Canaans Flowings, Century 3
The third Century.
301. God afflicts Saints, becauſe he loves them; the Devil afflicts them, becauſe he hates them; If God did not love them, he would not; if the Devil did love them, he would not afflict them. God afflicts them for their gain, that they may be ſanctified and ſaved; the Devil afflicts them for their loſſe, that they may ſin and be damned: But this is their comfort, that God loves them more then the Devil can hate them, and that Gods love will doe them more good, then the Devils hatred can doe them hurt; and that God is better able to bring about his ends, then the Devil is able to bring about his. Lord, let me be a Saint, though an afflicted one, and loved of thee, though the world and the Devil hate me. Sanctifie; I do beſeech thee, the Devils temptations, and mine own corruptions to me; I ſhall then know that all things work together for my good, when I am the better; and that they are ſanctified to me, when I am the more ſanctified.
302. Death.
—He that would try
What is true happineſſe indeed, muſt dye.
The good mans end is ſurely the beginning
Of his true joy, cauſe 't puts an end to ſinning.
There were three Saints, Job, Elias, and Jonah, deſiring to dye out of diſcontent, two Saints, Simeon and Paul, content to deſire death, and two other Saints David and Hezekiah, not diſcontented, yet not content to dye: Lord, let me rather be content to dye, then be diſcontented to live; for though having with Simeon ſeen thy ſalvation, I deſire to depart in peace; and with Paul, long to be with Chriſt, which is farre better; yet I dare not out-face thee as Jonah did, to ſay 'tis better for me to dye then to live; Surely 'tis not good to dye in anger, nor well to be angry unto death. Let this be the care of my ſoul, that while I live, I may live to thee, and then when I dye, I ſhall live with thee. So thou mayeſt be magnified, its no matter whether it be by life or death; yet ſeeing (as Hezekiah ſaid) 'tis the living praiſe thee, Oh (as David pray'd) ſpare me a little, and give me ſtrength (to do thy will) before I go hence and be no more ſeen.
303. We obtain nothing by the merit, but many things by the means of prayer.
304. 'Tis eaſie to tell a Lye, 'tis hard to tell but a Lye; 'tis hard to commit one fin, and but one ſin.
305. While others fret at the proſperity of the wicked, and are envious at the fooliſh, becauſe they abound in goods; my prayer for them ſhall be this, much good may they doe with it, and much good may it doe them; the firſt is the duty, the next is the bleſſing; if the duty be not done, the bleſſing will not come. If they doe not doe good, 'twill doe them no good. For not what one hath, but what one doth with what one hath, maketh happy or miſerable.
306. Some men can ſay, as Eſau; I have enough, or rather as 'tis in the Hebrew, I have much; but few can ſay, as Jacob, I have enough, or (as 'tis in the Hebrew) I have all, or God is all to me, he is mine all. He hath not enough how much ſoever he hath, that hath not God for his portion; and he that hath God for his portion, hath enough, how little ſoever he hath. 'Tis not happy are the people that are in ſuch (a plentiful) caſe, but happy are the people whoſe God is the Lord.
307. The Alphabet or Croſſe-row.
This Text, Matth. 16.24. is the Chriſtians Alphabet or Croſſerow: We learn that firſt which we muſt alwaies uſe, as our letters and our vowels, we can ſpell no word without them. This leſſon of ſelfdenial muſt be firſt learnt, becauſe alwaies to be practis'd; for without it we can doe nothing, that is, nothing pleaſing to God, or profitable to our ſelves: he that denies himſelf, doth himſelf moſt good, and he that ſeeks himſelf, doth himſelf moſt hurt. The reaſon we are ſuch bad ſcholars, and non-proficients, is becauſe we are ſo long in taking out this firſt leſſon, dimidium facti qui bene coepit habet. He is more then half way, that learns this firſt line of Religion; till that be learnt, a man cannot proceed to take up the Croſſe, and follow Chriſt; if therefore we would be Chriſt's diſciples, let us deny our ſelves.
