Canaans Flowings, Century 2
The ſecond Century.
101. Man is not (true) as God, and therefore not to be truſted; God is not (falſe) as man, and therefore not to be diſtruſted.
102. The promiſe is as ſatisfying to faith, as performance is to ſenſe.
103. He that believes every thing that is reported, and reports every thing which he believes, wil report that which ſhould not be believed, and believe that which ſhould not be reported.
104. He that leaves all things, and denies not himſelfe, forſakes nothing; and he that denies himſelfe, and ſets not his heart on what he hath, forſakes his all, though he keep it all.
105. The beſt way to enjoy ones wil is to deny ones wil; not to own our wil, when our wil doth not own Gods: and then to be ſure, he may doe what he wil, that wil doe but what he may.
106. Many men know the good they are to doe, but doe not doe the good they know, to them it is ſin. Jam. 4.17. others doe they know not what; theſe may doe good, but the good they doe cannot be well done; others know not what they are to doe, but this wil not excuſe them from doing; for every man ſhould learn what he is to practice, and then practice what hee hath learnt. Practice without knowledge is like Leah fruitfull, but blear-eyed; and knowledge without practice is like Rachel faire, but barren; when Rachels face, and Leahs womb, when knowledge and practice meet in the ſame perſon, then happy is he.
107. No man cares for ſorrows, yet nothing works ſorrows more then cares; for they that will be rich, pierce themſelves through with many ſorrows.
108. We ſhould welcome God not onelyonly when he brings good to us, for that is to welcome God for our own ſake; but we ſhould alſo welcome God when he brings evil upon us, for that is (which is better) to welcome God for his own ſake.
109. How much ſoever good men ſuffer, and how ill ſoever it goe with them in this world, if they be found in waies of wel-doing, they ſhall doe wel; for Chriſt will ſay, Wel done thou good and faithfull ſervant.
110. Good Lord! into how many evils ſhould we fall, didſt not thou keep us from them? and how many evils would fall on us, didſt not thou keepe them from us?
111. As nothing wil more diſquiet us (as to publike affaires) then the conſideration of mans diſorderly acting, ſo nothing wil more quiet us, then the conſideration of Gods ordering mans actings: for God never ſo leaves the reins on mens necks, but that he keeps them in his own hand.
112. Inordinate affection brings extraordinary affliction.
113. 'Tis a great mercy to have any good thing in this world; what a mercy then is it to have many good things in this world? but what a miſery is it to have all our good things in this world?
114. The old Saints, or the Saints of old time lived new lives; but alas! the new Saints, or the Saints of new and latter times, live old lives.
115. 'Tis hard to be conformable to the world in the outward man, and to be conformable to God in the inward man; 'tis hard to be like a ſinner without, and not to be a ſinner within.
116. A Saint begs of God that all Gods dealings may have love to him written upon them, and as heartily begs of God that all his dealings may have love and holineſſe to the Lord written upon them.
117. A Saint is a man of another world in this, and therefore ſhould live out of the world while in it, & have his converſation in Heaven.
118. If a man have not an appetite to pray, let him pray for an appetite; for neglect or omiſſion of a duty never fits, but alwaies unfits for duty.
119. When the Apoſtle ſaith, I live, he doth not mean, that he liv'd alone without Chriſt; and when he ſaith, not I but Chriſt, he doth not mean, that Chriſt liv'd alone without him: but his meaning is, that by Chriſt he is what he is, according to that ſaying, 1 Cor. 15.10. by the grace of God I am what I am; and that, I laboured more abundantly then they all, yet not I, but the grace of God; as if he had ſaid, I owe not onelyonly this, but my ſelfe beſide to Chriſt, I owe my life to Chriſt, who is the life of my new life.
120. A Saint doth but little of the good he doth, 1 Cor. 5.10. and he doth not much of the evil he doth, Rom. 7.20. 'tis true he lives and labours, yet not he; 'tis true he ſinneth, yet not he.
121. Meetings are then for the better, when we are the better for our meetings.
122. The image of the firſt creation makes men excell other creatures, but the image of the ſecond creation makes men to excell men.
