willing to die considering that the godly by death are called to rest but the wicked to punishment 164. The difference between the hope of the wicked and of the godly 164 165. Nothing more profitable than the thought of mortality 165 166. Why the day of our death is kept from us 166. That a mans death shall be as his life is 166 167. That the day of Judgement may be long before it come but the day of death not so and the reason 167. By meditation on death to make the same familiar to us 167. That our whole life ought to be a learning to die 167. That death puts an end to all sorrows 168 169 170. That life is a passage to death and death a return to life 168 169. Touching our comfort in death by Christ his overcoming of death 169. That sleep is a resemblance of death the bed of the grave our rising again of our resurrection 169 170. That the day of our death is as our everlasting birth day 170. We are not to grieve at the thought of death but rather to rejoyce 170 171. The Sacrament called viaticum Aeternitatis or morientis 171. The desire of Nazianzen to die with some sentence of piety by him uttered at that time 171. That death is a passage from earth to heaven 171 172. That death is a separation of the soul from the body a location of the body in the earth and a translation of the soul to God 172 173. That man is of the dust and to dust to return 172 173. That the thought of death ought to be comfortable in regard of Gods mercy promised 173 174 175 176. CHAP. VII Of the day of Judgement the same described with the fruits and effects thereof 177. The severall appellations of the day of Judgement 177 178 179. The terriblenesse of the day of Judgement with the manner thereof 178 179 180 181 182 183 184 185 186 187 188 189. Touching the manner of our change at the day of Judgement 187 188. That God will deliver his in the day of Judgement 188. That because man was so wicked God made the dumb creatures to take part of the punishment with him 189 190. A Sermon preached upon this text 2 Cor. 5.10 For we must all appear before the Judgement-seat of Christ 195. ERRATA Fol. 31. line 1. these words omitted nisi introspieere in mentem suam 51. l. 29. that for the 54. l. 1. the first all too much 83. l. 6. that too much 87. l. 16. dignitio tua for est dignatio tua 88. l. 1. serio for serious 112. l. 1. not too much 121. l. last word for sword 124. l. 7.8.9 read morbidus putridus cassus auspicatus 125. l. 3. dives for dies and l. 13. is to be left out 128. l. 3 4. melior for melius 136. l. 7. shall too much 141. l. 28. distinction for direction 144. l. 22 moriamini for moriâ—mini l. 27. O nqnom for O nequam 148. l. 21. ereunti for exennti 156. l. 24. quod for quid 159. l. 14. provectio for profectio 161. l. 17. bono for bona l. 26. sciet for sociat 162. l. 7. transgradimur for trunsgredimur and l. 10. temporali itinere de cursa for temporalis itineris decursu 165. l. 20. jubat for jubet 170. l. 5. somnum for somnus or somnium In the Sermon 2. division the generality of the Judgement we must all appear here to be left on t the 3. division the severity of the Judgement in this word appear here to be added CHAP. I. Touching the sacred word of God with certain directory Rules and observations by way of Caveats to be made use of for the more profitable and better understanding of the holy Scriptures and sacred word of God whensoever we do either read or hear the same preached unto us FIrst the constant and frequent reading and hearing of the Word of God and the due meditation thereon is a duty and service commanded us by God himself and by him enjoyned to be duely and carefully performed by us with his good blessings promised if we so do and his ensuing judgements threatned if we neglect the same all which appeareth by many places of Scripture Deut. chap. 11. vers 18.19.20.21 Ye shall lay up these my words in your heart and in your soul and bind them for a signe upon your hand that they may be as frontlets between your eyes And ye shall teach them your children speaking of them when thou sittest in thine house and when thou walkest by the way when thou liest down and when thou risest up And thou shalt write them upon the doore posts of thine house and upon thy gates That your dayes may be multiplied and the dayes of your children in the land which the Lord sware unto your fathers to give them as the dayes of heaven upon the earth Observe Deuteronomie chap. 12. vers 28. and hear all these words which I command thee that it may go well with thee and with thy children after thee for ever when thou doest that which is good and right in the sight of the Lord thy God And it shall be Deuteronomie chap 17. vers 18.19 when he sitteth upon the throne of his kingdome that he shall write him a copy of this Law in a book And it shall be with him and he shall read therein all the dayes of his life that he may learn to fear the Lord his God to keep all the words of this law and these statutes to do them And Moses wrote this law Deuteronomie chap. 31. vers 9 10 11 12. and delivered it unto the priests the sons of Levi. And Moses commanded them saying Gather the people together men and women and children and the stranger that is within thy gates that they may hear and that they may learn and fear the Lord your God and observe to do all the words of this law But the word is very nigh unto thee Deuteronomie ch 30. vers 14. in thy mouth and in thy heart that thou mayest do it The word is nigh thee Romans ch 10. ver 8. even in thy mouth and in thy heart that is the word of faith which we preach This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth Joshua chap. 8. vers 8. but thou shalt meditate therein night and day that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous and then thou shalt have good successe Whoso despiseth the word Prov. 13.13 shall be destroyed but he that feareth the commandement shall be rewarded I have sent unto you all my servants the prophets Jeremiah cha 7. ver 25 26. daily rising up early and sending them Yet they hearkened not nor enclined their eare but hardened their neck they did worse than their fathers How do ye say Jeremiah cha 8. ver 8.9 we are wise and
Elijah He took up also the mantle of Elijah 2 Kin. 2.14 that fell from him and smote the waters and said Where is the Lord God of Elijah and when he also had smitten the waters they parted hither and thither and Elisha went over By prayer Elisha raised the Shunamites son from death to life again And when Elisha was come into the house 2 Kin. 4.32 33 35 36. behold the child was dead and laid upon his bed He went in therefore and shut the door upon them twain and prayed unto the Lord. And the child neesed seven times and the child opened his eyes And when she was come in unto him he said Take up thy son By prayer Sampson pulled the house down Judg. 16.30 and killed more at his death than in his life By prayer Ahijah obtained victory against Jeroboam king of Israel 2 Chron. 13. 14 15 16 17 18. with half the number because they did relye on God By prayer the great army of Sennacherib king of Assyria 2 Chron. 