Of the Childs Portion, Part 2 · Chapter 1
CHAP. I. What we are taught by beholding our ſelves in the wombe; and what, by our outward frame of body.
I Shall now call thee back to look unto the Rock, whence thou was hewen, to the wombe, whence thou was taken; I ſhall begin with thee at the very beginning of thy being, that thou maieſt take a more cleare ſight and conſideration even there, of Gods goodneſſe; thy Parents kindneſſe; thy ſelf miſery. Aſſuredly there is no period of a mans age, that yeelds him ſuch a diſcerning, as this point of time doth, at which he firſt breathed in this world, and ſo ſet forth to runne his race. Therefore I ſhall reduce thee now to thy primitive originals, and, as it were, lay thee again in the wombe, whence thou didſt ſpring: That in this way of reduction, thou maieſt take ſpeciall notice of two main and principall points whereon ſo much depends.
1. Thy outward frame of body.
2. Thy inward frame of ſpirit. Of the outward frame here.
§ 1. Here take notice of God firſt, and of His goodneſſe laid out upon thee, when of nothing thou waſt made ſomething: ſome few dayes before, thou waſt a meere nothing. That which never ſhall be, was in as great a poſſibility of being, as then thou waſt. And when thou waſt ſomething (Iob tels thee what it was) that ſomething was as much asMar. Au. Ant. Medit. li. 10. Sect. 26. p. 171 nothing to the producing of ſuch an effect (ſo an Heathen could ſay) from ſuch a beginning. Of that nothing waſt thou limmed or framed, thence this curious work, not the work of nature, but of an Almighty-hand quickning Nature, and actuating the ſame. And in ſeven dayes (for ſo experience tells us, ſaith Hier. Fabricius the Phyſitian) that frameP. 686. had its proportion of all parts. And one half of that work, but the better part indeed, is more worth, then a whole world (thy ſoul) ſo He ſaith, who went to the price of ſoules.
§ 2. And as thou muſt take notice of the hand, that covered thee in thy mothers wombe, ſo muſt thou take notice of the ſame hand (for the ſame Hand it was) that brought thee thence, and none other but that. If this hath not been told thee, nor haft thou yet conſidered ſo much; then beleeve me, that the moſt curious ſearchers into Nature, and the powers thereof, which are great, and ſtrange in their extent and latitude; they, who have aſcribed too much unto it, even they have yet acknowledged at this point, when the childe is brought to the birth, and no power to bring forth, that, this is the finger of God, this is the work of His hand.
And yet this ſorrow in child-birth is not the ſame in all, nor is the danger; the Lord ſo diſpenſing therewith, though the curſe be common. We know what the Mid-wives ſay, touching the Hebrew women; and common experience tels us alſo, that ſome women there are, who, in this caſe, ſpeed better then their betters. We read what our Geographer and Hiſtoriographer (for he is both) writeth concerningHiſtory of S. George. Hiſto. of the Sab. Geog. p. 32. the Spaniſh▪ women, and what he citeth out of Strab…, touthing a woman there, who roſe from one labour to another; from labour in child-birth, to labour in the field: She was rather an Hedge-woman, then a child-bed woman, and it is with them many times, as we heard. But this we are ſure of, that is that burthen, which is laid upon that Sex, In ſorrow ſhalt thou bring forth children; and ſo wonderfull the Delivery is, that we may ſay with the Prophet, Thou art Pſal. 71. 6.He that took me out of my mothers bowels, my praiſe ſhall be continually of thee.
† 1. And thou childe (I ſuppoſe thee the eldeſt, though I would make no difference here, for whether the next in yeers, or the youngeſt, it will fit very well, and inſtruct alike in the maine, for which I intend it) haſt as much cauſe toconſider this, as any other; becauſe of the ſore travell thy mother had with thee. (I will not mention the travell of her ſoul for thee, that Chriſt might be formed in thee, though a travell it was alſo) ſhe was in hard labour, with the greateſt danger of her own life, before thou didſt ſuch in the ayre of this. She might have called thy name Iabeſh; 1. Chron 4. 9.becauſe ſhe bare thee with ſorrow. Such were the pains upon her, and ſo heavy was that burthen, which was laid of old upon that Sex, that it preſſed her out of meaſure above ſtrength▪ as if ſhe muſt firſt go out of this world, before thou couldeſt come in. A ſtrong engagement this to look up to Him, with thankfulneſſe, who brought thee to theShe ſickned the 17. of Auguſt, and died the 30. at 9. in the morning, 163 1 when thou waſt 4. yeers and 7. dayes old. wombe, and took thee thence; and to thy parent in all due obſervance: and it is as ſtrong as ever, though thy mother is not (here I ſuppoſe thee the eldeſt:) ſhe was taken from me and thee, when thy fift yeer was currant, and yet not ſeven dayes runne out of it. Me thinks a childe grown up, and reflecting on it ſelfe lying in the wombe, and taken thence, ſhould obſerve a love in the mother as ſtrong as Death. All theſe turnings of ſtomack (part of the mothers ſorrow) thoſe throwghs afterwards, as ſo many deaths; ſuch waters could not quench this love, nor ſuch floods of ſorrow drown it: nay all theſe were but like the Smithes water caſt upon his fire, which makes it burn the hotter and the clearer; for all theſe ſorrows are out of minde, when the childe is in ſight, and ſerve but to encreaſe the love, and to inhance the price of that ſweet commodity the mother hath ſo dearly bought. In one place of ſacred Writ the mother is placed before the father, Feare every man his mother and his aLev. 19. 