brotherly kindnesse charity For if these things be in you and abound they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitfull in the knowledge of our Lord Iesus Christ But he that lacketh these things is blind and cannot see farr off and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins If we feel these heavenly and divine vertues and graces thus working in us we may then from hence draw unto our selves for our souls comfort a full assurance of our election by God in and through Christ Iesus our blessed Lord and Saviour unto salvation and that our names are recorded written and registred in heaven in the book of life wherein we are onely to rejoyce And the seventy returned again Luke 10.17 18 19 20. with joy saying Even the devils are subject unto us through thy name And he said unto them Behold I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions and over all the powers of the enemy and nothing shall by any means hurt you Notwithstanding in this rejoyce not that the spirits are subject unto you but rather rejoyce in this because your names are written in heaven Be it known unto you therefore Acts 13.38 39. men and brethren that through this man is preached unto you forgiveness of sin And by him all that be here are justified from all things from which ye could not be justified by the law of Moses CHAP. IIII. Of Prayer and the force thereof and how necessary and needfull a duty the same is FIrst Oratio est clavis diei that is Prayer is the key that opens the day unto us to put us in mind of Gods protecting of us the night past and of our thankfulnesse to be rendred unto him for the same with commending of our souls and bodies to his protection for the day present Secondly Oratio est sera noctis Prayer ought to shut up the day it is the key that lets in the night unto us with our praise to God for our dayes preservation with a recommendation of our souls and bodies unto his powerfull protection for the night ensueing Hereupon it is said by one With morning prayer the day begin With evening prayer the night shut in Without this prayer sit not to eat Without Gods praise rise not from meat Thirdly Oratio est vinculum invincibile ut S. Bernard S. Bernard Prayer is a bond invincible availing very much if it be fervent The effectuall fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much James 5.16 17 18. Elias was a man subject to like passions as we are and he prayed earnestly that it might not rain and it rained not on the earth by the space of three yeares and six moneths And he prayed again 1 Kin. 17.17 and the heaven gave rain and the earth brought forth her fruit All things whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer believing Matt. 21.22 ye shall receive Fourthly Oratio est vis Deo grata ut S. Chrysostom Prayer is such a force S. Chrysostom or earnest vehemency as that the same is very acceptable and well-pleasing unto God Fifthly Oratio est clavis Scripturae Origen Origen Prayer is the key that opens the Scripture unto us and enlightens our understandings therein Hereupon in reading of the Scriptures this rule directory is prescribed unto us Read not this Book in any case But with a single eye Read not but first desire Gods grace To understand thereby Sixthly Oratio est Deo sacrificium Augustin St. Augustin Prayer is a sacrifice well-pleasing unto God By him therefore Hebrews 13.15 let us offer the sactifice of praise to God continually that is the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name Seventhly Oratio est Diabolo flagellum S. Augustin St. Augustin Prayer is a whip or scourge unto the Devil to drive him away from us And when he was come into the house Mark 9.28 29. his disciples asked him privately Why could not we cast him out And he said unto them This kind can come forth by nothing but by prayer and fasting Eighthly Oratio est orauti subsidium St. Augustin S. Augustin Prayer is great help and succour unto him which doth pray in time of misery and affliction and at all times whatsoever I sought the Lord Psal 34.4 6. and he heard me and delivered me from all my fears This poor man cried and the Lord heard him and saved him out of all his troubles I cried unto the Lord Psal 3.4 with my voice and he heard me out of his holy hill I will call upon the Lord Psal 18.3 6. who is worthy to be praised so shall I be saved from mine enemies In my distresse I called upon the Lord and cried unto my God he heard my voice out of his temple and my cry came before him even into his eares Call upon me in the time of trouble I will deliver thee Psal 50.15 and thou shalt glorifie me The Lord is nigh unto all them that call upon him Psal 145.18 19. to all that call upon him in truth He will fulfill the desire of them that fear him he also will hear