32.2 3 6 7 8 19 20 21. coming against Hezekiah king of Iudah was overthrown by the Angel of the Lord from heaven And they spake against the God of Ierusalem For this cause Hezekiah the king 2 Kin. 19.15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 34 35 37. Isaiah 39.37 the same and the prophet Isaiah the son of Amos prayed and cried to heaven And the Lord sent an Angel which cut off all the mighty men of valour and the leaders and the captains in the camp of the king of Assyria So he returned with shame to his own land And when he was come into the house of his god they that came out of his own bowels slew him there with the sword And Hezekiah prayed before the Lord and said O Lord God of Israel Hezekiahs prayer 2 Kin. 19.15 16 19 20 35. which dwellest between the Cherubims thou art the God even thou alone of all the kingdomes of the earth thou hast made heaven and earth Lord bow down thine ear and hear Isaiah 36.37 the same open Lord thine eyes and see and hear the words of Sennacherib which hath sent him to reproch the living God Now therefore O Lord our God I beseech thee save us out of his hand that all the kingdomes of the earth may know that thou art the Lord God even thou onely Then Isaiah the son of Amos sent to Hezekiah saying Thus saith the Lord God of Israel that which thou hast prayed to me against Sennacherib king of Assyria I have heard And it came to passe that night that the Angel of the Lord went out and smote in the camp of the Assyrians an hundred fourscore and five thousand and when they arose early in the morning behold they were all dead corpses By prayer Asa king of Iudah 2 Chron. 14.9 10 11 12. obtained victory against Zerah the Ethiopian who came against him with an host of a thousand thousand and three hundred chariots And Asa cried unto the Lord his God The prayer of king Asa And said Lord it is nothing with thee to help whether with many or with them that have no power Help us O Lord our God for we rest on thee and in thy name we go against this multitude O Lord thou art God let not man prevail against thee So the Lord smote the Ethiopians before Asa and before Iudah and the Ethiopians fled By prayer Iudeth prevailed against the Assyrians Judith 9.7 8 71. who trusted in their strength Judiths prayer force and power Her prayer to God to throw down their strength For thy power standeth not in multitude nor thy might in strong men for thou art the God of the afflicted an helper of the oppressed an upholder of the weak a protector of the forlorn a saviour of them that are without help By prayer Iudas Maccabeus obtained victory from God 2 Maccabees 8.20 36. against Nicanor and with eight thousand men obtained victory against an hundred and twenty thousand in Babylon because of the help they had from heaven and because the Jews had God to fight for them and therefore they could not be hurt By prayer Lazarus being dead and having been four dayes in the grave was raised up again from death to life And Jefus lift up his eyes and said John 11.4 42 43 44. Father I thank thee that thou hast heard me And I know that thou hearest me alwayes but because of the people which stand by I said it that they may believe that thou hast sent me And when he had thus spoken 〈…〉 he cried with a loud voice Lazarus come forth And he that was dead came forth bound hand and foot with his grave-clothes and his face was bound with a napkin Jesus saith unto them Loose him and let him go By prayer the Holy Ghost fell down upon those which believed And when they had prayed Acts 4.31 the place was shaken where they were assembled together and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost and they spake the word of God with boldnesse By prayer Tabitha was raised by Peter from death to life again But Peter put them all forth Acts 9.40 41. and kneeled down and prayed and turning him to the body said Tabitha arise and she opened her eyes and when she saw Peter she sat up And he gave her his hand and lift her up and when he had called the saints and widows he presented her alive By prayer St. Paul healed the father of Publius and others of their diseases And it came to passe Acts 28.8 9. that the father of Publius lay sick of a fever and of a bloudy flux to whom Paul entred and prayed and laid his hands on him and healed him So when this was done others also which had diseases in the Island came and were healed Prayer as a Father observeth is as a strong city of refuge for us thereby to fly unto God in our greatest need Some in prayer as one observeth never regard what they ask nor how whereupon a Father saith If in prayer we ask of God we care not what we shall then be heard of him we know not when and have one thing granted us for another Matth. 20.20 21 22 23. James 4.3 as the mother of Zebedeus children had Ye ask and receive not because ye ask amisse that ye may consume it upon your lusts We are often nay continually in great danger and therefore we must often nay continually pray unto God for preservation and deliverance from all dangers And as S. S. Bernards observation as touching the use of prayer Bernard observeth thus much of often prayer so we must duely and carefully follow the same rule by him prescribed as namely When we go out of our house let prayer alwayes arm us accompany us and ever attend upon us for Gods blessing and preservation of us And when we return home again let
1 Iohn 3.14 because we love the Brethren He that loveth not his Brother abideth in death Be thou faithfull unto the death Rev. 2.10.11 and I will give Thee the Crown of life He that overcommeth shall not be hurt of the second death CHAP. VII Of the day of Judgement the same described with the fruits and effects thereof the same being called FIrst The day of the Lord. Secondly A day of Recompence Thirdly The great day of the Lord. Fourthly A day or time of Jacobs troubles Fifthly The evil day Sixthly The day of the Lords wrath Seventhly A day of wrath of trouble destruction and of desolation Eighthly A day in which the whole land shall be devoured with the fire of Gods jealousie Ninthly A day of darknesse of gloominesse of clouds and thick darknesse Tenthly A great and terrible day who can abide it Eleventhly A day from the which nothing can deliver us neither silver nor gold nor any thing else Twelfthly A day that will cause all the inhabitants of the land to tremble for the day of the Lord cometh it is nigh at hand Thirteenthly A terrible and a fearfull day to the wicked by reason of the sentence of malediction and condemnation then to be pronounced against them of Depart from me ye cursed into everlasting fire But Fourteenthly A day of joy and happinesse unto the godly and elect by reason of the sentence of approbation and benediction then to be pronounced for their endlesse comfort of Come ye blessed of my Father inherit the kingdome prepared for you The great day of the Lord is near Zeph. 1.14 15. and hasteth greatly even the voice of the day of the Lord. That day is a day of wrath a day of trouble and distresse a day of wastnesse and desolation a day of darknesse and of gloominesse a day of clouds and thick darknesse Alas Jer. 30.7 for that day is great so that none is like it it is even the time of Jacobs trouble but he shall be saved out of it Let all the inhabitants of the land Joel 2.1 tremble for the day of the Lord cometh it is nigh at hand Behold the day of the Lord cometh Isaiah 13.9 cruel both with wrath and fierce anger to lay the land desolate he shall destroy the sinners thereof out of it For the starrs of heaven Isaiah 13.10 13. and the constellations thereof shall not give their light the sun shall be darkened in his going forth and the moon shall not cause her light to shine I will shake the heavens and the earth shall remove out of her place in the wrath of the Lord of hosts and in the day of his fierce anger A voice of noise from the city Isaiah 66.6 a voice from the temple a voice of the Lord that rendreth recompence to his enemies The dayes of visitation are come Hosea 9.7 the dayes of recompence are come A day of darkness and of gloominess Joel 2.2 11. a day of clouds and thick darknesse And the Lord shall utter his voice before his army for his camp is very great for he is strong that executeth his word for the day of the Lord is great and very terrible and who can abide it Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God Ephes 6.13 that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day The day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night 1 Thess 5.2 For the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night 2 Pet. 3.10 in the which the heavens shall passe away with a great noise and the elements shall melt with heat the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burnt up The angels which kept not their first state Jude 6. he hath reserved in everlasting chains under darknesse unto the Judgement of the great day Behold Revel 1.7 he cometh with clouds and every eye shall see him and they also which have pierced him Neither their silver Zeph. 1.18 nor their gold shall be able to deliver them in the day of the Lords wrath but the whole land shall be devoured by the fire of his jealousie for he shall make even a speedy riddance of all them that dwell in the land They shall cast their silver in the streets Ezek. 7.19 and their gold shall be removed their silver and their gold shall not be able to deliver them in the day of the wrath of the Lord. For all the earth shall be devoured with the fire of my jealousie Zeph. 3.8 Again Of the day of Iudgement or the last day the same described Of the day of Judgement or the last day by wonders shewed in the heavens and in the earth Bloud and fire and pillars of smoke The sun turned into darknesse the moon into bloud Joel 2.30 31 32. Called the great and terrible day of the Lord with the joy and comfort then of Gods elect and they which call upon the name of the Lord they shall be then saved and delivered And I will shew wonders in the heavens and in the earth bloud and fire and pillars of smoke The sun shall be turned into darknesse and the moon into bloud before the great and the terrible day of the Lord come And it shall come to passe that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be delivered Thrust in thy sickle and reap Revel 14 15. for the time is come for thee to reap for the harvest of the earth is ripe Put ye in the sickle Joel 3.13 14 15 16 17. for the harvest is ripe come get you down for the presse is full the fats overflow for their wickednesse is great Multitudes multitudes in the valley of decision for the day of the Lord is near in the valley of decision The sun and the moon shall be darkned and the starrs shall withdraw their shining The Lord also shall rore out of Zion and utter his voice from Jerusalem and the heavens and the earth shall shake but the Lord will be the hope of his people and the strength of the children of Israel So shall ye know that I am the Lord your God dwelling in Zion my holy mountain The Lord will rore from Zion Amos 1.2 and utter his voice from Jerusalem Therefore prophesie thou against them all these words Jer. 25.30 31. and say unto them The Lord shall rore from on high and utter his voice from his holy habitation he shall mightily rore upon his habitation he shall give a shout as they that tread the grapes against all the inhabitants of the earth A noise shall come even to the ends of the earth for the Lord hath a controversie with the Nations he will plead with all flesh he will give them that are wicked to the sword saith the Lord. For I will call for a sword upon all the inhabitants of the earth Jer. 25.29 saith
the Lord of hosts For as the lightning cometh out of Matth. 24.27 the east and shineth even unto the west so shall also the coming of the Son of man be Immediately after the tribulation of those dayes shall the sun be darkened Matth. 24.29 30 31 33 36. the moon shall not give her light the stars shall fall from heaven the powers of the heaven shall be shaken And then shall appear the sign of the son of man in heaven Mark 13.24 25 26 27 29 32 33. and Luke 21.25 26 27 31 32 33. the same with St. Matthew and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn and they shall see the son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds from the one end of heaven to the other When ye shall see all these things know that it is near even at the doors But of that day and hour knoweth no man no nor the angels of heaven but my Father onely By these preceding places of Scripture it appears That the day of Iudgement or the day the Lord is called by the name of the harvest being ripe The harvest of the earth is ripe and therefore to be reaped with the sickle By the name of a noise that shall come even to the ends of the earth and that the Lord hath a controversie with the Nations that he will plead with all flesh and give them that are wicked to the sword Again Of the day of Judgement a farther description and of the effects of it The day of Iudgement further described with full expressions in the Scripture how fearfull and terrible the same shall be and what men shall do for to avoid the same And they shall go into the holes of the rocks Isaiah 2.19 and 10.11 12. all to the same purpose and into the caves of the earth for fear of the Lord and for the glory of his majesty when he ariseth to shake terribly the earth Or then shall they go into the holes of the rocks from before the fear of the Lord and from the glory of his majesty when he shall arise to destroy the earth as another Translation is In that day a man shall cast his idols of silver Isaiah 2.20 and his idols of gold which they made each one for himself to worship to the moles to the bats Or at that day shall a man cast away his silver idols and and his golden idols which they had made themselves to worship them to the moles and to the batts as another Translation is That is Exposition They shall cast them into most vile and filthy places when they perceive that they are not able to help them as the exposition is To go into the clefts of the rocks Isai 2.20 21. and into the tops of the ragged rocks for fear of the Lord and for the glory of his majesty when he ariseth to shake terribly the earth And they shall say to the mountains Cover us and to the hills Hosea 10.8 Fall on us Then shall they begin to say to the mountains Fall on us and to the hills Luke 23.30 Cover us And the kings of the earth Rev. 6.15 16. and the great men and the rich men and the chief captains and the mighty men and every bond-man and every freeman hid themselves in the dens and in the rocks of the mountains and said to the mountains and rocks Fall on us And hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb For the great day of his wrath is come and who shall be able to stand And in those dayes shall men seek death and shall not find it and shall desire to dye and death shall flee from them Riches Prov. 11.4 profit or avail not in the day of wrath but righteousnesse delivereth from death Trust not in wicked riches Ecclus 5.8 for they shall not help or profit thee in the day of punishment or vengeance Wo unto you that desire the day of the Lord Amos 5.18 to what end is it for you the day of the Lord is darknesse and not light Or what have you to do with it as another Translation is Thus he speaketh because the wicked and hypocrites said they were content to abide Gods Iudgements whereas the godly tremble and fear as the exposition is As if a man did flee from a lion Amos 5.19 20. and a bear met him or went into the house and leaned hard on the wall and a serpent bit him Shall not the day of the Lord be darknesse and not light even very dark and no brightnesse in it Or and no light in it as another Translation is Behold 1 Cor. 15.51 I shew you a mystery or a secret thing we shall not all sleep but we shall all be changed when the Lord cometh to Iudgement some of the saints shall be alive whom he will change even as if they were dead so that this change is instead of death to