3.father; It may be, becauſe the Mother is generally ſo neglected, or becauſe ſhe ſo neglects her ſelf▪ I may not hit upon the true reaſon, but I can tell a ſtrong reaſon, why at ſometime, the mother may be put, as it were, upon the right hand, and why ſhe ſhould at all times be of high and honorable account with the childe, for ſhe hath bought it deare (as they uſe to ſay) ſo deare, that ev…n for her ſorrow in Child-birth, the childe muſt ever be her debter. Suppoſe we the moſt dutifull and obſervant childe ſtanding forth, that ever yet was clothed with ſinfull fleſh, telling the reciprocation of his duty, and mutuall workings thereof towardsThe name and nature of the Stork. Heb. his mother; that he hath done towards …er as the young Stork to the old, the ſame (ſay the Naturaliſts) which once the old did to the young; ſuppoſe all this, the Mother couldforeign. Heſiod. &c. Quinta aetas. Homer Iliad. 4. Lege Hex. Ba…ilii Hom. 8. anſwer all in few words, "Remember childe (if thou canſt) the turnings of my ſtomacke, not the leaſt part of my ſorrows; the pains I felt, every one as ſo many daggers to the heart, ſinking my ſpirits, and throwing up my tyred breath, as if I ſhould never take it in again. Should the mother ſay no more but this, what ſhe ſuffered for the childe (though much ſ…e did for it afterwards; And there is more then nature in it, ſay ſome, that ſo much ſhe did unto it, when it lay like a bHom Odyſ. l. 6. …cretius.man after a ſhipwrack, caſt up upon the ſhoare, the moſt forlorne and helpleſſe creature that can be thought of in the world.) Should ſhe, I ſay, but tell what ſhe ſuffered for the childe, when in the wombe, and bringing thence, ſhe hath anſwered all the childe can ſay, and left it farre in her books; ſo farre, that it can never get out; death only cancells that bond. The parent, and the childe can never cut ſcores, or ſtrike tallyes, for they can never lye even.
And ſo much that thou may eſt honour thy Mother, for then thou art as aEcclus. 3. 4.one that layeth up a bleſſing, Mark that; for, by the rule of contraries, he that diſhonours the Mother is as one, that layeth up a curſe. Honour thy Mother, and forget it not.
† 2. Thy Father too; look to it, thou doſt not ſet light byA ſe migrat & ab …mine totus tranſit in beſtian… pat… pietatis …memor; gratiae g…aitoris oblius. Chryſol. de prodego. Ser. 2. him (ſo thou doſt do, it thou doſt ſet light by his admonitions). For that is a ſinne, which calleth down a curſe from the Almightie; And, though I ſhould not plead my right, and thy dutie▪ yet the Lord would do both Nay, it I ſhould pray againſt the curſe (as God forbid I ſhould forbeare to do) yet would it (according to Gods ordinary diſpenſation) certainly fall; the arme of fleſh being too ſhort to keep it off. He is the God of Recompences, He looks up on the breach of that ſacred band, betwixt parents and children,a Si gravaris …ſcultare pa… ontibus, eſto dicto audious car…ſici: quod ſi neque haic obedire ſu…, …bc…li…o foreign, &c. Cata…h…ſ. Lut…. and will require it. That which Luther ſpeaks is very notable, and may winne much upon a ſtubborn childe, if any thing will; "If thy neck be ſo ſtiffe that thou wilt not bow nor bend, nor relent by all the perſwaſions & entreaties of thy parents; then expect that the Executioner ſhall bend thee. If thou wilt not heare what thy parents ſay, for thy inſtruction, thou art like to heare what the Hangman ſaith, for thy cutting off and deſtruction; bProv. 17. 11. Ca…n…f…x. Tr…m. Epheſ. 6. 1. Sicut …oſt D… deligere par…tes … eſt: ſic p…s quàm Deum, impietas, Ch…yſ…ſt. in Mat. Lat. tantum. Hom▪ 26.A cruell meſſenger ſhall be ſe…t to a Son of rebellion. If thou wilt not put thy necke under the yoke, thy parents would put upon thee, which is no other, but what God enjoyneth, and for thy good; annexing a large bleſſing thereunto: If thou wi…t not ſubmit to this eaſie and ſweet yoke, In the Lord, for this is right; thou muſt then ſubmit to an iron yoke, in putting thy neck into the executioners halter, for that is but juſt. So Doctor Lu. ſpeaks in our plain Engliſh, and addes thereto; That the experience of all Ages, have evidenced the Truth thereof. And for the yet clearer evidencing the ſame; This I adde further. I have been young, and am not farre from being old, but never ſaw I a dutifull childe that went away without his bleſſing; nor a childe ſtubborn and undutifull, to proſper. Hiſt. of the World. 2. 13. 5. pag. 361.The debts of crueltie and mercy are never left unſatisfied, ſaith one in another caſe; we may ſay the ſame in this caſe; Diſobedience to parents ever receives its due puniſhment. No leſſe then a thouſand witneſſes give in cleare evidence hereunto, and it is worth our giving our eare unto them, and our eye alſo: For therefore are judgements wrought in the earth, that they might be had in continuall remembrance, like a great mountain, ſtill in the Travellers Eye.
