A childes patrimony laid out upon the good culture or tilling over his whole man. The first part, respecting a childe in his first and second age.

CHAP. II. Our inward frame of spirit; how, naturally, depraved.

THou must now take a view of thy in∣ward frame, the frame of thy revolting heart: revolting, I say, from Him, who hath done all this for thee, whereof thou hast heard; who summes up all things in Himself, being all-sufficient, the fountain and Ocean of all our happi∣nesse; from Him are we parted, and to ••isternes we are come, to creature-comforts, which emptie faster then they fill; yet, after them our hearts wander, from creature to creature (for so our comforts here lie scattered) like the Bee, from one flower to another, seeking fulnesse but finding emptinesse, for our owne findings are sinne and death. Such a generation we are, and so degenerated, even from the day that we were born (for Grace makes the diffe∣rence, and separates, not the wombe) polluted in our owne blood, to the loathing of our persons, and the magnifying of His grace, who regarded so low an estate, making it the ob∣ject of His pitie. So here in this Chapter I can make no divi∣sion; for, though I am to speak of a Body, which hath many members; of a Root, which puts forth many branches; yet is it but a body of death, a root of bitternesse. And so spirituall it is in working, so speedy and quicke, and with such con∣sent, and agreement also, that I can see no more reason to divide here, then Abraham did to divide the Birds, But them he divided b not. It is sufficient to shew this body, as in a glasse darkly, how filthy and lothsome it is. And for this purpose, we will look on the 16. Chapter of Ezechiel, which gives the clearest reflexion, and as fully sheweth a man to himself, as any glasse in the world. But then the eye must have a property, which the outward hath not, to look in∣ward, and to see its self, which imployeth, it hath received

an anoynting from above. But whether we have it, or have it not, (Ezek. 16.) a fit glasse it is to see our selves in. If we could lay our selves close up on it, as the Prophet applyed himself to the child, the proud heart would fall, the haughtie looks would down. And therefore, That thou mayst take shame to thy self as thy just portion; and the more advance God, and the riches of His goodnesse m according to the doctrin of the Gospel; (God is never exalted, till man is laid low; nor is Christ precious, till we are vile) Consider thy selfe well, and begin there, where thou tookest thy beginning. There thou shalt finde the first Corner-stone, in thy founda∣tion, was laid in bloody iniquities, in which thou wast con∣ceived; The very materialls of soul and body, whereof thou dost consist, were temper'd with sinne, like the stone in the wall, and beame out of the timber; so as they cryed out, even the same moment thou wast born, rase this building, rase it even to the ground. And the cry had been heard; and thou hadst been sent before this time to thy own place, but that mercy came betwixt, even the cry of that bloud, which speaks better things, then the bloud of Abel. And that cry, was heard, so thou wast graciously spared; and behold what riches of grace, here are shew'd unto thee; for, thou wast then as wholly naked and stript of all goodnesse, as thy bo∣dy was being newly born; and as wholly invested with the worst filthinesse (for it is expressed by such things, which are not comely to name) as thy body was with skin, and thy bones with flesh.

So thou camest in, n a very little childe, but a very great sinner, not after the similitude of Adams transgression, for sinne was actuall in him, breaking a Commandement; Originall in thee for thou broug••t'st it into the world with thee; And a world of wickednesse it is, defiling thy Body, & setting on fire, not thine own only, but the whole ••ourse of nature; for thou hadst an hand (to use M^r. Boltons words) in that fire-work, which blew up all mankinde; he means in Adams trans∣gression (in whose loins thou wast, as a branch in a com∣mon

stock) which brought forth such a bloudy sea of sinne and sorrow into the world.

I will hold thy thoughts at the wombe, so may'st thou the better know thy selfe for ever after; From thence thou cam'st into the world, a sinke, a Sodome of all filth and im∣puritie. Thou hast inherent in thy bowels secret seeds, and imbred inclinations of all sinne. The principles of Hazaels bloudy cruelties, of Athaliahs treasons, and I••zebels lusts; The wombe, the seed of all the villanies, that have been acted in the world, which Saint Paul hath sum'd up together in his first chapter to the Romanes. 1 Tim. 1. 2 Tim. 3.

