XXX sermons lately preached at the parish church of Saint Mary Magdalen Milkstreet, London to which is annexed, A sermon preached at the funerall of George Whitmore, Knight, sometime Lord Mayor of the City / by Anthony Farindon.

[illustration] blazon or royal coat of arms of England and Wales

HONI •…•…T QVI MAL Y PENSE

The Two and Twentieth SERMON.

PART II.

MICAH 6.8.

He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the Lord require of thee, but to doe justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?

WE have shewed you, That Piety is termed Good in it self, in opposition to Sacrifice, and the ceremonies of the law, which were but ex instituto, for some rea∣sons instituted and ordained, but in themselves were neither Good nor Evil. We might now take a view of this Good, as it stands in opposition to the things of this world, which either our Luxury, or Pride, or Covetousnesse have raised in their esteeme, and above their worth, and called Good, as the heathens consecrated their affections, their diseases, their very vices, and placed them in the number of their Gods. For Good is that which all desire, which all bowe and stoop to, but yet it hath as severall shapes, as there be opinions and constitutions of men; and all the mistake is in our choice, that we set up something to

look upon, which is not worth a glance of our eye: That we call Evil, Good; and that Good, which is neither evil, nor good, but may make us so; Good if we use it well, and Evil, if we abuse it. (Non est bonum, quo uti malè possis, and that cannot be truely and in it self good, * 1.1 which we may use to an evil end, saith Seneca) that we propose to our selves objects which are attended with danger, and very often with horror, and give to them this glorious title; paint out of our selves some deformed strumpet, and call her a goddessE, and kisse the lips of that which wil bite like a Cocka∣trice. Good we desire, and when our desires have run to that which we set up for good, we meet with nothing but evil, which shewes not it self till it be felt; we hoyse up our sailes and make towards it, and are swallowed up in that Sea as Austin calls it, of the good things of this world, which we thought mighty carry us to the end of our hope; we take it for bread, and in our mouth 'tis gra∣vell; we took it for pleasure, and when we tasted it, it was gall; we hunt after riches, as Good, and they begger us; climb to honour, and that breaks our neck; and though we swallow down these good things, as the Oxe doth water, yet we are never full. Saint Hilary in his comments on the first Psalme having observed, that some there were who drew down all their interpretations of that book respectively to spirituall things and God himself, because they thought it some disparagement to that book, that terrene and secular matter should so often interline it self; yet passeth on them no heavier censure then this, haec corum opinio argui non potest, &c. We need not be so severe as to condemn this opinion of theirs, because it proceeds from a mind piously and Religiously affected; and it is a thing which deserves rather commendation then blame, by a favourable endeavour to strive to apply all things to him by whom all things were made. For these things are not Good, but onely go under this deputative and borrowed title: The world hath cryed them up, but the scripture hath no such name for them; it is Good to praise the Lord, nay 'tis Good to be afflicted, this we read; but where do we read, It is good to be rich; It is good to be hono∣rable; It is good to go in purple, and fare deliciously every day? we find many curses and woes sent after them, but we never find them graced with the title of good. Thou hast received thy good things, faith Abraham to Dives; * 1.2 Good things but, Thine, such as thy lusts esteemed so; thy good things, and such good things, which have helpt to hurry thee to this place of torment. Good they are not, for they are so far from making a man good, that they make him him not rich: Look upon Dives at his feast, and Lazarus at his gates, and which was the rich man? If I should say Lazarus, it were no Paradox, for Dives had nothing of a rich man but his name.

Good then they are no tin themselves, nor can they be, but by being subservient to this Good in the Text; and therefore we must make another defalcation of these Temporall goods, as we did of those Sacrifices which were but temporary: Down must Sacrifice and down must Mammon; down must his temple and his groves, and no picture, no representation must be left of them in our minds; but let us look upon Sacrifice and Formality, as shadows, and the things of this world as lesse then shadowes, and then upon the ruines of hypocrisie, and covetousnesse, and ambition, to build up a temple to true piety and religion, and that which is called Good here in the Text, which God by his Prophet hath laid open before our eyes: For he hath sheed thee, O man, not Sacrifice, not the glory of the world, that's the devils shew, Math. 4. but he hath shewed thee what is good.

And now having drawn the vaile, we may enter the Sanctum Sanctorum, the holy of holies, and behold piety, and that which is good; that good, which is so in it self, reall and eternall, quod nec invitus accipis, nec invitus amittis, which thou neither receivest nor losest but when thou wilt, as thou mayest thy possessions, * 1.3 thy honors, nay thy body and life it self, which all may be taken from thee against thy will; that good, which is a defluxion and emana∣tion from God himself, derived and flowing from that wisdome which dwelt with him from all eternity; that good, which will make us good here, and raise us up to be eternall with him in the highest heavens; that good, which will give us an heavenly under∣standing, a divine will, angelical affections, and in a manner incor∣porate us with God himself.

And if you please to look upon it in its perfection of beauty; you may consider it, 1. as fitted and proportioned to our very nature. 2ly. as fitted to all sorts and conditions of men. 3ly. as lovely and amiable in the eyes of all. 4ly. as filling and satisfing us. 5ly. as giving a rellish, and sweet taste to the worst of evils which may befall us, whilest with love and admiration we look upon it; and making those things of the world, which are not good in them∣selves, usefull, and good, and advantageous to us. This is the ob∣ject which is here set up, and it is a faire one, and man is called to be the spectator, he hath shewed thee, O man! and if he look pon it with astedfast and single eye, with affection and love, it will make him dignum Deo spectaculum, an object fit for the angels and God himself to look upon; for, 1. it is fitted to him. 2ly. it is opened and made manifest, placed before his eye: Jndicavit tibi, he hath shewed thee it. Last of all, it is required of him; for what else doth he require? 1. It is proper for him. 2ly. is is displayed and laid open before him. 3ly. It is a Law to bind him. He hath

shewed thee O man, what is Good; and what doth the Lord require?

