Directions for a Comfortable Walking with God, Religious treatise (6 of 9)

Directions for a Comfortable Walking with God · Religious treatise (6 of 9)

p. 2193. For the third, howsoeuer it fare with thee otherwise; if thou settle thine heart vponupon any earthly thing with inordinate desire and delight, thou shalt be sure to be haunted with a double curse: 1. The rage of vnsatiablenesse, vnsatisfiablenesse: p. 2202. That greatest plague, hardnesse of heart.

1. The Father of Spirits hath inspired into our immortall soules a large capacity, and such an infinite appetite, that no finite excellency, created comfort, or earthly thing can possibly fill. Gold, siluer, riches, honours, crownes, kingdomes, are no fit matter or adequate obiect, for such an immateriall and heauenly borne spirit, to repose and feed vponupon, with finall rest and full contentment. Nay, not this whole materiall world, were it beautified and set out with all the amiablenesse, splendour, and allurements, which the deuill by his iugling Alchymy put vponupon it, when he presented it to the eye of Christ Iesus, Math. 4. 8. with addition of the starry and Empyrean heauen, shining with all their admirable beauty and glorious inhabitants, could by any meanes confine, satisfie, and content the irke some wandrings, vnlimited desire, and vast comprehensiuenesse of the soule: but it would still bee aaCor humanum in desiderio aeternitatis non fixum, nunquam stabile potest esse, sed omni volubilitate volubilius, de alio in aliud transit, quaerens requiem, vbi non est. In his autem caducis & transitorijs, in quibus eius affectus captiui tenentur, ver…m requiem inuenire: quoniam tantae est dignitatis, vt nullum bonum, praeter summum Bonum, ei sufficere possit. Aug. Tom. 9. pag. 1003.transported with the passionate disquietnesse of selfe vexation, and tortured vponupon the racke of restlesse discontent; vntill it fasten and fixe vponupon an obiect, infinite both in excellency and endlesnesse, wherin is contained the whole latitude of Entity and goodnesse, the euer-blessed and onlyadored Trinity. Where, and when alone, it softly and sweetly, with the hight and fulnesse of all desireable contentment, rests in the armes of God, and bosome of eternall blisse; which all blessed soules attaine thus, and by these meanes:

When it pleased God by the mercifull violence of his Almighty hand, to turne the sensuall bent and powerfull current of the seduced soule, from the creature, to the Creator; from the painted brauery of this vaine world, to the heauenly beautie of his blessed Word; from carking encumbrance about many things, to pursue and ply that One needfull thing; by a sound and vniuersall change of the whole man, and translation of him from the darkenesse of naturall ignorance, death in sinne, and power of the deuill, to the light of sauing knowledge, the life of sanctifying grace, and the liuing God: I say then, the restlesse wandrings of the vnsatisfied p. 221soule, begins first to settle with some sweet contentment, vponupon the flowers of Paradise, glimpses of heauenly glory, infallible earnests of euerlasting blisse, sauing graces; and its infinite appetite is well stayed in the meane time, with that comfortable entercourse and blissefull Communion, which it enioyes in part with the blessed Trinity, by the Word, Sacraments, and other his holy Ordinances, appointed and sanctified for that purpose; vntill it remooue from an house of flesh▪ into the Empyrean heauen. And then,

1. The vnderstanding is first filled with finall and euerlasting contentment, by a cleere glorious sight of God, which they call Beat ficall vision; when we shall see him face to face; know him as we are knowne, 1. Cor. 13. 12. see him as hee is, 1. Ioh. 3. 2. For as the Sunne of this world, by his beames and brightnesse ill…ghteneth the eye, and the ayre, that wee may see, not onelyonly all other things, but also his owne glorious face: so God, blessed for euer, the Sunnes Creator, the Imperiall Sunne of the world aboue, in whose presence, the vnited splendour of ten thousand of our Sunnes would vanish away, as a darkesome moate and lumpe of vanitie, doth by the light of his holy Spirit, so irradiate the mindes of all the blessed, that they are thereby enlarged and inabled, not only to behold eminently in him, the beauty, goodnesse, and excellency of all creatures, in a farre more admirable and orient manner then in their owne beings; but also his owne face, essence, will and counsels, perfections and attributes, incomprehensible greatnesse and Maiesty.

2. Secondly, the will also is then fully and for euer satisfied with a perfect, inward, eternall communion with God himselfe. O…r sweet glorified Sauiour, being God and man, by his humane nature assumed, vniteth vsus to God, and by his diuine nature assuming, vniteth God vntounto vsus: so that by this secret and sacred communion, we are made in an admirable and blessed manner, partakers, and as it were, possessours of God himselfe; and communicate with him in all his goodnesse, perfections, excellencies, and happinesse. O bottomlesse depth, and dearest confluence of all ioyes, pleasures, p. 222sweetnesses, delights, vnconceiueable, vnutterable, infinite! This is the supreme end of our Creation and Redemption; the very flower, quintessence, and sinew, as it were, of our So ueraigne good. By this act of blessednesse, we are filled with all the fulnesse of God: He becomes vntounto vsus All in all; so that thereby we liue his very life, in purity, eternity, sincerest pleasures, highest perfection; though not to the height of his infinitenesse; for wee are but creatures; yet in proportion to our capacitie, and vtmost possibility, which is a felicitie aboue measure, and past imagination. In these two acts thus exercised about an infinite Obiect, God himselfe, doth Blessednesse, essentially and formally consist: but principally in the fruition of God, by a full, immediate, and compleate communion with him, and most blessed participation of all his glory and All-sufficiency. And therefore Aquinas and all his followers come short, in placing our highest blisse, onelyonly in the act of the vnderstanding, the Vision of God. I am woont to expresse and illustrate it thus: though there be an infinite distance and disproportion in the things compared: It would mightily delight a man, really and in person, with ease and safetie to passe ouer and view the circuite of the whole earth, and all the wonders of the world; all the great cities, renowned men, magnificent courts, rich mines, spicie Ilands, Chrystall mountaines, coasts of Pearles, rockes of Diamond, &c. of which Geographers write, and Trauailers talke: but if besides, as he passed along, he should hauehave sure and euerlasting possession giuen of them all, what an immeasurable materiall addition would it make vntounto his speculatiue delight? And with what strange amazement and admiration of his making for euer, and marueilous happines, would it rauish his heart? Euen so proportionably, but aboue all degrees of comparison; though a boundlesse Ocean of endlesse sweetnes, and inexplicable ioy arise in the soule from the sight of God; yet this blissefull communion, whereby we possesse and enioy him, in a neere, excellent vnspeakable maner; & partake with him in all his excellencies, perfections, and felicities, doth crowne, as it were, our p. 223Crowne of glory, and actuate that heart-rauishing contemplation, with the very life of euerlasting life, and soule of heauenly ioyes and highest blisse. Thus, and in this manner doe the restlesse wanderings and infinite appetite of these aspiring sparkes of heauen, our immateriall and immortall spirits, come to finall rest and euerlasting repose: When at last they shall graspe in the armes of their desire, that chiefest Good, the most glorious Deitie, and bathe themselues freely and fully in that euer-during Welspring of Immortality and Life. But now set aside the fruition of this Obiect, infinite both in excellency and endlesnesse, the onelyonly aime and end of the soules endlesse aspirations: And though thou shouldest crowne a man compleately with the worth of this whole world, the admirable splendour of the Empyrean heauen, the beauty of a shining Sunne-like body, the rich and royall endowments inherent in a glorified soule, the sweetest company of Saints and Angels, the comfort of eternity; yet his soule would still be full of emptinesse and appetite, and vtterly to seeke for the surest Sanctuary, and supremest solace to settle her vnsatisfied longings vponupon. OnelyOnly once admit it to the face of God, by Beatificall Vision, and to fruition of the most glorious and euer-blessed Trinity, by immediate communion, and so consequently to those Torrents of pleasures, and fulnesse of ioy flowing thence; and then presently, and neuer before, its infinite desire expires in the bosome of God, and it lyes, as it were, downe softly, with sweetest peace and full contentment, in the imbracements of euerlasting blisse. The other innumerable inestimable ioyes in heauen, are, I deny not, transcendent, and rauishing: but they are but all accessories to this Principall, drops to this Ocean, glimpses to this Sunne. Well then, if this bee the onelyonly way to the soules eternall welfare; then those vnhappy soules, which runne a contrary course, and seeke for satisfaction in any creature, or created comfort, stand deseruedly still vponupon the racke of restlesse discontentment, and are iustly cursed with the gnawing rage of vnsatiablenesse: and must needs be so. For besides, 1. That the furious torrent p. 224of our sensuall corruption, being once on foote after worldly pleasures, and swelling by a continuall infusion of hellish poyson, doth with an impetuous headstrongnesse, beare and breake downe all bonds and bankes of moderation and stint, and will neuer be restrained from its vnsatiable rage, if God helpe not, vntil it be swallowed vp in the bottomlesse gulfe of misery and horrour: for it is the natiue property, or rather, poyson of inordinate affection, not onelyonly to drinke deepe of sinfull delights, but to carouse, to be drunke; nay, to adde vnquenchable thirst vntounto drunkennesse, sucking them in with fresh supply of endlesse greedinesse, as the Horse-leach corrupt blood, till it burst againe. 2. That the infinite desire of the soule confined to a creature, or any worldly comfort, is payned and pinched, as a foote wedged in a straight shooe; it being no competent or proportionable satisfaction to its expectation and large capacitie. Hence it is, that giuegive Rome to Caesar, as they say, and he will ambitiously pursue the Soueraigntie of the whole earth. Let Alexander conquer the world, and he will aske for moe: let those be subdued, he would climbe vp the staires of his vast desires towards the starres: if hee could aspire thither, hee would peepe beyond the heauens, &c. No aaNon satiat atimu…, nisi incorruptibilis gaudij vera, & certa aeternitas. August.rest vntounto mans soule, but in Gods eternall rest. 3. That there being no proportion betweene spirits and bodies; thou maiest aswell vndertake to fill a bag with wisedome, a chest with vertue; as thine immortall soule, with gold, siluer, riches, high roomes, this whole materiall world, or any earthly thing. See Eccles. 5. 10. 4. I say, Besides these three causes of vnsatisfiablenesse, God himselfe doth iustly put that property and poyson into all worldly things doted vponupon, and desired immoderately, that they shall plague the heart that pursues them; by filling it still with a furious and fresh supply of more greedinesse, longings, iealousies, and many miserable discontentments: So that they become vntounto it, as drinke vntounto a bbAuaritia insatiabilis ebrietas. Et ficut ebrij, quanto plus vini ingurgitant, tantò magis ad sitim inflammantur: sic & isti quo que insaniam hanc indomitam nunquam sistere possunt, sed quantò magis suas opes augeri vident, tantò & concupiscentiâ magis flagrant. Neque antea à pessimo appetitu hoc absistunt, donec in ipsum malitiae profund…m descenderint. Chrys. Hom. 23. in Gen.drunkard, p. 227a man in a ccHydropicus, quò amplius biberit, amplius sitit: & omnis auarus ex potu sitim multiplicat. Quia cùm …a, quae appetit, adeptus fuerit, ad appetenda alia amplius, & amplius anhelat. Qui enim adipiscendo plus appetit, huic sitis ex potu crescit. Greg. in cap. 18. Iob cap. 6.Job 6dropsie, or burning feauer, serue onelyonly to inflame it with new heate, and fierie additions of insatiable thirst and inordinate lust. No maruaile then though the working heart of eueryevery naturall man, vnreconciled to God, be **Isa. 56. …0.Isa 56like the raging sea that cānot rest. That roaring Element, to which the Spirit of God resembles a wicked man, must needes bee a much troubled and very restlesse creature; sith it is continually tossed, & turmoyled with variety of contrary and confused motions; that of estuation, reuolution, reflectiō, descension, and agitation by the windes: semblably, if thou couldest see the inside of the greatest gracelesse Monopolist, and ingrosser of all the most desireable excellencies vnderunder the Sunne, glistering in the highest Emperiall Throne vponupon the earth; thou shouldest behold his heart for all that, rent asunder with many raging distempers, and tempestuous whirlewindes of contrary lusts; a very hiue of vnnumbred cares, sorrowes, and passions; boyling incessantly with irkesome suspitions, false feares, insatiable longings, secret grumblings of conscience, torturing distractions, and tumultuations of hell.

