The Excellency of a Gracious Spirit, Part 1 · Chapter 1

The Excellency of a Gracious Spirit · Part 1 · Chapter 1

p. 1CAP. I.

What that other ſpirit is, which a godly man hath differing from the world.

IN theſe words we have Gods approbation of Caleb, accepting his faithfull ſervice in the teſtimony hee gave of the good Land; encouraging p. 2the hearts of his people to goe into it: As for the other that were ſent, God determines againſt them, they ſhall never ſee that good Land; But my ſervant Caleb, &c.

Firſt, Gods commendation of Caleb.

Secondly, his bleſſing upon him.Obſ.

For the firſt hee ſayes three things of him.

1 He is my ſervant.

2 He hath another ſpirit.

3 He hath followed me fully.

He is my ſervant:] It is a great honor to bee the ſervant of the bleſſed God, and to bee acknowledged ſo by God himſelfe: We ſhould not looke at our ſervices to God only as duties injoyned, but as high priviledges, as dignities put upon us; wee ſhould glory in his ſervice. It was a great part of that glorious reward of thoſe who came out of great tribulation, who waſhed their Robes, and made them white in the bloud of the Lambe, that they ſhould bee before the Lord, and p. 3ſerve him night and day. Apoc. 7. 14, 15. [My ſervant] He hath ſhewed himſelfe to bee my ſervant indeed; I will for ever owne him; what ever others did, hee continued faithfull with me. To bee a ſervant unto the Lord, is an honour; but to bee acknowledged faithfull, that higher: I have obtained mercy to be faithfull, ſaith Saint Paul. To be faithfull in ſervice, is, not only a meanes of obtaining 1 Cor. 7. 251 Cor 7:25mercy, but it is a great obtained mercy.

[My ſervant Caleb:] Caleb is only mentioned here, and ſo in the former Chap. verſe 31.

Why is not Ioſhua mentioned likewiſe, Queſt.for ſurely hee followed the Lord fully, as well as Caleb?

1 Some thinke that Ioſhuah at the firſt Anſw. Abulenſis …. 54, 55.did conceale himſelfe, although after hee did declare himſelfe fully; but certainly this had been a very great ſinne of his, to conceale himſelfe in ſuch a Cauſe of God, to have ſtood as Neuter, for the ſaving himſelfe; hee would not have paſſed without ſome ſignification of Gods diſpleaſure againſt him for p. 4this: But Verſe 30. God promiſes Ioſhua, that hee ſhall enter into the Land together with Caleb. Others therefore thinke, that at the firſt Caleb was the more forward of the two in ſpeaking, becauſe hee was of the more honourable Tribe, one of the chiefe of the Tribe of Iudah; and Ioſhua was of Ephraim: And beſides; Ioſhua being Moſes Miniſter to attend on him, it might bee the more ſuſpected that he might ſpeake to gratifie Moſes, againſt whom the people now murmured, becauſe of the ſtraits they were brought into by him. And beſides, others thinke, that Moſes here Scrarius l. 1 Ioſ. c. 8. q. 6Josh 8relates this by Ioſhua, That Ioſhua was uſed in the penning of this relation, and therefore the leſſe is ſaid concerning Ioſhua.

Another ſpirit: The ſpirits of the reſt were baſe and cowardly, poore, dead, unworthy ſpirits; but hee had another ſpirit, went not that way. There is a ſtrange conceit ſome of the Jewiſh Interpreters have of this other ſpirit; that is, ſay they, Caleb and Ioſhua, Lorinus in Numb. 14. 24.Num 14:24when they were in the Land, and in p. 5their journey; they ſaid as the reſt of the Spies did, and concealed their purpoſe of declaring any other opinion they had of the Land, than the others had, and this they did for feare of their lives; but when they came before Moſes, and the children of Iſrael, then they had another ſpirit, and ſpake plainly what they thought. Many ſuch chaffy interpretations of Scriptute wee finde amongſt them, God having given them over to the ſpirit of blindneſſe. Hee ſollowed me fully.

The words are, Hee fufilled to follow Implevit ſequi.mee: Nothing could take him off from mee, what ever therefore becomes of the reſt, hee ſhall poſſeſſe the Land, and his ſeed with him. I intend only to handle the two latter commendations of Caleb.

Firſt, that hee was a man of another 1ſpirit.

Secondly, that hee followed God fully. 1And herein, firſt, ſeverally; ſecondly, in the reference of the one to the other.

For the firſt, the Point is; It is the excellency of godly men to be men of p. 6other ſpirits, of choice ſpirits, differing from the common ſpirits of the world, 1 Cor. 2. 12. We have not received the ſpirit of the world, ſayes the Apoſtle, but the ſpirit which is of God: There is a great deale of difference betweene our ſpirits and the common ſpirits of the world. There is a vile ſpirit ruling in the world; As, Eph. 2. 2. A ſpirit that workes ſtrongly and actively in the children of …diſohedience. But of the godly it may be ſaid, as it was of Daniel, Chap. 6. 3. An excellent ſpirit was found in him; ſo ſurely an excellent ſpirit is found in them.

Herein, firſt, what this other ſpirit is.

Secondly, wherein the excellency of it lies.

Thirdly, apply it.

For the firſt; it is, firſt, a ſpirit that hath other principles, a better principled 1ſpirit than the ſpirit of the world. The ſpirits of worldly men have baſe corrupt principles, by which they judge of things, by which they are led, according to which they favour & relliſh whatſoever is propounded to them. The vileneſſe and power of theſe, appeares p. 7in the wayes of the world; but the ſpirits of the godly are acted by Divine, heavenly, holy principles, that carry them to God, to divine and heavenly things; they carry them by a kind of naturall inſtinct; the frame of their ſpirits is ſo principled, that by as it were a naturall inſtinct, (naturall, I mean the new nature) they ſavour of ſpirituall and heavenly things; their hearts worke after them, cloze with them, unite themſelves to them, finde much ſweet and contentment in them, are faſtned and ſetled unto them. What is the reaſon the ſame truths propounded, ſet before divers ſpirits, whoſe naturall parts are equall; one ſees much excellency in them, receives them, relliſhes them; the other looks on them as mean and fooliſh things, wonders what men ſee and finde in them, they are unſavory to them, their hearts turne away from them? This is from their divers principles. Where the ſpirit is well principled, it is carryed on ſweetly and ſtrongly in Gods wayes; though the naturall parts bee weake, though obiections p. 8againſt them many, pretences for evill wayes fayre; yet theſe divine principles are as a pondus, a waight upon theſe ſpirits, that carries on the ſoule ſtill towards God: when all is ſaid that can bee againſt Gods wayes, and for ſinnefull wayes, it will, it cannot but, hold the concluſion, Surely Gods wayes are good. As that bleſſed Martyr ſaid, I cannot diſpute for the truth, but I can dye for the truth. Theſe principles cauſe, if Sapida …i…tia.not a diſputative knowledge, yet a ſavory knowledge.

Perſwade a man by moſt ſubtill arguments, eloquent orations, that what he taſts ſweet, is bitter, perhaps he cannot anſwer all you ſay; but yet hee knowes the thing is ſweet: So the Spirit principled right with grace, having the ſavour of the knowledge, as the Apoſtle ſpeakes: though many ſubtill wiles of Satan, and cloquent perſwaſions from the wiſdome of the fleſh be brought to perſwade to the contrary, yet ſtill it ſayes, It is good to walke in the wayes of godlineſſe.

Every life hath principles according p. 9to the nature of it, receiving to it ſelfe things ſutable, or turning from things diſagreeable to it; the vegetative life according to the nature of it, ſo the ſenſitive, and the rationall life, and the life of grace according to it. Moſt mens ſpirits are led by the principles of a ſenſitive life, few live ſo high as rationall principles reach to. There is a death of the ſoule in this reſpect; onelyonly God puts in by a common worke of his Spirit, ſome common notions, which appeare in ſome, which give but a glimmering light, and are very weake; but where the life of grace is in any ſoule, there are principles of an higher nature, full of light and beauty, carrying the ſoule to high, ſpirituall, ſupernaturall things, for the attaining to, and injoyment of the higheſt good. Other creatures under the rationall, are made for the enjoyment of no higher good, than is within the cōpaſſe of their owne natures; & therfore their principles are onelyonly to receive in ſuch good things as are ſutable to thoſe natures, and in them they reſt ſatisfied; for they are capable p. 10of enjoyment of no higher; I ſay, they cannot enjoy any higher: indeed they are of uſe to, and were made for that end, that they might be ſerviceable to ſome higher good than themſelves; but this they enjoy not. The deſtruction of their natures, is the higheſt uſe that creatures which are above them, have of them. But the rationall creature was made for a higher good than is within the compaſſe of its own nature, and was to enjoy this; and the fuller it doth enjoy it, the more perfected it is. Now then, there are required principles of life accordingly to carry theſe creatures higher than their owne natures, to have the fruitiō of that good they were made for, and to bee bleſſed in the enjoyment of it. Now theſe are the principles of Grace, with which this other ſpirit is indued, higher above the principles of reaſon, than the principles of reaſon are above the principles of ſenſe; and thus it is another ſpirit.