It was written for our Inſtruction; That he, who roſe up againſt his father, left behinde him no other, then an heape of ſtones, a monument of his ſhame; and a pillar, the onelyonly2 Sam 18. 17, 18. memoriall of his name. Examples there are, an heape of them, of more freſh and bleeding memory, which I ſhall paſſe over, and recall to minde Times further off, and give inſtance only in two, who, becauſe they are very great examples (examples are rules, and yeeld us the ſhorteſt, plaineſt, and moſt certaine Inſtruction) being perſons of the higheſt ranke and qualitie, are, I conceive, the fuller of uſe to thoſe of the meaneſt.
The firſt is concerning Robert Duke of Normandy, eldeſt ſonne to William the firſt of England, ſo famous for his conqueſt there. This ſonne was ſtain'd (ſaith my Author) with this only fault; Diſobedience to his father; if I forget not, he tooke up Armes againſt him thrice, and once un-hors'd his father, and wounded him in his arme, (ignorantly ſaith the Author, not knowing him to be his father; for when he did, he haſted to remount him, humbly craving pardon:) this now requires our mark; This Roberts younger brothersS. Daniel. p. 41. ſucceeded in their Fathers Throne, William the ſecond, and Henry the firſt; Robert puts hard for the Crown againſt King Henry his youngeſt Brother, and obtains the payment of three thouſand Marks by the yeer, and the reverſion of the Crowne; a ſucceſſion in his Brothers Throne, in caſe he ſurvived. Thus they capitulated, and on theſe termes they ſtood, for the preſent; Robert ſafe in Normandy, and Henry in England. But contentions betwixt brothers, and betwixt them for a Crown, are like the Barrs of a Caſtle, once two never one again; Quickly after, the fire of contention, raked under cold Embers, burnt out again betwixt the two, brothers (Kings love not to know their heire, unleſſe he come out of their own bowels) and conſumed divers worthy men in a mightie battell, whereby England won Normandy, and one the ſame day (ſuch are the turnings in humane affaires) whereon fortie yeers before, Normandy overcame England; And here Robert, who ſtood in a faire poſſibilitie of two Crowns (of England and Ieruſalem) was deprived of his hopes there in both places, and of his Dutchy alſo, of all he had: But there ended not his Tragedy; Out of Normandy he was brought priſoner into England, and committed to the Caſtle of Cardiffe, where, to adde to his miſery, he had the misfortune of a long life (ſurviving, after he had loſt himſelfe, twentie ſix yeers) whereof the moſt part he ſaw not, having his eyes put out, whereby he was only left to his thoughts; A puniſhment barbarouſly inflicted on him, for attempting an eſcape, but wherein we may ſee the righteous Acts of God, withering thoſe armes, which were reached forth againſt the hands, which embrac'd him in his ſwadling clothes (as the old Father ſpeaks to his Andronicus)See Turkiſh Story. pag 158. and ſuffering thoſe eyes to be pickt out, that ſet ſo light by him, out of whoſe loynes he deſcended.
Gods Iudgements are as the great deepe, and we are too ſhallow to conceive of them; but what lyeth on the top, or ſurface, as it were, we may take for our uſe; and that we have heard.
The next is concerning Edward the third of England. He ſtept over his Fathers head, to his Throne; That was not the Sons fault, (ſaith the Author) for he had the Crown by reſignation from his Father. But Crowns are not eaſily parted with. The ſonnes of Zerviah were too hard for him. The Father was over-powred (ſo juſt was Gods judgement upon him, that before gave up his power to the luſts of others, who quickly ſet that under-foot, which is every mans The Law is every mans maſter. M. A…rel. Ant. lib. 10. Med…t. 25. pag. 171.maſter. and ſo made their King and people miſerable) and then he muſt reſigne what he could not keepe: ſo the Sonne was put in the Throne, and the Father thruſt out. And perſons of ſuch eminency ſeldome finde a meane, betwixt the higheſt floud of honour, and the loweſt aNo meane between higheſt and nothing. Tacit. ſupple. p. 8.ebbe of diſgrace. If they …all from their pinnacle, ſeldome do they meet with any ſtop, till they fall to the bottome.
