Directions for a Comfortable Walking with God, Religious treatise (3 of 9)

Directions for a Comfortable Walking with God · Religious treatise (3 of 9)

p. 912. A continuall excubation and narrow watchfull guard ouer thy heart. It is like a Citie, liable eueryevery moment both to inward commotion and outward assault. The fountaine of Originall impuritie, though its mayne streame and bloodie issue bee stayed, and in some good measure stopt, by the sanctifying power of Christs sauing Blood; yet it doth still lesse or more bubble vp rebelliously. The world doth labour continually with her three great battering Engines, of Pleasures, Riches, and Honours, to lay it waste, and rob it of all heauenly treasures. The Deuill watches eueryevery opportunity to hurle in his fiery darts, to cast all into combustion, and thereby further to enuenome and inrage the already too much impoysoned viciousnesse and impetuousnesse of our corrupt nature. Precious therefore, and worthy all practise, p. 92is that Precept of Salomon: Keepe thy heart aboue all keeping. Prou. 4. 23. which thou mayest doe with more successe and comfort; if first thou watch ouer the windowes of thy soule, the sences, as the Worthies of old were woont with extraordinarie ward; See Iob 31. 1. Psal. 119. 37. It is incredible what a deale of pollution and ill the Deuill conueyes insensibly through these Flood▪ gates of sinne, into their bosomes who are carelesse and watchlesse this way. To instance in the eare and eye: What balles of Wild-fire, as it were, doth many an obscene and filthy tongue set on fire of hel, throw thorow their eares into mens hearts, with rotten and ribald talke, which after begets within, worlds of speculatiue wantonnesse, and flames of Lust? Many false reports drop from the slanderers mouth into the eare, which after in the heart becomes the cursed seed of heart-burning, spite, and mentall murder at the least. And such wicked weeds cannot but fructifie very rankely, in such a naturally sinfull soile. A Tale-bearer tells thee, that such an one said of thee so and so, when as in truth it was neither so nor so. Thou presently thereupon conceiuest thoughts of vnkindnesse, displeasure, and it may be, of rage, against that man that neuer thought the ill. Heere thou spillest innocent blood, for thy heart may kill as well as thy tongue and hand. It is fit therefore for eueryevery honest face to furnish and fill it selfe with frownes of distaste and indignation at the approach of any Tale-teller. As the North wind driueth away raine, so doth an angry countenance a back-biting tongue, Pro. 25. 23. Concerning the Eye, Dauids wofull example may warne the holiest men to the worlds end, to bee very watchfull with a most restlesse and eye-full iealousie ouer that wandring sence. An idle glance vponupon Bathsheba, was like a theeuish boy thrust in at a rich mans window, which lets in a number of villanous desperate Cut-throats, to ransacke and robbe the house; it being not resisted at the first, drew after it such a blacke and bloody traine, that robbed his royall heart of much heauenly wealth, and wounded his soule as deepely and dangerously, as perhaps any of Gods seruants euer since. 2. Resist p. 93and crush eueryevery exorbitant thought, which drawes to sinne at the very first aaEst autem tutissimum—vt ass…escat animus solicitâ semper peruigilique custodiā discernere cogitationes suas, & ad primum animi motum vel probare, vel reprobare quod cogitat, vt vel bonas cogitationes alat, vel statim extinguat malas. Aug▪ Epist. 141.rising. Encounter it with this dreadfull Dilemma: Say vntounto thy selfe; If I commit this sinne, it will cost mee vnvaluably more heart-breake and spirituall smart, before I can purchase assurance of pardon and peace of conscience, then the sensuall pleasure is worth: If I neuer repent, it will bee the death and damnation of my soule. See what a world of misery man brings vponupon himselfe, by giuing way to the first wicked thought, Disc. of true Happinesse, pag. 150. 3. Entertaine euer with all holy greedinesse, and make exceedingly much of all good motions put into thy heart by the blessed Spirit howsoeuer occasioned, whether by the Ministery of the Word, mindfulnesse of death, Christian admonition, reading some good Booke, some speciall crosse, extraordinary mercy, any way, at any time. Feede; enlarge, and improoue them to the vtmost, with Meditation, Prayer, and Practise. So thou shalt preserue thine heart in a soft holy comfortable temper, and heauenward, which is a singular happinesse.

3. Eleuation, and often lifting vp of the heart towards heauen. What Christian heart can indure to discontinue its sweet familiaritie and humble entercourse with God for one day? Let thy broken heart therefore eueryevery day, besides solemne and ordinarie eiaculations, Euening and Morning, and vponupon other speciall occasions, bee sure 1. To bathe it selfe deliciously in the blisfull depths of Gods boundlesse mercies in Christ, that it may bee happily kept, spiritually merry, thankefull, and in heart to all holy duties. 2. To kisse sweetly the glorified Body of our crucified Lord, with the lips of infinitely dearest, and vnexpressably affectionate louelove; though the distance bee great, yet the hand of Faith will bring them easily together; that it may be preserued in peace, puritie, and reuengefull opposition vntounto sinne; for as the application of his meritorious Blood is a soueraigne Plaister to heale the wounded conscience, to turne Crimsin and Scarlet into snow and wooll; so me-thinkes a serious and compassionate commemoration of the deare effusion p. 94thereof, should bee both a precious corrosiue to eate out the heart of corruption, and a speciall preseruatiue to keepe from sinne; sith sinne was the principall in slaughtering the Lord of life. 3. To cast the eye of hope vponupon the glory, euerlastingnesse, and vnutterable excellencies of that immortall shining Crowne aboue; which after this life (and this life is but a bubble, a smoake, a shadow, a thought) shall be set vponupon thy head by the hand of God: a very glimpse of the goodly splendour and rauishing beauty whereof, is able both to sweeten the bitterest villanies and basest wrongs from the world and wicked men; and to dispell those mists of fading vanities and hurtfull fumes of honours, riches, and earthly pleasures, which this great dunghil of the world, heated by the fire of inordinate lusts, is wont to euaporate and interpose betwixt the sight of mens soules and the blisse of Heauen.

VI. Be very watchfull ouer thy most predominant and troublesome passion; whether it be feare, sorrow, louelove, anger, &c. All of them are vnruly and raging enough, but yet commonly one ouer-rules all the rest, and playes Rex (as they say) in the vnregenerate man; nay, too often offers to rise in rebellion euen against the most sanctified soule.

Whatsoeuer it be, 1. In thy priuate morning sacrifice, be sure to lay on loade of deepest groanes and strongest cries for mortifying grace against it, and comfortable conquest ouer it. Let that period and passage of thy prayers bee enforced and enlarged with an extraordinarie pang of feruencie, and feelingly sealed, as it were, with the most Seraphicall Selah. 2. Cut off all occasions, whatsoeuer it cost thee, which may any wayes stirre, awaken and kindle it. Withdraw the fewel that ministers food vntounto that passionate flame, though it should bee as painefull vntounto thee, as the plucking out of thy right eye, or the cutting off of thy right hand. Assuredly, the pleasures of inward quiet, and sweet spirituall calmnesse of thy so vnderstanding Soule, will infinitely recompence any paines in oppositions and resistances in that nature. 3. Consider seriously before-hand, what a p. 95deale of disturbance and vnsettlednesse the visible exorbitancy and breaking of it out, will breede and bring vponupon thy inward man. It will be like a dead Flie in a boxe of precious oyntment, disgrace all thy graces, and full foully darken the glory of thy profession. It will be like fire in the Thatch, and for the while cast into combustion, as it were, the whole frame of thy spiritual building, and turne the heauenly peace of thy appeased conscience, into a bitter tempest. Tell mee whether after a lawlesse transgression of those bonds of moderation, to which thy Christian resolution hath confinde it; and that it hath preuailed against thee with any notorious excesse; I say, whether at night thou finde not thy spirit quite downe and much deaded to the exercise of prayer, or any other euening duty? And if vponupon thy waking in the night, there should be any terrible winde, dreadfull thunder, or other affrighting accident, whether thy heart would not smite thee vponupon that occasion, with much more feare and apprehensions of horrour?

I will suppose, thy raigning, or rather rebelling passion (for I speake to the Christian) to be choler and anger: and then first listen to the counsell which the very morall▪ Sages minister against this spirituall maladie, and to the rules and remedies which the light of reason leades vsus vntounto.

1. Cut off (say they) the causes, and the effect wil vanish. Quench the firebrands which enrage this fury, and thou shalt be at quiet: They are such as these:

1. Weakenesse of spirit, vnmanlinesse of minde. Hence it is that old men, infant… and sicke folkes are commonly more cholericke then others. Impotency and excesse of passion euer argues the disgrace and inferiority of the vnderstanding part, the noblest power of the soule. And therefore if we would be armed against the sallies and assaults of this domineering raging distemper, we must suffer the hiest and heauenliest part of our soule to know and exercise its place and strength. Wee must not make our vnderstandings vnderunder-lings, but giuegive reason his right and regiment.

2. Selfe-louelove, a foolish doting vponupon and adoring our p. 96selues, which springs from the cursed root of Selfe-ignorance, and quite puts out that light of Natures law in our consciences; Doe as thou wouldest be done by. If before thou lose the reines to that short phrensie, thou wouldst suppose and set thy selfe in the place of the party, with whom thou art angry; and then say and doe no more then if thine owne person were the patient, it would bee a notable meanes to curbe thy choler, and keepe the credit of dipassionatenesse and moderation, and make thee patiently suffer that which perhaps thou hast often confidently offered to others.

3. An ouertendernesse and delicate nicenesse in bearing wrongs: an impetuous impatiencie for being abused: (Whereas insensibilitie and contempt would better becomeImmensae virtutis est, non sentire te esse percussum. a great spirit:) an effeminate facilitie to bee mooued and toucht with eueryevery trifle. A spot or wrinkle vponupon their garment, a dish misplaced vponupon their table, some errour in their dressing; a Bird, a Dogge, a Glasse, &c. or some lesser toy will turne some kinde of people quite out of tune, and put them out of their humour, into a pelting chafe, as they say. Great mindes and victorious ouer this furious Arch-Rebell, are not moued but with great matters. It is a speciall point of manly wisedome, to passe by many petty prouocations to wrath, without notice or acknowledgement, without wound or passion; and to digest many times the brawlings and indiscretions of hasty men, with the same patience that Surgeons do the iniuries and blowes of mad men, when they let them blood.