them as the Exposition is Exposition For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout 1 Thess 4.16 17. with the voice of the Archangel and with the Trump of God and the dead in Christ shall rise first Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air and so shall we ever be with the Lord. Meaning them which shall be found alive as the exposition is In this sudden taking up Exposition there shall be a kind of mutation of the qualities of our bodies which shall be as a kind of death as the exposition is And it shall be said in that day Lo Isaiah 25.9 this is our God we have waited for him and he will save us This is the Lord we have waited for him we will be glad and rejoyce in his salvation In a moment 1 Cor. 15.52 in the twinckling of an eye at the last trump or trumpet for the trumpet shall sound and the dead shall be raised incorruptible and we shall be changed For this corruptible must put on incorruption 1 Cor. 15.53 and this mortall must put on immortality I will ransome them from the power of the grave Hosea 13.14 I will redeem them from death O death I will be thy plagues O grave I will be thy destruction Meaning Exposition that no power shall resist God when he will deliver his but even in death he will give them life as the exposition is Therefore be ye ready Matth. 24.44 for in such an hour as you think not the son of man cometh or will come Ye that put farr away the evil day Amos 6.3 and cause the seat of violence to come near
promise Life I am the life which I lay down for the life of the World And again Clamat errantibus ego sum via S. Bernard Clamat dubitantibus ego sum veritas Clamat Lacescentibus ego sum vita Christ is the way for us to walk Truth us to direct And Life us to refresh And again St. Ambrose upon this place saith Ambulare vis ego sum via Falli non vis ego sum veritas Mori non vis ego sum vita Non est qua eas Nisi per me S. Ambro Non est quo eas Nisi ad me Surge igitur O homo quiae Via vita veritas veniunt at te Wilt thou walk then I am the way Wilt thou not be deceived then I am the Truth Wilt thou not die then I am the life There is no way in which thou canst walk but by me only There is no way whither thou canst go but only to me Arise therefore O man and that speedily because The way the life and the truth do come unto thee And again St. Bernard upon these words of the Evangelist Iohn 14.6 Christus est via S. Bernard Io. 14.6 veritas vita Christ is the way the truth and the life Christus est via sine errore Veritas sine falsitate Vita sine morte And again S. Bernard Christus est Via in exemple Ut homo Veritas in promisis Vita in remnneratione ut Deus Christ is the way without error The truth without falshood The life without death Again Christ is The way in his example as he was man The truth in his promises And the life in his free bestowing thereof on us as he is God And again St. Augustin upon these words saith Errare non vis ego sum via St. August Decipi non vis ego sum seritas Mori non vis ego sum vita Wilt thou not erre then I am the way Wilt thou not be deceived then I am the truth Wilt thou not die then I am the life From hence St. St. Bernard Bernards fourfold Venite is very observable Shewing us the difference between the call of the Devil and his Instruments inviting us to follow them and what reward they promise their followers for so doing And the call of Christ our Saviour and his invitation of us to follow him and what he promiseth us for our so doing Dicit mundus venite S. Bernard et ego Inficiam Dicit caro venite et ego Illiciam Dicit daemon venite et ego interficiam Dicit Christus ventte et ego reficiam The World saith to us come and follow me and my reward is this I will infect you The flesh saith to us come and follow me and my reward is this I will intice and allure you to ill The Devil saith to us come and follow me and my reward is this I will destroy you both body and soul in hel But Christ saith to us come and follow me and my reward is this I will new make you and supply all your defects whatsoever Come unto me all ye that labour Mat. 11.28 29 30. and are heavy laden and I will give you rest Take my Yoak upon you and learn of me for I am meek and lowly in heart and ye shall find rest unto your souls For my yoke is easie and my burden is light For this is the love of God 1 Io. 5.3 that we keep his Commandements and his Commandements are not grievous And we know Rom. 8.28 that all things work together for good to them that love God to them who are called according to his purpose For whom he did foreknow Rom. 8.29 30. he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son that he might be the first born among many brethren Moreover whom he did predestinate them he also called and whom he called them he also justified and whom he justified them he also glorified Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Iesus Christ Ephes 1.3 4 5 7 9. who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ According as he hath chosen us in in him before the foundation of the World that we should be holy and without blame before him in love Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Iesus Christ to himself according to the good pleasure of his Will In whom we have redemption through his bloud the forgiveness of sins according to the riches of his grace Having made known unto us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure which he hath purposed in himself That in the dispensation of the fulness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ both which are in heaven and which are on earth even in him In whom also we have obtained an inheritance Ephes 1.11 12 13 14. being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the Counsell of his own will That we should be to the praise of his glory who first trusted in Christ In whom ye also trusted after that ye heard the word of Truth the Gospel of your salvation In whom also after that ye beleeved ye were sealed with the holy Spirit of promise which is the earnest of our Inheritance untill the redemption of the purchased possession unto the praise of his glory According to his mercy Tit. 3.5 6.7 he saved us by the washing of regeneration and renewing of the holy Ghost which he shed on us aboundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour That being justiffed by his Grace we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life So then Rom. 9.16 it is not of him that willeth nor of him that runneth but of God that sheweth mercy From these before-ment oned places of Scripture it doth appear unto us for our comfort that God doth hereby manifest unto us his free grace and bounty in the means of our salvation and that for the better grounding of our faith herein he observeth this course as namely First Noseligere ordinare praedestinare ad salvationem in praescientia sua divina aeterna To choose ordain and predestinate us unto salvation in his divine and eternall foreknowledge Secondly Nos inspirare renovare illuminare per Spiritum suum sacrosanctum To inspire to renew and to illuminate us by the heavenly operation of his holy Spirit in us Thirdly Nos ligare trahere dirigere stabilire adificare per verbum suum divenum per sacramenta sua sacra To biud draw direct establish and build us up in the heavenly building and knowledge of Christ by his divine and holy Word and by his holy and blessed Sacraments St. Augustines observation is this St. Augustin That God doth Inspirare per verbum God doth inspire us by his Word The due and serious consideration of all this ought not onely to raise
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
