casts up myre and dirt it casts up feares and objections and murmurings and repinings Oh beloved wee thinke not what mischiefe sinne will do us when we suffer it sease upon our consciences when it is once written there with the claw of a Diamond and with a pen of iron who shall get it out Nothing but great repentance and faith applying the blood of Christ it is no easie matter to get it off there and to get the conscience at peace againe and when conscience is not appeased there will be all clamours within it will feare to appeare before the judgement â—eaâ— a guilty conscience trembles at the mention of death Therefore I wonder how men that live in swearing in loosenesse in filthinesse in deboisednesse of life that labour to satisfie their lusts and corruptions â— wonder how they can thinke of death without trembling considering that they are under the guilt of so many sinnes Oh beloved the exercising of the heart to keepe a cleare conscience can onely breede this desire in us to depart and to bee with Christ you have a company of wretched persoÌ„s proud enough in their owne conceits and censorious nothing can please theÌ„ whose whole life is acted by satan joyning with the lusts of their flesh and they do nothing but put stings into death every day and arme death against themselves which when once it appeares their conâ—cience which is a hell within them is wakened and where are they they can stay here no longer they must appeare before the dreadfull Iudge and then where are all their pleasures and contentments for which they neglected heaven and happinesse peace of conscience and all Oh therfor let us walke holily with our God and maintaine inward peace all we can if we desire to depart hence with comfort 4. Againe Paul had got assurance that he was in Christ by his union with him I live not saith he but Christ lives in mee therefore labour for assurance of salvation that you may feele the spirit of Christ in you sanctifying and altering your carnall dispositions to be like his I know whom I have trusted saith he he was as sure of his salvation as if he had had it already How few live as if they intended any such matter as this assurance of salvation without which how can we ever desire to be dissolved and to be with Christ will a man leave his house though it bee never so meane when hee knowes not whither to goe will a man leave the prison when he knows he shall be caryed to execution Oh no he had rather bee in the dungeon still So when there is guilt on the soule that it is not assured of salvation but rather hath cause to feare the contrary can it say I desire to depart and bee with Christ c No they had rather abide in the flesh still if they could for ever for all eternitie therefore if we would come to Pauls desire labour to come to the frame of the holy Apostles spirit he knew whom he had beleeved he was assured that nothing could separate him from the love of God neither life nor death nor any thing whatsoever could befall him 5. Paul had an art of sweetning the thoughts of death hee considered it onely as a departure from earth to heaven when death was presented unto him as a passage to Christ it was a easie matter to desire the same therefore it should be the Art of Christians to present death as a passage to a better life to labour to bring our soules into such a condition as to thinke death not to bee a death to us but the death of it selfe death dyes when I die and I beginne to live when I die It is a sweet passage to life we never live till wee die This was Pauls Art hee had a care to looke beyond death to heaven and when he looked upon death he looked on it but as a passage to Christ so let it bee our art and skill would we cherish a desire to die let us looke on death as a passage to Christ and looke beyond it to heaven All of us must goe through this darke passage to Christ which when we consider as Paul did it will be an easie matter to die I come now to the next words Neverthelesse to abide in the flesh is more needfull for you This is the other desire of Paul that brought him into this straite he was troubled whether he should die which was farre better for himselfe or live which was more needfull for them but the love of Gods people did prevaile in holy S. Paul above the desire of heaven and the present enjoying his owne happinesse Oh the power of grace in the hearts of Gods children that makes them content to be without the joyes of heaven for a time that they may doe God service in serving his Church here upon earth Observe hence that the lives of worthy men especially Magistrates and Ministers are very needful for the Church of God The reason is because Gods manner of dispensation is to convey all good to men by the meanes of men like our selves for the most part and this hee doth to knit us into a holy