4. Credulitie, lightnesse in beleeuing whatsoeuer comes first to the eare: That is the high way to hold choler still in combustion. For so the tongues of slanderers, Talebearers, Whisperers, Pick-thanks, will prooue as so many Bellowes blowne by the Deuill himselfe, to keepe this fire in height and fulnesse of flame.

5. Curiositie, an itching humour, and needlesse inquisitiuenesse to know eueryevery thing that is done or said. If a man will needs bee so meddling; he shall finde matter inough to fill his gall. Some men, out of this humour, are p. 97eager to know what is said against them, in such and such company, listen to heare what their seruants talke concerning them, and if a letter fall into their hands wherein they thinke themselues to bee mentioned, they will make no bones, against the lawes of humanitie, to breake it open. Busie-bodies in this kind neuer want wrath and woe. Antigonus, as it is said of him, was wise to abandon this vanitie. For when he heard two of his subiects speaking ill of him in the night neere his Tent, willed them to goe further off, lest the King should heare them.

6. Couetousnesse, the Cut-throate of Grace, and canker of the soule, like an eating insatiable Wolfe, will either still feede vponupon gaine, or else gnaw vponupon the heart with fretting: and therefore the very losse of a penny, sometimes the omission of a good bargaine, the miscarriage of some domesticall trifle, the death of a beast, &c. will presently put a couetous man into choler: for his eyes are so earthly, that they looke onelyonly vponupon the secondary, not vponupon the supreme cause.

7. A conceit of being contemned by others in word, deed, countenance. Many are so weake this way, that if they spy but any secret smiling, two whispering together in the company, or any talking, especially with their eyes now and then cast towards them; they presently thinke, that themselues certainely are their aime, and obiect of their scornefull obseruation; and so grow sowre, out of tune, and vnfit for company all the while after. Such as these are extremely troubled, and take on to themselues, if they hauehave not the chiefe place, and vpper hand at meetings, respect and resalutation from those that they salute, exact obseruance, and obeisance from their inferiours, the wall from all commers, if they be not begun vntounto in matters of complement and seruices of humanitie, &c.

A riddance and restraint of these and the like maladies of the minde, will bee a notable meanes to preuent and hinder the assaults and surpriz all of this furious and foule fiend.

2. But if at any time thou feele this Viper to receiue heate p. 98in thy bosome, and that occasions of choler are offered, then say they:

1. Containe thy bodie in quiet, and tongue in silence. The stirring and agitation of thy bodie, by stamping or flinging about, inflames the blood and humours, and the walking of thy tongue keepes both the passionate heate in thine owne heart, and many times sets on fire those that thou art angry with. The barking of one Dogge sets all the curres in a towne a bawling. Thy breaking forth into raging termes, may raise the spirit of rauing in others: And therefore silence is a singular cooler to this cholericke distemper. If the swelling and boisterous waues rebound from the soft and euen sands, there is no great adoe; but if they encounter a Rocke, they returne with great turbulencie, and turne into foame. Silence or a soft answer stops the ouer-flowing of the gall on both sides; but if fury be set vponupon with rage, they grow both almost starke mad for the time.

2. GiueGive reason leaue to interpose and resolue. It was good counsell which was giuen to Augustus; That when the obiect and occasions of choler were in his eye, hee should not bee moued, before hee had pronounced ouer the letters of the Alphabet. It is as absurd for a passion to vsurpe and domineere ouer iudgement, as for an intemperate Scold to iustle a reuerend Iudge out of his place; and there to take on in her talkatiue and scurrill manner. If thou giuegive the swinge and reines vntounto it at the first rising, it will presently quite banish reason and iudgement, and bee like a man that puts the Master out of the house, and sets it on fire, and burnes himselfe aliue within: or like a Ship that hath neither Sterne nor Pilot, nor Sailes, nor Oares, exposed to the mercy of the waues, windes and tempest in the midst of a furious Sea. 3. Diuert to some other businesse, company, place, pleasant imployment, thoughts of content, &c. These are notable coolers, and very conuenient to flake this passionate fire, when it first begins to burne in thy bosome.

p. 993. Habituate thy heart, and keepe it exercised and seasoned with considerations: 1. Not onelyonly of melancholy, a ferall passion, and other bodily distempers, which it naturally breeds, by stirring choler, heating the bloud, and the vitall spirits; but also, euen of the brutish deformities and vgly distortions with which this rage disfigures those which are transported with it; as the fierinesse of the eyes, inflamationforeign. Ora tumentirâ, nigrescunt sanguine venae, Lumina Gorgoneo saeuius igne micant. of the face, furiousnesse of the lookes, extraordinary panting of the heart, beating of the pulse, swelling of the veines, stammering of the tongue, gnashing of the teeth, a very harsh and hatefull intention of the voice, & many other extremely impotent and vnmanly behauiours. Hence it was, that angry men were anciently counselled in the heate of their fit to looke themselues in a Glasse. The monstrous representations of that deformed Fury, were able for euer to fright them out of their cholericke humour. 2. Of the sweete louelinesse, and amiable acceptation of a milde vnpassionate spirit. It is the sinew, as it were, and cyment of all delightfull society, the flower of humanity, the very sweetenesse of ciuill conuersation. As it is a singular preseruatiue to keepe a mans owne heart in much calmnesse and quiet; so its also an attractiue Load-stone to draw vntounto him the hearts and loues of others. 3. Of the aime and aspirations of morall wisedome which labours to draw a mans heart to that vnshaken, constant and comfortable temper; that beautifull and noble disposition, which resembles the highest Region of the aire, where there is no ouer-shadowing clouds, nor tempestuous thunders, but perpetuall fairenesse, serenity, and peace.

I hauehave the longer insisted vponupon these morall instructions, purposely to make Christians ashamed, who besides the honest extractions of purerreason, hauehave also rules of Religion, & heauenly remedies; and yet are too often ouertaken with this mentall drunkennesse, as some call it. For you must know, that all this while I meane hasty, vniust, and exorbitant Anger, which misses in measure, Obiect, end, season ablenesse, or other circumstances. For there is a sinlesse and holy Anger, p. 100and therefore saith Paul, Ephes. 4. 26. Be yee angry, and sinne not. VponUpon the describing and limiting of which, it is neither incident nor seasonable for me at this time to insist.

Now then in a second place, for religious directions, and more immediately drawne from diuine learning, consider:

1. That all thy wrongs and vnworthy vsages, all thy iniuries and indignities, crosses and vncomfortable accidents, that shall euer any way befall thee, are fore-appointed, ordered, and disposed by Gods wise and mercifull prouidence, and that to thy spirituall and euerlasting good. This very one thought, that God is euer the principal Agent, kept fresh and on foote in thy mind, will be of soueraigne power to coole and beate backe any intemperate heate, which might either rise in thine heart, or rage in thy tongue against his instruments; and cause thee many times when thou art cha…ing ripe, and ready to raue, to lay thy hand vponupon thy mouth, and say vntounto God sweetly with Dauid, Psal. 39. 9. I was dumbe, I opened not my mouth, because thou didst it. And not like a child, to beate the place that hurt it; but rather to walke more heedfully: or a foolish Curre, to snarle and snatch at the stone, neuer looking after the thrower: or a mad man, to bite the sword that sticks in his flesh; but rather to pull it out softly, and get to the Surgeon. There was matter and malice enough in the mouth of Shemei, to hauehave made Dauids royall heart naturally to rise with implacable indignation against that dead dogge: vnkindnesse and crueltie enough in the hearts of Iosephs brethren, to hauehave made him for euer vnreconcileable: wrong and villany enough in the carriage of the Caldeans, to hauehave set Iob on fire with rage and reuenge against them: But these holy men by practise of the present point, and from the strength of this consideration which I now commend, for the restraint of choler, procured a great deale of sweete peace and patience to their owne hearts, pleasednesse and acceptation with God, admiration and example to posteritie: For they glanced by the meanes and the men, and fastened their eyes vponupon their Maker, and the first Moouer. Ioseph lookt beyond his Brethrens barbarous p. 101dealing with him, and said, The Lord sent me before you: Iob beyond the Caldeans lawlesse outrages, and said, The Lord hath taken away: Dauid beyond Shemeis dogged rancour, and said, The Lord hath bidden him: Iesus Christ Himselfe, blessed for euer, looked beyond the Pharises, Priests, Iewes, Iudas and the Souldiers, to his Fathers Cup, Ioh. 18. 11. This Cup which my Father hath giuen me, shall I not drinke? when he commanded Peter to sheathe his sword. This Christian counsell passeth that which was giuen to Augustus: when the obiects and occasions of choler are in thine eye, or eare; when thou art any wayes wronged, belyed, rayled vponupon, spurned at, or trampled vponupon by the feete of honoured insolency, or dunghill malice, before thou inwardly fret, or break out into any impatient behauiour, say first seriously and feelingly in thine owne heart, This is from God, for my good: or with old Eli; It is the Lord, let him doe what seemeth him good, 1. Sam. 3. 18. And let it for euer snaffle, nay, sweetly compose the hastinesse and sowrenesse of thy corrupt nature in case of choler.