Secondly, it works by another rule: every thing is guided to its end by ſome rule, which is a beame of Gods wiſedome; p. 11no creature under the reaſonable, knowes either its end or rule, but is acted by God to that it was made for: but the reaſonable creature is of ſuch a nature, as is capable of the knowledge of both, and therefore cannot bee happy without the knowledge of both, and working accordingly. Now it is a great mercy not to miſtake in the rule that leades to eternall life, to ſee it, and act by it; moſt of the world miſtake here, their ſpirits are led by falſe rules, they goe according to ſenſe, according to their own carnall apprehēſion of things, accordings to their owne wils, would have the rule of their actions from their own ſpirits, or elſe according to the common courſe of the world, as Eph. 2. 2. That which men bleſſe themſelves in, that they goe according to the common courſe, is one of the moſt apparent arguments that is, that yet they are ſtrangers from the way of life; but the godly they make the Word their rule, they looke up to the minde of God, to ſee the beame of Divine wiſdome let down from heaven, to guide them in their p. 12way; they looke to it for direction, give up themſelves to it, dare venture their comforts, eſtates, ſafeties, ſoules upon it: Thou ſhalt guide mee by thy counſell, ſayes David, and ſo bring mee Philo Iudaeus in his book intituled Om nis probus liber, t…ls of the Py… agereans, that inter Sacrata praecepta, this was a principall Per viam publicam ne ingredere. Argument… tur…iſſimis … turba, ſayes Seneca. foreign.to thy glory, Pſalm. 73. 24. A godly man thinkes it a moſt diſhonorable thing to make the examples of men his rules; it is for beaſts to follow the Herd: Examples of men cannot ſatisfie his conſcience. A godly man workes for eternity: and therefore is carefull to worke by rule; as a man when hee workes in a worke that concernes his life, erects a frame that muſt be for continuance; he makes ſure of his rule, layes often his rule to his worke. When God erected the frame of the world, which was to laſt but for a ſew yeares, hee made all by waight and meaſure: The frame of mans actions here, muſt be for eternity; and therefore a godly man dares venture upon no other rule but that which is divine; hee lookes at the Word, not only at the notions of it, and that excellency and beauty he ſees in it, ſhining a great way off; but as a light to his feet, p. 13a Lanterne to his ſteps; holds it cloſe to his feet, to guide him in his going; knowing, that every ſtep he goes, is either to hell or to heaven; and this doing, he may look up with comfort for that bleſſing of God upon his ſervants: 1 Sam. 2. 9. He keeps the feet of his Saints: His way is like the way of the Mariner, guided by the heavens.Eadem ratione hanc vita viam quaeri oportet, qua in altoiter navibus quaeritur; niſi aliquid cali lumen obſervent incertis curſibus vagantur; quiſquis rectum iter vitae tenere nititur, non terr'd debet aſpicere ſed coelu…; & ut a…ertius loquar, on hominem debet ſequi, ſed Deum. Lactant. l. 6. c. 8.

3. Thirdly, another ſpirit. that is, imployed about other things; it is not for meane, baſe ſervices; but ſet on worke about high and honourable employments. As men of place and dignity have, or ought to have other ſpirits differing from ordinary ſpirits; they cannot endure to be employed in mean and diſhonorable workes: no, thoſe fit for meane, baſe ſpirits. While other mens ſpirits are buſied about low, poore things, and are content in theſe, minding nothing higher; they are buſied about great affaires of State, the high things of the Kingdome, conſultations about, and tranſactions of the great buſineſſes of the Common-wealth. It was the baſeneſſe, and diſhonor of Domitians p. 14ſpirit, who though a great Emperor, yet buſied himſelfe and ſpent great part of his time in catching of flies; and ſo of Artaxerxes his ſpirit, who ſpent a great deale of time in making hafts of knives of Boxe.

Thus godly men account it too mean a thing, for their ſpirits to bee buſied about low baſe employments; while the ſpirits of other men are buſied about meat, drink, clothes, play, money, luſt, and are taken up in theſe poore things; the ſpirits of the godly are taken up in contemplation of the glory of the bleſſed God, the beauty and high excellency of Jeſus Chriſt, the great Counſels of God, in the greateſt worke that ever he did, the worke of mans Redemption, the great myſteries of the Goſpell, the glorious things of the Kingdome of Jeſus Chriſt, the great things of eternity, the intereſt they have in all the good in God, Chriſt, Heaven, about the ſetting out the glory of the bleſſed God in the World, lifting up his Name, working together with God in glorifying himſelfe, obſerving Gods wayes p. 15in his glorious workes of Creation, and Providence, preparing and fitting themſelves for the glorious appearing of the great God; joyning with thoſe bleſſed creatures, the Angels and Saints in heaven, magnifying, praiſing, worſhipping, and adoring the Lord of all; theſe are things fit for the ſpirits of the godly, they are not ſuteable to the ſpirits of the world, as Pſal. 92. 6. A brutiſh man knowes not, neither doth a foole underſtand this.

A godly man ſometimes may be buſied in meane low things, but his ſpirit not contented, not taken up, not ſatisfied in thoſe things, as adequate objects for him, as the ſpirits of the world are, they are objects adequate to any principles they have: A man ſometimes that is underſtanding, may condeſcend to ſport with children in low things, but theſe take not up his ſpirit, as adequate objects to what hee hath in him; if indeed hee ſhould take content and ſatisfaction in ſuch things, it would argue a childiſh ſpirit in him; So here.

Fourthly, this ſpirit is carried to other p. 164ends; the ſpirit of the world looks at eaſe, pleaſure, honour, gaine, and Selfe in all; it is a low ſpirit in an ill ſenſe, ſubjecteth not only ordinary actions, but the beſt things it doth, even the duties of Gods worſhip to baſe, low, unworthy ends: At the higheſt, the moſt excellent of the Heathen, who had the moſt brave ſpirits the World had in their time, aimed no higher than to work according to reaſon, to ſatisfie the dictates of rationall principles, and a naturall conſcience; knew not what it was to honour God; to aime at God in all they did: but the ſpirit of the godly is a raiſed ſpirit, looks at God and eternity in all it doth, carries things up to the higheſt good, reſtleſſe till it gets through all creatures, and cloſes with God; it accounts the excellency of what it is, and what it hath, to be in order to God, and directs what it doth to him, and in this comes as neere the working of God himſelfe, workes as like him, as may be; it is the glory of God to bee the firſt cauſe, and laſt end; and to worke from himſelfe, and for himſelfe; p. 17No creature can worke from it ſelfe, but as it hath his principle from God, ſo it workes for him, giving him the glory, as the firſt cauſe, and laſt end: and this is the great worſhip that God hath from his creature, both in this world and eternally in heaven.

We ſpeake much of honouring God, and ſerving God, and worſhipping of him; wee doe nothing except wee doe this; God made the world that hee might have ſome creatures to worke thus, to make him the higheſt and laſt end of all; many who have excellent naturall parts, are often buſied about deeper things then other men, but their ſpirits being corrupt, not carried to God in that they doe, they dive deepe, but all comes to nothing; are like children diving deepe in the water, and bring up nothing but ſhels and gravell.

Now where the ſpirit is carried to 1God as the laſt end, there firſt, the beauty, excellency, glory of what ever it hath or doth, is iudged according to the reference it hath to God; Its true, I have theſe mercies, I do ſuch and ſuch p. 18things; but is God honoured by all? al things are as dead to this ſpirit, where it ſees not Gods Name lifted up: and ſo the excellency and beauty of what others have or do, if God is not honoured by them, it lookes on them as dead things. Secondly, all it hath, is, or doth, lies in an abſolute ſubiection under God, to bee at his diſpoſe; all things are abſolutely ſubject to the laſt end. Thirdly, where God is aimed at, as the higheſt end, there Gods glory is willed infinitely; no limits, no bounds ſet to the deſires, or endeavours of the ſoule after it.

Fiftly, thjs ſpirit hath other qualifications; the ſpirits of the godly are 5glorious within: As, 1. it is an enlightned 1ſpirit; the light of the glory of God, in the face of Ieſus Chriſt, hath ſhined into it, and transformed it into the ſame image. Dan. 5. 11. They 2 Cor. 4. ….2 Cor 4ſaid he was a man in whom the ſpirit of the holy Gods was, becauſe light, and underſtanding, and wiſdome was found in him; ſurely, the ſpirit of the living God is here; for light, underſtanding, p. 19wiſdome is found here; this is the true light, the light of life, that hath a quickning power, and influence of life in it. There is a great difference between the light of the Sunne ſhining in a garden, and the light of torches; there is the influence of an inlivening power in the one, not in the other; ſuch difference there is between the light in the ſpirits of wicked men, and the light in the ſpirits of the godly: it is the knowledge of the holy, that is true underſtanding, Prov. 9. 10. And a man of ſuch underſtanding, is of an excellent ſpirit indeed, Prov. 17. 27. This is that which the Holy Ghoſt calls Spirituall underſtanding, Col. 1. 9. to diſtinguiſh it from that underſtanding there is in naturall men; they ſee into Spirituall things after another manner than other men; they ſee the reality, beauty, excellency, glory of them, which are hidden from droſſie vile ſpirits: the Goſpell is ſaid to bee a myſtery, revealed to the Saints, Col. 1. 26. The Law and Teſtimonies are ſealed and bound up amongſt the diſciples, Eſay 2. 16. The Lord delights to reveale p. 20himſelfe, to men of excellent ſpirits, who are onelyonly fit to cloſe with divine and ſpirituall truths. As none can teach ſo as God teacheth, Iob 30. 22. ſo none knowes the things of God ſo as the godly doe; they behold them as with open face, they walke on in the light of the face of God, Pſal. 89. 15. their ſpirits elevated by ſuch a light as is ſutable to that light there is in God himſelfe, and that luſtre of his Image, that ſhines in the face of Ieſus Chriſt: but the ſpirit of the world, is a ſpirit of darkneſſe; even that light which is in them is darkneſſe.

Secondly, it is a free ſpirit, Pſa. 51. 12. Eſtabliſh me with thy free Spirit, and this freedome makes it indeed, a true, royall princely ſpirit; for ſo the word ſignifies that is tranſlated in that place, a free ſpirit. The words are, Eſtabliſh mee with thy royall princely ſpirit.

1. A free diſingaged ſpirit, not entangled, nor inſnared with baſe, earthly engagements like the ſpirits of the world; but a ſpirit that is at liberty, Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is p. 21liberty, 2 Cor. 3. 17. How doe the engagements of worldly ſpirits miſerably enthrall them, that notwithſtanding convictions of conſcience, notwithſtanding much unquietneſſe of their hearts in their way, many checks, ſecret wounds of ſpirit, ſinking damps, and feares, yet they cannot get off their hearts from thoſe engagements they are ſo miſerably, ſo dangerouſly entangled in; this is a woefull bondage. Thoſe who are godly can remember a time, ſince their hearts were thus inſnared; but it was the bleſſed worke of the Lord to ſet them at liberty, and now they have eaſe, now ſweer quiet, and reſt to their ſpirits.

2. Free from the bondage of ſinne, not under the power and command of it; it hath command over it ſelfe, over its owne paſſions; not in a baſe ſlavery to Satan, not in ſervile ſubjection to men, not brought under the power of any creature. It was a notable free expreſſion of two bleſſed Martyrs, Surgius and Bacchus, who were two great Courtiers, being accuſed for Chriſtians, p. 22and commanded to offer unto the Idols, they refuſed to goe to the Temple, and gave this anſwer unto the Emperour; Wee, o Emperour, are bound Nos, Imperator, ſo a terrena militia tibi obſtricti ſumus; in animas nullum tibi jus est; illarum Deminus eſt ſolus Deus Coutzen. aul… ſpeculum pag 47.unto you, onelyonly in an earthly warfare; you have no right over our ſoules; God onelyonly is the Lord of them. It will not be forced to any thing that is baſe; God leaves the body and eſtates of his ſervants to the power of men oft times but their ſpirits are free: It is to baſe a diſpoſition of a ſervant of GOD, to plead neceſſity of ſinning; no creature can compell another to ſinne. Tertullia… hath an excellent expreſſion to this purpoſe; Non admittit ſtatus ſidei allegati onem neceſ ſitatis deliuouendi, quibus una eſt neceſſitas non delinquendi Tertul. de Cor militis. cap. 11. foreign. Rom. 8. 15 foreign 2 T…. 1. 7.Rom 8:15The ſtate of faith doth not admit, the alledging a neceſſity of ſinning in thoſe, to whom the onelyonly neceſſity is not to offend.

