same we have no moving cause to make us to desire the long continuance thereof here in this vale of misery but earnestly to desire and hope for the fruition of a better life hereafter and even to say with St. Paul Cupio dissolvi et esse cum Christo I desire to be dissolved Philip. 1.23 and to be with Christ And as touching this our life here and all the enjoyments we have therein we may well conclude all and say with the Preacher Vanity of Vanities Eccles 12.8 all is vanity And with this to sum up the whole duty of Man being this Fear God Eccles 12.13 and keep his Commandements for this is the whole duty of Man Of life eternal Of life eternal of the Giver thereof and the manner of the gift the giver thereof and the manner of the Gift with the great and unexpressible benefits that doth redound thereby unto the dear and elect Children of God Bless the Lord O my Soul Ps 103.1 4. and all that is within me blesse his holy name Who redeemeth thy life from destruction who crowneth Thee with loving kindnesse and tender mercies My Sheep hear my voice Io. 10.27.28 and I know them and they follow me And I give unto them eternal life and they shall never perish neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand Iesus said unto her Io. 11.25.26 I am the resurrection and the life he that believeth in me though he were dead yet shall he live And whosoever liveth and beliein me shall never dye And this is life eternal Io. 17.3 That they might know Thee the only true God and Iesus Christ whom thou hast sent God that made the World Acts 17.24 25 26. and all things therein He giveth to all life and breath and all things For in him we live move and have our being But now being made free from sin Rom. 6.22 23. and become Servants to God ye have your fruit unto holiness and the end everlasting Life For the wages of sin is death but the gift of God is eternal life through Iesus Christ our Lord. If in this life only we have hope in Christ 1 Cor. 15.19 we are of all men most miserable The Letter killeth 2 Cor. 3.8 but the Spirit giveth life If ye then be risen with Christ Collos 3.1 seek those things which are above where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God Set your Affections on things above Collos 3.2 3 4. not on things on the earth For ye are dead and your life is hid with Christ in God When Christ who is your life shall appear then shall ye also appear with him in glory Fight the good fight of Faith 1 Tim. 6.12 lay hold on eternal life whereunto thou art called Hereby perceive we the love of God Jo. 3.16 because he laid down his life for us And this is the record Jo. 5.11 12 13 20. That God hath given to us eternal life and this life is in his Son He that hath the Son hath life and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life These things have I written unto you That ye believe on the name of the Son of God that ye may know that ye have eternal life and that ye may believe on the Son of God And we know that the Son of God is come and hath given us an understanding that we may know him that is true and we are in him that is true even in his Son Iesus Christ this is the true God and eternal life S. Bernard Duo animi à Deo dati custodes domestici pudor et timor Qui pudorem amisit bestiae par est qui timorem excuâ—â—t bestia pejor est God hath given us two Domestick Keepers of our Souls as namely Shamefastness and Fear He which casteth away all Shamefastness from him may well by way of comparison be accounted equal unto the very beast and he which shaketh off from him all manner of Fear is in a far worse manner than the beasts as St. Bernard observeth And for our better distinction in the whole course of our lives here we ought alwaies to have these two props or Pillars like the stern of a ship to stear and govern all our action aright as namely Care and Fear Actions First Carefulnesse to serve and please God according to his Will revealed unto us in and by his holy Word Teach me thy way O Lord Ps 86.11 and I will walk in thy Truth O knit my heart unto thee that I may fear thy name I will run the way of thy Commandements Ps 119.32 when thou shalt enlarge my heart Teach me O Lord the way of thy Statutes Ps 119.33 34 35. and I shall keep it unto the end Give me understanding and I shall keep thy Law yea I shall observe it with my whole heart Make me to go in the path of thy Commandements for therein do I delight Secondly Fearfullnesse of offending God And being thus armed with these 2 good supporters With this constant and continual care and fear They will make us wary in all our actions of this life and will cause us to walk carefully in all our proceedings in the whole course of our life here the which will doubtlesse be a very great comfort to us hereafter For that as one very well observeth A good life is alwaies the cause of a happy and of a comfortable death Secondly Of Death and how we are at all times and upon all occasions to fit and prepare our selves for the same Of our Death and preparatifor the same that so Death take us not unawares and unprepared for the same O Death how bitter is the remembrance of Thee to a man that liveth at rest in his Possessions Ecclus. 41 1 2 3 4. unto the Man that hath nothing to vex him and that hath Prosperity in all things yea unto him that is yet able to receive meat O Death acceptable is thy sentence unto the Needy and unto him whose strength faileth that is now in the last age and is vexed with all things and to him that despaireth and hath lost patience Fear not the sentence of Death remember them that have been before thee and that come after thee for this is the sentence of the Lord over all flesh And why art thou against the pleasure of the most high there is no inquisition in the Grave whether thou hast lived ten or an hundred or a thousand years Men of the World Ps 17.14 which have their portion here in this life even to them the remembrance of death is bitter But of the Tree of the good and evill Gen. 2.17 thou shalt not eat of it for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die And the Serpent did say unto the Woman Gen. 3.4 Ye shall not surely dye The Devill in his tempting of
