Death Judgment Hell and Heaven, Sermon

Death Judgment Hell and Heaven · Sermon

p. 169A SERMON PREACHED AT LENT ASSISES, Anno Domini, MDCXXX. At Northhampton before SIR RICHARD HVTTON AND SIR GEORGE CROOKE, His Majesties Iustices of Assise, &c.

TEXT. 1. COR. CHAP. 1. VER. 26.

For brethren, yee see your calling, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble are called.

THE blessed Apostle Saint Paul perceiving, that his preaching, and plantation of the Gospell of CHRIST received strong and mighty opposition in the City of Corinth, a famous Mart Towne, seated betweene two Seas, the Aegaan and Iönian, and so fit p. 170for commerce with other Nations, full of wealth, knowledge, glory, and the rest of earthly excellencies, labours in this Chapter to abase, and dishonour the pride, and vanity of all humane greatnesse, and to advance the neglected Mystery of his heavenly Doctrine, and the glorious power of downe-right preaching, which the great men amongst them esteemed foolishnesse, yet indeed such as by which the LORD of Heaven and Earth saveth those that beleeve. And he so farre acquaints them with the counsell of GOD in the point: that he gives them to understand that upon the matter, whereas the noble, the mighty, and wise after the flesh, with all the bravery and selfe-confidence vanish and perish: Meaner men of lower ranke, and more contemptible are converted. In the words I read unto you he appeales to their owne experience in the point, and bids them look about, and view well, the worke of the Ministery amongst them, survey, and search throughly that goodly flourishing body of the Church, which he had there created, and collected by his eighteene months presence, and paines: And they shall find, that not many wise after the flesh, nor mighty, nor noble, gave their names unto CHRIST, or became Professors of the Gospell. But the foolish, and weake things of the world carrie all away in matter of salvation, and entertainement of CHRIST. He renders two Reasons in the Verses following: 1. That the wise men of the world may be confounded: 2. And that GOD himselfe blessed for ever may have all the glory. p. 171The words then being plaine: Not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble are called, I build directly, and naturally this point upon them: Few great men goe to Heaven: OrDoctrine. thus, Great men are seldome good. I here understand greatnesse according to the world: In respect 1. Of excellent learning. 2. Worldly wealth and height of place. Both make mighty, nay many times gold is the more powerfull commander. 3. Worldly honour and nobility. 4. Worldly wisedome.

Greatnesse in any of these kinds is rarely accompanied with goodnesse, few such great men as these are called, converted or ever come to heaven. I say Few: for I finde Divines, both Ancient, and Moderne upon this Text, to make Not Many, and Few equipollent: aaIn Loc. Sicut non omnes sapientes damnantur: ita nec omnes, qui è vulgo sunt, salvantur. Sed qui agnitione suae indignitatis humiliantur, reverenter se subi…ciunt verbo, & Christum in Evangelio amplectuntur: Hi salvantur, sive sint ex primoribus, sive ex vulgi fece. Sed illud fieri in pluribus ex vulgo, in paucioribus verò ex sapientibus, Christus affirmat.Primasius, and Anselme, Calvin, and Piscator.

For proofe of the point:

First by Scripture: Looke upon such places as1. these.

1. Matth. 11. 25, 26. At that time IESVS answered, and said, I thanke thee, O Father, LORD of heaven and earth, because thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto Babes. Even so, Father, for so it seemed good in thy sight. CHRIST who knew full well the bosome of his Father casting his eye seriously upon the condition of his followers, and fruit of his p. 172Ministry: and seeing the Scribes, Pharisees, and great ones of the world, not onelyonly not entertaine and countenance, but out of their proud and prophane malice disdaine, and contemne the glorious Gospell, and divine Messages hee brought from Heaven; and a company of poore fishermen, and some few other neglected underlings with an holy violence lay hold upon his Kingdome: He brake out into this thankefull acknowledgement and admiration. I thanke thee, O Father, LORD of Heaven and Earth, because thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and revealed them to Babes: And then ascends to the well-head, and first moover of all his Dealings with, and differences amongst the Sons of men; the sacred and unsearchable depth of this foreign, Beneplacitum, the good pleasure of his will: Even so Father, for so it seemed good in thy sight. In an humble adoration of the inscrutable, and immutable courses whereof we must finally and fully rest with infinite satisfaction, silenced from any further search, and carnall curiosities, by that awefull checke, and countermaund of Paul: Nay but O Man, who art thou that repliest against Rom. 9. 20.Rom 9:20GOD? Flesh and bloud hath it old ages grumbled and repin'd, kickt and cavil'd about this point; but ever at length by measuring this deepest Mysterie by the line of humane reason, and labouring to fathome this bottomelesse sea by the pride of their owne wits, they have become wretched opposers of the grace of GOD. We behold the Sun, and enjoy the light, as long as we looke towards it, but tenderly, and circumspectly: We warme our p. 173selves safely, while we stand neere the fire. But if we seeke to outface the one, or enter into the other, we forthwith become blinde, or burnt. It is proportionably in the present point.

Heere by the way from our Sauiours words wee may extract a soveraigne Antidote against those temptations, and discontented reasonings which are wont to arise in our hearts sometimes, when we see those great ones of the world, who looke so big, and carrie their heads so high, not onelyonly to carrie all before them, to wallow, and tumble themselves with all bravery and applause in the glory, wealth, and pleasure of the world, to swimme downe the current of the times with full saile, and prosperous winde, though many times against the secret murmure, and counterblasts even of their own Consciences. In a word, in these worst times to have what they list, and do what they will: but also lay about them with the fist of wickednesse, and scourge of tongues, to trample if it were possible the lambes of CHRIST even into the dust, with the feete of malice and pride, by a plausible tyranny, and aide of the times iniquity to keepe them downe still, and still in disgrace: hunting them continually with cruelty and hate like a Partridge in the mountaines, as the Pharisees did CHRIST: I say when we see this, let us never be troubled and take offence: let us never be grieved or grow discontent or out of heart. But pitty them, pray for them, and possesse our owne soules in patience, and peace. And after the precedencie of our blessed p. 174Saviour, goe in private, and say: I thanke thee, O Father, LORD of heaven and earth, because thou hast revealed the Mysteries of CHRIST, and secrets of the saving way to me a poore wretch, and worme, troden under foot as an obiect of scorne, and a contemptible outcast, and hast hid them from the wise, and the noble, and the mighty: from the boysterous Nimrods, and proud Giants of the world, Even so Father, for so it seemed good in thy sight. And there staying a while, ever magnifie, admire, and adore with lowliest, humblest, and most thankefull thoughts that dearest and dreadfull Depth of GODS free and incomprehensible love which made thee to differ. Which is as it were the first ring of that golden chaine, Rom. 8. 29. 30. which reacheth from everlasting to everlasting, and gives being, life, and motion to all the meanes that make us eternally blessed. Out of the rich, and boundlesse treasurie whereof, came that inestimable Iewell, IESVS CHRIST blessed for ever, and by consequent, all those heavenly happinesses which crowne the glorified Saints through alleternity. For so GOD loved the world, that he gave his onelyonly begotten Son, that whosoever beleeveth in him should not perish but have everlasting life, Iohn 3. 16.

2. Iohn 7. 47, 48. Are yee also deceived? have any of the Rulers, or Pharisees beleeved on him? Heere the chiefe Priests and Pharisees boyling with much envie and indignation against CHRISTS preaching, (for he preached with Matth. 7. 29.Matt 7:29power, and not as the Scribes) And because the peopleLuk. 4. 32.Luke 4:32 p. 175so flocked after him, (for there followed himMatth 4. 25.Matt 4:25 great multitudes of people) had sent officers to apprehend him, and bring him before them. Who when they came to him, and heard him preach, they were so strucke and astonished with the most piercing Majesty of his Ministry, that they had no power to lay hands or hold upon him at all. Upon their returne, these great men gathered together in counsell against him; like so many morning Wolves thirsting eagerly for his bloud, calls hastily, and impatiently unto them, before their officers could say any thing: Why have yee not brought him? They doe not examine them about his doctrine, or inquire whether he be guilty or no: but like unjust, and tyrannicall wretches they labour to lay hold upon him, though most innocent, to stop his mouth, and make him sure. But the Officers answered: Never man spake like this man. Whereupon the spirit of prophane malice being yet further enraged in them, they reply: Are yee also deceived? What? Are you turned Gospellers too? Will yee also gad with the giddie multitude after this new Master, &c. And then being frighted least they should fall from them, goes about to take them off with a very foolish argument, saith Theophylact, (thoughArgument… stul…o. Theoph. the Minor would be true, and is the sinew of my proofe) Have any of the Rulers or of the Pharisees beleeved on him? Alas! No. They are so blinded with an opinion of their devout, and deeper learning: so puft up with the pride of their high places, so swolne with selfe-conceitednesse of their p. 176owne formes and false glosses, and so possest with prejudice against the spirituall and heavenly Doctrine of CHRIST: that the very Publicans and Matth. 21. 31.Matt 21:31Harlots goe into the Kingdome of GOD before them: That is, when they goe not.

And thus it is in all ages of the Church: There is a Lecture I will suppose; To which many of the meaner sort especially, resort for spirituall foode, as to the Market for corporall. Some of which happily wrought upon by the saving influence of that Ministery, begins to blesse GOD for the benefit, and magnifie his mercy for such meanes: but some By-standers, like pestilent opposites interpose: yea but which of the great men of the Countrey come to it, when doe you see any of the Nobles, Knights, or Gentlemen there? No, alas! They are afraid of hearing of their sins, being made Melancholicke, and to be tormented before their time: and therfore they most wretchedly neglect so great salvation, forsake their owne mercies, and judge themselves unworthy of everlasting life▪ Bowling-greenes, gaming-houses, horse-races, hunting-matches: Their curs, and their Kites: their cock-pits, and their covetousnesse, or something doe too often eate up and devoure that blessed fat, and marrow of time, those golden, and goodly opportunities, which GOD in great mercy affords them in the Ministry, to make their peace with him before they goe into the pit, and bee seene no more. For one houre whereof, to heare but one Sermon after the irrecoverable day of visitation is past and expired, they p. 177would be content to live as precisely and mortifiedly as ever man did upon earth so long as the world lasts, but it shall not be granted. A thousand worlds will not purchase it againe. And besides, when your soules shall then furiously reflect upon their owne wilfull folly in this respect, and the wofull misery they have brought upon themselves thereby: it will sharpen infinitely the bitings of the never-dying worme, and torment moreterribly than ten thousand Scorpions stings. Remember this (I pray you) all ye that forget GOD: before that wrath be kindled in His bosome against you, which will burne unto the very bottome of hell, and set on fire the foundations of the mountaines: before He gird about Him those arrowes which will drinke bloud, and that sword which will eat flesh; and come against you (as the Prophet speakes) like a beare robbed of her whelpes, and rent the very caule of your hearts, and teare you in peeces, when there is none to helpe.

3. Nehem. 3. 5. But their Nobles put not their necks to the worke of the LORD. Others (as you may see in that place) were industriously busie in building up the wals, and repairing the holy City, for the wonted worship and service of their GOD, but the Nobles would do just nothing. And thus it hath beene in all times, and is just so in our dayes. Meane men many times contribute very liberally, and farre above their ability to the procurement and maintenance of a profitable and powerfull Ministery: but the rich, worldly-wise, and gentlemen thereabouts, will not part with a p. 178penny for any such holy purpose. Such great men as these will by no meanes put their neckes, their power, and their purses to any such blessed worke of the LORD: though it be for the erecting of the Kingdome of IESVS CHRIST amongst them: for the illumination and refreshing of a darke and barren place with the light of the Gospell, and waters of life, where both their owne soules, and many more about them are starving and bleeding to eternall death for want of heavenly food and ministeriall helpe. Nay, too many of them detaining the Churches Patrimony, will neither restore it to the proper native use and end: nor (which is very lamentable) part with a little portion of a large revenew in that kind towards a competency. Before you receive encouragement to go on in this course with comfort, I pray you procure us (from your partakers, if there be any such) Answers to those many learned Treatises extant upon this argument, and (for any thing I know) utterly unanswered: especially, M^r. Bernards, D^r. Sclaters, and D^r. Fields. I know well some excellent spirits of late meerely out of the gracious freenesse of their truly noble dispositions, to their great honour, and adorning profession, have given backe to the Church for ever (I meane nothing about buying in Impropriations, one of the most glorious works in that kinde (for any thing I know) that ever was undertaken in this Kingdome) diverse Church-livings, some an hundred pound per annum, some sixe or seven score, some threescore, some one; so many as amount to the p. 179value of above seven hundred pounds yearely. But I must tell you also, they are onelyonly such as you mis-call Puritan-gentlemen (for I neither heare nor know of any other that stirs this way) and how few such are to be found in a Countrey, every eye spiritually illightened may clearely see, and heartily bewaile. For, I meane none but such as are (in true search and censure) GODS best servants, and the Kings best subjects.

I come in a second place to make the point appeare yet further by reasons. And first, such as are peculiar to the severall sorts of greatnesse▪ all w^ch (once for all) I understand such secundum mundum, secundum bominem, secundum carnem, according to the world, according to man, according to the flesh.

And first for excellency of learning understood still after the flesh, implyed also by the Apostle in this place: as appeares by the former words: Where is the Scribe? Where is the Disputer of this world? Where are the learned Rabbins of the Iewes? Where are the profound Philosophers of the Gentiles? Let us take notice that learning of it selfe is a very lovely and illustrious thing, which made Aeneas Silvius in his Epistle to Sigismund Duke of Austria, say, If the face even of humane learning could be seene, it is fairer and more beautifull than the morning or the evening-starre. But notwithstanding bent the wrong way, and spent upon private and pernicious ends, it becomes the fowlest fiend the Devill hath upon earth, and hisDegeneratio optimi pessima. mightiest agent to do a world of mischiefe. No corruption is worse than of that which is best p. 180mis-imployed: it is of wofull consequence, proportionable to its native worth. And the longer and more prosperously it is imployed as an instrument of all, and in the service of Satan ever the more pestilently, which is for my purpose, doth it harden and enrage the heart against all means of grace, the power of godlinesse, and possibility of conversion.

Secondly, men of this world for the most part in the attainement and exercise of learning and knowledge propose to themselves, and finally rest upon many bastard, base, and degenerate ends: as, pleasure of curiosity, quiet of resolution, refining and raising the spirit, ability of discourse, victory of wit, gaine of profession, ornament, and reputation, inablement for imployment and businesse. Thus whereas variety and depth of knowledge should properly and principally serve to prepare, fit, and furnish the soule wherein it is seated: First, for a higher degree, and agreater measure of sanctification in it selfe: secondly, to do GOD more excellent and glorious service: Thirdly, to do more nobly in Ephratha, and be more famous in Bethlehem: I meane, by an edifying and charitable influence to illuminate and better all about them: The most learned men have these worthy ends, and comply exactly with the world: hunting onelyonly after by their knowledge, and aspiring towards (as their utmost aimes) certaine second prizes: as though they laboured onelyonly by their learning to find (as one sayes well:) a cowch whereupon to rest, a searching p. 181and a restlesse spirit: or a tarrasse for a wandring and variable mind, to walke up and downe with a faire prospect: or a tower of state, for a proud mind to raise it selfe upon: or a fort or commanding ground for strife and contention: or a shop for profit or sale: and not a rich store-house for the glory of the Creator, and the reliefe of mans estate. And so by the abuse and misapplying of it, they put their great engine, very powerfull either for excellency of good, or excesse of ill, as it takes, into the Devils hands for the enlarging and advancement of his kingdome: and turne the edge of it to the dangerous hurt of others: and so by consequent and by accident, it prooves a mighty barre to keepe CHRIST and His kingdome out of their hearts.

