Directions for a Comfortable Walking with God, Religious treatise (7 of 9)

Directions for a Comfortable Walking with God · Religious treatise (7 of 9)

p. 2644. The last and euerlasting doome, at that great and dreadfull Day, must passe vponupon vsus according to our carriage in this kinde. Then shall there be a seuere▪ and sincere search and enquirie made after aaCur verò non iuxta fidem si… pronuntiaturus aperta causa est: quoniam iustae sententiae suae in vtros que tam oues, quàm haedos, non occulta (cuiusmodi sunt fides, vel infidelitas) sed conspicua testimonia allegabit vt omne os obtu…etur. Matth. 25. 34.Matt 25:34workes, as the signes, euidences, and outward demonstrations of faith, and the roote of grace in the heart: or of vnbeliefe and rottennesse at the heartroote; and consequently, as arguments of a righteous doome passed vponupon the Sheepe and Goates. That glorious sentence of absolution; Come yee blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdome prepared for you from the foundation of the world: (which sounds out nothing but pleasures, ioyes, delights, glories, beauties, felicities, crownes, kingdomes, Angelicall entertainments, beatificall-visions, spirituall rauishments, highest perfections, vnutterable exultations of spirit, sweetest varieties, eternities) shall be pronounced vponupon the godly, according to the effects and fruits of their faith, to teach vsus in the meane time, what faith to trust vntounto, and rest vponupon for iustification; euen that which works by louelove: and at that day, to let all the world see, Angels, men and deuils, that the kingdome of Heauen is giuen onelyonly to true-hearted Nathaneels, honest Professours, working beleeuers. Now in the text for this purpose, there is singled out with special choice, an eminent Synechdochicall instance, in one of the worthiest effects of faith, and noblest fruit of grace; euen the point I now presse, and labour to perswade: an open-hearted, reall, fruitfull bounty and louelove to Gods people, and distressed members of Christ Iesus, for Christs and their goodnesse…th. 25. 40. p. 265sake. But that other doome of damnation, Depart from me Matth. 25. 41.Matt 25:41you cursed, into euerlasting fire, prepared for the deuill and his angels; which breathes out nothing but fire and brimstone, stings and horrours, woe, and alasse, flames of wrath, and the Worme that neuer dyeth; trembling, and gnashing of teeth; seas of vengeance, torments without end, and past imagination; shall passe vponupon the reprobates, for omissionVerse 22. and neglect of this noble dutie. For mercilesnesse to the poore members of Christ, vnkindnesse to Christians, hardheartednesse towards the houshold of faith, is one of the ranckest bitterest weeds, which growes out of a gracelesse heart; a cleare pregnant euidence, that all was naught; and a notable remembrancer, as it were, to that high and euerlasting Iudge, that his blessed Spirit neuer dwelt there. How deeply then doth it concerne eueryevery Christian to practise, and ply vponupon all opportunities, that most gainefull art of almesgiuing,Eleemosyna, ars omnium artium quaestuosissima. Chrysost. ad popul. Antioch. Hom. 33. which shall be so highly honoured at that great Day, before that glorious vniuersall presence; when eueryevery mercilesse man shall cry to that Rocke, this mountaine, to fall vponupon him, and hide him from the wrath of that iust God; which will flame vnquenchably and euerlastingly against all those, who in this life hauehave shut vp their bowels of pitty against His poore; and been dogged towards the dearely beloued of Ierem. 12. 7.Jer 12:7his Soule.

I know, aaDe iustific. lib. …. cap. 3. art. Tertium argumentum.]Bellarmine labours to empoyson this last passage with his false glosse, and Popish sophistry.

The causall coniunction For, Matth. 25. 35. as hee there cauils, intimates and implyes workes meritoriousnesse.

I say no. For, is there a Note of consequence and order: not of the cause, or any bbEnim] non designat causam efficientem, vel meritoriam Regni, sed argumentum notorium iustae sententiae: quòd hi verè sint benedicti ab aeterno scripti haeredes Regni, id est, ex electorum fidelium numero: quia operibus externis se tales probauerint. Immo ipsi benedicti negabunt se operibus suis promeritos Regnum, quoniam merita sua d… Christo nesci…nt, non agnoscent. Quando vidimus Tc, &c?meritorious causality. The causall coniunction in Grammar doth indeed serue to shew the reason of a former sentence: but it doth not necessarily shew a reason from the cause of a thing: but many times also from the effect, and other kind of arguments. And Logick also p. 266reacheth, that there be diuers kinds of causes; principall, and lesse principall, &c.

Bellarmine replyes: Doth not Christ there speake in the same manner, of the rewards of the godly, and of the punishments of the wicked? But no man can say, that in these words, Goe ye cursed, &c. that the cause is not rendred; but onelyonly the order and consequence implyed: For the wages of sinne is death, Rom. 6. 23.

I answer: By the like fallacy also doe the Popish Impostors pleade for Iustification by Workes: Euill workes damne, therefore good workes saue. Most falsely: as appeares by that rule in the Topicks: ccNon valet con sequentia, cùm non est perfecta contrarietas.The consequence is of no validitie, where there is not a perfect contrarietie. Now betweene good and euill workes, there is no perfect contrarietie: ddMala opera, seu mali malarum arborum fructus, damnationem ex se merentur; bona autem bonorum opera, imperfecta cùm sint, & ex mixtis principijs, carne sc. & spiritu orta: non eandem respectu salutis, quam mala respectu damnationis causam, immo nullam prorsus habere possunt, ac proinde vt signa, & testimonia, non vt causae salutis sunt spectanda. Mala habent perfectam malitiam, quae est foreign, & vnum peccatum ad mortem promerendum satis est. Ezek. 18. 4. I am. 2. 10. Bona sunt imperfectè bona, …ec si perfectò bona es…ent, me…ita vitae aeternae essent, quia omnia sunt debita. Luk. 17. 10.Ezek 18:4Luke 17:10for euill workes are perfectly euill against the Law of God: but good workes are not perfectly good according to the Law of God. By the same reason neither doth it follow: Eternall death is the wages of sinne: therefore eternall life is the wages of good workes.

5. If thou lay out to the poore eeDeut. 15. 10. 2. Cor. 9. 7.Deut 15:102 Cor 9:7cheerefully, ffProu. 3. …7, 28.Prov 3:7Prov 3:28seasonably, gg2. Cor 9. 6. Prou. 11. 25.2 Cor 9:6Prov 11:25liberally, and yet but according to thy hh2. Cor. 8. 13, 14. Act. 11. 29.2 Cor 8:132 Cor 8:14Acts 11:29abilitie; thou shalt become (which besides the onelyonly course of growing comfortably rich, is also a Crowne of infinite honour) Creditor euen to thy Creator. Hee that hath pitie vponupon the poore, lendeth vntounto the Lord, and that which he hath giuen, will he pay him againe, Prou. 19. 17. And in the meane time for repayment in due time, thou hast securitie infinitely aboue all exception, a Bill vnderunder his owne hand, euen his owne blessed Booke; wherein to faile, were to forfeit his Deity, if I may so speake, which is prodigious blasphemie to imagine. Now what a keene spurre, and inflaming motiue is this to bee mercifull: that wee shall make God himselfe our Debter, the euer springing Fountaine of Blisse, and Lord of all goodnesse who doth all things like himselfe; omnipotently, bountifully, aboue all expectation, as becomes the mighty Soueraigne p. 267of Heauen and Earth? If he worke, he makes a world: If he be angry, he drownes the whole face of the Earth: If he louelove, the hearts-blood of his dearest Sonne is not too deare: If he stand vponupon his peoples fide, he makes the Sunne to stand still, and the Starres to fight: If he repay, hee giues his owne All-sufficient Selfe, with the ouerflowing torrents of al pleasures and glory through all eternitie.

6. Nay, the way to thriue and fare well in the World, if our most wise God thinke it fi…, is to bee compassionate this way. If thou draw out thy soule to the hungry, saith the Prophet, and satisfie the afflicted soule: then shall thy light rise in Isa. 58. 10. 8. 11.Isa 58:10Isa 58:8Isa 58:11obscuritie, and breake forth as the morning, and thy darknesse bee as the noone-day: and thy health shall spring forth speedily: the Lord shal guide thee continually, and satisfie thy soule in drought, and make fat thy bones, and thou shalt be like a watered Garden, and like a spring of water, whose waters faile not. Thine horne Psal. 111. 9. Prou. 28. 27.Ps 111:9Prov 28:27shall be exalted with honour, and thou shalt not want. It will be then a profitable Inquisition amongst others; when a man findes himselfe to goe backward in his estate, Gods secret displeasure to blow vponupon his wealth, or afflict his body with painefull diseases, &c. to examine well, whether he was1. Ioh. 3. 17.1 John 3:17 not ordinarily woont rather to shut vp his bowels of compassion, then to powre out his soule to the poore.

In a third place, take notice of the order of those obiects, vponupon which thy Christian louelove is regularly and seasonably to be directed, and thy workes of mercy discharged. The Catalogue of them runneth thus, as I conceiue.

The publike State wherein thou liuest, and whereof thou art a member, challengeth the first place and precedencie: If it liued a naturall life, as thou doest, and thou haddest but one morsell of bread, which would onelyonly sustaine the life of one of you; thou wert to perish, that it might flourish: for it is euer better, that one member should bee cut off, then the whole body consumed. **This order hold… cae…eris paribus, as they say, when other things are alike. When they be like in pouerty: else we must relieue our enemies in extreme necessitie, before our owne parents in ordinarie want: l…ke in pietie, else we must helpe holy men being sarther off, before these who hate to be reformed, though neerer vntounto vsus: like in mutuall relations and obligations one vntounto another; else wee must preserre a truely religious brother, before a more religious stranger; a kinsman, neighbour, and benefactor, before either a kinsman, or neighbour, or a benefactor alone.In the next place stands thy selfe; p. 268then thy wife; then thy parents; then thy children and family; then the hhPlus debemus diligere extraneos, qui nobis sunt comuncti vinculo charitatis Christi; quàm propinquos, qui Deum non diligunt, nec Deo seruiunt. Quare? Quia sanctior est copula cordium quàm corporum. Bern. lib. De modo benèviuen. Serm. 5.household of faith; then thy naturall kinred sprung lately from the same progenitors; then thy neerest neighbours and common friends; then thy countrymen; then strangers; then thine enemies. For as thou wouldest be holden a child of the Highest, Luk. 6. 35. thou must louelove thine enemies, and relieue them too, Prou. 25. 21. Rom. 12. 20. And because our naughty hearts doe naturally rise, and swell against them with much enraged anger, disdaine and contempt: ponder seriously vponupon these points, as counterpoysons to keepe out these foule fiends, and preserue thine affections euer calme and vnstained this way, and in an holy charitable temper and disposition to doe them good.

1. First, he that becomes a bloody goad in thy side for thy blessed profession, and because thou followest goodnesse, is starke mad, and vtterly besides himselfe in matter of saluation. Hee is as a dead man without all sense of spirituall selfemurder: now it is extreme weakenesse, to euen thy wit (as they say) with a Bedlam; and barbarous inhumanitie, to wreake thy spite vponupon the dead, and basely to vexe a liuelesse carcase with brauing insultations.

