanding of this, that he might be sensible of it, and that he would make it the close of all his prayers, the repetition of those words, What shall it profit a man, etc. How happy counsel would this be for all our Courtiers and great men, if it might be followed? when you have spent all your estates, and improved your power only upon sinful ways, to satisfy the lusts of your own hearts, when these shall be taken from you, or you from them, with what confidence can you look up to God for mercy? doth it not come from low thoughts of God, and want of the fear of his great and dreadful Name, for you to think to spend such great talents upon your lusts, which he hath betrusted you withal for his honour, and yet to think that you can easily do well enough in this matter between God and you? that this holy, great, and dreadful God will be pacified by a word or two? If you had indeed ventured those things that you did enjoy, and so had parted with them in the cause of God, you might then, after all had been gone, have been able to look up to God with much comfort, and to have expected with confidence much mercy from him.  
It is reported of Alphonsus' King of Arragon, when a Knight of his had consumed a great patrimony by lust and luxury, 
Si tantam pecuniam vel in sui regis obsequium, vel patriae commodis, vel sublevandis propinquis impendisset, audirem; nunc quoniam tantas opes impendit corpori, par est ut luat corpore.  and besides ran into debt, and being to be laid into prison by his creditors, his friends petitioned for him to the King; the King answered, if he had spent so much money in the service of his Prince, or for the good of his Country, in relieving his kindred, I would have harkened; but seeing he hath spent so much upon his body, it is fit his body should smart for it: So when you come and look up to God for mercy in your distress, when the comforts of the creature shall be gone, God may justly answer; if you had spent that abundance of the creature that I afforded to you in my service, for the good of my people, I would have heard you, but now it is just you should be left in your distress, and that so much pleasure as you have had, so much misery should follow.  
Do not your hearts tremble at that Text, 1 Cor. 1. 26. Not many rich, not many noble? it is enough to make a man's heart to tremble when he hears that of men few are saved, but when salvation is straightened in a more narrow compass, and God saith of such a sort of men but few, this hath more power in it to strike fear: as if a company in a Church should hear that but few of them should go out alive, it would strike fear into all; but when those who sit in the Chancel, shall hear, but few of those that sit in the Chancel shall go out alive, this strikes fear into such who sit there: As Joshua, when search was made for Achan amongst the Tribes, he had cause to fear, but when the Tribe of Judah was taken, of which he was, then much more; but when the family of the Zarhites, then much more: So within the straighter compass God hath said, But few shall be saved; if you be amongst them, you have cause to fear the more, and not to take more liberty than others, but to be more diligent than others to make your calling and election sure. It's a terrible speech that chrysostom hath in his 34. Sermon upon the Hebr. you would think it so if it came from us, it may be you will receive it better from him: the speech is this, 
Miror si potest salvari aliquis rectorum.  I wonder, saith he, if any Governor can be saved. Howsoever conscience may be quiet and still now, yet when it apprehends itself near the giving up account to God, it will speak, it will sting then. It is reported of Philip the third of Spain, although it is said of him, that his life was free from gross evils, yea so as he professed, he would rather lose all his Kingdoms, then offend God knowingly. But being in the agony of death, and considering more thoroughly of his account he was to give to God, fear struck into him, and these words broke from him: Oh, would to God I had never reigned; Oh, that those years I have spent in my Kingdom, I had lived a private life in the Wilderness; Oh, that I had lived a solitary life with God, how much more securely should I now have died, how much more confidently should I have gone to the Throne of God? what does all my glory profit me, but that I have so much the more torment in my death? This story Cornelius à Lapide hath upon the second of Hosea. 
Lib. 11. hist. Bohe. plus temporis operaeque se palatio, quam templo impendisse; luxum & vitia aulae quae corrigere debuisset adjuvisse, auxisse, atque ita multo peccati dolore trepida spe divinae clementiae, plurimo astantium ●orrore, anceps sui anima aeternitatem ingressa est.   
In the Bohemian History it is reported of one Hermanus, a great Courtier, who being to die, did most lamentably cry out, That he had spent more time in the Palace then in the Temple; and that he added to the Riotousness and Vices of the Court, which he should have sought to have reform: and so died, to the horror of those that were about him. I confess, it is no little matter for you, who have so much of the world, to deny yourselves in those things that give content to the flesh, considering the corruption that is in the hearts of the children of men: it is a hard thing, and seldom hath success, to give rules for the ordering of life, to men who are in great prosperity in this world. Hence Laertius reports of Plato, who being desired by the Cyrenians, that he would write down some Laws for them, and that he would set the estate of their Commonwealth in some order, he refused, saying, 
Perdifficile esse condere leges tam felicibus.  It was a very hard thing, to make Laws to bind men who were in great prosperity. But the more hard any duty is, the more honourable is it to yield to it; as Saint Hieronym. writing to Pamachius, 
Non est parum virum nobilem, virum locupletem potentium in plateis vitare comitatum, miscere se turbis, adhaerere pauperibus, rusticis copulare, de principe vulgum fieri, sed quanto humilior, tanto sublimior est.  hath this expression: It is not a little thing for a Noble man, for a rich man, to withdraw himself from the company of great ones, to join with those that are mean and poor, and to be made as a common man: but the more low, the more mean he is in doing this, he is the more sublime, so much the higher in the esteem of God and his people.  
There are some who have been in as fair a way of honours and worldly delights, as any, yet they have denied themselves, and they rejoice in it, and bless God for it; they find all they were willing to part with made up abundantly to them, they live most sweet, and joyful lives, God hath made them honourable in his own eyes, and in the eyes of his people, they are high and precious in the esteem and hearts of the Saints. Do not fear, trust your honours, your Dignities and riches with God: there was never any thing lost in a self-denying way for jesus Christ; nothing can make you more honourable than the ways of Godliness, and nothing can cast that contempt, and shame upon you as the ways of sin do, it being the basest servitude that is, both for yourselves and all your estates and honours, to be under the power of your lusts: As you would account it a greater contempt and shame for you, to be made to serve in the meanest and basest work that is, then if an ordinary man should be forced to it: then surely it is more contemptible for you to be under the slavery of sin, then for an ordinary man.  
Saint chrysostom compares men of great quality in the world who are wicked, to a King taken prisoner of the Barbarians, who suffer him still to wear his crown, and to keep on his royal apparel, but yet force him to perform all base offices in his royal apparel, and with his crown upon his head, as to carry water, to grind in the mill, and drudge in the scullery, in which case his goodly ornaments do but serve with more despite to put him in mind of his misery, and the more to upbraid, and cast in his teeth the greatness of his fall, and the baseness of his servitude; there could be nothing could put more scorn and contempt upon him then this. Thus whilst you are bravely apparelled, glistering wheresoever you go, and wear the ensigns of honour upon you, the Devil and your own lusts do put you upon the basest services, the most dishonourable employments as can be; for such are the ways of sin, and all your outward glory does but make you more vile and contemptible, while you are under the servitude of your lusts.  
Do not think you have more liberty to sin than others, your greatness cannot bear you out with God: nay in regard that the mercies which you have are greater than others, 
In maxima fortuna, minima est licentia. Sallust. in conjurat. Catil.  and your sins do more hurt than the sins of others; you have the least liberty to sin of all men: There is the least liberty in the greatest fortune, says a heathen. Let it therefore rather be your glory that you can do good, then that you have power to have your minds: it was the high commendation of Tiberius, that he accounted Aurum illud Adulterinum esse, quod cum subjectorum lacrymis collectum esset, that money no good coin, that was levied with his subjects tears. And thus we have finished the first thing observable in Moses Selfe-deniall; namely, The denial of all worldly honours and delights whatsoever for Christ.   

CHAP. FOUR  

SECT. 2.  
We must deny all worldly pleasures and preferments in the very prime of our time, when we have opportunity to enjoy them to the full.  
THe second thing observable is the time when he did this. Some may think, when he refused all this glory he might have had, that surely it was when he knew not what he did, it was when he was a child, in some rash fit of his youthful folly, when he was a novice, before he came to understand himself, it was before he could have any experience to know what these brave things were: or if not so, it was then when he began to grow old, and to dote, when his honours and pleasures began to leave him, and he was wearied, and discontented with them. No such matter, it was when he came to be of years, not a child, and in the ripeness of his years, in his full strength, in the prime and choice of all his time, not in his decrepit age; 
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉.  it was then when he might have enjoyed all honours and delights to the full, yet now he denies himself in them all: it was when his parts were in the ripeness and full strength of them, yet now he refuses, for so the words in the original imply all these, when he came to be great: from whence the observation is, That it is an honourable thing for one to deny himself in the prime of his time, when he is in the midst & height of the enjoyment of the delights, honours, and profits of the world, even, then when the world proffers whatsoever it hath to give content in, when the world courts a man in all her bravery, and presents whatsoever is desirable to flesh and blood, yet then to be above all, to deny one's self in all, to be crucified to the world before the world be crucified to us, then to be crucified to all, to be crucified to the world, when we may have full possession of it, this is something indeed.  
Necessity takes away the honour of an action; to do a thing when we must needs, when we are forced to it whether we will or no, though the thing be good we do, yet the honour of it is lost in great part. That which we read of Gelimer King of the Vandals was well, 
Paul. Diac l. 6. hist.  being taken captive by Bellisarius, and brought to justinian, when he saw the Emperor set upon his tribunal, and the people standing about him, he cries out, vanity of vanitis, all is vanity, but it was more honourable for Solomon, while he enjoyed the glory of his kingdom, yet then to cry out thus of all the glory of the world, that all was but vanity. Augustus when he was to die could acknowledge all the pomp of the world to be but a fable, 
Seneca. ep. 55.  but David while he lived could acknowledge all but as a dream. 
Illum lauda & imitare quem non piget mori cum juvet vivere.  Commend him, and imitate him, says Seneca, who is not unwilling to die when he may live delightfully. As it is nothing for a man that is at ease, and enjoys all comforts about him to his hearts desire, then to talk of patience, and contentedness, & cheerfulness in the hardest, sorest, and longest afflictions that can befall him: but when a man is in the depth of them, pressed sorely under them, continuing long in the bitterness of them, yet now to retain his sweet cheerful contented frame of spirit, this is something.  
So when men are kept down by afflictions, & crossed in the world at every hand, the world frowns on them, they have but little of the comforts of the world, 
Non magnum est esse humilem in abjectione, magna prorsus & rara virtus humilitas honorata. Ber. Hom. 4. Super Missus est.  neither have they hopes of ever coming to have much, for these men to talk of the vanity of the world, & all the delights thereof, and that men should not be proud of that they have, that they should be willing to part with all, for them to say, that all the riches of the world what are they? they are but dross, dirt, & honours are but shadows, and all the pleasures are but froth & vanity, this is nothing: but when they come to enjoy them themselves, or at least to see probably that they may have them ere long, when the world comes in flatteringly upon them, insinuating itself into them, when they feel what the delights of it are indeed, yet now to be above them, & to slight them, and not to have the heart taken with them, this is truly honourable.  
Basil, 
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. Basil.  in his Homily upon the forty Martyrs who suffered together, hath this expression: He that is put upon necessity is not to be accounted strong in suffering, but he who hath abundance of delightful things which he may enjoy, if he holds out in suffering evils. 
Hom. in 40 Martyr  There is a great deal of difference in the working of things upon men's spirits, when they are only in imagination, and when they come to be made real indeed; men cannot think what alteration there will be in their spirits, when things come as real to work upon them. We read, Luke 16. 14. when Christ had preached against covetousness, 
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉.  those who were rich and covetous derided him; The word is in the original, they blowed their nose at him, manifesting their scorning at what he said; as if they should have said, he may talk what he will, but if he had riches himself I warrant you he would delight in them as well as any, if he see how to come by them, he would be as greedy as any after them. And thus certainly do men, who are in honour, think of all that speak lightly of their honours: and so those that enjoy the sweet of pleasures. As on the one side, those who are in afflictions, and have their spirits sink under them, they think within themselves, let men talk what they will, if they felt what I do, their spirits would sink as much as mine: so on the other side, they who enjoy the sweet of prosperity, they think, let men say what they will, if they had what we have, they would prise it and delight in it as much as we.  
Here then is the true and real honour, when a man is in the height and top of all prosperity, yet than he can be above all, than he can trample upou all: 
Lib. 11. cap. 2.  It was thus with Moses; it was thus with Daniel; it hath been thus in many worthies of the Lord. Vincentius reports of one Eustochius whom Trajane had sent against the Barbarians, and he having got the victory, returned home; the Emperor being joyful goes to meet him, and brings him in gloriously to the city: now was a time for Eustochius to enjoy the favour of the Emperor, and what he could desire; but at this time, this very day, refusing to sacrifice with the Emperor unto Apollo, 
Cent. 2. cap. 3.  he suffers the martyrdom of himself, his wife, and children even now denies all his present pomp and glory for Christ. God hath still choice spirits in the world that can do this, and certainly there is a great deal of glory in it.    