By the way, let me tell you, that this immoderate desire, inordinate delight which I speake of, glued to some speciall sensuall obiect, which naturall corruption singles out, and makes chiefest choice of, to follow and feed vponupon, with greatest contentment and carnall sweetnesse, become the parents of eueryevery mans bosome sinne.

If it fall in louelove with honours and greatnesse, it breeds and brings forth ambition, which is an vnquenchable thirst after visible glory, and a gluttonous hunting after high roomes. As it inhabiteth the highest and haughtiest spirits, and is superlatiue and transcendent in its obiect and aspirations; so of all the stormy perturbations, which rent and rage in the heart of man, it is most tempestuous and desperate. Ventrous it is to climbe vp any staires of basenesse, bribery, blood; to tread vponupon the ruines of the noblest innocency, vponupon the mercilesse desolations of dearest friends and neerest kindred, to domineere for a while, though it be damned euerlastingly p. 226afterwards; as it is too cleere in the Turkish Emperors, and in that great Master of mischiefe and Machiauelisme, Richard the third, of this Kingdome, who with a bloody hand pressed out the breath of those two orient Princes in the Tower, his Nephewes, and naturall Lords. It is victorious ouer all other affections, and masters euen the sensuality of lustfull pleasures; as appeares in the greatest Warriours and ancient Worthies amongst the Heathen, who tempted with the exquisitenesse and variety of choisest beauties, yet forbore that villany, not for conscience sake, and feare of God whom they knew not; but lest they should interrupt the course, and stop the current of their warlike reputation, ambitious designes, and atchiuements of state. But whatsoeuer other pestilent properties empoyson it, it neuer failes to ingender in the heart, which harbours it, as its proper Thunder-bolt, and blasting, feares, cares, iealousies, enuies, enraged thirst of rising still, impatiencie of competition, vncapablenesse of satiety, which is most for my purpose. For the proud and ambitious man enlargeth his desire as hell, and is as death, and cannot bee satisfied. Hab. 2. 5. Who can fill the bottomlesse pit of hell, or stop the vnsatiable iawes of death? neither can the greedie humour of an haughtie spirit, the aspiring insolencie of a boisterous Nimrod be possibly stayed or stinted; no not with the top and variety of highest honours, though hee should alone and absolutely be crowned with the Soueraignitie of the whole earth, and command the felicities of this wide world.

If it fall in louelove with riches, it breeds and brings forth couetousnesse, the vilest, and basest of all the infections of the soule, in the most contemptible, and dunghill disposition. For this kyte-footed corruption wheresoeuer it seizeth, and domineeres, blasts, and banisheth all noblenesse of spirit, naturall affection, humanity, discretion, reason, wisedome, manlinesse, mutuall entertainements, entercourse of kindnesse, and louelove; and turnes all, euen the soule it selfe, into earth and mudde. It drawes by a cunning reserued basenesse, all occasions, circumstances, aduantages, witte, policy, p. 229euen friends, and acquaintance; nay religion, conscience, and all to bee seruiceable, and contributary to a greedy wolfe, and raging gangren of hoarding vp Gold, and worldly pelfe. In a word, it makes a man with a Bedlam cruelty to contemne himselfe, body and soule, for a little transitory trash; wilfully to abandon both the comfortable enioyment of the short time of this present mortality, and all hope of the length of that blessed eternity to come. And as the obiect of it is most earthly, base, and incompetent, so of all other vile affections, it is most sottishly, and senselesly vnsatisfiable. For how is it possible that earth should feed or fill the immateriall, and heauen-borne spirit of a man? It can not be, and the Spirit of God hath said, it shall not be. Eccles. 5. 10. & 4. 8. He that loueth siluer, shall not be satisfied with siluer. The eye is not satisfied with riches. Hence it is, that the deepelier and more eagerly the dropsie heart of the couetous man doth drinke of this golden streame, the more furiously still it is inflamed with vnsatiable thirst: nay certaine it is, that if he should purchase, and possesse a Monopoly of all the wealth in the world; were he able to empty the Westerne parts of Gold, and the East of all her Spices, and precious things; should hee enclose the whole face of the earth from one end of heauen to another, and heape vp his hoard to the starres; yet his heart would be as hungry after more riches, as if he had neuer a penny, and much more.

If it fall in louelove with beauty, and the swaggering brauery of good fellowship, it begets lust, and sensuality; which make their minions madde with bitternesse and malice, against the very least glimpse of holinesse, or any religious restraint; enrage them with mutuall fury, to engulfe themselues into the bottomelesse whirlepoole of sensuall pleasures, and so empoyson their hearts with a furious vnquenchable thirst after them, that they will neuer leaue their hold, and haunt, vntill they either bee broken with the hammer of the Word, or burst with the horror of despaire. You may trace these pestilent properties in the practise of those voluptuous Gallants, Wisedome 2. (A booke though not of p. 230diuine authority, yet profitable for precepts of morality.) In which Chapter you may finde, as I hauehave euer conceiued, a description to the life, and most exact Character of the goodfellowes of our times; who are transported equally with a desperate insatiable humour of rauenous feeding vponupon the froth, and filth of their impure delights, as greedily as the Oxe suckes in water: and with an implacable enmity againstIam. 5. 5, 6.Jas 5:5Jas 5:6 the purity, and power of godlinesse. For the first, heare their cry vntounto their companions. Verse 6, &c. Come on therefore, let vsus enioy the good things that are present: and let vsus speedily vse the creatures like as in youth. Let vsus fill our selues with costly Wine, and Ointments: and let no flower of the Spring passe by vsus. Let vsus crowne our selues with Rosebuds before they bee withered. Let none of vsus goe without his part of our voluptuousnesse: let vsus leaue tokens of our ioyfulnesse in eueryevery place; for this is our portion, and our lot is this. For the other, take notice of their boystrous swaggering combination, to become bloody goades in the sides, and cruell prickes in the eyes of Gods people. For proportionable to their impatiency of being crost in their course of pleasures, is their rage in persecuting the godly. And therefore being resolute to liue and dye good fellowes, they also resolue from the same ground, to hold an euerlasting vnreconcileable opposition to the way which is called holy, Acts 28. 22.Acts 28:22especially, sith eueryevery where it is so spoken against. Whence, I say, they grow, and glue themselues together in this combination, Verse. 10, &c. Let vsus oppresse the poore righteous man,—Let our strength bee the law of iustice: for that which is feeble, is found to bee nothing worth. Therefore let vsus lie in waite for the righteous: because hee is not for our turne, and he is cleane contrary to our doings, hee vpbraideth vsus with our offending the Law, and obiecteth to our infamy, the transgressing of our education. Hee professeth to hauehave the knowledge of God: and he calleth himselfe the childe of the Lord. Hee was made to reprooue our thoughts. Hee is grieuous vntounto vsus, euen to behold: for his life is not like other mens, his waies are of another fashion. Wee are esteemed p. 231of him as counterfeits: hee abstaineth from our waies, as from filthinesse: hee pronounceth the end of the iust to bee blessed, and maketh his boasts that God is his Father:—Such things they did imagine, and were deceiued: for their owne wickednesse hath blinded them. As for the mysteries of God, they know them not: neither hoped they for the wages of righteousnesse: nor discerned a reward for blamelesse soules.

If it edge, and eneager malice, it breedes reuenge, a woluish, and vnnaturall thirst after blood: which haunts most, the most weake, fearefull, and cowardly spirits. For we euer see the baseft and most worthlesse men, to be most malicious and reuengefull. Seldome doth it finde any harbour in a welbred, and a generous minde. As Thunders, Tempests, and other terrible agitations in the ayre, trouble onelyonly, and disquiet these weaker fraile bodies below, but neuer disturbe or dismay those glorious heauenly Ones aboue: so scurrill girds, imperious doggednesse, disgraces, and wrongs, vexe, and distemper men of baser temper: but the nettling disposition, causelesse spite, and childish brawlings of hasty fooles, wound not great and noble spirits. Now this boyling and biting distemper, though against nature it feede vponupon blood; yet, so true is the point I pursue, (but would you thinke it?) is also insatiable. Witnesse that Monster of Millaine, who, as aaDe Repub. lib. 5. cap. 6.Bodin reporteth, when hee had surprised vponupon the suddaine, one whom hee mortally hated, hee presently ouerthrew him; and setting his dagger to his brest, told him, hee would certainely hauehave his blood, except he would renounce, abiure, forsweare, and blaspheme the God of heauen. Which when that fearefull man, too sinfully greedy of a miserable life, had done in a most horrible manner; hee immediately dispatcht him, assoone as those prodigious blasphemies were out of his mouth: and in a bloody triumph insulting ouer his murthered aduersary, as though whole hell had dwelt in his heart; he added this most abhorred speech: Oh, saies hee, this is right noble, and heroicall reuenge; which doth not onelyonly depriue the p. 232body of a temporary life, but brings also the neuer-dying soule vntounto euerlasting flames. Witnesse the cruellest of men, Mahomet the great, who as the Story reports, was in his timeHistory of Turkes, pag. 433. the death of eight hundred thousand men. But aboue all, that Beast of Rome carries away the bell for insatiablenesse in blood-sucking, who though he was long since drunke with the blood of the Saints, as with new Wine; and in his drunken humour, hath furiously spilt, and powred out vponupon the face of Christendome, a world of blood, almost all in our remembrance: Witnes the incredible deale of Christian blood which that mercilesse monster, the Popish Inquisition swallowes downe in secret: Witnesse the horrible butcheries executed vponupon Professours in the Low countries: Gesse the rest by that cruell confession of aaMetran. Belg. Hist. lib. 4. p. 127.Alua, who bosting in the bloodshed of the Saints, said on a time at his table, that he had been diligent in rooting out of heresie; (so the Antichristians call the right way to Heauen.) For besides those which were slaine in warre, and secret massacres, he had put into the hand of the Hangman eighteene thousand in the space of sixe yeeres: Witnesse bbDiscedens ex Italia Farnesius, dixisse fertur, se tantum esse daturum stragem per Germaniam, vt in Lutheranorum cruore vel natare possit ipsius equus Sleidan comment. l. 17.Farnesius his ferall resolution at his departing out of Italy; to make his Horse swimme in the blood of the Lutherans: Witnesse that most abhorred prodigious villany, that euer the Sunne saw; the massacre at Paris, when in diuers places of France, about ccHist of France, pag. 794.threescore thousand persons were murthered, and the streets of that Citie, as the Storie tels vsus, strewed with carcases, the Pauements, Marketplaces and Riuer dyed with blood: Witnesse, besides other cruelties and bloody afflictions, three hundred faithfull seruants of Christ burned to ashes in this Kingdome, withinHis verò temporibus per totum Christianū orbem, & nominat im per Galliam, infiniti haeretici sublati sunt. Franciscus Veronensis Constant. p. 2. cap. 11. pag. 96. Those which he cals Heretickes, were blessed Martyrs. lesse then fiue yeeres: Witnesse that horrible parricide perpetrated vponupon the Royall persons of two French Kings, Henrie the third and fourth, who were successiuely butchered in a most barbarous manner, by two Popish Assasins, Clement and Rauilliac: Nay, in the late ciuill warres of France, twelue hundred thousand naturall French are said to be slaine: this Romish Beast being the bellowes and incendiary, &c. Yet I say, Though he hath already drunke vp such a deale of blood p. 233as insatiably, as Behemoth the Riuer Iordan: he is yet still like a shee-wolfe in the euening; and at this very time carousing almost in all corners of the Christian world, the blood of the Martyrs of Iesus as greedily, and with as furious thirst, as euer hee did, since the Dragon first gaue him his power.Reuel. 13. 4.Rev 13:4 But I hope in the strong God of our saluation, (For strong is Reuel. 18. 8.Rev 18:8the Lord God, who iudgeth the Whore) that this is the last draught, and that vponupon his next health, as it were, begun to the Deuill, in this cup of fierie crueltie against the seruants of Christ, the Vial of Gods vnquenchable wrath wil choake him for euer. Blood he shal hauehave enough, but from the reuenging hand of the Lord God of recompences, in fury, and iealousie.