2. Thou shouldest most wilfully forsake thine owne merciemercy, and iudge thy selfe more then infinitely vnworthy of euerlasting life, of any part or portion in the rich, glorious, eternall purchases of His meritorious death; if thou couldest not frankely forgiue the greatest wrong of thy greatest enemy vponupon this ground onelyonly; because Iesus Christ hath freely powred out the dearest and warmest blood in his heart, to purchase for thee a worme, and wretch, and while thou wast yet his desperate enemy, pardon and saluation from the endlesse woes, and damnations of Hell.

3. Thirdly, the mercifull patience of God himselfe in forbearing and bearing with infinite wrongs, and dishonours done vntounto his great Maiestie eueryevery day, may be a matchlesse patterne and precedent to vsus wofull sinners, and worse then nothing, easily to pardon, and patiently to passe by all the prouocations of our fellow creatures. How many blasphemous p. 269mouthes are continually open against the Maiestie of Heauen? With what damned oathes doe they teare and recrucifie the precious body of his glorified Sonne, that fits at his owne right hand? With what monstrous lyes, and hatefull slanders doe they disgrace his Ambassadours, and vilifie his chosen? Nay, where shall you find one of those, who hauehave sincerely giuen their names vntounto Christ, whose neglected innocency is not trampled vponupon with the feet of pride and contempt; and whose guiltlesse fame lyes not bleeding vnderunder the mercilesse strokes of intemperate tongues? How many sonnes and daughters of Belial doe horribly, and with an high hand prophane his Sabbaths, pollute his Sacraments, and turne their backs vponupon his Word? How many eueryeveryVtres, vel lagenas rectiùs hos dixeris, aut certè tubas, vel potius cloacas, quàm homines. where turne themselues into barrels and beasts, euen into sincks; nay, and sometimes into Sodomites, Hab. 2. 15. by their swinish drunkennesse? How many inclosing Nimrods, and Machiauellian Landlords, grind the faces of the poore, pluck off their skins, teare their flesh, breake their bones, chop them in pieces as for the pot, and eate the flesh of Gods people? In a word: How many incarnate deuils walke vp and downe the Earth with hearts and hands as full as Hell, with all manner of mischiefe, lewdnesse and rebellion? And yet wee see in the meane time, our gracious God beares patiently with these many and prodigious prouocations. Though hee be armed with his owne vnresistable omnipotency; hauehave euer in a readines all the Angels of Heauen, all the creatures vponupon Earth, all the Deuils in Hell; nay, the very hands and consciences of such stubborne Rebels, to be the instruments and executioners of his iust wrath vponupon their sinne: yet doth hee sweetly and fairely temper, and moderate his indignation, to see if the riches of his goodnesse and forbearance, and long-suffering, will leade them to repentance. If Almighty God then, whose Maiesty, blessed and glorious for euer, is chiefly wrongged, euen by thy aaIlle qui tibi iniuriatur, magis iniuriatur Deo quàm tibi, qui hoc ei prohibuit. Si ergo Deus differt vindicare iniuriam, & non est ei dedecus, nec erit tibi. Peral.wrongs also, whose mildnesse and mercy is most shamefully abused with the horrible ingratitude, and intolerable contempt of such as hate to be reformed, bee so wonderfully patient; be not thou peruerse: but rather p. 270heape coales of fire vponupon thine enemies head by kindnes and louelove, that thou mayest be the charitable child of thy Father which is in Heauen; who suffers his raine to fall as well vponupon heaths and weeds, as vponupon flowers and fruit-trees.

4. By harbouring heart-burning and angry thoughts in thy brest against those thou art tempted to hate; thou wofully hardenest thine own heart, which is an vnualuable hurt, and depriuest thy selfe all the while thou art so dogged, of the blessing, benefit and comfort of all the ordinances; not onelyonly of the Sacrament of the Lords Supper, as ignorant people suppose, but also of Prayer, hearing the Word, singing of Psalmes, conference, &c. 1. Tim. 2. 8. Matth. 5. 23, 24. Iam. 1. 20. Now what extreme madnesse is it, and Bedlam cruelty to thine own soule, by cherishing and keeping warme in thy bosome, such a base dunghill Viper, as reuengefull spite, to cast the whole Frame of thy spirituall building into combustion, and to make God thine enemy, whereby thou hurtest thy aaQuòd malitia tua alteri non noceat, fieri potest: quòd autem tibi non noceat, fieri non potest.selfe incomparably more, then thou canst euer possibly harme thine opposite?

5. A great deale of spirituall good bbOmnis malus aut ideo viuit, vt corrigatur, aut ideo viuit, vt per illum bonus exerceatur. Aug. in Psal. 54. pag. 631. Detractores sunt spinae viam inferni obstruentes viris sanctis. Ipsi etiam depascunt segetes Domini, ne in paleas luxurient▪ & pauca grana habeant. Ipsi sunt limae à vasis gloriae rubiginem auferentes. A filiis Dei, quasi quodam rasorio, peccatum elationis eradunt. Vnde Gregor. Idcircò laxat Dominus linguas detractorum in Electos, vt si quid in eis elationis surrexerit, lingua detractoris eradat. Per. Omnes mali, & amatores mundi, quasi torcularia sunt. Sic enim in torcularibus, & Vua premitur, & Oliua, vt vinum & oleum reponatur in caueâ: ita per nequitiam malorum hominum, qui boni & iusti sunt, multis tribulationibus fatigantur, vt animae eorum tanquam oleum & vinum, &c. Aug. tom. 10. pag. 552—Considera, quòd illi, qui te persequuntur, apud Deum velut molae, ac torcularia deputantur: Tu verò quasi Oliua, & quasi Vua legitima paruo tempore pressuram malorum hominum sustinere cogeris. Ibid.Ps 54doth by accident accrue to the Christian, by the malice of his enemies. The raging and rayling enemies of Gods people, serue as scullions to scowre the Lords Vessels of Honour; as Shepheards Dogs to hunt Christs Sheepe into order, and to purer pastures. 1. Their narrow watching ouer his wayes to take him tripping, and prying into all passages of his life, vponupon purpose to disgrace his profession, should make him walk more precisely; and to hold a continuall counter-watch ouer all his courses, that hee giuegive no iust cause of offence, or any true matter of cauill or calumniation. Whence it is, that Dauid prayeth, Psa. 27. 11. Leade me in a plaine path, because of mine enemies, or p. 271those which obserue mee. 2. Their hitting him in the teeth with the reproch of his former sinnes, should serue as a remembrancer vntounto him, to reuise and renew more effectually and feelingly the great worke of his first repentance; and to open afresh a fountaine of penitent teares, or at least of new griefe, hee can grieue no more, for those particular sinnes, which any dogged Shimei, or slanderous Doeg brings into his mind vponupon such occasion. For it is the woont of ignorant enemies to Gods holy wayes, to charge vponupon his children, euen with much bitternesse and insultation, the faults and follies of their vnregenerate time. Though God Almighty hath buried them for euer in his mercy; yet they will neuer suffer them to dye out of their malice. Though the blood of Christ hath couered them euerlastingly from the sight of God, and search of Satan; yet their base and dunghill spite will euer and anon rake into them againe to their disgrace. Thus were Austin and Beza, two great Lights of the Church in their times; and so are many other moderne Worthies and Champions of Christ, dayly dealt with. In which case learned Austin sweetly replyed to the Donatists vpbraiding him in such an vnworthy fashion, with the impiety and impuritie of his former life: Looke, said he, how much they blame my fault, so much I commend and praise my Physicion. And blessed Beza, to a fellow obiecting vntounto him his youthfull Poems; This Hic homo inuidet mihi gratiam Christi.man vexeth himselfe, because Christ hath vouchsafed mee his Grace. And King Dauid, with whom I should hauehave begun; when Shimei rayled vponupon him, and called him murtherer; Let him alone, and let him curse: for the Lord hath bidden him. 2. Sam. 16. 11.2 Sam 16:11And yet besides this, I doubt not, but vponupon these occasions, Dauids heart bled afresh for his bloody sinne; Augustines, for his former heresie and sensualitie; Bezaes, for the vanitie of his youth. 3. Their blazing abroad some speciall visible scandalous infirmitie of his, and yet to which he is haled, and as it were hurried by the impetuousnesse of some sudden passion, or violent temptation, and which is one of his greatest griefes, and much matter of mourning in secret, should cause him to strengthen his watch, and improoue all his spirituall p. 272valour against the assaults and insinuations of it. 4. Their malicious fathering vponupon him by false reports, those faults he yet neuer fell into, and yet to which hee may bee naturally much inclinable, should furnish him with more then ordinarie care and courage, wisdome and watchfulnesse, to preuent the scandall of any such guiltinesse. 5. Their slanderous laying to his charge, the things hee neuer did, nor euer like to doe; which is also an hellish humour, and deuilish tricke of prophanenesse against profession, should leade him to a strict enquirie into his heart and life, to find out some other sinne, of which, vponupon that occasion, God would hauehave him take notice, and mortifie. It may be, thou art falsely charged with hypocrisie; looke that thou bee not earthly-minded; with pride, looke that thou be not passionate; with worldlinesse, looke that thou be not luke-warme, &c.

Thus hauehave I somewhat inlightned, and insisted longer vponupon this point, purposely to stirre vp and quicken the spirits of all Gods people, to a fruitfull constant exercise of Christian charitie, and bounty towards their poore brethren: to bee aswell plentifull in workes of mercy, as precise in duties of pietie: (God loues mercy aswell as sacrifice; nay, in some cases, hee preferres the other before this) to be so much more mindfull and apprehensiue of all opportunities, for a sincere discharge of this much vrged and honoured duty; as the wicked are malicious, and Pharises forward, to charge vponupon them the contrarie.