Thou hast within thee the spawn, the somenter, the forma∣tive vertue of all that hellish stuffe. All those flouds of un∣godlinesse, have no other originall fountain, from which they issue, then this sinne, thou art now taking a view off. Thy Heart is the Treasury of all that wickednesse, and if the Lord shall rip up the foundations of thy nature, as He may and in mercy also, then wilt thou know I do not speak parables. But if thou canst not follow sinne to its first origi∣nall (if thou could'st so do, thou would'st feare it more, and flie from it faster, then Moses from the serpent, for more active it is and hurtfull) if thou hast not learnt so much, yet then learne now, and follow the streames, they leade to the Spring-head. Know then, whatsoever vanitie, ignorance, or darknesse is in our minde; whatsoever swarmes of foolish thoughts, whatsoever insensiblenesse in our conscience, whatso∣ever disabilitie or enmitie is in our Will; whatsoever unfaith∣fulnesse o leaking or running out in our memory, whatever lea∣ven or corruption in doctrine or manners; whatsoever bit∣ternesse, dissentions, wars, devouring words; To conclude, whatsoever we have found in our selves, or observed from others, to breake out of the mouth, at the eye, like the pur∣ging of a corps, now the soule is out; All this is but the issue of this body of sinne, which thou carryest about thee; All that, hath no other originall fountain, from which they issue then this sinne.

When we let our tongues, and eyes, and eares, loose and at libertie, keeping no watch over the one, nor making no co∣venant▪ with the other; when, I say, we doe thus, set the doores, windows and all open; we then commonly excuse our selves thus; That though we speake merrily, yet our minde is good; And though our eyes wander, yet our heart walkes not after our eyes p; And though we let in vanitie by the eare, (as the wooll sucks in water) yet we can keepe the inward man cleane and pure; this is our excuse, and we would be pardoned: But the excuse is worse then the fault; for we must know, That the tongue, the eare, and the eye (these doores and windows of the soule) The feet, and the fingers (there is a q speaking with the one, and a teaching with the other) All these are but as a little Comentary upon the great Text of the heart; they do but serve to make plaine, so as he that runs may read, what lewdnesse and frowardnesse lyes in that depth, involved there in more hid, darke and obscure characters. Or, to use a plainer metaphor, and according to the sacred Scripture; The heart is the treasury, the ever going mint, wherein our thoughts r hammer mischiefe. Out of that aboundance the mouth (so of the rest) filleth and emptyeth it selfe. If there be a little vanitie upon the tongue, we must conclude there is much in the heart; if the eyes be full of adultery, then the measure of the heart is pressed down run∣ning over. That vanitie, which is shewed openly by the outward members, is but like the money a rich man carryes in his purse, to be laid forth upon all occasions, compared with that, which is in the bag or chest; there is the store. The mouth is but as the cistern; the heart is the well, that fills it; The aboundance is in the heart, there is the treasury: And this thou carryest about thee. Nay, it is within our earth, more inwrapped within our nature, then the Ivy within the wall, as fast as with a band of Iron, and Brasse. And it is (as was said) the acting, sinning, brooding sinne, the fountaine and inlet of all we can call evill; The first matter of all our misery; The tinder of lust, disposing us to evill, and causing an aversnesse to all good: This is the treasury,

thus we have look'd into the aboundance, that is in the heart of every mothers childe: In all it doth not breake out alike, God in mercy to mankinde, and for preservation of society, restraining the dominion, and over-ruling it in some; And some again having received more grace, prevailing over the same, with the wrestling of God; strong wrestlings s. But with∣in us this aboundance is, I meane, this sinne dwels within the best of men; The life thereof is prolong'd t, though the domi∣nion is taken away. And its kingdome, (to allude to that place) is partly strong and partly broken u. And hence is that, which ever hath, and ever will make the people of God vile in their own eyes, and to loath themselves, witnesse their low and base account of themselves; Dust and ashes saith Abraham; (we may say that, and more, even what was said of a bloudy persecutor, we are earth mingled with bloud, and to the same fiercenesse we should proceed, were we not re∣newed or restrained.) x Lesse then the least of Gods mercies, said Iacob. What am I? a dog, fit to lye under the table; a dead y dog fit for the ditch; It was the lowest expression of humilitie, and we know whose it was. It is Thy z mercy we are not consum'd, so the Church makes her acknowledgement, when she was brought even to the dust of death: Though the Church be smitten to the place of Dragons, yet if it be a∣bove hell it is mercy▪ so she accounts. Nothing, (saith Paul) not worthy to be accounted an Apostle a. And to mention but one neerer our own times, a true b Antipas, a faithfull wit∣nesse, a holy-man, yet thus vile and abased in his own eyes, and feeling, I am as dry as a stone, a most miserable hard-hearted man, an unthankfull sinner; Thus subscribed he his letters, Humble Iohn Bradford.