communion one with another therfore it is needful that holy men should abide in regard of the Church of God their lives are very usefull If we consider good the great benefit that comes by them wee shall easily yeeld to this For what a deale of sinne doth a good Magistrate stoppe and â—inder when there were good Iudges and good Kings in Israel see what a reformation there was Antichrist could not come in when the Romane Empire flourished though now the Romane Empire hinder the fall of Antichrist because Antichrist hath given her the cup of fornication and they are drunke with the whores cup but at the first it was not so Beloved whilest good Magistrates and good Ministers continue in a place there is a hinderance of heresies and sinne c. If they bee once removed there is a floodgate opened for all maner of sin and corruption to breake in at Yea there is abundance of good comes in by gracious persons 1. By their counsell and direction The lips of the righteous feed many 2. By their reformation of abuses by planting Gods ordinances and good orders whereby Gods wrath is appeased they stand in the gappe and stop evill they reforme it and labour to stablish that which is pleasing to God 3. Gracious persons in what condition soever they are cary the blessing of God with them wheresoever they are God and his blessing goes along with them 4. They doe a great deale of good by their patterne and example they are the lights of the world that give ayme to others in the darknesse of this life 5. They can by their prayers binde God as it were that he shall not inflict his judgements they doe a world of good by this way a praying force and
thou wilt not be better thou art in league with some secret sinne thy heart riseth against those that reprove thee of it thine owne conscience tells thee that thy heart is naught for if thou wouldst set thy selfe to obey God in truth assuredly he would deliver thy soule And therefore the Apostle to prevent such doubts speakes of deliverance from evill workes as comming from God But some may object we sin every day and if we say we have no sinne wee deceive our selves and the truth is not in us You must not understand this Phrase Legally in the vigor of it as that God will deliver us from every ill thought or rising in the heart or from every outward slip and failing c. But by every evill worke the Apostle meanes every reproachfull sinne that breakes the peace of our conscience that swallowes up a mans salvation from such kinde of sins that bring a staine and discredit unto a mans profession that wound his soule and may discourage others the Lord will deliver his he will keepe them from greater sinnes altogether and from being in league with lesser You know in falls there are severall degrees there is a slip a falling and a falling on all foure as we say a flat falling Now God will deliver his children from falling so fouly Nay Sometimes he will deliver them from evill workes by not delivering them from evill workes Hee will deliver from great ill workes by letting them alone in losser ill workes God delivers from evill divers wayes he delivers from falling into ill and he delivers out of ill when we are fallen he delivers from ill likewise by supporting us nay which is more he delivers from ill workes by ill workes How is that How doe Physitians deliver from an Apoplexie â— from a Lethargâ—e Is it not by casting the sicke person into an Ague to awaken that dull sicknesse so God to cure the conscience of a man when he sees him in danger of security by those soule-killing sinnes Pride Covetousnesse Loosenesse Hypocrisie and the like suffers him sometimes to fall into lesse offences to awake his conscience that being rouzed up he may fly to Gods mercy in Christ so infinite is Gods care this way that he will deliver either from ill workes or from the evill of ill workes or if hee deliver not from ill workes yet hee will deliver us from worse workes by those ill workes Austin saith I dare presume to say it is profitable for some men to fall if a man be of a proud peremptory disposition or of a blockish dull and secure nature it is good he should bee acquainted what sin he carryes in his breast where his corruptions are c. that so he may know himselfe and his danger the better I beseech you make use of this to helpe your faith and thankfulnesse when we are delivered from evill workes it is God that doth it The consideration whereof mee thinkes should strengthen our faith against Satan and all his fiery darts and incourage us to set confidently upon any corruption that we are moved to by others or our owne naturall inclination It is Gods enemy and it is my enemy it is opposite to Gods will and it is an enemy to my comfort God will take my part against that which is opposite to him he hath promised me to assist me