And first, we cannot doubt but God built up man for this end alone, for this Good; to communicate his goodnesse, to make him partaker of a divine nature, to make him a kind of God upon the earth, to imprint his image upon him, by which according to his measure and capacity he might expresse and represent God. 1. by the knowledg not onely of naturall and transitory, but those things which pertain to everlasting life, as it is Coloss. 3.10. being renewed in knowledge, after the image of him that created him. 2ly. in the rectitude and Sanctity of his will: Ephs. 4.24. puting on that new man, which after God is created in righteousnesse and holinesse. And 3ly. in the free and ready obedience of the outward parts, and in∣ward faculties, to the beck and command of God; which being di∣vine, a breathing from God himself, cannot but look forward, and look upward upon its originall; and so teach us to be just, as God is righteous in all his waies; to be mercifull, as he is mercifull; and to walk humbly before him, who hath thus built us up out of the dust, but to eternity. I say, God hath imprinted this image on man, and what communion can God have with evil? what relation hath an immortall essence to that which passeth away, changeth every day, and at last is not? 1 Cor. 7.31. Take man for the miracle of the world, as Trismegistus calls him, that other, that lesser world, the tye and bond of all the other parts, which were made for his sake, and what conversation should he have, but in heaven? what should he look upon, but that which is Good? Or take him as made after Gods image, as having that property which no other creature hath, to understand, to will, to Reason and determine, by which he was made capable of good, and made to be partaker of it; and we cannot think he had an understanding given him onely to forge deceit, and contrive plots; to find out a twilight, an oppor∣tunity to do mischief; to invent new delights, to make an art of pleasure; and draw out a method and Law of wickednesse; That, that which was given him as his counsellor in relation to this good, should be his purveior in the works of the flesh, and no better then a pander to his lust: * 1.4 we cannot think that he had a will given him, to embrace shadows and apparitions, which play with our fancy and deceive us; to wait upon the flesh which fights against the spirit, and this image within us: we cannot think he had reason given to distinguish him from the other creatures, to make him worse then they; This cannot be the thought of a man, whilest he remaines so; a man who is formed, and fitted, & fashioned onely for that which is good; which consideration made Quintilian himself, a heathen, to pronounce, that it was as naturall for man to be good, as for the birds to fly, or fishes to swim; because man was made for the one•• as the birds and fishes were for the other.

Secondly, there is no proportion at all between any corporeall and sensuall thing, and the soul of man, which is a spirit, and immor∣tall, and so resembles that God which breathed it into us. For as Lactantius said, God is not hungry, that you need set him meat, nor thirsty, that you should poure out drink unto him; he is not in the dark, that you need light up candles; And what is beauty, what is the wedg of gold to the soul? The one is from the earth earthy, the other is from the Lord of heaven. The world is the Lords, and the world is the soules, and all that therein is; and to behold the creature, and in the world, as in a book, to study and find out the Creator; to contemplate his majesty, his goodnesse, his wisdome; and to discover that happinesse which is prepared for it; to behold the heavens, the works of Gods hand, and purchase a place there; to converse with Seraphim and Cherubim; This is the proper act of the soul for which it was made; this, this alone was proportioned to it. And herein consists the excellency, and very essence of Religion, and the Good which is here shewed us; in exalting the soul, in drawing it back from mixing with the crea∣ture, and in bringing it into subjection under God, the first and onely good; in uniting it to its proper object; in making that which was the breath of God, breath nothing but God; the soul being as the matter, and this Good here, that is piety and religion, the form; the soul being 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 (for so Plato calls matter) the receptacle of this Good, as the matter is of the form, and never right, and of a per∣sect being, till it receive it; this good being as the seed, and the soul the ground, Math. 13. the matrix, and the womb; and there is a kind of sympathy, between this good, this immortall seed, and the heart and mind of man, as there is between seed, and the womb of the earth: for the soul no sooner sees it unclouded, unvailed, not dis∣guised and made terrible by the intervention of things not truely good, but upon a full manifestation, she is taken, as the bride∣groome in the Canticles, with its eye, and beauty. Heaven is a faire sight, even in their eyes who tend to destruction; so that there is a kind of neernesse and alliance between this good, and those notions and principles which God imprinted in us at the first. And therefore even nature it self had a glimpse, a weak, imperfect sight of this good, and saw a further mark to aime at, then this world in this span of time could set up, * 1.5 whence Tully calls man a mortall God: and Seneca tells us, That, by that which is best in man we go before other creatures, * 1.6 but follow to joyne with that which is truely good, by which we may be carried along to the fountain of good, even God himself.

For again; as this good here, that is, piety and religion, beare a sympathy and correspondence with the mind of man, so hath the soul of man 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 a formative quality, a power to shape and

fashion it, and by the sweet influence, and kindly aspect of Gods quickening grace, to bring forth something of the same nature, some heavenly creature; the new man, which is made up in holi∣nesse and righteousnesse, in Justice, and mercy, and humility, which are the good in the text; the beauty of which may beget and raise up that violence in us, which may break open the gates of heaven; beget a congregation of Saints, of just and honest men, a numerous posterity to Abraham of hospitall and mercifull men; and an army of martyrs, which shall in all humility lay down their lives for his sake that gave them, and forsake all, to joyne and adhere to this Good.

And now in the second place, as it is fitted and proportioned to the soul of man, so is it to every soul of man, to all sorts and con∣ditions of men; it is fitted to the Jew; and to the Gentile; to the bond, and to the free, to the rich, and to the poore; to the scribe, and to the Idiot; to the young, and to the aged; no man so much a Jew, no man such a bored slave, no man such a Lazar, none so dull and slow of understanding, no such Barzillai, which may not re∣ceive it. Freedom and slavery, circumcision and uncircumcision, riches and poverty, quicknesse and slownesse of understanding in re∣spect of this Good, of Piety and Religion, are all alike. Religion is no peculiar, but the most common, the most communicative thing that is. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, &c. The Law, the Prophets, * 1.7 the Oracles, Grace, Faith, Hope, and Charity, these, saith Nazianzen, * 1.8 are common to all, as common as the Sunne; are the goods and possessions 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, not of the migh∣tiest, or the wisest, but of those who are willing to receive them. Nor were there any thing more unjust then our Faith and Religion, (saith he) if it were entail'd onely on some few; if God, whose Pro∣perty, whose Nature it is to doe Good, should dispense that Good most sparingly, which doth most please him; if he should shut it up, as he doth Gold and other Metals, in the bowels of the earth and seale a patent but to some few, to find and dig it out; if it should be left, as the things of this world are, in the uncertain and inequal hand of Chance; or looking alike on all, should withdraw, and hide it self from the most, or be unatchievable, not to be attained to by some, when it is bound up as it were in the bosome of others. No; the most excellent things are most common, and offered and presented to all: nothing is so common as this good, and when other things fly from us, and as we follow after them, remove them∣selves farther off, and mock our endeavours, this is alwaies neere us, shines upon us, invites and solicits us to take it for our guide, which will lead us in a certain and unerring course, through the false shews and deceitfulnesse of this world, through blacknesse and darknesse, to the end for which we were made. This Good is every

mans good, that will; as Aquinas is said to have replyed to his sister, when she askt him, how she might be saved; si velis, if you are willing you may: every covetous person is not rich; every ambi∣tious man hath not the highest place; every student is not a great clerk; but piety opens the gate to every man that knocks, and he that will, enters in and takes possession of her; Fastidiosior est scien∣tia quàm virtus; paucorum est ut literati sint, omnium ut bonì: That which is best, is most accessable; and when other things, * 1.9 know∣ledge, and wealth, and honor, are coy, and keep a distance, and when we have them, are desultorious, and ready in the midst of all our joy & pride to leave us, and leave us nothing but a heavy heart, and dropping eye to look after them; this good is ever before us, and never removes it self, till we chase it away; is ever with us, if we will; and if we will, as the father in the Gospel tells the elder Sonne, we may be ever with it, and all that it hath is ours. In a word, It is most kind, most beneficiall, when most professe it; It is not lapt up in the ephod, as belonging to the priest alone, for it was not shewed to him alone, nor was it required of him alone; e∣very branch and part of it concernes you who are to be taught, as much as them that are set over you in the Lord, to teach you; the people are bound to be as holy as the priest, and they are both to passe the same narrow way; nor are the gates of heaveu so made that they will fly open to the people, but must be beat upon with violence by the priest; that he must bowe, and stoop, and lye down in the dust, and mortifie himself, and then be scarcely saved, as Saint Peter speaks, and they may walk on in the lust of their hearts, and doe what they please, and then enter Heaven with all their sins, with Hell it self about them. This is a dangerous error, and we have reason to feare hath sent many the other way, even to the place of torment, where it will bring no ease at all to them to see those whom they foolishly thought this Good did onely concerne, beaten with more stripes then they. All are men, and this Good is shewn to all, and re∣quired of all; and tribulation and anguish will be upon every soul that regards it not, upon the Priest first, and also upon the people.