And this is the reason, why I would have thee, childe, look back to the rock, whence thou wast taken, and stay thy thoughts there, even to humble thee, and to make thee see, how vile thou art, that thou mayst exalt Christ. Certainly there is no such ground for humiliation, that can be thought of. Search then this nature of thine, and search it to the bottome; There is no quick flesh, till we come as low in

our search as David did, to our conception and birth.

The plough must go so deep, as to strike at that root, where∣to sinne is fastned, else we sow among thornes: Slight not sinne here; b

Corruption, the lesse we see it, and lament it, the more it is; sighes and groanes of the soule, are like the pores of the body, out of which the sick humours spend and become lesse.

Here thou must begin thy repentance, for this sin thou must be humbled, more then for actuall sinnes; for this is the acting brooding sinne, this, as was said, is that which breeds and foments all our trouble.

It is c good to follow sinne to the first Hold and Castle, which is corrupt nature; Indeed the most apparent disco∣very of sinne is in the outward carriage; we see it in the fruit before in the root; as we see grace in the expression before in the affection: But yet we shall never hate sinne throughly, untill we consider it in the poysoned root, from whence it ariseth. That, which least troubles a naturall man, doth most of all trouble a true Christian: A naturall man is sometimes troubled with the fruit of his corrupti∣on, and the consequents of guilt and punishment, that at∣tend it, but a true-hearted Christian, with corruption it self; this drives him to complaine with Saint Paul: O wretched man that I am, who shall deliver me? not from the members only, but from this body of death.

We must be humbled for actuall sinne, but that is not low enough; he that goes no lower, doth but, as if a man should rub his nose to make it leave bleeding. As in good things, the cause is better then the effect; so in ill things the cause is worse. There is more heat in the furnace, then in the spark; more poyson in the root, then in the branch; more bitternesse in the spring, then in the streame. It is not actuall sinne, that only or primarily defiles me, I must look back to my first originall, I was tainted in the spring of my Nature, that is worse, then any of those filthy streames that come from it; my Nature is subject to break out continually upon any, upon all occasions; pray we then, Lord strike at the root, dry up the fountain in me.

Oh, d if we could but one whole houre seriously think of the impure issue of our hearts, it would bring us down upon our knees in humiliation before God. But we can never, whilst we live, see so throughly as we should into this depth, nor yet be humbled enough for what we see. How should it humble us, that the seeds of the vilest sinne, even of the sinne against the holy-Ghost, is in us? And to heare of any great enormous sinne in another man, consi∣dering what our own nature would proceed unto, if it were not restrained? we may see our own nature in them, as face answering face; If God should take His Spirit from us, there is enough in us to defile a whole world.

We cannot see the Dregs in the bottome, before we see the vessell shaken. Sinne may lye dormant, like a dog asleep, for want of an occasion to jog it, and all that while, we may keep clean, as a swine in a faire meadow. We know not our own hearts, till an occasion be offer'd, nor then neither, un∣lesse we plough with Gods Heifer, till His spirit bringeth a light to ours. I hold thee the longer at this point; Because it is the maine point. The more we consider the height, the depth, the breadth, & the length of this misery, the more shal we be humbl••d in our selves, and magnifie the height, the depth, the breadth, and the length of Gods mercy in Christ. e The favourers of Nature, are alwayes the enemies of Grace; This, which some thinke and speake so weakely, and faintly off, is a more enemy to us then the divell himselfe; a more neere, a more restlesse, a more traiterous enemy, for by intelligence with it, the divell doth us all the hurt he doth, and by it maintains forts in us against goodnesse.