Let me in a word by an instance intimate unto you the traines and temptations to which they expose themselves, the snares and curses which they incurre, who bend their abilities of learning, closing with the corruptions of the time, to raise and enrich themselves; the two maine ends of the most in these covetous and ambitious dayes.

First, there is a plant in the nurceries of literature of great expectation and hope: which being watered, and warmed at the well-heads of Academicall learning, and with the fruitfull heat of Polemicall exercises and agitations in the Schooles, wherein the true worth and excellency of a Scholler consists, growes ripe and becomes remarkable; so that he heares after him in the streets a secret murmuring: This is the man: Dignum est monstrarier & dicier Hic est: Now by this time he begins p. 182to reflect with the eye of selfe-love, and many vaine-glorious glaunces upon his personall worth and publike applause: and then casts about what course to take. GODS principle and path is: It is better to be good, than great; religious, than rich: And therefore He would have him imploy and improove all his naturall and acquired endowments, all the powers and possibilities of body and soule upon His glory and service that gave them, and where they are more than infinitely due. And that when the good hand of divine providence shall bring him to any place for the exercise of his gifts and ministeriall imployment, he would there spend himselfe (like a shining and burning lampe) in the illumination and salvation of GODS people: and so hereafter shine as the brightnesse of the firmament in the highest heavens, and as the starres forever and ever. Nay, (saies the Devill) that's a sowre, strict, precise way: It is not meet, that such admired eminency of learned parts should be confined to such obscurity, that such rare gifts and depth of knowledge should be lost upon high shoes, and amongst a number of rude, ignorant, and uncapable clownes: and therefore he labours to raise his spirit to higher hopes: and would have him plunge presently into the current of the times, and become somebody in the world. Hereupon (his heart already ravisht with the pleasing apprehension of worldly glory and humane greatnesse, represented by Satan in the most alluring formes to his ambitious imagination) he resolves fearfully against his owne soule, to follow p. 183the streame, to ply the present, and plot all meanes and wayes of preferment: after which ordinarily every step towards an high roome, or to be hastily rich, is a snare and curse unto him: and therefore at the height, he must needs be holden fast in the clutches of Satan. He now begins upon all occasions to disclaime all things that tend to precisenesse, and in his deportment drawes nearer to good fellowship: he remits and interrupts his care and constancy in study, and studies how to understand the world, negotiate for advancement, and humour the times: He merrily derides Doctrine and Vse, as they scoffingly call it: all edifying plainnesse and foolishnesse of preaching: and now he digs with much adoe perhaps a whole quarter of a yeare into the rotten dunghils of Popish Postillers, and phantasticall Friers, and from thence patches together many gayish and gaudy shreds of painted bables, and frothy conceipts and tricks of wit; and at length comes out with a selfe-seeking Sermon: just like that discourse which King IAMES compares to a corne-field in harvest, pestered with red and blew flowers; which choake and eat up all the good graine. For, he well knowes this is the way to ingratiate himselfe into the times, and gratifie those great ones who desire farre more to have their eares tickled, than their consciences toucht; and would rather have pillowes sowed under their arme-holes by such deceiving dawbers, that they may lie more softly upon the bed of security; than the keene arrowes of righteousnesse and truth fastned in their sides p. 184by GODS faithfull messengers to drive them to si…cerity: and yet after this, he must serve his time in serving the times: and through many miseries of secular martyrdome, as Peter Blesensis cals it, and many shipwracks of a good conscience, by basenesse, flattering, attending, depending, and undoing his soule. At last (if he die not in the pursuit, as many have done) besides all these precedent miserable meanes, by present simony, or some other vile services: he comes into some high place, or at least becomes a negligent, non-resident, or insatiable pluralist. Which wicked entrance being accompanied with GODS curse, his heart already so hardened, his ministeriall strength and veine of learning so wasted and dried up by discontinuance, desuetude, and worldly dealings: having now attained his ends, he drownes himselfe over head and eares either in secular businesses, or sensuall pleasures to muffle up the mouth of his horribly guilty conscience: cries downe preaching, opposeth the power of godlinesse: and so becomes rather a wolfe than a shepheard.

In a second place. The rich worldling also is in a wofull case this way, as appeares by CHRISTS owne words, Matth. 19. 23, 24. which is further confirmed by casting our eyes upon Luk. 16. 14. and 1 Tim. 6. 9. Luke 16. 19. And the Pharises which were covetous heard all these things, and derided him. And what heard they from CHRIST? That it was impossible to serve GOD and Mammon. So that there are some passages ever in a faithfull p. 185and searching ministry, which covetous worldlings deride, and will not downe with by any meanes, but resolutely reject in their carnall wisdome as very foolish, unnecessary, precise, and no waies to be given way unto. Especially such as these. 1. That they must restore whatsoever they have any waies gotten, or detaine wrongfully and wickedly. 2. That they must rather themselves starve, and leave their children in beggery, than put their hands to any unlawfull waies or meanes of getting: so much as to tell a lie, &c. 3. That godlinesse is great gaine, and that it is incomparably better to be religious than rich, good than great. 4. That there is a life of faith which will keepe a man in sweet contentment in any estate, should he be never so poore. 5. That Iob was truly richer with CHRIST alone, than when before he was loaden with abundance of thicke clay. 6. That riches are nothing, Proverbes 23. 5. Wilt thou set thine eyes upon that which is not? 7. That they must leave all for CHRIST. 8. That if they part with all for Him, they shalbe recompenced an hundred fold in this life. 9. That if they had no recompence at all in this world, yet the reward that they shall have in the world to come, wilbe a super-abundant recompence.

Notwithstanding these satisfactory and uncontrollable principles, they will be rich in the Apostles sense; after they have gotten a golden heape, will be more rich still: and therefore are easily tempted unto, and taken in the snare of that execrable p. 186and most abhorred trade of usury. In the exercise whereof they still negotiate with the Devill, and receive all their increase at the Devils hands: and therefore how is it possible they should turne on GODS side? And that usurers trade with the Devill, and have their usurious money from him. Heare the judgement of theHom. Vol. 2. Church of ENGLAND, to which ordinarily allHom. 17. pag. …. Ministers subscribe; Verily so many as increase themselves by usury, &c. They have their goods of the Devils gift. Heare also the judgement of the State even of the King, the Nobility, and the whole Body of the Kingdome in Parliament; and in that Statute whence usurers take very falsly some encouragement, as though it were allow'd; which is most untrue. These are the words in the beginning of the Statute: Forasmuch as all usury being forbidden by the Law of GOD, is a sinne, and detestable, 13. Eliz. cap. 8.&c.

Thirdly, though an high place be holden in the false opinion of vaine men, the onelyonly heaven upon earth: yet in truth, and upon triall, by accident it prooves Satans surest hold to hamper them in his strongest and most inextricable snares, untill he tumble them hence with a more desperate and headlong downefall into the pit of hell. For, as those of truest worth are ever timerous, and most retiring in such cases; so the worst men ordinarily are most ambitious and aspiring. Consider for the purpose the unambitious modesty and magnanimity of the olive-tree, fig-tree, and the vine: but the base and worthlesse bramble, a dry, empty,Iudg. 9.Judg 9 p. 187saplesse kex and weed, apt and able only to scratch, teare, and vexe, must needs be up and be hoised into an high room, and domineere over others▪ Men of most prostituted consciences are for the most part the most pragmatical prowlers after undeserved preferments: and the only men to serve themselves vijs & modis, (as they say) into offices, honours, and places of advancement. For, they want honest wit to conceive and fore-see the waight of the charge, & conscience to discharge it faithfully. Now then, where there is a concurrence of corrupt times, a wicked wit, a wide conscience, and a vast gluttonous desire to domineere. What will not be done to attaine their ends? They will not sticke to lie, dissemble, breake their words, forsweare, machiavellize, practise any policy or counterpolicy to honesty, reason, religion, to flatter, raise a faction, humour the times, supplant competitours, gratifie the Devill, do any thing. We may proportionably conceive the malignity of inferiour ambitions by the monstrousnesse of higher aspirations. Now who hath not observed (saith that learned Knight in his Preface to the History of the World) what labour, practice, perill, bloud-shed, and cruelty the Kings and Princes of the world have undergone, exercised, and taken on them to make themselves and their issues masters of the world? Oh by what plots, by what forswearings, betrayings, oppressions, imprisonments, tortures, poysonings, and under what reasons of State, and politicke subtilty have these fore-named Kings, &c. By this time these men by these meanes are mounted (I will suppose) on horsebacke, p. 188and have left many Princes walking as servants upon the earth: And folly is set in great dignity. And what then? Then do they begin so to swell with pride, untill they are ready to burst againe with over-weening of their owne worth, selfe-opinion and selfe-estimation: and to toyle extremely with revengefull inward indignation against all good men: whose hearts (as they conceive) and their consciences tell them (there was just cause) did rise against their growing great and rising. Being thus empoysoned at the first entrance with pride, selfe-conceiptednesse, prejudice, revengefull jealousies, and other exorbitant and base distempers they begin to consider and resolve how to behave themselves in their new purchased place. And we must know there is too much truth in that principle of policy in Tacitus: Never any came to an high roome wrongfully, and unworthily: Nemo unquam imperium flagitio quaesitum bonis artibus exercuit. Hist. lib. 1. pag. 417.but he exercis'd his power and authority wickedly and unjustly. They therefore pitch presently upon such conclusions as these: We will pleasure our friends, though we prey upon the publike, or pinch some peevish precise fellowes, which can well beare it: we will plague our enemies; we must above all, manage matters with a fit correspondency to accomplish our owne ends; especially to enrich our selves, raise our kindred, make way to rise higher, and greaten our posterity; we must looke big, and sometimes amaze the multitude with some acts of awfulnesse and terrour, to procure and preserve respect, feare, and all attributions proper to our place: and let me tell p. 189you by the way; He that suspecteth his owne worth, or other mens opinions, thinking that lesse regard is had of his person, than he believes is due to his place, holds it good policy to spend all the force of his authority in purchasing the name of a severe man. For, the affected sowrenesse of a vaine fellow doth many times resemble the gravity of one that is wise: and the feare wherein they live which are subject to oppression, caries a shew of reverence to him that does the wrong, at least it serves to dazle the eyes of underlings, keeping them from prying into the weakenesse of such as have jurisdiction over them, &c. Beside all this, men in great place are liable, and expos'd daily to moe and stronger temptations, than men of lower ranks. Honour, wealth, worldly reputation, earthly favours, &c. are Satans snares to entangle and tie them faster to their fooles paradise and admired folly; and as golden fetters, to chaine them unmooveably to their noble slavery.

Secondly, great men are for the most part (and it is one of their greatest miseries) so enclosed and beleager'd with flatterers, the basest of slaves, with sycophants, false-hearted followers, selfeseekers, &c. that very hardly (if at all) can any honest man or faithfull Micaiah have accesse, come neare them, or at any time be heard with patience, especially either to tell them the truth, or wisely and humbly reprove them for their faults.

Thirdly, those that are verst in story, shall find many and many a time this property put uponMallent cadere quàm loco cedere. men in high place; to be throwne into the grave, or from their greatnesse, is both one to them. For p. 190first, they so delight in domineering, and dote upon their high roome as their dearest Idoll: And withall they know full well, that as in naturall privation there is no returne to habit, so it is very rarely seene in the privation politique, and point of preferment; that they would even rather die, than be dejected.

Lay now these two points together: and count all the snares from which poorer and private men by reason of their meaner condition are happily exempted: And no marvell though not many mighty, either in heapes of wealth, or height of places, be converted, or go to heaven.

In the fourth place: what a strong hold for the powers of hell, and mighty barre to keepe out grace, worldly wisdome is; may appeare by taking notice of the nature of it, and so of its notoriously pestilent properties. This wisdome of the flesh springing from the principles of carnall reason, and precepts of humane policie, and receiving continuall influence and instigation from that old wily serpent to go on still in his and the worlds waies, doth with a proud disdainfulnesse and imperious contempt scorne the great mysteries of godlinesse, foolishnesse of preaching, simplicity of the Saints, and society of the brotherhood: crosseth directly, and contradicts the counsell and commands of GODS Spirit, in all motions to good, and matters of salvation: accounts in good earnest holinesse hypocrisie, sanctification singularity, profession and practice of sincerity precisenesse, the great things of GODS Law as a strange p. 191thing: In all its consultations concludes ever things pleasing to flesh and bloud; and ends at last with extremest folly and utter confusion. Witnesse Achitophel, who was wise enough to set his house in order, and yet wanted wit to rescue his owne life out of his owne hands: he was curious to provide for his family after his death, and had no care at all to preserve himselfe from eternall death: was not this a madnesse even to miracle, Amentia usquè ad prodigium.as Divines speake? He got him home to his house, put his houshold in order, and hanged2 Sam. 17. 23.2 Sam 17:23 himselfe; and is hanged up in chaines as a dreadfull spectacle to all posterity, for all worldly-wise men to take warning by to the worlds end.

The Spirit of GOD intimates unto us the pestilency of its properties, Iames 3. 15. It is, First, Earthly. Secondly, Sensuall. Thirdly, Devillish.

Devillish: for, it imitateth the Devill in plotting and contriving mischiefe and ruine against the glory of GODS Majesty, and Ministry of His Word. It tasts of his hellish wilinesse in close conveyances and secret infidiations, for the undermining, supplanting, and confounding of the passage of the Gospell, and plantation of grace in the hearts of men. Satan (you know) is ever fierce and furious, when he spies but the least glimpse of GODS truth, or sparke of grace to peepe our and breake forth at any time, or in any place. When the glorious sun-shine of the Gospell did in these latter times of the world (according to the Prophecie in the Revelations) arise out of the darksome▪ p. 192night, and dangerou fogs of Popery, and begun graciously to inlighten many thousand soules which lay in darknesse, and under the shadow of death, with what strange and prodigious rage did the great Dragon presently ascend out of his bottomlesse pit.

Since that time what furious martyring of the Saints, what horrible murthering of Kings, what bloudy massacres, what invincible Armadoes, what hellish powder-plots, what devouring of Martyrs, by that bloud-thirsty monster the Spanish Inquisition, what hatefull imprisonings, what desperate conspiracies, what a deale of hell hath vext and rent the face of Europe, and shaken the pillars of this part of the world: as though all the fiends in hell, and whole armies of those damned spirits were broke loose, to cast the Christian world into a new Chaos of darknesse, combustion and confusion. And all this hath beene the Devils doings of pure spite and malice against the light of the Gospell, and power of the Word. The Pope, Iesuites, and their wicked adherents have beene indeed the instruments and executioners of all these bloudy miseries, but Satan himselfe was the principall agent. The cursed influence of all this wrath and rage was inspir'd from him, and every particular and circumstance of all these mischiefes was first plotted in hell, before they were acted upon earth.

