Contemplative Pictures with Wholesome Precepts Part 1, Picture 6 – Picture 7
The Picture of the Diuell.
HEe is that damned Ghoſt, the firſt ſiner, the firſt Seducer: One knowing much, yet neuer obedient, but by conſtraint. Hee is but a Slaue, as baſe, as he is beggerly: as malicious, as curſedly miſchieuous. Blaſphemouſly careles of God, tyrannouſly cruell to men. A continual Tempter, Gods gaoler, a dreadfull tormentor. Euer is he out with God, and a hater of the good. What God commands, hee condemnes; hee will allow, what God diſlikes. A bright Angell, hee was in heauen; but now the black Fiend in hell. To no man a friēd, to the Church a moſt malicious foe. He is driuen out of the penitent, he harbours in the diſobedient▪ The leaud are his lodging the prophane his habitation. Hee is the vncleane ſpirit, the place moſt full of abomination, is his common harbour. All his motions, are to ſatisfie luſt, he would hauehave vsus liue after our liking, to worke wickedneſſe, to rage in rebellion againſt God. He knows himſelfe to be damned; all he cares for, is to make other like himſelfe. This curſed ſpirit, is that Lion roaring, ſtrong, fearefull: that old Serpent, ſubtil, guilfull: that red Dragon, bloodie, terrible. Hee raigneth where hee gets any rule, and whom hee gaineth, thoſe willingly hee will not let goe. Antichriſt is his eldeſt ſonne, the damned crue his curſed children. He is the inuent our of all villanie, the authour of hereſie, the ſetter vp of idolatrie, the plotter of conſpiracie. He raiſeth rebellion, and workes treaſon. Hee turnes religion into ſuperſtition, louelove into lecherie, friends into foes, conſent into contention, peace into bloody perſecution. Hee comes where the godly bee and good excerciſes, not for louelove to them, but maliciouſly as an inſtrument to hinder them. He will ſend Caine to ſacrifice with Abel, but afterwards to murther him: He will thruſt Iudas among the Apoſtles, but to betray Chriſt. He is equallie enuious, as malicious: If Chriſt plant a Church, he will erect a Chapell; if hee hauehave Apoſtles, this will raiſe vp falſe teachers; If Chriſt ſow wheat, hee will ſcatter tares. He deceiued Eue, which brought a curſe to the earth: Hee prouoked Dauid, to fall to numbring, that the people might be plagued. Hee is that grand Lier, that ſhamleſſe Slanderer: He is as impudent, as irrepentant. He tempted Chriſt himſelfe impotunately, hee vexeth his members, and that daily. He is ful of faire words, hee makes many promiſes, but doth neuer performe what is good. He is a Machiauellian, when hee pretendeth moſt to doe well, then hee intendeth moſt miſchiefe, and to doe ill▪ Hee keepes men in ignorance, and perſwades them of faith; hee puts them in hope of ſaluation, and yet diſſwades from the grace of ſanctification. Hee would hauehave the wickedly diſpoſed to preſume of mercy, and the godly penitent to deſpaire in apprehenſion of iuſtice. Hee induceth his to beleeue, that good meaning without the word, is warrant enough in Gods worſhip, and blind deuotion, to bee a great growth in religiō. He commends wickedneſſe with titles of goodneſſe: He puts a faire vizour ouer the vglie face of ſinne. Exceſſiue pride muſt be cleanely decency; no pompe. Filthy luſt, but a tricke of youth; no carnality. Bad companie, with pot-mates, good fellowſhip; no vanitie. Couetouſneſſe in the Nigard, thrifty husbandrie; no ſordid qualitie. Prodigall expences frankheartednes; no vnthriftineſſe. Intēperatenes in meetings, neighbourly meriments; no gluttonie, nor drunkenneſſe: Riot, recreation; idle muſing, contemplation. Thus hee blindeth him that cares not to ſee ſinne, that ſo a man may bee ſecure, in haſtning to hell. Hee that is moſt in tranſgreſſion, is his beſtſonne; yet is the greateſt ſinner, his baſeſt Slaue. Who ſo doth moſt for him, ſhall in the end, bee moſt tormented by him. God commands his children for their owne ſaluation; but Satan his ſeruants, to bring them to confuſion. All his are either carnall Atheiſtes, groſſe Idolaters, Hypocriticall Time-ſeruers; fooliſhly ſuperſtitious, damnably miſchieuous, proud Heretikes, or idle headed Schiſmatiks. Hee will allow ſome of his to bee of the viſible Church, yet onelyonly a Came, an Achitophel, a Saul, a Iudas, without inuiſible grace. Hee wil giuegive them leaue to profeſſe, but not to practiſe. He lets them know verity, but not acknowledge it with ſincerity; their ſeruice is only faſhion. Hypocrits are his Saints, cuſtome his Canon, Sophiſtrie his reaſon. His kingdome is darkneſſe; Schiſmatikes, his zealous ſeruants; Heretikes, his chiefe Champions. His company the accurſed, the prophane his principall attendants, next to the Fiends, the helliſh inhabitants. The reward to his, wrath from God; ſecluſion from the good. The place for their abode, is the infernall pit, there to bee tortured in torment, and plagued with erernall paines without end.