against every evill worke by his holy Spirit A Christian is a King and hee hath the triumphing Spirit of Christ in him which will prevaile over all sinne in time But some poore soule may object Alas I have beene assaulted by such a corruption a long time in a grievous manner and am not yet delivered from it God doth by little and little purge out corruption as every stroke helpes the fall of the oak the first stroke helpes forward so every opposing of corruption never so little helpes to root it out and it is weakned by little and little till death accomplish more mortification But to proceed God doth not onely deliver from evill workes but preserves us to his heavenly Kingdome We must take preserve here in its full bredth he preserves us whilst he hath any worke for us to doe in this life and when he will have us live no longer he will preserve us to heaven howsoever by death he takes us away yet even then the Lord still preserves us Hee will preserve us in our outward estate by himselfe and by under-preservers for there be many such under God as Angels that are his ministring spirits and Magistrates who are the shields of the earth they may preserve under God and likewise Ministers that are the Chariots and horsemen of Israel and good Lawes c. but God is the first turner of the Wheele we must see him in all other preservers whatsoever And therefore the Apostle in the language of the holy Ghost and of Canaan saith here The Lord will preserve me And rather than a man shall miscarry when God hath any thing for him to doe God will worke a miracle The three men could not be burned in the fire God so suspended the force thereof Daniel could not bee devoured of the greedy Lions c. rather than Gods purpose shall faile that a man should perish before the time that God hath allotted him the Lions shal not devoure and the fire shall not burn God hath measured our glasse and time even to a moment and as our Saviour Christ out of knowledge of this heavenly truth saith My time is not yet came so let us know that till 〈◊〉 houre comes all the Devils in hell cannot hurt one haire of our head And this is a wondrous ground of confidence that we should carry our selves above all threatnings and above all feares whatsoever Thou canst doe nothing except it were given thee saith Christ to bragging Pilate who boasted of his power alas what can all the enemies of Gods people doe except God permit them If a King or a great man should say to an inferiour Goe on I will stand by thee and preserve thee thou shalt take no harme what an incouragement were this Oh but when God shall say to a Christian walke humbly before me keepe close to my word be stedfast in the wayes of holinesse feare not man you are under my protection and safeguard what an incouragement is this to a beleeving soule But put case wee cannot bee preserved from death for so it was here with the Apostle hee dyed a bloody death Why let us observe his blessed carriage in all this and doe likewise I regard not that saith hee doe your worst God will preserve me still So it should be the bent of a Christians soule to come to God with this limitation in his faith and in his prayer Lord if thou wilt not deliver me from suffering ill preserve me from doing ill If thou wilt not preserve mee from death preserve me
farre better And is it much farre better to die that we may be with Christ than to live here a conflicting life Why should we then feare death that is but a passage to Christ It is but a grimme servant that lets us into a glorious pallace that striks off our bolts that takes off our rags that wee may bee clothed with better robes that ends all our misery and is the beginning of all our happinesse why should we therfore be affraid of death it is but a departure to a better condition It is but as Iordan to the children of Israel by which they passed to Canaan it is but as the red-sea by which they were going that way therefore we have no reason to feare death of it selfe it is an enemy indeed but now it is harmelesse nay now it is become a friend amicable to us a sweet friend it is one part of the Churches joynture death All things are yours saith the Apostle Paul and Apollos life and death death is ours and for our good it doth us more good than all the friends we have in the world it determines and ends all our misery and sinne and it is the suburbs of heaven it lets us into those joyes above It is a shame for Christians therefore to bee affraid of that that Paul here makes the object of his desire But may not a good Christian feare death I answer Not so farre as a Christian is led with the spirit of God and is truly spirituall for the spirit carryes us upward but as farre as wee are earthly and carnall and byassed downward to things below wee are loath to depart hence In some cases Gods children