The Father now unking'd was moſt miſerably contemned, moſt deſpitefully uſed, and then in a moſt hideous manner murdered: He was forc'd (ſuch inſtruments defac'd Majeſtie meet with-all) to ſit on a Mole hill, whilſt he was ſhaven, and waſhed with cold water out of a ditch; but, indeed, he told them, that, in deſpight of them, he would have warme water at his Barbing, and therewith ſhed aboundance of teares. Other vile reproaches were put upon him (as if he had not been anoynted with oyle b2. Sam. 1. 21.) and quickly after, his ſavage …aylour muthered him, by thruſting up an hot Iron into his bowels, thorow an hollow inſtrument, whereby no outward note might appeare, to bewray how he came by his death: ſo they gave out, that he dyed of extreame griefe; and ſo he did indeed, and of paine to boote. Though this were not the ſonnes fault (ſo ſaith the Relatour, and it needs not our debate) yet the ſonne had a puniſhment, and in a moſt high kinde, which requires our marke; for, having ſo plentifull and able an Iſſue-Male, as none before him or ſince; ſeven ſonnes, whereof five lived to have iſſue, he had not yet a ſonne of his own to ſit upon his ſeat; He left his kingdome worſe then he found it, and a great Inheritance like a large ſumme divided into Fractions; all was rent from him before he died, excepting onelyonly the poore Town of Calais. So concludeth the ſtorie and his life; which ſecureth thoſe of the higheſt degree, aGen. 41. 32.That their Throne is eſtabliſhed in righteouſneſſe, a concluſion doubled twice, as the dreame bProv. 20. 28. 25. 5. 29. 14., becauſe of its certaintie: And it inſtructeth thoſe of the loweſt degree; That they be ſubject to the fathers of their bodies, and that the ſonne thruſt not into his fathers place, before he be fairely removed, and cold in his grave: It teacheth the childe to honour the father, and to ſe… to it; That no deſpight be done unto him, which the childe can poſſibly keepe off.
And ſo much that thou mayeſt learn to honour thy mother, and thy father; (ſo I invert the order for this time) and that thou mayeſt not ſet light by either, ſo ſhalt thou eſcape the curſe, and, as was ſaid, be as one that layeth up a treaſure. And now having digreſs'd a little, that thou mighteſt the better learne thy dutie at the wombe, and ſee how thou art engaged unto it; I returne againe to Him, to whom all honour, and praiſe, and thanks are due, for there we left.
§ 2. Thou muſt yet take further notice of Gods good hand towards thee, and of the wonderfulneſſe of His work; for the goodneſſe of God muſt interveine all along, which way ſoever our method leadeth; but while we are upon this point, it muſt be wonderfull in our eyes. It is not neceſſary, nor is it my care, to ſet my words in ſuch an exact order or poſture, as figures ſtand in Arithmeticke, whereof, i… one beQuis artem quaerit ubi affectus dominatur? out of order, all are out of tale; it is not ſo in words; Conſider then,
He that gave thee roomth in the world, and bid thee ſtand out, when there was no need of thee, might have refuſed that any ſhould have been at further coſt and trouble with thee, ſave only to wrap thee up in a winding-ſheet, inſtead of ſwadling thee in a blanket. He, that took thee from the wombe, might, the ſame moment of Time, have ſent thee to the grave, and from thence to thine own place, theActs 1. 25. foreign. nethermoſt parts of the earth; where it is, I know not, but the fartheſt off from Him, who prepared it of old; and ourDeus non expectabat Angelos. Amb. own place it is, the proper and juſt inheritance of a ſinner. Thus He might have dealt with thee, thus quick and ſhort, as He was with thoſe, who were once farre more excellentGods patience to a ſinner, is the purchaſe of blood, the fruit of the Goſpel. then thou art now, and yet ſalling from God the chiefe good, they fell from their happineſſe, into a bottomleſſe gulph of irrecoverable miſery, and both at one inſtant. In the ſame moment of Time they ſinn'd, they alſo fell, and ſo fell, that they ſhall never riſe again.
Take notice then thou muſt of Gods exceeding goodneſſe and patience towards thee, in ſparing and repreeving thee yet longer; And deſpiſe not his patience, and rich goodneſſe: but account, that the Long-ſuffering of the Lord, is ſalvation; and2. Pet. 3. 15. ſith he hath graciouſly ſpared thee thus long, Labour thou (it is the Apoſtles word, but too ſhort of his meaning, loſing2 Cor. 5 9. foreign. much of its weight in our tongue, flat and dead to his underſtanding) make it thy greateſt ambition, and account it thy chiefe honour, the top and height of thy preferment (for ſo much the word doth import, ſo labour, ſo contend) to be accepted of Him. Acceptance with the Lord, is the height of a Chriſtians preferment, as it will be the Crown of his rejoycing, and is the ambition of my Heart concerning thee, the very butt and ſcope, where-to tend all my endeavours.