For you know, that carnall men are extremely greedy of casting aspersions and disgraces vponupon the innocencie of religious Professours. No excellencie of parts, singularitie of worth, eminencie of zeale, height of holinesse, integritie and puritie of life, can possibly priuiledge the best man that euer breathed the life of grace in the bosome of the Church; from the scourge of tongues. The only Worthies vponupon earth,Heb. 11. 36, 38.Heb 11:36Heb 11:38 of whom the world was not worthy, were vexed with cruell mockings: Paul, that precious Pillar of Gods Church, wasActs 24. …. Ioh. 7. 20.Acts 24John 7:20 called, A pestilent fellow: nay, Christ Iesus himselfe, in whom the fulnesse of the Godhead dwelt bodily, was said to p. 273hauehave a Deuill. And no marueile though they deale thus with his Children, that daily blaspheme the mighty Lord of heauen and earth, blessed for euer. Daily experience tractsQuid mirum si homines seruis Dei detrahunt, & qui eorum vitam peruertere non possunt, famam dedecorare conantur, cùm ipsum Deum, & Dominum corum quotidiè blasphemare non cessant, cùm eis displicet quicquid contra …orū voluntatem iusto, & occulto iudicio facit ▪ Aug. Ep▪ 136. them in fiue pestilent passages this way: It is their woont, with all their cunning, and vponupon all occasions, 1. To lessen, disgrace, and disparage all they can, the graces, worth, and good parts of good men. 2. To report true things maliciously, and vponupon purpose to bring them into hatred and disestimation; so Doeg dealt with Dauid. 3. To charge vponupon them, with much credulity and confidence, things they neuer did, neuer knew, neuer thought vponupon, or dreamed vponupon. 4. With whorish foreheads, and very impudencie of hell, to fasten vponupon them by slanderous imputation, those sinnes and vices, in the contrary graces and vertues whereof, they are many times very eminent and remarkable. Elijah was1. Reg. 18. 17.1 Kgs 18:17 slandered to be a troubler of the State; whereas in truth, hee was the strongest Pillar of the kingdome, the very chariots 2. Reg. 2. 1….2 Kgs 2:1and horsemen of Israel. 5. Nay, and which is yet more, to father vponupon them those faults, wherein themselues, hatefull hypocrites! are grosly and notoriously guilty. Tertullus telsforeign Felix, that Paul was a very plague: for so is the Originall: whereas not onelyonly Paul was one of the best men vponupon earth: but also himselfe, a cursed cutthroate of all goodnesse, and furious opposite to the glorious Gospell. His lewd Mistresse charged Ioseph with an assault vponupon her chastitie; whereas not onelyonly he was most free that way, but also her selfe notoriously naught. Ahab called Elijah, a troubler of Israel, whereas not only that blessed Prophet was the very strength of that State; but also himselfe, by his abominable couetous Idolatrous villanies, brought confusion and misery vponupon the whole kingdome.

Now out of this cunning malicious humour, carnall men lye at the catch, and are most eager to apprehend any shadow of occasion, or rather then faile, to make matter in their owne spitefull braines, or take it vp from the lying oracle of some frothy Ale-bench; wherby to staine the honour of Profession, with the vnworthiest imputations of couetousnesse, p. 274hard-heartednesse, vnmercifulnesse; whereas themselues, meere men of this world, are as couetous as the skinne will hold; fast nailed and glued vntounto the earth; neuer in their life lift vp a ioyfull thought towards heauen, neither dare thinke seriously vponupon the world to come, without a great deale of slauish sadnesse and secret terrour. And in their grasping of worldly goods, they care not a button for conscience, make no account at all of that most certaine strict account at Gods dreadfull Tribunall: but only how to carry matters smoothly and plausibly in the eyes of men, and dawbe ouer their vniust dealings, with close conueyances, and trickes of wit.

I goe not about heere to Apologize for any vncharitable counterfeits, or those most odious outside-Christians, who put on the glory of an Angell in outward profession, that they may play the deuils more vnobseruedly, in Vsurious practises, oppressions, and vnconscionable griping; weare a cloake of zeale, in conformitie to the externall formes of obedience to the first Table, vponupon purpose to couer their crueltie and inhumanitie, in vndermining and ouer-reaching their brethren, and to prey the more inuisibly vponupon the simplicitie of those whom they deceiue by Seeming.

But yet I must tell you, that many times, euen some of Gods owne best Children are full falsly and fouly charged, by foule-mouthed worldlings themselues, with worldlinesse, couetousnesse, and imputations of that nature; who by Gods mercy, are so farre from doting vponupon earth, and the fading glory thereof, that in their retired & aduised thoughts, they would not loose the louelove and light of Gods countenance, and testimonie of a good conscience, to winne the whole world: they would not exchange their comforts of godlinesse, and interest in a Crowne of life, for ten thousand worlds, were they all turned into one inualuable Pearle: They feele themselues incomparably more comforted and kindly refreshed at the heart roote, with one thought of heauen, and that endlesse ioyfull rest aboue, through all eternitie, then with a world of earthly contemplations, though p. 275all composed of gold, pleasures, possessions, honours, Diadems, and all the glorious and most desireable treasures vnderunder the Sunne. And who in respect of any vnconscionablenesse, wrongs, iniustice, or wicked wayes of getting, might with sinceritie of heart, proportionably to their states and callings, take vp Samuels protestation: Behold, here I am, 1. Sam. 12. ….1 Sam 12witnesse against mee before the Lord, and before his Anoynted: Whose Oxe hauehave I taken? or whose▪ Asse hauehave I taken? or whom hauehave I defrauded? whom hauehave I oppressed? or of whose hand hauehave I receiued any bribe, to blind mine eyes therewith? and I will restore it. And sincere thoughts, resolutions, and protestations to this purpose, are cleere euidences of vnearthly-mindednes. Blessed Iob doth pregnantly illustrate this point: His owne friend chargeth him with inhumanitie, couetousnesse, and cruelty; and thereupon inferreth that Gods afflicting hand was heauy vponupon him: How much more thinke you, would the children of fooles, and children of villaines, viler then the earth, of whom hee elsewhere complaines, vexe him slanderously? Is not thy wickednesse great, saith Eliphaz, Iob 22. 5. &c. and thine iniquities infinite? For thou hast taken a pledge from thy brother for nought, and stripped the naked of their cloathing. Thou hast not giuen water to the weary to drinke, and thou hast withholden bread from the hungry.—Thou hast sent widowes away empty, and the armes of the fatherlesse hauehave beene broken. Therefore snares are round about thee, and sudden feare troubleth thee. Wheras, in deed and truth, righteous Iob was right nobly minded, tender-hearted, charitable, bountifull; as appeares by his confident contestation to the contrary, Iob 31. 16, &c. If I hauehave withheld the poore from their desire, or hauehave caused the eyes of the widdow to faile: or hauehave eaten my morsell myselfe alone, and the fatherlesse hath not eaten thereof: If I hauehave seene any perish for want of cloathing, or any poore without couering: If his loynes hauehave not blessed me, and if hee were not warmed with the fleece of my Sheepe: if I hauehave lift vp my hand against the fatherlesse, when I saw my helpe in the gate: then let mine arme fall from my shoulder blade, and mine arme be broken from the bone.

p. 276Thus many times an imputation of worldlinesse, hardheartednesse, vnhospitalitie, &c. is layd vponupon Gods children, without all cause, truth, or conscience; occasioned, as I conceiue, (for I desire to discouer vntounto you a depth of Satans malice in this point,) partly from the parties accusing and slandering; partly from the parties accused and slandered.

Occasions ministred by prophane men, are such as these:

1. First, They many times, when they finde their consciences disquieted, their former courses controlled, their carnall humours crossed and contradicted, and themselues much diseased and disturbed in the securefull pursuit of their sensuall pleasures, by the searching power of a conscionable Ministerie: or when they plainely see that their vnzealousnesse, lukewarmnesse, and formalitie in Religion, is censured and condemned by the forwardnesse, and zealous carriage and conuersation of the Saints, they seeke by all meanes, and labour might and maine, to bee meete with those Ministers which so vexe them with their faithfull Preaching; and those godly Christians, which silently disgrace them with their gracious life and zealous exercise of Christianitie. And therefore sith many times, by Gods goodnesse, they cannot finde any visible or conspicuous matter or miscarriage, to charge them with truely; because the Saints lie not in grosse and notorious sinnes, such as are swearing, drunkennesse, lying, vncleannesse, Sabbath-breaking, idlenesse, the vanities of goodfellowship, &c. as themselues are woont; therefore, I say, they audaciously diue into their hearts with vnhallowed censures, and lay vntounto their charges those inuisible errours, which none can see but Gods All-seeing Eye; & from which they cannot be cleered and acquit, but onelyonly by their owne consciences, and his highest Tribunall. So that they take order that such imputations, though groundlesse and false; yet shall be sure to cleaue to the good name of Gods Children as certainely without redresse or remedie, as they were deuised without truth or charitie. Wee may see this cleerely in the present point, and the slander of hypocrisie, p. 277which is also the ordinarie portion of the best, from men of the world. When prophane opposites vntounto grace pry curiously into all the wayes of Gods Child, and can finde nothing so faulty in his outward carriage, or reprooueable in the ordinarie course of his life, as they expect and desire; yet, left they should not shew themselues the right children of Satan, the Accuser of the Brethren; they will be medling one way or other; they will bee nibling at his good name, with some such speeches as these: Well, well, though he be an excellent Pulpit man, or a forward Professour, yet is hee not so, and so? is not hee as well giuen vntounto, and greedy of the world as other men? When they heare other men commend his zeale and forwardnesse in Profession, these will be casting out such malicious doubts as these; Goe too, my masters, I feare me all is not gold that glisters. Now how is it possible, or by what outward witnesses or compurgators may the Christian cleere and discharge himselfe of the imputations of worldlinesse and hypocrisie; sith the one lyes in the greedy affections of the minde, and the other lurkes in the hidden corners of the heart? The purity and secrets of which, none can truely see and censure, but the Searcher of all hearts. Were a man accused of Adulterie, Drunkennesse, or such visible notoriousnesse, there might be meanes found for the manifestation of his innocencie, by an exact scanning of time, place, and other circumstances. But this is the malicious and pestilent policie of Satan and his agents, when they see that the Saints, by the mercies of God, are free from those grosse sinnes and notorious corruptions, which ordinarily raigne in the children of darknesse; they spitefully and cunningly lay vntounto their charge, imputations of such nature, from the which, though they bee free, they cannot free themselues; and though they bee cleere, yet by reason of the malice of men, and inuisiblenesse of the matter, it will neuer so appeare; vntill the brightnesse of Christs comming bring foorth their righteousnesse as the light, and their iudgement as the noone-day; and of which they hauehave none other ground in the world but this, because themselues are p. 278such. For put a prophane worldling to prooue the slander of worldlinesse and hypocrisie, which he puts vponupon the Christian, and he will be able to giuegive you neither probable reason, nor wise word to purpose. And no marueile; for let the matter come to examining, and hee shall finde, that man which hee so miscensures, to bee, both faithfull towards God, and conscionable towards man in all his wayes: Not onelyonly innocent from oppression, corruption, wrongfull dealings, and all vnlawfull wayes of getting; but also in a speciall manner, with a most compassionate tendernesse and louelove, right dearely affected to eueryevery true-hearted Nathaneel, and the whole houshold of faith; (which no vnregenerate man can possibly bee; and which is the truest and noblest issue of sanctified charitie) Nay, and besides, not any wayes wanting (though it stand not with the policy of prophanenesse to acknowledge it) in other charitable passages with spirituall discretion, to any truly distressed and miserable. And therefore there is no ground in the world left for such gracelesse lyes, but onelyonly this: Carnall worldlings carue conditions to other men, out of the crookednesse of their owne nature; and cunningly put on the policie of Cutpurses; who in throngs at Faires and markets, call vponupon others to beware of Curpurses, that themselues being truly so, may with lesse suspition and obseruation, diue into the pockets and purses of true men. Many there are, who being themselues truely worldly, and hypocrites indeed, call Christians so, that the maske of their villanous hypocrisies may bee lesse marked; and themselues roote in earthlinesse, vntill they reach the very bottome of hell, and no man regard them.