our life here is a way-fare 118 119. That our life here is full of troubles calamities and dangers from the highest even unto the lowest 118 119. That our life here is also as a race wherein we must be running and not stand at a stay 119 120. Thirdly that our life here is a warr-fare and our weapons spirituall 120 121. What this our spirituall armour is 120 121 122. Here is also set down the fourfold condition of man 122 123. Of the vanity and infelicity of man in his first entrance into this world and during the whole time of his continuance here nothing but full of misery 122 123 124. That man sucks misery even from his nurses teat with examples of this 123. That mans life is nothing but misery a pattern of infelicity miserable in his conception nothing but misery in his whole life 124. That afflictions come not forth of the dust 124. That man is born unto trouble 125. That no man can assure himself of living till the morrow 125. That man is to account of every day as his last day 125. That not to be born by some held to be best or being born soon to dye 126. Directory rules how to live 126 127. That man is to erect his thoughts to a higher pitch than that which is humane 127. Better for a man not to be born than not to be regenerated 127. That our life here is nothing without the happinesse of life eternall hereafter 128. S. Bernards prayer 128. That no Justification is by the works of the Law but by faith in Christ 129. That our life here is the way by which we do hasten to our end 130. That as the hour so our life passeth away 130. That we must be carefull how we live necessity enforceth us so to do with the reason thereof 130. We came into the world that we may go out of the world 130 131. That our life here ought to be a preparation for death 131. That every moment in our life is a motion towards death 131. Here is set down a Rule to be observed in the whole course of our life 131. That we are to come as near good men as we can 131. That we are to live in that condition in which we would not be afraid to die 131. A good life the cause of a happy death 132. Our life here ought to be a preparation for death in our life we are to foresee death 132. Here is also set forth the comparison of Death unto the Basilisk and the reason thereof 132. That in life we ought to foresee death if in death we desire to enjoy life everlasting 132. That the whole life of the wicked is sin 132 133. S. Augustins prayer to God to lay on him here in this life what torments he would so as he reserved for him life eternall after this life ended 133. Here is also set forth the life of man and whereunto the same is compared by reason of the frailty thereof 133 134 135 136 137. That we are to number our dayes that so we may learn to apply our hearts to wisdome 135. We ought not to conclude of any thing for the time to come without this saying if the Lord will and we live we will do this or that 136. That no man is sure of his life 137. Here is also set forth the frailty mutability and incertainty of the life of man here in this world being attended with so many miseries and calamities 137 138. That the consideration of this should make us not to desire any long continuance here but the contrary with the hope of the fruition of a better life hereafter 138. That all the enjoyments here in this life are nothing but vanity 138. That the whole duty of man is to fear God and keep his commandements 138. Here is also set forth life eternall and the giver thereof 138 139 140 141 142 143 144 145. Touching the two Domestick keepers of our souls sc shamefastnesse and fear 141. Touching the two props or pillars of our lives here sc care and fear 141 142 143. Secondly concerning death and how we are to fit and prepare our selves for the same with the reasons thereof 143. To whom the remembrance of death is bitter and to whom not 143 144. Not to fear the sentence of death with the reason thereof 143 144. That the wages of sin is death 145. That every day a part of our life is cut off 145. The six things to be specially remembred by us 145 146. That in Adam all die but in Christ all are made alive 146. That the sting of death is sin 146. That death is compared to a quiet sleep and wherefore 146 147. Not to be troubled at the thought of death the reason thereos 147. Than death nothing more certain than the time when nothing more uncertain 147 148 149. The meditation of Seneca upon the certainty of death very observable with the fruits of the same 148 149. To whom death is as a refreshing and again to whom it is as a punshment and dammage 149 150. That to die the death of the righteous he who desires this ought to live the life of the righteous 150. The difference between the life of a godly man and the life of a worldling 150 151. That we ought at all times and in all places both young and old to fit and prepare our selves for death with the reason wherefore 152 153. That nothing is more available than the meditation of our mortality 153 154. That we ought so to live every day as if we were even then to come to Judgement and to account of every day as our last day 154 155. What it is to die well even to die willingly and not to fear death with the reason why 155 156 157. The saying of holy Hillarion on his death bed being fearfull to die 156. That death is a port or haven by which we passe to joy it is the way of all flesh hereupon the saying of Xerxes is observable 157. That we ought so to live here as that we may enjoy life eternall hereafter 157 158. That death is but as a passage to life and as a sleep not death 158. That all things by perishing are kept alive as the corn it dies and springs again with a comparison of this unto our death and resurrection death being as a passage unto our resurrection 158 159. S. Augustins observation touching the Resurrection of Christ 159. That death is the gate unto life a speedy course and passage to heaven and a happy sleep 160 161. That death to the godly is the port and haven of health and happinesse 161 162. That death conjoyns but life doth separate us from Christ 161 162. That the highest did ascend and descend the reason thereof and the fruits we have thereby 162 163. That it is the part of a wise man to prepare for death by continuall meditation thereon 163 164. To be
