Canaans Flowings, Century 1
The Firſt Century.
1. SOme men (would Profeſſors did not) mind this world ſo much as if it would never have an end; and the World to come ſo little, as if it would never have a beginning.
2. Profeſſors need not be ſo much affected with the goods of this world, for the beſt is not good enough to make an Heaven: nor need they be ſo much afflicted with the evils of it, for the worſt is not bad enough to make an Hell.
3. Any thing (the beſt) on this ſ'ide Heaven (compared with that) is miſery; and any thing (the worſt) on this ſide Hell, (compared with that) is mercy.
4. Saints ſhould and doe (if they doe as they ſhould) look upon all the commands of God as eaſie and pleaſant; 1. becauſe commanded by God that loves them; 2. becauſe to be obeyed by them that love God.
5. Seeing God doth all things well, we ſhould think well of all things which God doth.
6. Chriſtians ſhould not onelyonly purpoſe to be religious, but they ſhould be religious to purpoſe.
7. To worſhip God in ſpirit, is the ſpirit of our worſhip; fleſh is unſuitable, and unacceptable.
8. If we ſhould be much thankfull for a little mercy, what a ſhame is it to be but a little thankfull for much mercy!
9. Seeing God was ſo willing to put his ſon to death for our ſakes; how (oh how!) willing ſhould we be to put our ſins to death for Gods ſake?
10. If pleaſures are (as indeed they are) diſpleaſing, Eccleſ. 2.12. (Veſpatian was tired with a triumph) what then are diſpleaſures? if our recreations are toylſome, what are our toyles? if our eaſe be painfull, what is our pain? on this ſide the enjoyment of God, there is no reſt; for all the reſt is vanity and vexation of ſpirit.
11. It behoves Chriſtians to be often in ſelf-trial, and to be alwaies in ſelf-denial.
12. Sinners are alive to that which Saints are dead, viz. ſin: and dead to that to which Saints are alive, viz. righteouſneſſe.
13. Sin may be in his heart who is a Saint, but his heart (who is a Saint) cannot be in ſin.
14. The doctrine of the Goſpel is not onelyonly able to comfort, but 'tis a comfortable doctrine.
15. There are many who hold the truth which they are to do, but doe not doe the truth which they hold; thus holding truth in unrighteouſneſſe, they have the wrath of God reveald from Heaven againſt them, becauſe they received not the love of the truth, which was revealed from heaven to them.
16. Much is but little, where more is expected; and good is not good, where better is expected.
17. Some men forget to pray, others forget what they have prayed, and others forget that they have prayed; ſo little of their heart is in duty, and ſo little impreſſion of duty is in their heart, that all comes to nothing.
18. They who deſerve nothing, have good reaſon to be content with any thing; and they that deſerve not any thing have no reaſon to be diſcontented, though they have nothing.
19. God ſometimes puts his people to a little pain, that he may give them much eaſe.
20. How deſirable ſo ever the things be which we deſire, we are to ſubmit and ſurrender our deſires to God, and ſay, Not my wil O Lord, but thine be done.
21. 'Tis a lovely ſight to ſee a den of thieves turned into a houſe of prayer; but tis a lothſome ſight to ſee an houſe of prayer turned into a den of theeves.
22. The leaſt meaſure of grace is better then the greateſt meaſure of gifts: for the greateſt meaſure of gifts without grace is not, but the the leaſt meaſure of grace (though without gifts) is acceptable to God in the diſcharge of duties.
23. 'Tis dangerous ſinning againſt conſcience, for ſuch are in danger to make (at length) no conſcience of ſinning.
24. 'Tis no ſmall mercy to be kept from ſmall ſins; but how great a mercy is it to be kept from great ſins! Oh Lord, when from all ſins? in the mean time, happy they who can in ſincerity ſay, 'tis not we that ſin, but ſin that dwelleth in us.
25. Moſt men can eaſily remember if they have any thing againſt their brother, that hee may right them: but few men care to remember if their brother have any thing againſt them, that they may right him; which is the great command on a great peril, Matth. 5.23.