…. Let the wonderfull patience of that mighty Lord of Heauen and Earth, who is able with one word to cast all the creatures in the World into Hell; nay euen with the breath of his mouth to turne Hell, and Heauen, and Earth, and all things, into nothing; I say, let his patience against the infinite intolerable, and endlesse prouocations of his owne most obliged creatures, who like so many desperate traitours, liue and lye continually in open rebellion against so great a Maiestie, bee a aaSi Dominus nobis, & Pater Deu… est, sectemur parientiam Domini pariter & Patris… quia & seruos oportet esse obsequentes, & filios non decet esse degeneres. Quales verò in Deo & quanta patientia, quod in contumeliam suae Maiestatis & honoris instituta ab hominibus profana templa, & terrena sigmenta, & sacra sacrilega patientissimè sustinens, supe… bonos & malos aequaliter facit diem nasci, & lumen solis oboriri, &c. Et cum crebris, immo continuis ex…cerbatur offensis Deus, indignationem suam temperat, & praestitutum semel retributionis diem patienter expectat. Cúmque habeat in potestate vindictam, mauult diu tenere patientiam; sustinens, scilicet clomenter, & differens, vt si fieri potest, multum malitia protracta aliquando mutetur, & homo in errorum & s…clerum contagione volutatus, velserò ad Dominum conuertatur, Cyprian. de bono patientiae.Patterne and Precedent vntounto thee a silly worme, dust and ashes, earth, or any thing that is naught; of proportionable forbearance (if there could be any proportion betweene infinite and finite) towards thy fellow-creatures. How many blacke and blasphemous mouthes are vncessantly p. 102open against his blessed Maiesty? With what damned oathes doe they teare, and re-crucifie the precious Body of his glorious Sonne, which sits at his owne right hand? With what lyes and slanders doe they reuile his Ambassadours, and vilifie his Chosen? How many gracelesse wretches doe wilfully and obstinately prophane his Sabbaths, pollute his Sacraments, and turne their backes vponupon his Word? How many doe dayly turne themselues into beasts, by their swinish drunkennesse, to the great reproch of mankinde, and dishonour of their reasonable nature? How many inclosing Nimrods, and cruell Landlords, doe grind the faces of the poore; Nay, plucke off their skins, teare their flesh, breake their Mich. 3. 2, 3.Mic 3:2Mic 3:3bones, and chop them in pieces as for the pot, and eate the flesh of Gods people? In a word; How many incarnate Deuils doe march vp and downe the earth, with hearts and hands as full as Hell, with all manner of mischiefe, lewdnesse and rebellion? So many, and with such extreme insufferable audaciousnesse and impudency, that, as a learned Diuine speakes, If but any tender-hearted man should sit but one houre in the Throne of God Almighty (if it be fit so to suppose) and look downe vponupon the earth, as God doth continually, & see what abominations are done in that houre, he would vndoubtedly in the next set all the World on fire, and not suffer his wrath to be pacified, or the fire to be quenched. And yet for all this, our gracious God in the meane time, though hee be armed with his owne vnresistable omnipotencie, and a thousand Charets in the Whirlewinde; though he hauehave euer in a readinesse all the Angels in Heauen, all the Diuels in Hell, all the Creatures in the World; nay, the very hands and consciences of prophane wretches, and all that prouoke the eyes of his Glory with their pollutions, to be the instruments and executioners of his iust wrath vponupon their sinne; yet, I say, our gracious God opposes his infinite patience against all these restlesse outragious prouocations. Hee sweetly and fairely tempers and moderates in the meane time his most iust & causefull indignation, to see if the bountifulnesse of his forbearance & long-suffering will leade them to repentance. p. 103Be thou then for euer ashamed to take on for eueryevery trifle; to breake patience vponupon eueryevery triuiall prouocation; to turne Lyon in thine owne house, and which is common in carnall worldlings, to rage with extreme folly and basenesse against thy wife, children, seruants, cattell, or any thing that comes in thy way, for eueryevery crosse accident, worldly losse, domesticall miscarriage: nay, many times to torture thine owne heart, and trouble others in this kinde vponupon meete mis-takings, groundlesse surmizes, and misconstructions: but rather take this gracious lesson from the Lord Iesus his owne mouth, Math. 11. 29. Learne of mee, for I am lowly of heart; and an example of patience from his first Martyr, Act. 7. 60. Lord, lay not this sinne to their charge.

3. Let the sweet experience of Gods patient and mercifull dealing with thee, soften thine heart with a compassionate sence of other mens weakenesses, and a melting forwardnesse to forgiue. If hee out of the riches of his mercy hath remitted vntounto thee ten thousand Talents, what a base wretchednesse were it to fly in the face of thy fellow-seruant, and to take him by the throat for an hundred pence? If he intreated thee of all loues, and with all long-suffering, to come into his stretched out armes of mercy, when thou layst wallowing abominably in the gore-blood of thy many scarlet and crimsin sinnes; foughtest on the Deuils side, to the losse of the very life-blood of thy soule; and eueryevery time thou camest to the Lords Supper, shedst the precious blood of his blessed Sonne: what a shame is it vntounto thee to fall a raging, and swell with anger, for the meere ouer-sight, many times, vnwilling miscarriage, and vnpurposed errour of those, perhaps, which otherwise obserue thee with obsequiousnesse and louelove?

4. If a man will not bee mooued with more faire and ingenuous motiues, to master and mortifie this Bedlam rage (I speake in this passage to him that hates to be reformed:) let him bee amazed, and amend for shame; sith the holy Ghost hath charged eueryevery man, not to meddle, or make any league of friendship with him, while he nourisheth, and giues the p. 104reines to this bosome-Rebell. Make no friendship with an angry man: and with a furious man thou shalt not goe, Pro. 22. 24. What a monster is a man of anger, that Salomon should set such a brand vponupon him; whereby eueryevery one is warned to beware of him, and fly from him, as from a nettling, dangerous, vnsociable creature?

A word or two of another passion, before I passe out of the point, and that is Feare, which I had not toucht at this time, had it bin only a Rack, wheron the hearts of couetous, ambitious, and carnall men are wofully rent, and torne, & tortured all their life long; and not also a cruell engrosser of too much golden time euen from Gods children, not without impressions of much fruitlesse sadnesse, and vnnecessarie discontent.

The vanitie and tyrannie of this passion is specially seene and exercised: 1. In putting all reall stings into imaginarie euils, and drawing true and bitter sorrowes, from supposed sufferings. 2. In an ouer-greedy apprehension and anticipation of sorrowes to come, so that a man by too much forethoughtfulnesse, and painefull preconceit, doth suffer them many times, before they seize vponupon him.

1. For the first, who feeles not the phantasticalnesse of opinion to forge, and fasten vponupon him many dreadfull obiects; which of themselues hauehave no vigour to vexe, because no reall being and existence, yet truely torture and afflict, by the onelyonly strength of imagination?

Thus one eates his owne heart with griefe for losse of those riches, and that superfluous wealth, which if hee had euer still possessed, hee would neuer hauehave vsed. Another lies vnderunder the continuall slauerie of restlesse feare, lost fire or robbery, some alteration in the State, or desolation of warre, should disperse his hoard, or hazard his temporall happinesse. One is haunted with much thoughtfulnesse and carking, what shall become of his children after his death; what men will say of him when hee is gone; lest his wife should marrie after his departure. (For naturally our minds are so vaine, that besides the abundance and burden of present cares, they will transport our desires and affections beyond p. 105our selues and being.) Another frettingly feares, that hee shall be vndone in a deare yeere, or the next Rot of sheepe, and tires himselfe with varietie of plots for commings in, for many yeeres to come, when many times he dies in the meane time. Some take vp too much precious time, from present and more profitable meditations, by troubling their hearts, lest, if the times turne, they should not be able to endure the fierie triall; whereas afterward, perhaps, they end their life in the peacefull noone-tide of the glorious Gospel. Others vponupon thought, or talke of death, are ready to entertaine fearefull apprehensions, lest they should disgrace their Christian life with an vncomfortable end, and by some extraordinarie temptation, rauing, furious carriage, lye open to the worlds interpretation, sinister censures, & misconstructions of their former courses; when as after, it may be, they conclude their dayes calmely, in good memory to the last gaspe, without any storme, or cloud of feared horrour and discomfort; (except former distrustfull feares iustly bring vponupon them that which they feared.) For sith eueryevery one, whose life hath been consecrated to Gods glory with truth of heart, doth certainely passe thorow those dreadfull pangs and last paine, into pleasures endlesse and vnspeakeable; hee ought also to submit with all patience and quiet, to glorifie him, and to be seruiceable to his secret ends, with what kind of death he please; whether it be, 1. Glorious, and vntempted: 2. Discomfortable, by reason of bodily distemper, and by consequent, interpretable by vndiscerning spirits: 3. Mingled of temptations, and triumphs: 4. Or ordinarie, and without any great shew, or remarkeable speeches, after extraordinarie singularities of an holy life, which promised an end of speciall note and obseruation.

2. For the second, besides these vtterly vnnecessarie and meerely imaginarie miseries; many fearefull spirits especially haunted with the humour of melancholy, will not suffer also certaine and ineuitable euils, which at length must needs befall them, to sleepe, and keepe in their stings, vntill the time appointed: but many times awake them by the cry p. 106of Feare, like so many sleeping Lyons, and cowardlily prouoke them with timorous expectation to rent their hearts, and sting terribly before the time. Thus our vaine mindes torment vsus more with the feare of euils, then with the euils which we feare; spurre vsus on with much vnmanly folly, to meete in the mid-way; nay, to ouertake, out-run sorrowes to come, and make vsus a thousand times miserable with one indiuiduall misery.

For instance: Thou hast a child, and, perhaps, but one which thou louest most dearely; for that affection which would be seuerely strong towards ten, or how many soeuer, is vnited in it alone. Thou enioyest a wife, whose death would be vntounto thee, as the losse of halfe thy heart; and so proportionably of any worldly comfort. Now certaine it is, thou must at length part from all these, or what else soeuer most deare and desireable things in this life, they must be taken from thee, or thou from them. In this case then, if thou giuegive way and forth vntounto this faint-hearted tyrant, and malicious passion, it will wound thine heart many and many a time with sence of their losse, before thou loose them: and mingle amidst thy dearest and most doting apprehensions of their sweetnesse and worth, many bitter thoughts of the day of diuorce, and stings of much worldly griefe (for such onelyonly I meane) from a torturing preconceit of painefull heartbreake at parting. But the most tormenting racke in this kind, vponupon which this tyrannicall passion doth much terrifie and teare the hearts of carnall men specially, is death: It is called, the Prince of terror, by reason of its owne extreme ineuitable pangs; and to them also it is a certaine passage to torments without end, and past imagination: and therefore if their consciences be not desperately seared, and sealed vp securely with the spirit of slumber against the Day of vengeance; they are woont to dye almost eueryevery day, by a slauish feare of death: see Heb. 2. 15. O death, saith the wise man, how bitter is the remembrance of thee, to a man that liueth at rest in his possessions, vntounto the man that hath nothing to vexe him, and that hath prosperitie in all things! Oh how the heart of such a p. 107man doth shrug together for horrour, quake like an Aspen leafe, and die all the while, when this feare doth represent vntounto it in the glasse of his imagination, the griesly formes and ougly face of death, with those other dreadfull circumstances, as the wailings and out-cries of wife, children and friends about his last bed, parting from all worldly pleasures for euer, rotting in the graue, dragging to the Tribunall and terror of the last Day, &c!