2. Secondly, if a man would bee irreligious and vnconscionable, it is a very easie thing to grow rich and into reputation with the world. If once hee so farre harden his heart, seare his conscience, and abandon the feare of God; that hee resolues without remorse or shame, to defraud, dissemble, bribe, oppresse, put to Vsury, serue the time, make vse of all men for his owne turne, to cloake crueltie with conscience, p. 279pretend friendship, when he purposes to deale like a Turke: In a word, to plot and practise any lewd deuice or consciencelesse course, for his aduantage and rising; I doe not see how such a fellow, in these griping dayes and times of confusion, should escape wealth, preferment, and respect in the world. And as it is easie for fellowes of such ill conscience to thriue, and wicked men to grow wealthy; so methinkes it is no great matter for such to make sometimes very goodly showes to the world, of bountifulnesse, and liberall profusions in feasts, entertainments, and larger doles to the poore, out of their superfluities, and heapes of ill-gotten goods. But herein (though it bee well, that such goods doe good vntounto some) they are like vntounto theeues, who hauing robbed some rich Merchant, and taken hundreths from him, do scatter heere and there by the way, some small pieces of siluer to the poore. But this is a very poore mends for their mercilesse bloodshed and lawlesse robberies: This is, as they say, to rob Peter, and cloath Paul. Thus many great men keepe great houses; and that is well: it is fit, Greatnesse should be accompanied with franknesse; but alas, they grinde the faces of the poore, and eate the flesh of Gods people, to vphold their hospitalitie. So some Ministers heape liuing vponupon liuing, that so they may be enabled and furnished to purchase a great name by keeping a great house; but alas, they maintaine their port and estate with the price of the precious blood of soules, and feed the greedy humour of their Pharisaicall goodfellowship, with the fearefull Gangrene of spirituall bloodshed. So others may bee sometimes good vntounto the poore, and bountifull, as they say, in their own houses: but alas, they marre all their almes-giuing, by vnlawfull getting; and turne that, which of it selfe is one of those sacrificesHeb. 13. 16.Heb 13:16 with which God is highly pleased, into **Isa. 61. 8.Isa 61:8abomination and sinne vntounto themselues. A goodly matter, sure, to scatter heere and there, now and then, some few drops of charitable deuotions; whereas they hauehave many huge and headlong torrents of gaine and goods comming in dayly; by oppression, violence, mercilesse inclosure, deuouring widowes p. 280houses, selling the poore for old shooes, rackings, enhansings, gripings, vsuries, immoderate takings, &c.

3. Thirdly, prophane hypocrites are commonly Pharisaicall in their almesgiuing; affect, and pursue obseruation, singularitie, vaine-glorious ostentations in their contributions of charitie. Their forefathers the Pharises, when they gaue their almes, made a Trumpet to bee sounded before them; So these fellowes, their followers, and succeeding Actors vponupon the same Stage of hypocrisie, lest their good deeds should die in the distribution, and bee obscurely buried in the bellies of the poore, they also get vntounto themselues a kinde of talebearing Trumpetters too. They cunningly obserue those opportunities, and single out such obiects of their commiseration, and charitable deuotions, whereby they may soonest, and most compendiously purchase a name of being good to the poore, and hauehave their bountifull disposition blazed abroad, with most circumstances, best aduantages, and partiall enlargements. And thus it is a very easie thing for a Pharise to bee famous in this kinde: for sith hee giues more for commendation, then for conscience; far more for praise amongst men, then out of a true-hearted compassion to the party; he dares dispence with a good conscience, and take liberty vntounto himselfe to place his good turnes there, where there is best possibilitie of being most spoke of, and greatest hope of the richest returne of applause and admiration. So that such an one ordinarily in his open-heartednesse, and charitable distributions, hath a speciall eye and inclination to those that flatter him to his face; and are like to prooue the loudest trumpets of his bountifulnesse abroad where they come. And hee is so farre from a right and seasonable apprehension of due circumstances, difference of parties, and those spirituall discretions, obseruable and necessary in such Christian exercises of louelove; and from the practise of the Apostles precept, Galat. 6. 10. Doe good vntounto all men, but especially to them which are of the houshold of faith: that hee would rather afford his helping hand for the reliefe & raising vp of a decayed goodfellow, then of a distressed Christian.

p. 2814. Fourthly, though carnall men bee so couetous, and hold-fast of earthly contentments, that they would rather loose their precious soules euerlastingly, then leaue them: yet if it might bee, if they were possibly compatible, they would giuegive any thing in the world; both to serue and satisfie themselues in the wayes of vanitie, and after to saue their soules in the day of wrath; both to partake of the pleasures of the present, and to be secured from the vengeance that is to come. What would not the great Ones of the world giuegive, to purchase two Heauens; one here, and another in the other world? What would not sensuall worldlings part with, to redeeme their sinnes, if they might hauehave a dispensation to continue in sinne? to liue the life of vanity and lust, and after to die the death of the Righteous, and to receiue their crowne? In such cases in their sober considerations (so that their present temporall happinesse sustaine no hazard, or diminution; nor the delights of their sweete sinne, any disturbance) they would not stand vponupon any worldly good; though it were a thousand Rammes, or ten thousand Riuers of Oyle: Nay, they would giuegive their first-borne for their transgressions; euen the fruit of their bodies for the sinne of their soules. Many there are which may bee easily perswaded, and can well finde in their hearts, to giuegive any thing towards the seruice of God, and saluation of their soules; saue themselues; I meane, their hearts and affections, which the world and their darling-pleasures hauehave principally possest. Hence now it is, that many rich Ones and men of the world, being otherwise very guilty, and obnoxious in many respects, are very willing and well content many times to contribute bountifully to good vses, and to make good shew of liberalitie towards the poore; that thereby lesse notice may bee taken of their other notoriousnesse; and with some kinde of hope, so to couer and conceale many grosse corruptions from the wrath of God, and the worlds censure. For I know not how, there is an inbred opinion and conceit seated in the hearts of naturall men and Papists, that almes-deeds, and such workes of charitie make amends for other miscariages, though foule, p. 282and scandalous; and be pleasing to Almightie God, though the parties frō whence they proceed, be polluted with secret impurities and raigning sinnes. Sith therefore they perswade their hearts, that charitable deuotions & distributions hauehave some power, as it were, somewhat to appease diuine wrath, and to satisfie for other sinful exorbitancies and aberrations; and see plainely that it is the most compendious way to purchase a great deale of credit in these cold & compassionlesse times; and the onelyonly obiect to diuert the eyes of the greater from the obseruation of their other faults: I say therefore, they open their hearts the more liberally, and enlarge their bowels to greater bountifulnesse; which otherwise their couetousnesse would keepe shut. Thus, many, to diminish the horrour and markeablenesse of their vnmortified lusts and open lewdnesse, exercise a good art without a good heart.

Occasions from the parties slandered, are such as these:

1. Christians, of all men in the world, are the speciall markes and ordinary obiects, vponupon which are discharged and exercised all kindes of malice and mischiefe: not onelyonly the empoisoned arrowes of spitefull tongues, the sword of Tyrants, the flames of crueltie; but also many lesser and lessemarkt vexations, as wrongs, oppressions, mercilesnesse, and many vnconscionable vsages. Prophane men being seated in high roomes, or besotted with the worlds fauours and flatteries, doe many times, out of their pride and malice, very contemptuously roule downe as from aloft, indignities, insolencies, many hard and heauy inhumanities, and iniustices vponupon Gods Children, as a number of neglected vnderlings. So that as the Prophet speakes; Hee that refraineth from euill, maketh himselfe a prey. Hee that by the mercies of God breakes out of the bonds of Satan, into the blessings and blessed estate of grace, shall for euer after, not onelyonly be furiously persecuted by the rage of hell, and malice of prophanenes; but also lie more open to the insultations, wrongs and oppressions of his aduersaries, and trecherous insinuations of false friends. Sith therfore Christians, by reason of their patience, the worlds discountenance, disaffection of great p. 283Ones, their own resolute disallowance of all indirect courses, of any base, and vnconscionable aduantage, are many times mightily hackt vponupon, and opprest by the greedy policies, expilations, and encroachments of boysterous worldlings, and causelesse opposites: and not onelyonly so, but sometimes also cunningly, & insensibly preyed vponupon euen by profest friends: (For there are a kinde of men, which putting on for the time, the glory of an Angell, mixe themselues with Gods people, and presse into their company, onelyonly because they see and finde them to bee such, as from whom, by reason of the singlenesse and simplicitie of their heartts, the vnsuspiciousnesse of their charitie, the equity and conscionablenesse of their dealing, in these coozening, supplanting, and vndermining dayes, they may the most fairely and easily sucke out the greatest aduantage:) I say therefore, sith Gods children are most subiect both to the wrongs of open enemies, & supplantation of seeming friends, they are many times not so enabled in outward things, or strong in their worldly state, to make such a flourish in dispersing their superfluities, as those men which get without conscience, and disburse without spirituall discretion.

2. A Christian dare not for his life so farre enlarge his conscience, as to gaine by any vnwarrantable meanes, or vnconscionable course, as oppression, corruption, coozening, violence, lying, vniust dealing, &c. and therefore in this griping, and greedy age, in the highest noonetide of iniquitie, or rather darkest midnight of the workes of darknesse (though outward want bee infinitely counteruailed with inward comfort) hee doth not commonly come to that excesse, and superfluitie of temporall things, which many times worldlings with wider consciences, easily and immeasurably ingrosse. The largest consciences in these last & worst dayes, are the onelyonly deuourers, and swallowers downe of worldly wealth. A religious resolution to saue a mans soule, (more is the pitie!) is many times a notable curbe to keepe him from growing rich, and into reputation with the world. Gods blessings euen in temporall things, I deny not, are sometimes p. 284very plentifully vponupon the right owners, Gods owne children; and both heauenly and earthly happinesse hauehave beene wreathed together by the mercifull hand of God, and set vponupon their heads: but if wee looke vponupon the common courses holden in the world that way; and in all forecast of carnall reason, hee is likeliest to grow rich and rise, who is resolued to damne his soule. In ordinary conceit of prophane policie, and apprehensions of worldly wisdome, Ioseph mistGen. 39.Gen 39 a great deale of earthly contentment, and in a precise humour put from him much possibilitie of preferment, by not yeelding to the impure sollicitations of his wanton Mistris. Micaiah, in not iumping with the foure hundred false prophets,1. King. chap. 22.1 Kgs 22 in their lying flatterie to please the two Kings: Ionathan, in not ioyning with his father Saul, for the preuention and confusion1. Sam. 20. 31, 32.1 Sam 20:311 Sam 20:32 of Dauid. Had a sensuall worldling beene in Iosephs case, an vnsanctified Minister in Micaiahs, an ambitious Absalom in Ionathans, assuredly they had all yeelded to the seuerall temptations. The conscience of an vnregenerate man will marueilously stretch it selfe, and grant out very large dispensations, especially when any speciall glory, profit or pleasure of the world is in pursuit and possibilitie. It was so in all ages, and at this day many a good man, many times, of great spirit, worth, and vnderstanding, sits obscurely in a very low roome, and is kept vnderunder in meane estate by the worlds oppressions, because he dare not displease God, or enlarge his conscience proportionably to the vast gulfe of the times corruptions. This is the very true reason why folly is set in so great excellency, and sinceritie seated in the low place: why so many seruants are on horsebacke, and so many Princes walking as seruants on the ground. Sith therefore the Christian is happily restrained by the checks and tendernesse of a good conscience, from all vnwarrantable meanes, and vnconscionable courses of getting; though his bowels bee most compassionate, his heart heated with true charitie, and his desires enlarged to doe good vntounto all, and all the good he can; yet he is many times kept short, by reason of his short pittance, from those outward reall expressions, and effects of p. 285charitie, to which his tender-hearted zealous affection is inwardly, truely inflamed; and from those more bountifull effusions and liberalities, which rich worldlings may, out of the tythe, nay, the thousandth part of their ill gotten goods, plentifully performe.