§. 3. Conſider again, as the riches of His goodneſſe, ſo the wonderfull worke of His hands. He that gave thee a being, might have given a being only, and no more; or He might have given thee life and ſtay'd there; Thou mighteſt have been ſuch a creature, which now takes the bone from thy hand, and licks the diſh, and gathers the crums, that fall from thy table, thereby to ſuſtaine life; and when that life is gone (which ſerves but for ſalt to keep the body ſweet) is laid in the ditch: ſuch thou mighteſt have been, for in reference to our owne demerits, ſo vile, as a dogge, have the moſt excellent of ſinfull men accounted themſelves. And it was the loweſt expreſſion of humilitie, and abaſing amongſt the Hebrews: and ſo low, did the ſenſe of their vileneſſe depreſſe the excellent and honourable of the earth: Such a creature thou might'ſt have been; or a croaking Frog, or a loathſome Toad. It is amongſt Auſtins Confeſſions; Thou might'ſt (Lord) have made me even ſuch an one; or a worme, or a flea, or a ſ…ie, which now thou canſt fillip, and cruſh to death at pleaſure. So thy Lord might have dealt with thee, and have done thee no wrong at all. He might have given thee the ſtamp and outward impreſſe of a reaſonable creature, and yet have wounded thee in thy crown; I mean, He might have ſtrucken thee in thy reaſon and underſtanding-part, the dignitie, excellency, crown of the outward-man. So He might have done, thou waſt in His hands, as the clay in the Potters, yet ſo He did not deale with thee. But according to His goodneſſe, He vouchſafed more grace, more honour; He ſtamp'd upon thee an excellent image, and then admitted thee not into the lower ranke of His creatures, which lick the duſt, and feed upon it; No, He hath made thee but a little lower then the Angels; and hath crowned thee, (as we read one was) in the wombe, with this honour, That thou ſhould'ſt be Lady-Princeſſe over the creatures before mention'd, even over all the works of His hands (And God ſaid unto them.) &c. ThusGen. 1. 26. 28. foreign, &c. Chryſoſt. Hom. 10. in Gen. 1. Chron. 17. 17. honourably hath the Lord dealt with thee; ſo as, though thou art the meaneſt of many, yet may'ſt thou take the words of Him, whom God exalted, and ſpeake them out to His praiſe, For, they are proper and fit well, becauſe ſo He hath exalted thee; Thou haſt regarded me according to the eſtate of a man of high degree, ô Lord God.
Oh, that I could advance and elevate thy thoughts now according to the excellency that God hath ſtampt upon thee! That as thy ſtature is erect and up-wards, thy minde alſo, that yet more excellent part, might not be low and downwards, groveling to the earth, as if thou couldeſt finde reſt In imo &c. Lact. lib. 1. cap. 1. Lib. 3. cap. 12. & 26. 27. Boet. lib. 5. Me…. 5.unto thy ſoule, That chiefe good, in the bottom and underneath, where the worme creepeth, and the ſerpent eateth duſt. This is the great miſtake The Lord diſcover it to our hearts; It is the veyle ſpread over us, the Lord pull it off, for nothing more evidenceth the wonderfull deordination and diſorder which is brought upon mans nature, then this, which I am ſpeaking, doth; Man abhors miſery, yet he loves it in the cauſe thereof; he deſires happineſſe, but he ſeeks it in the place, and in the things much inferiour to and below himſelfe: Look up man, as one ſaid, it is not there; it is higher. Thy very ſtature tells thee; That, thou ſeekeſt for, is not under thy foot aThy ſtature is erect and upward; thy eye can behold the things above: whenſoever now thou ſhalt minde earthly things, and fix upon them, then thou makeſt thy ſelf, like the beaſts that periſh, &c. Read this in the 9. Hom. of S. Baſil. Mex. foreign. Ibid.. Let the beaſt look thither-ward, and fix there, who cannot look nor riſe an inch higher. We diſhonour our parentage, if, being born men, we do by an evill and beaſt-like converſation match our ſelves as with beaſts, not conſidering our honour and dignity. Its farre worſe to be like a beaſt in converſation, then to be born a Beaſt bPejus eſt comparari jumento, quàm naſci jumentum.; this is no fault, but a great fault, that. And ſuch an one is he, who ſeeks nothing, nor ſavours nothing but earth, contrary to his nature, and Image ſtampt upon him. Aſſuredly, there can be no conſideration ſo effectuall, to raiſe our thoughts and ſend them upwards, and ſo fix them on high, thereto ſeek our chiefeſt good, as is the conſideration of that Image, and ſuperſcription, which God hath ſtampt upon us, and appears unto us even through the outward man; thinke we thereof, and it will raiſe the ſpirit to the place, whence it came, unleſſe we have that ſpirit of infirmity, we read of cLuke 13. 11., which bows us together ſo, that we can in no wiſe lift up our ſelves: That was an infirmity, the greateſt that can be thought of, as now it is the commoneſt in the world; and from that uncleane ſpirit it is, who is ſtronger then we, and would lay us as low, as himſelf is. I know not what to ſay to it, for this infirmitie like an epidemicall diſeaſe, rageth every where, and preſſeth ſore clinging us together. It is a ſpice of our peremptory nature (before ſpoken of) of that crookedneſſe, which man cannot ſtraighten. To God let us look, and on Him let us wait, till He ſhall unto us, as to the woman, Thou Verſ. 12.art looſed from thy infirmity: for, till that time come, noble and excellent creatures though we are, the chief of Gods works, yet on the duſt we ſhall feed, and fill ourſelves, as with the Eaſt-winde; I meane, with that which cannot ſatisfie.