their cry and will save them In my distresse Psal 120.1 I cried unto the Lord and he heard me O thou that hearest prayer Psal 65.2 unto thee shall all flesh come Ninthly Oratio est armatura inexpugnabilis Prayer is an armour of proof not to be withstood invincible as one observeth It is a principall piece of our spirituall armour Praying alwayes with all prayer Ephes 6.18 and supplications in the spirit and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all Saints Tenthly Orationes sunt tormenta Christianorum ut Pater Prayers and supplications are the gunns of Christians as it were to shoot up their prayers unto heaven Give me those groanes St. Chrysostom and sighes quae non sunt ostentationis sed compunctiouis which proceed not from vain ostentation and boasting but from the compunction or pricking of the conscience St. Chrysostom As touching Prayer Observations touching prayer and the use thereof these observations do arise as namely First The great necessity of Prayer The necessity of Prayer in these regards following First Satan seeks to destroy and devour us and therefore we ought to pray for deliverance Be sober 1 Pet. 5.8 9. be vigilant because your adversary the devil as a roring lion walketh about seeking whom he may devour Whom resist stedfast in the faith Resist the devil James 4.7 8. and he will flee from you Draw nigh unto God and he will draw nigh to you Secondly the world will allure us and therefore we are to pray for assistance Thirdly the flesh will betray us and therefore we are to pray for defence Fourthly the wicked will seduce us and therefore we are to to pray for continuance My son if sinners entice thee Prov. 1.10 11 14 15
set and the books were opened But thou O Daniel Daniel cha 12. ver 4. shut up the words and seal the book even to the time of the end many shall run to and fro and knowledge shall be increased And these shall go away into everlasting punishment Matthew cha 25. ver 46. but the righteous into life eternall For the hour is coming John chap. 5. ver 28 29. in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice And shall come forth they that have done good unto the Resurrection of life and they that have done evil unto the Resurrection of damnation Let them be blotted out of the book of the living Psalm 69. ver 28. and not be written with the righteous He that overcometh Revelation chap. 3. ver 5. the same shall be clothed in white raiment and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life but I will confesse his name before my father and before his angels And I entreat thee also Philippians ch 4. ver 3. true yoke-fellow help these women which laboured with me in the Gospel with Clement also and with other my fellow labourers whose names are in the book of life And it was given unto him Revelation ch 13. ver 7 8. to make war with the Saints and to overcome them and power was given him over all kindreds and tongues and nations And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lambe slain from the foundation of the world The beast that thou sawest was Revelation chap. 17. ver 8. and is not and shall ascend out of the bottomlesse pit and go into perdition and they that dwell on the earth shall wonder and whose names are not written in the book of life from the foundation of the world when they behold the beast that was and is not and yet is And I saw the dead small Revelation ch 20. ver 12 13. and great stand before God and the books were opened and another book was opened which is the book of life and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books according to their works And the sea gave up the dead which were in it and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them and they were judged every man according to their works And death Revelat. chap. 20. ver 14 15. and hell were cast into the lake of fire And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecie Revelat. chap. 2 r 2. ve 19. God shall take away his part out of the book of life and out of the holy City and from the things which are written in this book Books named in the Scripture and not to be found as namely Is not this written in the book of Iasher the marginall note of an old Bible Ioshua chap. 10. ver 13. being as some read it In the book of the righteous meaning Moses The Chaldee text reading In the book of the Law But it is like that it was a book thus named which is now lost All this in the marginall notes of an old Bible As it is written in the book of Iasher 2 Samuel cha 11. ver 18. or righteous as the marginall note is Wherefore it is said in the book of the warres of the Lord Numbers chap. 21. ver 14. or of the battels which by a marginall note in an old Bible seemeth to be the book of the Iudges or a book which is lost Concerning