308. Compariſon.
Few men judge themſelves happy or unhappy, according to what they are, but by comparing themſelves with others; where all goe naked, none are aſhamed: Many augment their miſery, by ſeeing others more happy; and yet think themſelves happy when they ſee others more miſerable. We many times gather our ſorrowes from others joyes, and our joyes from others ſorrowes. We bleſſe our ſelves, when we ſee them below us, and yet think all we have to be no bleſſing, when we look on them that are above us. Lord, let not me think my good the leſſe, becauſe others have more; or my evil the more, becauſe others have leſſe; but let me learn in all eſtates to be content, and to welcome the will, come how it will.
309. Some men while they are wits in jeſt, are fools in earneſs; for commonly they are the trifling things of the world, whom ſerious men have to doe withal, when they have nothing elſe to doe: their greateſt buſineſſe is to laugh, and their reward to be laught at.
310. We are to labour for what the Son of man giveth, and God will be ſought for that which he will doe for the houſe of Iſrael; Gods promiſes and our prayers are middle things between Gods purpoſes and our attainments.
—God expecteth we ſhould crave
The mercy he intendeth we ſhould have.
311. Gods being ſometimes better then his word, (in doing that which he never engaged himſelf by promiſe to doe, and ſo doing above, exceeding abundantly above all that we were able to ask or think, in being found of them that ſeek him not) is no indulgence to idleneſſe, or diſpenſation from duty: We are not to minde what God can do, or doth do, but what God hath ſaid he will do, and the way wherein: if ever we expect to enjoy what's promiſed, we muſt doe what's commanded; laboranti & ſperanti Deus dabit: Though God have promiſed to give to them that ask, yet he hath not promiſed to give without asking: and ſeeing 'tis but ask, and have; we may not blame God for not giving, but our ſelves for not asking; and if we ask, and miſſe, we may blame our ſelves for asking amiſſe.
312. The moſt things in the world are perfectly imperfect; and the beſt things in the world are but imperfectly perfect.
313. Saints have ſo learned Chriſt, and of Chriſt, as not onelyonly to reſtrain their hands from hurting, but their hearts from hating their very enemies.
314. Prayer is the ſould in Paraphraſe.
Which is the ſenſe of the ſoul enlarged and explained, 'tis the ſoul ſpeaking its mind, and minding what it ſpeaks to God; and a gracious heart never thinks it wel done, but when every confeſſion hath its weight of ſorrow, and every petition its fill of grace.
315. Am I become your enemy becauſe I tell you the truth? What turn-coats are theſe? But awhile ſince they would have pulled out their eyes for Paul, and now they would have pulled out Pauls eyes, who told them the truth. Light is pleaſant, yet offenſive to ſore eyes; honey is ſweet, but it makes wounds to ſmart; truth is moſt wholeſome, but diſtaſteful to diſtempered pallats: Lord, let me never hate them which tell me the truth, nor the truth which they tell me.
316. A miſtake.
The world hath alwaies had thoughts of Religion clean contrary to what it is and doth. Moſt men are ſo mad as to think a Religious life madneſſe; as if Religion did but make men melancholy and dull their ſpirits, and make them look wrinkled with ſorrow and care long before they are wrinkled with age; as if it did but depreſſe mens ſpirits, put an end to all their joyes and pleaſures, and incapacitate men to be great and glorious in this world: inſomuch that he who makes conſcience of his waies, is lookt upon, but as one of God Almighties fools. Alas, what a miſtake is this! Can there be greater and better joy then rejoycing in the Lord, joy in the holy Ghoſt, unſpeakable and full of glory? Can there be better chear then a good conſcience? If Saints mourn and are ſorrowful, 'tis becauſe they are no better, and they are the better for that; for godly ſorrow worketh repentance to ſalvation, never to be repented of; Religion takes no man off from any thing that is good; and is it not good to be taken off from evil? Is it cowardiſe to be afraid of ſin? Bleſſed is he that ſo feareth alwaies: Is not he ſtronger that overcometh himſelf, then he that overcometh a City? Is it folly to be wiſe to ſalvation? Is it loſſe to be godly? When as indeed godlineſs is the great and onelyonly gain. Is it not better to be poor with honeſty, then to be rich by knavery? To which of the Saints will ye turn? Surely they that condemn Religion never were religious. Ask Abraham, Moſes, &c. if the waies of God be not pleaſantneſs, and his paths peace; if his yoke be not eaſie, and his burthen light? Ah Lord, whatever others call wiſdome, let this be mine to fear thee, and to depart from evil; let godlineſſe be my gain; while others take care to be great, let me take care to be good: while others ſeek Conqueſts over men, let me fight the good fight of faith, whereby I may conquer the world, and the evil man my ſelf; and if this be to be vile, let me be more vile; if this be to be a fool, let me be a fool. Dear Lord, if none will love thee, yet let me love thee. 'Tis better to goe to Heaven, though alone, then to goe to hell with company: as long as I am happy, I care not though the world think me miſerable.