3. It's free in regard of ſlaviſh feare it's able to looke upon the face of God with ioy, Iob 22. 6. Thou ſhalt have delight in the Almighty, and ſhalt li… up thy face to God. The Scripture ſpeaks of a ſpirit of feare, and a ſpirit of bondage from both which, this ſpirit is ſet a liberty; it can looke upon the power p. 23ſoveraignty, juſtice, holineſſe of God, and rejoyce in them; glad that God is ſo holy and juſt, and that it hath to deale with ſuch a God; It hath acceſſe to his preſence with boldneſſe and liberty of ſpeech, Epheſ. 3. 12. as the word ſignifies there. It hath ſweet and bleſſed foreign.freedome in the performance of holy duties, is not forced and haled to them, doth not take them up as tireſome burdens; Gods Commandements are not grievous, they are not as fetters of iron, but as chaines of gold, for beauty and ornament; there is a readineſſe of ſpirit to what ever is good; they are veſſels of honour, ready prepared to every good worke, 2. Tim. 2. 21. It is written in the volume of thy booke, I ſhould doe thy will, and …o I come, pſalm. 40. 7, 8. There is a ſutableneſſe betweene the law and the ſpirit; the law is written in it; never ſo in it's element, as when it is in the wayes of obedience; there is not that ſtraitneſſe of ſpirit as in others; but here the heart ſweetly enlarges it ſelfe, as the flowre that opens it ſelfe to the ſhining of the Sunne.

p. 24Thirdly, a ſublime ſpirit, raiſed high, by ſpirituall, heavenly influences, not 3ſwelling by pride; a ſpirit that hath all earthly things under feet, as the Holy Ghoſt ſets out the Church, Revel. 12. 1. Things received with admiration by other ſpirits, it looks on with contempt, as things infinitely inferiour to it; a godly mans feet are where other mens heads; their heads, that is, the pitch and height of all their aimes, is upon things that are on the earth; but the Saints have theſe things under their feet. When Valence ſent to offer Baſil great preferments, to tell him what a great man he might be; Baſil anſwers, Offer theſe things to children, not to Chriſtians. When ſome bade, ſtoppe Luthers mouth with preferment, one of his adverſaries anſwered, It is in vaine, Hem Germ ma illa beſtia non … aurū. Melchior …d…m in ….he cares not for gold; his ſpirit was too noble and high, to bee tempted with gold; baſe, low ſpirits would have beene taken with ſuch things; ſuch a ſpirit as Demas, who forſooke Paul to imbrace this preſent world, but a ſpirit raiſed by God is above them.

p. 25How was S. Pauls ſpirit above mony? when he ſpeaks of lucre, he cals it, ſilthy lucre, 1 Tim. 3. 3. A godly mans ſpirit is ſutable to the high dignities put upon it, and priviledges it hath. Saul when made a King, had another ſpirit put upon him, contemning former things, highly eſteemed of: a man raiſed on high, lookes on things below, and they appeare ſmall things to him; ſo here, Reaſon may raiſe Nemo eſt dignus namine hominis qui unum diem v…lit eſſe in vo luptate lib. 2 de ſinibus.the ſpirits of men above the common ſort: a rationall man lookes at many ſinnes as too mean and baſe for him, ſcornes to ſtaine his excellency with them, as the ſinnes of ſenſuality, and Platonis Phoedo p. 81. foreign. …or ſum et ad majora naturquàm vt mancipium ſim corporis mei. Sen. …. 66.filthy luſts. Tully thinkes him not worthy the name of a man, that ſpends a whole day in the pleaſures of the fleſh; and Socrates had ſuch a vile eſteeme of ſinne, as he thinkes, it ſhall be one of the greateſt torments of men in another life, to be tied and bound to the ſinnes they moſt delighted in here. Seneca hath a notable expreſſion to this purpoſe; I am too great, and borne to greater p. 26things, thē that I ſhould be a ſlave to my body: But if Reaſon raiſes the ſpirit ſo high, how high then doth Grace raiſe it? This ſpirit cannot be ſatisfied with ſmall low things; as it is reported of Luther, when great gifts were ſent to him, hee refuſed them, with this moſt brave and excellent ſpeech; I did earneſtly proteſt, that God ſhould not put mee off Valde proteſta tus ſum, me nolle ſic ſa…iari ab co. Melchier Adam in vita Iuth.with theſe things; meaning that hee would not be ſatisfied with anything that was here below. All the things in the world are farre from being able to ſatisfie this ſpirit; it accounts all, yea, if they were a thouſand times more than they are, but a poore pittance for the portion of an immortal ſoule; If God ſhould make more worlds for it, yet if he give not himſelfe to it, it would not be ſatisfied; nothing but a God, an infinite, univerſall, eternall Good, can fill up the deſires of this ſpirit. Thou haſt Feci…i nos Domine prote, & …qu etum eſt …or n… do… veniat adte.made us, O Lord, for thy ſelfe, ſaies Saint Auſtin, and our hearts are unquiet till they come unto thee. It is p. 27the worke of a baſe droſſy ſpirit, to thinke, If I had but ſo much, or ſo much yearely, I ſhould have enough: how baſe the ſpirit of that rich man, bleſſing himſelfe in his goods! Soule Luke 12. 19.Luke 12:19take thine eaſe, thou haſt goods laid up for many yeares; what were all thoſe to his ſoule, to the happineſſe of his ſoule? Theſe are ſpirits that have higher deſignes thē ſo, their deſignes no leſſe than a Kingdome, yea, than God himſelfe, Rom. 2. 7. They ſeeke for glory, honour, immortality, eternall life: Though they can bee content with little of the world for their uſe. yet they cannot bee content without that Good & Happineſſe that is infinitely higher, and better than all the world, for their portion. As Abraham ſaid concerning his child, when God promiſed him a great reward, Gen. 15. 2. Lord what will thou give me, ſo long as I goe childleſſe? Lord what is all the reward I can have, except I have this mercy, except I have a child? becauſe the Meſſias was to come out of his Ioines; So the ſoule p. 28here, if God ſhould promiſe it never ſuch great things, yet Lord what are all theſe things to me, if I have not thy ſelfe? All the gifts that God can give to this ſpirit, will not ſatisfie it, except he gives himſelf to it. As God is not pleaſed with what wee tender to him, except we give our ſelves to him: So a godly heart is not contented with all that God gives to it, except hee gives himſelfe to it. Thus Bernard exceeding ſweetly, As what Hern. de amore …. Sicut mea …on tibi placent oblata niſi mecum; ſic bon rum tuorum contemp…io reſi…t nos ſ…non ſat: at, niſ…e cum.I have, if offered to thee, pleaſeth not thee, O Lord, without my ſelfe; ſo thy good things we have from thee, though they may refreſh us, yet they ſatisfie us not without thy ſelfe.

Yea further, the enjoyment of God is not enough, except they may have a full enjoyment of him; they are not ſatisfied, except they bee filled with the fulneſſe, yea, with all the fulneſſe of God, Epheſ. 3. 19. See a notable example of this in Moſes, Exod. 33. 12. and ſo on: The Lord had done great things for Moſes many wayes; but beſides all hee had done p. 29for him, hee told him that hee knew him by name, and that he had ſound favour in his ſight; one would have thought this might have ſatisfied him: No, Moſes muſt have more, Verſe 13. I pray thee, if I have found grace in thy ſight, ſhew me thy way, that … know thee, and that I may finde grace in thy ſight. God grants him this, and rels him, Verſe 14. that his preſence ſhall goe with him, and hee will give him reſt; ſurely, this will ſatisfie him: No, Verſe 16, Moſes muſt have yet more, hee muſt have ſuch a preſence; as the world may know, that God doth goe with him, and that hee and his people are a ſeparated people, from all the people that are upon the face of the earth: and Verſe 17. The Lord ſaith to him, I will give thee this thing alſo that thou haſt ſpoken. Surely this will ſatisfie him: No, Moſes is not ſatisfied yet: Verſe 18. I beſeech thee ſhew mee thy glory. Hee muſt have more of God yet; God grants him this alſo, Verſe 19. I will make all my goodnes paſſe before p. 30thee: And ſo the Lord paſſes by him, and proclaimes his great and glorious Name before him: Hee ſhewes him ſo much of his glory, as he was able to behold. Surely Moſes hath enough now: No, not yet, Chap. 34. 9. God muſt pardon the ſinne of his people too, and take him and them for his inheritance: Hee muſt have this fruit of Gods favour, as a higher than all the reſt. See how, as wee may ſo ſay with holy reverence, he incroaches as it were, upon God, as one that could never have enough; and yet this, God liked exceeding well. Here's a ſpirit indeed, that is not ſatisfied with meane, and ordinary things. In a ſpirituall ſenſe the godly doe ſeeke great things for themſelves, and it is their glory ſo to doe. God delights to have the ſpirits of his children thus raiſed; he would not have them to bee of ſuch ſordid ſpirits, as to minde no higher things than the baſe drudges of the world …. de amore Dei c. 8. Habet enim ſa… a et ſai generis ſuperbiam.doe; as a Prince or Noble-man delights to ſee the ſpirit of his childe p. 31raiſed to higher deſignes, than the ordinary ſort of men.

Fourthly, a firme ſtrong ſpirit: 4Eſay 11. 2. The ſpirit of Chriſt is a ſpirit of might.

Firſt, ſtrong to reſiſt ſtrong temptations.

Secondly, ſtrong to overcome ſtrong corruptions.

Thirdly, ſtrong to beare ſtrong afflictions.