the acts of David the king behold 1 Chron. chap. 29. ver 29. they are written in the book of Samuel the Seer and in the book of Nathan the prophet and in the book of Gad the Seer The marginall note in an old Bible is that the books of Nathan and Gad are thought to have been lost in the captivity And there shall in no wise Revelation ch 21. ver 27. enter into it any thing that defileth neither whatsoever worketh abomination nor maketh a lye but they which are written in the Lambes book of life There is as One well observeth a two fold Book of God as namely First there is Liber Providentiae that is the Book of Gods Providence whereby we are taught to know our duties to God and to referre our selves and all our actions to his Divine Providence and mercy and to use his good blessings on us bestowed to his glory All which if we thus do we shall then receive all things necessary in this world and life eternall in the world to come But if we are disobedient and do contrary to all this then there is a second Book which will be opened against us as namely Secondly there is Liber Judicii the Book of Gods Judgement whereby we shall receive all the Judgements of God therein mentioned and pronounced against the wicked and disobedient Then shall the king say unto them Matthew cha 25. ver 34. on his right hand Come ye blessed of my Father inherit the kingdome prepared for you from the foundation of the world Then shall he say also unto those Matthew cha 25. ver 41. on the left hand Depart from me ye cursed into everlasting fire prepared for the Devil and his angels It is observed by a Father That there is another book and that is called Codex Conscientiae the book of a mans conscience St. Chrysostome observeth thus much S. Chrysostom sc That Conscientia est codex in quo quotidiana nostra peccata rescribuntur The Conscience is a book in the which our daily sinnes and offences are writ down registred and recorded against us as S. Chrysostome observeth And as touching Conscience There is a Threefold quality of the Conscience Of Conscience as One observeth as namely First Testificare de praeterito that is to bear testimony and witnesse of what is done by us and past Secondly Accusare vel excusare to accuse us of what we have done or else to excuse us Thirdly Solvere vel ligare That is either to let us loose or else to bind us fast up For when the Gentiles Romans chap. 2. ver 14.15.16 which have not the Law do by nature the things contained in the Law these having not the Law are a Law unto themselves Which shew the work of the Law written in their hearts their Conscience also bearing witnesse and their thoughts mean while accusing or else excusing one another In the day when God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ according to my gospel Conscientia est quasi cordis scientia S. Bernard ut S. Bernard The conscience is as it were the very knowledge of the heart By strength stratagems and policy men do overcome their enemies But God
A GOLDEN-CHAIN OR A MISCELANY OF DIVINE SENTENCES Of the Sacred SCRIPTVRES And of other Authors Collected and linked together for the souls comfort By EDWARD BULSTRODE of the Inner-Temple Esquire Lex Christi est Lux Christiana LONDON Printed by F.L. for W. Lee D. Pakeman and G. Bedel and are to be sold at their shops in Fleetstreet 1657 To the RIGHT HONOURABLE Sir Bulstrode Whitlock Knight One of the Lords Commissioners of his Highnesse Treasury and Speaker pro Tempore of the Parliament of the Commonwealth of England Scotland and Ireland Right Honourable IT is a generall Scandall upon what grounds I know not thrown upon the Professours of the Law especially in this age that the practicall knowledge of the Lawes of God and of our own Nation do seldome meet together in one person whereby they seem to put an incompatibility of devotion and sanctity into the life of Lawyers whereas Religigion is sutable with all sorts of vocations and he that is not Bonus Theologus as to himself and that does not make Religion his Primum and his Ultimum can never be well fitted for any Profession whatsoever It is true in the Creation God commanded the Plants to bring forth their fruits every one according to its kind and so he commands all Christians who are living Plants of his Church to bring forth fruits of Devotion every one in his quality and vocation For at ought to be differently exercised by different men and the practice of it must be accommodated to the capacity and imployments of each particular person and when Religion is not sutable with the lawfull vocation of any man then without doubt that Religion is false For true Godlinesse is so farr from prejudicing any imployment that it adorns and beautifies it all persons becoming more acceptable in their vocation joyning it