To pneuma ksopyrén, or Sparkes of the spirit, being, motives to sacred theorems, and divine meditations. / By a reverend father of the Church of England.

Sect. CVI. The Christian Weather-Cock.

* 1.1THe wavering Professor is not unfitly compared unto the waves of the sea:* 1.2 It is the Lord that stilleth the raging of the sea, and the madness of the people. So delighted with novel ies, so full of alterations is the fickle faith, and the tempo∣rizing profession of the pal∣sie shaking members of the Church, that there be no waves so restless, no winde so mutable,* 1.3 no creature so changable: while the Viper hung upon Paul's hand he was a Murtherer, but in the

turning of a hand, when the Viper was shaken off, he was counted a god.* 1.4 In Ezra the people wept because they had no Temple; but after, when the Temple was buil∣ded, they wept as fast again, because the glory of the se∣cond was not like the first.* 1.5 In Exodus the people groan and cry to be deliver'd from the tyranny of Pharaoh and their intolerable troubles;* 1.6 but the same people again cry out against Moses and Aaron for bringing them from Egypt, wishing to be there again. In Exod. 20.19. the people intreat that Mo∣ses may be their Ruler and Spokes-man; but in Numb. 16.3. the same people refuse Moses and tax him for an in∣termedler that taketh too

much upon him. In Exodus 16.3. the people cry out for bread, and having bread from Heaven they gather it greedily, as if they should never have enough of it: But in Numb. 11.6. the same people despise & loath the same bread when they had it. In 1 Sam. 8.5. the peo∣ple are very impatient and in a rage because they had not a King: But in 1 Sam. 12.19. they are very sorry and much displeased be∣cause they sought a King and had him. In Matthew, on Palme-Sunday the people cried all unto our Saviour, Hosanna, blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord; spreading their gar∣ments in the way, and cut∣ting downe branches of

trees: But within a se'night after, the same peop••e in∣stead of Hosanna, cry out Crucifige; and instead of casting their garments in his way, they rob him of his garments; instead of cut∣ting down branches of trees they hang him upon a tree. In the time of Constantius the Father of Constantine the Great, the people at the be∣ginning were glad to im∣brace the faith of Christ, and to offer the Sacrifice of praise unto him; but in a little while after the same people in hopes of prefer∣ment by the Emperour's fa∣vour, become very ready and willing to offer Sacri∣fice unto Devils. In the time of Queen Mary there was la∣mentation and crying out,

that Idolatry was set up, the Church polluted, the light obscured, and the Gospell taken away; But afterward, when by the mer∣cy of God the light was re∣stored, and the Gospell ad∣vanced; they murmured & cried out as fast again, that we had no Church, no Mini∣stery, that truth was wrapt up in Ceremonies, and that all was Popish & Antichri∣stian. In Acts 19. Demetrius and other subtle heads of the Tradesmen of Ephesus meerly for their own gain, raised a great tumult, and cried out, Great is Diana of the Ephesians: But present∣ly the people were carried with such a tempest of fury, that the City was all in an uprore, and every man run

and rushed whither he list in great conf••sion, and after much violence offered (vers 32.) the most-part knew not wherefore they were come together. For, as a weak & feeble brain followeth the waxing and waining of the Moon: So the brain-sick humour of many lukewarm Christians is subject and pli∣able to every change and re∣volution. Like the standing corne that shakes & bowes here and there as the winde bloweth, or like the wea∣ther-cock that turnes with every blast; or the Urchin that altereth his door as the winde turneth; or like the Amphibia that will play one while upon the land, another while upon the wa∣ter; or like the Israelites

that spake both Ashdod and Hebrew. These are but half Christians, neither true Be∣lievers nor meer infidells, they halt between two opi∣nions, sometimes for the Ark and sometimes for Da∣gen; now for Jehovah and presently for Baal: Not re∣solving what Religion to profess, or what God to worship: Like Tully among the Romanes, who could not resolve, whether he should take Caesar or Pompey's part; or like Tidides amongst the Graecians, who could not de∣termine whether he should joyne himself with Achilles or with Hector. These men are all for the time and no∣thing for the truth; like E∣cebolius, who suited his pro∣fession to every Emperour's

Religion; They with one breath call for fire from hea∣ven with the Disciples, and say with Peter, Master, looke to thy self.

Sparke 106.

O Almighty God that art ever immutable and for ever one & the same, with whom there is no variable∣ness or shadow of change, settle my heart in thy truth, and knit my soul unto thy Testimonies; that I may say as Elizeus said to Elias, as the Lord liveth, and as thy soul liveth, I will not leave thee. Give me grace not onely to promise with thy servant Peter, but also to performe, that though all the world forsake thee,

yet I may never leave thee; but be so linked in affecti∣on unto thee, the Saviour of our souls, and to thy truth, that neither tribute, nor anguish, nor persecu∣tion, nor famine, nor na∣kedness, nor perill, nor sword, nor death, nor life, nor Ang••ls, nor Principali∣ti s, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other crea∣ture shall be ever able to separate me from thy love in Jesus Christ. But as thou (Lord) hast made me for thine own self; so let my heart be alwayes unquiet while it is from thee,* 1.7 and never at quiet till it comes unto thee, no more than the needle in the mariner's

compasse till it turns to the North star; or the Dove till it come to the Arke, or the child till it comes to the breast; or the bee till it comes to the hi v. But be thou alwayes the center of my soul, the circumference of my thoughts, the star of my desire, the arke of my content, the loadstone of my love, the breast of my comfort, and the lodge of my affections; that I may ever believe in thee with∣out wavering, professe thee without fearing, serve thee without diss••mbling, and love thee and thy word per∣fectly, purely, and perpetu∣ally, through Jesus Christ my Saviour and redeemer Amen.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Psal. 65.7.
• * 1.2

  Esay. 17.12
• * 1.3

  Acts 28.
• * 1.4

  c. 3. v. 12.
• * 1.5

  3.7.
• * 1.6

  14.11.
• * 1.7

  Rom. 8.35.