The holy limbeck, or, A semicentury of spiritual extractions wherein the spirit is extracted from the letter of certain eminent places in the Holy Scripture : and a compendious way discovered for the spiritual improvement of the literal sense, in order to the better understanding of the minde and meaning of the spirit therein / by Jo. Godolphin.

〈21 pages missing〉〈21 pages missing〉 were opened, and they saw that they were naked;] stript of the Image of God, of that pu∣rity and righteousness wherein they were created, Eccl. 7. ult. naked of the favor of God, naked to the subsequent tem∣ptations of the envious one, to the subtile insinuations of that fawning Serpent. Con∣science, that before was Ver∣tues Guardian, now becomes Deaths Herald; an imperfect Idea of Gods Image defaced: in some, Natures curb through Gods providential care; in others, the Graces magazine by the operation of a higher and supernatural light. That nakedness which was before

the Creators glory, now be∣comes the Creatures shame; once the embleme of Inno∣cence, the character of Truth, now the livery of Pride, the purchase of a Lye. Come, buy of Christ white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy naked∣ness do not appear, Rev. 3.18.

And they sewed them Fig-leaves together, and made themselves Aprons.] What? could a Fig-leaf hide them from God, whose eyes are in every place? Prov. 15.3. A Fig-leaf cover them from him whose eyes run to and fro throughout the whole earth? 2 Chron. 16.9. or cloud them

from his presence, whose very eye-lids try the children of men? Psal. 11.4. Could they think a Fig-leaf to be a plaister of breadth sufficient to salve a Leprosie as epidemical as the world is wide? Could an Apron of Fig-leaves hide a worldful of Impieties? Could a Fig-leaf shelter their Rebel∣lion? hide their Unbelief? cover their Ingratitude? sha∣dow their Pride? cloke their Ambition? cloud their Con∣tempt of Gods Truth? dis∣semble their Faith in crediting the Devil? palliate their Sa∣criledge? excuse their abuse of the Creatures to wanton lust? or conceal the Tem∣poral

and Spiritual murther of themselves and their posteri∣ty? Such Fig-leaves Aprons are never out of fashion, are made and worn by their naked Issue to this day. The Atheist wears the Fig-leaves of Igno∣rance, and the Ignorant the Livery of an Atheist; the Prophane garb themselves with the Fig-leaves of gal∣lantry and heroick mindes; the Idolater hath whole Groves of Fig-leaves, to shadow his worshipping the Host of Hea∣ven; the Heretick sows his Fig-leaves in his brain, and hath an Apron for every He∣resie; the blinde Ceremoni∣alist sitting still on brood on

his Superstition to hatch Pro∣motion, would fain shrowd his Romish Judaism under the wi∣thered Fig-leaves of well∣worn Antiquity, or the more substantial Aprons of Order and Decency; the Hypocrite, that Janus of Religion, hath his fine-spun Apron, broad Fig-leaves of very specious Sanctity, as if Piety pre∣tended, were not Iniquity doubled; the Laodicean hath his Fig-leaf Aprons of a gol∣den Mean, holding it no good policy to engage too far for God, lest Times of Persecu∣tion prove too hot for his luke-warm Faith; the Moral honest man stands much on

the Fig-leaves of his Legal Righteousness, and thinks be∣cause he is not what he might be, he is what he ought to be; the high-way Christian thinks himself priviledged by that stile to commit the worst of villanies, under the Fig-leaves of an outward Profession, that if he speak for God he may practice for the Devil; the State-Politician to legitimate the spurious oftspring of his projecting brain, hath the fa∣ding Fig-leaves of his Princes favor, and the plausible Rhe∣torick of all affable humility, to cloke the sprouting designs of his unlimited Ambition; dazling the judgements of the

wise by his ambodextrous compliance, attracting by his powerful influence the Star∣gazing Multitude to admire the Comet of his rare En∣dowments, whilest himself lies forging in the Vault of his double heart, some sugar'd Poyson for the ruine of them both; the envious man co∣vers the venom of his heart with the Fig-leaves of equivo∣cating kindeness, and under the vizard of much sweet de∣portment, will handsomly be∣guile you to become his instru∣ment of your own destructi∣on; the Covetous man weaves specious pretences of impar∣tial Justice, and therewith

makes Fig-leaf Aprons for his sordid Oppression, calls his Covetousness, Praise-worthy providence; his Extortion, Da∣mage-recompence; and his Usury nothing but Considera∣tion-money, in token of grati∣tude; the Proud, for want of other Fig-leaves, will glory in an apish-fond-affected humili∣ty; the Drunkard thinks him∣self the onely good Compa∣nion, and rusheth into all ex∣cess of Ryot, under the no∣tion of good-fellowship; the Adulterer wallows in the mire of his lust, and glories in his shame, that it more tends to Natures credit then his dis∣grace; more an ornament

wherewith he is well qualified, then a vice whereby he is hea∣ven-exclude, 1 Cor. 6.9. and acts the beast under the Fig∣leaf of a venial sin. Thus the accursed progeny of the first Adam, are still vainly sewing Fig-leaves together for their nakedness, whilest the new∣born Issue of the second, co∣vered with the white Robes of his Righteousness, are clothed with the garments of salva∣tion, Isa. 61.10. and shall stand before the Throne, and before the Lamb, with palms in their hands, Rev. 7.9. when these Fig-leaves shall be useless, save to kindle the fuel of chaff and stubble to everlasting burn∣ings,

2 Pet. 3.7. and be the sad Remembrancer of their Pa∣rents Apostasie, when they sewed Fig-leaves together, and made themselves Aprons, Gen. 3.7.

The first Martyr.

And Cain talked with Abel his brother; and it came to pass when they were in the field, that Cain rose up against Abel, and slew him,

Gen. 4.8.

ANd Cain talked with Abel his brother,] So did Esau with his heart, when resolved

on the like fratricide, Gen. 27.41. Trust not any brother that will supplant, Jer. 4.9. the honiest tongue may have the strongest poyson of Asps un∣der it. Solomon disswades thee from going into thy brothers house in the day of thy cala∣mity, Prov. 27.10. Envy not the wicked, yet familiarize not thy self with them, for their heart studieth destruction, and their lips talk of mischief, Pro. 27.10.

And it came to pass when they were in the field,] Solitary places are the Devils vaults, witness the Garden, when he beguil'd the first Adam, Gen. 3. witness the Wilderness, when

he tempted the second, Mat. 4.1. God said betimes, It was not good for man to be alone, Gen. 2.18. Chaste Joseph knew it well, Gen. 39.11. And wo to him (saith the Preacher) that is alone, Eccles. 4.10. indeed the field is the proper place of blood for man to act the beast in; But he that formed the eye, shall he not see? Psal. 49.9. yes; and the man of blood shall not live out half his days, Psal. 55.23.

And Cain rose up against Abel, and slew him.] Here the Serpents seed hath bruised the heel of the womans, Gen. 3.15. The seed of all true Re∣ligion slain from the beginning

of the world. Innocent Abel! the first Martyr that suffered for Religion, and lively Type of Christ, of Christ the Prince of Martyrs; the heel of the blessed Seed bruised, a Type of what the Head himself should suffer. Bloody Cain! the first Apostate after that first Evangelical Promise, the first builder of that spiritual City of the Wicked, the Seed of the Serpent, founded in his brothers blood; the true por∣traicture whereof is Mystical Babylon or Rome, founded by Romulus, by the like example of fratricide, in the murther of his brother Remus, the Seat of the Beast and of the

Whore (by whose Authority Christ himself was slain) since drunk with the blood of his Saints, and still breathing out blood and slaughter to every Abel, that refusing to com∣municate in her Spiritual Whoredoms, will not with her offer the earthly Sacrifice of Cain, the fruits of the ground, which hath nothing of Faith or the Spirit in them. Thus Goodness and Envy, like Rebecca's Twins, the one is never born without the other; If God hath more respect to Abels, then to his brothers Sa∣crifice, by his brother shall himself be Sacrificed: Good∣ness is ever accompanied with

danger, and he indeed is onely Martyr-proof, that dares be good. The wicked would be rather blinde, then see Reli∣gion thrive, or vertue flourish: had God loved Abel less, Cain would have loved him more; his favor with God, purchased his Brothers hate, so that he needed not to have slain Abel, whom he had murthered be∣fore, For whosoever but hateth his brother, is a murtherer, 1 John 3.15. Both these Bre∣thren did Sacrifice to the Lord, yet Cain must have Abels blood, for offering that in faith, which himself did with a false heart: How pa∣rallel doth this run to the Cains

of this Age? who with the faithful once walked in the House of God as Friends, yet now stile them Enemies to God for the service of his House; is not this to slay thy Brother? Nothing acutes the Spirit of a man to assay some desperate design, as desire of revenge; and he that's caught in this whirlwind, lives like the Salamander in the fire; 'twas desire of revenge that hurld Charls the Sixth of France, incens'd against the Duke of Britain, into a Bedlam-Luna∣cy; discontent and emulation beget this passion; if sin get not Priority of Honor from desert, desert shall have Prio∣rity

of Fate. Cain here in re∣ference to his Brother Abels death, deals with his Fathers Posterity, in respect of Gods glory, as the rich Man in Quintilian did with his garden Flowers in respect of his Bro∣thers profit, poyson them all, because his Neighbors Bees should suck no more Hony from them; and hazards eter∣nal life, onely to abreviate his Brothers temporal, looking at him, as they in Lucians Rock of Honor, with an envyous eye, proud of his own ruine for anothers damage. Every other sin hath some pleasure in it, or admits excuse, envy alone wants both. Angebat illum non

proprium peccatum, sed fratris prosperitas, saith Theodoret, 'twas his Brothers happiness that gall'd him. Presidents hereof Divine and Humane, we may flye and read; Jacob and Esau, Saul and David, Rachel and Leah, Gen. 30.1. Joseph and the Patriarchs. David also had a touch of this vice by his own confession, in Psalm 37. but all these sylla∣ble'd to a word, cannot spell Cain, cursed Cain, yet reprie∣ved and life continued, even for the same cause that other Murtherers lose it, that he might live a stigmatiz'd exam∣ple in this unpeopled condi∣tion of the worlds non-age;

branded, to the terror of all that should afterward behold the spectacle; cursed from the earth, drunk with his Brothers blood, now spews out his own; banished the presence of God, to become the lively Image of the deadly state of sinners out of Christ; dead whilest alive, a moving Sepulchre, the De∣vils Captive, damnations first∣born, Hells heir, Heavens exile, and the Earths vaga∣bond; his own fury a horror to himself, indeed Hells Com∣pendium: O tremble then thou man of blood, whoso∣ever thou art, guilty of mur∣ther either by the Tongue or Sword! Tremble ye Perse∣cutors

of the Saints of God, their blood shall never quench Hell, sheath your malice yet; swell not against conviction of Conscience, for in those Ori∣ent days of Gospel-light, it is not possible you can think to do God good service by slaughtering the lambs of hea∣ven. Remember, God is a Spirit Infinite, his very Es∣sence proclaims what kinde of Worship he doth challenge and expect from his Creatu∣ral Image. Touch not any Cains blemished Sacrifice; offer with righteous Abel, and if thou suffer with him, Amen: Welcome to the Marriage of the Lamb; thy blood shall

from the Altar cry for Justice, not unequivalent to that on Cain, when he slew his bro∣ther, Gen. 4.8.

The Holy VValk.

And Enoch walked with God,

Gen. 5. ver. 24.