26. In prayer the heart ſhould firſt ſpeak the words, and then the words ſhould ſpeak the heart.
27. There are two, and but two kind of ſins; the one of commiſſion, in doing what ought not to be done; the other of omiſſion, in not doing what ought to be done; for both theſe men ſhall be judged at the laſt day. For ſins of commiſſion, Jud. 15. for ſins of omiſſion, Matth. 25.41, 42.
28. God in the Covenant hath promiſed to take away the fleſh of the heart, and to give an heart of fleſh.
29. Many ungodly men have enough, yet are not content; godly men are content with what they have, and that's their enough.
30. A part of the Chriſtians Evening prayer is, that he may not ſleep in his ſin, nor ſin in his ſleep.
31. When a Saint goes to bed, he ſhould look on himſelfe as buried alive in a grave above ground; and not knowing but that he may ſleep the ſleepe of death, he ſhould commit his ſpirit into the hands of God, praying and hoping, either for a reſurrection for the better in this world, or for a better reſurrection in the world to come.
32. A part of the Saints morning prayer is, that ſeeing it hath pleaſed. God to renew his life, his life may be renewed to the wel-pleaſing of God.
33. Wee ſhould labour for reſt, and follow our work while we live; for when we die, (if in the Lord) we ſhall reſt from our labour, and our work ſhall follow us.
34. A Saint doth pray, not onelyonly that the Word of God may ſanctifie the creatures to his uſe, but alſo that in and for the uſe of the creatures hee may ſanctifie the God of the word.
35. A Saint doth pray, not onelyonly that the curſe which ſin brought may be taken away, but alſo that the ſinne may be taken away which brought the curſe.
36. A Saint doth pray, not onelyonly that God would ſhed abroad his love upon the creatures, that they may be ſerviceable to him, but hee prayes alſo that God would ſhed abroad his love in his heart, that hee may be ſerviceable to God.
37. Wee ſhould ſhew mercy to the poore, not onelyonly out of pitty to them, but out of piety to God.
38. A Chriſtian wil willingly acknowledge that he owes his life to the death of Chriſt.
39. Wee ſhould not onelyonly beare the rod, but heare the rod; and did we heare the rod, and him that appointed it, we ſhould the better beare the rod which hee hath appointed.
40. Time was when hee (that is now a Saint) griev'd that he could ſin no more; but now he grieves for that griefe, and that ever he ſinned ſo much; yea, might hee have his next prayer granted, it ſhould be that he might ſin no more.
41. He that will have his ſecrets kept, muſt keep his ſecrets.
42. Wee have no reaſon to complain of, or to be diſcontented with God, how ever he deale with us; for the leaſt good is more then wee deſerve, and the greateſt evil is no leſſe, nor no more then we deſerve.
43. If when we have done all, we are but unprofitable ſervants; how unprofitable ſervants then are we, who doe not doe all, no nor ſcarce at all, what is our duty to doe?
44. Them goods wil doe no man good, with which a man doth no good. Goods are not good as (foreign) things had, but as (foreign) things uſed and improved, ſo as to make friends of the Mammon of unrighteouſneſs or deceitfulneſs.
45. Wel may a Saint ſay that he cannot be without God, for he cannot be wel without God; vivere eſt valere, to live is to be well; and beſide wel being (which is to live, move, and have our being with and unto God) the reſt of our life (though we live, move, and have our being in him) is death, or but little better.
46. A Saint would willingly be more affected with Gods goodneſs, & more afflicted for his own badnes.
47. A man ſhould apply himſelfe to Chriſt, to be delivered, not onelyonly from ſin, but from ſinning.
48. Wiſe men, when they have not opportunities will make them; but fooles wil not take opportunities when they have them.
49. Many perſons have the grace of deſire, and doe deſire grace; and yet many times enjoy not the grace of their deſire.
50. Providences that croſſe our deſignes, are no croſſe providences to Gods deſignes.
51. Chriſt's ſatisfaction, not our ſanctification, is the ground of our juſtification; and yet where ever he is juſtification, he is ſanctification alſo; or elſe there could be no ſalvation; for without holineſs no man ſhall ſee God.
52. In the good-natured and welbred perſon, a little grace wil make a great ſhew; but in an ill-natured and a perſon not wel-bred, a great deale of grace wil make but a little ſhew.