Besides these imaginarie sufferings, and vntimely sorrowes, take notice of three other base pestilent effects and mischiefes, which this naturall, slauish, distrustfull feare (for that I onelyonly meane in the whole point) puts vponupon a man. 1. It may bring vponupon him the thing which he feares: by fearing to become miserable, he may become that he feares, and so turne his vaine feare into certaine miseries; according to that of Salomon, Prou. 10. 24. That which the wicked feareth, shall come vponupon him. And that of Isai. 66. 4. I will bring their feares vponupon them. Thou hast a wife, a child, an outward state, an hie place, which thou art immoderately afraid to loose; now this very distrustfull feare derogating from the glory of Gods mercifull prouidence, which sweetly and wisely disposeth all things, may iustly prouoke him to depriue thee of them, whereas other wise, thou mightst hauehave enioyed them still. 2. It robs and bereaues thee of the kindly rellish, and comfortable inioyment euen of good things. A man can take no delight in the fruition of that good, whichQuotidiè moritur mortem qui assiduè pauet. hee feareth to loose. Life it selfe is loathsome, if a man slauishly feare to dye. That good breeds the truest present contentment, against the losse whereof we are alwayes prepared. And therefore those who liue in continuall feare to loose their child, goods, libertie, life, or any other thing that is deare vntounto them, loose a great deale of that honest ioy andDeut. 28. 47.Deut 28:47 allowed pleasure they maight hauehave, euen in these outward things. 3. It deiects and debases his noble nature, below the miseries and basenesse of beasts in this point: for they are fenced from this folly and vanitie, by the benefit of their weakenesse, and want of reason; neuer re-afflicting themselues p. 108with euils past, or fearing any to come; but thorow their whole life enioy intirely and with full securitie, all contentments and pleasures incident to their natures, saue onelyonly when they are pinched with sence of present paine. What a shame then is it to man, who being honoured with the excellencie of an vnderstanding, reasonable, and prouident spirit, whereby hee out-shines all other creatures, like an Angell vponupon earth, should by the abuse and mis-imployment thereof, make it a meanes vntounto himselfe, to become more miserable in this respect then a brute beast?

Now many and sweete are the places and promises inSee Reu. 2. 5, 10.Rev 2:5Rev 2:10 Gods Booke, which may serue as precious counter-poisons, and cordials, against this carking venome, which haunts with too often insinuations, euen the most heauenly minde; but eates continually like a Canker into the carnall heart: They are such as these; I will neuer leaue thee nor forsake thee, Heb. 13. 5. Shouldest thou fall into the fiery tryall, assuredly thy mercifull God would either supply thee with a supernaturall and extraordinary power and patience ouer that most exquisite paine; or else, abate & lessen the rage of the flames for thy sake. All things worke together for good, to them that louelove God, Rom. 8. 28. Sin, in it own nature, is the deadliest and rankest poyson to the soule; and in it selfe, the greatest euill that is or can be; yet Gods infinite Power and Wisedome, which at first drew light out of darknesse, as a skilfull Apothecary deales with poyson, so orders and tempers it to his, that by accident it proues medicinable: much more doth He turn to their good, crosses, disgraces, losses of earthly things; pouertie, want, life, death, any thing, eueryevery thing. God is faithfull, who will not suffer you to bee tempted aboue that you are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to beare it, 1. Cor. 10. 13. It is Gods Childs peculiar, in the case of afflictions and all future troubles, to expect supportation in them, benefit by them, deliuerance out of them. He that spared not his owne Sonne, how shall hee not with him also freely giuegive vsus all things, Rom. 8. 32? If Iesus Christ be ours, it is infinitely absurd to feare slauishly, either p. 109hurt by ill, or want of good. Hee is incomparably more worth then ten thousand worlds, were they all extant. If thou enioyest then such a Iewell, what a cursed vanity is it to torture and teare thy heart with feare of any earthly losse, or of euer being preuailed against by any created power? Take yet more spirituall armour and Heroicall resolution, against the assaults of this cowardly Tyrant, which doth so vnworthily afflict the spirits of men, not onelyonly with imminent ills, but also with those which are not, and perhaps shall neuer be, nay sometimes, which cannot possibly bee, out of those two sweetest Psalmes, for promises of future protection, 91. and 121. Esa. 43. 2. But the speciall preseruatiue, which at this time I would commend vntounto you, against this distrustfull hearts-poyson, may bee extracted from Christs owne words, Mat. 6. 34. After many strong and precious Arguments against thoughtfulnesse and carking, our heauenly Doctor concludes, Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of it selfe: sufficient vntounto the day, is the euill thereof. Whence I collect and counsell, that the Christian ought, in respect of any torturing care, or carking forecast, to vnite and confine his thoughts, the workings and agitations of his spirit, to the managing of the affaires, and mastering the miseries of the present day. The strongest minde and best composed, is weake enough to sustaine the brunt and encounter of eueryevery dayes crosses. Temporall troubles, or spirituall temptations, fightings, without, or terrours within, are the certaine portion of the Saints in this vale of teares. And what day so faire comes ouer the Christians head, wherin he scapes Scot-free, as they say, herein? Sith therefore eueryevery day brings foorth sorrow sufficient for the exercise of the retiredst presence of the most recollected spirit, and the heartiest man shall hauehave his handfull, in passing patiently and profitably thorow present troubles, which many times fall as thicke vponupon him, as one waue in the necke of another; what a base and vnworthy weakenesse is it, to vnfit and disable our already too weake minds, for a comfortable dispatch, and digesting of dayly vncomfortable p. 110occurrents, by such needlesse, sencelesse, fruitlesse distractions, vagaries of vanity, and Vtopian peregrinations? As either 1. To loose them in the endlesse maze of imaginary afflictions: 2. Or to waste them by vntimely wrastling with certaine euils to come: 3. Or wound them with a painefull remembrance of sorrowes already past. For some there are so ouer-greedie of grieuing themselues, and transported with the tyrannicall vanity of their owne mindes, that besides their trouble with present, fained, and future miseries, collect also matter of mournefulnesse from time past. For instance: Thou hast lost thy dearest child, which is one of the extremest earthly crosses, and goes neerest the heart, but long since, so that if reasons from reason and Religion asswaged not the immoderation and excesse of thy sorrow; yet time hath worne out, and wiped away thy teares, and made thee weary of weeping: but notwithstanding, thy vaine minde will not suffer that griefe, which euen length of time hath buried long agoe, to lie quietly in the graue, but drawes into consideration, and remembers for the nonce, its speeches, fauour, pretty behauiour, and other louely circumstances, to make thy heart bleed afresh, and wring from thine eyes new torrents of teares, &c. Soueraigne therefore against these Harpies and deuourers of the heart, is that counsell of Christ, which I hauehave commended vntounto you from his owne mouth; seconded also by the Apostle, Philip. 4. 6. Be aaforeign, is deriued, foreign is so full of a vexing sence, that Virgil is foreign to expresse Homers foreign, a word of the same Originall and signification in two Uerses.carefull for nothing: That is, with tearing and torturing the heart, with carking, thoughtfulnesse, anxiety, fretting, impatiencie. Doe not waste and weaken thy minde, immoderately, vnseasonably, imaginarily, vntimelily, with distrustfull anguish, pensiuenesse, and base prostitution of the flower and sinew of thine immortall spirit, to fruitlesse and endlesse impertinencies and mis-imployments. For by the way, we must take notice and acknowledge, notwithstanding what hath beene said against carking, and other needlesse distractionsAtque animum nunc huc celerē, nunc diuidit illuc: In partès que rapit va…ias, perque omnia versat. and exorbitancies of vaine mindes; that a moderate, Christian, prouident care and fore-cast, is both conuenient, and commanded; both for prouision of things necessary, p. 111and preuention of dangers. But this is not distressefull, but delightfull, because enioyned by God: See 1. Timoth. 5. 8. (For aaQuando mens fibi recti est conscia, gratulatur: vel infusione quadam spirituali repletur animus gaudio: cùm aiicuius vel studia, vel ope…a a Deo probantur. Ambr. De Cain & Abel.performance of Gods Commandement, and the very act of Obedience with sincerity, should beget much spirituall sweetnesse, delight, and ioy in the heart.) And a faire, easie, vnangry prouidence for things needfull and time to come, sweetned with the life of Faith, and a patient relyance vponupon Gods wise and mercifull disposing all our affaires, and their successe, is one thing: and a restlesse carking, and pursuite after things vnnecessary, imaginary, and sometimes impossible, embittered with many slauish feares of fained or future euils, is another. It is profitable also to gather matter from time past, by contemplation of youthfull pollutions, crosses, and corrections for sinfull courses, companions in iniquity, or any other aggrauating circumstance, for the increase of godly sorrow, and hatred of sinne. But this is ioyfull, and easeth the heart: for howsoeuer carnall ioy and sorrow can neuer consist together at the same time; yet that which is Christian, bbPeruersum aliquid videtur docere sermo diuinus, Flere in laetitiâ: & in moerore laetari: audi in moerore laetantem, Gloriamur, inquit, in tribulationibus, Rom. 5. 3. Aug. in Psal. 136. Beat… qui fic lugitis, quia ridebitis in lacrymis, Idem Tom. 9. pag. 1022.Rom 5:3Ps 136sweetly ought, and may, of what sort soeuer the sorrow be. For first, causes of it, from without, as reproches, persecutions, shame, crowne the Christians head with aboundance of glory, his heart with ioy, his soule with blessednesse, 1. Pet. 4. 14. Acts 5. 41. Matth. 5. 10. Secondly, if it bee inward, for sinne and corruption, there is great matter of much ioy; for it sweetly signifies the sof… ning and melting of the heart, and by consequent, the presence of Gods sanctifying Spirit. Such teares as burst out of a heart opprest with griefe for sinne, are like an Aprill showre, which though it wet a little, yet it begets a great deale of sweetnesse in the herbes, flowers, and fruites of the earth. A great man guiltie of high Treason, comes to the Blocke to loose his head: In the very nicke, when hee is ready to lay downe his necke, a gracious Pardon is shewne from the King, whereupon he bursts out abundantly into teares, springing partly from an angry indignation against himselfe, for his trayterous carriage towards so tender-hearted a p. 112Prince, partly from an inexplicable ioyfull sence of his owne safety. It is proportionably so, when wee mourne for Him whom wee hauehave pierced, and in Euangelicall repentance. (God hath so mercifully ordered all things for his, that if they be not wanting to themselues, they may be euer merry, and finde continuall matter of reioycing: See 1. Thes. 5. 10. For he well knowes what great need their poore hearts hauehave of this ioyfull affection; both to sweeten their outward sufferings and bitternesse from the world, and also to season their spirituall sacrifices and seruices vntounto himselfe:) And besides, it is one thing, to rake with our remembrance into the graue of buried griefes, for sharpning the teeth of worldly sorrow, to eate our hearts: Another thing, to make our memories minister matter from former times, of more humiliation vnderunder Gods mighty hand, deeper detestation of our abominable vilenesse, and to make our hearts many and many a time melt againe, and bleed afresh with comfortable softnesse, and godly sorrow for youthfull sinnes.