ANd Enoch walked] not in the counsel of the un∣godly, Psal. 1.1. not in the ways of evil men, Prov. 4.15. not in froward and strange ways, Prov. 21.8. not in the broad way that leadeth to de∣struction, Matt. 7.13. not in the way of bribery, Isa. 33.15.

whose Tabernacles shall be consumed by fire, Iob 15.34. not in the company of riotous men, Prov. 28.7. not in ways seeming right onely in his own eyes, Prov. 12.15. not in ways of discord, but in love, Eph. 5.2. not disorderly, 2 Thess. 3.6. not after the imagina∣tions of a corrupt heart, Ier. 9.14. not as driven with eve∣ry wind of Doctrine, Eph. 4.14. not as a stumbling block in the way of the blinde, Levit. 19.14. not without wisdom towards them that are without, Col. 4.5. not wandring from God, Psal. 119.10. nor turning aside from his Command∣ments, Deut. 17.20. not walk∣ing

after the flesh, but after the Spirit, Rom. 8.1. And

With God,] before him with a perfect heart, Gen. 17.2. in his Statutes, keeping close to his Commandments, Levit. 26.3. in all the ways which the Lord his God command∣ed him, Deut. 5.33. Ier. 7.23. in the ways of righteousness, wherein is life, Prov. 12.28. in the good way, Ier. 6.16. walking in his house with a per∣fect heart, Psal. 101.2. do∣ing the will of God from the heart, Eph. 6.6. perfecting holiness in the fear of God, 2 Cor. 7.1. believing with all his heart, Acts 8.37. living in all good Conscience before

God, Acts 23.1. always void of offence, Acts 24.16. seek∣ing the Lord with his whole desire, 2 Chron. 15.15. in whose heart God hath so put his fear, as that he shall not de∣part from him, Ier. 32.40. giving himself unto Prayer, Psal. 109.4. continuing in∣stant therein, Rom. 12.12. me∣ditating on Gods Precepts, Psal. 119.15. holding fast the mystery of Faith in a pure con∣science, 1 Tim. 3.9. alway speaking the truth in love, Ephesians 4.15. refraining his feet from every evil way, Psal. 119.101. yea, hating every false way, Psal. 119.104. abhorring that which is evil,

and cleaving to that which is good, Rom. 12.9. regulating his conversation by the rule of Gods Word, Psal. 119.9. delighting himself in the Al∣mighty, Job 27.10. and in the Law of the Lord, Psal. 1.2. and in his Statutes, Psalm 119.16. worshipping God in the Spirit, Phil. 3.3. whose confidence is in the Lord one∣ly, Prov. 3.26. having none in the flesh, Phil. 3.3. con∣formed to the image of the Son of God, Rom. 8.29. and ordering his conversation aright, Psal. 50.23. taking such heed to his ways, Psalm 39.1. that they all please the Lord, Prov. 16.7. walking

still in the day without stum∣bling, John 11.9. uprightly, Psal. 15.2. righteously, Isa. 33.15. worthy the vocation wherewith he was called, Eph. 4.1. worthy of the Lord, Col. 1.10. circumspectly, not as a fool, Eph. 5.19. honestly towards them that are with∣out, 1 Thess. 4.12. committing all his ways unto the Lord, Psal. 37.5. like a peculiar ves∣sel, zealous of good works, Tit. 2.14. and undefiled in the ways of the Lord, Psal. 119.1. all the preparations of whose heart is from the Lord, Prov. 16.1. whose help, Hos. 13.9. and whose hope is in the Lord his God, Psal. 146.5. in whom

the Lord hath not beheld ini∣quity, Numb. 23.21. for he walketh in Christ, as having received a promise of him, Col. 2.6. indeed as a just man like Noah, Gen. 6.9.

Mark then the perfect man, and behold the upright, for the end of that man is peace, Psal. 37.37. whereof there is none, saith my God, to the wicked, Isa. 48.22. Be ye there∣fore perfect, even as your Fa∣ther which is in heaven is per∣fect, Matth. 5.48. Fear God and eschew evil, for which God himself to the Devils face honored Job with the high Characters of perfection and uprightness, Job 1.8.

Walk before God, and be thou perfect, Gen. 17.1. Noah was a just man, and perfect in his Generation; why? because he walked with God, Gen. 6.9. Perfect, even this side heaven, which is more then Paul would ascribe unto himself, Phil. 3.12. Perfect, though not in regard of parts and de∣grees, yet in regard of the truth and soundness of Grace, 1 Pet. 5.10. Sanctifie therefore your selves, and be ye holy, for I am holy, saith the Lord, Lev. 11.44. Walk in holiness and righteousness before him all the days of your life, Luke 1.17. See that on your hearts be written, on your lips im∣printed,

and on your hands engraven, nothing but holi∣ness to the Lord, Exod. 28.36. have all your fruit unto holi∣ness, that your end may be everlasting life, Rom. 6.22. stablish therefore your hearts in holiness, 1 Thess. 3.13. then perfect it in the fear of God, 2 Cor. 7.1. and thus, like Enoch, walk with him, Gen. 5.24. and thou shalt never see the second death, Iohn 8.51.

The Ark.

But with thee will I establish my Covenant, and thou shalt come into the Ark,

Gen. 6.18.

SIn and Judgement are both ripe together, the over∣flowings of the one presage a deluge of the other: Let favor be shewed to the wicked, yet saith the Prophet, will he not learn Righteousness; but when judgements are in the earth, the Inhabitants of the world become better Schol∣lars, Isa. 26.9,10. Yet forty days and Nineveh shall be de∣stroyed, Ion. 3.4. but Nineveh

repented, and was not, ver. 10. yet seven days and the world shall be drowned, Gen. 7.4. but Noah believed and was not, Gen. 6.8. Sin is so antypathal to the holiness of God, as it made him repent mans Crea∣tion, and grieved him to the very heart, Gen. 6.6. A few drops of true penitential tears might have saved the whole world from drowning, and have caused God (in all holy sobriety be it spoken) to have repented of his repenting. The world was now One thousand six hundred fifty six years old, when God opened his Cham∣ber windows, those heavenly Sluces, and Epitomiz'd the

whole Creation in an Ark; in∣deed a very lively Type of the Church of God, the Ark of all the faithful; But where are the Mountains of Ararat? Compute as many years from our Saviors Incarnation, as was to the Flood from the worlds Creation; and by the late asswagement of the Anti∣christian waters in all the world, as by the returns of some Doves (sent forth the Ark for that purpose) with Olives in their mouths, and by the non-returns of others we may probably conjecture, there may be no great dispa∣rity of years 'twixt the Rest of Type and Antitype. In∣deed

judgement is already be∣gun at the house of God, now what shall be the end of them that obey not the Gospel; nay, of them that strike a League with Hell as much as in them lies, to ungospel the Gospel, trampling on the blood of the Covenant, counting it an un∣holy thing: Thus the mystery of Iniquity still continues working, till that Antichristian Leviathan be revealed, whom with his gygantick brood the Lord shall consume with the Spirit of his mouth; But with the Faithful he will establish his Covenant, and they shall come into his Ark, Gen. 6.18.

Blood for Blood.

He that sheddeth mans blood, by man shall his blood be shed,

Gen. 9.6.

IT is murther not to punish it: If detraction be breach of Charity, or to deny a perish∣ing beast the courtesie of our ayd be Inhumanity, what me∣rits he that transforms the Image of God into the sub∣stance of Death: To acquit the Murtherer, is to be guilty of his life, and without true penitence he shall dye by that Book which saved him: He that refuseth to undefile the

Land of that blood wherewith it is polluted, by taking satis∣faction for the life of a Mur∣therer, delivers up the whole body of a Nation to the judgements of God; to keep an ulcerous member from the Justice of man, does what in him lies to justifie the Execu∣tioner of Hel against the Char∣ter of Heaven; twice murthers the innocent that was slain be∣fore, entails the guilt of blood on the Land and his own Posterity, commits in one act Oppression and Sacriledge, by denying Justice to quick and dead, and basely self-murthers his own soul.

Butchery, with the Jew, is

honored above the Liberal Sciences, and long experience requisite to that Arts per∣fection; they have a Book of Shamble Constitutions, and in the most difficult cases they consult with some Learned Rabbi, that the Jew Butcher had need be half a Physitian in Anatomizing, and half a Rabbine in cases of Consci∣ence; and who knows but that many of those Jewish Physiti∣ans, which in our days practi∣sing murther, kill by Autho∣rity, after a Prentiship served in the Drugsters slaughter∣shop, came themselves (whi∣ther they send others) from the Shambles.

But who shall shed his blood that sheds his own? that wil∣fully neglects the means of life? that makes this poyson his Evening-draught? this Knife his Cut-throat? that Bough his Gallows? or yon∣der Pool his Grave? that kills himself dead-drunk? that eats himself Carrion-dead, glutto∣nously biting of his thrid of life, whilest he delves his grave with his own teeth? that ex∣hausts his vitals in a stews, and fornicates with hell? who thus becomes his self-destroyer, is a Rebel to that God that made him, a Vagabond from his pre∣sence for ever; is an Enemy proclaim'd in Hell to all Reli∣gion;

is a Traytor to Reason; ••n Apostate to Sence; a Fool ••o the very Bruits; and a Slave to the Devil. Who shall shed his blood that hates his brother? for he's a murtherer too, 1 John 3.15. that re∣strains charity, or usurps re∣venge, the Prerogative Royal of the most High: Who shall shed that Pastors blood that starves his Flock, or errone∣ously mis-guides them by his life or Doctrine, like Sheep unto the slaughter? who shall shed that Lawyers blood, that most butcherously cuts his innocent Clyents throat, by betraying his righteous Cause for a bribe, ore-ballancing an

honest Fee, prostrating the nakedness of truth to the foul insultings of corrupt injustice? that with-holds the truth it unrighteousness? that Janus like, looks both ways at once, and hath an Ambodextrous tongue to suck blood from both, yet distribute right to neither? Who shall shed that Empericks blood, that kills others that himself may live? that practises on the Bodies of men with less conscience then he takes fees; and de∣stroys more lives by his despe∣rate ignorance, then the Judi∣cious Phisitian by his Chymi∣cal Practice? Who shall shed the Machivilians blood, that

like the Wolf in the Breast, gnaws out the bowels of his Countrey; and to feed his vulturous designs, preys on that State that bred and fo∣ster'd him; and rather then have his invisible projects countermin'd, will cap in hand petition the Devil to summon a Councel in Hell, that may furnish him thence with Auxi∣liary Legions to come in for his assistance? Lastly, Who shall shed the Usurers blood, that sucks out the Vitals of his Neighbors Estate with Jewish Exaction, and then ex∣torts his very Liberty from him, even Natures Preroga∣tive, till the last gasp of all his

Fortune be conveyed him; and having onely reserved to himself for term of life, a few years of beggary and too late repentance, entails the remain∣der of his misery to his injured innocent Posterity; whilest his own sad soul, to prevent the gastly hungerbits of mer∣ciless Famine, does oft career on the resolves of some de∣sperate courses to the Ship∣wrack of his Conscience; that so being now undone in soul and body, state and posterity, he may go to his grave (if it be his happiness to have one) compleatly miserable. But let none of these forget, That there is a God that judgeth the

earth, and hath enacted, That whosoever sheddeth mans blood, by man shall his blood be shed, Gen. 9.6.

Babel.

Go to, let us go down, and there confound their Lan∣guage,

Gen. 11.7.

BUt yet one Century of years expired since the Deluge, and behold, the Sons of men ripe for a second con∣fusion! they are now scaling Heaven, not by Faith, but Presumption, are daubing up a stately Mole-hill, as if they meant to ore-top the most High, over-power the Al∣mighty,

mighty, parley with their Cre∣ator, go to Heaven in a carnal way, or at least secure them∣selves from future Deluges, by erecting this Castle in the ayr for a place of retreat; but the Lord descends from on high, blows off the Pyramide of their Pride, by sweeping away their Cobweb Edifice with the besom of Confu∣sion.

Of these proud Masons, oNimrod was the chief, the Ca∣ptain, the Master Workman, the first Tyrant, and (as some suppose) the first that brought Idolatry in fashion; indeed he erected a very stately Idol, for such ambitious fools to

worship as imitate the vapour of his brain: To establish themselves a Name in all the Earth was their grand design, they would fain be great, and high enough to peep into hea∣ven; but the dissipation they doubted, was the judgement they suffered; their attempt∣ing the prevention of what they feared, prevented their accomplishing of what they projected; and the foundation they had laid whereon to build their greatness, became the ground-work of their ruine. They call'd a general Coun∣cel or rebellious Confedera∣cy, and voted for a Tower, whose top should reach unto

Heaven; A Fabrick of that heighth, would require a Ba∣sis deeper then the Earth; but he that will ascend Heaven, must not lay his foundation in Hell: no question but this am∣bitious rout; in the results of their desperate resolves, were as well compact as their building, and that as uniform as their Language; but as they went up, the Lord came down, scat∣tered the one, and confounded the other.

Had these men been at Je∣rusalem, when the Apostles inspired with the gift of Tongues became such expert Linguists, they might have seen the like power in a con∣trary

effect to this of Babylon; this came by the sin of man, that by the mercy of God; the one from Babylon, the o∣ther from Jerusalem: No marvel then that at this day are such audacious Theoma∣chists in mystical Babylon, where that proud Antichri∣stian Nimrod exalting himself above God, sits in the Tem∣ple as God. Indeed the whole Christian Earth was once of one Language and of one Speech; but when Babylon sadled her Ass, and took a Journey to Rome; when they said, Go to, Let us make Mar∣tyrs, and burn them through∣ly; when they took the brick

of their own inventions, in stead of Sions Stone, a tryed and precious Stone, Isaiah 28.16. and the frothy slime of their own brain, for the well∣tempered morter of the infal∣lible word; and said, Go to, Let us build us a City of Spi∣ritual Whoredoms, and a Tower of Merits, whose top may reach unto Heaven, no marvel then, I say, that the Lord should at the brightness of his coming, scatter those Idolatrous Vermin, or Jesuiti∣cal Imps, like dust before the wind upon the face of all the earth, and with the Spirit of his mouth confound the Lan∣guage of the beast, 2 Thess. 2.8.

Abram's Call.

Now the Lord had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy Countrey, and from thy kin∣dred, and from thy fathers house, unto a Land that I will shew thee,

Gen. 12.1.

