Antiquitates christianæ, or, The history of the life and death of the holy Jesus as also the lives acts and martyrdoms of his Apostles : in two parts.

DISCOURSE XV. Of the Excellency, Ease, Reasonableness and Advantages of bear∣ing Christ's Yoke, and living according to his Institution.

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Ecce agnus Dei gui to••lit peccata Mundi Iohn. 1. 29. Behold the lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the World.

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The Christian's Work and Reward.

Matth. 11. 29, 30. Take my yoke upon you, & learn of me. For my yoke is easie & my burthen is light. Revel. 2, 10. Be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life.

1 Cor. 9. 24, 25. So run that ye may obtain. Every man that striueth for y^e mastery is temperate in all things: now they do it to obtain a corrupible crown, but we an incorruptible.

THE Holy Jesus came to break from off our necks two great yokes; the one of Sin, by which we were fettered and imprisoned in the condition of slaves and miserable persons; the other of Moses's Law, by which we were kept in pupillage and minority, and a state of Imperfection: and asserted us into the glorious liberty of the sons of God. The first was a Despotick Empire, and the Government of a Tyrant: the second was of a School-master, severe, absolute and imperious, but it was in order to a farther good, yet nothing pleasant in the sufferance and load. And now Christ ha∣ving taken off these two, hath put on a third. He quits us of our Burthen, but not of our Duty; and hath changed the former Tyranny and the less-perfect Discipline in∣to the sweetness of paternal regiment, and the excellency of such an Institution whose every Precept carries part of its reward in hand, and assurances of after-glories. Mo∣ses's Law was like sharp and unpleasant Physick, certainly painful, but uncertainly healthful. For it was not then communicated to them by promise and universal reve∣lations, that the end of their Obedience should be Life eternal: but they were full of hopes it might be so, as we are of health when we have a learned and wise Physician. But as yet the Reward was in a cloud, and the hopes in fetters and confinement. But the Law of Christ is like Christ's healing of diseases; he does it easily, and he does it in∣fallibly. The event is certainly consequent, and the manner of cure is by a touch of his hand, or a word of his mouth, or an approximation to the hem of his garment, without pain and vexatious instruments. My meaning is, that Christianity is by the assistance of Christ's spirit, which he promised us and gave us in the Gospel, made very easie to

us: And yet a reward so great is promised, as were enough to make a lame man to walk, and a broken arm endure the burthen; a reward great enough to make us wil∣ling to do violence to all our inclinations, passions, and desires. A hundred weight to a giant is a light burthen, because his strength is disproportionably great, and makes it as easie to him as an ounce is to a child. And yet if we had not the strength of giants, if the hundred weight were of Gold or Jewels, a weaker person would think it no trouble to bear that burthen, if it were the reward of his portage and the hire of his la∣bours. The Spirit is given to us to enable us, and Heaven is promised to encourage us; the first makes us able, and the second makes us willing: and when we have power and affections, we cannot complain of pressure. And this is the meaning of our Blessed Saviour's invitation; Come to me, for my burthen is light, my 〈◊〉〈◊〉 is easie: which S. John also observed, For this is the love of God, that we keep his Commandments; and his Com∣mandments are not grievous. For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world; and this is the victory that overcometh, even our Faith: that is, our belief of God's promises, the promise of the Spirit for present aid, and of Heaven for the future reward, is strength enough to overcome all the world.

2. But besides that God hath made his yoke easie by exteriour supports more than ever was in any other Religion; Christianity is of it self, according to humane esti∣mate, a Religion more easie and desirable by our natural and reasonable appetites, than Sin in the midst of all its pleasures and imaginary felicities. Vertue hath more pleasure in it than Sin, and hath all satisfactions to every desire of man in order to humane and prudent ends; which I shall represent in the consideration of these particulars. 〈◊〉〈◊〉 To live according to the Laws of Jesus is in some things most natural and proportionable to the desires and first intentions of Nature. 2. There is in it less trouble than in Sin. 3. It conduces infinitely to the content of our lives, and natural and political satisfa∣ctions. 4. It is a means to preserve our temporal lives long and healthy. 5. It is most reasonable; and he only is prudent that does so, and he a fool that does not. And all this besides the considerations of a glorious and happy Eternity.

3. Concerning the First I consider, that we do very ill when, in stead of making our Natural infirmity an instrument of Humility, and of recourse to the grace of God, we pretend the sin of Adam to countenance our actual sins, natural infirmity to excuse our malice; either laying Adam in fault for deriving the disability upon us, or God, for putting us into the necessity. But the 〈◊〉〈◊〉 that we feel in this are from the rebelli∣on of the inferiour Appetite against Reason, or against any Religion that puts restraint upon our first desires, And therefore in carnal and sensual instances accidentally we 〈◊〉〈◊〉 the more natural averseness, because God's Laws have put our irascible and concu∣piscible faculties in fetters and restraints; yet in matters of duty, which are of imma∣terial and spiritual concernment, all our natural reason is a perfect enemy and contra∣diction to, and a Law against, Vice. It is natural for us to love our Parents, and they who do not are unnatural; they do violence to those dispositions which God gave us to the constitution of our Nature, and for the designs of Vertue: and all those tendernesses of affection, those bowels and relenting dispositions, which are the endearments of Parents and Children, are also the bands of duty. Every degree of love makes duty delectable: and therefore either by nature we are inclined to hate our Parents, which is against all reason and experience; or else we are by nature enclined to do to them all that which is the effect of love to such Superiours and principles of being and dependen∣cy: and every prevarication from the rule, effects and expresses of love, is a contradi∣ction to Nature, and a mortification; to which we cannot be invited by any thing from within, but by something from without, that is violent and preternatural. There are also many other vertues even in the matter of sensual appetite which none can lose, but by altering in some degree the natural disposition. And I instance in the mat∣ter of Carnality and Uncleanness, to which possibly some natures may think them∣selves apt and disposed: but yet God hath put into our mouths a bridle to curb the licen∣tiousness of our speedy appetite, putting into our very natures a principle as strong to restrain it as there is in us a disposition apt to invite us; and this is also in persons who are most apt to the vice, women and young persons, to whom God hath given a mo∣desty and shame of nature, that the entertainments of Lusts may become contradictions to our retreating and backward modesty, more than they are satisfactions to our too∣forward appetites. It is as great a mortification and violence to nature to blush, as to lose a desire; and we find it true, when persons are invited to confess their sins, or to ask forgiveness publickly, a secret smart is not so violent as a publick shame: and therefore to do an action which brings shame all along, and opens the Sanctuaries of

nature, and makes all her retirements publick, and dismantles her inclosure, as Lust does, and the shame of carnality, hath in it more asperity and abuse to nature, than the short pleasure to which we are invited can repay. There are unnatural Lusts, Lusts which are such in their very condition and constitution, that a man must turn a wo∣man, and a woman become a beast in acting them; and all Lusts that are not unnatu∣ral in their own complexion, are unnatural by a consequent and accidental violence. And if Lust hath in it dissonancies to Nature, there are but few apologies 〈◊〉〈◊〉 to excuse our sins upon Nature's stock: and all that systeme of principles and reasonable induce∣ments to Vertue, which we call the Law of Nature, is nothing else but that firm liga∣ture and incorporation of Vertue to our natural principles and dispositions, which who∣so prevaricates does more against Nature than he that restrains his appetite. And be∣sides these particulars, there is not in our natural discourse any inclination directly and by intention of it self contrary to the love of God, because by God we understand that Fountain of Being which is infinitely perfect in it self, and of great good to us; and whatsoever is so apprehended, it is as natural for us to love, as to love any thing in the world; for we can love nothing but what we believe to be good in it self, or good to us. And beyond this, there are in Nature many principles and reasons to make an aptness to acknowledge and confess God; and by the consent of Nations, which they also have learned from the dictates of their Nature, all men in some manner or other worship God. And therefore when this our Nature is determined in its own indefinite principle to the manner of worship, all acts against the Love, the Obedience and the Worship of God, are also against Nature, and offer it some rude∣ness and violence. And I shall observe this, and refer it to every man's reason and ex∣perience, that the great difficulties of Vertue commonly apprehended commence not so much upon the stook of Nature, as of Education and evil Habits. Our Vertues are difficult, because we at first get ill Habits; and these Habits must be unrooted be∣fore we do well: and that's our trouble. But if by the strictness of Discipline and wholsome Education we begin at first in our duty and the practice of vertuous prin∣ciples, we shall find Vertue made as natural to us, while it is customary and habitual, as we pretend infirmity to be and propensity to vicious practices. And this we are taught by that excellent Hebrew who said, Wisdom is easily seen of them that love her, and found of such as seek her: She preventeth them that desire her, in making her self first known unto them. Whoso seeketh her early shall have no great travel; for he shall find her sitting at his doors.

4. Secondly, In the strict observances of the Law of Chri∣stianity there is less Trouble than in the habitual courses of sin. For if we consider the general design of Christianity, it pro∣pounds to us in this world nothing that is of difficult pur∣chase, nothing beyond what God allots us by the ordinary and common Providence, such things which we are to receive without care and solicitous vexation: So that the Ends are not big, and the Way is easie; and this walk'd over with much simplicity and sweetness, and those obtained without difficulty. He that pro∣pounds to himself to live low, pious, humble, and retired, his main imployment is nothing but sitting quiet, and undisturbed with variety of impertinent affairs: But he that loves the World and its acquisitions entertains a thousand businesses, and every business hath a world of employment, and every employment is multiplied and made intricate by circumstances, and every circumstance is to be disputed, and he that dis∣putes ever hath two sides in enmity and opposition; and by this time there is a genealo∣gy, a long descent and cognation of troubles, branched into so many particulars, that it is troublesome to understand them, and much more to run through them. The ways of Vertue are very much upon the defensive, and the work one, uniform and little; they are like war within a strong Castle, if they stand upon their guard, they seldom need to strike a stroak. But a Vice is like storming of a Fort, full of noise, trouble, labour, danger, and disease. How easie a thing is it to restore the pledge? but if a man means to defeat him that trusted him, what a world of arts must he use to make pretences? to delay first, then to excuse, then to object, then to intricate the bu∣siness, next to quarrel, then to forswear it, and all the way to palliate his crime, and represent himself honest? And if an oppressing and greedy person have a design to co∣zen a young Heir, or to get his neighbour's land, the cares of every day and the inter∣ruptions

of every night's sleep are more than the purchase is worth; since he might buy Vertue at half that watching, and the less painful care of a fewer number of days. A plain story is soonest told, and best confutes an intricate Lie. And when a person is examined in judgment, one false answer asks more wit for its support and maintenance than a History of truth. And such persons are put to so many shameful retreats, false colours, Fucus's and dawbings with untempered morter, to avoid contradiction or discovery, that the labour of a false story seems in the order of things to be designed the beginning of its punishment. And if we consider how great a part of our Religion consists in Prayer, and how easie a thing God requires of us when he commands us to pray for blessings, the duty of a Christian cannot seem very troublesome.