123. Hee that begs of God for daily bread, begs food for his ſoule as wel as his body: for either a man ſhould not take more care then need, becauſe God knows we have need of theſe things, and doth give us richly to enjoy not onelyonly for this life, but (which is better) for a better life.
124. What certain hazzards doe men runne for uncertain gain! 'tis uncertain whether men ſhall gaine or no, all are but adventurers: 'tis as uncertain whether they ſhall keepe what they have gotten: 'tis certain that if they have gotten much, and have kept it long, yet that they ſhall be taken from it, or it from them. No trade ſo gainfull as godlineſſe, if it be cloſely followed.
125. The beſt and worſt of this world puts us upon longing for Heaven; for if the beſt of the world be good, heaven is much better; and if the worſt be ſo bad, who would not long to goe from bad to good.
126. If a Chriſtian be called to be a Magiſtrate, 'tis not enough for him to be a Chriſtian man, but he muſt be a Chriſtian Magiſtrate: he ſhould rather ceaſe to be a Magiſtrate, then ceaſe to be a Chriſtian: 'tis not enough to ſay, he is a Chriſtian and a Magiſtrate, but that he is a Chriſtian Magiſtrate: when God hath conjoynd them, man muſt not disjoyn them.
127. The moſt (and moſt commonly uſed) policy, is little better then circumſtantiall diſſimulation; be ſure therefore not to act the ſerpent without the dove: 'tis better to act the dove without the ſerpent, then the ſerpent without the dove; 'tis better to be pious without policy, then to be politick without piety.
128. Its worſe to be heart-tied, then to be tongue-tied in prayer; 'tis better to be ſtraitned in expreſſion then in affection; if there be much of heart, it matters not how little of art there be in prayer, for what ſome men moſt admire, God leaſt regards, viz. volubility of tongue, variety of expreſſion, and ready utterance.
129. Time was when profeſſors had heart to ſerve God, but wanted time and liberty; but now profeſſors (and many of the former) have time and liberty, but want heart.
130. 'Tis an eaſie matter to teach others what to doe, but 'tis an hard matter to learn our own teaching, and doe what wee teach: Many know to counſel others how to walk, who know not how to walke by their own counſel. To ſuch it may be ſaid more truly then he to Job c. 4.3, 4, 5. Behold, thou haſt inſtructed many, and thou haſt ſtrengthned the weake hands, thy words have upholden him that was falling: but now it is come upon thee, and thou fainteſt; it toucheth thee, and thou art troubled.
131. They that ſtand in ſlippery places (as all in high places doe) had beſt be much on their knees, and then they are in no great danger of falling, at leaſt of falling dangerouſly.
132. Its fitter for youth to learn then to teach, and for age to teach then to learn; yet there are ſome young men old enough to teach, and no old man too old to learn.
133. Many men love the ſin, that cannot abide the name; they love pride, but it muſt be called decency; love covetouſneſſe, but it muſt be called thrift and good husbandry; love flattering and diſſembling, but it muſt be called civility, and good breeding: and many times the ſame perſons love the name of grace, but cannot abide the grace; they hate godlines, yet would be called godly; loath Chriſtianity, yet would be called Chriſtians: let ſuch know, that ſin without the name will damne, and the name of grace without grace will not ſave. Lord, let me be more taken with godlineſſe, then with the name; and not at all with ſinne, though it have not the name.
134. To be ſo ſorrowfull as to forget our ſelves is weakneſſe, and to be ſo merry as to forget God is wickedneſſe.
135. A man ſhould not lay up ſo much as to give nothing, that's covetouſneſſe: nor give ſo much as to lay up nothing, that's prodigality.
136. A good conſcience alwaies keeps good cheare, for 'tis a continuall feaſt, and he that hath it fares wel, though he have no other food: the fatteſt Capons doe not afford ſuch merry thoughts as a good conſcience. What a ſhame is it then to a Chriſtian, if he cannot be merry without merriment, nor make melody without muſick, nor dine and ſup without dainties & ſauce? ſhall not the light of Gods countenance make us more glad then they that have their corn, and wine, and oyle? Lord, while others are like them in Job c. 21. from v. 7. to 16. let me be like-minded to Habucuk, c. 3, 17, 18, 19.