Thirdly, as it is fitted to all men, so is it lovely and amiable in the eyes of all; and this is the glory and triumph of goodnesse and piety, that it strikes a reverence in those who neglect it; finds a place in his breast, whose hand is ready to suppresse it; is magni∣fied by those who revile it, & tunc vincit cùm laeditur, tunc intel∣ligitur cùm arguitur, then conquers when it cannot prevaile, is then understood, when it is opposed, and then gaines honor, when it cannot win assent. O! what a victory and triumph had Christs innocency over the heart and tongue of Pilate, even then when he gave sentence of death against him. Be it as you require, this his ambition and feares forced from him; but I find no fault in the man,

this was the victory of Christs innocency, which made his judge his advocate, who at once pleads for him and condemnes him. How glorious were the blessed martyrs in their thoughts who dragged them to execution? How do the wicked saint them in their heart, whom they gnash at with their teeth? How do their pas∣sions rage against them, when their reason acquits them? How do good men beat down and dismay their enemies in their very fall? and how do their enemies secretly wish, that being such, they would not be such, but cast in their lots with them, and be as wicked as they? * 1.10 The remembrance of Josiah, saith the wiseman, is like a per∣fume, as sweet as hone•• in all mens mouthes; for as the one takes the sence, so do the other surprizethe reason, and is as proper and na∣turall to the understanding, as honey, and musick are to the sence; and this is taken from the common stock of nature, and we never lose it, but with our selves; nor can we lay it by, till we are un∣man'd, and like Nebuchadnezzar, drove into the field, and turned into beasts: For who was ever so intemperate, as to condemne temperance for a vice? who was ever such a traitor, as to write a Panegyrick on rebellion? who was ever such a devil, as not to wish himself a Saint? we deny not, but that the conntinuance in sinne, advantage and prosperity in sinne, the pleasures of sinne, the long∣suffering of God (which may be lookt upon as an applause from hea∣ven) the cringes and Idolatry of Parasites, the profit of sinne, the honor of sinne, may swell and puff up a man of Belial, and build him up into a most unholy faith, that Thus, Thus should it be; That there is no virtue but a thriving vice; no holiness but powerful, and glorious hypocrisie; that vice bowed to is virtue, and virtue whipt and disgraced is vice; but then many a sad intervall he hath, many a twindge and gnawing at his heart, that he dare not look up∣on his sinne, but in this dresse and state; and maugre all these, many a bitter remembrance, which disquiets and buffets him, that in this height and glory he shakes and wavers, and is unstedfast in this his faith, that he cannot give a full and constant assent to that which he is so willing to believe; cannot be perswaded of what he is perswaded, not believe what he doth believe; but is sick, and well; is resolved, and trembles; condemnes and absolves himself every day; and cannot live in peace in that sinne, in which never∣thelesse he may be resolved to dye. To conclude this; even they who weary themselves in the wayes of wickednesse, know there is no rest but in this Good; and those fooles, who count piety as madnesse, when they make a truce with their passions, and consult with reason, are so wise, as to see and admire, and acknowledg the beauty of this Good.

Fourthly; and as this Good in the text is lovely and amiable, so is it filling and satisfying; so fitted to the soul, that it fills it, when

nothing else can; for that which fills a thing, must be proporti∣oned to it. The heart of man is a little member, it will not, saith Saint Bernard, give a kite its breakfast, and yet it is too large a receptacle, of too great a compasse for the whole world to fill; in hoc toto nihil singulis satis est, there is nothing in the whole Universe which is taken for enough by any one particular man; nothing in which the appetite of a single man can rest, onely this Good here in the text, can fit it, because 'tis fitted to it; Honor is but aire, and is lost in the grasping; Riches are but earth, and sink from us in the digging; Pleasures are but shadows, and slip through our em∣braces; but this Good is a solid, permanent, lasting thing, changes the soul into it self, fills it in every part, and brings delight where it fills. I have seen an end of all perfection, * 1.11 but thy law is exceeding large, saith David, Ps. 119.96. So large as to fill the soul as with mar∣row and fatnesse. We are told by those who have written of the Indians, that there are certain birds there which seem to call pas∣sengers to them, making a kind of articulate noise, Loe here it is, and when passengers deceived with this note draw neere to that place from whence the sound came, the birds fly away, and at some distance renew their note; and still as the passengers approch, fly away, and then take up the same note, till they have quite led them out of their way. Penes historicos fides esto, Let the truth of this be what it will; what these birds are said to do, that which we so much dote on, and follow after, the things of the world (which are the Good which is most sought after) do truely act. Some song they sing, some pleasure they present to draw us neere unto them; for that which is pleasant, and faire to the sence, hath not onely a voice, but is eloquent to perswade, and it seems to bespeak us, Loe here it is, here is happinesse; and when we send out our desires to o∣vertake it, they misse and come short, and are frustrate: our co∣vetousnesse follows it, but it flyes away; still we pursue it, and that still withdraws, and so we lose our way, wander and erre, open to the rage of every beast of every temptation that assaults us, and at last fall into the pit of destruction. And here's the difference be∣tween that which is truely good, and that which but colours for it, and appeares so: In the one our appetite pleaseth us, but experi∣ence is distastfull; it is honey in the desire, but gall in the taste; In the other, in that which is truely good, our appetite many times is dull and queazy, but when we have tasted, and chewed upon it, •…•… is sweeter then the honey or the honey combe: It may be gall in the appetite, but in the taste 'tis manna; If you put them into the scales to weigh them, there is no comparison; you may as well measure time with eternity, or weigh one sand of the shore with the whole ocean; for he that feedeth on lyes must needs be empty, when 'tis truth alone that fills us.