5. And indeed I can cardly instance in any Vice but there is visibly more pain in the order of acting and observing it, than in the acquist or promotion of Vertue. I have seen drunken persons in their seas of drink and talk dread every cup as a blow, and they have used devices and private arts to escape the punishment of a full draught; and the poor wretch being condemned by the laws of Drinking to his measure, was forced and haled to execution, and he suffered it, and thought himself engaged to that person who with much kind∣ness and importunity invited him to a Fever: but certainly there was more pain in it than in the strictness of holy and severe Temperance. And he that shall compare the troubles and dangers of an ambitious War with the gentleness and easiness of Peace, will soon perceive that every Tyrant and usurping Prince, that snatches at his neigh∣bour's rights, hath two armies, one of men, and the other of cares. Peace sheds no bloud, but of the pruned vine; and hath no business, but modest and quiet entertain∣ments of the time, opportune for Piety, and circled with reward. But God often pu∣nishes Ambition and Pride with Lust; and he sent a thorn in the flesh as a corrective to the elevations and grandezza of S. Paul, growing up from the multitude of his Revela∣tions: and it is not likely the punishment should have less trouble than the crime, whose pleasures and obliquity this was designed to punish. And indeed every experi∣ence can verifie, that an Adulterer hath in him the impatience of desires, the burnings of lust, the fear of shame, the appre∣hensions of a jealous, abused, and an inraged Husband. He endures affronts, mistimings, tedious waitings, the dulness of delay, the regret of interruption, the confusion and amaze∣ments of discovery, the scorn of a reproached vice, the debasings of contempt upon it; unless the man grows impudent, and then he is more miserable upon another stock. But David was so put to it to attempt, to obtain, to enjoy Bathsheba, and to prevent the shame of it, that the difficulty was greater than all his wit and power, and it drove him into base and unworthy arts, which discovered him the more, and multi∣plied his crime. But while he enjoyed the innocent pleasures of his lawful bed, he had no more trouble in it than there was in inclining his head upon his pillow. The ways of sin are crooked, desert, rocky and uneven: they are broad indeed, and there is variety of ruines, and allurements to entice fools, and a large theatre to act the bloudy trage∣dies of Souls upon; but they are nothing smooth, or safe, or delicate. The ways of Vertue are streight, but not crooked; narrow, but not unpleasant. There are two Vices for one Vertue; and therefore the way to Hell must needs be of greater extent, latitude and dissemination: But because Vertue is but one way, therefore it is easie, regular, and apt to walk in without error or diversions. Narrow is the gate, and streight is the way. It is true, considering our evil customs and depraved natures, by which we have made it so to us. But God hath made it more passable by his grace and present aids; and S. John Baptist receiving his Commission to preach Repentance, it was ex∣pressed in these words, Make plain the paths of the Lord. Indeed Repentance is a rough and a sharp vertue, and like a mattock and spade breaks away all the roughnesses of the passage, and hinderances of sin: but when we enter into the dispositions which Christ hath designed to us, the way is more plain and easie than the ways of Death and Hell. Labour it hath in it, just as all things that are excellent; but no confusions, no distra∣ctions of thought, no amazements, no labyrinths, and intricacy of counsels: But it is like the labours of Agriculture, full of health and simplicity, plain and profitable, re∣quiring diligence, but such in which crafts and painful stratagems are useless and im∣pertinent. But Vice hath oftentimes so troublesome a retinue, and so many objections in the event of things, is so intangled in difficult and contradictory circumstances, hath

in it parts so opposite to each other, and 〈◊〉〈◊〉 inconsistent with the present condition of the man, or some secret design of his, that those little pleasures which are its Fucus and pretence are less perceived and least enjoyed, while they begin in phantastick semblan∣ces, and rise up in smoak, vain and hurtful, and end in dissatisfaction.

6. But it is considerable, that God, and the Sinner, and the Devil, all joyn in in∣creasing the difficulty and trouble of sin, upon contrary designs indeed, but all coope∣rate to the verification of this discourse. For God by his restraining grace, and the checks of a tender Conscience, and the bands of publick honesty, and the sense of ho∣nour and reputation, and the customs of Nations, and the severities of Laws, makes that in most men the choice of Vice is imperfect, dubious and troublesome, and the pleasures abated, and the apprehensions various and in differing degrees; and men act their crimes while they are disputing against them, and the balance is cast by a few grains, and scruples vex and disquiet the possession; and the difference is perceived to be so little, that inconsideration and inadvertency is the greatest means to determine many men to the entertainment of a sin. And this God does with a design to lessen our choice, and to disabuse our perswasions from arguments and weak pretences of Vice, and to invite us to the trials of Vertue, when we see its enemy giving us so ill conditi∣ons. And yet the Sinner himself makes the business of sin greater; for its nature is so loathsome, and its pleasure so little, and its promises so unperformed, that when it lies open, easie and apt to be discerned, there is no argument in it ready to invite us; and men hate a vice which is every day offered and prostitute, and when they seek for plea∣sure, unless difficulty presents it, as there is nothing in it really to perswade a choice, so there is nothing strong or witty enough to abuse a man. And to this purpose (amongst some others, which are malicious and crafty) the Devil gives assistance, knowing that men despise what is cheap and common, and suspect a latent excellency to be in difficult and forbidden objects: and therefore the Devil sometimes crosses an opportunity of sin, knowing that the desire is the iniquity, and does his work suffici∣ently; and yet the crossing the desire by impeding the act heightens the appetite, and makes it more violent and impatient. But by all these means sin is made more trouble∣some than the pleasures of the temptation can account for: and it will be a strange im∣prudence to leave Vertue upon pretence of its difficulty, when for that very reason we the rather entertain the instances of sin, despising a cheap sin and a costly Vertue; chu∣sing to walk through the brambles of a Desart, rather than to climb the fruit-trees of Paradise.

7. Thirdly, Vertue conduces infinitely to the Content of our lives, to secular felici∣ties, and political satisfactions; and Vice does the quite contrary. For the blessings of this life are these that make it happy, Peace and quietness, Content and satisfaction of desires, Riches, Love of friends and neighbours, Honour and reputation abroad, a Healthful body, and a long Life. This last is a distinct consideration, but the other are proper to this title. For the first it is certain, Peace was so designed by the Holy Jesus, that he framed all his Laws in compliance to that design. He that returns good for evil, a soft answer to the asperity of his enemy, kindness to injuries, lessons the con∣tention always, and sometimes gets a friend, and when he does not, he shames his enemy. Every little accident in a family to peevish and angry persons is the matter of a quarrel, and every quarrel discomposes the peace of the house, and sets it on fire, and no man can tell how far that may burn, it may be to a dissolution of the whole fabrick. But whosoever obeys the Laws of Jesus, bears with the infirmities of his relatives and society, seeks with sweetness to remedy what is ill, and to prevent what it may produce, and throws water upon a spark, and lives sweetly with his wife, affectionately with his children, providently and discreetly with his servants; and they all love the Ma∣jor-domo, and look upon him as their Parent, their Guardian, their Friend, their Pa∣tron, their Proveditore. But look upon a person angry, peaceless and disturbed, when he enters upon his threshold, it gives an alarm to his house, and puts them to flight, or upon their defence; and the Wife reckons the joy of her day is done, when he re∣turns; and the Children enquire into their Father's age, and think his life tedious; and the Servants curse privately, and do their service as slaves do, only when they dare not do otherwise; and they serve him as they serve a Lion, they obey his strength, and fear his cruelty, and despise his manners, and hate his person. No man enjoys content in his family but he that is peaceful and charitable, just and loving, forbearing and forgiving, careful and provident. He that is not so, his house may be his Castle, but it is manned by enemies; his house is built, not upon the sand, but upon the waves, and upon a tempest: the foundation is uncertain, but his ruine is not so.

8. And if we extend the relations of the man beyond his own walls, he that does his duty to his Neighbour, that is, all offices of kindness, gentleness and humanity, no∣thing of injury and affront, is certain never to meet with a wrong so great as is the in∣convenience of a Law-suit, or the contention of neighbours, and all the consequent dangers and inconvenience. Kindness will create and invite kindness; an injury pro∣vokes an injury. And since the love of Neighbours is one of those beauties which Solo∣mon did admire, and that this beauty is within the combination of precious things which adorn and reward a peaceable, charitable disposition; he that is in love with spiritual excellencies, with intellectual rectitudes, with peace and with blessings of so∣ciety, knows they grow amongst rose bushes of Vertue and holy obedience to the Laws of Jesus. And for a good man some will even dare to die, and a sweet and charitable dis∣position is received with fondness, and all the endearments of the Neighbourhood. He that observes how many families are ruined by contention, and how many spirits are broken by the care, and contumely, and fear, and spite, which are entertained as advocates to promote a Suit of Law, will soon confess that a great loss, and peaceable quitting of a considerable interest, is a purchace and a gain, in respect of a long Suit and a vexatious quarrel. And still if the proportion rises higher, the reason swells, and grows more necessary and determinate. For if we would live according to the Disci∣pline of Christian Religion, one of the great plagues which vex the world would be no more. That there should be no wars, was one of the designs of Christianity; and the living according to that Institution which is able to prevent all wars, and to establish an universal and eternal peace, when it is obeyed, is the using an infallible instrument toward that part of our political happiness which consists in Peace. This world would be an image of Heaven, if all men were charitable, peaceable, just, and loving. To this excellency all those precepts of Christ which consist in forbearance and forgiveness do cooperate.