136. If God give us the uſe of mercy to pleaſure us, 'tis but reaſon that we ſhould uſe the mercy to pleaſe him.
137. If things fall not out as we would have them be, yet let it content us that they fall out as God would have them be; God attains his end, though we miſſe ours: we know what we would have; but what we ſhould, is better then what we would. Can we be better diſpoſed of, then by wiſdom, goodneſſe, and faithfulneſſe it ſelfe? doth not God doe all things wel? he looked upon all that he made, and behold it was good exceedingly. We therefore ſhould not open our mouth (to complain) becauſe it is his doing; but in every thing give thanks; for this is the will of God in Chriſt Jeſus concerning us.
139. Some are fooliſh wiſe men, others are wiſe fools: the fooliſhneſſe of God is wiſer then the wiſdome of men, for thats enmity againſt God. They are wiſe who are wiſe for their ſoules; and they are fools who are not ſo, how wiſe ſoever they are otherwiſe.
140. Seeing God doth not afflict willingly, we ſhould not ſin willingly; ſeeing he delights not to grieve the children of men, the children of men ſhould not delight in any thing that wil grieve him.
141. All the ſufficiency of the Saints, and the ſufficiency of all the Saints is from Gods alſufficiency; who is ſufficient for theſe things? we are not ſufficient of our ſelves to think one good thought: my grace is ſufficient for thee.
142. Men ſhould not come together barely to meet, leaſt their meeting prove but a bare comming together; without true cordial ſincere friendſhip to improve ſociety, ſociety is but a meeting; and without which (though it be good to meet, yet) the meeting wil not be good; ſuch comming together wil rather be for the worſe then for the better.
143. Many men would willingly be Gods ſons, who care not to be Gods ſervants; but God knows none for ſons, but ſuch as ſerve him: many would willingly be retainers, and weare Gods livery, that doe not care to wait, and to goe and come at his bidding. 'Twill, (but alas!) 'twil be cold comfort to be called ſervant, when it ſhall be ſaid, thou idle and wicked ſervant. Dives was never the better that Abraham called him ſonne; nor Judas that Chriſt called him friend. Titles, when they are but titles, entitle to nothing.
144. That preaching is moſt Apoſtolick, which is moſt like the Apoſtles preaching; when men come not with wiſdome of words, but with the words of wiſdom; when men come not with excellency of ſpeech, or entiſing words, to evidence and demonſtrate their learning, but in the evidence and demonſtration of the ſpirit, to evince Gods teaching; for then the faith of men wil ſtand not in the wiſdom of men, but in the power of God.
145. A form of godlineſſe and the power of ſin may dwell together, but the power of godlineſſe and a form of ſin cannot dwel together, much leſſe the power of godlineſſe and the power of ſin.
146. A gracious heart can truly ſay, though I am not what I would be, yet I would be what I ſhould be.
147. Whom God predeſtinates them he juſtifies, and not one more; and whom he juſtifies and glorifies, he did predeſtinate, and not one leſſe.
148. Though God give us never ſo much, he hath never the leſſe; and how much ſoever we give him he hath never the more.
149. The ſalvation of man, and the means to attain it, is not only Gods deſigne, but Gods work; 'tis not onelyonly his will that it ſhould be ſo, but 'tis his work that it is ſo: he doth not only wil that we ſhould be ſaved, but he doth ſave us; he doth not onelyonly wil that we ſhould be juſtified, but he doth juſtifie us.
150. At the Supper of the Lord 'tis not man that offers Jeſus Chriſt to God, but God that offers Jeſus Chriſt to man; and therefore by way of thankfulneſſe man ſhould offer up himſelfe to God.
151. Did wee account of the things of this world as things that we muſt account for in the world to come, we ſhould uſe them, if not leſſe, yet better.
152. The loweſt thoughts wee have of our ſelves, are not low enough; and the higheſt we have of God, are not high enough.
153. At ſuch times when Gods diſpenſations are doubtfull, mens diſputations about them are full of doubts.
154. A Saint prayeth that God wil not ſuffer him to take any work in hand but what he wil proſper, and then prayes God to proſper the work he takes in hand.