Last of all; As this good fils and satisfies us, so it gives a sweet relish and taste even to misery it self, and those evills, which we so feare, as if there were none but those; it makes those things which are not good in themselves usefull and advantageous to us; and as Saint Basil observes, * 1.12 is not changed or lost in the multitude and throng of those evils which compasse us about on every side, but changes and turnes them, and makes them the helpers of our joy, makes losse gaine, enriches poverty, ennobles disgrace, shines upon afflictions that we may rejoyce in them, crownes persecution with blessednesse, and is that alone which maketh Saints and cano∣nizeth Martyrs. It is the delight of man, and it is the delight of Angels, the delight and glory of God himself. In respect of Reli∣gion it is not materiall, whether we be rich, or poore, naked or clothed, at the mill, or on the throne, Censum non requirit, nudo ho∣mine contenta est, religion and piety require nothing but a man, for 'twere strange we should think this Good was shewed, this Religion ordained to put us to charges. Indeed he that imbraceth it, and keeps this treasure in his heart can never be poore, nor weak, nor naked, nor dishonorable; for in what weaknesse is not he strong? in what solitude hath not he troops to guard him? or when is he poore, who possesseth all things? when is he alone who hath piety for his companion, and the Angels for his ministers? when is he dishonourable, who is clothed with this robe of righteousnesse? He that hath nothing in this world, if he hath not this art of enjoying nothing, Perdidit infoelix totum nil, hath utterly lost the benefit of that nothing. This may seem a Paradox, and so doth every thing to the flesh, to the sensitive part, which doth confine, and regu∣late it, which indeed is to honor and spiritualize it; but reason and religion discover more grosse absurdities and soloecismes in the moti∣tions and applications of the sense, which wasts it self in its inclinati∣ons and longings, and is lost in its paradice in that flattering object, to which it was carried with such violence; and so we are made poore in the midst of our heaps, base and dishonourable in our zenith, when we are at the highest; are sick, and tremble as Belshazzar did at a feast, are quickly weary of those delights we longed for; we have least, when we have most, and have nothing, when we have all; when with this Good here in the text, (when in appearance we have nothing) we have more then this world can give, and are then richest, when we are throwne out of it; and are then at the end of our hopes, when to the eye of flesh we are lost for ever.

Again, as it sweetens our misery, so it improves our wealth; makes that usefull to us, which might otherwise ruine us; makes that as a chaine and ornament about our necks, which the devil useth to make his snare: Parisiensis calls it Honestissimum furem, the honestest theef in the world, which by taking from us, makes us

richer. In a word, it makes the unrighteous mammon a friend, non enim auri vitium est avaritia, for covetousnesse is not the fault of the gold, nor gluttony of meats, nor drunkennesse of wine, but of men; nec deficitur ad mala, sed malè, saith Aust. we fail not in things evil in their own nature, but our great defect is, that even against the order of nature, we abuse those things to evil, which are naturally good. All the riches in the world cannot raise a cloud, saith Basil, but yet we see the widdowes two mites did purchase heaven. All the dainties, all the glory which we see, cannot bring us back again into Paradise, and yet a cup of cold water shall find its reward. And this is the end why they are given, to wit, to be subservient to this Good; to be the matter, whereon it may shew its art and skill, and extract Manna out of meat, and the wa∣ter of life out of drink, and eternity out of that which passeth away as a shadow, and returnes no more; for sensible things, saith Basil, are as types and representations of spirituall, and point out to them, as the sacrifices under the law, did to Christ, and shall have their consummatum est, and be abolisht as they were; and therefore we may so far make use of them (and 'tis the best use we can put them to) to make us in love with this true Good, which may lead us to blisse; and so think of them, as if there no gold at Ophir, no pearle but sanc∣tity, no riches but godlinesse, no purchase but eternity. And this is the Good in the text, 1. fitted and proportioned to the nature of our soul, 2ly. fitted to all sorts and conditions of men, 3ly. lovely and amiable in the eyes of all, 4ly. filling and satisfying all; And last of all, giving a sweet rellish to the worst of evils, which we use most to fear; and making that which is not good in it self, good, and profitable, and advantageous to us; view it well and consider it, and you cannot but say, it is wroth the shewing, wroth the sight, and worth the purchase, though we lay down all that we are worth.

And now to proceed; that you may fall in love with it, and em∣brace it, It is first, laid open and naked, and manifested unto you; * 1.132ly. publisht by open proclamation, as a law, which hath 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, a forcing and necessitating power, that if the cords of love will not draw you, the bonds and force of a law may confine you to it. 1. he shews it, he hath shewed thee, O man what is good; 2ly. he requires it, he wills, he commands it; for what doth God require but this? He hath shewed thee O man what is good, and what doth the Lord require?

And first: That which is truely good is open and manifest unto all; God exposes and layes open, puts it to sale, and bids us come and buy: It is a treasure, and he hath unlockt it; it is a pearle, Math. 13. and he hath opened the casket; It is his light, and he hides it not under a bushel; It is a rule by which we are to walk,

and being it concernes our conduct in our way, it is easie, and ob∣vious, and open to the weakest understanding; sua fronte proponitur, saith Tertullian, it is presented to us without any mask or vaile. For indeed it is the property of a rule to be so, perspicuous; other∣wise it is not a rule, but an Oracle, or rather a snare to catch us; for how shall we be able to embrace it, if we cannot see it? how shall we be able to do our duty, if we know not what it is? if the trum∣pet give an uncertain sound, who shall prepare himself to battle? saith Saint Paul; If this good be clouded with darknesse, and per∣plexities, who shall gird up his loynes to make his approches and addresses to it? 'tis true indeed; to draw neere, to lay hold and joyne with it (having no better retinue commonly, then contempt and reproch, then misery and affliction, then persecution and death, being compassed about with these terrors,) is a matter of dif∣ficulty, in regard of our weaknesse and frailty, which loves not to look upon beauty in such a dresse; and that domestick war which is within us, and that fight and contention which is between the flesh and the spirit; and in this respect it is a narrow way, and we must use a kind of violence upon our selves to work through it to our end; but yet it is shewed and manifested, and the knowledge of the way is not shut up and barricadoed, but to those who are not willing to find it, but run a contrary way by some false light, which they had rather look upon and follow, then that which leads them upon the pricks, upon labour, and sorrow, and difficulty. Whatso∣ever concernes a man, is easie to be seen, for it is as open as the day, in other passages, and dispensations of himself, in other effects of his power and wisdome: God is a God afar off, but in this which concernes us, he is neere at hand, he is with us, about us, and with∣in us; In other things, which will no whit advantage us to see, he makes darknesse his pavilion round about him, but in this he dis∣playes his beams. His way is in the whirlwind, Nahum 1.3. and his footsteps are not known, Ps. 77.19. why he lifts up one on high, and layes another in the dust; why he now shines upon my tabernacle, and anon beats upon it with his tempest; why he placeth a man of Belial in the throne, and sets the poore innocent man to grind at the mill; why he passeth by a brothel-house, and with his thun∣der beats down his own temple; why he keepeth not a constant course in his works, but to day passeth by us in a still voice, and to morrow in an earthquake; as it is far removed out of our ken and sight, so to know it would not promote or forward us in our moti∣on to happinesse; we are the wiser, that we do not know them; for there is no greater folly in the world then for a mortall, finite creature, to discover such a mad ambition, as to desire to know as much, and be as wise as his creator. This was my infirmity, saith David, I was even sick, when I did think of it; and he checketh him∣self for it, Psal. 77.11. Behold the world is my stage, and here I