are affraid to die because their accounts are not ready though they love Christ and are in a good way yet notwithstanding because they have not prepared themselves by care as a woman that hath her husband abroad and desires his comming but all is not prepared in the house therfore she desires that he may stay awhile so the soule that is not exact that is not in that frame that it should be in saith Oh stay awhile that I may recover my strength before I goe hence and bee no more seene but as farre as wee are guided by the spirit of God sanctifying us and are in such a condition as we should be in so farre the thoughts of death ought not to be terrible to us nor indeed are they Beloved there is none but a Christian that can desire death because it is the end of all comfort here it is the end of all callings and employments of all sweetnesse whatsoever in this world If another man that is not a Christian desire heaven he desires it not as heaven or to â—e with Christ as Christ he desires it under some notion sutable to his corruption for our desires are as our selves are as our aymes are no carnall worldly man but hath carnall worldly aymes a worldly man cannot goe beyond the world it is his spheare a carnall man cannot goe beyond the flesh therefore a carnall man cannot desire heaven a man that is under the power of any lust can desire nothing but the satisfying of that lust heaven is no place for such none but a child of God can desire that For if we consider heaven and to bee with christ to be perfect holines can he desire it that hates holinesse here can he desire the Image of God upon him that hates it in others and in himselfe too can he desire the communion of Saints that of all societies hates it the most can he desire to be free from sinne that ingulfes himselfe continually in sinne he cannot and therefore as long as he is under the thraldome and dominion of any lust he may desire heaven indeed but it is onely so farre as he may have his lusts there his pleasures honours and riches there too if he may have heaven with that he is contented but alas brethren heaven must not be so desired S. Paul did otherwise he desired to be dissolved to be with Christ hee desired it as the perfection of the Image of God under the notion of holinesse and freedome from sin as I said before Which is farre better Againe we see that God reserves the best for the last Gods â—aâ—t workes are his best workes the new heaven and the new earth are the best the second wine that Christ created himselfe was the best spirituall things are better than naturall A Christians last is his best God will have it so for the comfort of Christians that everyday they live they may think My best is behinde my best is to come that every day they rise they may thinke I am nearer heaven one day than I was before I am nearer death and therefore nearer to Christ what a solace is this to a gracious heart A Christian is a happy man in his life but happyer in his death because then he goes to Christ but happiest of all in heaven for then hee is with Christ. How contrary to a carnall man that lives according to the sway of his owne base lusts he is miserable in his life more miserable in his death but most miserable of all after death I beseech you lay this to heart mee thinkes considering that death is but a way for us to be with Christ which is farre better this should sweeten the thinking of death to us and we should comfort our selves daily that we are nearer happinesse But how shall we attaine this sanctified sweet desire that Paul had to die and be with Christ Let us carry our selves as Paul did and then we shall have the same desires S. Paul before death in his life time had his conversation in heaven his minde was there and his soule followed after there is no mans soule comes into heaven but his minde is there first It was an easie matter for him to desire to bee with Christ having his conversation in heaven already Paul in meditation was where he was not and he was not where he was he was in heaven when his body was on earth 2. Againe S. Paul had loosed his affections from all earthly things therefore it was an easie matter for him to desire to be with Christ I am cruciâ—ied to the world and the world is crucified to me c. If once a Christian comes to this passe death will be welcome to him those whose hearts are fastened to the world cannot easily desire Christ. 3. Againe holy S. Paul laboured to keepe a good conscience in all things herein I exercise my selfe to have a good conscience towards God and men c. It is easie for him to desire to be dissolved that hath his conscience sprinkled with the blood of Christ free from a purpose of living in any sinne But where there is a stained defiled polluted conscience there cannot be this desire for the heart of man naturally as the Prophet saith