CHAP. V.  
It is a special argument of sincerity, that when the profession of Religion proves costly to us, yet we continue in it.  
FIrst this argues great sincerity: now the truth of grace appears indeed to be religious, when religion must cost us something; this is an argument of truth of grace: to be religious, when by religion we may get the comforts of the world, this is no argument of sincerity. Hence jewish writers tell us, that in Solomon's time, when the jews prospered in all worldly felicity, than they were careful how they entertained Proselytes, because many would be coming then upon worldly respects to join with them: but to profess religion when it requires the loss of all outward comforts, and that at those times, when the sweetness of them is most enjoyed, this is some thing like: to profess the truth while we may live upon it, this argues no truth; but to profess it when it must live upon us, upon our honours, upon our profits and pleasures, and earthly contentments, this is a strong argument of truth: as to see the beauty of religion through troubles, through all outward disrespects, this is something: for to see the evil of sin through all outward glory, respect and contentment in this world, when it may be enjoyed to the full, this is much; surely here is truth, here is a piercing eye that is enlightened and quickened by the spirit of God. It was a true sign that those nobles of Israel we read of in the 2 King. 9 33. were of jehues side, when they cast down Jezabel who had painted her face; so when the world comes with her painted face, in her pomp and glory, yet when God says who is on my side? then to throw down this painted Jezabel to the ground to the dogs, to lick up her blood; here is a true argument that we are on God's side.  
David showed his true thankfulness, when he would not offer unto God that which cost him nothing, but would have the testimony of his thankfulness costly to him: so when the profession of religion proves costly to us, and yet we continue in it, this is a good argument of truth. In times of affliction every hypocrite; all tag and rag will be ready to come in to God in an outward profession; but usually this submission to God at this time is not out of truth. Hence that place in the 66. Psalm 3. v. where it is said, through the greatness of thy power shall thy enemies submit unto thee: in the original it is they shall lie unto thee, 
Mentienter.  and so it is translated by Arian Montanus, and some others, noting hereby, that a forced submission to God is seldom in truth.  
Secondly, it argues the excellency of grace, that it raises and greatens men's spirits, it lifts them up above the highest of all these things, and so high above them, as the things of the world when at the highest are looded on us under things, and appeared small and contemptible in the eyes of such a raised soul: many poor spirited men are below them, and look up to them as great matters, and think, oh how happy should they be, if they could attain to them, they bless them who have got up to them, but grace is of an elevating nature, and it manifests itself to be from on high, even from heaven, from the God of heaven, who is infinitely above the heavens, and it raiseth the soul to God himself, so that not only the things of the earth, but even heaven itself would appear but a poor low mean thing, beneath the dignity of a soul, made partaker of the divine nature, were it not that the glorious presence of God were there.  
As it argues the exceeding greatness of the heavens, that all the earth is but as a point to them, all the huge great mountains, and vast circumference of the earth is as nothing in comparison of them: so when all the honours, delights, and riches of the earth, which are esteemed such huge and mighty things by the men of the world, yet to a gracious spirit, though enjoyed to the full, are accounted as nothing, this argues a glorious work of grace, enlarging the heart of a man. God brings it himself as an argument of his own greatness, Isai. chap. 40. that all the Nations of the earth are as a drop of a Bucket, and as a dust of the hallance to him. So when all the braveries and delights of the world are to a soul but as a little dust, looked at as having but a drop of comfort in them, far from affording any good draught of comfort to quench the thirst of it; no, it must have the ocean of all comfort to drink on, even God himself, no less than an infinite ocean of blessedness will serve the turn, for it to be satisfied withal, and this argues a spirit great indeed; and the truth is, let men think what they will, yet it is most certain, there are no men in the world of great spirits, but only godly men.  
Thirdly, 
3.  it argues the power of grace; to resist powerful temptations is powerful grace. It was powerful grace that enabled Joseph to resist such a temptation as he had from his Mistress. 
Virtus est placidis abstinuisse bonis.  Luther says, it was no less miracle to overcome the flame of lust in this temptation, 
In tali occasione, & copia peccandi non fuit minus miraculum vincere flammas libidinis, quam quod tres viri ex camino ignes salvi, & incolumes evaserunt.  than it was for those three men to be kept safe in the fiery furnace. When the World proffers itself in the glory and beauty of it unto us, the temptation is strong to flesh and blood: Hence we have so many Caveats in Scripture, that when we are full, we should beware, that we forget not God, and take heed we decline not from him; then, then is the danger, when corruption hath matter to feed on, yet then to keep it down argues strength. 
Luth. in cap. 51.  It is not the work of a child, to govern a horse pampered, full fed in fat pastures. It was an argument that David had much power over his affections, that though the waters of Bethleem were so longed for of him, so desirable to him, yet when he had it before him, and might have drunk of it, yet than he could deny himself, and refused. When Esau looked on the pottage of Jacob, and saw it was so red, so suitable and pleasing to him, that he must needs have it, though it cost him his birthright, he was not able to deny himself in giving contentment to his flesh, at that one time, though he knew it must cost him dear; but though all the delights of the World be proffered, yet where there is powerful grace, they are rejected.  
It is a strong stomach that can digest much fat, much honey, and sweet things, that usually clog weak stomaches; so it is a strong spirit that is not overcome with the sweet of much prosperity. It argued, there was much power in the oath that Saul caused his Army to take, 1 Sam. 14. 26. Not to eat any thing that day, when though they being faint for want of meat, and yet coming through a Wood, where honey dropped from the leaves before them as they went, yet none dared to touch one drop: So here, when men are compassed about with all delights, and they are flesh and blood as well as others, and they find the temptation come strongly upon them, yet through the assistance of the grace of God they can abstain; this is a great honour to grace, and arguing much power in it.  
Fourthly, 
4.  it is a testimony of dear love to the Lord, to deny one's self for his sake, when one is in the highest of enjoyment of all delights to the flesh; it is an argument, that God is indeed the proper place, the centre of the soul, when although it hath never so much of the creature, to give satisfaction unto it, yet it cannot rest, but works still to God through all, and from all: As a stone, though it were in never so good a place, although it were in Heaven, yet it would desire to descend, because the proper place of it is below; so let a gracious heart which hath God for the centre be put into any condition never so full of delight, yet it is not satisfied, it is willing to leave all, that it may close with God: To seek after God, and make much of godliness in the times of affliction may argue self love, but love to God appears not then.  
As God manifests his love to us in not sparing his own Son for us, so we manifest our love to God in not sparing our dearest contentments for him. This God testifies of Abraham, hereby he knew he loved him indeed, in that for his sake, he did not spare his only son Isaac; As Psal. 45. when the King's daughter is content to forsake her father's house and dearest kindred, than the King delights in her beauty: to pretend love to Christ when the World withdraws from us whatsoever is lovely in it, this is not much, but now to have our love burning after Jesus Christ, when the World proffers to us all her loveliness, this is true love. Love is bountiful, it is shown to purpose, when it shows itself able and willing to part with much for the beloved; as that love of God should be for ever accounted dear and precious, that shows mercy to one at that time when he is most wicked, in the height of sin, even tempting God to destroy him; so if when you have the strongest temptations to draw your hearts from God, yet even than you can find your hearts sweetly working towards him, closing with him, delighting in him, here is love unfeigned, this is love that God will own and make much of for ever. As the Idolatrous Jews showed their love to their Idols, by plucking off their ear rings, and parting with their Jewels, and most precious things they had, for the honour of their Idols: so do the true worshippers of God show their love to him, when they do part with much that is precious and delightful to flesh and blood.  
Fifthly, 
5.  this gives God the glory of all our prosperity, which shows we acknowledge it to be from him, and for him, and that we have it not for ourselves, but for the setting forth his praise: When God gives us much of the creature, we mistake his meaning, if we think he gives it us to enjoy as we please, for he gives all to use for himself, and where this is much acknowledged, there God is much glorified; if we mistake not God's meaning, yet at least we forget upon what terms we receive all our comforts from God, 
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Plut. de consol. ad Apol.  namely that we may return them again to him; they are the words of a Heathen, thou forgettest that thou hast received those things (speaking of worldly prosperity) to return them again.  
Sixthly, this gives testimony to the world, that surely there are wonderful blessed things, that God acquaints the soul withal in the ways of godliness, that there is much sweet and contentment to be had in those ways; they see something more glorious that makes them so little to regard the glory that there is in the things of the World, when men might have all content in what the World affords, and yet they are willing to deny all for Christ, surely they find much sweetness in Jesus Christ, that takes up their hearts, and satisfies their souls, or else they would never do as they do; they have found something better than all these things, something that the world knows not of, that makes them do as they do; they would not let go their hold in these outward things, were it not they had found something better.  
If you see a Bee leave a fair flower and stick upon another, you may conclude, that she finds most Honey dew in that flower she most sticks upon: So here God's people would never leave so many fair flowers in the World's Garden, had they not some other in which they find most sweetness; Christ hath his Garden, into which he brings his beloved, and there she finds other manner of flowers than any the World hath, in which there is sweetness of a higher nature, even the Honey dew of the choice mercy, and goodness, and blessing of God himself: if God's people do leave the full breasts of the World, it is because they have found the breasts of consolation, from which they have sucked other manner of sweetness than the breasts of the world can afford; were it not for some who have had much in the World, and yet have denied themselves for Christ, this testimony to the ways of godliness could not have been given; but blessed be God, we have some who do give this testimony, in which God is much honoured, and which is their honour likewise.  
Seventhly, 
7.  thus to deny one's self is honourable, 
Nulla infelicitas frangit, quem nulla foelicit as corrumpit. Aug. in senten.  because wheresoever this is, there surely will be a holding out to the end; no troubles of adversity can ever make such a one to forsake any ways of God, who can dny himself for God in the midst of the pleasures of prosperity. 
Nemo frangitur adversarum molestia, qui prosperarum dilectione non capitur. Aug. Ser. in Monte l. 2.  A man that is able to deny himself in prosperity, will be able to believe in adversity; if he be prosperity proof, there is no fear but he will be adversity proof too.  
If you read thorough the whole Book of God, you shall find that the pleasures of prosperity have been the greatest snare, few of God's servants have passed through that condition without dishonour, but the estate of adversity hath ever proved most safe; seldom any of God's servants but have been bettered by it. We read of Manna, Exod. 16. 21. that it was melted with the Sun, but it could endure the heat of fire, for they baked Cakes of it: Thus it is with many men, they are melted, many good things in them vanish and come to nothing by the heat of prosperity, whom the fire of adversity cannot hurt, but is useful to them.  
If a man hath overcome the delights of the World, he hath overcome the great hindrance in the ways of godliness; the great danger of Apostasy, that which causes so many thousands to fall, and to forsake God and his blessed ways: such a soul hath got over the great stumbling block, at which so many stumble, and fall, and break themselves by, Ezek. 3. 20. I will lay a stumbling block, saith the Lord. Vatablus his Note upon the place is, 
Faciam ut omnia habeat prospera, calamitatibus eum à peccato non revocabo.  I will cause that he shall have all things prosperous, I will not call him from sin by affliction. There have been many who have held out a long time in suffering, and yet after have fallen in prosperity, when the World hath shined on them flatteringly: but where have we any example of any, who have denied themselves in prosperity, that ever failed in the times of adversity.  
Eightly this upbraids those who do greedily embrace the things of the world, 
8.  and think that it is impossible for any to deny themselves in so great delights as they do enjoy: as Balaak wonders, that upon offers of such great preferments, as he offered unto Balaam, he came not to him, he thought it impossible, that there should be any man in the world that would not be moved with such an argument as that was. So base covetous wretches, and ambitious men, that love their honours, and those that follow after their fleshly pleasures, they think all the world are of their mind, if they had the like opportunityes they would do as they do. Nero who was so basely unclean, thought that all men in the world were so too, or would be so, had they fit opportunities for their uncleanness.  
Men hear speaking of selfe-deniall, but they do not believe there is any such thing in reality, they would gladly see the man that can deny himself in such things as they enjoy, if he may have them as freely, and as fully as they have: now this practice of God's people convinces them, that there are some, that can do those things that they think to be impossible: God hath his servants who have done such things, who can and will do them, and that willingly and joyfully too, with much freedom and cheerfulness of spirit, and bless God that they have any comfort in the world, any preferment or estate to lose for God, accounting it a happier thing to lose for God, then to enjoy for themselves.   

CHAP. VI  
Comfort to those who in the midst of earthly contentments have their affections set upon Heaven.  
HEnce there is much comfort, 
Use 1.  and encouragement to those whom the Lord hath raised above others in outward things, and together with their estates and honour he hath given them hearts to return the glory of all to himself, 
Laudandi atque praedicandi qui dignati non sunt etiam cum mundo florente florere. Aug. Ep. 45. ad Armentarium.  in the midst of all the comforts they have, yet their hearts are above all for God, and for the things of heaven and eternity. These are to be praised, their honour is to be published, who have refused to flourish with the flourishing world. Blessed be God, there are yet some such in the world, and we hope the Lord is raising up of more: blessed are they of the Lord, and honourable in the esteem of the Saints.  
First, this is a most evident argument, that all the good things they have in the world, comes from the spiritual favour and love of God to them, and this is no small matter; there is more sweetness in this knowledge of the principle from whence the good things we have do come, then in any thing that they afford of themselves. The difference of Jacob's blessing from Esau's is observable, Gen. 27. 28. there is Jacob's, God give thee the dew of heaven, and the fatness of the earth; Esau's blessing is v. 29. where the dew of heaven and the fatness of the earth is likewise given to him, but the reference it hath to God is left out, it is not there, God give thee.  
A carnal heart cares not, so he may have the thing itself, he does not look to the principle from whence it comes, but the chief sweet to a gracious heart is that he can see God, the love and mercy of God in all the blessings he enjoys. Now there is no such argument as this to demonstrate God's love in them; outward things are no certain arguments of the love of God: wicked men, the objects of God's hatred may have them as well as the godly, but outward blessings with a heart to give God the glory of them, do always come from God's love in Christ.  
God does oftentimes give the same thing to one out of special favour in Christ, to another out of a general bounty, that God hath raised you above others, this is a mercy; but that he hath given you this grace, in this he hath raised you indeed, this mercy is of an higher nature, the other things are called the goods of fortune, but this is the fruit of God's eternal love in jesus Christ, this is a mercy peculiar to the chosen of the Lord.  
Secondly, 
2.  this is an evident sign that God intends to use you in excellent services, for the honour of his name: as Saul collected from the spirit of David, when he saw how he was able to deny himself in not taking that advantage he had of him, when he might have had his will upon him to the full: blessed be thou my son David, says, Saul, thou shalt both do great things, and shalt also still prevail, 1 Sam. 26. 25. So when a man may have his will to the full, and yet can deny himself, it is a sign that God intends to use selfe-denying spirits in his service, none to them; and this selfe-deniall is of the highest kind.  
Thirdly, 
3.  this is the highest improvement of all outward mercies that may be: this changes poor mean things into most excellent glorious things; it is impossible to make so much advantage of any thing in the world any other way as in this way: here is a spiritual divine improvement of natural, of vain drossy things, here is a turning of stubble and dirt into gold and pearls, for great, and precious, and glorious are the mercies that God uses to recompense this selfe-deniall withal.  
Fourthly, 
4.  this selfe-deniall is highly acceptable to God, God glories in such; Daniel kept close to God, and denied himself much in his great prosperity, and he is called a man greatly beloved, Cap. 10. 11. vir desideriorum: a man of desires, so the words are, as when a man is compassed with temptation to despair, a little breathing of faith is acceptable: so when he is compassed with temptation of satisfying the flesh, of security, of presumption, than a little, much more eminent selfe-deniall, oh how acceptable is it!  
Fifthly, 
5.  if you in the fullness of all your earthly contentments shall acknowledge jesus Christ, and be willing to lay down all for him, when he shall come in the fullness of his glory he will acknowledge you, and will put glory upon you, when he shall come with his mighty Angels, full of majesty, to be admired of his Saints; then he shall own you, and make you partakers of his own glory, he will then remember every cup of cold water given for his name's sake, much more than the giving him the praise and honour of so much in the things of the world as you have enjoyed. The being made partaker of the fullness of Christ's honour in that day will then a thousand times recompense the emptying of yourselves of any fullness of outward contentments in the creature you have had here.  
Sixthly, 
6.  if ever you should live to come to come to any adversity in this world, surely it will be much sweetened to you, if you be willing to give God the honour of the sweet of prosperity: though adversity may come, yet God will keep the bitterness of it from you: if you so know God in prosperity, as to deny the comforts of it for him, he will so know you in adversity, as to take off the gall and bitterness of it from you: in all your seeking of God in the time of trouble, you may have a holy boldness, and freedom of spirit, having assurance that it is not out of self-love that you seek him, that it is not out of constraint, because driven to him by afflictions; but it is out of love to that God to whom your soul flows, as to a God in whom you have an especial interest, that God who was so dear to you in the midst of the enjoyment of the abundance of the creature; so that now in the want of all things, you shall be freed from those checks of spirit that others have, damping their hearts when they are about seeking after the Lord in the time of their trouble.  
Seventhly, 
7.  it is so much the more honourable, 
Perpauci sunt quibus contingit & faelices esse & sapere. Sen. ep. 94.  and may be so much the more comfortable to you, by how much the more rare it is: God hath but few selfe-denying spirits in the world; there are a word of people that will be crying to him in the times of affliction, 
Difficile est in honore esse sine tumore, in praelatione sine, elatione, in dignitate siu e vanitate. Ber.  but a few peculiar ones, who have hearts to seek his face, and honour his name in the height of their prosperity, few that are then humble and selfe-denying: to be set on high, and yet to have the heart kept down, is hard and unusual, says Bernard; but the more unusual, the more glorious. 
In alto posito non altum sapere difficile est, & omnino inusitatum, sed quanto inusit atius, tanto gloriosius. Ber. Ep. 42.    

CHAP. VII.  
Reproof of those who greedily pursue sensual delights,  
THe second use is for Reproof to those who greedily give up their hearts to the enjoyment of all the carnal and sensual delight that they can take in the abundance of the outward mercies that God hath given them, 
Use 2.  knowing no higher good of them, then to take their fill of cannall delight from them, blessing themselves in them, little thinking of God, or any service that God calls for at their hands in the use of them; They know not how to rejoice, and not to let out themselves to the full beyond all bounds of moderation. They know not how to make any conjunction between rejoicing and moderation, they think there is such a distance between these two, that they can never be joined in one: but mark how wide these are from the mind of the Holy Ghost, Phil. 4. 4, 5. Rejoice always, and again I say rejoice; what follows? then let us let out our hearts to the full, let us satisfy ourselves to the utmost way, but let your moderation be known to all men; many who care not how they neglect full opportunities for the service of God, or receiving spiritual blessings from God, yet will be sure to take to the full all the advantage they can of all their outward prosperity to fatten their hearts in all manner of carnal jollity and brutish sensuality: they let out their hearts to the utmost to this, making the bounty of God but as fuel to their lusts, and means to fat up their hearts to destruction, and to make them the more bold, and impudent in sinning against him.  
Do you think in your consciences that this is the end why God hath given you an abundance of these outward things more than others? what? did God aim at no higher end than this? is there no other way whereby God may be more glorified by that you have? will it rejoice your hearts hereafter to remember what you have done? how many are there, who have their hearts so glued to the comforts of the creature that they enjoy, that they had rather venture to part with God and conscience, and those blessed things they hear of Christ, and of eternity, then venture the loss of these present delights, that they see before them; as that profane Duke of Bourbon in France said, he would not give his part in Paris, for his part in Paradise: what more apparent argument can there be, that you have these things as your portion, you are the man who have your portion in this life? you are never like to have any other good from God.  
Yea a certain argument it is, that all these things are for the present cursed to you, you have them with much wrath mingled with them; you may bless yourselves in your way, but you are most lamentable objects to behold, in the esteem of all who are gracious and holy: and what a dishonourable thing will it both to God and yourselves, then to come in and seek God, when all outward contentments are gone; when you have had your lusts to the full, then to come to God to help and relieve you in all your straits, with what face can you think to find acceptance from him? surely you will curse the time that ever you had such prosperity, so much of the creature as you have had; if you have thought the comforts and contentments you have enjoyed in a few creatures were too good and too great to part withal for God, he will think his mercy too good and too great for you.  
But we use the comforts we have only in lawful things. 
Object.   
For answer to this, 
Answ. 1.  I will only propound these considerations. First, do you fear, are you jealous of yourselves, lest you should let out your hearts too far in them? Do you seriously consider, that there is a snare in them? That there may be danger, yea, very great danger, if you take not heed? In whatsoever things the world smiles on us for a time, there is more ensnarement than ornament, 
Qui●quid nobis temporaliter mundus arridet, magis est periculum quam ornamentum nostrum.  says Augustine.  
Secondly, are your desires as strong in seeking God for grace, to use them for his honour, as your joys are in the use of them for satisfying yourselves.  
Thirdly, do you oft examine your hearts and ways, 
Aug. Ser. 53. T. 10.  for fear God should not have that honour from them, 
2.  that is infinitely due unto him. 
3.   
Fourthly, 
4.  what does conscience say when you are in afflictions? when you apprehend God is calling you to an account for them, does it not tell you that your hearts have been let out too greedily after them?  
Fifthly, 
5.  Answer as in the presence of God, would you prise a less estate with more opportunity of service, more than a great estate with less opportunity of service, and are you more troubled when you are crossed in opportunity of service, then when you are crossed in your desires and delights in the enjoyment of the creature?  
Lastly, 
6.  if you have a care to use that prosperous estate you have for God, either God hath much glory from you in it, or else you have much joy in it; surely where there are great estates, there are great opportunities of glorifying God; but hath God great glory from you? hath he more than from others in mean estates? or if not, whether is it the grief of your souls, that you should enjoy so much from God, and God have so little honour from you? what strangers are most men to such considerations as these? they take all the delight they can in the creatures they have, never considering what is God's end in his bounty towards them, or what will be peace to them in their end of the enjoyment of them; this is a sore and a grievous evil.   