with true devotion And as knowledge is the glory of a man so Divine knowledge is the glory of a Christian especially that of sacred Scripture which is most sublime and makes a Christian happy to salvation The Brick and Straw of Egypt is not comparable to the Gold and Silver Vessels in the Temple neither are Divine Instructions borrowed from Humane Learning to be compared with the inestimable value of those golden Precepts contained in holy Scriptures For this cause my Lord have I linckt together this Chain of Golden Sentences out of the holy Scriptures and gathered this handfull of Flowers out of that Garden of Paradise to present to your Lordships hands which if your Lordship please sometimes to smell unto I doubt not but they may yeeld some fragrancy and sweetnesse For the written Word of God affords extraordinary sweetnesse chearing a breast full of perplexities the power of it reforming the disordered lives of men and snatching us from the gates of death to eternity And since God himself in the Old Testament commands us and Christ in the New enjoyns us to read his holy Word and to search the Scripture I have therefore in the first place made choice of those places of Scripture that concern our hearing and reading the word of God the knowledge of which fully understood and conscionably practised is or should be the main and principall end of every true Christians endeavour I have likewise observed the severall texts concerning the severall Books mentioned in Scripture and the difference betwixt the Old and New Testament and of the necessity of the Virtue and the Benefits of Prayer And that we may with more ease digest those inconveniencies and distresses which we have been acquainted with and which do daily threaten worse unto us I have therefore produced severall Scriptures concerning afflictions and the benefit of them if seriously considered For how can a man suffer his heart to be dejected at the privation of any temporall blessings or at the load of any afflictions which God shall lay upon him if he consider the vanity of the first Gods Justice in imposing the last and that nothing is worth his serious thoughts but what may accompany him to the Mansions of Eternity Certainly if we seriously reflect upon the excellency of our own nature and think upon that happy estate which we shall arrive unto if we make the Law of God our meditation day and night we shall then wean and take off our affections from this world the cares whereof do very much clog our souls flight to heaven and tedder us here below I must confesse prosperity is a great blessing of God and duely used is no mean advantage both to ones self and others yet if the hand that gave shall take away we must not repine at what God formerly lent us and thinks not fit any longer to permit us the use of In the next place since our whole life ought to be a continuall preparation for death I have collected many meditations concerning it And since to perform any action well a man must propose the end of that action to himself and since of all mans actions the government of himself in relation to his future estate is most important and neerliest concerning him a mans being in this life being but instrumentally good as being the means for him to be well in the next I have in the last place observed some things concerning the day of Judgement and the happinesse we expect in the life to come For there remains an eternity to us after the short revolution of time we so swiftly run over here on earth and all that which in this world we call happinesse is not valuable in respect of the future nor is any thing we do here considerable otherwise then as it conduceth to our eternall well-being hereafter And thus having given your Lordship an account of this small Tract I must beg your Lordships pardon for putting your name in the Front of it being I fear an undervaluing your Lordship to prefix your name to so slender a piece but it being a right hand errour I hope it will be lookt upon the more favourably by your Lordship my obligations to your Lordship being so many great that I am bereft of all other means of shewing my thankfulnesse but by laying hold of any opportunity of subscribing my self My Lord Your Lordships most faithfull and humble Servant Edward Bulstrode The heads of the following Chapters CHAP. I. TOuching the sacred Word of God with certain directory rules and observations to be made use of for the more profitable and better understanding thereof when we read or hear the same And herein is set forth and shewed First How that the constant and frequent reading and hearing of the Word of God is a duty and service commanded and enjoyned us by God himself Fol. 1. Secondly How we are to fit and prepare our selves for the due performance of these so religious duties by our prayers unto God for his blessing thereon 5. And herein four observations are set down for our better direction in the reading of the