2. In our owne kingdome also his spite and malice against the light of the Gospell hath beene notorious and transcendent since the Word of p. 193truth hath growne powerfull amongst us. With what strange fury and malice hath Satan bestirred himselfe? What a deale of deare and innocent bloud did that red Dragon drinke up in Queene Maries time? For five yeares space the fire of persecution did flame in this land, and the sacred bodies of our glorious blessed Martyrs were sacrificed amids the mercilesse fury thereof: Afterward what a blacke and bloudy catalogue of most hatefull and prodigious conspiracies did run parallell with that golden time of Queene ELIZABETHS life, that (now) glorious Saint of dearest memory? But in all this hellish rage the Devill never played the Devill indeed, untill he came to the gun-powder-plot; that was such a piece of service against the light of y^e Gospell, as the Sun never saw before; the sons of men never heard of, hel it self never hatcht. Since Satan fel from heaven, and a Church was first planted upon y^• earth, there was never any thing in that kind which made the Devils Malice more famous, GODS mercies more glorious, that Priest of Rome and his bloudy superstition more odious; or that cast such a shame and obloquy upon the innocency of Christian Religion. And all this was the Devils doing of pure spite and malice against the glory of the Gospell, the power of the Word, and the Saints of GOD. I say he was the archplotter and first moover of all these mischiefes. The Pope, and Iesuites, and their cursed confederates were indeed his instruments, executioners and agents, as we well know, and some of the Priests themselves confesse. See Quodl. 7. Act. 8. pag. 199.

p. 194Scarce was that blessed Queene and incomparable Lady warme in her Princely Throne; but Satan sets on the Pope Pius Quintus, he sends from Rome two Popish Priests, Morton and Webbe with a Bull of excommunication; whereby the subjects and people of the Kingdome were in a Popish sense discharg'd and assoil'd from their allegiance, loyaltie and obedience to her Majestie. They sollicit the two traiterous Earles of the North, Northumberland and Westmerland, to be the executioners of this bloudy Bull, which indeed was the fountaine and foundation of all the succeeding horrible plots and barbarous treacheries. See Bells Anatomy of Popish tyrannie, in his Epist. Dedic. a little booke called The executioner of justice in England, &c. I pray GOD now at length turne these Popish murderous hearts from whetting any moe swords to shed the bloud of the LORDS annointed: or returne the sharpe swords from the point with a cutting edge on both sides, even up to the very hilts into their owne hearts bloud. O LORD, let the King flourish with a crowne of glory upon his head, and a Scepter of triumph in his hand, and still wash his Princely feet in the bloud of his enemies.

3. This spitefull rage and furious oposition of Satan against the power of the word, appears also by daily experience in those towns & parishes; where by the mercies of GOD, a conscionable Ministry is planted; before, while Satan ruled and raigned amongst them, by his wicked deputies, ignorance, prophanenes, Popish superstitions, sinful vanities, p. 195lewd sports, prophanation of the Saboth, filthines, drunkennes, and such other accursed Pursevants for Hell: Why then all was well, all was in quiet and in peace. O then that was a merry world, and as good a Towne for good-fellowship, as was in all the Country. And no marvaile: when a strong armed man keepeth his Pallace, the things that he possesseth are in peace. Luke 11. 21. While Sathan sits in their hearts, and rules in their Consciences; he suffers them to have their swings in their furious vanities and wicked pleasures, without any great disturbance or contradiction. And commonly he never sets prophane people together by the eares and at odds, but when his owne kingdome may be more strengthened, and their soules more endanger'd by dissention, than by their partaking in prophanenesse, and brotherhood in iniquity. Let it not seeme strange then, when townes and parishes where conscionable meanes are wanting, live merrily and pleasantly; for, they walke together in the knot of good-fellowship, through the broad way, they follow the course of their owne corruptions, and swing of their corrupt affection, and swim downe the current of the times, and are at Satans beck to do him any desperate and notorious service at all assaies, in all passages of prophanenesse, and offices of impiety and rebellion: but bring amongst such a powerfull Ministerie, which takes a right course for the plantation of grace, and salvation of their soules: and then marke how spitefully and furiously Satan begins to bestirre himselfe; besides p. 196his owne malice and machinations, he presently sets on foot and on fire too all that belong unto him in his instigation. They band and combine themselves with great rage and indignation against the power of the Word, and the faithfull messengers of GOD. They fret, and fume, picke unnecessary quarrels, raile, slander, and indeed foame out filthily their owne shame, in disgracing the truth of GOD without all truth or conscience: and il Satan spies any poore soule amongst them to be pulled out of his clutches and kingdome of darknesse by the preaching of the Word, he presently sets all the rest upon him as so many dogged curres, or rather furious wolves (for so our blessed Saviour makes the comparison) upon a harmelesse lambe; he whets (like sharpe razors) all the lying and lewd tongues in the towne, and tips them with the very fire of hell; so that they plead for prophanenesse, prophaning the Sabbath, and many sinfull fooleries and vanities in all places where they come. He makes those who have a little more wit, his close factors and under-hand-dealers: for that stands not with Satans policy, and the reputation of the worldly-wise, that themselves should be open actors in childish vanities, and profes'd enemies to the Law of GOD: they do him sufficient service by being secret patrons and protectors of impiety, counsellers and countenancers of the works of darknesse: he fils the mouthes of the ignorant with slanderous complaints and cries, that there was neuer good world since there was so much knowledge: that there p. 197was never more preaching, but never lesse working: whereas (poore soules) they never yet knew what grace or good work meant, or scarce good word: but their naughty tongues, and hatred to be reformed, are true causes why both the world and places where they live, are farre worse. Those that are desperately and notoriously naught, he inforces and inrages like mad dogs; so that they impudently and openly barke at, and with their impoysoned fangs furiously snatch at that hurtlesse hand which would heale and bind up their bleeding soules: they are like dogs barking at the moone; for, GODS Ministers are starres in the right hand of CHRIST, Revel. 1. 16. If they would do them any deadly harme, they must plucke them thence; but let them take heed how they be bold and busie that way, lest at last they take a beare by the tooth, and awake a sleeping lion.

Thus you see what a stirre the Devill keepes when he is like to be driven from his hold by the power of the Word: and how he playes the Devill indeed, when the light of the Gospell begins to shine in a place which himselfe hath long kept in darknesse and errour by those twofold fiends, ignorance and prophanenesse. Perhaps at the very first rising of that glorious sun of the Word of life unto a people that hath sit in darknesse and under the shadow of death, it breeds onelyonly astonishment and amazement, they are for a while onelyonly dazelled with the glory and beauty of so rare and extraordinary a light, but when after some little p. 198space they be thorowly heated, and it begin to burne up their noy some lusts, to gall their guilty consciences, to sting their carnall hearts, to vexe and disquiet their covetous affections, then begins all the stirre, and Satan to play his part: the sudden infliction of a wound is not so very painefull, and while it is greene it is not so grievous, but after, when it comes to be searched in cold bloud, to have tents put into it, and corrasives applied, then it goeth to the heart: When the sword of the Spirit first strikes the carnall heart, it may perhaps beare away the blow reasonable well; but if the Chirurgion of the soule, I meane the Minister of the Word follow his cure faithfully, and open the wound wider, as he sees need, apply spirituall cor…osives to eat away the ranknesse of the flesh, and the poyson of sinne, then begins the prophane man (if the LORD give him not grace to suffer his soule to be saved) to rage and rave with the smart of it, and perhaps with malice and fury to fly into the face of his soules Physitian.

See the humour of prophane men against the power of a conscionable Ministery, Ier. 44. 15, &c. Acts 13. 8. and Cap. 14. 2, &c. and Ver. 19. and Cap. 16. 19. and Cap. 17. 5. and Ver. 32. and Cap. 19. 2…. and 24. 5.

This spite and malice of Satan against sincerity and grace is to be seene also in private families: if the governours of the house, the children and servants be all prophane (as it is very true of very many in most places) then they are passing well met for matter of Religion, and were there nothing p. 199amongst them to breed difference and dissention, but GODS service, they would never fall out: for they are all content to heare no more, or more often of the affaires of heaven, judgements for sin, the wayes of GOD, and reformation of their life, than they must needs: they are all willing and forward to prophane the Sabbath, in one kind or other; some by absenting themselves from the house of GOD, some by worldly talke all the day long, some by idlenesse, some by sinfull sports, &c. They are well content to lie downe at night, like wild beasts in their dens, without lifting up their hearts together unto that mercifull GOD which hath preserved and prospered them all the day: to rise up also in the morning, prayerlesse, or onelyonly with formall prayers. They all joyne in malice against the Ministry of the Word, in slanderous lies against the messengers of GOD, in base and reviling speeches against the professours of Christianity. The reason is, they are all possessed with the same spirit of prophanenesse, love of pleasures, hatred to be reformed, and carnality of heart. But if it once please the LORD to plant grace in the heart of the Master of the family; so that he begin to plant in his house reformation, houshold instruction, prayer, sanctification of the Sabbath, and other holy orders, and godly exercises; then presently begins the Devill to stir in the hearts and tongues of their prophane servants: they begin to be furiously impatient of such precisenesse, strictnesse, and restraints (for so they wickedly and wrongfully call the pleasures of p. 200grace and way to heaven) they can by no meanes digest such new fashions: they'l not be troubled with giving account of Sermons they heare: they'l have their recreation on the Sabbath, that they will: they'l not be mew'd up at home, when other mens servants are at their sports abroad, &c. Nay perhaps even their owne children (except the LORD season them with the same grace) may grow stubborne and refractory, and very rebellious and disobedient to the best things: so that in a holy sense, CHRISTS words may be there truly verified, Matth. 10. 34, 35. Thus was zealous David troubled with the vanity of a scornefull, proud, and prophane wife, 2 Sam. 5. 20. Abel with a bloudy brother, Gen. 4. 8. Iacob with a prophane Esau, Gen. 27. 41. Isaac with a mocking Ishmael: And many a gracious heart in families where grace beares not sway, with the lewdnesse, malice, and ungodly oppositions of those among whom they live.

Or if it so fall out that the power of grace seaze on the heart of a servant or sonne, so that he begin to be sensible of the ignorance, disorders, prophanenesse, and sinfull confusions of the house where he dwels: desires to spend the Sabbath as Christians use to do: then presently begins Satan to put rage into the heart, and frownings into the face of the father or master of the family: he then takes on, tels him, that such precisenesse is not for his profit, hee'l have no such inferiour fellow to be a reformer of his family: hee'l not be controlled and contradicted in his owne house, hee'l governe p. 201his people in the old fashion as his father did before him, &c. so that there is no longer biding for that new convert under such a crabbed master, without a very great deale of patience. All this, and a thousand more mischiefes are the blacke broods and bloudy effects of Satans malice against the power of the Word, and the plantation of grace.

GOD Himselfe is the GOD of peace, CHRIST IESVS the Prince of peace, and the blessed Spirit is the fountaine of peace, that passeth all understanding, the holy Word is the Gospell of peace, the faithfull Ministers are the Messengers of reconciliation and peace, the Saints of GOD are the children of peace: The Divell and the rebellious corruptions of prophane men are indeed and truth the true causes of all these stirs and strong oppositions, which are raised any where, at any time, any waies in the case and cause of Religion. The fault I confesse, and imputation of troublesomenesse is lai'd upon GODS children by the lewd tongues of gracelesse men. See Ier. 15. 10. utterly without cause. 1. Kings 18. 17. Act. 24. 3 &c. but these and the like are lies hatch't in Hell, and managed by the malice of carnall men. And that was most true, which the blessed Prophet of GOD Elijah, and the holy Apostle Saint Paul answered in such cases, 1. Kings 18. 18. Act. 24. 13, 14. and so proportionably may all Christians answer all prophane wretches amongst whom they liue: It is you and your prophane families, your proud ignorance, hatred to be reformed, malice against the p. 202Ministery, &c. which trouble Israel, are the true causes of all Dissentions and disquietnesse, and bring upon us all these plagues and judgements which any way afflict us. A godly Minister stands at staves end with all the world, and hath the most enemies of any man. He must warre not onelyonly with desperate swaggerers and notorious sinners, but also with civill honest men, formall Professors, counterfeit Christians, unsound converts, relapsed creatures, &c.

5. Lastly, That particular person, whom it pleases the LORD to sanctifie and set apart for his service, hath good experience of Satans fury and rage against sincerity and grace: there is not a man that passeth out of the powers of darkenesse and Satans bondage, by the power of the word, but he presently pursues him farre more furiously, then ever Pharaoh did the Israelites, to recover and regaine him into his kingdome. See my discourse of Happinesse, pag. 60.

Thus I have given you a taste of the Divells malice and machinations against the light of the Gospell, the power of GODS truth, and the Ministery of the Word: now you must understand that worldly wisdome is his very righthand, nearest counsellor and chiefest champion in all these mischievous plots and furious outrages against GOD and goodnesse. This hath beene more then manifest in all ages of the Church: In those great Politicians, the Scribes and Pharisees; in the States-men of Rome; in our times, and amongst us daily: worldly-wise men, that are only p. 203guided by carnall reason, they imploy their wit, their power, their malice, their friends, their under-hand dealings, their policy and their purses too, unlesse they be too covetous; to hinder, stop, disgrace, and slander the passage of a conscionable Ministery and the Messengers of Almighty GOD, of whom the LORD hath said, Touch not mine annointed, and doe my Prophets no harme, Psal. 105. 15. They ever imitate and follow to a haires bredth their Father the Divell in malice and practise against grace and good men; except sometimes they forbeare for a time for advantage, for reputation; or such other by-respects and private ends: except naturally they be extraordinarily ingenuous, and of very loving and kinde naturall dispositions; or bee restrained by feare of some remarkable judgement, from persecution of the Ministers.

2. As worldly wisdome is divelish, as Saint Iames calls it, and ever mixed with a spice of Hellish malice and virulency against the Kingdome of CHRIST: so it is also earthly, for it mindes onelyonly earthly things, and though that casts beyond the Moone for matters of the world, yet it hath not an inch of forecast for the world to come: But though a man be to passe, perhaps the next day, nay the next houre, nay the next moment, to that dreadfull Tribunall of GOD, and to an unavoideable everlasting estate in another world, either in the joyes of heaven, or in the paines of hell, yet it so glues and nailes his hopes, desires, projects, and resolutions to transitory pelfe, and p. 204things of this life, as though both body and soule at their dissolution, should be wholly and everlastingly resolved, and turned into earth, dust, or nothing.

To give you a taste of this earthlinesse of worldly wisdome, give me a worldly-wise man, and,

1. Put him into discourse of the affaires of the world, and the businesse of his calling, and you shall find him profound and deepe in this argument, able to speake well and to the purpose, if it were a whole day, and that with dexterity and cheerfulnesse: But divert his discourse a little, and turne him into talke of matters of heaven, of the great mystery of godlinesse, the secrets of sanctification, cases of conscience, and such like holy conference; and you shall find him to be a very infant, an ideot: it may be, he may say something of the generall points of Religion, of matters in controversie, of the meaning of some places in Scripture: but come to conferre of practicall dignity, experimentall knowledge, passages of Christianity, and practices of grace, and you shall find him, and he shall shew himselfe to be able to say just nothing with feeling and comfort: many a poore neglected Christian, which in the spirit of disdainfulnesse, and out of the pride of his carnall wisdome, he tramples upon with contempt, and would scorne to be matcht with in other matters: yet would infinitely surpasse him in this case; quite put him downe, that he would have nothing to say.

p. 2052. Let him come to some great personage with a suit, to intreat his favour and countenance, or to give him thanks for some former good turn: and he will be able to speake well, plausibly, pleasingly, persuasively, and seasonably: but put him to pray in his family unto Almighty GOD for the pardon of his sins, and a crowne of life, for the remoovall of damnation and an everlasting curse; to powre out his soule in thankfulnesse for every good thing he enjoyeth (for he holds all from Him) and such a wise man (which is strange and fearefull) in a businesse of so great weight, will not be able to speake scarce one wise word without a booke.

3. Come into his family, examine the estate of his house, you shall find all things in good order, every affaire marshalled and disposed for the best advantage, a provident fore-cast, and present provision of things necessary for their bodies: Every one busie in their severall imployments, and carefull in the workes of their calling: but search also into the estate of their soules, what heavenly food is ministred for their spirituall life, how the Sabbath is sanctified among them, how it stands with them for houshold-instructions and familyexercises, &c. And (GOD knowes) in that regard, that way there is no providence at all, no care, no conscience about any such matters.