CHAP. VIII.  
The fullness of creatures comforts to be laid down at Christ's feet.  
THE third use is this: 
Use 3.  Let those then that have a fullness in all outward contentments, be persuaded in the fear of the Lord, to give God the glory of them his own way; if he please to call for them in any selfe-denying way, let him have them: The Lord says to you concerning them, as Christ to Peter, Lovest thou me more than these? so lovest thou me more than all those delightful things you enjoy? how happy you, if you can upon due examination of your hearts, give in that answer that Peter did, Lord thou knowest that I love thee, thou knowest that I love thee more than all these things: they are good things in themselves, but thou art infinitely more to me, thy praise, and thy honour, is a thousand thousand times more to me then all these things; Lord, thou that knowest all things, knowest that thus I love thee more than these.  
It may be God gives abundance of these things to try you, to see what is in your heart: as Solomon says of praise, it is as the sinning pot to the silver; so it may be said of all outward prosperity, that it is as the fining pot to the silver, to discover what dross there is in it: now upon trial shall it be found that these things have more of thy heart, than God himself? if you had a heart to deny yourself in these things now, while you may enjoy them at the height, though it may seem that much comfort and sweetness is lost, that might be had, yet in truth there is nothing lost, no not for the present; for in the very exercise of self-denial in them, you will find more sweetness than ever was, or can be felt in the enjoyment of them.  
There is nothing more pleasant to man then to get victory; to get victory in sports, to get victory over the creature, is full of delight; to get victory over our enemies, hath more delight in it; but to get victory over ourselves, to be able to overcome ourselves, hath the greatest delight of all in it, especially when it is for God; no such sweetness as this is to the spirit of a man. Those do not enjoy most comfort of their lives, who are mad upon their own wills and desires, and cannot endure to have their minds crossed in any thing; but those have the greatest comfort, who are able to deny themselves most, and it may be you may enjoy all the outward comforts you have, nevertheless; the more willing you are to deny yourselves in them, the longer you may enjoy them: to have a heart willing to part with them, may be the only way to keep them; and to be sure while you have them, you shall enjoy them in a better manner, with more comfort than any other enjoy that that they have, whilst your heart in the midst of them, is more upon God then upon them; they that will lose their lives, and so their estates, their honours and delights, shall save them; oh how sweet are all outward blessings, when we have laid them down at God's feet, and he gives us them again to enjoy.  
Whereas on the contrary, by the greediness of your hearts upon them, and unwillingness to part with them, you may have them rend away from you in wrath, so that you shall not enjoy the comfort of them, and yet you may perish for ever, for that distemper of heart, in the inordinate setting of it upon them: Many perish in their inordinate affections towards outward things, and yet have them not, others have the comfort and blessing of self-denial, and yet enjoy their outward contentments to the full: Oh how much better is it, that when we are at the height of our prosperity, then to get our hearts to fall, and to deny ourselves for God, then that God should even in our height seize upon us in his wrath, as it is God's way often to come upon wicked men, in the very height of all their jollities? As we read of Absalon, 
2 Sam. 13. 28.  when he had a purpose to slay his brother Amnon, he bade his servants to observe when they saw his heartmerry, and then to fall upon him and slay him. When Belshazzar was most in his jollity, than the hand-writing came out against him. When the people of Israel had their own desire, and were satisfying their lusts to the full, Psal. 78. 29, 30, 31. then the wrath of God came upon them.  
We read, Job. 20. 22, 23. a threatening against the wicked, That in the fullness of his sufficiency he shall be in straits. When he is about to fill his belly, God shall cast the fury of his wrath upon him, and shall rain it upon him while he is eating: Oh how much better is it, that in the fullness of our sufficiency, we do willingly and freely give God glory, in an humble yielding up of all we have unto him, then that in the fullness of our sufficiency we should be brought into most miserable straits, in spite of our hearts, and that by the wrath of God himself? Oh how grievous a condition is that, to be forced by the wrath of God, to part with that, which we might have parted withal upon such sweet and honourable terms, in the cause of God, in testimony to his truth, in his service, and the expressisions of our dearest Love unto him.  
And howsoever it is not long that you can possibly hold this prosperity, that now you do enjoy: Suppose the fairest, that God should let things go on in an ordinary course of bounty and patience, within a little while, all the comforts of the world will leave you, and you must leave them, and what if you did for the cause of God part with them a year or two sooner than otherwise you should? what great matter is this? what is a year or two, or ten years' enjoyment of them? there is no such excellency in them, as that a few years' enjoyment of them should be prized at any such high rate.  
Are there not Arguments enough from all God's love and his merciful dealings with you, to prevail with your hearts for such a thing as this? how hath God spared you in your greatest extremities? when you have cried unto him, he hath been merciful to you, he hath watched over you for good all your days, he hath done great things for you; oh what infinite reason is there then, that he should have the honour of your chiefest delights and greatest prosperity? How often, to gratify the flesh, have many opportunities of spiritual good been neglected? why then should not now, for the honour of God, some opportunities for fleshly delights be denied? God never gave you these things upon any other terms, but that you should be willing to part with them, for the honour of his name, when he calleth for them: God never made you owners, but stewards of them for his service; and if ever you were brought to Christ, into covenant with God in him, you did then resign up all unto him, you professed to part with all for him, you sold all for the pearl; that is, you were willing to part with what was sinful for the present, and as it were enter into bond, to give up whatsoever you were or had to the Lord, when it should be called for?  
But may we not take the comfort of those blessings that God gives us. 
Object.   
Besides what hath been said in answer to a former objection of the like nature, 
Answ.  consider these two things.  
First, 
1.  have you not taken too much comfort already in them? it may be you have taken more than your share, more in one month then God hath allowed for the whole year; and than you have spent your comfort afore hand, and had need therefore now be willing to deny yourself in that which others may have comfort in, and that which otherwise you might comfortably have enjoyed: as Hosea 9 1. Rejoice not oh Israel as other people; so I may say to you, you are not to rejoice so much as others may. He that hath but a hundred pound to maintain him the whole year, if he shall spend almost all of it the first month, he had need live very sparingly the rest of the year.  
Secondly, 
2.  what do you with your comfort when you have it? doth it fit you for service to God? hath God so much the more glory from you, than he hath from others, by how much the more comfort you have then others? else wherefore would you have comfort, if not to fit you for service? cursed be that comfort that hath not an higher end, then merely to satisfy the flesh. And thus much for the time wherein Moses denied himself, it was when he was grown up, in the prime of his time, then when he might have enjoyed all his honours, and pleasures to the full.   

CHAP. IX.  

SECT. 3.  
Faith is the principle that must carry through, and make honourable all a Christins sufferings.  
NOw follows the third thing, which is the principle by which Moses did all this: he is willing to part with all the glory of the world, and rather to be in an afflicted estate: and this he is enabled to do by faith; for so says the text, by faith Moses refused, etc. It was not out of any sullen vexing humour, as it is reported of Dioclesian and Maximian Herculius, they suddenly gave over their Empires, and cast off their honours, and betook themselves to a private life. 
Euseb. lib. 8. cap. 13.  Eusebius makes the cause thereof to be a frenzy: And Nicephorus says it was rage and madness, arising from hence, because they saw themselves labour so much in vain, for the rooting out of the Christians. Master Brightman in his commentary upon the Revelation, the sixth chapter and the fifteenth verse, says it was the fear and the horror of the Lamb that was struck into their hearts, by the power of jesus Christ; as the fulfilling of that place, where it is said, the Kings of the earth, and the great men, and the mighty men hid themselves, for the fear of the Lamb. Whatsoever their principle was, Moses his principle here was of another nature, a divine principle of faith, from whence the point is, Faith is the grace that enables to deny the glory and delights of the world, and to endure afflictions in the cause of God. Every grace works to take off the heart from the things of the world, and gives strength to bear afflictions; but faith hath the principal work in this, and in this faith manifests much of her glory and excellency.  
In this chapter we have many excellent fruits of faith, enabling the worthies of the Lord to do great things; but scarce any so great as this, to enable to that self-denial that here is recorded of Moses. It was faith that carried Abraham and all the patriarchs through their troubles. David in all his troubles exercises his faith, and finds help by it; hence we have a most remarkable place in the 18. Psal. v. 2. where he blesseth God for deliverance from all his enemies: he shows what it was carried him through all the troubles he had by them, namely his faith pitched upon God: for in that one verse he hath nine several expressions, to show God to be the full object of his faith, in the times of all his distresses; as, First he is Jehovah. Secondly, he is my rock. Thirdly, he is my fortress. Fourthly, he is my deliverer. Fifthly, he is my God. Sixthly, he is my strength. Seventhly, he is my buckler. Eighthly, he is the horn of my salvation. Lastly, he is my high tower. And as he hath trusted in him, so in the same verse, he resolves to trust in him still: for so he saith, my God, my strength, in whom I will trust.  
The time of Habakuk his prophecy, was a time of much trouble to the Church of God, and then that which upheld the spirits of godly men, and enabled them to suffer hard things, it was their faith, chap. 2. 4. The just by faith shall live, when other men's spirits shall fail, and sink, and die in them, than they shall live, faith making just, shall uphold them. Faith in this case is like cork, that is upon the net, though the lead on the one side sinks it down, yet the cork on the other keeps it up in the water. David professeth in the 27 Psalm v. 13. that he had fainted unless he had believed. Believing keeps from fainting in the times of trouble. Saint Paul tells the Corinthians in the second Epistle and the first chapter, verse. 24. that by faith they stood: it is faith that makes a man stand in the greatest trials. And therefore when Christ saw how Peter should be tempted, he tells him that he had prayed, that his faith should not fail: noting that while his faith held, all would be sure; when he began to sink in the waters, as he was coming to Christ, it was because his faith began to fail him: So when our hearts begin to sink in afflictions, it is because our faith begins to fail us. We read, Acts 14. 22. that Saint Paul and Barnabas exhorted the disciples at Iconium and Antioch, to continue in the faith; and presently they add, that we must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God: noting what use they should have of their faith, to carry them through all. Saint Paul says of himself, together with the rest of believers, in the first epistle of Tim. 4. 10. Therefore we labour and suffer reproach, because we trust in the living God. Trusting in the living God, is that which will carry a man through service, and suffering, whatsoever it be.  
But wherein lies the power of faith to take off the heart from the world, 
Quest.  and carry it through sufferings?  
First, 
Answ.  It is the primary work of this grace, wherein the very being of it consists: for the soul to cast itself upon God in Christ, for all the good and happiness it ever expects; to rely here for all, to roll itself upon God, as an al-sufficient good, to make an absolute resignation of all unto him, so as to betrust him with all, and to commit all unto him for ever. Now this implies the taking off the heart from the things of the world, for faith takes off the heart from its self, therefore much more from any thing in the world; and where this is, sufferings cannot be very grievous, because the whole good of the soul is now in God, Psal. 37. 7. Rest in the Lord, and wait patiently; where the soul pitches upon God, as the rest, and the al-sufficient good of it, it will wait patiently, whatsoever hard thing befalls it.  
Secondly, 
2.  by faith the soul comes to have a higher principle to enable it to see God in his glory and majesty, his greatness, and infiniteness, his holiness, his justice, and goodness, than ever it had before. It is true that by the use of reason we may come to understand much of God, but certainly faith presents God to the soul after another manner then ever it formerly saw him, or then any other man can see him; until faith comes into the soul, it may well say it never knew God, but now it sees him infinitely glorious and high above all; It sees the infinite fountain of all good, and what an infinite dreadful thing it were to be separated from this God, or to have the wrath of such an infinite Deity to be provoked against his creature. We know by reason, that the world was made by God: but Saint Paul saith in the third verse of this chapter, that by faith we understand, that the world was made: so that the same thing may be known by reason, and by faith too, but faith being a higher principle, discovers it to the soul in a higher way than reason can.  
It is made one of the special fruits of Moses faith, that enabled him to endure in all his sufferings, in the 27. v. of this chapter, that he saw him who was visible (of which hereafter) only observe for the present, that God is invisible to any eye, but to the eye of Faith; now where God is seen so, as Faith presents him to the soul, 't is impossible but the fear of such a Deity must needs take mighty impression in that soul; and all the glory of the world must needs be darkened to it; and the least displeasure of the great God more troubled at, than all the miseries that all creatures under Heaven are able to bring upon it. How easy is it for a man to despise the World, when faith gives him a clear sight of God? Isai. 40. 5, 6. The Text saith, The glory of the Lord shall be revealed; and then the voice said, Cry, all flesh is grass, and all the goodliness thereof is as the flower of the field; and vers. 7. the latter end, Surely the people is grass. When the glory of God appears, than all flesh, and all worldly glory, is but as grass, as the flower of the field, as a contemptible thing.  
Thirdly, 
3.  faith discovers the reality of the beauty and excellency of spiritual, supernatural, and eternal things revealed in the Word, which before were looked upon as notions, conceits, and imaginary things. In the first verse of this chapter, faith is said to be the evidence of things not seen: the word there translated evidence, 
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉.  signifies the demonstration that convinces the soul throughly of the certainty and truth of such things, as by reason and natural parts are not seen. 
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉.  And again, it is the substance of things hoped for: 
Tantam in nobis fidei stabilitatem dominus esse desiderat, ut certius esse quod credimus quam quod patimur judicemus, & verius habeamus speranda quam sensibilia.  the word is very significant in the Original; it is that which gives a substantial being to the things of eternal life: now when faith comes in, the glorious mysteries of the Gospel, the high privileges of the godly, the excellency and beauty of grace, the great things that God hath prepared for his servants are manifestly discerned.  
It is a notable expression of Jerome, God would have such stability of faith in us, 
Hieronym. ep. ad virginem in exilium missam. Tom. 9  that the things which we believe should be more certain to us, than the things we suffer; and the things hoped for, should be in more reality with us then things sensible to us: these things are now apprehended as real and certain things, although they be such things, 
1 Cor. 2. 9, 10.  as the Apostle saith, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have they entered into the heart of man to conceive, yet God hath revealed them to us by his Spirit, even that Spirit that searcheth the deep things of God: 
Spiritus sanctus non est scepticus nec dubia, aut opiniones in cordibus nostris scripsit, sed assertiones ipsa vita, & omni experientia certiores & firmiores. Luth. T. 3.  now there must be something in us to take this revelation of the spirit, and that is faith. The Spirit reveals them not as notions, not as uncertain things, and so faith takes them. The Spirit of God, says Luther, does not write opinions, but assertions in our hearts, more certain than life itself, and all experiences whatsoever. Faith can see into those things, that no natural eye ever saw, it can apprehend that which never entered into the heart of man to conceive.  
Saint Paul in the 2 Cor. 4. 18. says, that the things that are eternal, are things not seen; and yet says, that we look at things that are not seen; though they be things that are not seen, yet Saint Paul, and other believers, by the eye of faith could see them, as certain and real things. The things of Christ, of grace, of Heaven, what poor empty notions were they to the soul? what uncertain things before faith came in? but faith makes them to be glorious things; faith discovers such real certain excellency in them, and is so sure, that it is not deceived, that it will venture soul and body, the loss of all, that it will bear any hardship, yea it will venture the infinite loss of eternity upon them; faith discovers such reality and certainty in these things, that now the things of the World, that were before only real, sure excellencies in the eyes of a man, now are as fancies, and shadows, empty imaginary contentments, that have no being, no foundation, no certainty in them (as formerly hath been showed.)  
Fourthly, 
4.  faith gives the soul an interest in God, in Christ, in all those glorious things in the Gospel, and in the things of eternal life. Faith is an appropriating, an applying, and uniting grace. It is a blessed thing to have the sight of God, there is much power in it, but to see God in his glory, as my God, to see all the Majesty, greatness, and goodness of God, as those things that my soul hath an interest in, to see how the eternal Counsels of God wrought for me to make me happy, to see Christ in whom all fullness dwells, in whom the treasures of all God's riches are, and all those are mine; to see Christ coming from the Father for me, to be my Redeemer, all this is the work of faith by the union of it with God in Jesus Christ. Faith unites the soul to Christ, after another manner than any other grace.  
Love causeth a moral and spiritual union, but this causeth a mystical union; other grace's cause us to be like to Christ, but this makes us be one with Christ, and so have interest in what Christ hath interest in. What is all the world now to such a soul? where is all the bravery of it, or the malice and opposition of it? The loss of outward things, or the enduring of afflictions, are great evils to those who have not interest in better; but to such as have interest in higher things, there is no great matter, though they lose lower.  
Fifthly, faith discharges the soul of the guilt of sin, 
5.  and that dreadful evil that follows upon it; It gets a general acquittance from God, a pardon of all sin, and remission of all punishment thereof, sealed in the blood of his Son: The soul being made just by faith, is able to live in the midst of many troubles. The just by faith shall live, so it is to be read, not the just shall live by faith, but being made just by faith, so as to stand just and righteous in the Court of Heaven, it now is able to live: Faith clears all between God and the soul; it may be there was long humiliation before, many prayers made in seeking of this, many tears shed, many duties performed; yet all this could not do, but the guilt lay on still; but as soon as faith comes, than all is gone, and the soul stands righteous in the presence of God, and all the breach between God and it is made up.  
Being justified by faith, we have peace with God (says Saint Paul) Rom. 5. 1. Now the breach being made up, and peace made, mark what follows a little after in that Scripture; there is not only ability to bear trouble, but to rejoice in tribulations, yea not only to rejoice, but to glory in tribulations. Strike Lord, 
Feri Domine, feri, nam à peccatis absolutus sum.  strike (says Luther) for I am absolved from my sins. Now the soul hath got a greater good than the world can afford, and is freed from greater evils then the world can inflict. A man that hath been with the King, and gotten his pardon for his life, is not troubled though he lose his glove or handkerchief as he comes out, nor though it should prove a rainy day as he returns home: truly the loss of all things in the world to such a soul, if it hath faith acting, is but as the one, and the enduring of all evils is but as the other.  
And besides, by this the soul sees itself so infinitely engaged to God, as it is willing to do or suffer whatsoever God will have it: How readily doth Isaiah offer himself to God in service to which much suffering was annexed, after God had taken away his sin? When God asked whom he shall send, 
Isai. 6. 8.  he presently answers, Here am I Lord, send me: It is enough that my sin is pardoned, my soul is saved, let me be cast into any condition in the World, let me be employed in any service, I have mercy and happiness enough.    