IT is the perfect freedom of a childe of God, to come and go at his Command, out of whose service to be manu∣mitted, is the dishonorablest Vassalage under the Sun. Our obedience to God admits not the Sophisms of flesh and blood; to debate the point of obedience with God by de∣lays,

is to enter our selves the Devils slaves without dispute: He that asks leave of his lust to part with it, in obedience to God, seems to take leave of his God, and part with him in obedience to his lust: Nay, if the Land of thy Nativity, or the vastness of thy Posses∣sions; if the honors of thy State-Offices, or the Profits of thy Corruption therein; if the quality of thy Birth, or the vanity of thy pleasures; if the exquisiteness of thy Endow∣ments, or the popular Hosan∣na's of Idolatrous Flattery; if the Wife of thy Bosom, or the issue of thy Loyns; if all or any of these counterbal∣lance

the least of Gods Com∣mands, in the scale of thy judgement or affection, go sa∣crifice to thy God of flesh, and be thine own slave, for thou art not yet selfess enough to be imployed in the service of the Most High; indeed, God is able of the stones to raise up children unto Ahraham, so there may be hope of thy heart; but till with him thou canst deny thy self the pre∣sent possession of the whole earth, for a bare reversion of Heaven; till with him thou canst answer Gods Call, and exchange thy Countrey here, for a better hereafter, thy Fa∣thers House below, for those

Mansions prepared above, thou mayest not expect a Ca∣naan in his bosom, Luke 16.22.

God in the Mount: OR,

In the Mount of the Lord it shall be seen,

Gen. 22.14.

NOt in the Mole-hills of men, God never trifles away his Miracles, he works no wonders beneath the high∣est pitch of Humane power: A Miracle doth presuppose impossibility in all below that power which wrought it; where

the power of the Creature ends, the Almightiness of the Creator begins; Miracles of Mercy are not wrought, till the exigency of the Creature calls for the mercy of a Mira∣cle; it stands not much with Gods honor, to interpose his power in doing that for the Creature which he hath im∣power'd the Creature to do for himself; should God come in to mans help, before the cure is past the help of man, the goodness of his mercy would anticipate the glory of his power, and the free∣ness of his love obstruct the actings of Faith.

In the Mount of the Lord it

shall be seen.] Therefore not in the Valley of Despair, nor on the Pinacle of Presum∣ption, unless to cut off the one, Numb. 15.30. or destroy the other, Mat. 27.5. When therefore Poverty doth pinch, or nakedness benumb; when Persecutions flames threaten either to scorch thy soul, or burn thy body; when the floods thereof menace either ship∣wrack to thy Conscience, or a Land-deluge to all thy sub∣lunar interests: when the proud Nimrods of the earth first foam out their Juliantick ran∣cor, to poyson thy sacred cha∣stity with their Scorpion-Bla∣sphemies, and then ingulph thee

lock'd in irons, to suffocate∣thee with milder damps in their hell-typifying dungeons, the portraict of their own black souls; when such Ty∣rants, prodigal of their En∣gines, and their grand Master, by the juncture of all his in∣fernal Imps, call a Councel in hell to persecute thee on earth, Cast not away thy confidence, the Saints themselves were under a Cloud before thee, and it was Israels Proverb, The Lord will be seen in the Mount, Gen. 22.14.

Modest Contentation.

I have enough, my Brother, keep what thou hast unto thy self,

Gen. 33.9.

THe gift of refusing gifts, is a gift greater then man can give; he that can shut his hands against the rich, will open them to the poor: It is a subtile piece of thriving policy, to repulse some advantages of gain; and the speediest way to abound in every thing, is to be self-denyingly contented with any thing: No man thinks he hath enough, but he that knows he hath more then

he doth deserve; and no man enjoys what he doth possess, but he that covets no more then he doth enjoy; he that can repulse the temptations of gain, gains by such tempta∣tions, whilest the assaults of the repulsed Enemy recoyls to the damage of the Assayl∣ant. The minde contented is a fortress impregnable, it is not whole vollies of Bribes, nor the Canon of Commands Royal, though charg'd with the highest Titles of Honor, or Provenues of State-offices, can make the least breach on the naked out-works of his unprojecting and well-con∣tented minde; but the unsati∣able

and idolatrous wretch, supposing gain to be godliness, acknowledgeth no other Infi∣nite then his own unplenable desire, whilest the other in every estate practising Pauls well learn'd Lesson of Con∣tentment, subscribes to god∣liness as his greatest gain; he takes possession of his own heart, and enjoys himself; he is tenant to no mans estate for term of lust; he is under his high Lord, his own heart-Lord, and thence can com∣mand his desires to do homage to none but the Providence of God. This disposition unken∣nels the greedy dogs (as the prophet Isaiah, speaking of

blinde watchmen, Isa. 56.11. stiles them) That can never have enough, and shews us the hideous darkness of the infa∣thomable gulf of the raven∣ous desires of the Canibals of this age. Prophane Esau (now no more rough but cour∣teous Esau) may rise in judge∣ment against the Wolves of this Generation, for he so far abhorred such violence, that he modestly refused even what was freely presented him, and said, I have enough, my bro∣ther, keep what thou hast unto thy self, Gen. 33.9.

I am that I am. Exod. 3.14.

TO define God, is more properly a Paradox then a Precept in Divinity; indeed, a secret too Mataphysical for the most Logical eye-sight of any created understanding. What God is not, we know; what God is, we know not: If thou wouldst fain sublime thy self to a sight of him who is invisible, look with the eye of Faith through the prospective of Christ; and the best way to define God, is to endeavor the practice of that descripti∣on he makes of himself, in the

Mystery of his Word and Volumn of his Works. To define an Infinite, is a kinde of Blasphemous Contradicti∣on; and he that thinks he can suppose an exact definition of God, is one of the Fools that says in his heart There's none. Canst thou finde out an end for Eternity, or beginning for Sempiternity? art thou too strong for Omnipotency? canst thou circumcircle Immensity? canst thou confine Ubiquity, or confute Omnisciency? canst thou exclude Omnipresency? then mayest thou in part tell me what God is: Beware of limiting the Holy One of Is∣rael; if thou canst see of God

more then his back-parts, thou hast better eyes then Moses had, whose Commission if the Israelites question, behold it ratified by that eternal Sub∣scription, I am that I am, Exod. 3.14.

Loyal Disloyalty.

They feared God, and did not as the King of Egypt com∣manded them, but saved the men children alive,

Exod. 1.17.

TO obey Caesar for God, is the Subjects duty; to o∣bey him for himself, the Salves

vassalage: To obey the com∣mands of Caesar, wherein he disobeys the Commands of God, is to make thy Loyalty to thy Prince guilty of rebel∣lion to thy God: To obey God for Caesar, is Mercenary Religion, to obey him for him∣self, is Filial Obedience: To obey the Commands of God, wherein they contradict the Commands of Caesar, is to render thy fear of God unguil∣ty of over-honoring thy Prince: To have absolute command over all the Crea∣tures, is onely the Creators Prerogative-Royal; to obey this absolute Monarch above all Sublunary Potentates, is

the Christians Prerogative-Loyal. When Humane Laws jarring with Gods, make a dis∣cord in Heaven, thy obedience to the former may not make it harmony on earth: Our Al∣legiance to Caesar must swear fealty to Gods supremacy, that if at any time thy obedience to God be unduly convicted of disloyalty to thy Prince, thy Appeal lies to the Chan∣cery of Heaven: Gods Will is a Law, yet his Peoples Obe∣dience no Slavery, but perfect Freedom; the Prince his Will is a Law too, where he hath none but Slaves to His Sub∣jects: Where the Engines of State-policy make the wheels

of the Peoples Obedience run Counter to the Primum Mo∣bile, or main Spring of Gods revealed pleasure, it may be feared, lest the frame of the whole work, and the body of the Land retrograde to the first Chaos of Confusion: Obedi∣ence to man rather then God, is as the sin of Witchcraft; yea, the Prince who delivers not his Commands from God, or derives not his Commission from Heaven, neither fears God nor honors himself; and whosoever obeys him in such Commands, is guilty of that obedience, as Treason against the highest Majesty: A special Command from God, legiti∣mates

a thing unlawful in it self, it had not been murther in Abraham to have slain his Son; but thus it is not with Princes on Earth, there∣fore the Egyptian Midwives approved their loyalty to God, by their disloyalty to Pharaoh; for, They feared God, and did not as the King of Egypt commanded them, but saved the men-children a∣live, Exod. 1.17.

Heavenly Eloquence.

Go, and I will be with thy mouth, and teach thee what thou shalt say,

Exod. 4.13.

THe Spirits dictates are the Saints best Rhetorick; the plainest Language where the Spirit is Orator, is too pro∣found for the deepest appre∣hension of meer natural judge∣ments; not he that hath most learning, but he that hath most grace is best learn'd; he that is seen in all Arts & Scien∣ces is held an able man, but he that hath learn'd Christ is the best Schollar. A poor weak

Christian that doth practice Christ, speaks his Language with more grace then the most exquisite Orator of meer no∣minal Christians, and hath more perswasive Rhetorick in his sweet Conversation, then many of our learned Gown∣men in their life and Doctrine. There are a Generation of men in this refined and new-modell'd Age, that have fled exceeding high in their ex∣pression, some think they have out-shot all objects of reason to comprehend, and of faith to believe; as if too mysterious to make reasonable sense of, and too superluminary to con∣clude non-sense; this is not

heavenly Eloquence: Others there are that draw their Lan∣guage to so fine a thrid, that it oft breaks in the spinning, and nought but a Spider crawls from the Web; sometimes it breaks into sense ridiculous, and sometimes into errors ve∣nimous, now into self-interest, and anon into faction; or if the thrid hold, it serves onely to s••w Pillows under the drowsie declensions of most uncorrupted Patrons; neither is this heavenly eloquence: The great Doctor of the Gen∣tiles, Paul, that Gospel-Orator, accosted not the Corinthians with the perswasible intice∣ments of mans wisdom, but

in demonstration of the Spirit and of Power; and this was heavenly Eloquence: for when the Spirit prompts the heart, the tongue cannot but speak eloquently; the volubility whereof flowing onely from some principle of nature, is but as the wagging of an Apsen∣leaf, compared with the Se∣raphick Language of a graci∣ous heart, where the Spirit giveth utterance: Such Lan∣guage Christ promised his Disciples when called to attest his Truth; and such Language God promised Moses when he imployed him as his Agent into Egypt, to uninslave his bondag'd people, saying, Go,

and I will be with thy mouth, and teach thee what thou shalt say, Exod. 4.13.

Jehovah-nissi. Exod. 17.15.

THey who in their spiritual warfare list themselves un∣der Gods Command to fight the Lords Battels, not onely have Christ for their Captain, but even the Lord of Hosts for their Jehovah-nissi, the Lord for their Banner: Suppose the Generalissimo of all the infernal Janizaries muster up all his Forces, and draws them into Battalia against thy naked

soul, ranking the honors, pro∣fits and pleasures of this life on the right wing, the hideous troops of all thy fearful sins on the left, placing thy most conquering lusts in the main body, keeping whole Regi∣ments of that gallant Brigade of most specious Sanctity (whose leader is Spiritual pride) for a Reserve, with di∣vers ensnaring temptations ly∣ing in Ambush, with as many occasions and opportunities of sinning, as so many Scouts to discover the state, posture and motion of thy soul; all this supposed, yet the being on thy side thou needest not to fear, For in the Lord Jehovah is

everlasting strength, Isa. 26.4. He is the Church-Militants Banner, against which the gates of hell shall not prevail: To the wicked the Lord is a consuming fire, dissolving them like the fat of Lambs; but his Church, like Moses his Bush, is preserved in the midst of fiery persecutions, to lustre forth as well the glory, as the power of the Almighty. The Church never yet fought with the Prince of the Ayr, but either won the day by be∣ing victorious, or gained by being persecuted: And why? because the Lord was her Banner; and indeed, where the Lord of Hosts leads the Van,

Victory must needs attend the Rere: When that stripling David was to Duel that mon∣strous Goliah, he advanced to∣wards him onely in the name of the Lord of Hosts, 1 Sam. 17.8. Whilest Moses's sup∣ported arm was Gods Stan∣dard, Joshuah defeated the uncircumcised Amalekites; Therefore Moses built him an Altar, and called it Jehovah-nissi, Exod. 17.15.

Stand still.

Fear ye not, stand still, and see the Salvation of the Lord,

Exod. 14.13.

DIstrust, the Brat of slavish fear, is the first step leads downward to Despair; he that will not trust God on his word, will scarce confide in his mira∣cles: To fancy safety out of Gods protection, is an argu∣ment of wretched security, and little policy; but to doubt his protection in the midst of his encompassing mercies, an argument of more ingratitude, and less faith: As it is most

desperate presumption, and an ungracious tempting of God, to stand still when he opens us a door of flight, and as it were bids us fly for our life, either by revealing us his Will by his Word, or by whispering it in our hearts by his Spirit, or by proclaiming it by his past or present deliverances; so is it a no less desperate Cowardise, and most Atheistical distrust, to fly when God bids us stand, either by shutting against us the door of escape, or by giving us pledges of victory, or promises of protection. It had been a strange piece of self-enslaving and rebellious madness in Peter, to have staid

in prison when the Angel un∣shackled him, and opened the door; yet but an ill-purchas'd freedom in Paul to have bribed Felix Cesaria's Governor for his enlargement: In our inevi∣tablest straights, we are in all humble observance and faith∣ful patience to attend the plea∣sure of God, without dis∣puting the Justice of his Pro∣vidence, and by a holy recum∣bancy, without the least mur∣muring distrustfulness, to ac∣quiesce in the Faith of his Pro∣mises: The invisible Politi∣cian may and is oft brought to his wits end, but a just man is never at his Faiths end: Art thou degraded in the world,

and undeservedly persecuted? stand still, keep an eye to the promise, and be strong in the faith: Art thou fortune-fallen, become poor, and through no default of thine cast into pri∣son? stand still, remember the Lord heareth the poor, and despiseth not his Prisoners, Psal. 96.33. Art thou ingaged in any combate at home with Monsters, like Pauls Ephesian Beasts, or in any desperate hazard of life? stand still, ne∣ver forgetting who it is that hath calculated even the very hairs of thy head: Thus what once Moses said to the un∣bondaged, yet murmuring Israelites, let me say to the

Redeemed, yet distrustful peo∣ple of God, when pursued by the heart-hardned Pharaohs of this age, Fear ye not, stand still, and see the Salvation of the Lord, Exod. 14.13.