2. Besides that thus the rage of vnsatiablenesse and restlesnesse of pursuit, doth still boyle in eueryevery carnall heart, that is carried immoderately after its owne wayes, or inordinately vponupon any earthly thing: it is also thereby in Gods iust iudgement extraordinarily hardened, and estranged from God. For the deepelier our affections are drowned in the World, and endeared to any sensuall delight; the more desperately are they diuorced from God, and deaded to heauenly things. It is iust with God, to suffer that heart to be turned first into earth and mud; and after to freeze and congeale into steele and Adamant, which preferres Earth before Heauen; a dunghill before Paradise; broken cisternes which can hold no water, before the euer-springing Fountaine of glory and bl…sse; a few bitter-sweet pleasures, for an inch of time in this vale of teares, before vnmixed and immeasurable ioyes, through all eternity in those glorious mansions aboue. Our hearts are originally hard by the curse of Nature, Ezek. 11. 19. afterward by a wilfull course, and continuance in sin, we adde Adamant of our owne, Isai. 48. 4. Zech. 7. 12. and by not suffering the Sword of the Spirit to search and sunder our minion-delights from our bosoms, Heb. 4. 7. Then Satan is let loose to put to his iron sinewes, Luk. 22. 3. Lastly, God himselfe hardeneth by an act of Iustice, as wee may see,Iosh. 11. 20.Josh 11:20 Exod. 9. 12. Thus the heart which hates to be reformed, being glued to a sensuall obiect, or worldly lust, by its owne p. 234inbred corruption, infusion of hellish poyson, and iust curse of God, growes into such a prodigious rocke: That no crosse or created power; not the softest eloquence, or seuerest course; nay, not the waight of the whole World, were it all prest vponupon it, can possibly mollifie or reclaime it. It will neuer yeeld or relent, or be rent from its darling delight, but dye in its deadnesse, and be desperately hardened for the very depth of Hell; except the Almightie Spirit take the hammer of the Word into his owne hand, that by his speciall vnresistable power, and mercifull violence, he may first breake it in pieces with legall remorse, and after by the sprinkling and powerfull application of Christs blood, resolue it into teares of true Euangelicall repentance; that so onelyonly by a gracious miracle of diuine mercy, it may be softned, sanctified, and saued. The stubborne Iewes were heauily loaden with an extraordinary variety of most grieuous crosses and afflictions. There was nothing wanting to make them outwardly miserable; and no misery inflicted vponupon them, but vponupon purpose to humble, and take downe their rebellious hearts. The Prophet Isaiah, Chap. 1. paints out to the life, the rufull state of their fresh bleeding desolations; The whole head (saith he) is sicke, and the whole heart is heauie, &c. (for the place is meant, not as some take it, of their sinnes, but of their sorrowes.) But all these blowes and pressures were so farre from melting them, that they made them harder: Wherefore should you be smitten anymore, for yee fall away more and more? What created power can possibly hauehave more power vponupon the soules of men, then the sacred Sermons of the Sonne of God, who spake as neuer man spake? And yet His deare intreaties, and melting inuitations, which sweetely and tenderly flowed from that heart, which was resolued to spill its warmest and inmost blood for their sakes, moued those stiffenecked Iewes neuer a iot: Hierusalem, Hierusalem, how often would I, and you would not? Matth. 23. 37. Isaiah, that Noble Prophet; whose matchlesse stile, incomparably surpasseth the vtmost possibility of all humane inuention; and to which the choicest elegancies of prophane Writers, are pure barbarisme, p. 235shed many, and many a gracious showre of most heauenly, piercing, sweetest eloquence vponupon a sinfull Nation, and rebellious people, which were fruitlesly spilt as water vponupon the ground, or lost, as vponupon the hardest flint. His many heauenly soule-searching Sermons, which breathed nothing but spirit and life; yet to them hardened in their sinnes, and hating to be reformed, were but as an idle and empty breath; vanishing into nothing, and scattered in the ayre. The Lord (as he saith) made his mouth like a sharpe sword, Isa. 49. ….Isa 49and himselfe a chosen shaft; and yet that two-edged sword was full often blunted vponupon their hardest hearts; and his keene arrowes discharged by a skilful hand, rebounded from their flinty bosomes, as shafts shut against a stone-wall.Verse. 4. Which made that Seraphicall Orator cry out; I hauehave laboured in vaine, I hauehave spent my strength for naught, and in vaine. A course of extraordinary seuerity and terrour, was taken with the Tyrant Pharaoh, he was not onelyonly chastised with rods, but euen scourged with Scorpions; and yet all the plagues of Egypt were so farre from taming, and taking downe his proud heart; that eueryevery particular plague added vntounto it a seuerall iron sinew; so farre they were from softning it, that they seared it more. No materiall weight can more crush the heart of a man into pieces, then braying in a morter: and yet saith Salomon, Though thou shouldest bray a foole, an old obstinate sinner, in a morter among wheate with a pestle: yet will not his foolishnes, his wilfull cruelty in killing his owne soule, and Bedlam madnesse, in exchanging a little transitorie pleasure, with endlesse paine, depart from him. Prou. 27. 22. Now what an horrible hardnesse, and hellish stone is that, which no ministery or misery, nay, nor miracles, See Exod. 10. 27. 1. King. 13. 33. 2. King. 1. 11. Ioh. 18. 12. nor mercies, Isai. 26. 10. can possibly mollifie?

Here now should I hauehave passed out of this point, did I not conceiue, that of all the waightiest ciuill affaires incident to humane deliberation, there is none more materiall, important, or of greater consequence, either for extremest outward vexation, and hearts-griefe; or extraordinary sweete contentment, p. 236and continuall peace, then matter of marriage. A wordBonum coniugium est terrestris Paradisus: malum, terrestris infernus. or two therefore of, 1. conuenient entrance into, and, 2. comfortable enioyment of that honourable estate.

For the first: 1. Let thy choyce be in the aaPrimum ergo in coniugio religio quaeritur. Ambros. primo de Abrah. Patriarch. cap 9. While they (meaning women not marrying in the Lord) please him not by marrying in him, they doe that whereby they incurre his displeasure, they make an offer of themselues into the seruice of that enemy, with whose seruants they linke themselues in so neere a bond. Hookers Paraphrase, Lib. 2. Sect. …. vponupon those w…ras of Tertul. Quae Domino non placent, vtique Dominum offendunt, vtique malo se inferunt. Lib. 2. ad vxorem.Lord, according to blessed Saint Pauls Rule, 1. Cor. 7. 39. onelyonly in the Lord. Let pietie bee the first moouer of thine affection, the prime and principall ponderation in this greatest affaire; and then conceiue of personage, parentage, and portion, as they say, and such outward things, and worldly additions, as a comfortable accessory, considerable onelyonly in a second bbDummodò morata rectè veniat, dotata est satis.place. Let the world say what it will, to a mind truly generous, & ennobled with grace, the absolutest concurrence, and quintessentiall exquisitenesse of beauty, gold, birth, wit, or what else besides may be found most remarkable and matchlesse in that sexe, should be nothing, nor hold scale with the lightest feather vponupon any Ladies head, in respect of a gracious disposition & godly heart. Religion and the feare of God, as it is generally the foundation of all humane felicitie; so must it in speciall be accounted the ground of al comfort and blisse, which man and wife desire to find in the enioying each of other. There was neuer any gold, or great friends; any beautie, or outward brauery, which tied truly fast and comfortably any marriage knot. It is onelyonly the golden linke, and noble tye of Christianitie and Grace, which hath the power and priuiledge to make so deare a bond louely, & euerlasting; which can season and strengthen that neerest inseparable societie with true sweetnesse and immortalitie.

2. Let coniugall louelove warme thine heart, at least in some measure with affectionate contentment, and some more speciall repose vponupon the partie, as one with whom thou canst heartily and comfortably consort: for the husband, all concurrents, and ordinary possibilities considered, ought to settle his affections vponupon his wife, as the fittest that the world could hauehave afforded him: and the wife should rest her heart vponupon her husband, as the meetest for her, that could hauehave been found vnderunder the Sunne. By a constant entercourse of which mutuall contentment in each other, the husband will p. 237be to the wife as a couering of her eyes, that she lift them notGen. 20. 16.Gen 20:16 vp amorously vponupon any man: and the wife to the husband, the pleasure of his eyes, that he may still looke vponupon her withEzek. 24. 16.Ezek 24:16 sober and singular delight. Otherwise they will find but cold comfort in that counsell and commandement of Salomon, Prou. 5. 18, 19. Reioyce with the wife of thy youth. Let her bee as the louing Hind, and pleasant Roe: let her brests satisfie thee at all times, and be thou rauisht alwaies with her louelove. Without this mutuall complacency, that I may so speake, and louing contentment each in other, I doubt whether I should encourage any to proceed. And yet why should not a comfortable concurrence of grace on both sides, consent of Parents, meetnesse in state, stature, birth, yeeres, and all other requisites besides, create in a mortified heart, matrimoniall affection? And yet I would by no meanes causelesly confine and ensnare any. And yet I would not hauehave an inuincible Antipathy, and **Non am… to… Sabidi.I cannot louelove, but I know not why, pretended, when as perhaps indeed and truth it is only carnall curiosity which breakes a conuenient match.

3. In going about such an important businesse, plie the Throne of Grace with extraordinary importunitie, and feruency of prayer; presse vponupon, and wrestle, as it were, with God in dayes of more secret and solemne humiliation for a blessing in this kind, and with that sinceritie; that thou doe heartily desire him, whatsoeuer thy conceits, and expectation of future comforts, and conueniences may be; yet if it bee not with his liking, and to his glory, he would bee pleased to dash it quite. A good wife is a more immediate gift of God: House and riches, saith Salomon, are the inheritance of fathers; but a prudent wife is from the Lord. aaHinc efficitur. speciali quadam ratione à Deo per preces vxotem piam & prudentem quaerondam esse. Car tw▪ in cap. 19. Prou. Si quod bonum vitae profuturum precibus à Deo, & votis petitur: maximè petenda est vxor bona. redditura & …es prosperas laetiores, & leuiores aduersas; contrà verò mala & secundis insoleicet, & tristibus despondebit animum. A very Papist giuegive this counsell; l…t it not then …e contemned as …oo precise. Viues de Offic. Mariti. cap. 2. pag. 22.And therefore such a rare and precious Iewel bbSee Genes. 24. 12, 63.Gen 24:12Gen 24:63is to be sued & sought for at Gods Mercy-seate, with more extraordinary earnestnesse, importunitie & zeale. And methinks, that wife, child, or what other good thing is procured at Gods mercifull hand by prayer, p. 238should bring with it, euen in our sence and thankefull acknowledgement, a thousand times more sweetnesse and comfort, then that which is cast vponupon vsus by Gods ordinary prouidence, without any suite at all, vntounto his heauenly Highnesse.