155. Many men doe by their Religion as Tradeſmen doe by recreation; never goe about it, but when they have nothing elſe to do; give God that time which they know not how elſe to beſtow. Men put off God with any thing, yea with nothing. Offer it to thy Prince, and wil he accept it? we give him but the dregs, when the ſpirit is his due; we would not be ſerved as we ſerve him: we would have God give us the beſt, and we (alas!) we give him the worſt. How unjuſt is this! Lord, I have nothing good enough for thee; my beſt is too bad, mine all is too little; ſuch as I am and have, I give unto thee; the Lord accept it.
156. 'Tis little leſſe then a wonder, how ſome perſons can be ſo wicked in good families, and how others can be ſo good in wicked families.
157. When a Saint is fit for a change, and a change fit for a Saint, (whether it relate to place, condition, or imployment) it ſhal then be: and who would have it before?
158. There are many perſons of good quality, who yet (the more is the pitty) are perſons of bad, very bad qualities.
159. If many that ſeek to enter into the Kingdom of Heaven ſhall not be able, what will become of them that doe not ſeek? not any of them ſhall enter; if ſeeking wil not ſerve the turn, ſtrive then to enter, put all your ſtrength to it, for ſtraight, very ſtraight is the gate; and narrow, very narrow is the way that leadeth unto life, Luke 13.24. compared with Matth. 7.14.
160. If God be with us, it matters not who be againſt us, it will goe well; but if God be againſt us, it matters not who be with us, it will goe ill.
161. Men many times wil give no more, becauſe they have given ſomething already; but God maketh his having once given, an argument to give again: hee ſhewes mercy, becauſe he hath ſhewn mercy; and doth good, becauſe he hath done good. Heretofore-mercies are (to Saints) good ground of hope for hereafter-mercies.
162. He that looſeth an hundred pound in the fleſh, and getteth a thouſand pound in the ſpirit, is a gainer by his loſſe: who would not change for the better? who would not become a foole that he may be wiſe? who would not become poor to enrich himſelfe? if a man loſe any thing for Chriſt, he ſhall loſe nothing by Chriſt, he ſhall be repaid in kind, or (which is all one, nay which is better) in kindneſs.
163. Our ſuperfluities ſhould give way to our brothers conveniences, and our conveniences to our brothers neceſſities, yea even our neceſſities ſhould give way to their extremity for the ſupplying of them.
164. A babe in Chriſt is a ſmall thing, yet 'tis no ſmall thing to be a babe, though but a babe in Chriſt.
165. Men ſhould not glory in what they have received, but give glory for what they have received: not onelyonly the talent, but the improvement of the talent is to be attributed to God, Lord thy pound hath gained ten pound, Luke 19.16. not onelyonly faith to work, but the work of faith; not onelyonly grace, but the actings of grace is to be attributed to the glory of God, and not to the power or praiſe of man.
166. To be evil at good is bad, but to be good at evil is worſe: they are wiſe to doe evil, but to do good they have no knowledge.
167. While we have any thing to give, and any thing to be forgiven, we ſhould be willingly charitable.
168. Adverſity indeed is the more grievous, but proſperity is the more dangerous condition to the ſons of men.
169. Some ſpeak but little to the purpoſe, others ſpeak but to little purpoſe; Now as the proverbe ſaith, as good not at all, as to no purpoſe, or not to the purpoſe.
170. God ſpeaks much in a little, and man ſpeaks but a little in much.
171. Chriſt was delivered for our ſins, that we might be delivered from our ſins.
172. A Saint prayeth that he may not be willing to doe any thing which God wils not; and that he may not be unwilling to doe any thing, but willing to do every thing which God wils.
173. Sorrows lie heavier then ſin on the wicked, but on the godly ſin lieth heavier then ſorrows.
174. A Saint is more ſorry that he ſhould be diſcontented at any diſappointment, then that he ſhould be diſappointed of any contentment, or that which we call ſo, for there is no ſuch thing under the Sun.
175. Many men act grace, when yet grace is not acted; they act humility and ſelf-denial, when humility and ſelf-deniall are not acted; they doe like Stage-players, appeare and make ſhew of another thing then they are: this is the art of grace, rather then the act of grace; and ſuch perſons are but artificiall Chriſtians.
176. A believer is beholding to God for the Chriſt which he beholds, and holds by faith; and for the faith whereby he beholds and holds the Chriſt.