Therefore slight not sinne here, nor thy misery by sinne; According to those steps thou canst go down into this depth of thy misery by sinne, thou shalt rise upward again to the greatnesse of Gods love in Christ, and so fetch happinesse out of that depth also. Here it is most true, one depth calleth un∣to another depth. If every step or Article in the first, (which is misery by sinne) do not more and more humble us in the sight of our misery; no Article in the second part (which is our redemption by Christ) can comfort us.

Enlarge thy sinne to the uttermost that thou may'st mag∣nifie the grace of Christ. Lessen not, mince not sin, in hope of pardon. Little sinne to forgive, will make Christ little lo∣ved. The height and depth of mercy cannot be sounded, but by the measuring line of misery.

We must be brought to Davids acknowledgement; f There is no soundnesse in this flesh; no part of health or life in our sinfull nature, which was most fully signified, in that, which was most remarkable (saith Mr. Ainsworth g) in the Law of Leprosie;

That quick or sound flesh in the sore, should be judged leprosie, and the man uncleane; whereas, if the leprosie covered all his flesh,

he was pronounced clean. Hope not then in small sinne, but in great mercy; and that it may not seeme small (for that is the feare) think thus; Can that pollution be small, which hath past through so many Iordans, yet cannot be cleansed? Can that root be any other then a root of gall and bitternesse, which hath defiled all, and all parts and faculties of All? Can that Stump be small, that hath thrust out such strong branches, and those so often cut, and hewed at, and yet growing again? Can any sparke be little that comes from such a Treasury? Think on this, and think seriously, whether here be not cause of loathing; take it actively, that thou shouldst loath thy self, or passively, that thy person should be loathed: Cause of loathing there is, & of de∣spairing also, in thy self, but not in another: Cause to go out of thy self for mercy, no cause to despaire of mercy: A great sinner hath a mighty Redeemer, but he wil not roul himself upon Him, That is mighty, till he feeles himself to be such a sinner as we heard, a great sinner; which consideration will drive the soule upon another rock; if we observe not how the Prophet pleads for mercy upon this very ground, Because his sin is great h. The glory of God is great in the salvation of great sinners: And by putting confidence in Him, Who is mightie, we lay Glory and Majesty upon HIm; for to those words we may properly allude, i His glory is great in thy sal∣vation, honour, and Majesty hast thou laid upon Him. Our thoughts are straitened now, yet think we on the riches of

His mercy, Who, when we were as out-casts, to the loathing of our persons, in the day that we were born, when we lay polluted in our own bloud, said unto us at such a time, as that (Ezek. 16.) Live. If we think ^k on this, we think on a Love, which passeth knowledge; on a mercy, whose height and depth, and breadth cannot be measured: but if we can spread it up∣on our sinne, as the the Prophet himself upon the childe, we shall finde it equall to all dimensions.

And this is the Love of Him, who gave His Sonne; and the obedience of that Sonne, who gave Him-self for our ran∣some, a price that cannot be valued, for it went to the worth of souls. And this He did, being made, as Luther said well, the greatest sinner in the World, suffering what was due to such a sinner, eternall wrath; not in respect of its duration, for it was of a short continuance; but yet eternall, in respect of the excellent dignitie of the person suffering, who was the eternall Sonne of God.

And this He suffer'd, even such a weight of wrath, that He might free us from the same, I mean, that wrath, which is to come, which hath in it, the very life and spirits of wrath. The present wrath, though it lye heavy for sinne, yet it is but for present, but the wrath to-come seizeth upon the soul, and ly∣eth upon it to all eternitie l; And this is the life and spirit of this wrath, the thought whereof swallows us up, as a drop is swallowed in the wide Ocean. This weight He suffered as the greatest sinner, that He might save to the utmost those, that come unto Him. Mark it,

for the houre may come (saith m M^r. Hooker) when we shall think it a blessed thing to heare,

That, if our sins, were the sins of Popes and Cardinals (ours are very great, having had a clear sun∣shine of grace so long, & yet not walked as children of the Light) the bowels of the mercie of God are larger.

I must reade his following words too,

I do not propose unto you a Pope with the neck of an Emperour under his feet: A Cardinall riding his horse to the bridle, in the bloud of Saints: but a Pope or Cardinall sorrowfull, penitent, dis∣robed, stript not only of usurped power; but also deliver'd

and recalled from errour; Antichrist converted, and lying prostrate at the foot of Christ:

And shall I think that Christ will spurn at him? No, He suffered to the utmost, that he might save to the utmost those that beleeve, whom he maketh the righteousnesse of God; re-in••tateth in the Para∣dise, which they lost, that there they may live ever, with their Lord, partaking with Him of an exceeding weight of glory.