uncircumcised Jeremiah chap. 6. ver 10. and they cannot hearken It is well observed by one That First It is God and he alone that fitteth and prepareth the eares of all to hear aright his word preached unto them He openeth the eares of men Job chap. 33. ver 16. and sealeth their instructions Sacrifice and offering thou didst not desire Psalm 40. ver 6. mine eares hast thou opened Secondly It is God and he alone that openeth the heart as he did the heart of Lydia and doth as it were dig delve and prepare the same to receive the word preached as seed sown in good ground that so it may take deep root downwards and bring forth good fruit upwards for the amendment of our lives and salvation of our souls And a certain woman named Lydia Acts chap. 16. ver 14. a seller of purple of the City of Thyatyra which worshipped God heard us whose heart the Lord opened that she attended unto the things which were spoken of Paul But that Luke chap 8. ver 15. on the good ground are they which in an honest and good heart having heard the word keep it and bring forth fruit with patience Thirdly It is God and he alone that doth blesse our memories with a retentive faculty to keep and retain the word which we hear preached unto us Fourthly It is God and he alone that enlightens and illuminates our understandings and sanctifieth our affections by the powerfull operation of his holy Spirit in us thereby enabling us to put in practice in our lives and conversations that which we have heard preached unto us And all this thus wrought in us for the comfort and salvation of our soules in and through Christ Jesus our blessed Lord and Saviour We must likewise take heed what we hear and how we hear Thirdly The powerfulnesse of Gods word and the benefits we have thereby We are both in our reading and hearing of the word of God and in our meditations thereon to take into our serious consideration the powerfulnesse of the word of God and the great and unspeakable benefits we receive thereby divers wayes manifested unto us by these ensueing places of Scripture In sacra scriptura quicquid docetur Hugo libro 3. de anima veritas quicquid praecipitur bonitas quicquid promittitnr faelicitas est Nam Deus veritas est sine fallacia bonitas sine malitia faelicitas sine miseria ut Hugo libro 3. de anima In the holy Scripture Hugo whatsoever is taught is truth whatsoever is commanded is goodnesse and whatsoever is promised is happinesse For God is truth without falshood goodnesse without malice and happinesse without misery as Hugo well observeth in his third book of the soul Sacra Scriptura S. Gregory in moral tanto plus diligitur quanto amplius meditatur ut inquit St. Gregory in moral The holy Scripture is so much the more loved of us by how much the more we do meditate therein S. Gregory as St. Gregory observeth Doctrina scripturae perfecta est Piscator fol. 22. cap. 14. omnia scilicet tradens qua ad verum Dei cultum ad aeternam nostram salutem sunt necessaria ut Piscator fol. 22. cap. 14. The doctrine of the scripture is perfect Piscator that is to say shewing unto us all things necessary both to the due worship of God and our own eternall salvation Finis seu scopus Dei in scriptura Piscator fol. 22. cap. 13. est crudire populum suum de recto cultu sui vera hominis faelicitate perfecta est tradens omnia quae sunt ad istum scopum assequendū necessaria ut Piscat fol. 22. cap. 13. The end and purpose of God in the scriptures is to instruct his people and children in the true Piscator and right worship of him as also in the happinesse of man and the same is likewise perfect teaching us all things which are necessary to the attaining unto of that end Doctrina scripturae certo vera est Piscator quippe ab instinctu Spiritus sancti profectus erroneum igitur necesse est quicquid cum eo pugnat ut Piscator fol. 22. cap. 18. The doctrine of the Scripture is certainly true because it proceedeth from the instinct and inspiration of the holy Spirit of God and therefore it falleth out that whatsoever is repugnant thereunto must needs be erroneous A good encouragement for all to read the scriptures An excouragement to read the Scriptures In scripturis abundat quod robustus comedat quod parvulus sugat In the scriptures there is such abundance Fulgentius as that strong men may there find meat to eat and the weak young suckling may there also find fitting food for him to suck on as Fulgentius observeth Divinus sermo sicut mysteriis prudentes exercet sic plerunque superficie simplices refovet Habet in publice unde parvulos nutriat servat in secreto Gregory Epist ad Leande unde mentes sublimium admiratione suspendat ut Gregory Epist ad Leandr The word of God as in mysteries doth exercise the wise so in a superficiall way of knowledge it doth comfort and refresh the weak and simple It hath in common whereby it may nourish the young ones and it keeps in secret that whereby it may hold in suspence with admiration the mindes of the sublimate and learned as Gregory observeth in his epistle to Leander And again as the same Authour observeth Gregory Epist ad Leande It is a deep and yet a shallow foord Ubi agnus ambulat ubi clephas natat where the Lambe may wade and where the greatest Elephant may swimme Or where the weakest in knowledge and understanding may find much comfort and where the greatest and most profound scholar may find matter enough to work upon For since I spake Jeremiah cha 20. ver 8.9 I cried out I cried violence and spoil because the word of the Lord was made a reproch unto me and a derision daily Then I said I will not make mention of him any more nor speak any more in his name But his word was in mine heart as a burning fire shut up in my bones and I was weary with forbearing and I could not stay Is not my word like as fire Jeremiah cha 23. ver 29. saith the Lord and like a hammer that breaketh the rock in pieces But to this man will I look even to him that is poor and of a contrite spirit and trembleth at my word Hear the word of the Lord Isaiah cha 66. ver 2.5 ye that tremble at his word My word shall not return unto me void Isaiah cha 55. ver 11. but it shall accomplish that which I please and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it The word of God called a sword Revelation chap. 19. ver 21. which sword proceeded out of his