VII. Prize and ply, as a most sweet excellency, and comfortable perfection in Christianitie, a right and religious ordering of thy tongue. It is very materiall, and of speciall importance, for preseruation both of outward and inward peace. Originall corruption hath naturally put vponupon eueryevery mans tongue an empoysoned fierie edge, whereby like a sword in a Bedlams hand, it kils and slayes on all sides, wofully wounds his owne conscience, infects and enuenomes mortally the soules of the present, mangles the good names of the absent with deadly malice, and so bathes it selfe remorselesly in continuall bloodshed; (for there is heart-murther, and tongue-murther, as well as hand-murther) vntill the attainment of this grace, and mortifying circumcision of such an vnruly euill. That it may therefore neither be vnseasonably idle, nor sinfully exercised, besides many other caueats, and constant watchfulnesse, take notice of, and to heart and practise:

I. That much and generally neglected duty of Christian reproofe.

p. 113By reason of that generall and common fellowship, whereof I gaue a taste and touch before, (of his arbitrary and intimate company, eueryevery Christian makes conscience of better choyce) which thou must sometimes entertaine and exercise with the men of this world, except thou wilt goe out of the world; thou shalt meete now and then vponupon vnauoydable necessitie, and by the exigencie of thy calling, with men of intolerable conuersation, and very scandalous discourse; and at vnawares, and vnwillingly fall amongst such companions, as will sweare, blaspheme Gods Name, talke filthily, slander the Ministery, rayle against good men; besides many other scurrill, base, and prophane speeches; much froth and folly in this kind. Now in this case ordinarily, prophane men meddle not. They hold it a point of precisenesse to marre the mirth, and cast the company into dumpes of melancholy, by calling sinne into question. They louelove not (as they say in their hearts) to bee displeasing and vnplausible, where themselues gaine nothing, and perhaps doe no good to the partie. They are commonly old-excellent in rayling vponupon, and slandering a good man in his absence; but they are starke-naught, and no-body in reproouing a notorious wretch vntounto his face. If they open their mouth this way, it is commonly in iest, in brauerie, in forme, in derision, for some Ones sake in the company, who, they know, cannot endure it; or at best, out of a ciuill detestation of outragious villany, and furious blasphemies of Gods glorious Name. But in such cases, the Christian is truely sollicitous and zealous; very much troubled, and carefull how to frame and hold a serious, wise, and seasonable contradiction to the language of hell, which consisteth in oathes, lying, slandering; in obscenities, raylings, contemptuous insolencies against the Ministerie and wayes of God, defence of Poperie, and in such rotten and Bedlam talke. Hee dares not many times in such company, for his heart hold his peace, lest thereby he be guiltie in some degree. 1. Of the parties going on in sinne. 2. Of betraying Gods glory, by a cowardly and vnchristian silence: and 3. For feare of wounding his p. 114owne conscience. The omission of the discharge of this dutie, will somtimes very much vexe the conscience, and grieue the heart of the true-hearted Professour; when hee is departed the place, and considers that by his basenesse and frailty he hath failed in so holy a dutie, and beene faint-hearted in the cause of God.

For this kinde of reproouing then, and such censuring of the words and workes of darkenesse, the Christian is not to bee censured too censorious and precise. Conscience, charitie,Leuit. 19. 17.Lev 19:17 and Gods Commandement calles and cries vponupon him for the performance of this needfull dutie; whensoeuer vnauoydable necessitie, or the exigencie of a warrantable calling shall hauehave cast him vponupon prophane wretches, and imprisoned him for the while amongst fellowes of lewd discourse and gracelesse carriage. Except they bee Dogs, or Swine: Christ himselfe hath commanded, that Pearles and holy things shall not bee cast away vponupon such. GiueGive yee not, saith hee, that which is holy vntounto Dogs, neither cast yee your Pearles before Swine, Matth. 7. 6. See also, Prou. 9. 8. and 23. 9.

The ground of this Commandement of Christ, I take to be two-fold:

1. A deare, compassionate, and tender-hearted care of God, euen ouer the temporall liues of his children. Besides the glorious Ministery, and continuall guard of the blessed Angels for their preseruation, that they hurt not their footePsal. 91. 11, 12.Ps 91:11Ps 91:12 against a stone; his own also All-seeing & All-pittying Eye, doth euer graciously watch ouer them, to keepe them as dearely as the Apple of his owne Eye; and therefore hee forbids them to cast themselues desperately into the mouth of a barking Dogge, or vponupon the paw of a reuengefull and blood-thirsty Lyon: that is, he would not hauehave his child to vouchsafe so much as a reproofe to any blasphemous wretch, or desperate Swaggerer, that would furiously flie in his face for offering him a Pearle.

2. An holy iealousie ouer the glory and Maiestie of his owne blessed Word. It is that holy Wisedome, which issued p. 115immediately out of his owne infinite vnderstanding. It is farre more pure and vnspotted then siluer tried in a furnace of earth, fined seuen-fold. It is a sacred Pearle, framed and fashioned by His owne Almighty hand in the Palaces of heauen, which onelyonly by an inuisible and inspired power can raise those which are dead in sinnes and trespasses, to spirituall life; stop the bloody issue of originall corruption, and preserue the soules of men in euerlasting health. In a word, it is the Word of God, and therefore most vnworthy to be troden vnderunder foote, or trampled in the mire by any sensuall Swine: that is, no wayes to be vouchsafed to those hatefull and Swinish wretches, who out of a malicious sottishnesse entertaine so glorious a message from the mighty God of heauen with contempt and scorne.

These two reasons of the Commandement lye the Text: GiueGive ye not, &c. lest they trample them vnderunder their feete, and turne againe and rent you. Whence wee hauehave also some light to discerne who are Dogs, who are Swine.

1. By Dogs, we see, are meant obstinate enemies, that maliciouslyCanes igitur hîc significat homines in impietate viuentes immedicabili, …pemque omninò conuersionis in melius non habentes, Chrysost. Hom. 24. in 7. Mat. reuile the Ministery of the Word, the Doctrine of God, and the Messengers thereof; who doe not onelyonly tread the words of instruction and reproofe vnderunder foote, but also turne againe, and all to rend the Teachers, and furiously flie in the face of those who fairely tell them of their faults. Consider this and tremble, all yee that are become scornefull and furious opposites to the power and purity of the Word, and bloody goades in the sides of the faithfullest Ministers. Alas, poore wretches, forlorne Caitifes, you cast your selues desperately into that accursed and horrible condition, that eueryevery good man is bound in conscience not to affoord you so much as an admonition, or reproofe, or a caueat to preuent those curses which are comming vponupon you. And you wilfully draw vponupon your owne heads that most fearefull doome from Gods Spirit, and from the Church of God; He that is filthy, Reuel. 22. 1….Rev 22:1let him be filthy still. He that is a Swine, let him bee Swinish still. He that rayles against the power of Grace, let him continue still a mad Dog. He that sets himselfe maliciously p. 116against the Ministery of the Word; let that man receiue no comfort or benefit by the Word of Life. If hee will needs, let him roare still, swagger, be drunke, despaire, die, and be damned.

2. By Swine, are meant those sottish scurrill wretches,Porcos verò, in luto infraenis luxutiae i…giter commorantes, quos fanè omnes huiusmodi doctrinâ pronunciauit indignos, Idem, ibid▪ who doe scornefully and contemptuously trample vnderunder foote all holy instructions, reproofes, admonitions, tendred vntounto them out of the Word of Truth.

1. Some of these are Swine, as it were, only in practise: they do not say much, or keepe any great grunting against good men; but they feed vnsatiably, though silently, vponupon the drosse and filth of sensuall pleasures and carnall contentments: and if at any time a Pearle bee cast in their way; I meane, a seasonable reproofe ministred vntounto them, they trample it in the mire, and with a bruitish basenesse tread it vnderunder foote; because indeed they hate to be reformed, and are sottishly and stubbornly resolued, not to exchange these worldly pleasures which they hauehave in present possession and pursuite, for the glory of an hundred heauens, which Preachers so much talke of, but they cannot taste of, or tell when to come thither.

2. Other Swine there are, as it were both in practise and profession; who besides their hating to bee reformed, and obstinate resolution not to forgoe their present pleasures, or forsake their former wayes, are also possessed with a spirit of scoffing. These are rather wild Boares: for with a furious and Giant-like insolency and outrage, they prouoke, and challenge the mighty Lord of heauen, about the truth of hisSee Isa. 5. 19. & …. Pe…. 3. 3, 4.Isa 5:19 Iudgements and Promises, making a mocke of them.

Let all sensuall and Swinish wretches consider this, and tr…mble; who with sinnefull greedinesse feed vponupon earthlinesse, and Epicurisme, and hate to be reformed; who wilfully wallow in the mud and filth of vanishing pleasures, and will not be washed; who many and many times come vntounto, continue at, and depart from the house of God, with a settled purpose and resolution, not to suffer their hearts to bee mastered by the power of the Ministery, or to change their old p. 117fashions, say the Preacher what he will: but to liue, and end their dayes, in their ordinary former courses of prophanenes and good-fellowship. They may reade their doome and vengeance that dogs them at the heeles, Psalm. 50. 21, 22.

Cursed also is the condition of all you that are scoffers at godlinesse and good men. You hauehave wearied your selues so long in walking and standing in wicked wayes, that you are not set downe at rest in the chaire of scorners. And therefore all those that stand on the Lords side, are commanded by Christ, there to leaue you in your damned case, and to disquiet you no further. And what an horrible depth of spirituall misery is this; That you runne furiously towards the pit of hell, and must hauehave no body to stay you; not a man to call and cry vntounto you, to tell you, that the fiery Lake is a little before you?