9. But the next instance of the reward of holy Obedience and conformity to Christ's Laws is it selfa Duty, and needs no more but a mere repetiti∣on of it. We must be content in every state; and because Christianity teaches us this lesson, it teaches us to be happy: for nothing from without can make us 〈◊〉〈◊〉, unless we joyn our own consents to it, and apprehend it such, and enter∣tain it in our sad and melancholick retirements. A Prison is but a retirement, and opportunity of serious thoughts, to a person whose spirit is confined, and apt to sit still, and desires no enlargement beyond the cancels of the body, till the state of Separation calls it forth into a fair liberty. But every re∣tirement is a prison to a loose and wandring fancy, for whose wildness no 〈◊〉〈◊〉 are restraint, no band of duty is consine∣ment, who, when he hath broken the first hedge of duty, can never after endure any enclosure so much as in a Symbol. But this Precept is so necessary, that it is not more a duty than a rule of prudence, and in many accidents of our lives it is the only cure of sadness: for it is certain that no provi∣dence less than divine can prevent evil and cross accidents; but that is an excellent re∣medy to the evil that receives the accident within its power, and takes out the sting, paring the nails, and drawing the teeth of the wild beast, that it may be tame, or harm∣less and medicinal. For all Content consists in the proportion of the object to the appe∣tite: and because external accidents are not in our power, and it were nothing excel∣lent that things happened to us according to our first desires; God hath by his grace put it into our own power to make the happiness, by making our desires descend to the event, and comply with the chance, and combine with all the issues of Divine Provi∣dence. And then we are noble persons, when we borrow not our content from things below us, but make our satisfactions from within. And it may be considered, that every little care may dis∣quiet us, and may increase it self by reflexion upon its own acts, and every discontent may discompose our spi∣rits, and put an edge, and make afflictions poynant, but cannot take off one from us, but makes every one to be two. But Content removes not the accident, but com∣plies with it, it takes away the sharpness and displeasure of it, and by stooping down makes the lowest equal, proportionable, and commen∣surate. Impatience makes an Ague to be a Fever, and every Fever to be a Calenture,

and that Calenture may expire in Madness: But a quiet spirit is a great disposition to health, and for the present does alleviate the sickness. And this also is notorious in the instance of Covetousness. The love of money is the root of all evil, which while some have coveted after, they have pierced themselves with many sorrows. Vice makes poor, and does ill endure it.

10. For he that in the School of Christ hath learned to determine his desires when his needs are served, and to judge of his needs by the proportions of nature, hath nothing wanting towards Riches. Vertue makes Poverty become rich, and no Riches can satisfie a co∣vetous mind, or rescue him from the affliction of the worst kind of Poverty. He only wants that is not satisfied. And there is great infelicity in a Family where Poverty dwells with dis∣content: There the Husband and Wife quarrel for want of a full table and a rich wardrobe; and their love, that was built upon false arches, sinks when such temporary supporters are re∣moved; they are like two Milstones, which set the Mill on fire when they want corn: and then their combinations and soci∣ety were unions of Lust, or not supported with religious love. But we may easily suppose S. Joseph and the Holy Virgin-Mo∣ther in Egypt poor as hunger, forsaken as banishment, discon∣solate as strangers; and yet their present lot gave them no af∣flicton, because the Angel fed them with a necessary hospitali∣ty, and their desires were no larger than their tables, and their eyes look'd only upwards, and they were careless of the future, and careful of their duty, and so made their life pleasant by the measures and discourses of Divine Philosophy. When Elisha stretched himself upon the body of the child, and laid hands to hands, and applied mouth to mouth, and so shrunk himself into the posture of commensuration with the child, he brought life into the dead trunk: and so may we, by applying our spirits to the proportions of a narrow fortune, bring life and vivacity into our dead and lost condition, and make it live till it grows bigger, or else returns to health and salutary uses.

11. And besides this Philosophical extraction of gold from stones, and Riches from the dungeon of Poverty, a holy life does most probably procure such a proportion of Riches which can be useful to us, or consistent with our felicity. For besides that the Holy Jesus hath promised all things which our heavenly Father knows we need, (provided we do our duty) and that we find great securities and rest from care when we have once cast our cares upon God, and placed our hopes in his bosome; besides all this, the tempe∣rance, sobriety, and prudence of a Christian is a great income, and by not despising it, a small revenue combines its parts till it grows to a heap big enough for the emissions of Charity, and all the offices of Justice, and the supplies of all necessities: whilest Vice is unwary, prodigal and indiscreet, throwing away great revenues as tributes to intem perance and vanity, and suffering dissolution and forfeiture of estates as a punishment and curse. Some sins are direct improvidence and ill husbandry. I reckon in this number In∣temperance, Lust, Litigiousness, Ambition, Bribery, Prodigality, Caming, Pride, Sa∣crilege, which is the greatest spender of them all, and makes a fair estate evaporate like Camphire, turning it into nothing, no man knows which way. But what the 〈◊〉〈◊〉 gave as an estimate of a rich man, saying, He that can maintain an Army is rich, was but a short account; for he that can maintain an Army may be beggered by one Vice, and it is a vast revenue that will pay the debt-books of Intemperance or Lust.

12. To these if we add that Vertue is honourable, and a great advantage to a fair reputation, that it is praised by them that love it not, that it is honoured by the followers and family of Vice, that it forces glory out of shame, honor from contempt, that it reconciles men to the fountain of Honour, the Almighty God, who will honour them that honour him; there are but a few more excellencies in the world to make up the Rosary of tem∣poral Felicity. And it is so certain that Religion serves even our temporal ends, that no great end of State can well be ser∣ved without it; not Ambition, not desires of Wealth, not any great design, but Religion must be made its usher or support. If a new Opinion be commenced, and the Author would make a Sect, and draw Disciples after him, at least he must be thought to be Religious; which is a demonstration how great an instrument of reputation Piety and Religion is: and if

the pretence will do us good offices amongst men, the reality will do the same, besides the advantages which we shall receive from the Divine Benediction. The power of god∣liness will certainly do more than the form alone. And it is most notorious in the affairs of the Clergy, whose lot it hath been to fall from great riches to poverty, when their wealth made them less curious of their duty; but when Humility and Chastity and exemplary Sanctity have been the enamel of their holy Order, the people, like the Gala∣tians, would pull out their own eyes to do them benefit. And indeed God hath sin∣gularly blessed such instruments to the being the only remedies to repair the breaches made by Sacrilege and Irreligion. But certain it is, no man was ever honoured for that which was esteemed vicious. Vice hath got mony, and a curse many times, and Vice hath adhered to the instruments and purchaces of Honour: But among all Nations whatsoever those called Honourable put on the face and pretence of Vertue. But I chuse to instance in the proper cognisance of a Christian, Humility, which seems contra∣dictory to the purposes and reception of Honour; and yet in the world nothing is a more certain means to purchase it. Do not all the world hate a proud man? And therefore what is contrary to Humility is also contradictory to Honour and Repu∣tation. And when the Apostle had given command, that in giving honour we should one go before another, he laid the foundation of praises, and Panegyricks, and Triumphs. And as Humility is secure against affronts and tempests of despight, because it is below them: so when by imployment or any other issue of Divine Providence it is drawn from its 〈◊〉〈◊〉 and secrecy, it shines clear and bright as the purest and most polished me∣tals. Humility is like a Tree, whose Root, when it sets deepest in the earth, rises high∣er, and spreads fairer, and stands surer, and lasts longer; every step of its descent is like a rib of iron combining its parts in unions indissoluble, and placing it in the chambers of security. No wise man ever lost any thing by cession; but he receives the hostility of violent 〈◊〉〈◊〉 into his embraces, like a stone into a lap of wooll, it rests and sits down soft and innocently; but a stone falling upon a stone makes a collision, and extracts fire, and finds no rest: and just so are two proud persons, despised by each other, contemned by all, living in perpetual dissonancies, always fighting against as∣fronts, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 of every person, disturbed by every accident, a perpetual storm within, and daily hissings from without.

13. Fourthly, Holiness and Obedience is an excellent preservative of Life, and makes it long and healthful. In order to which discourse, because it is new, material, and argumentative, apt to perswade men who prefer life before all their other in∣terests, I consider many things. First, In the Old Testament a long and a prosperous life were the great promises of the Covenant, their hopes were built upon it, and that was made the support of all their duty. If thou wilt diligently hearken unto the voice of the LORD thy God, I will put none of the diseases upon thee which I brought upon the Egypti∣ans; for I am the LORD that healeth thee. And more particularly yet, that we may not think Piety to be security only against the plagues of Egypt, God makes his promise more indefinite and unconfined; Ye shall serve the LORD your God, and I will take sick∣ness away from the midst of thee, and will fulfill the number of thy days; that is, the period of nature shall be the period of thy person thou shalt live long, and die in a seasonable and ripe age. And this promise was so verified by a long experience, that by David's time it grew up to a rule, What man is he that desireth life, and loveth many days, that he may see good? Keep thy tongue from evil, and thy lips that they speak no guile. And the same argument was pressed by Solomon, who was an excellent Philosopher, and well skil∣led in the natural and accidental means of preservation of our lives. Fear the LORD, and depart from evil; and it shall be health to thy navel, and marrow to thy bones. Length of days is in the right hand of wisdome: For she is a tree of life to them that lay hold upon her. Meaning, that the Tree of Life and immortality which God had planted in Paradise, and which if Man had stood he should have tasted, and have lived for ever, the fruit of that Tree is offered upon the same conditions; if we will keep the Commandments of God, our Obedience, like the Tree of life, shall consign us to Immortality hereafter by a long and a healthful life here. And therefore although in Moses's time the days of Man had been shortned, till they came to threescore years and ten, or fourscore years, and then their strength is but labour and sorrow; (for Moses was Author of that Psalm;) yet to shew the great privilege of those persons whose Piety was great, Moses himself attained to one hundred and twenty years, which was almost double to the ordinary and determined period. But Enoch and Elias never died, and became great examples to us, that a spotless and holy life might possibly have been immortal.