Walke also amongst his husbandry: you shall find his arable carefully dunged, tilled and sowne: his pastures well mounded, bankt and trencht; his trees pruned, his gardens weeded, his cattell p. 206watchfully tended: but inquire into the spirituall husbandry at home in his owne conscience, and you shall find his heart over-growne with sinne, as the wildest wast with thistles and briars: no fence to keepe the Devill out of his soule, many noysome lusts growing thick and ranke, like so many nettles and brambles to be cut downe and cast into the fire; so that his silliest lambe and poorest pig is in a thousand times more happie ease, then himselfe the owner, and well were he if his last end might be like theirs, that is, that his immortall soule might dye with his body: but that cannot be; except in the meane time he repent, and renounce his carnall reason, hee must be destroyed with an everlasting perdition, from the presence of GOD, and from the glory of His power.

4. Consider His care and affection towards His children; you shall finde that to be all earth: for whereas perhaps with farrelesse toyle and travaile, by the mercies of GOD, by teaching them the feare of GOD, instructing them in the wayes of godlinesse, restraining them from prophanenesse, and prophaning the Sabbath, by his owne example of piety and godly conversation, he might plant grace in their hearts, and provide a crowne of glory for their heads hereafter: yet (wretched man) he doth not onelyonly wickedly neglect these meanes of everlasting comfort: but with too much worldlinesse, variety of vexations (and perhaps for his very wickednesse that way, if there were nothing else) with the great danger of his owne soule; he heapes up for them those hoards, p. 207that will hereafter heape coales of vengeance on their heads; and purchases and provides for them those greene pastures of a prosperous state in this world wherein they are fatted for the same slaughter, and thorow which they prophanely passe into the pit of the same endlesse destruction with himselfe.

5. Aske his judgement about the Sabbath, and ordinarily you shall find his resolution to be this; that he sees no reason but mens servants and children may enjoy some houres of recreation and sport even upon the Sabbath, especially with exception of times of Divine Service: what would they have us to do, (will he say) or what would they make of us? I hope they doe not looke we should be Angels upon earth: they know, we are but flesh and bloud. It is too true indeed, this cavilling against the keeping of the Sabbath savours full rankly of flesh and bloud.

GOD out of the abundance of His owne goodnesse, and compassionate consideration of our weakenesse hath allotted and allowed unto us six dayes for our owne businesse, and reserved but one to be consecrated in speciall manner, as glorious unto Him; and yet wretched men, they must needs clip the LORDS coyne, encroach upon His sanctified time, and unthankfully and accursedly spend those holy houres in which they should treasure up knowledge and comfort against that fearefull day, in idlenesse, worldinesse, and prophane pastimes, whereby besides the particular curse upon their owne soules, they many times p. 208draw many miseries and plagues upon the place where they live. This reason is carnall indeed, this wisdome is earthly with a witnesse.

6. Add another out of Luke 12. 39, 40.

Thus you see worldly wisdome in all that consultation and cariages inclines unto the earth, provides ever with greatest care for the world, and savours rankly of flesh and bloud.

3. It is also sensuall: for, it doth senslesly preferre the pleasures of sense and pleasing the appetite, before the peace of conscience and sense of GODS favour. It provides a thousand times better for a body of earth, which must shortly upon an unavoidable necessity, feed the wormes, and turne to dust; than for a precious immortall foule, the immediate issue of GODS almightinesse, and which can never possibly die: It doth with greater sweetnesse and hold-fast, relish, apprehend and enjoy the furious delights of some bosome-sinne, which it hath in present pursuit, taste and possession, than spirituall graces, GODS favour, joy in that blessed Spirit, and a crowne of life hereafter; for which it hath GODS Word and Promise, if it would be wise to salvation. In a word: it doth so highly preferre a few bitter-sweet pleasures for an inch of time in this vale of teares, before unmixed and immeasurable joyes thorow all eternity in the glorious mansions of heaven: Is not this wisdome strangely nailed and glued unto sense, and stupidly senslesse in spirituall things, that though many times fore-told and fore-warned by the Ministry of the Word, yet will needs for the p. 209temporary satisfaction of its carnall, covetous, or ambitious humour, with filthy vexing, transitory pelfe, with vanity, dung, nothing, run wilfully and headlong upon easelesse, endlesse, and remedilesse torments in the world to come? And that which is the just curse and plague of worldly wisdome, (this spirituall madnesse commonly called) it is confident that it doth wisely, and takes the best way, and thereupon becomes incorrigible and obstinate: For there is more hope of a foole, than of him that is wise in his owne conceipt, Prov. 26. 22. And, Though thou shouldest bray a foole in a morter, yet will not his foolishnesse depart from him, Prov. 27. 22. How fearefull then is his case, that to his worldly wisdome joynes confidence in his wayes? But the day will come that hee'l see and bewaile the vanity of his wisdome, and the truth of his folly, and that with bitter griefe and horrible anguish even in hell fire, as it is notably set downe in the booke of Wisdome, Cap. 5.

But the word which here in Iames is rendred sensuall, is the same which is used, 1 Corinth. 2. 14. The naturall man receiveth not the things, &c. foreign.

So that worldly wisdome is in that sense naturall: that it can neither relish nor receive the things of the spirit: it cannot possibly conceive and comprehend the immediate meanes and mysteries of salvation: let a man otherwise be never so faire and comely in body, never so proportionable, personable, or goodly to look upon, and in the eye of others, yet if himselfe want eyes (the p. 210instruments of light, he cannot possibly behold and gaze upon with delight the goodlinesse and glory of this great frame of the world about him: he cannot see the brightnesse of the Sun, the beauty of the earth, and the delightsome variety of the creatures: so a worldly-wise man, though he be never so gracefull for his other parts, never so admirable to carnall eyes, or mightily magnifi dby his flatterers or favourites: yet wanting the saving sight of GODs sanctifying Spirit, and the eye of spirituall understanding, is starke blind in spirituall matters, and cannot possibly behold the rich paradise of the kingdome of grace, the secrets of sanctification, and the incomparable glory and excellency of Christianity. This wisdome of the flesh serves the worldling (like the Ostrich wings) to make him to out▪ run others upon the earth and in earthly things; but can helpe him never a whit towards heaven: nay, is rather like a heavy millstone about his necke, to make him sinke deeper into the bottomlesse pit of hell.

The reason why these great politicians and jolly wise men of the world (as they are called) for all their depths and devices, with all their wit and windings, cannot understand one tittle of the things of GOD, is, because this spirituall knowledge is hid from them, for so saith our Saviour CHRIST, Mat. 11. 25. I give thee thankes O Father, LORD of heaven and earth, because thou hast hid these things from the wise and men of understanding, and hast revealed them unto babes. And this reason our Saviour rendreth why he spake to worldlings p. 211in parables, and to his Disciples plainely, because to these it was given to know the secrets of the kingdome of heaven, but to them it was not given. And indeed it is just with GOD, that,

1. Sith they (when the glorious sun of the Word of life shines surely upon their faces, do wilfully shut their eyes against it, that He should strike them starke blind, so that for matters of salvation they should grope even at noone-day, as the blind gropeth in darknesse, and stumbleth in the darkest night.

2. Sith they depend on their owne policy, depths, and turning devices, GOD justly turnes them loose to follow the swing of their carnall reason; and suffers them to lie and delight themselves in the sensualmists, and self-conceipted fooleries and vanities of their own naturall wisdome: while the Moone lookes directly upon the Sun, from whom she borrowes her light, she is bright and beautifull, but if she once turne aside, and be left to her selfe, she loses all her glory, and enjoyes but onelyonly a shadow of light which is her owne: so while men with humility and teachablenesse turne their faces toward the Sun of righteousnesse, CHRIST IESVS, and those Starres which he holds in his right hand, the faithfull Ministers, to receive from them illumination in heavenly things, and instruction in the wayes of GOD, GOD doth graciously vouchsafe unto them the glorious light of saving knowledge: but when they turne their backs upon Him, betake themselves to their owne plots and projects, devices and policies, and p. 212seeke deepe to hide their counsell from the LORD: then they are justly left to the darksome giddinesse of their carnall reason, and walke towards fearefulnesse and horrour, thorough the windings and turnings of their worldly wisdome.

3. Because they are proud of their earthly policy, the LORD will not give them prudence in heavenly matters: because they are wise in their own conceipts, they are justly given over to follow the deceitfulnesse of their owne hearts: with an imperious disdainfulnesse, they scorne the simplicity of the Saints, and therefore they are justly blinded, to thinke the wayes of their salvation foolishnesse.

4. Worldly men make an Idoll of their wisdome: both in respect that they wholly repose themselves upon it, for their provision and protection, and because they secretly desire to be admired and adored for it, as men of extraordinary endowments, and oracles of discretion and policy: and it may be, that they are so by their favourites and flatterers: but they must give GOD His Word, and good men leave to censure them truly and justly to be the notoriousest fooles upon earth, because they are infants and ideots in the matters and mysteries of salvation. Now I say, because they make an idoll of their wisdome, GOD and this earthly Dagon cannot possibly dwell together in one soule, but in his just judgement suffers them with such doting devotion, selfconceipt to sacrifice unto it, that they want both understanding and hearts to do him any acceptable service.

p. 213This naturall and sensuall wisdome being thus hoodwinked from al heavenly light by GODs just judgement, and by the pride, prejudice, wilfulnesse, selfenesse of the owner doth proportion and measure all its conceipts and considerations of Religion and religious men by the unsound and sensuall principles of our corrupt nature, and by the false scantling of carnall reason.

We may see this carnality of worldly wisdome in censuring spirituall things in Nicodemus, Ioh. 3. See also a carnall conceipt of worldly wisdome in my Discourse of true happinesse, pag. 58, 59.

Hence it is also that we find it to be a constant property of a worldly-wise man to conceive or censure a zealous profession of GODs truth, and sound practice of sincerity, to be nothing but hypocrisie and humour: an affectation of singularitie, precisenesse, and a kind of odnesse from other men. The reason is, when he lookes upon himselfe in the flattering glasse of selfe-conceipt, he judges himselfe to be a very jolly fellow: thinkes he within his owne heart; I go for a sufficient man in the world: the best make good account of me:Quis que in alio supersluum esse censet, ipse quod non h…bet, nec cu…at: That which he hath not himselfe, or doth not esteeme, he accounts superfluity, an idle quality, a meere foppery or hypocrisie in another. I am well beloved of my neighbours: my sufficiency for wisdome, moderation in Religion, civility for cariage, justnesse in dealings with men, are both knowne, and well spoke of by the most: and what would you have more in a man? Hereupon, out of this practicall survey of his owne counterfeit worth, and because he is starke blind in spirituall matters, and the affaires of heaven, he presently concludes, whatsoever zeale, singularities p. 214of grace and spirituall excellencies are supposed by some kind of men to be in others, especially, if they be of lower rank and lesse account for worldly wisdome than himselfe, to be nothing but onelyonly outward shewes, pretences and hypocrisies: he is furnished in his owne conceipt with a competency, if not an extraordinary sufficiency of naturall and morall endowments▪ and he never felt either the power of grace, neither can possibly see or acknowledge those holy operations in others: and therefore he cannot be perswaded, but he is fully as good as the precisest of them (for that's the language of prophanenesse against grace) and that there is no worth worth naming, or any true reall goodnesse in those they now call Christians, over and besides that which he findeth in himselfe.

5. Concerning greatnesse of nobility, understand that by nobles I meane both the greater and lesse nobility, according to D^r. Smiths distinctionCap. 17, 1…. in his Common-Weale of England: And this double nobility is of diverse sorts. 1. Personall. 2. By descent.

6. There is yet another nobility, which is divine and super-naturall; in regard whereof all other kinds whatsoever are but shadowes and shapes of noblenesse. Here GOD is top of the kin, and religion is the root. These are truly and the onelyonly noble indeed, and so accounted by King David, though of no account in the world at all. How rarely is the glorious image of the LORD IESVS (which onelyonly creates this excellency) p. 215seene shine in their soules, or show forth it selfe in their holy conversation, who glister in outward glory, and are lifted up above others by eminency of noble birth, or indulgence of highest favours. Such noblemen and gentlemen are blacke swans, and thinly scatter'd in the firmament of a State, even like starres of the first magnitude. For, saith my Text, Not many noble, &c.

And that no marvell, for many reasons. And yet I will not here trouble you, in telling how miserably and extremely ill those who be better borne are ordinarily educated. Alas, they are too often brought up in ignorance, idlenesse, excessive pursuit of sports and vaine things: in drinking, carnall loosenesse, riotous excesse, in sensuality, pride, prophanation of the LORDS Day: In strange fashions, healthing, gaming, good-fellowship: in frequenting Playes, those grand impoysoners of many hopefull plants, with universall, prophane, unnaturall dissolutenesse, melting unhappily the vigour of their spirits into effeminatenesse, lightnesse and lust. And almost ever in a constant opposition to the good way, the power of godlinesse, and strictnesse of the Saints, who are the ordinary objects of their greatest distast, jesting and scorne: and whereas they (of all others) have best meanes, largest maintenance, most time, capacity, and pregnancy of wit, and other encouraging advantages whereby they might become excellent schollers, of eminent abilities, proportionable to their precedency in birth: yet for want of a conscionable care in their education, of choice p. 216for godly and worthy Schoole-masters, Tutors, Teachers, Consorts, Ministers, and restraint from the corruptions of the times: and by reason of their perverting and empoysoning by the forenamed youthfull aberrations, or rather exorbitancies. They passe through those famous nurceries of learning and law, without any materiall impressions of Academicall worth, or wisdome of State. At length returning many times unto rich inheritances, and faire estates, and then reflecting upon their lost time with late repentance, and finding in themselves neither any competent sufficiencies to serve their Countrey, or to little purpose, and very poorely; norany solid stocke of sound learning for their working spirits to be exercis'd in, and feed upon with contentment: they resolvedly languish and dissolve into idlenesse and pleasures, as though they were put into the world, as Leviathan into the sea, to take their pastime therein. And so at last in respect either of personall worth, or the publike good, they become but unprofitable burdens of the earth: and by their exemplary ill expence of time, if not farre baser trickes; the very bane of the Countreys that bred them, and great dishonour to the families that owne them. For assure your selves, to be well borne, and live like an humane beast, is a notorious blemish to a noble House: and let never any be so vaine, as to brag of their birth, except they be new-borne: this honour of birth (saith Charron) may light upon a viciousPag. 2…1. man, &c.

p. 217Neither will I here take up a complaint of the much lamented degeneration of our moderne Nobility and Gentry (I ever except the truly worthy and noble) from even the civill worthines, military valour, and noble deportment of former times. Now adaies, if a man looke big, be first in the fashions, shake his shag-haire in aboisterous and ruffian-like manner, carie himselfe with a disdainfull neglect and proud bravery, and with an affected, and artificiall haughtinesse of countenance, outbrave others, and brow-beat his brethren, better than himselfe, he is the man. But alas! How farre distant is this, and degenerating from true generousnes, and that sweet amiable courtesie and affability which is wont to dwell in the gentle breasts of the ancient English Nobles? I am afraid if we go on, our posterity will find in the next age the basest generation of English that ever breathed in this famous Kingdome. Sir Walter Rawleigh, I confesse in his excellent Work having discoursed and discussed of this Question,Lib. 5. pag. …61. & seq. whether the Romans could have rectified the Great Alexander, makes good in a second place to the matchlesse honour of this Nation, that neither the Macedonian nor the Roman souldier was of equall valour to the English. But when were those times? When his Father sent to the Blacke Prince, fighting (as it were) in bloud to the knees, and in great distresse this message: Let himHistor. of Frame pag. 196. either vanquish or die. When Warwicke, Bedsord, and that famous Talbot, and such other victorious English Commanders with their valiant p. 218armies walked up and downe France, like so many invincible Lions. But oh the mighty, and unconquerable manhood and magnanimity of the ancient English! Whether art thou gone, and where art thou buried, that we might visit thy Tombe? But I say, to let these passe, I onelyonly lay hold upon that which is most pregnant and punctuall to my purpose. These Nobles in my text, and ordinarily in all times swallow downe so many bai…s from the Devils hands, are so surrounded with variety and strength of temptations: so ill brought up, and so vainely puft up with insolency and selfe-estimation because they are lifted up above others: They are so lined with inextricable ensnarements, by pleasures, riches, honours, ease, liberty, earthly splendour, bravery, applause of the world, and pride of life; that commonly, by such time as they come to the strength of body and mind, corrupt affection obtaines its full strength and height, and hardnesse in their hearts: And then, and by that time, in what danger they are for salvation, you may perceive by well weighing the condition of this Devillish engine, and its cursed companion, which I am wont to describe thus:

It is the ripened and actuated strength and rageCorrupt affection defined. of originall corruption that furiously executes the rebellious dictates of the Devill, and desperate projects of mens sensuall hearts: stands at defiance, professes open hostility against grace, goodnesse, good men, good causes, and all courses of sanctification: seeds upon so long, and fils it selfe p. 219so full with worldly vanities and pleasures, that growing by little and little incorrigible, and hating to be reform'd, it breeds, and brings forth (as its naturall issue) despaire, horrour, and the worme which never dies.