4. Let the parties deale plainely and faithfully one with the other, in respect of their bodies, soules, and outward state. I meane it thus; That they should not deceiue and coozen one the other by a craftie cōcealement: of some foule disease, speciall deformity, naturall defect, &c. in body; especially, which they thinke in their consciences, and impartiall consideration, if it were their case, would breed intolerable distaste and discontentment: or of some secret maime and cracke in their outward state, which neither the other partie, or friends, do either expect, or suspect: For so they may bring a great deale of after-misery, and too late repentance vponupon the match. For naturally we hate them which beguile vsus. And a man or woman is most impatient of failing, and being disappointed of their hopes and expectations, in so great and waighty affaire as Marriage is. And therefore it were very conuenient, and much better to disclose the one vntounto the other, the materiall infirmities and wants in either of their bodies or goods, though with hazzard of missing the match; rather then the one to obtaine the other, with guile, cunning, and after-discomfort. I said also, in respect of their soules; by which I meane; that for the time of Wooing onelyonly, as they call it, they should not put on a visour, flourish, and shew of Religion, conuersion, and grace; when in deed and truth, there is no such matter. For this execrable imposture also, is sometimes villanously practised, to the infinite preiudice, and perpetuall hearts-griefe of the deluded partie. And not onelyonly some parties are cunning, reserued, and faultie this way; but euen Christian friends are too often too forward, peremptory, and audacious, in giuing testimonies and assurances in such cases. Now this is the greatest guile, and most cursed coozenage of all; when one conceiues, by the present cunning carriage of the partie, and p. 239partiall information of friends, that he or she hath met with a soule beautified with grace; whereas when it comes to the tryall, hath iust none acquaintance with God at all.

Now I come vntounto the second Point; A religious and comfortable continuance in the Marriage-state. For the happy attainement whereof; let vsus take notice of, and to heart; first, some common Duties, which are mutually to be performed on both sides.

I. Louingnesse. Which is a drawing into action, and keeping in exercise that habit of coniugall affection, Matrimoniall louelove mentioned before. It is a sweet, louing, and tenderhearted powring out of their hearts, with much affectionate dearenesse, into each others bosomes; in all passages, carriages, and behauiours, one towards another. This mutuall melting-heartednesse, being preserued fresh and fruitfull, will infinitely sweeten and beautifie the Marriage state.

For an vninterrupted preseruation of this amiable deportment on both sides; let them consider,

1. The wise hand of Gods gracious prouidence guided all the businesse, and brought it to passe. And he commands constancie in this louing & lightsome carriage. Pro. 5. 18, 19. Reioyce with the wife of thy youth. Let her be as the louing Hind, and pleasant Roe, let her brests satisfie thee at all times, & be thou rauished alwayes with her louelove. See also Eph. 5. 25. Methinkes this charge from the holy Ghost, being often reuerently remembred, should euer beate backe and banish from both their hearts, all heart-rising and bitternesse; distaste, and disaffection; all wicked wishes, that they had neuer met together, that they had neuer seene one anothers faces, &c. When the knot is once tied, eueryevery man should thinke his wife, and eueryevery wife her husband, the fittest for him of any in the world. Otherwise, so often as he sees a better, he will wish that his choise were to make againe; & so fall off from respect to this Commandement, and from kindnesse and louelove to his owne. Which is an inexpiable disparagement to Gods prouidence, and an execrable empoysoner of Marriage comforts.

p. 2402. That by the power of the honourable Ordinance of Marriage, the two are made one. And therefore they ought to be as louingly and tenderly affected one vntounto the other, as they would be to their owne flesh.

3. The compassionate and melting compellations, which Christ and his Spouse exchange in the Canticles: My faire one, my sister, my louelove, my Doue, my vndefiled, my welbeloued, the chiefe of ten thousand, &c. whose chaste and feruent louelove, that of married couples should resemble and imitate.

4. That these mutuall expressions, and exercise of this matrimoniall louelove, are very powerfull to preserue chastity and purenesse in body and spirit on both sides. It is noted of Isaac, that he loued Rebekah dearely; and this was a speciall preseruatiue, that hee fell not to Polygamy or concubines, as many of the Patriarkes did.

II. Faithfulnesse. 1. In respect of the Marriage-Bed; which they ought on both sides to keepe inuiolable, vndefiled, and honourable. Wherein, if they transgresse, besides an whole hell of spirituall miseries, they strike at the very sinew, heart, and life of the Marriage Knot; and become liable (if the Magistrate should doe, as God commanded amongst his people) to the bloody stroke of a violent death. And therefore it behooues all that enter this state, to bee humbled, and repent for all former wantonnesse; or else, a thousand to one, it will breake out, either into a sensuall, immoderate abuse of the Marriage; which the Fathers call, Adultery with a mans owne wife; or else into a lustfull hankering after the strange woman.

2. In respect of domesticall affaires, and businesses of the family. The care and burthen whereof is common to them both. The Husband that hath a prodigall and slothfull wife, doth but draw water with a Siue, as the Heathen man said, and casts his labours into a bottomlesse sacke. And the wife that is ma…cht with an idle vnthristy Husband, drawes a Cart heauy laden through a sandy way, without a Horse. By which is intimated an impossibility of thriuing in the world, and prospering in their outward state.

p. 2413. In the concealement of each others secrets. It is a very vnnaturall and monstrous treachery, to publish one anothers faults and frailties, or any thing, which in hope of keeping counsell, they hauehave communicated one to another. They are ill birds, as they say, that defile their owne-nests; and franticke Bedlams that so throw dirt in each others faces.

III. Patience. Which is as precious and needfull an holy dutie, as I can possibly commend in this case, for comfortable conuersing together.

For a more prepared and constant exercise whereof; consider,

1. That two Angels are not met together in a Matrimoniall state, but a sonne and daughter of Adam: And therefore they must looke for infirmities, frailties, imperfections, passions, and prouocations, on both sides.

2. That it is a charge giuen to all; That the Sunne must not goe downe vponupon their wrath: much more to Man and Wife linked together in the neerest bond.

3. That there neuer did, nor euer will come any good, by the falling out of Man and Wife. Well may they thereby become ridiculous to their seruants, a by-word to their neighbours, Table-talke to the Countrey, troublers of their owne house, and as a continuall dropping one vntounto another: but they shall neuer gaine by their mutuall hastinesse, passions, and impatiencie. What good can come by a mans anger and indignation against his owne flesh? What prodigious madnesse is it for them to grow strange, whom so many and perpetuall bands hauehave tyed so fast; and who without dearest and most intimate familiarity, can neither enioy ciuill contentment or peace of conscience? Suppose that the heart should fall out with the head, and deny vntounto it, those spirits which become animall in the braine, and serue for exercise both of sence, and by consequent of the higher part of the soule; What would follow, but distemper, distraction, and madnes? Or that the head should fall out with the body; and thereupon restraine from it the influence of animall spirits, the instruments of the quickning and moouing it; What p. 242would become of the head, when the body were dead? Proportionable mischiefes and miseries fall out vponupon the Marriage-state, by falling out, strangenesse, bitternesse, and angry reseruednesse betweene the parties.

This grace then will be of excellent vse, and must be exercised many wayes:

1. In bearing with the wants and weakenesses, infirmities and deformities of each other. And let the man, (for the woman is the weaker vessell) remember for this purpose; how many faults, frailties, and falls; and how many times Christ remits and pardons to his Spouse the Church. And hee ought to louelove his wife, as Christ doth the Church, Eph. 5. 25. The body doth not reiect the head, because it is bald, or but one eyed: The head rageth not against the body, because it is deformed or diseased, but doth rather condole and sympathize.

2. About crosse accidents in the family, losses in their outward state; going backward of businesses, &c. They must not lay the fault one vponupon another, to the breaking out into choler, impatiencie, and stamping; but both ioyne with blessed Iob, in that sweet and meeke submission to Gods pleasure: The Lord hath giuen, and the Lord hath taken away: Iob 1. 21.Job 1:21blessed be the name of the Lord.

3. In waiting for the conuersion of one another; if either prooue vnconuerted. In which case, be patient, pray, and expect Gods good time. We hauehave God himselfe a sweet Patterne for this purpose. See before, pag. 102. Or if the one be but a Babe in Christ, weake in Christianity; deale fairely, louingly, and meekely. Let our Lord Iesus his tender-heartednesse to spirituall younglings, teach vsus mercy this way. See Isa. 40. 11.

IV. An holy care and conscience to preserue between themselues, (for there is a coniugall, as well as virginall and viduall chastity) the marriage bed vndefiled, and in all honourHeb. 13. 4.Heb 13:4 and Christian purity. It ought by no meanes to be stained and dishonoured with sensuall excesses, wonton speeches, foolish dalliance, and other vncleane incentiues of lust, p. 243which marriage should quench, not inflame. Euen in wedlocke, intemperate and vnbridled lust; immoderation and excesse, is deemed both by ancient and moderne Diuines, no better then plaine adultery before God.

Two ancient worthy Fathers, Ambrose and aaAugust. contra Iulia. Pelag. lib. 2. pag. 322. Intemperans in coniugio, quid aliud nisi quidem adulter vxo…is▪ And at the bottome of the same page: Nec vo care dubitat, (speaking of Ambrose, whom hee appr…oues) vxoris adulterum, intemperātem maritum: omne connubij bonum pensans non cupiditate carnis, sed fide potiùs castitatis: non morbo passionis, sed foedere coniunctionis: non voluptate libidinis, sed voluntate propaginis.Austin, speak thus: What is the intemperate man in marriage, but his wiues adulterer? The resolution of the bbAdulter est vxoris propriae, amator ardentior. Hier an cap. 18. Ezech. Ex Xysti Pyth gorici Sententiolis. Nihil est soedius, quàm vxorem am…re, quasi adulteram. Idem lib. 1. contra Iouinianum ad fin. Debent quidem coniuges debitum sibi inuicem reddere, sed turpiter conuenire non debent. Greg. Tom. 2. in 1. Sam. cap. 15. Col. 1572. Coniuge seipsi… vti debent non ad turpitudinem meretriciae ob…coenitatis, sed ad temperantiam honestatis. Ibid. Col. 1575. Si subaudiamus foreign, praeceptum erit ad coniuges, vt pudicè, & quâ decet honestate matrimonium inter se colant, vt vir cum vxore temperantèr & castè habitet, nec torum maritalem indignis …asciuijs profanet, sciántque coniugati non quiduis sibi licere: sed v…um tori legitimi debere esse moderatum, ne quid alienum à coniugij pudore & castimoniâ admittant. Par. inv. 4 cap. 13. ad Heb.1 Sam 15rest sound to the same sence.

ccDod vponupon the seuenth Commandement.As a man may be a wicked drunkard with his owne drink; and a glutton, by excessiue deuouring of his owne meat: so likewise, one may be vncleane in the immoderate vse of the marriage bed.