Let me alone.

Let me alone, that my wrath may wax hot, &c.

Exod. 32.10.

TO will and to do are all one with God; it is the Prerogative-Royal onely of the Almighty, to be able to do whatsoever he pleaseth to will; whatsoever he will he

doth, but all that he can he doth not. Now the power of the Creature, flows from that in the Creator; hence it is that the more we are formed into his likeness, the more pre∣valency we have with him, and the more victory over our selves. A just man is a wonderful strong Creature; I can do nothing to Sodom, saith God to Lot, till thou be gone thence, Gen. 19.22. Thus the free condescendency of the Highest, vouchsafes such a voluntary restraint of his Justice, as the prevalent integrity of a righteous man in favor with God, seems to over-power even the Almigh∣ty.

The faithful are Gods fa∣vorites; rather then their Pe∣tition shall be laid aside, his own Mercy shall say Amen un∣to their Prayers. Faith is such a solicitous grace, such an im∣portunate beggar, as it will never leave God alone; yea, the very wicked of the Earth fare the better for the Prayers of the godly; see it in the case of Sodom, Gen. 18. and here those Israelites might have been led to the slaughter like the Calf they worshipped, had not this Moses (refusing to be the Adopted Grandchilde of the King of Egypt, though his Daughter might have challeng'd him by Provi∣dence,

Exod. 2.5.) now be∣come such a Favorite in the Court of Heaven, that God himself must as it were im∣portune him to slack his im∣portunity, and sue to him to withdraw his suit, and say, Let me alone, that my wrath may wax hot against them, and that I may consume them: and I will make of thee a great na∣tion, Exod. 32.10.

The right Interpre∣tation of Scripture.

Ye shall put nothing to the word which I command you, neither shall ye take ought therefrom,

Deut. 4.2.

VVHen thou readest the Scripture, let the Text interpret the Text, and grope not to winde thy self out of the Labyrinth of those sacred Oracles by the clue of thine own private spirit, nor conceit thy self wiser then the Omniscient. To wrest Scri∣pture, is to father a lye on the Spirit of Truth; and he that

betrays the Word to a sense the Spirit never meant it, So∣phisticates the great Seal of Heaven, and hath no share therein, the Plagues therein denounced onely excepted: Whether then thou readest to thy self, or expoundest to o∣thers, do not gloss the holy Text with unintelligible noti∣ons, the Bastard-comment of a Weathercock-faith, nor be∣spatter the splendor of such a glorious Light, with the scarce vapor-proof atomes of an er∣roneous muddy judgement: Many Revelations are arrived of late, some no question came from beyond the world, are Commissioned from Heaven,

have the Seal of the Spirit in∣deed, whose authority admits not of dispute; such onely are the faithful interpreters of the holy Language: other Reve∣lations there are, which came from below the world, are Commissioned from Hell, have the Seal of the Beast on them; these also pretend a ti∣tle to our faith, but believe not every Spirit, 1 John 4.1. To take the crutch from the Lame by the impudent assertions of a blinde, yet wilful judgement, is the inhumanest piece of im∣perious ignorance in the world; and to mis-guide the doubtful Pilgrim under pre∣tence of a more compendious

way to the New Jerusalem then was ever yet discovered, is to incur the curse of Heaven, the thanks of Hell, and the blackest guilt of the highest murther. No Scripture may be construed by the corrupt Dictionary of any ill-byass'd Spirit, or according to the Analogy of private interests; he that strains the Scripture to a note the Spirit never tuned it, perverts it to his own de∣struction: Ye shall put nothing to the word which I command you, neither shall ye take ought therefrom, Deut. 4.2.

The Foundation of Knowledge.

The fear of the Lord is the be∣ginning of wisdom,

Prov. 1.7.

OF all creatures, Sub-ange∣lical Man is the noblest; of all the parts of Man, the Soul; of all the faculties of the Soul, the Understanding; which if not exercised about her genuine object, the Gospel-fear or true worship of her Creator, merits not the name of Sense; and he that bot∣toms his knowledge, or lays the Foundation of his wisdom on any other Basis, builds but

on the sand with hay and stub∣ble, and shall finde the edifice soon prove more brittle, then the shell of that brain which built it. Christ the wisdom of the Father is the Corner-stone of ours; and if other Founda∣tion any man hath laid, the structure, if it prove not his Babel in this world, will un∣doubtedly a Tower of Shilo in that to come. Whose wis∣dom begins not with the fear of God, ends in his eternal displeasure: If our wisdom commence with the fear of the Lord, his grace will ac∣company the progressions thereof, and his glory crown the event: Without this fear

there may be wit, not wisdo•…•… the gravest Sages, without 〈◊〉〈◊〉 are but the most decent fools; and the choicest extractions of their unsanctified brain, but the Chymistry of vaporing prophaneness, or at best, the high Magick of most learned Lunacy; For the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wis∣dom, Prov. 1.7.

The poor Mans Advocate.

Withhold not good from them to whom it is due, when it is in the power of thy hand to do it,

Prov. 3.27.

ROb not the Poor of the Tribute of thine Alms, lest at the general Assize or Grave-delivery they indict thee of Sacriledge. The poor mans Box is Gods Exchequer, and he that adds not to it, takes from it. There is not a mite given in charity on earth, but is recorded for a pound in Heaven; yea, a Cup of cold

water flowing from the bowels of Compassion, may so swell, that out of his belly shall flow even Rivers of Living water: There's not a poor man that asks a peny of thee, but thou art so much indebted to him, that in case he commence his Suit in Forma Pauperis, and prefer a Bill in the Chancery of Heaven by way of Petition against thee, it may be feared an Ite Maledicti may issue forth to thy everlasting and inevitable ruine. Thou owest God more for the Poors ask∣ing a peny of thee, then they could thee, hadst thou freely given them a pound; for in the one thou owest God praise for

the opportunity of doing good; but in the other they have but their own due, and thou doest but thy duty: Wherefore, Withhold not good from them to whom it is due, when it is in the power of thy hand to do it, Prov. 3.27.

The contented Spirit.

Drink waters out of thine own Cistern, and running waters out of thine own Well,

Prov. 5.15.

DIspleasure not a friend to be a slave to thine own lust, thy rags are Robes with

contentation; if thou hast not a mite for the Poor, endow them with thy Prayers; feast on thine own Lentils; quaff thy penitential tears, in stead of luscious wines, and count thy sins in stead of pounds; keep thy thoughts at home, and let not thy ambition climb beyond thy Makers pleasure; crack not the Misers heart-strings by countermining poli∣cy to rob him of his co∣vetousness: If thou hast a yolk and a shell, never keep house at another mans Table; its better be a Snail in his shell, then a Lyon in a Grate: Give the Devil his due, and plunder no man: Do not

cut a purse by Law, nor lay the foundation of thine own curse upon the ruines of an∣others happiness: Let both eyes be but single-sighted, and let not thy tongue be double-hearted: Rejoyce in the wife of thy youth, but let thy Neighbors alone: Drink waters out of thine own Ci∣stern, and running waters out of thine own Well, Prov. 5.15.

The Arm of Flesh.

Cursed is he that maketh flesh his Arm,

Jer. 17.5.

HIs is but a wing'd prospe∣rity, whose happiness is center'd in his riches; and his no stabler honor, whose am∣bition in the peoples breath; the one builds Castles in the ayr, and the other inhabits them; the one counts himself in heaven, when his neighbor is in hell, or in his debt; the other blesses himself as suffi∣ciently immortal, if some courteous Historian may be purchased to foist his noble

acts into the Margent of a Chronicle; the one erects the golden Calf, and the other worships it, both are an abo∣mination to the Lord: For what greater dishonor can be done the Creator, then to at∣tribute his Attributes to the Creature. When the Sword gives Laws, the well-lined bags of the one will prove but pin-proof; and when Deaths Herald summons the surrender of the Souls Citta∣del, titles of Honor will prove but a Cobweb-guard for the other: It is not Armies of men can secure thee in a Fa∣mine, nor thousands of Gra∣naries in a Pestilence, nor ei∣ther

of these supply its proper defect if thou rest thereon; whole vollies of prayers, un∣less levied by the eye of Faith, cannot prevent the incursion of the least of all Gods judge∣ments: All the policy of the world knows not how to quench the least flash of Light∣ning; the highest endowments of the most refined brain, the noblest spirit of the mightiest Champions; the eloquentest beauty amongst Natures darl∣ings, have not Rhetorick e∣nough to perswade Death to desist, though for an hour: He that speaks by his own eloquence, may gallantly plead the posthaste of his own ruine;

he that fights upon his own strength, is in actual war with himself; he that prays by his own spirit, hath them heard by his own ears: Say not then to either of these, This shall be my Sanctuary; for, Cursed is he that maketh flesh his Arm, Jer. 17.5.

Custom in Sin.

Can the Blackmore change his skin, or the Leopard his spots? then may ye also do good that are accustomed to do evil,

Jer. 13.23.

CUstom is a Law to the wicked, saith Solomon in

his wisdom; yet though sin and thou are Twins by nature, let not thy natural corruption practice it self into a habit, lest the Devil claim thee by pre∣scription: Hell hath some title to the Customary sinner, for all such desperate shipwracks of Faith fall within the Devils Royalty. To habituate our selves in evil, is what in us lies to devest our selves of all pos∣sibility of doing good; and he that from the cradle to the crutch sins away an age, may as soon command his gray hairs to resume their youthly colour, as incline a thought to Piety without a Miracle of Mercy: Every Customary sin,

like the sin of hypocrisie, hath more then one sin in it, every such sinner keeps the Records of Hell, and is the Devils best Customer: Its easier for the Devil to speak truth, then for the Customary sinner to act it: He that accustoms himself to lye, will sooner perjure his conscience, then confine him∣self to truths; he that accu∣stoms himself to theft, will sooner be hang'd for a rush, then deny himself the guilt of murther to purchase a purse; he that accustoms himself to be drunk, will sooner starve his posterity then be manacled to the rules of sobriety; he that accustoms himself to women,

will sooner be pox'd, then be wedded to chastity; and he that accustoms himself to swear, will rather be damn'd then be out of fashion: Can the Blackmore change his skin, or the Leopard his spots? then may ye also do good that are ac∣customed to do evil, Jer. 13.23.

Prevalency in Im∣portunity.

He had power over the Angel, and prevailed,

Gen. 32.28.

AWaiting Importunity is the childe of Faith, but

impatient solicitousness the brat of Presumption: To wrestle with the Lord by be∣lieving, is Saint-like, but to fight with him by presuming, Devilish. To the woman of Canaan Christ said, Be it un∣to thee even as thou wilt; but to Zebedees wife, Ye know not what ye ask: The graceless Judge who neither feared God nor regarded man, was yet conquered by an Importunate Widow. Let me alone, saith God to Moses, when Israel was at their Calf-Idolatry, as if his importunity had even bound (with reference be it spoken) the hands of the Al∣mighty, and prevail'd with

him to repent of the evil he intended them, Exod. 32.14. Heavens gate flies open at the importunity of a Righteous man, where Gods will takes place of ours, and patience hath her perfect work; and again, Heavens windows shall not open for three years and an half together, if Elias pray so, James 5.17. Indeed the Kingdom of Heaven suffer∣eth violence, and the violent onely take it by main force of Faith: There is nothing too hard for a zealous Importuni∣ty, which is not improper for God to grant, or thee to crave. Faiths wings in prayer flies up the soul towards Hea∣ven,

no higher then importuni∣ty swiftens them; If without this our prayer be fled Heaven∣wards, though it took wing at the heart, it will not light in the bosom. Faith apprehends a fit object, Hope takes level, to both which Importunity becomes that secret vertue which conveys the arrow to the mark: Though Jacobs ho∣ly Wrestler, when he saw he prevailed not, touch'd his thigh out of joynt, yet his faith remain'd sound enough to wrestle a blessing from him through the force of his im∣portunity: Thus by his strength he had power with God; yea, He had power over the An∣gel,

and prevailed, Gen. 32.28.

A Caveat for Charity.

Take heed that ye do not your alms before men to be seen of them,

Matth. 6.1.