14. I shall add no more examples, but one great conjugation of precedent observed by the Jewish Writers, who tell us that in the second Temple there were 300 high Priests, (I suppose they set down a certain number for an uncertain, and by 300 they mean very many) and yet that Temple lasted but 420 years; the reason of this so ra∣pid and violent abscission of their Priests being their great and scandalous impieties: and yet in the first Temple, whose abode was within ten years as long as the second, there was a succession but of 18 high Priests; for they being generally very pious, and the preservers of their Rites and Religion against the Schism of 〈◊〉〈◊〉, and the De∣fection of 〈◊〉〈◊〉, and the Idolatry and Irreligion of many of the Kings of Judah, God took delight to reward it with a long and honourable old age. And 〈◊〉〈◊〉 knew well enough what he said, when in his 〈◊〉〈◊〉 and prophetick rapture he made his prayer to God, Let my Soul die the death of the righteous. It was not a Prayer that his Soul might be saved, or that he might repent at last; for Repentance and Immortality were revelations of a later date: but he in his prophetick 〈◊〉〈◊〉 seeing what God had purposed to the Moa∣bites, and what blessings he had reserved for Israel, prays that he might not die, as the Mo∣abites were like to die, with an untimely death, by the sword of their enemies, dispossessed of their Countrey, spoiled of their goods, in the period and last hour of their Nation: but let my soul die the death of the just, the death designed for the faithful Israelites; such a death which God promised to A∣braham, that he should return to his Fathers in peace, and in a good old age. For the death of the righteous is like the des∣cending of ripe and wholsome fruits from a pleasant and florid Tree; our senses intire, our lims unbroken, without horrid tortures, after provision made for our children, with a blessing entailed upon posterity, in the presence of our Friends, our dearest relative closing up our eyes and binding our feet, leaving a good name behind us. O let my soul die such a death; for this, in whole or in part, accord∣ing as God sees it good, is the manner that the righteous die. And this was Balaam's pray∣er. And this was the state and condition in the Old Testament.

15. In the Gospel the case is nothing altered. For besides that those austerities, ri∣gours and mortifications which are in the Gospel advised or commanded respectively, are more salutary or of less corporal inconvenience than a vicious life of Intemperance, or Lust, or Carefulness, or tyrant Covetousness; there is no accident or change to the sufferance of which the Gospel hath engaged us, but in the very thing our life is careful∣ly provided for, either in kind, or by a gainful exchange: He that loseth his life for my sake shall find it, and he that will save his life shall lose it. And although God, who promi∣sed long life to them that obey, did not promise that himself would never call for our life, borrowing it of us, and repaying it in a glorious and advantagious exchange; yet this very promise of giving us a better life in exchange for this, when we exposed it in Martyrdome, does confirm our title to this, this being the instrument of permuta∣tion with the other: for God obliging himself to give us another in exchange for this, when in cases extraordinary he calls for this, says plainly, that this is our present right by grace, and the title of the Divine Promises. But the Promises are clear. For S. Paul calls children to the observation of the fifth Commandment by the same argument which God used in the first promulgation of it. Honour thy Father and thy Mother, (which is the first Commandment with Promise) That it may be well with thee, and that thou mayst live long upon the earth. For although the Gospel be built upon better Promises than the Law, yet it hath the same too, not as its foundation, but as appendences and ad∣juncts of grace, and supplies of need. Godliness hath the promise of this life, as well as of the life that is to come. That is plain. And although Christ revealed his Fa∣ther's mercies to us in new expresses and great abundance; yet he took nothing from the world which ever did in any sense invite Piety, or indear Obedience, or cooperate towards Felicity. And 〈◊〉〈◊〉 the Promises which were made of old are also pre∣supposed in the new, and mentioned by intimation and implication within the greater. When our Blessed Saviour in seven of the Eight Beatitudes had instanced in new Promi∣ses and Rewards, as Heaven, Seeing of God, Life eternal; in one of them, to which Heaven is as certainly consequent as to any of the rest, he did chuse to instance in a tem∣poral blessing, and in the very words of the Old Testament; to shew, that that part of the old Covenant which concerns Morality, and the rewards of Obedience, remains firm and included within the conditions of the Gospel.

16. To this purpose is that saying of our Blessed Saviour; Man liveth not by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God: meaning, that

besides natural means ordained for the preservation of our lives, there are means su∣pernatural and divine. God's Blessing does as much as bread: nay, it is Every word proceeding out of the 〈◊〉〈◊〉 of God; that is, every Precept and Commandment of God is so for our good, that it is intended as food and Physick to us, a means to make us live long. And therefore God hath done in this as in other graces and issues Evangelical, which he purposed to continue in his Church for ever: He first gave it in miraculous and extraordinary manner, and then gave it by way of perpetual ministery. The Holy Ghost appeared at first like a prodigy, and with Miracle; he descended in visible representments, expressing himself in revelations and powers extraordinary: but it being a Promise intended to descend upon all Ages of the Church, there was appoint∣ed a perpetual ministery for its conveyance; and still, though without a sign or mira∣culous representment, it is ministred in Confirmation by imposition of the Bishop's hands. And thus also health and long life, which by way of ordinary benediction is consequent to Piety, Faith and Obedience Evangelical, was at first given in a mira∣culous manner; that so the ordinary effects, being at first confirmed by miraculous and extraordinary instances and manners of operation, might for ever after be confidently expected without any dubitation, since it was in the same manner consigned by which all the whole Religion was, by a voice from Heaven, and a verification of Miracles, and extraordinary supernatural effects. That the gift of healing, and preservation and re∣stitution of life, was at first miraculous, needs no particular probation. All the story of the Gospel is one entire argument to prove it: and amongst the fruits of the Spirit S. Paul reckons gifts of healing, and government, and helps, or exteriour assistences and advantages; to represent that it was intended the life of Christian people should be happy and healthful for ever. Now that this grace also descended afterwards in an ordinary ministery is recorded by S. James: Is any man sick amongst you? let him call for the Elders of the Church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oyl in the name of the Lord; that was then the ceremony, and the blessing and effect is still; for the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up. For it is obser∣vable, that the blessing of healing and recovery is not appendent to the Anealing, but to the Prayer, of the Church; to manifest, that the ceremony went with the first mi∣raculous and extraordinary manner; yet that there was an ordinary ministery appoint∣ed for the daily conveyance of the blessing: the faithful prayers & offices of holy Priests shall obtain life and health to such persons who are receptive of it, and in spiritual and apt dispositions. And when we see, by a continual flux of extraordinary benediction, that even some Christian Princes are instruments of the Spirit not only in the government, but in the gifts of healing too, as a reward for their promoting the just interests of Christianity; we may acknowledge our selves convinced, that a holy life in the faith and obedience of Jesus Christ may be of great advantage for our health and life, by that instance to entertain our present desires, and to establish our hopes of life eternal.

17. For I consider that the fear of God is therefore the best antidote in the World a∣gainst sickness and death, because it is the direct enemy to sin, which brought in sickness and death; and besides this, that God by spiritual means should produce alterations na∣tural, is not hard to be understood by a Christian Philosopher, take him in either of the two capacities. 2. For there is a rule of proportion, and analogy of effects, that if sin de∣stroys not only the Soul but the Body also, then may Piety preserve both, and that much rather: for if sin, that is, the effects and consequents of sin, hath abounded, then shall grace superabound; that is, Christ hath done us more benefit than the Fall of Adam hath done us injury; and therefore the effects of sin are not greater upon the body, than ei∣ther are to be restored or prevented by a pious life. 3. There is so near a conjunction be∣tween Soul and Body, that it is no wonder if God, meaning to glorifie both by the means of a spiritual life, suffers spirit and matter to communicate in effects and mutual impres∣ses. Thus the waters of Baptism purifie the Soul; and the Holy Eucharist, not the sym∣bolical, but the mysterious and spiritual part of it, makes the Body also partaker of the death 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Christ and a holy union. The flames of Hell, whatsoever they are, torment accursed Souls; and the stings of Conscience vex and disquiet the Body. 4. And if we consider that in the glories of Heaven, when we shall live a life purely spiritual, our Bodies also are so clarified and made spiritual that they also become immortal; that state of Glory being nothing else but a perfection of the state of Grace, it is not unimaginable but that the Soul may have some proportion of the same operation

upon the Body as to conduce to its prolongation, as to an antepast of immortality. 5. For since the Body hath all its life from its conjunction with the Soul, why not also the perfection of life according to its present capacity, that is, health and duration, from the perfection of the Soul, I mean, from the ornaments of Grace? And as the blessedness of the Soul (saith the Philosopher) consists in the speculation of honest and just things; so the perfection of the Body and of the whole Man consists in the practick, the exercise and operations of Vertue.

18. But this Problem in Christian Philosophy is yet more intelligible, and will be reduced to certain experience, if we consider good life in union and concretion with particular, material, and circumstantiate actions of Piety: For these have great powers and influences even in Nature to restore health and preserve our lives. Witness the sweet sleeps of temperate persons, and their constant appetite; which Timotheus the son of Conon observed, when he dieted in Plato's Academy with severe and moderated diet; They that sup with Plato are well the next day. Witness the symmetry of passions in meek men, their freedome from the violence of inraged and passionate indispositions, the admirable harmony and sweetness of content which dwells in the retirements of a holy Conscience: to which if we add those joys which they only understand truly who feel them inwardly, the joys of the Holy Ghost, the content and joys which are at∣tending upon the lives of holy persons are most likely to make them long and healthful. For now we live, (saith S. Paul) if ye stand fast in the Lord. It would prolong S. Paul's life to see his ghostly children persevere in holiness; and if we understood the joys of it, it would do much greater advantage to our selves. But if we consider a spiritual life ab∣stractedly and in it self, Piety produces our life, not by a natural efficiency, but by Di∣vine benediction. God gives a healthy and a long life as a reward and blessing to crown our Piety even before the sons of men: For such as be blessed of him shall inherit the Earth; but they that be cursed of him shall be cut off. So that this whole matter is principally to be referred to the act of God, either by ways of nature, or by instruments of special providence, rewarding Piety with a long life. And we shall more fully ap∣prehend this if, upon the grounds of Scripture, Reason, and Experience, we weigh the contrary. Wickedness is the way to shorten our days.