For the firſt, it is not every temptation that can prevaile with theſe; little things will draw weak childiſh ſpirits; but ſuch temptations as others know not how to reſiſt, theſe can ſtand before them, and go on in their way, without any alteration of ſpirit by them; though they live in the middeſt of temptations, yet they are able to keep thēſelves unſpotted; like the three Children, who walked in the fire, and yet the ſmell of the fire came not upon them, nor their garments; or like the children of Iſrael, walking on the dry land ſafely, and the ſeas on each ſide of them: p. 32they are aſhamed to complaine of temptations to excuſe themſelves by their temptations; for wherefore hath the worke of God beene ſo mighty upon their ſpirits, but to ſtrengthē them againſt temptations? many temptations which others thinke to bee ſtrong, they ſcarce take notice of; ſo farre are their ſpirts above them.

Luther was ſo farre above the ſin of covetouſneſſe, as he ſaith of himſelf, he found no temptations to that ſinne, though his ſpirit was much peſtred with temptations in other kindes. The Devill will not ſet upon ſuch with ordinary temptations, hee knowes it is in vaine; when he comes upon them, it is with temptations of a higher nature, of ſtronger efficacy; as ſome mens bodies are of ſuch ſtrong conſtitutions, as that which will work mightily upon others, will not ſtirre them: So it is with mens ſpirits, the devill need not trouble himſelf much about many; the pooreſt, ſleighteſt temptatiōs are enough p. 33to draw them to what hee would have: yea, and ſuch who account themſelves to be of brave, of more than ordinary ſpirits too, who can ſtand out ſtrongly againſt GOD, and his truth, againſt the ſtrongeſt arguments; the drawing motives, the powerfull perſwaſions of the Word, they move them not at all; but every poore temptation of the Devill drawes them any way; they have no power to reſiſt, but are led as the Oxe to the ſlaughter, and as the foole to the ſtocks. The godly man is ſtrong in the Lord, and in the power of his might, Epheſ. 6. 10. Other men are ſtrong in their luſts, and in the power of them againſt the Lord and his truth.

Secondly, they can overcome ſtrong corruptions: temptations from without have not ſuch power, as corruptions that are within; yet when theſe riſe up like a flood, This ſpirit of the Lord in them, ſets up a ſtandard againſt them, Eſay 59. 19. Yea, by a contrary ſtreame oppoſeth and p. 34overcomes them. The more ſutable any corruption is to the naturall diſpoſition, the more powerfully it hath heretofore prevailed, the more ſtrongly it would now put forth it ſelfe, the more doth this ſpirit keepe it under above all others. Every ordinary ſpirit can oppoſe, and be able to reſiſt ſome meane, contemptible ſinne, which brings little pleaſure, or profit with it: when ſin is, as it were, weakned and benummned by afflictions; then they can caſt it off: when the ſtrength of it is abated for want of fewell, for want of opportunities of acting, for want of bodily ſtrength to put it forth; then they can leave their ſinne: as Simeon and Levi came upon the Sichemites when they were ſore, and overcame them; ſo they can come upon their ſinne, in times of affliction, and overcome it; & this they thinke to be repentance, which is a miſtake. But this ſpirit can oppoſe ſinne, when it is in the vigour and ſtrength, and activity of it, and overcome it then. Let God put this p. 35Spirit into one who is yong & ſtrong, whoſe bones are full of marrow who hath the world ſmile on him, and may have opportunities to the full to enjoy his luſt; yet now he ſhall be able to overcome his corruption, & prevaile againſt the ſtrongeſt luſt. As it is ſaid of Moſes, Hebr. 11. 25. When he was of full years, he then could deny himſelf, and refnſe the pleaſures of the fleſh. The word in the Originall, When he was great, when foreign.he was growne up to ripeneſſe, when he might have injoyed his pleaſure to the full; yet now he was able to overcome himſelf, & the world; and this requires ſtrength of ſpirit indeed.

Thirdly, it is ſtrong to bear ſtrong afflictions, as a ſtrong bodyed man 3can indure cold and hard weather, which others dare ſcarce put out their heads into; ſuch difference is there in the ſpirits of men, in regard of their bearings of afflictions; ſome are alwayes complaining, murmuring, Invalidum om ni naturâ … rulumwhyning at every little affliction; their hearts fret, vexe and rage p. 36under it; like ſome mens fleſh, if their skin be but razed with a pin, it preſently feſters and rankles: Iob 23. 2. He ſaith, that his ſtroke was heavier than his groaning, but theſe mens groanings are heavier then their ſtrokes: like rotten boughs of trees, if a little waight be hung on them, they preſently break. A little thing will break the ſpirits of theſe men, a little thing will cauſe them to ſinke and pine away, and in a deſperate ſullenneſſe to make away themſelves. If thou fainteſt in adverſity, thy ſtrength is ſmall, ſaith Solomon, Prov. 24. 10. What poore things are they, that many mens ſpirits are not able to beare? Not a frowne from a great man, not a conceit of the leaſt diſparagement that they ſuffer in any thing, that is but a toy and trifle, which a man of an excellent ſpirit would ſcorne to beſtow a thought about; the loſſe of a little money: as I have read of one who hung himſelfe, onelyonly upon a dreame that hee had, that hee had loſt his money. p. 37Others, if they meet but with a little diſturbance in their family, from huſbands or wives; if their parents doe but croſſe them, if their hopes bee fruſtrated in things of no great moment, they cannot beare it, but they ſinke downe in ſuch deſperate diſcouragements, as their lives are bitter unto them, they are weary of them, and they ſeeke to eaſe themſelves by putting an end to them. Impatient ſinking deſperatneſſe, ever proceeds from baſe weakneſſe of ſpirit. Deſpaire is a ſinne exceeding vile and contemptible. Gulielmus Pariſienſis O verbum ſempiterni opprobrii & confuſionis, atque …gnomini… ind…lebilis, ſcili et deſpero; victorem enim eſſe Diabolum praedicat: & utinam videres Diabolum coronari victorem, cui tam turpiter ſucc… b….ſpeaking of deſpaire, hath this expreſſion; I deſpaire! Oh word of eternall reproach and confuſion, of diſhonour never to be blotted out! it publiſheth the Devill to be the Conqueror: and would thou didſt ſee the devil crowned as a Conquerour, to whom thou doſt ſo ſhamefully lie under. Theſe ſinking ſullen-ſpirited people may pleaſe themſelves in the froward, ſullen diſtempers of their hearts, and conceit as if they were fruits of humility: but p. 38let them know that the devill is the moſt ſullen ſpirit that is, and yet the moſt proud. Though in thy frowardneſſe thou flyeſt from God, and letteſt thy ſpirit ſinke down, even as low as the bottome of the Sea, yet even there the wrath of God will follow thee. As, Amos 9. 3. Though they hide themſelves in the bottome of the ſea, I will command the Serpent to bite them.

Thus thoſe, whoſe ſpirits are ſunk into the bottome of the ſea of deſperation, they ſhall have no eaſe there, even there the Lord will cōmand the Serpent to bite them; the devill ſhall vexe and torment them there. Many while in their proſperity, while the world ſmiles on them, they ſeeme to bee of brave and ſtout ſpirits; to bee ſure, they are ſcornefull, proud, and high enough; they are all for mirth and jollity, they are ſo afraid of ſadneſſe, as they baniſh all ſeriouſneſſe: But when affliction comes upon theſe, when God toucheth them with ſicknes, what poor ſpirited men p. 39are they then? how doe their hearts ſinke like lead? how diſconſolate? how dejected are they then? none more.

Manaſſeh was of a bold preſumptuous ſpirit, and exceeding ſcornfull in time of his proſperity; he went on with a high hand againſt God, as if he meant to conteſt with heaven it ſelfe: but marke in the 2 Chron. 33. 11. when he was brought into trouble, what a poore, baſe ſpirit he had: he runnes amongſt the thornes, he hides himſelfe in the buſhes, and from thence he is taken, and bound in Fetters. As it was ſaid of Alexander, it was nothing for him to carry himſelfe bravely, becauſe he alwayes conquered; but for Caeſar to behave himſelfe wiſely, and to uphold his ſpirit when he was conquered, and others fainted; this was an high praiſe unto him. You talke of merry hearts and joyfull ſpirits, but can you be joyfull in affliction? will your ſpirits hold out in tribulation? Can you rejoyce in the greateſt troubles? p. 40Will your comforts hold out in ſore and grievous diſtreſſes? this were a ſigne of ſtrength of ſpirit indeed. The ſpirit of a man can ſuſtaine his infirmity, ſaith Salomon. This is the ſtrength of a mans ſpirit, to be able to carry it ſelfe bravely, undauntedly in the middeſt of greateſt afflictions; your ſpirits can beare nothing, they are childiſh, poore weake ſpirits, not to be accounted the ſpirits of men. Lactantius boaſts of the braveneſſe Noſtri (ut de viris taccam) pueri & mulierculie tortores ſuos taciti vincunt, & expromere illis gemitum nec ignis poteſt, Lib. 5. cap. 13.of the ſpirits of the Martyrs in his time, in this reſpect; Our children and women (not to ſpeake of men) doe in ſilence overcome their tormentors and the fire cannot fetch ſo much as a ſigh from them.

Fiftly, they are generous ſpirits: as,5

1 They are not mercenary, they 1will not indent with God for what they doe; ſo much as they may get by their ſervice, ſo much ſervice, and no more: No, they goe on in their worke, and leave themſelves to God: let the benefit of that they doe, be what it will, they loſe not their end p. 41if they be imployed for God; men doe very ill for themſelves, in indenting with God for any ſervice; for their ſtrait ſpirits cannot imagine, or deſire that latitude of good, that the infinite bounty of God would give, if they left themſelves wholly to it.

Seneca reproves the opinion of ſuch, who ſaid a man ſhould chooſe a friend that he might have one, who might relieve him in his want, who might viſit him in his ſickneſſe, &c. No, ſaith he, this is mercenary; but I will chooſe a friend, that I may have one, to ſhew love unto, to viſit if hee bee ſick, to help if hee bee in want: So for men to chooſe a God unto themſelves, that they may be helped out of troubles, that they may have their eſtates bleſſed, that they may get ſuch and ſuch things by, to make this the higheſt end is mercenary, and too low for a true, gracious, generous ſpirit; but to chooſe a God, to be my God, that I may honour, love, fear, worſhip him for ever, this is true Chriſtian generouſneſſe.

p. 422 A true generous ſpirit, cannot endure baſely to ſubject it ſelfe to any; that is, to flatter, and fawne, and to be ſerviceable to mens luſts, and baſe humours for advantage ſake. It knowes how to lie under the feet of any to doe them good, where God may have honour: but to be ſerviceable to any mans luſts whatſoever, it cannot endure: As we reade of Dionyſius his flatterers, who were ſo groſſe in their flatteries, that when he did ſpit, they licked up his ſpittle, and ſaid, it was ſweeter than Nectar and Ambroſia. It is reported likewiſe of Cambyſes, who falling in Purcas Pilg. pag. 354.love with his ſiſter, he asked the Iudges whether it were lawfull for him to marry her? they anſwered, That they had no ſuch law, but they had another, that the King might do whatſoever liked him; whereupon he married her. Such baſe-ſpiritedneſſe, cannot ſtand with Chriſtian generouſneſſe.