3. Thirdly, Christians know themselues bound in conscience to a carefull prouision for their Families; to diligence, and faithfulnesse in their callings; from all vnnecessarie expences, and the prodigall effusions of goodfellowship, from ambitious affectation of applause, and vaineglory, by Pharisaicall ostentations: and therefore to the greedy obseruation of carnall eyes, and vndiscerning spirits of vnregeneration, which want no malice to mistake, or cunning to apprehend any shadow or shew of any seeming aduantage for the disgrace of good men; they seeme, and are miscensured to hold vponupon the world, to feede vponupon earthlymindednesse, not to bee so open-hearted, good-natur'd, and charitably affected as other good fellowes, as they call them, which make no such profession of purity, and precisenesse. And this misconceit of Gods children is made more passable, by the prophane plausiblenesse of vaineglorious worldlings. It is sooner, and more easily entertained; because vnconscionable men take any compendious course of growing rich; which their couetous humour suggests vntounto them; and by allowance and exercise of vnlawfull meanes of getting, bring in many times great store of wealth with much ease; and therefore neede not toyle so in their trades, or follow the businesses of their proper callings with such attention and exactnesse. And if at any time they resolue to be more bountifull and liberall, they commonly make choyce of those times, places, persons, and other circumstances, whereby (as they thinke) their good natures may be most noted, and their names grow greatest for extraordinarie kindnesse and goodfellowship.

4. The Christian doth encline, and enlarge the bowels of his speciall compassion towards the necessities of the Saints, and conueyes the noblest issues, and effects of his inflamed p. 286charitie, into the bosome of Gods child. And indeed hee is so prest by the commandement; Doe good vntounto all men, but especially vntounto them who are of the houshold of Faith. And there was neuer more need: For howsoeuer worldlings may bee bountifull one to another, and exercise many mutuall offices of kindnesse and carnall louelove among themselues; yet for the most part, they are very vncompassionate, straitlaced and hard-hearted toward distressed Christians. Nay, ordinarily, they are rather ready to combine and contribute their malices, policies and purses, to throw them downe lower into outward want and misery; then to put to their helping hands for their recouery, comfort, and enlargement; though it were in their sufferings for Gods cause, and testimony of a good conscience. So that, as Christian distresses are the principall obiect of the Christians compassion and bounty: So worldlings are onelyonly heartily kind and openhearted to the men of the World. Now, that you may rightly vnderstand the point, you must conceiue, that the good deeds and commendable parts of an vnregenerate man, are euer carried more boisterously and with greater noyse, are entertained of the World with a farre more general applause and notice, then the godly actions and diuine Graces of Gods children. The World deales with men in this case, saith a worthy Diuine,Greenham. as it deales with Witches and Physicions; the Witch, though shee faile in twenty things, yet if she doe some one thing aright, though it be but small, the world loueth, and commendeth her for a good and wise woman. But the Physicion, if hee worke sixe hundred cures; yet if, through the waywardnesse of his Patient, or for the punishment of his Patients sinne, he faile but in one, that one faile doth more turne to his discredit, then his manifold, goodly and notable cures doe get him praise. In this manner, saith hee, doth the world deale with men: If a worldly man hauehave but an outward Go… children couer many infirmities in others vnderunder one good gift: the vngodly bury many good gifts in others vnderunder one infirmity.gift of strength, of speech, or of comelinesse, he shall be greatly praised, and counted a goodly man, though he be an Idolater, or a prophane person; and though hee swimme and flow ouer in all manner of vices: But let the child of God bee truely zealous in true Religion, let him bee honest and holy in conuersation, yet p. 287if there be but one infirmitie in him, or if he hauehave through weakenesse fallen into some one sinne, that one infirmitie against which he striueth, or that one sinne for which he is grieued, shall drowne all the Graces of God in him, bee they neuer so great, and the World will account him a most wicked man. It is iust so in this particular: A prophane man many times by some one speciall markable act of bounty and contribution, or for some few seasonable ostentations of good fellowship, and kinde nature, gets the start and precedency in opinion and reputation with the World, from many a gracious Christian; who beares in his bosome a constant habituall tender-heartednes to all true necessities, and as occasion shall exact, opens his heart, his hands, and his house most ioyfully and compassionately, to refresh and comfort the needfull exigents of any true-hearted Nathaneel. And the Worldling doth the rather, and more easily carry it, because in the dispersing of his doles and largesses, hee many times makes choise of such tale-bearing Trumpetters, who knowing his Pharisaicall humour, are likeliest to blaze his bounty most abroad in the World; whereas the Christian singles out specially for such purposes the distressed Saints, from whom hee expects no more but a secret and silent blessing of God in their hearts, for his goodnesse conueyed vntounto them by such an Instrument.

Thus I hauehave discouered vntounto you a mysterie of Satans malice, and the cunning despitefulnesse of prophane men, who labour many times out of pure malice, & wilfull mistakings, to fasten vponupon Gods children, imputations of worldlinesse, hard-heartednesse, cruell dealing, and such like.

The occasions, as I hauehave largely told you, are such as these.

VponUpon the Worldlings part:

1. His hearty desire to disgrace Christians, whom, sith by the Grace of God, hee finds free from open grosse sinnes, presently growes to such speeches as these: Why, but are not such and such giuen to the world, as well as other men? &c.

2. He dare enlarge his conscience to courses of vnlawfull p. 288getting; and therefore it is more easie for him to open his hand now and then to some boysterous flourishes of liberalmindednesse; especially sith thereby hee hopes to repaire his reputation for his other indirections.

3. He is commonly Pharisaicall in an ambitious exercise, and more publike acting of his deeds of charitie; and therefore whatsoeuer hee doth that way, is for the most part carried abroad with speciall and remarkable noyse and notice.

4. He would gladly still the cryings of his guilty conscience, and seeme to himselfe to redeeme the sinnes of his soule, by a more bountifull disbursement of outward things.

VponUpon the Christians part:

1. He is most subiect to wrongs and weakenings in his outward state; both by the violent encroachments of profest opposites, and couetous insinuations of false friends.

2. He dare not for any gold, or good, vndertake any vnwarrantable and scandalous course of gaining.

3. He finds himselfe bound in conscience, to faithfull diligence in his Calling, and Christian prouision for his Familie.

4. He spends the best and most of his bounty and charitie vponupon the houshold of Faith.

But in this point, as I said before, I apologize for none but those, whom their owne consciences, and the mercifull Tribunall of God doe acquite. Let Christians looke vntounto it; the World is very watchfull, and greedy with great curiositie and cunning, to apprehend the least shadow of any occasions, for the blaspheming of the wayes of God, and the disgracing of his children. And therefore euer and anon you shall heare the spirit of prophanenesse crying out, and complaining: You see these fellowes, which make such show of forwardnesse and puritie, what they are: none so couetous; none so vncharitable; none so vnmercifull, and cruell in their dealings as they; none so hard-hearted to the poore, &c. Now although such bitter speeches as these, are often the meere euaporations of pure malice, and …low from no other p. 289ground in the world, but onelyonly from the gall of gracelesse men: yet let all those which truely feare God, take heed how they giuegive iust occasion thereunto. Assuredly it were farre better for him, whosoeuer he be, that a milstone were hanged about his neck, and he were drowned in the depth of the Sea; then that by the continuance of his cruell and vnconscionable dealings in the world, he should minister iust occasion to any rayling Rabshakeh, to reuile the seruants of the Liuing God, or to slander that holy Profession. Me thinkes, this one preseruatiue should be powerfull enough, to keepe the heart of eueryevery Christian from doting vponupon the world, or suffering it to bee possessed thereof. It is this: EueryEvery Christian by a fruitfull faith, may bee assured of a Crowne of life, either by assurance of adherence, or euidence; or both. Now if but once a day hee should take a serious suruay of the glory, euerlastingnesse, and vnutterable excellencies of that Immortall Crowne; me thinkes it were able so to dull the edge, and dissolue the drossinesse of all earthly desires; that they should neuer more be able to heate, or harden his heart with immoderate or delightfull repose vponupon the vexing vanities of any worldly thing. I say it againe; Me thinkes, if a man doe but once a day cast the eye of his Faith vponupon that Crowne of life; which our deare Redeemer holds for vsus in his hand, ready to set vponupon our heads when we shall be dissolued from this vale of teares; the goodly glory thereof should be able to dispell these mists of fading vanities, and hurtfull …umes of honours, riches, and earthly pleasures; which this great dunghill of the World, heated by the fire of mens inordinate lusts, doth euaporate and interpose betwixt the sight of their soules, and the blisse of Heauen.

Worldlinesse, earthly-mindednesse, couetousnesse, doth infinitely vnbecome an heire of Heauen. Be fired then, and frighted from all inclinations and bent that way, by such considerations as these:

1. It is a most base and dunghill distemper, which eates vp, not onelyonly all Religion and honestie, manlinesse and reason, naturall affection and discretion; but euen humanity also p. 290and friendlinesse: So that a man had almost as well conuerse with a Caniball for any ingenuous and conscionable dealing, as with a truely couetous caitife.

2. Shall the immortall comprehensiuenesse of the diuine and excellent Soule, which is able to peruse and passe ouer Heauen and Earth in a moment; is capable of the mystery of Christ, and the eternall vision of God; be vnworthily confined to a piece of ground, an heape of white and yellow clay? A vile imprisonment, and inexpiable wrong to so noble a Nature!

3. It is a deuouring Gangrene, an insatiable Wolfe; which the more it hath, euer the more hungry it is. It is as fire which encreaseth by that nourishment which is giuen vntounto it. The barren wombe, the Ho…eleeches daughter, the graue is nothing to this gulfe, and it holds the heart continually vponupon the racke of selfe-vexation and carking: For three rauenous Vultures seize vponupon it successiuely, and gnaw in their turnes with incredible torment; care, feare, griefe; in getting, keeping, leauing.