317. Worldly riches are like Nuts; many clothes are torn in getting them, many a tooth broken in cracking them, but never a belly filled with eating them.
318. Love in deſcent is ſtronger then love in aſcent: hence (they ſay) parents are more loving to their children, then children to their parents: I am ſure 'tis true between God and us, his deſcending and condeſcending to love us is ſtronger then our aſcending love to him.
319. Every variation from unity is a ſtep to nullity; and when men goe from one Religion to all, they are in the ready way to goe from all to none.
320. Whatever God gives to us, he gives freely, and whatever he takes from us, he takes juſtly; therefore where God is free to give, let us be juſt to uſe; and where God is juſt to take, let us be free to reſign.
321. The Scriptures are to many in an unknown tongue, though in their own tongue.
322. Indirect means may ſometimes proſper, but its never bleſt.
323. Though a man ſhould be ſo honeſt as to be plain, yet he ſhould be ſo diſcreet as to be pleaſing when he reproves.
324. He ſpeaks himſelf a fool, that doth that, which reaſon tells him is unreaſonable; hence ſinners call'd fools.
325. Love.
Cauſinus tells us of one Raimundus Lullus, who was ſo raviſh'd with love, that being askt any thing, he would anſwer nothing but love: where dwelleſt thou? with love. To whom belongeſt thou? To love. Whence comeſt thou? From love. Whither goeſt thou? To love, &c.
Oh that we were thus taken with the love of our lovely and loving God!
'Tis likewiſe ſaid of Mary, that by ſtrength of love, ſhe was dead to all the objects of the world; ſhe had her thoughts ſo employ'd on her Jeſus, that ſhe was almoſt inſenſible: She had eyes, and ſaw not; ears and heard not; ſenſes and felt not; ſhe was not where ſhe was, for ſhe was wholly where her maſter was, though ſhe knew not where he was: She knew no are but that of Love; all in her turned to the love of him whom ſhe loved above all.
Oh thus to love dear Jeſus, is worth the name of Love: how cold and frozen is ours!
326. Hope againſt hope.
Many men have been deſtroyed by hoping againſt hope, and ſome have been preſerved by it: hope undoes moſt wicked men, but the good may ſay, we are ſaved by hope.
327. The evil of evil company.
By being in ill company we ſuffer both in our names and our ſouls; 'tis both diſgraceful and dangerous: if we could keep our ſouls free, yet our names will ſuffer; and if we could keep our names ſafe, yet our ſouls are in danger.
328. The Gull.
Cicero reports of Cato, that he wondred how Sooth-ſayers could forbear laughing, when they met with one another, becauſe they knew that they gull'd the people; and well might he jeer the Aſtrologer, that told him he had caſt his nativity, and would tell him what ſhould befall him; tuſh ſaid he, I have been new-born, ſince I was born.
329. Its unnatural to hate them that love us; 'tis natural to love them that love us; but 'tis ſupernaturall to love them that hate us.