53. I would not (ſaith one) be alwaies buſie and doing, nor ever ſhut up in nothing but thoughts; yet that which ſome would call idleneſs, I would call the ſweeteſt part of my life, and that's my thinking time. Thoughts are good company, if they be good thoughts; and ſo a man may be never leſs alone, then when moſt alone; that is, all alone, when all is but one.
54. God many times awakens them at a Sermon, who came to ſleep at a Sermon, ſo that (I ſpeak it ſeriouſly) God takes them napping.
55. While we are in this world, we know but part, and but in part; hereafter we ſhall know more, and more fully; yet then the fulneſſe wil not (cannot) be fully known.
56. Gods thoughts and purpoſes towards Sion, and Sions thoughts of Gods purpoſes, are many times clean contrary, Iſaiah 49, 27, 28. My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor my waies your waies, ſaith the Lord, Iſaiah 55.8.
57. Paul, Noble and Publiqueſpirited Paul became all things to all men, that all men might gaine by him; but many (and not now adaies?) baſe ſpirited and ſelf-ſeeking men, become all things to all men, that they may gain by all men. Paul ſought the good of other men, but theſe ſeek other mens goods.
58. We are unworthy for whom God ſhould doe any thing, and unworthy to doe any thing for God; but hee is worthy for whom wee ſhould doe all things.
59. Though Gods waies are hid from us, yet our waies are not hid from God, Iſai. 40.27. Though we know not the way that he takes, yet he knows the way that we take, Job 23.8, 9, 10.
60. Many men rejoyce in the light wherein they ſhould walk, but doe not walk in the light wherein they rejoyce.
61. 'Tis not very ſafe to truſt them with too great a power of the ſword in their hands, who have not the power of the word (which is the ſword of the ſpirit) in their hearts.
62. Where ſin abounds, grace abounds; but where grace abounds, fin doth not abound; for (ſaith the ſoule) becauſe God hath been mercifull to mee who ſinned againſt him, I wil not ſin againſt God who is mercifull to me.
63. Things done by men have a tendency to bring about Gods ends, though the men that doe the things, doe not intend it, Iſai. 10.5, 7. Acts 4.27, 28.
64. It ſometimes overthrows men to have done too much good, or too great ſervice, for the Princes and Grandees of the world (though they are willing to have others beholding to them, yet are) unwilling to have themſelves beholding to others.
65. Many heare, and love to hear the things which they are to doe; but few doe, and fewer love to doe the things which they heare.
66. In an unregenerate eſtate a man is free from God, and a ſervant to ſin; but in a regenerate eſtate, a man is free from ſin, and is a ſervant to God: his firſt freedom was perfect ſlavery, his ſecond ſervice is perfect freedom.
67. He is a foole that doth not ſay in his heart there is a God; but what a foole is he, that ſaith in his heart there is no God?
68. 'Tis a ſin not to think that there is a God; but what a fin is it to think that there is not a God? yet alas! ſuch wretches there are in the world as doe, if not in words, yet in heart and works deny God to have a being, though in him they live, move, and have their being; but though ſuch are Atheiſts on earth, yet when they come to hell, they wil not be Atheiſts there, where they wil to their coſt and pain, feele that there is a God.
69. 'Tis not enough to a Saint that he hath prayed for grace, unleſs he have the grace prayed for.
70. Life-Reformation, without heart-renovation, wil never attain to heaven-ſalvation.
71. There is ſuch a connection between being in Chriſt Jeſus, being a new creature, faith working by love, and keeping the Commandements of God, that they are put one for all, as appeares by comparing 2 Cor. 5.17. Gal. 5.6. Gal. 6.15. & 1 Cor. 7, 19. What therefore God hath joyn'd together, let no man put aſunder: he that takes one for all; without all, will finde it nothing at all.
72. Chriſt doth not onelyonly deliver his people from eternall condemnation, but alſo from a ſinfull converſation; yea, he delivers them from a ſinfull coverſation, that he may deliver them from condemnation.
73. 'Tis a dangerous thing not to look over our waies; but 'tis much more dangerous to overlook our waies.
74. 'Tis a greater honour to us to ſerve God, then tis to God that we ſerve him. 'Tis not he, but we are happy by it; as the Queen of Sheba ſaid of Solomon's ſervants, 1 Kings 10.8.