must move by that light which he hath afforded me, and not be put out of my part to a full shame, by a bold and unseasonable contemplation of Gods proceedings; not run out of my own wayes by gazing too boldly on his. My businesse is to embrace this good, and that will be my Angel to keep me in all my wayes, that I dash not my foot against a stone, against those perplext and crosse events, which are those stones which we so hardly digest. I cannot know why he lifteth up one, and pulleth down another; but if I cleave to this, This will lift up my head, even when I am down. It is not fit I should know why the wicked prosper; but by this light I see a serpent in their Paradise, which will deceive and sting them to death: why they prosper I cannot find out, but he that seemes to hide himself, comes so neere me, as to tell me, Their prosperity shall slay them. Prov. 1.32. That their greatest happinesse is their greatest curse, and if there be an hell on earth, it is better then their heaven. It is not convenient for me to know things to come; quem mihi, quem tibi sinem Dii dederint, what will be my end, and what will be theirs, to know the number of their dayes how long they shall rage, and I suffer; these are like the secrets of great Princes, and they may undoe us, and therefore they are lockt up from us in the prescience and bosome of God, and he keeps the key himself, and will not shew them: But cast thy burden upin him, do thy du∣ty, exercise ••hy self in that which he hath shewen, and then thon mayest lye down, and rest upon this, that their damnation sleepeth not, that their rage shall not hurt thee, and that thy patience shall crown thee. In a word, If it be evil and thou forseest it, it may cast thee down too low; and if it be good, it may lift thee up too high, and thy exaltation may be more dangerous then thy fall; but Eschew Evil, and follow that which is good, and this will be a certain Prophesie and presage of a good end (be it what it will) whe∣ther it come to meet thee in the midst of rayes, or of a tempest.

These things God will not shew thee, because thy eye is too weak to receive them; nor in the next place will he answer thy curiosity and determine every question which thou art too ready to to put up; nor redeeme thee from those doubts and perplexities, which not knowledge but thy ignorance hath led thee into, and so left thee in that maze and labyrinth, out of which thou canst not get; for it savours more of ignorance then knowledg, to ven∣ture in our search without light, to conclude without premises, and to affect the knowledge of that which we must needs know was yet never discovered, and therefore can never be known. That Good which is good for us, he brings out of the treasurie of his wisdome, and layes it before us, and bids us come and see how gracious he is; but that which is curiosae disquisitionis, as Tertullian speaks, of a more subtle nature, he keeps from our eyes: for religion may stand fast

as mount Sion, though it have not those deeper speculations to sup∣port it, which many times supplant and undermine it, and rob it of that precious time, and those earnest endeavours, which were due, and consecrated to it alone. What a fruitlesse dispute might that seem to be between Saint Hierome and Saint Austin, con∣cerning the originall of the soul? when after long debate, and some heat, and frequent intercourse of letters, Saint Austin himself confesses in his Retractions, de origine animae nec tunc sciebam, nec ad∣huc scio, concerning the soules originall, I knew nothing then, and know as little now: what a needlesse controversie arose be∣tween the Eastern and the Western Bishops, concerning the time of the keeping of the Feast of Easter? when whensoever they kept it, they gave some occasion to standers by, of feare, that they kept it both with the leaven of malice and uncharitablenesse; and what a weaknesse is it to put that to the question, which before inquiry made, we may easily know we shall never find? Many such que∣stions have been in agitation, many such inquiries made, and some others of another nature, which do not deserve the name of questi∣ons, because they cannot be resolved, or are resolved with so lit∣tle profit; as concerning the state of the dead, which they could not, or would not discover, who were raised from it; of the na∣ture of hell fire, when it should be the study of our whole life to be those new creatures who shall never know it; of the condition of infants, that dye in the womb; of Gods decrees, and the or∣der of them; of his omnipotency, omniscience, omnipresence, which we as boldly speak of, as we do of the virtues in Aristotles morals, as if we did see him as he sees us, and did know him as we are known. Many more there are, and to these, many cases of conscience, which do rather perplex and rack the conscience then guide and settle it; and too many, which, as the Apostle speakes of fornication and uncleannesse, are not fit to be named amongst us. Poteramus has horas non perdere, The time which hath been spent in the discussion of these, might (to speake no more) have been bestowed with more advantage to the Church and common cause; for I do not see how they come within the compasse of this Good, or have added one haire to its perfection. * 1.14 For what need this losse of oyl and labour, this stir and noise? why should this curiosity spread so, as to be as universall as the Church it self? when all that God will shew, or concernes us to see, is drawn up within this narrow compasse of this one word, that which is Good. Would you view it in its particulars? I need not send you to those many Creeds framed at sundry times, and in divers manners; for Erasmus will tell us, That religion was never more sincere and uncorrupt, then when they used but one Creed, and that a short one: Saint Paul calls the proportion of faith, Rom. 12.6. that proportion, which we must not come short of, nor exceed; a forme of sound words, 2 Tim. 1.13.

which hath no corrupt doctrine mixed with it, and the truth, which is after Godlinesse, 1 Iit. 1. which is therefore shewn, that we may be just, and mercifull, and humble: who knowes not what 'tis to believe in Christ? to deny ungodlinesse, and worldly lusts? what oppressor knowes not what Justice is, and who more ready to de∣mand it? what tyrant is not ready to beg mercy at his need? who is so puffed up, as to be quite ignorant, what humility is? who understands not our Saviours Sermon on the mount? Where this Good in the text is spread and dilated into its severall parts? And to know these, is to know all that should be known; and did we practice what is easie to know, we should not thus trouble our selves and others to know what to practice; and as the ancients use to say, the way to knowledge is easie to them who are desirous to be Good, nor was this light ever hid from those, who did delight to walk by it; the law is a light saith David, and to say it is not visible when 'tis held forth, is to deny it to be a light; for he there∣fore shews it, that it may be seen.

He hath shewed thee O man, &c.

Thus then God hath shewn us, 1. all those things which con∣cerne us, 2ly. all that we can apprehend, all those truths of which we are capable; and these two are alwaies in conjunction, and have a mutuall aspect one on the other; what concernes us, that we can apprehend, and what we can apprehend concernes us; the mind is large enough for that which will better it, and that which will bet∣ter it, is obvious to the mind, as Saint Paul speaks, Phil. 4.8. what∣soever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are of good re∣port, if there be any virtue, any praise, these are within the compasse of this Good here in the text, and are set up and pointed to by the finger of God, for all that are men to look upon.