330. The Religion that proceeds from an humour, is but an humorous Religion.
Men uſually expreſſe themſelves & carry it in religion according to their naturall humor, and are apt to miſ-judge others if they comply not with their temper: Some are ſo pitifull that they could ſave the damned, others ſo Cholericke that they could damne the ſaved: hence the melancholy chriſtian is offended with the cheareful, and the chearefull with the melancholy: ſo that not onelyonly the world but ſaints themſelves put falſe conſtructions, upon the carrage of ſaints. The melancholly man lookes on John Baptiſt as a choiſe man, becauſe of great abſtinence and auſterity, as well in cloths as diet. For ſuch humors are apt to thinke that religion conſiſts much in ſadneſſe (Chriſt ſay they wept often, but we read not that he laught at all) and ſc…rſe will they believe him a good Chriſtian, that is not ſomthing Hypocondriacall: yet the world paſſeth a cleane contrary ſentence, and ſay he hath a divell. The more ſociable ſort of cheerefull ſaints, provided they they keep decorum, and be of Chriſts ſpirit, as well as chriſts example, doe doubtleſs moſt adorne and advantage religion: chriſt did not onelyonly rejoyce in ſpirit, but was popular and diſdained not the tables and converſations of the greateſt ſinners, for which the wicked world judg'd him as a wine-bibber, a great friend (and indeed he was) to Publicans and ſinners. Now we ſhould take heed, 1. That we take not our naturall temper and humour for religion: a man may be moderate by the heavines of his Phlegme, and zealous from the heat of his choler; our care therefore ſhould be that our ſorrow, moderation and auſterity on the one hand, and our joy, cheerfulneſſe and zeale on the other hand, be truely ſpiritual and chriſtian. 2. we ſhould take heed not to condemne other ſaints, that are not of our natural humor; not to thinke the ſociable and cheerfull to be but good fellows and genial-jovial blades; or to thinke the more depreſt, ſad dejected, and retired ſpirits to be diſcontented. God hath ſeverall ſorts of ſaints which he exerciſeth (as ſeverall members of the body or ſeverall veſſels in an houſe) moſt to that end to which they are appointed, his Beanerges's and his Barnabas, his Iohn and his Paul, every one in their owne place according to the gift and grace received (yea the ſame ſaint is ſometimes in the exerciſe of one grace, at another time in the exerciſe of another grace, ſometime moſt in ſelfe-abaſing, at other times rejoycing in Chriſt Jeſus, ſometime in hope at other times in feare.) Now it may be his zeale doth beſt for him, and thy moderation for thee; his cheerfulneſſe beſt for him, and thy ſadnes beſt for thee: that which it may be is an occaſion of ſin to thee, is none to him, and that which would be an occaſion of ſin to him, is none to thee; judge not therefore another by thy ſelfe, nor thinke that every one muſt be caſt in thy mould.
331. We cannot give a reaſon of infinite things though (and indeed becauſe) there is infinite reaſon for them: 'tis not becauſe ther's want of reaſon or too little, but becauſe ther's ſuch exceſſe of reaſon, or too much for our capacity.
332. A pure conſcience is the ſafeſt ſafeguard in time of ſcandal.
—hic murus aheneus eſto,
nil conſcire tibi, nulla palleſcere culpa.
Mine innocency ſhall be my brazen wall, the faultles man need not for fear looke pale.
333. Surely if we thought that God were good to us in every condition, we ſhould have good thoughts of God in every condition.
334. They that would avoid the evill of occaſions, muſt avoid the occaſions of evill, as Solomon inculcates by foure ſeverall expreſſions in one verſe, Prov. 4.15. That you may not enter into the path of the wicked, and not goe in the way of evil men, 1. Avoid it: 2. Paſs not by it. 3. Turn from it, 4. And paſs away. They that play with wantonneſs, are like to play the wantons.
335. Gods diſpenſations are ſo checquer-wrought with blacks and whites, that many times a Saint hath cauſe to rejoice, but yet with trembling; and at other times to tremble, but yet with rejoycing.
336. It was a deſperate ſaying of one (a Lawyer) that as he that will not adventure his body cannot be valiant, ſo he that will not adventure his ſoul cannot be rich. Men had better lay down their trades, then live by ſinning.