Euen Popish Casuists discouer and detest aberrations and exorbitancies of married couples in their Matrimoniall meetings. (But reade such passages with much modestie and iudgement.)

Nay heare what a very Philosopher saith of the point: In the priuate acquaintance, saith he, and vse of marriage, there must be a moderation; that is, a religious and a deuout band: for that pleasure that is therein, must be mingled with some seuerity. It must bee a wise and conscionable delight. A man must touch his **Vxor nomen dignitatis, non voluptatis.wife discreetly, and for honesty, &c. Another thus: Marriage is a religious and deuout bond: and that is the reason, the pleasure a man hath of it, should bee a moderate, stayed, and serious pleasure, and mixed with seuerity: it ought to be a delight somewhat circumspect and conscientious.

We may conceiue, what moderate, reuerent, and honourable thoughts Antiquity entertained of the Marriage state, and coniugall chastity; by Euaristus words, Epist. 1. ad omnes Episc. Aphri. Let new-married couples, saith he, for two or three dayes ply Prayer,—that they may hauehave good children, and please the Lord in their marriage-duties.^d Conc. Tom. 1. pag. 106 ed …. Though I agree to Osianders censure, Cent. 2 lib. 1. cap. 2. pag. 4 yet in the sence I cite it, it …itly serues my turne.

p. 244Now all intemperate, excessiue, or any wayes exorbitant pollutions of the marriage-bed, though Magistrates meddle not with them, because they lie without the walke of humane censure; yet assuredly Gods pure Eye cannot looke vponupon them, but without repentance will certainly plague them. Methinkes therefore, if the feare of God, awfulnesse to his All-seeing Eye, louelove of purity, &c. will not restraine from immodestie and immoderation in this kind; yet that slauish horrour, lest God should iustly punish them therefore, with no children, mis-shapen children, idiotes, or prodigiously wicked children, or some other heauy crosses, should fright them from such abhorred filth.

In the next place, let vsus take a view of, and to heart, duties peculiar and proper to each seuerally.

I. To the Husband:

1. Let him behaue himselfe as an head to the body, 1. Cor. 11. 3. Eph. 5. 23.

1. The head is, as it were, the aaNon immeritò capiti quasi consultori suo caetera membia famulantur; & circumferunt illud setuli gestamine sicut numen; atque in sublime locatum v…hunt. Ambr. Hexam. l. 6. c. 9.glory and crowne of the body: So let the husband shine, and shew himselfe in a kind of eminencie, excellencie, and authority ouer the wife. To be an head, implies and imports a preeminence, superiority, and soueraignty, as appeares by the Apostles gradation, 1. Cor. 11. 3. Man is the womans head, Christ is mans head, God is Christs head. For procuring and preseruing which; Let the husband bee manly, graue, worthy; not light, vaine, contemptible: Let him not be bitter, wayward, passionate: Let him not bee base-minded, vicious, vaine glorious: Let him not bee a drunkard, a gamester, a good-fellow. Dissolutenesse, and a disordered life in the Man, doth much abate and diminish the wiues respectfulnesse and reuerence vntounto him. Maiestie, authority, venerablenesse in any Superiour, is not any wayes more lessened or sooner lost, then by light behauiour, personall worthlesnesse, or vnworthy deportment in his place. Whereas true worth, goodnesse, grace, shining from within, doth beget a more louing reuerence, and reuerent louelove, then all outward formes of pompe and state; then any boysterousnesse, or big looks can possibly produce.

p. 2452. The Head is the seate of vnderstanding, wisedome, discretion, forecast. Out of which consideration; Let the husband stirre vp, quicken, and inlarge his manly spirit, to comprehend, and rightly conceiue all affaires, prouisions, occasions, offers, ingenuous deportment, and worthy vsages, which may any wayes procure and promote his wiues true contentment, honour, and happinesse. It is his necessary and noble charge, with a speciall and punctuall care, and casting about to prouide for her soule, body, comfort, and credit; with all meekenesse and louelove, to instruct and informe her in all passages of her duty, and procurements of her good.

3. The Head indeed hath the precedency and prerogatiue of noblest operations, and the soules diuinest acts, by the benefit of its natiue temper and constitution, seate of the sences, and other proper instruments fitted for such high imployments, and challenge of that excellency; yet notwithstanding, the body, and other parts are animated and enlyued with the very same soule, both for substance, faculties, immortality, actiuenesse, eueryevery way: So that if the foot, for instance, had an eare, an eye, an animall spirit, and an organization, as the Philosophers speake, apted for such functions, it would heare, and see, and vnderstand as well as the head. And therefore the head, by a naturall instinct, as it were, and sympathie, doth continually & tenderly, with fresh successions of a liuely and quickning influence, cherish, and refresh other parts as well as it selfe. The husband, by the benefit of a more manly body, tempered with naturall fitnesse for the soule to worke more nobly in; doth, or ought ordinarily outgoe the wife in largenesse of vnderstanding, height of courage, stayednesse of resolution, moderation of his passions, dexterity to manage businesses, and other naturall inclinations, and abilities to doe more excellently; yet notwithstanding, let him know that his wife hath as noble a soule as himselfe. Soules hauehave no sexes, as aaAnima enim sex… non habet. Sed ideo fortasse foemineum nomen accipit, quòd eam violentior aestus carnis angit. De virg. l. 3. fol. 14.Ambrose saith. In the better part they are both men. And if thy wiues soule were freed from the frailty of her sexe, it were as manly, as noble, p. 246as vnderstanding, and eueryevery way as excellent as thine owne: Nay, and if it were possible for you to change bodies; hers would worke as manlily in thine, and thine as womanly in hers. Let the husband then bee so farre from insulting ouer, contemning, or vnderualuing his wiues worth, for the weakenesse of her sexe; that out of consideration that her soule is naturally eueryevery way as good as his owne; onelyonly the excellencie of its natiue operations, something damped, as it were, and disabled by the frailty of that weaker body, with which Gods wise prouidence hath clothed it vponupon purpose, for a more conuenient and comfortable, but ingenuous seruiceablenes to his good; that, I say, he labour the more to entertaine and intreat her with all tendernesse and honour, to recompence, as it were, her suffering in this kinde for his sake.

4. The Head is the well-spring of all quickning motion and sence, liuelinesse and lightsomenesse to the body. If the deriuation of animall spirits from the braine, were restrained and intercepted for a while; the body would bee presently surprized with a sencelesse dampe and dead palsey. The wife for the husbands sake, hath forsaken her natiue home, fathers house, father, mother, and many comforts in that kind: And therefore good reason shee should expect now, and receiue from her Head; new matter, and a continued influence of lightheartednesse, comfortable enioying her selfe, and cheerefull walking. If hee to whose company and conditions shee is now so neerely and necessarily confined, and, as it were, enchained, proue dogged, shee holds her selfe vtterly vndone for any outward contentment.

2. Let him dwell with her, according to knowledge. 1. Pet. 3. 7.

1. By a wise discouery at the first, and timely acquainting himselfe with her disposition, affections, infirmities, passions, imperfections; and thereupon with all holy discretion, apply and addresse himselfe in a faire and louing manner, to rectifie and reforme all hee can; and to beare the rest with patience, passing by it without passion and impatiency, p. 247still waiting vponupon God by Prayer, in his good time, for a further and more full redresse and conformity. One of the rankest rootes of distastes and discontentment in the Marriage-state, is the neglect of a punctuall obseruation of each others properties; of taking the right measure of each others manners, vponupon purpose, that with mutuall patience and forbearance, they may support each other in louelove, and louingly beare one anothers burthens. Memorable is that speech, and may bee a fit medicine against marriage-iarres; which a reuerend man receiued from an husband, being asked how such a cholericke couple could so consort together: Thus, saith he, when her fit is vponupon her, I yeeld to her, as Abraham did to Sara; and when my fit is vponupon me, she yeelds to me: and so we neuer striue together, but asunder.

2. By a prouident, discreet, and patient ordering, guiding, and managing businesses abroad, and family affaires; without that carking, impatiencie, preuention, and distrust of Gods prouidence; without that clamour, boysterousnesse, and confusion, with which worldlings are woont to trouble their owne houses. It is incredible to consider the vast and vnualuable difference between the comforts, calmenesse, and many sweet contentments of an houshold, gouerned by the patient wisedome of an heauenly-minded man: and the endlesse brawlings, bitter contestations about trifles, disorders, domesticall hurlyburlies, &c. which haunt that family, where a cholericke, couetous, and hairebrained husband doth domineere. This latter, is like the middle region of the ayre, continually torne and rent with fresh commotions, thunders, and many tumultuous stirres, which rise at first from a thing of nothing; a thinne inuisible fume drawne out of the earth: So earthly things, vainer then the most vanishing vapour, doe ordinarily raise in such Nourceries of disquietnesse and noise, a world of needlesse troubles, passionate distempers, and selfe-vexations. But the former is like the highest part of the aire, full of calmenesse, tranquillitie, and constant light; the Sunne of righteousnesse shining still vponupon it with the blessed beames of patience, contentment p. 248and spirituall noblenesse of minde; doth from time to time dissolue and driue away all mists of worldly mourning, stormes of bitternesse and brawling, matter of such sencelesse and brainelesse molesting one another; and doth with a sweete and kindly heate refresh and support the heart, against all chollericke encounters and crosse accidents; by vertue of such heauenly and healing cordials as these, which were wont to calme and repell the most tempestuous assaults vponupon the afflicted Saints, Iob 1. 21. 1. Sam. 3. 18.

3. But aboue all, by leading his wife in the way of life, and path, that is called Holy. This is the flower and crowne of all his skill, to be a blessed and manly guide vntounto her, towards euerlasting happinesse. For want of this wisedome, and wil, many a poore soule lies bleeding vntounto eternal death, vnderunder the bloody and mercilesse hand of an ignorant, prophane, or Pharisaicall husband; which perhaps may hauehave knowledge enough and too much, to thriue in the world, to prosper in his outward state; to prouide for posterity; nay to oppresse, ouer-reach, and defraud his brother: But no wit, no vnderstanding, no braines at all, to teach, and tell his wife one foote of the right way to heauen: wise to do euill, as the Prophet speakes, Ier. 4. 22. But to doe good, no knowledge at all: No holy habit or heart to pray with her, to instruct, and incourage her in the great mystery and practise of godlinesse; to keepe the Sabbath holy, and daies of humiliation; to reade Scriptures, repeate Sermons, and conferre of good things with her, &c. from which he is so farre; that although it be the strongest barre to keepe her from grace, and the bloody cut-throate of both their soules; he will needes perswade her that all this is too much precisenesse. And yet heare aaAd Ecclesiam quisque accedat, & eo…um quae …bi dicuntur, & leguntu…, vel pa…tem aliquam d…mi, & vi… ab vxore, & vxor à viro exig…t. In Epist. ad Eph. Serm. 20. Col 894. Doce timorem Dei, & omnia tanquam ex fonte abundè adfluent, e…que domus tua innumeri… bonis r…ita. Ibid. Col. 895.Chrysostome: Let them both goe to the Church, and afterward at home let the husband require of the wife, and the wife of the husband, those things which were there spoken and read, or at least, some of them. And in the same Sermon, Teach her, saith he, the feare of God; and all things p. 249will flow in abundantly, as out of a fountaine: and thine house will be replenished with innumerable good things.