But now it may be askt; if the object be so faire and visible, how comes it to passe it is hid from so many eyes, that there be so few that see it, or see it so as to fall in love with it, and embrace it? for as the Prophet asks, who hath believed our report? so may we, who hath delighted in this sight? I must therfore call your thoughts to look upon the spectator, as well as the object, the man as well as the Good. If it be good it was shewed to the man, and if he be a man he can see it. He hath shewed thee O man what is good: and this word man runneth through every vein of the text, he was built up to be a spectator of this great sight; the man it is, to whom the law is gi∣ven, and if he be a man, he cannot but behold it; for when he sees it not, he doth exuere hominem, he puts off the man quite, devests himself of reason, and becomes like to the beasts that perish.

Many hindrances there may be, to keep it from our eyes, that we do not rightly judge of this Good, in which the man is lost and swal∣lowed up in victory: Isidore of Pelusium hath given us three: the 1. is 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, the narrownesse of the understanding and judg∣ment; the 2. is 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, sloth and neglect in the pursuit of it; the 3. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, the improbity of mens manners, and a wicked and profane conversation.

And first, the narrownesse and defect in the understanding is an evil incident but to a few; for how can the understanding be too narrow to receive that Good which was fitted and proportioned to it? if it will receive Evil, it will receive Good; for there can be no reason given, why it should be as the needles eye to piety and holinesse, and a wide open door, of capacity enough to let in a le∣gion of devils. No; this befalls none but those who know it not indeed, and yet shall never be questioned for their ignorance, as naturall fooles and madmen, * 1.15 which bring that disease with them into the world, which they can neither avoid nor cure, and of which the cause cannot be found out, saith the Orator; and these men come not under the common account, nor are to be set down in the roll and catalogue of men; * 1.16 Furiosus pro absente, saith the law, wheresoever they are, they are as absent, and whatsoever they do, they do as if they did it not: They are not what they are, and they do not what they do; and why they are so, and what shall be their end, is casus reservatus, is lockt up, and reserved in the bosome of God alone; and he that shall ask how it comes to passe that they are thus and thus may well claim kindred of them both. To these it is not shewed, who are as far removed from being men, as they are from the use of reason: * 1.17 and how should he see a star in the firmament, saith Saint Austin, who cannot see so far as to my finger, which points up to it? how should they see this good, who are so distitute of reason, which is the onely eye, with which we can behold it?

The 2. is 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, sloth and neglect, that we do not search it out, not fix our eyes upon it, but walk on towards our journeyes end, sport our selves in the way, and onely salute it in the by, and then (as travellers do many objects and occurences they meet with) be∣hold it, passe by and forget it, or as Saint James speaks, look on it as on a glasse, not as women with curiosity and diligence, but as men perfunctorily and slightly, and never once think more of what we have seen: we first slight, and at last loath it; for a nega∣tive contempt is the immediate way, and next step to a positive: venit ignavia, * 1.18 & ea mihi tempestas fuit, saith he in the Comedy; sloth comes upon us, binds our faculties, and that is the tempest which spoiles us of our crop, of that fruit, which we might have gathered

from this tree of life. For though this Good be most fully and per∣spicuously set forth in Scripture, shewn in all its beames and glory, yet this gives no encouragement to neglect those meanes which God hath reach'd forth unto us, to guide and direct us in our search; There is light enough, and it is plain, is no argument, that we should shut our eyes. For as we do not with the Church of Rome pre∣tend extreme difficulty, and with this pretence quite strike the Scripture out of the hands of the Laity, and busie their zeal with o∣ther matters, bind them, as a horse is bound to the mill, and lead them on in the motion of a blind obedience; so do we require the greatest diligence both in reading Scripture, and also in asking coun∣sel of the gray haires, and multitude of yeares, of the learned, of those whom God hath placed over them in the Church; and if the great Physitian Hippocrates thought it necessary in his art for those who had taken any cure in hand, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, * 1.19 to ask advice of all, even of Ideots, and those who knew but little in that art; much rather ought we 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, ask counsel of God by prayer, and to be ready to be instructed by any who is a man; for though the lesson be plain, yet we see it so falls out, that negligence doth not passe a line, when industry and meditation have run over the whole book; that diligence hath a full sight of this Good, when sloth and neglect have but heard of its name. Saint Hierom speaks of some in his time, qui solam rusticitatem pro Sanctitate habebant, who accounted rusticity and ignorance the onely true holinesse, and called themselves the schollars and disciples of the Disciples of Christ, who we are told, were simple and unlearned fishermen; Idcirco Sancti, quod nihil scirent, as if ignorance were the best argu∣ment to demonstrate their piety, and they were therefore holy, because they knew not what it was to be so. I will not say, such we have in these our dayes; no, they are not such as professe igno∣rance, but who are as ignorant as they could be who did professe it. Like the lilies of the field, they labour not, they study not, and yet Solomon with all his wisdome was not so wise as one of these: Some crummes fall from their masters table, some passage they catch and lay hold on from some Prophet, which they call theirs, and this so fills them, that they must vent, that it runs over, and defiles and corrupts that which they will not understand; for bring them to a triall, and you shall find them as well skilled in Scripture, as he was in Virgil, who having studied it long, at last ask'd whe∣ther Aeneas was a man or a woman. Faith is their daily bread, their common language; religion they speak of, as oft almost as they do speak; piety dwells with them, purity is their proper passion, or essence rather; but then this Good in the text, Justice, and Mercy, and honesty in conversation (if we may judge of the tree by his fruits) is not, as the Psalmist speaks, in all their thoughts, for it is scarce in any of their wayes; and we have that reason, which we

would not have, to feare, that they do but talk of it. Now to cast a carelesse look upon this good is not to see it; to talk of it, is not to understand it; to name it, is not to embrace it; for all these may be in a man who hath the price in his hand, but hath no heart to buy it: and as the Philosopher said of those who were punisht after death in their carcasses, Relicto cadavere abijt reus, the body was left behind, but the guilty person, the Parricide was departed and gone: So here is a lump of flesh, but the man is gone, nay dead and buried, covered over with outward formalities, with words and fancy: This is not the man in the text, and then no marvell if he cannot see this great sight.

The 3. is 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, Improbity of manners, a mind immerst and drowned in all the filth and pollution of the world, evil affected, Acts 14.2. Corrupt, * 1.20 2 Tim. 3.8. for wickednesse is 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, saith the Philosopher, and doth corrupt the very principles of nature, and make that Candle, as Solomon calls it, which God hath lighted up in our hearts, burn but dimly; and as we read, when the earth was without forme and void, darknesse was upon the face of the deep; so when the perturbations of our mind interpose themselves, as the earth, there is straight a darknesse over the soul. An Evil eye can∣not behold that which is good; An eye full of Adulteries, cannot discover the beauty of chastity; A lustfull eye cannot see justice; a Lofty eye can neither look upon mercy, nor humility. The love of honor makes the judgment follow it to that pitch and height, which it hath set and markt out: The love of money will glosse that blessing, which our Saviour hath annext to poverty of spirit. My factious humor will strike at the very life and heart of religion, in the name of religion and God himself, and destroy Christianity for the love of Christ. Resist not the power; In one age 'tis glossed, bound in with limitations and exceptions, or rather let loose to run along with men of turbulent spirits against it self; in another, when the wind is turned, 'tis a plain text, and needs no interpreter. Bid the angry gallant bowe to his enemy; he will count you a fool: Bid the covetous sell all that he hath; he will think you none of the wisest, and pitty or scorn you: Bid the wanton forsake that strum∣pet, which he calls his mistresse; and he will send you a challenge, and for attempting to help him out of that deep ditch, * 1.21 will send you to your grave. We may talk what we please of Marcion, and Ma∣nes, of hereticks and the devil, as interpolators and corrupters of Scripture; but it is the wickednesse of mens hearts, that have cut and mangled it, and made it what we please, made it joyn and comply with that which it forbids, and severely threatens. Now to conclude this; in the midst of so many passions and perturba∣tions, in the throng of so many vices, and ill humors, in this Chaos