337. Surely goods ill gotten will never be good; 'tis better a man ſhould be able to ſay (as a good man once on his death-bed to his wife) I ſhall leave thee no great eſtate, but I ſhall leave thee a good eſtate; an eſtate well gotten, then to ſay, wife, or child, I ſhall leave you a great, but not good, becauſe an ill-gotten eſtate. To have an eſtate with a curſe, is to be miſerably rich.
338. Heaven and Hell.
That which makes Heaven ſo full of joy, is, that Heaven is above all fear; and that which makes Hell ſo full of terror, is, that Hell is below all hope: Heaven is a day which ſhall never ſee any approachings of night; and Hell is a night that ſhall never ſee any dawnings of day.
339. Did we conſider that both our good and evil were from God, it would make our good to be the better, and our evil not to be ſo bad.
340. A wiſe mans heart commands his tongue, but a fools tongue commands his heart.
341. Succeſſe at firſt doth many times undo men at laſt; many may ſay, that they had never been unhappy, if they had not been happie,
342. A Chriſtian ſhould not care much for what he hath, and he ſhould care nothing for what he hath not: for what he hath, may not be, and what he hath not, may never be his.
243. Mans Preaching is but voice without power; but Gods is power without voice; Mans is word without work, Gods is work without word; man doth but ſpeak, but God ſpeaks and doth, every one of Gods words end in works; he ſaid, Let there be light, and 'twas ſo.
344. God ſpeaks of things that are to be done, and yet to come, as if they were already come and done. Many Propheſies of things to be, run in the Preſent Tenſe, as if they were in being. Babylon is fallen, it ſhall as certainly fall, as if it were fallen: by hope we are ſav'd; we are as ſafe as if we were ſaved, and are kept ſafe that we may be ſaved. He that believes not, is condemned already; for he ſhall be as ſurely condemned, as if he were already in Hell. Them whom he predeſtinated, he called, juſtified, and glorified; they ſhall be as ſurely called, juſtified, and glorified, as if 'twere done.
344. All the glory of the world hath a ſtain, and all the beauty a ſpot; there is nothing that is all deſires, altogether lovely but Chriſt Jeſus.
He is, but time denies to tell you what,
Sum all perfection up, and he is that.
The praiſes of all others are with a but, and an exception. Naaman was a mighty man, but a Leper; ſuch an one, ſo and ſo, but &c. fair, but fooliſh; ſerious, but ſubtle: Let us lay out our hearts then, not on that which is lovely but in part, but on him who is lovely in every part.
346. Contentment.
Whoſo in preſent ſtate himſelf can rightly bear,
Hath neither ill that's paſt, nor future ill to fear:
The one which is no more, ought now no more to fray us,
Th'other which is not yet, as little can diſmay us.
Not he that hath but little, but he that covets more,
Not the contented, but covetous man is poore.
The man who hungers not, he needs not bread I think,
The man that never thirſts, hath never need of drink.
347. We are ſo far from meriting by our works of mercy, that our works of mercy ſtand in need of mercy.
348. We can (alas we can) goe from heavenly things, to earthly things, and carry our hearts with us; but how ſeldome is it that we can goe from earthly things to heavenly, and carry our hearts with us?
349. Men appoint walls & bulwarks for ſalvation, but God appoints ſalvation for walls and bulwarks: Salvation is often without walls and bulwarks, and walls and bulwarks are often without ſalvation. Salvation is the ſafer ſafeguard.
350. Saints deſire not onelyonly to receive the word into their liking, but to be received into its likenes; not onelyonly to love it, but to live it.
351. God knowes the names of all the men in the world, and yet he knowes but few men by name.
352. To be a ſervant, is ſometime put for a ſin, as to be the ſervant of ſin, or ſervant of men; ſometime 'tis put for a curſe, as ſervant of ſervants ſhalt thou be, ſaid Noah to Cham: Sometime 'tis put for an honour, when a man is called, and is the ſervant of God.
353. As there is joy in Heaven at the converſion of a ſinner, ſo there is a kinde of joy in Hell, when one ſins that is converted.