for theÌ„ why did he cry out My God my God c. Sight was due to him from his Incarnation in himselfe considered not as our sâ—rety Now that which made a stopp of the influence of comfort to his soule was that he might fully suffer for our sinnes that hee might bee humbled and â—empted and suffer even death it selfe Therefore in regard of the state of humiliation there was faith in him faith of dependance thâ—re was hope in him and he made great use therof to support himselfe But what supported the faith of Christ in this woefull rufull estate he was in being forsaken of God as our Surety Christ presented to his faith these things The unchangeable nature of GOD My God c. Whom he once loves hee loves to the end therfore he layes claime to him Thou hast beene my God heretofore and so thou art stâ—ll Againe faith presented to the soule of Christ Gods manner of dealing he knew well enough that God by contraries brings contraries to passe Hee brings to heaven by the gates of hell hee brings to glory by shame to life by death and therefore resolves notwithstanding this desertion I will depend upon my God Againe Christ knew well enough that God is nearest in support when he is furthest off in feeling so iâ— is ofâ— where hee is nearesâ— the inward man to strengthen it with his love he is furthest off in comfort to outward sense To whom was God nearer than Christ in support and sanctifying grace and yet to whom was he further off in present feeling Christ knew that there was a secret sense of Gods love a sensible sense of Gods love he had a secret sense of God that hee was his Father because he knew himselfe to be his Sonne but he had it not sensibly Faith must bee sutable to the thing beleeved Now Christ in saying my God suites his faith to the truth that was offered to him he knew GOD in the greatest extremitie to bee nearest at hand Be not farre off for trouble is neare c. This should teach us in any extremity or trouble to set faith on worke and seed faith with the consideration of Gods unchangeable nature and the unchangeablenesse of his promises which endure for ever we change but the promise changeth not and GOD changeth not My God still The word of the Lord indureth for ever GOD deales with â—is people in a hidden maner hee supports with secret though not with sensible comfort and will bee nearest when he seemes to be furthest off his Children I beseech you acquaint your selves with these things and thinke it not strange that GOD comes neare you in desertions considering that it was so with Christ present to thy soule the nature of GOD his custome and manner of dealing so shalt thou apprehend favour in the middest of wrath and glory in the middest of shame we shall see life in death we shall see through the thickest Clouds that are betweene GOD and us for as God shines in the heart in his love secretly through all temptations and troubles so there is a spirit of â—aith goes backe to him againe My God my God for faith hath a quicke eye and seeth through contraries There is no cloud of griefe but faith will pierce through it and see a fathers heart under the carriage of an enemy Christ had a great burden upon him the sinnes of the whole world yet he breakes through all I am now sinne I beate the guilt of the whole world yet under this person that I sustaine I am a sonnâ— and God is my God still notwithstanding all this weight of sinne upon mee And shall not wee beloved say My God in any affliction or trouble that befals us oh yes In the sense of sinne which is the bitterest of all and in the sense of Gods anger in losses and crosses in our families c. let us break through those clouds and say My God still But you will say I may apprehend a lie perhaps God is not my GOD and then it is presumption to say so Whosoever casts himselfe upoÌ„ GOD out of the sense of sinne to be ruled by God for the time to come shall obtaine mercy Now dost thou so doth thy conscience tell thee I cast my selfe up on God for better direction I would be ruled as GOD and the Ministery of the Word would have mee hereafter If so thou hast put this question out of question thou doubtest whether ther God be thy God I tell thee God is the God of all that seck him and obey him in truth but thy conscience tels thee thou dost this certainly then whatsoever thou wert before God is now before hand with thee hee offers himselfe to bee thy God if thou trust in him and wilt be ruled by him and not onely so but he intreats us we should beseech him but he intreates us such is his love nay he coÌ„mands us to beleeve in his Sonne Jesus CHRIST Now when I joyne with Gods intreatie Oh Lord thou offerest thy selfe thou invitest mee thou commandest me I yeeld obedience and submit to thy good word then the match is stricken and made up in doing so God is thy