For this we may be ſure of, that as nothing can fit and fill up that ſtampe, which the ſeale hath made, but the very ſeal, which at the firſt ſtamp'd that impreſſion or ſuperſcription; ſo can nothing in the world, no not all the world, fit and fill up this image, which God hath engraven upon us,Capacem Dei non implet minus Deo. but He, that hath honoured us with ſuch an engraving; He, and He onelyonly can ſatisfie this Image. The eye (we know) is not ſatisfied with ſeeing, nor the eare with hearing. TheſeTa Deus, diligenti te, quantum praecipis, oſtendis te, & ſufficis ei. Aug. Conf. l. 12 cap. 15. foreign; &c. C…ryſ. Tom. 6. ſer. 1. in G…. Exod. 28. 36. Pſal 17. 15. Geneva Tran. things below us finde us ſtill hungring, luſting, deſiring; and ſo they leave us, ſtill more unſatisfi'd. But He who hath ſtampt this a excellent image upon us, which ſhould ſhew forth (as that engraving upon the plate) Holineſſe unto the Lord, He can fit the ſame, He can fill it up and fully ſatisfie; So that me thinks (and with that I conclude) David hath a full expreſſion, when he ſaith, When I awake, (that is, I think, in the day that I ſhall riſe again) I ſhall be ſatiſfied with thy Image. God can ſatisfie David, and God onelyonly, and then, but not till then, fully, untill he awake out of the duſt of death; for that is the time, when God is all in all: Let us at length ſhew our ſelves men and look up to heaven, that thence we may receive that which is after our Image. Chryſ. H…m 9. …n Epiſt. ad Cor. ….When I awake, I ſhall be ſatisfied with thy Image. And ſo much touching thy Image, that thou maiſt look on it, and behold His goodneſſe that ſo engraved thee; and then, as thy Image directeth thee, look up to Him, till thou art looſed from that ſpirit of infirmity, and filled with His goodneſſe, with His Image, which onelyonly can fit and fill up, which onelyonly can ſatisfie thine.
§ 4. There is yet another remnant of Gods goodneſſe towards this Image of thine; and thou muſt remember it to His praiſe, for it makes up the ſumme of His mercies, to thy outward man, and very much it makes for …he beauty and comelineſſe thereof, which conſiſteth but in the full number of parts, and in their comely order, wherein they are placed, holding conformity and proportion with the whole: For the beauty and comelineſſe of the body, ſtands in an oneneſſe and fit agreement of many parts to one. I call this goodneſſe of God a remnant of His mercy, or fagge-end thereof, not that it is ſo; for the mercy I ſhall remember thee of, is the verie beauty of His work, the excellency of thy outward glory, it ſets it off to the eye, and declares the excellent skill of the Worker; But it is as a remnant or fagge-end in our eſteeme, we look upon it, as the liſt of a fine piece of cloth; we, too commonly, either behold it not at all, or account not of it at all; and all becauſe, we have this mercy, we want it not. Aſſuredly the commonneſſe of a mercy, and the not knowing the want of that mercy, is the cauſe we ſet no eſtimate upon it at all. Had the Lord dealt thus with thee (as He might, there are many monſtrous births in the world, many in whom His Image (at the firſt not taken, but caſt away) is doubly defac'd.) Had He made any part of thee double, which is ſingle, or ſingle which are double. Had He for one face (which no creature in the world hath but aFaci…s homini tantum. Plin. Nat. Hiſt. li. 11. ca. 37.man) given thee two; for one tongue, two; or for two eyes, two eares, two hands, two feet, but one. I will not inſtance in thoſe ſo beautifying ornaments. Had the Lord for two eye brows (which are but a few haires, and they excrements of the body) yet, had He of them given thee but one, that want had taken nothing at all, from the bulke of thy body, but very much from the ornament thereof; ſo much, thatSi unum radatur ſupercilium, &c. Auguſt de Civit. Dei. li. 11. c. 22. thou canſt not well think or imagine; But thou canſt imagine, that if any thing might have been ſpared, then an excrement might; and if not an excrement, but deformitie would have followed, then, much more, if thou hadſt wanted ſome excellent or more uſefull part. Thou haſt thy parts, childe, in weight, and in number, and in their order too, and due place, comelineſſe, and proportion in all. Thou art not wanting, And why think'ſt thou? David that King and Prophet, tells thee, Becauſe the Lord had written all thy parts in Pſal. 139. 16. Our book is our Remembrancer. Fideliſſimus ad jutor memoriae. Brightm. Reve …. 1. pa. 91.His common place book; He ſpeaks to informe man, and therefore to his capacity, for he is dull and ſlow to underſtand. That, which we will not have forgotten, nor omitted, nor ſlipt over, we will note in a book, and ſet it before our eye. In thy book all my members were written. Had the Lord left out of His book, thy eye, thou hadſt wanted it, and then thou wouldſt have ſaid, Oh what a mercy it is to have windows to look out of! for now my body is to me a dungeon, and the world a priſon. Had he left out thy tongue, thou hadſt wanted it, and then, as thou maiſt uſe it, thou hadſt wanted thy glory, though otherwiſe, and by abuſe, it is a world of wickedneſſe. But had'ſt thou wanted it, thou wouldſt have ſaid, Oh, what a mercy is it! what an happineſſe to have whereby to expreſſe my ſelf! Whereas now a Shepheard takes more content with his dogge, then with me, one that cannot deliver my meaning aAug. de Civ. Dei. l. 19 c. 7.. It is ſo with the eare too, had it been left out, thou hadſt ſtood amidſt the people like a Statue, or walked with them, but converſe thou couldſt not. In His book were all thy members written, and thou mayeſt ſay as follows, How great is the ſumme of them! how great thinkſt thou? put them all together as they are, and behold them, and thy ſelf an epitome of the whole world, the Index of all the creatures; and therefore well mayeſt thou take the following words, ſpeaking them to His praiſe, How great is the ſumme of them! Nay, ſhould I call Man the great world, and the viſible world before us the little world, I ſhould ſay no more but what a Greek FatherNazian…e. hath ſaid before me; So excellent and beautified a creature is man, when he hath all his parts, comelineſſe and proportion in all. I could be large here, but praiſe would be the ſumme of all, and praiſe is comely; Oh that men would praiſe the Lord for His goodneſſe, and the wonderfulneſſe of his works, even in this behalf touching our outward frame!