354. Its a great piece of wiſdom ſo to order our condition and converſation in this world, that we may be able to attend upon God without diſtraction; a diſtracted man can do but little, and that little cannot be well done: duties are well done, when done with a preſent and ſutable frame of heart, but the diſtracted man hath neither.
355. The fear of man makes men to ſin, but the fear of God keeps men from ſin.
Gen. 3.5. Your eyes ſhall be open'd, and ye ſhall be as Gods, knowing good and evil.
His eyes indeed were o'pe,
And then he had the skill
To know the difference
Between the good and ill:
Then did he know how good
Good was, when he had loſt it,
And evil too he knew,
But ah how dearly coſt it?
356. Lawful things are often the occaſion of unlawful things: we ſhould uſe them then (for of them it may be ſaid, as the Apoſtle of the Law, the Law is good, if a man uſe it) lawfully. The ſins of the old world are deſcribed, Luke 17.27, 28. not by unlawful, or things evil in themſelves, but becoming ſuch by the abuſe. They did eat and drink, &c. which things are neceſſary to preſerve life, and yet by theſe they loſt their lives; they in theſe things ſinn'd away their lives from the earth, and their ſouls into bell.
357. Feaſting times are too too often ſinning times; 'tis true, its not ſinful to feaſi, if our feaſting be not ſinful; which that it may not be, we ſhould not ſpend too much care like Martha, nor too much coſt and time like Dives, who fared deliciouſly every day: while we are eating and drinking, wee may be dying, (in remembrance whereof the Egyptians us'd to ſerve in a deaths head at their feaſts) and therefore in eating and drinking, we need be holy, and do that, and all to the glory of God.
358. That we might not think riches evil, God gives them to thoſe who are good, yea, to the choiceſt, the chiefeſt, the very beſt of good men, to whom he never gives any thing that is in it ſelf evil: and leſt we ſhould think riches the chiefeſt good, the beſt good, God gives them to them that are evil, to whom he never gives the chiefeſt good.
359. Love of pleaſure, and fear of ſuffering, are the two great things, which keep men from minding that which is their chiefe good; which if enjoy'd, would either free them from ſuffering, or fill them with pleaſure in ſuffering, and make them ſay, as Auguſtine, quam ſuave eſtiſtis ſuavitatibus carere, how ſweet is it to want the worlds ſweets.
True reſt is not attain'd by ſpending of the yeer
In pleaſure ſoft, ſweet ſhades, downbeds, and dainty cheer.
Theſe leave the ſoul as empty of content,
As doth a dream, when time of ſleep is ſpent.
There's more true joy in godly ſorrowes tears,
Then in ſins pleaſures; he that truly fears
The God of Heaven, and humbly walks with him,
He, he's the man that hath an Heaven within.
360. It will much aggravate the condemnation of ſome, that they have been ſo careful of their bodies, and ſo careleſs of their ſouls; they are ſo taken up with the things of this world, (which are but half goods, for they reach but half, and the worſe half of man) that ye riſe early, go to bed late, and eat the bread of carefulneſs, for their bodily accommodations, when their poor ſouls may ſink or ſwim, that's left at ſix and ſeven, the ſoul is not in all their thoughts. One ſaid he had ſo much buſineſſe to do, that he muſt truſt God with his ſoul, he could not look after it. Moſt men are like the woman, who when her houſe was on fire, ſo minded the ſaving her goods, that ſhe forgate her childe, and left it burning in the fire; at laſt being minded of it, ſhe cries out, oh my childe, oh my childe! So men ſcrabble here for a little pelf, and let their ſouls be conſumed with the fiery heat of cares, and at death cry out, oh my ſoul, oh my ſoul! how (ah how) mad are moſt, that while they pamper their bodies, ſtarve their ſouls, for ſo much eating and drinking takes away their ſtomachs to ſpiritual things. What care and pains do men and women take to clothe and neatifie the body, when the poor ſoul goeth naked and bare, and hath not one rag of righteouſneſſe to cover it. So curious and nice about their dreſſing, and keeping their houſe, that there muſt not be one haire out of place, nor ſo much as a ſpot in a rubb'd room, yet ſo negligent of their ſouls, that that goes in its night-clothes, (undreſt) all the day long; that many times under a ſilken and ſattin ſute, there's a very courſe ſoul; in a clean neat houſe, a ſluttiſh ſoul; under a beautiful face, a deformed ſoul; under a fair out-ſide, a foul in-ſide; Would thou that readeſt beeſt not guilty. Ah dear hearts, if the body be more worth then raiment, ſurely the ſoul is more worth then the body. Oh what a weight doth the Scripture lay upon this word Soul, 'tis the emphaſis of the Text where 'tis: Hear, and your ſoul ſhall live; He that ſinneth, wrongeth his own ſoul; Fear him that can kill the body, and throw the ſoul into Hell. What will it profit a man to gain the world, and loſe his ſoul? Soul-mercy is the greateſt mercy; Soul-promiſes the moſt precious promiſes; Soul-ſalvation the greateſt ſalvation; and therefore to neglect the ſoul, is the greateſt neglect; and that men and women will know at that day, when they ſhall cry out, woe unto us, we have rewarded evil to our own ſouls.