19. Sin brought Death in first; and yet Man lived almost a thousand years. But he sinned more, and then Death came nearer to him: for when all the World was first drowned in wickedness, and then in water, God cut him shorter by one half, and five hundred years was his ordinary period. And Man sinned still, and had strange imagina∣tions, and built towers in the air; and then about Peleg's time God cut him shorter by one half yet, two hundred and odd years was his determination. And yet the generati∣ons of the World returned not unanimously to God; and God cut him off another half yet, and reduced him to one hundred and twenty years. And by Moses's time one half of the final remanent portion was pared away, reducing him to threescore years and ten; so that, unless it be by special dispensation, men live not beyond that term, or thereabout. But if God had gone on still in the same method, and shortned our days as we multipli∣ed our sins, we should have been but as an Ephemeron, Man should have lived the life of a Fly or a Gourd; the morning should have seen his birth, his life have been the term of a day, and the evening must have provided him of a shroud. But God seeing Man's thoughts were onely evil continually, he was resolved no longer so to strive with him; nor destroy the kinde, but punish individuals onely and single persons; and if they sinned, or if they did obey, regularly their life should be proportionable. This God set down for his rule, Evil shall 〈◊〉〈◊〉 the wicked person: and, He that keepeth the Com∣mandments keepeth his own Soul; but he that despiseth his own ways shall die.

20. But that we may speak more exactly in this Probleme, we must observe that in Scripture three general causes of natural death are assigned, Nature, Providence, and Chance. By these three I onely mean the several manners of Divine influence and operation. For God only predetermines; and what is changed in the following events by Divine permission, to this God and Man in their several manners do co∣operate. The saying of David concerning Saul with admirable Philosophy describes the three ways of ending Man's life. David said furthermore, As the LORD li∣veth, the LORD shall smite him, or his day shall come to die, or he shall descend into battel and perish. The first is special Providence. The second means the term of Nature. The third is that which in our want of words we call Chance or Acci∣dent, but is in effect nothing else but another manner of the Divine Providence. That in all these Sin does interrupt and retrench our lives, is the undertaking of the following periods.

21. First, In Nature Sin is a cause of dyscrasies and distem∣pers, making our bodies healthless and our days few. For al∣though God hath prefixed a period to Nature by an universal and antecedent determination, and that naturally every man that lives temperately, and by no supervening accident is in∣terrupted, shall arrive thither; yet because the greatest part of our lives is governed by will and understanding, and there are temptations to Intemperance and to violations of our health, the period of Nature is so distinct a thing from the period of our person, that few men attain to that which God had fixed by his first law and 〈◊〉〈◊〉 purpose, but end their days with folly, and in a period which God appointed 〈◊〉〈◊〉 with anger, and a determination secondary, con∣sequent, and accidental. And therefore says David, Health is far from the 〈◊〉〈◊〉, for they regard not thy statutes. And to this purpose is that saying of(a) Abenezra:

He that is united to God, the Fountain of Life, his Soul, being improved by Grace, communicates to the Body an establishment of its radical moisture and natural heat, to make it more healthful, that so it may be more instrumental to the spiritual operations and productions of the Soul, and it self be preserved in perfect constitution.

Now how this blessing is contradicted by the impious life of a wicked person is easie to be understood, if we consider that from(b) drunken Surfeits come Dissolution of members, Head∣achs, Apoplexies, dangerous Falls, Fracture of bones, Drench∣ings and dilution of the brain, Inslammation of the liver, Cru∣dities of the stomach, and thousands more, which Solomen sums up in general terms; Who hath woe? who hath sor∣row? who hath redness of eyes? they that tarry long at the 〈◊〉〈◊〉. I shall not need to instance in the sad and uncleanly consequents of Lusts, the wounds and accidental deaths which are occasioned by Jealou∣sies, by Vanity, by Peevishness, vain Reputation and Animosities, by Melancholy, and the despair of evil Consciences; and yet these are abundant argument, that when God so permits a man to run his course of Nature, that himself does not intervene by an ex∣traordinary 〈◊〉〈◊〉, or any special acts of providence, but only gives his ordinary assi∣stence to natural causes, a very great part of men make their natural period shorter, and by sin make their days miserable and few.

22. Secondly, Oftentimes Providence intervenes, and makes the way shorter; God for the iniquity of man not suffering Nature to take her course, but stopping her in the midst of her journey. Against this David prayed, O my God, cut me 〈◊〉〈◊〉 off in the midst of my days. But in this there is some variety. For God does it sometimes in mercy, sometimes in judgment. The righteous die, and no man regardeth; not considering that they are taken away from the evil to come. God takes the righteous man hastily to his Crown, lest temptation snatch it from him by interrupting his hopes and sanctity. And this was the case of the old World. For from Adam to the Floud by the Patriarchs were eleven generations, but by Cain's line there were but eight, so that Cain's posterity were longer liv'd: because God, intending to bring the Floud upon the World, took delight to rescue his elect from the dangers of the present impurity, and the future Deluge. Abra∣ham lived five years less than his son Isaac, it being (say the Doctors of the Jews) intend∣ed for mercy to him, that he might not see the iniquity of his Grandchild 〈◊〉〈◊〉. And this the Church for many Ages hath believed in the case of baptized Infants dying before the use of Reason. For besides other causes in the order of Divine Providence, one kind of mercy is done to them too; for although their condition be of a lower form, yet it is secured by that timely (shall I call it?) or untimely death. But these are cases ex∣traregular: ordinarily and by rule God hath revealed his purposes of interruption of the lives of sinners to be in anger and judgment; for when men commit any signal and grand impiety, God suffers not Nature to take her course, but strikes a stroke with his own hand. To which purpose I think it a remarkable instance which is reported by 〈◊〉〈◊〉, that for 3332 years even to the twentieth Age, there was not one example of a Son that died before his Father, but the course of Nature was kept, that he who was first born in the descending line did die first; (I speak of natural death, and therefore Abel cannot be opposed to this observation) till that Terah the father of Abraham taught the People to make Images of clay and worship them; and concerning him it was first remarked, that Haran died before his father Terah in the land of his nativity: God by an unheard-of Judgment and a rare accident punishing his newly-invented crime. And

when-ever such 〈◊〉〈◊〉 of a life happens to a vicious person, let all the world ac∣knowledge it for a Judgment; and when any man is guilty of evil habits or unrepent∣ed sins, he may therefore expect it, because it is threatned and designed for the lot and curse of such persons. This is threatned to Covetousness, Injustice, and Oppression. As a Partridge sitteth on eggs, and hatcheth them not: so he that getteth riches, and not by right, shall leave them in the midst of his days, and at his end shall be a Fool. The same is threat∣ned to Voluptuous persons in the highest caresses of delight; and Christ told a parable with the same design. The rich man said, Soul, take thy ease; but God answered, O fool, this night shall thy Soul be required of thee. Zimri and Cozbi were slain in the trophies of their Lust; and it was a sad story which was told by Thomas Cantipratanus: Two Religious persons tempted by each other in the vigour of their youth, in their very first pleasures and opportunities of sin were both struck dead in their embraces and posture of entertainment. God(a) smote Jeroboam for his Usurpation and Tyranny, and he died.(b) Saul died for Disobedience against God, and asking counsel of a Pythonisse. God smote(c) 〈◊〉〈◊〉 with a Leprosie for his profaneness; and distressed‖ 〈◊〉〈◊〉 sorely for his Sacrilege; and(d) sent a horrid disease upon Jehoram for his Idolatry. These instances represent Voluptuousness and Covetousness, Rapine and Injustice, Idolatry and Lust, Pro∣faneness and Sacrilege, as remarked by the signature of exemplary Judgments to be the means of shortening the days of man; God himself proving the Executioner of his own fierce wrath. I instance no more, but in the singular case of Hananiah the false Prophet: Thus saith the LORD, Behold, I will cut thee from off the face of the earth; this year thou shalt die, because thou hast taught Rebellion against the LORD. That is the curse and portion of a false Prophet, a short life, and a suddén death of God's own particular and more immediate 〈◊〉〈◊〉.

23. And thus also the sentence of the Divine anger went forth upon criminal per∣sons in the New Testament; Witness the Disease of Herod, Judas's Hanging himself, the Blindness of 〈◊〉〈◊〉, the Sudden death of Ananias and Sapphira, the Buffetings with which Satan 〈◊〉〈◊〉 the bodies of persons excommunicate. Yea, the blessed Sacrament of CHRIST's Body and Bloud, which is intended for our spiritual life, if it be unworthily received, proves the cause of a natural death: For this cause many are weak and sickly among you, and many are fallen asleep, saith S. Paul to the 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Church.

24. Thirdly, But there is yet another manner of ending man's life, by way of Chance or Contingency; meaning thereby the manner of God's Providence and event of things which is not produced by the disposition of natural causes, nor yet by any particular and special act of God; but the event which depends upon accidental causes, not so certain and regular as Nature, not so conclusive and determined as the acts of decretory Provi∣dence, but comes by disposition of causes irregular to events rare and accidental. This David expresses by entring into battel: and in this, as in the other, we must separate cases extraordinary and rare from the ordinary and common. Extraregularly, and upon extraordinary reasons and permissions, we find that holy persons have miscarried in battel. So the 〈◊〉〈◊〉 fell before Benjamin; and Jonathan, and 〈◊〉〈◊〉, and many of the Lord's champions, fighting against the Philistines: but in these deaths as God served other ends of Providence, so he kept to the good men that fell all the mercies of the Promise by giving them a greater blessing of event and compensation. In the more ordinary course of Divine dispensation, they that prevaricate the Laws of God are put out of protection; God withdraws his special Providence, or their tutelar Angel, and leaves them exposed to the influences of Heaven, to the power of a Constellation, to the accidents of humanity, to the chances of a Battel, which are so many and various, that it is ten thousand to one, a man in that case never escapes; and in such variety of con∣tingencies there is no probable way to assure our safety, but by a holy life to endear the Providence of God to be our Guardian. It was a remarkable saying of Deborah, The Stars sought in their courses, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 in their orbs, against Sisera. Sisera fought when there was an evil Aspect or malignant influence of Heaven upon him. For even the smallest thing that is in opposition to us is enough to turn the chance of a Battel; that although it be necessary for defence of the godly that a special Providence should intervene, yet to confound the impious no special act is requisite. If God exposes them to the ill aspect of a Planet, or any other casualty, their days are interrupted, and they die. And this is the meaning of the Prophet Jeremy; Be not ye 〈◊〉〈◊〉 at the signs of Heaven, for the Heathen are dismayed at them: meaning, that God will over-rule all inferiour

causes for the safety of his servants; but the wicked shall be exposed to chance and humane accidents; and the signs of Heaven, which of themselves do but signifie, or at most but dispose and incline towards events, shall be enough to actuate and consummate their ruine. And this is the mean∣ing of that Proverb of the Jews, Israel hath no Planet: which they expounded to mean, If they observe the Law, the Planets shall not hurt them, God will over-rule all their influences; but if they prevaricate and rebel, the least Star in the firmament of Heaven shall bid them battel, and over∣throw them. A 〈◊〉〈◊〉 shall lie in a wicked Man's way, and God shall so expose him to it, leaving him so unguarded and defenceless, that he shall stumble at it and fall, and break a bone, and that shall 〈◊〉〈◊〉 a Fever, and the Fever shall end his days. For not onely every creature, when it is set on by God, can prove a ruine; but if we be not by the Providence of God defended against it, we cannot behold the least atome in the Sun without danger of losing an eye, nor eat a grape without fear of choaking, nor sneeze without breaking of a vein. And Arius, going to the ground, purged his entrails forth, and fell down unto the earth and died. Such and so miserable is the great insecurity of a sinner. And of this Job had an excellent meditation: How oft is the candle of the wicked put out? and how oft cometh their destruction upon them? GOD distributeth sorrows in his anger. For what pleasure hath he in his house after him, when the number of his moneths is cut off in the midst? This is he that dieth in his full strength, being whol∣ly at ease and quiet.