Scriptures 6. Together with ten preparatory directions for our better hearing of the Word of God preached unto us 7.8 9. And four speciall observations shewing that all our abilities come from God alone who enableth us to hear his Word aright and with profit being preached unto us 10.11 Thirdly How that we are to take into our serious consideration the powerfulnesse of the Word of God together with the great benefits we receive thereby 12.13 14 15. And herein is set forth and shewed the various appellations of the Word of God in the holy Scriptures 16.17 Fourthly How that the due consideration by us had in our reading hearing and meditations thereon ought to stirr up in us a love thereunto and a rejoycing therein 18 19. Fifthly How that these precedent observations being thus made use of by us will then work this good effect upon us as to make the VVord of God which we have with the precedent cautions thus read heard and meditated on to be a perpetuall comfort un-unto us both in life and death 19. CHAP. II. Of the severall Books mentioned in the Scriptures wherein is set forth the severall names of the said Books Together with an observation there of the difference between the wicked and the righteous in the day of Judgement Fol. 20 21 22 23. As also touching certain Books named in the Scripture and now not to be found 24 25. As also touching two other books the one Liber Providentiae the Book of Gods Providence and the second Liber Iudicii the Book of Gods Judgements 25 26. As also touching another book being Codex Conscientiae the Book of a mans Conscience Together with a short tract concerning Conscience the three properties or qualities of the conscience 26 27. With a description also what conscience is and of the testimony of the conscience accusing or excusing before God 27 28 29. And also of Gods presence every where beholding of all our actions which should make us the more carefull and vigilant of our selves and of all our actions 29 30. As also touching a guilty Conscience and a good Conscience and how the same are qualified and of the three speciall qualities of a good Conscience together with a more particular description of the conscience and shewing what the same is 30 31. And how that the conscience of a man is as a bridle to keep him from offending but as a whip or lash afterwards 31. And how that a mans very countenance will discover his offence and so shewing that though a man may be free from the Judgement of another yet he cannot be free from his own Judgement 31 32. CHAP. III. Of the Old Testament and of the New or of the Law and of the Gospel and of the difference between them wherein are set forth ten differences between the Law and the Gospel as appeareth Fol. 33 34 36 37 39 52 53 54 58. And here is set forth likewise the fruit of a sanctified life here 34. And also the threefold being of man 34 35. As also of the good and glad tidings of salvation the Gospel bringeth unto us 37 38 39. And here is shewed how that the Law tieth us to a due performance of all which the Law requireth to be done by us 39 40 41. How that the Gospel tieth us onely to believe aright in God and in his son Jesus Christ and looks onely upon the eye of our faith 42 43 44 45 46 47 48. Together with the two reasons why Christ used this speech saying Who touched me after that the woman having an issue of bloud came behind him and touched him 43 44 45 46. Herein is likewise shewed how that the just shall live by faith 47 48 49. Here also is shewed that with the heart man believeth unto righteousnesse and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation 49. And how we are the children of God by faith and the power of faith Together with the fruits thereof fully described 49 50 51. Here is also further shewed how that Christ in the Old Testament was hid and covered as under a veil But in the New Testament Christ is there revealed unto us and the veil of the Old Testament by him taken away 52. The mystery of godlinesse described 52 53. Here is likewise set forth unto us how that in the Old Testament we have the Law given by Moses but in the New Testament we have grace and mercy brought to us by Christ Jesus 53 54. Here is also set forth how that by the law we have the knowledge of sin and of Gods curse which followed thereupon 54 55. But by the Gospel we have the knowledge of the free pardon of our sins by the death of Christ and conferred unto us by his grace 55 56 57. Here is also shewed that God who spared not his own Son but delivered him up for us all how shall he not with him also freely give us all things 57. Together