Precepts.
OH wretched ſinner, ſeeke peace to thy poore ſoule: ſeale not vp thy damnation, by doing ſeruice to this Diuell. Stop thy eares, heare him not: if thou doeſt, beleeue him not. Wherein he moſt ſeemeth a Saint, therein hold him a moſt accurſed creature. Tho his promiſes pretend peace and ſaluation, yet euer in his reaſoning, denie his concluſion. Make no peraduenture of the word; if thou doeſt, hee will forthwith cōtradict the truth. If thou be a doubting Eue, to ſay, leſt I die, hee will bee a Serpent, and dare confidentlie ſay, thou ſhalt not die. Be not: a ſlaue to him, that made ſuite to lodge in Swine. Bee not ruled by him, if thou beeſt trulie penitent, who reigneth onelyonly ouer the diſobedient. Bee no ſubiect to ſo baſe an abiect: nor a friend to ſo great a foe. Leaue his luſts, elſe looke for no life. Forſake the world, elſe thou gaineſt nothing by the word. If thou wilt needs be led by him, looke for no Heauen: if thou ſecurelie ſinne, prepare for Hell. Remember the end, the due reward of wickedneſſe, both in the diuell, and the damned. From which miſerie, the God of compaſſion deliuer thee (Reader) of his tender merciemercy.
Amen.
The Picture of Goodneſſe.
GOodnes is grace, a picture of God: the worſt in generall approue it, but the Saints ſpecially reioice in it. It is heauens path-way, the righteous mans ayme: no earthly thing can purchaſe it, it is onelyonly God that giues it. In it ſelfe it is beyond any price, and maketh other things precious. It is the difference between creature & creature, between men & mē in their words and works. Goodneſſe makes man good, the perſon, his ſpeech and practiſe. It baniſheth brutiſhneſſe, forceth fraud to be flying, allayeth contentious heate of ſpirit, and meekneth the vntameable nature of man. It ſuffereth no reuengement, it is not rigorous in puniſhment. LoueLove ſprings from it, patience waits of it, and charitie vſhers it. It is that which makes a man friendlie, to procure reliefe for the needy; and without delay to helpe the diſtreſſed ſoule. It is defectiue of no dutie, it is pliable to al the works of mercy. Will is neuer wanting by goodneſſe, tho ability be away. It inhabiteth euer in true piety, and lodgeth with godly pitie. It baniſheth malice and michiefe farre from it, and is a deadly bane to rancour and rage. It forbeareth a fiecre aduerſary very quietly; wher it may fully reuenge, it forgiueth readily. It will paſſe by wrong through mercy, yet not ſhew partial pitie, to ouerthrow iuſtice; it keeps moderation and meaſure in all things. It is borne vp of humility, ſtrengthned by patience; the word of life doth nouriſh it, the Lord of life doth cheriſh it; the ſpirit giues it quickning, and Gods glory ſets it on working. It is from heauen aboue, in earth intertained of few: he is full that hath it, and he euer in want that is without it. It moues vsus to minde God more then goods, the Lords precepts, more then our profits. It thinkes of death before death, to be fit for death. It prepares the body for the earthly graue, and the ſoule for the heauenly glory It brings to a man peace within, and praiſe abroad; heere commendation, and after ſaluation. This is goodneſſe, the forme is true godlineſſe, the cauſe is grace. It maks a man ſtudy to be quiet, it keeps patience within vsus, contentment about vsus, wickednes farre from vsus. Good is hee, that hath this goodneſſe, he ſhall attaine to euerlaſting happineſſe.
Precepts.
LAbour to come to this goodneſſe, dwell with it: harbour vnderunder it. Let it grace thy perſon, and commend thy condition. Let thy words declare it, and thy workes paint it out to the world. Thou ſhalt by goodneſſe get with God fauour, and among good men friendſhip: which the God of goodneſſe giuegive vntounto thee now and alwaies:
Amen.