God and Christ is thy Christ and thou must improve this claime and interest here in all the passages of thy life long Lord thou art my God therefore teach me thou art my GOD I have given my self to thee I have set up thee in my heart above all things thoâ— art in my soule above all sinne above all profits and pleasures whatsoever therefore save mee and deliver mee have pitty upon me c. The claim is good when we have truely given our selves up to him else Goâ— may say Goâ— to the gods you have served 〈◊〉 were your gods for whom you cracked you consciences â—â—ches and pleasure were your gods goe to them for succour Oh beloved it is a harder matter to say My God in the middest of trouble than the world takes it there was a great conflict in Christ when he said My God when he brake through all molestations and temprâ—â—â—ons of Sathan together with the sense of wrath and could say notwithstanding My God there was a mighty strong spirit in him But no wonder faith is an Almighty grace wrought by the power of God and laying hold upon that power it layes hold upon Omnipotency and therefore it can doe wonders it overcomes the invincible God hee hath made a promise and cannot deny his promise hee cannot deny himselfe and his truth put case his dealing be as an enemy his promise is to bee as a friend to those that trust in him he is mercifull forgiving sinnes his nature now is such satisfaction to his justice makes him shew mercy I speake this that you might beg of God the gift of faith which will carry you through all temptations and afflictions yea even through the shadow of death as David faith
till wee come to the haven None comes to heaven but they know how they come there Now God will have it thus to sweeten heaven unto us after a conslicting life peace is welcome heven is heaven indeed after trouble wee can relish it then Because God will discard hypocrites in this life who take up so much of ReligioÌ„ as stands with their case and credit in the world avolding every difficulty which accompanyes goâ—linesse but so they may swimme two wayes at once goe on in their lusts still and bee religious withall this they approve of therefore God will have it a hard matter to bee saved to frustrate the vaine hopes of such wretches Alas it is an easy matter to bee an hypocrite but not to live godly If the righteous bee saved with much adoe then never enter upon the profession of Religion with vaine hopes of ease and pleasure that it shall be thus and thus with thee c. herein thou doest but delude thy owne soule for it wil prove otherwise Forecast therefore what will fall and gett provision of grace before hand to sustaine thee As if a man were to goe a dangerous journey hee provides himselfe of weapons pons and cordialls and all the incourageâ—ents he can least hee should faint in the way where as hee that walkes for his pleasure provides nothing hee cares not for his weapon or his cloake because if a storme comes hee can runne under shelter or into a house c. He that makes Religion a recreation can walke a turne or two for his pleasure and when any difficulty arises can retire and drawe in his hornes againe An hypocrite hath his reservations and politike ends and therefore what needs hee any great provision to support him when he knows how to winde out of trouble well enough rather then to stand couragiously to any thing But a true Christian that makes it the maine work of his life to please God armes himself for the worst that can befall him and will be saved through thicke or thinne smooth or rough whatsoever comes on it so God will save his soule hee cares not but rejoyceth with Paul if by any meanâ—s he can attain the resurrectioÌ„ of the dead by any meanes it is no matter what Let fire and fagott meete with him yet hee is resolved not to retire for any trouble or persecution whatsoever that standes betweene him and happinesse Hee is purposely armed to breake through every opposition to the best things and what ever may separate his soule from the favour of God I beseech you beloved think of these things and let it bee your wisedome to make the way to heaven as easy as you can to this end begge the Spirit of Christ you know the holy spirit is full of life and strength it is a spirit of light and comfort and whatsoever is good the spirit of God is like the winde as it is subtle in operation and invisible so it is strong and mighty it beares all before it Oh therefore gett this blessed spirit to inlighten thee to quicken thee to support thee c. and it will carry thy soule couragiously along above all oppositions and discouragements whatsoever in the way to happinesse Get likewise the particular graces of the Spirit which will much cheere thee in thy Christian course above all labour for a spirit of humility an humble man is sit to doe or suffer