mouth The word of God is quick and powerfull Hebrews chap. 4. ver 52. and sharper than any two edged sword piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit and of the joynts and marrow and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart And he was clothed with a vesture dipt in bloud Revelation chap. 19. ver 13. and his name is called the word of God As for me Isaiah cha 29. ver 21. this is my covenant with them saith the Lord my spirit that is upon thee and my words which I have put in thy mouth shall not depart out of thy mouth nor out of the mouth of thy seed nor out of the mouth of thy seeds seed saith the Lord from henceforth and for ever Blessed are they that hear the word of God Luke chap. 11. ver 28. and keep it Receive with meeknesse James chap. 1. ver 21. the engrafted word of God which is able to save your souls Keep therefore Deuteronomy chap. 29. ver 9. the words of this covenant and do them that so ye may prosper in all that ye do As new born babes 1 Peter chap. 2. ver 2. desire the sincere milk of the word that ye may grow thereby Verily John chap. 5. ver 24. verily I say unto you he that heareth my word and believeth on him that sent me hath everlasting life and shall not come into condemnation but is passed from death to life The word of God The word of God the word of Reconciliation 2 Corinthians chap. 5. ver 18.19 called the word of Reconciliation And all things are of God who hath reconciled us to himself by Iesus Christ and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation To wit that God was in Christ reconciling the world unto himself not imputing their trespasses unto them and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation The word of God called the word of truth The word of God the word of Truth Ephesians cha 1. ver 13. In whom ye also trusted after that ye heard the word of truth the gospel of your salvation in whom also after that ye believed ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise The word of God called the word of life The word of God the word of life Philippians chap. 2. ver 16. Holding forth the word of life that I may rejoyce in the day of Christ that I have not run in vain neither laboured in vain The word called the word of Christ The word called the word of Christ Collossians chap. 3. ver 16. The word called the faithfull word of God Titus chap. 1. ver 9. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdome The word called the faithfull word of God Holding fast the faithfull word of God as he hath been taught that he may be able by sound doctrine both to exhort and to convince the gainsayers Thy word have I hid in my heart Psal 119. ver 11. and 42. that I might not sin against thee So shall I have wherewith to answer him that reprocheth me for I trust in thy word So then faith cometh by hearing Romans ch 10. ver 17. and hearing by the word of God Fourthly In our reading and hearing of the word of God and in our meditations thereon the due consideration of all this ought to stirre up in us a love unto the same and a rejoycing therein as by these ensuing places of Scripture may appear I rejoyce at thy word Psal 119. ver 162. Jeremiah cha 15. ver 16. as one that findeth great spoil Thy words were sound and I did eat them and thy word was unto me the joy and rejoycing of my heart for I am called by thy name O Lord God of hosts Lord Psal 26. ver 8. I have loved the habitation of thy house and the place where thine honour dwelleth I was glad when they said unto me Psal 122. ver 1. Let us go into the house of the Lord. For a day in thy Courts is better than a thousand Psalm 84. ver 10. I had rather be a door-keeper in the house of my God than to dwell in the tents of wickednesse O how I love thy law Psalm 119. ver 97.127 it is my meditation all the day Therefore I love thy commandements above gold yea above fine gold I delight to do thy will Psal 40. ver 8. O my God yea thy law is within my heart Fifthly These precedent observations being thus made use of by us the word of God which we have thus read heard and meditated on will then doubtlesse be a constant and a perpetuall comfort unto us at all times both in life and death Be thou faithfull unto death Revelation chap. 2. ver 10. and I will give thee a crown of life CHAP. II. Of the severall Books mentioned in the Scriptures THine eyes did see my substance Psal 139. ver 16. yet being unperfect and in thy Book all my members were written which in continuance were fashioned when as yet there was none of them Then they that feared the Lord Malachie chap. 3. ver 16 17 18. spake often one to another and the Lord hearkened and heard it and a Book of remembrance was written before him for them that feared the Lord and that thought upon his name And they shall be mine The difference between the wicked and the righteous in the day of Judgment saith the Lord of hosts when I make up my Iewels and I will spare them as a man spareth his own son that serveth him Then shall ye return and discern between the righteous and the wicked between him that serveth God and him that serveth him not Thou tellest my wandrings Psal 56. ver 8. put thou my teares into thy bottle are they not in thy book And in that day shall the deaf hear the words of the book Isaiah cha 29. ver 18. Seek ye out of the book of the Lord and read Isaiah cha 34. ver 16. And at that time shall Michael stand up the great prince Daniel cha 12. ver 1. which standeth for the children of thy people and there shall be a time of trouble such as never was since there was a Nation even to that same time and at that time thy people shall be delivered every one that shall be found written in the book And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake Daniel cha 12. ver 2 3. some to everlasting life and some to shame and everlasting contempt And they that be wise shall shine as the brightnesse of the firmament and they that turn many to righteousnesse as the starres for ever and ever A fiery stream issued Daniel cha 7. ver 10. and came forth from before him thousand thousands ministred unto him and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him the Iudgement was