And this corrupt affection is of it selfe, and naturally, First, untameable; Secondly, insatiable; Thirdly, desperate.

1. Untameable. The heart of man is naturallyNo workes, signes or miracles are able to change the hardnesse of mans heart, but grace from GOD onelyonly. of the hardest flint, hew'd immediatly out of the sturdy and stubborne rock of the race of Adam. It owne corruption, the just curse of GOD upon it, and the accursed influence of hellish malice, fill it so full of iron sinewes, and of such adamant and prodigious hardnesse, that no crosse or createdIoh. 12. 37, 38.John 12:37John 12:38 power, not the softest eloquence or severest course; nay, not the weight of the whole world, or the heavinesse of hell, if they were all pressed upon it, could possibly bend and breake it, make it yeeld or relent one jot from it obstinate and outragious fury in it owne waies: this is onelyonly the worke of the holy Ghost, with the hammer of the Word. The stubborne Israelites were heavily laden, with an extraordinary variety of most grievous crosses and afflictions: there was nothing wanting to make them outwardly miserable; and no misery inflicted upon them, but upon purpose to humble and take downe their rebellious hearts. See Isa. 1. 5, 6, 7. How the Prophet paints out to the life the rufull and distresfull state of their fresh-bleeding desolations: The whole head (saith he) is sicke, and the whole heart is heavy, &c. for the p. 220place is meant, not (as some take it) of their sins, but of their sorrowes. But all the blowes and pressures were so farre from softning their hearts, that they hardned and emmarbled more and more. Wherefore (saith the Prophet) should ye be smitten any more, for ye fall away more and more? What created power can possibly have more power upon the soules of men, than the sacred Sermons of the Son of GOD, who spake as never man spake? And yet these deare intreaties and melting invitations which sweetly & tenderly flow'd from that heart, which was resolved to spill that warmest and inmost blood for their sakes moved those stiffe-necked Iewes never a jot: Ierusalem, Ierusalem, saith he, which killest the Prophets, &c. Mat. 23. 37. Isaiah that noble Prophet, whose matchelesse eloquence surpasseth the capacity of the largest created understanding; and to which the powerfull elegancies of prophane writers is purebarbarisme, shed many and many a gracious and golden shower of softest and sweetest eloquence upon a sinfull nation and rebellious people, which was fruitlesly and vainly spilt as water upon the ground, or lost upon the hardest slint: many a piercing and powerfull Sermon had he spent amongst them, to the wasting of his strength and spirits; which yet was to them as an idle and empty breath, vanishing into nothing, and scatter'd in the aire. The LORD (as He saies Himselfe) made His mouth as a sharpe sword,Cap. 49. 4. and Himselfe as a chosen shaft; and yet that twoedged sword was full often blunted upon their hardest hearts; and his keene arrowes discharged p. 221by a skilfull hand, rebounded from their flinty bosomes, as shafts shot against a stone wall. And that made that Seraphicall Oratour, the unmatched Paragon of sacred eloquence, thus to complaine, Isa. 47. 4. I have laboured in vaine, I have spent my strength in vaine, and for nothing: A course of extraordinary severity and terrour was taken with Pharaoh; he was not onelyonly chastised with rods, but even scourged with Scorpions: and yet all the plagues of Egypt were so farre from piercing and softening his hard heart, as that every particular plague added a severall iron sinew, and more slintinesse to his already stony heart. And as the heart is naturally thus hardened towards godlinesse, so also hollow towards the godly: See Sauls cariage towards David. No materiall waight can more crush the heart of man, than braying in a morter; and yet saith Salomon, Prov. 27. 22. Though thou shouldest bray a foole, a desperate sinner, a rebellious wretch in a morter amongst wheat brayed with a pestill; yet will not his foolishnesse, his sinfulnesse, which is the greatest, depart from him, no more than the skin from the Blacke-moore, or the spots from the Leopard by washing him. Shame an old obstinate beaten sinner with his horrible ingratitude; show him the ugly face of his hainous sinnes, tell him of the losse of the happinesse of heaven; affright him with the feare of hell and damnation: in all this he is like a Smiths anvill, that growes harder and harder for all his hammering. Lastly, a damned spirit, though he lie in the lowest dungeon of utter darknesse, laden with that p. 222burden of sinne, which prest downe a glorious Angell of light and all his followers from the top of heaven into that lowest pit, with the full weight of the unquenchable and everlasting wrath of GOD; with all the heavy chaines of that infernall lake; and with that which (me thinkes) is farre worse and more cutting than many hels, than ten thousand damnations, even with despaire of ever having ease, end, or remedy of those most bitter, everlasting, intolerable hellish torments: I say, though a damned soule be thus laden, and thus heavily prest downe with all this cursed waight, and hainousnesse of hell; yet he is still as hard as a stone. So certaine it is, that no curse, or created power, not the softest eloquence or severest course, not the waight of the whole world or the heavines of hell; if all were prest and laid upon the heart of a man; could possibly breake that stubbornesse, or tame that rebellion. This is onelyonly the worke of the blessed Spirit with the hammer of the Word.

This hardnesse of heart had attained a strange height even in the worlds infancy: into what a prodigious rocke is that growne now then by length of time, in so many ages, sith every generation since, by invention of new sinnes, and addition of hainousnesse unto the old, have every one added thereunto a severall iron sinew, and a further degree of flintinesse. What a heart was got into Cains breast, who was first cut out of the stony rocke of corrupt man-kind; remorse of shedding the guiltlesse bloud of his murthered brother, p. 223which was able to have melted an adarnant into bloudy teares, moved him never a whit. Nay, the presence of Almighty GOD, at which the Psal. 114. 7.Ps 114:7earth trembles, the hills melt like waxe, which turneth Psal 47. 5.Ps 47:5the rocke into water-pooles, and the stint into a fountaine Psal. 114. 8.Ps 114:8of water, (as David speakes) yet made his stony heart relent never a whit. Nay, yet further, GODS mighty voice immediately from His owne mouth, which breakes the cedars, and shakes the wildernesse, which was able with one word even in a moment to turne the whole world into nothing, and the sonnes of men as though they had never beene; yet (I say) this powerfull and mighty voice did not at all amaze or mollifie the un-relenting stubbornenesse of this bloudy wretch: but in a strange dogged fashion he answers GOD Almighty even to His face. For, when GOD mildly and fairely asked him what was become of his brother Abel, he answered, I cannot tell: Nay, further, as though he had bid GOD go looke, he faith, Am I my brothers keeper? Where take thisGen. 4. 9.Gen 4:9 note by the way; Let not Christians thinke much to receive dogged answers and disdainfull speeches from prophane men: you see how doggedly this fellow answers even GOD Almighty: The Disciple is not above his Master, nor the servant above his Lord: It is enough for the Disciple to be as the Master, and the servant as his Lord: if they have called the Master of the house Beelzebub, how much more them of his houshold? Mat. 10. 24, 25.

What a strange stony heart lodged in the breast of the tyrant Pharaoh? When the Prophet (1 Kin. p. 22413.) cried to the altar of Ieroboam, O altar, altar, the altar clave presently asunder at the Word of GOD in the mouth of the Prophet; but this mighty hammer of the Word, (Ier. 23. 29.) with ten miracles gave ten mighty strokes at Pharaohs heart; and yet could find no entrance, could not pierce it; but rebounded backe as an arrow shot against a stone wall. Let no man then thinke it strange to see many stubborne and rebellious wretches run on in their courses, and rage against the waies of GOD, though they have both the Ministry of the Word of GOD to reclaime them, and be many times singled out particularly by the hand of GOD with some speciall judgement, for the abatement of their fury. For, the rebelliousnesse of mans nature can never possibly be tamed, corrupt affection can never be conquered, untill the heart wherein it sits inthron'd, be crusht and broke in peeces: and this hardnesse of heart can never be mortified, no created power can possibly pierce it, untill the Almighty Spirit take the hammer of the Word into His owne hand; that by His speciall, unresistable power He may first breake and bruise it, and after by sprinkling it with the bloud of CHRIST, dissolve it into teares of true repentance, that so it may be softened, sanctified, and sav'd. And let no man marvell, that the powerfullest Ministry doth produce by accident the most pestilent scorners, cruellest persecutors, and men of most raging cariage against the meanes of their salvation; for these reasons.

1. From the nature of the glorious Gospell p. 225of IESVS CHRIST, the sunn of righteousnesse, which shining upon one that hath spirituall life, will more reuiue and quicken him: but in one dead in sinnes and trespasses, causes him to stinke more hatefully before the face of GOD and man.

2. From the cruelty of Satan: who laies more burdens and heavier chaines upon him; that the Ministers labour to pull out of h…s snares.

2. Vnsatiable. Corrupt affection is unsatiable in all it sensuall pursuits for the empoysoned,

1. Fountaine of originall pollution is bottomlesse, restlesse, and ever working; it sends out uncessantly fresh desires, new longings, and more greedinesse, for the grasping, engrossing, and devouring of earthly delights and carnall pleasures.

2. When the heart of man forsakes the blessed and boundlesse Fountaine of living waters; of which if it should drinke heartily and sincerely, and every drop should be in it a well of water springing up to everlasting life; and digs unto it earthly pits; wherout to suck the muddy▪ and troubled streams of vanity and sensuall delights; then GOD in his just Iudgement makes those pits bottomlesse, that they'le hold no water; so that it shall seeke and never bee satisfied: it shall toile and tire out it selfe in waies of wickednes and destruction, and shall never find end and rest; but in endlesse woe and restlesse torments.

3. Never was jaylor so jealous over his prisoners, as Satan is watchfull over every wicked man. p. 226And therefore least he should waxe weary of his way to hell, he failes not by a secret accursed influence to fill his sinfull heart, with an unquenchable thirst after pleasures of the earth. And he doth not onelyonly put this insatiable thirst into the soule of a carnall man; but also by his jugling and art of imposture, he gilds over sensuall objects, with lying glory, and a deceitfull lustre, and puts a violent, strong inticing power into wordly vanities, that they may continually feed his greedy appetite with fresh succession, and an endlesse variety of sensuall sweetnesses. Satan himselfe is infinite in malice against the majesty of GOD. Hee drinkes up sinne, and devoures iniquity with as insatiable greedinesse, as Behemoth the river Iordan. Of all those huge mountaines, the numberlesse number, and purple seas of sinnes and transgressions, which have at any time, any where, by any creature been committed since himself first fell from heaven unto this hou…e, or shall be from thence untill the day of doome, or from thence everlastingly in hell, by bannings, cursings and despaires amongst those damned fiends: I say, of all these sinnes Satan is guilty one way or other: and if he might have his will, he hath malice enough to make an infinite addition both in number and hainousnesse. Where one sinne is committed, he wisheth there were ten thousand. Hee would have every sinfull thought be a sin of Sodomy: every idle word a desperate blasphemy: every angry looke, a bloody murther: every frailty, a crying sinne: every default, a damnable rebellion. Now as Satan himselfe is thus infinite p. 227and insatiable in the waies of darknesse; so doth hee inspire every limbe of his with a spice of this sinfull greedinesse, and restlesse pursuit of their owne wicked waies. To give an instance of trembling and terrour in this kind, and of Satans mercilesse malice that way. I knew a man which in his life time was given to that fearefull blasphemous sinne of swearing, who comming to his deathbed, Satan so fild his heart with a madded and enraged greedinesse after that, most gainelesse and pleasurelesse sinne) that though himselfe swore as fast and furiously as he could; yet (as though hee had beene already amongst the bannings and blasphemies of hell) he desperatly desir'd the standersby to helpe him with oathes, and to sweare for him. Incredible rage, prodigious fury! Now if Satan be able to beget such insatiablenesse after sin wherein there is no profit or delight at all; how fiercely & fearefully will he enrage carnall men in the pursuit of gainfull, pleasure full and advancing sinnes?

You see then how the insatiablenesse of corrupt affection springs out of the fountaine of originall naughtinesse, from the just curse of GOD and malice of Satan.

It is cleare and evident by ordinary experience, and observation in the world, with what insatisfiable desire and greedinesse, corrupt affection doth feed upō that sensuall object, and earthly pleasure, upon which with speciall apprehension, and delightfull taste, it seazes and sets it selfe.

1. If it fall in love with honour and high p. 228roomes; it begets ambition, which is an unsatiable thirst after glory, and a gluttonous excessive desire after greatnesse. Of all other vicious passions which doe possesse the heart of man, it is the most powerfull and unconquerable. As it is superlative and transcendent in it object and aspirations; and seated in the highest, and haughtiest spirits; so is it resolute and desperate in it undertakings furious and head-strong in it pursuits and persecutions. It is ventrous to remove any let, and hardned for all meanes; many times without remorse or teares, it takes out of the way by some cruell contriuance, their dearest friends, and tramples the neerest blood, as we see ordinarily in the Turkish Emperours, to get up into an high place, and grasp an Imperiall Crowne. It is victorious over all other affections, and maisters even the sensuality of lustfull pleasures, as we may see in many great men of the Heathens, Alexander, Scipio, Pompey, and many others; who being tempted with the exquisitenes and varieties of choisest beauties, yet forbare that villanie, not for conscience sake, or for feare of GOD, whome they knew not; but least thereby they should stop the current of their uictorious atchieuements, and obscure the glory of their remarkable valour. It preferres a high roome in the world before a temporall life; yea, and eternall life too. How many great mens hearts have burst, at the displeased and frouning countenance of a King? how many either by desperate practices or their own violent hands have brought themselves to untimely ends, because they were p. 229impatient of the lower places they had formerly enjoyed. Achitophel, when hee was like to loose the reputation and ranke of a Privy Councellour, sadled his Asse, went home, put his house in order, and hanged himselfe. How many daily runne great hazards, to domineere for a while in their undeserved dignities? And prepare against the day of wrath, by an unconscionable purchasing of highest roomes amongst the sonnes of men?

Lastly, it is uncapable of society, and sharpned by the enjoyment of that it desireth. Give roome to Caesar, and heele ambitiously pursue the Soveraignty of the whole world: Let Alexander conquer the whole world, heele aske for moe; let those be subdued; he would climbe towards the starres, if he could aspire thither, he would peep beyond y^e heavens. For the proud and ambitious man enlargeth his desire like hell, and is as death, and cannot be satisfied, &c. Hab. 2. 5. Who can fill the bottomlesse gulfe of hell, or stop the insatiable jawes of death? neither can the greedy humour of a haughty spirit be satisfied. Let a consideration of that crowne of endlesse joy and glory, which the Christian hath in pursuit; be unto him a counterpoyson to uphold his heart in comfort and contentment against the vanity and venome of such endlesse ambitions; and if men be so infinitly ventrous for an earthly crowne, which (as one sayes) if wee well weighed with what feares, jealousies, cares, insidiations, &c. it is thick set, if we found it before us in the way, we would not take it up. I say then, how eager should wee bee p. 228duplicate page p. 229duplicate page p. 230after the glory of Heaven?