3 A true generous ſpirit is not ready to take advantages againſt p. 43thoſe that are under it; Men of theſe ſpirits, love to pity and relieve thoſe whom they have at advantage, as Eliſha, 2 King. 6. 22. when hee had the Syrians in the midſt of Samaria, and the king of Iſrael askt him, Shall Quo quiſque est major, magis eſt placabilis …rae, Et ſaciles molus mens generoſa capit. Corpora magnanimo ſatis eſt prostraſſe …oni, Pugna ſuum finem, cum jacet hostis, habet: At lupus et triſtes inſtant morientibus ur ſi, …t quaecunqu… minor nobilitate f…r…I ſmite them? ſhall I ſmite them? He anſwered, Thou ſhalt not ſmite them; ſet bread and water before them that they may eate, and drink, and goe to their Maſter: and he prepared great proviſion for them, and when they had eaten and drunk, he ſent them away. As is reported of the Lyon, it ſpares thoſe things that fall down and ſubmit to it; but the Wolfe, Beare, Dog, rend and teare what they get hold of. To bee able to doe one hurt and not to doe it, that is truely noble. It is the glory of a King, yea of God himſelfe to paſſe by an offence. To ſhew mercy, ſaith S. Chryſoſtome, is a more Poſſe et nolle nobile. Chryſ. hom. ad pop. 36. & 51.glorious thing than to raiſe from the dead, and a greater worke than to build moſt magnificent Temples. Many baſe-ſpirited men, who will crouch low enough to thoſe who p. 44are above them, yet they are imperious, cruell, hard-hearted, rugged, fierce towards thoſe that are under them, & they thinke it the braveneſſe & greatnes of their ſpirits that they can inſult over them, and revenge themſelves upon them, but there is Nec judicandum eſt aliquid iram ad magnitudinem animi conferre. Non eſt illa magnitudo, tumor eſt. Senec. de ira. lib. 1. cap. 16.nothing great in theſe men but pride, and ſelfe love: this is the greateſt baſeneſſe of ſpirit that can be, and the more theſe men formerly did diſcover their baſeneſſe, in their ſordid crouchings unto others that were above them, the more doe they now diſcover the vileneſſe of their ſpirits, in their cruell inſultings over thoſe that are under them; And this they thinke a goodly and brave thing that they can trample upon others, whereas the kindneſſe of a man is the goodlineſſe, and beauty, and excellency of a mans ſpirit. That word in Eſay. 40. 6. that is tranſlated, The foreigngoodlineſſe of the flower, is the ſame word which ſignifies Kindneſſe. Wee reade Revel. 9. The Locuſts that came out of the ſmoaking pit, p. 45They had faces as the faces of men, and they had haire, as the haire of women; They had faire countenances, they could looke ſmiling, and flattering upon men, for their owne ends, but their teeth were the teeth of Lions, and they had tailes like Scorpions, to tear and ſting thoſe that they had at an advantage. An inſulting ſpirit over thoſe that we have at advantage, is farre from true generouſneſſe, howſoever men may bleſſe themſelves in it.

Rehoboam was a man of an exceeding imperious, inſulting diſpoſition; My little finger, ſaith he, ſhall be thicker than my fathers loynes; My father put a heavy yoke upon you, but I will put more to your yoke; my father chaſtiſed you with whips, but I will chaſtiſe you with Scorpions: O, what a ſpirit was here! Surely he, and thoſe who put him on, rejoyced in this as a brave commanding ſpirit indeed; But the holy Ghoſt ſaith of Rehoboam, that he was a poore, weak, childiſh-ſpirited man; yea, he calls p. 46him a child, though hee was above forty yeeres old, 2 Chron. 13. 7. hee was young, the word is a childe, and tender-hearted, that is, of a poore, ſoft, effeminate ſpirit. True generouſneſſe and cruelty are exceeding oppoſite, one deſtroys the other. When Davids ſpirit was diſtempered, when he had loſt much of his generouſneſſe, by that ſinne of uncleanneſſe, as appeares in the 51. Pſalme, where hee prayes to God for his free ſpirit, which word ſignifies, a royall Princely ſpirit, as you heard before, much of the royall princelineſſe of his ſpirit, was loſt by that ſinne, and David was never ſo rigid as hee was at this time, which appeares out of the 2 Sam. 12. 30, 31. where he commanded the people whom hee had overcome, to bee brought forth, and put them under ſawes; and under harrowes of iron, and made them paſſe thorow the brick-kilne, and thus did he unto all the Cities of the children of Ammon. This was exceeding harſh and rigid; wee never p. 47reade of him, that ever he dealt thus with any before; now this is obſervable, that this act of his, was at that time, wherein he lay in his ſinne: for Ioab had beſieged that City before David ſaw Bathſheba, and it was at that ſiege, that Vriah was ſlaine: And although this fact be related after Nathans comming to him, and after Solomons birth, yet it is probable it was before, even while hee lay in his ſinne, for two reaſons;

1. Becauſe it is not probable that the ſiege continued; not onelyonly till the child conceived in adultery was borne, but after the birth of Solomon too, as it here ſtands in the ſtory.

2. Neither is it like, that David newly receiving ſuch mercy from God, as he did in the pardon of his ſinne, and when his heart was ſo broken as it was, that hee ſhould then ſhew ſuch rigid ſeverity, onelyonly for the abuſe of his Meſſengers. The reaſon why this is ſet after, is, becauſe in the time of the ſiege David committed the adultery; and ſo the whole p. 48ſtory concerning David and Bathſheba is firſt related, and then he comes to the ſtory of the warre againe.

4. A generous ſpirit is ſtudious, and diligent to returne good, as well as deſirous to receive good, as David, Pſal. 116. 12. What ſhall I render unto the Lord? ſaith he: he ſpeaks, as a man preſſed in his ſpirit, troubled untill he did returne ſomething; he accounts favours received, as great obligations, as any debts in the world. It is infinite baſeneſſe in ſpirit to be ſo for ones ſelfe, as if ones owne turne be ſerved, then neither God nor man is regarded. How many men will crouch, and yeeld to any thing, till they have got their owne turnes ſerved; but then they grow proud, and regardleſſe of thoſe, yea, oftentimes ſpightfull againſt thoſe, to whom (when time was) they crouched for favours, and from whom they received many, by which they are come to that which now they are. A notable example of this, we have in Benhaded, 1 King. 20. 32. p. 49compared with Chap. 22. 31. In the former place, he cauſed his ſervants to gird themſelves with ſackcloth on their loynes, and put ropes on their heads, and to come to the King of Iſrael and ſay, Thy ſervant▪ Benhadad ſaith, I pray thee let me live, and hee was content to yeeld to any termes, when the King of Iſrael had him at advantage, as verſe 34. The Cities which my father tooke from thy father, I will reſtore, and thou ſhalt make ſtreets for thee in Damaſcus: but after that he was got out of his hands; Ahab was faine to go to war with him to get thoſe Cities, Cap. 22. 3. And obſerve the baſeneſſe of the ſpirit of Benhadad, hee, who before had ſo crouched to Ahab for his life, hee now commands his Captaines, to fight neither with ſmall nor great, ſave only with the King of Iſrael: ſee with what malice he ſeekes the life of him, who before had ſaved his.

5 A generous ſpirit loves to be 5abundant in ſervice; it is not ſatisfied p. 50in doing mean and ordinary things, as before they were ſublime in that receiving of ordinary things from God would not ſatisfie them, but they muſt have great things from him; ſo now it is their generouſneſſe, that they will not be quieted in doing ordinary things for God, but they muſt doe great things for him: they prize their ſervice as well as their wages, as Ioh. 17. 4. Chriſt ſaith He hath finiſhed the work that his Father gave him to doe; he accounts his worke a gift. Thus thoſe who have the Spirit of Chriſt, account their ſervices to be gifts from God: to live unſerviceable they would account to be the greateſt burden in the world to them; they had rather have leſſe comforts and more ſervice, than Quid prodeſt eſſe, quod eſſe non predeſt? Tertul. de …di….more comforts and leſſe ſervice; they had rather be ſtraitned in comforts than in duties. To what purpoſe doe we live, if we be of no uſe? It is the baſeneſſe of mens ſpirits (which a truly godly man abhorres) who deſire to receive great p. 51things, but are content in doing little; they put off God with ordinary, flight ſervices; but the ſpirits of the Saints are more generous than ſo, if it were poſſible they would bee infinite in ſervice to God, they never thinke they have done enough for him: I will yet praiſe thee more and more, ſaith David, Pſal. 71. 14. I will adde to thy praiſe, ſo the words are in the Originall; as if he ſhould ſay, God hath had ſome praiſe in the world already, I would faine adde ſomething for my part, I would come in withmy ſhare, that he might have ſome more praiſe for mee, and this not an ordinary praiſe, but endeavoures to have the high praiſes of God in heart and mouth, Pſal. 149. 6. deſires to make the praiſe of God glorious, Pſal. 66. 2. he would faine be eminent in good workes, Tit. 3. 14. Let ours alſo learne to maintaine good foreign.workes, the words are, let them learn to be eminent in good works above others; there is a holy ambition in them; to get above others in godlines; p. 52this is, indeed, to walk circumſpectly, that the Apoſtle exhorts to in the 5. Eph. 15. the word there tranſlated foreign.Circūſpectly, ſignifies To get up to the top of godlines, to perfect holineſſe in the fear of God, & therefore he ſets the higheſt pitch of the rule before him, would not have the rule come down to him, but indeavours to get up to the rule, ſets before him the higheſt examples he can; he is not willing to offer that to God which coſt him nothing, but if any thing more choice, more excellent, better then others, it ſhall be for God; he loves to bee abundant in duty, hee would not ſcant God, to give onelyonly that which he muſt of neceſſity, but loves to bee fruitfull in all good works. The reaſonings of many mens ſpirits, ſhewes much baſeneſſe in them; Why are wee bound to doe this? is it abſolutely neceſſary? cannot a man bee ſaved except hee doe thus? may not ſuch a thing be lawfully done? If thou hadſt a raiſed, generous ſpirit for God, it were enough p. 53to thee, that ſuch a thing is good, is commendable, it may bee, ſerviceable; Veſtrum eſt, … ſolum attend…re quid praecipiat Deus, ſed quid velit, quae ſit vulu… Dei bona, bene placens, & perſ…cta. B…. de vita ſolitaria ad fratres de mont… Dei, p. 1020.God may have glory by it, I may do good by it; and ſuch a thing hath no excellency in it, God ſhall have no glory by it: This were enough to cauſe the ſoul greedily and delightfully to embrace the one, and freely and ſtrongly to reject the other.