4. All Gods blessed ones in all ages, embracing the promises of life in the armes of their faith, willingly confessed themselues to bee pilgrims and strangers here vponupon earth, looking for a Citie in another Country, which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God. And good reason, besides Religion, that they should grow into such resolutions; for all things here below are full of transitorinesse, mortality and change; Vanity of vanities, all is vanity: but aboue, is constancy and eternitie of all excellencies, perfections and pleasures. Besides, that thou shalt hauehave there a Body brighter then the Sunne, a Soule replenished with vnutterable delights, the glorious company of Christ Iesus, Angels, Saints, Christian Friends; the vision and fruition of God, blessed for euer, wherein consists the Crowne and Life of all celestiall ioyes; I say, to say nothing of these, but euen the space of one foot vponupon the pauement of the Empyrean Heauen, is incomparably more worth, then the great Body of the whole Earth, were it all turned into Gold, and beset with as many vnualuable p. 291Pearles, as it is now with piles of Grasse.

5. Nature, saith a meere Moralist, seemeth in the first birth of Gold, and wombe from whence it proceedeth, after a sort to hauehave presaged the misery of those that are in louelove with it. For it hath so ordered the matter, that in those Countries where it groweth, there growes with it neither Grasse, nor Plant, nor any thing, that is worth any thing: as giuing vsus to vnderstand thereby, that in those minds where the desire of this metall growes, there cannot remaine so much as a sparke of true honour and vertue.

6. God is not onelyonly a Father, but also All-sufficient: WhyMatth. 6. 8, 9. Gen. 17. 1.Matt 6:8Matt 6:9Gen 17:1 shouldest thou then feare want, that fearest him? He prouides eueryevery day for millions of Fowles; Will Hee then bee wanting to a Man, to a Christian, to His owne Child? Christ himselfe pressing reasons to this purpose, tells vsus, that our heauenly Father cloathes the Lilly aboue Solomons Royalty,Matth. 6. 25, &c.Matt 6:25 and feedes the Fowles of the aire, which neither sow, nor reape, nor gather into barnes. What a cursed vaile then of base distrust darkens thine hard heart, that thou shouldest either carke, or deale vnconscionably?

7. One two houres fire will disperse, and consume the hoard of an hundred yeeres heaping together. And where art thou then? Thine heart then is seized vponupon at once, with vnutterable anguish, and the very horror of Hell, for the losse of thine Heauen vponupon Earth; and with cryes of blood, and furies of conscience, for thy couetous, cruell, vsurious, iniurious courses for many yeeres. Thus many a worldling spins a faire thread to strangle himselfe both temporally and eternally.

8. The Sunne is a very glorious and contented creature; and yet it harbours no golden Mine in its faire and refulgent Body. The blessed Angels are full of all felicities; and yet they hauehave no siluer; they want no happinesse, and yet they want gold. Heauen, the chiefe and Royall Seate of Blessednesse, is empty of these treasures, there grow no Minerals; the Veine of siluer and gold is not to be found there. The Sonne of God himselfe, infinitely the most happy Creature, I p. 292speake in respect of his Humanitie, that euer issued out of the hands of God, were there any such great matter, or excellency in riches, had neuer said of himselfe: The Foxes hauehave holes, Matth. 8. 20.Matt 8:20and the Birds of the Aire hauehave nests: but the Sonne of Man hath not where to lay his head. Could a Bearing-mantle of cloth of gold, an empearled Cradle, delicious fare eueryevery day, thousands a yeere, make a man truly happy; the right and Royall Heire of all things, would neuer hauehave chosen a StableLuke 2. 7.Luke 2:7 for his Birth-chamber, A Manger for his Cradle, Barleybread for the entertainement of his Followers, a lesse fixedIoh. 6. 9.John 6:9 habitation for himselfe, then the poorest Bird, &c.

9. The Sunne and Moone are farre more glistering and glorious, then the burnisht gold of Ophyr: and the poorest man hath as large a prospect and part in them, as the vastest Incloser, or most griping Vsurer: but much more benefit by them, then the rich worldlings by their golden heapes. For he is comfortably warmed, and refreshed with the influence of their heate and light: but they, if the Deuill did not hoodwinke them, might see eueryevery time they looke thereon, that rust cleauing to their vnrighteous Mammon, whichIam. 5. 3.Jas 5:3 hereafter shall eate their flesh as it were fire.

10. One Starre doth incomparably exceed in beauty and worth a golden earth: and if thou be truly Gods, and hauehave thy foote already vponupon the Moone, as thou oughtest, thouReuel. 12. 1.Rev 12:1 shalt hereafter tread euerlastingly vponupon thousands of them. Disdaine then in the meane time, to let thy heauenly spirit dote vponupon those baser hoards of shining earth, which are making themselues wings to flie away, as an Eagle toward Heauen: for riches are like transitorie streames, which posting by the side of a Citie, no man can stay. Were it not a sencelesse and brainelesse endeauour and expectation, for a Towne to hope and assay to keepe with them the hasty current of a mighty Riuer, which none of an hundred Townes before could hold? And doest thou expect any constancy ofErras, si mansuras putas tibi diuitias, quae pe… tot manus hominum transierunt. abode with thee of that thicke clay, which hath passed thorow so many hands before? Neither is it so much thine, as the Worlds. A Dog followes two men: it is not knowne to p. 293whom he belongs, vntill they bee parted. VponUpon the arrest of death, thy wealth leaues thee euerlastingly, and cleaues vntounto the World; and therefore it was worldly wealth.

11. Moderation and conscionablenes in getting, may, by the mercy of God, draw from His bountifull hand, a more speciall extraordinarie gracious prouidence and blessing vponupon posterity: whereas contrary carriage may bring an heauy curse. The Prophet, who was husband to her who came crying to Elisha for comfort, 2. King. 4. 1. did feare God, saith the Text. Whereby he was happily restrained from all wicked wayes of gaining, and growing into wealth. Durst he hauehaveColligemus ex hac paupertate, virum illum fuisse constanten… in verâ & sanâ religione: quia si deficere voluisset ad cultum Iezabelis, & impij Regis, victus & iustae facultates ei non defuissent, Martyr. enlarged his conscience proportionably to the corruptions of those times, and shifted his Sailes according to the sitting of eueryevery wind, as pillow-sowers vnderunder mens elbowes, and preachers of smooth things are woont; I see no reason, but he might hauehave been aduanced to Iezabels table, as well as the foure hundred flattering false temporizing prophets; and by seruing the time also, hauehave risen, and enricht both himself and his. But this honest man would rather die in debt, leaue his wife and children in extreme pouerty, and expose his two sonnes as bondmen to the Creditour; then to put his hand to any manner of iniquitie in getting, or to raise an outward rotten estate, vponupon the ruines and bloody desolations of mens precious soules. And what followes? Rather then the wife and children of such a man shall want, God will hauehave the Prophet doe a Miracle for their supply and comfort, as appeares in the Story. But now on the otherside, Gehazi in the very following Chapter, 2. King. 5. will needs by Bribing make himselfe and his children for euer. And what is the issue? He puls thereby an horrible curse both vponupon himselfe and his posteritie: The Leprosie therefore of Naaman shall cleaue vntounto thee, and vntounto thy seed for euer. Vers. 27. Thou haddest better then, leaue a wallet to thy child, to go from doore to doore; then a cursed hoard of ill gotten goods.

12. But aboue all, to curbe thine heart from couetousnesse, meditate much vponupon such places as these: Mat. 6. 25. p. 294to the end. Phil. 4. 6. 1. Tim. 6. 9, 10. Iam. 5. 1, 2, 3. Prou. 23. 5. 1. Pet. 5. 7.

VI. Lastly, concerning a right and comfortable managing of our spirituall estate, a point of deepest consideration, and highest consequence; take notice of two extremes, two dangerous Rockes, vponupon which the soule may run, and split it selfe spiritually.

1. The one is a proud ouerprizing of our owne graces, with a conceited ouerweening selfe-admiration.

2. The aaIsta duo occidunt animas, aut desperatio, aut peruersa spes. August. in Ioan. Serm. 59.other, a deiected, distrustfull vnderualuing of Gods mercies, the promises of life, and those graces which we possesse in truth and holy desire; though not in that degree wee desire.

I. Before I can seasonably and preparedly fall vponupon the first, to instruct punctually, and arme the Christian against it, with whom I principally deale in this whole discourse: giuegive mee leaue to discouer a mysterie of spirituall Selfe-deceit; by which Satan sits presumptuously in the darkned minds, and deluded imaginations of those, whom with his cunning and malice he hood winkes, and hardens to their endlesse confusion.

Many thousands euen vnderunder the meanes, and in this glorious mid-day of the Gospell, are groundlesly conceited, that they are right, when as in truth and triall, they are rotten at the heart roote; that they are sure of Heauen, when they are as yet most certainely of the family of Hell. Neither is this any strange thing: so deluded were the foolish Virgins, Mat. 25. 11, 12. and so are all such outside Christians: Those, Luk. 13. 26, 27. and so are all, who stand onelyonly on the worke wrought, & bare taske of religious duties, without the power of inward holinesse: The yong man in the Gospell, Mat. 19. 20. with that generation, Prou. 30. 12. And so are all such ciuill Iustitiares: the proud Pharise, Luk. 18. 11, 12. who was so confident, that he gaue God thankes for his blessed condition; when he was but yet a cursed vniustified wretch; and so are all of his formall straine: Those, Ioh. 8. 39 who held themselues to bee Abrahams children; whereas Christ tels p. 295them, the Deuill was their father, Vers. 44. And so are all those, who build onelyonly vponupon the outward priuiledges of Christianitie, without personall aaWhich Gods Book also requires, Mat. 5. 8. 1. Ioh. 3 3. &c. And our Common Prayer Booke in the Prayer immediately after confession.Matt 5:81 John 3:3puritie: Paul in the state of Pharisaisme; and so are all those, who wandring out of the path which is called holy, swell with a proud opinionatiuenesse and furious zeale, aboue the bankes of Gods blessed Booke, and bounds of all holy discretion, & will needs so are aloft on waxen wings of selfe-conceitednesse, and superficialnesse, to strange and vncouth heights of excellent fancies, without hauing euer laid sound foundation in true humiliation for sin, and in selfe-deniall: the Church of Laodicea, Reuel. 3. 17. and all such lukewarme Professors. Hence wee hauehave a taste, what a world of p…ople are wofully blindfolded by the Prince of this World; and through the insinuating imposture, and vnexamined delusion of spirituall selfe-deceit, are put into a fooles paradise, of being already safe and secure for Heauen; whereas as yet they are meere strangers to the Mysterie of Christ, and the New creation; and shall be certainely damned, if they so continue: for that which is highly esteemed amongst men, is abomination in the sight of God, saith Christ to the selfe-iustifying Pharises, Luk. 16. 15.

And yet some sorts of vnregenerate men are here to bee excepted from this generall deluge of selfe-delusion; who lye not so grossely inwrapped in the iuggling mists of the deuils Angelicall glory. Not that they are better then those deluded Ones, or hauehave any good assurance vponupon sound vndeceiuing grounds of their spirituall well-being, (for such an humble true perswasion, is confined only to true Conuerts) but it happens by accident, that by reason either of the extreme villany of their liues, or desperate positions of their Antichristian doctrine, they see cleare reasons stand like an armed man in their conuinced consciences; that if they continue in their forlorne courses, they cannot possibly be saued; or faine reasons, & coine distinctions, vponupon purpose to exclude all frō any infallible certainty of saluation. They are such as these:

1. Grosse hypocrites, who deceiue others, but not their owne hearts, as Iudas.

p. 2962. Those notorious Ones; who in their cold blood … sticke to confesse, that they are yet quite wrong, and vtterly wide from the way that is called Holy; and will sometimes set a time when they purpose to cast off for euer, and casheire their sensuall courses, and swaggering company, and begin at length to looke towards Heauen, and learne the Art of sauing their soules; and in the meane time they make a couenant with death, and are at an agreement with Hell, Isai. 28. 15.