4 By a conscionable and constant care also, for the conuersion, and bbIob non tantùm pro corpore filiotum sollicitus erat, sed plus de a…ima cogitabat. Orig. lib. …. in Iob.saluation of their ccDiligatur proles non vt nascatur tantùm, verùm etiam vt renascatur, Nasci…ur enim ad poenam, nisi renascatur ad vitam. August De … & conc…piscentia. lib. 1. cap. 17.children and seruants. EueryEvery husband and head of Family is as it were, a Priest and Pastour in his owne ddVeruntamen charissimi in tantā morum diuersitate, & tam detestabili corruptel…, regite domus vestras, regite filios vestros, regite familias vestras. Quomodo ad nos pertinet in Ecclesia loqui vobis, sic ad vos pertinet in domibus vestris agere, vt bonam rationem redda…is de his qui vobis sunt subd…ti. Aug. in Psal. 50. p. 596.Ps 50house; and therefore, if he take not a course to catechize them, pray with them, prepare them for the Sacrament, and to bring them vp in the nurture and admonition of the Lord, as the Apostle counsels, Ephe. 6. 4. to restraine them all hee can from lewde courses, ill company, the corruptions of the time: but suffer them to hauehave their swinge in their youthfull rebellions, vnhallowing the Lords Day, Alehouse-hauntings, stubbornnesse against the Ministery, &c. vntill many times they swing in an halter, as they say: Let them then know, that all those sinnes they so runne into, by such grosse neglect and default, are set vponupon his score, and he must be exactly countable, and full dearely answer for them at that great and last Day. Nay let mee further tell him that, which will make his eares to tingle, and heart to tremble, if it bee not of Adamant, and his heartstrings turned into Iron sinnewes: Those his children and seruants, which by his impenitent omissions and vnconscionablenesse in this kinde, hauehave perished in their sinnes, will curse him for euer hereafter amongst the fiends in hell. They will follow thee vp and downe in that euer-burning Lake, with direfull bannings, and hideous outcries; crying out continually: Woe vntounto vt, that euer we serued such a wicked and wretched master, that had no care of the saluation of our soules, tooke no course to saue vsus out of these fiery torments. Euen thine owne deare children in this case, will yell in thine eares, world without end: Woe and alasse, that euer wee were borne of such accursed parents, who had not the grace to teach vsus betime the waies of God; to keepe vsus from our youthfull vanities, and to traine vsus vp in the paths of Godlinesse! Had they done so, wee might hauehave liued in the endlesse ioyes of Heauen; whereas now damned soules, we must lie irrecouerably in these euerlasting p. 250flames. Oh, will they say, it was the bloody knife of our owne deare parents vnconscionable, and cruell negligence, that all our life long stuck full deepe in our soules, and hath now strangled them with euerlasting horrour! That this must needes bee so, ordinary obseruation, common experience doth too often confirme. Wee heare many times many miserable malefactours bitterly complaine at the place of execution, against parents and masters carelesse and consciencelesse in this kind; and saying: If they had had care and conscience to hauehave taught and restrained vsus betime, wee had neuer come to this Dogges death, and shamefull end. How much more will they cry out against them with endlesse yellings, when they shall feele the flames of hell?

II. To the wife.

1. Let her be in subiection to her head.

1. By a reuerent and humble perswasion of his precedency and authority ouer her, grounded and ingrauen in her resolution principally: 1. By vertue of diuine ordination, Gen. 3. 16. Ephe. 5. 24. Though 2. The very law of nature, 3. Her husbands headship, 4. Womanly infirmity may also bee powerfull motiues to this purpose. For if her heart begin to swell, and be lifted vp with an ouerweening conceit of a sufficiency aboue her sexe; so that she grow discontent, and impatient of contradiction and command, shee brings a world of vnnecessary misery and molestation into her owne house, and lies in a grand transgression and grieuous sinne against the institution and honour of the marriage-state. It is no aaQuòd si tu nobilissima es, maritus tuus aut nobilissimus fit per te, aut tu ignobilis per illum.noblenesse of birth greatnesse of portion, nimblenesse of tongue, pregnancy of wit, or any other excellency incident to her sexe, which can giuegive her any right or priuiledge to seize vponupon the soueraignty, and take the raines into her owne hands. Some seruants also may be wiser then their masters: some subiects more politicke then their Prince; but that giues them no warrant; nay, for all that, it were monstrous and vnnaturall villany▪ for any seruant thereupon to domineere; or priuate man to rush into a Royall Throne. p. 251No sufficiency of gifts, or singularity of worth must iustle vsus out of that ranke and station, wherein Gods wise prouidence and all-seeing wisedome hath placed vsus. A man may bee a superiour in power and place, to his superiour in parts and personall endowments. No pretence then or plea on the womans part, can possibly procure any dispensation against God and nature, of vnwomanly domineering and deposing her head.

2. By an hearty and cheerefull submission: 1. To all his lawfull and honest dictates and directions: For her personall behauiour and carriage; that it may be fashioned and addrest, with an ingenuous and louing accōmodation of her selfe to doe him all the honour, and giuegive him all the contentment she can possibly with good conscience: for educating, ordering and disposing her children, seruants, and other domesticall affaires (wherein notwithstanding there are some passages, more proper and natiue to her sexe, in which, except she be witlesse, gracelesse, and strangely weake, it will be very vnmanly, dishonourable and vnworthy for him to be too medling, prying and pragmaticall:) But aboue all, for guiding her aright in the sweete and glorious path of Christianity, that after their neerest, and dearest comfort, and communion in the best things and spirituall blessings, which onelyonly can allay the smart of al crosse accidents, & sweeten the bitternesse of a few & euill daies in this vale of teares, they may for euer be crowned together in heauen. 2. To all his reasonable, and Religious restraints: not onelyonly from wicked haunts, and customes, sinfull fashions, and passions… but in case of inconuenience, dishonour or iust displeasure, for the abridging, or abandoning of her ease, wil, desires, delights, this or that company, conformity to the times in her attyre, &c. For the Spouse, for Christs sake, soueraignty and louelove, doth deny her selfe, her owne reason, and wisedome, her naturall wit, and wilfulnesse, her passions, pleasures, and profits, her ease and liberty, &c. And the wife is charged by blessed Paul, to bee subiect to her husband, as the Church is to Christ, Eph. 5. 24. 3. To all his motions, p. 252admonitions, counsels, comforts, reproofs, commands, countermands, euen in eueryevery thing, only in the Lord. So we see theforeign ▪ Ephe. 5. 24.Eph 5:24 body to rest vponupon the heads motion, eyther for rest, or motion. In a word, she ought like a true looking glasse, faithfully to represent & returne to her husbands heart, with a sweete, and pleasing pliablenesse, the exact lineaments and proportions of all his honest desires, and demands; and that without discontent, thwarting, or sowrenesse. For her subiectionforeign. Eph. 5. 22.Eph 5:22 in this kind should be as to Christ, sincere, hearty and free.

2. Let her bee an helper, Genesis 2. 18. and doe him good all the dayes of her life, at all times, vponupon all occasions, in all estates; of aduersity, or prosperity; acceptation, or disgrace; sicknesse, or health; youth, or old age, &c. and that, with kindnesse and constancy. A most memorable,Pro. 31. 12. Lib. 2. De Christianâ foem. p. 360.Prov 31:12 and famous patterne for this purpose is recorded by Uiues. A yong, tender and beautifull maid was matched (as he reports) to a man stricken in yeeres: whom, after shee found to hauehave a very fulsome and diseased body; yet notwithstanding out of sence and conscience, as it seemes, that now by Gods prouidence she was become his wife; she most worthily digested with incredible patience and contentment, the languishing, and lothsomnesse of an husband continually visited and vexed with variety and new successions of most irkesome and contagious diseases. And though friends and Physicions aduised her by no meanes to come neere him, for feare of danger and infection; yet for all this, shee passing by, with a louing disdaine and contempt, these vnkinde disswasions, plied him still night and day with extraordinary tendernesse and care; with obsequiousnesse and seruices of all sorts, aboue her strength and ability, or possibility, as the Author saith: had not her dearest coniugall affection supplied and supported her weake body, with fresh accessions of vigor and vnweariednesse. Shee was to him friends, physicion, husband, Nurse. These are nothing: She was Father, Mother, Brother, Sister, daughter, eueryevery thing, any thing, to doe him good any manner of way. Nay, had there bin one exquisite quintessence of tendernesse, dearenesse, p. 253affectionatenesse, and louelove collected and extracted from all these; it would hardly hauehave matched her mercifulnesse, and melting affections towards him. In case of want, by reason of extraordinary expence, and excessiue charges about him; she sold her Rings, chaynes, and richest attire; she emptied her cupbord of plate, her cabinet of chiefest and choycest Iewels, to doe him good. And when hee was dead, and friends came about her rather to congratulate her happie riddance, then to bewaile her widdowhood; shee did not onelyonly deprecate and abhorre all speeches tending that way: but protested if it were possible, she would willingly redeeme her husbands life, with the losse of her fiue dearest children. And though as yet, the flower, and prime of her beautifullest and best time was not expired; yet she strongly resolued against a second match, because, said she, I shall not finde a second Ualdaura; (for so her husband was called.) Whence it appeares, that this worthy woman was wedded to her husbands soule; not to his body: no infirmity or deformity whereof could coole or weaken the manlinesse, and feruency of her louelove. Such choyse as this, were the way to make wiues neuer weary of their husbands. Whereas affections fastened onelyonly on a mans outside, are subiect to the tedious misery of inconstancy and change, and torture of many wicked and impossible wishes, according to the vanity and vexation of its transitory obiect. Against which heare the indignation of an ancient Father: ccSed horridus & incultus est. Semel placuit: nunquid vir frequenter est eligendus? comparem suum & bos requirit, & equus diligit: & si mutetur aliu… ▪ trahere iugum nescit compar alterius, & se non totum putat: Tu Iugalem repudia… tuum, & putas saepè mutandum. Ambros. Hexam. lib. 5. cap. 7.But thy husband, saith he, is growne vnhandsome, and homely. Hee once pleased thee: wouldest thou euer bee choosing an husband? The Oxe and the Horse like their mate: And if the one be changed, the other knowes not how to draw; but wants, as it were, halfe of himselfe: But thou refusest thy yoke-fellow, and wouldest often change.

Helpefulnesse to her husband, must bee vniuersall; apprehending and improouing with all readinesse and louelove, all opportunities to doe him any good in soule or body, name, estate, &c. In a speciall manner she must learne, and labour with all meekenesse of Wisedome and patient discretion, p. 254to forecast, contriue and manage, as her more proper and particular charge, household affaires, and businesses within dore, as they say. For which, see a right noble glorious patterne, Prou. 31. For the pride, vanity, idlenesse and luxury of these last times, wherein there is so much hell vponupon earth; such an impetuous raigne and rage of sinne in all sorts, hath transported also that sexe into many monstrous degenerations: So that our great women in these daies would bee very loth to worke after this sample, though set by the holy Ghost himselfe: Yet heretofore right Noble Princesses and daughters of mighty Kings, made conscience of a particular Calling, and disdayned not to put their hands to huswifery. See Gen. 18. 6. And 27. 14. 2. Sam. 13. 8.