also with the great benefits that redoundeth to the elect children of God 57 58. And how that Christ hath delivered us from the curse of the Law being made a curse for us 58. Again here is shewed how that the Law is as our school-master to bring us unto Christ and to shew us the way to him but the Gospel bringeth Christ himself unto us being the way the truth and the life 58 59. Here are also set forth severall variations of the Fathers upon these words of our Saviour Jesus Christ sc I am the way the truth and the life 59 60 61. Together also with St. Bernards four-fold venite of the world the flesh of the Devil and of Christ with their severall rewards to their followers 61 62. With an invitation of all to come unto Christ and to take his yoke being easie upon us 62. Here also is set forth the fruits and effects of Gods foreknowledge in the way of predestination election justification and glorification 62 63 64. And how that our salvation dependeth on the mercy of God in and through Jesus Christ our Saviour being justified by his grace 64. Together with a full manifestation unto us of the free grace and bounty of God unto us in the means of our salvation and for the better grounding of our faith a three-fold course is observed thereby to tye us the faster unto him 64 65. Here is also shewed that God doth inspire us by his Word and that this ought to raise up in us a more certain knowledge of our election and so to stirr up in us a Christian and godly strife to make our calling and election sure 65 66. Here is also shewed that we must not be carelesse in the great matter of our election to salvation but to be active herein and use the meanes which God hath appointed for us to use and worketh in us ability to do and perform the same 66 67 68 69. Here is also set forth unto us three effectuall notes and signs of our
uncircumcised Jeremiah chap. 6. ver 10. and they cannot hearken It is well observed by one That First It is God and he alone that fitteth and prepareth the eares of all to hear aright his word preached unto them He openeth the eares of men Job chap. 33. ver 16. and sealeth their instructions Sacrifice and offering thou didst not desire Psalm 40. ver 6. mine eares hast thou opened Secondly It is God and he alone that openeth the heart as he did the heart of Lydia and doth as it were dig delve and prepare the same to receive the word preached as seed sown in good ground that so it may take deep root downwards and bring forth good fruit upwards for the amendment of our lives and salvation of our souls And a certain woman named Lydia Acts chap. 16. ver 14. a seller of purple of the City of Thyatyra which worshipped God heard us whose heart the Lord opened that she attended unto the things which were spoken of Paul But that Luke chap 8. ver 15. on the good ground are they which in an honest and good heart having heard the word keep it and bring forth fruit with patience Thirdly It is God and he alone that doth blesse our memories with a retentive faculty to keep and retain the word which we hear preached unto us Fourthly It is God and he alone that enlightens and illuminates our understandings and sanctifieth our affections by the powerfull operation of his holy Spirit in us thereby enabling us to put in practice in our lives and conversations that which we have heard preached unto us And all this thus wrought in us for the comfort and salvation of our soules in and through Christ Jesus our blessed Lord and Saviour We must likewise take heed what we hear and how we hear Thirdly The powerfulnesse of Gods word and the benefits we have thereby We are both in our reading and hearing of the word of God and in our meditations thereon to take into our serious consideration the powerfulnesse of the word of God and the great and unspeakable benefits we receive thereby divers wayes manifested unto us by these ensueing places of Scripture In sacra scriptura quicquid docetur Hugo libro 3. de anima veritas quicquid praecipitur bonitas quicquid promittitnr faelicitas est Nam Deus veritas est sine fallacia bonitas sine malitia faelicitas sine miseria ut Hugo libro 3. de anima In the holy Scripture Hugo whatsoever is taught is truth whatsoever is commanded is goodnesse and whatsoever is promised is happinesse For God is truth without falshood goodnesse without malice and happinesse without misery as Hugo well observeth in his third book of the soul Sacra Scriptura S. Gregory in moral tanto plus diligitur quanto amplius meditatur ut inquit St. Gregory in moral The holy Scripture is so much the more loved of us by how much the more we do meditate therein S. Gregory as St. Gregory observeth Doctrina scripturae perfecta est Piscator fol. 22. cap. 14. omnia scilicet tradens qua ad verum Dei cultum