set and the books were opened But thou O Daniel Daniel cha 12. ver 4. shut up the words and seal the book even to the time of the end many shall run to and fro and knowledge shall be increased And these shall go away into everlasting punishment Matthew cha 25. ver 46. but the righteous into life eternall For the hour is coming John chap. 5. ver 28 29. in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice And shall come forth they that have done good unto the Resurrection of life and they that have done evil unto the Resurrection of damnation Let them be blotted out of the book of the living Psalm 69. ver 28. and not be written with the righteous He that overcometh Revelation chap. 3. ver 5. the same shall be clothed in white raiment and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life but I will confesse his name before my father and before his angels And I entreat thee also Philippians ch 4. ver 3. true yoke-fellow help these women which laboured with me in the Gospel with Clement also and with other my fellow labourers whose names are in the book of life And it was given unto him Revelation ch 13. ver 7 8. to make war with the Saints and to overcome them and power was given him over all kindreds and tongues and nations And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lambe slain from the foundation of the world The beast that thou sawest was Revelation chap. 17. ver 8. and is not and shall ascend out of the bottomlesse pit and go into perdition and they that dwell on the earth shall wonder and whose names are not written in the book of life from the foundation of the world when they behold the beast that was and is not and yet is And I saw the dead small Revelation ch 20. ver 12 13. and great stand before God and the books were opened and another book was opened which is the book of life and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books according to their works And the sea gave up the dead which were in it and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them and they were judged every man according to their works And death Revelat. chap. 20. ver 14 15. and hell were cast into the lake of fire And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecie Revelat. chap. 2 r 2. ve 19. God shall take away his part out of the book of life and out of the holy City and from the things which are written in this book Books named in the Scripture and not to be found as namely Is not this written in the book of Iasher the marginall note of an old Bible Ioshua chap. 10. ver 13. being as some read it In the book of the righteous meaning Moses The Chaldee text reading In the book of the Law But it is like that it was a book thus named which is now lost All this in the marginall notes of an old Bible As it is written in the book of Iasher 2 Samuel cha 11. ver 18. or righteous as the marginall note is Wherefore it is said in the book of the warres of the Lord Numbers chap. 21. ver 14. or of the battels which by a marginall note in an old Bible seemeth to be the book of the Iudges or a book which is lost Concerning the acts of David the king behold 1 Chron. chap. 29. ver 29. they are written in the book of Samuel the Seer and in the book of Nathan the prophet and in the book of Gad the Seer The marginall note in an old Bible is that the books of Nathan and Gad are thought to have been lost in the captivity And there shall in no wise Revelation ch 21. ver 27. enter into it any thing that defileth neither whatsoever worketh abomination nor maketh a lye but they which are written in the Lambes book of life There is as One well observeth a two fold Book of God as namely First there is Liber Providentiae that is the Book of Gods Providence whereby we are taught to know our duties to God and to referre our selves and all our actions to his Divine Providence and mercy and to use his good blessings on us bestowed to his glory All which if we thus do we shall then receive all things necessary in this world and life eternall in the world to come But if we are disobedient and do contrary to all this then there is a second Book which will be opened against us as namely Secondly there is Liber Judicii the Book of Gods Judgement whereby we shall receive all the Judgements of God therein mentioned and pronounced against the wicked and disobedient Then shall the king say unto them Matthew cha 25. ver 34. on his right hand Come ye blessed of my Father inherit the kingdome prepared for you from the foundation of the world Then shall he say also unto those Matthew cha 25. ver 41. on the left hand Depart from me ye cursed into everlasting fire prepared for the Devil and his angels It is observed by a Father That there is another book and that is called Codex Conscientiae the book of a mans conscience St. Chrysostome observeth thus much S. Chrysostom sc That Conscientia est codex in quo quotidiana nostra peccata rescribuntur The Conscience is a book in the which our daily sinnes and offences are writ down registred and recorded against us as S. Chrysostome observeth And as touching Conscience There is a Threefold quality of the Conscience Of Conscience as One observeth as namely First Testificare de praeterito that is to bear testimony and witnesse of what is done by us and past Secondly Accusare vel excusare to accuse us of what we have done or else to excuse us Thirdly Solvere vel ligare That is either to let us loose or else to bind us fast up For when the Gentiles Romans chap. 2. ver 14.15.16 which have not the Law do by nature the things contained in the Law these having not the Law are a Law unto themselves Which shew the work of the Law written in their hearts their Conscience also bearing witnesse and their thoughts mean while accusing or else excusing one another In the day when God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ according to my gospel Conscientia est quasi cordis scientia S. Bernard ut S. Bernard The conscience is as it were the very knowledge of the heart By strength stratagems and policy men do overcome their enemies But God