But aboue all, let here be assistant to him in setting vp, and forward the rich and Royall trade of grace; in erecting and establishing Christs glorious Kingdome, both in their owne hearts, and in their house. This is that one necessary thing, without which their family is but Satans seminary, and a nurcery for hell. And therefore let her be so far from drawing a contrary way (a cursed villany of some wicked wiues abroad in the world) or dead-heartednesse this way, which is the graue of all spirituall graces, that, in case of negligence & slacknesse, she should labor by all wise, modest, seasonable insinuations, to stirre vp and quicken her husband to constancy and seruency in religious exercises of prayer, reading, catechizing, conference, daies of humiliation, and other household holy duties. As the two greater lights of Heauen doe gouerne this great world with their naturall: so let the husband and wife guide the little world of their family, with the spirituall light of diuine knowledge and discretion. When the Sunne is present in our firmament, the Moone out of a sence, as it were, of a naturall reuerence to the fountaine of all her beauty and light, doth vaile her splendor, and retire her beames. But when he is departed to the other Hemisphaere, she shewes her selfe, and shines as a Princesse amongst the lesser lights. When the husband is at home, let the wife onelyonly, if need be, serue as a louing remembrancer p. 255to him, to keepe his turnes and times of illightning and informing the ignorant, darke and earthy hearts of their people. But in his absence comes her course, when her graces of knowledge and prayer, &c. ought to shew forth themselues, and shine vponupon them, to preserue them from coldnesse, and that dreadfull curse which hangs ouer the head of those that know not God, and shall certainely fall vponupon those Families that call not on his Name. See Ierem. 10. 25.

For conclusion of the point, & crowning of the marriagestate with sound and lasting comfort in the meane time, and with euerlasting peace & pleasures at last: Let man and wife ioyntly labour to sweeten and sanctifie their mutuall carriages, both common and seuerall duties each to other, with often and constant meeting together in prayer. For perswasion to which practise: Consider such places as these▪ aaforeign Ad coram, coram, in praesentia vxoris suae. Buxto… fius. Ob vxorem, i. e. ea praesente & vnà cum illa. Iunius. For and before his wife: and so it seemeth to be some solemne prayer which they made together, for this matter. Ainsw.Gen. 25. 21. bbLoquitur, saith Par. De arbitra…ijs, ieiunijs & orationibus, quae publico Ecclesiae instituto, vel priuato coniugum arbitrio suscipiebantur, atque suscipi debent ingrue…te calamitate, vel negotio aliquo arduo publicè aut priuatim in cumbente.1. Cor. 7. 5. ccAlloqui…ur quidem Petrus maritum & vxorem dum iubet concordes esse, vt simul Deum vno animo precentur. Calu▪ Maritus & vxor preces quotidiè vn… debent concipere, ad impetrandum à Deo omnis generis bona.1. Pet. 3. 7. That precise passage in ddSimul ad orationem nocte vobis surgendum est, & coniunctis precibus obsecrandus Deus. De Abraam Patr…archa, cap. 9.Ambrose: You must both (speaking of married couples) rise in the night to prayer, and God is to bee intreated of you with ioynt supplications. eeContinuò qu… vtilia sunt doce, sint vobis preces communes. Chrysest. Serm. 20. in 6. ad Ephes.Continually, saith Chrysostome, teach her profitable things, and pray together.

If besides Family-prayers, wherein the more generall affaires of the household are to bee commended vntounto God, man and wife make conscience also of this more priuate duty betweene themselues, wherein many particulars are to be petitioned, onelyonly proper and indiuiduall to that neere society; I say, if they set themselues vntounto it with sincerity of heart, it may be a notable helpe, and by Gods blessing prooue a soueraigne antidote against any roote of bitternesse, heartrising, dissention, or discontent betwixt them: (wrath, and illwill towards any, lurking in the heart, doth vtterly dampe and empoyson the power and comfort of prayer, much more towards one tyed vntounto thee with so many deare and perpetuall p. 256bonds; so that prayer together will make them leaue iarring; or iarring will make them leaue praying) against all immodesties, dishonours, and defilements of the marriagebed; against want, monstrousnesse, and miscarriage of children; against wearinesse, saciety and light esteeme one of another; against plunging themselues insensibly into the gulfe of worldly-mindednesse, the canker and cutthroate of all grace, comfort, and noblenesse of mind, &c. This priuate morning and euening sacrifice offered to the Throne of grace, with heartinesse and life, will spiritualize (that I may so speake) their louelove, and renew it daily vponupon their hearts, with fresh, ardent, and heauenly embracements. It will marueilously sweeten all reproaches and contumelies cast vponupon them for their profession by enuenomed tongues; when they shall come together in priuate, and complaine vntounto God, and begge at his mercifull hands, patience, and Christian fortitude to take them, in submission to his will, and conformity to his Sonne, as so many crownes of glory to their heads, and of ioy vntounto their hearts, Acts 5. 41. 1. Pet. 4. 14. Iob 31. 36. It will sweetly seale vntounto them in the meane time, their assurance of meeting together hereafter in Heauen: and when the time of sorrow shall come, and stroke of death diuorce them for a time, consciousnesse of their former blessed communion in prayer, will not onelyonly serue as a counterpoyson against all slauish bitternesse of immoderate griefe incident to hopelesse worldlings: but crowne their hearts at parting, (which is a precious thing) with incomparably more true, inward, lasting contentment, then if they two had couetously hoarded and heapt together, all the wealth both of this and the other golden world.

Thus much for our dealing in the world and ciuill affaires.

V. Now concerning workes of mercy, which springing from an heart, melting with sense of Gods euerlasting mercy to it selfe; quickened with a liuely faith in the Lord Iesus, and shining with sauing graces, are an odour of a sweet smell, a sacrifice acceptable, well pleasing to God, Philippians 4. 18. Hebr. 13. 16.

p. 257Conceiue first, there be two sorts of them; 1. Spirituall. 2. Corporall.

1. Spirituall, flow from the fountaine of truest mercy, and compassion of greatest tendernesse and consequence; euen to relieue, repaire, and refresh the pouerty, wants and miseries of the soule. 1. By instructing the Ignorant, Prou. 10. 21. and 15. 7. 2. By giuing aaEcce nec laboras, nec aliquid perdis, das consilium, & praestitisti elecmosynam. August. in Psal. 125.Ps 125counsell to them that need, or seeke it. Exod. 18. 19. &c. Ruth. 3. 1, &c. 3. By reducing the erroneous. Exo. 23. 4. 4. By labouring the conuersion of others. Psalm. 51. 13. Luk. 22. 32. 5. By exhorting one another. Heb. 3. 13. 6. By reproouing the offendor. Leuit. 19. 17. 7. By admonishing them that are out of order. 1. Thes. 5. 14. 8. By considering one another, to prouoke vntounto louelove, and to good workes▪ Hebr. 10. 24. 9. By comforting the heauy heart, and afflicted spirit. 1. Thes. 5. 14. 10. By bbNon solùm qui dat esurienti cibum, sitienti potum, nudo vestitum, perig inanti hospitium, …ugienti latibulum, aegro, vel incluso visitationem, captiuo redemp…ionem, debili subuectionem, caeco deductionem, trist… consolationem, non sano medicinam, erranti viam, deliberanti consilium, & quod cuique necessarium est in digenti: verum etiam & qui dat veniam peccanti, elecmosynam dat: & qui emendat verbere in quem potestas datur, vel cō …rcet aliquâ disciplinâ, & tamen peccatum eius, quo ab illo laesus est aut offenius, dimittit ex corde, vel orat vt ei dimittatur, non solùm in eo quod dimittit, atque orat, verumetiam in eo quod corripit, & aliquâ emendatoriâ poe…â plectit, elecmosynam dat: quia misericordiam praestat. August. Ench…r. ad Laurent. cap. 72. The Schoolemen comprise some of them in this verse.—Consule, Castiga, Solare, Remitte, Fer, O…a. Non solùm qui esurienti, & sitienti, & nudo beneficium largitatis impendit, sed & qui inimicum diligit, & qui lugenti affectum compassionis▪ & consolationis in pa…titur, aut in quib…slibet necessitatibus, alijs confilium adhibet, sine dubio elecmosynam facit. Isid…r.forgiuing from the heart our brethren their trespasses. Matth. 18. 35. 11. By chastising delinquents. Prou. 22. 15. 12. By raising those which are fallen by infirmity, with much meekenesse, and tendernesse of heart. Gal. 6. 1. 13. By mutuall encouragements against the cruelty and confusions of the times, & in the way to Heauen. Mal. 3. 16. 14. By supporting, and mercifully making much of weake Christians. 1. Thes. 5. 11. 15. By patience towards all men. 1. Thes. 5. 14. 16. By praying one for another. Iam. 5. 16.

2. Corporall, spring from a compassionate heart, and fellow-feeling affection, yerning ouer the temporall wants and necessities of our brethren; whereby we are stirred vp, as occasion is offered, according to our ability, to succour and support their outward extremities and distresses: To feede the Hungry: To giuegive drinke to the Thirsty: To clothe the Naked: to entertaine the Stranger: To visit the sicke: To goe to those that are in Prison. Math. 25. 35. To put to an p. 258helping hand for raising our Brethren fallen into decay.Visito, Poto, Cibo, Redimo, Tego, Colligo, Condo. Leuit. 25. 35. To lend, hoping for nothing againe, &c. Luke 6. 35.

Thus Christians ought to be ready to distribute, willing to communicate in all kindes to the outward necessities also: 1. First; Of those of the houshold of faith, the principall and most moouing obiect to draw bounty from a truly charitable heart. Gal. 6. 10. 2. In the next place; Of the lame: the blind, the sicke, the aged, the trembling hand, or any that God hath made poore. 3. Thirdly; Of anyaaPasce fame morientem, si non pauisti, occidi…i. Ambros. Qui indigenti etiam peccat…ri, panem suum, non quia peccator, sed quia homo est, tribuit: nimirum, non peceatorem, sed iustum pauperem nutrit: quia in illo non culpā, sed naturā diligit. Greg. lib. pastoral. admonit. 21. whosoeuer, in a case of true necessitie and extremity, whatsoeuer the party hath bin before: For there thou relieuest not his notoriousnesse, but his nature: though thou abhorre the man for his former villany; yet vponupon poynt of perishing, doe good vntounto the common state of humanity.

Now of these two kindes; bbSi in cellario, vel horreo non habes quod dare possis, de the fauro cordis tui potes proferre, quod tribuas, & elecmosyna cordis multò maior quàm elecmosyna corporis. August▪ Tom. 10 l. Hom. 50. Hom. 6. pag. 544. Melius est animam semper victuram verbo vitae reficere, quā ventrem moriturae …arnis terreno pane satiare. Gregor.Fathers, ccAquina… 22 …. q. 32. art. 3. Durand. in 4. sentent. q. 7. &c.Schoolemen, Casuists, all concurre, and conclude, that spirituall almes ddIn aliquo particulari casu, quaedam corporalis elecmosyna alicui spirituali praefertur, putà magis pascendus fame moriens, quàm docendus: quamuis docere simpliciter sit melius quàm pascere.caeteris paribus, as they say, are more excellent and acceptable then corporall. Because, 1. The gift is more noble in its owne nature. 2. The obiect more illustrious; Mans immortall soule. 3. The manner transcendent, being spirituall. 4. The charity more heauenly, which aimes at our brothers endlesse saluation.

Let then eueryevery Christian conscionably and constantly endeauour to improoue to the vtmost vponupon all occasions, and seasonable offers; all his spirituall abilities, heauenly endowments, illuminations of learning, morall wisedome, prouidence, discretion, &c. all his skill in the Mystery of Christ; Word, and waies of God; all his experience in temptations, cases of conscience, spirituall distempers; his spirit of counsell, comfort, courage, or what other gift or grace soeuer he is illightened, and endowed with; to relieue and refresh eueryevery way the soules, to procure and promote by all meanes, the eternall saluation of others.