A generous ſpirit ſtrives to be abundant in doing good, and leaves it ſelfe with God, let God doe with him what ſeemes good in his eyes; it doth not maintain jealous, ſuſpicious thoughts of God, as if it were beſt to provide for it ſelfe, and not dare to venture upon God: Baſe unworthy ſpirits diſcover themſelves much in this; they will part with nothing, but firſt will ſee what they ſhall have; they muſt have preſent pay, bee ſure of it in the hand; they are jealous and ſuspicious of every one, they are conſcious to themſelves of baſeneſſe this way, and therefore look upon all others, as if there were p. 54onelyonly for themſelves too: but a generous ſpirit findes in it ſelfe a diſpoſition ready to doe good to others, though they can doe little for him; yet if they need, and he able, he finds hee can freely, and readily doe it; and this makes him to venture upon others, that they will likewiſe out of freedome and generouſneſſe, bee helpfull to him, if occaſion, if need ſerve, though they ſhould not receive recompence from him: and therefore he is not ready to entertaine jealous & ſuſpicious thoughts, as other baſer ſpirits doe. Thus in reſpect of God, hee knowes God is infinitely good, and bleſſed in himſelfe; and that he out of his own infinite goodneſſe is ready to doe good, and helpe thoſe in want, who are able to doe little againe in way of requitall; but that he for his Names ſake, ſhewes mercy and loving-kindneſſe to his poore creatures, becauſe Mercy pleaſes him; and therfore he can venture himſelfe upon God.

Baſe ſpirits, as they are very jealous p. 55in regard of truſt, ſo they are very ſuſpicious of love; and thinke, becauſe themſelves are conſcious to themſelves of unworthineſſe, and that they themſelves love onelyonly for their own ends, therefore they think they cannot be truly beloved of others, but ſo farre as they are uſefull to them. But one of a generous ſpirit knowes in himſelfe, that he can love others, not onelyonly becauſe he receives good from them, but that he may do good to them; and therfore ſees this to be infinitely more in God, and therefore can relie upon Gods love in ſenſe of his owne unworthineſſe. Though the Lord can receive no good from me, yet he can doe good unto me; and this I beleeve is the glorious excellency of the Lord, and therefore my ſpirit ſhall not give way to ſuſpicious thoughts of his love: As David, 2 Sam. 23. 5. Although (ſayes he) my houſe bee not ſo with God, yet he hath made with me an everlaſting Covenant ordered in all things, and ſure: for this is all my ſalvation, p. 56and all my deſire, although hee maketh not to grow. And this is obſervable, that it is ſaid of him in Verſ. 1. that when he ſpake this, hee was a man who was raiſed up on high. It is true even in this ſenſe, that that expreſſion of his in Verſe 5. was an argument of a man whoſe ſpirit was truely raiſed on high; and the rather doth a generous ſpirit abandon baſe, jealous, ſuſpicious thoughts of Gods faithfulneſſe and his love, becauſe it knowes in it ſelf that it hath not ſuch a vile diſpoſition, as to abuſe this gracious & bleſſed nature that it apprehends of God, ſo as to bee the more ſecure and looſe; to give liberty to it ſelfe in any evill, becauſe of this: Oh no, God forbid; this, farre from a true generous ſpirit; this, the ſpirit of baſeneſſe; this, a ſordid diſpoſition indeed, that it loathes, it abhorres the thought of it; it findes in it ſelfe, that the ſight of this grace of God, this bleſſed nature of God drawes it moſt ſweetly to him, to cloſe with him, to delight in him: it p. 57is the ſtrongeſt Motive to draw it up to holineſſe; yea, To perfect holineſſe in the fear of God, 2 Cor. 7. 1. And therefore it caſts out jealous & ſuſpicious thoughts of the goodneſſe, and love of the bleſſed God, as fruits of baſeneſſe of ſpirit.

Sixthly, though ſublime & raiſed 6 As Nazianzen ſaid of Athanaſius, he was, foreign He was high in worth, and humble in heart.as before, yet withal it is an humble, broken, and contrite ſpirit, one who is poor in ſpirit; this, a bleſſed cōjunction indeed; though it thinks it ſelf too good for any luſt, yet not too good to be ſubject to the leaſt Commandemēt; though will not be under the power of any creature, yet will lie flat and trembling under the leaſt word of the Lord, Eſa. 66. 2. Though not ſatisfied with meane things, yet accounts it ſelf leſſe than the leaſt of all Gods Mercies. How ſublime was Pauls ſpirit, when hee accounted all things dung, yet himſelfe could bee contented to bee accounted an off-ſcouring for Chriſt? the ſublimity of his ſpirit was not a greater glory to him in the one, than the humility of p. 58it was in the other. Though a godly man minds high things above others, yet can be well contented to be uſed in the meaneſt ſervices for the good of others; though he be raiſed above the world, yet judges himſelfe leſſe than the leaſt of the Saints: Though he aimes at the higheſt pitch of godlineſſe, yet bleſſe God for, and makes much of the leaſt breathings of his Spirit; and ſuch a heart is pretious indeed in Gods eies: this, O Lord, thou canſt not deſpiſe, Pſa. 51. 17. ſo the words are. God can deſpiſe Kings and Emperours, God can deſpiſe the glory and luſtre of the world; but a humble broken ſpirit, the Lord cannot deſpiſe. There is no object that God accounts worth the looking at in the world, but ſuch a one: Eſa. 66. 2. To him will I looke, ſayes God. The higheſt heavens, and the loweſt heart, are the two places of Gods moſt glorious reſidence.

Seventhly, it is a publike ſpirit, enlarged for publike good; not a narrow, 7baſe, ſtraightned ſpirit. Godlineſſe p. 59doth mightily enlarge the heart of a man: The Lord perſwade Iaphet to dwell in the Tents of Shem; the words ſignifie, The Lord enlarge the heart of Iaphet. When a man is converted, his heart is enlarged; and it muſt needs bee ſo, for now the ſpirit makes after the enjoyment of God, an infinite univerſall good: now it opens it ſelfe to receive and imbrace a God, in whom it expects all good; before it followed after ſome poore drops of good in the creature; but now findes all is to bee enjoyed in God himſelfe; and being thus enlarged to receive an univerſal good, it deſires to enlarge it ſelfe, as much as it can, to be an univerſall good, but that is proper to God: yet a publike good it may be, and therefore ſpreads it ſelfe as farre as it can. Now it loves good as good, not upon particular private grounds; and therefore the more good, the more beloved. It mindes good, as in reference to God; and therefore where God may bee moſt honoured, there p. 60the heart moſt ſollicitous, moſt induſtrious: it is willing therefore to empty it ſelf of it's private good, that the publike may bee furthered. If Nature will venture it's own particular good, for the generall, (as heavy things will aſcend contrary to their natures, to keep out vacuity, and ſo to preſerve the Univerſe) much more then will Grace. Every godly man, one way or other, according to the abilities he hath, is a publike bleſſing to the place where hee lives. The Saints of God are compared to a cloud, Heb. 12. 1. the compariſion is true in this reſpect; a Cloud waters the earth as a common bleſſing, ſo are they; not as water-pots, that water but a few ſpots of ground in a garden. And this publikeneſſe of ſpirit is then right, and truely gracious;

Firſt, when it is content to doe publike good, where it ſelfe ſhall be taken little notice of; as, many times the Engine that doth all in great workes, is (inward, hidden) not taken notice of.

p. 61Secondly, when he can bee glad, that any publike good worke goes on, and proſpers, though others bee uſed in it, and not himſelfe, to the eclipſing of his light.

Thirdly, when he is willing to be uſed in any ſervice, though but to prepare worke for others, which they, not hee, ſhall have the glory of after he is gone. As Luther, writing to Melancthon, encouraging him againſt the ſtrong oppoſition that they met with in the cauſe of God; Potens eſt Deus cauſam ſuam labentem ſervare, lapſam erigere; ſi nos digni non erimus, fiat per alios. Melchior Adam. in vit. Luth. 8God (ſayes hee) is able to preſerve his owne cauſe falling, and to raiſe it fallen; if we be not worthy, let it be done by others. Such a publike ſpirit as this is, is an excellent ſpirit indeed.

Eighthly, it is a ſanctified ſpirit: 1 Theſſ. 4. 8, He hath made us partakers of his holy ſpirit: Chap. 5, 23. I pray God ſanctiſie you throughout, your whole ſpirit and ſoule. Sanctified, that is,

1 Not ſuch a mixt ſpirit, as the 1common ſpirit of the world, hath not that mixture of filth and droſſe in it, p. 62but is pure; purity conſiſts in freedome from mixture with that which is of a baſer nature, if mixt with that which is of a ſuperiour nature, that doth not make the thing impure; as when ſilver is mixed with gold, but when it is mixed with lead or droſſe. The ſpirits of the godly are mixed with grace, but that makes them more excellent and pure; ſuch mixture of ſpirituall excellency that is above the excellency of the ſoule, their ſpirits cloſe with: but if there come any mixture with that which is baſe, beneath the excellency of the ſpirit, this defiles, and this their ſpirits cannot cloſe with, but are ſenſible of the evill of it, and never leave working till they have purged it out from them.

2 Sanctified, that is, God hath 2ſet them apart for himſelfe; as Pſal. 4. 3. Know that the Lord hath ſet apart him that is godly for himſelfe, and they have devoted, dedicated, and conſecrated themſelves, to and for God; they are ſpirits reſigned, given up to the Lord.

p. 633 All the parts, abilities, common gifts of this Spirit are ſanctified, 3a higher excellency is put upon thē than they have in the ſpirits of other men; weake, naturall parts in theſe, are more excellent than the ſtrongeſt not ſanctiſied: As the conſecration of Wood, and Leather, and meane things, put greater excellency upon them, than Gold and Silver had, that were not ſo conſecrated; yet the larger the naturall parts are of a ſanctified ſpirit, the more excellent it is.

