A Fathers Testament, Chapter 12
CAP. XII.
When our hearts are set upon our voyage, we shall meet with opposition, many rocks, and Sirens in our passage.
BUT in this way to our happiness we shall meet with much opposition, we cannot steal such a Nuptial: if we will needs be walking in this way of life, he that hath the power of death will beat us with many storms, assault us with many encounters, before we can land in the arms of Christ, and be bedded in his bosome.
That great enemy of man (Satan) swells with spite, and envy, to see us presented with such an offer, and ready to embrace it; and therefore (in his inveterate malice) will not cease to cross us (as he can) in this blessed match, and high advancement. It bursts his gall to see us contracted unto the Lord Iesus, us (poor worms, his captives… pluckt out of his chains, and instantly draw… into a covenant of marriage with the Go… of Heaven! to be admitted to such an union, and fellowship, instated in such a Jointure, of divine glory, and eternal happiness, which he hath utterly lost! Oh how can it but grate his heart, and be another hell unto him, who is so stuffed with malicious envy, and envious malice against the Lord Iesus, and his Spouse?
But as it is with those Locusts (his venemous armie) so is it with their Captain, (Rev. 9.19.) His power is in his mouth, and in his tail. He is a Serpent, more subtil than strong, or strong only by subtilty. His lying tongue, and …inful stinging tail is his mighty and (almost) only weapon. Therefore in your passage to your Heavenly Spouse he sets many crafty Bauds, and painted Harlots to lay wait for you at every corner, (Prov. 7.12.) we have great need then to stand upon our watch, and to set a strong and faithful guard at our gates (our eyes, ears, &c.) lest as he beguiled Eve with his subtilty, so he should corrupt our minds, and inveigle us by those Strumpets, whose hearts are nets and snares, and whose hands bands, Eccles. 7.26.
That old Baud (the world) and her Pandar Satan, have painted, and drest up divers Harlots, which, attired in all deceitfulness of cunning allurements, they present to our sight, and so draw away the wandring heart, and eye after lying vanities. The Turks Saraglio is not so furnished with Concubines, as this old Baud with filthy Stumpets; some enticing the mind, some the heart. Of the former rank are numberless but beside those Triobolax, and obsolete (fit now to work only in gross darkness upon blind, or mop-eyed creatures) she hath newly trimmed up two notable Harlots.
The first is that State of Rome; but so varied in unwonted tires, so curiously painted by her last dresses (the cunning Iesuits) and turchest in new fashions, that we have need of purged eyes, and much intention to know her, and to see her leprous hide plastered with fair colours.
The second is that daughter of old Pelagius, which by abasing the grace of God in Gods election, (binding his choice to the works of men) and advancing the power of man, in mans election, (flattering him with false abilities of an unrenewed will) perverts the right wayes of the Lord; who hedging, and walling us out of our wayes… and conducting us only in the way of his grace, brings us to immortality, and glory.
Whithersoever you turn you, one o… these will be at your elbow; In every corner you shall meet with the Lovers of thes… Harlots, doating on their plaistered beauties, and drawing others to the same doteage… Those Paramours of Rome will deeply swear that their Mistress is the Queen of the World, that the Sun (even the Scriptures) borrows all his beams from her eyes, that there is no Paradice but in her arms, no Heaven but in her embraces, no hope but in her anchour, no faith but in her breast, no truth but in her mouth: that if she commands Vices, and prohibits Vertues, you were bound to believe that Vices were good, and Virtues evil. So Bellarm. De Roman. Pontif. l. 4. c. 5.
The other not so lofty in their boastings, but as dangerous in their baits, and lurings. They will promise you liberty, (and what is more suitable, and sweet to nature) but make you (as themselves) servants to corruption.
Now if you should trust your own eyes, and lean to your own understanding, you might easily be charmed with their enchantments. But if ever you mean to keep your heart intire for the Lord Iesus, you must not afford one glance to these his Rivals, but through the glass of his word. That (but else nothing) will broadly display the putrid loathsomeness of these haggs, and rotten puppets.
Be ever asking, Where it is written: this was the buckler of the Ancients. I adore the fulness of Scripture: Let the shop of Hermogenes teach us where it is written: if it be not written, let him fear the woe pronounced against Adders, and detracters, Tertul. This was the sword of the Spirit, whereby our Saviour himself warded his breast from all those fiery darts of Satan, and beat down all his strong assaults, Matth. 4.4, 7, 10.