and confusion, where is the man? There is a body left behind, in∣utile pondus, an unweildly and unprofitable outside of a man, the garment, the picture, or rather the shadow of a man, and we may say of him, as Jacob did when he saw Josephs coat, It is my sonnes cout, but evil beasts have devoured him, Gen. 37.33. Here is the shape, the garment, the outside of a man, but the man without doubt is rent in pieces, distracted, and torn asunder by the perturbations of his mind, corrupted, annihilated, unmanned by his vices, and there is nothing left but his coat, his body, his carcasse, and the name of a man. This is not the man, and then no marvell if he do not see this great sight: In his day, whilest he was a man, his reason not clouded, his understanding not darkned, in this his day, it was shewed to him, and it was faire and radiant, but now all is night a∣bout him, and 'tis hid from his eye; for if it be hid, it is hid to them that perish, to them that will perish, 2 Cor. 4.3. He hath shewed thee O man: The Good invites the man, and the man cannot but look upon that which is Good. Draw then thy soul out of prison; take the man out of his grave, draw him out of these clouds of sloth, of passion, of Prejudice, and this good here, Piety and Religion, will be as the sunne, when it shineth in its strength.

For conclusion then; let us cleave fast to this good, and uphold it in its native and proper purity against all externall rites, * 1.22 and empty formalities, and in the next place, against all the pomp of the world, against that which we call good, when it makes us evil. I am almost ashamed to name this, or make the comparison; For what is wealth to righteousnesse? what is policy to religion? what is earth to heaven? but I know not how men have been so vain as to attempt to draw them together, and to shut up the world in this good, or rather this good in the world; to call down God from hea∣ven, not onely to partake of our flesh, but our infirmities, and sinnes, and draw down that which is truely good, and make it an as∣sistant and auxiliary to that which is truely evil. For how do mens countenance, nay how doth their religion alter, as they see or heare how the world doth go? Now they are of this faction, and then of that, and anon of a third: Now Protestants, anon Brownists, anon Papists, anon— but I cannot number the many religions, and the no-religions; but wheresoever they fasten, they see it, and say it is Good; so that as it was observed of the Romans, that before the corruption and decay of manners they would not entertain a servant or officer but of a perfect and goodly shape; but afterwards, when luxury and riot had prevailed, and was in credit with them, they diligently sought out, and counted it a kind of elegancy and state to take into their retinue dwarfs, and monsters, and men of a pro∣digious appearance, ludibria naturae, those errors and mockeries of nature: So hath it allso fallen out with Religion, at the first ••ise and

dawning of it, men did lay hold on that faith alone which was once delivered to the saints, and went about doing good; but when this light had passed more degrees, men began to play the wantons in it, and to seek out divers inventions; and this Good, the doctrine of faith was made to give way to those sick and loathsome humors, which did pollute and defile it; and instead of following that which was shewed, they set up something of their own to follow and countenance them in whatsoever they should undertake, and then did look upon it alone, and please, and delight themselves in it, although it was as different from the true pattern which was first shewed as a monster is from a man of perfect shape; as Quintilian speaks of some professors of his art, illa, quaecunque deflexa tanquam exquisitiora mirabantur, and that was cryed up with admiration, which had nothing in it marvellous or to be wondred at, but its de∣formity. We have a proverb, that It is ill going in procession, where the devil sayes masse; but most certain it is, there be too many, who never move nor walk but where he is the leader. If the Prince of the ayre, if the God of this world go before, we follow, nay we fly after. If any child or slave of his hold out his scepter, we bowe and kisse it. The world, the world is the mint, where most mens religion is coyned; and if you well mark the stamp and superscription, you may see the Prince of the ayre on one side, and the world on the other; the de∣vil on the side like an Angel of light, and the world on the other with its pomp and glories: And then when we have brought our desires home to their ends, when we have raised our state and name, how good, how religious are we? when the purse is full, the consci∣ence is quiet; when we are laden with earthly blessings, we take them as a faire pledge of eternall: we say to our selves as Michah did, Judges 17.13. Now I know that the Lord will do me good, because I have a Priest, said he; because we have great possessions, say we, as great Idolaters as Micah, for what are our shekels of silver, but as his graven and molten image? and thus we walk on securely all the dayes of our life, not as the children of this world, but as the children of light, and out of our great abundance sometimes drop a penny; we wast away, and sicken, and make our will, and seale it, and doubt not, but the spirit will do his office and seale our redem∣tion: at last the rich man dyes, and is buried, and some hireling will tell you, The Angels have carried his soul into heaven: A strange conceit, and if true, would be of force to pluck Lazarus out of Abrahams bosome, and to bring back Dives through the gulph, and place him in his roome.

But if this be not true, may it never be true: onely let us not deceive our selves, but search and try our hearts, and root out all such vain, such groundlesse, such pernicious imaginations, which may be raised up in time of prosperity, and multiply like flyes in the

Sun: Let us not seek our peace in those false, fictitious, spurious, de∣ceitfull Goods, but in the true, and full, and filling Good, the Good here in the Text; and because God hath fitted and proportioned it to us, let us fit and apply our selves unto it; and since he hath built us up after his own Image, let us adorn and beautifie it with Justice, and Mercy, and Humility, and not blur and deface it with the craft of a Fox, the lust of a Goat, and the rage of a Lion; for what should the mark of the Beast doe upon the Image of God? Again, being fitted to us and to all sorts and conditions of men, Let young men and maids, old men and children, Scribes and Idiots, Noble and ignoble, Priest and people, cleave and adhere to it, and so praise and magnifie the Name of the Lord; sic laudant Angeli, for so the Angels and Arch-angels praise him. And thirdly, being lovely and amiable, let us make it our choice, and espouse our wills to it, love and em∣brace it; not kisse and wound it, approve and condemne it, worship it in our hearts, and persecute it in our brethren: And since it is a filling and satisfying good, here let us let down our pitchers, and draw waters out of this well of salvation, even those waters which will sweeten our miseries, and give a pleasant taste to bitternesse it self.