4 It is able to make a ſanctified uſe of what it meddles withall, of 4what it hath to deale in; of all the workes and wayes of God, it makes all to be holy to the Lord.

Ninthly, It is a true heroicall ſpirit; none have ſuch brave heroicall ſpirits as Gods ſervants have; it is not diſcouraged by difficulties, it wil ſet upon things a ſluggiſh ſpirit thinks impoſſible; it will goe through that w^ch ſuch a one thinks can never be; it breaks through armies of difficulties, that it might goe on in its way, p. 64and accompliſh its worke, not diſcouraged as the ſluggiſh ſpirit, who cries out, there is a Lyon in the way. Non quia dura, ſed quia molles patimur.It is not the difficulty of the worke, but the baſeneſſe of our ſpirits, that ordinarily hinders us in our way; ſome difficulties that others count great hinderances, it ſlights and contemns; Nil magnum in rebus human is niſi animus magna deſpiciens: ſ… magnanimus ſueris nunquam juditabis tibi contumel am ſieri. Sen de quatuor virtue.as reproach and ſcorne in the wayes of God; it can contemn contemners, and vilifie thoſe who account the wayes of God as vile; this, the true ſpirit of Ieſus Chriſt, of whom it is ſaid, Hebr. 12. 2. He endured the Croſſe, and deſpiſed the ſhame, the ſhame whereby others deſpiſed him, was deſpiſed of him, not accounting it a thing worthy for his ſpirit to be troubled at; no more is a true godly ſpirit hindered in his way by this, than one riding on with ſtrength in his journey, hindred by the barking of whappets at his horſe heeles, hee rides on and minds them not; and as for railings, and revilings at the wayes of God, by which many are diſcouraged, the ſpirit of a p. 65godly man can ſhake them off, as St. Paul the Viper that hung upon his hand, and feele no hurt; it beares off many hardſhips, that are like to bee very grievous to fleſh and bloud, that it is like to meet with, which diſcourages the hearts of many, both from beginning to enter upon Gods ways, and from continuance in them after ſome entrance made; as the other Spies that were ſent with Caleb and Ioſhua, their hearts fainted, they tell of great difficulties are like to bee met with; The land indeed is good, but there are children of Anak there, and walls that reach up to Heaven; but this was the brave heroicall ſpirit of Caleb and Ioſhua, their ſpirits were undaunted, they would goe up and poſſeſſe the Land, let what ever could bee ſtand in their way. Thus many have convictiōs of conſcience that the wayes of God indeed are good, but the great hardſhips that they are like to ſuffer in thoſe ways, keep them off; But a true godly ſpirit, is willing to embrace Religion, p. 66with all the hard terms annex'd unto it; it is a poore, meane ſpirit that muſt indent with God a forehand: If I were ſure to hold out, to have at laſt that which I deſire, then I would venture upon the wayes of godlines; but I am afraid it will never be: and ſo ſinks, and hath no mind to ſet upon the work. But this ſpirit will ſet upon the worke with all the hazards, as Eſter, If I periſh, I periſh; this was a brave ſpirit indeed. If ſhe had had ſuch a baſe cowardly ſpirit as many, to think, Alas what good ſhall I do? I may hazard my ſelfe, and bring my ſelfe into trouble, but no likelihood of any good will come of it: ſhe is content to venture all, upon a meere poſſibility of good; To breake thorow armies of difficulties, as Davids Worthies ſhewed the excellency of their ſpirits, in breaking thorow an Hoſte to gratifie their Lord. If the Worthies of God in former times, had ſtood upon every difficulty, what had been done in Gods cauſe? No, this ſpirit ſets upon that which p. 67God cals it to, doth what it can, and leaves it ſelf, and the iſſue of its work to God, as Ioab 2 Sam. 10. 12. Let us play the men for our people, and for the Cities of our God, and the Lord do that which ſeemeth him good: It was a brave ſpeech of him, that ſhewed an excellent brave ſpirit in him.

A poor low ſpirit, thinks every difficulty an impoſſibility; but this ſpirit will not eaſily entertain thoughts of impoſſibility in ſervices that are noble and worthy of choice ſpirits; it will rather thinke with it ſelfe; Was there never any ſuch thing done before? or was there never any thing that had as much difficulty as this in it? that was as unlikely as this, to come to a good iſſue and yet was at laſt accompliſhed? why may not this then be done? and ſo ſets about it, without any more objectings againſt it, with this reſolution; Quic quid ſieri potuit, poteſt; That which hath been done, may be done. Such a ſpirit as this is aſhamed to ſee and heare, & reade what great things p. 68have beene done by others, and what poor things it hath all this while been imployed in. Suetonius reports of Iulius Caeſar, that ſeeing Alexanders Statue, he fetched a deepe ſigh, becauſe he at that age had done ſo little. Yea, ſo farre is a true heroicall ſpirit from being diſcouraged by difficulties, as its raiſed by difficulties; thus its ſaid of a true godly man, that hee ſtirres up himſelfe againſt the hypocrite, that hee holdes on his way, and growes ſtronger and ſtronger, Iob 17. 8, 9. When a difficulty, when any oppoſition, or danger comes in Gods wayes, now it ſees an opportunity offered of ſhewing ſo much the more love to Ieſus Chriſt, ſo much the more ſincerity, and power of grace, to bring ſo much the more honour to God and his cauſe, and in this it rejoyces; this was the reaſon why the Apoſtles and Martyrs, rejoyced ſo much in their ſufferings for Chriſt.

When Ignatius felt his fleſh and bones begin to bee ground betwixt the teeth of wilde beaſts, now ſayes p. 69he, I begin to be a Chriſtian. When Alexander ſaw an apparant great danger neare him, his ſpirit workes I am periculum par animo Alexandri.on this manner; Now ſayes he, here's a danger fit for the minde of Alexander to encounter withall. When David at firſt heard of being the Kings ſonne in law, he was troubled at it. 1 Sam. 18. 22. But when he knew, what a difficult and hazardable ſervice hee was to undertake for it, then ſaies the Text in the 26, Verſe It pleaſed David well to be the Kings ſonne in law: that which would have diſcouraged others, who would gladly have had the preferment, that raiſed the ſpirit of David, and made him like the offer the better; and ſurely this was not an ordinary, common ſpirit; it was the true magnanimity of the ſpirit of David.

Tenthly, A ſolid, ſerious ſpirit; 10other ſpirits are ſleight, empty, vaine, frothy, raſh ſpirits, which are exceeding great evils in the ſpirits of men; ſleightneſſe of ſpirit, makes men almoſt uncapable of any good; what p. 70ever judge ment the Lord laies upon mee in this world, yet the Lord deliver me from a vain, ſleight, frothy ſpirit: how doe the bleſſed glorious truths of God, which are of infinite conſequence, paſſe by ſuch, and are never minded; nothing ſticks by them, nothing abides with them that may be uſefull for their everlaſting good: but this ſpirit is put into a ſerious, ſolid frame; it examines the ground of actions, compares one thing with another, looks much at the iſſue of things; & this muſt needs bee, becauſe the feare of the great God, and the feare of eternity is fallen upon it, Eſay 11. 2. Theſe are joyned together, the ſpirit of knowledge, wiſedome, the ſpirit of counſell and the fear of the Lord; it converſes ſo much with ſerious things of high and infinite conſequence, that it muſt needs be put in a ſerious frame.

Eleventhy, It is an active, lively 11ſpirit, ſerious but not ſullen, not heavy, dull; ſolid but not ſtupid, 1 Pet. p. 712. 5. The godly are called lively ſtones; ſtones, becauſe of their ſolidneſſe; lively, becauſe of their activeneſſe; God is himſelfe a pure act, and theſe ſpirits have ſome likeneſſe to him, and neareneſſe with him; the higher things are, the more active; water more than earth, aire more than water, fire more than all; theſe ſpirits are raiſed to the higheſt excellencies of any creature in this world. They are of quick underſtanding, as Eſay 11. 3. And ready prepared to every good work, as 2 Tim. 2. 21. The moſt noble, excellent activeneſſe is from life, and the more noble & excellent the life, the more noble and excellent activeneſſe; as ſenſe more than the plants, and the rationall life more than the ſenſe, and grace more than that, and glory more than all; the more ſpirituall, the more active; the more power the forme hath over the matter, the more active the thing is; and the more the forme is ſunk, as it were into the matter, there the leſſe activeneſſe, as in the earth, and all p. 72heavy bodies; now where life is, there the forme hath moſt power, and the higher the life, the greater the power; Godly ſpirits therefore are not melancholy, for melancholy makes dul, but they are active and lively, though they may bee heavy and ſad, if put to ſome imployment not ſutable to their ſpirits; but put them upon ſpirituall imployments, and then you ſhall find them lively and active; when they have to deale with God, when drawing neare unto him in ſpirituall exerciſes, then they are full of life, they are fervent in ſpirit, ſerving the Lord, as Rom. 12. 11. Boyling in ſpirit, (ſo the word ſignifies) when ſerving the Lord. The effectuall fervent prayer of the righteous availes much, ſaith S. Iames 5. Chapter 16. verſe; The working prayer, ſo the word ſignifies, and ſuch a working, … ….that notes the moſt livelieſt activity that can bee. Birds, whoſe motion is on high, fly ſwiftly when they are got up, but ſlutter when they are below; ſo the ſpirits of the godly, p. 73when they are got up on high to God, in ſpirituall exerciſes, then they move lively: but when they are buſied in inferiour things, they are oft-times dull and heavy.

Twelfthly, the ſpirits of the godly 12are faithfull ſpirits, faithfull to God and men, ſuch as will certainly ſtick to, and will bee true to their principles; you may know where to finde them, if you know their principles, which are ſound & good, as before. The righteous is as an everlaſting foundation, Prov. 10. 25. you may build upon him; there is an evenneſſe in all his wayes, a conſtancy, an univerſality of truth and faithfulneſſe; for it proceeds from the holineſſe of their ſpirits; as the faithfulneſſe of God proceeds from his holineſſe: and therfore thoſe mercies that are called the ſure mercies of David, Eſay 55. 3. they are called the foreign.holy ſure things of David, Acts 13. 34. Gods holineſſe makes them ſure, being once promiſed.

There may bee a particular faithfulneſſe p. 74in ſome things, betweene man and man, where but ſome common gifts, and the ſpirit not this choice ſpirit, but that faithfulneſſe comes not from a holy frame; and therefore there is not an univerſality in it.