And here (for the time would fail me, my understanding both) I would fix thy thoughts, even at this well of Salva∣tion. On this Rock I would settle thee, but that my hands are too short, but under the shadow of thy wings, my heartie desire is that thou mayest trust, and dwell for ever; then hap∣pie art thou, and for ever happie, for this Rocke is Christ, from Him issueth water of life, healing sinne, washing away guilt; sweetning sorrow, swallowing up such a Death (be∣fore mentioned) with all its issues. Christ, I say, get Him, thou hast all, a Sea, an Ocean of good things (as Clemens cals Him:) cleave to Him, He hath strength enough; enough against all assaults from within, from without. He and His righteousnesse answers all, makes us firme and stedfast like an everlasting foundation, the gates of hell, nor policie, nor strength shall prevail: All in Him, all of Him, all from Him. And all this, as it is fully discovered in his Word (therefore let it be thy delight, and thy counsellour, and pray, that His Spirit still would be thy Interpreter, for without Him, it is as a Book sealed) so was it figured out and sealed unto us in Baptisme. But before I come to that Sacrament, we must look over what was said touching our inward frame of spirit; Where we behold from what a dignitie we are falne, into what a depth of miserie; That the Scripture speaks not in vain, The o heart is desperately wicked. It is for hardnesse, like the nether mil-stone, the Rocke, the Adamant; It is in point of conversion or turning unto God, as dead as a doore-naile; as unchangeable as the spots of a Leopard. It is in point of that poyson, malignity, and rage, that is in it, a Lyon, a Dogge, an Adder, a Dragon, an Aspe, a Viper; in point of

uncleannesse, like a Leper, from head to the foot polluted. All this and much more, That we may remember and be con∣founded, and never open our mouth any more b, but in acknow∣ledging our selves, unclean, vile, lothsome; and in magnify∣ing the abundant treasures of grace, and riches of mercies, in and through Christ, freely offered and secured unto us, in Baptisme, which now comes to be treated of, &c.

Notes

• b

  Gen. 15. 10.
• m

  Here is ground of cō∣fort, and for firme resoluti∣on, said Staupi∣tius to Luther, in that you stand for that Doctrin, which gives All to God, to Man nothing at all: for this is ac∣cording to the Truth of the Go∣spel. And in sure confidence hereof, I shall set my facelike a flint, said Lu∣ther. Com. •••• Gal••••. 1▪ 12. & ch. 2. 6.
• n

  Tantillus p••••r, tantus pecc••••or.
• o

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉. ••eb. 2. 1.
• p

  Job 31. 7.
• q

  Prov. 6. 13.
• r

  Fabricatur. Prov. 6. 14.
• 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.
• Chrysost. Tom. 6. Rel••g p. 597. What wicked∣nesse will they stick at in s••∣cret, who p••o∣cl••ime th••ir folly openly; •••• saith Is••••. Pel••sit. lib. 2. p. 153.
• s

  Gen. 30. 8.
• t

  Dan. 7. 12.
• u

  Dan. 2. 42.
• Gen. 19. 27.
• x

  Gen. 32. 10.
• y

  1 Sam. 24. 14.
• z

  Lam. 3. 22.
• a

  Cor. 15 9.
• b

  Antipapas. Bright. on Rev. 2. 13.
• b

  S. C. pag. 226.
• c

  Soules conflict, pag. 192.
• d

  Dr. S: 8. C••p. 195. 196.
• e

  Pag. 213.
• f

  Psal. 38. & 7.
• g

  Ainsw. Levit: 13. 15. Plurimum pro∣fecit, qui sibi plurimum displi∣cere didicit. Cal. Inst. 3 3. 20.
• h

  Psal. 25. 11.
• i

  Psal. 21. 5.
• l

  Omnis peccator peccat in si••o ae∣terno.
• m

  Disc. of Just. pag. 519.
• 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉. Protrep. p. 51.
• o

  J••r. 17. 9.
• b

  Ezek. 16. ••.