But so cunning are some of these Imposters, that they will challenge you at your own Weapon. They have learnt this fence of their old Master (the Devil) who seeing our Lord standing upon this guard, had presently (in shew) the same weapon, and charged it against him; It is written (saith he) Matth. 4.6. whereby you see how needful it is for you to have your senses exercised in the word, to discern good, and evil, (Heb. 5.14.) and what necessity lies upon you to meditate in the word of God, day and night, (Psal. 1.2.) that you may breath your soul in those breathings of that Holy Spirit. The enemy is crafty, the issue of the combate, life or death eternal.
Another sort of Whores that old Baud, and Pandar, the World, and the Devil dres… up in another fashion, to lay battery to your heart (the will, and affection) and they ar… as (if not more) dangerous than the former. The first is the Lady Mammon, boasting her self the only true Riches, but indeed a meer slip, and counterfeit, brass, and copper covered with tinfoyl. Yet how many unstable souls hath she beguiled? She hath all the tricks of a Whore, first in quality, secondly in action. For 1. She is false, and lying: what content, and happiness doth she promise to her Paramours? yet did she never satisfie any Lover, Eccles. 5.10. How should that give man content, which hath no more worth than mans fancy gives it? She drowns us in perdition, and destruction, and pierceth with many sorrows, 1 Tim. 6.9, 10. 2. She is inconstant, and light; winged, and flies away, Prov. 23.5. 2. Her actions also whorish: she hunts for the precious life of a man, Prov. 6.26. No less hire will purchase her company than the price of our souls, Matth. 16.26. when she hath shut us within her embraces, she shuts us out of the Kingdom of Heaven. As soon shall a Camel pass through the eye of a needle, as a man loving riches through the strait gate of life, Mar. 10.24, 25. 2. A Whore sells nothing but repentance, and mourning at our latter end, Prov. 5.11. And what do men reap from the love of riches, but weeping, and wailing, and gnashing of teeth? Jam. 5.1. The way to keep off our hearts from this false Strumpet is to fasten our eyes upon the heavenly Riches: which are first true; the metal not base, but precious promises, 2 Pet. 1.4. precious faith, much more precious than gold, 1 Pet. 1.7. The stamp upon them is the Image of the King of Heaven, which makes them currant in all his Dominions. 2. They are durable riches, (Prov. 8.18.) they will never fail you. In life, and death they will follow you, Rev. 14.13. He that looks upon God as his Portion, and sees in what pleasant places the lines are fallen to him, (Psal. 16.5, 6.) He that looks upon Christ, (his Treasure, Col. 2.3.) and those glorious riches stored up in him, will look upon all other riches as loss, and dung, (Phil. 3.8.) and think the meanest room of his heart too precious to be taken up with trash and trumpery.
The second Harlot is Honour, (Reputation, and Credit with men) A proud Strumpet, that carryes her head aloft, but the veriest dirt of all the rest: yet how strong are her allurements? How did she draw away those in part-believing Iews, specially Rulers? Ioh. 12.42. how easily did she carry them down in a stream of popularity from the fountain of life? She hath a strong faction in all mens hearts to work for her, but principally in those, who are great in the world… If ever you attain any eminence there, she will prove a dangerous tentation. Take heed of casting one glance toward her, lest you be overcome. Remember that warning of our Saviour; you cannot entertain faith, and her in one heart, Joh. 5.44. Take heed also of being dismayed with her frowns. Assuredly know she will affront you with reproach, contempt, disgrace; If ye cleave to Christ were you Kings, were you the King of Kings, she would not be afraid to revile you, and spit in your face. David was torn with her mocks, (Psal. 35.15, 16.) because he followed that which was good, (Psal. 38.20.) The Son of David derided by proud Pharisees, Luk. 16.14. Think not, being servants, to be above your Master. It is enough for the Disciple to be as his Master, and the servant as the Lord. If they have called the Master of the house Beelzebub, how much more shall they call them of his houshold? Matth. 10.25. whosoever will live godly (be sure of …t) shall suffer (at least this) persecution, 2 Tim. ….12.
But take off your eye from this shadow, …nd lye of honour, and set it upon that true …lory. Could you (with Moses) behold but …ne spark of that heavenly advancement. …ou would (with Moses) account the reproach … Christ greater honour than all the treasures of Egypt, Heb. 11.26. If you will take up the …count aright, thus you will value it: for indeed God himself is your praise, Deut. 10.21. Christ himself the glory of his Israel, Luk. 2.32. And what weight then (in the ballance of any impartial judgement) can the rotten breath of a mortal creature, and the glittering of rotten wood in the night hold, when the Creatour is in the other scale?