VVHen thou castest thy bread on the waters, let thy right hand conceal it from the left, for a good work ill done, belies the intention of the Spirit, and scandals the truth of holiness. He that gives his alms to be seen of men, sells the reward of piety, to purchase the curse of pride;

the sure promises of God, for the vain applause of men; that the poor are more be∣holding to his vanity then his charity, whose bounty they highly gratifie, if they pray God to forgive him his hypo∣crisie. In a fit of good nature (if nature can be so) a man may drop an alms or two, but this is meer moral charity; the wretched Canker-worm of man-kinde may, in hope to do his Coffers right, by taking Gods promise for their securi∣ty, lend the poor an alms up∣on pawn of his Prayers Inte∣rest, but this is mercenary Charity: The gluttonous Epi∣cure, that in his jollity deny∣ed

the Poor the crums he gave his dogs, may on his death∣bed erect them an Hospital, but this is thanks-worthless charity; the prophane person in his gallantry may be very noble to the poor, but this is vain-glorious charity; the Hypocrite may embrace the Poors necessity as his alms opportunity, yet have but Pharisaick charity; the good meaning man may give libe∣rally to the sound Criple, but this is blinde charity; the heart-melting, yet purse-frozen Christian, may give large and fair words, but this is cold charity; and all these shall have their reward: Take

heed therefore how ye do your alms, Matth. 6.1.

The Pharisees Prayer.

God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, &c.

Luke 18.11.

A Proud Prayer is a ble∣mish'd Sacrifice; and he that with this Pharisee justi∣fies himself as righteous when he should confess his sins, wor∣ships the unknown God of his Merits, sacrificing his brain to the Calf of his lips, and his Auditors ears to the Dagon of his brain. Self-idolatry is a

most exquisite piece of Spi∣ritual witchcraft, it changes the Pulpit to a Stage at the turn of a hand, the breathings of a Spirit into strange Con∣vulsions of Wit; it makes but one thing of Idol and Idola∣ter, but one thing of every vain Babler and this Pha∣risee.

In this Prayer, yea in these few words thereof, where are no less then three lyes, and another sin in each, [God,] He meant nothing less, there∣fore lyed, and took the Name of God in vain; [I thank thee] gratitude implies some humi∣lity, therefore lyed and dissem∣bled that grace which he

wanted; [I am not as other men are] another lye accom∣panyed with Spiritual Pride and Arrogancy, beside a run∣ing vein of hypocrisie through∣out the whole; hence it is, that Simulata Pietas becomes Duplex Iniquitas. What a most gross Pharisee was this? and can any in this age be so ridiculous in the sight of God, or rather superlatively odious to the most High, as with the damned Angels and this Pha∣risee, to usurp more holiness then God vouchsafes them, and dissemble more then ere was in them: Such an Hypo∣crite is a Proteus in Religion, that would fain be Canonized

for his Tongue-devotion. A fair blazoned Catalogue of good works, is not the Argu∣ment of Prayer; nor a long Prayer, the infallible Argu∣ment of a good work: Let the Proud Pharisee court Hea∣ven with his complement, and accost the Lord with thanks that he is not as other men are; but let my Prayer be, Lord, be merciful to me a sinner, Luke 18.13.

The Key of the Grave.

And when he thus had spoken, he cryed with a loud voyce, Lazarus, come forth,

John 11.43.

NO wonder he should open anothers grave whilest himself lived, that could un∣lock his own when himself lay dead and buried in it: If Peter can by the power of Christ speak men dead with one word, Acts 5.5. no question but himself can speak them alive again by another: He that hath prevailed o're the gates of Hell, may easily com∣mand

the door of the grave; the power that opened the earth to let Corah in, may well open it again to let Lazarus out: The Resurrection shall be anticipated, the Graves shall yield their dead before the time, rather then the power of Christ shall admit dispute for the want of a miracle.

Draw the Curtain: Art not thou this Lazarus? Lazarus dead and buried? or Lazarus raised and revived? Lazarus had been but four days in the grave, and Martha concludes him to stink, and objects it in bar to Christs proceedings: How many times four years hast thou layen dead and bu∣ried

in the grave of sin, which may conclude thee also ex∣ceeding noysom in the nostrils of God? yet he never objected it as a bar to thy faith: Is not every faculty of thy soul, as well as each member of thy body, by reason of a long con∣tinuance among the dead, be∣come all putrified, and nothing but corruption? Is not every sin a grave for one faculty or other? hast thou not as many graves as sins? is there no cor∣ruption in thine heart? none in the will? none in the af∣fection? none in the judge∣ment? nay, would you think this Land and Nation were quite rotten, dead and buried?

and that it were now but the disturbed ghost of a body Po∣litique, that came to an un∣timely end by being her own Executioner? would you think that Judicatories, Pulpits, Ma∣gistracy and Ministery were all dead, buried, rotten, and full of corruption? I conclude no∣thing, onely offer these things to thy consideration; yet this I say, That supposing a verity in all this, yet if there be faith enough to believe, there is some hope, yea an assurance, That though the soul even-stink again, by reason of Cu∣stom in sin, yea, though the Devil himself roll a stone at the door of thy heart, not one∣ly

to bolt in the corruption that is already there, but also to harden it against the very means of Vivification, yet Christs blood having cryed with a loud voyce, Lazarus comes forth, John 11.43.

Judas his Epitaph.

From the Ministery and Apo∣stleship Judas by transgres∣sion fell, that he might go to his own place,

Acts 1.25.

THe saddest Epitaph that ever enshrin'd the memory of a dead Apostle; it seems he was degraded from his

Apostleship, before he went to his own place: What, had he a propriety in that place by purchase? doubtless even in this life he had the Livery and Seisin thereof in his consci∣ence, though he were not put into actual Possession till the Conveyances were sealed with his own blood: But what call you this place? where was it seated? how scituated? whose was it anciently? was Judas such an eminent person in his countrey, that Peter could pos∣sibly imagine that there could be no man ignorant of that Place, which was so properly his own? no question but the temper of that Expression hath

more of the Spirit in it, then a thousand of those unchari∣table Ignorations which thun∣der men to hell ipso verbo, be∣fore they understand whether they ever had their teeth set on edge by Judas his Sop, or in their practice consented to the Crucifying of the Lord of glory.

Its worth an Eligie, seriously to consider on how many of our monumental Sepulchres the Inscription of this Epitaph may rank it self, among the Elegiack Panigericks of our supposed Worthies: Doubt∣less if Judas, who confessed the fact and condemned him∣self, be gone to his own place,

such as make repetition of his damnable Doctrine, but equi∣vocate the act and justifie themselves, will post after him. By nature we are all the chil∣dren of wrath and heirs of hell, take heed therefore of go∣ing to thy one place; estrange thy self from the place of thy nativity, endeavor for an ino∣culation into a beter family, that when thou art hence de∣parted, posterity passing by thy Monument in the Chronicle of this life, may not read this Epitaph, That thou art gone un∣to thy place, Acts 1.25.

The Idolatrous Hosanna.

And when they heard these sayings, they were full of wrath, and cryed out, saying, Great is Diana of the Ephe∣sians,

Acts 19.28.

NOthing more perillous to the persons and estates of men, then to maintain a false Religion, when the errors thereof are discovered by the light of the Gospel; herein Demetrius was his Crafts-master, and rather then the Ephesian Lady shall suffer in her reputation, he will make

her free of the Company of Silversmiths, and the learned Town-Clerk shall search the Records to derive her discent from Jupiter, and he as zea∣ous for the Law, as the other for the Worship: Thus each in his Profession makes his Re∣ligion dance to the tune of his own private interests.

Are there no Mechanical gods among us? none who condemn the Town-Clerk, yet justifie Demetrius? that will not refer the matter to the Touchstone of the Law of Gospel? yet cry up the Idol of their own handicrafts insti∣tution. Was there a Diana in Ephesus? may I not say there

are five for one in England? which bring no small gain un∣to the Craftsmen: And that each mans Religion may pass for currant money, behold it stamp'd with Demetrius his Inscription, Great is Diana of the Ephesians, Acts 19.28.

The Eutychian Sluggard.

He fell down from the third loft, and was taken up dead,

Acts 20.9.

IT was a mercy that he scaped so, that the Earth was betwixt him and the bot∣tomless Pit, and that he stopt tumbling before he came into Hell. He is extreme drowsie whose body is not kept from sleeping at that Word, which is able to awaken his consci∣ence, though it slept a nap of an Age long; It seems this sluggard was in no little sleep, whom such a fall could not

awaken, for he was taken up dead; he must needs sleep whom the Devil rocks; but undoubtedly, him whom the Lord findes not alway watch∣ing, the Devil may one day catch napping.

There are more Sermon-sleepers then Eutychus dreamt of; have you never seen a man sleep at Sermon with his eyes open, but his ears shut? bid such an one repeat you the Sermon, and hee'll tell you his dream: have you never ob∣served a man at a Sermon to sleep very attentively, that heard, all, understood, little, and practised nothing: It seems there may be deaf hearers

as well as dumb Preachers. Thus there are more ways of sleeping at a Sermon then one, and for him that cannot refrain, it would be less Hy∣pocrisie to go to Hell in a fea∣ther-bed at home; for Euty∣chus slept but once that we hear of at a Sermon, yet be fell down from the third lost, and was taken up dead, Acts 20.9.

Pauls Viper.

There came a viper out of the heat, and fastened on Pauls hand,

Acts. 28.3.

VVHat, Come from a wreck at Sea, to pe∣rish by a worm on shore? so thought the kinde Barbarians; and thence presently conclude, that this Paul had a viperous hand in committing murther, and must suffer, though not by the violence of wind and seas, yet by the venom of this viper or their tongues; though he had no sooner shook hands with the Beast without pre∣judice,

and committed it to the fire without the leust hurt to his little finger, but they in∣stantly fall a deifying him, and then farther transgress by their idolatry, then they had done before by their uncharity.

It is a courteous piece of Barbarism, to entertain di∣stressed Strangers without cha∣rity; and the one half of our notorious Alms we should doubtless finde, if the Trum∣pet were impartially sounded to be scarce equivalent huma∣nity: They endeavor the pre∣servation of his person, but the ruine of his reputation, yet at the turn of a hand are ready to Sacrifice to him. And

wherein do we exceed these Barbarians, unless it be by ex∣ecuting as well as condemn∣ing the innocent? there is a certain kinde of pestilent ve∣nom disgorged out of the sto∣macks of most men, through the overflowings of the gall; better it were that these were purg'd, then vomited out; for proceeding from the in∣flammation of an incendiary spleen, it sticks closer to the reputations of men, then the viper which came out of the heat, and fastened upon Pauls hand, Acts 28.3

The just Mans Anchor.

The just shall live by faith,

Heb. 10.38.

NEutrality in a good cause, is a strong argument of a weak faith; and perverse re∣solvedness in a bad, no shal∣low Test of deep presumpti∣on. In times of persecution, Gods promises are the godly mans Sanctuary, who even in the midst of the flames, at once both smiles at the Ty∣ranny, and pities the folly of his Persecutors: the approach of an enemy may fright him from his House, not from his

Habitation; his House is in the body, but his home in Hea∣ven: In the hottest pestilence he fears onely the infection of sin; and when War produceth a Famine, he feeds on the peace of a good conscience: Though the floods of Confu∣sion inundate the foundation of Magistracy; though the Stars of the Gospels Firma∣ment fall, and the light there∣of be turned even into Egy∣ptian darkness that may be felt; though the Earth yawn to embowel mankinde, and the grave starve for want of nourishment; though Hell had no more work left to do, but to tempt and persecute,

yet The just shall live by faith, Heb. 10.38.

The Devil put to flight.

Resist the Devil, and he will flee from thee,

James. 4.7.

VVHen Hells Generalis∣simo, with Legions of potent temptations, besieges the naked fortress of thy un∣fortified soul; up, sound an Alarm to thy Faith, press all the graces of the one, and faculties of the other for Gods service; levy thy prayers un∣der

the Conduct of Gods Spi∣rit, list them under the Merit's Banner of the Captain of thy Salvation; look well to the outworks of thy moral acti∣ons, but narrower to the in∣ner line of thy treacherous thoughts; round the watch of thy whole man with care and constancy, keep a special watch at three of thy Cinque Ports; let Faith be the Ca∣ptain of the Main-guard, kept at the door of thy heart; ca∣shier all cowardly thoughts, and such as hold correspon∣dence with the Enemy; let not Hypocrisie as a Spy sneak in and out thy Garison; let the Watchword be Emmanuel,

and let a party of faithful Prayers be ever sallying out, till Relief be sent from Hea∣ven with a supply of Grace in a Sufficiency thereof: Resist the Devil, and he will flee from thee, James 4.7.

Balaams Ass.

The dumb Ass speaking with mans voyce, forbad the mad∣ness of the Prophet,

2 Pet. 2.16.

COvetousness is sufficiently detestable in such as wait but on their private callings, far more odious in those that

on State-Affairs, but most abo∣minable in those that on the Altar: To dishonor that God which made the earth, for the dross of it, is the ignoblest of ingratitudes; and for the menial servants of the high Lord of heaven and earth, to become the mercenary slaves of men, to discredit that Master whom they pretend to serve, is the inexemplariest president of the horridst rebellion. Some have had a strange dream of the Resurrection of Beasts, and thence most grosly held, that Creatures meerly Sensitive shall rise again; truly I know no better Argument to back this beast with, then to inter∣pret

that opinion to be under∣stood of this dumb Ass, to rise in judgement against the mad∣ness of many the supposed Prophets of our days; for though as the tree falls, so he shall lie, yet I cannot say, That he that lives and dyes a beast, shall rise so. Time was (I spare the present tense) when many learned Prophets for a mess of pottage sold the truth, to Anathematize the pillars thereof; me-thinks they are somewhat excusable, for they were mad; the silliest of all Animals here wonderfully qualified, at once both to pub∣lish and reprove their Lunacy: Beware then, thou that art in

the Lords Embassie, or oftner in thine own service under that notion, make not a trade of that which may and should be bought without money; nei∣ther set the gifts of God to sale; be not tempted by the baits of men to tempt the Al∣mighty, to counterdict his de∣terminate purposes; neither let the rewards of the wicked ensnare thee, to the prejudice of the faithful servants of God, lest they condemn thee of less understanding then the Horse or Mule; for, The dumb Ass speaking with mans voyce, for∣bad the madness of the Prophet, 2 Pet. 2.16.