To conclude, behold here is the object, that which is Good; faire and beautifull to the eye; * 1.23 Run to and fro through the streets of Jerusalem, and see of you can find a MAN, and he is the spectator, and cannot but see it. But what went you out into the wildernesse to see? saith our Saviour; why the eye is never satisfyed, and all would go out to see; some would see soft raiment, and that you may see on every back; some gaze upon beauty, and thats a burning-glasse to set the soul on fire. Others love to see the rednesse of the wine; look not on it, saith Solomon, It is a mocker. Some would behold a shew of pomp and glory, and we see, though justice can never faile, but hath the best, even when she is worsted, yet injustice hath had more triumphs then she. When Julius Caesar triumpht o∣ver his country, and Pompey rid in with the spoiles of Asia, the ce∣remony, the pomp, the glory was the same. But the eye with which we behold these spectacles is not fit for this object; we have another eye, a spirituall eye, we call it the eye of our reason, and we call it the eye of our faith, which many times is but as an eye of glasse for shew, but no use at all, and serves to hide a deformity, but not to see with; but if it be a quick and living eye, then here is a fit object for it, worth the looking on, in which we may see all o∣ther things in a fairer dresse, in a celestiall forme, in the Beauty of Holinesse, being made usefull and subservient to it, like that Specu∣lum Trinitatis, that feigned Glasse, in which (they tell us) he that looks, sees all things. If we see it not, then are we blind, 2 Pet. 1.9. or if not 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, purblind, not seeing afar off those

things which are laid up in heaven, for those who look upon this Good, and love it: and then I am unwilling to say what we are, but certainly we are but infidels. And indeed there is something of infidelity, in all our aversions and turning away from this good: for whats the reason, that covetous men make riches an Idol, and sa∣crifice to their own net, but want of faith, and their distrust in God? for when God doth not answer their desires, they run with Saul to the devil at Endor, * 1.24 or with the Israelites in a pet chuse to themselves Bubulum caput, as Tertullian expresseth it, a calves head to be their leader. I say, there is a degree of infidelity in all these aversions from this good; all that can be said is but what many say within themselves after they have consulted with flesh and blood, that this good is not shewn so clearly, nor made so plain, as it is said to be, which is indeed to remove their own prop and pillar, to demolish their own Idol, and to drive faith quite out of the world: believe they do in God, yet will not trust him; and they are per∣swaded of the truth of things not seen, yet will leave the pursuit of them, to follow vanity, because they are not seen. He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good, and wilt thou not believe him? fath is the substance of things not seen, and though they be not seen, yet they are evident, the Meanes evident, and the End as evident as the Meanes; In our sad and sober thoughts, when we talk like specula∣tive men, as evident as what is open to the eye. But such an evi∣dence we have, which a covetous man would soon, lay hold on for a title to a faire inheritance; and the ambitious for an assign∣ment of some great place: for if such a record had been transmit∣ted to posterity, if the Scripture which conveighs this Good, had en∣tailed some rich Mannor or Lordship upon them, it should have then found an easie belief, and been Gospel, a sure word of prophecy, un∣questionable, undoubtable, like the decrees of the Medes and Persians, which must stand fast for ever and cannot be altered; for too many there be who had rather have their names in a good leaf, then in the book of life; and this is the reason why we are so ignorant of that which is good indeed, and so great clerks in that which is cal∣ted good, but by the worst; why we are so dull and indocile in ap∣prehending that wisdome, which is from above, and so wise and witty to our own damnation; why we do but darkly see this Good which is so plainly shewed unto us.

What shall we say then? nay, what saith the Scripture? Awake thou that sleepest in sloth and idlenesse; thou that sleepest in a tem∣pest, in the midst of thy unruly and turbulent passions; arise from the grave and sepulchre wherein thy sloth hath intomb'd thee; arise from the dead, from that nasty charnel-house of rotten bones, where so many vitious habits have shut thee up; break up thy mo∣nument, cast aside every weight, and every sinne, that presseth

down, and rise up, and be but a man, improve thy reason to thy best advantage, and this Good shall shine upon thee with all its beames and brightnesse, and Christ shall give thee light, if not to see things to come, to satisfy thy curiosity, yet to see things to come, which shall fill thy soul as with marrow and fatnesse; if not to know the uncertain, yet certain wayes of Gods providence, yet to know the certain and infallible way to blisse; if not to know things too high for thee, yet to know that which shall exalt thee to heavenly places in Christ Jesus. He hath shewn thee, O man, what is Good: doest thou see it? doest thou believe it? thou shalt see greater things then these: thou shalt see what thou doest believe; enjoy what thou doest but hope for; thou shalt see God, who hath shewed thee this Good, that thou mightest see him; thou shalt then have a more exact knowledg of his wayes and providence, a fuller taste of his love and goodnesse, a clearer sight of his beauty and majesty, and with all his Angels, and all his Saints behold his glory for evermore.

Thus much of this Good as it is an object to be lookt on; we shall in the next place consider it as a Law. Quid requirit? what doth the Lord require?

Notes

• * 1.1

  Sence. ep. 20.
• * 1.2

  Luk. 16.27.
• * 1.3

  Agustin. Ser. 12. in Matth.
• * 1.4

  Illud mirum, mal••s esse tam multos; nam ut aqua piscibus, circumfusus no∣bis spiritus vo∣lucribus conve∣nit: It a certè facilius esse oportebat se∣cundum natu∣ram, quàm con∣tra eam vivere. Quint. l. 12. Instit. orat. c. 11.
• * 1.5

  Tertull. 2. de Finib.
• * 1.6

  Sen. ep. 76. In homine quid optimum••ratio: hac antecedit animalia, deos sequitur.
• * 1.7

  Naz. Orat. 26.
• * 1.8

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 &c. Ib.
• * 1.9

  Petrarch. l. 7. Re. Fam. op 17.
• * 1.10

  Ecclus 49.1.
• * 1.11

  Nieremb. de art. vol.
• * 1.12

  Bas. de Gratia∣rum actione. T. 1. p. 357.
• * 1.13

  Iadicavit tibi, He hath shew∣ed the.
• * 1.14

  Quò plus est dogmatum, hoc uberior est hae∣resium materia: Nunquam fuit sincerior, calli∣o••que Christiana files, quàm cum illo uno, eoque brevissimo Sym∣bolo contentus est orbis. Erasm. Guliel. Vara∣mo Archiep. Cant. prefat. ••d ep. Hieron.
• * 1.15

  Non est demen∣tia quae est in hominis pote∣state. Quint. declam. 348.
• * 1.16

  Pet. Faber. adel. 124.
• * 1.17

  August. l. 1. de doct. Christ.
• * 1.18

  Plaut. Mostell.
• * 1.19

  Hippocrat in praecep. N•…•…z. cp. 120.
• * 1.20

  Arislotle Eth. 6.5. M••gnis sceleri∣bus in••a natu∣rae intereunt. Sen. Cont.
• * 1.21

  Prov. 23.27.
• * 1.22

  Conclusion.
• * 1.23

  Jer. 5.1.
• * 1.24

  T••rtull. adv. Judaens. c. 1. p••ae••sset eis bu∣balum capul, &c.