be saved And they said Acts. 16.41 Believe on the Lord Iesus Christ and thou shalt be saved and thy house For I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ Rom. 1.16 17 18. for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth For therein is the righteousnesse of God revealed from faith to faith as it is written The just shall live by faith But the just shall live by his faith Habakkuk 2.4 Hebrews 10.38 Gal. 3.11 Now the just shall live by faith But that no man is justified by the Law in the sight of God it is evident for the just shall live by faith But the Scripture hath concluded all under sin Gal. 3 22 23. that the promise by faith of Christ Iesus might be given to them that believe But before faith came we were kept under the law shut up unto the faith which should afterwards be revealed By the deeds of the law Rom. 3.20 21 22. there shall no flesh be justified in his fight for by the Law is the knowledge of sin But now the righteousnesse of God without the Law is manifested by the Law and the prophets Even the righteousnesse of God which is by faith of Iesus Christ unto all and upon all that believe For all have sinned Rom. 3.23 24 25 26. and come short of the glory of God Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Iesus Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his bloud to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past through the forbearance of God That he might be just and the justifier of him which believeth in Iesus To him that worketh nor Rom. 4.5 but beliveth on him that justifieth the ungodly his faith is counted for righteousnesse Being justified by faith Rom. 5.1 2. we have peace with God through our Lord Iesus Christ By whom also we have accesse by faith into this grace wherein we stand and rejoyce in hope of the glory of God There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Iesus Rem 8.1 2. Who walk not after the flesh but after the spirit For the Law of the spirit of life in Christ Iesus hath made me free from the lâ—w of sin and death For Christ is the end of the law Rom. 10.4 for righteousness to every one that believeth The Word is nigh thee even in thy mouth and in thy heart Rom. 10.8 9 10 11. that is the Word of Faith which we preach That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Iesus and shalt believe in thy heart that God hath raised him from the dead thou shalt be saved For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness and with the mouth Confession is made unto salvation For the Scripture saith Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed Whatsoever is not of Faith Rom. 14.23 is sin And whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed Rom. 9.33 It pleased God 1 Cor. 1.21 by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe For we walk by faith 2 Cor. 5.7 not by sight I live yet not I Gal. 2.20 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 They which be of faith are blessed Gal. 3.9 26. with faithfull Abraham For ye are all the Children of God by faith in Christ Iesus In whom also Ephes 1.13 14. after that ye believed ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of Promise which is the earnest of our Inheritance For by Grace are ye saved through Faith Ephes 2.8 and not of your selves it is the gift of God For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again 1 Thess 4.14 even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him Above all things take the shield of Faith Wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery Darts of the wicked Ephes 1.16 17. Watch ye 1 Cor. 16.13 stand fast in the Faith quit you like men be strong And to whom swore he Heb. 3.18 19 that they should not enter into his rest but to them that believed not So we see that they could not enter in because of unbelief Let us draw near with a true heart Heb. 10.22.23 in full assurance of Faith having our hearts sprinkled from an evill Conscience and our Bodies washed with pure water Let us hold fast the Profession of our Faith without wavering for he is faithfull that promised Now Faith is the substance of things hoped for Heb. 11.1 the evidence of things not seen But without Faith it is impossible to please him Heb. 11.6 for he that commeth to God must believe that he is and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him The whole Chapter being special instances of Faith Of the great Power of faith in the true Servants of God who shewed the powerfullnesse of Faith in general and of their Faith in particular Looking unto Jesus Heb. 12.2 the Author and finisher of our Faith Receiving the end of your Faith 1 Pet. 1.9 20. even the salvation of your Souls Who by him do believe in God that raised him from the dead and gave him glory that your faith and hope might be in God Be thou faithfull unto the death Rev. 2.10 and I will give thee the Crown of life Hence is the patience of the Saints Rev. 14.12 here are they that keep that Commandements of God and the faith of Iesus Seventhly Again Christus in veteri Testamaento est velatus Sed in novo Testamento Christus est nobis revelatus Christ in the Old Testament was hid and covered as it were under a veil and was only shadowed out unto us But in the New Testament Christ is there manisestly revealed unto us and the veil of the old Testament by him taken away 2 Cor. 3.13 14 15. And not as Moses which put a veil over his face that the Children of Israel could not stedfastly look to the end of that which is abolished But their minds were blinded for untill this day remaineth the same veil untaken away in the reading of the old Testament which veil is done away in Christ But even to this day when Moses is read the veil is upon their hearts Nevertheless where they shall turn to the Lord the veil shall be taken away And without controversie 1 Tim. 3.16 great is the mystery of Godliness God was manifest in the flesh justified in the Spirit seen of Angels preached unto the Gentiles believed on in the world and received up into glory In the beginning was the Word Iohn 1.1 2 14. and the Word was with God And the same was in the beginning with God 1 Iohn