The Spirits Touchstone.

Believe not every Spirit, but try the Spirits, whether they be of God or no,

1 John 4.1.

LOok well to thy faith, there are many false Pro∣phets risen up amongst us: Anchor it on firm ground, Re∣ligion blows too many ways: All Prophets are not Mi∣chaiahs; believe them not one Doctrine the sooner, for cir∣cumcising the Text, to come to the Cushion ere the matter, beating it down in stead of sin, and pressing it more then the Point they handle: All Pro∣phets

are not Micaiahs; be∣lieve them not one Corollary the sooner, for Metaphisicking the Temples into Schools, and learnedly confuting their own Objections, to salve their own Credits more then their Audi∣tors souls: All Prophets are not Micaiahs; believe them not one Sycophantick lye the sooner for their multitude, or the high qualifications of their Chaplainship; King Ahab had four hundred, and a lying Spirit in them all. Gods word is the Spirits Touchstone, thereby thou mayest distin∣guish the Wolf from the Lamb, and the Serpent from the Dove: Commit not thy

souls fraight to the faith of every wind, nor thy faith to the wind of every Doctrine, lest thou make Ship-wrack of both: Believe not every Spi∣rit, but try the Spirits, whe∣ther they be of God or no, 1 John 4.1.

Simon the Cross-bearer.

And as they came out, they found a man of Cyrene, Si∣mon by name, him they com∣pelled to bear his cross,

Mart. 27.32.

VVE read of no less then four Simons in the

Gospel, Simon Peter firnamed Bar-jona, Matth. 16.17. the Fisherman-Apostle, Matth. 4.18. Simon Magus the Sama∣rian Sorcerer, Acts 8.9. Si∣mon Zelotes, Luke 6.15. the Canaanite, Matthew 10.4. and this Simon of Cyrene, Matth. 27.32. who bare that Cross, which bare that Christ who bare our Sins, Isa. 53.11. what a heavy weight was that? were there as many worlds as atomes in this, and each of them multiplyed by the high∣est of numbers, they were all too light to ballance the least chip of this Cross: To stile him the Gospel-Atlas, is too diminutive an Epithite: What,

did Simon bear Christs Cross? a load that would have made the very Pillars of Heaven and Earth to crack agen? No, Christ bare his own Cross; none but himself could bear that Cross, and our Curse; in∣deed Simon bare that wooden Cross the stony Jews prepared out of Jerusalem's Oaks; and Simons Apes, at this day, bear that Golden Cross the leaden Priests, or Demetrian Roma∣nists, prepare for the Worship of their Ave-Diana: If Simon had born Christs Cross, he should have been Simon the Martyr of Gyrene; Simon may be said to bear the Cross of Christ, but not Christs Cross.

Thus many are erroneously supposed Christs Cross-bear∣ers, when oft-times they are no better then Christs Cruci∣fiers: And thus if a covetous wretch, that is a Piety-pre∣tender, be summoned to dis∣burse for Christs State-service, he will suffer in person by im∣prisonment, rather then in his bounty by enlargement; and submit himself to be shut fast, rather then his Coffers to be opened; yet plead Conscience, as if it were that onely which is so straight-laced, whereas indeed his purss-strings are shrunk, yet then proclaim him∣self as one of Christs Cross-bearers, when mean while, like

Covetous Judas, he is but his own Budget-bearer: Mon∣sters in nature there are; if there could be Monsters in Grace, the Hypocrite must be one of the ugliest. All sufferers are not Christs Cross-bearers, nor all dyers for Religion, Martyrs; But if thou suffer, not in, but for a good cause, and for a good conscience, then art thou one of Christs happy Cross-bear∣ers: if thou patiently bear re∣proach, contempt, and the scorn of men for the Gospels sake, then mayest thou more properly be said to bear Christs Cross, then the Man of Cyrene, Simon by name, whom they compelled to bear his Cross, Mar. 27.32.

The Soldiers Mistake.

They parted my garments a∣mong them, and upon my vesture did they cast lots,

Mat. 27.35.

VVAs there ever a fairer distribution of such sa∣crilegious plunder? yet who but a Prophet could have thought, that those Robes which ap∣parelled the Son of God, should ever have cloath'd such impious varlets?

They parted his garments a∣mong them,] There may be Rents, Sects and Divisions in

the Church, among the visi∣ble members thereof; but the seamless Vesture, Truth, the Churches pure and unblemish∣able Ornament, maugre the prophanest violence of the rudest Soldier, shall ever re∣main inviolably whole, perfect and intire. Naked wretches! what covert gave these Orna∣ments to your shameful infide∣lity? what beauty to your de∣formity? what lustre to your ugliness? you embrace a Sha∣dow, and let the Substance vanish.

No wonder the members are left naked, when the body is devested: But are these ig∣norant Soldiers the onely

mistaken creatures? are there not others who wear Christs Livery, yet crucifie their Sa∣vior? none who put him to death, that they may part his garments among them? none that wear the costly Orna∣ments of Ceremonial Wor∣ship, yet are naked in regard of the true Ornament of Faith, and the living object thereof? Are there none that rest upon duties, yet murther their Christ in their daily practice? no hy∣pocrites, that put on the out∣side of Religion, yet line it with Martyr-Scarlet? none that garb themselves accord∣ing to the season of the times, and temper of Promotions

Clime, wearing that Religion which is most in fashion, though never so unbeseem∣ing the quality of a true Christian, or unfit for the soul that wears it, cutting the size of their Conscience by the measure of their ambiti∣on, not their Religion by the rule of Gods Word? Are there none who seem to put on Christs Livery at every du∣ty, at every Sermon, on every Sabbath, yea at every meal, yet devest themselves of the garments of his Righteous∣ness? Thus all the world's mistaken: The Soldier's was an ignorant mistake, but ours a wilful; they left the sub∣stance

for the shadow, we take the shadow for the substance: What's the difference? they crucified one Christ, we new make another; they out of the rude deportment incident to their profession, part among them his garments whom they crucified; we, by the dirt of our hypocritical performances, bespatter his garments whom we profess to hallow: All which is now come to pass, that it might indeed be fulfilled what was spoken by the Prophet, They parted my garments among them, and on my vesture did they cast lots, Psal. 22.18.

The learned Babler.

Then certain Philosophers of the Epicureans, and of the Stoicks, encountred him; and some said, What will this Babler say?

Acts 17.18.

VVHat makes Paul at Athens? knew he not that the Inscription of Anti∣quity on the one side, and the Teste of the Learned stamp'd on the other, makes a currant Religion of the grossest Super∣stition? knew he not, that he was to buckle with a whole Academy of Idolaters, and that nothing obstructed the

propagation of the Gospel, in the purity and simplicity thereof, so much as the un∣sanctified superfluities of Hu∣mane wisdom? Grant this, yet were there any Lectures of Jesus in the Attick Schools? or had the body of Philosophy any knowledge of a Resurrecti∣on? or could it Syllogistically conclude a Trinity of Persons from the premises of one most absolute, pure, simple, undi∣vided Divine Essence? This was a mystery too Metaphysi∣cal for the profoundest So∣phies in Athens; thence say they, Let us hear what this babling fellow will say.

And are there no English

Athenians, that hold the spi∣rituality of Gospel-discourse to be meer babling? the preaching of Jesus to be the setting forth of some strange God, or some new Doctrine? little dream our Holy-day Formalists, that there is any Athenianism in their Devoti∣ons, whilst they value the sin∣cere, plain, and uninticing words of the wisdom of God, but as the preterfluous evacua∣tions of overcharg'd clouds, and the demonstrations of the Spirit, but as the Ignis Fatu∣us of a Superzealous Comet▪ Little dream our Eutychian Sermon-sleepers, that they are guilty hereof, when they nod

it as plainly and distinctly as ever any Athenian spake it: Little think our Philosophical Longobards, our universal Scholasticks, Learnings Stan∣dards, that their self-elation contracts this guilt, when Ido∣lizing their own endowments, Herod-like they sacrilegiously rob God of that honor which is his, by casting the Cob-web vail of their usurped Hosanna's over Natures more refined qualities, to detract from the Fountain of Wisdom, from the wisdom of the Highest; insomuch, as were Paul him∣self to be sent in a second mes∣sage, they would boldly ac∣cost him with this Salutation,

What will this Babler say? Acts 17.18.

The Athenian In∣scription.

As I passed by and beheld your devotions, I found an Altar with this Inscription, TO THE UNKNOVVN GOD; whom ye ignorantly worship,

Acts 17.23.

THis nigh seems no less Atheistical then Supersti∣tious: To disacknowledge the known God, may stand as a Maxime in Atheism; to ac∣knowledge the unknown God,

as a Paradox in Superstition: To worship we know not what, is the center of all Idolatry: and as Atheism stands at the right hand of Prophaneness, so Superstition on the blinde side of Ignorance: No won∣der Ignorance is held the Mo∣ther of Devotion, when any thing becomes the Idol of Ig∣norance. Ask the meer nominal Christian, the morally religi∣ous man, that to gain heaven will not have his Religion tread out of his Ancestors steps, for fear of prophaning their Canoniz'd dust; nor that heaven should suffer the least violence by him, lest himself suffer the stigm of Sect or

Schism in the Pot-opinions of his right-elbow friends; that will not omit morn or evening prayer, for fear he should not with a quiet conscience use his accustomed liberty in the in∣tervals; ask this mans Prayer, whose Superscription hath it? if the God were Known, I doubt we might read Duty on the Altar, and Infidelity in the Heart: Ask the Ignorant soul what Inscription is on his Al∣tar, whence so much strange incense is vanish'd into smoak; he knows not whither, and you will finde this Inscription, TO THE UNKNOVVN GOD, on the altar of his heart, or Da∣vid was no Prophet, Psal. 14.1.

Who thought the fool such a cordial Atheist? or Ignorance such a zealous blinde devotist? it seems Superstition and Atheism are very near allied: O that the Lord, when he pas∣seth by and beholds our De∣votions, may not finde Altars with this Inscription, TO THE UNKNOVVN GOD, whom we ignorantly worship, Acts 17.23.

The Female-Preacher.

Likewise, ye wives, be in sub∣jection to your own hus∣bands, that if any obey not the word, they may without the word be won by the conversation of the wives,

1 Pet. 3.1.

THe Female-preacher! what new preposterous Do∣ctrine is that? doth not the Apostle writing to the Corin∣thians, silence that Sex in the Church, 1 Cor. 14.34. and thence issue a peremptory in∣hibition? saith he not in the fol∣lowing verse, that It is a shame

for women to speak in the Church? how stands it then with the modesty of their Sex? are there in these latter days such effusions of Spirit, as wo∣men may now wear a Pulpit, to make that their glory, which primitively was their shame? 'tis so without a paradox in the Oeconomicks of Divinity; a sweet and gracious conversa∣tion, doth Preach most excel∣lent Gospel-Doctrine; a ver∣tuous life, is a visible word of truth, it takes God for the Text, Truth for the Doctrine, and Holiness for the Use; it doth Preach in its practice, yea so powerfully, that oft-times faith cometh by seeing: The

vertuous conversation of the wife, doth sometimes prove a happy Sermon to the husband; modesty in her, will Preach chastity to him; her saying lit∣tle, reproves his rage; her wise home-keeping, is an use of con∣viction to his sociable profuse∣ness; her charity condemns his Nabalism; her circum∣spection, doth most powerful∣ly press the point of Parental Providence, and oft prevents the husband from turning Infi∣del or worse; her tenderness doth teach him kindeness; and when she preaches love to him, she takes the Text out of her own Obedience: The practice of her subjection to him, doth

Preach the duty of his to Christ; and indeed he preach∣eth best, that best practiceth: To practice the Sermon we hear, is the best way of repeat∣ing it; but to repeat the Ser∣mon we see, is the ready way to practice it: Such a visible Sermon, is every graceful action proceeding from a ver∣tuous and obedient wife; and if ever the devout Conversa∣tion of the wife prove the sa∣vour of life unto life for the husband; if ever the wife of his bosom procure him a place in Abrahams, all her piety to her God must be attended on with discreet loyalty to her husband, else in vain had the

Apostle injoyned Wives to be in subjection to their own hus∣bands, that if any obey not the word, they might without the word be won by the conversa∣tion of the wives, 1. Pet. 3.1.

Crums from the Table.

But he answered and said, It is not meet to take the childrens bread, and cast it to dogs: And she said, Truth, Lord; yet the dogs eat of the crums which fall from their masters table,

Matth. 15.26,27.