16. consent thou not If they say come with us let us lay wait for bloud let us lurk privily for the innocent without cause Cast in thy lot among us let us all have one purse My son walk not thou in the way with them refrain thy foot from their path For their feet run to evil and make hast to shed bloud Secondly We must pray in all places I will therefore 1 Tim. 2.8 that men pray every where lifting up holy hands without wrath and doubting Thirdly We must pray at all times Let us go speedily to pray before the Lord Zechar. 8.21 and to seek the Lord of hosts O Lord God of my salvation I have cried day and night before thee Let my prayer come before thee Psal 88.1 2. encline thine ear unto my cry Unto thee have I cried Psal 88.13 O Lord and in the morning shall my prayer prevent thee Evening Psalm 55.17 and morning and at noon will I pray And it came to passe Luke 6.12 in those dayes that he went out into a mountain to pray and be continued all night in prayer to God And he spake a parable unto them Luke 18.1 to this end that men ought alwayes to pray and not to faint Every day will I blesse thee Psalm 145.2 and I will praise thy name for ever and ever Pray without ceasing 1 Thess 5.17 But the end of all things is at hand 1 Pet. 4.7 be ye therefore sober and watch unto prayer Night and day 1 Thess 3.10 praying exceedingly Continuing instant in prayer Rom. 12.12 Foutthly We must pray for all persons yea even for our enemies Confesse your faults one to another James 5.16 and pray one for another that ye may be healed Love your enemies Luke 6.27 28. do good to them that hate you Bless them that curse you and pray for them that despitefully use you Then said Iesus Luke 23 34. Father forgive them for they know not what they do And they stoned Stephen Acts 7.59 60. calling upon God and saying Lord Iesus receive my spirit And he kneeled down and cryed with a loud voice Lord lay not this sin to their charge 5ly We must pray to God alone Is any among you afflicted Ja. 5.13 let him pray Is any merry let him sing Psalmes Now when Daniel knew Dan. 6.10 that the writing was signed he went into his House and his windows being open in his Chamber toward Ierusalem he kneeled down upon his knees three times a day and prayed and gave thanks before his God as he did afore time As for me I will call upon God Psal 55.16 and the Lord shall save me There was a certain man in Caesarea called Cornelius a devout man Acts 10.1 2. which gave much Alms to the people and prayed to God alway And I set my face unto the Lord God to seek by Prayer and Supplications Dan. 9 3 4. with fasting and sackcloth and ashes And I prayed unto the Lord my God Daniels Prayer and made my Confession and said O Lord the great dreadfull God keeping the Covenant and mercy to them that love him and to them that keep his Commandements Be carefull for nothing Philip. 4.6 but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your request be made known unto God I will call on the Lord who is worthy to be praised 2 Sam. 22.4 7. so shall I be saved from mine enemies In my distress I called unto the Lord Davids Prayer and cryed to my God and he did hear my voice out of his Temple and my cry did enter into his ears But when thou prayest enter into thy Closet Mat. 6.6 and when thou hast shut thy Door pray to thy Father which is in secret and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly 6ly We must pray with knowledge and with understanding S. Augustin Sonus mentis est intellectus ut Augustin The sound of the mind is understanding S. Augustin and no true prayer can there be without understanding Again publike or Church prayers Publick and Church Prayers are requisite and needfull to shew that that there is and ought to be unanimity and conformity in the Primitive Church And here we are not only to pray for our selves but for all others also of what estate or Conditiou soever they be of I exhort therefore 1 Tim. 2.1 2 3. that first of all Supplications Prayers Intercessions and giving of Thanks be made for all Men. For Kings and for all that are in Authority that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all honesty and godliness For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour And this was the use of the antient Christians Tertullian who as Tertulllian well observeth did pray for all their Emperors that they might have and quietly enjoy Vitam prolixam imperium securum The Prayer of the antient Christians for their Emperors domum tutam exercitus fortes senatum fidelem populum probum orbem quietum et quaecunque hominis et Caesaris vota sunt That they might have and quietly enjoy A happy Life a secure Empire a safe House and habitation strong and forcible Armies a faithfull Senate honest and true-hearted People a quiet World and whatsoever else either Prince or People can any waies wish or desire That offerings be made to the most high God Esdras 6.3 for the King and for his Children and that they may pray for their lives Prayer Prayer compared to Iacobs Ladder as one observeth is like unto Jacobs Ladder which appeared to him in a Dream reaching up to Heaven and which he seemed to see and behold and behold the Angels of God ascending and descending down by it And he dreamed Gen. 28.12 and behold a Ladder set upon the Earth and the top of it reached to Heaven and behold the Angels of God ascending and descending on it Even so by Prayer we fly a high pitch we soare aloft we do thereby as it were mount up flye and ascend to Heaven And I said Ps 35.6 O that I had wings like a Dove for then would I flye away and be at rest Meditatio et Oratio S. Bernard sunt ale Columbae as St. Bernard observeth Meditation and prayer are the Wings of the Dove and by these Wings of the Dove is meant Meditation and Prayer as St. Bernard well observeth St. Angustines Prayer to God was S. Augustines Prayer That of all judgements and plagues he would ever free him from a stony-heart or from a benummed or seared Conscience St. Bernard Prayer was this S. Bernards Prayer Bone Jesu esto mihi Jesus O sweet Iesus be thou unto me and to my Soul a Iesus a Saviour Oratio ascendit S. August Gratia descendit Our Prayers do ascend up to Heaven and
prayer ever meet us at the doors to return thanks to God for our preservation And so again at night St. Bernards Rules to be observed in prayer for our dayes safety And in the morning the like for our nights rest And in all things we are to shew and to expresse our thankfulnesse to God for all his good blessings on us from time to time bestowed and all this we are to expresse by our true and hearty prayer as St. Bernard observeth And in our prayers to God we must ever observe this rule as namely First We must recommend our prayers unto God with all humblenesse of mind Secondly We must do and perform this duty of prayer unto God with zeal and fervency Thirdly We must ever in the last place and which is above all pray unto God to teach us to pray First With humblenesse of mind for that God resisteth the proud but giveth grace to the humble Surely Prov. 3.34 he scorneth the scorners but he giveth grace to the lowly When men are cast down Job 22.29 then thou shalt say there is lifting up and he shall save the humble person Yea 1 Pet. 5.5 all of you be subject one to another and be clothed with humility for God resisteth the proud and giveth grace to the humble Secondly With zeal and fervency Hereupon a Father saith The prayer of the spirit and soul is the spirit the soul and the life of prayer So Hannah prayed in her heart 1 Sam. 1.13 onely her lips moved but her voice was not heard The prayer of faith shall save the sick and the Lord shall raise him up Confesse your faults one to another and pray one for another James 5.15 16. that ye may be healed the effectuall fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much Thirdly To pray to God to teach us to pray And it came to passe Luke 11.1 20. Matth. 