3. Other sonnes of Belial; whose hearts by their obstinate wallowing in the worke of darkenesse, hardening their foreheads by their impudent vallanies against the face of Heauen; and with their owne soule-murthering hands, and horrible crueltie pressing an hot iron vponupon their consciences, are growne at length into such a prodigious Rocke; that thoughSee Rom. 1. 32.Rom 1:32 they know themselues to be posting towards the pit of Hell, yet they are senselesse, and fearelesse of that fiery dungeon.

4. Those, who being conuinced of the truth, and goodnesse of the Gospell, and approouing in their iudgement and conscience, the power and practise of it, as the onelyonly way to euerlasting blisse; but then reflecting their carnall eyes vponupon the furious entisings of their darling sinnes, and by the touchstone of sense comparing the pleasures of these, which they presently graspe, with the spirituall strictnesse, and promised ioyes of the other; stand infinitely vnresolued, and desperately obstinate, by no meanes, vponupon no termes to leaue the present sensuall ioyes of their earthly paradise: but rather choose euen in their cold blood, to turne their backes vponupon God blessed for euer, his holy truth, seruice, seruants, and all the glory in the World to come. And then by good consequence, hauing thus subscribed and sealed by an irreuocable resolution, and sworne vassalage to bee Satans for euer, and for euer to stand on his side, receiue into their hearts an inwardNeque dubito, quin sicut filij Dei, propter fidē in Christum testimonium certum accipiunt in animis suis suae coelestis filiationis & aeternae vitae: sic eos qui occupati toti à Satana, Christum cognitum abnegant, p…odunt, reijciunt ex animo, testimonium intus accipere à spiritu Diaboli, de se actum esse in aetetnum, &c. Zanch. de pecc▪ in Sp. Sanct. certificate, that they are vtterly forsaken of God, and shall be certainely damned. Whereupon they turne euen p. 297young deuils; (they shall hauehave their perfection in hell) boyle inwardly with much malicious blasphemous rage against God, whom they hauehave renounced; persecute with implacable spite, the blessed Gospel and glorious wayes of Christ, which they hauehave so desperately reiected; and gnash the teeth, like so many already hellish Fiends, against all those happy Ones, whom they see walke with constancie and comfort in that holy way, to innumetable ioyes; which they with certaine knowledge of their heart, and against the cleere light of their conscience, hauehave wretchedly abandoned for euer: And so sinne against the holy Ghost.

5. The Papists also, as vponupon the vnblessed grounds of their Antichristian doctrine, cannot possibly build any true perswasion of being in Gods fauour; so they are bound out by the tenour of their hereticall Tenent, from thinking it lawfull to entertaine any vnwauering certainety that way.

6. Nay further, some out of a Pharisaicall pretence of humility and modesty; but in truth, from the secret suggestion of a guilty conscience, which ministers vntounto them more then matter enough of true and iust doubting, are notable wranglers for Papisticall doubting.foreign Papistic….

Thus you see, some there are also, who doe not assure themselues of future happinesse, either vponupon true or false grounds. Yet I am perswaded, the greatest part of those who liue within the sound of the Gospell, are ordinarily confident without cause, and secure of their saluation; when as in truth & triall They hauehave no surer interest or better claime to the kingdome of heauen, then the foolish Virgins, and the rest of that deluded ranke, which I mentioned a little before. Let a Minister of some great Congregation, wherein there are very few Professors, which is no hard thing to find, and where there is no profession, especially the Gospell being peaceably preached, there can ordinarily be no power of Christianity; shewes there may be, indeed without substance; but not the power of godlinesse, without visible appearance; as appeares in the Preparatiues: I say, let him interrogate, and p. 298aske the rest of his people one after another, bee they hundreths or thousands, what conceits they hold of themselues for the world to come? what they thinke will become of them after this life? what their present iudgement is of their spirituall estate? And I thinke he shall scarce meet with any, who will not in some kinde or other discouer some groundlesse confidence of his wellbeing that way. Their answer ordinarily would be to this purpose: We thanke God, we hauehave Iust like the Pharise, Luke 18. 11.Luke 18:11a good faith to Godwards: We hauehave beleeued in Christ, euer since we may remember: We hope God will be mercifull; though we be not Scripture-men, nor so forward as others, or such followers of Sermons, &c. yet we looke to be saued aswell as the best of them all, &c. VponUpon the matter, and in summe: Wee doubt not but wee shall goe to heauen. And if their Minister should reply: But I pray you tell mee, you that are so confident, Doe you beleeue, and repent, and make conscience of all our wayes, &c? Yea, would they say, with all our hearts, else it were pittie we should liue. When as, God knowes, it is neither so nor so: their poore frozen flinty hearts, neuer yet melted before the Ministery of the Word; were neuer truely touched with remorse for their innumerable sinnes; neuer warmed with any sauing worke of the holy Ghost; but euer thus farre, meere strangers to the mysterie of Christ. (Those that are true of heart, are not woont to contest for the integrity, but euer to complaine of the naughtinesse and vntowardnesse of their hearts.) And therefore if they become not new men in the meane time, the vaile of their selfedelusionHaec dico, ne quis Ecclesiam propter multitudinem admiretur, &c. Quot esse putatis in ciuitate nostra, qui salui fiant▪ infestum quidem est, quod dicturus sum; dicam tamen: Non possunt in tot millibus, centum inueniti qui saluentur; quin & de his dubito. A… populum Antioch▪ Hom. 40. and vaine confidence, will most certainely at last be frighted and fired from their blinded mindes, with that terrible and dreadfull doome; Depart from me, I know you not. Chrysostome in one of his homilies, to his people of Antioch, teaching them not to trust in multitude, speakes thus vntounto them: How many doe you thinke, are there in our citie, which be in the state of saluation? It will vexe, which I am about to speake; yet I will speake it: There cannot amongst so many thousands, an hundred bee found, which are in that state: Nay, and I doubt whether all those. Now had this good Father at the same p. 299time demanded of those many thousands besides, what they conceiued of themselues for saluation: doe you not thinke he would hauehave found them all well conceited of themselues? Would not they with much bitternesse and heate, hauehave exagitated his censure, as too peremptory and vnmercifull, and beene ready to retort: Howsoeuer you dote vponupon the Disciples you draw after you, and onelyonly approoue and applaud the Ioanites: (for so they were called, because his name was Iohn:) yet we hope to doe as well as they, and come to heauen as soone as the precisest of those you hauehave in so high esteeme.

Heere then let me a little illighten and open in a word, as I promised, the Mystery of this spirituall Selfe-deceit.

For which purpose know, that Satan first discouers in our corrupt nature and crooked dispositions, a very pregnant ground, whereupon to practise this notable imposture, I meane, the originall poyson of naturall presumption, whereby we are all apt to bee fearelesse and sencelesse of our present spirituall misery; and hand ouer-head to catch at any vaine shadow of counterfeit confidence for our future welfare: Secondly, hee obserues in the partie he intends to delude, the most plausible matter, and selfe-pleasing apprehensions, which may make the fittest medium to mis-inferre a false conclusion for his spirituall safety: Lastly, by some flashes of his personated Angelicall light, he sets vponupon it the glimmering flourish of a presumptuous impression, and so seales vp the deceiued soule, with the spirit of slumber and groundlesse security.

Now the insufficient matter, rotten grounds, false mediums, as we call them in the Schooles, which Satan by his Sophistry doth cunningly and cruelly abuse, to cast many thousands into a pleasing golden dreame of imaginary spirituall safetie, and Selfe-deceit; and into a fooles Paradise of a soule-coozening conclusion, are such as these:

1. Measuring a mans selfe by himselfe: himselfe perhaps formerly, grosly ignorant, and notoriously lewd: by himselfe now growne ciuill, & somewhat illuminated with p. 300diuine knowledge: but yet neither holy, nor euer truely humbled.

2. Comparing himselfe with others, who are Satans outragious reuellers, in respect of his morall moderation, and something more ciuill carriage.

3. Arguing Gods speciall louelove and sauing fauour, from his outward prosperous state, and blessings in temporall things. So the fatting Oxe might thinke with himselfe, I shall surely liue; because I feed in this greene rich Pasture.

4. Concluding from crosses, that hee is a sonne, and not a bastard; that he hath his punishment heere, as they say, &c. whereas they are but the iust effects of Gods secret curse, blowing vponupon his counsels, dealings, and vndertakings; for his couetousnesse, vnconscionablenesse, hatred to bee reformed; and except hee truly turne in the meane time, will prooue the very foretastes, and pieces, as it were, of hellish torments.

5. Sometimes, nothing but selfeloue serues the deuils turne, to locke vp a carnall heart in this security and causelesse confidence; especially in some extremely ignorant people; who easily beleeue that which they desire: and hauehave no other ground of their going to heauen, but because they would hauehave it so.

6. Common conceits and corrupt Notions, compounded of grosse ignorance, and Popish folly; that a mans good meanings, and good doings, as they ignorantly speake; nay, and as some hauehave said, his day-labour will helpe him to heauen, and serue his turne for saluation. And if any of these sottish cauillers be questioned, & challenged for the vnsoundnesse of his spirituall state; he will be ready, with absurd rudenesse and irkesome clamour, to breake out into such brags as these: What tell you mee of these high points, or trouble mee with this new learning? I was neuer asked thus much before in all my life, and yet the time is to come that euer our Parson threatned to keepe me from the Communion: I doe no man wrong: I pay eueryevery man his owne: I am neither p. 301thiefe, nor drunkard, nor whoremaster: I liue peaceably amongst my neighbours, &c. I know as much as the Preacher can tell me, though he preach out his heart: That I must louelove God aboue all, and my neighbour as my selfe; and that I hope I doe, &c. whereas poore blinded soule! hee is … … pride, ignorance, prophanenesse, and impenitencie, as the skin …, and is …moothly carried hoodwinckt by the diuell to hell, without all noyse, or any contradiction.

7. The worke of Gods restraining Spirit: Which sometimes by its power and terrour, keepes in, and confines a mans inward corruption, that it breakes not out into such open outrages and outward villanies, as in some other wicked Ones: And that for the good and quiet of his owne people, or some other secret ends seene, and seeming good to his heauenly Highnesse. Now this restraint, by the delusion of the deuill, and deceit of a mans owne heart, may bee apprehended as a great conquest ouer corruption, and so a conuersion thence vainely concluded.