CHAP. X.  
Six more particulars wherein the power of faith is seen, in taking the heart off from the world, and carrying it through all afflictions.  
FIrst Faith makes the future good of spiritual and eternal things, to be as present to the soul, 
1.  & to work upon the soul as if they were present; and makes use likewise of things past, as if they were present; and in these operations of faith, there is much power to carry on the soul with comfort through sufferings; for present things are apprehended by the mind more fully, & work more strongly upon the will and affections, than things past or to come: if I view a thing afar off, it appears small to me, and little of what the thing is, is conceived by me: but if it be brought near to me, I see it to the full bigness, and am better able to judge of the nature of the thing as it is.  
And again, it works more strongly upon my heart: if I see a toad a great way off, my heart stirs not; but if I see it near, as Pharaoh saw the frogs crawling upon his bed, than my heart rises with loathing of it. If we could but see things now, as God hath told us they shall appear to us hereafter, how mightily would they work upon the soul, howsoever there are many things that shall be seen hereafter, that yet were never revealed, and those things faith cannot make as present: but such things as God hath revealed in his word, that they shall hereafter come to pass, faith may, and when it is active doth make them as present to the soul, & works them upon the heart, as if they did now appear.  
The want of this work of faith is the cause almost of all the evil in the world: and the acting of faith in this her work, in the lively and constant work of it, would produce fruits even to admiration. The reason why those threats of God did not work upon the people, to whom Ezekiel preached, 
Ezek. 12. 27. 28.  God himself gives in the 12. chap. Son of man, they say thou prophesiest of things a far off. And so for the mercies of God, and the things of eternal life, because the choice of them are things to come, the world with her present delights prevails against them. If you could see that glory of God in Christ, and those glorious treasures of mercies, that shall be communicated, and are now revealed, and those dreadful evils that are now threatened, and shall then be fulfilled; I say if you could see them with the same eyes that now is manifested you shall see them with hereafter, they would draw the hardest heart that is, and bring down the stoutest spirit that lives: If you had faith you would be able to see them so; and the reason is, because faith sees things as the word makes them known, it pitches upon the word in that way that it revealeth the mind of God: now the word speaks of mercies that are to come, as present things, and of evils that God intends to bring hereafter, as if God were now in the execution of them, as will appear in these scriptures. Isa. 52. 9 10. Break forth into joy, sing together ye waste places of jerusalem, for the Lord hath comforted his people, he hath redeemed jerusalem: the Lord hath made bare his holy arm in the eyes of all the nations: thus the Prophet speaks of the deliverance of the Church from captivity, as a thing done already, which was not fulfilled many years after. And David, Psal. 57 2. even then when he fled from Saul in the cave, he looks upon God as having performed all things for him: the word is, he hath perfected all things: and that is observable, that David uses the same expression of praising God here when he was in the cave, hiding himself to save his life, as he did when he triumphed over his enemies, Psal. 6. and Psal. 108. And 2 Chron. 20. from the 17. verse to the 22. as soon as Jehosaphat had received the promise, he falls on praising the Lord, as if the mercy were already enjoyed: praise ye the Lord, for his mercy endures for ever. Christ saith of Abraham, John 8. 56. that he saw his day, and rejoiced, and was glad: Christ's day was unto him as if it had been then. And in the 13. verse of this chapter, it is said of the godly who lived in former ages, that though they saw the promises that were afar off to be fulfilled, yet the text says, 
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Heb. 11. 13.  they embraced them; the word in the original signifies, they saluted them; now salutations are not but between friends when they meet together. To faith a thousand years are but as one day, faith takes hold upon eternal life. 1 Tim. 6. 19 It takes present possession of the glorious things of the kingdom of God: it makes the soul to be in heaven conversing with God, Christ, his Saints, and Angels already. That which is promised, faith accounts it given, Gen. 35. 12. And the land which I gave to Abraham, to thee will I give it: it was only promised to Abraham, but Abraham's faith made it to him as given.  
So for judgements and threatenings, Esay 13. 6. Howle ye, for the day of the Lord is at hand: this is spoken of the destruction of Babylon which was a hundred and fifty years after; but the word speaks of it as if it were now, and so faith apprehends it: the like we may instance in many Scriptures, you know it is ordinary, and you who know the work of faith, you know it is as ordinary for it, to look at that which God says, as if it were now done, & things seen so work strongly.  
What difference is there between men's thoughts and judgements of spiritual and eternal things in times of health, & in times of their sickness, in the apprehension of death? Ask them now what they think of grace? of a good conscience? of the pardon of sin? of walking strictly with God? Ask them now what their judgement is of God's Saints? Ask them what they think of eternal separation from God, and the infinite wrath of a Deity for evermore? now you shall find their judgements otherwise then formerly: and what is the reason of all? but that things are judged now as present.  
As despair brings hell into the soul, and puts the soul as it were into hell for the present, the soul apprehends as if it were already there: many in the horror of their spirits have cried out that they were in hell. Francis Spira in the despair of his soul cried out, verily desperation is hell itself. So on the contrary, faith brings heaven into the soul, puts it as it were into heaven, so that many of God's people upon their sick beds, when they have been put in mind of heaven, they have joyfully answered, that they were in heaven already.  
Faith likewise makes use of things past, as if they were present: as the ancient mercies of God showed to our forefathers, and Gods former dealings with ourselves. As Hosea 12. 4. the mercy of God to jacob, when he wrestled with him and prevailed, the Church makes use of it, as if it were a present mercy to themselves, for so saith the text, he had power over the Angel, and prevailed; he wept and made supplication unto him; he found him in Bethel, and there he spoke with us: not only with jacob, but with us: whatsoever mercy God showed to him, we make it ours, as if God were speaking with us, and Psal. 66. 6. He turned the sea into dry land, they went through the flood on foot, there did we rejoice in them: the comfort of the mercies of God for many years passed to their forefathers, they make as theirs, there did we rejoice.  
So all the promises that God hath made to any of his people, though never so long ago, faith fetches out the comfort of them, as if they were made now to us. Compare Joshua 1. 5. with Hebrews 13. 5. God saith to joshua, I will be with thee, I will not fail thee, nor forsake thee: now in the Hebrews Saint Paul applieth it to the believers in his time, as if it had been made to them. Be content (saith he) with such things as ye have, for he hath said, I will not leave thee, nor forsake thee. They might have answered, where hath God said so? he said it indeed to joshua, but what is that to us? yes, all one as if he had spoken to you. Upon this one instance, whatsoever promise God ever made to any of his people, since the beginning of the world, for any good, if our condition comes to be the same, Faith will make it her own, as if God had but now made it to us in particular. So for God's former dealings with ourselves, when all sense of God's mercies fail, that God seems to be as an enemy, Faith will fetch life from his former mercies, as if they were now present; as we see in David, Psal. 77. 5, 6. I have considered the days of old, the years of ancient time: I call to remembrance my song in the night, etc. And vers. 10. I said, this is my infirmity, but I will remember the years of the right hand of the most High. He checks himself for doubting of God's mercies, because of his former mercies, and he recovers himself by bringing to mind the former dealings of God with them: So Psal. 143. 45. David's spirit was even overwhelmed within him, and his heart was desolate, yet he recovers himself, by remembering the days of old, and by meditating upon God's former works.  
Now in this work of Faith, what abundance of strength doth it bring in from all the mercies of God to our forefathers; from all the promises made to any godly men, though never so long since; from all Gods former dealings in his goodness, and makes all these as present to us? this must needs wonderfully strengthen the heart to any service or suffering: As despair makes all Gods former dealings in his judgements with others, and Gods ways concerning itself, as present to fetch terror from them, so Faith God's mercies, to fetch comfort and strength from them.  
Secondly, 
2.  Faith is a raising grace, it carries the soul on high, above sense, above reason, above the world: when Faith is working, oh how is the soul raised, above the fears and favours of men! It is said of Jehosaphat, 2 Chron. 17. 6. His heart was lift up in the ways of God: Faith lifts up the heart in the ways of God. A man raised on high, sees all things under him as small. 
Nihil visibilium moror, nihil invisibilium, ut jesum Christum acquiram, ignis & crux, incursus bestiarum, dissipatio ossium, convulsio membrorum, totiijs corporis commolitio, ac supplicia diaboli in me veniant, modo jesum Christum acquiram. Euseb. l. 3. c. 39  Eusebius tells us of a notable speech that Ignatius used, when he was in his enemy's hands, not long before he was to suffer, which argued a raised spirit to a wonderful height, above the world, and above himself. I care (says he) for nothing visible or invisible, that I might get Christ: let fire, the cross, the letting out of beasts upon me, breaking of my bones, the tearing of my members, the grinding of my whole body, and the torments of the Devils come upon me, so be it I may get Christ. Faith puts a holy magnanimity upon the soul, to slight and to overlook with a holy contempt, whatsoever the world proffers or threatens.  
All things are under us while we are above ourselves, and it is only Faith that empties us of ourselves, and raises us above ourselves; Faith raises the soul to converse with high and glorious things, with the deep and eternal counsels of God, with the glorious mysteries of the Gospel, with communion with God and Jesus Christ, with the great things of the Kingdom of Christ, with the great things of Heaven and eternal life. Men, before Faith comes into their souls, have poor low spirits, busied about mean and contemptible things, and therefore every offer of the world prevails with them, and every little danger of suffering any trouble scares them, and makes them yield to any thing; but when Faith comes, there is another manner of spirit in a man.  
Every spirit is not fit for sufferings, but a spirit truly raised by Faith, 
Audere ad nomen Christi periculum vitae & fortunatum adire, ad id requiritur spiritus principalis. Luth.  a princely spirit, so Luther calls it; to dare to venture loss of estate and life for the Name of Christ, to this a Princely spirit is required. When Valens the Emperor sent his Officer to Basilius, seeking to turn him from the Faith, he first offered him great preferments, but Basil rejected them with scorn, Offer these things, says he, to children; then he threatens him most grievously: Basil contemns all his threatenings; Threaten, says he, your purple Gallants, that give themselves to their pleasures. And Basil in his Homily in Quadraginta Martyrs, 
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉.  brings them in answering the offers of worldly preferments; Why do you promise us these small things of the world, which you account great, when as the whole world is despised by us? What great spirits did Faith put into some of these worthies mentioned in this chapter, which appears by the great things that they did by their Faith? vers. 33. 34. Through Faith they subdued Kingdoms, they stopped the mouths of Lions: and this is observable, that working righteousness, and obtaining the promises are put between these two; as if these were works of the same rank, fit to be joined with such great things as those were. Again, by Faith they quenched the violence of the fire: of weak, they were made strong; they waxed valiant in fight, they turned to flight the Armies of the Aliens.  
Certainly, Faith is as glorious a grace now as ever it was, and if it be put forth it will enable the soul to do great things. The raising of the soul above reason and sense, is as great a thing as any of these. The Faith of Abraham was most glorious, for which he is styled the Father of the faithful, and yet the chief for which this is commended, is, that he believed against hope, Rom. 4. 18. When the soul is in some strait, it looks up for help; and sense says it cannot be; reason says it will never be; wicked men say it shall not be; yea, it may be God in the ways of his providence seems to go so cross, as if he would not have it to be; yet if Faith have a word for it, it says it shall be. In great difficulties, in sore afflictions, when God seems to be angry, and to strike in his wrath, when there appears nothing to sense and reason, but wrath; yet even then Faith hath hold on God's heart, when his hand strikes.  
If Faith by raising the soul above reason and sense, can carry it through even such straits, as the sense and apprehension of the wrath of God himself: if it can enable to bear the strokes of God, when they appear as the strokes of an enemy, much more easily can Faith enable to resist the temptations of the world, and to carry it through all the straits that any outward afflictions can bring it to. All the strength that the temptations that come from the allurements of the world, or the troubles that it threatens, have, 
Fides libenter accipit quicquid arduum videtur incredulis.  it is from sense and carnal reasonings, if the soul be got above them, than it is above the danger of such temptations: by that magnanimity that Faith brings into the soul, it is prepared to set upon difficult things, 
Quem neque pauperies, neque mors, neque vincula terrent.  to endure strong oppositions. A believer is one, whom neither poverty, nor death, nor bonds, nor any outward evils can terrify.  
Thirdly, 
3.  Faith is a purifying and healing grace, Act. 15. 9 Purifying their hearts by Faith. It purges out base desires after the things of the world, and living at ease; base joys and delights in the creature, in satisfying the flesh; the fears of future evils that may come hereafter: 
Fides non timet famem. Tertul.  Faith fears not hunger, saith Tertullian. If the heart be sound, it will be strong; this purging of it makes it sound, 2 Tim. 1. 7. God hath not given us the spirit of fear, says the Apostle, but of power, of love, and a sound mind: the spirit of fear is first purged out, and then there is a spirit of power, and a sound mind; where there is a sound mind, there is a spirit of power; what weakens the body but the unsoundness of it? If distempered humours be in the body, 'tis not able to endure any thing; a little cold, oh how tedious is it to it? but when these humours are purged out, than it is strong and able to do or suffer much more. That which ill humours are to the body, sin is to the soul, which being purged out, the soul grows strong to resist temptations, and to endure afflictions: But further, sin in the soul is not only as an ill humour to weaken it, but it wounds it too; now how little can a man do or suffer with a wounded member: It is Faith that heals our wounds, by applying the Blood of Christ to them, and so it strengthens.  
Fourthly, 
4.  Faith is a quickening grace, it sets all other graces on work, it puts life and activity into them all; I live by the Faith of the Son of God, says Saint Paul; and especially it sets love on work, which is a grace exceedingly powerful. Faith works by love. If a man's faith be up, all his graces will be so too; and if that be down, all other graces are weak and down with it. 
Vt vires aliis lapidibus pretiosis extinct is solo at tactu suscitaret.  Gulielmus Parisiensis reports of a Crystal, that it hath such a virtue, as when the virtues of other precious stones are extinct, it will revive them again: Faith is such a Crystal to revive the virtue of all graces. When David's heart was so down, that he chides himself so much, Psal. 43. 5. Why art thou cast down oh my soul? he labours to recover himself by his Faith; still trust in God; he is the health of my countenance, and my God. Faith brings life, and maintains life in the soul: for it hath the most immediate union with Christ, and therefore the liveliness and activity of our graces depends much upon it: now where the graces of God's Spirit are lively and active, the allurements and threats of the World cannot much prevail.  
Fifthly, 
5.  Faith is a mighty prevailing grace with God and with Jesus Christ, as it is said of Jacob, Gen. 32. 28. he prevailed with God as a Prince. Luther was a man full of faith, and it was said of him, 
Potuit quicquid voluit.  He could do what he would. Faith sets all God's Attributes on work, for the good and relief of a believer: it stirs, as I may so say, the arm of an infinite power; it opens the sluice that lets out the streams of an infinite mercy, and causes an infinite wisdom to be active, to find out ways to relieve in time of distresses; it brings in all the strength and good of the New Covenant: when Faith works, Jesus Christ is working, to make good all the gracious promises of the Gospel, and he is the Mighty God, wonderful, Counsellor, the Prince of peace. Faith does not strengthen the soul in a way of suffering, by its own strength, 
Quam laetus & libens in talibus servis pugnavit & vicit protector fidei. Cypr. ep. 9  but by the strength that it bringeth in from jesus Christ, Rev. 12. 11. The Saints overcame by the Blood of the Lamb. Oh how willingly and joyfully does the Protector of Faith fight in such servants of his, says Cyprian! It is one thing to have interest in God and Christ, and another thing to have them working for good in a special manner, in particular causes where we desire help and relief, although it be true, that God and jesus Christ are always working for the good of believers, in some kind or other, but yet when faith lies still and is not active, although we do not lose our interest in God, yet we cannot expect such sensible manifestations of the gracious workings of God for us, as when we put forth our faith, and keep it active and lively; and than though we be never so weak in ourselves, we set an infinite strength to work for us.  
We have a notable expression of Gods stirring up his strength and wisdom for those whose hearts are right with him, 2 Chron. 16. 9 The eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the earth, to show himself strong for those whose heart is perfect towards him; the words are, ad roborandum se, to strengthen himself: God strengthens himself, he does as it were stir up all his strength for such: And although we be in the dark, and know not how to order our steps, and to discover the subtleties of temptation, yet there is an infinite wisdom working for us; and although we be never so unworthy and vile, yet we have an infinite mercy, whose bowels yearn towards us, and will not suffer any evil to befall us; yea the more weak and succourless we are, in ourselves, if the sense of it stirs up faith, to set God on work for us, we are strong by our weakness; not only of weak are made strong, but by being weak are made strong. It is said of the Church of Philadelphia, Rev. 3. 8. that it had a little strength, and yet it kept God's Word, and had not denied his Name: Although we have but a little strength, yet if we have faith to set God's strength on work, we shall keep God's Word, and not deny his Name.  
Hence in the sixth place from all these it follows, 
4.  that faith is an overcoming grace: this is the victory that overcommeth the world, even our faith, saith Saint John, Epistle 1 chap. 5. v. 4.  
In this victory, there are three things. First, there is a conquering of the assaults of the world, so as they can do us no hurt, but we are able to repel the force of them.  
But this is not all, there is something further: namely the making use of those things of the world for our good, that would have undone us, that is a full victory, where the enemies do not only resist and break back, but he brings the conquered into bondage, so as now he is able to use the adversary to serve his own turn: so in this conquest of faith, there is not only an overcoming of the temptations, of the pleasures of the world, but ability to use them for God, and the furtherance of our own good. And so in riches and honours: Conquerors do not use to put to the sword and destroy all they conquer, but they bring them into bondage, to be serviceable to them.  
Some think there is no other victory over the world, but to throw all away presently: as we read of Crates the Philosopher, 
Abite in profundum, malae cupiditates, ego vos mergam, ne ipse mergar à vobis.  he cast his goods into the sea with this speech, Get you gone into the deeps, I will drown you, lest I be drowned of you. But this is not the way of God, we are to stay till God call us to leave that we do enjoy; 
Non fuga nec absentia, sed vigore animi, & constanti praesentia Macrob. l. 2. Satur.  until that time, you may enjoy your honours, your riches, and your moderate lawful pleasures; but to be able to use these for God, this is a great victory. The Devil often makes use of many of God's good blessings, which he gives us for our furtherance in his ways, to be a means to hinder us: so faith makes use of all his oppositions in those ways, which he intends hindrances, to be means of great furtherance in them. In former times men thought it a good piece of skill, to keep wild beasts from doing hurt; but after they got that skill, not only to keep them from that mischief they did, but to make use of them for their benefit, to make use of these skins, and their entrails, and divers other ways; this is the skill of Faith in overcoming the world, to make use of those things of the world that heretofore have done them so much hurt.  
But yet further, 
3.  there is a third thing in victory, which is triumph: a believer can triumph over the world, over all his allurements and threats; As Christ did not only prevail against his and our enemies, but triumphed over them likewise, as Col. 2. 15. having spoilt principalities, and powers, he made a show of them openly, triumphing over them: so Christ makes us to triumph: as 2 Cor. 2. 14. Now thanks be to God, which always causeth us to triumph in Christ.  
And yet further, there is something more than all this in Faith's overcoming the world, which is beyond our expressions. By Faith we are more than conquerors, Rom. 8. 37. In all these things we are more than conquerors, in what things? in tribulation, in persecution, in famine, in nakedness, and peril of sword, while we are killed all the day long, and accounted as sheep for the slaughter: in all these things. But how more than conquerors? 
Ab ipso ducunt opes animumque ferro.  we gather strength by our opposition, we conquer in being conquered: Persecutors are tired more in inflicting, than we in suffering. 
Euseb. lib. 5. cap. 1.  Eusebius reports of the tormentors of Blandina, who tormented her by turns, from morning to night, that they fainted for weariness, confessing themselves overcome. And Gregory Nazianzen tells of one of the nobles of julian, who at the tormenting of Marcus Bishop of Arethusa, said unto him, we are ashamed O Emperor, the Christians laugh at your cruelty, and grow the more resolute. Rev. 12. 11. It is said of the Saints, they loved not their lives to the death, and yet they overcame, they overcame in being killed; and this is to be more than a conqueror.   