2. If corrupt affection fall in love with riches, and the wedge of gold, it begets covetousnesse, the vilest and basest of all the infection of the soule: as ambition haunteth the haughtiest spirits, so covetousnesse lodgeth in the most dunghill disposition, it turnes the soule of man, that noble and immortall spirit into earth and mud: whereas it might live in heaven upon earth, and by holy meditation, by a sweet familiarity and acquaintance (as it were) with GOD, and conversing above, and in that everlasting heaven of endlesse happinesse hereafter: It lies in hell upon earth, and by restlesse torture of unsatiable greedinesse, makes way by it rooting to descend into the hell of wicked devils in the world to come. This devouring gangrene of greedinesse to get riches, doth not onelyonly by a most incompatible antipathy, keepe out grace and GODS feare; but also by it venomous heat wast and consume all honest and naturall affection, both to man, and beasts, to parents, kindred, friends and acquaintance. Nay, it makes a man contemne himselfe body and soule, wilfully to abandon both the comfortable enjoyment of this short time of this present mortality, and all hope of th… length of that blessed eternity to come, for a lit…le transitory pelfe, which he doth neither enjoy or use; except it be for use which enlargeth his covetous thirst as mightily, as it brings forth money monstrously.

Besides, covetousnesse pierceth thorow the soule with a thousand torments, and the riches of p. 231iniquity ingender in the heart of man many tortures, envies and molestations, as their proper thunderbolt and blasting. And of all other vile affections it is most sottishly and senslesly unsatiable, Eccles. 4. 8. For, how is it possible that earth should feed or fill the immateriall and heavenborne spirit of a man? It cannot be: and the Spirit of GOD hath said it shall not be; Eccles. 5. 9. He that loveth silver shall not be satisfied with silver, &c. Hence it is, that the deeplier the drowsie heart of this covetous man doth drinke of this golden streame, the more furiously it is inflam'd with spirituall thirst. Nay, it is most certaine, that if the covetous man could purchase a monopoly of all the wealth in the world; were he able to empty the Westerne parts of gold and silver; and the East of pearles and jewels; should he enclose the whole face of the earth from one end of heaven to the other; and heape his hoards unto the starres: yet his heart would be as hungry after more riches, as if he had never a penny, and much more: Such is GODS curse upon that man which makes his gold his god. And this insatiablenesse in the covetous man begets cruelty and oppression of others, and perpetual want of contentment and comfort in that he hath already. Sweetnes of gaine makes him many times drinke the bloud & eat the flesh of the oppressed. He begins first (if he be of power and place) to grind the faces of the poore; then to pluck of their skins, then to tear their flesh, then to break their bones, and chop them in peeces as flesh for the pot, and at last even to eat the flesh of GODS p. 232people. That is; first to weary them out with petty wrongs and extraordinary occasions, to vexe them with new conditions, and unconscionable encroachments: and at last to wring their pensive soules from their wasted and hunger-starv'd bodies, with extremity of oppression, and cruelty of covetousnesse. And that which is a just curse upon the covetous man; he is ever infinitely more tormented with the want of that which he doth immoderately and unnecessarily desire, than contented and comforted with the enjoyment of those things he doth presently possesse. The ambitious man, if he be disgrac'd and over-top'd by any grand opposite and counterfactionist, or derided and revil'd with baser and inferiour contempt, or neglected by omission of some due observance and ceremony of state: he (I say) is more griev'd, if he want grace, for some such little default in the attributions of his place, and want of complementall respect in that measure, and of such men as he desires; than he hath glory and pompe in his highest place. This is cleare in Haman; though he was compassed and crown'd with such undeserved and extraordinary precedency and pompe; yet this one little thing, because Mordecai would not bow the knee and do reverence to him at the Kings gate, did utterly marre and dissweeten all the other excellencies of his new advancement, and extraordinarinesse of the Kings favour: See Hester 5. 10, 11, 12, 13. And Haman told his wife and friends of all his glory, &c. But all this (saith he) doth nothing availe me as long as I see Mordecai the p. 233Iew sitting at the Kings gate. As it is thus in ambition, and in great men that are gracelesse; they many times take more to heart (out of the pride of their hearts) the want of some one circumstantiall observance, and of reverence from some one man; than they heartily enjoy all the other glory of their place: so it is also with the covetous man; though already he hath more than enough; yet some greedy wish of a new addition doth more torture his heart, than the rowing amongst al his other wealth can rejoyce it. Ahab, though he had already1 King. 21. 4.1 Kgs 21:4 in his hand the riches, glory, pleasures, & soveraignty of a kingdome, yet after he had cast his covetous eye upon poor Naboths vinyard w^ch was near his palace, his heart did more afflict and vex it self with greedy longing for that bit of earth; than the vast and spacious compasse of a kingdome could counter-comfort. He could take no joy in the beauty of a crowne, and largenesse of his royall command, because his poore neighbour would not deprive himselfe and all his posterity of the inheritance of his fathers, which his ancestors had enjoyed time out of mind.

For a counterpoyson against the greedy gangrene of hoarding up riches; consider in what stead thy riches will stand thee upon thy bed of death; consider that speech of a poore distressed woman afflicted in conscience, whom I heard thus say in the agony of her grieved spirit, I have husband, goods, and children, and other comforts; I would give them all the treasures of the earth if I had them, and all the good I shall have in p. 234this world or in the world to come, to feele but the least taste of the favour of GOD in the pardon of my sinne: she would in this case with all her heart hauehave giuen the warmest and dearest bloud of her heart for one drop of CHRISTS bloud to do away her sinnes.

If corrupt affections fall in love with worldly pleasure, such as are surfeiting and drunkennesse, chambering and wantonnesse, lust and uncleannesse, unlawfull sports and recreations, it begets a strange furious thirst and heat in the carnall appetite, which cannot be satisfied, but like the two daughters of the horsleech, which cry still, give, give; which is set on fire by hell: and therefore it is as unsatiable as that bottomlesse infernall pit; every taste of sensuality serves as fewell to increase the flame and fury of concupiscence: We see it in drunkards, who by drinking do not quench their thirst, and satisfie their appetite, but by their immoderate swilling both increase the burning thirst of their bodies and inraged intemperance of their minds. We heare it of wantons, Wisd. 2. Come let us enjoy the pleasures that are present, &c. Let us crowne our selves with roses before they wither, let there be no pleasant meadow which our luxuriousnesse doth not passe over; let us leave some token of our pleasure in every place, for that is our portion, and this is our lot. Every Carnalist feeles it in himselfe after once he hath given the reins to his concupiscence: he is like a strong man running headlong downe a steepe hill, though he would never so faine, he cannot stay himselfe, but run still faster and faster, p. 235till he breake his neck at the bottome: If once he suffers the fountaine of originall pollution which naturally flowes out of his rocky heart, to have that free and full course: it will shortly gather in its passage many strong and heady streames of stub bornenesse and rebellion, untill by growing by little and little in strength and swiftnesse, it swell into a mighty and furious torrent, so at last fall with fearefull noyse and horrour into the gulfe of irrecoverable misery. In a word, after the heart of a man be set upon any sensuall delight, it feeds upon it as greedily as the horsleech upon corrupt bloud, it will burst before it give over. It will by no meanes part with its hold untill it either be broken with the hammer of the Word, or burst with the horrour of despaire. It drinkes so deepe and long of the empoysoned cup of carnall pleasures, untill the LORD fill it unto its brim, full of the cup of wine of his indignation, and bid it drinke, be drunken, and spue, and fall, and rise no more, Ier. 25. 27.

A counterpoyson against this greedy wolfe of devouring earthly delights; consider that at our conversion Mutantur gaudia, non tolluntur, Heavenly succeed carnall joyes: See Iackson of Iust. Faith, pag. 340, 341.

4. If it fall in love with revenge, it begets a base, a cruell and wolvish disposition, and an unnaturall thirst of bloud: of all the sinfull passions of the soule, desire of revenge is the most base and cowardly: it ever breeds in the most hatefull and weakest minds. And of all kind of revenge, that p. 236is most execrable and deadly, which (like a serpent in the greene grasse) lies lurking in the flatteries and fawnings of a s…iring face; which kisses with Iudas, and kils with Ioab; entertaines a man with outward formes, and complement, and curtesie, but would (if it durst or might) strike about the third rib, that he should never rise againe: When a mans words are to his neighbour as soft as oyle and butter, but his thoughts towards him composed all of bloud and bitternesse, of gall and gun-powder: for we commonly see, that the basest and most worthlesse men are most malicious and revengefull: seldome doth it find harbour in a well-bred and generous spirit: but as thunder, and tempests, and other fearefull motions in the aire do trouble onelyonly and disquiet those weaker fraile bodies below, but never disturbe or dismay those glorious heavenly ones above: so wrongs, disgraces, and wrongfull usages doe vexe and distemper men of baser temper and conditions: but the causelesse spite and prophane indiscretions and childish brawles of fooles, wound not great and high minds. Above all others, the true Christian which is onelyonly of a true noble spirit, contemnes, scornes, and disdaines to be revenged upon any, though his undeservedly basest and greatest enemy: For,

1. He is completely fortified with the armour of proofe of his owne innocency against the malice and mischiefe of wicked men, and comforted continually with that inward spirituall feast of a good conscience, against all the lies and p. 237slanders of lewd and spitefull tongues.

2. He leaves them to be scourged of their owne consciences for their causlesse ill-wils against him, and wrongfull dealings: then which, (except they repent and be reconciled) there is no more certaine and severe revenger and executioner: no scourges, no scorpions can so lash and torture a man, as his owne foule and guilty conscience.

3. He is kept in awe by an holy feare from presuming to take vengeance out of GODS hands: It is one of GODS royall prerogatives, we must not meddle with that, or incroach upon it, Vengeance is mine, I will repay it, saith the LORD, Rom. 12. 19.

4. He will not pollute so farre, and defile the glory and noblenesse of his Christian resolution, as to be mov'd and disquieted with the rage of any dogged Doeg or railing Shimei, by procuring temporall punishments to the spirituall afflictions: and outward vexations to the inward wofull misery of the soule of his prophane malicious opposite: except he see it probable, that by suffering justice to have its course, the party may be humbled, and others terrified.

5. He knowes out of his Christian policy, that a couragious and undaunted insensibility in suffering injuries, is the way to tame and stop the rage and fury of the wrongers, and to make them to returne and rebound wholly like heavy blowes upon their owne pates. For, a prophane malicious man cannot be possibly more vext, than to see p. 238himselfe direct particularly his hate and contempt against his supposed adversary a good Christian, and yet he is able to beare it away without wound or passion; nay with reputation and comfort.

As revenge is base, so it is bloudy and unquenchable, and prodigiously thirsty that way: I will give instance in the most revengefull wretch (I am perswaded) that ever lived: It is reported of a man, or rather a**Bodin. de Rep. lib. 5. cap. 6. monster of Millaine in Italy; when he had surprised upon the sudden one whom he deadlily hated, he presently overthrew him, and setting his dagger on his breast, told him, he would presently have his bloud, except he would renounce, abjure, forsweare, and blaspheme the GOD of heaven; which, when that fearefull man (too sinfully greedy of a miserable life) had done; in a most horrible manner he immediately dispatch'd him, as soone as those prodigious blasphemies were out of his mouth: and with a bloudy triumph insulting over his murdered adversarie, as though his heart had beene possest of all the malice of hell, he added this horrible speech: Oh (saith he) this is a right noble and heroicall revenge, which doth not onelyonly deprive the body of temporall life, but bring also the immortall soule to endlesse flames everlastingly.

3. Desperate: corrupt affection is strangely desperate to run headlong upon the damnation of hell, for a little earthly delight: if we should see a naked man in some furious moode, as prodigall of p. 239his temporall life, runne upon his owne sword, or throw himselfe from some steep rocke, or cast himselfe into some deep river, and teare out his owne bowels, we should censure it presently to be a very desperate part and ruefull spectacle: what shall we say of him then, who thorough the fury of his rebellious nature, to the endlesse destruction of the life of his immortall soule, doth desperatly throw himselfe upon the devouring edge of GODS fiercest indignation: upon the sharpest points of all the plagues and curses in his Booke, and into the very flames of everlasting fire: It is a very fearefull thing, to see a man bath and embrue his hands in the blood and butchery of his owne body, and with his murderous blade to take away the life thereof: but of how much more horrour and wofulnesse is that spectacle, when a desperate wretch with the empoysoned edge of his owne enraged corruption, doth cut the throat of his owne deare immortall soule, so that a man may teach him all his life long, by the blood thereof in the sinfull passages of his life, untill at length it bee stark dead in sinnes and trespasses, for how can a soule all purple red with willfull sheading its own blood, looke for any part in that pretious blood of that spotles lambe? Nay, assuredly such bloody stubbornnes and selfe-murthering cruelty will be paid home at last, by the severe revenger of such cursed desperatnesse. Hee will judge such a man after the manner of them that shed their owne blood, and give him the blood of wrath and of jealousie.

p. 240Lord it is prodigiously strange and lamentably fearefull, that so noble and excellent a creature as man, prince of all other earthly creatures, by the priviledge of reason and enlightned with the glorious beame of understanding, nature should be so furiously madded with its owne malice, and bewitchedly blindfolded by the Prince which rules in the Aire; as, for the momentany enjoyment of some fewglorious miseries, bitter-sweet pleasures, heart-vexing riches, or some other worldly vanity at the best, desperatly and wilfully to abandon and cast himselfe from the unconceivable pleasures of its joyfull place where GOD dwels, into an infinite world of everlasting woefulnesse. For let a carnall man consider in a word his prodigious madnesse in this point. He might not onelyonly in this vale of teares bee possest with a peacefull heart, which is an incomparable pretiousnesse surpassing all created understandings: For I dare say this, I know it to bee true: One little glimpse of Heaven shed sometimes into the heart of a sanctified man, by the saving illumination of the comforting spirit, whereby he sees and feeles, that in despight of the rage of divels, & malice of men; let sin and death, the grave and hell doe their worst, his soule is most certainely bound by the hand of GOD in the bundle of the living, and that hee shall hereafter everlastingly inhabite the joyes of eternity: I say this one conceit being the immediate certificate of the spirit of truth doth infinitely more refresh his affections, and affect his heart with more true sweetnesse and tastfull pleasure, then all carnall delights, p. 241and sensuall delicacies can possibly produce, though they were as exquisite and numberlesse, as nature, art, and pleasure it selfe could devise, and to be enjoyed securely as long as the world lasts. Besides this heaven upon earth, and glorious happinesse even in this world, he might hereafter go in arme with Angels, sit downe by the side of the blessed Trinity amongst Saints and Angels, and all the truly worthy men that ever lived, with the highest perfection of blisse, endlesse peace, and blessed immortality: all the joyes, all the glory, all the blisse, which lies within the compasse of heaven, should be powred upon him everlastingly: and yet for all this he doth not onelyonly in a spirituall phrensie desperately deprive himselfe, and trample under foot this heaven upon earth, and that joyfull rest in heaven, world without end: but also throwes himselfe into a hell of ill conscience here, and hereafter into that hell of Devils, which is a place of flames, and perpetuall darknesse, where there is torment without end, and past imagination.