6.5 7 8 9. that as be was praying in a certain place when he ceased one of his disciples said unto him Lord teach us to pray as Iohn also taught his disciples And he said unto them When ye pray say Our Father which art in heaven c. CHAP. V. As touching Afflictions how necessary they are for us here in this l fe and what good use we are to make of them to our selves BEfore I was afflicted Psal 119.67 71. I went astray but now have I kept thy word It is good for me that I have been afflicted that I might learn thy statutes Is any among you afflicted James 5.13 let him pray is any merry let him sing psalmes It is good for a man Lament 3.2 that he bear the yoke in his youth Come unto me all ye that labour Matt. 11.28 29 30. and are heavy laden and I will give you rest Take my yoke upon you and learn of me for I am meek and lowly in heart and ye shall find rest unto your souls For my yoke is easie and my burden light And if they be bound in fetters and be holden in cords of affliction Job 36.8 Unlesse thy Law had been my delight Psal 119.92 I should then have perished in mine affliction Thou Judith 9.11 O God art a God of the afflicted and a helper of the oppressed The true use of afflictions and wherefore God layeth afflictions on us here in this world God doth send his afflictions and doth lay the same here upon us for these ensuing causes All of them tending to our good as namely First thereby as it were to wean us and bring us home unto himself Secondly thereby to make us out of love with the things of this world that we should not cleave too fast unto them even as the nurse puts mustard on her breast to wean the child and so thereby to make it out of love with the tear even so God deals with us by his afflictions thereby as it were to wean us from setling of our delight on the things and pleasures of the world Thirdly thereby to make us to look up unto him for help In my distresse Psal 120.1 I cried unto the Lord and he heard me For thou O God hast proved us thou hast tried us as silver is tried Thou broughtest us into the net Psal 66.10 11. thou layedst affliction upon our loyns Many are the afflictions of the righteous Psal 34.19 but the Lord delivereth him out of them all The Lord doth scourge them that come near unto him Judith 8.27 to admonish them Affliction cometh not forth of the dust Job 5.6 neither doth trouble spring out of the ground But the more they afflicted them Exod. 1.12 the more they multiplied and grew And the children of Israel sighed by reason of the bondage Exod. 2.23 24 25. and they cried and their cry came up unto God by reason of the bondage And God heard their groaning and God remembred his covenant And God looked upon the children of Israel and had respect to them O Lord my strength Jer. 16.19 and my fortresse and my refuge in the day of affliction Fourthly that so he may thereby keep us the faster unto himself yea even with the cords of afflictions Hereupon St. Augustin well saith St. Augustin Qui te flagitat in hac vita ad emendum non ad damnandum hoc facit That God which doth here afflict and chastise thee he doth this onely and principally for thy amendment and not for thy ruine and destruction And again St. Augustin Hic St. Augustin ut in aeternum parcas Lord lay thou here on me what torments thou shalt see good for me in thy justice and mercy so as thou reserve for me eternity after this life ended Lay here what afflictions thou wilt on me We must through much tribulation enter into the kingdome of God Acts 14.22 Afflictions as one observeth are inseparable but not infallible notes of salvation for none shall be saved but he must suffer afflictions but all that are afflicted shall not be saved Causa facit beatos non martyrium as one observeth It is the cause which maketh men happy not martyrdome The depth of affliction is the chiefest stirrer up of devotion Witnesse the children of Israel in Egypt David in all his troubles Daniel in the lions denn Ionah in the whales belly Manasseh in his afflictions and the three Children in the fiery furnace Hereupon Hugo well saith Hugo Gravamen temporale est medicamen spirituale A temporall affliction is a spirituall medicine And as another well observeth Nemo potest a deliciis transire ad delicias None can passe from those vain and transitory pleasures and delights of this world unto the permanent and everlasting delights in the kingdome of heaven For we must not look to enjoy here a heaven upon earth Rom. 8.28 and likewise to enjoy heaven hereafter For we know that all things work together for
good to them that love God to them who are called according to his purpose Bonis bona malis mala Good things to good men and ill things to ill men as one observeth Tametsi non bonum tamen in bonum ut St. Augustin Nay St. Augustin though the things be not good yet they work for the good of the godly And as St. Bernard observeth Afflictions do make a man to be more humble wary S. Bernard and cautious in his wayes Afflictions and crosses though harmfull to others yet prove helpfull to the godly Yet even their sins though not not good yet they turn to their good as a means to make them more lowly more wary Yea death it self though in it self it be evil and the punishment of sin yet it is a means to free them both from sin and from all the fruits and effects of it and to restore them to that life again which by sin once they lost But now Rom. 6.22 23. being made free from sin and become servants to God ye have your fruit unto holinesse and the end everlasting life For the wages of sin is death but the gift of God is eternall life through Jesus Christ our Lord. For thou wilt save the afflicted people Psal 18.27 but wilt bring down high looks For he hath not despised Psal 22.24 nor abhorred the affliction of the afflicted neither hath he hid his face from him but when he cried unto him he heard him Afflictions do make us fit vessels for Gods choice I have chosen thee Isaiah 48.10 in the furnace of affliction Whatsoever is brought upon thee Ecclus 2.4 5 6 take cheerfully and be patient when thou art changed to a low estate For gold is tried in the fire and acceptable men in the surnace of adversity Believe in him and he will help thee order thy way aright and trust in him As gold in the furnace hath he tried them Wisd 3.6 and 4.5 and received them as a burnt-offering For though they be punished in the sight of men yet is their hope full of immortality And having been a little chastised they shall be greatly rewarded for God proved them and found them worthy for himself For we know 2 Cor. 5.1 2. that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved We have a building of God a house not made with hands eternall in the heavens For in this we groan earnestly desiring to be clothed upon with our house which is from heaven With my soul have I desired thee in the night yea Isaiah 26.9 with my spirit within me will I seek thee early in the morning for when thy Judgements are in the earth the inhabitants of the world will learn righteousnesse Meaning Exposition That by afflictions men will learn to fear God as the exposition is Afflictions are chastisements for our sins Jesus said unto him John 5.14 Behold thou art made whole sin no more lest a worse thing come unto thee Thereby shewing that the afflictions which we endure The marginall note and observation Nehem. 