CHrists Offals are a feast to the humble soul, where

there is a hungry faith, where∣as his rarest dainties are but nauciated by the proud and full-fed Christian: Faith with∣out humility flies up the soul to the Pinacle of Presumption, and humility without faith oft lights it in the Valley of De∣spair: The children and the dogs must not sup at one Ta∣ble; Christ is no Gospel-pearl for Swine, Legion is more wel∣come to such a Heard, then he to such a Legion. To this lat∣ter Age of ours, indeed times dotage, to this old decrepid bow-back'd world is served in Christs second course, the choicest rarities of Gospel-truths; but we have so apishly

alamoded even our very pal∣lates, and so adulterated the substantial food of wholesome Doctrine, by the leaven and sawcy Compounds of our own Traditions, that our poor souls do even starve, whilest our con∣sciences surfeit; such is the scarcity of nutrifactive Truths under such plentiful varieties of new-dress'd dispensations: When servants feast it, wo be to the childrens bread; when Stewards feast dogs with the childrens bread, who hungers for the masters crums? where's now the Masters Table? who keeps forth the Lords house? is there no provision made for the Lords Table? where are

the Stewards? is there a dearth in Heaven? is not that sheet which epitomized the Creation for Peters appetite, Acts 10.11,12. broad enough to cover the Lords Table for our faith? or are there no Guests at lei∣sure to sup with the Lord? happily this man hath bought a piece of England, that man a yoke of Offices, the third happily hath married a wife of his own canonizing; but are there no poor souls in the high∣ways, no maimed consciences, that on their recovery would rejoyce at the crums which fall from this Table? its worth our tears to acquaint the Master, how those sharp-set dog-like

appetites, which were not wor∣thy the crums of his Table, have in revenge snarl'd his Ta∣ble into crums; yet It is not meet to take the childrens bread and cast it to such dogs, though the dogs eat of the crums which fall from their masters table, Matth. 15.26,27.

The Camel travel∣ling through the needles eye.

It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, then for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God,

Matth. 19.24.

IS Heavens gate less then a needles eye? no wonder few there be that finde it, Matth. 7.14. or is it the rich mans greatness that obstructs his passage and denyes him en∣trance? indeed our Savior en∣titles the Poor to a propriety in this Kingdom, Luke 6.20.

and its the onely inheritance that usurping Ahabs could ne∣ver yet plunder from our poor and innocent Jezreelites. But why so difficult a thing for rich men to enter heaven? because so facile a thing for hell to en∣ter them. Though it be even a Proverb with Solomon, Prov. 14.20. That the rich hath many friends, yet he may not expect to be Abrahams bosom-friend; there's not a drop of water for him in heaven, who hath not a crum of bread for Lazarus on earth. 'Tis possi∣ble that Creatures of a larger bulk then Camels, may by the dexterity of the Artist pass through a needles eye in some

exquisite acupicture piece; so you may finde the Portraict of a rich man in the picture of a parable, but a great gulf-wide from heaven: It is the invellei∣ty of the Creature, which oft times renders that impossible, which in it self is feazible; and if Heaven were an earthly Pa∣radice, or Eternity could be rated and purchasable at twen∣ty years value, the rich being here but Tenants at Will, at most for Term of Life, it should cost them an Hospital, but their souls should have a rever∣sion in Heaven; were that transparent anonimity, 1 Cor. 2.9. and 2 Cor. 12.4. but penetrable by such blunt and

sensual dross: Go to now ye rich men, weep and howl, &c. Jam. 5.1. Indeed without are dogs, Rev. 22.15. what sad news is this? news more desperate then a Bankrupts debt; Is there no possibility of entrance into heaven for the rich? hath that Saint, whom the Roma∣nists idolize as the Clavis of Heaven, wept out all his Apostacy, yet no room but at the Italian Ephisus for a little bribery? have the Mammo∣nists on earth nothing to do with Heavens Exchequer? dare we say such a man is not in Heaven because he dyed rich? God forbid; our Savior never superfluated any Truth;

he saith, A rich man shall hard∣ly enter into heaven, Matth. 19.23. but all difficulties im∣ply a possibility; and if but a grain of faith can cause Moun∣tains of earth to skip into the Sea, Matth. 17.20. & 21.21. can it not as easily convey a few earth-worms into heaven? onely it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, then for a rich man to enter in∣to the kingdom of God, Matth. 19.24.

Rabbi, Rabbi.

Then spake Jesus to the mul∣titude, and to his Disciples, saying, The Scribes and Pha∣risees sit in Moses seat, &c. and love the uppermost rooms at feasts, and the chief seats in the synagogues, and greet∣ings in the markets, and to be called of men, Rabbi, Rabbi,

Matth. 23.1,2,6,7.

AS there is not a vainer puff of pride, then hypocriti∣cal humility; so there is not a more ridiculous piece of folly, then a serious affected gravity, where ambition is worn with

the wrong side outward: The Peoples Hosanna bred Vermin in Herod, that he became even worms-meat above ground, Acts 12.23. and 'twas the Scribes impudence to have that Chair for their Pulpit, which cost the ambitious Sons of Levi a Journey under ground, Numb. 16.32. Though it be not denyed but they were learned Expositors of the Law, yet we see not what niceties thereof they or their surviving hanging-sleeves at this day, can plead in Bar to that Action of Damage, which the poor mans Advocate hath com∣menced against them in Mat. 23.4. The Jews Proverb was,

The People of the Land are the footstool of the Pharisees: ours may be, The footstool of the People are the Pharisees of the Land. The Scribes were the Law-Criticks; The Pharisees Gospel-mimicks; The Scribes being Lawyers, made no conscience of washing their hands after a bribe, as the other before a feast, Mark 7.3. nor with much difficulty obtained the Hypocrites portion; but the Pharisees took more pains for eternal pains, and were more exact in going to Hell: It would nonplus a Syna∣gogue of Rabbies, to riddle whether they were more swoln with Ambition, or over-scurfed

with hypocrisie: It is not worth one dram of Super-rational Faith, to believe the lying Spirit in Ahab's Prophets, was no other then the Spirit of Na∣both, whom he had formerly slain; yet the creating Vote of this Supercilious Generation, is sufficient to Enact it in the Talmud for a tradition of faith to Posterity: Those whited-Sepulchres, would far better become a Charnel-house then Moses Seat. They had an ex∣cellent faculty of paying Tithe to a grain, but, Wo to widows Houses when they said their Prayers; It was their charity to loud Musick, that made them ambitious of it to the

Poor: Their devotion was very zealous for the Chief Seats in the Synagogues, and the uppermost Room was their best Cheer at a Feast, where they had a very good stomack to feed on the Chair at the Tables end: If this genera∣tion of Vipers can answer our Savior, how they can escape the damnation of Hell, Matt. 23.33. then let those blinde guides be greeted in our Mar∣kets (as too frequently they are) with the idolatrous salu∣tations of Rabbi, Rabbi.

Peace, be still.

And he arose, and rebuked the wind, and said unto the sea, Peace, be still: and the wind ceased, and there was a great calm,

Mark 4.39.

VVHilst Christ slept, the winds awaked; whilst he lay down, the storm rose: when Christ arose, the winds fell; and when he spake, they held their peace: when Christ took his rest, the Ship took none; but silence command∣ed, and the Winds, the Sea, the Ship, and all are pacified: Where's the miracle? Shall

not the Sea become a standing Pool, when he rebukes the wind, at whose rebuke the wa∣ters were unchanell'd, and the foundations of the world dis∣covered? Psal. 18.15. shall not the troubled Ocean be∣come a bed of rest for him, who layeth the Beams of his Chambers in the Waters? Psalm 104.3. or shall not he bridle the wind, who maketh the clouds his Chariot, Psal. ibid. shall not he that brings the winds out of his Treasu∣ries, Psalm 135.7. whistle them back again? shall not he clip the wings of the wind that flies thereon? Psalm 18.10. shall not that stormy wind ful∣fil

his word, Psalm 148.8. whose word fills full the wind with storms? Psalm 107.25. shall not his voyce still the Seas, Psalm 65.7. at whose presence the Earth trembles? Psalm 18.7. shall not he that giveth snow like wool, Psalm 147.16. scatter the Sea-froth like ashes? shall not his path be plain, Psal. 27.11. whose way is in the sea? Psal. 77.19. No wonder his mercy should still the surface of the waves, Psal. 65.7. whose wrath shakes the foundation of the hills? Psal. 18.7. Say then the world were all afloat with blood, and in unconstant motions; say Antichristianism blew a storm,

that whilest the Master-Pilot seemed to have slept, the doubtful Mariners, shifting the sayls of their Religion with the wind of every doctrine, had anticipated their danger by the self-shipwrack of their own faith; say Truth, the Churches Cargaison, lay at the mercy of the insulting waves, or tu∣mult of the People, Psal. 65.7. say all the blood from righ∣teous Abel to Zacharias, slain between the Temple and the Altar, emptied it self into the bloody Ocean of these latter ages, Cannot he that turned the Red-sea into dry Land, Psalm 66.6. repeat one won∣der in a Gospel-season? say

the East and Western storms of persecution, together with intestine whirlwinds, threaten inevitable ruine to the distres∣sed Vessel, cannot that High Lord, to whom the wind and sea owe their Allegiance, si∣lence those Euroclydons, spunge those impetuous Waves, and land his Ark upon the Ararat of his holy Hill in Sion? or say the State, full fraighted and deep loaden with the invallu∣able riches of that long-ac∣quiring, yet perishable treasure of all Civil Happiness, were in the Bedlam-surges of a Civil War, so tossed and fluctuated by the violence of factious winds and gusts of Machivili∣anism,

that all the Steersmen seem'd beside their Compass, and every common Marriner ready to make Ship-wreck of a good conscience on the open ledges of most desperate pro∣phaneness, or invisible Quick∣sands of some dangerous Opi∣nion; yet he before whom all nations are as nothing, Isa. 40.17. can soon annihilate the stirs of one: he that stilleth the noise of the Waves, can quickly appease the madness of the People, Psal. 65.7. if he touch the Hills they smoak, Psal. 104.3. and if he touch the heart (though as hard and lofty as the other) shall it not melt? Doubtless, he that re∣buked

the wind, and gave to the sea his decree, Prov. 8.29. can as easily muzzle the rage of wicked men, and say to the Church, Peace; and to the State, Be still.

The Charitable Martyr.

And he kneeled down, and cryed with a loud voyce, Lord, lay not this sin to their charge; and when he had said this, he fell asleep,

Acts 7.60.

A Good evening Prayer to bedward, a set form of

charity, not unworthy our eve∣ry nights practice, if Stephens heart be our bed-fellow: To forgive an Enemy, is the gal∣lant'st way of conquering; and he that can dye pardoning his persecutors, survives their ma∣lice in his immortal charity: Revenge justifies a wrong, but patient forgiveness heaps coals of fire on the Marble-wretch, till by confession, through the repercussions of a self-in∣diting conscience, he drops out all the blood he formerly had suck'd, and his frozen heart be throughly dissolved. Be∣hold this soft-hearted, though stoned Saint, call him Stephen the Baptist to Christs death,

Luke 12.50. Mat. 20.23. this Pelican of Martyrs, how to the life he dyes in charity: Not to bless them which curse us, is the ready way to double that curse upon us; and by the not forgiving such as trespass us, we not onely unpray our prayers, and deprecate our own happiness, but we pray God we may be damned; we endeavor to delude God by our fraudulent petitions, we give our selves the lye, and the world our hypocrisie. To for∣get an injury, is more then nature can promise, yet to for∣give it, is less then charity com∣mands or grace can perform; for to pray for an Enemy im∣plies

more then forgiveness, and any thing less then for∣giveness implies nothing less then revenge: To forget in∣juries is the best use we can make of an ill memory; to forgive them, is a capital sign of true charity; but to do good for evil, is the happy evidence of sound Religion: Since 'tis no Comet among the vapors of this age, to account him a man of the best stomack, that can digest least wrongs, let this stand for no Paradox, That the meekest minde hath the highest Spirit, Psal. 127.6. An injury well remembred, is ill retain'd, and half reveng'd; If ever thou hope thy charity

should live after thee, let the injuries of others dye before thee; and if ever thou expect thy blood should cry [How long Lord?] under the Altar, let it cry [Forgive Lord] over thy Grave: Thus Stephen kneeled down, and cryed with a loud voyce, Lord, lay not this sin to their charge; and when he had said this, he fell asleep, Acts 7.60.

Reliance on Providence.

Therefore take no thought, say∣ing, What shall we eat? or what shall we drink? or wherewithal shall we be cloa∣thed? for your heavenly Fa∣ther knoweth that ye have need of all these things,

Mat. 6.31,32.