8. Education in a religious family, thus: Some in such a place, being onelyonly outwardly warmed with the heate of holy exercises about them; and by custome, and for company, growne conformable to religious duties with some contentment; depart thence with a …aineglorious conceit and vnsound perswasion, that they are also of the right stampe, because they were so long amongst spirituall tooles; and at the fire, which might indeed hauehave truly melted their yet too frozen and flinty hearts. Put a Sow into a greene medow, and shee will keepe her selfe as faire as the Sheepe: but let her breake out, and she will wallow againe in the mire as filthily as before: so it is with too many such.

9. Much knowledge, and noble defence of that blessed Orthodoxe Truth which wee professe, without a kindly sauing impression of goodnesse and grace in the heart. Many great men, and great Schollers, more is the pitie, are empoysoned with this conceit; they are selfe conceited, that if they be zealous Patrones, and protectours of true Religion, p. 302they are safe enough for saluation; though, alas! they be meere strangers, nay, too many times opposites to the power and practise thereof.

10. The benefit of a better nature, and a constitution not so precipitant and prone to some corruptions. For instance▪ A man hereby may see others l…e … most abominable beastly sinne of drunkennesse; when his heart riseth against such swinish filth: others transported with furious and fiery passions, when as his milder temper knowes no such rage: others hunting after high roomes, with the hazzard of their soules, and certaine ship wracke of a good conscience; when as his solitary disposition affects retirednesse and home. Thus when it is many times the infirmity, impotencie, or deformity of nature, or at best, but the naturall moderation of a better complexion, that dis-inclines and disables him from the acting of some grosser euils; hee fondly conceiues, that it is the power and soueraignetie of grace, which makes the difference betwixt himselfe and other sons of Belial, who by natures impetuousnesse, are more prone and prouoked thereunto.

11. The heartlesse effects of slauish feare, which sometimes will curbe some kinde of men from committing some notorious sinnes, and spurre them forward to the outward performance of some holy duties; yet they, not marking the motiues, manner, or end; nor taking to heart at all the grosse exorbitancy of any of them, but onelyonly eying the worke wrought; may causlesly bee too well conceited of themselues, and so coozen their owne soules. But let no truehearted Nathaneel heere mistake: I know some of Gods dearest Children, who make conscience of all sinne, and to please God in all things, yet in darkenesse of their melancholy, or heate of temptation, may feare all is naught with them; because they feare they doe all for slauish feare. But their feares, iealousies, hearty complaints, and holy desires to the contrary, may minister comfort enough, if they will be counselled, vntill they come out of temptation.

12. Euen the blessed Word of God, misunderstood, and p. 303wretchedly abused to the deuils aduantage, and damnation of mens soules. For instance: Some sucke poyson out of that heauenly flower, Rom. 10. 13. Whosoeuer shall call vponupon the name of the Lord, shall be saued: collecting, and concluding thence, that if they can say, Lord, Lord, though they bee meere strangers to the life of Grace; yet they shall liue for euer. But such should know, that eueryevery one who in that sauing sence calleth vponupon the Name of the Lord, must depart from iniquity, 2. Tim. 2. 19. and must sauingly beleeue, Rom. 10. 14. Now such a fruitfull faith euer purifies the heart, Acts 15. 9. and is inseparably attended with a glorious traine of heauenly graces, vertue, knowledge, temperance, patience, godlinesse, brotherly kindnesse, charity, 2. Pet. 1. 5, 6, 7. I hauehave heard with mine owne eares, that place, Rom. 12. 1. sottishly peruerted, to the maintenance of lukewarmenesse, coldnesse in Religion, and goodfellowship: When purity in heart, holinesse of life, vniuersall obedience, and other requisites to saluation hauehave beene pressed; it hath beene replyed in good earnest: I pray you, why are you so hote? what needs all this? what needs so much adoe, when a reasonable thing will serue the turne? Is it not said, which is your reasonable seruice? Now I often wonder what such men as these meane, who are Proctors and pleaders for this Leodicean reserued mediocritie and politike moderation in matters of heauen? what worship and seruice they would proportion out for the All-powerfull God? Doth any man of braine conceiue, that the mighty dreadfull Lord, and Iudge of all the world, who offers vntounto vsus by the Ministerie, in the meane time, his owne deare Sonne, with all the rich purchases of his hearts blood; and would giuegive vsus the full fruition of himselfe heereafter, with all the glory and endlesse felicities aboue, will be bobd off (if I may so speake) with an heartlesse formall outwardnesse, with a cold rotten carkasse of religion? It cannot be: He is a Spirit, and must be worshipped in Spirit and truth. If men will needs harden themselues in bitternesse and blasphemies, against the purity and power of godlinesse; if they will still browbeate and beare downe their p. 304brethren, for their zeale and feruencie in the affaires of God; let them teare those sacred leaues out of Gods blessed Booke, that sparkle out vntounto vsus the holy fire of forwardnesse and heate; and presse vponupon vsus punctually power, spirit, and quickning in heauenly businesses, and the seruices of our most bountifull and euer-blessed God. See Luke 13. 24. Rom. 12. 11. Eph. 5. 15. Matth. 5. 29, 30. & 11. 12. 1. Cor. 9. 24. 1. Thes. 5. 22. Phil. 1. 10.

13. A bare speculatiue opposition, and verball contradiction to the corruptions of the times and controuerted ceremonies. For I doubt there are some, who seeing some of Gods dearest Children, both godly Ministers, and other Christians, onelyonly out of tendernesse of conscience, stand vnresolued about these latter; are too well perswaded of themselues spiritually, for a meere boystrous masterlike partaking with them in that particular; when as they hauehave no part at all in their holy graces and humble sanctification.

14. An ouerheady furious zeale in will-worship, superstitious formes, and selfe-conceited seruices: As in Paul, yet vnconuerted, and many ignorant Papists, not so exactly acquainted with Antichristian Schoole-points: in the pursuite of some religious distempers and spirituall exorbitancies, bred onelyonly in some phantasticall braine, giuen ouer, for horrible pride, to strong delusion; yet tendered with many holy pretences, and representations of highest perfection; nay, sometimes seconded with strange reuelations and raptures, the meere iugglings of the deuils Angelicall glory in melancholike, or otherwise deluded imaginations: and so Satan can put a Familist or Anabaptist euen into a trance of imaginary ioy.

15. Serious meditation vponupon that quickning passage of Christs holy Sermon, of the fewnesse of those which shall beMat. 7. 14.Matt 7:14 saued, should properly and naturally keene our desires and endeauours to a singular constant contention after an holy strictnesse, forwardnesse, and fruitfulnesse in eueryevery good worke, and all the waies of God; that wee might bee sure to bee in the number of those few: yet by accident p. 305it may confirme some kind of men not so notorious, vnderunder the meanes, yet vnconuerted, in a false perswasion of their good estate to Godward, and that thus: Some there may be of larger capacity, and more vnderstanding, who out of a contemplation of that great vniuersall deluge of Turcisme, Paganisme, Iudaisme, and Infidelity, which at this day doth fearefully ouerflow the face of the Earth; scarce the fifth part whereof now professeth Christ: and also out of a neerer consideration of the state of Christendome, wherein Popery, that foule sinke and Hydra of all heresies; besides too many other exorbitant giddy deuiations from the sobrietie and analogie of true Religion, and the path which is truly called Holy, mightily preuaile, and damnably empoyson innumerable soules: and which is yet more, feeing so many amongst those who professe Christ truly, I meane, in respect of doctrine, notoriously lewd, and prophanely naught; so many Atheists, Drunkards, Scorners, Swearers, Worldlings, &c. And then after this prospect and suruey abroad, reflecting a partiall eye vponupon themselues, and their owne wayes; and finding themselues in the bosome of the Church, and ciuill men; thinke verily out of their extreme blindnesse and spirituall folly, that Heauen would be vnfurnished, and vnfilled, if they should be excluded; and that it were a disparagement to the mercies of God, to ranke and arraigne them amongst Turks and Pagans at that last great Day. But if to their ciuill honesty, they adde a formall profession; why, then they thinke, they hauehave a great deale of wrong, if saluation be denied them: then already in conceit they knock & bounce, as it were, at the Gates of heauen for entrance, with great boldnesse and confidence like the foolish Virgins, Matth. 25. 11. and those, Matth. 7. 22. and with the Pharise, giuegive God thanks for their good estate to Himward. Alas, poore soules! Let no man deceiue you with vaine words, neither delude your owne soules with idle fancies. To whomsoeuer the glorious Gospell of Christ shines sauingly, and breathes spirituall life, they must deny vngodlinesse and worldly lusts; liue Titus …. 11, 12▪soberly, righteously, and godlily in this present world. Meere ciuill p. 306honesty neuer brought any vntounto Heauen. And eueryeveryHeb. 12. 14.Heb 12:14 lukewarme Professor shall certainely bee spued out of theReuel. 3. 16.Rev 3:16 mouth of Christ.

16. But amongst all the vnsound grounds, insufficient matter, and false mediums, vponupon which Satan, and the deceitfull heart labour to erect their rotten buildings of vaine hopes in the credulous conceits of those, who are carried hoodwinkt towards Hell; all which in the time of triall, and vnderunder the tempest of Gods visiting wrath, will prooue but a Spiders web. They shall leane vponupon their house, but it shall not Iob 8. 14, 15.Job 8:14Job 8:15stand; they shall hold it fast, but it shall not endure. I say, amongst them all, there is not any that doth set on the counterfeit seale of this false perswasion with more peremptorinesse and confidence, then a concurrence of those excellencies, perfections, endowments incident to Temporaries, and attaineable in the state of vnregeneration; which I hauehave touched in my Discourse of true happinesse, and may bee collected from such places as these, Matth. 27. 3, 4. Mark. 6. 20. Luk. 13. 26. and 18. 11, 12. Matth. 12. 53. & 25. 1, &c. Heb. 6. 4, 5. 2. Pet. 2. 20, 22.

Now these and the like, are the vnsound, seeming, and vnsufficient grounds whereupon the Deuill workes; and doth easily, by the aide of naturall presumption, and his owne Angelicall flashes, insinuate, and inferre his soule-coozening conclusions, and cunningly infuse the poyson of spirituall selfe-deceit thus, or in the like manner: (I will giuegive instance onelyonly in the last; he is woont also proportionably from the rest, to conclude such groundlesse confidence, and false perswasions of a good estate towards God.)

Whosoeuer doth with some penitent remorse tremble vnderunder the reuenging wrath of God for sin, and out of that horror confesseth and maketh restitution: (and yet so did Iudas, Mat. 27.) Whosoeuer reuerenceth a godly Minister, heares him gladly, and doth many things after his doctrine: (and yet so did Herod, Mark. 6. 20.) Whosoeuer doth hold conformitie in profession with the best, &c. (and yet so did the foolish Virgins, Mat. 25.) Whosoeuer is an hearer of the Word, and p. 307that with quicknesse, and receiues it with ioy: (and yet so doth the stony ground, Matth. 13. 20.) Whosoeuer is able to disclaime grosse sinnes, giues eueryevery man his due, fasteth, praieth, and giueth almes: (and yet so did the Pharise, Luk. 18. 11. 12. Matth. 6. 1.) Whosoeuer is illightned, tastes of the heauenly gift, &c. (and yet such may afterward fall away irrecouerably, Heb. 6. &c.) is sure enough to be saued at last.