ad aeternam nostram salutem sunt necessaria ut Piscator fol. 22. cap. 14. The doctrine of the scripture is perfect Piscator that is to say shewing unto us all things necessary both to the due worship of God and our own eternall salvation Finis seu scopus Dei in scriptura Piscator fol. 22. cap. 13. est crudire populum suum de recto cultu sui vera hominis faelicitate perfecta est tradens omnia quae sunt ad istum scopum assequendū necessaria ut Piscat fol. 22. cap. 13. The end and purpose of God in the scriptures is to instruct his people and children in the true Piscator and right worship of him as also in the happinesse of man and the same is likewise perfect teaching us all things which are necessary to the attaining unto of that end Doctrina scripturae certo vera est Piscator quippe ab instinctu Spiritus sancti profectus erroneum igitur necesse est quicquid cum eo pugnat ut Piscator fol. 22. cap. 18. The doctrine of the Scripture is certainly true because it proceedeth from the instinct and inspiration of the holy Spirit of God and therefore it falleth out that whatsoever is repugnant thereunto must needs be erroneous A good encouragement for all to read the scriptures An excouragement to read the Scriptures In scripturis abundat quod robustus comedat quod parvulus sugat In the scriptures there is such abundance Fulgentius as that strong men may there find meat to eat and the weak young suckling may there also find fitting food for him to suck on as Fulgentius observeth Divinus sermo sicut mysteriis prudentes exercet sic plerunque superficie simplices refovet Habet in publice unde parvulos nutriat servat in secreto Gregory Epist ad Leande unde mentes sublimium admiratione suspendat ut Gregory Epist ad Leandr The word of God as in mysteries doth exercise the wise so in a superficiall way of knowledge it doth comfort and refresh the weak and simple It hath in common whereby it may nourish the young ones and it keeps in secret that whereby it may hold in suspence with admiration the mindes of the sublimate and learned as Gregory observeth in his epistle to Leander And again as the same Authour observeth Gregory Epist ad Leande It is a deep and yet a shallow foord Ubi agnus ambulat ubi clephas natat where the Lambe may wade and where the greatest Elephant may swimme Or where the weakest in knowledge and understanding may find much comfort and where the greatest and most profound scholar may find matter enough to work upon For since I spake Jeremiah cha 20. ver 8.9 I cried out I cried violence and spoil because the word of the Lord was made a reproch unto me and a derision daily Then I said I will not make mention of him any more nor speak any more in his name But his word was in mine heart as a burning fire shut up in my bones and I was weary with forbearing and I could not stay Is not my word like as fire Jeremiah cha 23. ver 29. saith the Lord and like a hammer that breaketh the rock in pieces But to this man will I look even to him that is poor and of a contrite spirit and trembleth at my word Hear the word of the Lord Isaiah cha 66. ver 2.5 ye that tremble at his word My word shall not return unto me void Isaiah cha 55. ver 11. but it shall accomplish that which I please and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it The word of God called a sword Revelation chap. 19. ver 21. which sword proceeded out of his
mouth The word of God is quick and powerfull Hebrews chap. 4. ver 52. and sharper than any two edged sword piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit and of the joynts and marrow and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart And he was clothed with a vesture dipt in bloud Revelation chap. 19. ver 13. and his name is called the word of God As for me Isaiah cha 29. ver 21. this is my covenant with them saith the Lord my spirit that is upon thee and my words which I have put in thy mouth shall not depart out of thy mouth nor out of the mouth of thy seed nor out of the mouth of thy seeds seed saith the Lord from henceforth and for ever Blessed are they that hear the word of God Luke chap. 11. ver 28. and keep it Receive with meeknesse James chap. 1. ver 21. the engrafted word of God which is able to save your souls Keep therefore Deuteronomy chap. 29. ver 9. the words of this covenant and do them that so ye may prosper in all that ye do As new born babes 1 Peter chap. 2. ver 2. desire the sincere milk of the word that ye may grow thereby Verily John chap. 5. ver 24. verily I say unto you he that heareth my word and believeth on him that sent me hath everlasting life and shall not come into condemnation but is passed from death to life The word of God The word of God the word of Reconciliation 2 Corinthians chap. 5. ver 18.19 called the word of