NOt to believe God, is to give him the lye; and not to acquiesce in his Promises, doth as well dispute the point of his Power, as question the infalibility of his Truth: Gods promises are the Patrimony of the faithful, whereby they keep

heaven in hand, but let out the lower world to inferior Peasants: Gods Providence is the yonger brothers Inheri∣tance, and a fair one too, or Josephs Vice-Royalty, Gen. 41.40. was but a dream. Ra∣ther then Elijah shall want a Providence to feed him in a famine, or Sampson the like to feast him, the Raven of Fowls shall be a Cater for the one, and the Lyon of Beasts an Epulary for the other; yea, the Lyon and the Raven, though the prey-Creatures of earth and ayr, yet seek their meat of God, Psal. 104.21. and 147.9. whereas the earth∣ly minded (who know no bet∣ter

Providence then their own) make a god of their Meat, Phil. 3.19. a whole flock of such Peacocks, that glory in their train, is not worth one Sparrow, which lights not on ground without a conveyance of Providence: If Solomons gallantry came short of those withering blushes, that but enamell'd the earth, well worth the trusting is that Providence, with the care of that earth he refin'd for the superscription of his own image, to enamel it with the graces of his Spirit. To call this unhappy accident, or that unexpected circum∣stance, the issue of Chance or Fortune, is but a rustick piece

of sophistical Atheism: There's not a hair of thy head but is placed to accompt in the the Diary of Providence, the number whereof though incal∣culable, yet comes far short of ballancing the summa totalis of thy sins: And though for want of better spectacles, that seems Chance in respect of us, which is Providence in respect of God; yet that Sect of Under∣standers, who refer all things to Gods absolute will in a way of fatal necessity, do as much calumniate that superintendent Attribute of his Mercy, as the other detract from the ir∣resistability of his Power: If thou wouldst live by Provi∣dence,

take God to his Word; for Providence without a pro∣mise, may be large Bounty without the least mercy: Now, all his promises are Yea and Amen: Therefore take no thought what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink, or where∣withal, &c. Matth. 6.31,32.

See thou do it not.

And I fell at his feet to worship him; and he said unto me, See thou do it not,

Rev. 19.10.

'TWas well prevented; the Prophetical Divine was within a foot of Idolatry:

There was but an Almost be∣tween Agrippa and a Christi∣an, and there was no more be∣tween John and an Idolater; the one had almost overtaken, by his Faith, that Scribe or discreet respondent in the Go∣spel, travelling on the Drome∣dary of his works to the King∣dom of God, from which he was not far, Mat. 12.34. the other was as fast posting to the Kingdom of Satan, had he not in the way, when he fell, stum∣bled on a Vide ne feceris. Had not the Angel entred a caveat, the Divine had proved a most false Will-worshipper; thus he that was so well seen in the vi∣sions of God, was dazled with too much light.

And are not the Saints then much ingaged to those Sacri∣legious Idolists of the western Babylon, for doing them more honor then Angels dare admit of; indeed, unless their worship were better, its no matter who had it, if God could be so satis∣fied. Idolatry is the Epidemi∣cal sin of the world; there's scarce a Nation this side Hea∣ven, a people in any Nation, a profession in any people, a per∣son in any profession, a soul in any person, or a faculty in any soul, to whom it may not be said, See thou do it not. Not to do what we are commanded, is Disobedience or Rebellion; to do what we are not command∣ed,

uperstition; & to do what we ought, in that way we ought not, Idolatry: If we worship the true God in a false way, we make an Idol of God; if we worship a false god in the true way, we make a god of an Idol. Indeed, all thoughts co∣gitable, all words articulable, and all actions performable by the Creature, as they tend ei∣ther to the honor or dishonor of the Creator, so have they in them a true worship, or down∣right Idolatry: For Covetous∣ness, which is idolatry, Col. 3.5. may not be measured onely by thy purse-strings, but dilates it self to all the evils man na∣turally covets to commit:

Thus the whole world makes but one Idol; to our Savior it was the Devils gratituity, if he would condescend to worship him; to us it is the Devils Da∣gon which he hath set up for all People, Nations and Lan∣guages, at the sound of the in∣chanting Musick of his tem∣ptations, to fall down and worship, or be cast into the burning fiery Furnace of Per∣secution; and where shall we finde a trusty Daniel? indeed we have many that will burn, rather then fall to the least su∣perstition; yet take them out of the road of notorious idola∣try, and let the Idol be com∣pounded of Spiritual Pride,

invisible Covetousness, Equi∣vocated Love to earthly Tem∣porals, or any other materials of their own Ingredients and Erection, and you shall finde Christendom nonplus'd to pa∣rallel such a Trinity of unidola∣trous Children: insomuch that as the corrupter ages have been ever bowing to the great Idol of Antichristianism, which mystical Nebuchadnezzar hath set up; so the more refined times to the brazen Serpent in their own hearts, those dregs of remaining corruption, to which the most superstitionless Saint would fall down, wor∣ship, and finally Sacrifice, did not the Angel of the Cove∣nant

by his Spirit intervene with a See thou do it not, Rev. 19.10.

The mad Prodigal.

And when he came to himself, he said, How many hired ser∣vants of, &c.

Luke 15.17.

ANd when he came to him∣self] Why, whither went this yonger brother? how far had he been from himself? truly he had been with Swine; you may guess what his Pro∣fession was, when he parted from sober company; he asked leave of his father, to take

leave of himself, and parted from himself, when he bad rea∣son adieu: That charity begins at home, was the first thought that came to the Prodigal, af∣ter the Prodigal came to him∣self; and it was a happy escape, that during his desperate Lu∣nacy for want of Acorn husks, he had not made use of an Oaken bough: He began to go out of himself, when first he would fain be his own man; but when he came again to himself, he was half way home to his own happiness: He begg'd heartily for his own curse, when he first asked his Fathers blessing; and had not the swine fared the better of

the two, the herd should be drowned ere himself would cry Peccavi.

Swine and Drunkards, meet Companions; Swine and Lust∣mongers, very fit Sty-fellows, Hogs and Epicures, Boars and Hell-Stalions, Sows and Har∣lots, Pigs and Prodigals; pity such proper English that runs so naturally, should ever know any other construction then what the nature of the beast admits.

Though this be but a Para∣ble, yet here's a Parent and a Prodigal, a Blessing and a Curse, an elder and a yonger brother, a faithful and unfaith∣ful servant, a penitent childe,

and a pardoning Father, a self∣justifying servant, yet a wise rewarding Master; indeed the whole mystery of mans Sal∣vation: In which Parable, He that hath an ear to hear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto his Conscience; and unless he resolves to dye in this Bed∣lam, and perish in the other, he will be of this Prodigals minde, When he came to him∣self, and said, &c. Luke 15.17.

The true Ornament.

Whose adorning, let it not be that outward adorning, of plaiting the hair, &c. But let it be the hidden man of the heart,

1 Pet. 3.3,4.

HOw? is not plaiting the hair a commendable Or∣nament? with what deformed beauties then is this Age dis∣figured? how handsomly it makes it self ugly? what pains it takes to be ridiculous? bet∣ter the brain were out of his place, then the excrescency thereof, or the whole head ake, then one hair not well: How many happy Good∣morrows might the soul bid

it self, by asking blessings of her heavenly Father, whilst she stands sacrificing the pre∣cious Morn to the Idol in the Looking-glass? how many Virgin-Oraizons might be ear∣ly up at heaven, whilst the ingenious fancy is so zealous at new-modelling that care∣ful careless Love-lock, or the Woodcocks snare, as if there were some Gordian Magick in each curl? But doth this refer onely to the Feminine? then is this Age Hermophro∣dited; is not he the most ad∣mired Comet, that can be most fantastick? Some are so well read in the Glass and Comb, as to divide a hair,

and again reconcile them with a wet finger, others curl them with a powder; doubtless both these do stand very much on their heads; no wonder their Brain-shell is so addle, when the choycest of their Intellects walk with its heels upward, that the whole Microcosm can espy no other Horoscope then that of the Antipodes: You may guess the substance of what's within, by the dust of what's without; and if ever a Wit did put a Solecism upon his own brain, 'twas when he first went to School to adorn his head on the outside, for every sober man wears his head

with the wrong side outward; but he whose head came new∣ly out of a Mill-sack, makes more of the offals of his Cra∣nium, then the brain it self is worth.

And is this then the grave Christians Ornament? Away, you that profess piety, blazon no more vanity, such dusty cob-webs are no mettal for the Helmet of your Salvati∣on; be not so vainly ingeni∣ous in dressing but a Virmins Forrest, with such odoriferous curls; 'tis but a spans length off, and other Virmin by the dust and oyncture of your own rottenness shall do it for you: Shall not he that cover∣eth

himself with a cloud, Lam. 3.44. that putteth on the gar∣ments of vengeance for clo∣thing, and is clad with zeal as with a cloak, Isa. 59.17. send baldness in stead of well-set hair? Isa. 3.24. and smite with a scab the crown of the head? ver. 17. he that clothes the grass of the field shall strip thee naked: If ever there∣fore thou hopest to put on the garments the four and twen∣ty Elders wear about the Throne, Rev. 4.4. or if ever thou expectest to be clothed with immortality of bliss, away with the bravery of your tinckling Ornaments, with the wimples and the crisping pins,

Isa. 3.18,22. the Prophet there compares your Cauls and Tyres to the Moon; no won∣der sober mindes conclude you Lunatick.

And you that are the Ama∣zons of the Age, but of the Masculine-Gender, that take your pastime in War, yet walk as if shod with the pre∣paration of the Gospel of Peace; if you must needs wear Arms in Halcyonian days, put on the Shield of Faith, the Breast-plate of Righteousness, and the Hel∣met of Salvation; Belt your selves with the Girdle of Truth, but do not draw the Sword of the Spirit, which

is the Word of God, out of any other Scabbard then the Scriptures: This is that true Ornament, which becomes every sober, wise, grave, mo∣dest and true Christian, Whose adorning, let it not be that outward adorning of plaiting the hair, &c. But let it be the hidden man of the heart, 1 Pet. 3.3,4.

News from the Grave.

They have taken away the Lord out of the Sepulchre, and we know not where they have laid him,

John 20.2.

TAken him away! did the high Priests bribed Sol∣diers tell her so? what incre∣dible News is this? none but a Sadduce will believe it: Thou art mistaken, Mary, the Lord was never there; there's no circumscription by a Sepul∣chre of him that fills Heaven and Earth; though a Manger cradled the Babe, no Grave can comprehend the Lord;

was this Sepulchre larger then Solomons Temple? or will he whom the Heaven of Heavens cannot contain, 1 Kings 8.27. be confined by a few clods of earth? Indeed, the Angel bad the two Maries, See the place where the Lord lay, Matth. 28.6. but the Lord himself told the Thief, To day shalt thou be with me in Paradice, Luke 23.43. Thus the body of the Lord was in the Grave, but not the Lord of the Body.

If the Resurrection be such a mystery of Faith to such as were Co-temporaries with the First-fruits thereof, Acts 23.26. no wonder now 'tis such a miracle of Grace to practice

the Faith thereof: If the case of non-Resurrection doth un∣distinguish the reasonable soul from Bruits, no marvel the Sadduces of this Age are such beasts to deny it; yet if Christs own Disciples in this high point of Faith, could scarce believe their eyes, 'tis more then an O Altitudo of Mercy, if the news at Je∣rusalem pass for currant at the other end of the world: 'Tis an unsavory Quaere, to ask with what body Lots wife shall arise; and but a shallow Hypothesis, whether Aarons Rebels, or Aarons two Sons, shall rise first: He that surfets himself to death with the lus∣cious

Mummia of another mans Corps, shall doubt∣less bring out of the Grave as much as he carried in, yet the other rise never the lean∣er: Though he surfeted with the others Epigastrium, or happily dyed with a piece of his belly in his mouth, yet do not think that he shall rise with two Dia∣phragmes, or the other be answerable as a Murtherer for the body he destroyed, af∣ter he was dead: The veriest Cannibal in all Tartary shall rise but with one body, though a thousand be in∣corporated with him; and if ever there come any Fe∣minine

Mummia out of Egypt to the Drugsters sham∣bles, thou mayest eat it with∣out the least danger of ri∣sing an Hermophrodite: That such Parables are incredi∣ble with the highest meer Naturalists, is no news to the weakest Christian, who hath more grace then to doubt what he hath no reason to believe: If there be such a Sadduce in England, as to deny the Resurrection, he must needs be beholding to a Pythagorian Metempsy∣cosis, to bespatter one He∣resie with the dirt of ano∣ther; for, admiting that ri∣diculous old Fable of the

Souls progress from one bo∣dy to another by Traducti∣on, from such absurd pre∣mises might possibly follow, the conclusion of the worlds non-conclusion to the per∣petuation thereof, to pre∣vent a Resurrection: It is not without all controver∣sie, whether the Christian demi-Jews of late, or the Jewish demi-Christians of old, are deepest buried in the Ignorance of a Resurrection; they took our Savior to be John the Baptist, or Elias, or one of the Prophets, as if one of their souls were passed by a kinde of Trans∣migration into our Saviors

body; these take. Paul, or Apollo, or Cephas to be our Savior, as if his very Personality were passed by a Mystical Union into one of their Souls: Thus the naked Ignorance of any Funda∣mental Truth, ever ends in Heresie; which Heresie per∣sisted in, ever concludes in blasphemy: It was Mary's complaint here upon a mis∣take, That they had taken away the Lord out of the Se∣pulchre, and she knew not where they had laid him: Me-thinks I hear Mary's ec∣cho at this hither end of the world (may it be but the like mistake) resounded by

many of us that pretend to look so much after him; viz. That they have taken away the Lord out of the Sanctuary, and we know not where they have laid him.

FINIS.