75. The divels believe and tremble, and ſo do Saints, for they work out their ſalvation with feare and trembling; but with this difference, the divels tremble becauſe of the judgement which ſin wil bring; the Saints tremble becauſe of the ſin which brings the judgement; the divels and wicked men tremble becauſe they have ſinned, the Saints tremble that they may not ſinne.
76. The head may remember what the heart forgets, but the head wil never forget what the heart remembers. The ſenſe of mercy is the beſt memory, Deut. 4.9. leſt they depart from thine heart.
77. Though one ſoule be more worth then a whole world, yet a whole world of ſoules is not worth one Chriſt; oh how great then is the love of God! that he would give his only begotten ſon to ſave the ſouls of men.
78. Though the prayer we make to God cannot, yet the God to whom we make our prayers can change our hearts.
79. As faith without works is, ſo works without faith are dead alſo; religion is not in believing or doing, but in believing and doing; 'tis not any one thing, but things which accompany or contain ſalvation, Heb. 6.9.
80. A Saint ſhould daily and duely obſerve Gods dealings with him, and his dealings with God.
81. 'Twere better not to be born, then to be, and not to be new born.
82. How can we expect that God ſhould heare us when we call on him, if we wil not heare him when he cals on us.
83. A Saint had rather ſuffer for the Goſpel and religion a thouſand times, then that the Goſpel or religion ſhould ſuffer once by him.
84. He that would ſee God in ordinances, when hee comes to them, ſhould ſeek God before he comes to the ordinances.
85. If we fall in with God, it matters not who fall out with us.
86. Many men have the things of their peace to conſider of, but (alas!) but few conſider of the things of their peace; they hide their eyes ſo long from the things of their peace, that at laſt the things of their peace are hidden from their eyes.
87. Men ſhould take heed of giving themſelves to laſciviouſneſſe, leſt when they give themſelves over, God give them up to laſciviouſneſſe and vile affections, as he did them, Rom. 1.26.
88. It were to be wiſhed (provided it croſſe not the calling of God) that great men were good men, or that good men were great men.
89. Many perſons as ſoon as Sermon is done have done with the Sermon, and as ſoon as prayer is done, have done with the prayer; when as they ſhould then doe the Sermon, and practice the prayer.
90. A Saint doth good not onelyonly becauſe it pleaſeth him, but becauſe it pleaſeth God; nor doth he avoyd ſin onelyonly becauſe it diſpleaſeth him, but becauſe it diſpleaſeth God.
91. The work of the Goſpel is to make bad men good, and good men better.
92. He that's moſt full of God, is moſt empty of himſelfe; and he that's moſt full of himſelfe, is moſt empty of God.
93. Though all graee be in all Saints, yet ſome grace ſcarce appears in moſt Saints, and moſt grace ſcarce appears in ſome Saints.
94. Among them that have called themſelves ſhepheards, there have been found ſome idle, and ſome idol-ſhepherds.
95. A gracious heart doth not only hate ſin when tis committed, but he hates to commit it, Rom. 7.15.
96. We ſhould ſtudy not ſo much what ſhall become of us, as what becomes us; for what ſhall become of us is among the ſecret things which belong to God; but what becomes us is among the revealed things which belong to us.
97. As God-love is the fulfilling of God's law, or the law as to God; and man-love the fulfilling of mans law, or the law as to man; ſo ſelflove, or ſin-love is the fulfilling of the law of ſin: for the whole law is fulfilled in this one word, love.
98. Some would not ſeem evil, and yet would be ſo; and ſome would ſeem good, but would not be ſo; but tell me, thou hypocrite (ſaid Chryſoſtome) if it be a good thing to be good, why wilt thou not be that which thou wouldſt appeare to be? for that which is a ſhame for a man to appeare to be, is much more a ſhame to be it indeed: either be therefore ſuch as thou appeareſt, or elſe appeare ſuch as thou art.
99. Some men had rather be of that religion, and of ſuch opinions in that religion, which wil raiſe them; then be of that religion which wil ſave them: as if advancement in this life were more worth then a reſurrection unto and an aſcention into eternall life.
100. Latimer ſaith of the Clergy, that they were ſo wiſe, that by their wiſdom, they had almoſt made all the world fooles.