Reconciliation And all things are of God who hath reconciled us to himself by Iesus Christ and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation To wit that God was in Christ reconciling the world unto himself not imputing their trespasses unto them and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation The word of God called the word of truth The word of God the word of Truth Ephesians cha 1. ver 13. In whom ye also trusted after that ye heard the word of truth the gospel of your salvation in whom also after that ye believed ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise The word of God called the word of life The word of God the word of life Philippians chap. 2. ver 16. Holding forth the word of life that I may rejoyce in the day of Christ that I have not run in vain neither laboured in vain The word called the word of Christ The word called the word of Christ Collossians chap. 3. ver 16. The word called the faithfull word of God Titus chap. 1. ver 9. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdome The word called the faithfull word of God Holding fast the faithfull word of God as he hath been taught that he may be able by sound doctrine both to exhort and to convince the gainsayers Thy word have I hid in my heart Psal 119. ver 11. and 42. that I might not sin against thee So shall I have wherewith to answer him that reprocheth me for I trust in thy word So then faith cometh by hearing Romans ch 10. ver 17. and hearing by the word of God Fourthly In our reading and hearing of the word of God and in our meditations thereon the due consideration of all this ought to stirre up in us a love unto the same and a rejoycing therein as by these ensuing places of Scripture may appear I rejoyce at thy word Psal 119. ver 162. Jeremiah cha 15. ver 16. as one that findeth great spoil Thy words were sound and I did eat them and thy word was unto me the joy and rejoycing of my heart for I am called by thy name O Lord God of hosts Lord Psal 26. ver 8. I have loved the habitation of thy house and the place where thine honour dwelleth I was glad when they said unto me Psal 122. ver 1. Let us go into the house of the Lord. For a day in thy Courts is better than a thousand Psalm 84. ver 10. I had rather be a door-keeper in the house of my God than to dwell in the tents of wickednesse O how I love thy law Psalm 119. ver 97.127 it is my meditation all the day Therefore I love thy commandements above gold yea above fine gold I delight to do thy will Psal 40. ver 8. O my God yea thy law is within my heart Fifthly These precedent observations being thus made use of by us the word of God which we have thus read heard and meditated on will then doubtlesse be a constant and a perpetuall comfort unto us at all times both in life and death Be thou faithfull unto death Revelation chap. 2. ver 10. and I will give thee a crown of life CHAP. II. Of the severall Books mentioned in the Scriptures THine eyes did see my substance Psal 139. ver 16. yet being unperfect and in thy Book all my members were written which in continuance were fashioned when as yet there was none of them Then they that feared the Lord Malachie chap. 3. ver 16 17 18. spake often one to another and the Lord hearkened and heard it and a Book of remembrance was written before him for them that feared the Lord and that thought upon his name And they shall be mine The difference between the wicked and the righteous in the day of Judgment saith the Lord of hosts when I make up my Iewels and I will spare them as a man spareth his own son that serveth him Then shall ye return and discern between the righteous and the wicked between him that serveth God and him that serveth him not Thou tellest my wandrings Psal 56. ver 8. put thou my teares into thy bottle are they not in thy book And in that day shall the deaf hear the words of the book Isaiah cha 29. ver 18. Seek ye out of the book of the Lord and read Isaiah cha 34. ver 16. And at that time shall Michael stand up the great prince Daniel cha 12. ver 1. which standeth for the children of thy people and there shall be a time of trouble such as never was since there was a Nation even to that same time and at that time thy people shall be delivered every one that shall be found written in the book And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake Daniel cha 12. ver 2 3. some to everlasting life and some to shame and everlasting contempt And they that be wise shall shine as the brightnesse of the firmament and they that turn many to righteousnesse as the starres for ever and ever A fiery stream issued Daniel cha 7. ver 10. and came forth from before him thousand thousands ministred unto him and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him the Iudgement was