Though we hauehave thus much light from the natural properties of Dogs and Swine, to descrie and delineate those fellows, to whom, by Christs commandement, Pearles and holy things, admonitions and reproofes are not to be vouchsafed; yet Christians are sore troubled many times how to behaue themselues, whē to speake, when to hold their peace, whom to repute Dogs and Swine, whom not; when vponupon some vnauoidable necessitie, or by the exigency of their Calling, they are vnwillingly, and vnawares plunged into the company of prophane wretches, whose ordinary talke is the language of Hell; oathes, scurrill iests, iesting vponupon the holy conuersation of the Saints, slandering good men, disgracing the wayes of sinceritie, and such other base, and Bedlam-discourse.

But I do not see, how any constant rules, or immutable direction can be giuen for Christian carriage in this case; it is so variable, and clothed with such varietie of circumstances, and constancy of alterations. The aduice which I would giuegive in this point to the Christian, is this: when he is perplext, what to do in this regard amongst prophane company; let him consult with these bosome counsellours, looke vntounto his spirituall wisedome; to his heart; and to his conscience. These must bee his guides, and informers in these cases: and p. 118they are counsellors euer at hand, he carries thē in his bosom.

1. His spirituall wisedome is to guide him in a right apprehension and discretion of circumstances, and to define the opportunitie and seasonablenesse, when hee is to interpose, and in what manner to oppose against their furious and rotten speeches. It must tell him secretly, and suggest vntounto him, when the cause of God, or the innocency of a good man calls specially vponupon him for an apologie, and at what time he hath a calling thereunto. It must informe him how he must reprooue: whether directly and downe-right, or by intimation, and indirectly; whether personally, or in the generall; whether in a faire and milder manner, or with a more bold and resolute spirit; whether presently vponupon it, and in hot blood, as it were, or afterward to take occasion to censure the same sinne, with aggrauation of the odiousnes and damnation of it; whether only by discountenance, or discourse; by a silent disapplause, which I think, may be sufficient for some men, at some times, in some companies, or with solemne protestation, & a professed opposition and dislike, &c.

2. Let him also looke to his heart: That his reproofe spring not from any imperious humour of censuring, and medling with his brethren; from a proud veine of contradicting, and controlling others; out of a Scoical sowrenesse, and commanding surlinesse; from any purpose to disgrace, and grieuethe partie; from a formall affectation of Pharisaicall seuerity from a secret ambitious desire of purchasing an opinion and reputation of forwardnesse, by being forward in finding faults; or from any other by-respect: but from an heart truly humbled with …ight and sence of its owne infirmities, zealously thankfull vntounto God for preseruing him from the like outrage, and excesse in sinne; graciously resolued into compassion and commiseration of the offender; lifted vp in a secret supplication for the pardon of its owne sinne, successe of the reproofe, and saluation of the party all at once vntounto the Throne of Grace, &c.

3. His conscience must guide, and hold him in the right path, and golden meane betweene two extremes, which p. 119ordinarily in these cases men are very apt to incurre: I meane, faint-hearted silence, and furious zeale.

1. Men many times, by reason of a sinfull irresolution, and vnchristian cowardlinesse, would gladly make all such offenders, Dogs and Swine; that thereby they might challenge the priuiledge of exemption from the discharge of that Christian dutie of reproofe. Though their eares be filled with the oathes and blasphemies of those that are about them, and grated vponupon with gracelesse raylings against good men, and foule disgracements of the wayes of God; yet they neuer open their mouth; as though there could bee any nobler obiect, or exercise of their best eloquence, and greatest courage, then the iust defence of Gods glory, and Christians innocency. Oh! these are vile cowards in good causes, and a kind of traitors to the state of Christianitie. By such sinfull silence, they labour to purchase a name of No-meddlers in other mens matters; of mercifull men to their Brethrens infirmities; of plausible companions; of wiser and more moderete Christians. But let them know, that such No-medling is a kind of soule-murthering; such mercifulnesse is crueltie; such plausiblenesse is pernicious; such wisedome is not that of the Serpent, commended by Christ; but the wilynesse of that great red Dragon, suggested by Hell.

Nay, some men are so strangely lewd and gracelesse, that they can heare, and digest with patience and silence, the oathes and rotten speeches of their seruants, and, perhaps, their aaAudis filio… bla… phem…ntes, & patienter fers Christiane, quod Rex Nabuch donolo… …lienigena non potuit sustinere, dicens, Si quis dixerit blasphemiam in Deum Sidrach, &c. in i… teritum erit, August. …om. …. p. 12….sonnes, without any contradiction, or correction. In their owne families, some, perhaps, sweare, others talke filthily, some raile against the Ministry, others iest vponupon the sinceritie of the Saints, &c. and yet the wicked Gouernor …ayes neuer a word. But in this point my purpose is principally to counsel Christians; I meddle not at this time with such Synagogues of Satan, and dennes of Atheists.

2. Some others, it may be, but they are not neere so many, may runne into the other extreme, and out of a spirituall foole-hardinesse, as it were, and furious zeale, with an imperious, and vnwarrantable boysterousnes flie in the face p. 120of some desperate Swaggerer, with an vndigested and vnseasonable reproofe: whereby they both incurre the guilt of giuing an holy thing vntounto a Dog, and vnnecessary danger from the gracelesse fury of the partie. Or else for want of spirituall wisedome, and an holy discretion of circumstances; they may tender an admonition to some such contemptuous swinish wretch, which will passe ouer, and put by the precious seuerity of the Word of Truth with a scurrill iest; or with a dull, and scornefull sottishnesse trample vnderfoote that sacred Pearle.

Though it be no constant character of Dogs and Swine, yet commonly those desperate wretches, to whō by Christ▪s commandement we must giuegive no holy things, are fellowes of dogged, sowre and contracted countenances, especially towards true Christians; and hauehave a kinde of desperate furiousnesse impressed vponupon their foreheads, which is then most visible, when they are crost in their villanies, and heare of any contradiction, or condemnation of their gracelesse courses and contemptuous carriages. And those Swinish Gadarens, before whom we must cast no Pearles, are fellowes of a …leering, gibing and scornefull carriage, especially towards good men, and godly exercises: they are so drowned in sensualitie, and glued to the earth; that they doe not onelyonly despise, but also deride the precious things of Heauen. As I take it, sensualitie, and earthly mindednesse, mingled with a great deale of Atheisme, begetteth in men this sottish swinishnesse, and brutish contempt of the blessings of Grace, and directions to euerlasting blisse.

These premonitions and cautions premised, and obserued, eueryevery Christian ought to addresse himselfe with resolution, and conscience to discharge this Christian duty of reproouing, when a iust occasion, and a calling thereunto doe require and exact it at his hands. For these reasons:

First, in respect of the party offending,

1. A seasonable reproofe, mingled and sanctified with the spirit of inuocation and compassion, may, by the blessing of God, be an occasion of conuersion to the offender. And p. 121let him know, that he which conuerteth the sinner from the Iam. 5. 20.Jas 5:20errour of his way, shall sa…e a soule from death, and shall hide a multitude of sinnes. And it is the most glorious worke in the World, and the noblest imployment vnderunder the Sunne, to hauehave an hand in the holy businesse of sauing a soule. Let hope then of doing spirituall good to thy brothers soule, be the speciall aime, and a principall motiue of performing this dutie. There is a Law, Exod. 23. 4, 5. that if a man meete his enemies Oxe, or Asse, going astray, he must bring him againe▪ If he see his enemies Asse lying vnderunder his burden, hee must helpe him vp againe: How much more deare and precious in our eies should the immortall soule of our Brother be, then the Asse of our enemie? If we must turne backe the straying Oxe of our enemie, and lift vp his Asse, when he is crusht vnderunder his burden; with what eagernesse and zeale ought wee to labour, to stop the furious course of a reasonable creature towards the pit of Hell; and to put our helping hand to raise vp that silly foule, which by reason of the heauy weight of its finne, is full sorely bruised and bleeding, ready euen to breathe out it last, and sinke into the misery of endlesse horrour? Speake then boldly in the cause of God, when thou hearest thy brother blaspheme his Name, iest with his Word, talke filthily, raile against holines, slander good men, pleade for prophane pastimes, &c. for they are so many mortall stabs into his owne poore soule; besides the naturall infectiousnesse of rotten speeches, which may doe much mischiefe to the standers by. Though thy reproofe preuaile not at the present; yet thou knowest not what impression and working it may hauehave afterward vponupon his hard heart, whereby perhaps he may happily thinke vponupon a new course, and of conuersion to God; and so thou be a blessed instrument of sauing a soule.

2. But if it hauehave not so happy a successe vponupon his soule, yet it may be, thou mayest thereby tame and take downe his insolency; so cut his combe by a seasonable contradiction, that he doe not carry it away brauely; so coole and confound his swaggering humour, that he doe not glory in his p. 122villany, that hee doe not pride himselfe in his blasphemies, and bloody oathes, in his contempt of Grace, and other outragious carriages. Answer a foole, saith Salomon, according Prou. 26. 5.Prov 26:5to his foolishnesse, lest he be wise in his owne conceit: lest hee bee too proud. If a desperate and prophane wretch will needs sweare, and swagger, and raile against the seruants and seruices of God; yet let him know, that all the while, hee fights against God, damnes his owne soule, and pleases none but Deuils, Drunkards, and deuilish men. If he will needs labour to be famous, by a surious opposition to the Ministery, and wayes of God; let him know, that his name shall rot after…. 10. 7. him as vilely, as his carkeise in the graue, and himselfe burne in Hell euerlastingly; if hee hold on in that humour without timely repentance and reformation.

3. Thirdly, at the least, thou shouldst thereby increase, and aggrauate his inexcuseablenesse, and so glorifie the Tribunall of Gods Iustice; when it shall there appeare, that besides many other meanes afforded, and offered vntounto him by Gods mercies; thou also diddest lend him thine hand, to hauehaveIude 23.Jude 1:23 puld him out of the fire, & gauest him one call to hauehave stayed him in the furious and wilfull pursuit of his owne damnation. But because he still hated to be reformed; because varietie of meanes for his amendment, made him more malicious, and obstinate in his owne wayes; and that contradiction, and counsell to the contrary inflamed, and set on fire the lustfull viciousnesse of his corrupt nature, to hunt more greedily after forbidden pleasures; therefore I say, hee will bee more and more fearefully ashamed, and confounded at that great and fearefull Day: and the moe occasions he hath had of his conuersion, the iuster cause then will he see of his deserued confusion; and by consequent more glory will accrew vntounto the glorious Tribunall of Gods Iustice.