Let the sauing light of thy diuine knowledge, spirituall wisedome, heauenly vnderstanding, or what other excellencies, and perfections of the minde shining in thy soule; resemble in all fruitfull improouement, and free communicating it selfe, that bountifull light in the body of the Sunne… That 1. first illighteneth that goodly Creature wherein i… originally dwels, and makes it the fairest and beautifulle… thing in the world. 2. Next, it illuminates, and beautifi… all the Orbes, and heauenly bodies about it. 3. Thirdly, b… the proiection of his beames, it begets all the beauty, glory, sweetnesse, wee hauehave here below on the earth. 4. Fourthly, it insinuates into eueryevery chinke and crany of the earth, and concurres to the making of those precious metals, which lye in her bowels. 5. Fiftly, his beames glide by the sides of the earth, and illighten euen the opposite part of Heauen, with all those glorious Starres we see shining in the night. 6. Sixthly, it is so communicatiue, and greedy of dooing good in its kinde, that it strikes thorow the firmament in the transparent parts, and seekes to bestow its brightnesse and beauty, euen beyond the Heauens; and neuer restraines the free communication of its influence and glory, vntill it determine by naturall and necessarie expiration. Euen so proportionably, let the fruitfull light of thy diuine knowledge, and heauenly counsell especially, be still working, shining, spreading to doe all possible good. 1. Let it, First, make thine own soule all glorious within, fairely enlighten it with an humble reflection of selfe-knowledge, with puritie, peace, and spirituall prudence, to guide constantly thine owne feete, with all vprightnesse and patience, in the path that is called holy. 2. Secondly, Let it shine vponupon thy family, and those that are next about thee, with all seasonable instructions in conuincing them of the truth, and goodnesse of the aaQuaeso mi frater, quaeso, omnibus tibi subiectis in domo tua, à maiore vsque ad minimum, amorem & dulcedinem regni coelestis, amaritudinem, & timorem gehennae annuncies, & de eorum salute sollic…tus, ac p…ruigil existas: quia pro omnibus tibi subiectis, qui in domo tua sunt, rationem domino reddes▪ Annuncia, praecipe, impera, suade eis, vt caueant se à superbia, à detractione, ab ebrietate, à fornicatione, à luxuria, ab ira, à periurio, à cupiditate quae est radix omnium malorum. August. Tom. 4. par. 2. de salutaribus documentis. pag. 541.wayes of God, either for their conuersion, or inexcusablenesse. p. 2603. Thirdly, let it bee spent and imployed vponupon thy neighbours, kindred, friends, acquaintance, visitants of all sorts, when they come towards thee; to warme their hearts all thou canst, with heauenly talke, and to winne their loues to the life of grace. 4. Fourthly, let it insinuate also amongst strangers, and into other companies, vponupon which any warrantable Calling shall cast thee: and intimate vntounto them, especially if it finde acceptation, and entertainment: That one thing is necessarie: That all impenitents shall bee certainly damned: That vponupon this moment dependeth eternitie, &c. 5. Nay, let it offer it selfe with all meekenesse of wisedome, and patient discretion, euen to opposites: and labour to conquer, if it bee possible, the contrarie minded; if their scornefull carriage, and furious visible hate against the mysterie of Christ, hath not set a brand of Dogges and Swine vponupon them. 6. Lastly, when vponupon all occasions, in all companies, by all meanes, it hath done all the good it can, yet let it still retaine that constant propertie of all Heauenly Graces, an edge, and eagernesse to doe more good still, and rather want matter and meanes, then readinesse and resolution to propagate it selfe. And this way now may the poorest Christians bee plentifull in workes of mercy, and enrich the richest with spirituall almes. Which in the meane time may comfort the bountifull hearts of those who are true of heart; to whom the Lord out of his best wisedome, hath denied this earthly drosse. But yet for all this, I would hauehave you know, that I know none, not the poorest, excepted or exempted from seasonable ministring to the corporall necessities also of their brethren. We hauehave a Precept from blessed Paul, Ephe. 4. 28. aa2. Cor. 8. 2.2 Cor 8:2That we must worke with our own hands, that we may hauehave to giuegive to him that needeth. And a noble president in the poore Widdow, Mark. 12. 44. who cast her two mites into the Treasurie, which was all shee had, euen all her liuing. And if any heere make a counterplea of their pouertie, I would know if there bee any so poore, which is not able to giuegive bbFac aliquem non habere vel duos nummos; est aliquid vilius, quod seminemus, vt metamus illam messem? Est. Calicem aquae frigidae, qui dederit discipulo, non perdet mercedem suam. Calix aquae frigidae non duobus nummis, sed gratis constat—Non sine causa, addidit frigidae, ne quis vel inde causaretur, quòd lignum non habuerit, vnde caiefaceret aquam. August. in Psal. 225. p 722. Dominus non copiâ largitatis, sed be neuolentiâ, & deuotione largientis delectatur & pascitur: vt autem nullus pauper ab cieemosyna se excusare possit, ipse Dominus pro calice aquae frigidae se mercedem esse redditurum promisit. Aug. Tom. 9. de rectitudine Catholicae conuer sationis. pag. 1453.a cup of cold water onelyonly; and yet this from a sincere p. 261heart, shall bee both graciously accepted, and certainly rewarded, Matth. 10. 42.

And therefore in a second place, I infinitely desire and intreate, (and this is that which in this point I would specially presse and perswade with deepest impression) that eueryevery one which hath giuen his name vntounto Christ, rich or poore, according to his power and proportion, would with singular care and conscience addresse himselfe to a fruitfull, affectionate, and constant discharge of this much honoured dutie of almes-giuing in this kinde also, properly so called.

1. For we are bound to abound in this grace also. Therefore saith Paul, 2. Cor. 8. 7. (As yee abound in eueryevery thing, in faith, &c.) see that you abound in this grace also. There is no religious Professour of any reputation, vponupon good ground with the Church of God, but takes to heart, and desires to bee exact in all commanded Christian duties eueryevery day, as Prayer, reading Scriptures, &c. VponUpon thy secret then, and solitarie reuise and suruey of the day past, call thy selfe to a strict account; as for others so concerning this dutie also, of doing good vntounto all men, especially vntounto them who are of the houshold of faith, Gal. 6. 10. (for the discharge of this dutie ought also to bee daily; if thy abilitie will beare, and the necessities of the poore shall require: In the morning sowe thy seed, and in the euening withhold not thy hand. GiueGive a portion to seuen, and also to eight, Eccles. 11. 6, 2.) and let the sense and consciousnesse of any omission, neglect, or sloth in performing it, wound thy conscience also, humble thy soule, and quicken thine heart, with new life of resolution, and more liuely endeuour to mend eueryevery morning; and perfume, as it were, thine eueryevery dayes walking with God, and this sweet smelling sacrifice also of mercifulnesse, bounty, and louelove, Phil. 4. 18. Let this duty likewise with the rest, fall within the compass… of thy seuerest search; penitent melting, renued vowes, in all thy more solemne selfe-examinations before the Sabbath, Sacraments, vponupon dayes of humiliation, &c. It is a profitable consideration, to thinke that a customary p. 262grosse neglect of any one Christian dutie, in its season, of which the conscience is, or may be conuinced, may iustly dampe and dead the lightsome and fruitfull performance of all the rest. For example: A willing knowne omission of priuate Prayer, or set reading the Word eueryevery day, may intercept and restraine the sweet influence of Gods woonted refreshing mercy, and the fructifying beames of his pleased countenance from thine heart, in the vse of all the other ordinances: an affected idlenesse, and dis-imployment of any one grace in the soule, when seasonable occasion calleth for improouement, may blast the comfortable exercise and sensible comfort of all the rest. For example: If thou suffer thy patience ordinarily to sleepe, when thy disauowed passions begin to breake in vponupon thee like a torrent, and heate thine heart with their swelling poyson; or when some crosse doth nettle thy desire of ease; no maruaile though thou finde a faintnesse also to seize vponupon thy faith, brotherly kindnesse, louelove, zeale, ioy, and peace in beleeuing, &c. Why then, when thou feelest thine inward man to begin to languish, and the whole body of Christianitie, to grow, as it were, towards a consumption; amongst other inquisitions, why doest thou not also feare out of a godly iealousie, and labour to finde out, whether the coldnesse of thy charity, and too much neglect of releeuing the poore members of Iesus Christ, may occasion thy spirituall dampe? It is the duty and property of eueryevery true-hearted Nathaneel, as to hauehave respect to all Gods Commandements, Psal. 119. 6. so, though they cannot in perfection and height, yet with truth and sincere endeauour, to hauehave respect to a conscionable vse of all the ordinances; to the performance of all holy duties, and exercise of all spirituall graces in their due seasons.

2. If the world hath locked vp thine heart, and congealed the bowels of thy compassions towards the poore; let the blaze of thine outward profession shine neuer so faire,As I heartily louelove the amiable face of tru… holinesse, so I infinitely abhorre the meere vizor and counterfeit of it. manage the heartlesse representations of externall holinesse neuer so demurely; keepe the times and taskes of daily duties with neuer so great austeritie; nay, though thou bee able p. 263to amuse weaker Christians with some affected straines, and artificiall feruency in Prayer (for by the meere power, or rather poyson of hypocrisie and vaineglory, a man may pray sometimes to the admiration of others, especially lesse iudicious, hauing cunningly collected the most moouing passages for that purpose, from the best-gifted in that kinde, and then giuing an enforced action and life vntounto them in the deliuerie, as some in other cases act other mens inuentions to the life.) I say, for all this, if the holy heate of brotherly louelove doth not warme thine heart, and vponupon occasion worke affectionately and effectually, I dare say, thou art rotten at the heart-roote, there is no true louelove of God in thee, no grace, no hope of saluation. Let that terrible and flaming place against all couetous Pharises, 1. Ioh. 3. 17. dissolue thy frozen-heartednesse this way, and enlarge the bowels of pitie towards the poore brethren of Christ Iesus, or else neuer looke hereafter to looke him in the face with comfort, or to finde mercy at that Day. Marke it well, and meditate vponupon it: Whoso hath this worlds good, and seeth his brother hath need, and shutteth vp his bowels of compassion from him, how dwelleth the louelove of God in him?

3. But aboue all other motiues of mercifulnesse to the poore, which in the Booke of God are very many, and most quickening; methinkes that argument which Paul presseth to this purpose, 2. Cor. 8. 9. should melt the most flinty heart: For yee know, saith he, the grace of our Lord Iesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sakes hee became poore, that yee through his pouertie might bee rich. Shall the onelyonly deare innocent Sonne of the All-powerfull and euerblessed Lord, and King of heauen and earth, dis inrich, as itforeign. were, and disrobe his heauenly Highnesse of that Royaltie and Maiestie aboue, and become so poore, that whereas the Matth. 8. 20.Matt 8:20Foxes hauehave holes, and the birds of the ayre hauehave nests; yet Hee not where to lay his head: that through his pouerty, and powring out his hearts blood, hee might crowne vsus with the inestimable riches of heauenly glory; with ioyes and pleasures more then the starres of the firmament, euen for euer and p. 264euer; and shall not we Wormes and wretches, most vnworthy the least bit of bread we put into our mouthes, part with our superfluities, sometimes, both in respect of the necessity of nature, and exigencie of estate, as the Schoolemen speake, to relieue the fainting soule of him for whom Christ died, and which he would take as done vntounto himselfe, Matth. 25. 40. were it but a cup of cold water onelyonly? Mar. 9. 41. Monstrous vnthankfull cruelty! mercilesnesse, meriting without Gods singular mercy, and turning mercifull our selues, the fiercest flame in the dungeon of fire and brimstone.