25. I summe up this discourse with an observation that is made concerning the Fa∣mily of Eli, upon which, for the remisness of Discipline on the Father's part, and for the Impiety and Profaneness of his 〈◊〉〈◊〉, God sent this Curse, All the increase of their house shall die in the flower of their age. According to that sad malediction it happen∣ed for many generations; the Heir of the Family died as soon as he begat a Son to suc∣ceed him: till the Family being wearied by so long a Curse, by the counsel of Rabbi Johanan Ben Zachary, betook themselves universally to a sedulous and most devout me∣ditation of the Law, that is, to an exemplar Devotion and strict Religion: but then the Curse was turned into a Blessing, and the line masculine lived to an honourable old age. For the Doctors of the Jews said, that God often changes his purposes concerning the death of man, when the sick person is liberal in Alms, or fervent in Prayer, or changes his Name, that is, gives up his name to God by the serious purposes and religious vows of holy Obedience. He that followeth after righteousness (Alms it is in the vulgar 〈◊〉〈◊〉) and mercy findeth life; that verifies the first: and the fervent Prayer of Hezekiah is a great instance of the second: and all the 〈◊〉〈◊〉 discourse was intended for probation of the third and proves that no disease is so deadly as a deadly Sin; and the ways of Righteous∣ness are therefore advantages of Health, and preservatives of Life, (when health and life are good for us) because they are certain title to all God's Promises and Blessings.

26. Upon supposition of these premisses I consider, there is no cause to wonder, that tender persons and the softest women endure the violences of art and Physick, sharp pains of Causticks and Cupping-glasses, the abscission of the most sensible part, for pre∣servation of a mutilous and imperfect body: but it is a wonder that, when God hath appointed a remedy in Grace apt to preserve Nature, and that a dying unto sin should prolong our natural life, yet few men are willing to try the experiment; they will buy their life upon any conditions in the world but those which are the best and easiest, any thing but Religion and Sanctity; although for so doing they are promised that immor∣tality shall be added to the end of a long life, to make the life of a mortal partake of the eternal duration of an Angel, or of God himself.

27. Fifthly, The last testimony of the Excellency and 〈◊◊〉〈◊◊〉 Christ's yoke, the fair load of Christianity, is the Reasonableness of it, and the Unreasonableness of its contrary. For whatsoever the wisest men in the world in all Nations and Religions did agree upon as most excellent in it self, and of greatest power to make political, or future and immaterial felicities, all that and much more the Holy Jesus adopted into his Law: for they receiving sparks or single irradiations from the regions of light, or else having fair tapers shining indeed excellently in representations and expresses of Morality, were all involved and swallowed up into the body of light, the Sun of Righteousness. Christ's Discipline was the breviary of all the Wisdome of the best men, and a fair copy and transcript of his Father's Wisdome; and there is nothing in the laws of our

Religion but what is perfective of our spirits, excellent rules of Religion, and rare ex∣pedients of obeying God by the nearest ways of imitation, and such duties which are the proper ways of doing benefits to all capacities and orders of men. But I remember my design now is not to represent Christianity to be a better Religion than any other; for I speak to Christians, amongst whom we presuppose that: but I design to invite all Christians in name to be such as they are called, upon the interest of such arguments which represent the advantages of Obedience to our Religion as it is commanded us by God. And this I shall do yet farther, by considering, that those Christian names who apprehend Religion as the Fashion of their Countrey, and know no other use of a Church but customary, or secular and profane, that, supposing Christian Religion to have come from God, as we all profess to believe, there are no greater fools in the world than such whose life conforms not to the pretence of their Baptism and Institution. They have all the signs and characters of fools, and undiscreet, unwary persons.

28. First, Wicked persons, like children and fools, chuse the present, whatsoever it is, and neglect the infinite treasures of the future. They that have no faith nor foresight have an excuse for snatching at what is now represented, because it is that all which can move them: but then such persons are infinitely distant from wisdome, whose under∣standing neither Reason nor Revelation hath carried farther than the present adheren∣cies; not only because they are narrow souls who cannot look forward, and have no∣thing to distinguish them from beasts, who enjoy the present, being careless of what is to come; but also because whatsoever is present is not fit satisfaction to the spirit, no∣thing but gluttings of the sense and sottish appetites. Moses was a wise person, and so esteemed and reported by the Spirit of God, because he despised the pleasures of Pharaoh's Court, having an eye to the recompence of reward; that is, because he despised all 〈◊〉〈◊〉 pre∣sent arguments of delight, and preferred those excellencies which he knew should 〈◊〉〈◊〉 in∣finitely greater, as well as he knew they should be at all. He that would have rather cho∣sen to stay in the Theatre and see the sports out, then quit the present Spectacle upon as∣surance to be adopted into Caesar's family, had an offer made him too great for a fool; and yet his misfortune was not big enough for pity, because he understood nothing of his fe∣licity, and rejected what he understood not. But he that prefers moments before eternity, and despises the infinite successions of eternal Ages that he may enjoy the present, not da∣ring to trust God for what he sees not, and having no objects of his affections but those which are the objects of his eyes, hath the impatience of a child, and the indiscretion of a fool, and the faithlesness of an unbeliever. The Faith and Hope of a Christian are the graces and portions of spiritual wisdome, which Christ designed as an antidote against this folly.

29. Secondly, Children and fools chuse to please their Senses rather than their Rea∣son, because they still dwell within the regions of Sense, and have but little residence amongst intellectual essences. And because the needs of Nature first imploy our sensual appetites, these being first in possession would also fain retain it, and therefore for ever continue their title, and perpetually fight for it: but because the inferiour faculty fight∣ing against the superiour is no better than a Rebel, and that it takes Reason for its enemy, it shews such actions which please the Sense and do not please the Reason to be unnatural, monstrous, and unreasonable. And it is a great disreputation to the understanding of a man, to be so cozened and deceived, as to chuse Money before a moral Vertue; to please that which is common to him and beasts, rather than that part which is a communica∣tion of the Divine nature; to see him run after a bubble which himself hath made, and the Sun hath particoloured, and to despise a treasure, which is offered to him to call him off from pursuing that emptiness and nothing. But so does every vicious person, feeds upon husks, and loaths Manna; worships Cats and Onions, the beggarly and basest of Egyptian Deities, and neglects to adore and honour the eternal God: he prefers the soci∣ety of Drunkards before the communion of Saints; or the fellowship of Harlots before a quire of pure, chast, and immaterial Angels; the sickness and filth of Luxury before the health and purities of Chastity and Temperance; a dish of red lentil pottage before a Benison; Drink before Immortality, Money before Mercy, Wantonness before the se∣vere Precepts of Christian Philosophy, Earth before Heaven & Folly before the crowns and 〈◊〉〈◊〉 and glories of a Kingdom. Against this folly Christian Religion opposes 〈◊〉〈◊〉 of things below, and setting our affections on things above.

30. Thirdly, Children and fools propound to themselves Ends silly, low and cheap, the getting of a nut-shel, or a bag of cherry-stones, a gaud to entertain the fancy of a few minutes; and in order to such ends direct their counsels and designs. And indeed in this they are innocent. But persons not living according to the Discipline of Christi∣anity

are as foolish in the designation of their Ends, chusing things as unprofitable and vain to themselves, and yet with many mixtures of malice and injuriousness both to themselves and others. His end is to cozen his Brother of a piece of Land, or to dis∣grace him by telling of a lie, to supplant his fortune, to make him miserable: Ends which wise men and good men look upon as miseries and persecutions, instruments of afflicti∣on and regret; because every man is a member of a society, and hath some common terms of union and conjuncture, which make all the body susceptive of all accidents to any part. And it is a great folly, for pleasing of the eye to snatch a knife which cuts our fin∣gers; to bring affliction upon my brother or relative, which either must affect me, or else I am an useless, a base or dead person. The ends of Vice are ignoble and dishonoura∣ble: to discompose the quiet of a family, or to create jealousies, or to raise wars, or to make a man less happy, or apparently miserable, or to fish for the Devil, and gain Souls to our Enemy, or to please a passion that undoes us, or to get something that cannot sa∣tisfie us; this is the chain of counsels, and the great aims of unchristian livers, they are all of them extreme great miseries. And it is a great undecency for a man to propound an end less and more imperfect than our present condition; as if we went about to un∣ravel our present composure, and to unite every degree of essence and capacity, and to retire back to our first matter and unshapen state, hoping to get to our journey's end by going backwards. Against this folly the Holy Jesus opposed the Fourth Beatitude, or Precept of hungring and thirsting after Righteousness.