CHAP. XI.  
Most men are strangers to this precious Faith; The Trial thereof discovered.  
IF this be the work of Faith; 
Application.  if these be the glorious effects of it; then hence the faith of the most men in the world is discovered not to be right, not to be precious faith, that faith that is the faith of Gods elect, because it is altogether void of this virtue and efficacy; you think you have faith, what can you do with your faith? what power? what efficacy hath it? can it draw your hearts off from all creatures here below? can it raise your spirits above all the delights, honours, profits of the world? can it satisfy your souls with God alone, as an infinite all-sufficient good? Surely a precious faith, that is, the Faith of God's Elect doth this.  
First, 
1.  Faith hath a mighty power of God put forth for the working of it in the soul: It is the exceeding greatness of God's power, the same that raised Jesus Christ from the dead, that works faith wheresoever it is; and God does not use to put forth his Almighty power, in any extraordinary manner, for the wotking of an ordinary thing; therefore faith must needs be some extraordinary thing, and have some extraordinary virtue in it, wheresoever it is true, to do great things.  
Secondly, 
2.  Faith hath the great honour above all other graces, to be the condition of the second Covenant; therefore surely it is some great matter that faith enables to do; whatsoever keeps covenant with God, brings strength, though itself be never so weak: As Sampsons' Hair, what is weaker than a little hair, yet because the keeping that, was keeping covenant with God, therefore even a little Hair was so great strength to Samson: Faith then that is the condition of the covenant, in which all grace and mercy is contained, if it be kept, it will cause strength indeed to do great things.  
Thirdly, 
3.  Faith hath high and glorious things for its object; it is God himself, his electing, redeeming love, the Lord jesus Christ in his natures and offices, the glorious mysteries of redemption, etc. that it exercises itself upon: It could not have to deal with these things, if it were not a most excellent grace, full of admirable virtue and efficacy.  
Fourthly, 
4.  Faith hath high and glorious acts that it performs, that are essential to it.  
Fifthly, 
5.  it hath many glorious effects; it is that which must carry the soul through all hazards, difficulties, and oppositions to eternal life.  
Surely then this grace hath exceeding great things in it: certainly the world is mistaken in this grace: It is something else that they have taken up for faith all this while; for there is nothing more dull, flat and dead, then that which they take for Faith; their hope in God, and trusting in God, what empty, heartless, liveless things are they? No marvel though they think it an easy thing to believe; It is easy indeed to believe with such a kind of belief as theirs is: Truly we had need look to it, that we be not mistaken in our Faith, for it is of infinite consequence, upon which all depends: if we be mistaken in this, all the mercy in God, all the blood of Christ, all the good in the promises can do nothing for us.  
Consider therefore again, surely that cannot be right faith, that cannot do that which the light of nature can do, that mere civility and morality can do: Suppose it did as much as they can do, yet if it can do no more, it is not right, it is not that precious faith, that will save the soul. Suppose a simple man should get a stone, and strike fire with it, and he concludes, surely this is some precious stone, because fire is stricken out of it, why? every flint, every ordinary stone that lies in the street, will do as much as this: so if a man should think surely he hath that precious faith, because he can be sober, and temperate, just in his calling, upright in all his dealings, chaste in his body, liberal to the poor; why? ordinary Heathens can do this, they were as temperate, as just, as chaste, as liberal as you, there needs no faith for this; It is enough for a man to be a rational man to do this, faith must have higher operations than reason, or else it will never carry to Heaven.  
But what if it does not enable thee to do as much as a beast can do? as to be temperate in meats and drinks, what kind of faith do you think this is, when there are such glorious things said of Faith, and yet that faith you have, cannot enable you to do so much good as there is in a beast, will this faith save you? What if it does not enable you to do so much as the Devil's faith? they believe, and tremble; there are many things concerning God, in his infinite justice, holiness, wrath, many things concerning sin, concerning Christ, concerning eternity that they believe, which thou believest not; or if thou sayest thou dost believe, yet thou dost not tremble, but goest on boldly, securely, presumptuously, hard-heartedly, joyfully, in a sinful and dangerous way, and is this Faith? is this the precious Faith that will save a Soul? That which thou callest Faith, does not give thee strength to resist any slight temptation; thou canst not deny a companion, thou canst not venture the loss of any thing, thou canst not endure a reproachful word for Christ, and is this Faith? Good Lord, what do we make of Faith, if this be Faith? Truly, if Faith had nothing else in it, than the Faith of the most hath, I would even fall to the Virtues of Morality, for it were far beneath the meanest of them all.  
Dare you venture your souls and eternal estates upon this Faith? Certainly, it were exceeding boldness and desperateness so to do. What if God should set all thy sins in order before thee, in the most hideous and fearful nature of them, in the true deformity and vileness of them? What if thou shouldst see God in his infinite Glory, Majesty, Holiness, and justice? If he should show thee how thou hast wronged all his Attributes, how thou hast struck at his very Being, how thou hast been an enemy to him all thy life, resisting and opposing of him in all thy ways, darkened his Glory, contemned, slighted him, and set up the creature, yea, thy lust before him; this I dare charge every Soul as guilty of, in some degree or other. Suppose thou sawest all the creatures abused by thee, pleading against thee, and all God's Ordinances profaned, and all thy time misspent, and the blood of Christ crying out against thee. Suppose thou sawest the Law, full of the brightness, of the holiness, and justice of God, which thou hast broken. Suppose thou sawest the rigour, strictness, and severity of it, binding thee over to eternal death for every breach, and putting thee under an eternal Curse for every offence. Suppose Conscience were let out upon thee, and had commission to accuse thee to the full, to fly in thy face for all thy abuses of it. Suppose Satan were let out, to plead against thee, inject dismal hideous terrors into thy spirit. Suppose now all creatures were ready to leave thee, to take their everlasting farewell of thee; and now the infinite Ocean of Eternity were before thee, and thou wert to enter in upon it, either for thy eternal happiness or eternal misery. Suppose now thou stoodst before the great God, to receive the Sentence of thy eternal Doom, to have the great question of thy everlasting estate to be absolutely and unalterably determined of. Now, would such a Faith, as thou hast, carry through these things? Would it uphold thee from sinking into the bottomless Gulf of Despair? This may be thy condition, thou knowest not how soon; and that Faith that thou hast, of what use would it be to thee, in such a condition as this?  
If ever thou be'st saved, thou must have such a Faith as shall be able to uphold thy heart, and keep it unto God, whensoever such a condition shall befall: though Faith be weak, yet if it be true, it enables the Soul to lay such fast hold on God, as whatsoever befalls it, can never take off the Soul from God again. Be therefore persuaded, that Faith is another manner of Grace than you imagined it to be: where Faith is true, it will do more than carry through outward straits, and hardships, it will carry through spiritual straits; into which I have made a little digression, that I might convince men, that they mistake in that which they call Faith.   

CHAP. XII.  
No wonder, that men of great parts (wanting Faith) do fall off from Christ, and betray his Cause.  
IF it be Faith that must carry men through sufferings, 
Use 2.  and such a kind of Faith as you have had opened to you; learn then not to be offended, when you see men fall off in the time of trial; for all men have not Faith: we should be no more troubled at it, then when we see dry leaves fall off the Tree by a strong Wind: If they want the Principle that should carry them through, what wonder is it if they fall away? Whatsoever men's parts or gifts be, whatsoever profession they make, yet if the shine of Faith appears not in them, we are to expect nothing else from them; where there are but natural Principles, there it is not to be expected that Nature should be denied, when any great thing comes cross unto it.  
Many who are weak, are discouraged, when they see men of eminent parts, such who have been forward in profession; such as were able to pray, and to speak admirably of Divine things; such as were able to advise, and give counsel unto others; such as were of high esteem in the Church of God; yea, Preachers, who have been very eminent, by whom the hearts of many have been much refreshed: when such in the time of trial shall fall off, and basely yield to the World, 
Lapsus majorum, tremor minorum.  betraying the Cause of God, rather than they will suffer trouble: Upon this, those that are weak think with themselves, what shall become of me then, a poor creature, who have not the hundreth part of those abilities that such had? Surely I shall never hold out. This temptation many times is strong, it hath always been the way of the enemies of the Truth to come with this argument to those who are weak; Such and such have yielded, and will ye stand out? Are you wiser than they? chrysostom in an Oration, 
Nun vidisti alios vestri ordinis idipsum fecisse? Nos hac potissimum ratione viriliter stabimus▪ & pro illorum ruina nosmetipsos in sacrificia offeremus.  in juventinum & Maximum, two Martyrs, brings in this objection of the Persecutors against them, and their answer: Do you not see others of your rank to do thus? They answer; For this very reason we will manfully stand, and offer ourselves as a Sacrifice, for the breach that they have made. Wherefore, seeing this is that which the Adversaries of the Truth make such use of, it hath need of the fuller answer. For a more full answer thereunto then,  
First know, 
1.  that the least degree of true Faith will go further than all the abilities of natural parts and gifts that ever were in the world; 
Why true Faith only will carry men thorough sufferings.  and true Faith may be, where natural parts are very weak, and where there is little appearance of common gifts: and on the other side, where these are in the greatest eminency, yet the Soul may be altogether void of Faith. You are deceived, if you think, where there are stronger parts, and most gifts, there must needs be the greatest measure of Faith; and where parts are weaker, and scarce any common gifts, there must needs be the least: No; God doth not dispense this glorious grace of Faith according to this proportion: Not many wise, not many learned, but God chooseth the poor in this world to be rich in faith: When the glorious Mysteries of the Gospel are hid from the wise of the world, even then are they revealed to those that are Babes. God's ways have usually been, to choose weak and contemptible things to honour himself by, that the glory of his Grace and Power might the more appear; and hath not so ordinarily made use of men of great parts, that have been eminent and glorious in the world, because in them the grace of God would not be so much honoured, some of the honour would stick to them.  
Consider secondly, 
2.  if the example of these men were the ground of your profession of Religion, than their falling off might justly be your discouragement: but if you had better grounds, if the evidence, the beauty, the authority, the power of, and love unto the Truth, were your grounds; then your grounds remaining, and the Truth being the same, you should not be discouraged, but go on in your way.  
Thirdly, 
3.  if you think to hold out by the strength of any degree of excellency whatsoever that you could see in them, than you might justly be discouraged, because you have not so much as they had; all that you saw in them, were gifts, and parts, and profession: If you think that these should carry you through sufferings, you are utterly mistaken; but if you make account, that that which should carry you through, be another Principle, a hidden one, that cannot be seen in any, than there is no cause of discouragement.  
Fourthly, 
4.  hath not God acquainted you with the infinite deceitfulness of the heart of man; That it is a bottomless depth of evil, and desperately wicked, beyond that which any is able to know but God himself? And will you then depend upon man, and that in a matter of so great consequence, as the cleaving to, or the forsaking of the Truth of God?  
Fifthly, 
5.  the falls of those who have been thus eminent, are just judgements of God upon hypocrites, and those that are carnal and naught, to be a stumbling-blocke to them, at which they should fall, and break themselves, and never rise again: Now, if you should stumble too at this stumbling-blocke, it were an ill sign, and a heavy judgement of God against you; Therefore take heed, that it prevails not too far with you.  
Sixtly, 
6.  how do you know, but that these men, in the midst of all their profession, had some secret sin maintained in their bosoms, some secret lusts that lay next their hearts? And if so, no marvel though all the seeming good they had, vanish and come to nothing, in the time of trial.  
Lastly, 
7.  the more glorious they were, and failed, and the more weak and contemptible, either in your own eyes, or in the eyes of others, you are, the greater is the mercy of God towards you, if he gives you a heart to hold out, and the greater honour will it be for you, both before God and men; You shall be brought against them, in the Day of Judgement, to condemn them.   