177. Worldly ſorrow breakes hearts, but godly ſorrow heales broken hearts.
178. Though Chriſt free us from ſin, yet not from ſorrow; hee frees us from the ſin we ſorrow for, but not from the ſorrowing for the ſin he frees us from.
179. Chriſt is the Son of God, and therefore beloved, Matth. 3.17. we are beloved, and therefore the ſons of God, 1 John 3.1.
180. If thou repent with a contradiction, God will pardon thee with a contradiction; if thou repent and not reform, that's repentance with a contradiction; God wil pardon thee, but ſend thee to hell, that's a pardon with a contradiction. Oh be not deceived, God is not mocked.
181. 'Tis more comfortable doctrine to heare that ſome ſhall be ſaved, as the doctrine of election teacheth; then to heare that its uncertain whether any ſhall be ſaved, as the doctrine of free will teacheth.
182. The love of God doth not know what 'tis to be idle, and idlers doe not know what 'tis to love God.
183. A man need not feare nor doubt to ſay, that there is a partial hypocriſie in ſome men at all times, and in all men at ſome times.
184. They that feare not God and his greatneſſe here, will be afraid of God and his greatneſſe hereafter.
185. God loves them that love him, and they that ſeek him ſhall finde him, Prov. 8.17. and yet there are ſome who ſhall ſeek him early, but that early wil be too late to finde him, Prov. 1.28.
186. God can ſupply the abſence of any, yea of all creatures; but not any, no not all the creatures can ſupply the abſence of God.
187. Though wee are leſſe then the leaſt of all Gods mercies, yet he thinketh not the beſt to be too good for us; he neither ſpared to ſend his Son, nor ſpared his Son when he ſent him, but gave him up to death, yea it pleaſed the Lord to bruiſe him. This is love! Oh what a manifeſtation, what a commendation of love is this! and how ſhall he not with him as freely give us all things?
188. We may ſay that we know no reaſon why we ſhould have ſo many mercies; and the reaſon is, becauſe mercy goeth not by reaſon, but by grace: and God ſheweth mercy, when, where, and becauſe he will; and that not becauſe the creature, but the mercy pleaſeth him.
189. Children is ſometimes a name common to all the Saints, to all the ſons and daughters of God; and thus a Babe-ſaint is a child, and among the children; and a Fatherſaint is but a child, and among the children: but ſometime the name is appropriated to a certain ſort and ſize of Saints; ſo that it may be truly ſaid, all that are born of God are children, but all that are born of God are not children as ſoon as they are born.
190. It was once ſaid of one, Oh that thy body proſpered as thy ſoule proſpereth; but it may be often ſaid of many, Oh that thy ſoule did proſper as thy body proſpers.
191. There are many that make good profeſſions, but few that make their profeſſions good, or make good their profeſſions.
192. If God were at mans diſpoſe, what a God would he be! and if man were not at Gods diſpoſe, what a man (poore miſerable man) would he be!
193. Tertullian ſaith that the Chriſtians did ſo ſup as if they were to pray, they did it with ſuch vvatchfulneſſe and heavenly mindedneſſe: a good example for Chriſtians in our daies, who pray as if they ſup'd with very ſupine and careleſs ſpirits.
194. If love finde fault, 'tis that there may be no fault to be found: God on this ground findes fault with his people, that his people may be without faults.
195. They are two choice mercies: 1. To have a broken heart for ſin. 2. To have the heart broken off from ſin.
196. How little doe wee make of much mercy, and how much doe wee make of a little miſery! how little doe we doe for much mercy, and how great and much adoe doe we make about a little miſery! A little miſery afflicts us much, and much mercy affects us but little.
196. God hath two dwelling places, the higheſt heavens, and the loweſt hearts; that's the habitation of his glory, this of his grace.
198. The Son of God became the ſon of man, that the ſons of men might become the ſons of God.
199. If we be juſt and faithfull in confeſſing the ſins we would have forgiven, God will be juſt and faithfull in forgiving the ſins we confeſſe.
200. If men will not doe what grace will have them doe, grace will not doe what men would have it doe; if men will not ſubmit to graces teaching, men ſhall never enjoy graces ſalvation.