Secondly, in such cases the Christian must speake in respect of himselfe.

1. When the aire is impoysoned with any infectious vapour, men vse to fill their sense with some Pomander, or other sweete perfume, and so they may declaime p. 123noysomnesse of the smell, and repell the contagious insinuation: so when any prophane wretch hath let fall any rotten speech, the Christian with a present counter-poyson as it were, of a seasonable reproofe, should stop his owne apprehension, lest any baser infection insinuate, & staine the soule; and to preserue in heat and life, a fresh and strong opposition of the heart and affections to all such lewdnes and scu…ility.

2. Silence at such a time will seeme to bewray either thy cowardlinesse in the cause of God; or hypocrisy in thy profession. For it will seeme strange, that thou which makest shew of standing on the Lords side, and professest thy selfe to bee a party in that glorious Communion of Saints, shouldst heare the name of God prophaned in a base and blasphemous manner, and the innocency sometimes of a good man carried in triumph by the slanderous tongues of wretches, and trampled vponupon, as it were, euen vntounto dust, by the feete of pride and malice; and yet neuer open thy mouth. As thou therefore desirest to preserue the glory of thy Christian reputation entire and shining, and hold it thy crowne and honour to bee Champion vntounto the mighty Lord of heauen, a Proctor in his Spirituall Causes, and the protector of the good names of good men; be euer ready to open thy mouth, when a iust apologie in any of these respects is needefull and required at thy hands.

3. If thy conscience be inlightened, awake, tender, and rightly informed, it will smite, and checke thee after the omission of such a duty; when afterwards thou considerest with thy selfe, that by thy cowardly & vnseasonable silence, thy soule is entangled in the guiltinesse, and hath incurred an accountablenesse for that sinne. As thou then wouldest keepe all in quiet at home in thine owne bosome, and still possesse the paradise of a peacefull heart, suffer not blasphemies, obscenities, raylings, and other such ribald, and rotten talke passe vncensured, and vnsorrowed for. Nay, and in so doing, besides the vnualuable comfort of a peacefull conscience, thou shalt also purchase vntounto thine heart a sound testimony of that gracious tender-heartednesse, which is wont p. 124to melt, and resolue the hearts of Gods children into compassion and commiseration in such cases▪ and which they vse to expresse, and exercise euen towards the lewdest wretches, and such as hauehave no pitty vponupon the spirituall miseries of their owne poore and wofull soules. See 1. Sam. 15. 35. and 16. 1. Ier. 9. 1. Phil. 3. 18, 19. 2. Cor. 12. 21. Luk. 19. 41, 42, &c. It was the dogged, and damned voyce of cruell and cursed Cain, to say, Am I my brothers keeper? But eueryevery true and tender-hearted Christian doth grieue to see so many of his brethren sticke fast in the clutches of that roring Lyon, and betweene the teeth of that Red Dragon; and therefore labours by all meanes hee can, to rescue them; to see so many about him runne as fast and furious as they can, to drowne themselues in the pit of endlesse perdition▪ and therefore as occasion serues, cals and cryes vntounto them to stay their course, before the hellish Gulfe of confusion and horrour hath shut her mouth vponupon them.

Thirdly, in respect of those which be present.

1. By thy speaking in such a case, thou mayest lay, as it were, the spirit of profanenesse for that time; so that it doe not rage, and ouer-rule in the rest, as otherwise it would. For wee may sometimes obserue, that a seasonable reproofe passing from a man of vnderstanding, with resolution and authority, vponupon a fellow that so behaues himselfe as though swearing were his profession, and traducing the Saints, his Trade, doth so quell and confound the swaggering humour of the rest of the same crue in the company, that they are quite put out of their humour, as they say, perhaps hang downe their heads all the while, and thinke in their hearts, if once they get out, they will come no more amongst such precise fellowes which cannot abide an oath; or where they cannot hauehave their fling and forth in their profane villanies and cursed reuelling.

2. Thou mayest hereby hold in the weake, that they be not scandalized.

3. Thou mayest hold vp the hearts of stronger Christians, that they be not grieued and cast downe with the domineering p. 125of prophanenesse, and out-swaggering rage of Satans Reuellers.

Fourthly, in respect of God Himselfe:

1. That, though the dayes wherein we liue, be strangely prophane, and desperately naught; for this old age of the world is pestred with all the pollutions, and abominations, which the course and current of all former ages hauehave conueied and carried into it; though iniquity mightily abound with much tyranny and triumph, and fearefully preuaile in all places; yet I say, that it may appeare, that God hath some to speake for Him. That though Satan, more is the pitty, hath innumerable swarmes of knights of the Post, as they say, that are ready at a becke to doe him any desperate seruice; yet, notwithstanding heere & there God hath a Champion, who fearelesse of the face of man, dare with an vndaunted and holy resolution, defend His wayes, and stand on His side.

2. But aboue all, let that strict charge from Gods owne mouth, (aaTertul. hunc locum accipit de correptione fraternâ. Iudaeis hîc praeceptâ. Lib. 4. cont. Marcion. cap. 35. Leuit. 19. 17. Thou shalt not hate thy brother in thine heart: thou shalt in any wise rebuke thy neighbour, and not suffer sinne vponupon him:) fright and fire eueryevery one of vsus out of our sinfull silence and cowardlinesse this way, and keene vsus with resolution and forwardnesse, to a seasonable discharge of this holy duty.

Take notice of a three-fold duty, which lies vponupon eueryevery Christian in his carriage towards men in their presence, and before their faces: 1. Christian admonition: 2. Christian reproofe: 3. Christian silence, and forbearance in such cases.

1. If a brother bee ouertaken with a fault, or some lesse offence, we are to admonish him in the spirit of meekenesse, bbNon agit ibi de irrisoribus cum illis duriter agendum, sed de fratribus, Martan c. …9. 2. Sam.Gal. 6. 1.

2. If hee offend more grieuously, wee are freely to reprooue him; and not to suffer sinne to rest vponupon him, Leu. 19. 17.

3. If hee be a sonne of Belial, a scoffing Ishmael, a dog, or a swine; wee are commanded by Christ to say nothing; p. 126Matth. 7. 6. Neither priuate admonition, nor brotherly reproofe is to be vouchsafed to desperate sinners or prophane Ruffians, who would entertaine it with crueltie or scurrilitie.

II. Obserue a sanctified silence; from

1. Rash censuring, which is seuerely censured by ChristMat. 7. 1▪ 2.Matt 7:1Matt 7:2 Himselfe, and set as a visible Brand vponupon the face of the Hypocrite. Let it euer bee onelyonly the peeuish property of those who are naught, and most obnoxious themselues; of Pharises and false-hearts, to bee the greatest finde-faults; vncharitably to entertaine causlesse disconceits, and to passe rash censures against those, who are farre better then themselues. Which they will ordinarily doe: because,

1. They were neuer truely humbled with sight and sence of their owne sinfull and accursed state. They neuer trembled, nor were thorowly frighted with the wrathfull countenance of God, for their infinite pollutions and prouocations of the eyes of his glory. Their consciences were neuer awaked out of their dead sensuall sleepe, by the Trumpet of the Law, nor receiued any speciall and particular illumination from the sanctifying Spirit. In a word, they hauehave no terrour, no trouble, no worke or businesse at home about their owne finnes, in their owne consciences, and therefore they hauehave leasure enough to looke about them, and are full enough of sinfull curiositie, and vnnecessarie medling, to pry and enquire into other mens courses and carriages; of malice and spitefulnesse, to mistake and misinterpret; of pride and peremptorinesse, to proclaime many times with great noise, and selfe-applause, their owne idle malignant forgeries and fancies, for faults of those, who are much more righteous thē they. When they looke forward, or any wayes about them, they are very sharpe-sighted into the fashions and failings of others; most exact in obseruing their neighbours wayes; Eagle-eyed, to pierce beyond the Moone; to spy the least moate in the Sun, I meane, the smallest infirmity in the most glorious Saint: Nay, they are of such a refined and sublimated eye-sight, that they can discerne some errours and exorbitancies, p. 127especially in Professours of Religion, which neuer had any existence. But when they should reflect vponupon themselues, and turne their eyes to contemplate and consider their owne corruptions, there lyes a great beame of hypocrisie betweene them and themselues; so that they cannot possibly fee so much, as those huge mountaines of many crying sinnes, which full heauily presse downe their owne soules towards hell; those vnnumbred swarmes of beastly lusts, which rage remorslesly within their owne bosomes.

2. It is a point of their hypocriticall policie, cunningly, and confidently to impute those sinnes vntounto others, which are grosly predominant in themselues; that thereby they might purchase an opinion of a supposed innocencie, and freedome from the like faults. For when they cry out with great noise and clamour vponupon other men, they thinke they still the cry, and stop the mouth of their owne sinnes; and labour to fasten a perswasion vponupon their owne hearts, that sith they, with such confidence, and bold faces reprooue and censure others, others will not, out of the congruity of a charitable ingenuousnesse thinke them so shamelesse, as to bee iustly liable to the same imputations; except some few wiser, and more iudicious Christians, who are able by spirituall experience, to discouer the depths and mysteries of their hypocrisie; and for such they care not much: for in point of reputation, they rely most vponupon the common sort, and greater part.

3. It is the naturall humour of an hypocrite, to bee supercilious and censorious. Pride is no where more naturally bred, so proudly seated, and highly enthroned, as in his heart. And therefore it is his common practise to hunt after estimation, by disgracing and disabling others. Sith hee wants worth in himselfe, he labours to shine by darkening others, misconceiuing that eueryevery detraction from other mens reputations, is an addition to his owne.

4. They hold it a point and proofe of forwardnesse, to be forward in finding faults. As though the flame of an holy zeale were enkindled in any mans heart, onelyonly to giuegive him p. 128light, for the discouery of other mens sinnes, and not as a sacred fire, to burne vp the noysome lusts which boyle in his owne brest.