CHAP. XIII.  
The difference between the heat of men's own Resolutions, and the true heat of the heart by Faith, in suffering for Christ.  
IF Faith be the Principle that carries through sufferings, 
Use 3.  then let men take heed, that they trust not to their own Resolutions; as if, because now they think they would suffer any thing, let men do what they can against them, therefore they shall be able to go through: Many have deceived themselves in this. The difference between the heat of men's Resolutions, and the true heat of the heart by Faith, is like the difference of the heat of the Fowl breeding over her eggs, and the heat of the fire; the one is a heat of life conveying life, but not the other; Faith warms the heart, so as it conveys life, but not so our own Resolutions. We have had many sad experiences of the falseness of men's hearts, from time to time in this particular, who before the trial have been very confident and resolute, yet they have most shamefully failed, and fall'n off from the Truth, when the trial came.  
The example of Doctor Pendleton, mentioned in the Book of Martyrs, is remarkable in this kind, the story is generally known: The Doctor was full of confidence and resolution, and professed▪ That those fat sides of his should fry in the fire, before he would yield; and yet how shamefully he forsook the Cause of God, you all know. Those who vaunt most, have many times the least courage, as those creatures who have the greatest hearts of flesh, are the most timorous, as the Stag, the Panther, and the Hare. It is not enough that men, in the profession of their resolutions, speak as they think, 
Ambula in timore & contemptu tui, & ora Dominum ut ipse tua omnia faciat, & tu nihil facias, sed sis Sabbatum Christi: Ad Gabrielem Vydymum pastorem Aldenburgensem.  and as they are persuaded for the present; this is not to be trusted to: for he that trusts his own heart, is a fool, says Solomon, Prov. 28. It is good counsel Luther gives a Germane Minister, in an Epistle he writes to him; Walk in fear and contempt of yourself, and pray to the Lord that he may do all things, and do not you think to do any thing, but be you a Sabbath unto Christ, so his expression is, (that is) rest your spirit in Christ.  
What resolutions are those that are like to fail, 
Quest.  and to come to nothing in times of trial. 
Answ. 1.   
First, rash resolutions, when men resolve without serious consideration, what sufferings mean, what they will cost them, and how hard they will be to them when they come; they do not make them as present to them, by meditation before they resolve; resolution, in such things, should be the fruit of much meditation; there need be much musing before this fire break forth.  
Secondly, 
2.  when there is no brokenness of spirit joined with their resolutions, but their hearts are puffed up, pride discovering itself, as in other of their ways, so even in their very resolutions of suffering great things for God.  
Thirdly, 
3.  when men resolve what they will do, but for the present they can suffer nothing; if they be crossed never so little, their hearts rise, they are overcome with distempered passions, they cannot bear any contradiction, but must have their own wills, and their own turns served, or else there can be no quiet with them.  
Fourthly, 
4.  when men resolve for sufferings hereafter, but have no heart to that present service, which God calls now to, God hath little honour from them that way, they are negligent and loose in present duties; surely these men, who fail thus in service, are not like to hold out in suffering, let them resolve what they will.  
Fifthly, 
5.  when men are full of resolutions, and speak great words that way, but they do nothing to lay up and prepare for sufferings. What care and endeavour is there to cleanse the heart? to strengthen Faith? to get more full sense of God's love? to provide spiritual armour? what prayers? what tears are sent up to God aforehand? Strong resolutions, if they be right, will bring forth strong endeavours; otherwise they will certainly vanish.  
Sixthly, 
6.  when men's resolutions come from external principles, they are acted by something from without them, as the examples of others, or esteem from others, or persuasions by others, more than from any principle within themselves. We read, Heb. 10. 34. those Christians there mentioned held out in their resolutions, to the suffering the spoiling of their goods with joy, knowing within themselves, that in Heaven they had an enduring substance; they had their principles within themselves.  
Seventhly, 
7.  when resolutions come merely from anguish of men's spirits, in regard of present trouble that men are in, from the hand of God upon them, it may be then they will resolve to do or suffer any thing; but these resolutions seldom come to any thing: It is strange that men should trust to them, considering the abundances of experiences, both from themselves and others, that they have had of the usual falseness of them.  
Eighthly, 
8.  when resolution comes merely from conviction of conscience, and not from any love to truth, although conscience shall tell a man if he forsakes God and his truth, to prevent some present troubles, that that evil which he shall bring upon himself (in regard of the guilt of sin, and the wrath of God against him) will be infinitely greater than any he can suffer, yet if there be not a true love to the truth, there is no hold of this man, his corrupt heart will break all the bonds of conscience.  
Ninthly, 
9  when men trust to their own promises they make to God, to stand for his truth, more than to God's promises, that promise strength to enable them to it; they are confident, because they are resolved they shall go through, 
Why mens own good will not carry them through godly sufferings.  and so let the promise of God lie, and make no use of it; now these resolutions are not like to carry men through sufferings, at least not in a gracious manner.  
First, 
1.  because they are but natural, and natural strength can carry no further than it hath natural props and succours to uphold it, and maintain it withal, which may all fail in some kind of suffering that God may call unto.  
Secondly, 
2.  there is much difference in men's apprehensions from themselves; at one time they apprehend things strongly one way, at another time another way; especially when things come to be present, their apprehensions of them are far different from that they were, when they apprehended them as future.  
Thirdly, 
3.  there is a great deal of difference in the frame of a man's heart, to his own feeling when his lusts lie still, from that which there is when they come to be stirring: sometimes men's corruptions are restrained, and are very quiet, and then they have good resolutions, at other times their corruptions are stirring and active, and then they are quite off from that they were, the mind is blinded, the heart is carried on violently in ways contrary to former resolutions.  
Fourthly, 
4.  men know not the strength of temptations before they meet with them, they think it is an easy matter to encounter with them, but when they come, they find them far stronger than they imagined, and they not being prepared for such strength, are overcome by them.  
Fifthly, 
5.  it may be when sufferings come, men shall not find that comfort, that encouragement, that they expected either from God or men, they (it may be) made account of, and promised to themselves great matters, that surely their pains and troubles would be much eased with the comforts they should have, and many would encourage them, and, it may be, when it comes too, they may be left desolate, as a bottle in the smoke; as David speaks of himself. God many times even in sufferings withdraws himself from his own people for a while, for their trial; and those from whom they expected comfort may leave them, and grow strange unto them: Now if there be no higher principle than ones own resolutions, the heart will fail: In such a case, there had need be Faith to carry through.  
But may we not resolve then aforehand what we will do? 
Quest.   
Many upon hearing how others fail, 
Answ.  in performing their resolutions, and that a man may be very confident of what he will do, and yet when it comes to trial, do nothing; therefore they think it is in vain to resolve, they go on in a slight negligent way, and never endeavour to bring their hearts to any resolution at all, they say we can do nothing of ourselves, God must do all, no man can know what he shall be able to do, before the trial comes; but it is apparent, that the cause why these men do not come to any resolutions, is not from any true sense of their weakness: For,  
First, 
1.  their hearts are not humbled before God in the sense of it.  
Secondly, 
2.  they do nothing to strengthen themselves, to help against any such weakness of theirs, as they speak of: if you be so weak, you had need take much pains aforehand to get strength, to lay up something that may help in the time of need: but the reason why you never come to resolution, is:  
First, 
1.  because of the sluggishness of your spirits; you will not take pains in examining your hearts, and in endeavouring in the use of means to attain to this.  
Secondly, 
2.  there are engagements between your hearts, and the world, and sinful distempers, which you are unwilling to break off, which must be broken off, if ever you come to any true resolutions, which are like to hold.  
Thirdly, 
3.  sufferings are such tedious things to you, as you cannot endure to think of them aforehand, much less make account of them, so as to prepare for them, such thoughts would trouble you, they would damp your carnal joy, you could not go on so quietly and securely in the enjoyment of your contentments in the world, as now you do, when you put off all thoughts of suffering any trouble.  
But let such know, 
Resolutions for Christ necessary, and how attained.  that resolution aforehand may stand with brokenness of heart, from the sight and sense of our own inability; and when it is a resolution of faith, it ariseth from the sense of our own weakness, and dependence upon God for strength: none are more sensible of their own weakness, than they who are most resolved, whose resolutions are raised by their faith; for Faith is an emptying grace, whereby the soul goes out of itself for all strength and supply of all good from another; and for such resolutions which have such a principle, we ought all to labour.  
For first, 
1.  it brings much ease and comfort to a gracious heart, when it is freed from fears and doubts, and is come into a settled and resolved way.  
Secondly, 
2.  it helps against many temptations; the soul will not be listening to the reasonings of flesh and blood, and to the suggesting of Satan, as formerly it did; neither will Satan now so annoy and pester the soul with temptations, as he was wont to do, when it was in an unresolved way.  
Thirdly, 
3.  God accepts of this resolution, as the will for the deed, though a man be never called to suffer, yet he shall have the crown of sufferings, because he had the resolution of Faith for sufferings.  
Fourthly, 
4.  this is a strong engagement when sufferings come, to strengthen the soul against them: therefore there may be resolutions aforehand, yea they are exceeding profitable, of great use, but they must be resolutions of Faith, not our own trusted unto.  
What are those resolutions that do come from Faith? 
Quest.   
First, 
Answ. 1.  when knowing our hearts, what principles of Apostasy we have in them, we seek help in Christ, and in the promise.  
Secondly, 
2.  when our resolutions purify our hearts.  
Thirdly, 
3.  when they cause us to endeavour to get in all spiritual strength that the Word reveals.   