Conſider now, and ſo I conclude this alſo; Hath God written all thy members in His book, not one is left out? Hath He ſet them in a comely and decent rank and poſture? And is this order and uniformity comely and goodly to behold, as Souldiers well diſciplined, or as an Army with Banners? We muſt needs grant, it is ſo; it is gracefull in the eyes, as the contrary, an inconformity and diſorder in parts, would have been as unſeemly, as to ſee Souldi…rs breaking their Ranks, or an Army routed. "Then conſider but this, what then is the beauty of a well-ordered ſoule? Think but ſo, and certainly thou wilt think, that nothing in this world is of ſufficient worth to put us out of frame. This thought ſet home, may carry the ſoul like the Sunne, which worketh upon all inferiour things, but is not wrought upon by them) above forms and ſtormes too, in an uniform way, in a conſtant courſe and tenor, like it ſelf, ſutable to its own dignitie, and keeping its diſtance.
We take a view now of the way we have gone, and of the obſervations in our paſſage.
This firſt, that it was the Lord, who curiouſly formed thee in the wombe, He brought thee thence, (and yet thy engagement to thy parents no whit the leſſe) He gave thee a being amongſt the creatures, and thoſe of the higheſt ranke; He put thee into an houſe, like a rich Heire, ready furniſhed aSee Chryſoſt. Hom 8. in Gen.; He crowned thee with honour, and gave thee dominion over the works of his Hands. In His book were all thy members written, thou doeſt not want one of them; and how great is the ſumme thereof! ſo great, that thou art the epitome of this great world, the Index of all the creatures; which ſets deep upon thy ſcore; thou haſt much to return unto the Lord, if thou doeſt return according to that thou haſt received. So God hath exalted thee, ſo ſhouldſt thou exalt the Lord; and all this from thy outward frame, the ſite and poſture thereof. And ſo farre we are gone, and before we go further we muſt take fuller notice of things we have paſſed briefly over, for they are obſervable.
§ 1. We are Gods workmanſhip, His building, wonderfully were we made by bIſa. 45. 11.Him, accordingly ſhould we ſtrive to live unto Him; if we ask more grace, He will not deny us it; A ſtrong argument it is, cPſal. 138. 8.We are the workmanſhip of thy hands; and as ſtrong is this; Created in Chriſt Ieſus unto good d Epheſ. 2. 10.works.
† 1. 2. He brought us forth thence, where many miſcarried becauſe there was no power, that our praiſe might be alwayes of Him. And He gave our parents charge over us, and them a ſtrong affection, to diſcharge that truſt, though we were froward, and like perverſe children, which engageth mightily to honour the parents, to obey them in the Lord. And to do what poſſibly we can, and all too little, for their good, if they ſhall need it, and for the promoting their comfort in the childes well-doing, the very garland of their hope, and ſore travell under the Sunne, and a very cordiall to their drouping ſpirits.
§ 2. His exceeding patience to us-ward, in ſparing us ſo long, and His good providence over us, all this time, but ſpecially then, when we could have none for our ſelves, when we foreſaw nothing, no not a pit before us; For mark, I pray you, that little thing, ſuch an one I was, ſo waſt thou; and let us not careleſly behold him. If now he be out of the cradle and the armes, and can do more then creep by the wall, we ſhall ſee it ſtill in harmes-way, now puddering in the fire, then in the pot of ſeething liquour, then up the ſtairs it will creep, and down again it tumbles, with little or no harm: And if it can break the mothers priſon, we ſhall ſee it marching in the ſtreets, preſently in the Carts way or under the horſes heels, perhaps (as his ſtrength is) upon their backs, or upon ſome Ladder, or ſome Tree, where he ventreth his necke for an apple, or a leſſe matter. Like a Lapwing it is, Squerill headed, ſtill skipping into danger, not ſo quicke to get from it. Such like and many more dangers attend that ſilly age. So that this is a ſure thing which I ſhall tell you; It was not the care of the earthly Father, though he was carefull with all his care; nor the tender hand and eye of the Mother, though both ſtill helpfull and wakefull: neither this nor that was it, which provided for the childe, and ſecured its ſafety: but the providence of the Almighties eye; 2. Kin. 4. 13.His good hand upon the childe, that kept it. That, that was it, and to that we muſt ſacrifice, that we have been preſerved where ſo many have fallen; and eſcaped thoſe ſnares and dangers wherein ſo many have been taken; Make this uſe we muſt of the caſualties. And forget we muſt not the many diſeaſes, this vile body is ſu…ject to, which we have been kept from or delivered in. Plinie reckons no fewer then 300. from top to toe; I mention but two, and they be capitall ones, the Evill and the Falling ſickneſſe, very incident to children, and makes their life but a deat… to themſelves and friends. That we have been preſerved and delivered thus and thus, what a merciemercy herein! what praiſe therefore!