any thing a proud man is like a gouty hand or a swelled arme unfit for any Christian performance he is not in a state to doe good but an â—uÌ„ble maÌ„ is thankfull that God will honour â—im so farre as to let him suffer for the cause of Christ hee is wondrous empty and vile in his owne eyes and admires why God should reserve such infinite matters for so base a worme as hee is When Christ would have us take his yoake upon us he advises us to learne of him to be meeke and lowly c. Some might say This yoake is heavy it will pinch mee and gall me No saith our Saviour it shall bee very light and easie but how shall I get it to be so Why get but an humble and meeke spirit and that will bring rest to your soules Againe labour for a spirit of love Love is strong as death it will carry us through all The love of Christ in the Martyrs when the fire was kindled about them made them despise all tormâ—nts what soever this will warme our hearts and make us goe cheerfully to worke Let but a spirit of love be kindled in Gods childe and it is no matter what he suffers cast him into the fire cast him into the dungeon into prison whatsoever it bee hee hath that kindled in his heart which will make him digest any thing We see the Disciples when they had the spirit of Christ within them to warme their hearts what cared they for whipping or Stockes c You see even base carnall love will make a man indute poverty disgrace what not and shall not this fire that comes from heaveÌ„ when it is once kindled in our hearts prevaile much more what will make our passage to heaven sweete if this will not Nothing is grievous to a person that loves Exercise your hope likewise set before your eyes the crowne and kingdome of heaven those admirable things contained in the Word of GOD which no tongue can â—xpresse let hope feed upon these deâ—cates cast Anchor in heaven and see if it will not make thee goe on cheerefully in a Christian course Faith will overcome the world all the snares of prosperity that would hinder us on the right hand Faith it presents things of a higher nature to the soule better than they faith likewise overcomes temptations on the left hand all terrours and discomforts whatsoever it considers these are nothing to the terrour of the Lord therefore faith is called the evidence of things not seene because it presents things that are absent as present to the soule If life and happinesse be once truly presented to our hearts what can all the world doe to hinder our passage thither Lastly we should much endeavor the mortificaâ—â—oÌ„ of our lusts for what is it that makes the way to heaven irk some unto us Is it not this corrupt and proud flesh of ours which will indure nothing no not the waight of a straw but is all for ease and quiet c. It is not duty which makes our way difficult for it was meate and drinke to Christ to doe the will of his father Why is it not so with us Because he was borne without sinne when Sathan came he found nothing of his owne in him but when hee sollicites us hee findes a correspondency betwixt our corrupt hearts and himselfe whereby having intelligence what we haunt what we love he will be sure to molest us the lesse wee have of the workes of Sathan in us the lesse
and labour to improve our Talents that when we give any thing to God we may say Lord according to the grace I have received I have kept it and therefore now returne it to thee againe Beloved when trouble of conscience comes when sicknesse and death comes what will become of a man that hath not this sweete acquaintance with God hee was a stranger to God in the time of prosperitie and God is now a stranger to him in adversitie Saul was a prophane spirited man hee did not acquaint himselfe with God in the time of his happinesse and therefore in time of distresse he goes first to the Witch and then to the sword poynt So fareth it with all wicked wretches in their great extremities no sooner doth any evill beâ—ide them or the least danger approach them let conscience never so little fliâ— in their faccs c. but presently they goe to cursed meanes and runne upon desperate conclusions Therefore as we desire to die even in Gods armes yeeld up our selves into the very hands of the Almighty with comfort let us daily inure our selves to this blessed course of committing our selves and all our wayes to him in doing good Come and see saith the Scripture Beloved if you will not beleeve me make tryall of this course a while did you once taste the sweetnesse of it how would your drooping spirits be cheared up Let a man continually keepe a good conscience and hee shall bee satisfied with peace at last Suppose hee meetes with danger and opposition in the world this may seeme harsh at the first ô but he shall know afterwards what it is to part with any thing for Christs sake to commit