Theſe are the ſpeciall qualifications of this other ſpirit, theſe are the bright gliſtering Pearles, with which a godly ſoule, the Kings daughter, the Spouſe of Ieſus Chriſt, is beautifull within, and enlightned, free, royall, ſublime, humble, ſanctified, publike, heroicall, ſerious, active, faithfull ſpirit; this is another ſpirit indeed, not the common ordinary ſpirit.

Sixtly, another ſpirit, it feeds upon 6other comforts, differing from thoſe that common ſpirits feed upon: Every life draws to it things ſutable to the nature of it, and findes ſome kinde of content and comfort in the enjoyment of ſuch things. We account life no life, except it hath the fillings of it, with things ſutable, p. 75from whence it may have comfort, according to the variety of ſeverall principles, whereby every creature that hath life, lives; ſuch is the variety of comforts in the world: So the life of this ſpirit muſt have comforts ſutable to it, and becauſe it differs from the life of other ſpirits, therefore the comforts of it are different, it lives upon other comforts. The life of a Dog is maintained by carrion, of a Swine by ſwill, of a Toade by poyſon; but what doth a man care for theſe? though Carrion lie in the ditch, though Swill bee in the kennell, though poyſon caſt upon the dunghill, he cares not for them; for his life is maintained by, and hee feeds upon other comforts. Thus though the men of the world living by ſenſe and luſt, have no other comforts to feed upon, but ſuch as are ſutable to them; but the godly having a life that hath higher and more noble principles, they feed upon higher and more noble comforts.

While Nebuchadnezzar lived the p. 76life of a beaſt, hee fed on graſſe; but after, when he was reſtored to his Kingdome, and began to live the life of a King, he had other comforts to feed upon, and delight himſelfe in. The joy of the ſpirits of the godly are like the light of the Sunne, fed by heavenly influence; but the joyes of other men, are as the light of a Candle, fed by baſe and ſtinking matter: for ſo Solomon, makes the compariſon, Prov. 4. 18. The righteous is as the Sunne, that ſhines more and more unto the perfect day; and the joyes of the wicked he compares to a Candle, Prov. 24. 20. The Candle of the wicked ſhall be put out. The men of the world have ſeduced ſpirits, they ſeed upon aſhes, Eſa. 44. 20. The curſe of the Serpent is upon them, upon their bellies they goe, duſt they eate, while they feed upon their Swill and Huskes: the ſpirits of the Saints finde bread in their fathers houſe; their comforts are inward: A good man is ſatisfied from himſelfe, Prov. 13. 14. hee hath a ſpring within in his p. 77own breſt, he need not ſhark abroad: Godlineſſe with contentment is great gaine, ſaith the Apoſtle, 1 Tim. 6. 6. foreignGodlineſſe with ſelfe-ſufficiency, ſo the word ſignifies.

When Oecolampadius lay ſick, his friends askt him, whether the light Oecolampadius.did not offend him? hee clapt his hand on his breſt, and ſaid, Hic ſat lucis, Here is light enough; this is ſoirituall comfort, that which ariſes from a right frame of ſpirit. Hence the word in Saint Iames chap. 5. 13, tranſlated merry, is foreign, the rectitude of the minde; noting that all true mirth muſt come from the right frame of the minde. As for other mirth, I have ſaid of laughter, it is mad, and of mirth, What doſt thou? As when the humours of the body are all in a right temper, there is a ſweet ſenſitive delight in the body; much more in the ſpirit, when the faculties and the frame of it are in a right temper. Spirituall comforts are ſuch as are above the ſoule, and therefore put an excellency upon p. 78it; the comforts that are in things beneath the faculty, cannot but bee meane, and doe debaſe it. How much beneath the excellency of the ſpirit of a man, is the fleſh of beaſts, the juyce of the Grape, or any vaine ſports, or whatſoever may give content to the ſenſitive part? but there are comforts that are above the ſoule, ſpirituall, heavenly, divine things, and theſe this ſpirit feeds upon; they are comforts that the ſpirit rejoyces in before the Lord: That a ſweet and bleſſed joy indeed, that is enjoyed before the Lord; and when the Lord moſt preſent, moſt enjoyed. Other vaine ſenſuall ſpirits have joy, but not before the Lord; the apprehenſion of the preſence of the Lord damps all: and therefore they deſire not to have mention made of the Name of the Lord, Amos 6. 10. So to rejoyce, as to be able to bleſſe God for our joy; ſo to rejoyce, as to make the preſence of God the chief matter of … joy indeed, this, …, for the ſpirit to p. 79feed upon ſuch comforts, is a choyce bleſſing indeed. They are ſpirituall comforts, for they are adminiſtred to the ſoule by a ſpeciall worke of the Holy Ghoſt: it is the office that the Holy Ghoſt is deſigned to, by the Father and the Sonne, to bee the Comforter, to bring in ſutable comforts to the ſpirits of his ſetvants; and ſurely the holy Ghoſt will not be failing in this worke of his, as the Father and the Sonne have been full and glorious in all their workes, ſo is the Holy Ghoſt in his; and therefore ſuch muſt be the comforts of the ſpirits of Gods ſervants, as muſt manifeſt a glorious worke of the Holy Ghoſt, in the diſcharge of that he is ſent to doe by the Father and the Sonne. No marvaile then though the Apoſtle called this joy, unſpeakeable and glorious. Conſider what a difference muſt there needes be betweene the comfort that a little meat and drinke, and vaine ſports afford, and the comforts of the Holy Ghoſt, which hee conveyes into the ſoules p. 80of the godly, by the appointment of the Father and the Sonne? Surely theſe muſt needs be ſoule-ſatisfying, ſoule-raviſhing conſolations: God is the God of all conſolation, & therefore here are all conſolations. There is ſurely infinite good & ſweetneſſe, treaſures of all excellency in God, and what are they all for, but to bee comforts for the ſpirits of his ſervants to rejoyce in? theſe are not for common ordinary ſpirits, they have meate the world knowes not of; a ſtranger ſhall not intermeddle in theſe joyes: men of ranke & quality, as they are in higher condition than others, ſo their comforts and delights are much different from the delights of ordinary people. As God hath raiſed the condition of his people higher than other men, ſo he hath raiſed their comforts; Childrens bread from the Lords owne table, is provided for them, while husks and ſwill ſerves worldly ſpirits. Their comforts ſuch, as are the delights of God himſelfe, & of Ieſus Chriſt; p. 81they partake with them in their joyes: and ſurely, ſuch joyes as they come and joyne with them in, muſt needs be ſweet and glorious indeed. I and my Father (ſayes Chriſt) will come and ſup with them, and they ſhall ſup with mee. They have dainties which their ſpirits feed upon, that are ſavoury even to the Father and the Lord Ieſus Chriſt. Surely, the world miſtakes, who thinks the life of godlineſſe not to be a comfortable life; as if the moſt excellent and higheſt life ſhould have the worſt and loweſt condition: ſurely, it is a groſſe miſtake, to think that the ſpirits of the Saints ſhould bee the moſt ſad and melancholy ſpirits: Gods Spirit witneſſes of them, that they are the children Spiritus Calvimanus est ſpiritus … cus.of the Light, yea, that they are light. If they be ſad, it is becauſe they meddle too much with things below; it is when their ſpirits are down; when they get up their ſpirits to heavenly things, then they can rejoyce and ſweetly delight themſelves; their hearts are inlarged, their ſoules are p. 82filled with joy. The Birds doe not uſe to ſing when they are on the ground, but when got up into the ayre, when on the top of trees, then they ſing ſweetly. If they be ſad and melancholy, it is becauſe they differ no more from the world than they doe, becauſe they retaine ſo much likeneſſe to your ſpirits, ſtil in them; were they freed altogether from the likeneſſe there remaines in them to your ſpirits, they would never be ſad more, but their ſpirits would be filled with everlaſting joy: For the preſent they joy in things ſutable to them, and ſutablenes is the thing that cauſes comfort in any creature. If the Swine could expreſſe it ſelf, it would tell you, that no ſuch comfort as in Swill and Dung, and wonders that any other creature can take comfort in any other thing like to this, becauſe this is the moſt ſutable to their natures: Thus worldly brutiſh ſpirits, becauſe theſe low vile things are ſo ſutable to them, they thinke there can bee no ſuch comfort in any other p. 83thing; theſe things they rejoyce in, for they know no better: but if their natures were changed, their greateſt comfort would be in the deſpiſing and vilifying ſuch comforts. S. Auguſtine before his converſion, Quàm ſuave iſtis ſuavitatibas carere.could not tell how hee ſhould want thoſe delights hee found ſo much contentment in; but after, when his nature was changed, when hee had another ſpirit put into him, then he ſayes, O how ſweet is it to bee without thoſe former ſweet delights! You thinke we have no comforts, or at leaſt not like yours; know, we can taſte naturall comforts as well as you, if the poyſon of ſinne bee not mixed with them; and God gives us leave to reioyce in them: God hath made theſe outward comforts for his ſetvants. Surely God hath not made the flowers for Spiders and Frogges, but rather for the Bee to ſuck honey out of them: wee can taſte another manner of ſweetneſſe in them, than you can; for we can taſte the love of God through them; p. 84we can taſte them as the comforts that flow from that God, in whom all comfort is; we can taſte them as fore-runners of eternall comforts. A Bee can ſucke her honey out of a flower, that a Flie cannot doe.

But beſides theſe, there are other conveyances of comforts, through which our ſpirits finde comforts to feed on; namely, the Ordinances, where the Lord lets out himſelf in a bleſſed ſweet manner, to the ſoules of his ſervants; and yet beſides, God communicates many comforts immediately, 2 Theſſ. 2. 16. Now our Lord Ieſus Chriſt himſelfe, and GOD even our Father, which hath loved us, and hath given us everlaſting conſolation. Doe you thinke we have no comforts? What, did Ieſus Chriſt come into the world, ſuffer ſo many ſorrowes and miſeries, die ſuch a painfull death, and all to bring us to a more ſorrowfull eſtate than we had before? Let us alone with our comforts, wee envy not yours. As Tertullian ſayes, in his Apologie againſt p. 85the Gentiles, Wherein doe we offend you? If we beleeve there are other pleaſures, Cap. 2. Quo vos oſſendimus▪ ſi alias praeſumimus voluptates, ſi oblectari nolumus noſtra injuria e… reprobamus quae placent vobis, nec vosnestra a delectant.if wee will not delight in our ſelves, it is our own wrong; wee reject thoſe things that pleaſe you, and you are not delighted with ours.