CHAP. XIV.  
How to know the root or principle from whence all that we do or suffer comes.  
EXamine therefore whether Faith be that which carries us on in our sufferings: 
Use 4.  for it is possible that a man may suffer the loss of much, and endure hard things upon other principles; as from natural stoutness of spirit, from natural courage, or from pride, or from natural conscience, from these there may be resisting oppositions, and suffering much trouble, but not in that gracious way, as to be a sweet savour unto the Lord. Where Faith is the root and principle of self-denial, there is another kind of self-denial then that which ariseth from any other principle: Now this is to be examined, it concerns us much to know the root and principle from whence all that we do or suffer comes, God looks most at that; there may be beautiful flowers grow out of a stinking Root, glorious actions may proceed from Natural Principles. Wherefore, for trial, let us examine the differences that there are between one that is carried through sufferings by natural stoutness of spirit, and another that is carried through by Faith. Secondly, the differences between Pride and Faith, in this work. Thirdly, the differences between Faith, and the strength of Natural Conscience.  
For the first, 
Sufferings out of natural stoutness. 1.  take these Notes. First, where self-denial is from Natural Principles, it is but particular, not universal. In some eminent thing, a natural spirit may deny itself; but upon examination it may appear, that in other things it makes self its end, even in things where God requires self-denial, as much as in the other: whereas, if it came from Faith, it would not be partial, but appear in one thing as well as in another, so far as God calls thereunto; that which works by rule, works evenly, impartially, constantly.  
But there is none, 
Object.  but in some things may at sometimes seek themselves.  
There is nothing wherein a gracious spirit gives liberty to its self so to do. 
Answ.  If there be true Faith, the Soul sets itself in the bent, frame, and endeavour of it, against all self-seeking, in every thing proportionably, according as the rule requires: if self prevails at any time, it is beyond the scope, intent, frame, resolution, and true endeavour of the Soul; and when that, wherein self hath prevailed is taken notice of, it takes revenge upon itself in that thing rather than any other.  
Secondly, 
2.  where suffering troubles come from a Natural Root, the Soul is not conscious to its self of its own weakness; it knows not the power of corruption in the heart, it understands not how self may be sought, in denying one's self: such a one is not acquainted with the secret distempers, those inward windings and turnings of his own heart; those depths, those wiles, those devices of Satan, and of his own spirit: he seeth not need of a higher Principle, to enable him to any gracious manner of self-denial; he looks at it, but as a thing within his own reach; he is not fearful, and jealous of himself. But it is otherwise, where self-denial comes from Faith; the business and work of Faith, is the getting up on high, and fetching strength from on high, knowing, that the Soul in its self hath nothing but corruption and weakness.  
Thirdly, 
3.  when it comes from Natural Principles, there may be some appearance of self-denial in outward actions, and willingness to suffer, but there is little care of mortifying inward Lusts; Lusts within are suffered to swell, to rankle▪ and fester. Natural Principles do not strike at the root of evil; there may be a restraint of some evil, but the root of bitterness still remains in the strength of it: but Faith begins within, it works to the bottom, and strikes at the root of evil, at all the corrupt Principles that are in the inwards of the Soul; it empties out self from the most secret inward holds that it had, it will not suffer self to lie in any secret corner.  
Fourthly, 
4.  when bearing sufferings arise from Natural Stoutness, and Courage; such a one does neither begin, nor strengthens himself afterwards, upon divine grounds and arguments, so as the Believer doth: his willingness to suffer, does not proceed out of love to God, for his infinite excellency, as infinitely worthy, that whatsoever the creature is, hath, or can do, or suffer, should be at his dispose; the Lord hath dealt infinitely bountifully with me, he hath been merciful to me, and set his love upon me: Now, these beams of God's love, warming, and enlarging, and quickening the heart of a Believer, sets him even on fire to do or suffer any thing for God. But those who are carried on upon Natural Principles, feel no such thing; neither do they make use of spiritual weapons, or spiritual arguments, to strengthen them, as Faith does.  
Fifthly, 
5.  where natural Stoutness and Courage is the Principle, there the Soul is not raised higher in its courage for God, then when the cause only concerns itself; it discovers as much stoutness and courage in natural things, as it does in spirituals: But this strength in sufferings, that comes from Faith, is a strength far more raised in the cause of God, and spiritual things, then in any other. In other things, it may be the heart is weak, full of fears, knows not how to withstand any evil: but in the cause of God, it finds a Principle, carrying it beyond that it is otherwise; There it is full of courage, it is able to look upon the face of any man, to stand out against the proudest persecuters. As that Martyr Alice Driver told the persecuters, That though she was brought up at the Plough, yet in the cause of Christ she would set her foot against the foot of any of them all. Many poor weak women, and children, have manifested that courage and boldness in the cause of Christ, that hath daunted the hearts of their enemies. As we read, Acts 4. 13. when the Rulers, Elders, and Scribes, saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were unlearned and ignorant men, they marvelled, and they took knowledge of them, that they had been with Jesus. It was their being with Jesus, it was their faith in Christ, that raised them higher than their natural Principles, so as to make their enemies to wonder at them.  
Sixtly, 
6.  the power of resisting sufferings, that comes from Natural Principles, is not a fruit of much humiliation, brokenness of heart, seeking of God aforehand. When Esther was in hazard, when she was to go about a work, wherein all her honour and her life must be ventured, she falls to fasting and prayer, and causeth others to fast and pray for her; and so she came to that resolution, If I perish, I perish. Men full of stoutness, and natural courage, think that mournings for sin, break of the heart in godly sorrow, keeping down the Soul in humiliation, make men timorous, and Cowards; that it abates, if not wholly takes away their valour and stoutness: but God's people never find more courage and heavenly fortitude, then after much humiliation for sin; the more brokenness of heart for sin, the more stoutness and courage in resisting of sin, and in suffering any evil, rather than to admit any sin. Wicked men indeed have stoutness and courage, for the maintaining of their lusts, in which the courage and stoutness of the world is especially let out; but all the courage and stoutness of godly men, is in opposing of sin, and in doing and suffering for God.  
Seventhly, 
7.  if there be only natural strength to enable to a willingness to venture upon any way of suffering, there cannot be that confidence of a good issue that Faith brings with it, where that is the Principle. Faith can assure the Soul, that the issue shall be good, whatsoever seems to the contrary; although the sufferings seem to be never so black and dismal, Faith can look beyond all to a glorious issue, and through the assurance of this, can keep the Soul in a spiritual heavenly security, in the midst of all evils that do befall it. The confidence of that glorious issue of all sufferings, that the Faith of Saint Paul raised his heart unto, 2 Cor. 4. 17, 18. is very remarkable. For our light affliction, which is but for a moment (saith he) worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory, while we look not at things that are seen, but at the things which are not seen, etc.  
Eightly, 
8.  Natural Principles cannot welcome afflictions with such joy and delight as Faith can. How have the Martyrs kissed and embraced the Stake, accounting that day the happiest day that ever they saw. It is said of the Christians in the 10. Heb. 34. That they suffered with joy the spoiling of their goods. Faith does not only enable to suffer with patience, but to suffer with joy. And Rom. 5. 2. Saint Paul saith, we rejoice in tribulations. Now others by their natural courage may encounter with afflictions, and perhaps they may endure them with some patience, but they cannot thus rejoice in them.  
Ninthly, 
9  where Natural Strength only enables, there the soul is not more humble, after it hath gone through difficulties, but it is puffed up, as having passed through hard things, and done some great matter; but where Faith is the principle, the soul knows that it was not from any thing in its self; but if it had been left to its self, it should have basely forsaken the cause of God, it should have dishonoured God and its holy profession; and therefore it rejoices not in its self, but in that power from on high, that came in and assisted it. I live, saith Saint Paul, but not I, but Christ in me, 
Revera gloriari in Solo Deo non nisi à Solo Deo est. Bern. Serm. in Cant. 13.  so I was able to go through such and such straits, saith a believing soul; No, not I, but the virtue and power of Christ in me carried me through. Of a truth, saith Bernard, To glory in God alone, cannot be but from God alone.  
Tenthly, 
10.  if the principle be only natural courage, although such a one may be very ready at first in denying himself, yet if after he be crossed more than he expected, and finds worse success than he looked for; if he does not see some natural good coming in, he is soon discouraged, the heart sinks, as not having sufficient to uphold it and carry it out in that it hath undertaken.  
Yet further, 
Sufferings out of Pride.  such is the deceit of a man's own heart, as a man may suffer much out of the pride of his heart: as a man may serve himself, in serving God, so he may seek himself in denying himself in that which is the cause of God. 
Gloriae animal, popularis aurae vile mancipium. Hier. ep. ad Julianum, consolatoria.  Crates the Philosopher before mentioned, who cast his goods into the Sea, that he might not be hindered in the study of Philosophy, Jerome calls him gloriae animal, and a base slave to popular breath: so many may be content to lose much, and suffer much, 
Vicit amor patriae laudisque immensa Cupido.  and all out of vainglory, they may be in base slavery to the applause of men: Great things out of pride did Heathens suffer for their country. Were it not that men's hearts are desperately wicked, and deceitful, one would wonder how this should be.  
The men of the world are ready to cast this aspersion upon all that suffer, they say they suffer out of vainglory, & so if they be forward in service, they still say it is from the pride of their hearts; when they can say nothing against the things they do or suffer, than they judge their hearts: this shows, that to suffer for God, or to be forward in service is a glorious thing, otherwise why should they think men do them to seek glory by them; but although it be a slander that arises from their malicious hearts against the truth, to accuse the sufferings of God's people of vain glory, yet certainly there may be a principle of pride, that may carry men on even here; but there is much difference between that suffering that a man is carried through by Faith, and that which a man is carried through by pride: as,  
First, 
1.  if pride be the principle, a man is ready to put forth himself though he be not called: It is true that in some extraordinary causes, a man may have an inward calling, by some extraordinary motion of God's Spirit, as some of the Martyrs had; but in an ordinary way, a gracious heart fears itself, and dares not venture until God calls, depending more upon Gods call, than any strength it hath to carry it through: Faith ever looks at a word; It puts on to nothing, but according to the word; where there is not a word to warrant, there we may conclude, that faith is not the principle that acts, but self. True Christian fortitude leads into dangers, only by divine providence or precept, when God bids a man undertake dangers, or bids dangers overtake him.  
Secondly, 
2.  where pride is the principle, such a one cares not much how the cause of God goeth on, any further than he is interested in it, if God will use others to honour his Name by, and further his cause, except he may some way come in, he regards it not, he is not more solicitous, how the cause of God in other things that concern not his sufferings prospers; howsoever therefore he may speak much of God's glory, in that cause for which he suffers, yet if he be not affected with the glory of God in any other cause, that concerns not his particular, it is an argument that it is his own glory, rather than Gods, that is aimed at.  
3. 
3.  Thirdly, a proud heart does not strengthen itself so much in sufferings, with the consolations of God, the sweet of the promises, as it doth with its owne-selfe-proud thoughts; the heart is not taken up so much with the glorious reward of God in Heaven, that spiritual and supernatural glory there, as with some present selfe-good here; whereas Faith is altogether for spiritual and supernatural good, it carries the soul beyond present things, that are only suitable to nature.  
Fourthly, 
4.  where pride is the principle, there is no good got by sufferings, the soul doth not thrive under them, it doth not grow in grace by them, it grows not to a further insight in God's ways, it grows not more holy, more heavenly, more savoury in all the ways of it, the lustre and beauty of godliness does not increase upon such a one, he is not more spiritual, he doth not cleave closer to God; he is not more frequent with God in secret, he doth not enjoy more inward communion with God then formerly; whereas when our principle is right in suffering, there is never such thriving in grace as then, than the Spirit of God, and glory useth to rest upon God's servants; a godly man's service prepares him for suffering, and his suffering prepares him for service. The Church did never shine more bright in holiness, then when it was under the greatest persecution.  
Fifthly, 
5.  where pride is the principle, there is not that calmness, meekness, quietness, sweetness of spirit in the carriage of the soul in sufferings, 
Nec tumide nec timide.  as where Faith is the principle. Pride causes the heart to swell, and belike, to be boisterous and disquiet, to be fierce and vexing, because it is crossed: but Faith brings in the Spirit of Jesus Christ, and that was a quiet and meek spirit in sufferings, as the sheep before the shearer; when he was reviled, he reviled not again; where there is reviling and giving ill language, surely there pride is stirring in that heart. 
Illud humiliter sublime, & sublimiter bumile nisi in Christi martyrbus non vidimus. Cypr. de dupl. Martyr.  Cyprian speaking of the Martyrs contemning death, and yet were gentle and meek, says, We see not that humble loftiness, or that lofty humility, in any but in the Martyrs of Christ. A Christian doth never tread down Satan so gloriously, as when he suffers in a right manner for the truth: But it is the God of peace that does it in him; God as the God of peace treads Satan under our feet, but where there is nothing but boisterous tumultuousness, bitterness, vexation, there God does not rule as the God of peace in that heart.  
Sixthly, 
6.  a proud heart is not sensible of its own unworthiness, that God should use him in suffering, or help him through it in any measure, wondering at the mercy of God, and blessing his Name, that whereas he might have suffered from his wrath for sin in Hell for ever, that yet God will rather call him to suffer for his Names sake: where it is from a spiritual principle, this will be.  
Seventhly, 
7.  if from vainglory, then in such kind of sufferings that will be reproachful to him, and where there are none to honour him in them, there he fails; if God call him to some kind of sufferings, wherein he should be laid by, as a vile and contemptible thing, and nobody regarding of him, or taking notice of him, these sufferings would be very tedious to him; or if he lives in such a place where none will join with him, to encourage him, but every man scorns him in them, this will be hard to him; yea, so hard, that he cannot bear it.  
But Faith will carry through these, if it be the cause of God, it is enough to faith, it is able to rejoice in the midst of all reproaches, and all scorn and contempt, and filth, that the world can cast upon it: if that which be done, be acceptable to god, a gracious heart thinks there is glory enough put upon it: That place, 1. Pet. 2. 20. is very observable: What glory is it, if when ye be buffeted for your fault ye take it patiently? but if when you do well, and suffer, ye take it patiently, this is acceptable with God. Mark the opposition: If it had been direct, it would have been thus; What glory is it, if when ye are buffeted ye take it patiently, but if you do well, and suffer patiently, this is glorious, there is no glory in the other, but in this is glory, that is the meaning of the Apostle, but he does not say this is glory, but this is acceptable to God; and in that he says as much, for that is the greatest glory to a gracious heart, that any thing that he does or suffers may be acceptable to God, let it appear outwardly never so mean and base.  
Eighthly, 
8.  if it be vainglory, than greater respect and honour in some other thing will take him off: If the honour in another thing be greater than that he hath by his sufferings, he will quickly grow weary of his sufferings, and will find out some distinction or other to wind himself out of them. Many who have been taken off this way, have suffered much a while, but finding it heavy, and seeing another way, wherein they think they might better provide for themselves, they have by degrees fall'n off to it, and proved base time-servers, to the dishonour of God, and their own everlasting shame. Demas suffered a while with Paul, but at last he for sooke him, and embraced this present world.  
Ninthly, 
9  when a man is acted by his pride, there is joined with his sufferings a desire of revenge, he would if he could return evil for evil, and doth as far as he dares. The heart is enraged against those from whom they do suffer; but those who have Faith to be their principle, they commit their cause to God; though men curse, they bless, they can heartily pray for their persecuters, as Christ and Stephen did for theirs. The Banner over a gracious heart, in all the troubles that befall it, is Love; and therefore, whatsoever the wrongs be that are offered to such, there is still a Spirit of Love preserved in it.  
Tenthly, 
10.  if vainglory be the principle, he loves to make his sufferings known, and in the making of them known, he will aggravate them with all the circumstances he can, to make them appear the more grievous, that so he in the suffering of them, may appear the more glorious. It is a good observation that Master Brightman hath upon that expression of Saint John, Rev. 1. 9 I was in the I'll that is called Patmos, he does not say, I was banished into the I'll, by the wicked cruelty and malice of mine enemies; No, only thus, I was in the I'll. The humble man rather desires that his sufferings might make God known, then that himself, or any others should make his sufferings known; he desires no further notice should be taken of them, than whereby God may be glorified in them.  
Lastly, 
11.  a proud man makes his boast of himself, what he did, and how he answered, and what success he had, whereas the other makes his boast only of God. The boasting in ourselves, in regard of our services or sufferings, makes both us, and all that we do or suffer, to be vile and base in the eyes of God and man. It is a notable witty expression of Luther; 
Luther in Ps. 127.  by men's boasting of what they have done (says he) haec ego feci, haec ego feci, I have done this, and I have done this, they become nothing else but Feces, that is, dregs.  
Thirdly, 
3.  a man may suffer much likewise from a Natural conscience, 
Sufferings out of a Natural Conscience  where there is no principle of Faith, yet this is the best principle of all others next to that of Faith; but it may be, where there is true sanctifying and saving grace; many of the Heathens suffered much in their way of Religion, out of the principle of a natural conscience. As Socrates was condemned to be poisoned, for opposing the multiplicity of Gods, teaching that there was but one God. In a way of justice, the Natural Conscience of Fabritius set him so strong against any opposition, that it was said of him, That you might sooner turn the course of the Sun, than Fabritius from the course of justice. Now, Natural Conscience may put a man upon a way of suffering,  
First, 
1.  by the strength of that conviction it hath of some Truths of God, of the Equity of them, of that Divine Authority that there is in them, of the dependence they have upon the prima veritas, the first Truth, which is God himself.  
Secondly, 
2.  Natural Conscience may be convinced of a greater good that there is in the enjoyment of the peace and quiet of the mind, then in the enjoyment of all outward comforts whatsoever; and a greater evil in the torment of spirit, and misery that will follow, if any thing be done against that light it hath, than there is in all evils that the world can inflict.  
Thirdly, 
3.  Natural Conscience may so urge Truths upon the Soul, it may so follow it with importunity, casting fears and terrors into the heart, that it will never suffer the Soul to be at quiet, in a way of self-seeking, in any way of providing for the flesh, contrary to that light that God hath set up in it. Wherefore, although there be not much natural courage in a man, nor seeking vainglory from men; yet the loss of many comforts, and many evils may be suffered, out of the power of the light that there is in a Natural Conscience. But there is much difference between this kind of suffering, and that which comes from a Principle of Faith: as thus:  
First, 
1.  where it is only from a Natural Conscience, the Soul is urged, and put on by force of a command; but it is not encouraged by, it receives not strength from, it is not sweetened with the Promise; it finds no Promise of the second Covenant, at lest no ability to close with any Promise, from whence it receives help in the sufferings: but where there is a Principle of Faith, the Soul finds three sorts of Promises in the Gospel, with which it closeth, from which it finds much help: As first, the Promises of assistance; secondly, the Promises of acceptance; thirdly, the Promises of reward, both here and eternally hereafter: These, Natural Conscience hath no skill in; it puts on a man to suffer, but it gives no strength; he goeth to it in his own strength: Conscience urgeth the Soul, so as it dares not do otherwise; but it doth not assure it, that God accepts either of person or performance: it looks to present quiet, having nothing to persuade it, that it shall at length attain unto the glorious reward that God hath promised unto those who suffer out of faith for his Name sake.  
Secondly, 
2.  Natural Conscience doth not make a man glad of that light it hath, and the power and activeness that there is in it; that it will not suffer him to be at quiet, unless he do deny himself in that which is dear unto him: if he had not that light which he hath, he might enjoy himself in his own way, without that trouble and vexation of spirit that now he feels; he therefore opposeth and seeks to extinguish his light, rather than to use any means to maintain and cherish it: but where there is a Principle of Faith, that Soul loves that light it hath, and blesseth God for it, accounting of it a great mercy; and therefore seeks by all means to maintain and increase it, and joins side with it all he can.  
Thirdly, 
3.  where there is only a Natural Conscience, such a one is very hardly brought to suffer any thing; he seeks to put off the Truth as much as he can, that he might not be convinced by it; there must be wonderful clear evidence, that he can by no means shift off, or else he will never be convinced; he will part with nothing, unless it be wrung from him with great strength, of undeniable evidence of the Truth; it must so shine upon his face, as that he cannot shut his eyes against it: but where there is a Principle of Faith, it is not so, the Soul being willing and ready to yield up all it is, or hath, to God; it is as willing to entertain suffering Truths as any other, Psal. 18. 44. As soon as they hear of me, they shall obey me. It is a hard thing to convince a man of a suffering Truth, if he hath not a suffering heart: Many men will say, if they were convinced, that such a thing were a Truth, that if it were a duty that God requires of them, they would yield unto it, whatsoever became of them; but yet they do not see it to be so: but the deceit of their hearts lies here, that they knowing they dare not oppose it, if they were convinced, and that it will bring upon them much trouble, if they be forced to yield to it; therefore they are unwilling to be convinced, they shut their eyes against the light: arguments of less strength can prevail to convince them in other things, but here strong light will not do it, because they foresee the ha●d consequences that will follow: but where there is a suffering heart, a willingness to sacrifice all for the least Truth, 
Quando bona audientis & grata mens est, facile assentitur sermonibus veritatis, Chrysost. Hom. 26. in Mat.  how soon, how easily is such a one convinced of any Truth? When the mind of the hearer is good, it easily assents to the word of Truth, says chrysostom.  
Fourthly, 
4.  a Natural Conscience does not prise an opportunity of suffering, so as those do who have a Principle of Faith; they go to it as a great mercy, they account it as a great privilege, that God calls them forth unto, and gives them opportunity for the testifying of their love to his Name, and the expressing the work of their Grace for his praise; accounting of it the highest improvement that may be, to lay down all at God's feet in a way of self-denial: the other may suffer the same thing, but he looks upon his sufferings as a great part of his misery, and at the way of God's providence, bringing of him thereunto, as a great evil unto him.  
Fifthly, 
5.  a Natural Conscience rests in the thing done, in the very work of enduring troubles; there doth not appear the Grace of God in the manner of his sufferings, in the carriage of his Soul in them; there doth not appear the Glory of God, in the enabling of him to go through them; neither is he much solicitous about that, but only how he may bear them, and get thorough them: but Faith sets on work all the Graces of God's Spirit, by which the sufferings of one truly gracious are much beautified, his Spirit is exceedingly savoury in them. Psal. 89. 17. It is said, God is the glory of the strength of his servants: Thou art the glory of their strength. Now this was in a time of great trouble to the Church, as appears Verse 38. and so forward: But thou hast cast off, and abhorred, thou hast been wroth with thine anointed; thou hast made void the Covenant of thy servant, thou hast profaned his Crown, by casting it to the ground; thou hast broken down all his hedges, all that pass by the way spoil him, he is a reproach to his neighbours, etc. Yet even at this time, God gives such strength to his people, as that his Glory shines in it: Therefore surely it is more than can be by any natural work.  
Sixthly, 
6.  a natural conscience may put a man upon the way of self-denial, but such a one accounts the ways of God hard ways, because of the troubles he meets withal in them, he is brought out of love with God's ways, and he is weary of them, he is even sorry that he came into them, and could be content to withdraw himself from them, if he knew how to do it; but a believer suffering in the ways of God, he still likes well of them, he speaks good of them, his heart cleaves close unto them: Sufferings are esteemed the better, because they are in the ways of God, and the ways of God are not esteemed the worse, because they are in the ways of Suffering, his Suffering confirms him in them; a crucified Christ, and persecuted godliness, are very lovely in his eyes: Cant. 1. 13. A bundle of Myrrh is my beloved unto me, he shall lie all night between my breasts; Myrrh is a bitter thing, although Christ be as Myrrh, yet he shall lie between my breasts, next to my heart, as most lovely and delightful to me: where there is true godliness, such a one whatsoever he meets withal in God's ways, he never opens his mouth again to speak against them, Ezek. 16. 63. and Psal. 44. 17, 18, 19, 20, etc. All this is come upon us, yet have we not forgotten thee, neither have we dealt falsely in thy Covenant, our heart is not turned back, neither have our steps declined from thy way, though thou hast sore broken us in the place of Dragons, and covered us with the shadow of death, etc. And Psal. 89. from the 38. verse to the 52. we read of Ethan making a most lamentable complaint for the miseries of the Church, and yet he concludes, Blessed be the Lord for evermore: and this not formally, or slightly, but earnestly with much affection, and therefore he adds Amen, and doubles it, Amen, Amen: as if he should say, let the troubles of the Church be what they will, yet God and his ways shall be for ever blessed, in mine eyes, in my heart.  
Seventhly, 
7.  where there is only a natural conscience, such a soul is satisfied, rather in its own peace that it hath, by yielding to that which conscience puts him upon, then in any glory that God hath by that which is suffered: As he doth not aim at the glory of God, but at the quieting of his conscience, so he looks not much after the glory of God that should come in by his sufferings.  
Eighthly, 
8.  natural conscience may put a man upon denying of the world, and suffering hard things, yet the heart is never by it crucified unto the world, the inward lusts are not mortified, there remains still as much love to the world as ever there was, there is yet a drossy unclean spirit within, the corruptions of the heart still remain in the root, howsoever they be kept in for a while, by the power of conscience, such a one would as gladly enjoy the delight of the world as ever, but he dares not: but where Faith is the principle, there the inward corruptions of the heart are mottified, Faith crucifies the heart unto the world, it does not only enable to deny one's self in outward things, but it changes the very frame and temper of the heart; the inward disposition of the soul is not after any thing in the creature, as it was before, but it is sanctified, it is made heavenly, it is raised above any thing that is here below.  
Ninthly, 
9  where the principle is only Natural Conscience, there comes in no new supply of strength in the time of suffering, but all that is done, is by the first strength, that put him upon it, he is all the while spending his strength, as an Army that fights without any new succours: But Faith brings in new supplies, new succours continually; strength grows even in sufferings; as the Palm Tree is not only kept from being bowed down by weights, but it grows higher even whilst weights are upon it.  
Hence lastly, 
10.  where a man is enabled to suffer by a Natural Conscience only, there one suffering does not prepare for another, but the more he suffers, the more shy he is of hazarding himself another time, the more afraid he is of suffering afterwards. It is in his suffering as it is in his service, one service does not prepare him for another, he is not fitted by one duty to do another; but where the heart is truly gracious, as the more such a one does for God, he is still the more ready, and the more fit to do further service; so, the more he suffers for God, the more ready he is to suffer further.  
We see by all this what great deceit there is in man's heart, even there where there is the least suspicion of it; we often think our hearts may deceive us in doing, but we do not fear our hearts in suffering; let us learn now, that deceit lies closer than we thought of, we had need look well to our principle in suffering, or else we lose the honour of it. That place is observable, Mat. 19 27. 30. Peter tells Christ, that he and the rest of the Disciples were content to forsake all for him: Well, says Christ, But many that are first, who suffer much for me, yet if they look not well to their principle, if there be mixture, and nature and self appear in their sufferings, they shall be last; others who suffer not so much shall be preferred before them; and cap. 20. 16. he give the reason why many who are first, who are very forward, shall be last, because many are called, but few are chosen, many are called to endure hard things for God, but few are chosen, few suffer so, as to be accepted as the chosen ones of the Lord. Faith puts an excellency upon what we receive, upon what we do, and upon what we suffer; that which we have by Faith, is better than that we have any other way; and that which we do or suffer by faith, is better than that which is done or suffered any other way. The Scripture makes it a great matter that Abraham should have a child when he was a hundred years old; why Terah his Father was a 130. when he begat Abraham, but because Abraham had his child by faith, therefore it was a great matter: And so in all other things that we have, do, or suffer, if they be by Faith, they are great things.   