his cause or whatsoever hee hath unto God as to a faithfull Creator Then wee â—aste of God to the purpose when wee put him to it for God will not be indebted to us wee never finde such sweete immediate comfort from him as when wee deny our selves comfort of the Creature for his sake Little doe wee know what times may befall us there is much danger abroad and wee have cause to feare not farre from us It may bee the clouds even now hang over our heads Oh if wee would be hidd in the day of the Lords wrath have no evill come nigh our dwellings let us above all things in the world make sure our interest in Christ and title to the promise Wee should seeke to know God more and then wee would trust him more They that know thy name will trust in thee saith David Oh the blessed estate of a Christian that now he may bee acquainted with God that through Christ there is a Throne of Grace to flie unto I beseech you improve this happy priviledge and then come what will come famine come danger of warre or pestilence c. God will bee a Sanctuary and an abiding place to you A Christian carries his Rocke and sure defence about him I will bee unto them a little Sanctuary in all places saith God What a comfort is it to have a wall of fire still compassing us about a Sheild that our enemies must breake through before they can come at us Hee that trusts in God shall bee recompensed with mercy on every side it is no matter what dangers compasse him though hee be in the midst of death and hell or any trouble whatsoever if he commits himselfe to God in obedience out of good grounds of faith in his Word he shall be safe in the evill day THE TABLE A ABsence of Gods Spirit discourageth us in the way to salvation Part 1. Pag. 111 Affliction necessary 1. 16 17 It happens in the Sunsnine of the Gospell 1. 25 Small ones not regarded make way for greater 1. 27 Our carriage therein must bee good 1. 140 God will deliver his out of all 2. 94 How 2. 95 96 Godly afflicted more than others and why 1. 18 This discovers false brethren 2. 93 Art aggravates sinne 2. 7 Assurance of Gods love is to bee sought betimes 1. 197 Atheisme brings judgement 1. 28 Attributes of God are to be applyed to our selves 1. 17â— B A Christians best things are last Part 1. Pag. 47. Part 2. Pag. 196 Brethren thâ—â— are false discovered by affliction 2. 93 C Calamity in the common calamity the wicked dare not appeare 1. 122 Christianity contrary to nature 1. 145 Children of God are knowne by Gods correcting them 1. 46 The Devill their enemy 1. 107 These must be committed unto God 1. 232 Church of God is his house 1. 5 Why 1. 6 He provides for it 1. 7 Whether the English Church bee Gods house 1. 13 Proved 1. 14 The Church needs purging 1. 15 God clenseth it when need is 1. 17 It should severely punish sinne 1. 23 It is Gods Spouse 1. 80 Impregnable 2. 31 Commonnesse of sinne is a signe that it is ripe 1. 30 Conception of minde is like the body 2. 2 Conscience good feares not death 2. 189 Constancy in sinne to be shunned 2. 7 Correction shewes we are Gods Children 1. 46 Covenant wee must bee in Covenant with God 1. 187 Creator comfort from God as a Creator 1. 168 180 184 D Death is a departing 2. 184 How Paul desired it 2. 186 Not to bee feared by a Christian 2. 192 It may be desired by a wicked man but for some by-ends 2. 194 Our ends must be considered 1. 58 The death of the godly to be lamented and why 1. 209 211 Their deaths a signe of judgment approaching 1. 28. 2. 23 Deliberation in what things to bee used 2. 179 Deliverance we have dayly from God should cause us to glorifie him 2. 151 Desire what 2. 182 Despaire to be avoided 2. 101 Devill an enemy to Gods Children 1. 107 Diligent we are diligent to sinne 2. 7 Disobedience against the Gospell the greatest sinne why 1. 68 How knowne 1. 86 Division 1. 44 in a land is a forerunner of judgement 2. 29 Doctrine we should keepe sound that doctrine which was left us pure 2. 162 Doubting Romish doubting disallowed 1. 198 E End our end must bee considered 1. 58 Enemies to be prayed for 1. 146 147 Enemies of the Church represented two waies 2. 68 Envy snarles at greatnesse when joyned with goodnesse 2. 13 Eternity our desire of Gods glory should be carried to eternity 2. 158 Evill we must not plot to doe it 2. 48 The difference betwixt evill done and suffered 2. 113 Manifestation thereof aggravates it 2. 114 Examination of the grounds of Religion a meanes to escape judgement 1. 40 Examples of Governours prevaile much 2. 163 Experience of Gods care and love exprest we may collect the future â— 201. 2. 1â—â— F Faith it 's efficacy 1. 119 It takes hold by a little 1. 182 Active and Passive 1. 188 It is strengthened by deliverance 2. 129 It is a signe of our interest in heaven 2. 147 Faithfulnesse of God to bee trusted to 1. 177 He is faithfull 1. 171 Wee