31. Fourthly, But children and fools, what-ever their ends be, they pursue them with as much weakness and folly as they first chose them with indiscretion; running to broken cisterns or to puddles to quench their thirst. When they are hungry, they make phantastick banquets, or put Coloquintida into their pottage, that they may be furnished with pot-herbs: or are like the Asse that desired to flatter his Master, and therefore fawned upon him like a Spaniel, and bruised his shoulders. Such undecencies of means and prosecutions of interests we find in unchristian courses. It may be-they propound to themselves Riches for their end, and they use Covetousness for their means, and that brings nought home; or else they steal to get it, and they are apprehended, and made to restore fourfold. Like moths gnawing a garment they devour their own house, and by greediness of desire they destroy their content, making impatience the parent and in∣strument of all their 〈◊〉〈◊〉. Or they are so greedy and ima∣ginative, and have raised their expectation by an over-valuing esteem of temporary fe∣licities, that when they come they fall short of their promises, and are indeed less than they 〈◊〉〈◊〉 have been, by being before-hand apprehended greater than they could be. If their design be to represent themselves innocent and guiltless of a suspicion or a fault, they deny the fact, and double it. When they would repair their losses they fall to Gaming; and besides that they are infinitely full of fears, passions, wrath and vio∣lent disturbances in the various chances of their game, that which they use to re∣store their 〈◊〉〈◊〉 ruines even the little remnant, and condemns them to beggery, or what is worse. Thus evil men 〈◊〉〈◊〉 for content out of things that cannot satisfie, and take care to get that content; that is, they raise War to enjoy present Peace, and renounce all Content to get it: They strive to depress their Neighbours, that they may be their equals; to disgrace them, to get reputation to themselves; (which arts being ignoble do them the most disparagement) and resolve never to enter in∣to the felicities of God by content taken in the prosperities of man, which is a making our selves wretched by being wicked. Malice and Envy is indeed a mighty curse; and the Devil can shew us nothing more foolish and unreasonable than Envy, which is in its very formality a curse, an eating of coals and vipers because my neighbour's table is full, and his cup is crowned with health and plenty. The Christian Religion, as it chuseth excellent ends, so it useth proportionate and apt means. The most contradictory accident in the world, when it becomes hallowed by a pious and Christian design, becomes a certain means of felicity and content. To quit our lands for Christ's sake will certainly make us rich; to depart from our friends will encrease our relations and beneficiaries: but the striving to secure our temporal interests by any other means than obedient actions or obedient sufferings, is declared by the Holy Jesus to be the greatest improvidence and ill husbandry in the world. Even in this world Christ will repay us an hundred fold for all our losses which we suffer for the interests of Christianity. In the same proportion we find, that all Gra∣ces do the work of humane felicities with a more certain power and 〈◊〉〈◊〉 effect than their contraries. Gratitude endears Benefits, and procures more Friendships: Confession

gets a Pardon; Impudence and lying doubles the fault, and exasperates the offended per∣son: Innocence is bold, and rocks a man asleep; but an evil Conscience is a continual alarm. Against this folly of using disproportionate means in order to their ends the Holy Jesus hath opposed the Eight Beatitudes, which by contradictions of nature and improbable causes, according to humane and erring estimate, bring our best and wisest ends to pass infallibly and divinely.

32. But this is too large a field to walk in: for it represents all the flatteries of sin to be a mere cozenage and deception of the Understanding; and we find by this scru∣tiny, that evil and unchristian persons are infinitely unwise, because they neglect the counsel of their superiours and their guides. They dote passionately upon trifles; they rely upon false foundations and deceiving principles; they are most confident when they are most abused; they are like shelled fish, singing loudest when their house is on fire about their ears, and being merriest when they are most miserable and perishing; when they have the option of two things, they ever chuse the worst; they are not ma∣sters of their own actions, but break all purposes at the first temptation; they take more pains to do themselves a mischief than would 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Heaven: that is, they are rude, ignorant, foolish, unwary and undiscerning people in all senses and to all purposes; and are incurable but by their Obedience and conformity to the Holy Jesus, the eternal Wisdome of the Father.

33. Upon the strength of these premisses the yoke of Christianity must needs be ap∣prehended light, though it had in it more pressure than it hath; because lightness or heaviness being relative terms are to be esteemed by comparison to others. Christianity is far easier than the yoke of Moses's Law, not only because it consists of fewer Rites, but also because those perfecting and excellent Graces which integrate the body of our Re∣ligion are made easie by God's assisting, and the gifts of the Holy Ghost: and we may yet make it easier by Love and by Fear, which are the proper products of the Evan∣gelical Promises and Threatnings. For I have seen persons in affrightment have carried burthens, and leaped ditches, and climbed walls, which their natural pow∣er could never have done. And if we understood the sadnesses of a cursed Eternity, from which we are commanded to fly, and yet knew how near we are to it, and how likely to fall into it, it would create fears greater than a sudden fire, or a mid-night alarm. And those unhappy souls who come to feel this truth, when their condition is without remedy, are made the more miserable by the apprehension of their stupid folly. For certainly the accursed Spirits feel the smart of Hell once doubled upon them, by consi∣dering by what vain unsatisfying trifles they lost their happiness, with what pains they perished, and with how great ease they might have been beatified. And certain it is, Christian Religion hath so furnished us with assistences, both exteriour and interiour, both of perswasion and advantages, that whatsoever Christ hath doubled upon us in per∣fection he hath alleviated in aids.

34. And then if we compare the state of Christianity with Sin, all the preceding discourses were intended to represent how much easier it is to be a Christian, than a vile and wicked person. And he that remembers, that whatever fair allurements may be pretended as invitations to a sin, are such false and unsatisfying pretences, that they drive a man to repent him of his folly, and like a great laughter end in a sigh, and expire in weariness and indignation; must needs confess himself a fool for doing that which he knows will make him repent that he ever did it. A sin makes a man afraid when it thunders, and in all dangers the sin detracts the visour, and affrights him and visits him when he comes to die, upbraiding him with guilt, and threatning misery. So that Christianity is the easiest Law and the easiest state, it is more perfect and less troublesome; it brings us to Felicity by ways proportionable, landing us in rest by easie and unperplexed journeys. This Discourse I therefore thought necessary, because it reconciles our Religion with those passions and desires which are commonly made the instruments and arguments of sin. For we rarely meet with such spirits which love Vertue so metaphysically, as to abstract her from all sensible and delicious compositions, and love the purity of the Idea. S. Lewis the King sent Ivo Bishop of Chartres on an Embassy: and he told, that he met a grave Matron on the way with fire in one hand, and water in the other; and, observing her to have a melan∣cholick, religious and phantastick deportment and look, asked her what those symbols meant, and what she meant to do with her fire and water. She answered, My purpose is with the fire to burn Paradise, and with my water to quench the flames of Hell, that men may serve God without the incentives of hope and fear, and purely for the love of God. Whether the Woman were onely imaginative and sad, or also zealous,

I know not. But God knows he would have few Disciples, if the arguments of invi∣tation were not of greater promise than the labours of Vertue are of trouble. And therefore the Spirit of God knowing to what we are inflexible, and by what we are made most ductile and malleable, hath propounded Vertue clothed and dressed with such advantages as may entertain even our Sensitive part and first desires, that those also may be invited to Vertue who understand not what is just and rea∣sonable, but what is profitable, who are more moved with ad∣vantage than justice. And because emolument is more felt than innocence; and a man may be poor for all his gift of 〈◊〉〈◊〉; the Holy Jesus, to endear the practices of Religion, hath represented Godli∣ness unto us under the notion of gain, and sin as unfruitful: and yet besides all the na∣tural and reasonable advantages, every Vertue hath a supernatural reward, a gracious promise attending; and every Vice is not only naturally deformed, but is made more ugly by a threatning, and horrid by an appendent curse. Henceforth therefore let no man complain that the Commandments of God are impossible; for they are not onely possible, but easie; and they that say otherwise, and do accordingly, take more pains to carry the instruments of their own death, than would serve to ascertain them of life. And if we would do as much for Christ as we have done for Sin, we should find the pains less, and the pleasure more. And therefore such complainers are without excuse; for certain it is, they that can go in foul ways, must not say they cannot walk in fair: they that march over rocks in despight of so many impedi∣ments, can travel the even ways of Religion and Peace, when the Holy Jesus is their Guide, and the Spirit is their Guardian, and infinite felicities are at their journey's end, and all the reason of the world, political, oeconomical and personal, do entertain and sup∣port them in the travel of the passage.