Thus, and vponupon such grounds as these, it is the hatefull propertie of Hypocrites and selfe-guiltie ones; and a common marke of their cruell seueritie, to wade deepely into the search and censure of other mens wayes, and to gore verie bloodily into the consciences of others, whereas they neuer purged their owne. But true zeale euer casts the first stone at a mans selfe, and plucks the beame out of his owne eye, that he may better discerne and draw the mote out of anothers eye: I meane, a sincere heart is euer most censorious and seuere against it selfe; most searching into, and sensible of its owne sinnes; prying with speciall curiositie and inquisitiuenesse, into the endlesse maze of its owne wicked windings and depths of guile. Though it heartily and vnfainedly detest all sinne in whomsoeuer; yet its owne iniquities and pollutions sticke closest, and goe neerest, and beget in it a more particular and extraordinary impression of remorse and loathing. The reason is, it hath truly tasted the terrors of a wounded conscience, been scorched with the secret sence of Gods angry face, and formerly full sorely crusht vnderunder the most grieuous burthen of innumerable sinnes. It knowes right well, by wofull experience, what bitternesse of spirit, and anguish of soule springs naturally from the retired suruey of scandalous transgressions in cold blood. It feeles from time to time, deadnesse of heart, lessening of graces, losse of comfort to ensue vponupon eueryevery grosse relapse, or willing fall. It findes too often, to its much griefe, that if it foster and nuzzle in it selfe any sensuall corruption or secret lust, the Lord will not heare its prayers. It is full well acquainted with the vnualuable preciousnesse of a peacefull conscience and Gods fauourable countenance, which it cannot possibly enioy, if it lie delightfully in any one sinne against its knowledge, &c. This being the experience, exercise, and constitution of an vpright heart; it is most angry and displeased with, most Eagle-eyde and watchfull ouer, most strict and p. 129seuere against its owne sinnes. Which home-imployment happily hinders and moderates a man from too much medling abroad. This world of worke within, about his owne soule, in discouering, opposing, and mortifying his owne vnruly lusts and rebellions, ties his tongue from being so busie in censuring other mens faults. As therefore thou wouldest hauehave a true testimonie of taking thine owne sinnes to heart, and of hauing beene sincerely humbled vnderunder Gods mighty hand thy selfe, keepe a constant and narrow watch ouer thy tongue: be very sparing in speaking the euill which thou knowest by others: iudge no man rashly, out of spleene, humour, passion, pride, preiudice, Pharisaisme, &c. or of hisNoli esse alien… vitae aut temerarius iudex, aut curiosus explo… ▪ B…n. finall state. For all sound Conuerts and truely mortified men desire, and labour to be very charitable, mercifull and seasonable in their censures. Consciousnesse of their owne corruptions, makes them compassionate towards others in this kinde.

Obiect. Yea, but will some say, howsoeuer you put it vponupon prophane men and hypocrites; yet it is well knowne, your Professours are the onelyonly shrewd censurers, very sightfull, and seuere about other mens faults, and are still ready vponupon all occasion, by their peremptory iudging, to send all others vntounto hell saue themselues, and those of their owne sect, as they speake: (And so was the way to heauen stiledAct. 28▪ 28.Acts 28:28 many a yeere agoe.)

Answer. This I grant, is many times the prophane mans censure of the true Christian, and therein he discouers himselfe to be a true hypocrite: for with much bitternesse and malice hee censures sincere-hearted men, to be censorious, when himselfe is the only vnconscionable Criticke and cenfurer. Hee reprooues Gods faithfull Ones for reproouing, when himselfe full often amongst his companions, out of a pang of imperious choler, and implacable hatred to holinesse, condemnes for Counterfeits, without all ground, or truth, those whom the Lord himselfe iustifies for true-hearted Nathaneels, and passes sentence of guiltinesse and grosse hypocrisie, after they bee cast by a iury of Ale-knights, vponupon p. 130those, whom the Highest Tribunall doth mercifully acquit.

To illighten a little, and rectifie thy iudgement in this point of priuate iudging; conceiue with me;

1. First, that all iudging and censuring is not censurable and condemned: But that, when a man with an euill minde iudgeth amisse and vncharitably of others for some euill end. We may iudge the tree by his fruit. If wee see a fellow constant and incorrigible in his lewd rebellious courses, euidently infamous for rotten fruits, hanging out in the open fight of the Sunne; as drunkennesse, swearing, vsury, whoredome, persecuting the power of godlinesse, scoffing Religion, vnrighteous dealing, &c. Wee may, leauing his finall doome to the Searcher of all hearts, iudge and censure him for the present to be Gods enemy, and in a most wretched estate. But in such cases, besides iust cause, be sure of a warrantable calling, conscionable aaChrist iudging th… Pharises both for lif… and doctrine, called them Hypocrites, for caution to his Disciples: Matth. 23. 1, 2, 3. and 16▪ 6. and Herod, Fox… for adm…nition to others.Matt 23:1Matt 23:2Matt 23:3Matt 16:6end, and no beame in thine owne bbMatth. 7. 5.Matt 7:5eye.

2. Secondly, let vsus take notice of some differences betweene the true Professours, and prophane mans censuring. It differs, in respect,

1. Of the Obiect. The principall aime and obiect of carnall mens cruell disconceits, and bitterest censures, is the zealous Professour. Dogged they are enough many times amongstLuke 13. 32.Luke 13:32 themselues, about worldly affaires, and maliciously enter-teare one another like wild beasts; mutuall brawlings about earthly things, wrongs, encrochments, vnderminings, coozening, ouer-reaching, ambitious contentions, &c. fill their hearts with much gall and greedinesse of reuenge, their mouthes with mutuall barking at and byting one another. But to the people of God, in their Bedlam fits, they are not only Dogs, but euen enraged Deuils, and swell with the very venome of Hell, the ouerflowing whereof doth drowne all priuate discords. Herod & Pilate behaued themselues before, like two angry Mastiues one against another; but when opportunitie was offered, they pursued Christ with reconciled malice, and vnited forces. Put vp an hare before two Greyhounds, p. 131snarling about a bone, and they will both doggedly concurre in the pursuite of that harmelesse beast. It is iust so with gracelesse men against Gods Child: and euer the more forward he is in the narrow way, the more furiously is he persecuted by the spite of tongues. The most resolute for Gods glory, and in good causes, is ordinarily most rayled against, and reuiled. The foule spirit of good-fellowship, as they call it, is still foaming out against Gods chiefest Fauourites, the foulest censures: That they are hypocrites, humorists, factionists, traitors, pestilent fellows, and all that naught is. Dauid was so charged by Saul and his Courtiers: Ieremie by the prophane Nobles: the godly Iewes by Haman: Nay, Christ himselfe by the Scribes and Pharises: Paul by Tertullus: the Prim…tiue Christians by the Heathens: and all that will▪liue godlily in Christ Iesus, must looke for the same portion, the same persecution amongst the men of this world; euen to be most vile, and contemptible in their conceits and construction. There is no creature that euer God made, not Satan himselfe excepted, which is more maliciously set against and censured, then good men. Neither should any hauehave so bad a name as they, could the hellish mists of virulent tongues obscure and staine the glory of their reputation. If sentence should passe vponupon the godly at that last and great Day, according to the verdict of them that are not friends or parties, wee should certainly all be cast and condemned, not a man freed and acquit. But blessed be God, the Searcher of all hearts, the Almightie Protectour of all innocencie, who to the shame and confusion of all spitefull opposites, will witnesse for vsus at that highest Tribunall; and then at the furthest before men and Angels, will bring forth our righteousnesse as the light, and our iudgements as the Noone-day. Oh that I had some to heare me! saith Iob: Behold my signe that the Almightie will witnesse for mee: though mine aduersaries should write a booke against mee, &c. And in this itching humour of mis-censuring the seruants of God, the wicked are so wilfull and eager, that rather then they will want matter, they will most basely, p. 132and vnworthily snatch it from the enuenomed tongue of a Tale-bearer; from the slanderous folly of some seurril Iester, the frothy rauing of a greasie drunken Ale-house-haunter, nay rather then faile, forge it out of a suspicious selfe-guiltinesse in their owne prophane fancies, and suck it, as they say, out of their owne fingers. But let them know, that when a son of Belial censures a sincere Professor, it is as if the darkest nooke in Hell should finde fault with the Moone, that great Light of Heauen, for those little spots in her face, whereas otherwise shee is a faire and goodly creature: as if the most loathsome dunghill should challenge the fairest garden for vnsauourinesse, because there is here and there a weed amidst varietie of other: fr…grant flowers: as if a worthlesse lumpe of drosse should censure an angell of gold, for want of a graine or two in weight: as if a fellow almost eaten vp with the filthy French disease, **Velut si aliquis saeuissimo Hydrope, vel quolibet immedicabili languore constrictus, hunc quidem etiam negligat, eum verò culpet, qui exig…um in aliquâ corporis sui parte non curet tumorem. Chrysost hom. 24. in cap. 7. Matth.should cry out of the danger of a growing Ague in another. For in this case, hee who as yet is nothing but an accursed lumpe of sinne and lust, damnation and hell, loades with censorious lyes that happy soule, which in the fountaine of Christs meritorious blood, is made farre whiter then the Snow in Salmon, and fairer then the wooll of the sheepe comming vp from washing, though some spots and staines of infirmities and frailties cleaue vntounto it, while it yet dwels in an house of flesh, and tabernacle of clay.

But now on the other side, the ordinarie obiect of the Christians Censure, is according to Christs rule: those trees which discouer themselues to be stark naught, by the rotten fruits, which hang vponupon them in the sight of the Sunne. And yet that also must bee seasoned with charitie, discretion, seasonablenesse, freedome from spleene, humour, passion, personall hatred, insolencie, or any other exorbitant distemper. Those professours prooue too often, either vtterly vnsound, or not so thorowly humbled, who vnmercifully insult either ouer the damnable estate of those which are without, or vncharitably blaze abroad the infirmities and failings of the brethren, which they ought to conceale; and as the hand … a salue vponupon any sore part of the body, and then couers p. 133it; so to apply a plaister of a gentle and milde reproofe, that it may secretly heale, and the World be neuer the wiser. Ordinarily, so farre as some men are fierce, boysterous, and master-like in searching out, censuring, and secret insulting ouer the falls, fraileties, difference from them in some indifferent things, of their fellow-Christians; so much many times come they short in mortification, holy wisedome, humility, selfe-deniall, faithfulnesse in their Callings, &c. and that of those, perhaps, whom they so imperiously disable and vnderunder-value. Commonly, too busie-bodies this way, are either dangerously proud, or sinfully politike: proud, and therefore endeuour to raise their owne, vponupon the ruines of other Christians reputation, better then themselues: or politike; for, themselues being censurable for some grosser infirmities, or scandalous walking, they labour cunningly to find answerable errours in more noted Professours, that themselues may goe more vnnoted.