grace and Mercy doth descend down upon us as St. Augustine well observeth But there are some Prayers which do not ascend up to Heaven as St. Bernard observeth as namely Oratio timida S. Bernard A fearfull Prayer 2. Oratio tepida A dull and heavy Prayer 3. Oratio temeraria A rash and hasty Prayer These 3 kinds of Prayers as St. Bernard observeth do never ascend up to Heaven Qui orat S. Chrysostom et peccat non orat ad Deum sed deludit as St. Chrysostome observeth He which doth pray unto God and then presently offends again doth not pray unto God as he ought to do but doth even mock and delude him Watch and pray Mat. 26.41 that ye enter not into temptation the spirit indeed is willing but the flesh is weak Hereupon it is written of an Emperor that had his Page Watch and pray that every morning came unto him using to him these few words namely Vigilasti Emperator vigila O Emperor hast thou been watchfull and carefull of thy self if so it is well Mat. 24.42 be watchfull still Watch therefore for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come Watch therefore Mat 25.13 for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the son of man commeth Take ye heed watch and pray Mark 13.33 35 37. for ye know not when the time is Watch ye therefore for ye know not when the Master of the House commeth at even or at midnight or at the Cock-crowing or in the morning Lest comming suddenly he find you sleeping And what I say unto you I say unto all watch Watch and pray ut dignaremini that ye may be found so doing and accounted worchy whereupon saith St. Bernard Dignitas uostra domine et dignitio tua S. Bernard O Lord all our worth and worthiness is only thine and from thee and thy grace to us proceeding and which we have received from thee alone nothing of or from our selves For of his fullness have all we received and grace for grace Io. 1.16 For it pleased the Father Collos 1.19 that in him should all fulness dwell It is well observed by one That the constant daily The benefit of constant and frehuent Prayer and frequent use of Prayer both private and publick is of extraordinary great benefit and comfort unto the parties praying if we do take into our serio consideration these ensuing particulars As namely 1. How needfull and helpfull to all Prayer is and of how dangerous consequence the neglect thereof is 2. How precious a duty and service Prayer is being pleasing and acceptable unto God 3. How powerfull Prayer is in the prevailing even with God himself 1. No better deliverance in time of distress than by Prayer unto God The Lord is my strength and my shield Ps 28.7 my heart trusted in him and I am helped therefore my heart greatly rejoyceth and with my Song will I praise him The Lord also will be a refuge for the oppressed Psalm 9.9 a refuge in time of trouble Blessed be God that hath not turned away my Prayer Ps 66.20 nor his mercy from me But as for me my Prayer is unto thee O Lord in an acceptable time Ps 69.13 16 17. O God in the multitude of thy mercy hear me in the truth of thy salvation Hear me O Lord for thy loving kindness is good turn unto me according to the multitude of thy tender mercies And hide not thy face from thy Servant for I am in trouble hear me speedily One observeth this of Prayer Aeque pauperibus prodest locupletibus aeque Aeque neglectum pueris senibusque nocebit It gaineth good to poor and rich If use thereof be free And hurteth youth as well as age Neglected if it be 2. God caused a House to be made for the performing of this duty and service of Prayer unto himself and styled the same by the name of the House of Prayer Even them will I bring to my holy Mountain Isaiah 56.7 and make them joyfull in my House of Prayer their burnt offerings and their sacrifices shall be accepted upon mine Altar for mine House shall be called an House of Prayer for all People And Iesus said unto them Mat. 21.13 It is written My House shall be called the House of Prayer but ye have made it a Den of Theeves And he taught saying unto them Mar. 11.17 It is written My House shall be called of all Nations the House of Prayer Saying to them Luke 11 46. it is written My House is the House of Prayer 3. The House of Prayer and Prayer used therein together with private Prayer also is the best means to move and cause God to turn away and remove his judgements from us Ask and ye shall receive That is as one observeth Ask by Prayer and ye shall receive And all things whatsoever ye shall ask in Prayer Mat. 21.22 believing ye shall receive Therefore I say unto you Mark 11.24 What things soever ye desire when ye pray believe that ye receive them and ye shall have them Thus we may behold The powerfulness of Prayer and see the powerfull effect of Prayer the same prevailing even with God himself By Prayer Daniel was preserved in the Lions Den. Then said Daniel unto the King Den. 6.21 22. O King live for ever My God hath sent his Angel and hath shut the Lions mouths that they have not hurt me forasmuch as before him Innocency was found in me and also before Thee O King I have done no hurt By Prayer Jonah was delivered in the Whales belly Then Jonah prayed unto the Lord his God out of the Fishes belly Jonah 2.1 2 7 9 10. And said I cryed by reason of mine affliction unto the Lord and he heard me out of the Belly of Hell cryed I and thou heardest my voice Jonahs Prayer when my Soul fainted within me I remembred the Lord and my Prayer came unto thee into thy holy Temple I will sacrifise unto thee with the voice of Thanksgiving I will pay that that I have vowed Salvation is of the Lord. And the Lord spoke unto the Fish and it vomited out Jonah upon the dry Land By Prayer Peter in the Prison and bound with Chains was by an Angel deliver'd from the cruel hands of King Herod Peter therefore was kept in Prison Acts 12.5 6 7 8 9. but prayer was made without ceasing of the Church unto God for him And when Herod would have brought him forth the same night Peter was sleeping between two Souldiers bound with 2 chains the keeper before the door kept the Prison And behold the Angel of the Lord came upon him and a light shined in the prison and he smote Peter on the side and raised him up saying unto him Arise up quickly and his Chains fell from his hands And the Angel said to him Gird up thy self