Notes

• 〈◊〉〈◊〉. 11. 30.
• 1 John 5. 3, 4.
• 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉. Procop. Gothic. 1.
• 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈◊〉〈◊〉.
• Siquidem Leomdes 〈◊◊◊◊〉〈◊◊◊◊〉 eum 〈◊〉〈◊〉 im∣buit, 〈◊◊〉〈◊◊〉 quoque & jam maximum Regem ab illa institutions puerili sunt 〈◊〉〈◊〉.
• 〈◊〉〈◊〉. l. 1. c. 1 Wisd. 6. 12, 13, 14.
• 〈◊◊〉〈◊◊〉 est facere ist a 〈◊◊◊〉〈◊◊◊〉 n. quiete 〈◊〉〈◊〉 est animi? quid 〈◊〉〈◊〉 à laboriosius? 〈◊〉〈◊〉 elementiâ remissius? quid 〈◊〉〈◊〉 nego∣tiosius? Vacat 〈◊〉〈◊〉, libido 〈◊〉〈◊〉 est. Omnium denique virtutum tutela facilior est; vi∣tia magno 〈◊〉〈◊〉. Seneca.
• In 〈◊◊◊〉〈◊◊◊〉 turpitudo; cùm in rectè factis 〈◊〉〈◊〉 labor, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 honest 〈◊〉〈◊〉.
• Muson.
• 〈◊◊◊〉〈◊◊◊〉 ad 〈◊◊〉〈◊◊〉 inno∣centiâ 〈◊〉〈◊〉, quàm 〈◊〉〈◊〉â. 〈◊◊〉〈◊◊〉. de orat.
• 〈◊〉〈◊〉 namque à nobis 〈◊〉〈◊〉 (〈◊〉〈◊〉) quid 〈◊◊〉〈◊◊〉 a 〈…〉〈…〉, humilitatem, 〈◊◊〉〈◊◊〉, sanctitatem, 〈◊◊◊◊◊◊〉〈◊◊◊◊◊◊〉 nos, 〈◊◊〉〈◊◊〉? Salvian.
• 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉. S. 〈◊〉〈◊〉 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉
• —〈◊◊〉〈◊◊〉 domûs 〈◊◊〉〈◊◊〉, quòd malè 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Regumest 〈◊◊〉〈◊◊〉. Horat. l. 4. od. 12.
• 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 〈◊〉〈◊〉, 5. 7.
• 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉. 〈◊〉〈◊〉.
• Malignum hunc 〈◊〉〈◊〉 homi∣nem 〈◊◊〉〈◊◊〉. Ego esse 〈◊〉〈◊〉 credo, cui pla∣cet 〈◊〉〈◊〉. Matt. Ep.
• 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉. Jac. 3. 10.
• 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉. Poli. 〈◊〉〈◊〉 M. Cato 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Aul. Gell. l. 13. c. 22. 〈◊◊◊◊〉〈◊◊◊◊〉 egeo; at ego 〈◊〉〈◊〉, quia 〈◊◊〉〈◊◊〉.
• Nique mala 〈◊◊〉〈◊◊〉 vulgus putat: 〈◊〉〈◊〉 qui 〈◊◊◊◊〉〈◊◊◊◊〉, ac 〈◊◊◊◊◊〉〈◊◊◊◊◊〉; si illi gravem 〈◊◊◊〉〈◊◊◊〉 tolerent, hi 〈◊◊◊〉〈◊◊◊〉. Tacit. 〈◊〉〈◊〉. l. 6.
• —〈◊〉〈◊〉 (fortuna) 〈◊◊〉〈◊◊〉, resigno 〈◊◊〉〈◊◊〉, & 〈◊◊〉〈◊◊〉 me involvo: 〈◊◊〉〈◊◊〉 sine dote 〈◊〉〈◊〉. Hor. l. 3. 〈◊〉〈◊〉. 29.
• 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉. 〈◊◊〉〈◊◊〉.
• Non 〈…〉〈…〉 Mentis, & cur at 〈◊◊◊◊〉〈◊◊◊◊〉. Hor. l. 2. 〈◊〉〈◊〉. 16.
• 〈◊〉〈◊〉 fortem videris, 〈◊◊〉〈◊◊〉. Senec. trag.
• 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉. 〈◊◊〉〈◊◊〉.
• 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉. Zoroast.
• 1 Tim. 6. 10.
• 〈◊〉〈◊〉 perjura patris sides Consortem 〈◊〉〈◊〉 fallat & hespitem, 〈◊◊◊◊◊〉〈◊◊◊◊◊〉 improbae Crescunt divitiae, 〈◊◊◊〉〈◊◊◊〉 quid semper 〈◊◊◊〉〈◊◊◊〉. l. 3. od. 24.
• —Vel dic, quid refer at intra Naturae fines viventi, jugera 〈◊◊〉〈◊◊〉 Mille 〈◊〉〈◊〉—Vt, tibi 〈◊〉〈◊〉 sit 〈◊〉〈◊〉 liquidi non 〈◊◊〉〈◊◊〉, Vel cyatho; & 〈◊〉〈◊〉, Magno de flumine mallem, Quàm 〈◊◊〉〈◊◊〉 fonticulo tantundem 〈◊◊◊〉〈◊◊◊〉, Plenior ut si quos delectet copia 〈◊〉〈◊〉, Cum ripa 〈◊◊◊〉〈◊◊◊〉 at 〈◊◊〉〈◊◊〉. At qui 〈◊◊◊〉〈◊◊◊〉 est 〈◊〉〈◊〉 is 〈◊〉〈◊〉; limo Turbatam 〈◊〉〈◊〉 it aquam, 〈◊◊◊〉〈◊◊◊〉 in undis. Horat. Serm. l. 〈◊〉〈◊〉. Sat. 1.
• —〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉. Soph. 〈◊〉〈◊〉.
• Aleam 〈◊◊◊◊◊〉〈◊◊◊◊◊〉, ut cum 〈◊◊◊◊〉〈◊◊◊◊〉 jactu de libertate & de 〈◊◊〉〈◊◊〉. Ta∣cit. de mor. Germ.
• Virtus repulsae 〈◊◊◊◊〉〈◊◊◊◊〉 honoribus; 〈◊〉〈◊〉 sumit aut ponit 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Arbitrio popularis aurae. Horat. l. 3. od. 2.
• Virtus laudatur, & alget. Juven.
• Praecipuam 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Majestatis curam 〈◊〉〈◊〉 prospicimus, religiouis indaginem; 〈◊〉〈◊〉 si 〈◊〉〈◊〉 retinere 〈◊◊◊◊◊〉〈◊◊◊◊◊〉 inceptis. Theod. & Valent. in Cod. 〈◊〉〈◊〉.
• 〈◊◊〉〈◊◊〉 providentia 〈◊〉〈◊〉 mu∣nus, ut 〈◊〉〈◊〉 magis juva∣rent. 〈◊〉〈◊〉, l. 1. c. 12.
• Exod. 15. 26.
• Exod. 23. 25, 26.
• Psal. 34. 12, 13.
• Prov. 3. 7, 8.
• Verse 16, 18.
• Psal. 90. 10.
• Num. 23. 10.
• 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉. 〈◊〉〈◊〉.
• Cicero in 〈◊〉〈◊〉. 1. sic reddit; Mors mea non 〈◊◊◊◊◊〉〈◊◊◊◊◊〉, ut 〈◊◊〉〈◊◊〉 cum 〈◊〉〈◊〉.
• Matt. 10. 39.
• 〈◊〉〈◊〉. 6. 2, 3.
• —〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 〈◊〉〈◊〉. Philoct.
• 1 Tim. s 4. 8.
• Matt. 5. 3. &c.
• Verse 5.
• Psal. 37. 11.
• Matt. 4. 4.
• Deut. 8. 3.
• Jam. 5. 14, 15.
• 〈◊◊◊〉〈◊◊◊〉 is 〈◊〉〈◊〉 in 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Dominus 〈◊◊◊〉〈◊◊◊〉 sciamus esse, 〈◊◊◊◊〉〈◊◊◊◊〉 praemoriuntur in 〈◊◊〉〈◊◊〉, quòd in 〈◊〉〈◊〉 in aliena aetate 〈◊〉〈◊〉; dixit S. Hieron. Paulo 〈◊〉〈◊〉 vigeto & pio 〈◊〉〈◊〉, l. 〈◊〉〈◊〉 〈◊〉〈◊〉, 8.
• Rom. 5. 20.
• 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉. De 〈◊◊〉〈◊◊〉 apud Thu. cyd.
• 1 Thess. 3. 8.
• Psal. 37. 22.
• Prov. 10. 27.
• Psal. 34. 21.
• Prov. 19. 16.
• 1 Sam. 26. 10.
• 〈◊〉〈◊〉 omnia 〈…〉〈…〉 & 〈◊◊◊〉〈◊◊◊〉 incubuit 〈…〉〈…〉 gradum. Horat. l. 1. 〈◊◊〉〈◊◊〉. 3.
• (a)

  In 〈◊〉〈◊〉. 23. 〈◊〉〈◊〉 unitur Deo, 〈◊◊◊〉〈◊◊◊〉 & 〈◊〉〈◊〉 per vim 〈◊〉〈◊〉, & 〈◊◊◊〉〈◊◊◊〉 ultra limitatum 〈◊〉〈◊〉.
• (b)

  Eubulus apud 〈◊〉〈◊〉, l. 7. c. 1. 〈…〉〈…〉: Vnu n 〈◊〉〈◊〉, & 〈◊◊◊◊〉〈◊◊◊◊〉; & 〈◊◊◊〉〈◊◊◊〉, qui 〈…〉〈…〉, &c. 〈…〉〈…〉.
• Prov. 23. 29, 30.
• 〈◊〉〈◊〉 102. 24.
• Isa. 57. 1.
• Lib. 〈◊◊〉〈◊◊〉. 1.
• Panar. 〈◊〉〈◊〉. 6.
• Gen. 11. 28.
• Jer. 17. 11.
• (a)

  2 〈◊〉〈◊〉. 13. 20.
• (b)

  1 〈◊〉〈◊〉. 10. 13.
• (c)

  2 〈◊〉〈◊〉. 26. 19.
• ‖

  2 Kings 16.
• (d)

  2 Chron. 21. 18.
• Jer. 28. 16.
• 1 Cor. 11. 30.
• Jndg. 5. 20.
• Jer. 10. 2. Gentes 〈◊◊〉〈◊◊〉 & 〈◊◊◊〉〈◊◊◊〉 dies 〈◊◊◊〉〈◊◊◊〉 cum 〈◊◊◊◊〉〈◊◊◊◊〉 luna 〈◊〉〈◊〉 reputabatur, unde 〈◊〉〈◊〉 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 〈◊◊◊◊〉〈◊◊◊◊〉 quintas 〈◊〉〈◊〉 suspectas habet. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.
• 〈◊〉〈◊〉 est 〈◊◊〉〈◊◊〉. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 〈◊◊〉〈◊◊〉.
• 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉—〈◊◊◊〉〈◊◊◊〉.
• 〈◊〉〈◊〉 21. 〈◊〉〈◊〉.
• 〈◊〉〈◊〉 21.
• 〈◊〉〈◊〉 23.
• 1 〈◊〉〈◊〉. 2. 33.
• Prov. 21. 21.
• 〈◊〉〈◊〉 sapi∣entiam 〈◊〉〈◊〉, & 〈◊◊〉〈◊◊〉, Lactan, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉. 〈◊◊〉〈◊◊〉.
• 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉. 〈◊〉〈◊〉.
• 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉. Sophoc. 〈…〉〈…〉 futura prospectant. 〈◊〉〈◊〉 ad Constant filium.
• —Quis 〈◊◊◊〉〈◊◊◊〉 ipsam 〈◊〉〈◊〉 si 〈◊〉〈◊〉?
• 〈◊〉〈◊〉 studiorum 〈…〉〈…〉 Tacit.
• Vide Ciceron. 〈◊〉〈◊〉. 2. Lact. l. 3. c. 27. 〈◊〉〈◊〉.
• Virtusper 〈◊〉〈◊〉 non 〈◊〉〈◊〉 est, quoniam in 〈◊〉〈◊〉, ut dixi, 〈◊◊◊〉〈◊◊◊〉 ejus est. 〈◊〉〈◊〉, c. 12. Aug. ep. 12.