9.38 are chastisements for our sins as the marginall note and observation is Now because of all this we make a sure covenant and write it and our Princes and our Levites and our priests seal unto it Thus by affliction they promise to keep Gods commandements The marginall note and observation whereunto they would not be brought by Gods great benefits as the marginall note and observation is Wo unto him that striveth with his maker Isaiah 45.9 the potsherd with the potsherds of the earth shall the clay say to him that fashioneth it what makest thou Hereby he bridleth their impatiency Exposition which in adversity and trouble murmure against God and will not tarry his pleasure willing that man should march with his like and not contend against God as the Exposition is But Hezekiah the king 2 Chro. 32.20 and the prophet Isaiah the son of Amos prayed against this or for this cause and cried to heaven This sheweth what is the best refuge in all troubles and dangers Exposition as the Exposition is After troubles and afflictions God comforteth his afflicted children with his blessings God useth to comfort his children and servants which do cry unto him with his blessings powred down upon them And many brought offerings unto the Lord to Ierusalem 2 Chro. 32.23 and presents to Hezekiah king of Iudah so that he was magnified in the sight of all Nations from thenceforth Thus after trouble Exposition God sendeth comfort to all them that patiently wait on him and constantly put their trust in his mercies as the exposition is Misery and afflictions are of this good use as that they do excite Afflâ—ctions work in a man repentance and humiliation and stirr up a man to repentance as a Father observeth and that punishments with afflictions will open the eyes of a mans understanding and draw him to God by repentance and humiliation when nothing else will And when he was in tribulation 2 Chron. 33.12 13. he prayed unto the Lord his God and humbled himself greatly before the God of his fathers And prayed unto him and God was entreated of him and heard his prayer and brought him again to Ierusalem into his kingdome Then Manasseh knew that the Lord he was God Thus Affliction giveth understanding Exposition for he that hated God in his prosperity now in his misery he seeketh unto him as the exposition is The due consideration hereof will be a continuall comfort unto us and as our souls cordiall in all times of affliction and even then most of all when all other comforts fail us CHAP. VI. A Meditation upon Life and Death and how we are at all times and upon all occasions to fit and prepare our selves for death that so it seize not upon us at unawares FIrst of our life First Of our life here and the due consideration thereof Our life here is a sea-fare a way-fare and a warr-fare First Our life is a sea-fare They that go down to the sea Our life here is a sea-fare Psal 107.23 24 25 26 28 29 30 31. in ships that do businesse in great waters These see the works of the Lord and his wonders in the deep For he commandeth and raiseth the stormy wind which lifteth up the waves thereof They mount up to the heaven they go down again to the depths their soul is melted because of trouble Then they cry unto the Lord in their trouble and he bringeth them out of their distresse He maketh the storm a calm so that the waves thereof are still Then are they glad because they be quiet so he bringeth them to their desired haven Oh that men would praise the Lord for his goodnesse and for his wonderfull works to the children of men Secondly Our life here is a way-fare full of troubles Our life here
any wayes assure himself of living till to morrow Tota vita dies unus as a Father observeth that is Our whole life here is but as one day Non potest praesentem diem recte vivere is qui se non eum quasi ultimum victurum esse cogitat ut Pater No man can live well and as he ought to do unlesse he think and account of every day to be as it were his very last day Nascentes morimur finisque ab origine pendes Et pubesceutes juncta senecta premit Nequities vitae non sinit esse senem Being born we dye and our end hangs upon our beginning And as we grow up in yeares old age presseth upon us And the evils of our life will not permit and suffer us to grow old Optima aliorum sententia quippe homini aiuut non nasci esse bonum aut natum cito morte perire ut Pater It was the opinion of some others for man not to be born was good or else being born then soon to dye Many there are Plin. Qui non nasci optimum censerent aut quam ocyssime emori Which have thought it the best not to be born or being born then suddenly to end his dayes as Plinie observeth Non nasci Cicero longe optimnm proximum quam primum mori This the very heathens thought That not to be born was farr the best the next very soon to dye as Cicero observeth Primum bonum non nasci secundum citius mori The first good is not to be born the second soon to die as a Father observeth Directory rules how we are to live Rules how to live Qualis vita finis ita that is as the life is so shall the end be In the place where the tree falleth Eccles 11.3 there it shall be Heu vivunt hamines tanquam mors nulla sequatur Aut tanquam infernum fabula vana foret Alas men do now live as if that no death were to follow And as if Hell were but a fable O quam contempta res est homo nisi supra numana se erexerit O how contemptible a thing is man if he do not erect his thoughts to a higher pitch than to that which is onely humane as a Father observeth Praestat homini nunquam nasci quam non renasci nunquam generari quam non regenerari ut Pater It had been farr better for a man never to have been born than not to be born again and never to have been begotten than not to be regenerated And Iesus answered John 3.3 5 6 7. and said unto him Verily verily I say unto thee Except a man be born again he cannot see the kingdome of God Iesus answered Verily verily I say unto thee Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit he cannot enter into the kingdome of God That which is born of the flesh is flesh and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit Marvell not that I said unto you Ye must be born again Melior est non esse quam esse fine Jesu melior est non vivere quam vivere sine vita ut St. Bernard It is farr better for a man not to be at all S. Bernard than to be without Iesus Christ and better it were for a man not to live at all than to live here without enjoying the happinesse of life eternall hereafter as St. Bernard observeth And this it was which made that good Father St. S. Bernard Bernard to cry out and say Domine Jesu esto mihi Jesus O sweet Lord Iesus be thou unto me and unto my soul a Iesus a Saviour This likewise made another Father to say after this manner Non est vita nisi vera vita non est vera vita nisi aeterna vita There is no life here unlesse the same be a true life and there can be no true life here without the enjoying of life eternall hereafter as a Father observeth And this our life eternal proceedeth from our Iustification and Sanctification here the fruit and effect of our Glorification hereafter Knowing Gal. 2.16 17 19 20. that a man is not justified by the works of the Law but by the Faith of Jesus Christ even we have believed in Iesus Christ that we might be justified by the Faith of Christ and not by the works of the Law For by the works of the Law shall no Flesh be justified But if while we seek to be justified by Christ we our selves are found Sinners is therefoae Christ the Minister of sin God forbid For I through the Law am dead to the Law that I might live unto God I am crucified with Christ Nevertheless I live yet not I but Christ liveth in me And the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the Faith of the Son of God who loved me and gave himself for me Vita vitae mortalis est vita vitae immortalitatis The life of our mortall life here is the life of our immortal life hereafter as a Father well observeth Viam vita