and bind on thy sandals and so he did and he saith unto him Cast thy garment about thee and follow me And he went out and followed him By Prayer the 3 Children Dan. 3.16 17 18 19 21 24. Shadrach Meshack and Abednego being cast bound into the midst of the fiery furnace were by God preserved and delivered from the flames of fire Shadrach Meshack and Abednego answered and said to the King O Nebuchadnezzar we are not carefull to answer thee in this matter If it be so Be it known unto thee O King that we will not serve thy Gods nor worship the golden Image thou hast set up Then was Nebuchadnezzar ful of fury therefore he spake and commanded that they should heat the furnace one 7 times more that it was wont to be heat Then these men were bound in their coats their hosen and their hats and their other garments were cast into the midst of the burning fiery furnace Then the King was astonied and rose up in hast and spake and said unto his Counsellors Did not we cast 3 men bound into the midst of the fire they answered said to him True O King He answered and said Lo I see 4 men loose walking in the midst of the fire and they have no hurt and the form of the 4th is like the Son of God And the Princes governors and captains and the Kings Counsellors being gathered together saw these men upon whom the fire had no power nor was an hair of their head singed neither were their coats changed nor the smell of fire had passed on them When thou passest through the waters I will be with thee Isa 43 2 3 and 11. I even I am the Lord and besides me there is no Saviour and through the Rivers they shall not overflow thee when thou walkest through the fire thou shalt not be burnt neither shall the flame kindle upon thee For I am the Lord thy God the holy one of Israel thy Saviour All these were deliver'd by the powerfulness of prayer prevailing with God By Prayer Jacob the night before he did meet with his brother Esau wrestled with the Angel by his earnestness and importunity of his prayer he at the last therby so far prevailed with him as that he obtained a blessing from him and his Brother Esau was appeased towards him which made him greatly to rejoyce And Iacob was left alone Gen. 32.24 to 28. and there wrestled a man with him untill the breaking of the day and he said let me go for the day breaketh he said I wil not let thee go except thou bless me And he said unto him What is thy name and he said Jacob. And he said Thy name shall be called no more Jacob but Israel for as a Prince hast thou power with God and with man and hast prevailed And Esau ran to meet him and embraced him Gen. 33.4 10. and fell on his neck and kissed him and they wept And Iacob said I have seen thy face as though I had seen the face of God and thou wast pleased with me He took his Brother by the heel in the wombe Hos 12.3 4 5. and by his strength he had power with God Yea he had power over the Angel and prevailed he wept and made supplication unto him he found him in Bethel and there he spoke with us Even the Lord God of Hosts the Lord is his memorial By Prayer Moses for the children of Israel prevailed against Amalek and overehrew him And Moses said unto Joshua Exod. 17.9 10 11. chuse us out men and go out and fight with Amalek to morrow I will stand on the top of the hill with the rod of God in mine hand So Joshua did as Moses had said unto him and fought with Aamalek and Moses Aaron and Hur went up to the top of the Hill And it came to pass when Moses held up his hand that Israel prevailed and when he let it down Amalek prevailed Ioshua obtained from the Lord that the Sun and Moon should stand still in the firmament Iosh 10.8 10 12 13 14. whiles that he avenged himself on his enemies the Amorites And the Lord said unto Joshua Fear them not for I have delivered them into thine hand And the Lord discomfited them before Israel Then Joshua spoke to the Lord in the day when the Lord delivered up the Amorites before the children of Israel and he said in the sight of Israel Sun stand still upon Gibeon and thou Moon in the Valley of Aialon And the sun stood still and the Moon stayed untill the People had avenged themselves So the sun stood still in the midst of Heaven and hasted not to go down about a whole day And there was no day like that before it or after it that the Lord hearkned unto the voice of a man for the Lord fought for Israel By Prayer Elijah brought down fire from Heaven which consumed the burnt-Sacrifice to the convincing of Baals Prophets Hear me O Lord Kings 18.17.38 39. Elijahs Prayer hear me that this people may know that thou art the Lord God and that thou hast turned their heart back again Then the fire of the Lord fell consumed the burnt sacrifice the wood and the stones the dust and licked up the water that was in the trench And when all the people saw it they fell on their faces and they said The Lord he is God the Lord he is God By Prayer Elijah brought down fire twice from Heaven and consumed the 2 Captains with their several fifties comming unto him with a message from Ahaziah King of Samaria Then the King sent unto him a Captain of fifty 2 Kings 1.9 11 12. with his fifty and he went up to him and behold he sate upon the top of an hill and he spoke unto him Thou man of God the King hath said come down And Elijah answered and said to the captain of fifty If I be a man of God then let fire come down from heaven and consume thee and thy fifty and there came down fire from heaven and consumed him and his fifty Again also he sent unto him another captain of fifty with his fifty and he answered and said unto him O man of God thus hath the king said come down quickly And Elijah answered and said unto them If I be a man of God let fire come down from heaven and consume thee and thy fifty and the fire of God came down from heaven and consumed him and his fifty By prayer 1 Kin. 17.21 22. Elijah raised the widows son from death to life again And he cried unto the Lord and said I pray thee let this childs soul come into him again And the Lord heard the voice of Elijah and the soul of the child came into him again and he revived By prayer Elisha caused the waters of Jordan to be divided smiting of them with the mantle which fell from
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