The third Stale is Pleasure, a wanton, petulant, luxurious pack, which (in respect of your youth) if God keep you not, will easily draw away your hearts from the love of Christ. She hath all the properties of an Harlot. By means of a whorish woman shall a man be brought to a piece of bread, (Prov. 6.26.) and he that loveth pleasure shall be a poor man, (Prov. 21.27.) they that live in pleasure are dead while they live, (1 Tim. 5.6.) stinking coarses, buried in living bodies… Oh take heed of this perfumed piece of Carrion.
Perhaps she will send in her Brokers; voluptuous, vain persons, (nay perhaps sh… will have your own hearts) to plead for he… What? should you bury the April of you… years in a Winter of sullen melancholy… May you not (specially in youth) enjo… some pleasure? and refresh your selves wit… the delights of the Sons of men? Truly o… gracious Lord is far from interdicting us an… lawful, or true pleasure. To wallow as Swine in the mire, to pollute our souls, which he hath washed in that precious fountain opened (in the side of Christ) for sin, and for uncleanness; as a Dog to lick up our vomit; as that Demoniack to dwell among the Tombs, (Mar. 5.3.) and converse with the dead in their graves, this, (if this be pleasure) our Lord hath prohibited. But surely whosoever account these things delightful, must needs also rank themselves with hoggs, doggs, and demoniacks. Your Father alloweth you a sober, and wholsome use of all his creatures for your comfort, and refeshing: and lest this should be too little, gives himself to be your Pleasure, and joy; bidds you …o rejoice in him, and again to rejoice, Phil. …4.4. he allows, and gives you joy unspeakable, and glorious, (1 Pet. 1.8.) provides for you fulness of joy, and everlasting pleasures, Psal. 16.11. He will be to you a fountain …f life, and will make you to drink, and abun…antly satisfie you with rivers of his pleasures, Psal. 36.8, 9.
The Lord of glory offers himself, and his …onjugal love unto you, to endow you with …ll his goods, with himself, the supream, the …nfinite Good. Are there no pleasures in his …mbraces? If you sit down under his shadow, …ou will find great delight; and his fruit will … most sweet unto your taste, Cant. 2.3. If a man who hath married some fair, lovely, and loving Spouse, should yet doat upon a stinking, but perfumed, and painted Harlot, who scorns not his folly? who detests not his perfidious, and perjurious wickedness? who looks on him but as a man impotioned, and with strong sorceries bewitched? God proffers himself to you as a Father, offers the Son, and Heir of his glory into your bosome, and shall we leave this glorious Spouse to follow those dirty Prostitutes, sinks of all uncleanness, and filthiness? The good Lord keep our hearts from such a witchery. Now therefore fence your hearts from such inchantments with these thoughts.
No other passage? what? no way but this
Can bring my Pilgrim soul to rest, and bliss?
Proud Seas in Gyant waves 'gainst Heaven ri…e,
And casting mounts, fight with loud…thundring Skies,
Skies charge their double Cannons, and let fly
Their fires, and bullets; waters hizz, and fry.
How shall my tir'd Bark climb those mounts? how sh…
It fall, and not than hell much deeper f…ll?
How shall a Potsheard stand one Volly? how
Shall glass cut through such storms, with brittle prow?
Were sails as wings to mount me o're those hills;
Who could secure me in those lesser rills?
Where Sirens fill the ear, and eye with wonder:
I more fear calm than storms, more songs than thunder.
Lend to the Latine Siren eyes, and ears,
Her face will seem an Angel, voice the Spheres.
The Belgian melts the soul with sugred strains,
Drops Wine, and loosness into swilling veins.
A third Gold, Plenty, Wealth, abundance sings:
And binds the captive car with …ilver strings.
A fourth guilds all her notes with Thrones, and Crown…
So Heav'n in earth, glory in honour drowns.
The last powrs honey from her pleasant Hive,
So stings, and kills, and buries men alive.
Lord steer my Bark: draw thou mine eye, and ear
From those vain frights, thy Word, and thee to fear.
Lord tune my heart to hear (in Saintly throngs)
More musick in thy thunders, than their songs.
Make me to think in all these storms, and charms,
In Sirens notes, and thundring Worlds alarms,
Thy presence is my guard, my Port thy, Bed and arms…
But is such a match feasable?