dicitur per quam quilibet natus properat ad finem Our life here S. Basil is the way by which every one that is born doth hasten unto his end as St. Basil observeth Ut hora Sic fugit vita Sic in non homini vertitur omnis homo ut Poeta As the Hour so our life passeth away and so every Man is suddenly turned and changed and become no man We must therefore be carefull how we live And herein Boetius giveth us this good rule for Directions in our Life Boetius Incumbit nobis necessitas recte vivendi cum omnia quae facimus facta sunt coram oculis Judicis cuncta videntis Boetius Necessity lieth upon us to live well in this regard That all things which we do they are all of them acted and done before the eyes of that great Iudge of Heaven and Earth which seeth all things Intrasti ut exires as one saith Thou camest into the world that thou mightest go out of the world again And as an other well observeth Nostrum vivere è vita transire All our life here ought to be a preparation for death Considering this which one observeth as namely Non est vitae momentum sine motu ad mortem huc tendimus omnes huc primus huc ultimus ordo There is Not a moment in our Life without some Motion towards our Death and this is the true state and condition of all Mankind here And therefore one giveth us this good Rule to be observed by us in the whole course of our life Proximus esto bonis si non potes optimus esse Follow then the good example of good men and come as near to them as thou canst do if so be thou canst not be the best of all It is well observed by one Quam turpe est in eo statu vivere in in
Eve First began with a Nequaquam moriamini ye shall not dye Hereupon Saint Augustine after the Serpent was accursed by God from the Earth saith thus unto the Serpent O n quam ubi jam esi tua nequaquam O thou wicked serpent Where are now thy lying words Ye shall not dye at all For the wages of sin is death Rom. 6.23 but the gift of God is eternall life through Jesus Christ our Lord. Mors fructus à fruendo dicitur as one observeth of it Death is the fruit so called from the enjoying of it and so death is the fruit or wages of sin Quotidie morimur S. Bernard quotidie enim demitur pars vitae tunc quoque cum crescimus vita decrescit ut S. Bernard That is We do dye daily and even every day a part of our life is cut off as St. Bernard observeth Homo est fatuus usque ad quadraginta annorum deinde Luther ubi agnovit se esse fatuum vita consumpta est ut Luther That is A man is as a fool and full of ignorance till he attain unto the age of forty yeares and then so soon as he comes to know and so to acknowledge himself to be a fool to be ignorant and to know nothing of himself even then and at that very time his life here is as it were ended gone and spent as Luther observeth Mors tua mors Christi fraus mundi gloria coeli Et dolor inferni sint meditanda tibi That is These things thou oughtest to take into thy serious consideration and duely for to meditate thereon as namely On thy own death on the death of Christ of the fraud and deceit of the world of the great glory of heaven and on the unsufferable paines and torments of Hell as one observeth It is well observed by one That death in Christ killed life for a time that afterwards life in him might kil death for ever For since by man came death 1 Cor. 15.21 22 25 26 55 56 57. by man came also the resurrection of the dead For as in Adam all die even so in Christ shall all be made alive For he must reign till he hath put all enemies under his feet The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death O death where is thy sting O grave where is thy victory The sting of death is sin and the strength of sin is the law But thanks be to God which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ Death as one observeth is a quiet sleep The soul when death comes puts off the body and the body buried lives in the earth the grave being the bed thereof there to remain till the morning of our resurrection at the day of Iudgement appearing It is observed by one That the true servants of God are so farr from being any wayes discontented or troubled with the thinking of death as that they rather earnestly desire and thirst after it with a Cupio dissolvi Philip. 1.23 a desire with St. Paul to be dissolved and to be with Christ For death as a Father well observeth is but provectio a journey or a laying down of this our earthly tabernacle Nihil certius quod quilibet debet mori sed tempore quando quo leco vel quomodo uihil incertius There is nothing more certain then this that every one must die but when in what place or the manner how nothing is more uncertain Statutum est omnibus semel mori It is dereed that all men must once die Rom. 5.14 As by one man sin entred into the world and death by sin and so death passed upon all men for that all have sinned For this is the sentence of the Lord over all flesh Eccles 4.3 As by one mans disobedience Rom. 5.19 21. many were made sinners so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous That as sin hath reigned unto death even so might Grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord. When Lust hath conceived it bringeth forth Sin Iames. 1.15 and Sin when it is finished bringeth forth Death Now nothing is more uncertain than the time when we shall die the place where or the manner how we shall die This was therefore the meditation of Seneca daily with himself as is recorded of him Dic tibi dormituro Seneca potes non expergisci Dic exerecto potes non dormire amplius Dic ereunti potes non reverti Dic revertenti potes non exire amplius VVhen thou liest down at night in thy Bed to sleep and to take thy rest say thou unto thy self It may be thou shalt never live to awake again to behold the light of the ensuing day When thou awakest in the morning and dost arise out of thy bed say then unto thy self It may be thou shalt never live to lye down in thy bed to take thy rest and sleep again When thou goest forth of thy house about thy necessary affaires say then unto thy self It may be thou shalt never live to return unto thy house again When thou doest return in safety to thy house say then unto thy self It may be thou shalt never live to go forth of thy house again These meditations ought to stirr us up unto a daily and continuall preparation for death that so death may never take us unawares and unprepared Mors sanctis refrigerium improbis autem supplicium Death to the godly is but as it were a refreshing but to the wicked death is a punishment Cujus vita est Christus mors ei lucrum maximum Sed Cujus vita est mundus mors ei damnum maximum ut Pater He who liveth like a Christian and maketh Christ his life here death unto him is the greatest gain that can be But he who liveth here like a worldling and maketh the world his life and chiefest delight here death unto him is the greatest detriment and dammage that can be Boni moriuntur bene etiamfi mors ipsa mala ut Pater Good and godly men do die well and make a happy end although death it self in it self be evil Num. 23.10 This made the prophet Balaam to cry out and say Let me dye the death of the righteous and let my last end be like his Upon which place one well observeth thus much as namely That he which desireth to die the death of the righteous must labour and strive here in this life to lead and live the life of the righteous and then his death will be happy like unto his Vita est vivere vitam Deo sed vivere vitam mundo mors est ut Pater To live here a godly and a Christian life and to devote our selves here wholly to the service of God this is the onely way for us after this our life here ended to attain unto the everlasting life of glory in the kingdome of heaven But He which