3. He hath ranked us in His higheſt form, amidſt His chiefeſt creatures; that our thoughts ſhould be on high, and our wayes on high. Noble creatures we are of an heavenly ſtamp, impreſſe and ſuperſcription, that our carriage and deportment ſhould be anſwerable. Oh then how is it, that the horſe and the mule, which have no underſtanding, ſhould teach their Lord, and this Lord ſo brutiſh, that he will not be taught by them! We put bits in our horſes mouths, and they obey us. The do…ge follows our foot, and will be ſtruck by our hand; the dJer. 8. 7.Stork, the Crane, the Swallow know their ſeaſon; The eIſai. 1. 3.Ox knoweth his Maſter, and the Aſſe his Crib: but man is become brutiſh, he conſiders not. Every fJam. 3. 7.kinde of beaſts, and of birds, and of Serpents, and things in the Sea, is tamed, and have been tamed of mankinde. But man is the unruly creature; the ungoverned perſon, yet hath he reaſon to guide him; Reaſon, I ſay, the crown and dignitie of a perſon; when the naturall powers and noble faculties are entire and ſound; a great good mercy, go to Bedlam elſe, and enquire we there, but that we need not do, we need but go, ſit down, and hearken there, and then we muſt needs ſay, Oh what a bleſſing is it, what a mercy! that we have the uſe of reaſon, that our underſtanding-part is ſound and perfect: He hath reaſon, I ſay, to guide him; the fear of the Lord to awe him; His word to inſtruct him; and if he be not guided, reclaimed, taught, he will have no excuſe, no pretext for himſelf: for, ſaith gIn Gen. Hom.Chryſoſtome, "man tameth the Lion, and he leads the Beare, and he frays the9 p. 85. Serpent, that he hurts him not; thou art unexcuſable then▪ O man, if thou art an ungoverned creature; ſo the Father reproves man made in Gods image. And Elihu to hJo… 35. 10. …1.Iob, gives us as full a reproofe, and concludes the uſe, ſaying, But none ſaith, where is God my Maker, who giveth ſongs in the night? Who teacheth us more then the Beaſts of the earth, and maketh us wiſer then the fowls of heaven?
4. Laſtly, he hath given us our parts, proportion, and comelineſſe in all, nothing wanting; what praiſe therefore! we have the candle of the body, whereby we eſcape the pit under us, and the rock before us: a great mercy, ask him elſe, who at noon-tide gropes his way as in the night. We have tongues, whereby we may make our thoughts known: and eares we have, whereby we underſtand what others ſay to us. The noſe beautifies the face, we muſt not forget that, for a great ornament it is, as the want thereof defaceth, and disfigureth, nothing more: the Virgins thought ſo, who (ſaith the iBarthol. Anat. li 3. c. 10. p. 143. ….Anatomiſt, and out of our Chronicles too) "cut off their noſes that they might prevent, both love, and luſt from their amorous but bloudy conquerours. This organ we have, a great comelineſſe to the face; and the ſtomacks taſter it is, of as great uſe alſo. We have hands both, the inſtrument kPutean. Epi. 17of inſtruments, an excellent inſtrument. We have feet two, whereby we can walk and go, and, as occaſions are, run; all theſe inſtruments we have, and exceeding great mercies all theſe. Ask him elſe, who hath eyes, but ſees not; a noſ…, but ſmels not; a tongue, but ſpeaks not; eares two, but hears not; no more, then the deafe lIn Scotland Heylyne Geogr…. pa. 503.ſtone, we read of, or then, if there were ſeven walls, betwixt him, and the ſpeaker, ask him; and him, who hath no hands, or but one, or if two, yet no uſe of either, ask him; and him, who hath no feet, or but one, or if two, yet walks not, ask him. Ask we this man and that, and the other, and ſay we, what we are aſſured, theſe defective perſons would all ſay: Oh what mercies are theſe! of what uſe and account! how pretious ſhould theſe be, everie one in reſpect of both their uſe and eſteeme! How do theſe organs, theſe inſtruments, adorn, beautifie, honour the outward man! how ſerviceable are they thereunto! Oh how ſhould we ſerve our Creator, who hath made us ſo! how ſhould we not give all, and every part to ſerve Him, and to advance His glory! And ſo much, ſo little rather to the outward frame of body; and to the great and many inſtructions there from. The inward frame of ſpirit comes now in the ſecond place to be treated of.