CHAP. XV.  
Comfort to those who have true Faith.  
IF Faith be that grace that will carry a soul through the hardest things, 
Use 5.  than here is comfort to those who have true Faith, you have that which will uphold you, which will certainly bear you out, and safely, and comfortably carry you through all the troubles that you can meet withal in this world: When you hear of the many afflictions that God's people are exercised withal, and the many troubles through which we must pass to Heaven, be not discouraged, you have more than your own strength. It is a notable speech of Cyprian, 
Qui pro nobis mortem semel vicit, semper vincit in nobis.  He that once overcome death for us, always overcomes death in us; you have more with you then against you; God hath given you that which will strengthen you against all, 
Cypr. ep. 9  that none of them shall ever separate you from God; this grace will be sufficient for you, this is a sure Antidote against all poison; this is a safe shield against all fiery darts, all the evils that can befall you, will be but the exercise of your faith, to make it more bright and shining, and the trial of your faith, which is a most precious things, 1 Pet. 1. 7. The trial of your faith, says the Apostle, is more precious than gold that perisheth, although it be tried with fire; and this trial will be found to your praise, and honour, and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ. Observe how the Apostle heaps up words, praise, honour, and glory for the setting out what a blessed thing the very trial of our faith is, showing how all the troubles of the Saints, considering what a principle they have to carry them through, are a greater good unto them, then if they met with none; with what confidence, and courage, may a man resist any opposition, when he knows beforehand, that he hath that which which will quell it, and that all opposition is but for the exercise and trial of his strength; which certainly shall be to his praise, and honour, and glory. Although you think you have no strength, to encounter with such great trials as you are like to meet withal, yet labour to quiet your hearts in the exercise of Faith alone, that will bring in strength enough: whatsoever you think would strengthen you, you shall find it all in the exercise of Faith. That place is very observable, Isay 30. 7. Your strength is to sit still: They thought their strength had been in the help of Egypt, as if nothing could help them but Egypt: Nay, saith God, if you would quietly rest your spirits in me, you should have an Egypt: Whatsoever strength you expect from Egypt, you shall have it here: For the word translated strength, is the same that is used in Scripture to signify Egypt, namely, Rahab: and so the sense goes thus; Your Egypt is to sit still: By sitting still, you shall have an Egypt; whatsoever secure you might think to have that way, you shall have it this way. Oh, that we could thus quiet our hearts in the exercise of our Faith, in all our fears.  
This were comfort indeed, 
Quest.  if we were sure our Faith were right, and such as would carry us through: But how shall we know that?  
I answer: 
Answ. 1.  First, if your Faith be such as carries your Souls to God, as an universal good, so as you can satisfy yourselves in Him alone; than it is this precious Faith that will do this, that we speak of.  
Secondly, 
2.  if your Faith works a sanctified use of your prosperity; if your Faith can carry you through the temptations of prosperity, it will certainly carry you through the trials of adversity; if Faith can keep you from swelling in prosperity, it will keep you from breaking in adversity.  
But especially, 
3.  in the third place, if your Faith can carry you through spiritual difficulties, it will be much more able to carry you through all outward troubles: I will instance in five spiritual difficulties.  
First, 
1.  if it can enable you to venture your Soul and eternal estate upon the free Grace of God, 
How to know whether our Faith be right, and such as will carry us through all troubles.  in the sight and sense of all your own unworthiness. This, many will think, is not so hard a matter; but certainly, there is more difficulty in this work of Faith, then in enabling to bear all the miseries of the world: To do this, when the Soul understands throughly what the meaning of sin is, what that breach is, that it hath made between God and itself; when the Soul is truly burdened with it, when it hath the sight of God's infinite holiness, and knows what the consequence of an eternal estate means, and yet for me to venture all, so as, I am lost for ever, if I miscarry here, and that when I have nothing to commend me to God, when he can see no good in me, nothing but that which his Soul loathes and abhors; surely, now to venture upon the free Grace of God, is a most glorious work of Faith: And that Faith that can do this, we need not fear, but it will carry through all outward troubles.  
Secondly, 
2.  if your Faith can keep you in love to holy duties, although you find nothing come in by them: you pray, you hear, you read, you receive Sacraments, and yet you find your hearts as hard, and your corruptions as strong as ever; yet if still you can continue, not only the practice of holy duties, but love unto them, this is a great work of Faith.  
The three latter, are Luther's three difficulties of Faith, 
1. Credere impossibilia rationi  namely, first, To believe things impossible to reason; secondly, To hope for things that are deferred: 
2. Sperare dilata.  and thirdly, To love God, when he shows himself to be an enemy. If Faith can do these things, there is no fear, 
3. Amare Deum cum se praebet inimicum.  but it will overcome all outward difficulties that possibly can befall.   

CHAP. XVI.  
The means to maintain and strengthen our Faith.  
LAstly, if Faith be the Grace that 
Use 6.  carries through all, than it is our wisdom, to labour what we can, to maintain and strengthen our Faith: Let us look especially to that wherein our chief strength lies; let not a Dalilah, let not any carnal content get away, no, nor in the least degree abate our strength; let us be sure we look to our Shield, that that be safe and sound. As that Heathen Epaminondas, being dangerously wounded with a Spear, so that he sunk down as one dead; but after coming to himself, he asked if his Target were safe, his chief care was about that: so should ours be about the Shield of our Faith. The Devil labours above all things against us in this; he cares not what men do, so be it their Faith be neglected. Especially therefore labour to strengthen your Faith in these three things.  
The first, 
1.  is the principal and ground of all, namely, The assurance of your interest in the Covenant of Grace, that you are received by God into that free, rich, glorious Covenant of life in Christ; That now you are not to stand or fall, by what is in yourselves, or what comes from you, but by the perfect righteousness of that blessed Mediator, who hath undertaken your Cause with God: doubts and fears, about this, do much weaken the spirits of men, when troubles come upon them.  
Secondly, 
2.  in the assurance of God's fatherly love unto, and care over you, in the sorest and hardest afflictions that can befall you. As it is an argument of much ignorance, to persuade one's self that God loves one, because of present prosperity; so it is exceeding weakness, to call God's love in question, upon the feeling the smart of affliction, to think that none of God's people are afflicted in such a kind as I am; If it were in some other kind, it were not so much, but being thus, I am afraid that God never loved me, and that he hath now quite forsaken me.  
Thirdly, 
3.  in the assurance of the blessed issue of all, that all will be peace and comfort at the last: if Faith be strong in these, it will be able to encounter with all assaults whatsoever: this strengthening of our Faith must be,  
First, 
1.  by much meditation in the covenant of grace, the rich promises, and glorious manifestations of God's goodness in his Word, that so the soul may be acquainted with the promises, and have always a word at hand to relieve itself withal.  
Secondly, 
2.  by keeping conscience clear, that it may speak peace, and encourage us, that it may not upbraid us, that it may not cast fears into us, that it may not cast camps of spirit within us.  
Thirdly, 
3.  take heed of listening to the reasonings of flesh and blood, venture we ourselves wholly upon the word; if we have that, never argue the cause any further. We read of Saint Paul, Gal. 1. 16. that he dared not to consult with flesh and blood, after Christ was once revealed in him, if he had, he had never been able to deny himself, as he did: carnal reasonings are great enemies to Faith, they are the strong holds of Satan, which must be battered down: Prov. 3. 5. Trust in the Lord with all thy heart, and leave not unto thine own understanding. There we see that leaning to one's own understanding, and trusting in God, are opposed one to another.  
Fourthly, 
4.  keep Faith in continual exercise upon all occasions; look up to God in the strength of a promise, for assistance in all things, for sanctifying, for blessing every thing unto you; live by Faith in whatsoever you undertake or do, that so when greater trials come, faith may be in a readiness, being always kept active and stirring.  
Fifthly, 
5.  labour much to keep up your converse with God, in his ordinances, in all holy duties, that you may be exercised in them with life and power, that there being a holy sweet familiarity between God and the soul, it may be more able freely, and cheerfully, and confidently to repair unto him in times of trouble, and exercise its Faith upon him, as that God, between whom and the soul, there is daily a sweet intercourse, God letting himself out daily in his love and mercy to the soul, and the souls working up its self, and enlarging itself in love, and delight, and praise to God again.  
And when sufferings come, then stir up, and put forth the grace of Faith in the exercise of it, look up to God for strength and assistance, 
Qui mihi oneris est author, ipse fiat administrationis adjutor dabit virtutem qui contulit dignitatem.  commit yourself and cause wholly to him; plead the promise, plead your call that he hath called you to this; plead the cause that it is his. Master tindal in a Letter of his to Master Frith, who was then in prison, hath four expressions of the work of Faith in time of suffering. If you give yourself, cast your self, yield yourself, commit yourself wholly and only to your loving Father, then shall his power be in you, and make you strong, he shall set out his truth by you wonderfully, and work for you above all your heart can imagine.  
And observe this rule, labour to strengthen and exercise your Faith, before your heart be too deeply affected with your affliction. We usually have our first and chiefest thoughts upon our Troubles, and spend the strength of our spirits in poring upon them, and tire ourselves in the workings of our unbelieving discontented spirits, giving liberty to the reasonings of our hearts, so that we are sunk before any promise can come to us, we are not able to raise up ourselves, to look at a promise: But our way should be, whatsoever our condition is, first, to endeavour to strengthen our Faith, and then to make our moan to God.  
Thus did Ethan, Psal. 89. This Ethan, 1 King. 4. is mentioned as one of the wisest men upon the earth, and he shows his wisdom much in this, that in a time of the great affliction of the Church, he being sensible of it, and about to make his complaint to God of it, yet he begins with raising his and the Church's Faith, in the mercy, and faithfulness, and power of God, before he will make any mention of their calamities; he doth not begin to make his moan for the miseries of the Church till the thirty eighth verse, but all before is nothing but Arguments to raise and strengthen Faith, and to put that forth in the exercise of it.  
Thus Moses, Psalm 90. being about to complain of the miseries of God's people, that they were consumed by his anger, and troubled by his wrath, yet begins with the acknowledging of God's goodness, with Arguments to strengthen Faith. Lord thou hast been our dwelling place, in all generations, from everlasting to everlasting, thou art God.  
And thus David, Psalm 37. 1. before he begins his complaint, he lays down this conclusion: Truly God is good to Israel, even to such as are of a clean heart.  
FINIS.    

A TABLE OF THE CONTENTS.  

B.  
BIrth of the greatest defiled with sin. page 15.  
God hath honoured us with a higher birth than what we have by blood from our Ancestors. 25.   

C.  
Lord Cobham his self-denial. 35.   

E.  
Examples of great men are very powerful. 85.  
Eminency of parts and gifts not sufficient to carry through a godly course. 200.   

F.  
Forsake all, rather than offend God. 77.  
Faith makes honourable all a Christians sufferings. 148.  
Wherein lies the power of Faith to take off the heart from the World. 152.  
Trial of our Faith. 187.  
No Faith, no perseverance. 196.  
Comfort to those who have true Faith. 249.  
Means to maintain and strengthen Faith. 255.   

G.  
Marcus Galeacius his self-denial. 32.  
Grace raises men spirits. 112.   

H.  
Haters of God have been Nobly borne. 13.  
Hormisda his self-denial. 31.  
Honour's to be denied for Christ. 50.  
Uncertainty of worldly honours. 65.  
In the height of our enjoyment of earthly comforts we are to deny ourselves. 108.   

L.  
Luther's resolution. 77.  
A testimony of dear Love to Christ, to deny one's self for his sake. 117.  
How to discern God's love in the things we do enjoy. 127.   

M.  
Moses his parts and breeding. 4  
Mixture of much evil, in the best worldly good. 60.   

N.  
Nobility of birth to be denied for Christ. 11.  
It a very poor and mean thing. 16.  
God is infinitely worthy that it should be laid down for his honour. 20.  
No such way to add glory to our Nobility as to be willing to use it, or deny it for God. 22.  
Wherein Nobility of birth is to be denied. 27.   

P.  
Godly Parentage to be honoured. 38.  
Pleasures to be denied for Christ. 54.  
God hath greater preferments for his, than the things beloved. 69.  
Persist in godliness, though other things be hazarded. 71.  
In the prime of our youth and strength, we are to deny ourselves. 104  
It argues Power of grace, to resist powerful temptations.   

R.  
Riches to be denied for Christ. 57  
Not many Rich saved. 96.  
Religion to be practised, though it cost us dear. 110.  
Godly resolutions, how discerned. 205.  
Good Resolutions not sufficient to carry godly sufferings. 208.  
Resolution for Christ necessary, and how attained. 212.   

S.  
Service of God no disgrace to Nobility. 46.  
Self-denial ever holds out. 122.  
Sufferings out of natural stoutness, how discerned. 216.  
Sufferings out of Pride, how discerned. 225.  
Sufferings out of a Natural Conscience, how discerned, 235.   

V.  
The best victory is to overcome ourselves. 140  
Victory of Faith, wherein it appears most. 183.   

W.  
Worldly blessings not to be overjoyed in. 133.   
FINIS.   

Christian Reader, by reason of the Author's absence, divers faults have escaped the Press, which thou art entreated favourably to interpret.  
PAge 37. for bess read bless. p. 53. f. higher r. higher. p. 65. f. though r. though. p. 82. f. need r. needed. p. 124. f. impsosible r. impossible. p. 127. f. spiritual r. special. p. 134. line 5. add, no. p. 145. f. greateh r. greatest. p. 248. f. give r. gives.   

Imprimatur,  
Tho. Wykes. Septemb. 1. 1640.