361. There is ſcarce any one thing whereof men and women are more proud (at leaſt wherein and whereby they ſhew their pride more) then apparel; though indeed there's no one thing (ſin it ſelf excepted) that we have more cauſe to be aſham'd of then our apparel, for they tell us that we are ſinners: Adam and his wife were naked, and were not aſhamed. Our ornaments are but badges of our ſin and ſhame; and 'tis to this purpoſe obſervable, that the ſame word in the Hebrew which ſignifies a garment, ſignifies treachery and prevarication, to ſhew that wee have committed treaſon againſt God, elſe there had not been need of a fig-leafe-apron to cover our nakedneſſe. Who now can be proud of being a ſinner? Who can finde in his heart to be proud of that, which tells him, that he hath loſt his innocency? Surely he that hath ſinned himſelf into ſhame, ſhould be aſhamed of his ſin: and though it be a ſhame, and a ſin to go naked, yet when we are clothed with our garments, wee ſhould be clothed with ſhame as with a garment.
362. He that will have his mind ſatisfied with earthly things, muſt not thinke to attaine it ſo much by increaſing the things he deſires, as by decreaſing his deſire to the things. Latius regnes, avidum domando ſpiritum, quam, &c. mortificaton is the beſt way to ſatisfaction.
363. Few men get good, though moſt get goods by greatnes, many men grow much the worſe, and I never read but of onelyonly one Veſpaſian that was the better, ſolus imperantium veſpaſianus mutatus in melius. Magiſtratus jndicat virum. Of how many may it be ſaid, as Tacitus of Galba, omnium conſenſu capax imperii niſi imperaſſet, no man ſitter to be an Emperour, if he had not been an Emperour; how many have been good common-wealths men, gallant Patriots, till they came to be ſtates men; as if men minded goodneſſe onelyonly to make them great, and then nuncium mittunt virtuti, bid it farewell, as he that allwayes had a fiſhing net ſpread on his table till he got a Biſhopricke, and then cauſed it to be laid aſide, ſaying he had what he fiſhed for.
364. All men came into the world alike, the poore as well as the rich, and all men ſhall goe out of the world alike, the rich as well as the poore; nothing more certaine then this, that we brought nothing into the world, nor ſhall we carry any thing out of this world: if therefore we have food and rayment, let us be content; for godlineſſe with a comp…tency (we read it with contentment) is great gaine.
365. Ʋnhappy happineſs.
Some men are ſo unhappy in having happy wits, that they make their wit their happineſſe, jeaſting themſelves out of all that is earneſt, and like fooles make ſport of every thing, even ſin it ſelf; alas! what pitty 'tis that men ſo witty, ſhould have …o more wit then to deſtroy themſelves! a jeſting lie or a lie in jeſt may make a man lye in hell in earneſt. Though ſuch men looke on religion but as a nicety and an impertinent curioſity, as that which impriſons their genius, yet they will one day finde to their coſt and ſorrow, what unpleaſant things the pleaſures of ſin are, and that it will be no brave thing to have ſinn'd in braverie.