The day will come, and the LORD knowes how soone, when he will clearely see and acknowledge with horrible anguish of heart, his strange and desperate madnesse. See Wisd. 5. 2, &c. For, after the moment of a few miserable pleasures in this life be ended, he is presently plunged into the fiery lake; and ere he be aware, the pit of destruction shutteth upon him everlastingly: and if once he find himselfe in hell, he knowes there is no redemption out of that infernall p. 242pit: then would he think▪ himselfe happy, if he were to suffer those bitter and intolerable torments no mo thousands of yeares, than there are sands on the sea shore, haires on his head, starres in heaven, grasse piles on the ground, and creatures both in heaven and earth: for, he would still comfort himselfe at least with this thought, that once his misery would have an end: but alas, this word, never, doth ever burst his heart with unexpressible sorrow, when he thinks upon it: for, after an hundred thousand of millions of yeares there suffered, he hath as farre to suffer, as he had at the first day of his entrance into those endlesse torments: now let a man consider, if he should lie in an extreme fit of the stone; or a woman, if she should be afflicted with the grievous torture of child-bed but one night; though they lie upon the softest beds, have their friends about them to comfort them, Physitians to cure them, all needfull things ministred unto them to asswage their paine; yet how tedious, painfull, and wearisome would even one night seeme unto them? how would they turne and tosse themselves from side to side, telling the clocke, counting every houre as it passeth, which would seeme unto them a whole day? What is it then (think you) to lie in fire and brimstone, inflamed with the unquenchable wrath of GOD world without end? Where they shall have nothing about them but darknesse and discomforts, yellings and gnashings of teeth: their companions in prophanenesse and vanity to ban and curse them: the damned fiends of hell to scourge them and torment p. 243them: despaire and the worme that never dies, to feed upon them with everlasting horrour.

If carnall wretches be so desperate, as wilfully to spill the bloud of their owne soules: let us set light by the life of our bodies, if the cruelty of the times call for it, for the honour of the Saviour of our soules.

Let me give one instance of dangerous snares, wherein such as these are ordinarily entangled and holden fast, from which inferiours are for the most part free. Let us come into a towne or countrey▪village, and we shall find all the rest not so exorbitant but enter into the Noblemans, Gentlemans, or Knights house, (if there be any there) there shall we find a nest of new-fangl'd fashionists; naked breasts, and naked armes, like bedlams, saith that excellent and learned Gentleman, in his Oyle of Scorpions. Bushes of vanity in the onePag. 109. sexe, which they will not part with (said Marbury) untill the Devill put a candle into the bush: and cut haire in the other, stirs against the Ordinance of GOD, and nature in both: and many other such deformed lothsome, and prodigious fashions, censured by that stinging and flaming place against fashion-mongers, Zeph. 1. 8. And these are the more pernicious, because it were many times more easie for us of the Ministerie. I speake out of some experience: to undertake by GODS blessing (caeteris paribus, as they say) the driving of an impure wretched drunkard, from his beastly and swinish sin, which would be a very hard taske, p. 244than to draw such as delight in, and dote upon these miserable fooleries, from the abhorred vanity of strange fashions: nay, and though somtimes they would be thought to looke towards religion.

And thus I have done with the reasons peculiar to every severall sort of greatnesse: I now come to those which are common to them all.

1. All the great ones according to the flesh in any of these kinds: I say, ye are all as yet deadlyPsal 24. 4.Ps 24:4 enemies from the very heart-root to the professionMat. 5. 8.Matt 5:8 and practice of the holy men, without whichHeb. 1…. 14▪Heb 1:14 holinesse we cannot see GOD: you cannot endure to be called puritans; much lesse to become such: and yet without purity, none shall ever see the face of GOD with comfort.

Mistake me not. I meane CHRISTS foreign, CHRISTS puritans, and no other, aaforeignMatth. 5. 8. bbforeign.Ioh. 13. 11. & ccforeign.15. 3.

Secondly, I meane onelyonly such as Bellarmine intimates, when he cals King IAMES puritan: for, he so cals him, saith D. Harkwit against Carrier, Cap. …. pag. 258.because in the first booke of his Basilicon Doron, he affirmes, that the religion professed in Scotland was grounded upon the plaine words of the Scripture: And againe in his second Booke, that the reformation of religion in Scotland was extraordinarily wrought by GOD. Gracious and holy speeches (as you see) with men of the world are puritanicall. And if a man speake but holily, and name but reformation, Scripture, conscience, and such other words which sting their carnall p. 245hearts, it is enough to make a man a puritan.

Thirdly, I meane the very same, of whom Bishop Downam one of the greatest schollers of either Kingdome, speakes thus in his Sermon at Spittle, called Abrahams Triall: And even in Pag. 7… ▪these times (saith he) the godly live amongst such a generation of men, as that if a man do but labour to keepe a good conscience in any measure, although he meddle not with matters of State, or Discipline, or Ceremonies, (as for example, if a Minister diligently preach, or in his preaching seeke to profit rather than to please, remembring the saying of the Apostle▪ If I seeke to please men, I am not the servant of CHRIST, Gal. 1. 10. Or if a private Christian make conscience of swearing, sanctifying the Sabbath, frequenting Sermons, or absteining from the common corruptions of the time) he shall straightway be condemned for a Puritan, and consequently be lesse favoured than either a carnall Gospeller, or a close Papist, &c.

Fourthly, I meane none but those whom the Communion-Booke intends in that passage of the prayer after confession: That the rest of our life hereafter may be pure and holy.

Now these come by their purity by preaching the Word. Now saith CHRIST, ye are foreign, cleane by the Word which I have spoken unto you, Ioh. 15. 3. The Word must first illighten, convince, and cast them downe: so that out of sight of sinne, and sense of divine wrath, being weary, sicke, lost, wounded, bruised, broken-hearted, (these are Scripture-phrases) and thereupon casting their eyes upon the amiablenesse, excellency, p. 246and sweetnesse of the LORD IESVS, and the Allsufficiency of His bloud to cure them, resolve to sell all, to confesse and forsake all their sinnes, not to leave an hoofe behind: and then taking him offered by the hand of GODS free grace, as well for an Husband, Lord, and King, to love, serve, and obey Him, as for a Saviour to free them from hell. They put on with the hand of faith the perfect purity of His imputed righteousnesse, attended ever with some measure of inherent purity, infused by the sanctifying Spirit, and after entring the good way, their lives are ever after pure and holy. These are CHRISTS foreign, and the Puritans I meane. And these men of purity some never meane to be: nay, they heartily hate the very image of IESVS CHRIST in them, they speake spitefully against them, David was not onelyonly the drunkards song, but those also that sate in the gate spoke against him: they are your musicke, and matter of your mirth; I am your musicke, saith the Church in the person of Ieremie, Lam. 3. They will many times call upon a roguish vagabond at your feasts to sing a song against them, whom they should rather set in the stockes; they are transported, and inwardly boyle with farre more indignation and heart-rising against their holinesse, purity, precise walking, and all meanes that lead thereunto, though enjoyned upon paine of never seeing the face of GOD in glory: than moreHeb 12. 14.Heb 12:14 simple, poorer, and meaner men; and that's a reasonPsal. 24. 4.Ps 24:4 Mat 5. 8.Matt 5:8they sticke faster in the Devils clutches thanIoh. 3. 3.John 3:3 they, and that few of them are called, converted,Eph. 5. 15.Eph 5:15 p. 247and saved, according to my Text.

Secondly, ye that are thus the worlds favourites, are very loth to become fooles; and therefore in the meane time he lockt full fast in the Devils bands, and cannot escape except ye be such. I speake a very displeasing thing to worldly-wise men, but they are the very words and wisdome of the Spirit of GOD, 1 Cor. 3. 18. Let no man deceive himselfe: if any man among you seemeth to be wise in this world, let him become a foole, that he may be wise.

Let no man deceive himselfe; such caveats as this are wont to be premised when men out of their carnall conceipts are peremptory to the contrary, and would venture their salvation (as they say) that it is not so. See Ephes. 5. 6. 1 Cor. 6. 9. Mat. 5. 2. And did not most of your hearts rise against these words of mine (you must become fooles, or never be saved) untill I brought Scripture? Give me here leave (I pray you) to intimate in a few instances the meaning of the place, and the truth of your false and selfe-couzening hearts in obnoxiousnesse to the point. Suppose a messenger of GOD should deale faithfully with you, and tell you, that upon the LORDS Day you must not serve yourselves, and your owne turnes, in idlenesse, travailing, sports, gaming: in any earthly businesse, or mis-imployment whatsoever: but spend that whole blessed Day wholly and onelyonly in spirituall refreshing, heavenly businesses, divine worship, and holy duties: in meditation upon the creatures spiritually, upon the great worke p. 248of redemption and resurrection of CHRIST: and upon that everlasting rest above: of all which the Christian Sabbath is a remembrancer unto us, in both publike and private prayer, reading, singing of Psalmes, hearing Sermons, conference, &c. and in ruminating, and (as it were) chewing the cud upon Scripture points. I say, ruminate (as it were) and chew the cud: for, it is the very phrase of the Church of England in the Homily for reading Scriptures. And those reverend and godly men which composed them, expresse the benefit thereof emphatically: Thus run the words; Let us ruminate of the Scriptures sc.) that we may have the sweet juyce, spirituall effect, marrow, honey, kernell, taste, comfort, and consolation of them. I say, suppose ye were thus prest, would ye not presently out of your worldly wisdome and impatiency to be so snaff…d at, to be tied all the day to spirituall exercises, and restrain'd from ordinary recreations, conceive of it, and cry out against it as a puritanicall novelty, and foolish precisenesse? Because you mention precisenesse and novelty; I could (as I am wont, and to make you without excuse) appeale unto, and implore the aid of antiquity, which will utterly take off such aspersions. And here (were it incident and seasonable) I were able to procure Councels, and Fathers, and other authorities concurrently to testifie and take my part, that upon the LORDS Day, we are to recreate our selves onelyonly with spirituall delights: onelyonly then to ply divine businesses, and to do those things alone which belong to our soules salvation. Heare their owne words.

p. 249We ought upon that Day, Solummodò spiritualibus gaudijs repleri. Concilium Parisiense. Anno 829.

Tantùm divinis cultibus serviamus. August. de Temp. Serm. 251. Soli divino cultui vacemus. Idem Ibid.

Ea que tantum faciat quae ad animae salutem pertinent. Hierom. in Cap. 56. Isa.

Nay the whole Church of England hath this threescore yeares and above complyed exactly with antiquity in this point in the Hom. of the place and time of prayer: These are the words, GODS people should use the Sunday holily, and rest from their common and daily businesse: and also give themselves wholly to heavenly exercises of GODS true religion and service. And yet for all this, you are so wise in your owne conceipts; ye will none of this saving folly, you are no such fooles, as after so long liberty to fall …o any such strictnesse.

Secondly, suppose a Minister should counsell you when you come home from the house of GOD, to take your Bibles, and call both your wives and children to the comparing together, and conferring upon those things which were taught: That the husband should exact of the wife, and the wife aske of the husband those things that were there spoken and read, or at least some of them: That you should set this law to your selves to be kept inviolably, and not onelyonly to your selves, but also to your wives and children: that you would spend that one whole Day of the whole weeke, whereon you meet to heare the Word, in meditation p. 250of those things which are delivered: I say now in this case your carnall wisedome would resolutely condemne such counsells, as contrary to the counsell of great houses, as a way to become a By-word to the whole Country, and as savoring too rankly of a foolish strictnesse, and needlesse singularity. And yet this was totidem verbis, wise, holy advise above twelve hundred yeares agoe: For it giving the counsell, I have but rendred Chrysostome word for word in diverse places. Hom. 5. in Matth. In Eph. Serm. 20. Hom. 2. in Ioan. Hom. 5. ad Popul. Antioch.

Thirdly, If Preachers should presse you to plant, and preserve Family Duties in your house, Prayer, and reading Scriptures, evening, and morning, Singing of Psalmes, &c. and you of greatest meanes may best spare time for such blessed businesses. Would not your wisedomes thinke this more then need: And that it would bee a foolish thing, and much against your profit, to rob your selves, and servants of so much time from your worldly affaires? And yet here I could produce foure or five Fathers above a thousand yeares ago, pressing this point, and punctuall for my purpose. p. 251Besides Ambrose quoted in my Book of Walking with Quid beatius esse poterit, quàm in tetrâ tripudium Angelorum i… mitari, mox orto die ad precationes properantem, hymnis & odis venerari Creatorem. &c Basil. Epist. 1. Docens & admonens, atque formam ostendens, & tunc filijs suis; & tunc omnibus nobis in perpetuum; ut confestim diluculo ex noctis requie exsurgentes; ante omne opus▪ vel verbum, ante omne colloquium, vel conventionem, primitias resurrectionis nostrae Deo exhibeamus in sinceris orationibus, at que precibus▪ in matutinis deprecationibus, at que gratiarum actionibus. Origen lib. 1. In Iob sol. 7. A mensa non ad lectum, sed ad deprecationem vertamur, ne brutis animantibus simus magis bruti▪ Novi fore multos, qui damnent ea, quae nunc dicuntur, veluti qui novam quandam & miram consuetudinem inveham concionandi; At ego magis damnabo pravam consuetudinem, quae nunc obtinuit. E…enim quòd post cibum, & mensam non ad somnum oporteat ire, nec ad cubile▪ sed oporteat cibo preces, ac divinarum Scripturarum lectionem succedere, manifestiùs declaravit ipse Christus, qui quum immensam multitudinem accepisset convivio in deserto, non remisit illos ad lectum, aut somnum, sed ad audiendos sermones divinos invitavit. Chrysost. conc. 1. De Lazaro. Nec solum vobis sufficiat quòd in Ecclesiâ divinas lectiones auditis; sed etiam in domibus vestris, aut ipsi legite, aut alios legentes requirite, & libentèr audite. August. de Tem. Serm. 55. Pag. …77.God, pag. 67. Here other Fathers, Basil, Origen, Chrysostome, August.

Fourthly, If you were moved by the Ministery, to restore every halfe penny that you have any waies, at any time got wrongfully, or by any wicked meanes, or that you detaine unjustly from any man: And then casting your eye backe, and considering, How you are growne hastily rich, and by what waies you are come to a great deale of wealth, should finde very foule workes: would you not force your selves by a strong counter-plea of carnall reason, not to beleeve the point, and thinke it extreame madnesse at the instance, and prating of a precise companion, which understands not the world (for so or in the like manner would you speake) to part perhaps with a good part of p. 252your estate? And yet Austins Rule of above twelve hundreth yeares standing, and confirmed concurrently by all Divines to this day, is, That Non tollitur peccatum nisirestituatur ablatum; No restitution, no remission. And our owne Church tels us in the second exhortation before the Communion: That without readinesse to make restitution, and satisfaction for wrongs done, the Sacrament as often as you come, doth nothing else but increase your damnation.

Thus might I passe through all the points of Sanctification, and passages of holy life: And all the great men of the world, either in Learning, Wealth, Nobility, or Wisedome according to the flesh, would passe these censures upon them, and entertaine conceits of them proportionable to that of Nicodemus about the New-birth. They will not become fooles in the Apostles sense: And therefore they are soakt, and fast fettered in the gall of bitternesse, and bond of iniquity; and that above ordinary.

Thirdly, All ye great ones of the world in the sense I have said, As yee are very wise in your own conceits, and it may be truly so according to the flesh, so you are selfe-conceited, and soule-couseners about your spirituall state. For you thinke all better then you, too precise, and all worse then you too prophane; and your selves onelyonly to have happily hit upon the golden meane; and pitch upon that well-tempered moderation in Religion, wherby you may enjoy temporall happinesse here, and eternall hereafter. Sleepe in a whole skin (as they p. 253say) and with a good conscience: Live the life of pleasures, and die the death of the righteous. Whereas to be so conceited, is the very complement and perfection of folly: And the very same attempt as to make two parallel lines to meet. You thinke yee have a reach beyond the Moone: To lie in some sweete sinne, and yet to nourish in your selves some hope of salvation. To have two heavens, one in this world, and another in the world to come, which was never heard of: to weare two crownes of joyes: whereas IESVS CHRIST himselfe had the first of thornes. But alas! Beloved, if you be saved in this condition, you must have a new Scripture, and there must bee found out another way to heaven, then any of the Saints ever went since the Creation or shall doe to the end of the world. And therefore we may say of you as Quintilian some where, of some deluded with an overweening conceit of themselves. That they might have prooved excellent Schollers if they had not beene so perswaded already: So if you did not thinke falsly, your selves safe already, you might be saved. But while you thus hugge the golden dreame of your mistaken states to GOD-ward like the Pharisees, the very Publicans and Harlots shall goe into the Kingdome of heaven before you, Matth. 21. 31.

Fourthly, you that are great in the world in the foure forenamed respects, and meant in the Text; cannot possibly downe with, and digest downeright dealing and the foolishnesse of preaching as it is called, vers. 21. And that vtterly undoes you. p. 254You like well enough, nay and much approve, and applaud such Sermons as King IAMES censures, in the reasons of his directions for preaching, &c. which he there cals a light, affected, and unprofitable kind of preaching, which hath beene of late years (saith he) taken up in Court, University, City, and Countrey,—whereby the people are filled onelyonly with ayrie nourishment, &c. and I warrant you, not especially hating to be reformed or disquieted, for these are not wont to discover your consciences, nor disturbe you in your present courses, they never terrifie you with any forethought of the evill day, neither torment you before the time: but now let a man come with the foolishnesse of preaching, by which it pleaseth GOD (saith the Apostle) to save them that believe, with demonstration of the Spirit, and of power, and come home to the conscience: if he suffer not Satan to revell in the bloud of your soules without resistance, nor see you post furiously towards eternall fire, but will tell you that the pit of hell is a little before you: In a word, if he take the right course to convert you, and shew you therefore onelyonly your spirituall misery, that you may be fitted for mercy, &c. O such a fellow is a dangerous man, a terrible and intolerable Teacher, able to drive men to distraction, despaire, selfe-destruction; he breaths out nothing but damnation, and his searching Sermons are as scorching as the very flames of hel! Fit phrases for the Devil himself, railing in a drunkard, or scoffing Ishmael against faithfulnesse in preaching; and if you know where or p. 255when such men preach, (and it may be you entertaine some intelligence for that purpose to prevent the torture) you will not, you dare not heare them for your hearts, except you cannot decline it for starke shame; or for a time or two to satisfie your curiosities, but as S. Paul saith, you become their enemies, because they tell you the truth: to which truth not to have listened in this day of your visitation, will herafter (when it is too late) torment you more than ten thousand fiery Scorpions stings, and gnaw upon your consciences with unknowne and everlasting horrour. Alas! Beloved, what meane you? You will give your Physitian leave to tell you the distempers of your body: the Lawyer to discover unto you any flaw in your deeds: your horse-keeper to tell you the surfets of your horses: nay, your hun…sman the surrances of your dogs: and shall onelyonly the Minister of GOD not tell you that your soules are bleeding to eternall death? Preposterous and prodigious incongruity!

If it be thus then, that of all the severall sorts ofVsex. great men mentioned before (by reason that they are beset with such variety of snares, entangled in so many temptations, so much taken up by the world, and for other reasons rendred already) very few are called, converted and saved, my counsell in a word unto all such, is CHRISTS owne word, Luke 13. 24. Strive to enter in at the strait gate, lay violent hands upon flesh and blond, strangle your lusts, contend and **foreign.wrastle as for the Garland in the Olympian Games, to which the word seemes to allude, become fooles in the p. 256worlds censure, that you may be wise in the mystery of CHRIST; be little and vile in your own esteeme, that you may be great and gracious in the eyes of GOD. In a word, submit your soules to the sword of the Spirit, and foolishnesse of preaching, (as the Apostle cals it) that you may be wrought upon savingly, and brought into the good way, and that by such works, and waies as these.

Upon which before I enter, give me leave to give you an account, why at this time I labour rather to work upon your consciences for your personall conversion, than as heretofore to tender unto you counsels and considerations, for a more conscionable deportment in your severall publike places. When I well weighed with my selfe, the truth of that principle and position in Hooker, That it is no peculiar conceipt, but a matter of sound consequence, that all duties are by so much the better performed, by how much the men are more religious, from whose abilities the same proceed. And finding by experience of all ages, and most of all in these worst and wofull times, that men of publike imployment and in high places, untill there be infused into their soules by the Spirit of grace an internall supernaturall principle and divine habit to worke by, untill aliquid CHRISTI (as they say) be planted in them by the power of the Ministry, they cannot possibly be universally thorow, and unshaken. Some strong affection, feare, favour, or some thing, will make them flie out and faile in some particular very fowly. Upon extraordinary temptation they will serve the times, and their p. 257owne turnes: for▪ alas! as yet their spirits are not steeled with that heavenly edge, and mighty vigour, as to set to their shoulders against the torrent of the times, and not to be overflowen with it. I say, upon this ground I have advisedly chosen to assay and follow this way at this time: for, if once you turne on the LORDS side in truth, you are won for ever to an invincible constancy, and conscionablenesse in an uniforme, regular and religious discharge of your publike duties: and will ever hold fast without partiality, cowardlinesse, or feare of mans face, that brave and noble resolution, Vt fiat justitia, ruat coelum, let heaven and earth be blundred together with horrible confusision, before I make shipwracke of a good conscience, or be any waies drawne to do basely. Being incorporated into the rock of eternity IESVS CHRIST blessed for ever, you will stand (like unmooveable rocks) against the corruptions of the times, and all ungodly oppositions; and never before. For, in the meane time (say Ministers what they will) you will not be moved; but you heare our discourses of a faithfull discharge of your places, as ye would heare a very lovely song of one that hath a pleasant voice; they leave no more impression upon your consciences, than a sweet lesson upon the Lute in the eare, when it is ended; for, then both the vocall and instrumentall sweetnesse dissolve into the aire, and vanish into nothing: It is too truly so with our Sermons upon your soules. Heare your character in GODS own words unto the Prophet; They come unto thee, as the people commeth, and they sit before me as my people, and they heare thy words, but they will not do them: for with their mouth they shew much love, but their heart goeth after their covetousnesse: p. 258and loe, thou art unto them, as a very lovely song of one that hath a pleasant voice, and can play well on an instrument: for, they heare thy words, but they do them not. Let us lift up our voices never so high, or cry never so lowd: and …ll Iudges, That they ought not to be afraid Deut 1. 17Deut 1:17of the face of man, for the judgement is GODS: that in judgement, they must neither respect the person of the … it. 19. 15.poore, nor honour the person of the mighty: that they should not onelyonly hold their hands from grosse bribes with Epaminondas, who (as the story tels us) refused…. chron. sol. …7. great presents sent unto him, although he was poore, saying, If the thing were good, he would do it without any bribe, because good: if not honest, he would not do it for all the goods in the world. But they must also be of Austins judgement, that not onelyonly money, gold and silver, orPsalm. 25.Ps 25 presents (as they call them) are bribes; but the guiltPag. 144. of bribery also may be justly imputed, even to any exorbitant affection, which sways a man aside from an impartiall execution of justice: as love, feare, hatred, anger, pusillanimity, worldlinesse, desire of praise and applause, which is Austins instance, &c. That they beware of bringing more bloud upon the Law by sparing the spiller of bloud. For ble…d (saith GOD) it desileth the land: and the land cannot be clea…sed of the bloud that is shed therein, but by the bloud of him that shed it: that they must not looke upon the ca…ses which come before them only through the spectacles of a favourite, &c, and tell Iustices of Peace, that they must be truehearted patriots, and not servers of themselves, and their owne turnes: that they must be serious, reall, and grave; not onelyonly formall, not cyphers, not unnobly light in their behaviour on the Bench: that they must ever aime at the publike good, and never at their owne p. 259particular and private ends: that they should disdaine and scorne at any time to combine factiously, or for a petty bribe to uphold a rotten cause, apestilent alehouse, or lewd companion; and ever joyne with an unanimous magnanimity to honour GOD, and do their Country good. And tell the Lawyers, that they should not make hast to be rich, for so saith Salomon, they shall not be innocent, nor swallow downe gold too greedily, least it turne to grauell, and the gall of asps within them; and they be enforced to vomite up the riches (as Iob speaketh) they have heaped together so hastily, either by remorse and restitution in the meane time, or with despaire, and impenitent horrour here after: that to oppose and wrangle against a good cause, or undertake the defence of a bad; are both equally most unworthy the very morall vertue of an honest Heathen; that they must not learn to spin out the causes of their clients from Terme to Terme, and wire-draw their suits untill they be utterly undone; that they should not now be taking instructions from their clients, when they should themselves here in the House of GOD be instructed to the kingdome of heaven: had they this morning received a message from the Almighty, that at night they should appeare before that high and everlasting Iudge to give an account for all things done in the flesh; if they be not Atheists, or Papists, O with what eagernesse and violence would they have attended, addrest, and applied themselves to the present opportunity! and little do we know what the evening may bring forth. For, assure your selves, there is no man so assured of his riches, or life, but that he may be deprived of one or both the very next day or houre to come. And tell the jurors and sworn-men, p. 260that they should rather die than draw the bloud of any mans life, livelihood, or good name upon their owne consciences, either by acqui…ting the guilty, or betraying the innocent. Here (had I time) I would intimate unto you a mysticall, but mischievous packing sometimes in choice of j…ry-men. I have seene (I speake of that which was long since, and at a Sessions) some of the choicest drunkards in a Country chosen for that service. Now is it not a pitifull thing, that Country businesses should be put into the hands of such as labour industriously, and with equall cunning, to plague an honest man, and deliver a drunkard? I say now, all this while, we thus discourse unto you, earnestly endeavouring, and with a thirsty desire to do you good, and direct you aright, and by a divine rule in the severall duties proper to your places: we do but plow in the sea, and sow in the aire (as they say) except the immortall seed of the Word hath first moulded you anew, and ye be brought by the foolishnesse of preaching out of the warme sun into GODS blessing, and from the fooles paradise of worldly wisdome, into the holy path of sincere professours; and thereupon prize and preferre the peace of a good conscience before all the gold in the West, and preferments in the world; which blessed change from nature to grace, is wrought by such stirrings of the soule, and footsteps of the spirit as these: lend me, I beseech you, (while I passe along them) something more than ordinary attention: for, I know they will seeme strange things to all such great ones as are intended in my Text, and those who live at rest in their possessions, and have nothing to vex them. The naturall stoutnesse of their spirits will disdaine and scorne to stoupe to such uncouth humiliations, p. 261and this mighty change. And the more they are men of the world, and wise according to the flesh, the greater repugnancy and reluctation shall they find in their affections against these spirituall workings, which makes the point good which was proved before. But yet without them in truth and effect (I define not the measure and degree, GOD is a most free agent) they can never become either gracious men, or good Magistrates. They must upon necessity become such fooles, or they can never be wise unto salvation.

1. If any of you then would come out of Satans clutches into the armes of CHRIST, he must be illightened, convinced, and cast downe with sight, sense, and trouble for sinne, as in my art of comforting afflicted consciences I have shewed.

2. Secondly, the point may teach us not to be greedy of greatnesse, nor hunt ambitiously after high roomes.

3. The point may serve as a soveraigne antidote against all discontent or fretting, when we see men of the world carrie all before them, &c. We may entertain an holy indignation to see folly set in great excellency, so many servants on horse-backe, and Princes walking as servants upon the ground. But I am prevented by the time from prosecuting these two latter Uses. Let me briefly say two things more, and I have done.

1. The first concerning what I have said: I have spoken much (as you have heard, my Text naturally and directly leading me thereunto) of the true misery, and spirituall madnesse of all great men in learning, wealth, nobility, wisdome according to the flesh. Least any be unjustly angry, and mistake, or caussesly grumble p. 260duplicate page p. 261duplicate page p. 262and gainsay, let me take up the words of that ancient holy Father Salvianus about a thousand yeares ago in the like case. He having impartially discovered the horrible impieties of the noble and rich men in those corrupt times, tels them by the way, and it is my just apologie at this time. I do not (saith he) speake thus of any, but onelyonly such as know these things to be in themselves. If their consciences be free, nothing that I say tends to their disparagement and disgrace: but if they know themselves to be guilty, let them know also, that they are not my words, but their owne consciences which vexe them. And in another place thus. Sith I speake not these things of all, but those who are such, none of you ought to be angry at all, which findeth not himselfe to be obnoxious; least thereby he make himselfe seeme, and be suspected to be of the number of those that are naught. Rather let so many as being guiltlesse and truly noble, abhorre such unworthy courses, be angry with them who disgrace the name of Nobility by their base and wicked behaviour: because although others be much worse, and scandaliz'd by them, yet especially they bring a great deale of shame and dishonour upon those who are of the same noble ranke. Take notice by the way, that by the Fathers words, those men are much too blame, who go about to dawbe over the disorders, and smother up the scandalous exorbitancies of delinquents in their owne profession, or to be concurrents for their deliverance from deserved shame and punishment. To give instance in the highest calling: A Minister which fals to drunkennesse, and ale-house-haunting, should rather be publikely sham'd and censured, than a fellow of an inferiour calling. We do not honour the Ministry by having our hands in helping out such, but by disclaiming, and not owning them; well may we by p. 263so medling incurre suspicion of obnoxiousnesse: but never bring credit to our so holy a calling. I knew a Knight did penance at Pauls-Crosse, but at the same time I heard that many of his ranke in the City labour'd to have him dis-knighted first, before he so publikely disgraced their order. Me thinks all wellminded should be so minded.

2. The other is to my Lords the Iudges. My reverend and noble Lords, give me leave to cloth the thoughts of the Countrey in a word or two. We much rejoyce in you, and blesse GOD for you, as men of singular and knowne integrity, speciall friends to the Gospell of IESVS CHRIST, and a great honour, and happinesse to these parts, and heartily pray that we may hold you still: and therefore my intreaty unto your Lordships is, that you would couragiously advance forward, and do like your selves, and nobly still. Draw our your dreadfull swords against the torrents of Belial, as David cals them, which even threaten a deluge; and be your selves as mighty torrents, armed both with j…st and holy lawes, and the godly resolutions of your owne noble spirits, to beare backe, and beat downe the common crying, and raigning sins of our Countrey. In a word, be unto the oppressed and innocent as a refuge from the storme, but as a terrible tempest upon the face of every humane beast, and sonne of Belial. And O that you could helpe us, that GODS people might not perish for want of bread: Is it not a pitifull thing, that in such a deare yeare specially, it should be almost as hard a worke to get downe a wicked ale-house, as to win Dunkerke? That Maultsters should snatch (as it were) the graine from the mouthes of the poore in the market place, to p. 264uphold these hell-houses, these nurceries of the Devill: that Magistrates should be so unmercifull, as neither for GODS sake, nor the Kings sake, nor the poores sake, nor their owne soules sake to take the utmost penalties for blasphemies, ale house-hauntings, drunkennesse, and prophanations of the LORDS Day? And were it not an honourable course, and worthy to have an universall contribution over the Countrey to pull downe something the excessive prizes in market-townes for the poore thereabouts, during this extremity? But I leave it to your Lordships charitable wisdome to do the best you can possibly; that the bloud of the poore this yeare be not added to the already crying sinnes of the Kingdome, to hasten GODS judgements upon us, and our long since deserved ruine. And in the meane time you need not feare the face of the proudest Devill, whether incarnate, or in his owne shape. For, while you thus advance GODS glory, and truly honour the King, assure your selves, the hearts, and teares, and prayers of all good men shalbe for you, and yours shalbe the crowne and comfort; when all prophanenesse and prophane opposites to the good way, all the enemies of GOD, and pestilent packings and complotments of the Devils agents against GODS people, shalbe buried in hell.

FINIS.

End of the text · Robert Bolton, Death Judgment Hell and Heaven (1632)