366. All temporall things are troubleſome, If they be good it's trouble to forgoe them, and when we ſee that they muſt be parted with, either we wiſh that they had not beene ſo good, or that we had never injoyed them; as ſome did of Auſtine when he dyed. If they be evill, their preſence is troubleſome; and ſtill we wiſh either that they were good, or that we were eaſed of them. Good things are troubleſom… in the event, and evill things in then … they in the future, becauſe they ſhall come to an end, theſe in preſent, becauſe they doe continue: O… men would looke to things which are Eternall, for they are good here, and will be better hereafter.
367. What a madneſſe is it in men to trouble themſelves and the world about the Orthographie of a word, as whether we ſhould write Faelix or Felix, and never ſtudy to be happy: to trifle away their precious houres about notions, and dye fooles. They are but frivolous, idle and triviall writings, which are onelyonly compact and held together with exquiſite choiſe words, and ranged to juſt ſmooth cadencies, unleſſe they be ſtuft full of notable ſaiyngs and wiſe ſentences, by which a man doth become not onelyonly more eloquent, but more wiſe, which teacheth us not onelyonly to ſpeake well but doe to well.
368. Philoſophy no religion.
This was accounted among many purely true, and truely pure Philoſophy, for a man to know him ſelfe, to enjoy himſelfe, to center in himſelfe. But I am ſure 'tis true and pure religion, to know God, to to enjoy God, to center in God, ſo to live in contemplation of him, and in converſation with him, as if there were nothing elſe in the world to know: as if there were none to thinke of us, or for us to thinke upon; none to love us or for us to love.
369. All the Lords doings, but eſpecially his doings in our hearts, ſhould be marvelous in our eyes. According to the day of grace it ſhall be ſaid, what hath God wrought?
370. The Hebrews have a ſaying, that deus magis delectatur adverbiis quam nominibus, God is more delighted in adverbs then in nounes: 'tis not ſo much the matter that's done, but the manner how 'tis done that God minds. Not how much, but how well. 'Tis the well doing that meets with a well done. Let us therefore ſerve God not nominally or verbally, but adverbially.
371. We thinke it a great matter to be knowne of a man and wiſh't well, and yet thereby we become neither white nor blacke, the better or worſe, rich or poore, for our knowledge is ſmall in capacity, limited in effects and inefficacious in operation: but 'tis not ſo with Gods Knowledge. Happy they that are knowne of God.
372. Science in moſt, conſcience in the reſt make all cry out, there is a God.
373. There is no truer miſery then falſe joys.
374. Chriſtians many times ſin moſt when leaſt tempted, and ſin leaſt when moſt tempted.
375. 'Tis puniſhment as well (or indeed as ill) to take away the good which was formerly injoyed, as to inflict an evill which was not formerly ſuffered.
376. He is an happy man that's beaten when the ſtroake is a ſtroake of love.
377. Though God would have ſinners hearts broaken, yet ſo tender is he that he would not have them breake their hearts, nor be ſwallowed up with over-much ſorrow.
378. The good mans beſt and the bad mans worſt is to come: Iſaiah 3.9. I will ſay to the righteous it ſhall be well with them, they ſhall eat the fruit of their doings: ſay to the wicked, woe, it ſhal be ill with them, for the reward of their hand ſhall be given them. Oh this ſhall be; how ſweet will it be to the godly, and how bitter to the ungodly! men that like ſins work, will not like ſins wages, they that are content to ſin on earth will not find content in hell.
379. Man diſcovers himſelfe to be a ſinner by covering his ſin.
380. He that ſeeks Philoſophy in Divinity ſeekes the dead among the living, and he that ſeeks Divinity in Philoſophy ſeekes the living among the dead; I may ſay as the Angel of Chriſt, religion is not here, ſhe is riſen.
381. Surely they doe not love God, who love any thing more then God; or, they love not God at all, who doe not love him more then all.
382. The love of God to any ſoul is good ground of glorying here, and to expect glory hereafter.